A Daily Bible Study in 7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and Daily Application
This is a chronological 52 week study of the Old Testament. The text is grouped into seven daily sections, making it useful for a week-long study beginning on Sunday and continuing through the week.
A similar 52 week study is available for the New Testament starting with the Gospels in Chronological form, and finishing with the rest of the New Testament Canonically. For any updated or e-book versions of this resource see Dave's website.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 1
The Creation of the World
1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
1:2 Now the earth was without shape and empty,
and darkness was over the surface of the watery deep,
but the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the water.
1:3 God said, “Let there be light.” And there was light!
1:4 God saw that the light was good, so God separated the light from the darkness.
1:5 God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.”
There was evening, and there was morning, marking the first day.
Lord, You created, You defined, You imparted value “it was good”, and You created time for Your creation where only timelessness had existed. May I stand in awe of You!
Moses was the chosen author of God. If one does not take the text to describe any part of pre-Genesis history and one takes the Creation narrative to refer in every detail to literal 24 hour days then it covers approximately 2400 years.
It has been estimated that Moses recorded the essence of the book of Genesis sometime after the time of the exodus out of Egypt in 15th Century BC. While he may have had access to oral history and artifacts, perhaps even some Egyptian documents, it was God who would have inspired and informed his writing. (This does not address when he recorded the Book of Exodus.)
Chapter One introduces the creative expression of God. He sovereignly speaks a linear-time-contained physical reality into existence and summarizes the first six days of His Creation.
There is a good deal of debate in theological circles as to the precise meaning of the words, “In the beginning,” the resolution of which has some significant impact. If one takes them as introduction to a mere allegory or parable they have an impact upon ones understanding of the entire Bible. If one takes the words to refer to the beginning of everything created external to Heaven, and as a literal record, they have a substantially different impact on what follows. This commentary leans toward the latter rather than the former understanding, though with a caveat or two.
“God created” tells us that He did so without help and ex nihilo, a Latin phrase meaning “out of nothing” or without any preexisting resource (that is, no source other than Himself).
“The heavens and the earth” may be taken to refer broadly to everything external to the Kingdom of Heaven or to very narrowly to refer only to the sky and solid ground referenced in verses 6-9. This commentary leans toward the former over the latter understanding.
The phrase, “without shape and empty, and darkness was over the surface,” leads the reader to understand that the Lord God had not yet given definition and purpose to “the heavens and the earth” which He had just created.
We are told that “the Spirit of God was moving,” which both informs us of the presence of a specific member of the Trinity (the Holy Spirit) and alerts us that action is about to take place to transform the shapeless, empty, dark earth.
The third verse describes God’s method in creating and transforming by mere spoken word: He said, “Let there be light. And there was light!” The sovereign power of God to create, transform, give meaning and purpose to, and cause order are all clearly observable in this brief segment of Biblical text.
The powerful phrase, “God saw that the light was good,” shows the Lord assessing what He had created, deeming it worthy of Himself, and establishing the light as “good” in contrast to the prior state of darkness or lack of definition.
Apart from sometimes-esoteric debates about ‘new earth’ versus ‘old earth,’ or 6 thousand years since Creation versus 6 billion years, there may be no question in the mind of a Biblical-Christian as to Who did the creating. The Lord God leaves no room for doubt in His Word.
How does the belief that the Lord God literally created everything as described in Genesis impact your view of science?
When this fallen world, of which Satan is the temporary Prince, seeks to raise doubt in us about our faith, we need only return to the book of Genesis to find restoration in the words, “In the beginning God.” It is an awesome thing to imagine the majesty and power of the One Who created.
When have you contemplated what it means for the Lord to live outside of the constraints of linear time as we know it?
Ask the Holy Spirit reveal to you a specific place in your life where you are stuck; stuck because you are trying to deal with a challenge in your own strength and wisdom and keep failing, or stuck because you have asked the Lord God for intervention while at the same time doubting that He has the power to meet and overcome that which challenges you.
Today I will confess my lack of faith, remembering that it was He Who created everything from nothing, and repent (turn away) from my doubt. I will request and receive His forgiveness and allow Him to be my strength as He is Lord of my life.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
1:6 God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters
and let it separate water from water.
1:7 So God made the expanse
and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it.
It was so.
1:8 God called the expanse “sky.”
There was evening, and there was morning, a second day.
1:9 God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place and let dry ground appear.” It was so.
1:10 God called the dry ground “land” and the gathered waters he called “seas.”
God saw that it was good.
1:11 God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: plants yielding seeds according to their kinds, and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds.”
It was so.
1:12 The land produced vegetation – plants yielding seeds according to their kinds, and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds.
God saw that it was good.
1:13 There was evening, and there was morning, a third day.
1:14 God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night,
and let them be signs to indicate seasons and days and years,
1:15 and let them serve as lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth.”
It was so.
1:16 God made two great lights – the greater light to rule over the day and the lesser light to rule over the night.
He made the stars also.
1:17 God placed the lights in the expanse of the sky to shine on the earth,
1:18 to preside over the day and the night,
and to separate the light from the darkness.
God saw that it was good.
1:19 There was evening, and there was morning, a fourth day.
1:20 God said, “Let the water swarm with swarms of living creatures
and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.”
1:21 God created the great sea creatures and every living and moving thing with which the water swarmed, according to their kinds,
and every winged bird according to its kind.
God saw that it was good.
1:22 God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.”
1:23 There was evening, and there was morning, a fifth day.
1:24 God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds:
cattle, creeping things, and wild animals, each according to its kind.”
It was so.
1:25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds,
the cattle according to their kinds,
and all the creatures that creep along the ground according to their kinds.
God saw that it was good.
Lord, You first created a physical reality, then You created time-itself, then You created an atmosphere – resulting in an ‘atmospheric shell’ around the earth which then resulted in an expanse called “sky” with the water-covered earth at the center. May I respect Your power as I marvel at Your engineering. You designed Your Creation with each species unique, and that was Your perfect plan. May I be mindful that in Your economy of things everything has a unique purpose, even in a fallen-away broken condition, and that brings harmony. You created day and night as we know it, and each has its purpose. May I listen closely to Your Holy Spirit so as to discover my purpose in Your great plan. You decided that the air and sea should have life, then You created it. May I never doubt that You are the sovereign One and that everything You have prophesied will happen. Your power and vision are beyond anything known to mere man, You not only designed an entire planet and populated it with life – You did so in a way that was perfectly harmonious. May I find joy in the knowledge that our Lord Jesus is preparing a place for us that is as You originally intended.
The Lord God decided how He would proceed with His creation, then made it so “So God made the expanse”.
The Lord God altered the climate system by separating, with an “expanse” translated “sky,” the moisture in the outer atmosphere above the earth from the water on the earth’s surface.
With a word God created the climate system: The cycle of moisture from the surface of the earth moves in to the upper atmosphere, around the earth, and is then deposited elsewhere – keeping the balance of humidity without occurrence of flooding or drought (prior to the ‘Fall’).
After creating an atmospheric shell so that the surface (covered by water) was surrounded by sky and contained by that shell the Lord God then separated bodies of land and sea.
Each part, atmospheric shell, sky, water, and land served a different function, just as parts of the human body do, and each contributed to the whole ecosystem in a unique but critical way.
The Lord God then called the plants and trees into being, each also with a unique purpose, and each reproducing only its own kind.
“There was evening, and there was morning, a third day” (vs 13).
As Moses recorded the story of Creation he used descriptive images and phrases from a primitive era, it is important as we read to not misunderstand his limited experience-based vocabulary as mere allegory, but rather allow the Holy Spirit to enhance our understanding.
The Lord God created the sun “... the greater light”, moon “... the lesser light”, and stars. The interaction of these bodies resulted in “... seasons and days and years.” As humankind has studied the relationship between the sun, moon, stars, and other planets their location has been found to be associated with day, night, season, and years and they have also been valuable in land-based geo-location and water-bound navigation.
Until this moment in Creation, the earth was held together by the Lord-alone. He set in place the rest of the cosmos in order to make it a self-sustaining yet highly interdependent system, though at all times it exists only as He empowers and permits. In its fallen-away broken state all of Creation would collapse without His constant intervention. [Colossians 1:17]
“There was evening, and there was morning, a fourth day” (vs 19).
The most-legitimate challenge to the presumption that a “day” in the Genesis Creation account equals what we know as 24 hours comes from Day 4, vss 1:14-18
One must stretch hard to not see the repeated expression “There was evening, and there was morning, a fifth day.” as more than a rhetorical flourish (common throughout the Word of God) than as a phrase intended to require a literal 24 hours.
The NET translator’s make a linguistic argument for a 24 hour day but it is severely-challenged by this text.
However, the text of the “fourth day” does not require the prior days to be anything other than what humankind came to know as twenty-four hour days, for that matter they could have been twenty-four nanoseconds - God is never restrained by His creation; why would He take twenty-four of ‘our’ hours to form something He easily could create with a “word” or a “thought”?
These can be challenging texts - one must approach them with awe for God and skepticism toward any effort to undermine the integrity of the whole Word
The Lord God looked upon His Creation, water separated from sky and space, water and land separated, then plants and trees created upon the land; all of it deemed good – perfect in harmony.
He then decided that the sky and sea should also have living things, so the Lord created sea creatures and birds.
The Lord God did as He had with the plants and trees and equipped the creatures of the sky and sea to reproduce, multiplying from the few to the many, “each according to their kind”.
“There was evening, and there was morning, a fifth day.” (vs 23).
The Lord God followed His decision to populate the sky and water with life-forms specific to those environments with a decision to populate the land with creatures as well.
The text describes three rough categories; crawling creatures (e.g. insects and lizards), large animals – with an implication of suitability to be domesticated (e.g. buffalo, camels, cattle, goats, sheep), and a variety of other wild animals.
As before the Lord spoke them into being then, as He did the fish and fowl, empowered them to reproduce “according to their kind” without the need of His direct Creative action.
Created first on the sixth day are “living creatures according to their kinds” (vs 24).
At Creation everything worked in perfect symmetry. The plants and trees were given the gift of life then set free to multiply remaining true to their unique created form. Land and sea are both source for the critical elements of water and dry surface needed for growth; each were created in perfect balance and order. What has now become imperfect, a ‘machine’ barely held together with loose and broken parts, surrounded by debris flying through space, with dark comets all-but-invisible to detection threatening to slam into planet earth and wreak terrible havoc; this was once a beautiful and perfectly balanced galactic system of God’s design. The land was self-sustaining without creatures in the air and water, it was only the creative Spirit of the Lord God Who envisioned, then perfectly-created them. Despite many unsupportable details imposed upon the text by mere men (some fanciful, some venal, and some carelessly-conjectured by the rare few actually seeking truth) the Bible is essentially silent as to details of the creatures the Lord God created and set loose upon the earth. We see only the distortions of His perfect Creation long after the Fall. We must remember that Eden was sealed – so nothing of perfection is visible to us.
How might you help someone to recognize the literal physical massiveness of each step in Creation? How might your fellowship teach an appreciation for the difference between the original flawless Creation and the fallen-away remnant in which we live? How might you help believers to understand the confused-thinking of those who invent notions about the animals in pre-Fall Eden, and/or those who deny Eden entirely, to arrive at their scientifically-challenged belief in a Godless and essentially-random evolution-by-accident? (When challenged with mathematical, physical, and observational realities, those who challenge creationism retreat to magical thinking (aliens from space deposited life on earth) while ignoring the obvious rhetorical ‘elephant in the room’ (aliens would still require an ‘ex nihilo’ origin sometime in the past).
Summer and winter, spring and fall, rain and snow, sunshine and darkness; each now far less perfect than the original pre-Fall creation, yet each is critical to the balance of the Created system; a miraculous work of God. Prior to day four of Creation, God had held everything in place by mere thought; then He added a multitude of interdependent solar systems, each with gravity, all in perfect harmony, and all contributing to the balanced whole. Diversity, independence, peaceful coexistence; this was the design - and then the Fall. The land animals were different in kind and purpose from the plants and trees, birds and sea creatures that came before them, yet were similar in that they were equipped and released to live and multiply. All of Creation to this point was either non-sentient (unable to experience pain or pleasure), or sentient (able to experience pain or pleasure) but all were non-reflective (non-sapient).
When have you paused to consider the perfect balance of God's original climatology and praise Him? When have you experienced the inspiring teaching of someone contrasting perfection with imperfect and the promise that one day we will know the perfection for which we were created? When have you observed a creative person at work and how they envision something in their mind and then create it with their body? When have you paused to ponder what must have been the magnificence of God’s creation and then mourned the mess that we’ve (through the Fall) made of it?
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to look past the broken and imperfect world around you and instead dwell upon God’s amazing Creation and to invest the time to pause and to observe a land animal, either directly or via a live Internet cam, and as you do so to celebrate the beauty and incredible detail of the creature and the way that it interacts with its environment. Also, observe the obvious differences between that creature and the higher form of a human.
Today I will celebrate the beauty and incredible detail of the creature(s) I have observed and the way it/they interact(s) with its environment. I will then use an opportunity He provides to share with another, in person or electronically, the amazing evidences of the Lord God’s creative touch which I observed in His created-creature (despite the impact of our Fallen world). I will give God all of the glory.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
1:26 Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, after our likeness,
so they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move on the earth.”
1:27 God created humankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them,
male and female he created them.
1:28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply! Fill the earth and subdue it!
Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that moves on the ground.”
1:29 Then God said, “I now give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the entire earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.
1:30 And to all the animals of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to all the creatures that move on the ground – everything that has the breath of life in it – I give every green plant for food.”
It was so.
1:31 God saw all that he had made – and it was very good!
There was evening, and there was morning, the sixth day.
2:1 The heavens and the earth were completed with everything that was in them. 2:2 By the seventh day God finished the work that he had been doing, and he ceased on the seventh day all the work that he had been doing. 2:3 God blessed the seventh day and made it holy because on it he ceased all the work that he had been doing in creation.
2:4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created – when the Lord God made the earth and heavens.
Lord, You made us in Your partial image, and You gave us stewardship of Your Creation. While we made a mess of things may I remember that Your work was flawless and Your unique and eternal flawlessness is to be praised. You completed every detail of Your perfectly-planned Creation in six days and nothing new was added after the sixth-day, so the seventh-day was unique – therefore holy – as Your Creation was complete. May I honor Your perfect work of Creation in praise and worship at least once a week and every week. Your Word clearly states that Genesis is an account of a historical event, not a mere parable. May I rely upon Your Word, pass the test and not be tempted to please those who would demean Your Word, and rather take You at Your Word.
The text uses the plural term “us” when the Lord God refers to Himself, it is the first of many occasions from Genesis through Revelation where the plurality of the “Godhead” or “Trinity” is expressly or indirectly testified.
The NET translator’s notes share several of the perspectives upon the plural reference to the Lord God but all but a Trinitarian view, consistent with the rest of the text – as is the case throughout the Bible - every major matter is affirmed elsewhere, thus this study will not quibble with the natural meaning of the plural.
The Lord God created humankind, unique and separate from all of the other creatures, in His own image (“... after our likeness” means a partial reflection of features of the Lord God).
Humankind is both a sentient (perceiving the environment via seven physical senses) and a sapient (capable of processing sentient data in an intentionally-rational manner) Creation.
Humankind was plural in form, male and female, linked spiritually to the Lord God in a type of Trinitarian essence. (Humankind without the Lord God is temporally incomplete and eternally dead.)
Humankind is capable of sensing pain and pleasure as well as engaging in intentionally reflective, thoughtful, and volitional relationships.
Humankind is more than merely instinctive as is the case with all other living things.
Humankind alone was given the capacity for relationship in the spiritual realm.
Humankind alone was purposed to receive the delegated authority and responsibility to rule over the rest of Creation.
Humankind was given the fruit of the seed-bearing plants and seek-bearing fruit of the trees as food. (Note that there is an implicit absence of permission to eat non seed-bearing fruit, apparent of only a single tree in the Garden, and also note that a seed-bearing fruit is incapable of reproduction (without artificial human intervention e.g. via budding or grafting – it is an inherently single-generation tree.)
"God saw all that he had made – and it was very good! There was evening, and there was morning, the sixth day" (vs 31).
Chapter two of Genesis revisits the Creation narrative presented in chapter one, adding detail to descriptions of the relationship between Adam and Eve, their relationship with the Lord God, and their interaction with the rest of God’s Creation.
The Lord God had completed all of His creative work prior to the beginning of the seventh day and ceased His work. Nothing that occurred after the end of the sixth day involved a new creative work.
The Lord God then did an amazing thing: He set aside the seventh day and declared it a holy day, a ‘holyday’ holiday of sorts, during which He wanted His Creation to remember His work of the first six days in an exceptional way, by ceasing from all work (labor) as He Himself had modeled. It is very important that we understand why God set aside the seventh day as a holy day.
The Lord’s perfectly-planned Creation was unique, in timeless eternity and in the just-created linear time-bound physical universe He had just spoken into being – that event was therefore holy and worthy of pause to praise.
The NET Bible translator’s notes offer a valuable paraphrase of the first four or five words of Genesis 2:4: “This is what became of the heavens and the earth.”
When one reads the NET translator’s paraphrase the text is revealed as declaring the literal nature of the Creation record while it also introduces additional detail – to be followed by the sad story of rebellion and Fall.
This is still pre-Fall, so man is innocent and lives in perfect harmony with the Lord God and everything in His Creation. The holy day, established pre-Fall by God, set aside in celebration of His perfect Creation. What the Lord God did in His act of Creation was real, He spoke and it was.
How might you lead others to a greater appreciation of the Lord God through a comparison of attributes in real world application?
(e.g. Humankind may maintain few truly intimate relationships and typical is limited to about 12 in a meaningful group interaction, whereas the Lord God may have an intimate relationship with 6 billion humans and communicate with each individually as well.)
Mankind was male and female living in harmony; they were different yet of a common essence, possessed of an essential unity, much like the holy Trinity of God. The creation of every new human life is a partnership between man and God; while God delegated the capacity to reproduce, it is He-alone Who gives the spiritual life which separates man from beast.
On the Sunday ‘holyday’ for Christians we recognize our new covenant with God, and we celebrate the new creation that He has provided for us, through the life and death of Jesus the Christ.
It is a remarkable reality that, when the Lord God created the heavens and the earth, 1) He was self-sufficient, 2) He needed nothing external to Himself, and, as an act of love, 3) He chose to create so that He might share Himself with man.
When you have been in a fellowship where attention was brought to the Lord’s creative work and there was celebration of His perfection then – and of that same perfection awaiting us in heaven?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you something new about His Creative genius through our scientific observations about the human body, something that will underscore my understanding that His Creation that is too-profound to have happened accidentally – even over billions of years, to lead you to take the time to celebrate on this Sunday by ceasing from the busyness of life “work” to reflect upon the beauty of the Lord God’s original perfect Creation, and to lead you to a more profound awareness that the Lord God created humankind with the free will to either love or reject Him.
Today I will stand in front of a mirror and be amazed that, considering the ravages of the Fall, the Lord God’s creative hand remains so visible in my complex bio-mechanical machine (my physical self) and in the indwelling Holy Spirit (the perfect Counselor to my spiritual self). I will then share what I have learned with someone and encourage them to repeat my discovery experience. I will celebrate life. I will thank the Lord God for His gift of life to me and especially for my new life in Christ. I will encourage and pray for the one(s) whom He has identified. I will pause and reflect and celebrate and I will share with a fellow believer and, as the Holy Spirit provides, with one who is considering-Christ the truth of the new creation that the Lord has promised to those who place their faith fully in His Son Jesus.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
2:5 Now no shrub of the field had yet grown on the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to cultivate the ground. 2:6 Springs would well up from the earth and water the whole surface of the ground. 2:7 The Lord God formed the man from the soil of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
2:8 The Lord God planted an orchard in the east, in Eden; and there he placed the man he had formed.
2:9 The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow from the soil, every tree that was pleasing to look at and good for food. (Now the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil were in the middle of the orchard.)
2:10 Now a river flows from Eden to water the orchard, and from there it divides into four headstreams. 2:11 The name of the first is Pishon; it runs through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. 2:12 (The gold of that land is pure; pearls and lapis lazuli are also there). 2:13 The name of the second river is Gihon; it runs through the entire land of Cush. 2:14 The name of the third river is Tigris; it runs along the east side of Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates.
2:15 The Lord God took the man and placed him in the orchard in Eden to care for it and to maintain it.
2:16 Then the Lord God commanded the man, “You may freely eat fruit from every tree of the orchard, 2:17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will surely die.”
Lord, as I once-again read the flow of Your Creation, and the purpose for which You created everything, I am in awe. May I never forget that You breathed life into the first human, as You do with each and every human, and that we rely upon You for life itself.
Genesis Chapter 2 is a fleshing-out of detail the story of what the Lord God Created, followed in Chapter 3 by what man did with His incredible gift of Creation and divine relationship.
God informs the reader that, whereas He had caused life to exist in the form of plants and creatures of the air, land, and sea, there were not yet cultivated plants for food —cultivation requires a cultivator and He had not yet created man. This observation is included to remind the reader that God’s intent was to delegate management of a limited portion of His Creation to man.
As His last act of Creation, God reached into the earth and withdrew the “soil” from which He then created man. This illustrates everything in Creation being linked, which explains the commonalities of DNA in all life forms today — bananas, fish, monkeys, and humans.
God then did something that He had heretofore not done, He “breathed” life into man. Previously He had merely spoken His Creation into existence and it had life, but breathing life in to man gifted him with the capacity for something very unique. [The NET translator notes list the characteristics which God breathed in to man as “spiritual understanding” (Job 32:8) and “a functioning conscience” (Proverbs 20:27). Some would label this as the “soul.”]
As the NET translator’s notes observe the reference to “East” would have been in relationship to the land of Israel as that is the location of the rivers it also referenced.
The Lord God selected from his collection of trees, which He had previously created, some suitable for an orchard and then set them in Eden, where He also placed man.
All of these selected and beautiful trees bore deliciously edible fruit, but even more unique were two, “the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” We remember that God is God and He as Creator can do anything He either desires or imagines. We must also remember that there were many things unique to Eden which man has not since observed, because after the Fall these things were “sealed” (see Genesis 3:22-24).
Verses 10-14 serve two obvious purposes: they establish the richness of God’s provision in Eden and they establish the geographical reality of the story versus an imaginary one. It is theoretically possible to read the word “now” as indicating that Moses was describing the location of Eden in his time rather than in the time of the Eden narrative, but that is a long-stretch — there simply is no apparent added value to the narrative to suddenly make reference to another time and place.
The Lord God placed humankind in the Garden of Eden to fulfill their purpose, caring for it, and He then instructed them as to His boundaries for them: “You may freely eat fruit from every tree of the orchard, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will surely die.”
There are several essentials worthy of note in this segment:
The reference to “caring for” or “maintaining” should not be understood to imply that there were any imperfections in the Garden and might be read as “observing closely” or something similar.
Humankind was offered but not guaranteed eternal life, because they were told by the Lord God that they could freely eat from every tree, including “the tree of life”, and there was nothing created pre-Fall that would have caused them to die (other than eating of the fruit of the forbidden “tree of knowledge”) – but until they reached and ate of the “tree of life” they were vulnerable.
Humankind was capable of dying instantly, both physically and in their spiritual relationship with the Lord God, but only as if He determined that such an intervention was necessary. Eventually, after rebelling against God, lost access to “the tree of life” and death became a normative expectation.
Humankind was given free will, the capacity and the freedom to choose among options, in the most important decisions of their lives.
Humankind was given everything needed, the capacity to both relate spiritually with and to be empowered by the Lord God with authority, knowledge, and strength — thus it was reasonable that they were expected to make wise choices.
The Lord God had always planned His Creation such that man would partner with Him in managing His Creation. Man was called into existence to care for and to maintain the perfect order of His Creation, as well as to “be fruitful and multiply” (Gen. 1:28), to better accomplish His purpose. The Lord God reminds us in this text that, in the Garden, He had provided for Adam and Eve everything they would ever need, literally everything.
What may the magnitude of the caring and order necessary to maintain the health of Creation assigned to them to cultivate - such need requiring that human reproduction would multiply those Whom He would also call to that task? The Lord God calls all Christians to a very similar partnership: we are to care for one another, keep things in order, and partner in spiritually-multiplying the family of God. How would you help people to understand the impact of “free will” - noting that from the beginning the Lord God did not guarantee humankind unlimited certainty of eternal life, regardless of their choices?
The way that the Lord God chose to breathe both spiritual and physical life into humankind is remarkable. Try to imagine the importance of a genuine freely-chosen relationship to the Lord God - He gave Adam and Eve everything they needed, all in the context of a perfect creation, yet He still gave them the capacity to choose to be righteous or to be rebellious. (Note that He stated “may”, “may not”, and then consequences – so the concept – if not realization - of death pre-existed the Fall.)
When have you experienced that love offered is not always love accepted and love shared is not always love nurtured and sustained? (The Lord God risked rejection and rebellion when He created lesser beings with the free will to reject or rebel against Him rather than to love Him.) When have you been in a situation where all of your important needs were met yet you still made choices which disrespected your providers and placed their provision for you at risk?
Ask the Spirit to reveal to you a better understanding of what the Lord God intended when He gave you the gifts of spiritual understanding and of a functioning conscience and one or more ways that He has made special provision for specific needs and where you have responded with ungrateful neglect and/or rebellion.
Today I will pray, reflect, and study to apprehend what the Holy Spirit has unveiled to me and I will share what I have learned with a fellow Believer for shared edification and praise. I will confess and repent of my carelessness, disrespect, and rebellion. I will repent (turn away from), request forgiveness for, and accept His forgiveness for my sin. I will then share that experience with a fellow Believer, asking for their prayers in-agreement that I will resist a return to the sin, and I will also pray for them as they follow my example.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
2:19 The Lord God formed out of the ground every living animal of the field and every bird of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them, and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.
2:20 So the man named all the animals, the birds of the air, and the living creatures of the field.
2:18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a companion for him who corresponds to him.”
20b … but for Adam no companion who corresponded to him was found. 2:21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep, and while he was asleep, he took part of the man’s side and closed up the place with flesh.
2:22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the part he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. 2:23 Then the man said,
“This one at last is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
this one will be called ‘woman,’
for she was taken out of man.”
2:24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and unites with his wife, and they become a new family.
2:25 The man and his wife were both naked, but they were not ashamed.
Lord, You Created the creatures then allowed them to be named by Your “in Our likeness” creation (Adam), transferring authority along with responsibility. May I recognize that any authority and responsibility which I have in this world, broken and distorted as it is, is given for the purpose of Your priorities. You formed the plants and trees, birds and beasts - even humankind - from the soil that You had created. You then caused them to reproduce of their own kind. Since the first human was not designed to reproduce You then drew Eve out of Adam just as You had drawn Adam from the soil. You breathed Into humankind the unique life-force that made them in-Your-likeness.
The Lord God created the creatures from the soil He had already made, both animal and humankind, yet one recalls that He only “breathed life” into the human.
He then brought each creature to man so that man, not God, could name them.
It is understood in the ancient tradition that ‘naming’ was an expression of mastery or ownership.
In the same way, Jesus would later give new names to His apostles (because God rightly claims ownership of man).
Verse 18 is more naturally-understood together with verses 2:20b-24 than when presented prior to verse 19, that is why it was presented slightly out-of-sequence.
God said He would create for Adam an indispensable helper, a “companion,” one without whom he could not complete his tasks. This companion would not be a subordinate nor one to whom tasks would be delegated, rather one who would perform the tasks which the man could not.
In keeping with His former pattern and maintaining a continuity in Creation, God (Who had created Adam from the previously-created soil) took flesh and bone from Adam’s side to create his companion and partner in Eden. Adam did not continue in the process of naming what he “owns” when he said, “this one will be called woman,” he was merely describing her intimate similarity due to the flesh and bone link caused by her being “taken out of man.” Note that only after the Fall, as evidence of an element of the curse (“naming” implies ownership or superiority), did the categorical descriptive word “woman” become the name “Eve” (see Gen. 3:20).
“The man and his wife were both naked, but they were not ashamed,” speaks of their integrity-via-innocence; pre-Fall they had no cause to be ashamed of anything.
They were not ashamed because they were truly innocent, unaware of anything imperfect or of any different state of being. They were free of the knowledge of evil, which would have been the source of their embarrassment when standing naked before one another, or their Lord God.
Adam and Eve had been presented with the “test of the tree” but they had not yet been challenged to allow it to become a temptation – and absent that temptation they had not yet fallen into sin.
The Lord God created, and thus had legitimate dominion over, all of the creatures; yet He chose to delegate that to humankind. The text teaches that it was not the original intent of the Lord God that man and woman be unequal and competitive in relationship; such only became the nature of things after the Fall. When we think of Adam and Eve, “humankind” prior to the Fall, we cannot fully comprehend who they were because - other than Jesus - no other human has ever been as innocent.
Do we see that we belong to Him and, as such, He has the right to choose our paths; we have the obligation of loyal subjects to seek His will when making choices?
How might you illustrate an aspect of Heaven, using the pre-Fall description of man and woman - created uniquely, with equal inherent value, and with equal standing - without any hint of conflict or of competition? When we think of our place in Heaven, we may rightly look at pre-Fall Adam and Eve (and Jesus) as models of the innocence we too will possess – blessedly-absent the capacity to rebel. Is the true measure of a faith-saving relationship with Christ the absolute surrender of our free will to His Lordship?
How well do we comprehend what it means for the Lord God to have “mastery” or “ownership” over every truly-saved Believer? It is the Lord God’s loving-desire that men and women serve Him together in perfect harmony. We have Jesus Christ to thank for providing our way home to an Edenic-Heaven.
When have you experienced the naming a child or a pet? When have you observed children or adults functioning in synchronicity, helping and sharing with one another, all free of apparent competition and conflict? When have you been truly transparent before the Lord God, and/or before a fellow Believer, and the Holy Spirit gave you a special sense of purity and innocence in His forgiveness and grace?
Ask the Holy Spirit to amplify your understanding of the importance of separating pre-Fall from post-Fall events and why you need to avoid extrapolating modern-day expectations without regard to the original context and to grant you a sense of innocence (through Christ) before the Lord.
Today I will engage a fellow Christian in discussion about the way that God has named and claimed us, and together we will give Him praise and thanks. I will pause to discuss with a fellow Believer our innate longing for our pre-Fall intimate relationship with the Lord God, with His perfect Creation, and with one another. We will give thanks for the promise of Heaven and ask for comfort and patience as we live in this Fallen-away world. Today I will join with a fellow Believer in a prayerfully-reflective celebration of God’s promise of eternity in Heaven.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Temptation and the Fall
3:1 Now the serpent was more shrewd than any of the wild animals that the Lord God had made.
He said to the woman, “Is it really true that God said, ‘You must not eat from any tree of the orchard’?”
3:2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit from the trees of the orchard;
3:3 but concerning the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the orchard God said, ‘You must not eat from it, and you must not touch it, or else you will die.’” 3:4 The serpent said to the woman, “Surely you will not die,
3:5 for God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will open and
you will be like divine beings who know good and evil.”
3:6 When the woman saw that the tree produced fruit that was good for food, was attractive to the eye,
and was desirable for making one wise,
she took some of its fruit and ate it.
She also gave some of it to her husband who was with her, and he ate it.
3:7 Then the eyes of both of them opened, and they knew they were naked;
so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
3:8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God moving about in the orchard at the breezy time of the day,
and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the orchard.
3:9 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”
3:10 The man replied, “I heard you moving about in the orchard, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.”
3:11 And the Lord God said, “Who told you that you were naked?
Did you eat from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”
3:12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave me,
she gave me some fruit from the tree and I ate it.”
3:13 So the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”
And the woman replied, “The serpent tricked me, and I ate.”
Lord, as I read this terrible moment in history, second only to the crucifixion of Christ, I am convicted that I am just as ready to allow a test to become a temptation than were Adam and Eve. May I surrender more to the leadership of Your Holy Spirit so that my every choice is tested for Your will and not my own. We are all the same as Eve, looking for what appeals to our flesh rather than the best in us – that which the Holy Spirit empowers and nurtures. May my faith be in the perfection that I see in You, and may I desire that above all. I am shocked to read the dialogue between You and Adam and Eve, because I am certain that You’ve had that same dialogue with me. May I be convicted and reminded that I am responsible to You for every choice that I make.
Chapters One and Two presented the Creation narrative. Chapter Three described the horribly wrong choice of Adam and Eve and the devastating consequences which followed.
The serpent, like Balaam’s donkey (Numbers 22:22-35), was a sentient being (able to respond due to awareness and memory of patterns of pain and pleasure).
The serpent was, however, non-sapient (lacking the ability to either reflect or make decisions based on acquired wisdom and also lacking the unique human capacity to interact intentionally in the spiritual realm).
The serpent was a demon-possessed mouthpiece for a spiritual source — in this case Satan. (There is the case of the swine in Mathew 8:30-32 and Mark 5:11-13 wherein demons were sent into pigs by Jesus, but in that case they were merely neutral -non-communicating – physical ‘containers’ for those demons.)
Speculation that animals in pre–Fall Eden were capable of verbal communication with humans, and one another, is based on suspect extra-Biblical sources (not part of the “canon” of the Bible, which are Books believed to be approved by the Lord God for inclusion, such as Jubilee 3:28 and Josephus Antiquities 1.1.4 – 1.41) and are thus not to be given credibility in the absence of any supporting canonical Biblical text.
There is also no value-added, and considerable distraction spawned, by such speculation. The text following (see Gen. 3:14) parallels the serpent with the other “wild animals,” adding to the assurance that in its natural state the serpent was merely a mouthpiece and was not speaking independently.
The evil tempting spirit speaking through the serpent challenged the integrity of the relationship between Eve and the Lord God. This included a challenge to the very Lordship of God by deliberately using the name “God” not preceded by the title “Lord,”. Eve made a choice to do the same – converting the ‘test’ of her faithfulness into a ‘temptation’ to overtly rebel and sin.
When Satan, through the serpent, asked, “is it really true...?” he was attacking the integrity of the Lord God and His sovereign authority. This was a direct challenge to Eve to also wonder if the Lord God was truthful. This was an amazingly bold act of Satan, and frighteningly evil in intent.
In reply to the serpent’s challenge, Eve restated the Lord God’s warning about eating from “the tree that is in the middle of the orchard” (by implication, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil); however, she altered both Satan’s words and the actual command of the Lord God. Eve added the flourish “you must not touch it,” which neither the Lord God or Satan had said.
Satan then issued the full-out challenge to the Lord God’s integrity and authority, “Surely you will not die, for God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will open and you will be like divine beings who know good and evil.”
“Divine beings” refers to the Lord God, Satan, and the angels, both the faithful and the fallen.
The command from the Lord God “You must not eat from it”, qualified by “or you will surely die” was not lost on Adam and Eve. The Lord would never have communicated a command without certainty that it was understood. They would likely have understood “die” as associated with their relationship with Him – making sense as that became what they wanted to escape (in terms of accountability and Lordship) when they chose to fail the test, entertain temptation, then sin.
Humankind (Adam and Eve) were already capable of spiritual interaction, but had to-date no need to be cognizant of “evil”, other than to know that the fruit of one tree contained the power to draw them into that knowledge.
When Eve entertained Satan’s challenge to the integrity and Lordship of God, apparently without any effort to consult the Lord nor fear of negative consequences, she voluntarily crossed the threshold from ‘test’ to ‘temptation’ – because she turned her eyes-of-faith from Him to herself.
The key to understanding this text, especially as it applies to the rest of the Bible, is choice. Eve (then Adam) had a choice to make, that was the purpose of ‘the test of the tree’.
Eve (then Adam) did not have to believe the Serpent, they easily could have consulted the Lord God, and they easily could have corrected his error in deleting Lord from Lord God. They chose to not do so because they chose their flesh over their Father.
Eve failed the test when she conspired with the serpent to ignore the Lordship of God. She relied only on her fleshy senses, she observed that the fruit of the forbidden tree appealed to her eye and stomach, and she was tempted to believe that it could magically give her the God-making “wisdom” that the serpent promised. Eve acted upon that temptation and decided to reach out and eat of it.
Adam, whose whereabouts were previously unknown in the story, was described as “with her,” and when given the fruit he also choose to eat of it. The “with her” likely refers to his physical proximity, though it may also report that he was “with her” in her rebellion.
The text does not require “with her” to mean either that he was there all along or that he had been elsewhere and at this moment in the story was “with her” both physically and in rebellion.
It is uncertain if any of the alternative readings matter much to the story; though if one takes Adam to have been physically present throughout the test, temptation, and fall of Eve, one must ponder why he failed to intervene and why he was not also addressed in the story. In general, the best translation defaults to the most-simple solution, unless the text under consideration (or other Biblical texts) support a more complex result.
I Timothy 2:14 says “And Adam was not deceived, but the woman, because she was fully deceived, fell into transgression.”
Once “fallen,” they were immediately aware of their newly imperfect state (and that their fellowship with a holy and pure Lord God has been instantly broken), and they rushed to cover themselves.
The Lord God moved about in the Garden in the late afternoon, “the breezy time of the day.” Wishful thinking and inadequate attention to detail in some translations have rendered the idea that God was coming for a daily friendly stroll together with Adam and Eve in the Garden — a right-rendering of the Biblical text does not support such a conjecture.
More probable is that, after their misdeeds together with the serpent, the Lord God arrived to challenge them and was intentionally thrashing about the Garden as if seeking His missing children – of course knowing precisely where they were. He was righteously angry.
The Lord God called to Adam, “Where are you?” not because He could not find Adam, but to challenge Adam to recognize where he had caused himself to be – which was apart from Him. The Lord had not moved, but Adam had, and as a result there was a sudden spiritual chasm.
Adam replied, “I heard you moving about,” so the sound created by God in the Garden was not sensed by Adam as friendly. And his “I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid” tells the reader that something had changed — Adam had been previously unclothed and not afraid to be seen as naked (transparent, vulnerable).
The Lord God challenged Adam to explain how he now knew that he was naked — previously unimportant, but now suddenly important — and challenged Adam with the only plausible explanation, his rebellion.
Adam’s effort to play innocent and to thrust the blame on Eve (if one accepts the reading that Adam was not present during the serpent’s initial temptation of Eve and her decision to sin) may lead one to argue that Adam was engaging in a form of idol worship ― “God gave me Eve , so I trusted her, and she said it was OK.” It is an effort to defraud the Lord, of course; however, at this point, Adam loses either way.
The Lord God then turned to Eve, which appears to grant partial credibility to Adam’s blame-shifting, and challenged her to defend her actions (adding credence to the view that Adam was not present during her testing, her choice to engage in temptation, followed by her decision to sin).
Eve completed the ‘passing of the buck’ by declaring “the serpent tricked me, and I ate,” in an attempt to absolve herself of responsibility for her choice. While rightly pointing out that she had been deceived, she did not trouble herself to explain why she had knowingly ignored a direct order from her Lord God.
We have the same choice(s) as Eve, every minute of every day. Believers must never allow an implied doubt to stand as to the character and integrity and promises of the Lord God. Satan tried the same attack on Jesus that he used on Eve, and he is still using the same old lie on people today. Do we understand that when we choose temptation rather than holiness, when confronted with a test, that we enter into a conspiracy with Satan to disrespect the Lord God? How we often have we blamed others for our own choices, perhaps we’ve even blamed the Lord God?
How would you help people to understand that if we go where the Lord God says not to go, do what God says not to do, and dwell upon the things God tells us to avoid, then we also disrespect the Lordship of God and side with Satan? How would you explain the importance of understanding that our lusts and our physical senses are the playground of Satan, and therefore highly subject to our misunderstanding and misplaced priorities? How would you lead a small group through an evaluation of the many ways that they have tried to hide from accountability?
Every choice carries consequences, some good, some bad. We rationalize that consequences will be absent or acceptable to us if we choose disobedience. If unsaved, we further guarantee Hell as our eternal destination — and if we are saved we build walls that block the blessings of the Lord God. It is bad enough to agree to convert a test in to a temptation, and then in to overt sin; however, to then multiply our sin by drawing others who trust us into the same sin is even worse. (See the curse of the Fall in the following sections.)
When was there a time that you doubted the Lord God? What were the consequences? What is a circumstance in your life where you clearly knew that what you were doing was wrong yet you rationalized that it served a momentary desire? What were the consequences? What is a circumstance when something you did caused you to have a ‘guilty conscience’ such that when an authority figure approached you felt nervous or startled?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a lie in your life that causes you to rationalize
disobedience to God, and one place in your life where you have allowed the satisfaction of your physical senses to overwhelm your obligation to honor the Lord your God. Perhaps it is eating or drinking too much, going where I may view people in a way that is appealing to my fallen-flesh but offensive to God (e.g., driving by the beach to view partially-clothed people, surfing inappropriate sites on the Internet, watching television where people are demeaned, listening to music or watching movies that distort a holy view of man, abusing substances, avoiding activities that promote fitness of my body “the temple of the Holy Spirit,” or participating in thrill-seeking activities that “test the Lord my God”), and a place in your life where you find yourself deflecting blame to another or engaging in a pattern of avoiding accountability.
Today I will make a change in my thinking, and in my actions, and rather than partner with the Enemy I will partner with the Holy Spirit as He makes this a real rather than merely an intellectual life-changing choice. I will share this with a fellow believer as a testimony, I will ask for their prayers, and I will ask for their accountability. I will move to diminish the thing that the Holy Spirit has revealed as offensive to the Lord and destructive to me. The goal is to eradicate them from my life; perhaps immediately, perhaps after some perseverance, but eventually permanently through the power of prayer and peer-accountability. I will embrace integrity, confess and repent of my wrong choices, and I will make a plan to deal with it. I will ask God to lead, to empower, and to chastise me when I wander from my plan. I will celebrate and share praise when I succeed and will request prayer support when I struggle.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Judgment Oracles of God at the Fall
3:14 The Lord God said to the serpent,
“Because you have done this,
cursed are you above all the wild beasts
and all the living creatures of the field!
On your belly you will crawl
and dust you will eat all the days of your life.
3:15 And I will put hostility between you and the woman
and between your offspring and her offspring;
her offspring will attack your head,
and you will attack her offspring’s heel.”
3:16 To the woman he said,
“I will greatly increase your labor pains;
with pain you will give birth to children.
You will want to control your husband,
but he will dominate you.”
3:17 But to Adam he said,
“Because you obeyed your wife
and ate from the tree about which I commanded you,
‘You must not eat from it,’
cursed is the ground thanks to you;
in painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.
3:18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you,
but you will eat the grain of the field.
3:19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat food
until you return to the ground,
for out of it you were taken;
for you are dust, and to dust you will return.”
3:20 The man named his wife Eve,
because she was the mother of all the living.
3:21 The Lord God made garments from skin for Adam and his wife,
and clothed them.
3:22 And the Lord God said, “Now that the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil,
he must not be allowed to stretch out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.”
3:23 So the Lord God expelled him from the orchard in Eden to cultivate the ground from which he had been taken.
3:24 When he drove the man out,
he placed on the eastern side of the orchard in Eden
angelic sentries who used the flame of a whirling sword to guard the way to the tree of life.
Lord, the temporary alliance between the serpent and Eve is the same as he seeks with us, one where we displace You in favor of our flesh. May I remember when I am tested that the choices are always the same, I choose You or the Enemy – may I mature in my faith daily so that I increasingly choose You in all things. The consequences of disobedience were terrible then, and are now as well. May I be mindful that when I wander from Your Lordship I also wander from Your protection and wisdom. Even though You had to be profoundly-troubled and righteously-offended Your grace triumphed and Your loving-care was displayed. May I rest in the certainty that I am loved, beyond my foolish sin, by the One true Lord God of Creation. Humankind made a terribly-wrong choice and You graciously blocked the path (to the Tree of Eternal Life) to protect them from unrecoverable harm. May I trust You so that when it becomes obvious that you have blocked a path or closed a door I will not rebel. Purity, in Your eyes, means peace with You. May I seek after the purity that You desire for me so that I may be at peace with Your and find my peace in You.
According to the NET Greek/Hebrew dictionary the qualifying term “tricked” for “The serpent” indicates an authoritative, perhaps king-like, relationship to Eve in which she felt unequal. Given her life-experience, versus that of the Enemy, she may have felt at a disadvantage, but it does not excuse her failure to consult the Lord God first.
God immediately addressed the serpent ― asking no questions, hearing no lies, speaking only truth ― declaring that the serpent had indeed deceived Eve, that Eve had joined him in rebellion, and that she had then solicited Adam to join them in rebellion.
God declared the curse upon the serpent: “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all the wild beasts and all the living creatures of the field!” So all of the wild beasts and living creatures of the field were now cursed, but even more so the serpent, who was estranged and isolated from them and condemned “on your belly you will crawl” humiliated to wallow in the dust rather than merely walk upon it.
The animals lived in harmony with one another and man, but now cursed they (all of the animals, humankind, and the serpent alike ) would have to struggle, strive, suffer, and die. Adam’s mastery/ownership of the animals doomed them to his fate.
The alliance of the serpent with Eve was more than terminated, it became adversarial, her descendants versus his ― “her offspring will attack your head, and you will attack her offspring’s heel.” Both are potentially fatal attacks; the bite to the heel being toxic (sin), the blow to the head being destructive (righteous judgment).
Despite their devastating rebellion the Lord God still allowed Adam and Eve to experience the awe of “creation” through their bodies.
The Lord God addressed the consequences of the choices made by the woman, declaring that reproduction would become an uncomfortable process; knowing that her children and her children’s-children would come into a fallen world and that the Fall was largely her fault. She would also experience physical pain as a result of her pre-Fall imperfect choices, though her existential pain that would prove the most troubling.
As the first human agent in promoting sin, Eve enticed Adam to join her in rebellion; consequently, as part of the curse, she would continue in her efforts to control him, but the Lord God said that Adam would have the upper hand – a dominant role. The Lord defined the nature of the male-female relationship post-Fall as a constant ebb and flow of females using manipulation to gain control and males using power to dominate.
Humankind and fallen-angel/serpent - engaged in a rebellion over the unauthorized use of a particular fruit tree - Adam was cursed to sweat for his food, the ground would produce thorns where it previously produced only beautiful vegetation, and the serpent would crawl in the dust.
The Lord God addressed the hapless Adam, reminding him that because he had chosen Eve over His Lord, when he joined her in rebellion, he became the agent of the curse of the “ground.” [Note: Gen. 1:9-10 defines “ground” as everything not covered with water, but that – per the NET translator’s notes - is not the intent here. Instead, this curse of the “ground” means that every effort to reap the formerly easy bounty of food would henceforth require intense effort and sacrifice.] The Lord commanded that humankind would now suffer in the process of acquiring food to eat because it was in eating-rebelliously that humans caused the Fall.
The first man and woman pridefully accepted the temptation of Satan. They, like him, attempted to become peers with the Lord God in immortality, knowledge, and power, yet they were instead doomed to live frustrated, limited, and difficult lives.
The NET translator’s notes include the following powerful observation: “In general, the themes of the curse oracles are important in the NT teaching that Jesus became the cursed one hanging on the tree. In his suffering and death, all of the motifs are drawn together: the tree, the sweat, the thorns, and the dust of death (see Ps. 22:15). Jesus experienced it all, to have victory over it through the resurrection.”
Adam, post-Fall delegated by the Lord God to dominate the relationship, then named Eve.
Note: Previously we observed that Adam named the animals but not his God-given “helper”; rather, he gave the title “woman” to her, illustrating her status as his equal partner in caring for Creation. The Fall changed everything and the “woman” became “Eve.”
The name Eve was drawn from her role as the “life-giver,” the one who bears children, and the one from whom all future children would descend.
Despite His righteous anger the Lord God still provided for His children, giving them garments made of animal skins. By so doing God both recognized that the mere leafy coverings Adam and Eve had fashioned would not be adequate in the fallen world and that disharmony now reigned – man would draw his needs from the beasts - and the rest of Creation - at a cost to his fellow creatures in Creation.
The essence of the consequences of Adam and Eve’s failure of ‘the test of the tree’ was that humankind had ‘illegally’ acquired an unplanned and unhealthy (because they were not equipped to handle it) attribute of the Lord God - not originally given to them.
The knowledge of good and evil was a major new paradigm for which they were unprepared and which acquisition had required a major act of rebellion.
Humankind now had to be protected from the worst of the consequences - eating from the tree of life – for that would have condemned them to be forever and irredeemably trapped in an alliance with Satan and at-enmity with the Lord.
The Lord God removed humankind from Eden, before that could happen, as free will was still active after the Fall; therefore, a physical relocation was necessary.
So serious was the threat, so powerful the temptation (and perhaps now so undeserving of Eden was humankind), that the Lord God posted Heavenly sentries with whirling swords of flame to keep them and their descendants from ever returning to the Garden (and “the Tree of Eternal Life”) in their unredeemed condition.
Only Jesus the Christ could create the circumstances where humankind could regain access to the gift of eternal life – without the curse.
Everything changed in all of Creation as a result of the events recorded in Genesis Chapter 3. Not only were Adam and Eve and the serpent/Satan cursed, but all of Creation. Because the Lord God had already given Creation over to “man”, when man turned from the Lordship of God to the Lordship of Satan, so also went the way of Creation. We must not expect to be comfortable in this life; the Lord God said it would not be so. Modern research in DNA has suggested that all races of man may be traced back to a single female source, from the region known as northeast Africa — their regional locators match the geographical markers for Eden given in Genesis 2:10-14.
Are the similarities of the Fall similar enough to the popular story of Robin Hood to be used as a lesson-illustration? (In the story when King Richard left for the Crusades his less-ethical brother John assumed power and was entrusted with the care of Nottingham and Sherwood Forest, and he turned a beautiful place to one of conflict and evil.) How might we best use every blessing of God to equip ourselves to resist the fleshy temptations to both contest with one another and to place fleshy things before the priorities of the Lord? How would you use these texts to help people to understand that the nature of this fallen world is one of conflict, difficulty, and hopelessness and that genuine hope is found only in the Lord? How would you help others to understand that when man ‘stole’ an attribute of the Lord God – one expressly forbidden to them - it was then that the trouble (estrangement and striving) began?
The consequences of Satan dragging man into the spiritual warfare between himself and the Lord God, when he successfully recruited Adam and Even into a state of rebellion, have been terrible. Are we not combatants in that battle whether we want to be or not? (Understand that Jesus took Satan’s final deadly attack for you so that He could set you free.) Are we appropriately amazed to see the connections across the entirety of the Word of God, from Genesis through Revelation, and how the themes and truths of God reign supreme? The Lord God so loved Adam and Eve, and their descendants, that He provided for their physical needs and their pathway to salvation from the consequences of their rebellion. We sometimes rebel the same as Adam and Eve: 1) exercising pride that causes us to brush aside the counsel of the Holy Spirit, 2) functionally-worshiping ‘idols’ such as fame, money, pleasure, power, or 3) neglecting those things that the Lord God says must be the priorities of our lives as Believers.
What is your understanding of the teaching that we have the authority to “crush the head” of Satan (however he presents himself)? How may we exercise caution that Satan is not successful in his attack upon our “heel,” our very vulnerable areas in day-to-day life choices? When have you hear a teaching that explained the fact that man is treated in a fundamentally different way than the rest of Creation — all Creation is subservient to man as he navigates his way through life and back towards a right relationship with the Lord God? What are some ways that you have found yourself, or those around you, striving for perfection to gain access to/recreate an “Eden” by pressing against “gates” that are guarded with flaming swords (knowing that the “new Eden” is accessible only via Jesus and only at the end of created-time?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you at least one circumstance in your life, past or present, which still impacts you – a circumstance over which I have little or no control — and to show me how I can give it to Him “at the foot of the Cross” and never allow Satan to use it to define me again, a place where the temptations of the flesh are repeatedly used by Satan to drag you down from the holy lifestyle-place that the Lord God has prepared for you — be it gluttony, lust, pride, self-loathing, toys, or anything else that gets in the way, something specific about you that will remind you of the wonderful creative hand of God, and/or a specific way that you attempt to return to Eden via an effort to artificially re-create a place of perfection and/or of extreme safety.
Today I will stop and thank Jesus for standing in the gap for me. I will also acknowledge that there are some things confusing and distracting me – some, perhaps, that I have done (or that were done to me), some imperfection(s), or some difficult person — the key is my knowing (and understanding) that such things are proof that this is a fallen world. I will refuse to be abused by the Prince of Darkness and I will choose to stand with the Jesus, Prince of Light. I will confess and repent, request and accept the forgiveness of the Lord God, and then I will develop and implement an accountability plan to resist that temptation. I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement and to be my accountability partner.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study –“Genesis 3. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 2
The Story of Cain and Abel
4:1 Now the man had marital relations with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain.
Then she said, “I have created a man just as the Lord did!”
4:2 Then she gave birth to his brother Abel.
Abel took care of the flocks,
while Cain cultivated the ground.
It seems apparent that very little time passed between the creation of Eve and the expulsion of man from Eden as this appears to be the first couple's first effort at reproduction.
The Lord God ceased from Creation at the end of the 6th Day and then His design for humankind to be self-propagating was initiated.
Verse 4:1 begins with “Now”, announcing the conclusion of the events of Eden and the initiation of their time as exiles. Eve, as close to physically perfect as a person in the first day of the fallen world can be, immediately became pregnant.
The first born of Eve is named Cain, and Eve declares “I have created a man just as the LORD did!” Various understandings of this include Eve suggesting that she is now a peer in Creation with God, secondly that she was remarking that by the same means – out of a human came a new human just as the Lord intended – she now had birthed her first child independently as God had designed her to do and was amazed and delighted but not claiming a God-equivalence, and the third option is that she was expressing a partnership with the Lord God where He Created a new life using her just as He had used Adam.
Eve then gave birth to Abel (presumably nine months or longer after the birth of Abel) whose name meant “breath, vapor, vanity” according to the NET Bible translator's notes. [Looking ahead to Ecclesiastes where the writer refers to the things of this world as temporary and transitory “vanity vanity”, “like a vapor”, and “like the wind” the name and brief life of Abel should come to mind.]
Abel was a shepherd while Cain worked the soil. Some writers have suggested that Abel's occupation was somehow elevated above Cain's but the prior text does not support that – everything was under the curse – not merely the ground.
The creation of every new life is a partnership between man and God, although the Lord delegated the capacity to reproduce, it is He who gives the spiritual life that separates man from beast.
Despite their devastating rebellion the Lord God still allowed Adam and Eve to experience the awe of “creation” through their bodies.
What do you believe that Eve meant?
The creation of every new life is a partnership between man and God, while God delegated the capacity to reproduce it is He who gives the spiritual life that separates man from beast.
When have you experienced, within the family of those who claim the name of Christ, a tendency to imagine that one role is more or less impacted by “the curse”?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where you have been uncertain as to your value versus that of another. Also, for someone(s) for whom He wants you to provide encouragement and prayer.
Today I will celebrate life. I will thank the Lord God for His gift of life to me and especially for my new life in Christ. I will encourage and pray for the one(s) whom He has identified.
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4:3 At the designated time Cain brought some of the fruit of the ground for an offering to the Lord.
4:4 But Abel brought some of the firstborn of his flock – even the fattest of them.
And the Lord was pleased with Abel and his offering,
4:5 but with Cain and his offering he was not pleased.
So Cain became very angry, and his expression was downcast.
4:6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why is your expression downcast?
4:7 Is it not true that if you do what is right, you will be fine?
But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door.
It desires to dominate you, but you must subdue it.”
Lord, You are the Holy One, deserving of our very best. May I strive to present myself as “a living sacrifice”, doing all things with excellence, as You deserve my very best effort.
“At the designated time ...” tells the reader that the Lord God had informed Cain and Abel of His expectation that they present an offering to the Lord their God. They came to do so, each from the fruits of his labor, but with very different states of mind.
Cain did not appear to comprehend the great gift that he had in his relationship with the Lord God, while Abel did. Cain evidences a preoccupation with himself whereas Abel understood that God was his first priority.
The text does not help us to understand the divergence in spiritual maturity between the first-born and second-born of Adam and Eve, though we may speculate that they were still in shock following their expulsion from Heaven and some of the bitterness and rebellion spilled over into their raising of Cain whereas they were better parents to Abel.
So, Cain apparently threw a bunch of carelessly selected veggies into his wheelbarrow and reluctantly trudged down to the place of offering, expecting the Lord God's approval so he could get on with life. Abel carefully culled his flock for the first and the best, excited to present them to his Father in Heaven as evidence of his love and respect. The Lord saw their hearts long before He saw their offerings, Abel's offering brought joy to God's heart, Cain's indicated that he clearly did not get it and it was immediately obvious to Cain that God was not pleased.
Reflecting back to Genesis 1-3 the reader may recall that the Lord God Created in order to share His love with the willing. To accomplish that He had to allow for the rejection of the unwilling. In this first post-Fall opportunity Abel proved willing and Cain unwilling.
Cain, who would fit well in our modern-day culture of entitlement, become angry and depressed when his ill-conceived offering was rejected as unfit for the Lord God. It is initially unclear in the text as to with whom he is initially most upset; himself, Abel, or God.
God challenged Cain to explain his reaction to His disappointment “Why are you angry, and why is your expression downcast?” The word “downcast” refers to dejection or depression and “angry” suggests rage, a common reaction to fear-driven anger or frustration-driven anger. Rage generally finds expression in the projection of anger upon others, verbally, physically, or in some less obvious but no less destructive way.
God, knowing what Cain has been taught by his parents, challenged him further “Is it not true that if you do what is right, you will be fine?” The Lord's intent was to stimulate Cain to assess his motives and his actions and to get them right so that He might bless him.
The Lord then warned Cain of the corollary, if you fail to do what is right “... sin is crouching at the door.” There are a couple of important elements in this text worthy of note; first, the phrase “sin is crouching” is intentionally chosen to illustrate the ongoing state-of-war – spiritual - that exists and the consequence of choices; second, God is not allowing for any middle ground, one either does what is right and is blessed, or one fails to do so and is victimized by sin.
God then informed Cain that just as his father Adam had the capacity to resist the efforts of his mother Eve to control him so did Cain have the capacity to resist the efforts of sin (or the demon-beast of sin) to control him. There is a clear choice here, not predestination but clearly an illustration of free will - Cain was not doomed to sin.
From the very beginning of the post-Eden/post-Fall story of man the Lord God expected an outward expression of faithfulness and gratefulness, of obedience, and of loving sacrifice, and He has never ceased His expectation of the same. What relationship is real without the effort to express commitment and love in action?
The consistent message here, and again from Jesus in the New Testament, is that the Lord does not recognize any neutral or safe middle-ground between living-righteously or choosing sin. Jesus phrased it “Be hot or cold, if you are lukewarm I will spit you out.” (Rev. 3:15-16) and James wrote in vs. 1:8 “... a double-minded individual, unstable in all his ways.”
The Lord God does not allow and room for us to blame “I was made that way” or some other factor of our birth or childhood environment for our choices.
When we know what the Lord God expects of us and we intentionally under-perform, fail, or intentionally rebel, then His disappointment becomes apparent, how do we react? Anger with ourselves, others, the Lord, or perhaps some of all of the above?
Is it really a lot for the Lord God to ask, that we give back a little, given all that He has given to us? (Life, necessities, fellowship, the Holy Spirit, eternal life.)
When have you sensed clearly the Lord's expectations of you; to serve His children even when it is inconvenient, to give to His ministry even when it is sacrificial, to love a hard-to-love person, or to take some time every day to worship Him - even when you'd rather sleep late or enjoy a hobby or some entertainment instead, and then you struggled to do the right and best thing in His eyes?
When have you been confronted with a decision and clearly recognized that your flesh wanted to respond to “the sin crouching at the door” while the indwelling Holy Spirit was calling you to choose the path of the Lord? How did you choose?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you one area in your life where you repeatedly disappoint the Lord, one place where you avoid responsibility for your bad choices and wrong thinking on the circumstances of your birth and/or early life, and/or one specific place where you try to live in-between outright disobedience and intentional-righteousness yet falsely excuse it as morally-neutral.
Today I will confess that my repeated-sin to the Lord, I will make a genuine commitment to repent (turn away) from that sin, I will request and accept his forgiveness (as well as my own and that of anyone offended), and I will also reject the lie that the past can or should define and/or should control me. I will reject the lie that there is any such thing as moral neutral-ground. I will identify the sloppy-thinking, false excuses, and bad influences in my life which can lead me into rebellion. I will request and accept the help of the Holy Spirit to repent (turn away) from these things and will recruit an accountability partner to pray in agreement with me and to encourage me to stay-the-course-to-freedom from these things.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
4:8 Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.”
While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
4:9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
And he replied, “I don’t know! Am I my brother’s guardian?”
4:10 But the Lord said, “What have you done?
The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground!
4:11 So now, you are banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.
4:12 When you try to cultivate the ground it will no longer yield its best for you. You will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.”
4:13 Then Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is too great to endure!
4:14 Look! You are driving me off the land today,
and I must hide from your presence.
I will be a homeless wanderer on the earth;
whoever finds me will kill me.”
4:15 But the Lord said to him, “All right then, if anyone kills Cain, Cain will be avenged seven times as much.”
Then the Lord put a special mark on Cain so that no one who found him would strike him down.
4:16 So Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
Lord, despite Cain's murderous heart, when he asked for Your help You gave it. May I be more like You, long-suffering with those who make poor choices, including forgiving myself as well for mine.
Cain choose to surrender to sin – harboring jealousy which metastasized into rage. He conspired to project his rage upon his younger brother Abel, hiding his crime out of the sight of their parents, he then murdered his unsuspecting brother. A series of choices for evil were by Cain even with obvious righteous-alternatives available to him.
The Lord God retained His pattern of rhetorical challenges; as He did with Adam and Eve, He then did with Cain, asking “Where is your brother Abel?” His purpose was to force Cain to reveal his heart.
Cain displays his heart of arrogant-rebellion and deceit, saying “I don't know. Am I my brother's guardian?” His reply was both mocking of God and an effort to pretend that what happened to his little brother, for good or evil, was not his responsibility.
Cain attached no value whatsoever to his brother – the selfishness of sin-the first-born of Adam and Eve actualized-evil in full display.
The Lord God repeated His challenge to Eve, this time to Cain “What have you done?” In both cases He challenged the sin-doer to acknowledge both their choice and the consequences.
This time Cain was presented with the evidence of his sin “The voice of your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground!” Cain had no chance to deny his responsibility.
Then the Lord announced the consequences for Cain's actions; he would be unable to successfully farm the land but rather would wander aimlessly, he would be as disconnected as was his expressed desire -- to be free of responsibility for his brother and of respect for his parents.
Cain pleads for the mercy he did not offer Abel, complaining of the loss of the very presence of the Lord God that he tried to avoid when killing his brother, even worrying about being killed as he wandered.
Not addressed is the question of how there were people out there for him to fear if he was the only living child of Adam and Eve, unless he was looking forward to the reality of a long life and the reality that during those hundreds of years thousands of people would be born, reach adulthood, and disperse.
Cain's curse was to wander, and to wander utterly-alone for a few decades (or perhaps a century), which would have been a suitable punishment for the first murderer.
The Lord God responded by giving Cain a mark to warn anyone against attacking him and then sent him on his way “So Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.”
According to the NET Bible translator's notes the term “Nod” means 'wandering' and the term “... lived ...” inferred the passage of some time.
Do we understand that we mock the Lord God when we minimize the people and things that are important to Him? Do we recognize that the first step of sin is preceded by a wrong choice and each step that follows is made easier by our initial rationalizations and our spiritual-surrender to evil?
What do we understand it to me when the Lord says that He expects us to care for the well-being of others? And what is our first priority, given limited resources, Christian family or non-Christians?
Do we understand that when we reject the Lord God, and refuse to care enough to invest in relationships with and the well-being of others, we condemn ourselves to wander lonely and aimless in the world?
When has the Lord God, through His Holy Spirit and/or a fellow believer, confronted you for separating yourself from worship – which separates one from the presence of God - just as Cain was separated from Him - and by all evidence of the text ceased from worship (as did his descendants)?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you one person toward whom you have an uncaring attitude, as to their well-being, at least one thing that you have allowed to get in the way of consistent and joyful Sunday corporate worship and fellowship, and/or of daily private worship and fellowship time with the Lord my God.
Today I will pray for, and see a way to reach-out to, the one whom the Holy Spirit has identified. I also commit to overcome the distractions that so I may be more faithful to the Lord's call to intentionally go-apart from the world and into His presence.
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The Beginning of Civilization
4:17 Cain had marital relations with his wife,
and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch.
Cain was building a city,
and he named the city after his son Enoch.
4:18 To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael. Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech.
4:19 Lamech took two wives for himself;
the name of the first was Adah, and the name of the second was Zillah.
4:20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the first of those who live in tents and keep livestock.
4:21 The name of his brother was Jubal; he was the first of all who play the harp and the flute.
4:22 Now Zillah also gave birth to Tubal-Cain, who heated metal and shaped all kinds of tools made of bronze and iron.
The sister of Tubal-Cain was Naamah.
4:23 Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah! Listen to me! You wives of Lamech, hear my words!
I have killed a man for wounding me,
a young man for hurting me.
4:24 If Cain is to be avenged seven times as much,
then Lamech seventy-seven times!”
Lord, as humankind multiplied and developed Cain's descendants seem to have forgotten You, but they remembered Cain's bad attitude. May I not become so busy about the tasks of daily life, nor so self-important, that I forget to be humble before You.
The Bible does not describe the genealogy of Cain in detail so we don't know with specificity the generations that passed prior to the birth and maturing of his wife. We do know that the gene pool had not yet degraded significantly, from the Lord God's perfect Creation, such that the closeness of her relationship would have created a profound genetic problem.
It is possible that Cain wandered for 90 years before he married. Eve's children would likely have reproduced in their early teen years followed by their descendants and the same for six generations - each multiplying ten times - potentially could have resulted in hundreds of thousands within that brief period of time.
Verse 4:17 introduces the first “city”, built by Cain, the enemy of God. Whereas the shepherds would be nomadic and rural and the farmers fixed and rural, Cain-the-lonely-wanderer decided to build a place where people would be gathered – perhaps compensating for a fear of loneliness and a continued rebellion against God – believing that the curse of God was mere physical wandering rather than spiritual wandering without God.
It is worthy of note that when the Bible, in Genesis 4, presents the genealogy of “... the family line of Adam.” it completely excludes mention of Cain or of his descendants. Cain very clearly was living-out the curse of being estranged from God.
Verse 4:20 reported the growth of the population and that specialization had developed to where Jabal became “... the first of those who live in tents and keep livestock.” then verse 4:21 told of “... his brother … Jubal … the first of all who play the harp and the flute.”
Verse 4:22 reported a third brother “... Tubal-Cain, who heated metal and shaped all kinds of tools made of bronze and iron.” The first named female in the Bible, since Eve, was Tubal-Cain's sister, Naamah.
The text recorded the boastful declaration of Lamech to the women, six generations descended from Cain, that anyone who killed him was to be avenged seventy-seven times rather than the seven that the Lord God declared to be the punishment for one who would kill Cain. The arrogance of Cain appears to have grown from generation to generation, here Lamesh attempts to promote himself as more valuable than Cain, as well as attempting to impose an obligation upon the Lord.
The example of Cain is that when we are distant from the Lord God our lives lose relevance to the plans and purposes of God. As the physical offspring of Adam and Eve multiplied they began to select the roles to will play among their peers, the first three of mention are the rancher-shepherd, blacksmith-toolmaker, and the musician. It was not unusual, even from the beginning, that different tasks interested different children.
Why do we sometimes find ourselves creating artificial 'safe places' rather than trusting the Lord God to be our “safe place”? Lamesh even found it necessary to proclaim his importance in comparison to others - to the degree of suggesting that his life was seventy-seven times more valuable; do we sometimes do the same?
Merely gathering people together does not create meaningful and positive relationship or value. The multi-generational transmission of sloppy thinking is apparent as Lamech, six generations later, still echoed the immaturity of Cain; we should not be surprised when it happens to those around us.
When in the past did you respond to the Lord God with a resentful heart and later made excuses, or sought ways to avoid the consequences? Did it work? Have you observed, or experienced, our human tendency to consider ourselves – or those about whom we care most – as more valuable that others?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you at least one place in your life that you try to live out of your own strength and wisdom and do not intentionally invite the Lord God.
Today I will recognize that the frustration I feel is due to the absence of the Lord. I will also recognize that busyness, together with groups of other people, does not replace intimacy with my Lord; nor does that same busyness, or those numbers of people, create true meaning or value. The emptiness I feel there, and the striving to fit-in, are signals from the Holy Spirit that I am in the wrong place with the wrong expectations. I will make a commitment to invite my Lord God into all of the places of my life. I will also celebrate one place in my life where He has gifted me and I will dedicate that gift or talent to the glory of God alone. I will also identify one way that my gift or talent, or something else, has become a tool of the enemy to cause false pride and arrogant boasting (aloud or in the secrecy of my heart) and I will repent of that.
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4:25 And Adam had marital relations with his wife again,
and she gave birth to a son.
She named him Seth, saying,
“God has given me another child in place of Abel because Cain killed him.” 4:26 And a son was also born to Seth,
whom he named Enosh.
At that time people began to worship the Lord.
Lord, You restored the path of good that Cain – an agent of Satan – had tried to terminate in killing Abel, and You led humankind back to worship of You. May I always remember that You are there, You restore those who have drifted away, and that You preserve Your sovereign plan for Your children with You in heaven for eternity.
Some translations label verses 4:17-4:26 as “The Beginning of Civilization” but oddly enough all but the final two verses describe a gathering and organizing of people who were estranged from God.
Verse 4:25 describes the gift of another son to Adam and Eve, celebrated by Eve as “… another child in place of Abel because Cain killed him.” Interesting Eve appears to have matured as she no longer celebrates her 'creation' but gives the Lord God full credit.
The name Seth vaguely refers to “given” and “set-apart”. Seth represents a new beginning for the prophetic offspring of Adam and Eve.
“At that time people began to worship the Lord.” The context, though uncertain, appears to relate to the new generations beginning with Seth rather than extending to Cain.
Later in Genesis worship is described as prayer and sacrifice, something that was missing since the expulsion of Cain from the Lord God's presence in Genesis 4:11-16.
The Lord God's plans are not stymied by anything man can do, Cain killed Abel and was banished from God's presence so the Lord caused Eve to give birth to Seth and started over.
Do we recognize that prayer and sacrifice are essential to relationship with God?
Worship flows from the presence of the Lord God in a life prioritized for the Lord then back to Him. Seth and his descendants practiced that while Cain and his descendants appear to have remained estranged from the Lord.
When has ‘the world’ taken something away from you and although you missed it” terribly the Lord God gave you something new and you continued on?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you an area in your life where you are successfully prioritizing your life for the Lord God.
Today I will celebrate the success that the Holy Spirit has had in leading me to prioritized the Lord. I will also identify one way that I will be more intentional about the priority of prayer to and sacrifice in service of the Lord.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
From Adam to Noah
5:1 This is the record of the family line of Adam.
When God created humankind, he made them in the likeness of God. 5:2 He created them male and female; when they were created, he blessed them and named them “humankind.”
5:3 When Adam had lived 130 years he fathered a son in his own likeness, according to his image, and he named him Seth. 5:4 The length of time Adam lived after he became the father of Seth was 800 years; during this time he had other sons and daughters. 5:5 The entire lifetime of Adam was 930 years, and then he died.
5:6 When Seth had lived 105 years, he became the father of Enosh. 5:7 Seth lived 807 years after he became the father of Enosh, and he had other sons and daughters. 5:8 The entire lifetime of Seth was 912 years, and then he died.
5:9 When Enosh had lived 90 years, he became the father of Kenan. 5:10 Enosh lived 815 years after he became the father of Kenan, and he had other sons and daughters. 5:11 The entire lifetime of Enosh was 905 years, and then he died.
5:12 When Kenan had lived 70 years, he became the father of Mahalalel. 5:13 Kenan lived 840 years after he became the father of Mahalalel, and he had other sons and daughters. 5:14 The entire lifetime of Kenan was 910 years, and then he died.
5:15 When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he became the father of Jared. 5:16 Mahalalel lived 830 years after he became the father of Jared, and he had other sons and daughters. 5:17 The entire lifetime of Mahalalel was 895 years, and then he died.
5:18 When Jared had lived 162 years, he became the father of Enoch. 5:19 Jared lived 800 years after he became the father of Enoch, and he had other sons and daughters. 5:20 The entire lifetime of Jared was 962 years, and then he died.
5:21 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. 5:22 After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God for 300 years, and he had other sons and daughters. 5:23 The entire lifetime of Enoch was 365 years. 5:24 Enoch walked with God, and then he disappeared because God took him away.
5:25 When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech. 5:26 Methuselah lived 782 years after he became the father of Lamech, and he had other sons and daughters. 5:27 The entire lifetime of Methuselah was 969 years, and then he died.
5:28 When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. 5:29 He named him Noah, saying, “This one will bring us comfort from our labor and from the painful toil of our hands because of the ground that the Lord has cursed.” 5:30 Lamech lived 595 years after he became the father of Noah, and he had other sons and daughters. 5:31 The entire lifetime of Lamech was 777 years, and then he died.
5:32 After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Lord, Seth was faithful and from him came the faithful Noah, though whom You preserved humankind from the Flood. May I be found faithful so that I ma also be an instrument of Your work in the lives of others.
Adam and Eve were “humankind”, created “in the [partial] likeness of God”, unlike any other creatures of Creation.
The text is silent as to the names of any other children, male or female, between the birth of Cain and Abel and that of Seth, just as it was silent as to the length of time between the creation of Adam and Eve and the birth of Cain and Abel.
While the text occasionally mentions the birth of other sons and daughters the purpose of this text is to document the lineage from Adam to Noah, other details are not germane.
The text does make a point of Seth being in Adam's “own likeness, according to his image”. The text also makes a point of the longevity of early “humankind”, in Adam's case that was 930 years.
The genealogy flowed from Adam to Seth to Enosh to Kenan to Mahalalel to Jared to Enoch where it diverges a moment to observe that Enoch “... walked with God, and then he disappeared because God took him away.” Also notable is that Enoch lived much less than half as long as his predecessors and nearly one-third as long as his son Methuselah.
Reference is made to Enoch in Judges 1:14 “Now Enoch, the seventh in descent beginning with Adam, even prophesied of them, saying, “Look! The Lord is coming with thousands and thousands of his holy ones,” and in Hebrews 11:5 “By faith Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death, and he was not to be found because God took him up. For before his removal he had been commended as having pleased God.”
The genealogy continues from Methuselah to Lamech to Noah and again it pauses to record that the name “Noah” was chosen for a special meaning, “This one will bring us comfort from our labor and from the painful toil of our hands because of the ground that the Lord has cursed.”
The text of Chapter 5 concludes “After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.”
While Chapter 5 does not directly concern itself with the conduct of these generations the contrast between Enoch, who “... walked with God” and Noah, who “... will bring us comfort from our labor and from the painful toil of our hands because of the ground that the Lord has cursed.”, it is clear that there has been continuing trouble between man and God – with Enoch presented as uniquely faithful and Noah as a “type” of “Messiah”.
It is interesting that the first-born of Adam and Eve, Cain, has a lineage described in Genesis 4 and an impact upon the world, whereas their second-born, Abel has none. It is not until Seth that a son is born to them whose lineage has impact, through Noah, and then leads to Christ.
Enoch, who was “... the seventh in descent beginning with Adam” appears to have been the first prophet of God. While his 300 years is long by our standards it was brief compared to others of his time. Does this lend itself to the postulate of “de-evolution” (from the perfect to the less perfect), shortened lifespans as time moved on, rather than the speculative postulate of “evolution” (from the less perfect to the more)?
While Enoch was the first prophet, and his faithfulness earned Him the Lord God's early call “home”, Jonah was the Lord's first 'type' of Christ whose role was to be a temporary redeemer of humankind.
When have you observed multiple generations of faithfulness to the Lord? What were the factors that contributed to that?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you an opportunity to share this text with someone who is curious about Christ, and/or with a fellow believer.
Today I will emphasize the incredible consistency of the redemption message of God from - Genesis through Revelation – as a witness to the not-yet-saved and as an encouragement to the saved.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
God’s Grief over Humankind’s Wickedness
6:1 When humankind began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 6:2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of humankind were beautiful. Thus they took wives for themselves from any they chose.
6:3 So the Lord said, “My spirit will not remain in humankind indefinitely, since they are mortal. They will remain for 120 more years.”
6:4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days (and also after this) when the sons of God were having sexual relations with the daughters of humankind, who gave birth to their children. They were the mighty heroes of old, the famous men.
6:5 But the Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind had become great on the earth. Every inclination of the thoughts of their minds was only evil all the time. 6:6 The Lord regretted that he had made humankind on the earth, and he was highly offended.
6:7 So the Lord said, “I will wipe humankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth – everything from humankind to animals, including creatures that move on the ground and birds of the air, for I regret that I have made them.”
6:8 But Noah found favor in the sight of the Lord.
Lord, left to their own flesh-driven lusts, humankind drifted farther and farther away from You. My You find my heart transformed by the Holy Spirit so that I share your offense at sin and that I turn away from it as is your desire for me.
There is considerable debate as to the meaning of the term “sons of God”, just as the term “son of Man” as applied to Jesus has stimulated debate. Some say that these are fallen angels who assumed human form, others that they are fallen angels (demons) who possessed humans, and other that they were genetically-giant in stature.
A problem is created by the first assertion as this renders the “immaculate conception” of Jesus somewhat mundane – since demons would have done the same thing thousands of years previous – and done so on a widespread scale.
There is no particular problem with the second iteration of the second theory (indirect demon action vs direct) as demon-possessed men impregnate women every day in the modern world, often the woman is a willing-accomplice, as was Eve in her rebellion in the Garden.
The third assertion appears to conflict with the parallel uses of a similar phrase in the Bible yet finds some support in the phrase Nephilim (giants) also found elsewhere in the Bible. (The “Nephilim” were exceptional in stature and strength, much like many modern sports stars, but nothing in the text requires that they have been part-demon or anything else other than fully humankind.)
The Nephilim are described as "the mighty heroes of old, the famous men" who were present prior to the ministry of Noah and afterward in history as well.
For our purposes we recommend the second (indirect-demonic) or third understandings.
There is also some debate as to the third verse. Some take the reference to “120 years” to mean that the Lord God imposed a hard-limit on the longevity of humans. If one understand this limit to have been neutralized at some later point in Bible history this is fine. There would otherwise be a problem as there are documented cases of people living beyond 120 years.
A completely different meaning is that the Lord God would lift His hand of protection and after 120 years He would use Noah and the Ark to wipe the widespread evil from the Earth..
A phrase is used that we will read many more times in both the old and new testaments "... every inclination of the thoughts of their minds was only evil all the time." appears here in this early OT text for the very first time.
While it is not new that the Lord God was unhappy with the choice Adam and Eve made in the Garden, and the necessity of His response to it, this is a new level of Heavenly unhappiness.
The Lord God now regrets making humankind at all because instead of turning back to Him and seeking reconciliation our earlier Chapter 6 text recorded an increased and more-pervasive rebellion through sin.
The Lord God's response is to obliterate all whose hearts are hardened against Him, who are unrepentantly irredeemable “... every inclination of the thoughts of their minds was only evil all the time." (vs 6:5)
Humankind, with the influence of the Enemy, intentionally mated with the men of “giant” stature whose purpose was aggression. The “Nephilim” must have survived the flood through the lineage of Noah (the wives of his sons or the husbands of his daughters) since the text has them present before and after Noah. There is a difference between human imperfection and an unrepentant heart, and there are different consequences for each.
What have you been taught about fallen angels mating with human women or Nephilim (giants)? Do you see how this would create an unnecessary conflict with the uniqueness of the immaculate conception of Jesus?
If the correct understanding of the “120 years” is that Lord God warned that He would lift His hand of protection in 120 years then it appears that almost everyone continued in their rebellion despite the impending doom.
What are some ways When have you been warned of impending consequences yet continued in the same conduct and suffered the negative consequence? When have you found yourself closing-out God from a part of your life, only to find that you have also blocked His blessings?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you where you may be in rebellion and ignoring warnings from God through His Holy Spirit.
Today I will confess and repent of my rebellion, request and accept His forgiveness, then ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement and to provide accountability as I establish a new pattern of life. I will also seek an opportunity to share this teaching with others, perhaps in a small group, an opportunity to encourage and to pray for a fellow believer who is drifting away from the Lord God in some area of their life, and also to share these verses with someone who is considering-Christ.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study –“Genesis 3. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 3
The Judgment of the Flood
6:9 This is the account of Noah.
Noah was a godly man;
he was blameless among his contemporaries.
He walked with God.
6:10 Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
6:11 The earth was ruined in the sight of God; the earth was filled with violence. 6:12 God saw the earth, and indeed it was ruined, for all living creatures on the earth were sinful.
6:13 So God said to Noah, “I have decided that all living creatures must die, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. Now I am about to destroy them and the earth.
6:14 Make for yourself an ark of cypress wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it with pitch inside and out.
6:15 This is how you should make it: The ark is to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. 6:16 Make a roof for the ark and finish it, leaving 18 inches from the top. Put a door in the side of the ark, and make lower, middle, and upper decks.
6:17 I am about to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy from under the sky all the living creatures that have the breath of life in them. Everything that is on the earth will die,
6:18 but I will confirm my covenant with you. You will enter the ark – you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.
6:19 You must bring into the ark two of every kind of living creature from all flesh, male and female, to keep them alive with you. 6:20 Of the birds after their kinds, and of the cattle after their kinds, and of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every kind will come to you so you can keep them alive.
6:21 And you must take for yourself every kind of food that is eaten, and gather it together. It will be food for you and for them.
6:22 And Noah did all that God commanded him – he did indeed.
7:1 The Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, for I consider you godly among this generation.
7:2 You must take with you seven of every kind of clean animal, the male and its mate, two of every kind of unclean animal, the male and its mate, 7:3 and also seven of every kind of bird in the sky, male and female, to preserve their offspring on the face of the earth.
7:4 For in seven days I will cause it to rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the ground every living thing that I have made.”
7:5 And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him.
7:6 Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters engulfed the earth. 7:7 Noah entered the ark along with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives because of the floodwaters. 7:8 Pairs of clean animals, of unclean animals, of birds, and of everything that creeps along the ground, 7:9 male and female, came into the ark to Noah, just as God had commanded him. 7:10 And after seven days the floodwaters engulfed the earth.
7:11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month – on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst open and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. 7:12 And the rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights.
7:13 On that very day Noah entered the ark, accompanied by his sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth, along with his wife and his sons’ three wives. 7:14 They entered, along with every living creature after its kind, every animal after its kind, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, everything with wings. 7:15 Pairs of all creatures that have the breath of life came into the ark to Noah. 7:16 Those that entered were male and female, just as God commanded him. Then the Lord shut him in.
7:17 The flood engulfed the earth for forty days. As the waters increased, they lifted the ark and raised it above the earth. 7:18 The waters completely overwhelmed the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the waters. 7:19 The waters completely inundated the earth so that even all the high mountains under the entire sky were covered. 7:20 The waters rose more than twenty feet above the mountains. 7:21 And all living things that moved on the earth died, including the birds, domestic animals, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all humankind. 7:22 Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died.
7:23 So the Lord destroyed every living thing that was on the surface of the ground, including people, animals, creatures that creep along the ground, and birds of the sky. They were wiped off the earth. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark survived.
7:24 The waters prevailed over the earth for 150 days.
Lord, may Your Holy Spirit teach me how to be as faithful as Noah so that I too would find favor in your sight, please help me to understand the relationship between my obedient living before you, and the blessings that You give to me, so that they may be poured out into the lives of others. Father, your message is simple, but my chosen path to obedience is sometimes more complicated and cluttered than it should be. Please teach me to be as trusting as Noah; as everything around me seems to be falling into ruin, may I know that You will lift me up above the floodwaters of sin and destruction.
While others were found unrepentantly-sinful Noah was found by the Lord God to be “a godly man”. This does not imply perfection or sinlessness – else he could have been the Messiah - it meant that he prioritized what the Lord said was important, he was teachable, and was he made an exceptional effort to be obedient.
When the Lord God declared that “... all living creatures on the earth were sinful.” He was making the statement on dual levels; first was the reality of the Fall wherein all of Creation was cursed with the sin of Adam and Eve, second was the volitional sin of humankind – most of it unrepentant.
When the Lord God said that “... all living creatures must die … I am about to destroy them and the earth.” He used His terminology narrowly, referring back to the Creation narrative - because Noah was about to float a remnant of creatures and humankind on the waters. (the waters were, during Creation, specifically defined as separate from “the earth”).
The Lord God then gave Noah very specific instructions as to the construction of the “Ark”, followed by His reaffirmation of intent to purge the earth.
Verse 6:18a “... but I will confirm my covenant with you” appears to be a reference to the dialogue between the Lord and Cain in Genesis 4:3-7 where He acknowledges an implicit quid pro quo between a person’s choice to be in right-standing before Him and thus receive His blessing, or to be at-odds with Him and be denied His blessing.
The Lord God extends His covenant with Noah to his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives. No daughters were specifically mentioned.
The Lord also extended His grace to “... two of every kind of living creature from all flesh, male and female” and he commissioned Noah “... to keep them alive with you.”
He added also “... the birds after their kinds, and of the cattle after their kinds, and of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every kind will come to you so you can keep them alive.”
The Lord God instructed Noah to gather food for the many days they would be on the Ark, and food for all of the animals.
Once again the Lord was specific as to “... every kind of food that is eaten” because different creatures ate different food.
Once again Noah is found faithful “Noah did all that God commanded him – he did indeed.”
The Lord God’s provision was conditional, “... I consider you godly among this generation”, therefore He said “Come into the ark, you and all your household”.
The importance that the Lord placed on the future Old Testament expectation of sacrifice was affirmed as He required of Noah that he include “... seven of every kind of clean animal, the male and its mate” as opposed to only two each of the “unclean”.
When all was ready God gave seven days notice prior to the floodwaters.
The floodwaters came not only from the sky, as is the common depiction, but also from “the great deep”. The NET translators observe that this is a sort of reversal of Creation as the waters once separated from the earth are now returned to cover it, albeit temporarily.
The waters came up from the ground (springs?) and the seas it came down from the skies for forty days and nights.
In Matthew 24:36-41 and Luke 17:22-27 Jesus reminded His disciples of Noah and that when He returns there will be little warning. In Noah’s time He gave seven days warning to Noah but the people were not listening to Him so it was as if they received none.
When Noah had fulfilled God’s instructions as to the construction of the Ark and the assembly of the animals and people they all climbed aboard the great ship.
Then God Himself closed and sealed the door.
Every living thing that breathed the air directly for life was destroyed; it appears that water-bound creatures were not as Noah was not instructed to preserve any of them, and some plant life also survived.
The Lord God does not expect us to be perfect any more than He expected Noah to be perfect. Only Jesus lived sinlessly. His desire is to bless us but when we choose rebellion we create floodwaters of sin between ourselves and His blessings. He provides and He shows us how to provide for ourselves and others. It remains our choice to be wise; to listen, and to obey. If the Lord God’s blessings are conditional, how do we learn how to meet His conditions?
When you describe “a godly man” or a “godly woman” what are the attributes you highlight which lifts them to that category? Observe the care the Lord God takes with each discrete species of His Creation “after their kinds”, even after the early ill-affects of the Fall. There are no transitional species or cross-species in His plan. How might we listen more closely to the Lord and prepare for the mission He is laying out before each of us? For some it may be some specific learning we need, for others it may be physical fitness, for others it may be gathering certain resources, and for others it may be developing a network of financial and prayer supporters. How has He provided for you the resources you need to praise and worship and serve Him?
When Adam and Eve sinned the Lord God administered the consequences required of justice, yet in His mercy and grace He still promised a way back. Once again He finds it necessary to obliterate much of humankind, and the rest of created life, yet He provided a way of survival via the Ark. Had Noah chosen to be like the others all around him what would have happened to his family, not to mention the rest of Creation? Noah tried to be consistently-obedient and therefore the Lord was able to use him in a mighty way; what about us? The Lord God decided to partially roll-back Creation in order to clean up the mess that humankind had made of the world. Does He sometimes roll-back some of the things we have “collected” or given improper value in ours lives – contrary to what should be in the life of a believer? What may have been the thoughts of those on the Ark as they watched the world below them be swallowed-up by water and all of those living creatures die, leaving them with nothing but each other and the Lord God to comfort and provide for them? When the Lord God chooses to act He leaves nothing to chance, He raised the waters until they were 20 feet above the tallest mountain so that there was no chance of survival and He kept them there long enough so that not even a bird could survive.
When you are reminded of the Lord God’s repeated provision how has that strengthened you during difficult times? When have you observed a clear relationship between your obedient walk before the Lord and His blessings, either direct blessings to you, or blessings poured-out through you into the life of another? When has He directed you toward a task, and showed you the preparation you needed, and then when you were obedient He provided for all of your needs and used you mightily? If not, do you recall a time when He could have (and you should have) but you didn’t, so He couldn’t? What has the Lord God rolled-back in your life so that He could clean you up?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where your witness as a “godly” person has been compromised. Lord, when the floodwaters of trouble come into the world all around me, please find me faithfully-trusting You to be my “Ark” of safety and provision. Lord, may your Holy Spirit write this story on my heart so that I will see your consistent message from Noah and up until even now. You give us Yourself and the fellowship of believers and you ask us to recognize that the rest of the world – apart from You – is dead.
Today I will I will ask a fellow believer to pray in agreement with me for a greater sensitivity to the Lord God so that He might find me a little more of an intentionally “godly” person every day. I will pray the same for a fellow believer. In an unconditional prayer, I will welcome the Holy Spirit into my life in a newly powerful way, asking Him to draw me nearer to Him in my daily choices so that I may be used as His means of blessing in the lives of others all around me.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
8:1 But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and domestic animals that were with him in the ark.
God caused a wind to blow over the earth and the waters receded.
8:2 The fountains of the deep and the floodgates of heaven were closed, and the rain stopped falling from the sky.
8:3 The waters kept receding steadily from the earth, so that they had gone down by the end of the 150 days.
8:4 On the seventeenth day of the seventh month, the ark came to rest on one of the mountains of Ararat.
8:5 The waters kept on receding until the tenth month. On the first day of the tenth month, the tops of the mountains became visible.
8:6 At the end of forty days, Noah opened the window he had made in the ark 8:7 and sent out a raven; it kept flying back and forth until the waters had dried up on the earth.
8:8 Then Noah sent out a dove to see if the waters had receded from the surface of the ground.
8:9 The dove could not find a resting place for its feet because water still covered the surface of the entire earth, and so it returned to Noah in the ark. He stretched out his hand, took the dove, and brought it back into the ark.
8:10 He waited seven more days and then sent out the dove again from the ark. 8:11 When the dove returned to him in the evening, there was a freshly plucked olive leaf in its beak! Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth.
8:12 He waited another seven days and sent the dove out again, but it did not return to him this time.
8:13 In Noah’s six hundred and first year, in the first day of the first month, the waters had dried up from the earth, and Noah removed the covering from the ark and saw that the surface of the ground was dry. 8:14 And by the twenty-seventh day of the second month the earth was dry.
Lord, remind me often that “God remembers” that I may never fear that I am alone; reveal to me in this text how You brought Noah and his family through the great flood and how their trust and patience may also be mine.
It appears from the text that another 40 days passed, beyond those previously discussed, before Noah opened a window and loosed a raven to explore. The raven is a carrion bird and once it found the food of drowned bodies it did not return. We recall that the raven is referenced in Proverbs as a tool of harsh discipline, in Psalms and Job compared to babies abandoned by parents and dependent upon God, in the story of Elijah the Lord God used them to feed His prophet, and later in Luke - Jesus notes that the Lord cares for the ravens.
After the raven’s forty days of journeys Noah sent out a dove which returned, unable to find a branch of a tree upon which it could rest, as only the peaks of a lifeless mountains would have been at the water’s surface.
Seven days later the dove went out and returned with “... a freshly plucked olive leaf in its beak”, and another seven days later the dove departed and did not return.
The Lord God remembers, for eternity, those whom He loves; therefore, we who are His children need never worry that He forgets us. God punished rampant sin by purging living things on the earth. He did not purge everything, or everyone, so He clearly had some specific variable(s) in mind.
It appears from the text that they may have been aboard the Ark for 300 days. What may it have been like, trapped on an Ark filled with animals, beginning with 40 days and 40 nights of constant rain and floating around for an entire year?
The incredible power of the Lord God that opened the water from above and below, then sent it back again, is the same power that had done miracle after miracle over history and continues to do the miracle of salvation in the hearts of persons one-by-one. It was seven days between the olive branch, delivered by the dove - the assurance of life returning to the earth – and the dove’s certainty of food and safety apart from the Ark which caused it to not return. There were four men and four women, all adults on the Ark. There is no mention of children.
When have you felt alone and forgotten only to have the Lord God send someone, or He did something, that reminded you that He remembered you? When have you been as patient as Noah, waiting on God rather than rushing out after a ‘storm’ in your life? When have you been alone with a small group of people for more than a few hours? Did you discover the need to go deep’ because you quickly ran out of shallow things to discuss?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how to be intentional about driving the sin out of your life so that He does not see the need to purge your life of sin the hard way.
Today I will I will prayerfully seek out a fellow believer who is feeling alone and forgotten and I will share these verses as an encouragement. If I have not previously done so I will journal an experience of alone-ness in my past, reflecting on the ways that I now recognize the Lord’s presence. If I am currently struggling I will journals and pray for an “olive branch” from the Lord God to assure me that an end to the trouble and safety are near.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
8:15 Then God spoke to Noah and said, 8:16 “Come out of the ark, you, your wife, your sons, and your sons’ wives with you.
8:17 Bring out with you all the living creatures that are with you. Bring out every living thing, including the birds, animals, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. Let them increase and be fruitful and multiply on the earth!”
8:18 Noah went out along with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives.
8:19 Every living creature, every creeping thing, every bird, and everything that moves on the earth went out of the ark in their groups.
8:20 Noah built an altar to the Lord. He then took some of every kind of clean animal and clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
8:21 And the Lord smelled the soothing aroma and said to himself, “I will never again curse the ground because of humankind,
even though the inclination of their minds is evil from childhood on.
I will never again destroy everything that lives, as I have just done.
8:22 “While the earth continues to exist,
planting time and harvest,
cold and heat,
summer and winter,
and day and night will not cease.”
Lord, You knew that Noah was not perfect, nor was his family, yet You caused them to live in order to preserve humankind. Teach me to trust you like Noah, so that no matter how great your judgment on man – even the troubles of the Great Tribulation – may I be ready to offer myself in worship of You. May I never forget Your loving-grace and Your desire to draw near the children You find so dear. Lord,
The first thing that Noah did after disembarking from an entire year on the Ark was to build an altar to the Lord. Then he sacrificed some of the seven-each pairs of “clean” animals and birds which the Lord had instructed him to preserve during the flood.
It is said that the same root Hebrew word, depending on the subtleties of context, which is used to describe a “burnt offering to God” is also intended to express humble submission “holocaust” (which has a horrible meaning in modern times).
Oddly, the Great Flood was a sort of holocaust-by-water, as we might term a genocide, and here Noah is offering a burnt offering to the Lord God (whereas the modern “holocaust” often involved gas and fire).
Christians who understand the spiritual battle will recognize that the modern “holocaust” was a “burnt offering” by the Nazi leaders to Satan, even if they did not consciously recognize that fact.
When the Lord God “smelled the soothing aroma” He acknowledged that Noah’s descendants were beginning anew with Him once-again central to their lives and for a very brief moment there was peace between God and man.
The Lord then declared that He would never again “curse the ground because of humankind”, not to mean that the curse of the Fall had been lifted, but that no new all-pervasive curse would be imposed.
The Lord God decided to stay His hand despite acknowledging that “... the inclination of their [humankind] minds is evil from childhood on”.
The Lord declared a conditional “While the earth continues to exist ...”, which reminds us that the earth has a limited lifespan in God’s plan.
The Lord God then affirmed the cycle of the seasons and what they meant to humankind:
“... planting time and harvest,”
“... cold and heat,”
“... summer and winter,”
“... and day and night”
Finally, He confirmed that it is He who causes it all to continue because it is He who has decided that He will not again interrupt things at a planetary-level until the last days of these end times.
Noah wanted to demonstrate his loyalty, his thanks for the Lord God’s provision and protection, and his intent to keep Him first.
As New Testament Christians we no longer practice literal “burnt sacrifice”. In what ways might our daily lives include elements of the “sweet aroma” of surrender to the Lordship of Christ? If the earth has a limited lifespan, and that lifespan is only known to the Lord God, how should we approach every day?
Is it encouraging to you to know that the Lord has decided to never curse “the ground” at a planetary-scale until the last days of these end times?
Knowing that the Lord God is aware of the our inclination toward evil from childhood, and knowing that believers are blessed with the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, how have you been able to leverage His presence against the sin-inclined tendencies of the flesh? How has God shown you His expectations of you through the cycles of the seasons, both on an annual basis and in your entire lifespan?
Ask the Holy Spirit to find you a willing partner in becoming more and more of a humble and submitted servant of the Lord God, ready to resist the temptations of the flesh to rebel. Also, ask Him to enlighten your understanding of the best use of the limited cycles of the natural seasons of the year in your walk and of the seasons of your life before your days come to an end.
I will prayerfully identify a part of my life where I have been neither humble or submitted to the Lord but have rather gone my own way – a way that I am sure has offended God – and I will partner with the Holy Spirit to surrender that as a living “burnt offering” to His pleasure in me. I agree to allow the Holy Spirit to re-order my priorities so that my life reflects an awareness of His priorities for the natural cycles of the seasons and for the whole-life seasons of my time here on earth. I will journal or otherwise write down the vision I see of God’s priorities worked-out this year and in a more general sense the seasons of the rest of my life. I will share that with a fellow believer for their prayerful reflection and perhaps as a motivation for them to do the same.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
9:1 Then God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.
9:2 Every living creature of the earth and every bird of the sky will be terrified of you. Everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea are under your authority.
9:3 You may eat any moving thing that lives. As I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.
9:4 But you must not eat meat with its life (that is, its blood) in it.
9:5 For your lifeblood I will surely exact punishment, from every living creature I will exact punishment.
From each person I will exact punishment for the life of the individual since the man was his relative.
9:6 “Whoever sheds human blood, by other humans must his blood be shed; for in God’s image God has made humankind.”
9:7 But as for you, be fruitful and multiply; increase abundantly on the earth and multiply on it.”
9:8 God said to Noah and his sons, 9:9 “Look! I now confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you 9:10 and with every living creature that is with you, including the birds, the domestic animals, and every living creature of the earth with you, all those that came out of the ark with you – every living creature of the earth.
9:11 I confirm my covenant with you: Never again will all living things be wiped out by the waters of a flood; never again will a flood destroy the earth.”
9:12 And God said, “This is the guarantee of the covenant I am making with you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all subsequent generations: 9:13 I will place my rainbow in the clouds, and it will become a guarantee of the covenant between me and the earth.
9:14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 9:15 then I will remember my covenant with you and with all living creatures of all kinds. Never again will the waters become a flood and destroy all living things.
9:16 When the rainbow is in the clouds, I will notice it and remember the perpetual covenant between God and all living creatures of all kinds that are on the earth.”
9:17 So God said to Noah, “This is the guarantee of the covenant that I am confirming between me and all living things that are on the earth.”
Lord, help me to understand the many changes in the relationship of man to the rest of creation, to You, and to one another in this text. Please help me to accept that Your knowledge is perfect and Your instructions to humankind are perfect, even if they challenge generally-accepted notions or traditions of humankind.
The Lord God reset the standing of humankind before Him “Then God blessed Noah and his sons ...” followed by instructions to get about the business of repopulating the earth.
The creatures of the earth were to “be terrified” of humankind – this is a newly competitive relationship due perhaps to the needs of the growing population for whom the animals represented a useful source of food, labor, clothing, and other resources. The prior Genesis texts implied a more cooperative and peaceful relationship, and one where all need for food had been met and skins for clothing were unnecessary.
Note: The Lord instructed man to care for the creatures He had created in Gen. 1:26-28, then later, after the Fall, in Gen. 3:21He made coverings for Adam and Eve from the skins of animals. Abel brought animals for sacrifice in Gen. 4:4. So it became that the death of an animal brought a benefit to a human – this was not new in Noah’s time.
The text implies that until Noah the Lord had required of His obedient people a purely vegetarian diet, which given their not-too-far-from-Eden genetic ‘de-evolution’ from the perfect to the less-perfect, as well as undisclosed changes to the plant life, a purely vegetarian diet may have been sufficient to their nutritional needs.
Note: It has been suggested that modern efforts to live a purely vegetarian lifestyle has proved unhealthy for many due to the inability of their bodies to extract all of the necessary nutrients from only non-meat sources. Another symptom of the Fall.
The Lord God did provide a qualifier, one that appears from the following text to be not only health-related but emotional and spiritual as well; in this case He wanted them to not become careless about “life” and in that primitive time “blood” was associated with life, therefore avoiding the consumption of blood helped to make His point.
The health element of his preparation instructions for meat was so that they cooked meat and thereby reduced illness from bacteria.
The Lord God declared human life valuable and forbade murder.
The Lord reminded humankind that all were related to one-another, especially so for the generations immediately following the Great Flood.
He also reminded them that the life of humankind has value because we are made in His [partial] image (and even in our Fallen-away state we continue to bear elements of His image to this day).
The Lord God repeated His command from verse one that they were to “... be fruitful and multiply”
The Lord God chose to “bless” – declaring His partnership in the endeavors of Noah and his family. He now allowed humankind to eat meat rather than be vegetarians. Fish are acceptable to many modern vegetarians; however, a pure ‘pure vegan’ diet discourages anything from an animal, including fish. The meat broadened their sources of nutrition but it also created a new tension between humankind and the animals. The Lord God declared that life must be valued and that murder was wrong. This was, historically, well-prior to His giving to Moses the Ten Commandments.
How does being reminded that humankind was made in the image of the Lord God impact the way that you think of life? God had intentionally cleansed the gene pool of humankind with the Great Flood, given the length of time and the added imperfections in the genetic code since would it be possible today to select one couple, three sons, and three daughters from other families and repopulate the earth without terrible deformities?
The population and resource-challenged humankind now needed other creatures for food and clothing, sacrifice and work – despite their closeness on the Ark they were now competing for resources and humankind had the upper hand. There were many side-effects from the Fall, one of them was that the human body became less and less perfect over time; this was illustrated in the continually-shortened lifespans of humankind.
When have you used a creature in such as way as for them to be “terrified” of you; not in an abusive way but a generic state of imminent death or service, for food or labor?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you the difference between the Lord’s “go forth and multiply” (reproductively) – in addition to teaching future generations about Him - thus to multiply spiritually, and His expectation that our primary “multiplication” today be of new believers and of matured believers.
Share this verse with a fellow believer and ask them to share for what purpose they believe the Lord God has blessed them. Share the same perspective of God’s blessing of you.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
9:18 The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Now Ham was the father of Canaan.) 9:19 These were the sons of Noah, and from them the whole earth was populated.
9:20 Noah, a man of the soil, began to plant a vineyard.
9:21 When he drank some of the wine, he got drunk and uncovered himself inside his tent.
9:22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers who were outside.
9:23 Shem and Japheth took the garment and placed it on their shoulders. Then they walked in backwards and covered up their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned the other way so they did not see their father’s nakedness.
9:24 When Noah awoke from his drunken stupor he learned what his youngest son had done to him. 9:25 So he said, “Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves he will be to his brothers.”
9:26 He also said, “Worthy of praise is the Lord, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem!
9:27 May God enlarge Japheth’s territory and numbers! May he live in the tents of Shem and may Canaan be his slave!”
9:28 After the flood Noah lived 350 years. 9:29 The entire lifetime of Noah was 950 years, and then he died.
The Table of Nations
10:1 This is the account of Noah’s sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them after the flood.
10:2 The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. 10:3 The sons of Gomer were Askenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. 10:4 The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittim, and the Dodanim.
10:5 From these the coastlands of the nations were separated into their lands, every one according to its language, according to their families, by their nations.
10:6 The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. 10:7 The sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan.
10:8 Cush was the father of Nimrod; he began to be a valiant warrior on the earth. 10:9 He was a mighty hunter before the Lord. (That is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord.”)
10:10 The primary regions of his kingdom were Babel, Erech, Akkad, and Calneh in the land of Shinar. 10:11 From that land he went to Assyria, where he built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah, 10:12 and Resen, which is between Nineveh and the great city Calah.
10:13 Mizraim was the father of the Ludites, Anamites, Lehabites, Naphtuhites, 10:14 Pathrusites, Casluhites (from whom the Philistines came), and Caphtorites.
10:15 Canaan was the father of Sidon his firstborn, Heth, 10:16 the Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites, 10:17 Hivites, Arkites, Sinites, 10:18 Arvadites, Zemarites, and Hamathites. Eventually the families of the Canaanites were scattered 10:19 and the borders of Canaan extended from Sidon all the way to Gerar as far as Gaza, and all the way to Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.
10:20 These are the sons of Ham, according to their families, according to their languages, by their lands, and by their nations.
10:21 And sons were also born to Shem (the older brother of Japheth), the father of all the sons of Eber.
10:22 The sons of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram. 10:23 The sons of Aram were Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. 10:24 Arphaxad was the father of Shelah, and Shelah was the father of Eber.
10:25 Two sons were born to Eber: One was named Peleg because in his days the earth was divided, and his brother’s name was Joktan.
10:26 Joktan was the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 10:27 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 10:28 Obal, Abimael, Sheba, 10:29 Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were sons of Joktan.
10:30 Their dwelling place was from Mesha all the way to Sephar in the eastern hills. 10:31 These are the sons of Shem according to their families, according to their languages, by their lands, and according to their nations.
10:32 These are the families of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, by their nations, and from these the nations spread over the earth after the flood.
Lord, write on my heart the lessons of respect for others You have illustrated in Your Word, the consequences of disrespect upon oneself and others, and the blessing that respect for others may bring. Thank you that You are not a God of mystery in all things. When you tell Your story You include everything we need to know and then You help us to understand why You included what You included. Lord, thank You for showing us the “big picture” of history along with the more precise stories of Your relationships with individuals and with groups.
The text begins with an emphasis upon Ham’s lineage flowing out to the Canaanites.
The text tells us that Noah was a farmer and among other things he planted and harvested a vineyard, and when he did he enjoyed more of the fruits of his labor than he should have and thus became ‘stupid drunk’, shedding his clothes and collapsing in his tent.
Ham, although about 100 years old, was the youngest son and came upon him in that sorry state and took his robe to his older brothers laughing about his father’s nakedness – a great disrespect.
The older brothers took the robe and respectfully looked away as they covered their father.
When Noah recovered from his drunkenness he was made aware of his son’s disrespect and declared a curse [a prophesy perhaps] upon the descendents of Ham, the Canaanites, as they would be as disrespectful of the Lord God and others as was Ham to him.
Noah also pronounced a blessing [a prophesy perhaps] on Shem and Japheth’s descendants.
Noah was 600 years old before the Flood and lived another 350 years afterwards before he died.
Genesis 10 is labeled in the text “The Table of Nations”
Translator’s note #3 observes “It appears that the Table of Nations is a composite of at least two ancient sources: Some sections begin with the phrase “the sons of” (בְּנֵי, bÿne) while other sections use “begot” (יָלָד, yalad). It may very well be that the “sons of” list was an old, “bare bones” list that was retained in the family records, while the “begot” sections were editorial inserts by the writer of Genesis, reflecting his special interests.”
It is strongly recommended that the curious “student” of the Word visit the Bible.org resource: http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Gen&chapter=10#n55 . They have gone to great lengths to detail the generations and tribes and cities and nations that flowed from each of Noah’s children. They also include references for further study.
This text provides further detail of the dispersal of the people as they were obediently “fruitful” and they multiplied. It also reminds the readers that “languages and nations” accompanied groups of families in various regions.
It is worth noting that the text mentions a grandson of Shem and a son of Aram, named Uz. It was from the land of Uz that Abram was called by God.
The translator’s note associated with Peleg, a decendant of Shem, reads “The expression “the earth was divided” which may refer to dividing the land with canals, but more likely it anticipates the division of languages at Babel (Gen 11). The verb פָּלָג (palag, “separate, divide”) is used in Ps 55:9 for a division of languages.”
The Lord God wants us to know that the way that we choose to live before Him, and in our interactions with others, has an impact on our biological, legal, and spiritual descendants. There is nothing in the Word of God that is there without a specific purpose. The several geneologies are there for “credibility”, not that God needs credibility, but to establish the historic credibility of the Word in a transparent and verifiable manner. As the descendants of Noah multiplied they also spread geographically, resulting in changes to their common language and to the creation of local communities or ‘nations’.
When you observe the disciplined respect for the Lord God, passed down from generation to generation, do you also notice that the predisposition toward rebellion against the Lordship of God was also passed on? Look closely at those who followed Ham, the son who disrespected Noah, and see how Noah’s prophesy was fulfilled. Look at your country and see the unique characteristics from region to region (even among people who are biologically and/or legally related) once they gain geological separation from one-another.
All three brothers knew the expectations of the Lord God for their treatment of their father yet Ham chose to be disrespectful; we also get to make choices - do we stoop to immaturity with Ham or stand respectful before the Lord with Shem and Japheth? Recall from the story of Jonah that the Lord God’s desire was to provide a pathway to forgiveness for the citizens of Ninevah - then remember from whom that cities founder flowed. Is not the Lord merciful from generation to generation? He is not troubled by our local diversity, His concern is that we share Him in common.
When have you been tempted to disrespect or to shame a parent or other authority figure? What did you choose to do and what was the consequence? Do you know of a family or a community where there has been a long history of bad choices but where the Lord God has found an opportunity to shine the light of forgiveness and truth and that resulted in a break in that “generational curse”? When have you found that diversity has led to disinterest and/or confusion, if not dislike, perhaps even leading to conflict?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you may have more in common with Ham than with Shem and Japheth. Ask Him to remind you every day of the Lord God’s desire to redeem. Ask Him to press into you the same comfort with diversity of color and of language, culture, and geography that He has for all who call Him Lord.
I agree to review my daily life for any patterns of disrespect or shaming toward parents or legitimate authority figures and to prayerfully submit to the Holy Spirit as He helps me to change my attitude and conduct. I agree to spend some quiet time with the Holy Spirit to prayerfully seek awareness of a “generational curse” in my family (or community) which He has either broken or which He is creating an opportunity to break. I will celebrate His blessing where He has already done so (and will share that praise report with a fellow believer) and will make myself available to His liberating work if He is about to enter-into my family or community. I agree to partner with the Holy Spirit, and a prayerful fellow Christian, to search out any place in me where I may hold a bias against a fellow Christian because of differences that the Lord God has demonstrated are unimportant. I will then commit to intentionally purge those wrong thoughts.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Dispersion of the Nations at Babel
11:1 The whole earth had a common language and a common vocabulary.
11:2 When the people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there.
11:3 Then they said to one another, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” (They had brick instead of stone and tar instead of mortar.)
11:4 Then they said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens so that we may make a name for ourselves. Otherwise we will be scattered across the face of the entire earth.”
11:5 But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the people had started building.
11:6 And the Lord said, “If as one people all sharing a common language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be beyond them.
11:7 Come, let’s go down and confuse their language so they won’t be able to understand each other.”
11:8 So the Lord scattered them from there across the face of the entire earth, and they stopped building the city.
11:9 That is why its name was called Babel – because there the Lord confused the language of the entire world, and from there the Lord scattered them across the face of the entire earth.
Lord, how quickly after Your demonstrations of mercy and of power did humankind forget Who You are and drift again into arrogant rebellion. Thank You for the record of this cycle in Your Word which stands as a reminder to us.
While the end of Chapter 10 spoke of different languages this text refers to a common language and a common vocabulary. It is reasonable to read the difference as Chapter 10 intending to communicate differing dialects rather than entirely different languages – which makes good sense given the relatively brief time from the eight people on the Ark and the time of this text.
However, if one looks more closely at Chapter 10 one discovers that it was not all of the people on earth who are being spoken of here but one stream of descendants; it was Nimrod, son of Cush and grandson of the rebellious Ham - son of Noah - who settled in Shinar. (Gen. 10:8-10)
In their arrogance their rebellion took the form of building a massive tower as a rallying-point and symbol of their ability to get into “the heavens” without the Lord God; removing their perception of a need for God, and condemning them to generations of eternally-lost people.
In His mercy, rather than destroying the city and the people together with their tower, the Lord God confused their language – fragmenting their sense of cohesion and complicating their communications – so that they gave up and dispersed. One of the sub-groups later went on to build the city of Ninevah.
The Bible speaks of the sins of the father (Exo. 20:5, 34:7; Deut 5:8; Num. 14:18), referring to the impact of rebellion, being passed down from generation to generation. We see this with Ham, just as the Lord God had caused Noah to prophesy.
Why is it that humankind is so fond of building cathedrals, cities, and towers, most of which are designed to serve as great monuments to man and not to God?
God could have wiped-out Shinar, but in His mercy He chose instead to make it so difficult for them that they gave up, preserving an opportunity for some of the people to escape their evil culture and leaders and perhaps choose obedience to their Lord.
When have you rebelled against the Lord God and He found it necessary to make things so difficult that you turned-away from your rebellion? (It could have been the temptation to commit adultery, to cheat, to lie, to steal, etc. You may not have stopped right away but the consequences may have become more than you were willing to bear. It is not unusual that soon after being saved, within the first year, the Enemy brings temptation in ones weakest areas – the same as he did to the generations soon after the Flood.)
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you something that you need to deal with, that is an act of rebellion against the Lord, however small.
I agree to cooperate with the Holy Spirit, and to engage a prayer-partner, as I identify and deal with a place of rebellion in my life - rather than waiting for the Lord God to take sterner measures to separate me from my sin.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Genealogy of Shem
11:10 This is the account of Shem.
Shem was 100 old when he became the father of Arphaxad, two years after the flood. 11:11 And after becoming the father of Arphaxad, Shem lived 500 years and had other sons and daughters.
11:12 When Arphaxad had lived 35 years, he became the father of Shelah. 11:13 And after he became the father of Shelah, Arphaxad lived 403 years and had other sons and daughters.
11:14 When Shelah had lived 30 years, he became the father of Eber. 11:15 And after he became the father of Eber, Shelah lived 403 years and had other sons and daughters.
11:16 When Eber had lived 34 years, he became the father of Peleg. 11:17 And after he became the father of Peleg, Eber lived 430 years and had other sons and daughters.
11:18 When Peleg had lived 30 years, he became the father of Reu. 11:19 And after he became the father of Reu, Peleg lived 209 years and had other sons and daughters.
11:20 When Reu had lived 32 years, he became the father of Serug. 11:21 And after he became the father of Serug, Reu lived 207 years and had other sons and daughters.
11:22 When Serug had lived 30 years, he became the father of Nahor. 11:23 And after he became the father of Nahor, Serug lived 200 years and had other sons and daughters.
11:24 When Nahor had lived 29 years, he became the father of Terah. 11:25 And after he became the father of Terah, Nahor lived 119 years and had other sons and daughters.
11:26 When Terah had lived 70 years, he became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.
The Record of Terah
11:27 This is the account of Terah.
Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot. 11:28 Haran died in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldeans, while his father Terah was still alive. 11:29 And Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah; she was the daughter of Haran, the father of both Milcah and Iscah. 11:30 But Sarai was barren; she had no children.
11:31 Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot (the son of Haran), and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram’s wife, and with them he set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. When they came to Haran, they settled there. 11:32 The lifetime of Terah was 205 years, and he died in Haran.
Lord, while You allowed sin to have its way with the bodies – the very lifespan – of humankind Your hand is clear as it guided the sovereign thread of Your perfect plan amidst the chaos and confusion of Fallen Creation.
The genealogy of the descendants of Shem is remarkable as it demonstrates the rapidly declining life-span of humankind as one evidence of the destructive impact of the Fall; due, of course, to multiple variables.
Seven generations later the genealogy of Terah recorded some better known names, those of Abram, Lot, and Sarai, and regions – those of Ur of the Chaldeans and of Caanan.
The genealogy of Abram’s wife, Sarai, is not recorded in this section of text. Her story was remarkable as she was “barren”, and given the emphasis of the Lord God upon reproduction at that time, that had to be a very difficult burden for her and Abram.
Haran’s wife is neither named nor is her genealogy cited. Nahor’s wife was Haran’s daughter Milcah, his niece.
Using the version of still-evolving English language that was available to them in the Elizabethian-era older versions of the New Testament rendered the text of Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” In Genesis 11:10-24 the shortened lifespan of humankind bears plain evidence of the temporal “wages of sin”.
Among a people recently commissioned by the Lord God to “go forth and multiply”, and as they were surrounded by the children and grandchildren of Abram’s brothers, how must Abram and Sarai have suffered emotionally? How often might they have pleaded to the Lord to give them a child? (Compare this to the New Testament where His emphasis is on salvific-reproduction rather than biological.)
The Lord God provided a clear map of the genealogy of Abram and his shared need, together with his wife Sarai, so clearly He was preparing the reader for the story to follow.
When have you desired something that you believed to be the Lord God’s will only to have roadblock arise repeatedly to block your path? How did that impact your relationship with the Lord?
Ask the Holy Spirit to amplify His presence as you seek awareness of current and past occasions where He was teaching you dependence and patience upon the Lord God.
I agree to prayerfully assess my past and present for evidence of the Lord God’s hand in my life, holding me back when I was rushing ahead of His timing, testing my faith in His perfect provision and timing – and in the keeping of His promises, and strengthening me along the way.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 4
Job’s Good Life
1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job.
And that man was pure and upright,
one who feared God and turned away from evil.
1:2 Seven sons and three daughters were born to him.
1:3 His possessions included 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys; in addition he had a very great household.
Thus he was the greatest of all the people in the east.
1:4 Now his sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one in turn, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. 1:5 When the days of their feasting were finished,
Job would send for them and sanctify them; he would get up early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all.
For Job thought, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.”
This was Job’s customary practice.
Lord, Job was an amazing man in many ways, not only was he rich in possessions he was also faithful in worship of You. May I remember that everything I have and everything I care about belongs to You and that I owe You my praise, thanks, and wisdom.
Job lived in an area known as Uz. In Genesis 10 the text records that a grandson of Shem, and a son of Aram, was named Uz. It was from the land of Uz that Abram was called by God.
Job was “... pure and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil” and was the wealthiest man “... in the east”. It is worth noting the linkage between “pure and upright”, that he made the choice to turn “away from evil”, and that he was blessed to be the wealthiest man “... in the east.” Satan would later observe, but misrepresent, the linkage between Job’s wealth and his relationship with the Lord God.
Job’s wealth included a great “household” which, as will be revealed in text to follow, included many employees “servants”.
Job had seven grown sons and three daughters who were fond of gathering for feats of food and drink. No mention was made of the children's relationship with the Lord God.
The text reports that Job thought “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.”, so following each of their feasts he would offer burnt offerings for them.
The text does not say why Job might have such a thought, perhaps it was merely an abundance of caution, or perhaps it was because his children offered no praise or worship of the Lord God in their extravagant lifestyle.
In either case Job was a God-honoring human role model for his children and for his community.
Humankind is very early in recovery after the Flood, the practice of worship has yet to be enshrined in any recorded law, making Job’s faithfulness in his fortune all the more remarkable.
How might Job’s sacrifices on behalf of his children be a role model for modern parents, and perhaps other relatives and friends, praying for the well-being of children and young adults as their make their way through life?
No mention was made of the children being engaged in any work, though they may have, rather the implication was that they busied themselves in the indulgences that Job’s great wealth provided.
When have you observed the children of honorable and hard-working people carelessly living-off the wealth of their parents without regard to matters of faith and due respect to the Lord God?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where you tend to take the Lord God’s blessings for granted.
Today I will confess and repent of my presumption upon the Lord God. I will request and humbly accept His forgiveness and will adjust my attitude and my schedule to make time to give thanks – in addition to a general ‘attitude of gratitude’.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Satan’s Accusation of Job
1:6 Now the day came when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord – and Satan also arrived among them.
1:7 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”
And Satan answered the Lord, “From roving about on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it.”
1:8 So the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job?
There is no one like him on the earth, a pure and upright man,
one who fears God and turns away from evil.”
1:9 Then Satan answered the Lord, “Is it for nothing that Job fears God?
1:10 Have you not made a hedge around him and his household and all that he has on every side?
You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestock have increased in the land.
1:11 But extend your hand and strike everything he has, and he will no doubt curse you to your face!”
1:12 So the Lord said to Satan, “All right then, everything he has is in your power.
Only do not extend your hand against the man himself!”
So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
Lord, just as the Newt Testament reminded us, Satan is on an evil mission to destroy those who love the Lord. May I be watchful for his evils schemes, quick to send him away and to seek-after You, and patient for Your resolution of the troubles he brings.
In the royal court of the Lord God “... the day came when the sons of God” [The NET translator’s notes explain that this phrase refers to the angelic beings, faithful and fallen alike “a poetic way of describing their nature and relationship to God”] “... came to present themselves before the Lord”, and on that day Satan showed up, whereupon the Lord challenged him to explain from what activity had he come.
Satan declared that he had been walking around the world. Many generations later, in the New Testament text, we are again reminded that Satan roams the earth in search of opportunities to harm those who love the Lord. (1 Peter 5:8)
The Lord, knowing his arrogant and dark heart, then challenged him, “Have you considered my servant Job?” He described the positive attributes of Job, both among his peers and in his relationship to Him, as a challenge to Satan.
Satan accused the Lord God of manipulating Job unfairly, providing great wealth and every other need, and protecting him from harm. Satan declared that if He removed those protections that Job would rebel and reject Him.
The Lord God then gave Satan permission to try all of the things he had in mind to drive Job to rebellion, short of touching Job directly, and dismissed him from His royal court.
As the Lord God allowed the working-out of justice, perfectly balanced by His grace, He permitted the evil one to challenge those who chose loyalty to the Lord. This was part of the cure of the Fall; humankind chose to allow Satan a combative role in creation, the Lord God therefore tolerated the continuous choice-making process.
When you study this text alone, or in small group, have you found it helpful to recall that Satan only has a continuing role in human affairs because we invited him into them at the Fall?
Satan continues to prey upon humankind, he continues to challenge the integrity of the Lord God, and he continues to fail to comprehend that he is hopelessly outmatched by the Lord God.
When have you observed someone who was apparently trying to be faithful to the Lord God still come under attack and oppression from the enemy for a time?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a fellow believer for whom He'd like you to pray and to encouragement.
Today I will pray for the one to whom He has directed me and I will, as is appropriate, seek ways to otherwise encourage and serve them as they bear-up under an attack from the enemy.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Job’s Integrity in Adversity
1:13 Now the day came when Job’s sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,
1:14 and a messenger came to Job, saying, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing beside them, 1:15 and the Sabeans swooped down and carried them all away, and they killed the servants with the sword! And I – only I alone – escaped to tell you!”
1:16 While this one was still speaking, another messenger arrived and said, “The fire of God has fallen from heaven and has burned up the sheep and the servants – it has consumed them! And I – only I alone – escaped to tell you!”
1:17 While this one was still speaking another messenger arrived and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and carried them all away, and they killed the servants with the sword! And I – only I alone – escaped to tell you!”
1:18 While this one was still speaking another messenger arrived and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 1:19 and suddenly a great wind swept across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they died! And I – only I alone – escaped to tell you!”
1:20 Then Job got up and tore his robe. He shaved his head, and then he threw himself down with his face to the ground.
1:21 He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return there. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. May the name of the Lord be blessed!”
1:22 In all this Job did not sin, nor did he charge God with moral impropriety.
Lord, we all face terrifying moments in our lives; danger, loss, and suffering. May I remember from Job’s story that You understand the groanings of our hearts as we cry-out in pain, You are patient and forgiving, and You give us strength when we have none left of our own. Your knowledge, justice, and wisdom are perfect. You are not as concerned about our worldly comforts – as are we - because Your focus is upon our eternal well-being. While mere humans seize upon crises and tragedies as opportunities to promote their selfish personal agendas You use them to cleanse and to teach. May I be as Job and never doubt Your right to do as You please with me as I have surrendered all.
Satan used various tribes to raid and kill and destroy Job’s animals and crops, and bizarre weather (fire and wind) to kill his children, as well as destroying buildings and servants.
Job responded to the news by tearing his robes, falling to the ground, acknowledging the Lord’s sovereignty over all things and His right to give them and to take them.
The text uses the expression that Job never accused the Lord God of any “moral impropriety” in permitting these events. This is important as the balance of the book of Job will be filled with debate as to the reason for such events and the Lord God’s hand in them.
Job’s initial response was his best, as he would later parse his words some, and thus deviate from the only correct response to such a tragedy.
While Job never accused the Lord God of any “moral impropriety” and did not sin in saying “the Lord gives and the Lord takes away” the text does not say that Job was either perfect in his faith nor that he was without sin.
What sort of bone and soul-deep faith does it take to respond as Job did to such devastating news as all of this?
Job had nothing of the Old Testament or New Testament writings, only stories and traditions passed-down through the generation, thus his faith was all the more remarkable.
When have you observed someone, confronted with terrible news, who immediately gave it over to the Lord God?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you an opportunity to grow in your faith so that you may also be more inclined to give-over to Him those things which might otherwise overwhelm you.
Today I will follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and will make the time to invest myself in the discipleship necessary to grow significantly deeper in faith.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
Satan’s Additional Charge
2:1 Again the day came when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also arrived among them to present himself before the Lord.
2:2 And the Lord said to Satan, “Where do you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roving about on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it.”
2:3 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a pure and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil. And he still holds firmly to his integrity, so that you stirred me up to destroy him without reason.”
2:4 But Satan answered the Lord, “Skin for skin! Indeed, a man will give up all that he has to save his life!
2:5 But extend your hand and strike his bone and his flesh, and he will no doubt curse you to your face!”
2:6 So the Lord said to Satan, “All right, he is in your power; only preserve his life.”
Job’s Integrity in Suffering
2:7 So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and he afflicted Job with a malignant ulcer from the sole of his feet to the top of his head.
2:8 Job took a shard of broken pottery to scrape himself with while he was sitting among the ashes.
2:9 Then his wife said to him, “Are you still holding firmly to your integrity? Curse God, and die!”
2:10 But he replied, “You’re talking like one of the godless women would do! Should we receive what is good from God, and not also receive what is evil?”
In all this Job did not sin by what he said.
Lord, even when confronted by direct physical attack and undermined by a heartsick wife who was angry with You, Job resisted the urge to question Your righteousness. May my faith grow as deep so my trust in You I will keep.
Once again Satan showed up in the royal court of the Lord God at a time allotted to the angels to present themselves.
Once again the Lord God questions Satan as to where he had been, perhaps to force him to confess before the angels that he was no longer among them but rather cast-down to wander about the earth.
He then challenged Satan once more, “... he [Job] still holds firmly to his integrity, so that you stirred Me up to destroy him without reason.”
Satan replied that a human would do anything for their own well-being but might appear righteous when it is others who are suffering, so he asked permission to attack Job’s health. The Lord granted him permission, but he was not permitted to kill Job.
Satan struck Job with ulcers over his entire body and as he sat in the ashes of his formerly great estate, scraping them with a shard of broken pottery, his wife tempted him to “curse God and die”.
Job's wife followed the pattern of Eve, and later of David's wife Michal, where they made a situation about themselves or their spouse rather than looking to the Lord for perspective and strength.
Job chastised his wife for speaking like a non-believer, thought not for being an unbeliever, it was unsurprising that her losses confused her thinking.
The NET translator's notes observe that Job was not later instructed to pray for her restoration to right-relationship with Him, as was the case for Job's friends, so the Lord's loving-grace was not offended by her momentary outburst – He knew her heart.
Job explained to his wife that we must be willing to accept both good gifts and difficult challenges from the Lord God.
The text concluded that “Job did not sin by what he said” therefore reinforcing that his responses to this point had been correct.
Job’s wife had endured the loss of ten children whom she had birthed and raised, plus the loss of their worldly resources, and then had to watch her husband’s health shattered.
Why would Job’s wife have said what she said, since the text and the NET translator’s notes suggest that she was otherwise in good standing with the Lord?
The arrogant and proud Satan was twice embarrassed before the heavenly host,
first forced to confess his lowly status among humankind rather than among them as he once was, then mocked for his failure to undermine Job by attacking his family and resources. Desperate to win he asked to attack Job directly.
When have you, or someone you know, been struggling against adversity – or to do the right thing – only to have someone close to them give poor counsel?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you either a source of poor counsel and/or someone for whom you could provide God-honoring encouragement.
Today I will either set a boundary with someone whose counsel is not God-honoring and/or I will encourage someone from the Word who needs support in standing their ground with the Lord.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
The Visit of Job’s Friends
2:11 When Job’s three friends heard about all this calamity that had happened to him, each of them came from his own country – Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They met together to come to show sympathy for him and to console him.
2:12 But when they gazed intently from a distance but did not recognize him, they began to weep loudly.
Each of them tore his robes, and they threw dust into the air over their heads. 2:13 Then they sat down with him on the ground for seven days and seven nights,
yet no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.
Lord, sometimes in times of great loss the best thing You would have us do is to be present but in silent prayer. May I listen to Your Holy Spirit for the wisdom and strength to know when to do just that.
Job’s three friends came to console him but so great was his affliction that they could not even recognize him from a distance.
They tore their robes, threw dust in the air, and wept.
Then they went to him and sat quietly for seven days as his terrible losses and great affliction rendered them speechless.
His friends hear the news, stopped what they were doing, and came to be with him. Job’s friends respected his angst and kept him company without feeling compelled to speak a word.
How does one know when to keep silent and when to speak?
For seven days they waited until he first spoke. Such patience and respect.
When have you observed someone experiencing a terrible loss and struggled with a right response to God and man?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you someone who is struggling with major losses – whom He wants you to comfort.
Today I will stop and make a special effort to assist and to encourage someone who is dealing with major losses. As is appropriate I will do so by just being-there without forcing my thoughts upon them.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
3:1 After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day he was born.
3:2 Job spoke up and said:
3:3 “Let the day on which I was born perish, and the night that said, ‘A man has been conceived!’
3:4 That day – let it be darkness; let not God on high regard it, nor let light shine on it!
3:5 Let darkness and the deepest shadow claim it; let a cloud settle on it; let whatever blackens the day terrify it!
3:6 That night – let darkness seize it; let it not be included among the days of the year; let it not enter among the number of the months!
3:7 Indeed, let that night be barren; let no shout of joy penetrate it!
3:8 Let those who curse the day curse it – those who are prepared to rouse Leviathan.
3:9 Let its morning stars be darkened; let it wait for daylight but find none, nor let it see the first rays of dawn,
3:10 because it did not shut the doors of my mother’s womb on me, nor did it hide trouble from my eyes!
Job Wishes He Had Died at Birth
3:11 “Why did I not die at birth, and why did I not expire as I came out of the womb?
3:12 Why did the knees welcome me, and why were there two breasts that I might nurse at them?
Lord, sometimes this world seems to hard to bear, and sometimes we believe the lie that You really don’t care. May I always trust that Your knowledge and wisdom, grace and justice, are perfect.
When Job broke his silence he spoke from his emotional and physical agony and wished-aloud that he had never been born.
Job was as-one with everyone he knew who had ever suffered a loss, considering his own loss the equivalent of the sum of theirs and wishing for a monster to swallow-up the daylight as it only served to remind him of his losses.
The NET translator’s notes remind the reader that “Leviathan” refers to an ancient mythological creature of the deep waters.
As Satan observed, Job had lived a blessed life, and although he engaged in ‘just in case’ sacrifices for the sanctification of his children he was ill-prepared for loss from any direct experience.
How would you respond to someone who said that they also would prefer to die if they suffered a loss anything like that of Job?
The Lord God loved Job but He loves justice and right-thinking as well and these events set up opportunities to demonstrate justice and to enhance right-thinking in both heavenly and earthly realms.
When have you experienced or observed significant loss and the associated emotions? What did that look like?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life that is so emotionally-powerful and scary, real (past or present) or imagined (a fear of what might happen), that you may wish to die rather than deal with it.
Today I will confess that I have at times believed the lie of the enemy that the Lord God is not sufficient, at least not in the most-scary places of my life. I will accept His forgiveness, I will repent (turn away from) of that false belief (which may be more emotional than intellectual), and I will trust Him to guide me through the process of overcoming my fears.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
3:13 For now I would be lying down and would be quiet, I would be asleep and then at peace
3:14 with kings and counselors of the earth who built for themselves places now desolate,
3:15 or with princes who possessed gold, who filled their palaces with silver.
3:16 Or why was I not buried like a stillborn infant, like infants who have never seen the light?
3:17 There the wicked cease from turmoil, and there the weary are at rest.
3:18 There the prisoners relax together; they do not hear the voice of the oppressor.
3:19 Small and great are there, and the slave is free from his master.
Longing for Death
3:20 “Why does God give light to one who is in misery, and life to those whose soul is bitter,
3:21 to those who wait for death that does not come, and search for it more than for hidden treasures,
3:22 who rejoice even to jubilation, and are exultant when they find the grave?
3:23 Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, and whom God has hedged in?
3:24 For my sighing comes in place of my food, and my groanings flow forth like water.
3:25 For the very thing I dreaded has happened to me, and what I feared has come upon me.
3:26 I have no ease, I have no quietness; I cannot rest; turmoil has come upon me.”
Lord, following wave after wave of devastating news Job held the ground of his faith, but finally he was emotionally exhausted and sought the peace of death. Thank You Lord for Your indwelling Holy Spirit so that we do not have to bear-up under the challenges of this fallen world in our own strength, but rather we rest in You.
Job observe the concept of the ‘common sleep, unaware of one-another nor of the passage of time’, among all who have died.
It matters not whether one was great or common, rich or poor, good or evil, old or young in this world, unless the Lord returns before death comes all sleep until He awakens.
The apostle Paul described all who have died as waiting on the awakening call of the Lord, though they all are “asleep”. (e.g. 1Thess. 4:13)
Job managed his angst longer than many might have, seven days after his friends arrived, plus the days prior to that.
How would you advise someone who had suffered a terrible loss and whose emotional exhaustion in grieving had caused them to contemplate giving up on life altogether?
We sometimes give the enemy a free second victory by giving-up rather than stepping-up.
What are some ways that you have observed that people dealt with major losses?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you have not done well with a loss; perhaps a job or money or a relationship or the death of someone close.
Today I will confess my failure to trust me perspective and my healing to the Lord God and rather tried to handle it all myself. I will request and receive His forgiveness, comfort, healing, strength, and wisdom. I will share the story of His work in me with a fellow believer as a testimony and an encouragement for them should they also be confronted with a difficult loss.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study – Job. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 5
Eliphaz Begins to Speak
4:1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:
4:2 “If someone should attempt a word with you, will you be impatient?
But who can refrain from speaking?
4:3 Look, you have instructed many; you have strengthened feeble hands.
4:4 Your words have supported those who stumbled, and you have strengthened the knees that gave way.
4:5 But now the same thing comes to you, and you are discouraged; it strikes you, and you are terrified.
4:6 Is not your piety your confidence, and your blameless ways your hope?
4:7 Call to mind now: Who, being innocent, ever perished?
And where were upright people ever destroyed?
4:8 Even as I have seen, those who plow iniquity and those who sow trouble reap the same.
4:9 By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of his anger they are consumed.
4:10 There is the roaring of the lion and the growling of the young lion, but the teeth of the young lions are broken.
4:11 The mighty lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.
Ungodly Complainers Provoke God’s Wrath
4:12 “Now a word was secretly brought to me, and my ear caught a whisper of it.
4:13 In the troubling thoughts of the dreams in the night when a deep sleep falls on men,
4:14 a trembling gripped me – and a terror! – and made all my bones shake.
4:15 Then a breath of air passes by my face; it makes the hair of my flesh stand up.
4:16 It stands still, but I cannot recognize its appearance; an image is before my eyes, and I hear a murmuring voice:
4:17 “Is a mortal man righteous before God?
Or a man pure before his Creator?
4:18 If God puts no trust in his servants and attributes folly to his angels,
4:19 how much more to those who live in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed like a moth?
4:20 They are destroyed between morning and evening; they perish forever without anyone regarding it.
4:21 Is not their excess wealth taken away from them?
They die, yet without attaining wisdom.
5:1 “Call now! Is there anyone who will answer you?
To which of the holy ones will you turn?
5:2 For wrath kills the foolish person, and anger slays the silly one.
5:3 I myself have seen the fool taking root, but suddenly I cursed his place of residence.
5:4 His children are far from safety, and they are crushed at the place where judgment is rendered, nor is there anyone to deliver them.
5:5 The hungry eat up his harvest, and take it even from behind the thorns, and the thirsty swallow up their fortune.
5:6 For evil does not come up from the dust, nor does trouble spring up from the ground,
5:7 but people are born to trouble, as surely as the sparks fly upward.
Blessings for the One Who Seeks God
5:8 “But as for me, I would seek God, and to God I would set forth my case.
5:9 He does great and unsearchable things, marvelous things without number;
5:10 he gives rain on the earth, and sends water on the fields;
5:11 he sets the lowly on high, that those who mourn are raised to safety.
5:12 He frustrates the plans of the crafty so that their hands cannot accomplish what they had planned!
5:13 He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and the counsel of the cunning is brought to a quick end.
5:14 They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope about in the noontime as if it were night.
5:15 So he saves from the sword that comes from their mouth, even the poor from the hand of the powerful.
5:16 Thus the poor have hope, and iniquity shuts its mouth.
5:17 “Therefore, blessed is the man whom God corrects, so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.
5:18 For he wounds, but he also bandages; he strikes, but his hands also heal.
5:19 He will deliver you from six calamities; yes, in seven no evil will touch you.
5:20 In time of famine he will redeem you from death, and in time of war from the power of the sword.
5:21 You will be protected from malicious gossip, and will not be afraid of the destruction when it comes.
5:22 You will laugh at destruction and famine and need not be afraid of the beasts of the earth.
5:23 For you will have a pact with the stones of the field, and the wild animals will be at peace with you.
5:24 And you will know that your home will be secure, and when you inspect your domains, you will not be missing anything.
5:25 You will also know that your children will be numerous, and your descendants like the grass of the earth.
5:26 You will come to your grave in a full age, As stacks of grain are harvested in their season.
5:27 Look, we have investigated this, so it is true. Hear it, and apply it for your own good.”
Job Replies to Eliphaz
6:1 Then Job responded:
6:2 “Oh, if only my grief could be weighed, and my misfortune laid on the scales too!
6:3 But because it is heavier than the sand of the sea, that is why my words have been wild.
6:4 For the arrows of the Almighty are within me; my spirit drinks their poison;
God’s sudden terrors are arrayed against me.
Complaints Reflect Suffering
6:5 “Does the wild donkey bray when it is near grass?
Or does the ox low near its fodder?
6:6 Can food that is tasteless be eaten without salt?
Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
6:7 I have refused to touch such things; they are like loathsome food to me.
A Cry for Death
6:8 “Oh that my request would be realized, and that God would grant me what I long for!
6:9 And that God would be willing to crush me, that he would let loose his hand and kill me.
6:10 Then I would yet have my comfort, then I would rejoice, in spite of pitiless pain, for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.
6:11 What is my strength, that I should wait?
and what is my end, that I should prolong my life?
6:12 Is my strength like that of stones?
or is my flesh made of bronze?
6:13 Is not my power to help myself nothing, and has not every resource been driven from me?
Disappointing Friends
6:14 “To the one in despair, kindness should come from his friend even if he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
6:15 My brothers have been as treacherous as a seasonal stream, and as the riverbeds of the intermittent streams that flow away.
6:16 They are dark because of ice; snow is piled up over them.
6:17 When they are scorched, they dry up, when it is hot, they vanish from their place.
6:18 Caravans turn aside from their routes; they go into the wasteland and perish.
6:19 The caravans of Tema looked intently for these streams; the traveling merchants of Sheba hoped for them.
6:20 They were distressed, because each one had been so confident; they arrived there, but were disappointed.
6:21 For now you have become like these streams that are no help; you see a terror, and are afraid.
Friends’ Fears
6:22 “Have I ever said, ‘Give me something, and from your fortune make gifts in my favor’?
6:23 Or ‘Deliver me from the enemy’s power, and from the hand of tyrants ransom me’?
No Sin Discovered
6:24 “Teach me and I, for my part, will be silent; explain to me how I have been mistaken.
6:25 How painful are honest words!
But what does your reproof prove?
6:26 Do you intend to criticize mere words, and treat the words of a despairing man as wind?
6:27 Yes, you would gamble for the fatherless, and auction off your friend.
Other Explanation
6:28 “Now then, be good enough to look at me; and I will not lie to your face!
6:29 Relent, let there be no falsehood; reconsider, for my righteousness is intact!
6:30 Is there any falsehood on my lips?
Can my mouth not discern evil things?
The Brevity of Life
7:1 “Does not humanity have hard service on earth?
Are not their days also like the days of a hired man?
7:2 Like a servant longing for the evening shadow, and like a hired man looking for his wages,
7:3 thus I have been made to inherit months of futility, and nights of sorrow have been appointed to me.
7:4 If I lie down, I say, ‘When will I arise?’,
and the night stretches on and I toss and turn restlessly until the day dawns.
7:5 My body is clothed with worms and dirty scabs; my skin is broken and festering.
7:6 My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle and they come to an end without hope.
7:7 Remember that my life is but a breath, that my eyes will never again see happiness.
7:8 The eye of him who sees me now will see me no more; your eyes will look for me, but I will be gone.
7:9 As a cloud is dispersed and then disappears, so the one who goes down to the grave does not come up again.
7:10 He returns no more to his house, nor does his place of residence know him any more.
Job Remonstrates with God
7:11 “Therefore, I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
7:12 Am I the sea, or the creature of the deep, that you must put me under guard?
7:13 If I say, “My bed will comfort me, my couch will ease my complaint,”
7:14 then you scare me with dreams and terrify me with visions,
7:15 so that I would prefer strangling, and death more than life.
7:16 I loathe it; I do not want to live forever; leave me alone, for my days are a vapor!
Insignificance of Humans
7:17 “What is mankind that you make so much of them, and that you pay attention to them?
7:18 And that you visit them every morning, and try them every moment?
7:19 Will you never look away from me, will you not let me alone long enough to swallow my spittle?
7:20 If I have sinned – what have I done to you, O watcher of men?
Why have you set me as your target?
Have I become a burden to you?
7:21 And why do you not pardon my transgression, and take away my iniquity?
For now I will lie down in the dust, and you will seek me diligently, but I will be gone.”
Lord, often in challenging times we imaging that a multitude of words may explain things that we really do not fully comprehend. Please help me to acknowledge when I simply do not understand rather than trying to explain everything in human terms.
Eliphaz, one of Job’s closest associates/friends, challenges Job to not be offended as he speaks as he feels that what he has to say is important because of what Job has said.
Eliphaz recognizes that Job has been an encourager and teacher to many in their times of trouble, but seems to crumble when the same comes to him, and then asks “Is not your piety your confidence, and your blameless ways your hope?”
Eliphaz suggests that Job needs to confess his secret sin so that the Lord God will not continue to punish him. He says that Job should please to the Lord God for understanding, mercy, and restoration. He declares that no mortal many is righteous before God, so Job needed to stop claiming to have been punished, despite a lack of sin.
Eliphaz concludes that blessings come to those who seek the Lord but that one must not despise His discipline as it always has a cause and a purpose.
Job continued to complain of his losses, and to long for death, while observing that he had been brought to the end of his prior considerable worldly means - with which he had always been able help himself (and others).
Job challenged his friends as being unhelpful; falsely accusing him secret sin, oblivious to the reality that it didn’t matter anyhow since he had lost everything of value.
Job lamented that his life no longer had hope or purpose and that he had no expectation that he would every be happy again.
Job then complained to the Lord God; declaring that since he, like all humans, was insignificant - so why would God continue to trouble him with His presence, why punish him so terribly, and why not just let him die?
Job asked “If I have sinned – what have I done to you, O watcher of men? Why have you set me as your target? Have I become a burden to you? And why do you not pardon my transgression, and take away my iniquity?” then he said that he was about to lay down and die so that when the Lord God returned he would be gone.
Job is reasonably upset but now has become defensive, both toward his friends and toward the Lord God.
Why would Eliphaz assume that Job was hiding a specific sin, for which he certainly knew though refused to confess, that God was punishing him? Why would Job chastise his friends for suggesting that he had sinned, then imply that he may in fact have sinned - but that somehow he had not against God - when he then addressed God?
Eliphaz embedded some questionable notions amidst a great deal of wisdom, much of which he may have learned from Job, based on his introductory compliments for him.
It is interesting that Job threatens the Lord God with his own death, imagining that such would somehow successfully place him out of God’s reach.
When have you struggled so badly that you even questioned the love of God?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where you have relied upon your own resources and believed that you were righteous as a result of those choices alone.
Today I will confess that I have not allowed the Lord God to be Lord of some parts of my life, that I have resented any effort He has made to challenge my choices, and I have blamed Him when things went wrong. I will repent of that wrong-thinking and accept His forgiveness – then I will enter into an accountability relation with one or more fellow believers to prayerfully reflect upon my attitude and choices so that they are of the Lord God and not of the world.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Bildad’s First Speech to Job
8:1 Then Bildad the Shuhite spoke up and said:
8:2 “How long will you speak these things, seeing that the words of your mouth are like a great wind?
8:3 Does God pervert justice?
Or does the Almighty pervert what is right?
8:4 If your children sinned against him, he gave them over to the penalty of their sin.
8:5 But if you will look to God, and make your supplication to the Almighty,
8:6 if you become pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself for you, and will restore your righteous abode.
8:7 Your beginning will seem so small, since your future will flourish.
8:8 “For inquire now of the former generation, and pay attention to the findings of their ancestors;
8:9 For we were born yesterday and do not have knowledge, since our days on earth are but a shadow.
8:10 Will they not instruct you and speak to you, and bring forth words from their understanding?
8:11 Can the papyrus plant grow tall where there is no marsh?
Can reeds flourish without water?
8:12 While they are still beginning to flower and not ripe for cutting, they can wither away faster than any grass!
8:13 Such is the destiny of all who forget God; the hope of the godless perishes,
8:14 whose trust is in something futile, whose security is a spider’s web.
8:15 He leans against his house but it does not hold up, he takes hold of it but it does not stand.
8:16 He is a well-watered plant in the sun, its shoots spread over its garden.
8:17 It wraps its roots around a heap of stones and it looks for a place among stones.
8:18 If he is uprooted from his place, then that place will disown him, saying, ‘I have never seen you!’
8:19 Indeed, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth others spring up.
8:20 “Surely, God does not reject a blameless man, nor does he grasp the hand of the evildoers.
8:21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with gladness.
8:22 Those who hate you will be clothed with shame, and the tent of the wicked will be no more.”
Job’s Reply to Bildad
9:1 Then Job answered:
9:2 “Truly, I know that this is so.
But how can a human be just before God?
9:3 If someone wishes to contend with him, he cannot answer him one time in a thousand.
9:4 He is wise in heart and mighty in strength – who has resisted him and remained safe?
9:5 He who removes mountains suddenly, who overturns them in his anger;
9:6 he who shakes the earth out of its place so that its pillars tremble;
9:7 he who commands the sun and it does not shine and seals up the stars;
9:8 he alone spreads out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea;
9:9 he makes the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the constellations of the southern sky;
9:10 he does great and unsearchable things, and wonderful things without number.
9:11 If he passes by me, I cannot see him, if he goes by, I cannot perceive him.
9:12 If he snatches away, who can turn him back?
Who dares to say to him, ‘What are you doing?’
9:13 God does not restrain his anger; under him the helpers of Rahab lie crushed.
The Impossibility of Facing God in Court
9:14 “How much less, then, can I answer him and choose my words to argue with him!
9:15 Although I am innocent, I could not answer him; I could only plead with my judge for mercy.
9:16 If I summoned him, and he answered me, I would not believe that he would be listening to my voice –
9:17 he who crushes me with a tempest, and multiplies my wounds for no reason.
9:18 He does not allow me to recover my breath, for he fills me with bitterness.
9:19 If it is a matter of strength, most certainly he is the strong one!
And if it is a matter of justice, he will say, ‘Who will summon me?’
9:20 Although I am innocent, my mouth would condemn me; although I am blameless, it would declare me perverse.
9:21 I am blameless. I do not know myself. I despise my life.
Accusation of God’s Justice
9:22 “It is all one! That is why I say, ‘He destroys the blameless and the guilty.’
9:23 If a scourge brings sudden death, he mocks at the despair of the innocent.
9:24 If a land has been given into the hand of a wicked man, he covers the faces of its judges; if it is not he, then who is it?
Renewed Complaint
9:25 “My days are swifter than a runner, they speed by without seeing happiness.
9:26 They glide by like reed boats, like an eagle that swoops down on its prey.
9:27 If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will change my expression and be cheerful,’
9:28 I dread all my sufferings, for I know that you do not hold me blameless.
9:29 If I am guilty, why then weary myself in vain?
9:30 If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands clean with lye,
9:31 then you plunge me into a slimy pit and my own clothes abhor me.
9:32 For he is not a human being like I am, that I might answer him, that we might come together in judgment.
9:33 Nor is there an arbiter between us, who might lay his hand on us both,
9:34 who would take his rod away from me so that his terror would not make me afraid.
9:35 Then would I speak and not fear him, but it is not so with me.
An Appeal for Revelation
10:1 “I am weary of my life; I will complain without restraint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
10:2 I will say to God, ‘Do not condemn me; tell me why you are contending with me.’
10:3 Is it good for you to oppress, to despise the work of your hands, while you smile on the schemes of the wicked?
Motivations of God
10:4 “Do you have eyes of flesh, or do you see as a human being sees?
10:5 Are your days like the days of a mortal, or your years like the years of a mortal,
10:6 that you must search out my iniquity, and inquire about my sin,
10:7 although you know that I am not guilty, and that there is no one who can deliver out of your hand?
Contradictions in God’s Dealings
10:8 “Your hands have shaped me and made me, but now you destroy me completely.
10:9 Remember that you have made me as with the clay; will you return me to dust?
10:10 Did you not pour me out like milk, and curdle me like cheese?
10:11 You clothed me with skin and flesh and knit me together with bones and sinews.
10:12 You gave me life and favor, and your intervention watched over my spirit.
10:13 “But these things you have concealed in your heart; I know that this is with you:
10:14 If I sinned, then you would watch me and you would not acquit me of my iniquity.
10:15 If I am guilty, woe to me, and if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head; I am full of shame, and satiated with my affliction.
10:16 If I lift myself up, you hunt me as a fierce lion, and again you display your power against me.
10:17 You bring new witnesses against me, and increase your anger against me; relief troops come against me.
An Appeal for Relief
10:18 “Why then did you bring me out from the womb?
I should have died and no eye would have seen me!
10:19 I should have been as though I had never existed; I should have been carried right from the womb to the grave!
10:20 Are not my days few?
Cease, then, and leave me alone, that I may find a little comfort,
10:21 before I depart, never to return, to the land of darkness and the deepest shadow,
10:22 to the land of utter darkness, like the deepest darkness, and the deepest shadow and disorder, where even the light is like darkness.”
Lord, You allowed Job – and us – to pour out our hearts, even though we may misrepresent You as we do so. May I always be honest with You, but also honest about You, because Your perfection is there to be plainly known in Your Word.
Based on a false presumption that Job and his children had sinned sufficiently to earn punishment Bildad challenged Job to acknowledge history – that the Lord God rewards the righteous and punishes the sinner.
He reminded Job that if he confessed and repented the Lord would forgive him and make his future far more bright than his past.
Job replied that he agreed with Bildad about the character of God, but he continued to declare that he was innocent.
Job mused about the righteousness of God’s justice, saying that he punished the guilty and innocent alike and “mocked” the innocent in their suffering.
Job continued to complain to the Lord, repeating his charge of unfair treatment – because of his innocence – and lamenting the absence of an arbiter between himself and God.
Job again declared his desire to die since God had taken everything of value from him.
Job and Bildad agreed that confession and repentance result in the Lord God’s mercy and restoration.
Why did Job drift into doubts about the righteousness of God’s justice?
How might one reconcile believing in a loving and merciful God who restores and also believe Him to be uncaring in His justice?
When have you been so troubled in life that you blamed, and perhaps doubted, God?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you currently have, or have had in the past, doubts about the Lord God – perhaps based on a different perspective than that taught in your past or current association, denomination, or independent fellowship.
Today I will confess my doubts and seek answers in prayer and in the study of His Word, requesting assistance from one who meets the Biblical qualifications of an “elder” as necessary. I will accept His forgiveness and celebrate the new light in my walk with Him.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Zophar’s First Speech to Job
11:1 Then Zophar the Naamathite spoke up and said:
11:2 “Should not this abundance of words be answered, or should this talkative man be vindicated?
11:3 Will your idle talk reduce people to silence, and will no one rebuke you when you mock?
11:4 For you have said, ‘My teaching is flawless, and I am pure in your sight.’
11:5 But if only God would speak, if only he would open his lips against you,
11:6 and reveal to you the secrets of wisdom – for true wisdom has two sides – so that you would know that God has forgiven some of your sins.
11:7 “Can you discover the essence of God?
Can you find out the perfection of the Almighty?
11:8 It is higher than the heavens – what can you do?
It is deeper than Sheol – what can you know?
11:9 Its measure is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.
11:10 If he comes by and confines you and convenes a court, then who can prevent him?
11:11 For he knows deceitful men; when he sees evil, will he not consider it?
11:12 But an empty man will become wise, when a wild donkey’s colt is born a human being.
11:13 “As for you, if you prove faithful, and if you stretch out your hands toward him,
11:14 if iniquity is in your hand – put it far away, and do not let evil reside in your tents.
11:15 For then you will lift up your face without blemish; you will be securely established and will not fear.
11:16 For you will forget your trouble; you will remember it like water that has flowed away.
11:17 And life will be brighter than the noonday; though there be darkness, it will be like the morning.
11:18 And you will be secure, because there is hope; you will be protected and will take your rest in safety.
11:19 You will lie down with no one to make you afraid, and many will seek your favor.
11:20 But the eyes of the wicked fail, and escape eludes them; their one hope is to breathe their last.”
Job’s Reply to Zophar
12:1 Then Job answered:
12:2 “Without a doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you.
12:3 I also have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these?
12:4 I am a laughingstock to my friends, I, who called on God and whom he answered – a righteous and blameless man is a laughingstock!
12:5 For calamity, there is derision (according to the ideas of the fortunate) – a fate for those whose feet slip!
12:6 But the tents of robbers are peaceful, and those who provoke God are confident – who carry their god in their hands.
Knowledge of God’s Wisdom
12:7 “But now, ask the animals and they will teach you, or the birds of the sky and they will tell you.
12:8 Or speak to the earth and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea declare to you.
12:9 Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this,
12:10 in whose hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all the human race.
12:11 Does not the ear test words, as the tongue tastes food?
12:12 Is not wisdom found among the aged?
Does not long life bring understanding?
12:13 “With God are wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his.
12:14 If he tears down, it cannot be rebuilt; if he imprisons a person, there is no escape.
12:15 If he holds back the waters, then they dry up; if he releases them, they destroy the land.
12:16 With him are strength and prudence; both the one who goes astray and the one who misleads are his.
12:17 He leads counselors away stripped and makes judges into fools.
12:18 He loosens the bonds of kings and binds a loincloth around their waist.
12:19 He leads priests away stripped and overthrows the potentates.
12:20 He deprives the trusted advisers of speech and takes away the discernment of elders.
12:21 He pours contempt on noblemen and disarms the powerful.
12:22 He reveals the deep things of darkness, and brings deep shadows into the light.
12:23 He makes nations great, and destroys them; he extends the boundaries of nations and disperses them.
12:24 He deprives the leaders of the earth of their understanding; he makes them wander in a trackless desert waste.
12:25 They grope about in darkness without light; he makes them stagger like drunkards.
Job Pleads His Cause to God
13:1 “Indeed, my eyes have seen all this, my ears have heard and understood it.
13:2 What you know, I know also; I am not inferior to you!
13:3 But I wish to speak to the Almighty, and I desire to argue my case with God.
13:4 But you, however, are inventors of lies; all of you are worthless physicians!
13:5 If only you would keep completely silent!
For you, that would be wisdom.
13:6 “Listen now to my argument, and be attentive to my lips’ contentions.
13:7 Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf?
Will you speak deceitfully for him?
13:8 Will you show him partiality?
Will you argue the case for God?
13:9 Would it turn out well if he would examine you?
Or as one deceives a man would you deceive him?
13:10 He would certainly rebuke you if you secretly showed partiality!
13:11 Would not his splendor terrify you and the fear he inspires fall on you?
13:12 Your maxims are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay.
13:13 “Refrain from talking with me so that I may speak; then let come to me what may.
13:14 Why do I put myself in peril, and take my life in my hands?
13:15 Even if he slays me, I will hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face!
13:16 Moreover, this will become my deliverance, for no godless person would come before him.
13:17 Listen carefully to my words; let your ears be attentive to my explanation.
13:18 See now, I have prepared my case; I know that I am right.
13:19 Who will contend with me?
If anyone can, I will be silent and die.
13:20 Only in two things spare me, O God, and then I will not hide from your face:
13:21 Remove your hand far from me and stop making me afraid with your terror.
13:22 Then call, and I will answer, or I will speak, and you respond to me.
13:23 How many are my iniquities and sins?
Show me my transgression and my sin.
13:24 Why do you hide your face and regard me as your enemy?
13:25 Do you wish to torment a windblown leaf and chase after dry chaff?
13:26 For you write down bitter things against me and cause me to inherit the sins of my youth.
13:27 And you put my feet in the stocks and you watch all my movements; you put marks on the soles of my feet.
13:28 So I waste away like something rotten, like a garment eaten by moths.
The Brevity of Life
14:1 “Man, born of woman, lives but a few days, and they are full of trouble.
14:2 He grows up like a flower and then withers away; he flees like a shadow, and does not remain.
14:3 Do you fix your eye on such a one?
And do you bring me before you for judgment?
14:4 Who can make a clean thing come from an unclean?
No one!
14:5 Since man’s days are determined, the number of his months is under your control; you have set his limit and he cannot pass it.
14:6 Look away from him and let him desist, until he fulfills his time like a hired man.
The Inevitability of Death
14:7 “But there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its new shoots will not fail.
14:8 Although its roots may grow old in the ground and its stump begins to die in the soil,
14:9 at the scent of water it will flourish and put forth shoots like a new plant.
14:10 But man dies and is powerless; he expires – and where is he?
14:11 As water disappears from the sea, or a river drains away and dries up,
14:12 so man lies down and does not rise; until the heavens are no more, they will not awake nor arise from their sleep.
The Possibility of Another Life
14:13 “O that you would hide me in Sheol, and conceal me till your anger has passed!
O that you would set me a time and then remember me!
14:14 If a man dies, will he live again?
All the days of my hard service I will wait until my release comes.
14:15 You will call and I – I will answer you; you will long for the creature you have made.
The Present Condition
14:16 “Surely now you count my steps; then you would not mark my sin.
14:17 My offenses would be sealed up in a bag; you would cover over my sin.
14:18 But as a mountain falls away and crumbles, and as a rock will be removed from its place,
14:19 as water wears away stones, and torrents wash away the soil, so you destroy man’s hope.
14:20 You overpower him once for all, and he departs; you change his appearance and send him away.
14:21 If his sons are honored, he does not know it; if they are brought low, he does not see it.
14:22 Only his flesh has pain for himself, and he mourns for himself.”
Lord, as we reflect upon the events of our lives we see partially but You see every detail, and so sometimes we come to wrong conclusions about ourselves – about others - and sometimes about You. May I be careful, prayerful, and lean upon Your Word as I reflect on my life, and on how You are moving therein.
Zophar joined the others and challenged Job to admit his sin and allow the Lord God to forgive and to restore him, and he mocked him from suggesting that he was better than everyone else, and free of sin.
Job replied that the fortunate were presuming to judge him merely because God had brought trouble to him – presuming that guilt for secret sin was the cause – forgetting that everything was God’s to do with as He pleased and that for some unknown reason it was His pleasure to bring him low.
Job declared that his associates/friends were wrong to speak on God’s behalf because they misrepresented him in so-doing – and he asked them to be quiet as he would now bring his case before the Lord God – certain of vindication due to his innocence.
Job then pleaded with God to allow him to speak plainly and not strike fear into him as he did so. He then demanded that God show him how he had sinned to deserve the punishment.
Job then makes a number of declarations about the condition of man and his relationship with the Lord God.
Job requested that the Lord hide him away until His anger passed and then bring him back, taking away his past sin, and restoring him.
Interestingly, Job again affirms the concept of death as a sleep of unawareness “... so man lies down and does not rise; until the heavens are no more, they will not awake nor arise from their sleep.” (vs. 14:12)
It is very important that one not take any of the statements of Job, or his associates/friends, as correct doctrine - unless they are positively affirmed elsewhere in the Biblical text.
Why would Job think that the Lord God would hide him somewhere then bring him back out and then just overlook his sin – if his sin was the cause of His righteous anger?
Job waffled back and forth between declaring his innocence and acknowledging that he may have some sin, actually confessing to youthful sin, yet insisting that there was nothing recent or that he was denying which could be the cause of his terrible troubles.
When have you observed someone who was struggling and who was accused by some of being in denial of some sin that was secretly the cause of their troubles?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any place in your life where you have, or are now, resenting the Lord God’s chastening – because you don’t think you have done anything ‘that bad’.
Today I will confess and repent of my ‘little sin’, acknowledging that there is no such thing in the Lord’s eyes, and I will accept the forgiveness of the Lord God. I will then intentionally seek to avoid drifting back into that ‘little sin’.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
Eliphaz’s Second Speech
15:1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:
15:2 “Does a wise man answer with blustery knowledge, or fill his belly with the east wind?
15:3 Does he argue with useless talk, with words that have no value in them?
15:4 But you even break off piety, and hinder meditation before God.
15:5 Your sin inspires your mouth; you choose the language of the crafty.
15:6 Your own mouth condemns you, not I; your own lips testify against you.
15:7 “Were you the first man ever born?
Were you brought forth before the hills?
15:8 Do you listen in on God’s secret council?
Do you limit wisdom to yourself?
15:9 What do you know that we don’t know?
What do you understand that we don’t understand?
15:10 The gray-haired and the aged are on our side, men far older than your father.
15:11 Are God’s consolations too trivial for you; or a word spoken in gentleness to you?
15:12 Why has your heart carried you away, and why do your eyes flash,
15:13 when you turn your rage against God and allow such words to escape from your mouth?
15:14 What is man that he should be pure, or one born of woman, that he should be righteous?
15:15 If God places no trust in his holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in his eyes,
15:16 how much less man, who is abominable and corrupt, who drinks in evil like water!
15:17 “I will explain to you; listen to me, and what I have seen, I will declare,
15:18 what wise men declare, hiding nothing, from the tradition of their ancestors,
15:19 to whom alone the land was given when no foreigner passed among them.
15:20 All his days the wicked man suffers torment, throughout the number of the years that are stored up for the tyrant.
15:21 Terrifying sounds fill his ears; in a time of peace marauders attack him.
15:22 He does not expect to escape from darkness; he is marked for the sword;
15:23 he wanders about – food for vultures; he knows that the day of darkness is at hand.
15:24 Distress and anguish terrify him; they prevail against him like a king ready to launch an attack,
15:25 for he stretches out his hand against God, and vaunts himself against the Almighty,
15:26 defiantly charging against him with a thick, strong shield!
15:27 Because he covered his face with fat, and made his hips bulge with fat,
15:28 he lived in ruined towns and in houses where no one lives, where they are ready to crumble into heaps.
15:29 He will not grow rich, and his wealth will not endure, nor will his possessions spread over the land.
15:30 He will not escape the darkness; a flame will wither his shoots and he will depart by the breath of God’s mouth.
15:31 Let him not trust in what is worthless, deceiving himself; for worthlessness will be his reward.
15:32 Before his time he will be paid in full, and his branches will not flourish.
15:33 Like a vine he will let his sour grapes fall, and like an olive tree he will shed his blossoms.
15:34 For the company of the godless is barren, and fire consumes the tents of those who accept bribes.
15:35 They conceive trouble and bring forth evil; their belly prepares deception.”
Job’s Reply to Eliphaz
16:1 Then Job replied:
16:2 “I have heard many things like these before. What miserable comforters are you all!
16:3 Will there be an end to your windy words?
Or what provokes you that you answer?
16:4 I also could speak like you, if you were in my place; I could pile up words against you and I could shake my head at you.
16:5 But I would strengthen you with my words; comfort from my lips would bring you relief.
Abandonment by God and Man
16:6 “But if I speak, my pain is not relieved, and if I refrain from speaking – how much of it goes away?
16:7 Surely now he has worn me out, you have devastated my entire household.
16:8 You have seized me, and it has become a witness; my leanness has risen up against me and testifies against me.
16:9 His anger has torn me and persecuted me; he has gnashed at me with his teeth; my adversary locks his eyes on me.
16:10 People have opened their mouths against me, they have struck my cheek in scorn; they unite together against me.
16:11 God abandons me to evil men, and throws me into the hands of wicked men.
16:12 I was in peace, and he has shattered me. He has seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has made me his target;
16:13 his archers surround me. Without pity he pierces my kidneys and pours out my gall on the ground.
16:14 He breaks through against me, time and time again; he rushes against me like a warrior.
16:15 I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, and buried my horn in the dust;
16:16 my face is reddened because of weeping, and on my eyelids there is a deep darkness,
16:17 although there is no violence in my hands and my prayer is pure.
An Appeal to God as Witness
16:18 “O earth, do not cover my blood, nor let there be a secret place for my cry.
16:19 Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high.
16:20 My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God;
16:21 and he contends with God on behalf of man as a man pleads for his friend.
16:22 For the years that lie ahead are few, and then I will go on the way of no return.
17:1 My spirit is broken, my days have faded out, the grave awaits me.
17:2 Surely mockery is with me; my eyes must dwell on their hostility.
17:3 Make then my pledge with you. Who else will put up security for me?
17:4 Because you have closed their minds to understanding, therefore you will not exalt them.
17:5 If a man denounces his friends for personal gain, the eyes of his children will fail.
17:6 He has made me a byword to people, I am the one in whose face they spit.
17:7 My eyes have grown dim with grief; my whole frame is but a shadow.
17:8 Upright men are appalled at this; the innocent man is troubled with the godless.
17:9 But the righteous man holds to his way, and the one with clean hands grows stronger.
Anticipation of Death
17:10 “But turn, all of you, and come now!
I will not find a wise man among you.
17:11 My days have passed, my plans are shattered, even the desires of my heart.
17:12 These men change night into day; they say, ‘The light is near in the face of darkness.’
17:13 If I hope for the grave to be my home, if I spread out my bed in darkness,
17:14 If I cry to corruption, ‘You are my father,’ and to the worm, ‘My Mother,’ or ‘My sister,’
17:15 where then is my hope?
And my hope, who sees it?
17:16 Will it go down to the barred gates of death?
Will we descend together into the dust?”
Lord, in our troubled times we are prone to make of You an enemy, when – in fact – You are our one and only forever-true friend. May I cling to You, no matter what.
Eliphaz replied to Job, challenging him to not be so arrogant toward the Lord God, and reminding him that there is no forgiveness or restoration for the unrepentant.
Job declares his associates/friends to be poor comforters and perhaps even his enemies for criticizing him so aggressively in his suffering. He also asserts that were he in their place he would not criticize but comfort.
Job again asserts that the Lord God is “picking on him” without cause and that he has lost hope as a result. But he still clings to God and cries out in desperation for relief.
Eliphaz essentially calls Job a pompous windbag, a sinner in-denial, and an arrogant apostate who dares to challenge the Lord God with self-righteous declarations of his victimization. While he is correct on many points, indeed some of his words are later repeated by the Lord God, he presumes to know what only the Lord may know and thus becomes an emissary of the ‘accuser’ – the enemy – rather than the Lord.
Why would Job care what his associates/friends say if he truly believed himself innocent?
Job and his friends are all guilty of misrepresenting the Lord God in one or more ways, but he is the victim of terrible tragedy and they are more obsessed in a theological debate than in comforting their friend.
When have you experienced or observed a traumatized person being challenged about theology rather than comforted with loving-care and heartfelt-prayer?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal an opportunity to you to encourage someone who is suffering.
Today I will be the one who just-loves someone who is struggling and I will save doctrinal correction and discussions of theological precision for later.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Bildad’s Second Speech
18:1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered:
18:2 “How long until you make an end of words?
You must consider, and then we can talk.
18:3 Why should we be regarded as beasts, and considered stupid in your sight?
18:4 You who tear yourself to pieces in your anger, will the earth be abandoned for your sake?
Or will a rock be moved from its place?
18:5 “Yes, the lamp of the wicked is extinguished; his flame of fire does not shine.
18:6 The light in his tent grows dark; his lamp above him is extinguished.
18:7 His vigorous steps are restricted, and his own counsel throws him down.
18:8 For he has been thrown into a net by his feet and he wanders into a mesh.
18:9 A trap seizes him by the heel; a snare grips him.
18:10 A rope is hidden for him on the ground and a trap for him lies on the path.
18:11 Terrors frighten him on all sides and dog his every step.
18:12 Calamity is hungry for him, and misfortune is ready at his side.
18:13 It eats away parts of his skin; the most terrible death devours his limbs.
18:14 He is dragged from the security of his tent, and marched off to the king of terrors.
18:15 Fire resides in his tent; over his residence burning sulfur is scattered.
18:16 Below his roots dry up, and his branches wither above.
18:17 His memory perishes from the earth, he has no name in the land.
18:18 He is driven from light into darkness and is banished from the world.
18:19 He has neither children nor descendants among his people, no survivor in those places he once stayed.
18:20 People of the west are appalled at his fate; people of the east are seized with horror, saying,
18:21 ‘Surely such is the residence of an evil man; and this is the place of one who has not known God.’”
Job’s Reply to Bildad
19:1 Then Job answered:
19:2 “How long will you torment me and crush me with your words?
19:3 These ten times you have been reproaching me; you are not ashamed to attack me!
19:4 But even if it were true that I have erred, my error remains solely my concern!
19:5 If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me and plead my disgrace against me,
19:6 know then that God has wronged me and encircled me with his net.
Job’s Abandonment and Affliction
19:7 “If I cry out, ‘Violence!’
I receive no answer; I cry for help, but there is no justice.
19:8 He has blocked my way so I cannot pass, and has set darkness over my paths.
19:9 He has stripped me of my honor and has taken the crown off my head.
19:10 He tears me down on every side until I perish; he uproots my hope like one uproots a tree.
19:11 Thus his anger burns against me, and he considers me among his enemies.
19:12 His troops advance together; they throw up a siege ramp against me, and they camp around my tent.
Job’s Forsaken State
19:13 “He has put my relatives far from me; my acquaintances only turn away from me.
19:14 My kinsmen have failed me; my friends have forgotten me.
19:15 My guests and my servant girls consider me a stranger; I am a foreigner in their eyes.
19:16 I summon my servant, but he does not respond, even though I implore him with my own mouth.
19:17 My breath is repulsive to my wife; I am loathsome to my brothers.
19:18 Even youngsters have scorned me; when I get up, they scoff at me.
19:19 All my closest friends detest me; and those whom I love have turned against me.
19:20 My bones stick to my skin and my flesh; I have escaped alive with only the skin of my teeth.
19:21 Have pity on me, my friends, have pity on me, for the hand of God has struck me.
19:22 Why do you pursue me like God does?
Will you never be satiated with my flesh?
Job’s Assurance of Vindication
19:23 “O that my words were written down, O that they were written on a scroll,
19:24 that with an iron chisel and with lead they were engraved in a rock forever!
19:25 As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that as the last he will stand upon the earth.
19:26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God,
19:27 whom I will see for myself, and whom my own eyes will behold, and not another. My heart grows faint within me.
19:28 If you say, ‘How we will pursue him, since the root of the trouble is found in him!’
19:29 Fear the sword yourselves, for wrath brings the punishment by the sword, so that you may know that there is judgment.”
Zophar’s Second Speech
20:1 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered:
20:2 “This is why my troubled thoughts bring me back – because of my feelings within me.
20:3 When I hear a reproof that dishonors me, then my understanding prompts me to answer.
20:4 “Surely you know that it has been from old, ever since humankind was placed on the earth,
20:5 that the elation of the wicked is brief, the joy of the godless lasts but a moment.
20:6 Even though his stature reaches to the heavens and his head touches the clouds,
20:7 he will perish forever, like his own excrement; those who used to see him will say, ‘Where is he?’
20:8 Like a dream he flies away, never again to be found, and like a vision of the night he is put to flight.
20:9 People who had seen him will not see him again, and the place where he was will recognize him no longer.
20:10 His sons must recompense the poor; his own hands must return his wealth.
20:11 His bones were full of his youthful vigor, but that vigor will lie down with him in the dust.
20:12 “If evil is sweet in his mouth and he hides it under his tongue,
20:13 if he retains it for himself and does not let it go, and holds it fast in his mouth,
20:14 his food is turned sour in his stomach; it becomes the venom of serpents within him.
20:15 The wealth that he consumed he vomits up, God will make him throw it out of his stomach.
20:16 He sucks the poison of serpents; the fangs of a viper kill him.
20:17 He will not look on the streams, the rivers, which are the torrents of honey and butter.
20:18 He gives back the ill-gotten gain without assimilating it; he will not enjoy the wealth from his commerce.
20:19 For he has oppressed the poor and abandoned them; he has seized a house which he did not build.
20:20 For he knows no satisfaction in his appetite; he does not let anything he desires escape.
20:21 “Nothing is left for him to devour; that is why his prosperity does not last.
20:22 In the fullness of his sufficiency, distress overtakes him. the full force of misery will come upon him.
20:23 “While he is filling his belly, God sends his burning anger against him, and rains down his blows upon him.
20:24 If he flees from an iron weapon, then an arrow from a bronze bow pierces him.
20:25 When he pulls it out and it comes out of his back, the gleaming point out of his liver, terrors come over him.
20:26 Total darkness waits to receive his treasures; a fire which has not been kindled will consume him and devour what is left in his tent.
20:27 The heavens reveal his iniquity; the earth rises up against him.
20:28 A flood will carry off his house, rushing waters on the day of God’s wrath.
20:29 Such is the lot God allots the wicked, and the heritage of his appointment from God.”
Job’s Reply to Zophar
21:1 Then Job answered:
21:2 “Listen carefully to my words; let this be the consolation you offer me.
21:3 Bear with me and I will speak, and after I have spoken you may mock.
21:4 Is my complaint against a man?
If so, why should I not be impatient?
21:5 Look at me and be appalled; put your hands over your mouths.
21:6 For, when I think about this, I am terrified and my body feels a shudder.
Lord, You listen to us when we cry out to You, and You stand quietly as we thrash-about in our agony and our often-sloppy doctrine – then You speak when the time is right. May I trust You enough to always be honest in my prayers, and may I know You better and better so that I never question Your perfect knowledge, love, justice, and wisdom.
Bildad complained that Job treated his friends as dumb, yet he beat himself up - even suggesting that his suffering should cause the world to stop and maybe even collapse because of it.
Job returned to his complaint that his friends were unfairly attacking him, that he was innocent, and that even the Lord God had treated him unfairly.
He asserted that even if his friends were correct it would be none of their business and that they appeared to be arrogant and proud.
Job complained that in addition to his friends turning against him - his servants, slaves, and relatives also turned against him – even his wife found him disgusting.
Job re-asserted his assurance that there is a “Vindicator” in the Lord God and that he would at some point be vindicated.
Job also warned his associates/friends that they needed to worry that the sword of judgment might also come against them.
Bildad and Job both felt as though the other was disrespecting them. Job’s friends spoke out of fear because Job’s suggestion of no sin-associated cause for his massive suffering placed them at-risk of the same – so they felt the need to isolate the event to Job.
Why would Job believe that the Lord God would be his vindicator right after he said that the Lord was his persecutor?
If Job’s friends truly believed that he must have sinned to have been punished so heavily, and if they believed that his confession and repentance of that sin would result in healing and restoration, would it have wrong for them to not speak?
When have you felt unfairly judged and criticized?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a situation where you have criticized someone in a way that you would not have been pleased to have been criticized.
Today I will confess and repent of treating someone as I would not wish to be treated. I will remember to “Do to others as I would have them do to me”, as is appropriate I will apologize to the one whom I have been unfairly (and/or out-of-proportion) critical and ask their forgiveness.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Wicked Prosper
21:7 “Why do the wicked go on living, grow old, even increase in power?
21:8 Their children are firmly established in their presence, their offspring before their eyes.
21:9 Their houses are safe and without fear; and no rod of punishment from God is upon them.
21:10 Their bulls breed without fail; their cows calve and do not miscarry.
21:11 They allow their children to run like a flock; their little ones dance about.
21:12 They sing to the accompaniment of tambourine and harp, and make merry to the sound of the flute.
21:13 They live out their years in prosperity and go down to the grave in peace.
21:14 So they say to God, ‘Turn away from us!
We do not want to know your ways.
21:15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him?
What would we gain if we were to pray to him?’
21:16 But their prosperity is not their own doing. The counsel of the wicked is far from me!
How Often Do the Wicked Suffer?
21:17 “How often is the lamp of the wicked extinguished?
How often does their misfortune come upon them?
How often does God apportion pain to them in his anger?
21:18 How often are they like straw before the wind, and like chaff swept away by a whirlwind?
21:19 You may say, ‘God stores up a man’s punishment for his children!’
Instead let him repay the man himself so that he may know it!
21:20 Let his own eyes see his destruction; let him drink of the anger of the Almighty.
21:21 For what is his interest in his home after his death, when the number of his months has been broken off?
21:22 Can anyone teach God knowledge, since he judges those that are on high?
Death Levels Everything
21:23 “One man dies in his full vigor, completely secure and prosperous,
21:24 his body well nourished, and the marrow of his bones moist.
21:25 And another man dies in bitterness of soul, never having tasted anything good.
21:26 Together they lie down in the dust, and worms cover over them both.
Futile Words, Deceptive Answers
21:27 “Yes, I know what you are thinking, the schemes by which you would wrong me.
21:28 For you say, ‘Where now is the nobleman’s house, and where are the tents in which the wicked lived?’
21:29 Have you never questioned those who travel the roads?
Do you not recognize their accounts –
21:30 that the evil man is spared from the day of his misfortune, that he is delivered from the day of God’s wrath?
21:31 No one denounces his conduct to his face; no one repays him for what he has done.
21:32 And when he is carried to the tombs, and watch is kept over the funeral mound,
21:33 The clods of the torrent valley are sweet to him; behind him everybody follows in procession, and before him goes a countless throng.
21:34 So how can you console me with your futile words?
Nothing is left of your answers but deception!”
Eliphaz’s Third Speech
22:1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:
22:2 “Is it to God that a strong man is of benefit?
Is it to him that even a wise man is profitable?
22:3 Is it of any special benefit to the Almighty that you should be righteous, or is it any gain to him that you make your ways blameless?
22:4 Is it because of your piety that he rebukes you and goes to judgment with you?
22:5 Is not your wickedness great and is there no end to your iniquity?
22:6 “For you took pledges from your brothers for no reason, and you stripped the clothing from the naked.
22:7 You gave the weary no water to drink and from the hungry you withheld food.
22:8 Although you were a powerful man, owning land, an honored man living on it,
22:9 you sent widows away empty-handed, and the arms of the orphans you crushed.
22:10 That is why snares surround you, and why sudden fear terrifies you,
22:11 why it is so dark you cannot see, and why a flood of water covers you.
22:12 “Is not God on high in heaven?
And see the lofty stars, how high they are!
22:13 But you have said, ‘What does God know?
Does he judge through such deep darkness?
22:14 Thick clouds are a veil for him, so he does not see us, as he goes back and forth in the vault of heaven.’
22:15 Will you keep to the old path that evil men have walked –
22:16 men who were carried off before their time, when the flood was poured out on their foundations?
22:17 They were saying to God, ‘Turn away from us,’ and ‘What can the Almighty do to us?’
22:18 But it was he who filled their houses with good things – yet the counsel of the wicked was far from me.
22:19 The righteous see their destruction and rejoice; the innocent mock them scornfully, saying,
22:20 ‘Surely our enemies are destroyed, and fire consumes their wealth.’
22:21 “Reconcile yourself with God, and be at peace with him; in this way your prosperity will be good.
22:22 Accept instruction from his mouth and store up his words in your heart.
22:23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up; if you remove wicked behavior far from your tent,
22:24 and throw your gold in the dust – your gold of Ophir among the rocks in the ravines –
22:25 then the Almighty himself will be your gold, and the choicest silver for you.
22:26 Surely then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and will lift up your face toward God.
22:27 You will pray to him and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows to him.
22:28 Whatever you decide on a matter, it will be established for you, and light will shine on your ways.
22:29 When people are brought low and you say ‘Lift them up!’ then he will save the downcast;
22:30 he will deliver even someone who is not innocent, who will escape through the cleanness of your hands.”
Job’s Reply to Eliphaz
23:1 Then Job answered:
23:2 “Even today my complaint is still bitter; his hand is heavy despite my groaning.
23:3 O that I knew where I might find him, that I could come to his place of residence!
23:4 I would lay out my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments.
23:5 I would know with what words he would answer me, and understand what he would say to me.
23:6 Would he contend with me with great power?
No, he would only pay attention to me.
23:7 There an upright person could present his case before him, and I would be delivered forever from my judge.
The Inaccessibility and Power of God
23:8 “If I go to the east, he is not there, and to the west, yet I do not perceive him.
23:9 In the north when he is at work, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I see no trace of him.
23:10 But he knows the pathway that I take; if he tested me, I would come forth like gold.
23:11 My feet have followed his steps closely; I have kept to his way and have not turned aside.
23:12 I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my allotted portion.
23:13 But he is unchangeable, and who can change him?
Whatever he has desired, he does.
23:14 For he fulfills his decree against me, and many such things are his plans.
23:15 That is why I am terrified in his presence; when I consider, I am afraid because of him.
23:16 Indeed, God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me.
23:17 Yet I have not been silent because of the darkness, because of the thick darkness that covered my face.
The Apparent Indifference of God
24:1 “Why are times not appointed by the Almighty?
Why do those who know him not see his days?
24:2 Men move boundary stones; they seize the flock and pasture them.
24:3 They drive away the orphan’s donkey; they take the widow’s ox as a pledge.
24:4 They turn the needy from the pathway, and the poor of the land hide themselves together.
24:5 Like wild donkeys in the desert they go out to their labor, seeking diligently for food; the wasteland provides food for them and for their children.
24:6 They reap fodder in the field, and glean in the vineyard of the wicked.
24:7 They spend the night naked because they lack clothing; they have no covering against the cold.
24:8 They are soaked by mountain rains and huddle in the rocks because they lack shelter.
24:9 The fatherless child is snatched from the breast, the infant of the poor is taken as a pledge.
24:10 They go about naked, without clothing, and go hungry while they carry the sheaves.
24:11 They press out the olive oil between the rows of olive trees; they tread the winepresses while they are thirsty.
24:12 From the city the dying groan, and the wounded cry out for help, but God charges no one with wrongdoing.
24:13 There are those who rebel against the light; they do not know its ways and they do not stay on its paths.
24:14 Before daybreak the murderer rises up; he kills the poor and the needy; in the night he is like a thief.
24:15 And the eye of the adulterer watches for the twilight, thinking, ‘No eye can see me,’ and covers his face with a mask.
24:16 In the dark the robber breaks into houses, but by day they shut themselves in; they do not know the light.
24:17 For all of them, the morning is to them like deep darkness; they are friends with the terrors of darkness.
24:18 “You say, ‘He is foam on the face of the waters; their portion of the land is cursed so that no one goes to their vineyard.
24:19 The drought as well as the heat carry away the melted snow; so the grave takes away those who have sinned.
24:20 The womb forgets him, the worm feasts on him, no longer will he be remembered. Like a tree, wickedness will be broken down.
24:21 He preys on the barren and childless woman, and does not treat the widow well.
24:22 But God drags off the mighty by his power; when God rises up against him, he has no faith in his life.
24:23 God may let them rest in a feeling of security, but he is constantly watching all their ways.
24:24 They are exalted for a little while, and then they are gone, they are brought low like all others, and gathered in, and like a head of grain they are cut off.’
24:25 “If this is not so, who can prove me a liar and reduce my words to nothing?”
Bildad’s Third Speech
25:1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered:
25:2 “Dominion and awesome might belong to God; he establishes peace in his heights.
25:3 Can his armies be numbered?
On whom does his light not rise?
25:4 How then can a human being be righteous before God?
How can one born of a woman be pure?
25:5 If even the moon is not bright, and the stars are not pure as far as he is concerned,
25:6 how much less a mortal man, who is but a maggot – a son of man, who is only a worm!”
Job’s Reply to Bildad
26:1 Then Job replied:
26:2 “How you have helped the powerless!
How you have saved the person who has no strength!
26:3 How you have advised the one without wisdom, and abundantly revealed your insight!
26:4 To whom did you utter these words?
And whose spirit has come forth from your mouth?
A Better Description of God’s Greatness
26:5 “The dead tremble – those beneath the waters and all that live in them.
26:6 The underworld is naked before God; the place of destruction lies uncovered.
26:7 He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; he suspends the earth on nothing.
26:8 He locks the waters in his clouds, and the clouds do not burst with the weight of them.
26:9 He conceals the face of the full moon, shrouding it with his clouds.
26:10 He marks out the horizon on the surface of the waters as a boundary between light and darkness.
26:11 The pillars of the heavens tremble and are amazed at his rebuke.
26:12 By his power he stills the sea; by his wisdom he cut Rahab the great sea monster to pieces.
26:13 By his breath the skies became fair; his hand pierced the fleeing serpent.
26:14 Indeed, these are but the outer fringes of his ways!
How faint is the whisper we hear of him!
But who can understand the thunder of his power?”
A Protest of Innocence
27:1 And Job took up his discourse again:
27:2 “As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice, the Almighty, who has made my life bitter –
27:3 for while my spirit is still in me, and the breath from God is in my nostrils,
27:4 my lips will not speak wickedness, and my tongue will whisper no deceit.
27:5 I will never declare that you three are in the right; until I die, I will not set aside my integrity!
27:6 I will maintain my righteousness and never let it go; my conscience will not reproach me for as long as I live.
The Condition of the Wicked
27:7 “May my enemy be like the wicked, my adversary like the unrighteous.
27:8 For what hope does the godless have when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?
27:9 Does God listen to his cry when distress overtakes him?
27:10 Will he find delight in the Almighty?
Will he call out to God at all times?
27:11 I will teach you about the power of God; What is on the Almighty’s mind I will not conceal.
27:12 If you yourselves have all seen this, Why in the world do you continue this meaningless talk?
27:13 This is the portion of the wicked man allotted by God, the inheritance that evildoers receive from the Almighty.
27:14 If his children increase – it is for the sword!
His offspring never have enough to eat.
27:15 Those who survive him are buried by the plague, and their widows do not mourn for them.
27:16 If he piles up silver like dust and stores up clothing like mounds of clay,
27:17 what he stores up a righteous man will wear, and an innocent man will inherit his silver.
27:18 The house he builds is as fragile as a moth’s cocoon, like a hut that a watchman has made.
27:19 He goes to bed wealthy, but will do so no more. When he opens his eyes, it is all gone.
27:20 Terrors overwhelm him like a flood; at night a whirlwind carries him off.
27:21 The east wind carries him away, and he is gone; it sweeps him out of his place.
27:22 It hurls itself against him without pity as he flees headlong from its power.
27:23 It claps its hands at him in derision and hisses him away from his place.
III. Job’s Search for Wisdom (28:1-28)
No Known Road to Wisdom
28:1 “Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined.
28:2 Iron is taken from the ground, and rock is poured out as copper.
28:3 Man puts an end to the darkness; he searches the farthest recesses for the ore in the deepest darkness.
28:4 Far from where people live he sinks a shaft, in places travelers have long forgotten, far from other people he dangles and sways.
28:5 The earth, from which food comes, is overturned below as though by fire;
28:6 a place whose stones are sapphires and which contains dust of gold;
28:7 a hidden path no bird of prey knows – no falcon’s eye has spotted it.
28:8 Proud beasts have not set foot on it, and no lion has passed along it.
28:9 On the flinty rock man has set to work with his hand; he has overturned mountains at their bases.
28:10 He has cut out channels through the rocks; his eyes have spotted every precious thing.
28:11 He has searched the sources of the rivers and what was hidden he has brought into the light.
No Price Can Buy Wisdom
28:12 “But wisdom – where can it be found?
Where is the place of understanding?
28:13 Mankind does not know its place; it cannot be found in the land of the living.
28:14 The deep says, ‘It is not with me.’ And the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’
28:15 Fine gold cannot be given in exchange for it, nor can its price be weighed out in silver.
28:16 It cannot be measured out for purchase with the gold of Ophir, with precious onyx or sapphires.
28:17 Neither gold nor crystal can be compared with it, nor can a vase of gold match its worth.
28:18 Of coral and jasper no mention will be made; the price of wisdom is more than pearls.
28:19 The topaz of Cush cannot be compared with it; it cannot be purchased with pure gold.
God Alone Has Wisdom
28:20 “But wisdom – where does it come from?
Where is the place of understanding?
28:21 For it has been hidden from the eyes of every living creature, and from the birds of the sky it has been concealed.
28:22 Destruction and Death say, ‘With our ears we have heard a rumor about where it can be found.’
28:23 God understands the way to it, and he alone knows its place.
28:24 For he looks to the ends of the earth and observes everything under the heavens.
28:25 When he made the force of the wind and measured the waters with a gauge.
28:26 When he imposed a limit for the rain, and a path for the thunderstorm,
28:27 then he looked at wisdom and assessed its value; he established it and examined it closely.
28:28 And he said to mankind, ‘The fear of the Lord – that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
Lord, You are never absent, but when our hearts are not humble we cannot sense Your presence. In troubled times may I never doubt that You are near and always seek how I might be used by You for good rather than thinking only of what You could do to make me most comfortable.
Your wisdom is perfect and You have made it available through the Holy Spirit and through Your Word. May I remember to rely on prayer and Your Word, and the enlightenment and guidance of Your indwelling Holy Spirit, rather than only my own ideas – and those of others.
Eliphaz joined Zophar in a more direct attack on Job, declaring that he was indifferent to the need of the poor and took financial advantage of his sons and others, therefore he was guilty before the Lord God and was rightfully the recipient of his punishment.
Eliphaz concluded, however, that were Job to confess and repent the Lord would bless him and make him to conduit of His blessings to others.
Job responded that if only he could get God’s attention then he could plead his case and He would listen, but that the Lord was unavailable.
Job declared that he was innocent of wrongdoing but God had chosen a path of punishment and there was nothing anyone could do to change that.
Job explained that while evil men may have peace and prosperity in this world – God sees everything and they will receive what is due them.
Bildad challenged Job’s insistence that he stood innocent before God, reminding him that all humans are imperfect and are like worms before the Lord God.
Job replied, accusing Bildad of providing an inaccurate – or at least inadequate – description of God, then he offered a much more grand description.
Job then returned to his declaration of innocence, stating that the Lord God had denied him justice and that he would never confess guilt (before God or his three associates/friends) as he remained righteous and his integrity required him to stand his ground.
Job suggested that his associates/friends may be “godless” and then described for them the same fate that they had described for him when they accused him of being either dishonest about his sin or “godless”.
Job compared and contrasted the capacity of man to discover and excavate gold and jewels to his apparent inability to search-out wisdom and understanding.
Job declared that only the Lord God has wisdom and understanding and that He has chosen to withhold all but the following “The fear of the Lord – that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
Zophar judged Job a wicked man, deserving his fate, because he could imagine any other explanation of Job’s condition. Eliphaz and Zophar were not only convinced that Job’s troubles could only be punishment for his sins but they also found it necessary to presume what were his sins, and to condemn him for them. Rather than look to the Lord God in prayer Job and his associates/friends chose to engage in an intellectual debate and to impugn one another’s faith.
Why would Zophar be unable to see that there must be another explanation, especially when confronted with Job’s evidence that the wicked are often unpunished in this world and that the righteous often struggle? To what degree may Eliphaz and Jophar be correct that it is Job’s insistence upon declaring his innocence which was blocking him from recognizing the Lord God’s availability? How could Job claim “... my lips will not speak wickedness, and my tongue will whisper no deceit” and then declare “As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice, the Almighty, who has made my life bitter ...” ?
Job remained conflicted as he had doubts about the motivations of God in causing (or allowing) his terrible suffering yet he is certain it could not be directly associated with his sin. While Job challenged the error in the doctrine of his friends, was he missing his own error in doubting God’s caring and informed-judgment? Job made a reference to local pagan stories of great beasts as he described the power of the Lord God to merely sweep-aside what the pagans took to be terrible creatures of power.
When have you tried to show someone, using plain facts, that they are wrong and had them cling to a notion – irrationally? When have you been falsely accused amidst a larger conflict not entirely of your making? When have you experienced or observed believers who were so invested in their intellectual debate that they neglected to make room for the Lord God?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you some knowledge that will help to you clarify facts from fantasy, truth from lies, and clarity amidst confusion, to reveal to you a greater awareness of His constant presence, and to reveal to you a place where you have placed intellectual argumentation and/or doctrinal squabbles ahead of a humble seeking of His will, or have participated in maligning the faith of another in the midst of such a debate.
Today I will prayerfully search the Bible, and the counsel of the Holy Spirit, as I seek clarity about a matter in conflict. I will refuse to do less than a “good Berean”, I will insist that the answer be Biblically-supported, and I will walk in the truth no matter what others may say or do. I will spend time in prayer and in the Word of God so that I will become more aware, through the enlightenment of the indwelling Holy Spirit, of the constant presence of the Lord God. I will give thanks for His loving-care for me, that He desires to know my heart, and that He desires to love me as His eternal child. I will confess the occasion, occasions, or perhaps even a pattern of conduct where I neglect the Lord God in the pursuit of winning an argument with a fellow believer. I will repent, accept His forgiveness, then ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement and to check-in with me regularly as I receive the gift of discipline from the Holy Spirit to keep me safe from returning to that way.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
IV. Job’s Concluding Soliloquy (29:1-31:40)
29:1 Then Job continued his speech:
29:2 “O that I could be as I was
in the months now gone, in the days when God watched over me,
29:3 when he caused his lamp to shine upon my head, and by his light
I walked through darkness;
29:4 just as I was in my most productive time,
when God’s intimate friendship was experienced in my tent,
29:5 when the Almighty was still with me
and my children were around me;
29:6 when my steps were bathed with butter
and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil!
29:7 When I went out to the city gate
and secured my seat in the public square,
29:8 the young men would see me and step aside, and the old men would get up and remain standing;
29:9 the chief men refrained from talking
and covered their mouths with their hands;
29:10 the voices of the nobles fell silent,
and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.
Job’s Benevolence
29:11 “As soon as the ear heard these things, it blessed me,
and when the eye saw them, it bore witness to me,
29:12 for I rescued the poor who cried out for help, and the orphan who had no one to assist him;
29:13 the blessing of the dying man descended on me,
and I made the widow’s heart rejoice;
29:14 I put on righteousness and it clothed me,
my just dealing was like a robe and a turban;
29:15 I was eyes for the blind
and feet for the lame;
29:16 I was a father to the needy,
and I investigated the case of the person I did not know;
29:17 I broke the fangs of the wicked,
and made him drop his prey from his teeth.
Job’s Confidence
29:18 “Then I thought, ‘I will die in my own home,
my days as numerous as the grains of sand.
29:19 My roots reach the water,
and the dew lies on my branches all night long.
29:20 My glory will always be fresh n me,
and my bow ever new in my hand.’
Job’s Reputation
29:21 “People listened to me and waited silently;
they kept silent for my advice.
29:22 After I had spoken, they did not respond;
my words fell on them drop by drop.
29:23 They waited for me as people wait for the rain,
and they opened their mouths
as for the spring rains.
29:24 If I smiled at them, they hardly believed it;
and they did not cause the light of my face to darken.
29:25 I chose the way for them
and sat as their chief;
I lived like a king among his troops;
I was like one who comforts mourners.
Job’s Present Misery
30:1 “But now they mock me, those who are younger than I, whose fathers I disdained too much to put with my sheep dogs.
30:2 Moreover, the strength of their hands – what use was it to me?
Men whose strength had perished;
30:3 gaunt with want and hunger, they would gnaw the parched land, in former time desolate and waste.
30:4 By the brush they would gather herbs from the salt marshes, and the root of the broom tree was their food.
30:5 They were banished from the community – people shouted at them like they would shout at thieves –
30:6 so that they had to live in the dry stream beds, in the holes of the ground, and among the rocks.
30:7 They brayed like animals among the bushes and were huddled together under the nettles.
30:8 Sons of senseless and nameless people, they were driven out of the land with whips.
Job’s Indignities
30:9 “And now I have become their taunt song; I have become a byword among them.
30:10 They detest me and maintain their distance; they do not hesitate to spit in my face.
30:11 Because God has untied my tent cord and afflicted me, people throw off all restraint in my presence.
30:12 On my right the young rabble rise up; they drive me from place to place, and build up siege ramps against me.
30:13 They destroy my path; they succeed in destroying me without anyone assisting them.
30:14 They come in as through a wide breach; amid the crash they come rolling in.
30:15 Terrors are turned loose on me; they drive away my honor like the wind, and like a cloud my deliverance has passed away.
Job’s Despondency
30:16 “And now my soul pours itself out within me; days of suffering take hold of me.
30:17 Night pierces my bones; my gnawing pains never cease.
30:18 With great power God grasps my clothing; he binds me like the collar of my tunic.
30:19 He has flung me into the mud, and I have come to resemble dust and ashes.
30:20 I cry out to you, but you do not answer me; I stand up, and you only look at me.
30:21 You have become cruel to me; with the strength of your hand you attack me.
30:22 You pick me up on the wind and make me ride on it; you toss me about in the storm.
30:23 I know that you are bringing me to death, to the meeting place for all the living.
The Contrast With the Past
30:24 “Surely one does not stretch out his hand against a broken man when he cries for help in his distress.
30:25 Have I not wept for the unfortunate?
Was not my soul grieved for the poor?
30:26 But when I hoped for good, trouble came; when I expected light, then darkness came.
30:27 My heart is in turmoil unceasingly; the days of my affliction confront me.
30:28 I go about blackened, but not by the sun; in the assembly I stand up and cry for help.
30:29 I have become a brother to jackals and a companion of ostriches.
30:30 My skin has turned dark on me; my body is hot with fever.
30:31 My harp is used for mourning and my flute for the sound of weeping.
Job Vindicates Himself
31:1 “I made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I entertain thoughts against a virgin?
31:2 What then would be one’s lot from God above, one’s heritage from the Almighty on high?
31:3 Is it not misfortune for the unjust, and disaster for those who work iniquity?
31:4 Does he not see my ways and count all my steps?
31:5 If I have walked in falsehood, and if my foot has hastened to deceit –
31:6 let him weigh me with honest scales; then God will discover my integrity.
31:7 If my footsteps have strayed from the way, if my heart has gone after my eyes, or if anything has defiled my hands,
31:8 then let me sow and let another eat, and let my crops be uprooted.
31:9 If my heart has been enticed by a woman, and I have lain in wait at my neighbor’s door,
31:10 then let my wife turn the millstone for another man, and may other men have sexual relations with her.
31:11 For I would have committed a shameful act, an iniquity to be judged.
31:12 For it is a fire that devours even to Destruction, and it would uproot all my harvest.
31:13 “If I have disregarded the right of my male servants or my female servants when they disputed with me,
31:14 then what will I do when God confronts me in judgment; when he intervenes, how will I respond to him?
31:15 Did not the one who made me in the womb make them?
Did not the same one form us in the womb?
31:16 If I have refused to give the poor what they desired, or caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
31:17 If I ate my morsel of bread myself, and did not share any of it with orphans –
31:18 but from my youth I raised the orphan like a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow!
31:19 If I have seen anyone about to perish for lack of clothing, or a poor man without a coat,
31:20 whose heart did not bless me as he warmed himself with the fleece of my sheep,
31:21 if I have raised my hand to vote against the orphan, when I saw my support in the court,
31:22 then let my arm fall from the shoulder, let my arm be broken off at the socket.
31:23 For the calamity from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his majesty I was powerless.
31:24 “If I have put my confidence in gold or said to pure gold, ‘You are my security!’
31:25 if I have rejoiced because of the extent of my wealth, or because of the great wealth my hand had gained,
31:26 if I looked at the sun when it was shining, and the moon advancing as a precious thing,
31:27 so that my heart was secretly enticed, and my hand threw them a kiss from my mouth,
31:28 then this also would be iniquity to be judged, for I would have been false to God above.
31:29 If I have rejoiced over the misfortune of my enemy or exulted because calamity found him –
31:30 I have not even permitted my mouth to sin by asking for his life through a curse –
31:31 if the members of my household have never said, ‘If only there were someone who has not been satisfied from Job’s meat!’ –
31:32 But no stranger had to spend the night outside, for I opened my doors to the traveler –
31:33 if I have covered my transgressions as men do, by hiding iniquity in my heart,
31:34 because I was terrified of the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I remained silent and would not go outdoors –
Job’s Appeal
31:35 “If only I had someone to hear me!
Here is my signature – let the Almighty answer me!
If only I had an indictment that my accuser had written.
31:36 Surely I would wear it proudly on my shoulder, I would bind it on me like a crown;
31:37 I would give him an accounting of my steps; like a prince I would approach him.
Job’s Final Solemn Oath
31:38 “If my land cried out against me and all its furrows wept together,
31:39 if I have eaten its produce without paying, or caused the death of its owners,
31:40 then let thorns sprout up in place of wheat, and in place of barley, weeds!”
The words of Job are ended.
Lord, Your wisdom is perfect and You have made it available through the Holy Spirit and through Your Word. May I remember to rely on prayer and Your Word, and the enlightenment and guidance of Your indwelling Holy Spirit, rather than only my own ideas – or those of others.
Job reflected upon his high-standing in the community as one to whom people looked for encouragement and help, and who was treated with near-reverence.
He then he described the way that people avoided him, and even the least of the least mocked him, since the series of tragedies.
Job again blamed the Lord God for his condition “I cry out to you, but you do not answer me; I stand up, and you only look at me. You have become cruel to me ...”
He again declared his innocence, that he was undeserving of his earthly-fate, and the Lord God had failed to fairly-consider his righteousness when finding him guilty and worthy of his terrible predicament.
Job concluded by declaring that if the Lord would grant him an audience he would explain his innocence and the Lord God would correct His error.
Job actually believed that the Lord God had made an error.
Why would Job be so adamant as to declare that wisdom and understanding was impossible to find in the Lord God’s creation – fallen as it may be?
Job’s doubts about the Lord’s perfect knowledge represented a dangerous flaw in his doctrine, and as an influential person in the community (up until the recent calamity) that was not healthy.
When have you wondered if maybe the Lord God was not taking adequate care of you?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you something you have lost, and for which loss you have blamed the Lord God, perhaps subtly (or not so subtly) harming your relationship with Him.
Today I will confess and repent of any doubt I have as to the perfect knowledge, love, and justice of the Lord God. I will celebrate that no matter what happens in this world that He knows all, loves me more than I can imagine, and will reveal to me (here or in Heaven) the working-out of His perfect justice.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 6
V. The Speeches of Elihu (32:1-37:24)
Elihu̵
32:1 So these three men refused to answer Job further, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 32:2 Then Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry. He was angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God. 32:3 With Job’s three friends he was also angry, because they could not find an answer, and so declared Job guilty. 32:4 Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job, because the others were older than he was. 32:5 But when Elihu saw that the three men had no further reply, he became very angry.
Elihu Claims Wisdom
32:6 So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite spoke up: “I am young, but you are elderly; that is why I was fearful, and afraid to explain to you what I know.
32:7 I said to myself, ‘Age should speak, and length of years should make wisdom known.’
32:8 But it is a spirit in people, the breath of the Almighty, that makes them understand.
32:9 It is not the aged who are wise, nor old men who understand what is right.
32:10 Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me. I, even I, will explain what I know.’
32:11 Look, I waited for you to speak; I listened closely to your wise thoughts, while you were searching for words.
32:12 Now I was paying you close attention, yet there was no one proving Job wrong, not one of you was answering his statements!
32:13 So do not say, ‘We have found wisdom!
God will refute him, not man!’
32:14 Job has not directed his words to me, and so I will not reply to him with your arguments.
Job’s Friends Failed to Answer
32:15 “They are dismayed and cannot answer any more; they have nothing left to say.
32:16 And I have waited. But because they do not speak, because they stand there and answer no more,
32:17 I too will answer my part, I too will explain what I know.
32:18 For I am full of words, and the spirit within me constrains me.
32:19 Inside I am like wine which has no outlet, like new wineskins ready to burst!
32:20 I will speak, so that I may find relief; I will open my lips, so that I may answer.
32:21 I will not show partiality to anyone, nor will I confer a title on any man.
32:22 for I do not know how to give honorary titles, if I did, my Creator would quickly do away with me.
Elihu Invites Job’s Attention
33:1 “But now, O Job, listen to my words, and hear everything I have to say!
33:2 See now, I have opened my mouth; my tongue in my mouth has spoken.
33:3 My words come from the uprightness of my heart, and my lips will utter knowledge sincerely.
33:4 The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
33:5 Reply to me, if you can; set your arguments in order before me and take your stand!
33:6 Look, I am just like you in relation to God; I too have been molded from clay.
33:7 Therefore no fear of me should terrify you, nor should my pressure be heavy on you.
Elihu Rejects Job’s Plea of Innocence
33:8 “Indeed, you have said in my hearing (I heard the sound of the words!):
33:9 ‘I am pure, without transgression; I am clean and have no iniquity.
33:10 Yet God finds occasions with me; he regards me as his enemy!
33:11 He puts my feet in shackles; he watches closely all my paths.’
33:12 Now in this, you are not right – I answer you, for God is greater than a human being.
33:13 Why do you contend against him, that he does not answer all a person’s words?
Elihu Disagrees With Job’s View of God
33:14 “For God speaks, the first time in one way, the second time in another, though a person does not perceive it.
33:15 In a dream, a night vision, when deep sleep falls on people as they sleep in their beds.
33:16 Then he gives a revelation to people, and terrifies them with warnings,
33:17 to turn a person from his sin, and to cover a person’s pride.
33:18 He spares a person’s life from corruption, his very life from crossing over the river.
33:19 Or a person is chastened by pain on his bed, and with the continual strife of his bones,
33:20 so that his life loathes food, and his soul rejects appetizing fare.
33:21 His flesh wastes away from sight, and his bones, which were not seen, are easily visible.
33:22 He draws near to the place of corruption, and his life to the messengers of death.
33:23 If there is an angel beside him, one mediator out of a thousand, to tell a person what constitutes his uprightness;
33:24 and if God is gracious to him and says, ‘Spare him from going down to the place of corruption, I have found a ransom for him,’
33:25 then his flesh is restored like a youth’s; he returns to the days of his youthful vigor.
33:26 He entreats God, and God delights in him, he sees God’s face with rejoicing, and God restores to him his righteousness.
33:27 That person sings to others, saying: ‘I have sinned and falsified what is right, but I was not punished according to what I deserved.
33:28 He redeemed my life from going down to the place of corruption, and my life sees the light!’
Elihu’s Appeal to Job
33:29 “Indeed, God does all these things, twice, three times, in his dealings with a person,
33:30 to turn back his life from the place of corruption, that he may be enlightened with the light of life.
33:31 Pay attention, Job – listen to me; be silent, and I will speak.
33:32 If you have any words, reply to me; speak, for I want to justify you.
33:33 If not, you listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”
Elihu’s Second Speech
34:1 Elihu answered:
34:2 “Listen to my words, you wise men; hear me, you learned men.
34:3 For the ear assesses words as the mouth tastes food.
34:4 Let us evaluate for ourselves what is right; let us come to know among ourselves what is good.
34:5 For Job says, ‘I am innocent, but God turns away my right.
34:6 Concerning my right, should I lie?
My wound is incurable, although I am without transgression.’
34:7 What man is like Job, who drinks derision like water!
34:8 He goes about in company with evildoers, he goes along with wicked men.
34:9 For he says, ‘It does not profit a man when he makes his delight with God.’
God is Not Unjust
34:10 “Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do wickedness, from the Almighty to do evil.
34:11 For he repays a person for his work, and according to the conduct of a person, he causes the consequences to find him.
34:12 Indeed, in truth, God does not act wickedly, and the Almighty does not pervert justice.
34:13 Who entrusted to him the earth?
And who put him over the whole world?
34:14 If God were to set his heart on it, and gather in his spirit and his breath,
34:15 all flesh would perish together and human beings would return to dust.
God Is Impartial and Omniscient
34:16 “If you have understanding, listen to this, hear what I have to say.
34:17 Do you really think that one who hates justice can govern?
And will you declare guilty the supremely righteous One,
34:18 who says to a king, ‘Worthless man’ and to nobles, ‘Wicked men,’
34:19 who shows no partiality to princes, and does not take note of the rich more than the poor, because all of them are the work of his hands?
34:20 In a moment they die, in the middle of the night, people are shaken and they pass away.
The mighty are removed effortlessly.
34:21 For his eyes are on the ways of an individual, he observes all a person’s steps.
34:22 There is no darkness, and no deep darkness, where evildoers can hide themselves.
34:23 For he does not still consider a person, that he should come before God in judgment.
34:24 He shatters the great without inquiry, and sets up others in their place.
34:25 Therefore, he knows their deeds, he overthrows them in the night and they are crushed.
34:26 He strikes them for their wickedness, in a place where people can see,
34:27 because they have turned away from following him, and have not understood any of his ways,
34:28 so that they caused the cry of the poor to come before him, so that he hears the cry of the needy.
34:29 But if God is quiet, who can condemn him?
If he hides his face, then who can see him?
Yet he is over the individual and the nation alike,
34:30 so that the godless man should not rule, and not lay snares for the people.
Lord, it is often true that we see most of Who You are, yet we make you over into our image of Who we want You to be to serve our preferences. May I learn from the stories of others You have provided in Your Word and strive to trust and obey when my comprehension falls short of knowing You perfectly.
As is apparent from the text, and affirmed by the NET translator’s notes, Elihu is not corrected by anyone, The Lord God does not ask Job to pray for him, and many of the things he says also appear in the Lord’s words to Job.
Elihu, younger than the others, spoke up when he saw that the three older men had ceased from contesting with Job.
Elihu reminded them that despite the age difference they were all created by God from the same clay and all stood equally before the Lord God. (Later, in the New Testament, the apostle Paul encourages Timothy to be unafraid to speak truth – even to those older than he – and to not allow them to intimidate him to silence.)
Elihu challenged Job’s insistence that he was innocent before the Lord God – noting that only God could claim perfection.
Elihu challenged Job’s derisive attitude toward the Lord God when he declare the Lord to have been absent from a fair hearing and unjust toward him.
The younger man jumped in with perspective and wisdom that he may have learned from the others and which he could now see that they had missed in their speeches.
Might the three older men have ceased from speaking because they realized that they were in error, or had they simply had exhausted themselves accusing Job of lying?
Elihu may have been mentored in awe of the Lord God by these men, and may have looked-up to Job as a model of righteousness, so to hear him raise doubts about the integrity of God would have been highly offensive.
When have you observed a student challenging a teacher, or a mentee challenging their mentor, using the very principles and words they had been taught?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you someone whom you have trusted as a teacher but who had mixed some incorrect things in with the correct, perhaps in the past, or perhaps more recently.
Today I will acknowledge the truth of what the Holy Spirit has revealed and will accept His clarification as a good Berean – one who seeks after truth. As is possible I will respectfully share what I have learned with the one whom I believe has been incorrect and pray that they will be teachable and will refrain from the wrong teaching in the future.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Job Is Foolish to Rebel
34:31 “Has anyone said to God, ‘I have endured chastisement, but I will not act wrongly any more.
34:32 Teach me what I cannot see. If I have done evil, I will do so no more.’
34:33 Is it your opinion that God should recompense it, because you reject this?
But you must choose, and not I, so tell us what you know.
34:34 Men of understanding say to me – any wise man listening to me says –
34:35 that Job speaks without knowledge and his words are without understanding.
34:36 But Job will be tested to the end, because his answers are like those of wicked men.
34:37 For he adds transgression to his sin; in our midst he claps his hands, and multiplies his words against God.”
Elihu’s Third Speech
35:1 Then Elihu answered:
35:2 “Do you think this to be just: when you say, ‘My right before God.’
35:3 But you say, ‘What will it profit you,’ and, ‘What do I gain by not sinning?’
35:4 I will reply to you, and to your friends with you.
35:5 Gaze at the heavens and see; consider the clouds, which are higher than you!
35:6 If you sin, how does it affect God?
If your transgressions are many, what does it do to him?
35:7 If you are righteous, what do you give to God, or what does he receive from your hand?
35:8 Your wickedness affects only a person like yourself, and your righteousness only other people.
35:9 “People cry out because of the excess of oppression; they cry out for help because of the power of the mighty.
35:10 But no one says, ‘Where is God, my Creator, who gives songs in the night,
35:11 who teaches us more than the wild animals of the earth, and makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?’
35:12 Then they cry out – but he does not answer – because of the arrogance of the wicked.
35:13 Surely it is an empty cry – God does not hear it; the Almighty does not take notice of it.
35:14 How much less, then, when you say that you do not perceive him, that the case is before him and you are waiting for him!
35:15 And further, when you say that his anger does not punish, and that he does not know transgression!
35:16 So Job opens his mouth to no purpose; without knowledge he multiplies words.”
Elihu’s Fourth Speech
36:1 Elihu said further:
36:2 “Be patient with me a little longer and I will instruct you, for I still have words to speak on God’s behalf.
36:3 With my knowledge I will speak comprehensively, and to my Creator I will ascribe righteousness.
36:4 For in truth, my words are not false; it is one complete in knowledge who is with you.
36:5 Indeed, God is mighty; and he does not despise people, he is mighty, and firm in his intent.
36:6 He does not allow the wicked to live, but he gives justice to the poor.
36:7 He does not take his eyes off the righteous; but with kings on the throne he seats the righteous and exalts them forever.
36:8 But if they are bound in chains, and held captive by the cords of affliction,
36:9 then he reveals to them what they have done, and their transgressions, that they were behaving proudly.
36:10 And he reveals this for correction, and says that they must turn from evil.
36:11 If they obey and serve him, they live out their days in prosperity and their years in pleasantness.
36:12 But if they refuse to listen, they pass over the river of death, and expire without knowledge.
36:13 The godless at heart nourish anger, they do not cry out even when he binds them.
36:14 They die in their youth, and their life ends among the male cultic prostitutes.
36:15 He delivers the afflicted by their afflictions, he reveals himself to them by their suffering.
36:16 And surely, he drew you from the mouth of distress, to a wide place, unrestricted, and to the comfort of your table filled with rich food.
36:17 But now you are preoccupied with the judgment due the wicked, judgment and justice take hold of you.
36:18 Be careful that no one entices you with riches; do not let a large bribe turn you aside.
36:19 Would your wealth sustain you, so that you would not be in distress, even all your mighty efforts?
36:20 Do not long for the cover of night to drag people away from their homes.
36:21 Take heed, do not turn to evil, for because of this you have been tested by affliction.
36:22 Indeed, God is exalted in his power; who is a teacher like him?
36:23 Who has prescribed his ways for him?
Or said to him, ‘You have done what is wicked’?
36:24 Remember to extol his work, which people have praised in song.
36:25 All humanity has seen it; people gaze on it from afar.
The Work and Wisdom of God
36:26 “Yes, God is great – beyond our knowledge!
The number of his years is unsearchable.
36:27 He draws up drops of water; they distill the rain into its mist,
36:28 which the clouds pour down and shower on humankind abundantly.
36:29 Who can understand the spreading of the clouds, the thunderings of his pavilion?
36:30 See how he scattered his lightning about him; he has covered the depths of the sea.
36:31 It is by these that he judges the nations and supplies food in abundance.
36:32 With his hands he covers the lightning, and directs it against its target.
36:33 His thunder announces the coming storm, the cattle also, concerning the storm’s approach.
37:1 At this also my heart pounds and leaps from its place.
37:2 Listen carefully to the thunder of his voice, to the rumbling that proceeds from his mouth.
37:3 Under the whole heaven he lets it go, even his lightning to the far corners of the earth.
37:4 After that a voice roars; he thunders with an exalted voice, and he does not hold back his lightning bolts when his voice is heard.
37:5 God thunders with his voice in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding.
37:6 For to the snow he says, ‘Fall to earth,’ and to the torrential rains, ‘Pour down.’
37:7 He causes everyone to stop working, so that all people may know his work.
37:8 The wild animals go to their lairs, and in their dens they remain.
37:9 A tempest blows out from its chamber, icy cold from the driving winds.
37:10 The breath of God produces ice, and the breadth of the waters freeze solid.
37:11 He loads the clouds with moisture; he scatters his lightning through the clouds.
37:12 The clouds go round in circles, wheeling about according to his plans, to carry out all that he commands them over the face of the whole inhabited world.
37:13 Whether it is for punishment for his land, or whether it is for mercy, he causes it to find its mark.
37:14 “Pay attention to this, Job!
Stand still and consider the wonders God works.
37:15 Do you know how God commands them, how he makes lightning flash in his storm cloud?
37:16 Do you know about the balancing of the clouds, that wondrous activity of him who is perfect in knowledge?
37:17 You, whose garments are hot when the earth is still because of the south wind,
37:18 will you, with him, spread out the clouds, solid as a mirror of molten metal?
37:19 Tell us what we should say to him. We cannot prepare a case because of the darkness.
37:20 Should he be informed that I want to speak?
If a man speaks, surely he would be swallowed up!
37:21 But now, the sun cannot be looked at – it is bright in the skies – after a wind passed and swept the clouds away.
37:22 From the north he comes in golden splendor; around God is awesome majesty.
37:23 As for the Almighty, we cannot attain to him!
He is great in power, but justice and abundant righteousness he does not oppress.
37:24 Therefore people fear him, for he does not regard all the wise in heart.”
Lord, You instruct us to cry-out to You with the groanings of our hearts, but You do not give us permission to instruct You as to when and how You must respond to us. May I always be humble, respectful, and trusting - You are my Lord.
Elihu rightly observed that Job had gone beyond bringing his grief to the Lord and had challenged Him as unfair and unavailable.
Elihu then launched into one of the most-profound declarations of praise of the Lord God in all of the Bible.
Elihu’s words were spoken in very ancient times and the sophistication of his understanding testifies to an advanced intellectual culture.
How would you compare Elihu’s testimony of the Lord to those of others in the Bible?
It is notable that the three older men are not reported as raising objection to Elihu’s words, nor does Job appear to contest them.
When have you sat under the teaching of deacons or elders or others and discovered that they were blind to one or more important teachings of the Bible? Did you have an opportunity to share your observation? What was the response?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you either an error or a gap in the Biblical teaching of others, or in your own teaching.
Today I will respectfully share my perspective of an error or a gap in teaching and/or I will confess and repent of my own, request and receive the forgiveness of the Lord, and act to correct the error/gap – including informing those I have previously taught.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
VI. The Divine Speeches (38:1-42:6)
The Lord’s First Speech
38:1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind:
38:2 “Who is this who darkens counsel with words without knowledge?
38:3 Get ready for a difficult task like a man; I will question you and you will inform me!
God’s questions to Job
38:4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell me, if you possess understanding!
38:5 Who set its measurements – if you know – or who stretched a measuring line across it?
38:6 On what were its bases set, or who laid its cornerstone –
38:7 when the morning stars sang in chorus, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
38:8 “Who shut up the sea with doors when it burst forth, coming out of the womb,
38:9 when I made the storm clouds its garment, and thick darkness its swaddling band,
38:10 when I prescribed its limits, and set in place its bolts and doors,
38:11 when I said, ‘To here you may come and no farther, here your proud waves will be confined’?
38:12 Have you ever in your life commanded the morning, or made the dawn know its place,
38:13 that it might seize the corners of the earth, and shake the wicked out of it?
38:14 The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its features are dyed like a garment.
38:15 Then from the wicked the light is withheld, and the arm raised in violence is broken.
38:16 Have you gone to the springs that fill the sea, or walked about in the recesses of the deep?
38:17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you?
Have you seen the gates of deepest darkness?
38:18 Have you considered the vast expanses of the earth?
Tell me, if you know it all!
38:19 “In what direction does light reside, and darkness, where is its place,
38:20 that you may take them to their borders and perceive the pathways to their homes?
38:21 You know, for you were born before them; and the number of your days is great!
38:22 Have you entered the storehouse of the snow, or seen the armory of the hail,
38:23 which I reserve for the time of trouble, for the day of war and battle?
38:24 In what direction is lightning dispersed, or the east winds scattered over the earth?
38:25 Who carves out a channel for the heavy rains, and a path for the rumble of thunder,
38:26 to cause it to rain on an uninhabited land, a desert where there are no human beings,
38:27 to satisfy a devastated and desolate land, and to cause it to sprout with vegetation?
38:28 Does the rain have a father, or who has fathered the drops of the dew?
38:29 From whose womb does the ice emerge, and the frost from the sky, who gives birth to it,
38:30 when the waters become hard like stone, when the surface of the deep is frozen solid?
38:31 Can you tie the bands of the Pleiades, or release the cords of Orion?
38:32 Can you lead out the constellations in their seasons, or guide the Bear with its cubs?
38:33 Do you know the laws of the heavens, or can you set up their rule over the earth?
38:34 Can you raise your voice to the clouds so that a flood of water covers you?
38:35 Can you send out lightning bolts, and they go?
Will they say to you, ‘Here we are’?
38:36 Who has put wisdom in the heart, or has imparted understanding to the mind?
38:37 Who by wisdom can count the clouds, and who can tip over the water jars of heaven,
38:38 when the dust hardens into a mass, and the clumps of earth stick together?
38:39 “Do you hunt prey for the lioness, and satisfy the appetite of the lions,
38:40 when they crouch in their dens, when they wait in ambush in the thicket?
38:41 Who prepares prey for the raven, when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food?
39:1 “Are you acquainted with the way the mountain goats give birth?
Do you watch as the wild deer give birth to their young?
39:2 Do you count the months they must fulfill, and do you know the time they give birth?
39:3 They crouch, they bear their young, they bring forth the offspring they have carried.
39:4 Their young grow strong, and grow up in the open; they go off, and do not return to them.
39:5 Who let the wild donkey go free?
Who released the bonds of the donkey,
39:6 to whom I appointed the steppe for its home, the salt wastes as its dwelling place?
39:7 It scorns the tumult in the town; it does not hear the shouts of a driver.
39:8 It ranges the hills as its pasture, and searches after every green plant.
39:9 Is the wild ox willing to be your servant?
Will it spend the night at your feeding trough?
39:10 Can you bind the wild ox to a furrow with its rope, will it till the valleys, following after you?
39:11 Will you rely on it because its strength is great?
Will you commit your labor to it?
39:12 Can you count on it to bring in your grain, and gather the grain to your threshing floor?
39:13 “The wings of the ostrich flap with joy, but are they the pinions and plumage of a stork?
39:14 For she leaves her eggs on the ground, and lets them be warmed on the soil.
39:15 She forgets that a foot might crush them, or that a wild animal might trample them.
39:16 She is harsh with her young, as if they were not hers; she is unconcerned about the uselessness of her labor.
39:17 For God deprived her of wisdom, and did not impart understanding to her.
39:18 But as soon as she springs up, she laughs at the horse and its rider.
39:19 “Do you give the horse its strength?
Do you clothe its neck with a mane?
39:20 Do you make it leap like a locust?
Its proud neighing is terrifying!
39:21 It paws the ground in the valley, exulting mightily, it goes out to meet the weapons.
39:22 It laughs at fear and is not dismayed; it does not shy away from the sword.
39:23 On it the quiver rattles; the lance and javelin flash.
39:24 In excitement and impatience it consumes the ground; it cannot stand still when the trumpet is blown.
39:25 At the sound of the trumpet, it says, ‘Aha!’ And from a distance it catches the scent of battle, the thunderous shouting of commanders, and the battle cries.
39:26 “Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars, and spreads its wings toward the south?
39:27 Is it at your command that the eagle soars, and builds its nest on high?
39:28 It lives on a rock and spends the night there, on a rocky crag and a fortress.
39:29 From there it spots its prey, its eyes gaze intently from a distance.
39:30 And its young ones devour the blood, and where the dead carcasses are, there it is.”
Lord, we never have standing to question You, though You are not troubled when we cry out to You and do so imperfectly. May I learn from Job’s experience the difference between crying-out in anguished uncertainty and doubting the integrity or knowledge of the Lord God.
The Lord God had allowed Job and his associates/friends sufficient time to dialogue and then brought a devastating challenge to Job “Who is this who darkens counsel with words without knowledge?”
The Lord declared that Job, who had demanded a judicial audience so that he could justify himself to God (Whom he had accused of doing him an injustice), now must stand and himself be questioned – then required to respond to His questions.
The Lord God directed Job’s attention “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?”, then He continued to quiz him about many details of creation, even mocking him about the source and destination of light “You know, for you were born before them; and the number of your days is great!”
The Lord God then continued across the planet, listing detailed specifics about many varieties of living things and asking Job to inform Him about his (Job’s) knowledge of them, mocking him again “Is it at your command that the eagle soars, and builds its nest on high?”
Job had doubted the Lord God’s justice to-date, indeed His understanding of his (Job’s) righteousness, and he had made the determination as to what were the rules-of-engagement must be between the Lord and man – then he declared that the Lord God had fallen short.
How do you imagine Job felt just half way through the audience he had demanded before the Lord God?
The Lord God began with context and perspective – Job needed to understand the fullness of the distance between himself and God.
When have you experienced or observed someone who “... darken[ed] counsel with words without knowledge?”
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a new-found awe of the Lord God.
Today I will make a list of things that the Lord God has done, and of some of the things of which He is intimately-aware, drawn from these verses of Job. I will read and reflect upon the list I have made. I will also keep the list handy for the next time I, or someone I know, express any doubt that the Lord God is aware and cares.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
Job’s Reply to God’s Challenge
40:1 Then the Lord answered Job:
40:2 “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him?
Let the person who accuses God give him an answer!”
40:3 Then Job answered the Lord:
40:4 “Indeed, I am completely unworthy – how could I reply to you?
I put my hand over my mouth to silence myself.
40:5 I have spoken once, but I cannot answer; twice, but I will say no more.”
The Lord’s Second Speech
40:6 Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind:
40:7 “Get ready for a difficult task like a man. I will question you and you will inform me!
40:8 Would you indeed annul my justice?
Would you declare me guilty so that you might be right?
40:9 Do you have an arm as powerful as God’s, and can you thunder with a voice like his?
40:10 Adorn yourself, then, with majesty and excellency, and clothe yourself with glory and honor!
40:11 Scatter abroad the abundance of your anger. Look at every proud man and bring him low;
40:12 Look at every proud man and abase him; crush the wicked on the spot!
40:13 Hide them in the dust together, imprison them in the grave.
40:14 Then I myself will acknowledge to you that your own right hand can save you.
The Description of Behemoth
40:15 “Look now at Behemoth, which I made as I made you; it eats grass like the ox.
40:16 Look at its strength in its loins, and its power in the muscles of its belly.
40:17 It makes its tail stiff like a cedar, the sinews of its thighs are tightly wound.
40:18 Its bones are tubes of bronze, its limbs like bars of iron.
40:19 It ranks first among the works of God, the One who made it has furnished it with a sword.
40:20 For the hills bring it food, where all the wild animals play.
40:21 Under the lotus trees it lies, in the secrecy of the reeds and the marsh.
40:22 The lotus trees conceal it in their shadow; the poplars by the stream conceal it.
40:23 If the river rages, it is not disturbed, it is secure, though the Jordan should surge up to its mouth.
40:24 Can anyone catch it by its eyes, or pierce its nose with a snare?
Lord, there is none like You, and none to legitimately challenge You – only that old fraud, the devil, and those whom He deceives. May I rest in the humble assurance that You are perfect, that all imperfection flows from the sin of Satan and humankind, and that when I seek answers they will always begin with trusting You.
Job replied “Indeed, I am completely unworthy – how could I reply to you?” acknowledging that he had spoken twice but had not given answers, but merely spoken, and now he would remain silent.
The Lord God again challenged Job to prepare to answer His questions, beginning “Would you indeed annul my justice? Would you declare me guilty so that you might be right?”
The Lord then reviewed several of His unique attributes – demonstrating to Job that he was in no position to be questioning God.
The NET translator’s notes include some valuable discussion of several phrases used in this text. One is Behemoth, perhaps a predecessor of a modern animal (suggestions have included an ancient cow as “cattle” are specifically mentioned in Gen. 1:24-26), but it is difficult to infer based on modern geographical distributions of animals as the dispersal of humans following the Tower of Babel incident would have resulted in animals traveling outward as well.
Job had already figured out that he needed to stop talking.
Which of the challenges that the Lord God raised against Job may fairly brought against people today?
Only a tiny recitation of the great deeds of the Lord God are enough to humble any honest-thinking being.
When have you been called before an authority and challenged to justify something you are accused of saying that undermined their authority?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a moment in your recent past, or perhaps present, where you have had doubts about the Lord God’s ‘fairness’ in your life, or that of someone (or some circumstance).
Today I will humbly and prayerfully review the Lord God’s speech to Job and consider how it caused Job to be humbled to silence. I will confess and repent of my doubts, past or present, request and accept His forgiveness, then mark the day on my calendar when I decided to revisit this text whenever I am tempted to doubt the Lord.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
The Description of Leviathan
41:1 “Can you pull in Leviathan with a hook, and tie down its tongue with a rope?
41:2 Can you put a cord through its nose, or pierce its jaw with a hook?
41:3 Will it make numerous supplications to you, will it speak to you with tender words?
41:4 Will it make a pact with you, so you could take it as your slave for life?
41:5 Can you play with it, like a bird, or tie it on a leash for your girls?
41:6 Will partners bargain for it?
Will they divide it up among the merchants?
41:7 Can you fill its hide with harpoons or its head with fishing spears?
41:8 If you lay your hand on it, you will remember the fight, and you will never do it again!
41:9 See, his expectation is wrong, he is laid low even at the sight of it.
41:10 Is it not fierce when it is awakened?
Who is he, then, who can stand before it?
41:11 (Who has confronted me that I should repay?
Everything under heaven belongs to me!)
41:12 I will not keep silent about its limbs, and the extent of its might, and the grace of its arrangement.
41:13 Who can uncover its outer covering?
Who can penetrate to the inside of its armor?
41:14 Who can open the doors of its mouth?
Its teeth all around are fearsome.
41:15 Its back has rows of shields, shut up closely together as with a seal;
41:16 each one is so close to the next that no air can come between them.
41:17 They lock tightly together, one to the next; they cling together and cannot be separated.
41:18 Its snorting throws out flashes of light; its eyes are like the red glow of dawn.
41:19 Out of its mouth go flames, sparks of fire shoot forth!
41:20 Smoke streams from its nostrils as from a boiling pot over burning rushes.
41:21 Its breath sets coals ablaze and a flame shoots from its mouth.
41:22 Strength lodges in its neck, and despair runs before it.
41:23 The folds of its flesh are tightly joined; they are firm on it, immovable.
41:24 Its heart is hard as rock, hard as a lower millstone.
41:25 When it rises up, the mighty are terrified, at its thrashing about they withdraw.
41:26 Whoever strikes it with a sword will have no effect, nor with the spear, arrow, or dart.
41:27 It regards iron as straw and bronze as rotten wood.
41:28 Arrows do not make it flee; slingstones become like chaff to it.
41:29 A club is counted as a piece of straw; it laughs at the rattling of the lance.
41:30 Its underparts are the sharp points of potsherds, it leaves its mark in the mud like a threshing sledge.
41:31 It makes the deep boil like a cauldron and stirs up the sea like a pot of ointment,
41:32 It leaves a glistening wake behind it; one would think the deep had a head of white hair.
41:33 The likes of it is not on earth, a creature without fear.
41:34 It looks on every haughty being; it is king over all that are proud.”
Lord, You are beyond any human estimate in power or size, as well as beyond our imagination in perfection and wisdom. May I be humbled and surrendered to You so that I may never drift into doubt or misunderstanding.
The NET Greek/Hebrew reference defines Leviathan as possibly a “sea monster, dragon 1a) large aquatic animal 1b) perhaps the extinct dinosaur, plesiosaurus, exact meaning unknown”.
The concept of Leviathan is three-pronged in nature, on one hand the use of an exceptionally-large creature to illustrate a point about power, on another perhaps a rhetorical image to describe any unusually-difficult life challenge, and the third to illustrate Job’s standing before the Lord God (a Behemoth or Leviathan by comparison).
The Lord asks Job what mere human (Job or any other) can handle “Behemoth” or “Leviathan” at all, let alone with a mere word, a look, or a casual action.
As has always been true, explanations with examples are a powerful means of teaching.
What modern examples would you use to help a student to comprehend the magnitude of difference between a human and the Lord God?
Are we appropriately humbled when we contemplate our expectations of the Lord God?
When have you found yourself trying to ‘stuff the Lord God into a man-sized box’ only to realize that not only will He never fit, but that doing so created confusion and doubt?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a circumstance where a clear sense of the perfection, power, and wisdom of the Lord God was precisely what you needed in order to stand in faith.
Today I will share the story of my awareness of a right-sized Lord God and how that was the assurance I needed to trust Him when everything else was uncertain.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Job’s Confession
42:1 Then Job answered the Lord:
42:2 “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted;
42:3 you asked,
‘Who is this who darkens counsel without knowledge?’
But I have declared without understanding things too wonderful for me to know.
42:4 You said, ‘Pay attention, and I will speak; I will question you, and you will answer me.’
42:5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye has seen you.
42:6 Therefore I despise myself, and I repent in dust and ashes!
Lord, absolute humility before You is the beginning of wisdom. May I be humble and teachable so that You may find me useful in Your great plan.
Job was attacked by his three friends and he reacted by defending himself and diminishing the Lord God.
Elihu described the foolishness of any effort to diminish the Lord and challenged Job to repent.
The Lord God demanded that Job be accountable for his thought and words.
Job discovered absolute humility, just as David in the desert would later proclaim that if he faded into the dust of the desert – were that the Lord’s will – he would still praise Him.
Job moved from humility before the Lord God to doubting Him when tested by his friends by their attacks – he allowed the test to become a temptation and then overt sin – when he doubted the Lord.
How would your past week or month stand before the Lord challenging you about moments where you doubted or ignored Him?
The Lord God loved Job but could not allow the seed of doubt to remain buried deep in his heart – it had to be drawn out.
When have you heard someone doubt the Lord God? Were they teachable and did they respond to Biblical redirection, or were they unteachable?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your walk where sometimes doubt, or ignore, the Lord God.
Today I will confess and repent, accept and receive His forgiveness, then prayerfully-commit to remember the lesson of Job and to remember the perfection of the Lord God in all things at all times.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
VII. The Epilogue (42:7-17)
42:7 After the Lord had spoken these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My anger is stirred up against you and your two friends, because you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has. 42:8 So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job will intercede for you, and I will respect him, so that I do not deal with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has.”
42:9 So they went, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, and did just as the Lord had told them; and the Lord had respect for Job.
42:10 So the Lord restored what Job had lost after he prayed for his friends, and the Lord doubled all that had belonged to Job. 42:11 So they came to him, all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and they dined with him in his house. They comforted him and consoled him for all the trouble the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring.
42:12 So the Lord blessed the second part of Job’s life more than the first. He had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. 42:13 And he also had seven sons and three daughters. 42:14 The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-Happuch. 42:15 Nowhere in all the land could women be found who were as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance alongside their brothers.
42:16 After this Job lived 140 years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. 42:17 And so Job died, old and full of days.
Lord, You tolerate wrong teaching about You for only so long, then there are consequences. May I be a good Berean and check everything with Your Word – whether I am the student or the teacher.
The Lord God declared that Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar has spoken wrongly about the Lord’s treatment of Job (assigning a proportional sin-guilt to Job) and that they needed to make offerings.
He further instructed that Job would function as their high priest and pray to Him on their behalf and that then He would forgive them.
The Lord then blessed Job with children and animals and great health and wealth.
Job gave inheritances to both his sons and his daughters, a practice not later continued.
The Lord God never explained to Job why He had done what He had done, nor did He give to Job (or anyone else) the authority/right to question His motivations.
Job was chastised by the Lord God and he repented directly to Him and was forgiven, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar were chastised by the Lord God and they offered a sacrificial ram of their repentance and were forgiven, but why was Elihu not chastised? Did the Lord ignore him because he was not an elder and not held to the same standard? Or had Elihu spoken the truth?
The difference between what Job said that was incorrect, and what Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar said that was incorrect, was that they presumed to know that he had sinned – and deserved punishment for that – when they had no such knowledge. They were guilty of “bearing false witness” and then they tried to make the Lord God complicit in their misrepresentation of truth.
When have you experienced or observed the Lord God being blamed for something bad?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you someone who has misrepresented the Lord God, for whom you may pray so that they recognize their error, will repent, and that the Lord God will have mercy upon them.
Today I will pray in-earnest for the one whom the Holy Spirit has led me to pray. It may be a local teacher or preacher, a radio or television teacher or preacher, the author of a book or other teaching material, or a celebrity who claims to speak for the Lord God – but who does so in error.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 7
The Obedience of Abram
12:1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go out from your country, your relatives, and your father’s household to the land that I will show you.
12:2 Then I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great, so that you will exemplify divine blessing.
12:3 I will bless those who bless you, but the one who treats you lightly I must curse, and all the families of the earth will bless one another by your name.”
12:4 So Abram left, just as the Lord had told him to do, and Lot went with him. (Now Abram was 75 years old when he departed from Haran.) 12:5 And Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they left for the land of Canaan. They entered the land of Canaan.
12:6 Abram traveled through the land as far as the oak tree of Moreh at Shechem. (At that time the Canaanites were in the land.) 12:7 The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” So Abram built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.
Lord, I am Yours, please send me so that I may be Your conduit of blessing to others. Find me bold and courageous like Abram, surrendering comfort for obedience.
First Abram’s father Terah moved them from their home in Uz and then the Lord God instructed Abram to travel even further, leaving his remaining family and friends behind. He was to be completely dependent on God.
The patience of Abram reminds one of Noah; he labored and waited 100 years before God brought the rains that would float the Ark and waited another year on the Ark.
The Lord promised to reward Abram’s faithful obedience in great ways. He also promised to defend Abram.
Abram obeyed the Lord and took a huge entourage along with him; his immediate family, his extended family (Lot and others), their many physical possessions, and their servants “people acquired in Haran”.
They traveled to Canaan, which had been founded by the rebellious Ham and his equally rebellious descendants. The land, the ‘Promised Land’ was currently occupied by the Canaanites. The Lord God promised that land to Abram and his descendants but did not instruct him to take immediate possession thereof.
Abram traveled to a specific oak tree in a specific location, Shechem, a location to which Joshua would return in Joshua 24, and there the Lord appeared to him and he in reverence build an altar to the Lord.
Literal references to “oak tree” occur 20 times across the Old Testament and most of them refer to important moments; generally, moments of celebration, memorials, sacrifices, or worship.
Abram was already struggling with Sarai’s infertility yet he still stepped out in faith when the Lord God sent him. Abram’s leadership was powerful as many chose to follow him into lands unknown to them.
When has the Lord God asked you to go somewhere unfamiliar (not necessarily geographical but perhaps a different role in ministry or a different job or different social group) and you were already struggling some with an unmet desire that you believed to be on God’s list of good things? Have you found your patience with the Lord sometimes runs short? Does reading these texts chastise you to grow your patience?
The Lord God not only promised to bless Abram, He also promised to protect Him. The Lord uses not only the specific oak tree symbolism many times in the Old Testament but also uses “oak” to symbolize strength and “tree” as a metaphor and a physical reality throughout the Old and New Testament, including - of course - the Cross.
When have you stepped out in faith with the assurance that God would bless you, bless others through you, provide for you, and protect you – and He did? What has God used in your life as a symbolic rallying-point of faith? Is it a meaningful Bible-centered song, a geographical location, or perhaps even literally a tree?
Ask the Holy Spirit to challenge you with something new, and to empower you to be bold in action and in leadership, yet humble to stop and worship the Lord God every time He shows His presence to you.
Prayerfully demonstrate you faith in the Lord by partnering with Him to ‘go forth’ a little outside your comfort zone, trusting Him to bless you, bless others through you, to provide for you, and to protect you. Resist the temptation to place any limits on God. Share with a fellow believer how the Lord is causing or prompting you to ‘move’, and what He is doing or has done to show you that He is in it. Your ‘move’ may be out of one ministry and into another, a geographical move, an employment move, a discipleship move to increase your maturity, a church move for doctrinal or ministry-call reasons, a move from a living situation that distracts you from Him, or perhaps a move in your lifestyle toward a more righteous direction.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
12:8 Then he moved from there to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and worshiped the Lord. 12:9 Abram continually journeyed by stages down to the Negev.
The Promised Blessing Jeopardized
12:10 There was a famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt to stay for a while because the famine was severe. 12:11 As he approached Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “Look, I know that you are a beautiful woman. 12:12 When the Egyptians see you they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will keep you alive. 12:13 So tell them you are my sister so that it may go well for me because of you and my life will be spared on account of you.”
12:14 When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. 12:15 When Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. So Abram’s wife was taken into the household of Pharaoh, 12:16 and he did treat Abram well on account of her. Abram received sheep and cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.
12:17 But the Lord struck Pharaoh and his household with severe diseases because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 12:18 So Pharaoh summoned Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why didn’t you tell me that she was your wife? 12:19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Here is your wife! Take her and go!” 12:20 Pharaoh gave his men orders about Abram, and so they expelled him, along with his wife and all his possessions.
Lord, help us to learn from this text that when we misrepresent ourselves to others we may cause them to make wrong choice and may even lead them into harm.
Once again Abram paused in his busy travels to worship the Lord and to build an altar to Him.
The NET translator’s notes explain that Abram was in a nomadic mode, continuously moving through “the South [country],” and that “Negev is the name for the southern desert region in the land of Canaan.”
Because there were persistent drought conditions in the Negev Abrah decided to travel to Egypt in search of food and water for his family and entourage.
He apparently had some awareness of the practices of local leaders and feared for the safety of his family because Sarai was very beautiful.
If they knew her to be his wife they would make her a widow so they’d be free to overpower his people take her by force, but if he lied and said she was his sister than he might be able to better position himself (during negotiations) to escape once he announced she was actually his wife.
No knowing that Sarai was Abram’s wife Pharoah has her taken without negotiation and attempted to compensate Abram with a variety of animals and gifts.
The Lord God, always true to His Word, defended Abram’s family and struck “Pharaoh and his household with severe diseases because of Sarai”.
Pharoah was selectively-indignant at Abram for deceiving him, thereby causing him trouble with God, forgetting that he had kidnapped one whom he believed to be Abram’s sister with the intent of forcing her to be his wife.
He immediately set her free and expelled all of Abram’s entourage from Egypt.
The translator’s notes state that Sarai was indeed his sister. We were not previously told this in the prior Genesis text. His full disclosure would have been to say that she was both his sister and his wife, and his trust of the Lord God would have had him trust the Lord to protect them all.
Why would Pharaoh think it was OK to kidnap a man’s sister and force her to be his wife?
Even though Abram was foolish for not trusting the Lord God to provide and to protect, He kept His Word and defended Abram’s family. There was now established an animosity and master-slave mindset between Egypt and the descendants of Abram.
When has your misrepresentation of all of the facts and a mistrust of the Lord God, due to a fear of some sort, led to a misunderstanding?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how He has provided for and protected you in the past.
Today I will do something difficult that the Holy Spirit has been prompting me to do, I will trust Him to provide and to protect, and I will do all things with integrity so that none are led into harm because of me.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Abram’s Solution to the Strife
13:1 So Abram went up from Egypt into the Negev. He took his wife and all his possessions with him, as well as Lot. 13:2 (Now Abram was very wealthy in livestock, silver, and gold.)
13:3 And he journeyed from place to place from the Negev as far as Bethel. He returned to the place where he had pitched his tent at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai. 13:4 This was the place where he had first built the altar, and there Abram worshiped the Lord.
13:5 Now Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also had flocks, herds, and tents. 13:6 But the land could not support them while they were living side by side. Because their possessions were so great, they were not able to live alongside one another. 13:7 So there were quarrels between Abram’s herdsmen and Lot’s herdsmen. (Now the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land at that time.)
13:8 Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no quarreling between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are close relatives. 13:9 Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself now from me. If you go to the left, then I’ll go to the right, but if you go to the right, then I’ll go to the left.”
13:10 Lot looked up and saw the whole region of the Jordan. He noticed that all of it was well-watered (before the Lord obliterated Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, all the way to Zoar. 13:11a Lot chose for himself the whole region of the Jordan and traveled toward the east.
13:11b So the relatives separated from each other. 13:12 Abram settled in the land of Canaan, but Lot settled among the cities of the Jordan plain and pitched his tents next to Sodom. 13:13 (Now the people of Sodom were extremely wicked rebels against the Lord.)
13:14 After Lot had departed, the Lord said to Abram, “Look from the place where you stand to the north, south, east, and west. 13:15 I will give all the land that you see to you and your descendants forever. 13:16 And I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone is able to count the dust of the earth, then your descendants also can be counted. 13:17 Get up and walk throughout the land, for I will give it to you.”
13:18 So Abram moved his tents and went to live by the oaks of Mamre in Hebron, and he built an altar to the Lord there.
Lord, may I learn anew about grace toward ‘family’ [In the NT the parallel context for ‘family’ is not biological or legal but rather speaks of fellow-believers.]. May I trust in Your provision when confronted with conflict about limited resources so that I am not so fearful that I engage in conflict. Lord, I ask that you write on my heart the lesson you have for me which illustrates the important difference between Lot and Abram.
By the time that Abram had been expelled from Egypt the Lord God had blessed him with many possessions, some even from the Egyptian Pharoah.
Abram returned to the formerly drought-stricken Negev, and after some additional nomadic life returned to the location when God had “met” him and where he had erected an altar, where he again worshiped the Lord.
His entourage had continued to grow as the flocks and people multiplied and the time came where Lot’s herdsmen and Abram’s quarreled due to limited areas of fertile grazing apart from those in use by the current residents “... the Canaanites and the Perizzitesh.
Abram gave Lot the first choice of and he took the best-watered most-fertile he could see in the Jordan valley to the East.
Lot responded to Abram’s generosity in Gen. 13:10-11a by choosing with his eyes, selecting the best-watered area, even though it was dangerously close to the infamously sin-filled city of Sodom.
Abram then settled in Canaan.
The Lord God spoke to Abram (waiting until the selfish-Lot has departed) and promised him all of the land, and that he would have “... descendants [in number] like the dust of the earth.”
The Lord told Abram to “walk” or move about the land which He would give him and Abram did so – pausing in Mamre in Hebron to build another altar to God.
Although Abram had made some poor choices the Lord God continued to keep His promise. Lot demonstrated a reliance on the flesh rather than on the Lord which place him and those with him in both spiritual and physical harms-way.
Despite his wife Sarai being kidnapped, being expelled from Egypt, and his circular travels in the Negev, Abram still took time to worship the Lord. How often have you found this response among self-declared Christians in the midst of difficulty? While Lot rushed off to claim the best looking land Abram chose to seek the path chosen for him by the Lord God. What have those choices looked like in your life?
The text observes that the Jordan valley was at that time still “... well- watered, like the garden of the Lord”. It also notes that this is “(before the Lord obliterated Sodom and Gomorrah)”. Lot made a decision to unnecessarily locate his people near a spiritually and physically dangerous place because he wanted the best looking land – is that the mark of a good leader?
When were you been caught in a struggle with fellow-believers for resources? Did someone, you or another, modeled their response after Abram and gave the first choice to the other? Did you choose a way that looked good but that would repeatedly test your obedience to God ‘dancing too close to the fire’ or choosing the way that leads toward righteousness? What happened?
Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of the Lord God’s promise to protect and to provide, to bless and to multiply. Ask the Holy Spirit to challenge your choice-making – to reflect a desire toward righteous rather than constant temptation.
I agree to pursue an opportunity for the Lord God to bless another though my sacrifice in order to multiply those in His eternal family. As I walk through this act of faith I will remember to pause and to worship the Lord frequently. I will share with a fellow believer a choice with which I have struggled, one where I may choose to go where the challenge will constantly be between ‘how close to the fire can I dance without getting burned’ and ‘how righteous can I live’. I will ask them to pray in-agreement that I will honor the Lord in my choices and I will intentionally open the windows and doors to the Holy Spirit so that He may enlighten and refresh my thinking.
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The Blessing of Victory for God’s People
14:1 At that time Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations 14:2 went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 14:3 These last five kings joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). 14:4 For twelve years they had served Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 14:5 In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings who were his allies came and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim, 14:6 and the Horites in their hill country of Seir, as far as El Paran, which is near the desert. 14:7 Then they attacked En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh) again, and they conquered all the territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who were living in Hazazon Tamar.
14:8 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out and prepared for battle. In the Valley of Siddim they met 14:9 Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of nations, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar. Four kings fought against five. 14:10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits. When the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, they fell into them, but some survivors fled to the hills. 14:11 The four victorious kings took all the possessions and food of Sodom and Gomorrah and left. 14:12 They also took Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions when they left, for Lot was living in Sodom.
14:13 A fugitive came and told Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, the brother of Eshcol and Aner. (All these were allied by treaty with Abram.)
14:14 When Abram heard that his nephew had been taken captive, he mobilized his 318 trained men who had been born in his household, and he pursued the invaders as far as Dan.
14:15 Then, during the night, Abram divided his forces against them and defeated them. He chased them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus.
14:16 He retrieved all the stolen property. He also brought back his nephew Lot and his possessions, as well as the women and the rest of the people.
14:17 After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet Abram in the Valley of Shaveh (known as the King’s Valley).
14:18 Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (Now he was the priest of the Most High God.)
14:19 He blessed Abram, saying, Blessed be Abram by the Most High God, Creator of heaven and earth. 14:20a Worthy of praise is the Most High God, who delivered your enemies into your hand.
14:20b Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything.
14:21 Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, Give me the people and take the possessions for yourself. 14:22 But Abram replied to the king of Sodom, I raise my hand to the Lord, the Most High God, Creator of heaven and earth, and vow 14:23 that I will take nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the strap of a sandal. That way you can never say, It is I who made Abram rich.
14:24 I will take nothing except compensation for what the young men have eaten. As for the share of the men who went with me – Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre – let them take their share.
Lord, many times our decision to choose the proximity of people prone to conflict and rebellion may result in danger to ourselves. My we consider carefully your message here. You have promised to defend those who love and obey You and not to bless disobedience. May this piece of Biblical history be written on our hearts for those moments when we falter and doubt You. Lord, may I be found as humble and as willing to fore-go the riches of this world, as was Abram, so that I may remain especially-free of the influence of people-of-rebellion (like the king of Sodom) to better serve You.
Not many generations after Noah humankind had fragmented into warring fiefdoms, in this case one king had pressured others into paying tribute or protection money in exchange for freedom from attack – by him.
Several of the kings decided that they would no longer pay tribute and they rebelled. The dominant king gathered the kings who remained loyal to him and attacked, conquering the others, and expanding their territory - carrying off many spoils.
During this adventure the kings of the chronically-sinful city-states of Sodom and of Gomorrah fell into the tar pits and perished.
Swept up in the conquest of the invading kings was Abram’s nephew, Lot, who was taken along with his family and resources.
Families/people-groups/tribes had developed alliances in order to defend themselves against others, Abram was allied with Mamre the Amorite, Eshcol, and Aner. As soon as he heard of Lot’s capture he triggered an allied response.
It is notable that their fighting-force was small, as was that of those involved in the prior battle in which Lot was swept-up - these were not the more epic battles of thousands that would come later.
Abram’s 318 men not only defeated the enemy, they divided - for a strategic advantage - and then pursued the fleeing enemy to retrieve what had been stolen – especially Lot and his family.
In the text of Genesis 14:10 it seemed that the former king of Sodom had perished in the tar pits, together with the king of Gomorrah “When the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, they fell into them, but some survivors fled to the hills.” The phrase “some survivors” could have intended that the kings were survivors, though they were defeated, and some other survivors “fled to the hills”, or it could mean that the phrase “some survivors” along with “fell” indicates that the kings died and some survivors lived and fled to the hills. If the latter is correct then another man had apparently been quickly enthroned as the new king of Sodom as he meets Abram-the-liberator in the valley.
“Melchizedek king of Salem ...” is a somewhat challenging character to identify. The name also appears in Psalm 110. The NET translator’s notes suggest he was a Canaanite priest used to renew the promise to Abram. Psalm 110 refers to him as an “eternal priest in the order of Melchizedek”.
An ‘eternal priest’ may refer to one who serves the one true God of eternity and/or one whose own eternity is assured because of one’s faith has met God’s standard. Melchizedek has appeared on the list of characters described as literal appearances of Christ in the Old Testament.
Melchizedek rightly contextualizes Abram’s victory as the Lord God’s victory - realized through his servant Abram - and he declares the Lord worthy of praise; thus Abram gives an offering of “... a tenth of everything” to him as a faithful priestly servant of God.
The Enemy then sent the rebellious and unrepentantly-sinful king of Sodom to Abram, asking for his people back – as thanks he offered the same possessions that had been stolen then recovered to Abram. Abram discerned the trap and declared that he will keep nothing he did not earn so there was no encumbrance.
Abram did allow the others in their shared alliance to “... take their share”, apparently the others were not leaders for the Lord God – so they had no need to avoid the appearance of compromise.
Lot knew that Sodom was a city-state prone to rebellion against God and in a state of disharmony with its aggressive and domineering neighbors, yet still he still chose to settle his family in that region. There is nothing new about alliances, evil men plotting to take what is not theirs, and wars motivated on one side by greed and on the other by the desire to preserve freedom. The Apostle Paul followed the model of Abram, choosing to labor as a tentmaker so that he could speak the truth without fear of financial threat from the ungodly.
Just as unbelievers may be blessed when in the proximity of believers, whom the Lord God has chosen to bless - thereby benefiting from some of that blessing - is not the corollary true? Do you agree with Abram’s decision to go to war to rescue Lot? Abram’s offer of “... a tenth of everything” was an instinctive act of respect for and support of a messenger from God. How might we respond as New Testament Christians?
The rebellion against the oppression of their neighboring city-state appears to have been ill-conceived. Not only did they not recognize the military superiority of their enemy but they also appeared to have little awareness of dangers in their own back yard (the tar pits). Do modern-day Christians stand together when one of the ‘family’ is improperly attacked? The Enemy, the obvious ‘god’ of the lives of the kings of Sodom and of Gomorrah, acted quickly to try to compromise Abram – but Abram avoided becoming ensnared.
When have you suffered because of a conflict involving a person or group – a conflict you neither started nor voluntarily joined, but you were caught-up in it because you were somehow near to them physically and/or through a business, personal, or other association? When have you come alongside someone who has been improperly attacked? When have you been used of God to assist someone only to have a compromising offer made on the pretext of thanks? (It could be money of which you have cause to believe the source was sinful, alcohol or drugs, sexual favors, a special favor which would require an abuse of the person’s otherwise legitimate access to a business or government or other organization, or the perhaps property of others.)
Ask the Holy Spirit to find you teachable as He shows you the potential negative consequences of some of your associations. Listen as He helps you to discern what is important enough to fight for and what is not. Give the Holy Spirit permission to warn you more loudly when you may be drifting into a compromising situation as a result of a kindness you have done.
Make a list of business, personal, and other associations. List the positives and negatives. Rate them on a risk-scale as to probability of conflict with others. Prayerfully assess if your association is wise or if it exposes you to temptation or other unnecessary threats. I agree to join with a spiritually-mature fellow believer and to make a list of the people and/or things of which we believe to be worth (in a Biblically-faithful context as New Testament Christians) a ‘fight’; this may mean a verbal confrontation, a legal confrontation, a political action, physical self-defense (or physical intervention in the defense of another), and even war. We will pray over our lists several times a day for several days and then revisit them, then we will share them with a spiritual leader (deacon-elder, elder, pastor, counseling-elder, etc.) for their perspective, and again we will gather with our partner in the exercise to finalize our lists. Prayerfully assess some of the circumstances where you have been, or are currently, helping others. Invite the Holy Spirit to directly, or indirectly through a spiritually mature friend, show you if there are any compromises slipped into your life by the Enemy using that person or those people. Refuse to accept those compromising things and be fulfilled and joy-filled that you have been used of the Lord as His instrument of blessing.
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15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram! I am your shield and the one who will reward you in great abundance.”
15:2 But Abram said, “O sovereign Lord, what will you give me since I continue to be childless, and my heir is Eliezer of Damascus?” 15:3 Abram added, “Since you have not given me a descendant, then look, one born in my house will be my heir!”
15:4 But look, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but instead a son who comes from your own body will be your heir.”
15:5 The Lord took him outside and said, “Gaze into the sky and count the stars – if you are able to count them!” Then he said to him, “So will your descendants be.”
15:6 Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord considered his response of faith as proof of genuine loyalty.
Lord, your covenant with me through Jesus is the completed/perfected version of Your covenant with Abram, thank you! Lord, I praise and thank you for these verses, they remind me of Your faithfulness over the generations.
Once again the faith and trust of Abram was rewarded by a vision from the Lord God to bless him.
Abram, still tortured by his state of childlessness by Sarai, questioned the Lord’s promise - as without a son his death will result in a non-blood heir inheriting all that he had gathered - and bring an end to his family lineage.
Eliezer appeared to be the default heir, as per tradition he was the only son born in Abram’s house, though not to Abram.
The Lord God corrected Abram’s misconception and assured him that His promise would be kept, no matter what Abram’s limited imagination may yet have comprehended.
The Lord once-again showed Abram a symbolic representation of the numeric size of his descendents.
Abram’s response in-belief was blessed as “... the Lord considered his response of faith as proof of genuine loyalty.” The terms used were parallel with those describing a New Testament surrender in-faith to the Lordship of Christ.
Abram’s obsession with a son appeared to be growing and his questioning of the Lord God created an opportunity for the Enemy to do some mischief later on. The Lord did not condemn Abram for his initial unbelief but patiently corrected him. Our God is a patient God.
The Lord God renewed His promise to Abram several times yet Abram still questioned Him, have you observed a similar demandingness of the Lord in your life, or in that of others? Close your eyes, or perhaps go outside on a cloudless night, and imagine that you are Abram being taken outside of his tent and shown the stars and promised that your descendants would be as numerous as the stars. Describe your sense of the feelings that must have flooded Abram’s senses.
When Abram doubted God’s promise did that remind you of Eve when the serpent challenged her to doubt God? The Lord God counted Abram’s belief “... in the Lord” as faith, so the pattern of God’s requirement of faith for salvation is not new to the New Testament.
When you find yourself questioning the Lord God; does He really love me, will He really provide for me, will He really protect me, where does your mind wander? When you believed in Jesus, what was the primary thing that caused you to finally recognize Him for Who He is and that caused you to choose to surrender to His Lordship?
Ask the Holy Spirit to impress upon you a profound and constant awareness God’s perfect knowledge and perfect power so that you stand in awe - stripped of any doubt. Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you where and how the Lord God led you to believe.
Make a list of the promises that you believe that you have received from God, write next to them the cases where God has already fulfilled some of them, and pray that you will recognize them as the others are fulfilled – and that you will praise God for the past, present, and future. Share with some fellow believers the circumstances leading to your decision to believe and to surrender in faith. Celebrate together and give praise to the Lord God.
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15:7 The Lord said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.” 15:8 But Abram said, “O sovereign Lord, by what can I know that I am to possess it?”
15:9 The Lord said to him, “Take for me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.” 15:10 So Abram took all these for him and then cut them in two and placed each half opposite the other, but he did not cut the birds in half. 15:11 When birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.
15:12 When the sun went down, Abram fell sound asleep, and great terror overwhelmed him. 15:13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign country. They will be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years. 15:14 But I will execute judgment on the nation that they will serve. Afterward they will come out with many possessions. 15:15 But as for you, you will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age. 15:16 In the fourth generation your descendants will return here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its limit.”
15:17 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking firepot with a flaming torch passed between the animal parts.
15:17 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking firepot with a flaming torch passed between the animal parts.
15:18 That day the Lord made a covenant with Abram: “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates River –
15:19 the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 15:20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 15:21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.”
Lord, teach me to never doubt or to question You. What You say you always do.
Abram continued to harbor some doubts as to the working-out of the Lord God’s promise. It is unclear if he was actually doubting God or was just confused as he could not see the details of the path to its fulfillment.
The Lord used a powerful and stark illustration to drive home His point – that there would be difficult times and Abram would not see their conclusion – but the Lord God would keep His promise.
The Lord prophesied the Egyptian slavery and the eventual freedom, He also noted that the Amorites were in-process and that He was allowing their rebellion against Him to play-out.
The “... smoking firepot with a flaming torch” which passed between the divided animal parts was an illustration drawn from a local custom with which Abram would have been familiar – the Suzerin Treaty. The custom was that the victor in battle would do the same and then make the losers walk between the parts. He would then declare what the loser would be required to do and what not allowed to do – failure to obey resulting in the same being done to them as to the animals. In this case it was the Lord God, in the form of the flame, Who was pledging Himself to His covenant with Abram.
Abram still doesn’t get it and continued to pester the Lord God for confirmation, and He patiently instructed him one more time. Use of the Suzerin Treaty was to say that He was unlike all the false gods, He would not turn away from His Word, and He would be willing to give Himself in death on behalf of His people (those with an eternally saving relationship) so that their disobedience to Him would not result in their destruction.
The Lord described both the geographical boundaries of the convenental lands and the tribes which would be displaced in order that His promise would be fulfilled.
He described both the geographical boundaries of the convenental lands and how the tribes would be displaced in order that His promise would be fulfilled.
God knew that it was important to persuade Abram that He was irreversibly committed to the covenant He had presented – given Abram’s repeated doubts did it not seem necessary? Abram’s apparent desire to stuff God into a man-sized box seems to predispose him to a bad decision in the future. Have you experienced this?
God used highly visual communication tools to be certain that there was no mistaking His intentions on the part of Abram. Knowing the challenges ahead Abram continued to go wherever God led.
When have you struggled to get someone to understand the promise that you were making to them? What kinds of illustrations have you used that you believe would be both familiar to them and would effectively make your point? When has God asked you to do something new, or to persist in what you are already doing for Him, and you have obeyed even though you knew the going would be tough.
Ask the Holy Spirit to find you receptive as He tries to lead you to a clearer understanding of His message to you. Ask the Holy Spirit to build you up in courage.
Prayerfully select a Biblical teaching, either the literal Word or some doctrine that has been taught in your hearing or reading, which you have had some difficulty understanding. (While the Word is always true, the interpretation of and/or application from it may be flawed. The doctrinal teaching may be fundamentally flawed or true. In either case ask the Lord to give you an illustration which will assist you in your understanding, then share it with another believer. Prayerfully identify something God wants you to persist in, or to begin newly, then journal or describe to a fellow believer the challenges that you know this will bring. Pray for courage and then commit to the Lord that you will persevere.
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The Birth of Ishmael
16:1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not given birth to any children, but she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar. 16:2 So Sarai said to Abram, “Since the Lord has prevented me from having children, have sexual relations with my servant. Perhaps I can have a family by her.” Abram did what Sarai told him.
16:3 So after Abram had lived in Canaan for ten years, Sarai, Abram’s wife, gave Hagar, her Egyptian servant, to her husband to be his wife. 16:4 He had sexual relations with Hagar, and she became pregnant. Once Hagar realized she was pregnant, she despised Sarai. 16:5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “You have brought this wrong on me! I allowed my servant to have sexual relations with you, but when she realized that she was pregnant, she despised me. May the Lord judge between you and me!”
16:6 Abram said to Sarai, “Since your servant is under your authority, do to her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai treated Hagar harshly, so she ran away from Sarai.
16:7 The Lord’s angel found Hagar near a spring of water in the desert – the spring that is along the road to Shur. 16:8 He said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She replied, “I’m running away from my mistress, Sarai.”
16:9 Then the Lord’s angel said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her authority. 16:10 I will greatly multiply your descendants,” the Lord’s angel added, “so that they will be too numerous to count.” 16:11 Then the Lord’s angel said to her,
“You are now pregnant and are about to give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard your painful groans.
16:12 He will be a wild donkey of a man. He will be hostile to everyone, and everyone will be hostile to him. He will live away from his brothers.”
16:13 So Hagar named the Lord who spoke to her, “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “Here I have seen one who sees me!” 16:14 That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi. (It is located between Kadesh and Bered.)
16:15 So Hagar gave birth to Abram’s son, whom Abram named Ishmael. 16:16 (Now Abram was 86 years old when Hagar gave birth to Ishmael.)
Lord, may I learn from this to never get out ahead of Your perfectly-timed plan for me. May this text help me to understand that a child born as a result of disobedience to You will also be born into many forms of conflict; may I be kind, prayerful, and understanding.
Abram and Sarai become impatient and decided together to have Abram mate with Sarai’s servant, Hagar (who was functionally her property, therefore legally an extension of her).
Once Hagar was pregnant Abram naturally paid her extra attention and makes certain that she is well cared for – thereby provoking Hagar to consider herself considerably more than a mere servant – provoking Sarai to become indignant.
Sarai confronted Abram, blaming him for her improper attitude, and demanded that the Lord God judge who was right or wrong.
Abram responded to Sarai’s jealous challenge by acknowledging her owner-master relationship with Hagar. Sarai then mistreated Hagar who fled.
“The Lord’s angel ...” greeted Hagar and instructed her to return to Sarai. He also delivered the Lord God’s message that her descendants would be many and that she was to name him Ishmael (the God Who hears).
She is given a prophesy that Ishmael and his descendants would live apart from traditional people, often wandering, and often in sociological conflict due to different styles, temperament, and traditions.
She obediently returned and gave birth. Abram obeyed the instruction of the angel and named the child Ishmael.
Despite the Lord God’s promise that Abram’s descendants would come from Abram and Sarai, Sarai – like Eve – decided to go her own way, and Abram – like Adam – followed her lead. (This appears to be the first recorded case of a “surrogate mother”.) The frustration and anger Hagar felt became a desire for freedom at any cost – and Ishmael lived that life of separateness and disconnectedness with his extended family.
Have you ever grown tired of the waiting and acted in a manner less than honoring to the Lord God in order to speed things along? Are you, or is someone whom you know well, a child of conflict and rebellion? How has that impacted your life?
Hagar was caught in the middle. She would have been in trouble had she said no to Sarai’s request to mate with Abram but then was in trouble because she did. Of course her newfound less-than-humble attitude was a significant factor as well. The Lord God’s promise to Abram partially extended to his child with Hagar, and although that was not the original intent, the Lord was faithful – even when Abram was not.
Have you, or someone you know, received a special blessing and then been misunderstood when you/they celebrated it perhaps a little too much? When has then Lord God offered to bless something but you took a short cut so that when the blessing came it was distorted somehow? (e.g. Perhaps the Lord God promised to bless a new ministry but you took a short cut and placed a new believer in a role of leadership, despite Biblical warnings to not do so, and as a result the ministry grew but was plagued with conflicts centered around that person?)
Ask the Holy Spirit to use you, along with this text, to teach someone younger in the faith, and to remind you of the important principles which the Lord God wants all of His children to learn, remember, and apply. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you may be drifting off of the path He has for you.
Prayerfully seek an opportunity to teach someone younger in the faith that the Lord God’s timing is perfect and what He has promised He will fulfill in His time and in His way. If He wants our help He will ask for it. Also, teach them about humility in the face of blessing so that their celebration is full but not disrespectful of others. As you teach remember that the lesson applies equally to you. Prayerfully review the choices that you are making. With the help of the Holy Spirit discern one area where you are trying to accomplish in your flesh that which God has said He will do. Confess and repent (turn away from) that and patiently wait on the Lord – being faithful in the small things along the way.
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All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 8
The Sign of the Covenant
17:1 When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am the sovereign God. Walk before me and be blameless. 17:2 Then I will confirm my covenant between me and you, and I will give you a multitude of descendants.”
17:3 Abram bowed down with his face to the ground, and God said to him, 17:4 “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of a multitude of nations. 17:5 No longer will your name be Abram. Instead, your name will be Abraham because I will make you the father of a multitude of nations. 17:6 I will make you extremely fruitful. I will make nations of you, and kings will descend from you. 17:7 I will confirm my covenant as a perpetual covenant between me and you. It will extend to your descendants after you throughout their generations. I will be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 17:8 I will give the whole land of Canaan – the land where you are now residing – to you and your descendants after you as a permanent possession. I will be their God.”
17:9 Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep the covenantal requirement I am imposing on you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.
17:10 This is my requirement that you and your descendants after you must keep: Every male among you must be circumcised. 17:11 You must circumcise the flesh of your foreskins. This will be a reminder of the covenant between me and you.
17:12 Throughout your generations every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, whether born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not one of your descendants. 17:13 They must indeed be circumcised, whether born in your house or bought with money. The sign of my covenant will be visible in your flesh as a permanent reminder.
17:14 Any uncircumcised male who has not been circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin will be cut off from his people – he has failed to carry out my requirement.”
17:15 Then God said to Abraham, “As for your wife, you must no longer call her Sarai; Sarah will be her name. 17:16 I will bless her and will give you a son through her. I will bless her and she will become a mother of nations. Kings of countries will come from her!”
17:17 Then Abraham bowed down with his face to the ground and laughed as he said to himself, “Can a son be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?”
17:18 Abraham said to God, “O that Ishmael might live before you!”
17:19 God said, “No, Sarah your wife is going to bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac. I will confirm my covenant with him as a perpetual covenant for his descendants after him.
17:20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you. I will indeed bless him, make him fruitful, and give him a multitude of descendants. He will become the father of twelve princes; I will make him into a great nation.
17:21 But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time next year.”
17:22 When he finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.
17:23 Abraham took his son Ishmael and every male in his household (whether born in his house or bought with money) and circumcised them on that very same day, just as God had told him to do.
17:24 Now Abraham was 99 years old when he was circumcised; 17:25 his son Ishmael was thirteen years old when he was circumcised. 17:26 Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised on the very same day.
17:27 All the men of his household, whether born in his household or bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.
Lord, I wish to walk before you blameless and to be a fruitful part of Your perfect plan in this world. While the whole notion of adult circumcision makes us wince, and the nature of such a primitive and legalistic/performance-based relationship contrary to our Christian reality of a grace-based relationship, we do want to be mindful that there is a 'spiritual circumcision' that takes place when we accept Your Lordship of our lives. Lord, may I never be found laughing in doubt at any of Your prophesies, You always keep Your word and nothing You promise is absurd. Lord, find me grateful that rather than occasional moments when You come to be near to me You are always with me through Your Holy Spirit. May I be as faithful in following Your instructions as was Abraham, no matter the cost.
The Lord God systematically and incrementally communicated the details of His covenant to Abram. He communicated His decision to re-name Abram to Abraham in order to clarify His ‘ownership’ of Abraham and his descendants.
The Lord again affirmed His commitment to make Abraham “fruitful”, to raise up great leaders from his descendants, to give to them a large territory, and to be their God.
God described to Abraham His system to bring the men in Abraham’s extended family and community to an awareness of the high-level of commitment they were making to His covenant – adult circumcision.
He instructed Abraham that newly born boys must also be circumcised.
He extended the circumcision requirements to every male in “the camp”.
He informed Abraham that He was also asserting “lordship/ownership” of Sarai and that He had renamed her, Sarah.
He instructed Abraham to inform Sarah that she would bear a child from Abraham and that child would be the first in a line to include kings of countries (and The King),
Abraham, bowing in submission laughed at the very notion that an elderly couple like he and Sarah could have a child – his laughter was sorrowful rather than derisive.
Abraham plead for God to fulfill His promise through Ishmael.
The Lord corrected Abraham’s error and instructed him to name the son, to be born of Abraham and Sarai - Isaac. He advised Abraham that the birth will be in one year’s time.
He notified Abraham that He would confirm His covenant directly with Isaac.
He also informed Abraham that He has already declared that He would bless Ishmael because of Abraham, making his descendants many and powerful, eventually gathered into a large nation. Interestingly He declares that Ishmael will be the father of twelve princes.
When the Lord God completed His instruction of Abraham He departed.
Abraham immediately obeyed God’s instruction and had every male circumcised.
The circumcision included Abraham (99 years old) and Ishmael (13).
Observe Abram’s response to the presence of God “Abram bowed down with his face to the ground ...” The Holy Spirit of God dwells within us, do we “bow down” before His presence through lives lived in humble submission? Is it not amazing that despite Abram and Sarai’s rebellion, which had just created the tribe of Ishmael, the Lord still comes to Abram to continue the revelation of His covenant?
In the primitive medical conditions this would have been dangerous and debilitating of the men limiting their capacity to defend the community or to work. Abraham still failed to fully appreciate Who God was and therefore doubted His capacity to literally fulfill His prophesy. The Lord did not choose to confront Abraham angrily, despite his rebellion via Hagar, and his doubts about His promise. There were no hospitals as we know them, little in the way of sanitation, and every male was circumcised – creating a military vulnerability while they recovered.
Compare the severity of the physical pain and significance of the social impact associated with the Abrahamic covenant to that which we experience for our public declaration of faith in the generally Christian-friendly West, as well as parts of the rest of the world. When have you doubted one of God’s promises could really come to you? When have you known that you deserved God’s anger and Hand of discipline yet He has withheld both. Since He knows your heart was His restraint due to your repentance? Abraham was apparently held in extraordinary high-regard as there is no report of rebellion against this extreme requirement for all of the men.
What must it have meant to Abram, now Abraham, to hear the Lord God declare of his descendants “I will be their God.” The instructions of God, detailed later, would specify the 8th week of life for baby boys to be circumcised. Modern research has uncovered the fact that the 8th week is when Vitamin K spikes in the child – Vitamin K is a clotting agent which would have prevented them from excessive bleeding. Abraham is focused on himself, through the eyes of the world seeing himself and Sarah as impossible vessels for God's fulfilled prophesy, and the he places God in a man-sized 'box'. Prior to the coming of the indwelling Holy Spirit those who worshiped God generally only knew His presence occasionally whereas NT believers have His presence continually. Abraham never asked for an exemption based on his age and was circumcised along with Ishmael, humbly submitting as leader and son for all to know that it was the required thing to do and that he was willing to model obedience even in very difficult things.
When has your realization that the Holy Spirit in you is the Lord God present with you caused to you pause in reverent awe – and moved you to live more righteously before Him? What do you know of cultures where a public confession of faith represents a major physical and/or sociological risk and sacrifice? When have you doubted your suitability for God’s promise and, perhaps unintentionally, then doubted God’s capacity to do as He has promised in and through you? When has God had to confront you in some way to correct your wrong thinking? When has God made a sacrificial claim on your life? Did you obey despite the cost?
Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of the covenant God has made with you in Christ. Ask the Holy Spirit to make you mindful of the ‘circumcision of your heart’ which God asks of you, as described by the apostle Paul in the NT as a parallel to that experienced by Abraham and his community. Ask the Holy Spirit to extinguish any smoldering fire of doubt which the enemy has started in you. Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you frequently every day of His presence. Ask the Holy Spirit to find you a willing partner in learning to be the first to sacrifice and a positive role model of obedience to God – even in the hard things.
Prayerfully seek a place in your life where you have not experienced a 'circumcision of the heart', that is, a place where your loyalty remains in the world rather than in Christ. Agree to cooperate with the Holy Spirit to walk through the challenging process of surrendering that part of your life to the Lordship of Christ – no matter the cost. Prayerfully seek out a new or stuck believer and share this text and discussion with them, encouraging them to discover anew the awe of the presence of God within. Prayerfully ponder the most challenging or difficult promise God has made to you. [His promises to His children are all in His Word.] Honestly list the doubts you have, both of yourself as fit to be the vessel of His promise, and if you really understood correctly His amazing promise. Ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement that your faith would be expanded to accept God at His Word. I agree to be intentional about beginning my every day with a conversation with the Holy Spirit of God through prayer, to pause and do so during the day, and to be at least as faithful in this as an adherent to Islam is in his ot her daily pauses for worship.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Three Special Visitors
18:1 The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent during the hottest time of the day. 18:2 Abraham looked up and saw three men standing across from him. When he saw them he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
18:3 He said, “My lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by and leave your servant. 18:4 Let a little water be brought so that you may all wash your feet and rest under the tree. 18:5 And let me get a bit of food so that you may refresh yourselves since you have passed by your servant’s home. After that you may be on your way.” “All right,” they replied, “you may do as you say.”
18:6 So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, Quick! Take three measures of fine flour, knead it, and make bread. 18:7 Then Abraham ran to the herd and chose a fine, tender calf, and gave it to a servant, who quickly prepared it. 18:8 Abraham then took some curds and milk, along with the calf that had been prepared, and placed the food before them. They ate while he was standing near them under a tree.
18:9 Then they asked him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He replied, “There, in the tent.” 18:10 One of them said, “I will surely return to you when the season comes round again, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” (Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, not far behind him. 18:11 Abraham and Sarah were old and advancing in years; Sarah had long since passed menopause.) 18:12 So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, “After I am worn out will I have pleasure, especially when my husband is old too?”
18:13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child when I am old?’ 18:14 Is anything impossible for the Lord? I will return to you when the season comes round again and Sarah will have a son.” 18:15 Then Sarah lied, saying, “I did not laugh,” because she was afraid. But the Lord said, “No! You did laugh.”
Abraham Pleads for Sodom
18:16 When the men got up to leave, they looked out over Sodom. (Now Abraham was walking with them to see them on their way.) 18:17 Then the Lord said, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? 18:18 After all, Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations on the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using his name. 18:19 I have chosen him so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. Then the Lord will give to Abraham what he promised him.”
18:20 So the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so blatant 18:21 that I must go down and see if they are as wicked as the outcry suggests. If not, I want to know.”
18:22 The two men turned and headed toward Sodom, but Abraham was still standing before the Lord.
18:23 Abraham approached and said, “Will you sweep away the godly along with the wicked?
18:24 What if there are fifty godly people in the city? Will you really wipe it out and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty godly people who are in it? 18:25 Far be it from you to do such a thing – to kill the godly with the wicked, treating the godly and the wicked alike! Far be it from you! Will not the judge of the whole earth do what is right?”
18:26 So the Lord replied, “If I find in the city of Sodom fifty godly people, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
18:27 Then Abraham asked, “Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord (although I am but dust and ashes), 18:28 what if there are five less than the fifty godly people? Will you destroy the whole city because five are lacking?” He replied, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”
18:29 Abraham spoke to him again, “What if forty are found there?” He replied, “I will not do it for the sake of the forty.”
18:30 Then Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry so that I may speak! What if thirty are found there?” He replied, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
18:31 Abraham said, “Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty are found there?” He replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”
18:32 Finally Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry so that I may speak just once more. What if ten are found there?” He replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”
18:33 The Lord went on his way when he had finished speaking to Abraham. Then Abraham returned home.
Lord, may I recognize You and rush to worship and to serve You. May I be mature enough so that even when Your promises seem impossible I will trust You, and even when caught doubting I will not lie but will confess and ask that my faith be increased. May I be as sensitive as Abraham for the righteous hidden among the multitudes of the unrighteous.
The three “men” are clearly “heavenly” in origin:
Abraham ran to them, something unusual for a man, especially of his age.
Abraham addressed at least one as “Lord”.
Abraham bowed in submission.
Abraham pleaded to be permitted to provide foot washing, food, and a shady place for rest.
Abraham had Sarah and his servants prepare “fine” bread and a “fine” calf – the best for his very special guests. He then stood apart from them, as a servant from his master, as they ate.
The heavenly visitors announced again, in the most specific and unambiguous language, the Lord God’s plan for Sarah’s pregnancy.
Sarah was bitter and hopeless as she was post-menopausal. (From the experience- based perspective of the world she was no longer able to become pregnant and to bear a child, so she laughed when they made their announcement.)
The Lord challenged Abraham about Sarah’s doubts, at which moment Sarah – frightened that the Lord was aware of her lack of faith – denied lying. The Lord corrected her with the truth while He steadfastly declared His intention to return when it was time for the child to be born.
As Abraham was “... still standing before the Lord” God announced that He intended to bring a terrible judgment upon Sodom.
Abraham challenged the Lord God to reconsider the destruction of Sodom and He agreed – of course knowing that Abraham’s condition of righteous men could not be met.
Abraham was a powerful and wealthy man in that part of the world, he had only previously shown such deference to Melchizedek (Gen. 14:17-20). Meanwhile, Sarah’s eyes were on her imperfect flesh and not on her perfect Lord. Later, Abraham was so concerned for the righteous in Sodom that he was willing to challenge the Lord God several times to consider withholding His hand of judgment.
Despite the history of the Lord’s faithfulness and power Sarah failed to trust. Why?
Abraham had a sense of fatherly responsibility for the people in the region, even Sodom – whom he had previously rescued from an invading army, perhaps even more-so because his nephew Lot lived there.
When have you recognized a special gift in someone and rather than competing with them for attention or distracting them from their task you have humbly served them? When have you struggled to see things through God’s eyes instead of the limited vision of the world? When have you pleaded with God to withhold His hand of judgment upon a parent for the sake of a child or a spouse for the sake of their mate or some other unrighteous person for the sake of a righteous one who might be harmed?
Ask the Holy Spirit to direct you to a small group of people, perhaps students at a college or other school or employees in a workplace, who are surrounded by people immersed in sin and who need support.
Today I agree to communicate a word of encouragement to those whom the Holy Spirit has directed me and to pray for protection for them.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
19:1 The two angels came to Sodom in the evening while Lot was sitting in the city’s gateway. When Lot saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face toward the ground.
19:2 He said, “Here, my lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house. Stay the night and wash your feet. Then you can be on your way early in the morning.” “No,” they replied, “we’ll spend the night in the town square.”
19:3 But he urged them persistently, so they turned aside with him and entered his house. He prepared a feast for them, including bread baked without yeast, and they ate.
19:4 Before they could lie down to sleep, all the men – both young and old, from every part of the city of Sodom – surrounded the house. 19:5 They shouted to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so we can have sex with them!”
19:6 Lot went outside to them, shutting the door behind him. 19:7 He said, “No, my brothers! Don’t act so wickedly! 19:8 Look, I have two daughters who have never had sexual relations with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do to them whatever you please. Only don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof.”
19:9 “Out of our way!” they cried, and “This man came to live here as a foreigner, and now he dares to judge us! We’ll do more harm to you than to them!” They kept pressing in on Lot until they were close enough to break down the door.
19:10 So the men inside reached out and pulled Lot back into the house as they shut the door. 19:11 Then they struck the men who were at the door of the house, from the youngest to the oldest, with blindness. The men outside wore themselves out trying to find the door.
19:12 Then the two visitors said to Lot, “Who else do you have here? Do you have any sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or other relatives in the city? Get them out of this place 19:13 because we are about to destroy it. The outcry against this place is so great before the Lord that he has sent us to destroy it.”
19:14 Then Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law who were going to marry his daughters. He said, “Quick, get out of this place because the Lord is about to destroy the city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was ridiculing them.
19:15 At dawn the angels hurried Lot along, saying, “Get going! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or else you will be destroyed when the city is judged!” 19:16 When Lot hesitated, the men grabbed his hand and the hands of his wife and two daughters because the Lord had compassion on them. They led them away and placed them outside the city. 19:17 When they had brought them outside, they said, “Run for your lives! Don’t look behind you or stop anywhere in the valley! Escape to the mountains or you will be destroyed!”
19:18 But Lot said to them, “No, please, Lord! 19:19 Your servant has found favor with you, and you have shown me great kindness by sparing my life. But I am not able to escape to the mountains because this disaster will overtake me and I’ll die. 19:20 Look, this town over here is close enough to escape to, and it’s just a little one. Let me go there. It’s just a little place, isn’t it? Then I’ll survive.”
19:21 “Very well,” he replied, “I will grant this request too and will not overthrow the town you mentioned. 19:22 Run there quickly, for I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” (This incident explains why the town was called Zoar.)
19:23 The sun had just risen over the land as Lot reached Zoar. 19:24 Then the Lord rained down sulfur and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah. It was sent down from the sky by the Lord. 19:25 So he overthrew those cities and all that region, including all the inhabitants of the cities and the vegetation that grew from the ground. 19:26 But Lot’s wife looked back longingly and was turned into a pillar of salt.
19:27 Abraham got up early in the morning and went to the place where he had stood before the Lord. 19:28 He looked out toward Sodom and Gomorrah and all the land of that region. As he did so, he saw the smoke rising up from the land like smoke from a furnace.
19:29 So when God destroyed the cities of the region, God honored Abraham’s request. He removed Lot from the midst of the destruction when he destroyed the cities Lot had lived in.
19:30 Lot went up from Zoar with his two daughters and settled in the mountains because he was afraid to live in Zoar. So he lived in a cave with his two daughters.
19:31 Later the older daughter said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man anywhere nearby to have sexual relations with us, according to the way of all the world. 19:32 Come, let’s make our father drunk with wine so we can have sexual relations with him and preserve our family line through our father.”
19:33 So that night they made their father drunk with wine, and the older daughter came and had sexual relations with her father. But he was not aware that she had sexual relations with him and then got up. 19:34 So in the morning the older daughter said to the younger, “Since I had sexual relations with my father last night, let’s make him drunk again tonight. Then you go and have sexual relations with him so we can preserve our family line through our father.” 19:35 So they made their father drunk that night as well, and the younger one came and had sexual relations with him. But he was not aware that she had sexual relations with him and then got up.
19:36 In this way both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father. 19:37 The older daughter gave birth to a son and named him Moab. He is the ancestor of the Moabites of today. 19:38 The younger daughter also gave birth to a son and named him Ben-Ammi. He is the ancestor of the Ammonites of today.
19:30 Lot went up from Zoar with his two daughters and settled in the mountains because he was afraid to live in Zoar. So he lived in a cave with his two daughters.
Lord, may I treat fellow believers with the same sacrificial courtesy and bravery as Lot. Lord, when You tell me to “Get going!” may I be as Lot and obey immediately. Lord, please do not find me so impatient that in my desperation I do things my own way instead of trusting You. Lord, teach me to trust in You so that the enemy cannot use fear to manipulate me.
The two beings mentioned previously arrived in Sodom to destroy the city and they find Lot at the city gates – generally the place of the religious “elders”.
Lot, like Moses, recognized them as of-God and he bowed to them – insisting that they dine and spend the night in the comfort and safety of his home.
The crazed men of Sodom attacked Lot’s home, demanding the visitors for their homosexual pleasures.
Lot realized that if he could not persuade the mob to leave they would break down his door and take his guests – who according to ancient custom he was duty-bound to protect by any means necessary – so he stepped outside of his house to confront them at mortal risk to his own life.
Since the men were crazed with sex and would probably have raped and murdered everyone in Lot’s household he offered his virgin daughters so as to protect the “men” (angels) of-God, his highest responsibility (in his mind).
The men refused as they were so mad with homosexual lust, having long-ago given themselves over to unbridled sin, reject his offer and shoved him aside to attack the door.
The “angels” reached out, pulled Lot to safety, then blinded the men so they were unable to find the door – though they tried throughout the night – exhausting themselves from the effort.
Just as the Lord God had done with Noah, He extended His blessing for the one to his closest relatives by instructing Lot to gather-up his “... sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or other relatives in the city”.
Lot’s “son-in-laws”, men who were engaged to his daughters, refused to take him seriously and refused to leave. [Note: According to Old Testament tradition, when a couple were engaged they were considered all-but-married – with the exception of their wedding night consummation. This remained true even until the time of Joseph and Mary in the New Testament.]
When it was dawn and time to actually leave the angels rushed Lot and his family out of the city; even Lot hesitated as he was leaving everything of worldly value behind, so the angels compassionately took his hand and led him out.
Seeing the distance from the city to the mountains Lot asked to be permitted to take refuge in a nearby village, Zoar, which the angels granted. The members of Lot’s group were warned by the angel to not look back at the city.
As the Lord God obliterated Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot’s wife looked back at the city with longing in her heart for that sinful place, this was in direct disobedience to the instruction of the angel and thus she was turned to a pillar of salt.
When Abraham awoke he went and stood in the place where the Lord had taken him to show him the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah which He intended to obliterate – and Abraham saw their ruins – he was also aware that God had honored his request to spare his nephew Lot.
Lot fled Zoar for a cave in the mountains as he feared that the people may have blamed him for God’s destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Lot and his daughters were isolated from other people as they had for some reason not chosen to seek out Abraham.
Lot’s daughters has lost their husbands-to-be in the destruction of Sodom were desperate to bear children so that the tradition of biological descendants might continue.
Since their father was the only available male they decided to get him so drunk that he would not know that they had sex with him, and they did so.
Their descendants from those two acts of incest were the Ammonites and Moabites.
Lot welcomed the angels into his home, practicing what is in the New Testament described by the Apostle Paul as the gift of hospitality, and accepting responsibility for their well-being – including to the point of everything over which he had authority – even his family and his own life. Lot made a foolish and selfish choice to settle near Sodom and Gomorrah, then Abraham had to rescue him from the raiding armies, and again had to ask God to spare him from His wrath upon those evil cities. Zoar, to which Lot had initially fled Sodom, was the only community spared God’s wrath because God had promised Abraham He would protect Lot; however Lot feared that the people there would blame him for the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot never gave a thought to using the wrath of God as a teachable moment to share God with them as his relationship with God was a very shallow one in contrast to that of Abraham. If we are fearful what others may think then we have made of them idols with more power than the God Who created all that exists.
Lot knew that these men/angels would not be safe I the city square, where they had said they’d be willing to spend the night, and they – being of-God, knew also the danger into which Lot was placing himself by taking them in for the night. God clearly had a timetable in mind for the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah but took the time to offer safety to Lot and his family. In keeping with His provision for free will, the son-in-laws were allowed to decide to stay and Lot’s wife was allowed to be disobedient once outside of the city and suffer the mortal consequences. Fear of being unable to flee to the mountains in time before the destruction of Sodom caused Lot to ask to stop in Zoar instead, fear of persecution in Zoar caused Lot to flee to a cave in the mountains, fear kept Lot and his daughters from leaving the cave in search of Abraham, and fear caused Lot’s daughters to turn to incest in order to have children. What sort of fear-driven caves have you known others to live in?
Imagine the horror of Lot when he realized that the mob of men would certainly break down his door and do whatever they desired with the occupants and his heartsick decision to sacrifice his virgin daughters to the mob in hopes of saving at least some of the occupants – especially the men/angels he had given his solemn oath to protect at any cost. [Note: Lot was not trying to protect himself, when he went outside he had already made it clear that he was willing to place himself in harm’s way to protect his guests. He quickly discovered that he had no power to protect anyone from the mob.] Lot, knowing that God was about to destroy Sodom still hesitated in leaving. Lot’s wife did worse, she looked back longing for the city of sin, just as we sometimes long for things we have left behind – and should never long to return to. Lot had a long pattern of poor choices because he did not rely upon God, as did Abraham, and now he had passed his poor judgment on to his daughters. Because Lot was motivated by fear he created the circumstances which led to the unfortunate choices of his daughters.
When have you been confronted with a lose-lose proposition when every choice seemed equally unpleasant, your integrity was on the line, and the only best-choice apparent to you was a sacrifice that would surely break your heart? What choice did you make and what happened? When has God led you away from people and places that embodied a culture of sin and you struggled to leave and to not long to return? When has fear caused you to make a choice which upon reflection was clearly not what God would have wanted, and upon reflection one which patience would have made unnecessary as God had already made plans to meet your true needs. When have you been fearful but have overcome and acted and/or spoken boldly about the Lord?
Ask the Holy Spirit to make you mindful of the Lord God’s call upon your life, and everything in it, as sacrificed at the moment of true salvation to Him in its entirety and to chastise you whenever you long for what He has rescued you from – the way of destruction and pollution that is sin. Ask for confidence and patience in the face of challenges and to remind you that New Testament Christians were not given “a spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7)
Today I will prayerfully contemplate the things in my life for which I would sacrifice greatly, I will share with a fellow believer which of them are Biblical-priorities and which are worldly, and then I will ask for prayer in-agreement that my priorities become God’s. I will prayerfully search my heart for one or more people or places from my past for which I sometimes long, they may be bondage to ‘idols’ like possessions or title or wealth, wrong relationships, addictive substances, or irresponsibly chasing after adrenaline rush after adrenaline rush. I will commit to the Holy Spirit to partner in purging the lie that those things have any part of my walk with Christ. I will prayerfully seek out a brother or a sister who is struggling to break free of their fear and I will encourage them with prayer.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
Abraham and Abimelech
20:1 Abraham journeyed from there to the Negev region and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he lived as a temporary resident in Gerar, 20:2 Abraham said about his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent for Sarah and took her.
20:3 But God appeared to Abimelech in a dream at night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is someone else’s wife.”
20:4 Now Abimelech had not gone near her. He said, “Lord, would you really slaughter an innocent nation? 20:5 Did Abraham not say to me, “She is my sister.” And she herself said, “He is my brother.” I have done this with a clear conscience and with innocent hands!”
20:6 Then in the dream God replied to him, “Yes, I know that you have done this with a clear conscience. That is why I have kept you from sinning against me and why I did not allow you to touch her. 20:7 But now give back the man’s wife. Indeed he is a prophet and he will pray for you; thus you will live. But if you don’t give her back, know that you will surely die along with all who belong to you.”
20:8 Early in the morning Abimelech summoned all his servants. When he told them about all these things, they were terrified. 20:9 Abimelech summoned Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? What sin did I commit against you that would cause you to bring such great guilt on me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be done!” 20:10 Then Abimelech asked Abraham, “What prompted you to do this thing?”
20:11 Abraham replied, “Because I thought, “Surely no one fears God in this place. They will kill me because of my wife.” 20:12 What’s more, she is indeed my sister, my father’s daughter, but not my mother’s daughter. She became my wife. 20:13 When God made me wander from my father’s house, I told her, “This is what you can do to show your loyalty to me: Every place we go, say about me, “He is my brother.”“
20:14 So Abimelech gave sheep, cattle, and male and female servants to Abraham. He also gave his wife Sarah back to him. 20:15 Then Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you; live wherever you please.”
20:16 To Sarah he said, “Look, I have given a thousand pieces of silver to your “brother.” This is compensation for you so that you will stand vindicated before all who are with you.”
20:17 Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, as well as his wife and female slaves so that they were able to have children. 20:18 For the Lord had caused infertility to strike every woman in the household of Abimelech because he took Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
The Birth of Isaac
21:1 The Lord visited Sarah just as he had said he would and did for Sarah what he had promised. 21:2 So Sarah became pregnant and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the appointed time that God had told him. 21:3 Abraham named his son – whom Sarah bore to him – Isaac.
21:4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him just as God had commanded him to do. 21:5 (Now Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.)
21:6 Sarah said, “God has made me laugh. Everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” 21:7 She went on to say, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have given birth to a son for him in his old age!”
21:8 The child grew and was weaned. Abraham prepared a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.
Lord, even though You often intervene without my awareness to prevent my fear-driven foolishness from harming myself and/or others, I long to be a better witness by being a more trusting child of God. May I never forget Your faithfulness to Abraham and Sarah, despite their repeated lack of faithfulness to You, and be encouraged that Your love overcomes my weaknesses.
For the second time Abraham causes a foreign leader to fall into trouble with the Lord God because he (Abraham) lied about his relationship with Sarah, again saying that she was his sister (conveniently leaving out that she was his half-sister and his wife).
Abraham’s excuse was fear that “Abimelech, king of Gera” would kill him and take his wife, who even at 90 must have been quite a beautiful woman, instead of trusting the Lord to protect him and his wife.
God intervenes to prevent permanent harm from coming to anyone - but Abraham’s reputation has been harmed in that region. Abimelech rightfully challenges Abraham’s integrity and wisdom.
Once again the Lord God was faithful in protecting Abraham and those close to him despite Abraham’s lack of faith in God’s protection in the first case.
God kept His promise to Abraham despite Abraham’s repeated failure to trust God with his provision of a son and his protection as he traveled.
Abraham was obedient in the naming and circumcision of Isaac.
Sarah celebrated God’s amazing miracle of the promised child despite their age.
Give the history Abraham should never have feared as the Lord God had always protected him and those close to him. When God makes a promise He always keeps it.
Setting up others to fail before the Lord is a terrible thing to do. When you read a Bible story like this do you find it encouraging?
As beautiful as she may have been at her age she was clearly not of childbearing age, absent a miracle of God, so what would have been Abimelech’s attraction? Her obvious wealth? What sort of testimony do you suppose Abraham and Sarah had of the Lord’s integrity and His power after the birth of Isaac?
When have you made a choice that was wrong before God and that created a situation where someone else was placed at-risk of harm? When has He used you to demonstrate His integrity and power despite your doubts and wandering off of the path He had laid out for you?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a decision you have made which places others at risk, either through your poor role model, or through an action you have taken. (Perhaps a woman dressing provocatively, a single man flirting with a married woman, a student cheating in school and encouraging others to do so as well, someone downloading games, software, or videos illegally and sharing that with others.) Ask Him to more-firmly direct you on God’s path, to chastise you when you doubt, and to remind you of the many ways He has affirmed His integrity and power in your life.
I will prayerfully seek-out something that I do, or perhaps fail to do, that makes me a poor witness – or worse – a co-conspirator with the enemy to set someone else up to fail. I will repent of that and immediately partner with the Holy Spirit to purge that from my life. I will ask a fellow believer who knows me well to assist me in making a short list of the many ways that the Lord has affirmed His integrity and power in my life and we will celebrate together His faithfulness.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
21:9 But Sarah noticed the son of Hagar the Egyptian – the son whom Hagar had borne to Abraham – mocking. 21:10 So she said to Abraham, “Banish that slave woman and her son, for the son of that slave woman will not be an heir along with my son Isaac!”
21:11 Sarah’s demand displeased Abraham greatly because Ishmael was his son. 21:12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not be upset about the boy or your slave wife. Do all that Sarah is telling you because through Isaac your descendants will be counted. 21:13 But I will also make the son of the slave wife into a great nation, for he is your descendant too.”
21:14 Early in the morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He put them on her shoulders, gave her the child, and sent her away. So she went wandering aimlessly through the wilderness of Beer Sheba. 21:15 When the water in the skin was gone, she shoved the child under one of the shrubs. 21:16 Then she went and sat down by herself across from him at quite a distance, about a bowshot away; for she thought, “I refuse to watch the child die.” So she sat across from him and wept uncontrollably.
21:17 But God heard the boy’s voice. The angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and asked her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Don’t be afraid, for God has heard the boy’s voice right where he is crying. 21:18 Get up! Help the boy up and hold him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” 21:19 Then God enabled Hagar to see a well of water. She went over and filled the skin with water, and then gave the boy a drink.
21:20 God was with the boy as he grew. He lived in the wilderness and became an archer. 21:21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran. His mother found a wife for him from the land of Egypt.
21:22 At that time Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, said to Abraham, “God is with you in all that you do. 21:23 Now swear to me right here in God’s name that you will not deceive me, my children, or my descendants. Show me, and the land where you are staying, the same loyalty that I have shown you.” 21:24 Abraham said, “I swear to do this.”
21:25 But Abraham lodged a complaint against Abimelech concerning a well that Abimelech’s servants had seized. 21:26 “I do not know who has done this thing,” Abimelech replied. “Moreover, you did not tell me. I did not hear about it until today.”
21:27 Abraham took some sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelech. The two of them made a treaty.
21:28 Then Abraham set seven ewe lambs apart from the flock by themselves. 21:29 Abimelech asked Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?” 21:30 He replied, “You must take these seven ewe lambs from my hand as legal proof that I dug this well.” 21:31 That is why he named that place Beer Sheba, because the two of them swore an oath there.
21:32 So they made a treaty at Beer Sheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, returned to the land of the Philistines.
21:33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beer Sheba. There he worshiped the Lord, the eternal God. 21:34 So Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines for quite some time.
Lord, Sarah was selfish and vindictive like the world. May I look first to You so that I have Your heart toward others rather than the heart of my fallen-flesh.
Sarah was selfish for her child, not wanting Ishmael to appear to be a co-heir with Isaac, or even worse to appear to be superior as the first-born of Abraham - so she demanded that Abraham banish him.
Abraham was reluctant but the Lord God cared for Ishmael as He had promised.
Hagar did not understand and presumed that Ishmael would die in the wilderness. The Lord God blessed him with talents and a wife.
Abimelech, the local ruler whom Abraham had placed in harms-way by lying about his relationship with Sarah, sought a peaceful agreement that Abraham would not deceive him again.
A dispute about the ownership of a well led Abraham to make a special effort to demonstrate his integrity, given the awkward history, as to his ownership of the well.
After the matter of the well had been resolved Abraham made a point of planting a Tamarisk tree at the site. [The NET translator’s notes explain that this was an evidence of his intent to stay a while and of his expectation that water would continue to be available, as a provision of God.]
Abraham also made a point of worshiping the Lord as he had done previously.
Sarah carried-forward her animosity toward Hagar and took it out on her son. Abraham had earned the distrust of Abimelech; as a result, not only did Abimelech bring the commander of his army but Abraham found it necessary to give seven ewe lambs to enhance his damaged credibility to support his assertion that he had dug the disputed well.
Is it unusual to hold on to fear and jealousy, transferring it from one family member to another? Is it not easier to establish and maintain credibility than to restore it once lost?
The Lord God remained faithful to Hagar and Ishmael because of His promise to Abraham. He allowed Sarah’s poor choices to exacerbate and to initiate an estrangement of Ishmael’s from the rest of his family as He had prophesied prior to his [Ishmael’s] birth. While Abimelech feared the God of Abraham he appeared to have little respect for, or trust of, Abraham. Abraham’s testimony was harmed.
When have you been the perpetrator or victim of the persecution of multiple family members even though only one member may have done anything to cause conflict with others? How did that work out? When have you made a bad first-impression and later struggled to rebuild your standing?
Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you to bear-up under injustice, or to refuse to be a party to injustice, but rather to trust the Lord God to handle things. Ask Him to keep you constantly mindful that you belong God and that your every word and deed reflects upon His power in your life.
Prayerfully discern a place where you have been victimized by injustice, or where you have mistreated another improperly, and make a commitment to the Holy Spirit to put God right in the middle to bring peace. Prayerfully consider your day-to-day walk and look for a place where you may be acting in a manner that does not well-represent the ethics of God. It may be a choice you are making in the workplace to enhance sales or to improve your standing for a promotion, it may be related to a hobby or sports, it may be in a romantic relationship (or in the pursuit of one), it may be in political discourse, or in some other area. Repent of the choice that you have identified as unworthy of God and make a new one that is. Share the experience with a fellow believer as an example that they may also choose to follow, or as a testimony to the transformative power of the Holy Spirit.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Sacrifice of Isaac
22:1 Some time after these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am!” Abraham replied. 22:2 God said, “Take your son – your only son, whom you love, Isaac – and go to the land of Moriah! Offer him up there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will indicate to you.”
22:3 Early in the morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took two of his young servants with him, along with his son Isaac. When he had cut the wood for the burnt offering, he started out for the place God had spoken to him about.
22:4 On the third day Abraham caught sight of the place in the distance. 22:5 So he said to his servants, “You two stay here with the donkey while the boy and I go up there. We will worship and then return to you.”
22:6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and put it on his son Isaac. Then he took the fire and the knife in his hand, and the two of them walked on together. 22:7 Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father?” “What is it, my son?” he replied. “Here is the fire and the wood,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” 22:8 “God will provide for himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham replied. The two of them continued on together.
22:9 When they came to the place God had told him about, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood on it. Next he tied up his son Isaac and placed him on the altar on top of the wood. 22:10 Then Abraham reached out his hand, took the knife, and prepared to slaughter his son.
22:11 But the Lord’s angel called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am!” he answered. 22:12 “Do not harm the boy!” the angel said. “Do not do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God because you did not withhold your son, your only son, from me.”
22:13 Abraham looked up and saw behind him a ram caught in the bushes by its horns. So he went over and got the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 22:14 And Abraham called the name of that place “The Lord provides.” It is said to this day, “In the mountain of the Lord provision will be made.”
22:15 The Lord’s angel called to Abraham a second time from heaven 22:16 and said, ““I solemnly swear by my own name,” decrees the Lord, “that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 22:17 I will indeed bless you, and I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be as countless as the stars in the sky or the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the strongholds of their enemies. 22:18 Because you have obeyed me, all the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using the name of your descendants.”“
22:19 Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set out together for Beer Sheba where Abraham stayed.
22:20 After these things Abraham was told, “Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor – 22:21 Uz the firstborn, his brother Buz, Kemuel (the father of Aram), 22:22 Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” 22:23 (Now Bethuel became the father of Rebekah.) These were the eight sons Milcah bore to Abrahamfs brother Nahor. 22:24 His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore him children – Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.
The Death of Sarah
23:1 Sarah lived 127 years. 23:2 Then she died in Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.
23:3 Then Abraham got up from mourning his dead wife and said to the sons of Heth, 23:4 “I am a temporary settler among you. Grant me ownership of a burial site among you so that I may bury my dead.”
23:5 The sons of Heth answered Abraham, 23:6 “Listen, sir, you are a mighty prince among us! You may bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb to prevent you from burying your dead.”
23:7 Abraham got up and bowed down to the local people, the sons of Heth. 23:8 Then he said to them, “If you agree that I may bury my dead, then hear me out. Ask Ephron the son of Zohar 23:9 if he will sell me the cave of Machpelah that belongs to him; it is at the end of his field. Let him sell it to me publicly for the full price, so that I may own it as a burial site.”
23:10 (Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth.) Ephron the Hethite replied to Abraham in the hearing of the sons of Heth – before all who entered the gate of his city – 23:11 “No, my lord! Hear me out. I sell you both the field and the cave that is in it. In the presence of my people I sell it to you. Bury your dead.”
23:12 Abraham bowed before the local people 23:13 and said to Ephron in their hearing, “Hear me, if you will. I pay to you the price of the field. Take it from me so that I may bury my dead there.”
23:14 Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, 23:15 “Hear me, my lord. The land is worth 400 pieces of silver, but what is that between me and you? So bury your dead.”
23:16 So Abraham agreed to Ephron’s price and weighed out for him the price that Ephron had quoted in the hearing of the sons of Heth – 400 pieces of silver, according to the standard measurement at the time.
23:17 So Abraham secured Ephron’s field in Machpelah, next to Mamre, including the field, the cave that was in it, and all the trees that were in the field and all around its border, 23:18 as his property in the presence of the sons of Heth before all who entered the gate of Ephron’s city.
23:19 After this Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah next to Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 23:20 So Abraham secured the field and the cave that was in it as a burial site from the sons of Heth.
Lord, may I be found as obedient as Abraham where I know Your clear direction, not arguing with You but acting from trust knowing that You never change and Your promises are always kept. May I be always-grateful that You provided the sacrifice for my salvation. May we mourn briefly, bury our dead, and move on with our lives like Abraham rather than allow this evidence of the Fall to be used by the enemy to neutralize us.
The Lord God came to Abraham with a test of his obedience.
Abraham had strong feelings of protectiveness about Ishmael and even stronger ones about Isaac, those feelings could have drifted into a form of idolatry.
The Lord instructed Abraham to offer Isaac to Him as a sacrifice, a “burnt offering”
Abraham followed the Lord God’s instructions obediently, offering no recorded objections.
When Abraham was questioned by Isaac as to the missing sacrificial animal Abraham explained that the Lord would provide one.
Abraham faithfully prepared to sacrifice his son and an angel from the Lord God stopped him.
The Lord provided a “ram in the thicket” as the necessary sacrifice and Issac was spared.
The Lord God explained that Abraham’s obedience demonstrated his “fear of God” and therefore justified countless descendants and blessings.
Sarah lived to be 127 years of age and then died.
Abraham mourned then arranged her burial.
Abraham negotiated a purchase (paying 30 pieces of silver, the same as Judas would later be paid to betray Jesus) with local landowners who demonstrated a great deal of respect for him, using the term “prince” to describe his status among men.
The text then listed the next generations descended from Abraham.
The Lord God came to Abraham with a test. It was not a temptation, but Abraham could have turned it into one had he doubted God and tried to go his own way, as he had with Hagar and twice lying about Sarah. Although Abraham had been told by God that Isaac would be the next generation which would lead to countless descendants he still obeyed God’s instructions. God never contradicts Himself, even though there are times from out human perspective we think He has. Despite all of the travel, being twice kidnapped, the stress of Hagar and Ishmael, and the travails of carrying and birthing Isaac as an elderly woman, Sarah lived to be 127 years of age.
Sometimes God asks us to prove our willingness to place that which we value most in this world at His feet, He does not necessarily intend to take it from us, but He needs us to be genuine in our willingness to let go if He asks. Is it not difficult to walk in faith when sometimes the future is not only uncertain but terrifying? There is no mention of an extremely lengthy time of mourning nor of an excessively lavish funeral - despite his significant wealth Abraham appears to have remained a man of simple lifestyle.
Abraham had acted based on the fear of man instead of trust in God on several prior occasions, God herein tests him at an extremely difficult level to clarify that Abraham had finally matured to where God was first in all things. Just as God provided the sacrifice to save Isaac He provided Jesus as the sacrifice to save us. Abraham seems to have earned the respect of his neighbors after a rough beginning.
When has God led you to a place where He has asked you to let go of something you valued greatly? Did you say yes to Him in word and deed? What did you learn from that experience? When have you been confronted with a test of your faith and God has provided in an unexpected way? When have you started out on the wrong foot yet though a consistent effort to demonstrate caring for and integrity in dealing with others earned their respect and trust?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any place where you are placing someone or some thing in the world ahead of God. Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you that God is always faithful and He never asks you to do anything unless He has already gone on ahead and provided what you need. Ask the Holy Spirit to find you teachable as He leads you along the way to earning the right to be heard for Christ.
I will prayerfully seek out someone or some thing in this world that I exclude from God’s Lordship. Perhaps it is a relationship that He seeks to end or to modify, a position or title that is distorting my priorities, something I own or of which I am envious which belongs to another but that absorbs too much of my time and attention – taken away from God and/or family, etc. I will repent (turn away from) that by offering to surrender it entirely to God. If He gives it back or if He takes it that must be OK with me.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Wife for Isaac
24:1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years, and the Lord had blessed him in everything. 24:2 Abraham said to his servant, the senior one in his household who was in charge of everything he had, “Put your hand under my thigh 24:3 so that I may make you solemnly promise by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth: You must not acquire a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living. 24:4 You must go instead to my country and to my relatives to find a wife for my son Isaac.”
24:5 The servant asked him, “What if the woman is not willing to come back with me to this land? Must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?”
24:6 “Be careful never to take my son back there!” Abraham told him. 24:7 “The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and the land of my relatives, promised me with a solemn oath, ‘To your descendants I will give this land.’ He will send his angel before you so that you may find a wife for my son from there. 24:8 But if the woman is not willing to come back with you, you will be free from this oath of mine. But you must not take my son back there!” 24:9 So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and gave his solemn promise he would carry out his wishes.
24:10 Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed with all kinds of gifts from his master at his disposal. He journeyed to the region of Aram Naharaim and the city of Nahor. 24:11 He made the camels kneel down by the well outside the city. It was evening, the time when the women would go out to draw water. 24:12 He prayed, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, guide me today. Be faithful to my master Abraham. 24:13 Here I am, standing by the spring, and the daughters of the people who live in the town are coming out to draw water. 24:14 I will say to a young woman, ‘Please lower your jar so I may drink.’ May the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac reply, ‘Drink, and I’ll give your camels water too.’ In this way I will know that you have been faithful to my master.”
24:15 Before he had finished praying, there came Rebekah with her water jug on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah (Milcah was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor). 24:16 Now the young woman was very beautiful. She was a virgin; no man had ever had sexual relations with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came back up. 24:17 Abraham’s servant ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a sip of water from your jug.” 24:18 “Drink, my lord,” she replied, and quickly lowering her jug to her hands, she gave him a drink. 24:19 When she had done so, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have drunk as much as they want.” 24:20 She quickly emptied her jug into the watering trough and ran back to the well to draw more water until she had drawn enough for all his camels. 24:21 Silently the man watched her with interest to determine if the Lord had made his journey successful or not.
24:22 After the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels and gave them to her. 24:23 “Whose daughter are you?” he asked. “Tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”
24:24 She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom Milcah bore to Nahor. 24:25 We have plenty of straw and feed,” she added, “and room for you to spend the night.”
24:26 The man bowed his head and worshiped the Lord, 24:27 saying “Praised be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his faithful love for my master! The Lord has led me to the house of my master’s relatives!”
24:28 The young woman ran and told her mother’s household all about these things. 24:29 (Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban.) Laban rushed out to meet the man at the spring. 24:30 When he saw the bracelets on his sister’s wrists and the nose ring and heard his sister Rebekah say, “This is what the man said to me,” he went out to meet the man. There he was, standing by the camels near the spring. 24:31 Laban said to him, “Come, you who are blessed by the Lord! Why are you standing out here when I have prepared the house and a place for the camels?”
24:32 So Abraham’s servant went to the house and unloaded the camels. Straw and feed were given to the camels, and water was provided so that he and the men who were with him could wash their feet. 24:33 When food was served, he said, “I will not eat until I have said what I want to say.” “Tell us,” Laban said.
24:34 “I am the servant of Abraham,” he began. 24:35 “The Lord has richly blessed my master and he has become very wealthy. The Lord has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys. 24:36 My master’s wife Sarah bore a son to him when she was old, and my master has given him everything he owns. 24:37 My master made me swear an oath. He said, ‘You must not acquire a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, 24:38 but you must go to the family of my father and to my relatives to find a wife for my son.’ 24:39 But I said to my master, ‘What if the woman does not want to go with me?’ 24:40 He answered, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you. He will make your journey a success and you will find a wife for my son from among my relatives, from my father’s family. 24:41 You will be free from your oath if you go to my relatives and they will not give her to you. Then you will be free from your oath.’ 24:42 When I came to the spring today, I prayed, ‘O Lord, God of my master Abraham, if you have decided to make my journey successful, may events unfold as follows: 24:43 Here I am, standing by the spring. When the young woman goes out to draw water, I’ll say, “Give me a little water to drink from your jug.” 24:44 Then she will reply to me, “Drink, and I’ll draw water for your camels too.” May that woman be the one whom the Lord has chosen for my master’s son.’
24:45 “Before I finished praying in my heart, along came Rebekah with her water jug on her shoulder! She went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ 24:46 She quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I’ll give your camels water too.’ So I drank, and she also gave the camels water. 24:47 Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She replied, ‘The daughter of Bethuel the son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to Nahor.’ I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. 24:48 Then I bowed down and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right path to find the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son. 24:49 Now, if you will show faithful love to my master, tell me. But if not, tell me as well, so that I may go on my way.”
24:50 Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “This is the Lord’s doing. Our wishes are of no concern. 24:51 Rebekah stands here before you. Take her and go so that she may become the wife of your master’s son, just as the Lord has decided.”
24:52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground before the Lord. 24:53 Then he brought out gold, silver jewelry, and clothing and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave valuable gifts to her brother and to her mother. 24:54 After this, he and the men who were with him ate a meal and stayed there overnight.
When they got up in the morning, he said, “Let me leave now so I can return to my master.” 24:55 But Rebekah’s brother and her mother replied, “Let the girl stay with us a few more days, perhaps ten. Then she can go.” 24:56 But he said to them, “Don’t detain me – the Lord has granted me success on my journey. Let me leave now so I may return to my master.” 24:57 Then they said, “We’ll call the girl and find out what she wants to do.” 24:58 So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Do you want to go with this man?” She replied, “I want to go.”
24:59 So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, accompanied by her female attendant, with Abraham’s servant and his men. 24:60 They blessed Rebekah with these words:
“Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands of ten thousands!
May your descendants possess the strongholds of their enemies.”
24:61 Then Rebekah and her female servants mounted the camels and rode away with the man. So Abraham’s servant took Rebekah and left.
24:62 Now Isaac came from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev. 24:63 He went out to relax in the field in the early evening. Then he looked up and saw that there were camels approaching. 24:64 Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel 24:65 and asked Abraham’s servant, “Who is that man walking in the field toward us?” “That is my master,” the servant replied. So she took her veil and covered herself.
24:66 The servant told Isaac everything that had happened. 24:67 Then Isaac brought Rebekah into his mother Sarah’s tent. He took her as his wife and loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
The Death of Abraham
25:1 Abraham had taken another wife, named Keturah. 25:2 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 25:3 Jokshan became the father of Sheba and Dedan. The descendants of Dedan were the Asshurites, Letushites, and Leummites. 25:4 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were descendants of Keturah.
25:5 Everything he owned Abraham left to his son Isaac. 25:6 But while he was still alive, Abraham gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them off to the east, away from his son Isaac.
25:7 Abraham lived a total of 175 years. 25:8 Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man who had lived a full life. He joined his ancestors. 25:9 His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar, the Hethite. 25:10 This was the field Abraham had purchased from the sons of Heth. There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah. 25:11 After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac. Isaac lived near Beer Lahai Roi.
The Sons of Ishmael
25:12 This is the account of Abraham’s son Ishmael, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s servant, bore to Abraham.
25:13 These are the names of Ishmael’s sons, by their names according to their records: Nebaioth (Ishmael’s firstborn), Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 25:14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 25:15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 25:16 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names by their settlements and their camps – twelve princes according to their clans.
25:17 Ishmael lived a total of 137 years. He breathed his last and died; then he joined his ancestors. 25:18 His descendants settled from Havilah to Shur, which runs next to Egypt all the way to Asshur. They settled away from all their relatives.
Jacob and Esau
25:19 This is the account of Isaac, the son of Abraham.
Abraham became the father of Isaac. 25:20 When Isaac was forty years old, he married Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram and sister of Laban the Aramean.
25:21 Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. 25:22 But the children struggled inside her, and she said, “If it is going to be like this, I’m not so sure I want to be pregnant!” So she asked the Lord, 25:23 and the Lord said to her,
“Two nations are in your womb,
and two peoples will be separated from within you.
One people will be stronger than the other,
and the older will serve the younger.”
25:24 When the time came for Rebekah to give birth, there were twins in her womb. 25:25 The first came out reddish all over, like a hairy garment, so they named him Esau. 25:26 When his brother came out with his hand clutching Esau’s heel, they named him Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when they were born.
25:27 When the boys grew up, Esau became a skilled hunter, a man of the open fields, but Jacob was an even-tempered man, living in tents. 25:28 Isaac loved Esau because he had a taste for fresh game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
25:29 Now Jacob cooked some stew, and when Esau came in from the open fields, he was famished. 25:30 So Esau said to Jacob, “Feed me some of the red stuff – yes, this red stuff – because I’m starving!” (That is why he was also called Edom.)
25:31 But Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.” 25:32 “Look,” said Esau, “I’m about to die! What use is the birthright to me?” 25:33 But Jacob said, “Swear an oath to me now.” So Esau swore an oath to him and sold his birthright to Jacob.
25:34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew; Esau ate and drank, then got up and went out. So Esau despised his birthright.
Lord, may I be moved to stop in amazement and to praise You for the way that You go on ahead, preparing the way for those who seek Your will. Lord, may I be found sensitive enough to Your working in my life, and as obedient as well, that like Laban and Bethuel I may confidently and humbly declare “This is the Lord’s doing. Our wishes are of no concern.” Lord, may I have the commitment of Rebekah to follow where You lead, to trust You, and not to procrastinate. Lord, may You grant long life to those who serve You faithfully, to fulfill Your loving plan that more may know and grow in You. Lord, may Your faithfulness lead us to greater trust in You. Lord, we often fail to understand Your workings in this world, when You allow things to happen as a result of the Fall and when You have intervened. But we always trust You. Lord, I long to never despise the new birthright You gave to me when I joined Your eternal family through Jesus.
Hagar, a single-parent following her banishment, found Ishmael a wife.
Abraham then sought a wife for Isaac prior to his death.
The NET translator’s notes explain that instructing the servant to “Put your hand under my thigh ...” was known as a “patriarchal oath” related to the continuation of the family.
Abraham instructed his servant to get Isaac a wife from a distant relative, not from a foreign tribe, and to not bring Isaac to their lands.
The servant prayed a type of fleece to be certain that it was the Lord God Who had identified the woman He had prepared to be the wife of Isaac – his fleece was immediately answered.
Rebekah ran to tell her family of the visiting servant then her brother Laban returned with her to greet him and to encourage him to come to their home.
The servant refused their request to dine with them until he shares the story of the purpose of his visit and what had transpired between he and Rebekah.
Rebekah’s father Bethuel and her brother Laban immediately recognize God’s hand in the story and immediately acknowledge that His will must be done.
Abraham’s servant first worshiped the Lord God, then presented the gifts Abraham had sent, dined and slept, and then in the morning made known his plan to return to Abraham and Isaac with Rebekah.
Rebekah’s family expressed their desire for a little more time with her but Abraham’s servant implored them to not delay his return. They consulted with Rebekah who agreed to leave immediately.
It was apparently acceptable for Rebekah to travel without her veil but when meeting her betrothed, Isaac, f or the first time she felt it necessary to veil her face from him.
Isaac received the report of the servant, married Rebekah, and she filled an empty place in his life that had been left by his mother Sarah’s death.
After the death of Sarah Abraham remarried, and somewhere along the way he also inexplicably acquired several concubines, with whom he had several children.
Before he died Abraham provided for the children he fathered with his concubines then sent them away, presumably to not become a distraction to Isaac.
Abraham left everything to Isaac and given Isaac’s maturity it may be presumed that he was expected to provide for the children his second wife Keturah bore Abraham.
Abraham lived to be 175 years old and was buried with Sarah.
Isaac received the blessing of God via Abraham and took his place in the divinely established lineage of Jesus through Mary.
Ishmael lived to be 137 years old and fathered twelve sons who then multiplied into twelve “clans”. [The text notes that they “settled away from all their relatives.” which was the practice beginning with Ishmael.]
Isaac, like his father Abraham, suffered with infertility. The Bible does not tell us if the weakness was in Isaac or Rebekah or both.
Isaac asks God to given them a child and God answers his prayer.
Twenty years after Isaac married Rebekah, when he was 60, they had twin children.
The children struggled in the womb and came out looking very different, first Esau, then Jacob.
God’s prophesy unfolded as Esau and Jacob grew and the parents chose favorites, Issac favored Esau because he enjoyed fresh game and Rebekah favored Jacob for his more-even temperament and more-settled lifestyle.
Esau’s tendency was to live from the flesh, and moment-to-moment, he arrived home hungry and demanded some of the fresh stew that Jacob had just made. Jacob, seeing an opportunity, challenged the impetuous Esau to sell him his first-born birthright in exchange for the stew. Esau thoughtlessly agreed.
The result of this seemingly childish interaction was that the second-born now could claim the unique rights of the first-born as Esau had rejected that gift of God, one that would have placed him in the line of succession to Jesus.
Abraham was concerned that Isaac not be confused by other faiths, thus he insisted that his wife come from a relative, just as the New Testament teaches that a believer must never marry a non-believer. Rebekah was a strong young woman as she pumped many containers of water for multiple camels, she also was confident, generous, and hospitable. Ware mostly unfamiliar with the ancient cultural tradition of parents finding spouses for their children; however, notice that Rebekah was granted a great deal of input to the decision, even in ancient times. The lifespan of man had decreased rapidly from the early times of hundreds of years so that Abraham’s 175 years of life, without any reports of frailty or sickness. God was faithful but Abraham and Sarah were not, the result – via Hagar – was a child from Abraham whom God in keeping His word was integrity-bound to bless. Since there is a lot of common genetic material between Abraham, Isaac, and Rebekah it is difficult to discern if any specific individual carried the reproductive weakness, nor does the text tell us that. What the text does share is that God once again made an infertile couple fertile. It is unlikely that Esau was truly “starving”; more likely he was hungry and carelessly lived in that moment without regard to the long-term consequences of his choices.
The servant was careful to make God the definer of truth by asking Him to make known how he might fulfill his mission. How may we be as careful about our decisions? Abraham’s servant placed his mission first, even before eating after a long journey. Are we as God-first in our daily walk? How difficult must it have been for Rebekah to agree to leave all that she knew to travel a great distance to marry a man she had never met, even with the assurance that it was God’s will? Isaac became the patriarch of a significant tribe. What are the positive and negative elements of the role model he saw in Abraham? God allows the consequences of Abraham and Sarah’s foolishness to be experienced by the entirety of mankind as a testament to the importance of obedience and trust. Have you experienced, or been close to a pregnant woman who experienced, a difficult pregnancy with twins during which it seemed that they were struggling with one-another? Have you ever heard of such a thing? The birthright of a Christian comes through Jesus the Christ, although we cannot really “sell” our birthright, in what ways do we “despise” it in the choices we sometimes make?
The Lord God had attended, in advance, to every detail in order to answer Abraham’s prayer. Abraham’s distant family had been well-taught as they were all sensitive to the working of the Lord and ready to humbly submit to His will. Perhaps Abraham’s was anxious to return quickly due to concerns as to Abraham’s health, or perhaps because the longer the delay the more opportunity the enemy might have to create trouble, the text is silent on those details. God’s prophesy for Isaac was an impressive one, the prayer of blessing of Abraham upon Isaac must have been a powerful moment. When we take the promises of God and distort them the consequences can be dire. The infertility, the nature of Esau and Jacob’s relationship as one of conflict – beginning in the womb, and the radical difference in appearance at birth all may be the consequence of sin which God allows to play itself out. Or might one of more of them may be the result of God’s intervention. The text is silent. Perhaps Jacob had been looking for an opportunity to trick his brother and saw an opening, or perhaps it was merely quick – though devious – thinking. While Genesis 25:23 prophesied that “... the older would serve the younger” it did not specify how that would come to be. The text does not tell us if either boy had been informed of that prophesy.
When have you known what God wanted in general but were uncertain of the details? What was your conversation with God as you proceeded step by step? When has God asked you to sacrifice the comfortable and familiar to follow His lead? What did you decide and what was the result? When have you wondered if God had intervened or if circumstances were merely the result of “the world” and God was watching and waiting to see how you reacted, including if you invited Him into those circumstances? When have you been tempted by a desire of your flesh to “despise” your standing as a child of God in favor of momentary gain or pleasure?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how He is leading you right now. Ask Him to enhance your sensitivity to God’s working, to give you the courage and discernment of Rebekah. Ask Him to make you sensitive to the way that even small acts of disobedience or rebellion demonstrate a type of “despising” of your birthright as born-again in Christ.
I will pause in my busyness to pray. I agree to be prayerfully-alert to God moving around me and when I discern His activity I commit to partner with the Holy Spirit in whatever He asks of me. I now commit to pray for the leader, or leadership team, of the fellowship where I serve and worship and to do whatever I can to support them as they serve the fellowship that God has called them to. I will pray especially that they will be faithful to God in all of their duties. I will prayerfully review my life for evidence of a place where I am living from my own wisdom and I will consider what potential trouble that could lead to. I will prayerfully review the past week of my life, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, and identify at least one place where I diminish the value of my identity in Christ in order to be at peace with the world or to please my flesh. I agree to repent of that and to make a special effort to honor my birthright rather than to despise it.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 9
Jacob and Esau
25:19 This is the account of Isaac, the son of Abraham.
Abraham became the father of Isaac. 25:20 When Isaac was forty years old, he married Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram and sister of Laban the Aramean.
25:21 Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. 25:22 But the children struggled inside her, and she said, “If it is going to be like this, I’m not so sure I want to be pregnant!” So she asked the Lord, 25:23 and the Lord said to her,
“Two nations are in your womb,
and two peoples will be separated from within you.
One people will be stronger than the other,
and the older will serve the younger.”
25:24 When the time came for Rebekah to give birth, there were twins in her womb. 25:25 The first came out reddish all over, like a hairy garment, so they named him Esau. 25:26 When his brother came out with his hand clutching Esau’s heel, they named him Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when they were born.
25:27 When the boys grew up, Esau became a skilled hunter, a man of the open fields, but Jacob was an even-tempered man, living in tents. 25:28 Isaac loved Esau because he had a taste for fresh game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
25:29 Now Jacob cooked some stew, and when Esau came in from the open fields, he was famished. 25:30 So Esau said to Jacob, “Feed me some of the red stuff – yes, this red stuff – because I’m starving!” (That is why he was also called Edom.)
25:31 But Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.” 25:32 “Look,” said Esau, “I’m about to die! What use is the birthright to me?” 25:33 But Jacob said, “Swear an oath to me now.” So Esau swore an oath to him and sold his birthright to Jacob.
25:34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew; Esau ate and drank, then got up and went out. So Esau despised his birthright.
Isaac and Abimelech
26:1 There was a famine in the land, subsequent to the earlier famine that occurred in the days of Abraham. Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines at Gerar. 26:2 The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; settle down in the land that I will point out to you. 26:3 Stay in this land. Then I will be with you and will bless you, for I will give all these lands to you and to your descendants, and I will fulfill the solemn promise I made to your father Abraham. 26:4 I will multiply your descendants so they will be as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give them all these lands. All the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using the name of your descendants. 26:5 All this will come to pass because Abraham obeyed me and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.” 26:6 So Isaac settled in Gerar.
26:7 When the men of that place asked him about his wife, he replied, “She is my sister.” He was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” for he thought to himself, “The men of this place will kill me to get Rebekah because she is very beautiful.”
26:8 After Isaac had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines happened to look out a window and observed Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah. 26:9 So Abimelech summoned Isaac and said, “She is really your wife! Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac replied, “Because I thought someone might kill me to get her.”
26:10 Then Abimelech exclaimed, “What in the world have you done to us? One of the men might easily have had sexual relations with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us!” 26:11 So Abimelech commanded all the people, “Whoever touches this man or his wife will surely be put to death.”
26:12 When Isaac planted in that land, he reaped in the same year a hundred times what he had sown, because the Lord blessed him. 26:13 The man became wealthy. His influence continued to grow until he became very prominent. 26:14 He had so many sheep and cattle and such a great household of servants that the Philistines became jealous of him. 26:15 So the Philistines took dirt and filled up all the wells that his father’s servants had dug back in the days of his father Abraham.
26:16 Then Abimelech said to Isaac, “Leave us and go elsewhere, for you have become much more powerful than we are.” 26:17 So Isaac left there and settled in the Gerar Valley. 26:18 Isaac reopened the wells that had been dug back in the days of his father Abraham, for the Philistines had stopped them up after Abraham died. Isaac gave these wells the same names his father had given them.
26:19 When Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and discovered a well with fresh flowing water there, 26:20 the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water belongs to us!” So Isaac named the well Esek because they argued with him about it. 26:21 His servants dug another well, but they quarreled over it too, so Isaac named it Sitnah. 26:22 Then he moved away from there and dug another well. They did not quarrel over it, so Isaac named it Rehoboth, saying, “For now the Lord has made room for us, and we will prosper in the land.”
26:23 From there Isaac went up to Beer Sheba. 26:24 The Lord appeared to him that night and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham.” 26:25 Then Isaac built an altar there and worshiped the Lord. He pitched his tent there, and his servants dug a well.
26:26 Now Abimelech had come to him from Gerar along with Ahuzzah his friend and Phicol the commander of his army. 26:27 Isaac asked them, “Why have you come to me? You hate me and sent me away from you.” 26:28 They replied, “We could plainly see that the Lord is with you. So we decided there should be a pact between us – between us and you. Allow us to make a treaty with you 26:29 so that you will not do us any harm, just as we have not harmed you, but have always treated you well before sending you away in peace. Now you are blessed by the Lord.”
26:30 So Isaac held a feast for them and they celebrated. 26:31 Early in the morning the men made a treaty with each other. Isaac sent them off; they separated on good terms.
26:32 That day Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well they had dug. “We’ve found water,” they reported. 26:33 So he named it Shibah; that is why the name of the city has been Beer Sheba to this day.
26:34 When Esau was forty years old, he married Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, as well as Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite. 26:35 They caused Isaac and Rebekah great anxiety.
Lord, we often fail to understand Your workings in this world, when You allow things to happen as a result of the Fall and when You have intervened. But we always trust You. I long to never despise the new birthright You gave to me when I joined Your eternal family through Jesus. Please find me learning from prior generations and not repeating their errors and may my life be one of faithfulness to You so that as You bless me in your service others may come seeking peace with You as well.
Isaac, like his father Abraham, suffered with infertility in his marriage. The Bible does not tell us if the weakness is in Isaac or Rebekah or both.
Isaac asks the Lord God to given them a child and He answered his prayer.
Twenty years after Isaac married Rebekah, when he was 60, they had twin children.
The children struggled in the womb and came out looking very different, first Esau, then Jacob.
The Lord God’s prophesy unfolded as Esau and Jacob grew and the parents chose favorites, Isaac favored Esau because he enjoyed fresh game and Rebekah favored Jacob for his more-even temperament and more-settled lifestyle.
Esau’s tendency to live from the flesh and moment-to-moment arrived home hungry and demanded some of the fresh stew that Jacob had just made. Jacob, seeing an opportunity, challenged the impetuous Esau to sell him his first-born birthright in exchange for the stew. Esau thoughtlessly agreed.
The result of this seemingly childish interaction was that the second-born now could claim the unique rights of the first-born as Esau had rejected that gift of God, one that would have placed him in the line of succession to Jesus.
Another famine leads Isaac to seek a new location. He goes to Abimelech, with whom Abraham had an uneasy relationship, but was apparently considering further travel to Egypt.
God warns Isaac to remain in the land promised to Abraham and to not travel to Egypt. This land was part of that region controlled by Abimelech.
Once again Abimelech spots a woman in the camp of Isaac (Rebekah) whom he desires and asks Isaac about her. Isaac, like his father, lies and declares that she is his sister – out of fear of being killed so they could take his wife as a widow.
Before Abimelech, or his men, tried to take her he sees Isaac with her and realizes that Isaac lies and that Rebekah is his wife.
Once again Abimelech is offended that he has been deceived and set-up for punishment from God. Although his confession that he might have kidnapped her, or his men might have raped her, gives evidence of his lack of civility – he is righteously indignant that the son of Abraham lied to him.
Isaac settled in the famine-free region that Abimelech offered and God blessed him greatly.
When the Philistines in Abimelech’s territory saw Isaac’s great success they were jealous and they created conflict.
Abimelech persuaded Isaac to move to the Valley of Gerar but the conflict continued as he re-opened the wells Abraham had built there and the locals claimed ownership of them.
Abimelech, recognizing Isaac’s power, decided to avoid an escalation of trouble and sought a treaty – to which Isaac agreed. God provided Isaac a new well which then went uncontested.
Meanwhile, Esau took two wives, both Hittites rather than relatives – which caused Isaac and Rebekah concern as to the cultural influence and the potential unfriendly allegiances.
Since there is a lot of common genetic material between Abraham, Isaac, and Rebekah it is difficult to discern if any specific individual carried the reproductive weakness, nor does the text tell us that. What the text does share is that God once again made an infertile couple fertile. It is unlikely that Esau was truly “starving”, more likely he was hungry and carelessly lived in that moment without regard to the long-term consequences of his choices. Isaac, like Abraham, was more afraid of the potential violence of man than trusting in the power and protection of God. When God blesses you others may become jealous, especially the enemy, and he will look for ways to steal some of that blessing.
Have you experienced, or been close to a pregnant woman who experienced, a difficult pregnancy with twins during which it seemed that they were struggling with one-another? Have you ever heard of such a thing? The birthright of a Christian comes through Jesus the Christ, although we cannot really “sell” our birthright, in what ways do we “despise” it in the choices we sometimes make? Given their family and personal history with God why are Abimelech and Isaac still both more concerned with fear (Isaac) and lust (Abimelech) than respect for Rebekah (Abimelech) and trust in God (Isaac)? How have you seen jealousy generate bad conduct, in business, community, family, or politics?
The infertility, the nature of Esau and Jacob’s relationship as one of conflict – beginning in the womb, and the radical difference in appearance at birth all may be the consequence of sin which God allows to play itself out. Or might one of more of them may be the result of God’s intervention. The text is silent. Perhaps Jacob had been looking for an opportunity to trick his brother and saw an opening, or perhaps it was merely quick – though devious – thinking. While Genesis 25:23 prophesied that “... the older would serve the younger” it did not specify how that would come to be. The text does not tell us if either boy had been informed of that prophesy. Isaac was contemplating leaving the land given to Abraham, and then him, by God and traveling to Egypt when times got hard. The text doesn’t tell us that he appealed to God but that God came to him with a warning to not do so. Esau married outside of the family, generating great concern, for the same reasons that the Bible counsels Christians to never marry non-Christians.
When have you wondered if God had intervened or if circumstances were merely the result of “the world” and God was watching and waiting to see how you reacted, including if you invited Him into those circumstances? Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to recognize the difference between the normative state of events unfolding as the consequence of millions of variables that came before from Creation until that moment, and events that show evidence of God’s touch. When have you been tempted by a desire of your flesh to “despise” your standing as a child of God in favor of momentary gain or pleasure? When has fear or lust overwhelmed your respect for others or for God? What was the result? When have you paused before acting from fear or lust and given the situation over to God? What was the result? When have you observed a believer marrying outside of the faith and what has been the result?
Ask the Holy Spirit to make you sensitive to the way that even small acts of disobedience or rebellion demonstrate a type of “despising” of your birthright as born-again in Christ. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you a place where you are failing to consult God first. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you something that you have done out of jealousy.
Make a list of events that people tend to attribute to God and then label them as “normative” or “miraculous”, based upon the predicate that God ceased from Creation on the 6th Day and thus any intervention after that must be a miraculous intervention. (e.g. A child is born with a handicap, or someone has a tendency to be overweight, or a person has a tendency to anger easily, and in each case someone says “God made them that way.” Is that Biblically accurate?) Share your list with a fellow believer and search your Bible for clarity. I will prayerfully review the past week of my life, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, and identify at least one place where I diminish the value of my identity in Christ in order to be at peace with the world or to please my flesh. I agree to repent of that and to make a special effort to honor my birthright rather than to despise it. I will prayerfully partner with the Holy Spirit to recognize a place in my life where I am making decisions without God, perhaps a reaction to fear or a submission to some sort of lust (envy, money, relationship, title, etc) and I agree to surrender that to God. I will confess this, in confidence, to a mature fellow believer and ask them to hold me accountable, to pray in-agreement, and to celebrate with me God’s victory in my life. I agree to repent of any place or places in my life where jealousy toward others for the blessings of God have caused me to avoid them, or maybe to even act in ways that might interfere with the full benefit of that blessing. If I have not done this I will pray for someone whom I perceive has done so and that there will be an awareness and repentance of that behavior.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Jacob Cheats Esau out of the Blessing
27:1 When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he was almost blind, he called his older son Esau and said to him, “My son!” “Here I am!” Esau replied. 27:2 Isaac said, “Since I am so old, I could die at any time. 27:3 Therefore, take your weapons – your quiver and your bow – and go out into the open fields and hunt down some wild game for me. 27:4 Then prepare for me some tasty food, the kind I love, and bring it to me. Then I will eat it so that I may bless you before I die.”
27:5 Now Rebekah had been listening while Isaac spoke to his son Esau. When Esau went out to the open fields to hunt down some wild game and bring it back, 27:6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Look, I overheard your father tell your brother Esau, 27:7 ‘Bring me some wild game and prepare for me some tasty food. Then I will eat it and bless you in the presence of the Lord before I die.’ 27:8 Now then, my son, do exactly what I tell you! 27:9 Go to the flock and get me two of the best young goats. I’ll prepare them in a tasty way for your father, just the way he loves them. 27:10 Then you will take it to your father. Thus he will eat it and bless you before he dies.”
27:11 “But Esau my brother is a hairy man,” Jacob protested to his mother Rebekah, “and I have smooth skin! 27:12 My father may touch me! Then he’ll think I’m mocking him and I’ll bring a curse on myself instead of a blessing.” 27:13 So his mother told him, “Any curse against you will fall on me, my son! Just obey me! Go and get them for me!”
27:14 So he went and got the goats and brought them to his mother. She prepared some tasty food, just the way his father loved it. 27:15 Then Rebekah took her older son Esau’s best clothes, which she had with her in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob. 27:16 She put the skins of the young goats on his hands and the smooth part of his neck. 27:17 Then she handed the tasty food and the bread she had made to her son Jacob.
27:18 He went to his father and said, “My father!” Isaac replied, “Here I am. Which are you, my son?” 27:19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau, your firstborn. I’ve done as you told me. Now sit up and eat some of my wild game so that you can bless me.” 27:20 But Isaac asked his son, “How in the world did you find it so quickly, my son?” “Because the Lord your God brought it to me,” he replied. 27:21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come closer so I can touch you, my son, and know for certain if you really are my son Esau.” 27:22 So Jacob went over to his father Isaac, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s, but the hands are Esau’s.” 27:23 He did not recognize him because his hands were hairy, like his brother Esau’s hands. So Isaac blessed Jacob. 27:24 Then he asked, “Are you really my son Esau?” “I am,” Jacob replied. 27:25 Isaac said, “Bring some of the wild game for me to eat, my son. Then I will bless you.” So Jacob brought it to him, and he ate it. He also brought him wine, and Isaac drank. 27:26 Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come here and kiss me, my son.” 27:27 So Jacob went over and kissed him. When Isaac caught the scent of his clothing, he blessed him, saying,
“Yes, my son smells
like the scent of an open field
which the Lord has blessed.
27:28 May God give you
the dew of the sky
and the richness of the earth,
and plenty of grain and new wine.
27:29 May peoples serve you
and nations bow down to you.
You will be lord over your brothers,
and the sons of your mother will bow down to you.
May those who curse you be cursed,
and those who bless you be blessed.”
27:30 Isaac had just finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had scarcely left his father’s presence, when his brother Esau returned from the hunt. 27:31 He also prepared some tasty food and brought it to his father. Esau said to him, “My father, get up and eat some of your son’s wild game. Then you can bless me.” 27:32 His father Isaac asked, “Who are you?” “I am your firstborn son,” he replied, “Esau!” 27:33 Isaac began to shake violently and asked, “Then who else hunted game and brought it to me? I ate all of it just before you arrived, and I blessed him. He will indeed be blessed!”
27:34 When Esau heard his father’s words, he wailed loudly and bitterly. He said to his father, “Bless me too, my father!” 27:35 But Isaac replied, “Your brother came in here deceitfully and took away your blessing.” 27:36 Esau exclaimed, “‘Jacob’ is the right name for him! He has tripped me up two times! He took away my birthright, and now, look, he has taken away my blessing!” Then he asked, “Have you not kept back a blessing for me?”
27:37 Isaac replied to Esau, “Look! I have made him lord over you. I have made all his relatives his servants and provided him with grain and new wine. What is left that I can do for you, my son?” 27:38 Esau said to his father, “Do you have only that one blessing, my father? Bless me too!” Then Esau wept loudly.
27:39 So his father Isaac said to him,
“Indeed, your home will be
away from the richness of the earth,
and away from the dew of the sky above.
27:40 You will live by your sword
but you will serve your brother.
When you grow restless,
you will tear off his yoke
from your neck.”
27:41 So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing his father had given to his brother. Esau said privately, “The time of mourning for my father is near; then I will kill my brother Jacob!”
27:42 When Rebekah heard what her older son Esau had said, she quickly summoned her younger son Jacob and told him, “Look, your brother Esau is planning to get revenge by killing you. 27:43 Now then, my son, do what I say. Run away immediately to my brother Laban in Haran. 27:44 Live with him for a little while until your brother’s rage subsides. 27:45 Stay there until your brother’s anger against you subsides and he forgets what you did to him. Then I’ll send someone to bring you back from there. Why should I lose both of you in one day?”
27:46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am deeply depressed because of these daughters of Heth. If Jacob were to marry one of these daughters of Heth who live in this land, I would want to die!”
Lord, Your prophesy for Jacob was certain to be fulfilled, You never specified the details. You are never the author of the sinful choices of man but You sometimes choose to redeem something good from our poor choices. In my flesh I am often confused, deceitful, and selfish; please draw me near so that I am protected from that part of me that is so wicked.
Isaac, recognizing that his days were short, asked Esau to hunt and to prepare him some wild game – with the intent of passing-on the Lord God’s blessing to him.
Rebekah, who preferred Jacob, overheard the conversation and schemed with Jacob to trick the feeble and nearly blind Isaac into blessing Jacob instead.
Jacob lied multiple times as Isaac recognized his voice versus that of Esau – but Isaac was tricked and gave to Jacob the blessing Esau owned by birthright - but had previously “sold” to Jacob.
Esau and Isaac discovered Jacob’s deception of Isaac too late.
Esau falsely complained that Jacob had tricked him out of both his birthright and his blessing.
Isaac was reported as visibly-shaken by what had happened and that he was unable to do otherwise than to repeat the prophesy of the Lord God for Esau.
Esau declared his intention to murder Jacob as soon as Isaac died and the time of mourning had passed.
Rebekah heard Esau’s threat and acted quickly to find an excuse for Jacob to flee to her relatives before Esau could murder him.
There were many ways for the Lord God’s prophesy for Jacob to receive the blessings, rather than Isaac, but He chose to allow the fleshy workings of Rebekah and Jacob, and weaknesses of Isaac and Esau, to become the means. Esau failed to comprehend that when he sold his birthright he also surrendered his right to claim the associated blessing; his anger was misdirected – his loss was the consequence of his own immaturity.
Esau no longer had the right to claim his birthright from Isaac as he had “sold” (or bartered) it away to Jacob for a bowl of soup. The similarity between Esau’s violent anger and that of Cain – is interesting – is it not a refusal to accept responsibility for wrong choices that is at the root of both?
Isaac and Rebekah knew of the Lord God’s prophesy, perhaps Isaac had forgotten it – or he was playing favorites with Esau in spite of it, and perhaps Rebekah had forgotten – or she was just playing-favorites. Rebekah, like Sarah, imagined that he actions would ‘help’ the Lord God to accomplish His ends. Isaac remembered God’s prophesy as to the future of Esau but seemed to have forgotten the rest about Isaac.
When have you observed a person receiving a reward that clearly belonged to another? When have you, or someone you know, acted rashly and then instinctively blamed someone else for the ill-consequences that came to you?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any place where you may be playing favorites instead of conducting yourself as God directs. Ask Him to make you more accountable to God and less prone to careless decision making and blaming others for your poor choices.
Today I will repent of playing favorites, I will request and accept the Lord God’s forgiveness, and will alter my behavior and thought life. I will instead invest equally in the lives of those alongside of whom I am blessed to walk, be it a child, a co-worker, a friend, or anyone else. I now commit to review my walk for any place where I am making impetuous decisions - creating future negative consequences for myself and for others. I surrender my decision making to the Lordship of Christ through His Holy Spirit. I will consult Biblical ‘elders’, those who meet the New Testament Biblical definition, whenever I am uncertain.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
28:1 So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him. Then he commanded him, “You must not marry a Canaanite woman! 28:2 Leave immediately for Paddan Aram! Go to the house of Bethuel, your mother’s father, and find yourself a wife there, among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother. 28:3 May the sovereign God bless you! May he make you fruitful and give you a multitude of descendants! Then you will become a large nation. 28:4 May he give you and your descendants the blessing he gave to Abraham so that you may possess the land God gave to Abraham, the land where you have been living as a temporary resident.” 28:5 So Isaac sent Jacob on his way, and he went to Paddan Aram, to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean and brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau.
28:6 Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him off to Paddan Aram to find a wife there. As he blessed him, Isaac commanded him, “You must not marry a Canaanite woman.” 28:7 Jacob obeyed his father and mother and left for Paddan Aram. 28:8 Then Esau realized that the Canaanite women were displeasing to his father Isaac. 28:9 So Esau went to Ishmael and married Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth and daughter of Abraham’s son Ishmael, along with the wives he already had.
Jacob’s Dream at Bethel
28:10 Meanwhile Jacob left Beer Sheba and set out for Haran. 28:11 He reached a certain place where he decided to camp because the sun had gone down. He took one of the stones and placed it near his head. Then he fell asleep in that place 28:12 and had a dream. He saw a stairway erected on the earth with its top reaching to the heavens. The angels of God were going up and coming down it 28:13 and the Lord stood at its top. He said, “I am the Lord, the God of your grandfather Abraham and the God of your father Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the ground you are lying on. 28:14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west, east, north, and south. All the families of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using your name and that of your descendants. 28:15 I am with you! I will protect you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I promised you!”
28:16 Then Jacob woke up and thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, but I did not realize it!” 28:17 He was afraid and said, “What an awesome place this is! This is nothing else than the house of God! This is the gate of heaven!”
28:18 Early in the morning Jacob took the stone he had placed near his head and set it up as a sacred stone. Then he poured oil on top of it. 28:19 He called that place Bethel, although the former name of the town was Luz. 28:20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God is with me and protects me on this journey I am taking and gives me food to eat and clothing to wear, 28:21 and I return safely to my father’s home, then the Lord will become my God. 28:22 Then this stone that I have set up as a sacred stone will be the house of God, and I will surely give you back a tenth of everything you give me.”
Lord, may I be found obedient to You and not a people-pleaser like Esau. May I recognize the provision You make in my life and commit to serve You more.
Isaac’s instructions to Jacob were overheard by Esau.
Jacob accepted the wisdom of his parents and set-off to do as instructed.
Esau attempted to earn his father’s pleasure by rushing-off to marry a woman, in addition to his existing wives (Canaanite) whom he thought may meet with Isaac’s approval.
Jacob had a dream of a ladder or ramp from earth, where he was, up to Heaven. He “saw” angels coming up and down.
The Lord renewed His promises to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to protect, to provide, and to bless with many descendants and with ownership of the very land where he was resting.
When Jacob awoke from his divinely-inspired dream he was struck by the presence of the Lord God and set up an altar. [It appears that until this point his relationship with the Lord was weak at best.]
Jacob set forth a ‘fleece’ to the Lord God, agreeing that if He provided and protected during his trip that he would submit to the Lordship of God, including a 10% tithe.
Jacob became the leader-in-waiting of his people and started the process of walking- through the steps necessary to prepare to assume that role. The Lord God told Jacob how He was already providing and protecting yet Jacob challenged Him to show him more-specifically during his trip.
Although Jacob would not have been prepared for the top leadership role, since Esau was the first-born, he would have been aware of the expectations. Once it was clear that he was ‘the guy’ how might his perspective of life changed? If you were to have a similar dream how would you understand it and how would you respond?
Esau, trapped in the consequences of his impetuous choices in the past, made yet another impetuous decision to ‘earn’ Isaac’s approval. It seems odd, given his father and grandfather, that Jacob had not previously surrendered to God as his Lord.
When have you been given unexpected authority and responsibility? How did your perspective change as a result? When have you promised God your increased commitment if He would do something that you asked? What was the result?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you opportunities to improve your preparedness to be a leader for God. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how God has been providing protection and provision in your life.
I will review my responsibilities and seek ways that I may be better prepared so as to be more valuable in God’s service; be it as a parent or student, employee or boss, leader or team member. I will seek someone with successful experience and humbly ask their counsel. I will recognize that Jesus was the greatest gift ever and make a new commitment to surrender more of my life to the Lordship of Christ through the Holy Spirit. I will select a specific area of my life where my obedience and/or sacrifice in serving Him has lagged and make that right.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
The Marriages of Jacob
29:1 So Jacob moved on and came to the land of the eastern people. 29:2 He saw in the field a well with three flocks of sheep lying beside it, because the flocks were watered from that well. Now a large stone covered the mouth of the well. 29:3 When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone off the mouth of the well and water the sheep. Then they would put the stone back in its place over the well’s mouth.
29:4 Jacob asked them, “My brothers, where are you from?” They replied, “We’re from Haran.” 29:5 So he said to them, “Do you know Laban, the grandson of Nahor?” “We know him,” they said. 29:6 “Is he well?” Jacob asked. They replied, “He is well. Now look, here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.” 29:7 Then Jacob said, “Since it is still the middle of the day, it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. You should water the sheep and then go and let them graze some more.” 29:8 “We can’t,” they said, “until all the flocks are gathered and the stone is rolled off the mouth of the well. Then we water the sheep.”
29:9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was tending them. 29:10 When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his uncle Laban, and the sheep of his uncle Laban, he went over and rolled the stone off the mouth of the well and watered the sheep of his uncle Laban. 29:11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep loudly. 29:12 When Jacob explained to Rachel that he was a relative of her father and the son of Rebekah, she ran and told her father. 29:13 When Laban heard this news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he rushed out to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban how he was related to him. 29:14 Then Laban said to him, “You are indeed my own flesh and blood.” So Jacob stayed with him for a month.
29:15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Should you work for me for nothing because you are my relative? Tell me what your wages should be.” 29:16 (Now Laban had two daughters; the older one was named Leah, and the younger one Rachel. 29:17 Leah’s eyes were tender, but Rachel had a lovely figure and beautiful appearance.) 29:18 Since Jacob had fallen in love with Rachel, he said, “I’ll serve you seven years in exchange for your younger daughter Rachel.” 29:19 Laban replied, “I’d rather give her to you than to another man. Stay with me.” 29:20 So Jacob worked for seven years to acquire Rachel. But they seemed like only a few days to him because his love for her was so great.
29:21 Finally Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my time of service is up. I want to have marital relations with her.” 29:22 So Laban invited all the people of that place and prepared a feast. 29:23 In the evening he brought his daughter Leah to Jacob, and Jacob had marital relations with her. 29:24 (Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.)
29:25 In the morning Jacob discovered it was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, “What in the world have you done to me! Didn’t I work for you in exchange for Rachel? Why have you tricked me?” 29:26 “It is not our custom here,” Laban replied, “to give the younger daughter in marriage before the firstborn. 29:27 Complete my older daughter’s bridal week. Then we will give you the younger one too, in exchange for seven more years of work.”
29:28 Jacob did as Laban said. When Jacob completed Leah’s bridal week, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 29:29 (Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.) 29:30 Jacob had marital relations with Rachel as well. He loved Rachel more than Leah, so he worked for Laban for seven more years.
The Family of Jacob
29:31 When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he enabled her to become pregnant while Rachel remained childless. 29:32 So Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, “The Lord has looked with pity on my oppressed condition. Surely my husband will love me now.”
29:33 She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, “Because the Lord heard that I was unloved, he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon.
29:34 She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, “Now this time my husband will show me affection, because I have given birth to three sons for him.” That is why he was named Levi.
29:35 She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” That is why she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.
30:1 When Rachel saw that she could not give Jacob children, she became jealous of her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children or I’ll die!” 30:2 Jacob became furious with Rachel and exclaimed, “Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children?” 30:3 She replied, “Here is my servant Bilhah! Have sexual relations with her so that she can bear children for me and I can have a family through her.”
30:4 So Rachel gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob had marital relations with her. 30:5 Bilhah became pregnant and gave Jacob a son. 30:6 Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me. He has responded to my prayer and given me a son.” That is why she named him Dan.
30:7 Bilhah, Rachel’s servant, became pregnant again and gave Jacob another son. 30:8 Then Rachel said, “I have fought a desperate struggle with my sister, but I have won.” So she named him Naphtali.
30:9 When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she gave her servant Zilpah to Jacob as a wife. 30:10 Soon Leah’s servant Zilpah gave Jacob a son. 30:11 Leah said, “How fortunate!” So she named him Gad.
30:12 Then Leah’s servant Zilpah gave Jacob another son. 30:13 Leah said, “How happy I am, for women will call me happy!” So she named him Asher.
30:14 At the time of the wheat harvest Reuben went out and found some mandrake plants in a field and brought them to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, “Give me some of your son’s mandrakes.” 30:15 But Leah replied, “Wasn’t it enough that you’ve taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes too?” “All right,” Rachel said, “he may sleep with you tonight in exchange for your son’s mandrakes.” 30:16 When Jacob came in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must sleep with me because I have paid for your services with my son’s mandrakes.” So he had marital relations with her that night. 30:17 God paid attention to Leah; she became pregnant and gave Jacob a son for the fifth time. 30:18 Then Leah said, “God has granted me a reward because I gave my servant to my husband as a wife.” So she named him Issachar.
30:19 Leah became pregnant again and gave Jacob a son for the sixth time. 30:20 Then Leah said, “God has given me a good gift. Now my husband will honor me because I have given him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun.
30:21 After that she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.
30:22 Then God took note of Rachel. He paid attention to her and enabled her to become pregnant. 30:23 She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. Then she said, “God has taken away my shame.” 30:24 She named him Joseph, saying, “May the Lord give me yet another son.”
The Flocks of Jacob
30:25 After Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me on my way so that I can go home to my own country. 30:26 Let me take my wives and my children whom I have acquired by working for you. Then I’ll depart, because you know how hard I’ve worked for you.”
30:27 But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your sight, please stay here, for I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me on account of you.” 30:28 He added, “Just name your wages – I’ll pay whatever you want.”
30:29 “You know how I have worked for you,” Jacob replied, “and how well your livestock have fared under my care. 30:30 Indeed, you had little before I arrived, but now your possessions have increased many times over. The Lord has blessed you wherever I worked. But now, how long must it be before I do something for my own family too?”
30:31 So Laban asked, “What should I give you?” “You don’t need to give me a thing,” Jacob replied, “but if you agree to this one condition, I will continue to care for your flocks and protect them: 30:32 Let me walk among all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb, and the spotted or speckled goats. These animals will be my wages. 30:33 My integrity will testify for me later on. When you come to verify that I’ve taken only the wages we agreed on, if I have in my possession any goat that is not speckled or spotted or any sheep that is not dark-colored, it will be considered stolen.” 30:34 “Agreed!” said Laban, “It will be as you say.”
30:35 So that day Laban removed the male goats that were streaked or spotted, all the female goats that were speckled or spotted (all that had any white on them), and all the dark-colored lambs, and put them in the care of his sons. 30:36 Then he separated them from Jacob by a three-day journey, while Jacob was taking care of the rest of Laban’s flocks.
30:37 But Jacob took fresh-cut branches from poplar, almond, and plane trees. He made white streaks by peeling them, making the white inner wood in the branches visible. 30:38 Then he set up the peeled branches in all the watering troughs where the flocks came to drink. He set up the branches in front of the flocks when they were in heat and came to drink. 30:39 When the sheep mated in front of the branches, they gave birth to young that were streaked or speckled or spotted. 30:40 Jacob removed these lambs, but he made the rest of the flock face the streaked and completely dark-colored animals in Laban’s flock. So he made separate flocks for himself and did not mix them with Laban’s flocks. 30:41 When the stronger females were in heat, Jacob would set up the branches in the troughs in front of the flock, so they would mate near the branches. 30:42 But if the animals were weaker, he did not set the branches there. So the weaker animals ended up belonging to Laban and the stronger animals to Jacob. 30:43 In this way Jacob became extremely prosperous. He owned large flocks, male and female servants, camels, and donkeys.
Lord, it is sad to see the deceit in the lives of these historic people, may such deceit never be practiced among Your children today or tomorrow. Lord, please find us sensitive to people with “tender eyes” as that also implies “tender hearts” as that is the innocence and teachability that You have said is desirable. Lord, may be more concerned with our walk with You than the number of our children or competition with those around us. Lord, when it is time for me to change where I am or what I am doing may it not be necessary to engage in schemes to break-free.
“... the land of the eastern people” was merely a geographical reference rather than the culturally- laden term it would represent today.
Jacob is continuing his flight from the wrath of Esau and is also following the instructions of Isaac to find a wife among Rebekah’s relatives.
Jacob symbolically reverses roles versus the story of Abraham’s servant and Rebekah, providing water for Rachel’s animals rather than Rachel serving his.
Jacob shares his relationship information with the family and is invited to stay. He offers to work alongside them while there and Laban asks what should be his pay – to which Jacob replies – he would like to marry the beautiful Rachel.
Laban, as crafty as Jacob versus Esau, requires Jacob to work seven years for Rachel and then tricks him into marrying the older sister Leah instead.
Jacob is indignant but agrees to work another seven to get Rachel as well.
Jacob was legally-engaged to Rachel from the moment that Laban agreed that Jacob could work 7 years for her, but even though “engagement” meant that he was “married” for most purposes he was not allowed “marital relations” until the agreed moment – when his 7 years were over.
When Laban tricked Jacob, presumably by sending Leah to the marriage bed after dark and when Jacob was drunk and tired from the celebrations, he caused her to be his first “completed” wife.
When challenged by Jacob for his deception Laban then agreed to allow Rachel to become Jacob’s second “completed” wife once the traditional first week with Leah had been completed.
Laban would have been anxious to marry-off Leah not only because she was less physically appealing than Rachel, and older, but also because it meant he’d have two daughters in Jacob’s very wealthy and powerful family.
Jacob, unable to see beyond the lust of his eyes, continued to ignore the gift that was Leah - with her tender eyes (a phrase often meant to infer a tender heart). He fulfilled his duties as a husband but otherwise showed no affection to her. God compensated by giving her children whereas Rachel remained childless.
The first born children of Jacob and Leah were Reuben, Simeon, Lei, and Judah would be among the tribes of the nation known as Israel.
Rachel is obsessed with bearing children and jealous of Leah, but when she demands of Jacob that he cause her to become pregnant he insists that it is God who is keeping her from pregnancy.
Rachel, like Sarah before her, decides to “help” God and gives her servant Bilhah to Jacob and she bears children for them.
Leah follows suit and gives her servant Zilpah to Jacob with the same result.
Leah then seeks a chemical advantage through the Mandrake root which was thought to have aphrodesiac properties. Rachel hears of this and demands some of the root. Leah cleverly agrees on the condition access to Jacob – essentially “paying” for him to have marital relations with her. There is nothing in the text to detail how it came to be that Leah would have to bribe Rachel for access to her husband but Rachel agrees to the arrangement.
In the one night Leah becomes pregnant and produces a fifth son. The text does not explain how she again gained access to Jacob but Leah becomes pregnant again and delivers a sixth son, then another child, this one a daughter.
The text says that “God too notice of Rachel” and she finally had a son, whom she named Joseph, rather than pausing to celebrate him she was already longing for another son in her competition with Leah.
After the birth of many sons and a daughter Jacob decides that it is time to return home.
Laban has figured out that he is benefiting from Jacob’s presence because the God of Abraham and Isaac is blessing Jacob, so he does not want Jacob to leave.
Jacob senses an opportunity and negotiates an arrangement to separate the animals in which he is certain to benefit and which Laban, blinded by selfish greed, does not see Jacob’s scheme.
Jacob manipulates the breeding process so that the marked animals that Laban promised him are healthier, larger, and more plentiful.
It seems that Jacob has received as good as he gave Esau from his uncle Laban. Jacob’s carelessness about his thinking process allowed Laban an opportunity to trick him, just as Esau’s carelessness had allowed Jacob to trick him, in both cases it was a lust of the flesh which made them more vulnerable. There appears to be an unhealthy relationship among everyone in Jacob’s family circle, an obsession with reproduction, and a competition to claim some “ownership” of success. God appears to be a largely ignored factor, at least there is nothing in the text which describes anyone inviting Him into the process, He chooses to intervene just the same. Jacob had served Laban well, indeed Laban had taken great advantage of Jacob, so when Jacob asked to return home Laban’s selfishness set him up to be taken advantage of in return.
Does Jacob’s obsession with the appearance of Rachel, which blinded him to Laban’s trickery, remind you of Satan’s appeal to Eve base on the lust of her eyes? When have you found yourself, upon reflection, making decisions based on a momentary desire to satisfy the flesh rather than a thoughtful consideration of your choices through a prayer-conversation with God and perhaps a consultation with an “elder”? When have you experienced and/or observed people so obsessed with some goal or religious practice or tradition that they engaged in inappropriate conduct and never paused to ask God what were His priorities and His timing Jacob’s scheme with the striped branches does not appear to have any basis in science, or did it? How might it have worked?
Leah is trapped between the lust of Jacob for Rachel and the scheming of Laban to marry-off his less-attractive eldest daughter. No one seems concerned for her perspective. Since Jacob failed to love his wife God blessed her with children, the first four of the historic tribes of “Israel.” Jacob appeared to exercise little leadership in his social relationships. Might God have led Jacob to use the striped branch system so that He could bless him and get him on-track to return home?
When have you found yourself so distracted by things that your flesh desired that you missed the more important things of God’s priorities? [It may have been clothes or money, power or title, physical appearance or fame, special food or the approval of the “popular people.”] When have you observed a situation where God has blessed someone who has been “overlooked” by fellow believers due to some worldly priority? When have you experienced and/or observed the consequence of a father/husband failing to exercise Biblical leadership? What was the result? When have you sensed a call from God to change where you were or what you were doing and someone or some thing was blocking your way? What happened?
Ask the Holy Spirit to make you more sensitive to the subtle signs of His presence in fellow believers and of their tender-hearted availability to His working. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you may be forgetting to invite Him into the process of decision making and peace making among fellowship and family members. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you a “check in the Spirit” whenever you are drifting away from His priorities and into those of the “world.” Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you both the “roadblock(s)” between you and what He has planned for you and the way around or through it/them.
I will ask a prayer-partner to walk with me through a careful assessment of my daily walk in order that we may discern, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, where there are wrong priorities. I agree to surrender those to the Lordship of Christ through the Holy Spirit through repentance and a renewed sense for God’s priorities in my brief life here in the world. I agree to pray that God will show me someone whom others have under-valued based on some worldly priority, perhaps they are not athletic or attractive, not a scholar or a charismatic personality but rather a gentle and humble person who lives a consistent life from-love before God. I will make a point to encourage and fellowship with that person. I agree to prayerfully partner with the Holy Spirit to discern any place in my life where I am rushing to compete with others and/or some self-imposed priority that I have not brought before God. I will surrender that to God and ask Him to teach me what He desires for my life in that area. I will prayerfully identify a place of change God has been asking me to make in my life. I will ask a mature believer “elder” to pray and seek God’s affirmation. If affirmed then I agree to then prayerfully what are the roadblocks and how God would have me overcome them – then do so.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Jacob’s Flight from Laban
31:1 Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were complaining, “Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father! He has gotten rich at our father’s expense!” 31:2 When Jacob saw the look on Laban’s face, he could tell his attitude toward him had changed.
31:3 The Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives. I will be with you.” 31:4 So Jacob sent a message for Rachel and Leah to come to the field where his flocks were. 31:5 There he said to them, “I can tell that your father’s attitude toward me has changed, but the God of my father has been with me. 31:6 You know that I’ve worked for your father as hard as I could, 31:7 but your father has humiliated me and changed my wages ten times. But God has not permitted him to do me any harm. 31:8 If he said, ‘The speckled animals will be your wage,’ then the entire flock gave birth to speckled offspring. But if he said, ‘The streaked animals will be your wage,’ then the entire flock gave birth to streaked offspring. 31:9 In this way God has snatched away your father’s livestock and given them to me.
31:10 “Once during breeding season I saw in a dream that the male goats mating with the flock were streaked, speckled, and spotted. 31:11 In the dream the angel of God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ ‘Here I am!’ I replied. 31:12 Then he said, ‘Observe that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled, or spotted, for I have observed all that Laban has done to you. 31:13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the sacred stone and made a vow to me. Now leave this land immediately and return to your native land.’”
31:14 Then Rachel and Leah replied to him, “Do we still have any portion or inheritance in our father’s house? 31:15 Hasn’t he treated us like foreigners? He not only sold us, but completely wasted the money paid for us! 31:16 Surely all the wealth that God snatched away from our father belongs to us and to our children. So now do everything God has told you.”
31:17 So Jacob immediately put his children and his wives on the camels. 31:18 He took away all the livestock he had acquired in Paddan Aram and all his moveable property that he had accumulated. Then he set out toward the land of Canaan to return to his father Isaac.
31:19 While Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole the household idols that belonged to her father. 31:20 Jacob also deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was leaving. 31:21 He left with all he owned. He quickly crossed the Euphrates River and headed for the hill country of Gilead.
31:22 Three days later Laban discovered Jacob had left. 31:23 So he took his relatives with him and pursued Jacob for seven days. He caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead. 31:24 But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and warned him, “Be careful that you neither bless nor curse Jacob.”
31:25 Laban overtook Jacob, and when Jacob pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead, Laban and his relatives set up camp there too. 31:26 “What have you done?” Laban demanded of Jacob. “You’ve deceived me and carried away my daughters as if they were captives of war! 31:27 Why did you run away secretly and deceive me? Why didn’t you tell me so I could send you off with a celebration complete with singing, tambourines, and harps? 31:28 You didn’t even allow me to kiss my daughters and my grandchildren good-bye. You have acted foolishly! 31:29 I have the power to do you harm, but the God of your father told me last night, ‘Be careful that you neither bless nor curse Jacob.’ 31:30 Now I understand that you have gone away because you longed desperately for your father’s house. Yet why did you steal my gods?”
31:31 “I left secretly because I was afraid!” Jacob replied to Laban. “I thought you might take your daughters away from me by force. 31:32 Whoever has taken your gods will be put to death! In the presence of our relatives identify whatever is yours and take it.” (Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.)
31:33 So Laban entered Jacob’s tent, and Leah’s tent, and the tent of the two female servants, but he did not find the idols. Then he left Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s. 31:34 (Now Rachel had taken the idols and put them inside her camel’s saddle and sat on them.) Laban searched the whole tent, but did not find them. 31:35 Rachel said to her father, “Don’t be angry, my lord. I cannot stand up in your presence because I am having my period.” So he searched thoroughly, but did not find the idols.
31:36 Jacob became angry and argued with Laban. “What did I do wrong?” he demanded of Laban. “What sin of mine prompted you to chase after me in hot pursuit? 31:37 When you searched through all my goods, did you find anything that belonged to you? Set it here before my relatives and yours, and let them settle the dispute between the two of us!
31:38 “I have been with you for the past twenty years. Your ewes and female goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten rams from your flocks. 31:39 Animals torn by wild beasts I never brought to you; I always absorbed the loss myself. You always made me pay for every missing animal, whether it was taken by day or at night. 31:40 I was consumed by scorching heat during the day and by piercing cold at night, and I went without sleep. 31:41 This was my lot for twenty years in your house: I worked like a slave for you – fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, but you changed my wages ten times! 31:42 If the God of my father – the God of Abraham, the one whom Isaac fears – had not been with me, you would certainly have sent me away empty-handed! But God saw how I was oppressed and how hard I worked, and he rebuked you last night.”
31:43 Laban replied to Jacob, “These women are my daughters, these children are my grandchildren, and these flocks are my flocks. All that you see belongs to me. But how can I harm these daughters of mine today or the children to whom they have given birth? 31:44 So now, come, let’s make a formal agreement, you and I, and it will be proof that we have made peace.”
31:45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a memorial pillar. 31:46 Then he said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” So they brought stones and put them in a pile. They ate there by the pile of stones. 31:47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.
31:48 Laban said, “This pile of stones is a witness of our agreement today.” That is why it was called Galeed. 31:49 It was also called Mizpah because he said, “May the Lord watch between us when we are out of sight of one another. 31:50 If you mistreat my daughters or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one else is with us, realize that God is witness to your actions.”
31:51 “Here is this pile of stones and this pillar I have set up between me and you,” Laban said to Jacob. 31:52 “This pile of stones and the pillar are reminders that I will not pass beyond this pile to come to harm you and that you will not pass beyond this pile and this pillar to come to harm me. 31:53 May the God of Abraham and the god of Nahor, the gods of their father, judge between us.” Jacob took an oath by the God whom his father Isaac feared. 31:54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited his relatives to eat the meal. They ate the meal and spent the night on the mountain.
31:55 Early in the morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters goodbye and blessed them. Then Laban left and returned home.
Lord, even when we are careless and unfaithful You are caring and faithful. He watches over His children and provides for us even when we are unaware. Lord, the world sees through blindly-selfish eyes, may I be faithful in seeing things through Your eyes of truth.
As we speculated in the previous study God was indeed preparing the way for Jacob to return home.
Laban’s sons, as selfish as their father, observed the blessings of God upon Jacob and were resentful.
Jacob saw the jealousy and unhappiness in Laban’s eyes, replacing his sense of familial affection and pride at his initial cleverness in manipulating Jacob, and recognized that it was time to part company.
God came to Jacob in a dream and showed him how He had been blessing him and then instructed Jacob to return home.
Jacob shared this with Rachel who observed that her father had “sold” Leah and her to Jacob and then wasted all of the money, that Jacob was now the one with the resources, so she encouraged him to gather things up and move home.
Jacob wasted no time in gathering those resources that could be moved and heading home.
Jacob fled to Laban from Esau and now he is fleeing from Laban.
Rachel sinned in stealing from her father and Jacob was disrespectful, inconsiderate, and lacking in trust in God for rushing away without communicating with Laban.
Rachel’s theft of the idols testified to her lack of faith in the Lord God, then she lied to her father and husband (the latter is implied) in order to hide her crime, compounding her sin.
Laban declared that he had the capacity to do harm to Jacob but that “the God of your father” warned him to not even attempt to “... bless nor curse” Jacob. let alone physically harm him. Jacob was rightfully fearful in his flesh, knowing that Laban had turned against him, and that Laban and his sons were very selfish.
Jacob declares his innocence (not knowing of the stolen idols) and his right to claim his family and property after 20 years of sacrificial service to Laban.
Laban falsely declares ownership of Jacob’s daughters (he gave/sold them to Jacob) and of all of Jacob’s property (earned by Jacob under an agreement with Laban).
They make peace as neither desires a conflict and Laban remains fearful due to the vision from God.
The differences are illustrated in their names for the place of the “memorial pillar”, the God/gods to whom they “swear”, and their perspective of their own righteousness.
Laban and his sons had lived well as a result of Jacob’s presence – it is often true that those near to one who is blessed by God are themselves indirectly blessed. Jacob has clearly not been the spiritual leader of his household. Not only does his wife steal idols from her father, then lie about it, but the Lord God is known as that of Jacob’s father rather than the Lord God of Jacob. Jacob was clearly righteous in his claim to his wives and property, Laban was not.
It appears that Jacob’s awareness of God’s caring presence has grown. Given the history of his grandfather, Abraham, does it seem odd that it required a dream and so many blessings for Jacob to recognize God’s active presence in his life? Would Rachel have stolen her father’s idols out of spite, because they were made of something valuable, or because she still believed in them as a pagan? If not for the intervention of God – placing fear in the heart of Laban – what might have happened between Laban and Jacob?
Jacob has served Laban for at least 14 years, trapped in a land far from his home, gaining sons and a daughter and many resources but not where God wants him to be. Despite his own selfishness toward Jacob and even his daughters Laban was righteously indignant at the way that Jacob departed, in addition to the theft of his idols. Does the fear of God cause us to be peacemakers, despite differences, or do we sometimes rush to demand what is “ours” without regard to God?
When have you found yourself trapped in a situation where you are working hard in a church/religious environment and you were seeing physical fruit (perhaps expanding buildings and programs and adding people) but not the spiritual fruit that God says is more important? Did God finally get your attention and call you out of that into something more focused on what is eternally important? [Note: The intent here is not to condemn all “church” buildings and programs but to encourage a careful assessment of priorities.] When have you, or someone else, separated from a community, a place of employment, or some other situation and neglected to participate in the process of separation? [Note: There are some situations where is quick and clean break is indicated and others where some degree of process is “safe” and therefore appropriate. This is not to suggest that one lingers – God clearly instructed Jacob to leave promptly – but does suggest that we consider the best way to part even if it is a very brief and simple process.] When have you experienced or observed a situation where God, though His Holy Spirit, has caused a peaceful resolution to what would otherwise have been an unnecessary conflict?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where your labors and resources are being invested in what is not eternal and diverted away from what is – and how you might change that. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you what you need to know about recent or soon-to-happen changes in your life. Ask the Holy Spirit to protect you from those whose selfishness might cause them to harm you, and from your own rush-to-action where you might unnecessarily create conflict with others.
I will engage in a prayerful conversation with the Holy Spirit as I study the Word of God, and inquire of “elders”, in order to discover if I am being a good steward of my time and resources. I will make certain that I am investing in what is eternal much more than that which is temporary. Where I discover an imbalance I agree to adjust my priorities toward the eternal (The “Great Commission” - evangelism and discipleship - which flows from the “Greatest Commandment” - loving people enough to be used of God to share the gift of eternity and to care for them along the way.). I will prayerfully discern where I am carrying some doctrinal and/or spiritual debris from an unhealthy past association, where I may have unnecessarily caused some emotional harm due to a rush to move-on, and/or where I need to take action to move-on instead of remaining stuck where He does not want me – and I will act appropriately. I will prayerfully partner with the Holy Spirit to seek a peaceful settlement where there is conflict. I will not sell-out truth or be abused I any way but I will not make unreasonable demands nor will I insist that the other agree with me where it is clear that they cannot [for doctrinal or maturity or spiritual or other reasons]. I will find a middle ground where a parting and/or a resolution is possible with minimal conflict and/or harm.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Jacob Wrestles at Peniel
32:1 So Jacob went on his way and the angels of God met him. 32:2 When Jacob saw them, he exclaimed, “This is the camp of God!” So he named that place Mahanaim.
32:3 Jacob sent messengers on ahead to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the region of Edom. 32:4 He commanded them, “This is what you must say to my lord Esau: ‘This is what your servant Jacob says: I have been staying with Laban until now. 32:5 I have oxen, donkeys, sheep, and male and female servants. I have sent this message to inform my lord, so that I may find favor in your sight.’”
32:6 The messengers returned to Jacob and said, “We went to your brother Esau. He is coming to meet you and has four hundred men with him.” 32:7 Jacob was very afraid and upset. So he divided the people who were with him into two camps, as well as the flocks, herds, and camels. 32:8 “If Esau attacks one camp,” he thought, “then the other camp will be able to escape.”
32:9 Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, O Lord, you said to me, ‘Return to your land and to your relatives and I will make you prosper.’ 32:10 I am not worthy of all the faithful love you have shown your servant. With only my walking stick I crossed the Jordan, but now I have become two camps. 32:11 Rescue me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, as well as the mothers with their children. 32:12 But you said, ‘I will certainly make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand on the seashore, too numerous to count.’”
32:13 Jacob stayed there that night. Then he sent as a gift to his brother Esau 32:14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 32:15 thirty female camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. 32:16 He entrusted them to his servants, who divided them into herds. He told his servants, “Pass over before me, and keep some distance between one herd and the next.” 32:17 He instructed the servant leading the first herd, “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘To whom do you belong? Where are you going? Whose herds are you driving?’ 32:18 then you must say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They have been sent as a gift to my lord Esau. In fact Jacob himself is behind us.’”
32:19 He also gave these instructions to the second and third servants, as well as all those who were following the herds, saying, “You must say the same thing to Esau when you meet him. 32:20 You must also say, ‘In fact your servant Jacob is behind us.’” Jacob thought, “I will first appease him by sending a gift ahead of me. After that I will meet him. Perhaps he will accept me.” 32:21 So the gifts were sent on ahead of him while he spent that night in the camp.
32:22 During the night Jacob quickly took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 32:23 He took them and sent them across the stream along with all his possessions. 32:24 So Jacob was left alone. Then a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 32:25 When the man saw that he could not defeat Jacob, he struck the socket of his hip so the socket of Jacob’s hip was dislocated while he wrestled with him.
32:26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” “I will not let you go,” Jacob replied, “unless you bless me.” 32:27 The man asked him, “What is your name?” He answered, “Jacob.” 32:28 “No longer will your name be Jacob,” the man told him, “but Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have prevailed.”
32:29 Then Jacob asked, “Please tell me your name.” “Why do you ask my name?” the man replied. Then he blessed Jacob there. 32:30 So Jacob named the place Peniel, explaining, “Certainly I have seen God face to face and have survived.”
32:31 The sun rose over him as he crossed over Penuel, but he was limping because of his hip. 32:32 That is why to this day the Israelites do not eat the sinew which is attached to the socket of the hip, because he struck the socket of Jacob’s hip near the attached sinew.
Jacob Meets Esau
33:1 Jacob looked up and saw that Esau was coming along with four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two female servants. 33:2 He put the servants and their children in front, with Leah and her children behind them, and Rachel and Joseph behind them. 33:3 But Jacob himself went on ahead of them, and he bowed toward the ground seven times as he approached his brother. 33:4 But Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, hugged his neck, and kissed him. Then they both wept. 33:5 When Esau looked up and saw the women and the children, he asked, “Who are these people with you?” Jacob replied, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” 33:6 The female servants came forward with their children and bowed down. 33:7 Then Leah came forward with her children and they bowed down. Finally Joseph and Rachel came forward and bowed down.
33:8 Esau then asked, “What did you intend by sending all these herds to meet me?” Jacob replied, “To find favor in your sight, my lord.” 33:9 But Esau said, “I have plenty, my brother. Keep what belongs to you.” 33:10 “No, please take them,” Jacob said. “If I have found favor in your sight, accept my gift from my hand. Now that I have seen your face and you have accepted me, it is as if I have seen the face of God. 33:11 Please take my present that was brought to you, for God has been generous to me and I have all I need.” When Jacob urged him, he took it.
33:12 Then Esau said, “Let’s be on our way! I will go in front of you.” 33:13 But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are young, and that I have to look after the sheep and cattle that are nursing their young. If they are driven too hard for even a single day, all the animals will die. 33:14 Let my lord go on ahead of his servant. I will travel more slowly, at the pace of the herds and the children, until I come to my lord at Seir.”
33:15 So Esau said, “Let me leave some of my men with you.” “Why do that?” Jacob replied. “My lord has already been kind enough to me.”
33:16 So that same day Esau made his way back to Seir. 33:17 But Jacob traveled to Succoth where he built himself a house and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place was called Succoth.
33:18 After he left Paddan Aram, Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan, and he camped near the city. 33:19 Then he purchased the portion of the field where he had pitched his tent; he bought it from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred pieces of money. 33:20 There he set up an altar and called it “The God of Israel is God.”
Lord, like Jacob I am often prone to live from the flesh rather than through You, may I learn to become more reliant upon You. May I be a humble toward You as was Jacob toward Esau.
Jacob, traveling home, is greeted by angels sent by God. He names that place “Mahanaim” as he thinks that they live there.
Jacob’s servants, send to greet Esau and to communicate Jacob’s intention to bring peace offerings, report that Esau is traveling with 400 men.
Jacob pleads with God to protect him, reciting the promises to Isaac, and humbling himself as unworthy.
Jacob sends ahead the offerings and hides his two wives, their female servants, and his eleven sons. His daughter, Dinah, is not mentioned.
While Jacob rests he has a confrontation with what he believes to be a man, they wrestle and as peers Jacob prevails, but the angel “touches” Jacob’s hip – partially crippling him – making him aware of the weakness of his flesh in spiritual matters. Jacob still clings to the ‘man’, refusing to let go.
The angel-man asks Jacob his name and then changes his name to Israel, meaning that now that he finally understands that his flesh alone is insufficient he will be successful because of God’s provision and protection.
Jacob, still of the magical-thinking mindset, wants to know the same of the spiritual being because ancient pagan tradition taught that knowing the name of a spiritual being empowered one to use that name as a weapon. Jacob, thinking the “man” was like his father, also demands a blessing.
The angel, on God’s behalf, recites the prior promise and prophesy of God that Israel would prosper because of faithfulness and God’s blessing.
Jacob, still fearful of the rage of Esau, greets him like a defenseless nation before an invading army.
Esau, apparently long-over his childhood losses, greets Jacob joyfully and reluctantly accepts his gifts.
Esau wants them to rush home but Jacob is mindful of tired and vulnerable livestock and children and chooses to move at a safer pace.
Jacob finds good places for the livestock and for his family along the ways and begins to settle-in.
Jacob anticipates a battle with Esau and is hopeful that a large offering will temper Esau’s rage. He is very aware that in his flesh he, and his people, are no match for Esau. While Jacob could be strong, for example when wrestling with the angel-man, there would always be others like Esau who were stronger in a mere flesh-to-flesh contest. Jacob’s fear of Esau proved to be misplaced, as many of our fears often are.
As Jacob wrestled with the angel-man his flesh is strong but he has no spiritual power and thus the angel was able to easily overcome his flesh. Jacob’s flesh had often led him into trouble, if he was to be God’s leader he would need to surrender, and the angel was sent to confront him with that truth. Isn’t the declaration of Jacob that he had “prevailed” in the flesh but needed God to succeed in the “big picture” a foreshadowing of the New Testament teaching of our surrender of everything in this world to Christ for our salvation? Esau had not only grown-beyond his childhood resentments he provided a partial model for the father’s response in the Parable of the Prodigal Son as he ran to greet his brother Jacob.
Jacob’s new name, Israel, tells everyone that he is now God’s man and no longer his own. How different might this story had gone has Esau been dwelling in his rage for the entire time Jacob was gone? What might that have meant for the life of Esau for 20 years as well as for Jacob as he tried to return home?
What was the moment, or what have been the moments, where you recognized that while in the world your flesh was strong – you needed God for anything to have real purpose and meaning and not mere striving with man? When have you needed to deal with the anger of another, or your own, for something from the past? How did it impact each of you in your own life and in your reaction to the other? Had either of you resolved your anger without the other knowing?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where conflict in the past has distorted your relationship(s) and perhaps your sense of freedom or safety or value in the present.
I will prayerfully consider where in my life I am “wrestling in the flesh” with God, trying to be strong in the flesh, rather than acknowledging my need for Him. I will surrender to Him and through my faithfulness to Him be made truly strong in His power. I agree to allow the Holy Spirit to take me to a difficult place in my past so that He may set me free. I will be wise in my practical choices while I trust Him to lead me to reconciliation. I will pray for the other or others that they two may seek His healing.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Dinah and the Shechemites
34:1 Now Dinah, Leah’s daughter whom she bore to Jacob, went to meet the young women of the land. 34:2 When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, who ruled that area, saw her, he grabbed her, forced himself on her, and sexually assaulted her. 34:3 Then he became very attached to Dinah, Jacob’s daughter. He fell in love with the young woman and spoke romantically to her. 34:4 Shechem said to his father Hamor, “Acquire this young girl as my wife.” 34:5 When Jacob heard that Shechem had violated his daughter Dinah, his sons were with the livestock in the field. So Jacob remained silent until they came in.
34:6 Then Shechem’s father Hamor went to speak with Jacob about Dinah. 34:7 Now Jacob’s sons had come in from the field when they heard the news. They were offended and very angry because Shechem had disgraced Israel by sexually assaulting Jacob’s daughter, a crime that should not be committed.
34:8 But Hamor made this appeal to them: “My son Shechem is in love with your daughter. Please give her to him as his wife. 34:9 Intermarry with us. Let us marry your daughters, and take our daughters as wives for yourselves. 34:10 You may live among us, and the land will be open to you. Live in it, travel freely in it, and acquire property in it.”
34:11 Then Shechem said to Dinah’s father and brothers, “Let me find favor in your sight, and whatever you require of me I’ll give. 34:12 You can make the bride price and the gift I must bring very expensive, and I’ll give whatever you ask of me. Just give me the young woman as my wife!”
34:13 Jacob’s sons answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully when they spoke because Shechem had violated their sister Dinah. 34:14 They said to them, “We cannot give our sister to a man who is not circumcised, for it would be a disgrace to us. 34:15 We will give you our consent on this one condition: You must become like us by circumcising all your males. 34:16 Then we will give you our daughters to marry, and we will take your daughters as wives for ourselves, and we will live among you and become one people. 34:17 But if you do not agree to our terms by being circumcised, then we will take our sister and depart.”
34:18 Their offer pleased Hamor and his son Shechem. 34:19 The young man did not delay in doing what they asked because he wanted Jacob’s daughter Dinah badly. (Now he was more important than anyone in his father’s household.) 34:20 So Hamor and his son Shechem went to the gate of their city and spoke to the men of their city, 34:21 “These men are at peace with us. So let them live in the land and travel freely in it, for the land is wide enough for them. We will take their daughters for wives, and we will give them our daughters to marry. 34:22 Only on this one condition will these men consent to live with us and become one people: They demand that every male among us be circumcised just as they are circumcised. 34:23 If we do so, won’t their livestock, their property, and all their animals become ours? So let’s consent to their demand, so they will live among us.”
34:24 All the men who assembled at the city gate agreed with Hamor and his son Shechem. Every male who assembled at the city gate was circumcised. 34:25 In three days, when they were still in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword and went to the unsuspecting city and slaughtered every male. 34:26 They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the sword, took Dinah from Shechem’s house, and left. 34:27 Jacob’s sons killed them and looted the city because their sister had been violated. 34:28 They took their flocks, herds, and donkeys, as well as everything in the city and in the surrounding fields. 34:29 They captured as plunder all their wealth, all their little ones, and their wives, including everything in the houses.
34:30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought ruin on me by making me a foul odor among the inhabitants of the land – among the Canaanites and the Perizzites. I am few in number; they will join forces against me and attack me, and both I and my family will be destroyed!” 34:31 But Simeon and Levi replied, “Should he treat our sister like a common prostitute?”
The Return to Bethel
35:1 Then God said to Jacob, “Go up at once to Bethel and live there. Make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” 35:2 So Jacob told his household and all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods you have among you. Purify yourselves and change your clothes. 35:3 Let us go up at once to Bethel. Then I will make an altar there to God, who responded to me in my time of distress and has been with me wherever I went.”
35:4 So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods that were in their possession and the rings that were in their ears. Jacob buried them under the oak near Shechem 35:5 and they started on their journey. The surrounding cities were afraid of God, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob.
35:6 Jacob and all those who were with him arrived at Luz (that is, Bethel) in the land of Canaan. 35:7 He built an altar there and named the place El Bethel because there God had revealed himself to him when he was fleeing from his brother. 35:8 (Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died and was buried under the oak below Bethel; thus it was named Oak of Weeping.)
35:9 God appeared to Jacob again after he returned from Paddan Aram and blessed him. 35:10 God said to him, “Your name is Jacob, but your name will no longer be called Jacob; Israel will be your name.” So God named him Israel. 35:11 Then God said to him, “I am the sovereign God. Be fruitful and multiply! A nation – even a company of nations – will descend from you; kings will be among your descendants! 35:12 The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you. To your descendants I will also give this land.” 35:13 Then God went up from the place where he spoke with him. 35:14 So Jacob set up a sacred stone pillar in the place where God spoke with him. He poured out a drink offering on it, and then he poured oil on it. 35:15 Jacob named the place where God spoke with him Bethel.
35:16 They traveled on from Bethel, and when Ephrath was still some distance away, Rachel went into labor – and her labor was hard. 35:17 When her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, “Don’t be afraid, for you are having another son.” 35:18 With her dying breath, she named him Ben-Oni. But his father called him Benjamin instead. 35:19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). 35:20 Jacob set up a marker over her grave; it is the Marker of Rachel’s Grave to this day.
35:21 Then Israel traveled on and pitched his tent beyond Migdal Eder. 35:22 While Israel was living in that land, Reuben had sexual relations with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard about it.
Jacob had twelve sons:
35:23 The sons of Leah were Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, as well as Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
35:24 The sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin.
35:25 The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s servant, were Dan and Naphtali.
35:26 The sons of Zilpah, Leah’s servant, were Gad and Asher.
These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan Aram.
35:27 So Jacob came back to his father Isaac in Mamre, to Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had stayed. 35:28 Isaac lived to be 180 years old. 35:29 Then Isaac breathed his last and joined his ancestors. He died an old man who had lived a full life. His sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
The Descendants of Esau
36:1 What follows is the account of Esau (also known as Edom).
36:2 Esau took his wives from the Canaanites: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah the daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite, 36:3 in addition to Basemath the daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth.
36:4 Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, Basemath bore Reuel, 36:5 and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These were the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan.
36:6 Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, all the people in his household, his livestock, his animals, and all his possessions which he had acquired in the land of Canaan and went to a land some distance away from Jacob his brother 36:7 because they had too many possessions to be able to stay together and the land where they had settled was not able to support them because of their livestock. 36:8 So Esau (also known as Edom) lived in the hill country of Seir.
36:9 This is the account of Esau, the father of the Edomites, in the hill country of Seir.
36:10 These were the names of Esau’s sons:
Eliphaz, the son of Esau’s wife Adah, and Reuel, the son of Esau’s wife Basemath.
36:11 The sons of Eliphaz were:
Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz.
36:12 Timna, a concubine of Esau’s son Eliphaz, bore Amalek to Eliphaz. These were the sons of Esau’s wife Adah.
36:13 These were the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the sons of Esau’s wife Basemath.
36:14 These were the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah the daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon: She bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah to Esau.
36:15 These were the chiefs among the descendants of Esau, the sons of Eliphaz, Esau’s firstborn: chief Teman, chief Omar, chief Zepho, chief Kenaz, 36:16 chief Korah, chief Gatam, chief Amalek. These were the chiefs descended from Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these were the sons of Adah.
36:17 These were the sons of Esau’s son Reuel: chief Nahath, chief Zerah, chief Shammah, chief Mizzah. These were the chiefs descended from Reuel in the land of Edom; these were the sons of Esau’s wife Basemath.
36:18 These were the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah: chief Jeush, chief Jalam, chief Korah. These were the chiefs descended from Esau’s wife Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.
36:19 These were the sons of Esau (also known as Edom), and these were their chiefs.
36:20 These were the sons of Seir the Horite, who were living in the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 36:21 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These were the chiefs of the Horites, the descendants of Seir in the land of Edom.
36:22 The sons of Lotan were Hori and Homam; Lotan’s sister was Timna.
36:23 These were the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam.
36:24 These were the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah (who discovered the hot springs in the wilderness as he pastured the donkeys of his father Zibeon).
36:25 These were the children of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.
36:26 These were the sons of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Keran.
36:27 These were the sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan.
36:28 These were the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.
36:29 These were the chiefs of the Horites: chief Lotan, chief Shobal, chief Zibeon, chief Anah, 36:30 chief Dishon, chief Ezer, chief Dishan. These were the chiefs of the Horites, according to their chief lists in the land of Seir.
36:31 These were the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king ruled over the Israelites:
36:32 Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom; the name of his city was Dinhabah.
36:33 When Bela died, Jobab the son of Zerah from Bozrah reigned in his place.
36:34 When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites reigned in his place.
36:35 When Husham died, Hadad the son of Bedad, who defeated the Midianites in the land of Moab, reigned in his place; the name of his city was Avith.
36:36 When Hadad died, Samlah from Masrekah reigned in his place.
36:37 When Samlah died, Shaul from Rehoboth by the River reigned in his place.
36:38 When Shaul died, Baal-Hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his place.
36:39 When Baal-Hanan the son of Achbor died, Hadad reigned in his place; the name of his city was Pau. His wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-Zahab.
36:40 These were the names of the chiefs of Esau, according to their families, according to their places, by their names: chief Timna, chief Alvah, chief Jetheth, 36:41 chief Oholibamah, chief Elah, chief Pinon, 36:42 chief Kenaz, chief Teman, chief Mibzar, 36:43 chief Magdiel, chief Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom, according to their settlements in the land they possessed. This was Esau, the father of the Edomites.
Lord, may I understand that there are some things “... that should not be committed” and which have consequences that may include even greater conflict with You and fellow humankind. Lord, may the blindness of greed and lust be swept away from my life so that my eyes are always upon You alone. Lord, may I pause regularly to fellowship with You, to lift praises to You, and to clear-out anything that is an idol which displaces You in any part of my life. Lord, Your Word is always true, so even though there was confusion and rebellion in the House of Isaac Your promise to bless his children extended to Esau.
Once again the lust of the eyes has led a man to act unwisely toward a woman. “Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, who ruled that area ...” raped Israel’s daughter Dinah.
After his crime Shechem became emotionally attached to Dinah, perhaps parallel with the fear of consequences for his crime, and petitions Israel to allow him to marry her – for which he would pay a large dowry and welcome her people into the land.
The text does not report Israel’s reply to the offer to and marry among the family of the rapist and those who occupied the land already promised to Israel.
Simeon and Levi, apparently the leaders of their brothers, challenge Shechem and Hamor to have all of their men circumcised to make it acceptable to live together with them.
The greed and lust of Shechem and Hamor were not isolated to Dinah. Just as they tried to lure Israel into an alliance to cover-over the terrible crime against Dinah, they promote this to their people in order to persuade them to be circumcised.
Note the text of 34:23 “If we do so, won’t their livestock, their property, and all their animals become ours?” They were not satisfied with Dinah, they were willing to intermarry with a foreign people of an unfamiliar God and traditions in order to gain access to their resources.
Simeon and Levi, as clever as Jacob and Laban before them, used the worldly vulnerability of Shechem and Hamor against them – setting them up for slaughter and the loss of everything.
Israel is upset, fearing retribution from the other people in the land, Simeon and Levi declare that the crime against their sister Dinah was a crime against Israel which had to be avenged.
After the action of Simeon and Levi God instructs Israel to relocate his people and to stop and renew their commitment to Him as their Lord God.
Before the people of Israel are prepared to build an altar and worship the Lord God they needed to remove all of the idols from their presence and to prepare their bodies and clothes as seemed proper to come into the presence (however indirect) of heavenly-royalty.
Meanwhile, God had placed fear in the hearts of the “cities” around them – as He had with Laban – so that they did not dare to attack Israel.
Lord, may my life be known for my faithfulness in pausing to give you the glory, praise, and worship, and for the way that I have multiplied those who are known by Your name.
Jacob/Israel returned to Bethel where Rebekah’s servant Deborah died and was buried. Jacob/Israel built an altar there in remembrance of God meeting him there 20 years prior when he was fleeing the rage of Esau.
God appears again to Jacob, reiterating His promise for Abraham and Isaac to Jacob/Israel’s descendants and reiterating His prior message to Jacob that his name was now Israel. Jacob erected a stone pillar in remembrance and poured-out a “drink offering”, possibly wine or blood from an animal sacrifice, followed by oil.
Near Ephrath, midway from Bethel to Bethlehem Rachel gives birth to Benjamin and dies in childbirth. She is buried there.
During the journey that followed Jacob/Israel’s son Reuben had sexual relations with Bilhah, Jacob/Israel’s father’s concubine, and he became aware of that sin.
Jacob/Israel returned to “... Isaac in Mamre, to Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had stayed.” in time see Isaac before he died at 180 years of age.
Just as Abraham had experienced before them Esau and Jacob’s large herds of animals could not be managed in close proximity – so Esau again moved away from his family into Seir where he became “the father of the Edomites”.
The descendants of Esau are provided as a testimony of God’s faithfulness to His promise to bless the children of Isaac.
Shechem and Hamor were unaware that God had already promised all of the land to Abraham, then Isaac, and then Jacob – they were unaware that their penitence for the sin of Shechem was a peaceful way for Israel to begin occupying the promised land. The greed and lust of Shechem and Hamor make them very vulnerable. Jacob/Israel has a developing relationship with God, as a young man it seemed to be non-existent, then it was somewhat superstitious, and only in his later years did it seem to grow into more of a relationship and one where God became his Lord God. Jacob was told by the man/angel with whom he had earlier wrestled that his name would become Israel and now God makes it so. According to http://bible.org the Edomites are referenced 39 times in the Old Testament, often in conflict with the Tribes of Israel Gen: 36:9, 36:43; Num: 34:3; Deu: 2:4 23:7, 23:8; Jdg: 1:36; 1Sa: 14:47 21:7 22:9 22:18 22:22; 2Sa: 8:13 8:14; 1Ki: 11:1 11:14; 11:17; 2Ki: 8:20 8:21 14:7 16:6 24:2; 1Ch: 18:12 18:13; 2Ch: 21:8 21:9 21:10 25:11 25:14 25:19 28:17; Psa: 52:1 60:1 83:6 137:7; Jer: 9:26 49:19 49:22; Eze: 16:57
What sense of entitlement, lack of respect for women, and of local power must Hamor and Shechem had to approach Israel in this way? What statement about their character would Israel, as leader of his people, have made were they to have agreed to the marriage of Shechem to Dinah, the intermarriage with the local people, and to the merging of the resources that God had given them?: While we have a significantly different relationship with the Lord God than that of pre-Cross/Resurrection/Pentecost Old Testament (and early New Testament) people He is still the royalty of royalty and deserving of our honor and obedience and praise. How do we prepare ourselves to enter into His presence for special times of praise and worship? When Adam named the animals in the Garden it was a statement of ‘ownership’ or of a hierarchical relationship where the one who names is above the being that is named. Here God acknowledges that Jacob’s relationship with Him has matured to a place where he is truly God’s man and thus God gives him a new name. This is not the first time that God did this. While Esau had apparently forgiven Jacob the text does not imply that their relationship warmed. Damaged relationships may often be reconciled, where the conflict ceases, but not restored, where affection and fellowship are intimate.
The invitation to live and marry among the family of the rapist and those who occupied the land already promised to Israel must have sounded odd to Dinah’s relatives. Israel continues his pattern of fear-driven weakness whereas his sons acted aggressively and cleverly to enforce high standards of integrity despite the risk. How might you have chosen between the alternatives facing the people of Israel? Israel appears to have been aware of the presence of idols among his people yet his relationship with and understanding of the Lord God has matured to where he knew that those idols must be removed. Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin, comforted in her final moments of suffering when told that she was bearing Jacob/Israel another son. Her desperate desire to compete with Leah in producing sons was a priority until the final moments of her life. Choices have consequences and the one that led to Esau at odds with his brother Jacob led to generations of conflict among their descendants.
When have you, or someone with whom you have interacted, tried to ‘make things right’ after an offense in a way that upon reflection seems inappropriate? When have you been faced with a decision which presented what appeared to be two competing bad ethical options? Was the deception and destruction by Simeon and Levi justified? When have you felt led to prepare yourself in a special way to enter into praise and worship of God – what did that process look like for you? When have a series of major events, mixed blessings and losses such as Jacob/Israel experienced along the way home, caused you to draw nearer to God? When have you experienced of observed a relationship that had been seriously troubled where the two people reconciled but did not restore to an intimacy one might expect; be it siblings, a couple (men and women previously married or close to it), or business or ministry partners, etc.?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where and how the lust of your flesh may be leading you in a direction that may result in harm to others and to you. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom when confronted by ethical challenges. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any idols in your life. [Note: Idols may be people we hold up so high that their opinion or approval eclipses that of God and His Word, may be money or power, fame or appearance, possessions or talents, elements of other religions merged with Biblical Christianity, habits that are superstition-based, etc.] Ask the Holy Spirit to seek you in all of the moments of my life, the difficult and the good. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you might both reconcile and restore a broken relationship, and if not possible to restore to clarify the ‘why’.
I agree to partner with the Holy Spirit to identify places in my life where an impetuous reaction to the desires of my flesh are leading me to make poor choices. I agree to surrender those places to the Lordship of Christ through the Holy Spirit. I will prayerfully review my life for any place where fear may be causing me to consider compromise with those who are not followers of Christ for the sake of a temporary peace. I will act boldly to stand for honor and trust God to be my strength and my protector. I will partner with the Holy Spirit, and as-necessary a fellow believer, to prayerfully discern the presence of any idols in my life. Since I am in His presence always, due to His indwelling Holy Spirit, any idols are always an offense to Him. I agree to purge those idols from my life and to make an intentional effort to keep them and others from entering-in ever again. I will reflect upon a list of several of the most difficult and the most joyful events of my life and prayerfully seek the presence of God in them, and even today as He teaches me something new through them. I will share what the Holy Spirit shows me with a fellow believer, as an encouragement and a praise, and with someone considering-Christ, as a witness to God’s faithful love. I will prayerfully partner with the Holy Spirit to be made aware of a previously broken relationship which He wants healed. I will seek reconciliation and restoration, but only with the wise counsel of a Biblical elder, so that I neither rush things or force them beyond what the Lord declares to be right and safe.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 10
Joseph’s Dreams
37:1 But Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, in the land of Canaan.
37:2 This is the account of Jacob.
Joseph, his seventeen-year-old son, was taking care of the flocks with his brothers. Now he was a youngster working with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. Joseph brought back a bad report about them to their father.
37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons because he was a son born to him late in life, and he made a special tunic for him. 37:4 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated Joseph and were not able to speak to him kindly.
37:5 Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him even more. 37:6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 37:7 There we were, binding sheaves of grain in the middle of the field. Suddenly my sheaf rose up and stood upright and your sheaves surrounded my sheaf and bowed down to it!” 37:8 Then his brothers asked him, “Do you really think you will rule over us or have dominion over us?” They hated him even more because of his dream and because of what he said.
37:9 Then he had another dream, and told it to his brothers. “Look,” he said. “I had another dream. The sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 37:10 When he told his father and his brothers, his father rebuked him, saying, “What is this dream that you had? Will I, your mother, and your brothers really come and bow down to you?” 37:11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept in mind what Joseph said.
37:12 When his brothers had gone to graze their father’s flocks near Shechem, 37:13 Israel said to Joseph, “Your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I will send you to them.” “I’m ready,” Joseph replied. 37:14 So Jacob said to him, “Go now and check on the welfare of your brothers and of the flocks, and bring me word.” So Jacob sent him from the valley of Hebron.
37:15 When Joseph reached Shechem, a man found him wandering in the field, so the man asked him, “What are you looking for?” 37:16 He replied, “I’m looking for my brothers. Please tell me where they are grazing their flocks.” 37:17 The man said, “They left this area, for I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.
37:18 Now Joseph’s brothers saw him from a distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. 37:19 They said to one another, “Here comes this master of dreams! 37:20 Come now, let’s kill him, throw him into one of the cisterns, and then say that a wild animal ate him. Then we’ll see how his dreams turn out!”
37:21 When Reuben heard this, he rescued Joseph from their hands, saying, “Let’s not take his life!” 37:22 Reuben continued, “Don’t shed blood! Throw him into this cistern that is here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” (Reuben said this so he could rescue Joseph from them and take him back to his father.)
37:23 When Joseph reached his brothers, they stripped him of his tunic, the special tunic that he wore. 37:24 Then they took him and threw him into the cistern. (Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it.)
37:25 When they sat down to eat their food, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh down to Egypt. 37:26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is there if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 37:27 Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites, but let’s not lay a hand on him, for after all, he is our brother, our own flesh.” His brothers agreed. 37:28 So when the Midianite merchants passed by, Joseph’s brothers pulled him out of the cistern and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. The Ishmaelites then took Joseph to Egypt.
37:29 Later Reuben returned to the cistern to find that Joseph was not in it! He tore his clothes, 37:30 returned to his brothers, and said, “The boy isn’t there! And I, where can I go?” 37:31 So they took Joseph’s tunic, killed a young goat, and dipped the tunic in the blood. 37:32 Then they brought the special tunic to their father and said, “We found this. Determine now whether it is your son’s tunic or not.”
37:33 He recognized it and exclaimed, “It is my son’s tunic! A wild animal has eaten him! Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!” 37:34 Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourned for his son many days. 37:35 All his sons and daughters stood by him to console him, but he refused to be consoled. “No,” he said, “I will go to the grave mourning my son.” So Joseph’s father wept for him.
37:36 Now in Egypt the Midianites sold Joseph to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard.
Judah and Tamar
38:1 At that time Judah left his brothers and stayed with an Adullamite man named Hirah.
38:2 There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua. Judah acquired her as a wife and had marital relations with her. 38:3 She became pregnant and had a son. Judah named him Er. 38:4 She became pregnant again and had another son, whom she named Onan. 38:5 Then she had yet another son, whom she named Shelah. She gave birth to him in Kezib.
38:6 Judah acquired a wife for Er his firstborn; her name was Tamar. 38:7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord killed him.
38:8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Have sexual relations with your brother’s wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her so that you may raise up a descendant for your brother.” 38:9 But Onan knew that the child would not be considered his. So whenever he had sexual relations with his brother’s wife, he withdrew prematurely so as not to give his brother a descendant. 38:10 What he did was evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord killed him too.
38:11 Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Live as a widow in your father’s house until Shelah my son grows up.” For he thought, “I don’t want him to die like his brothers.” So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.
38:12 After some time Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua, died. After Judah was consoled, he left for Timnah to visit his sheepshearers, along with his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 38:13 Tamar was told, “Look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.” 38:14 So she removed her widow’s clothes and covered herself with a veil. She wrapped herself and sat at the entrance to Enaim which is on the way to Timnah. (She did this because she saw that she had not been given to Shelah as a wife, even though he had now grown up.)
38:15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute because she had covered her face. 38:16 He turned aside to her along the road and said, “Come on! I want to have sex with you.” (He did not realize it was his daughter-in-law.) She asked, “What will you give me in exchange for having sex with you?” 38:17 He replied, “I’ll send you a young goat from the flock.” She asked, “Will you give me a pledge until you send it?” 38:18 He said, “What pledge should I give you?” She replied, “Your seal, your cord, and the staff that’s in your hand.” So he gave them to her and had sex with her. She became pregnant by him. 38:19 She left immediately, removed her veil, and put on her widow’s clothes.
38:20 Then Judah had his friend Hirah the Adullamite take a young goat to get back from the woman the items he had given in pledge, but Hirah could not find her. 38:21 He asked the men who were there, “Where is the cult prostitute who was at Enaim by the road?” But they replied, “There has been no cult prostitute here.” 38:22 So he returned to Judah and said, “I couldn’t find her. Moreover, the men of the place said, ‘There has been no cult prostitute here.’” 38:23 Judah said, “Let her keep the things for herself. Otherwise we will appear to be dishonest. I did indeed send this young goat, but you couldn’t find her.”
38:24 After three months Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has turned to prostitution, and as a result she has become pregnant.” Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned!” 38:25 While they were bringing her out, she sent word to her father-in-law: “I am pregnant by the man to whom these belong.” Then she said, “Identify the one to whom the seal, cord, and staff belong.” 38:26 Judah recognized them and said, “She is more upright than I am, because I wouldn’t give her to Shelah my son.” He did not have sexual relations with her again.
38:27 When it was time for her to give birth, there were twins in her womb. 38:28 While she was giving birth, one child put out his hand, and the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” 38:29 But then he drew back his hand, and his brother came out before him. She said, “How you have broken out of the womb!” So he was named Perez. 38:30 Afterward his brother came out – the one who had the scarlet thread on his hand – and he was named Zerah.
Lord, when we play-favorites among children, or anyone else with whom we should have equally-loving relationships, we sow the seeds of jealousy. Help me to be appropriately balanced in all of my relationships. Lord, may I learn from this story of the greed and jealousy of Joseph's brothers to not be likewise motivated from my selfish and shallow flesh. Lord, when we join with evil the result is usually evil. May I be found faithful in consulting you before joining in business, ministry, and/or personal relationship with others. Lord, may I obey Your Holy Spirit when He warns me that even a small deceit on my part can lead others to deceive as well – and what I thought I had accomplished in the moment may easily become a greater hassle than I imagined I was avoiding.
We read in Genesis 36:1-43 the record of the descendants of Esau, then the text turned to Jacob, who “... lived in the land where his father had stayed, in the land of Canaan.”
At the age of seventeen Joseph would have worked in the fields for many years but was now old enough to be trusted to travel about independently. He observed the sons of Bilhah, his brothers Dan and Naphtali, and the sons of Zilpah, Gad and Asher, and determined that they were not giving his father Jacob a full days work – so he brought that report to his father.
Despite the trouble caused by Isaac’s preferential treatment of Esau, and Rebekah’s preference for Jacob, Jacob repeated their error and was obvious in his preference for Joseph – creating an environment likely to cause his brothers to be angry.
Joseph, immaturely broadcasting his dreams about authority over his older brothers, parents, and others added to their anger.
The feeding of large herds would have required that the shepherds move from field to field across many miles. They could have been away from home for days or weeks at a time.
Jacob/Israel sent Joseph to check on his brothers and to return with a report as to their “welfare”. They were not where he expected but had moved on to Dothan.
Joseph’s brothers saw him coming and plotted to kill him, hide his body, and report him as killed and eaten by a “wild animal”.
Reuben persuaded them to throw him into a dry cistern (shallow well) instead as he planned to sneak back and rescue him – not out of love – but because he didn’t want Joseph’s blood on his hands.
Reuben apparently left them and while he was away his brothers spotted a band of Midianite merchants, Ismaelites (now known as Arabs) and they sold Joseph into slavery for 20 pieces of silver. (Joseph was later resold, presumably for profit, in Egypt.)
When Reuben returned and discovered what they had done he was desperate and allowed them to draw him into their scheme to deceive their father Jacob/Israel into believing Joseph dead.
Jacob/Israel vowed to go to his grave still mourning for Joseph.
After selling their brother Joseph into slavery, then covering-up by deceiving their father Jacob/Israel into believing thast Joseph was dead, Judah separated himself from his brothers and married a Canaanite, something the Lord God had previously forbidden.
Judah had three sons and as was traditional he found a wife named Tamar for his first son, Er. But the Lord God found him to be evil and killed him.
Judah, as was traditional, required his second son to sleep with her in order to give her a son so as to carry-on his brother’s line – but Onan was selfish as he knew the son would not be considered his own – and therefore he would not himself inherit Er’s blessings as the first born. So Onan deliberately acted to keep her from getting pregnant. The Lord God saw that as evil and killed him.
Judah, down to the last of three sons asked Tamar to live elsewhere while Shelah grew up enough to be available for marriage. Judah’s true motivation was a superstitious fear that Tamar was somehow the cause of the deaths of Er and Onan and he wanted to protect Shelah. Tamar believed him and agreed to live apart for a while.
Jacob exhibited poor judgment throughout his life, always because he was not listening to the Lord God, so once again he behaved impetuously and irresponsibly and the result was conflict. Joseph’s brothers were both vengeful and greedy. (Judas later sold-out Jesus, also for 20 pieces of silver.) Judah’s sons were half-Canaanite and Tamar likely Canaanite, therefore their children would have been three-quarters Canaanite - that culture was pagan. Following in the pattern of his father, Jacob/Israel’s mutually-deceitful relationship with Laban, Judah became ensnared in one with Tamar.
Why would anyone not expect anger and jealousy when someone who should be a peer, indeed should be submitted to his elder brothers, is instead arbitrarily treated with favoritism?
When Joseph brought a bad report against some of his brothers, even with the good intention of loyalty to his father, should he not have anticipated they’d be angry?
Judah buried and mourned his wife and then decided to travel with his friend to Timnah where the sheep were being sheared.
Tamar, left waiting long after Judah’s third son Shelah was old enough to give her a son in the name of her dead husband Er, decided that Judah was vulnerable to a trick.
Tamar disguised herself along the road to Timnah and as she suspected Judah mistook her for a cult prostitute and propositioned her. He offered her a goat in exchange for sex, but did not have one with him, so she requested his “... seal, cord, and staff” as collateral to assure that he would keep his promise.
When Tamar later was found to be pregnant Judah intended to punish her until she proved, with his “... seal, cord, and staff”, that the child was his. (She had twins, with the curious twist of the first partially-leaving the womb only to retreat and the second to be fully-birthed before the first finally came out, perhaps an echo of Jacob and Esau.)
Have you ever been so angry with someone, or so jealous of them, that you plotted in your mind a way to “get rid of them”? What did you do? If you did not act on your plot, what was it that stopped you? If you did act on it in some way was your action restrained by someone or something? Esau was “evil in the Lord’s sight”. but it was Onan’s disobedience and selfishness was “... was evil in the Lord’s sight”, what is the difference? Judah had in some way or ways “taught” Tamar that he would be vulnerable to the appeal of a cult prostitute. Perhaps it was something he said during his mourning for his wife, perhaps she had observed him being unfaithful in the past, perhaps it was just the deceitful way he had dealt with her. How have people “taught” you that they would be vulnerable to certain temptations?
Knowing that his brothers were already hostile might Joseph have shared his dreams only with his father? Reuben had violated an important tradition when he slept with Bilhah, his father's concubine, and he failed to demand that his brothers not harm Joseph in any way - so there was a pattern of poor choices in his life. Twice the Lord intervened and punished evil, killing the two sons, yet Judah does not appear to have consulted the Lord God, rather choosing to deceive Tamar to protect his remaining son. The promise Tamar wanted kept by Judah was not a goat for sex but a child by Judah's son Shelah to continue the line of Er (which would also entitle her to Er’s inheritance). She bore twins by Judah whose standing would have been somewhat equal to that of Shelah.
When have you experienced and/or observed favoritism among people who should be peers-in-relationship? What was the result? When have you observed others doing the wrong thing, and because you were somehow sympathetic with their feelings, you failed to challenge them to do the right thing before the Lord? When have you ever been fearful and reacted defensively without first consulting God?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you may be imbalanced in your treatment of peers, also to reveal to you where greed or jealously or some other weakness has (or is) lead (leading) you to commit acts of evil against others - or to condone them when committed by others. Ask Him to reveal to you where you may be making choices out of fear without first consulting Him, also to reveal to you any place in your life where your actions and/or words might be 'teaching' observers that you are vulnerable to temptation.
I will accept what the Holy Spirit shows me, perhaps affirmed through a Biblical 'elder', and will immediately act to restore balance. I agree to not merely acknowledge that I make poor choices based on greed or jealousy or the fear to confront evil in others but to act upon it in the area(s) that the Holy Spirit reveals to me. I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement with me for courage and wisdom and to hold me accountable. I will prayerfully listen to the Holy Spirit as He shows me what it is that I say and/or do that conveys the message of my vulnerability to specific temptation(s). It may be crude and crass humor about romantic relationship, a lust for money or power, a predisposition toward 'experience' (needing emotional stimulation), a predisposition to danger 'adrenaline junkie', dressing provocatively, a need to 'keep up with the Joneses', a pattern of making idols of celebrities (the physically-attractive, sports stars, entertainers, the rich, the powerful, etc.). I will confess and repent of those things and submit them to the Holy Spirit for purging. I will ask at least one fellow believer to help me in monitoring my actions and/or words for any sign of their return.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife
39:1 Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt. An Egyptian named Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard, purchased him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him there. 39:2 The Lord was with Joseph. He was successful and lived in the household of his Egyptian master. 39:3 His master observed that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made everything he was doing successful. 39:4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal attendant. Potiphar appointed Joseph overseer of his household and put him in charge of everything he owned. 39:5 From the time Potiphar appointed him over his household and over all that he owned, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s household for Joseph’s sake. The blessing of the Lord was on everything that he had, both in his house and in his fields. 39:6 So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; he gave no thought to anything except the food he ate.
Now Joseph was well built and good-looking. 39:7 Soon after these things, his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Have sex with me.” 39:8 But he refused, saying to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not give any thought to his household with me here, and everything that he owns he has put into my care. 39:9 There is no one greater in this household than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you because you are his wife. So how could I do such a great evil and sin against God?” 39:10 Even though she continued to speak to Joseph day after day, he did not respond to her invitation to have sex with her.
39:11 One day he went into the house to do his work when none of the household servants were there in the house. 39:12 She grabbed him by his outer garment, saying, “Have sex with me!” But he left his outer garment in her hand and ran outside. 39:13 When she saw that he had left his outer garment in her hand and had run outside, 39:14 she called for her household servants and said to them, “See, my husband brought in a Hebrew man to us to humiliate us. He tried to have sex with me, but I screamed loudly. 39:15 When he heard me raise my voice and scream, he left his outer garment beside me and ran outside.”
39:16 So she laid his outer garment beside her until his master came home. 39:17 This is what she said to him: “That Hebrew slave you brought to us tried to humiliate me, 39:18 but when I raised my voice and screamed, he left his outer garment and ran outside.”
39:19 When his master heard his wife say, “This is the way your slave treated me,” he became furious. 39:20 Joseph’s master took him and threw him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. So he was there in the prison.
39:21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him kindness. He granted him favor in the sight of the prison warden. 39:22 The warden put all the prisoners under Joseph’s care. He was in charge of whatever they were doing. 39:23 The warden did not concern himself with anything that was in Joseph’s care because the Lord was with him and whatever he was doing the Lord was making successful.
The Cupbearer and the Baker
40:1 After these things happened, the cupbearer to the king of Egypt and the royal baker offended their master, the king of Egypt. 40:2 Pharaoh was enraged with his two officials, the cupbearer and the baker, 40:3 so he imprisoned them in the house of the captain of the guard in the same facility where Joseph was confined. 40:4 The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be their attendant, and he served them.
They spent some time in custody. 40:5 Both of them, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream the same night. Each man’s dream had its own meaning. 40:6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were looking depressed. 40:7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officials, who were with him in custody in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?” 40:8 They told him, “We both had dreams, but there is no one to interpret them.” Joseph responded, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me.”
40:9 So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph: “In my dream, there was a vine in front of me. 40:10 On the vine there were three branches. As it budded, its blossoms opened and its clusters ripened into grapes. 40:11 Now Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, so I took the grapes, squeezed them into his cup, and put the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.”
40:12 “This is its meaning,” Joseph said to him. “The three branches represent three days. 40:13 In three more days Pharaoh will reinstate you and restore you to your office. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you did before when you were cupbearer. 40:14 But remember me when it goes well for you, and show me kindness. Make mention of me to Pharaoh and bring me out of this prison, 40:15 for I really was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews and I have done nothing wrong here for which they should put me in a dungeon.”
40:16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation of the first dream was favorable, he said to Joseph, “I also appeared in my dream and there were three baskets of white bread on my head. 40:17 In the top basket there were baked goods of every kind for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them from the basket that was on my head.”
40:18 Joseph replied, “This is its meaning: The three baskets represent three days. 40:19 In three more days Pharaoh will decapitate you and impale you on a pole. Then the birds will eat your flesh from you.”
40:20 On the third day it was Pharaoh’s birthday, so he gave a feast for all his servants. He “lifted up” the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker in the midst of his servants. 40:21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his former position so that he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand, 40:22 but the chief baker he impaled, just as Joseph had predicted. 40:23 But the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph – he forgot him.
Lord, sometimes life isn’t fair but You are always faithful. Please help me to be faithful to You no matter what happens! Lord, may I be as faithful and wise as Joseph, remembering that all of the gifts of the Holy Spirit (in this case the gift of interpretation) and all power belong to you.
Joseph was a slave but his strong work ethic overcame his fear and sadness and earned him the respect of his owner, Potiphar.
The text draws attention to Joseph’s concern for his diet, perhaps a precursor to those Hebrews who were later taken into slavery and who also requested special consideration for the foods they were served.
Potipher’s wife persistently attempted to seduce Joseph but he refused, citing both his loyalty to Potipher and to God – noting that his sin would be against God and man.
Potiphar’s wife, feeling scorned, unleashed her lustful and selfish fury in a terrible lie – turning her husband against Joseph – landing him in prison.
Joseph, powerless to defend himself against the false charges, was cared for by God Who touched the heart of the prison warden with a kindness toward Joseph.
As the warden observed the Lord’s blessings of Joseph spilling-out into the prison population, making his job easier, he trusted Joseph with more and more of the responsibilities.
The text does not trouble itself to explain how it was that the baker and the cupbearer “... offended their master, the king of Egypt”, it could easily have been something very trivial before a petty tyrant. They were tossed into the same prison as Joseph and he was assigned oversight of them.
The baker and the cupbearer both received prophetic dreams from God in the same evening and Joseph, sensitive to their moods, inquired as to what was troubling them.
His interpretation of the cupbearer’s dream was positive so the baker shared his as well – but the baker’s dream-prophesy was of his death.
When Joseph informed the cupbearer that he would be reinstated he asked the cupbearer to mention his name, and his plea of innocence to the king, but the cupbearer was either fearful of once-again offending the king - or simply careless and forgetful – so Joseph remained forgotten in prison.
What Joseph’s brothers meant for evil, which means they were unknowingly partnering with Satan, the Lord God eventually turned to good in the life of Joseph. Facing false accusations from Potiphar’s wife Joseph was in a lose-lose situation. If he tried to defend himself, a foreigner and a slave, he would have to call Potiphar’s wife a harlot and a liar. Sometimes life isn’t fair. Joseph was careful to remind the baker and the cupbearer “Don’t interpretations belong to God?” Are we as careful as Joseph to direct people to recognize that all glory, all power, and all understanding belong to the Lord God?
How different might Joseph’s future have been had he ignored the Lord God and submitted to temptation? The Lord blessed his obedience and later used him to save his people. Had Joseph failed then God would have used another, perhaps Benjamin or Reuben. Why do you think that the Lord did not intervene, perhaps causing Potiphar to secretly observe his wife’s infidelity? He gave Joseph the gift of interpretation so that he could demonstrate it to the cupbearer because He had a future plan to use that knowledge to bring Joseph before the king of Egypt.
Satan was not done with Joseph. He used his brother’s greed and pride against him and then he used Potipher’s wife’s lust to tempt him – but because Joseph honored God Satan’s attempted-temptation never got that far – it became a test which Joseph passed. What Satan meant for evil, through Potiphar’s wife’s treachery, God mitigated – blessing Joseph while in prison. Does He not often still do the same for the faithful? Sometimes things don’t happen in the time and the way that we desire, but the Lord will make a way for us as best serves His great and perfect plan.
When have you been confronted with an appealing and ‘easy’ sin but you chose to declare your obligation to neither sin against man or God? Or did you? What was the result of your choice? When have you, or someone you know, been treated in an unfair manner, unable to mount a defense? How did the Lord God turn those circumstances to good because you remained faithful to Him? When have you done a favor and expected one in return and been forgotten – or have forgotten another to whom you owed a favor?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where the Enemy is tempting you. Ask Him to show you where the Lord God has blessed you despite the ill-intentions of someone who abused their power against you. Ask Him to reveal to you a place where you either owe someone a favor or where God has given you a gift and you have failed to be certain that everyone knows that the gift is from God and you are merely His vessel of power.
Today I will be honest with myself, and the Holy Spirit, and acknowledge the place or places in my life where He has revealed that I am being tested and am allowing it to become a temptation. As necessary I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement with me for the courage and wisdom to resist. I will also assert my authority as a child of God to instruct the Enemy (or his demonic emissary) to depart. I will testify to the human agent of temptation, where possible, my reasons for resisting (to not sin against God or man). I will share the story of God’s blessing despite the ill-treatment of the world – giving all of the glory to Him – and emphasizing the blessing rather than the earlier mistreatment. I will make specific plans to return an overdue favor and/or I will testify to the source of my gifts – the Lord God – and use the opportunity to tell of His grace and power, share with others as He uses me as His vessel.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Joseph’s Rise to Power
41:1 At the end of two full years Pharaoh had a dream. As he was standing by the Nile, 41:2 seven fine-looking, fat cows were coming up out of the Nile, and they grazed in the reeds. 41:3 Then seven bad-looking, thin cows were coming up after them from the Nile, and they stood beside the other cows at the edge of the river. 41:4 The bad-looking, thin cows ate the seven fine-looking, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.
41:5 Then he fell asleep again and had a second dream: There were seven heads of grain growing on one stalk, healthy and good. 41:6 Then seven heads of grain, thin and burned by the east wind, were sprouting up after them. 41:7 The thin heads swallowed up the seven healthy and full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up and realized it was a dream.
41:8 In the morning he was troubled, so he called for all the diviner-priests of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him. 41:9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I recall my failures. 41:10 Pharaoh was enraged with his servants, and he put me in prison in the house of the captain of the guards – me and the chief baker. 41:11 We each had a dream one night; each of us had a dream with its own meaning. 41:12 Now a young man, a Hebrew, a servant of the captain of the guards, was with us there. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted the meaning of each of our respective dreams for us. 41:13 It happened just as he had said to us – Pharaoh restored me to my office, but he impaled the baker.”
41:14 Then Pharaoh summoned Joseph. So they brought him quickly out of the dungeon; he shaved himself, changed his clothes, and came before Pharaoh. 41:15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. But I have heard about you, that you can interpret dreams.” 41:16 Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “It is not within my power, but God will speak concerning the welfare of Pharaoh.”
41:17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing by the edge of the Nile. 41:18 Then seven fat and fine-looking cows were coming up out of the Nile, and they grazed in the reeds. 41:19 Then seven other cows came up after them; they were scrawny, very bad-looking, and lean. I had never seen such bad-looking cows as these in all the land of Egypt! 41:20 The lean, bad-looking cows ate up the seven fat cows. 41:21 When they had eaten them, no one would have known that they had done so, for they were just as bad-looking as before. Then I woke up. 41:22 I also saw in my dream seven heads of grain growing on one stalk, full and good. 41:23 Then seven heads of grain, withered and thin and burned with the east wind, were sprouting up after them. 41:24 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads of grain. So I told all this to the diviner-priests, but no one could tell me its meaning.”
41:25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Both dreams of Pharaoh have the same meaning. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 41:26 The seven good cows represent seven years, and the seven good heads of grain represent seven years. Both dreams have the same meaning. 41:27 The seven lean, bad-looking cows that came up after them represent seven years, as do the seven empty heads of grain burned with the east wind. They represent seven years of famine. 41:28 This is just what I told Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. 41:29 Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the whole land of Egypt. 41:30 But seven years of famine will occur after them, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will devastate the land. 41:31 The previous abundance of the land will not be remembered because of the famine that follows, for the famine will be very severe. 41:32 The dream was repeated to Pharaoh because the matter has been decreed by God, and God will make it happen soon.
41:33 “So now Pharaoh should look for a wise and discerning man and give him authority over all the land of Egypt. 41:34 Pharaoh should do this – he should appoint officials throughout the land to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. 41:35 They should gather all the excess food during these good years that are coming. By Pharaoh’s authority they should store up grain so the cities will have food, and they should preserve it. 41:36 This food should be held in storage for the land in preparation for the seven years of famine that will occur throughout the land of Egypt. In this way the land will survive the famine.”
41:37 This advice made sense to Pharaoh and all his officials. 41:38 So Pharaoh asked his officials, “Can we find a man like Joseph, one in whom the Spirit of God is present?” 41:39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Because God has enabled you to know all this, there is no one as wise and discerning as you are! 41:40 You will oversee my household, and all my people will submit to your commands. Only I, the king, will be greater than you.
41:41 “See here,” Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I place you in authority over all the land of Egypt.” 41:42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his own hand and put it on Joseph’s. He clothed him with fine linen clothes and put a gold chain around his neck. 41:43 Pharaoh had him ride in the chariot used by his second-in-command, and they cried out before him, “Kneel down!” So he placed him over all the land of Egypt. 41:44 Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your permission no one will move his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt.” 41:45 Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah. He also gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, to be his wife. So Joseph took charge of all the land of Egypt.
41:46 Now Joseph was 30 years old when he began serving Pharaoh king of Egypt. Joseph was commissioned by Pharaoh and was in charge of all the land of Egypt. 41:47 During the seven years of abundance the land produced large, bountiful harvests. 41:48 Joseph collected all the excess food in the land of Egypt during the seven years and stored it in the cities. In every city he put the food gathered from the fields around it. 41:49 Joseph stored up a vast amount of grain, like the sand of the sea, until he stopped measuring it because it was impossible to measure.
41:50 Two sons were born to Joseph before the famine came. Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, was their mother. 41:51 Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, saying, “Certainly God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s house.” 41:52 He named the second child Ephraim, saying, “Certainly God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”
41:53 The seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt came to an end. 41:54 Then the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had predicted. There was famine in all the other lands, but throughout the land of Egypt there was food. 41:55 When all the land of Egypt experienced the famine, the people cried out to Pharaoh for food. Pharaoh said to all the people of Egypt, “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.”
41:56 While the famine was over all the earth, Joseph opened the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians. The famine was severe throughout the land of Egypt. 41:57 People from every country came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain because the famine was severe throughout the earth.
Lord, may Your perfect meaning be made known to me by Your indwelling Holy Spirit and may I be as bold as Joseph in sharing that with others. May my faithful submission to Your Word and to Your Holy Spirit equip me to be a valuable servant in Your service.
Two years passed, the Cupbearer was back in the palace, the Baker was dead, and Joseph was still in prison.
The Pharaoh had dreams and visions visited upon him by the Lord God, but his “... diviner-priests” (men whose “gift of interpretation” came to them from the evil one because he was the one usually giving the visions to Pharaoh - even if they would not have acknowledged that), were unable to interpret these dreams (because they came from the Lord).
The Cupbearer finally remembered Joseph’s request, perhaps as it would now make him a ‘hero’ to the Pharaoh, and told the story of Joseph’s accuracy in interpreting dreams.
God’s message, repeated to Pharaoh twice for emphasis, was that a terrible famine of seven years was to follow seven good years. The counsel of God was that they store one-fifth of the grain during each of the seven good years to carry them through the seven years of famine.
Joseph advised Pharaoh to appoint and empower someone he trusted to oversee this so it would happen as instructed.
Pharaoh was impressed with Joseph’s connection to the God Who sent his dreams so he echoed Joseph’s advice to appoint one “wise and discerning” - and appointed Joseph.
Pharaoh went well beyond what Joseph had suggested, making him all-but his equal in power throughout all of Egypt.
Joseph did as he had learned from God, storing-up the grain for the famine – when it came the people Egypt, and in the nations surrounding it, bought the grain they had stored and the people’s needs met.
Neither the Cupbearer or the Pharaoh would have understood the difference between the sources of their dreams, they just pragmatically and superstitiously went to whomever seemed most-capable of providing answers. Joseph was faithful to God in his ethics and his humility, thus he was valuable to God in providing a source of grain for his people when the famine came.
Joseph would appear to have prepped Pharaoh a little with his choice of phrases as he described the one Pharaoh whom should choose to lead the famine preparations “... a wise and discerning man” (Joseph was the only one with a clue as to the dreams) and “... give him authority” (Pharaoh was unlikely to have trusted many of those around him). The text does not report that Joseph offered any resistance to the Pharaoh’s provision of an Egyptian to be his wife, even though the daughter of the “priest of On” very probably practiced witchcraft. Sometimes one may be faithful in some areas and not even think to invite the Lord into decision making in others.
Joseph, as a result of God’s action, went from a falsely-imprisoned man to informing Pharaoh and even advising him. Joseph’s ascension to power would be like someone from South Korea becoming the second most powerful man in China.
When has the Lord God blessed you with the opportunity to inform, and perhaps advise, someone in authority? Were you humble in so-doing? How did they receive your input? When have you observed someone wisely anticipating difficult times and leading others to make wise provision – and thus they were better prepared and could even help others? (Perhaps investing in healthy relationships, preparing for storms, getting a generator, storing extra wood for a fireplace, investing wisely, etc.)
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where He has given you information of value to someone in a position of authority. Pray for clarity, wisdom (knowledge plus understanding), and courage. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you need to prepare for difficult times ahead.
Today I will find a way to deliver the information that I have been given. This may be a teacher, parent, bureaucrat, politician, member of law enforcement, coach, neighbor, or friend. I will do so in an appropriate manner and remain humble throughout the process. I will consult with a Biblical “elder” before, during, and after the process for prayer, accountability, and wise counsel. I agree to act promptly and wisely on what the Holy Spirit shows me about the areas where I need to be better prepared for the storms of life; be they Bible knowledge and understanding (wisdom), energy, finances, food, health, healthy relationships, or other areas.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
Joseph’s Brothers in Egypt
42:1 When Jacob heard there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why are you looking at each other?” 42:2 He then said, “Look, I hear that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy grain for us so that we may live and not die.”
42:3 So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. 42:4 But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “What if some accident happens to him?” 42:5 So Israel’s sons came to buy grain among the other travelers, for the famine was severe in the land of Canaan.
42:6 Now Joseph was the ruler of the country, the one who sold grain to all the people of the country. Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the ground. 42:7 When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger to them and spoke to them harshly. He asked, “Where do you come from?” They answered, “From the land of Canaan, to buy grain for food.”
42:8 Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. 42:9 Then Joseph remembered the dreams he had dreamed about them, and he said to them, “You are spies; you have come to see if our land is vulnerable!”
42:10 But they exclaimed, “No, my lord! Your servants have come to buy grain for food! 42:11 We are all the sons of one man; we are honest men! Your servants are not spies.”
42:12 “No,” he insisted, “but you have come to see if our land is vulnerable.” 42:13 They replied, “Your servants are from a family of twelve brothers. We are the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is with our father at this time, and one is no longer alive.”
42:14 But Joseph told them, “It is just as I said to you: You are spies! 42:15 You will be tested in this way: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not depart from this place unless your youngest brother comes here. 42:16 One of you must go and get your brother, while the rest of you remain in prison. In this way your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth. If not, then, as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!” 42:17 He imprisoned them all for three days. 42:18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do as I say and you will live, for I fear God. 42:19 If you are honest men, leave one of your brothers confined here in prison while the rest of you go and take grain back for your hungry families. 42:20 But you must bring your youngest brother to me. Then your words will be verified and you will not die.” They did as he said.
42:21 They said to one other, “Surely we’re being punished because of our brother, because we saw how distressed he was when he cried to us for mercy, but we refused to listen. That is why this distress has come on us!” 42:22 Reuben said to them, “Didn’t I say to you, ‘Don’t sin against the boy,’ but you wouldn’t listen? So now we must pay for shedding his blood!” 42:23 (Now they did not know that Joseph could understand them, for he was speaking through an interpreter.) 42:24 He turned away from them and wept. When he turned around and spoke to them again, he had Simeon taken from them and tied up before their eyes.
42:25 Then Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to return each man’s money to his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. His orders were carried out. 42:26 So they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left.
42:27 When one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey at their resting place, he saw his money in the mouth of his sack. 42:28 He said to his brothers, “My money was returned! Here it is in my sack!” They were dismayed; they turned trembling one to another and said, “What in the world has God done to us?”
42:29 They returned to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan and told him all the things that had happened to them, saying, 42:30 “The man, the lord of the land, spoke harshly to us and treated us as if we were spying on the land. 42:31 But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we are not spies! 42:32 We are from a family of twelve brothers; we are the sons of one father. One is no longer alive, and the youngest is with our father at this time in the land of Canaan.’
42:33 “Then the man, the lord of the land, said to us, ‘This is how I will find out if you are honest men. Leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain for your hungry households and go. 42:34 But bring your youngest brother back to me so I will know that you are honest men and not spies. Then I will give your brother back to you and you may move about freely in the land.’”
42:35 When they were emptying their sacks, there was each man’s bag of money in his sack! When they and their father saw the bags of money, they were afraid. 42:36 Their father Jacob said to them, “You are making me childless! Joseph is gone. Simeon is gone. And now you want to take Benjamin! Everything is against me.”
42:37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You may put my two sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my care and I will bring him back to you.” 42:38 But Jacob replied, “My son will not go down there with you, for his brother is dead and he alone is left. If an accident happens to him on the journey you have to make, then you will bring down my gray hair in sorrow to the grave.”
The Second Journey to Egypt
43:1 Now the famine was severe in the land. 43:2 When they finished eating the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Return, buy us a little more food.”
43:3 But Judah said to him, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ 43:4 If you send our brother with us, we’ll go down and buy food for you. 43:5 But if you will not send him, we won’t go down there because the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’”
43:6 Israel said, “Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man you had one more brother?”
43:7 They replied, “The man questioned us thoroughly about ourselves and our family, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ So we answered him in this way. How could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”
43:8 Then Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me and we will go immediately. Then we will live and not die – we and you and our little ones. 43:9 I myself pledge security for him; you may hold me liable. If I do not bring him back to you and place him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life. 43:10 But if we had not delayed, we could have traveled there and back twice by now!”
43:11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the best products of the land in your bags, and take a gift down to the man – a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds. 43:12 Take double the money with you; you must take back the money that was returned in the mouths of your sacks – perhaps it was an oversight. 43:13 Take your brother too, and go right away to the man. 43:14 May the sovereign God grant you mercy before the man so that he may release your other brother and Benjamin! As for me, if I lose my children I lose them.”
43:15 So the men took these gifts, and they took double the money with them, along with Benjamin. Then they hurried down to Egypt and stood before Joseph. 43:16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the servant who was over his household, “Bring the men to the house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for the men will eat with me at noon.” 43:17 The man did just as Joseph said; he brought the men into Joseph’s house.
43:18 But the men were afraid when they were brought to Joseph’s house. They said, “We are being brought in because of the money that was returned in our sacks last time. He wants to capture us, make us slaves, and take our donkeys!” 43:19 So they approached the man who was in charge of Joseph’s household and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. 43:20 They said, “My lord, we did indeed come down the first time to buy food. 43:21 But when we came to the place where we spent the night, we opened our sacks and each of us found his money – the full amount – in the mouth of his sack. So we have returned it. 43:22 We have brought additional money with us to buy food. We do not know who put the money in our sacks!”
43:23 “Everything is fine,” the man in charge of Joseph’s household told them. “Don’t be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks. I had your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.
43:24 The servant in charge brought the men into Joseph’s house. He gave them water, and they washed their feet. Then he gave food to their donkeys. 43:25 They got their gifts ready for Joseph’s arrival at noon, for they had heard that they were to have a meal there.
43:26 When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought inside, and they bowed down to the ground before him. 43:27 He asked them how they were doing. Then he said, “Is your aging father well, the one you spoke about? Is he still alive?” 43:28 “Your servant our father is well,” they replied. “He is still alive.” They bowed down in humility.
43:29 When Joseph looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, he said, “Is this your youngest brother, whom you told me about?” Then he said, “May God be gracious to you, my son.” 43:30 Joseph hurried out, for he was overcome by affection for his brother and was at the point of tears. So he went to his room and wept there.
43:31 Then he washed his face and came out. With composure he said, “Set out the food.” 43:32 They set a place for him, a separate place for his brothers, and another for the Egyptians who were eating with him. (The Egyptians are not able to eat with Hebrews, for the Egyptians think it is disgusting to do so.) 43:33 They sat before him, arranged by order of birth, beginning with the firstborn and ending with the youngest. The men looked at each other in astonishment. 43:34 He gave them portions of the food set before him, but the portion for Benjamin was five times greater than the portions for any of the others. They drank with Joseph until they all became drunk.
The Final Test
44:1 He instructed the servant who was over his household, “Fill the sacks of the men with as much food as they can carry and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack. 44:2 Then put my cup – the silver cup – in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the money for his grain.” He did as Joseph instructed.
44:3 When morning came, the men and their donkeys were sent off. 44:4 They had not gone very far from the city when Joseph said to the servant who was over his household, “Pursue the men at once! When you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil? 44:5 Doesn’t my master drink from this cup and use it for divination? You have done wrong!’”
44:6 When the man overtook them, he spoke these words to them. 44:7 They answered him, “Why does my lord say such things? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing! 44:8 Look, the money that we found in the mouths of our sacks we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. Why then would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house? 44:9 If one of us has it, he will die, and the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves!”
44:10 He replied, “You have suggested your own punishment! The one who has it will become my slave, but the rest of you will go free.” 44:11 So each man quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it. 44:12 Then the man searched. He began with the oldest and finished with the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack! 44:13 They all tore their clothes! Then each man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.
44:14 So Judah and his brothers came back to Joseph’s house. He was still there, and they threw themselves to the ground before him. 44:15 Joseph said to them, “What did you think you were doing? Don’t you know that a man like me can find out things like this by divination?”
44:16 Judah replied, “What can we say to my lord? What can we speak? How can we clear ourselves? God has exposed the sin of your servants! We are now my lord’s slaves, we and the one in whose possession the cup was found.”
44:17 But Joseph said, “Far be it from me to do this! The man in whose hand the cup was found will become my slave, but the rest of you may go back to your father in peace.”
44:18 Then Judah approached him and said, “My lord, please allow your servant to speak a word with you. Please do not get angry with your servant, for you are just like Pharaoh. 44:19 My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’ 44:20 We said to my lord, ‘We have an aged father, and there is a young boy who was born when our father was old. The boy’s brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’
44:21 “Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so I can see him.’ 44:22 We said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he leaves his father, his father will die.’ 44:23 But you said to your servants, ‘If your youngest brother does not come down with you, you will not see my face again.’ 44:24 When we returned to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.
44:25 “Then our father said, ‘Go back and buy us a little food.’ 44:26 But we replied, ‘We cannot go down there. If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go, for we won’t be permitted to see the man’s face if our youngest brother is not with us.’
44:27 “Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife gave me two sons. 44:28 The first disappeared and I said, “He has surely been torn to pieces.” I have not seen him since. 44:29 If you take this one from me too and an accident happens to him, then you will bring down my gray hair in tragedy to the grave.’
44:30 “So now, when I return to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us – his very life is bound up in his son’s life. 44:31 When he sees the boy is not with us, he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father in sorrow to the grave. 44:32 Indeed, your servant pledged security for the boy with my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I will bear the blame before my father all my life.’
44:33 “So now, please let your servant remain as my lord’s slave instead of the boy. As for the boy, let him go back with his brothers. 44:34 For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I couldn’t bear to see my father’s pain.”
Lord, sometimes You test me because I have shown evidence of a poor character in the past. May I be humble and allow Your testing to teach me and never respond with rebellion so that it becomes a temptation and then sin. Numbers 32:23 and John 3:20 remind us that our sins will find us out, and 1 John 1:10 says that if we claim to be without sin we make Jesus a liar (He said all have sinned) and therefore the Word does not live in us (we are unsaved). So please accept my confession so that I may be wiped clean and not have to look over my shoulder every day in fear of the retribution of God or of man. Sometimes we give too much information to people who may misuse it, give us the wisdom to know what to share and when to take a little extra care. May we be both surprised and grateful when You have gone on ahead and prepared just what we need for us, blessing us beyond our rightfully-humble expectations. When You test me for integrity and obedience may I not be found wanting, rather willing to be fully honest and fully surrendered.
Jacob/Israel challenged his older sons for standing around looking helpless in the face of the famine to go to Egypt and to buy some grain, but he refused to send Benjamin with them.
When they arrived in Egypt Joseph recognized them but they did not recognize him.
Joseph decided to test them by accusing them of being spies, at which time they defended themselves by saying they have a father and younger brother in Canaan – thinking that would be evidence that they were not spies – but Joseph wanted to see his brother Benjamin and wanted to know if his brothers were still selfish and untrustworthy.
Joseph threw them in jail for 3 days then demanded that one stay in prison as hostage while the others go and bring back Benjamin as evidence that they were not lying.
Joseph’s brothers had carried the burden of their merciless mistreatment for many years, now they believed that their predicament in Egypt was punishment for that.
Joseph, yet to be recognized and communicating through an interpreter, was driven to tears and turned away.
Joseph had their bags filled and the money secretly returned to them in their bags. When they found the money they were frightened that the Egyptians might accuse them of theft, but as an evidence of their spiritual immaturity, they blamed God.
They told their story to Jacob/Israel but he refused to allow Benjamin to go, even after Reuben offered his own sons’ lives as assurance of Benjamin’s safe return. And so they waited as the famine worsened.
Jacob/Israel’s family finally ran out of grain and was faced with the need to return to Egypt for more.
The older sons reminded their father that they cannot return to Egypt without Benjamin. He chastised them for sharing the information about Benjamin, not knowing that they were speaking to Joseph, and they explained that they had no way of knowing the way that he reacted to the information.
Jacob/Israel relented and instructed them to bring the first payments plus a second and well as the best of many other special things - so that they would be well-received, their older brother released, Benjamin left unharmed, and all would return with grain.
His final exclamation was “As for me, if I lose my children I lose them.”, meaning that he recognized that them not going meant they all would starve to death – so his desire to withhold Benjamin was meaningless.
Joseph’s brothers arrived and immediately sought to neutralize any potential trouble due to the gold that had been returned to their grain sacks during their prior visit.
Joseph’s servant explained that it was “Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks.”
Joseph questioned them about their father, Jacob/Israel, and then greeted his younger brother Benjamin. Joseph was overwhelmed by emotion at the reunion, even though only he knew it to be a reunion, and left the room to weep and to compose himself.
Joseph then joined them in a great feast, treating Benjamin to five-times more food than his brothers. They were “astonished” that he would do such a thing, as it would appear impolite to the others, but given Jacob/Israel’s propensity toward favoritism they were possibly most-surprised that even in Egypt Benjamin was treated with favoritism.
They all ate and drank together until they were “drunk”, which given what is believed to be the traditionally low-alcohol content of wine served at feasts (in those days) may have been an indicator of how long they were together, and/or as the NET translator’s notes suggest “they drank and were intoxicated with him” (or very comfortable and merry with him).
Joseph was not yet done in his testing of his brothers. He set them up with his silver cup on Benjamin’s bag to see if they would sell-him-out for their own sakes.
Whereas on the first trip it was Reuben who pleaded for mercy and who offered himself as hostage, this time it was Judah.
The evidence of Judah’s changed heart was not only his offer to remain as a slave in Benjamin’s place but his exclamation “I couldn’t bear to see my father’s pain.”
Joseph had good cause to mistrust his brothers. Joseph’s testing of his brothers continued and their tortured souls from their mistreatment of him (though they though him dead, or lost forever in slavery) made them cooperative rather than rebellious. Joseph’s father and brothers were in a no-win situation, Joseph had the food and the power of a huge nation, and they were hungry and powerless.
Joseph may have been working his way toward forgiveness, once he had tested the character of those who had so badly mistreated him. Joseph is testing his brothers one last time – apparently the pain of their betrayal remained intensely difficult for him to overcome.
Jacob/Israel feared the loss of Benjamin because he had never ceased mourning the loss of Joseph, however, because the other sons had lied to him about Joseph they no longer whined about his improper favoritism. When they sinned in their anger against Joseph they lost the right to complain about their father’s sin. Simeon was in prison in Egypt, the people were hungry due to the famine, yet Jacob/Israel’s fear of losing Benjamin caused him to refuse to allow the only thing that will make it possible to buy more grain. Is this wisdom evidence of an absence of trust in the Lord God? Why do you suppose that the record does not show Jacob/Israel ever consulting God about this situation? Would you offer yourself as a slave for a sibling, especially one who had been treated with favoritism ahead of you all of his life?
Putting yourself in Joseph’s place, the favored son of his father (a man of considerable means), sold into slavery by his brothers, falsely accused and imprisoned while a slave, raised to great authority and power by a foreign king, married to an Egyptian woman with children by her, and now confronted with his brothers. How easy would it be for you to forgive them after all of that? Remember that he was raised to be a Hebrew, not an Egyptian; believing that being-Hebrew was something special whereas Egyptians thought Hebrews to be a lesser-people not fit to even dine with.
If Joseph had not been there to save and to later distribute the grain what might Jacob/Israel’s family done for food during the famine? God surely would have provided but what a convoluted way for it to happen because of the sin of Joseph’s brothers. Had Joseph/Israel been a more pious man, one who properly discipled his sons in the importance of a healthy relationship with God, they might have made many better decisions. Jacob/Israel does refer to the “sovereign God” (El Shaddai), as opposed to the “Lord God”, which suggests that he still views his relationship with God as hierarchical and distant. [Note: Genesis 1 uses “sovereign” as God is acting alone in Creation and His relationship with man is not yet the purpose of the text, Genesis 2 and 3 use “Lord”, which also becomes an element of Satan’s deception as he persuades Eve to drop “Lord” from her title of respect for God.] Even after all that had transpired Joseph still struggled to disclose his identity to them. Perhaps out of insecurity that they might condemn him for appearing to sell-out to the Egyptians? Perhaps still working-past his mistrust? Would you offer yourself as a slave for a sibling, especially one who had been treated with favoritism ahead of you all of his life? How is Judah’s offer to be a substitute for Benjamin a precursor to the offer of Jesus to be our substitute? Judah’s offer was significantly motivated by guilt, for what he had helped to do to Benjamin’s brother Joseph, and for the pain that had caused his father Jacob/Israel for many years.
When have you made a bad decision that made something in your future a whole lot more complicated and difficult than it may otherwise have been? When have you been faced with a difficult decision, one that places someone or something you value greatly in harms-way, but one which is plainly unavoidable? How did you manage your decision making process? Was the Lord God intentionally invited into that process? How did things work out? When have you found yourself in a no-win situation, partially a result of your own prior poor choices, and you initially forgot to invite God into your decision making?
When did you finally invite Him and what was the result? When have you been mistreated by someone, or a group/organization, and the roles have been reversed and they are now before you in need of your grace. How did you evaluate their sincerity? How did you deal with your need to give them grace? When have you stood-up for another, even offering to take the blame or to fill their place? What was your motivation and how did it work out?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you may be complicating your future because of poor choices today, to reveal to you a place of decision making where He’d like to be invited but one where you have so far made decisions without inviting His input, and to show you where you need to reconsider resistance to a changed strategy as your circumstances do not allow you the luxury of stubbornness – especially stubbornness born of fear. Ask Him to show you where you need to forgive and reconcile and perhaps even restore a broken relationship, to show you where you where your decisions may be motivated by a sense of guilt, and whether or not that guilt is genuine or a lie of the enemy. Ask Him also to remind you when He asked you to stand-in for another and you were faithful in so-doing.
I agree to accept what the Holy Spirit shows me and to act to bring my choices into line with what God desires rather than what I have been doing out of the weakness of my flesh. I will intentionally invite the Holy Spirit to direct my decision making in the area(s) that He reveals to me where I have to-date been making decisions in the flesh. If I have difficulty being certain what He is saying I will ask one who is qualified as a Biblical “elder” to ask God to reveal it to him. I will prayerfully consult the Holy Spirit for wisdom and will allow Him to direct my decisions – and to be my courage where I need to make some risky choices. I will follow where the Holy Spirit leads me, even though difficult, to offer the same grace that my Lord God – Whom I have so often and grievously offended – has given me – to those who have offended me. Restoration of relationship may not be possible or even wise, but forgiveness equals freedom and reconciliation means that I stand with Christ with a heart of love. I will prayerfully reject any false-guilt the Holy Spirit reveals to me. I will acknowledge and seek to make-right anything He reveals that requires it. I will celebrate the occasion, or occasions, that He has found me a useful tool of His blessing to serve another as a substitute – or at least to have made a genuine offer to do so.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
The Reconciliation of the Brothers
45:1 Joseph was no longer able to control himself before all his attendants, so he cried out, “Make everyone go out from my presence!” No one remained with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 45:2 He wept loudly; the Egyptians heard it and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.
45:3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” His brothers could not answer him because they were dumbfounded before him. 45:4 Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me,” so they came near. Then he said, “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 45:5 Now, do not be upset and do not be angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me ahead of you to preserve life! 45:6 For these past two years there has been famine in the land and for five more years there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 45:7 God sent me ahead of you to preserve you on the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 45:8 So now, it is not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me an adviser to Pharaoh, lord over all his household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 45:9 Now go up to my father quickly and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: “God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; do not delay! 45:10 You will live in the land of Goshen, and you will be near me – you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and everything you have. 45:11 I will provide you with food there because there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise you would become poor – you, your household, and everyone who belongs to you.”‘ 45:12 You and my brother Benjamin can certainly see with your own eyes that I really am the one who speaks to you. 45:13 So tell my father about all my honor in Egypt and about everything you have seen. But bring my father down here quickly!”
45:14 Then he threw himself on the neck of his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. 45:15 He kissed all his brothers and wept over them. After this his brothers talked with him.
45:16 Now it was reported in the household of Pharaoh, “Joseph’s brothers have arrived.” It pleased Pharaoh and his servants. 45:17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and go to the land of Canaan! 45:18 Get your father and your households and come to me! Then I will give you the best land in Egypt and you will eat the best of the land.’ 45:19 You are also commanded to say, ‘Do this: Take for yourselves wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives. Bring your father and come. 45:20 Don’t worry about your belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt will be yours.’”
45:21 So the sons of Israel did as he said. Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh had instructed, and he gave them provisions for the journey. 45:22 He gave sets of clothes to each one of them, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five sets of clothes. 45:23 To his father he sent the following: ten donkeys loaded with the best products of Egypt and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, food, and provisions for his father’s journey. 45:24 Then he sent his brothers on their way and they left. He said to them, “As you travel don’t be overcome with fear.”
45:25 So they went up from Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. 45:26 They told him, “Joseph is still alive and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!” Jacob was stunned, for he did not believe them. 45:27 But when they related to him everything Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to transport him, their father Jacob’s spirit revived. 45:28 Then Israel said, “Enough! My son Joseph is still alive! I will go and see him before I die.”
The Family of Jacob goes to Egypt
46:1 So Israel began his journey, taking with him all that he had. When he came to Beer Sheba he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 46:2 God spoke to Israel in a vision during the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob!” He replied, “Here I am!” 46:3 He said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. 46:4 I will go down with you to Egypt and I myself will certainly bring you back from there. Joseph will close your eyes.”
46:5 Then Jacob started out from Beer Sheba, and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob, their little children, and their wives in the wagons that Pharaoh had sent along to transport him. 46:6 Jacob and all his descendants took their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and they went to Egypt. 46:7 He brought with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons, his daughters and granddaughters – all his descendants.
46:8 These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt – Jacob and his sons:
Reuben, the firstborn of Jacob.
46:9 The sons of Reuben:
Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
46:10 The sons of Simeon:
Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar,
and Shaul (the son of a Canaanite woman).
46:11 The sons of Levi:
Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
46:12 The sons of Judah:
Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah
(but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan).
The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.
46:13 The sons of Issachar:
Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron.
46:14 The sons of Zebulun:
Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.
46:15 These were the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram, along with Dinah his daughter. His sons and daughters numbered thirty-three in all.
46:16 The sons of Gad:
Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.
46:17 The sons of Asher:
Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and Serah their sister.
The sons of Beriah were Heber and Malkiel.
46:18 These were the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter. She bore these to Jacob, sixteen in all.
46:19 The sons of Rachel the wife of Jacob:
Joseph and Benjamin.
46:20 Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph in the land of Egypt. Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, bore them to him.
46:21 The sons of Benjamin:
Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard.
46:22 These were the sons of Rachel who were born to Jacob, fourteen in all.
46:23 The son of Dan: Hushim.
46:24 The sons of Naphtali:
Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.
46:25 These were the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter. She bore these to Jacob, seven in all.
46:26 All the direct descendants of Jacob who went to Egypt with him were sixty-six in number. (This number does not include the wives of Jacob’s sons.) 46:27 Counting the two sons of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt, all the people of the household of Jacob who were in Egypt numbered seventy.
46:28 Jacob sent Judah before him to Joseph to accompany him to Goshen. So they came to the land of Goshen. 46:29 Joseph harnessed his chariot and went up to meet his father Israel in Goshen. When he met him, he hugged his neck and wept on his neck for quite some time.
46:30 Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive.” 46:31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and his father’s household, “I will go up and tell Pharaoh, ‘My brothers and my father’s household who were in the land of Canaan have come to me. 46:32 The men are shepherds; they take care of livestock. They have brought their flocks and their herds and all that they have.’ 46:33 Pharaoh will summon you and say, ‘What is your occupation?’ 46:34 Tell him, ‘Your servants have taken care of cattle from our youth until now, both we and our fathers,’ so that you may live in the land of Goshen, for everyone who takes care of sheep is disgusting to the Egyptians.”
Lord, despite the evil intentions of mere humankind Your great plan will be fulfilled. May I not be afraid as I step out in faith and go where You send me.
Although his brothers had intended to do him evil the Lord God’s plan was to prepare a way for His children to survive the terrible famine to come.
Pharaoh was so fond of Joseph, and grateful for what he had done for Egypt, that he was more than delighted to welcome Joseph’s family.
Jacob/Israel gathered everything that his people could transport and headed to Egypt. He stopped to make a sacrifice to the Lord God and during the night the Lord gave him a vision to encourage him on his journey
The Lord God knew then that Joseph would use the famine as a tool to enslave all of the peoples in Egypt, trading grain for all of their money, then for all of their cattle, and finally even for their freedom - and that he would give it all to Pharaoh.
The people of Jacob/Israel were headed into what was to become a land of slavery, but it was a land where they could multiply in great numbers, and one of which the Lord God promised he would “... certainly bring you back from there.”
The descendants of Jacob/Israel were listed in detail by the author as a matter of historical documentation.
Joseph instructed his family to deceive Pharaoh, telling him that they tended cattle, because he wanted to give them Goshen because “... everyone who takes care of sheep is disgusting to the Egyptians” and the Egyptians would have objected.
When we are dealing with matters of importance to the Lord God humankind only imagines that they have decisive power.
Why would God allow Jacob/Israel’s people to relocate to a land of slaves? (Joseph created a nation of slaves to benefit Pharaoh, his use of power went far beyond what he had originally proposed to Pharaoh as a solution to the famine.)
Joseph’s integrity had limits as he had no problem with his family deceiving Pharaoh.
When have you experienced, or observed, someone who was generally of high-integrity forget their integrity for the sake of family or friends, or to abuse their power in unexpected ways?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any place where you may be careless about integrity for the sake of temporary benefit to family or friends.
I will carefully consider if I am selling-out my integrity to assist family or friends. If so I will make things right. If not I will celebrate God’s victory in that part of my life.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Joseph’s Wise Administration
47:1 Joseph went and told Pharaoh, “My father, my brothers, their flocks and herds, and all that they own have arrived from the land of
Canaan. They are now in the land of Goshen.” 47:2 He took five of his brothers and introduced them to Pharaoh.
47:3 Pharaoh said to Joseph’s brothers, “What is your occupation?” They said to Pharaoh, “Your servants take care of flocks, just as our ancestors did.” 47:4 Then they said to Pharaoh, “We have come to live as temporary residents in the land. There is no pasture for your servants’ flocks because the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. So now, please let your servants live in the land of Goshen.”
47:5 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. 47:6 The land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best region of the land. They may live in the land of Goshen. If you know of any highly capable men among them, put them in charge of my livestock.”
47:7 Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob and presented him before Pharaoh. Jacob blessed Pharaoh. 47:8 Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How long have you lived?” 47:9 Jacob said to Pharaoh, “All the years of my travels are 130. All the years of my life have been few and painful; the years of my travels are not as long as those of my ancestors.” 47:10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from his presence.
47:11 So Joseph settled his father and his brothers. He gave them territory in the land of Egypt, in the best region of the land, the land of Rameses, just as Pharaoh had commanded. 47:12 Joseph also provided food for his father, his brothers, and all his father’s household, according to the number of their little children.
47:13 But there was no food in all the land because the famine was very severe; the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan wasted away because of the famine. 47:14 Joseph collected all the money that could be found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan as payment for the grain they were buying. Then Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s palace. 47:15 When the money from the lands of Egypt and Canaan was used up, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food! Why should we die before your very eyes because our money has run out?”
47:16 Then Joseph said, “If your money is gone, bring your livestock, and I will give you food in exchange for your livestock.” 47:17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them food in exchange for their horses, the livestock of their flocks and herds, and their donkeys. He got them through that year by giving them food in exchange for livestock.
47:18 When that year was over, they came to him the next year and said to him, “We cannot hide from our lord that the money is used up and the livestock and the animals belong to our lord. Nothing remains before our lord except our bodies and our land. 47:19 Why should we die before your very eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we, with our land, will become Pharaoh’s slaves. Give us seed that we may live and not die. Then the land will not become desolate.”
47:20 So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. Each of the Egyptians sold his field, for the famine was severe. So the land became Pharaoh’s. 47:21 Joseph made all the people slaves from one end of Egypt’s border to the other end of it. 47:22 But he did not purchase the land of the priests because the priests had an allotment from Pharaoh and they ate from their allotment that Pharaoh gave them. That is why they did not sell their land.
47:23 Joseph said to the people, “Since I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh, here is seed for you. Cultivate the land. 47:24 When you gather in the crop, give one-fifth of it to Pharaoh, and the rest will be yours for seed for the fields and for you to eat, including those in your households and your little children.” 47:25 They replied, “You have saved our lives! You are showing us favor, and we will be Pharaoh’s slaves.”
47:26 So Joseph made it a statute, which is in effect to this day throughout the land of Egypt: One-fifth belongs to Pharaoh. Only the land of the priests did not become Pharaoh’s.
47:27 Israel settled in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen, and they owned land there. They were fruitful and increased rapidly in number.
47:28 Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years; the years of Jacob’s life were 147 in all. 47:29 The time for Israel to die approached, so he called for his son Joseph and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, put your hand under my thigh and show me kindness and faithfulness. Do not bury me in Egypt, 47:30 but when I rest with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.” Joseph said, “I will do as you say.”
47:31 Jacob said, “Swear to me that you will do so.” So Joseph gave him his word. Then Israel bowed down at the head of his bed.
Lord, when people are hungry they become easy prey for manipulation, may we be good stewards as You meet our physical needs so that we are never vulnerable to the world.
Joseph used the famine to systematically bring all of the money, all of the livestock, all of the land, and all of the people under the ownership and control of the Pharaoh.
After making the people slaves without money, land, or livestock he offers them seed to plant Pharaoh’s crops.
The Lord God had placed the Hebrews in the best land in Egypt and they were not initially subject to the Pharaoh’s ownership of them and all that they owned, so they flourished.
At 147 years old and near-death Jacob/Israel copied the priestly vow that Abraham administered to the servant he was sending to find a wife for Isaac and had Joseph swear, with his hand under his thigh – an intimate and submissive act – to bury him in Canaan and not in Egypt. Joseph gave his word.
One of the seeds Joseph planted is of the opportunity for a future Pharaoh to add his family to the population of slaves in Egypt. The Hebrews multiplied financially in a fertile land which allowed them to benefit from their hard work - and numerically - as they were blessed by the Lord God in fulfillment of His prophesy.
What were Joseph’s options? Buy greater loyalty of the people to the Pharaoh through the giving of the grain to them? Barter a percentage of crops, a lease of the land, only a percentage of the livestock, and/or a term of free-labor instead of slavery and the taking of all of the money and the land and the livestock and the freedom of the people? Jacob/Israel never forgot that Egypt was not his home, nor was it to become the permanent home of his people, he used the symbolism of his burial in Canaan as a reminder to everyone of the promise of the Lord God to one day return them to the Promised Land.
Joseph’s family was not included in the enslavement of the people and the acquisition of their money, land, and livestock. With only those closely associated with the Pharaoh and the priests still free a great deal more power was concentrated in a ruling class and the potential for great jealousy toward the non-Egyptian Hebrews planted. The Lord God had revealed to Jacob/Israel, and to Joseph through him, His plan to make His people a nation of tribes for the first time. The nature of leadership in Israel would have to change in recognition of the needs of their increased numbers.
When have you observed a concentration of power and resources in a community, or a region/nation, where not everyone was treated equally? What sort of troubles did that create? When have you been a part of a growing fellowship or other organization and experienced the demands of that growth for shared leadership?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you may be vulnerable to losing your freedom because you are becoming, or have become, too dependent upon others – who do not serve the Lord God. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where more leaders may be needed, and where a clarification of foundational values may also need to be emphasized.
I agree to make an intentional effort to get out of debt, to reduce spending, to become as energy-independent as possible, to grow as much food as possible, to network with others to share food and other resources, and to otherwise limit my actual and potential dependence upon government should circumstances become economically difficult - as described in today’s Bible text. I will prayerfully see if I need to be prepared for leadership, or if I need to be preparing others, or both – and I will do so. I will also prayerfully consider if our community/institutional growth has weakened, or threatens to weaken, our remembrance of our foundational purpose and values – and I will do what I can to remind myself and others of them.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Manasseh and Ephraim
48:1 After these things Joseph was told, “Your father is weakening.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim with him. 48:2 When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has just come to you,” Israel regained strength and sat up on his bed. 48:3 Jacob said to Joseph, “The sovereign God appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me. 48:4 He said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful and will multiply you. I will make you into a group of nations, and I will give this land to your descendants as an everlasting possession.’
48:5 “Now, as for your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, they will be mine. Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine just as Reuben and Simeon are. 48:6 Any children that you father after them will be yours; they will be listed under the names of their brothers in their inheritance. 48:7 But as for me, when I was returning from Paddan, Rachel died – to my sorrow – in the land of Canaan. It happened along the way, some distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there on the way to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).
48:8 When Israel saw Joseph’s sons, he asked, “Who are these?” 48:9 Joseph said to his father, “They are the sons God has given me in this place.” His father said, “Bring them to me so I may bless them.” 48:10 Now Israel’s eyes were failing because of his age; he was not able to see well. So Joseph brought his sons near to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them. 48:11 Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see you again, but now God has allowed me to see your children too.”
48:12 So Joseph moved them from Israel’s knees and bowed down with his face to the ground. 48:13 Joseph positioned them; he put Ephraim on his right hand across from Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh on his left hand across from Israel’s right hand. Then Joseph brought them closer to his father. 48:14 Israel stretched out his right hand and placed it on Ephraim’s head, although he was the younger. Crossing his hands, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, for Manasseh was the firstborn.
48:15 Then he blessed Joseph and said,
“May the God before whom my fathers
Abraham and Isaac walked –
the God who has been my shepherd
all my life long to this day,
48:16 the Angel who has protected me
from all harm –
bless these boys.
May my name be named in them,
and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac.
May they grow into a multitude on the earth.”
48:17 When Joseph saw that his father placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head, it displeased him. So he took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 48:18 Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.”
48:19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a nation and he too will become great. In spite of this, his younger brother will be even greater and his descendants will become a multitude of nations.” 48:20 So he blessed them that day, saying,
“By you will Israel bless, saying,
‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’”
So he put Ephraim before Manasseh.
48:21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you back to the land of your fathers. 48:22 As one who is above your brothers, I give to you the mountain slope, which I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow.”
The Blessing of Jacob
49:1 Jacob called for his sons and said, “Gather together so I can tell you what will happen to you in the future.
49:2 “Assemble and listen, you sons of Jacob;
listen to Israel, your father.
49:3 Reuben, you are my firstborn,
my might and the beginning of my strength,
outstanding in dignity, outstanding in power.
49:4 You are destructive like water and will not excel,
for you got on your father’s bed,
then you defiled it – he got on my couch!
49:5 Simeon and Levi are brothers,
weapons of violence are their knives!
49:6 O my soul, do not come into their council,
do not be united to their assembly, my heart,
for in their anger they have killed men,
and for pleasure they have hamstrung oxen.
49:7 Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce,
and their fury, for it was cruel.
I will divide them in Jacob,
and scatter them in Israel!
49:8 Judah, your brothers will praise you.
Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies,
your father’s sons will bow down before you.
49:9 You are a lion’s cub, Judah,
from the prey, my son, you have gone up.
He crouches and lies down like a lion;
like a lioness – who will rouse him?
49:10 The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
until he comes to whom it belongs;
the nations will obey him.
49:11 Binding his foal to the vine,
and his colt to the choicest vine,
he will wash his garments in wine,
his robes in the blood of grapes.
49:12 His eyes will be dark from wine,
and his teeth white from milk.
49:13 Zebulun will live by the haven of the sea
and become a haven for ships;
his border will extend to Sidon.
49:14 Issachar is a strong-boned donkey
lying down between two saddlebags.
49:15 When he sees a good resting place,
and the pleasant land,
he will bend his shoulder to the burden
and become a slave laborer.
49:16 Dan will judge his people
as one of the tribes of Israel.
49:17 May Dan be a snake beside the road,
a viper by the path,
that bites the heels of the horse
so that its rider falls backward.
49:18 I wait for your deliverance, O Lord.
49:19 Gad will be raided by marauding bands,
but he will attack them at their heels.
49:20 Asher’s food will be rich,
and he will provide delicacies to royalty.
49:21 Naphtali is a free running doe,
he speaks delightful words.
49:22 Joseph is a fruitful bough,
a fruitful bough near a spring
whose branches climb over the wall.
49:23 The archers will attack him,
they will shoot at him and oppose him.
49:24 But his bow will remain steady,
and his hands will be skillful;
because of the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,
because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,
49:25 because of the God of your father,
who will help you,
because of the sovereign God,
who will bless you
with blessings from the sky above,
blessings from the deep that lies below,
and blessings of the breasts and womb.
49:26 The blessings of your father are greater
than the blessings of the eternal mountains
or the desirable things of the age-old hills.
They will be on the head of Joseph
and on the brow of the prince of his brothers.
49:27 Benjamin is a ravenous wolf;
in the morning devouring the prey,
and in the evening dividing the plunder.”
49:28 These are the twelve tribes of Israel. This is what their father said to them when he blessed them. He gave each of them an appropriate blessing.
49:29 Then he instructed them, “I am about to go to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite. 49:30 It is the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought for a burial plot from Ephron the Hittite. 49:31 There they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah; there they buried Isaac and his wife Rebekah; and there I buried Leah. 49:32 The field and the cave in it were acquired from the sons of Heth.”
49:33 When Jacob finished giving these instructions to his sons, he pulled his feet up onto the bed, breathed his last breath, and went to his people.
The Burials of Jacob and Joseph
50:1 Then Joseph hugged his father’s face. He wept over him and kissed him. 50:2 Joseph instructed the physicians in his service to embalm his father, so the physicians embalmed Israel. 50:3 They took forty days, for that is the full time needed for embalming. The Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.
50:4 When the days of mourning had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s royal court, “If I have found favor in your sight, please say to Pharaoh, 50:5 ‘My father made me swear an oath. He said, “I am about to die. Bury me in my tomb that I dug for myself there in the land of Canaan.” Now let me go and bury my father; then I will return.’” 50:6 So Pharaoh said, “Go and bury your father, just as he made you swear to do.”
50:7 So Joseph went up to bury his father; all Pharaoh’s officials went with him – the senior courtiers of his household, all the senior officials of the land of Egypt, 50:8 all Joseph’s household, his brothers, and his father’s household. But they left their little children and their flocks and herds in the land of Goshen. 50:9 Chariots and horsemen also went up with him, so it was a very large entourage.
50:10 When they came to the threshing floor of Atad on the other side of the Jordan, they mourned there with very great and bitter sorrow. There Joseph observed a seven day period of mourning for his father. 50:11 When the Canaanites who lived in the land saw them mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a very sad occasion for the Egyptians.” That is why its name was called Abel Mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan.
50:12 So the sons of Jacob did for him just as he had instructed them. 50:13 His sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, near Mamre. This is the field Abraham purchased as a burial plot from Ephron the Hittite. 50:14 After he buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, along with his brothers and all who had accompanied him to bury his father.
50:15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge and wants to repay us in full for all the harm we did to him?” 50:16 So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave these instructions before he died: 50:17 ‘Tell Joseph this: Please forgive the sin of your brothers and the wrong they did when they treated you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sin of the servants of the God of your father.” When this message was reported to him, Joseph wept. 50:18 Then his brothers also came and threw themselves down before him; they said, “Here we are; we are your slaves.” 50:19 But Joseph answered them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 50:20 As for you, you meant to harm me, but God intended it for a good purpose, so he could preserve the lives of many people, as you can see this day. 50:21 So now, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your little children.” Then he consoled them and spoke kindly to them.
50:22 Joseph lived in Egypt, along with his father’s family. Joseph lived 110 years. 50:23 Joseph saw the descendants of Ephraim to the third generation. He also saw the children of Makir the son of Manasseh; they were given special inheritance rights by Joseph.
50:24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to you and lead you up from this land to the land he swore on oath to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” 50:25 Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath. He said, “God will surely come to you. Then you must carry my bones up from this place.” 50:26 So Joseph died at the age of 110. After they embalmed him, his body was placed in a coffin in Egypt.
Lord, Your prophesy is revealed at the perfect time, may we serve You in faithful and patient-trust and not demand to know every detail of the future. Lord, may I remember that there is a difference between hurt and harm, the way that Jacob/Israel understood in his prayer for Joseph’s children. Your knowledge of the future is accurate, Your understanding of the heart of man clear, and Your wisdom perfect. May I be found as humble and kind as Joseph, meekly refusing to use the power I have to take vengeance upon those who have wronged me.
Joseph heard that Jacob/Israel was fading and brought his two sons to him. Jacob/Israel reminded Joseph of God’s prophesy to him – one that contained an additional detail not in that given to Abraham and Isaac before him “I will make you into a group of nations ...”
Jacob/Israel – who had acknowledged many hurts to Pharaoh and then the loss of Rachel to Joseph - asked God to cause the angel that kept him from harm to also be with Joseph’s sons.
Joseph thought that Jacob/Israel was troubled by blindness, or confusion, when he was blessing the younger Ephraim before Manasseh – but it was God’s will.
Ephraim and Manasseh were numbered among the tribes, one taking Joseph’s place and the other Levi’s – who would be a ‘distributed’ people serving as priests but not as one of the 12-peer tribes.
He repeated God’s prophesy that Joseph and the rest of the extended family would one day return “... to the land of your fathers”, then reiterated his favoritism by giving Joseph “... the mountain slope” as symbolic of Joseph being above his brothers in favor.
On his death bed Jacob/Israel gathered his family to communicate God’s blessing and prophesy for each of those who would become the 12 political Tribes, plus the special priestly Tribe.
Reuben, despite being the first born, was denied leadership due to his effort to manipulate power by his sin against his father with Behulah. The tribe by his name would tend toward the destructive and would not excel.
Simeon and Levi were called-out for his cruelty, together with Levi, and told that the tribes by their name would be divided in Jacob (physical inheritance) and Israel (tribal roles).
Judah was lifted to the role of leader of the 12 Tribes and was identified as the next in the line that would flow from him to Jesus the Christ “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs; the nations will obey him.”
Zebulun’s tribe would be fishermen, sailors, and traders.
Issachar’s tribe would readily exchange freedom for comfort, working hard but as slaves.
Dan’s tribe would be a means of the Lord God’s accountability to fellow tribes.
Gad’s tribe would struggle to remain in freedom and at peace but would cleverly harass their enemies even though facing great odds.
Asher’s tribe would be chefs and servants of royalty, perhaps looking ahead to the Israelite kings and/or the service of foreign kings while in captivity.
Naphtali’s tribe would be artists and poets prone to constant movement.
Joseph would become two tribes though his sons, adopted by Jacob/Israel as peers to Joseph and his brothers: Ephraim and Manasseh were already blessed and given their prophesies in 48:5-12, one taking Joseph’s place and the other Levi’s.
Benjamin’s tribe would be effective hunter-warriors who would acquire clothing, food, and other resources for the other tribes.
He concluded with an insistence that they bury him with Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, and Leah.
Joseph was so highly respected and trusted in Egypt that not only did they join him in mourning the entire senior court of the Pharaoh, and many others (but not Pharaoh) traveled with him to Canaan to bury Jacob/Israel.
Joseph’s brothers, still stuck in their small world of fear, fussed about the possibility that Joseph might harm them now that their father was no longer alive. They went to Joseph in humility and pleaded for his mercy.
Joseph declared “Am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant to harm me, but God intended it for a good purpose, so he could preserve the lives of many people, as you can see this day.”
Joseph also promised to provide for them and their children and he comforted and encouraged them – as the prophesy had foretold they bowed-down to him, as even before his death Jacob/Israel had traveled to Egypt so that Joseph could provide for him (and his family).
Joseph later died and received the promise of his family that when God took them out of Egypt they would bring his bones with them.
Jacob/Israel , at the direction of God, makes two of Joseph’s sons peers with Joseph’s brothers as heads of tribes. Perhaps as a reward for Joseph’s faithful and personally-sacrificial service. The rest of the Old Testament revolves around the Tribes of Israel and these blessings and prophesies serve as a guideline to understanding.
Was it God’s desire that Joseph’s brothers sell him into slavery so that he might become powerful enough to provide for them? The text does not say that – God saw what was in their hearts, prophesied in general how He would turn their evil to good, and then guided the process. God is never the author of sin.
The angels of God were sent to protect us from harm but not from hurt, are not hurts often a vehicle for learning? How does the blessing and prophesy of Judah remind you of Jesus the Christ? Joseph could have sought revenge – do you think that anyone, his brothers or the people in Egypt, would have questioned his right to do so? Joseph remained humble – clearly recognizing that vengeance belonged to the Lord.
God has revealed to Jacob/Israel and Joseph, through him, His plan to make His people a nation of tribes for the first time, this would change the nature of their leadership in recognition of the leadership needs of their increased numbers. Once again God directs that the first-born is not always the leader among the sons. Jacob/Israel was not communicating his personal opinion but the blessing and prophesy given to him by God. Despite all that he had suffered, most of his life lived away from his family, Joseph was gracious.
When have you been a part of a growing fellowship or other organization and experienced the demands of that growth for shared leadership? What have you been taught about the role of angels in the life of believers? Where in the Old Testament have you observed the blessing and prophesy that Jacob/Israel communicated to his sons actualized in the generations to come? When have you had the right, in the eyes of the world, and the power to wreak vengeance upon someone who had wronged you in the past. What did you do?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where more leaders may be needed, and where a clarification of foundational values may also need to be emphasized. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the times when God allowed you to experience hurt but protected you from harm. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you choices that you are making that make it more or less probable God will choose to bless you. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where God has redeemed good from what humans have intended for evil.
I will thank the Lord God for allowing hurts where I needed to be taught, or I was His tool to teach another, and that He has protected me from harm. I will share those stories with a fellow believer as a praise and with someone considering-Christ as an encouragement to surrender to Him. I will listen to the Holy Spirit and emphasize those areas of my life where I am living rightly before Him and repent, turn away from, those where I am in rebellion – no matter how minor. Where I am uncertain I will seek the prayerful counsel of one who is Biblically qualified as an “elder”. I will listen closely to the Holy Spirit to discover a place when I may show God’s forgiveness and grace, where I may choose to surrender my claim of righteous-vengeance to Him, and where I may encourage rather than terrify someone who has wronged me.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 11
Blessing during Bondage in Egypt
1:1 These are the names of the sons of Israel who entered Egypt – each man with his household entered with Jacob: 1:2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 1:3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, 1:4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 1:5 All the people who were directly descended from Jacob numbered seventy. But Joseph was already in Egypt, 1:6 and in time Joseph and his brothers and all that generation died. 1:7 The Israelites, however, were fruitful, increased greatly, multiplied, and became extremely strong, so that the land was filled with them.
1:8 Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power over Egypt. 1:9 He said to his people, “Look at the Israelite people, more numerous and stronger than we are! 1:10 Come, let’s deal wisely with them. Otherwise they will continue to multiply, and if a war breaks out, they will ally themselves with our enemies and fight against us and leave the country.”
1:11 So they put foremen over the Israelites to oppress them with hard labor. As a result they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. 1:12 But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more they multiplied and spread. As a result the Egyptians loathed the Israelites, 1:13 and they made the Israelites serve rigorously. 1:14 They made their lives bitter by hard service with mortar and bricks and by all kinds of service in the fields. Every kind of service the Israelites were required to give was rigorous.
1:15 The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, 1:16 “When you assist the Hebrew women in childbirth, observe at the delivery: If it is a son, kill him, but if it is a daughter, she may live.” 1:17 But the midwives feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them; they let the boys live.
1:18 Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this and let the boys live?” 1:19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women – for the Hebrew women are vigorous; they give birth before the midwife gets to them!” 1:20 So God treated the midwives well, and the people multiplied and became very strong. 1:21 And because the midwives feared God, he made households for them.
1:22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “All sons that are born you must throw into the river, but all daughters you may let live.”
Lord, those who do not know You have always been jealous of those who do, may we be fearless in living righteously before You no matter what the world may say or do.
The Lord God blessed the Israelites and they multiplied and prospered.
The blessing that Joseph was to Egypt was soon forgotten by a new king (Pharaoh) who was fearful of the rapidly multiplying foreigners in his land.
He decided to make them slaves, like much of the rest of the population, and he decided to oppress them with the heaviest labors. The Lord continued to bless them and so they continued to multiply.
Pharaoh decided that genocide was the solution, so he ordered the two midwives (or, as the NET translator’s observe, more probably the two who had oversight of the midwives to the Hebrews) to drown all of the newborn male children of the Hebrews.
Because they honored the Lord God above Pharaoh they did not do so and when challenged gave the excuse that the Hebrew women were stronger than the Egyptian women and gave birth before they could arrive.
The Lord blessed them with families of their own as a result of them refusing Pharaoh’s barbaric and anti-God order.
Pharaoh then gave the order that “all” must drown their male children and only allow the females to live.
Note1: The designation “Hebrew” was generally a derogatory term used by others to refer to these nomadic people, including but not exclusively the Israelites. Not all of the descendants of Abraham were nomadic. Not all were all members of one of the Israelite Tribes, though if nomadic, they were labeled ‘Hebrews’.
Note 2: The text says “all” but the context is the control of the Israelite (Hebrew) population only, so it is probable that his genocidal edict was directed at them. Pharaoh presumably threatened to kill any adult among the Hebrews who disobeyed, hoping that generalized fear would motivate obedience, which it likely did among the more-faithless. He also expected his people to assist with the killing, but clearly they did not, and even his own daughter ignored the order.
Note 3: Had the Hebrew midwives answered Pharaoh’s question fully it would have resulted in their deaths for disobedience. Because Pharaoh’s order was in direct contradiction to the will of the Lord God (all life belongs to him, not a pagan leader), and was also an attack upon His people, Pharaoh had no right to expect cooperation or truth.
Pharaoh, like many who find themselves in positions of power, made fear-driven and irrational assumptions about the Israelites and then acted upon them.
Do we have integrity and a work-ethic to honor the Lord God that allows Him to bless us despite oppression? Is the modern day abortion industry (both customers and providers) the moral-equivalent of those who obeyed Pharaoh’s unconscionable order, and the political forces that benefit from their donations the moral-equivalent of the “thirty pieces of silver” paid in rebellion for the betrayal of Jesus?
How different are leaders today, often making foolish decisions - and when challenged they escalate rather than repent of them – thus failing to learn from their mistakes and bring harm to those over whom they have authority?
When have you been confronted with a person of power who pressured you to do things that the Lord God says you must not? How did you respond?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any place where you are obeying man in contradiction to God.
Today I will seek the prayerful wisdom of one who is Biblically qualified as an ‘elder’ as I determine how I will respond to a worldly-challenge to disobey the Lord's commands in my life. It may be in a hobby or sports, at school or at work, at home or in the neighborhood. Doing what is right before God often triggers a negative reaction by those in power, and whose idols are in and of the world, so I must pray and choose wisely my course of action.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
The Birth of the Deliverer
2:1 A man from the household of Levi married a woman who was a descendant of Levi. 2:2 The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a healthy child, she hid him for three months. 2:3 But when she was no longer able to hide him, she took a papyrus basket for him and sealed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and set it among the reeds along the edge of the Nile. 2:4 His sister stationed herself at a distance to find out what would happen to him.
2:5 Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself by the Nile, while her attendants were walking alongside the river, and she saw the basket among the reeds. She sent one of her attendants, took it, 2:6 opened it, and saw the child – a boy, crying! – and she felt compassion for him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.”
2:7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get a nursing woman for you from the Hebrews, so that she may nurse the child for you?” 2:8 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Yes, do so.” So the young girl went and got the child’s mother. 2:9 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse him for me, and I will pay your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him.
2:10 When the child grew older she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, “Because I drew him from the water.”
Lord, the ways that You provide are often a mystery to us, bit we are grateful and trusting that You know all things and love us dearly.
Moses was born of descendants of Levi, those of the priestly tribe of Israel.
His mother hid him from Pharaoh’s murderous edict and when he was too big to hide she technically did as Pharaoh said – she put him in the river – but according to the Lord God’s way, not Pharaoh’s.
She placed him in an ‘ark.’
Note: According to the NET translators notes the descriptive terms used to describe the Ark, and the papyrus basket, are similar.
Her sister, the aunt of Moses, observed as the attendants to Pharaoh’s daughter discovered the basket and brought it to her. She recognized the blanket as Hebrew. Her sister stepped forward and offered to find a Hebrew nursemaid for the child and Pharaoh’s daughter agreed.
She brought Moses’ mother, her identity remained unknown to Pharaoh’s daughter, and Moses’ mother was paid by Pharaoh’s household to care for Moses!
What an amazing way for God to provide for the deliverer of Israel to be protected and cared for, in-Egypt but not of-Egypt – cared for as a baby by his own mother on the Pharaoh’s payroll.
Is it possible that Moses’ mother’s three-month wait to place him in an ‘ark’ not only is explained by her inability to continue to hide him but also provided time for her to no longer appear to the daughter of Pharaoh as one who had recently given birth?
The Lord God used an ‘ark’ to save Moses from the water and to deliver him to the place (palace) where he could be raised and later deliver His edict to Pharaoh so that the Hebrews/Israelites could be set free – as He prophesied.
When has it been necessary for you to use a creative solution to honor the Lord God despite efforts of His enemies to block your path?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you an opportunity to ‘rescue’ a child whom He has placed in an ‘ark’ of safety.
Today I will seize the opportunity placed before me; it may be to adopt a child, to assist someone else to do so, to provide foster care, or to support someone who does, to donate funds to a responsible God-honoring organization that cares for children, to pray against abortion and perhaps to donate to organizations that educate and provide alternatives, or to do so in some other way. And I will give God all of the glory.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Presumption of the Deliverer
2:11 In those days, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and observed their hard labor, and he saw an Egyptian man attacking a Hebrew man, one of his own people. 2:12 He looked this way and that and saw that no one was there, and then he attacked the Egyptian and concealed the body in the sand. 2:13 When he went out the next day, there were two Hebrew men fighting. So he said to the one who was in the wrong, “Why are you attacking your fellow Hebrew?”
2:14 The man replied, “Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? Are you planning to kill me like you killed that Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid, thinking, “Surely what I did has become known.” 2:15 When Pharaoh heard about this event, he sought to kill Moses. So Moses fled from Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, and he settled by a certain well.
2:16 Now a priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and began to draw water and fill the troughs in order to water their father’s flock. 2:17 When some shepherds came and drove them away, Moses came up and defended them and then watered their flock. 2:18 So when they came home to their father Reuel, he asked, “Why have you come home so early today?” 2:19 They said, “An Egyptian man rescued us from the shepherds, and he actually drew water for us and watered the flock!” 2:20 He said to his daughters, “So where is he? Why in the world did you leave the man? Call him, so that he may eat a meal with us.”
2:21 Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage. 2:22 When she bore a son, Moses named him Gershom, for he said, “I have become a resident foreigner in a foreign land.”
Lord, sometimes people in the Bible got out ahead of You and You had to slow them down while You prepared them, and perhaps others. May I be careful to patiently look for places where You are already acting, assess how You have prepared me to be a useful instrument in that work, and then join in with You.
As a grown man Moses observed an Egyptian attacking a Hebrew and seeing no one watching he stuck and killed him and buried him in the sand.
The next day he confronted two Hebrew men fighting and asked why they would attack a brother, to which they challenged his ruler-judge like behavior and asked if he planned to kill them too.
Pharaoh heard of what Moses had done and sought to have him killed for the murder of an Egyptian – so Moses fled to Midian.
The daughters of a priest in Midian were harassed by other shepherds and Moses intervened, then he watered their flocks for them. They returned home earlier than usual and when questioned told their father what had happened. He told them to bring the man to him and invited him to remain as their guest.
Moses was given the priest’s daughter Zipporah in marriage and their firstborn son was named “Gershom,” for he said, “I have become a resident foreigner in a foreign land.”
There appears to be a pattern of impetuous conduct early in the life of Moses; killing the Egyptian who was attacking a Hebrew, confronting fellow Hebrews, coming to the aid of the Midianite women at the well.
There are multiple echoes or types of Jesus already apparent in the life of Moses; protected from a murderous king, he lived in Egypt for a time, he returned home, he assisted the women at the well, he lived a quiet life - until his time for ministry arrived.
Do you see the relationship between Moses-the-deliverer at the well and Jesus?
When have you sensed a need to act boldly, and have done so, only to be confronted with challenges as a result?
What is a circumstance when you had to leave a familiar place with familiar people and traditions and found yourself in an unfamiliar place – where you needed to become a part of their social system?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you places in your life where you are, like Moses, divided between two worlds – the world-system (like pagan Egypt) and the Kingdom of God (like God-fearing Midian).
Today I will carefully and prayerfully make and execute a plan to separate myself from any associations, habits, or lifestyles that bind me too-closely to the world-system. It may be people who constantly influence me to sin, or habits and lifestyle choices (e.g. adultery, gambling, lying, risk-taking/adrenaline-junky behavior, substance abuse, etc.).
Be Specific _________________________________________________
The Call of the Deliverer
2:23 During that long period of time the king of Egypt died, and the Israelites groaned because of the slave labor. They cried out, and their desperate cry because of their slave labor went up to God. 2:24 God heard their groaning, God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob, 2:25 God saw the Israelites, and God understood….
3:1 Now Moses was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to the mountain of God, to Horeb. 3:2 The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from within a bush. He looked – and the bush was ablaze with fire, but it was not being consumed! 3:3 So Moses thought, “I will turn aside to see this amazing sight. Why does the bush not burn up?”
3:4 When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to look, God called to him from within the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” 3:5 God said, “Do not approach any closer! Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 3:6 He added, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Then Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
3:7 The Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt. I have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. 3:8 I have come down to deliver them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up from that land to a land that is both good and spacious, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the region of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 3:9 And now indeed the cry of the Israelites has come to me, and I have also seen how severely the Egyptians oppress them. 3:10 So now go, and I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”
Lord, Your dwell in us through Your Holy Spirit and You speak to us from Your Book, find us as humble and respectful in Your presence as was Moses.
Moses was working as a shepherd and came to Mount Horeb (aka Mount Sinai, the place he would later go for the Commandments) and there he saw a burning bush that did not appear to be consumed by the fire.
In an almost humorous turn of a phrase the English translation renders “3:3 So Moses thought, “I will turn aside to see this amazing sight. Why does the bush not burn up?”“
The Lord informed Moses that He was both aware of the struggles of Israel, perhaps to avoid any Job-like confusion, and that He intended to intervene.
The Lord God called to Moses and instructed him as to his new calling as the deliverer of His (and his) people out of Egypt – as He had long ago promised.
The Lord ordered Moses to remove his sandals as he was standing “on holy ground”, establishing clearly the nature of His presence.
Why was Egypt wealthy, let alone even still a kingdom? Because the Lord God blessed Joseph and that blessing overflowed to the indirect benefit of Egypt so that there would be a provision for the Israelites.
There is a linkage in all things in God’s plan - here Moses was greeted by the Lord God on Mount Horeb, the same place where God will later give him the 10 Commandments – twice. Can you recall other linkages within the Old Testament or between the Old and the New?
Egypt turned on the Israelites and enslaved them – stealing the product of their forced-labor. Egypt owed their survival of a terrible famine to God, via Joseph, and their wealth to Joseph’s skilled leadership. They owed a huge debt to God’s people.
When have you been confronted by the Lord God in an unusual way, so unusual that you knew that He really wanted your attention?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you something you may do to serve Him in a very special way.
Today I will go and I will do whatever the Lord asks of me. I will confirm what I believe that the Holy Spirit is telling me through prayer, in consultation with someone qualified to be a Biblical elder, and in careful study of His Word.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
3:11 Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, or that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 3:12 He replied, “Surely I will be with you, and this will be the sign to you that I have sent you: When you bring the people out of Egypt, you and they will serve God on this mountain.”
3:13 Moses said to God, “If I go to the Israelites and tell them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ – what should I say to them?”
3:14 God said to Moses, “I am that I am.” And he said, “You must say this to the Israelites, ‘I am has sent me to you.’” 3:15 God also said to Moses, “You must say this to the Israelites, ‘The Lord – the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob – has sent me to you. This is my name forever, and this is my memorial from generation to generation.’
3:16 “Go and bring together the elders of Israel and tell them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, appeared to me – the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – saying, “I have attended carefully to you and to what has been done to you in Egypt, 3:17 and I have promised that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey.”‘
3:18 “The elders will listen to you, and then you and the elders of Israel must go to the king of Egypt and tell him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. So now, let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, so that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’ 3:19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go, not even under force. 3:20 So I will extend my hand and strike Egypt with all my wonders that I will do among them, and after that he will release you.
3:21 “I will grant this people favor with the Egyptians, so that when you depart you will not leave empty-handed. 3:22 Every woman will ask her neighbor and the one who happens to be staying in her house for items of silver and gold and for clothing. You will put these articles on your sons and daughters – thus you will plunder Egypt!”
Lord, Your are The One Who existed before time-itself, without beginning or end. May I stand in awe, may I know that Your presence is holy ground, and may I listen and obey so as to be a useful instrument in Your great plan of redemption.
Moses asked how he should describe or identify the Lord God to the people to which the Lord replied “I am that I am.” And he said, “You must say this to the Israelites, ‘I am has sent me to you.’ This has been interpreted many ways; consider this “I AM Who has always been, I AM Who is now, and I AM Who will always be.”
He then instructed Moses “Go and bring together the elders of Israel and tell them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, appeared to me – the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – saying, “I have attended carefully to you and to what has been done to you in Egypt, 3:17 and I have promised that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey.”‘
God instructed Moses that the elders were to go to Pharaoh and demand their release - but that Pharaoh would refuse. He then prophesied His escalating plagues upon Egypt until Pharaoh finally relented, and of the plunder of Egypt as Egyptian neighbors give gold and silver and jewels to them as they leave.
Since Joseph saved Egypt and the Israelites suffered the theft of their labor for 400 years in order that Egypt grew rich – they had a right to plunder Egypt.
How would you explain the meaning of the Lord God’s identification as “I am”?
God saw to it that there were few surprises for Moses, prophesying many of the key events to come in the great exodus.
What is a circumstance where you had to inform a person in authority that something important had changed – and you did not anticipate a positive reaction?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you an opportunity to explore and share an awareness and celebration of the amazing and unique attributes of the Lord God.
Today I will seize the opportunity to share in study and celebration of the Lord God with fellow believers.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Source of Sufficiency
4:1 Moses answered again, “And if they do not believe me or pay attention to me, but say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you’?” 4:2 The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” 4:3 The Lord said, “Throw it to the ground.” So he threw it to the ground, and it became a snake, and Moses ran from it. 4:4 But the Lord said to Moses, “Put out your hand and grab it by the tail” – so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand – 4:5 “that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”
4:6 The Lord also said to him, “Put your hand into your robe.” So he put his hand into his robe, and when he brought it out – there was his hand, leprous like snow! 4:7 He said, “Put your hand back into your robe.” So he put his hand back into his robe, and when he brought it out from his robe – there it was, restored like the rest of his skin! 4:8 “If they do not believe you or pay attention to the former sign, then they may believe the latter sign. 4:9 And if they do not believe even these two signs or listen to you, then take some water from the Nile and pour it out on the dry ground. The water you take out of the Nile will become blood on the dry ground.”
4:10 Then Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not an eloquent man, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant, for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”
4:11 The Lord said to him, “Who gave a mouth to man, or who makes a person mute or deaf or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 4:12 So now go, and I will be with your mouth and will teach you what you must say.”
4:13 But Moses said, “O my Lord, please send anyone else whom you wish to send!”
4:14 Then the Lord became angry with Moses, and he said, “What about your brother Aaron the Levite? I know that he can speak very well. Moreover, he is coming to meet you, and when he sees you he will be glad in his heart.
4:15 “So you are to speak to him and put the words in his mouth. And as for me, I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you both what you must do. 4:16 He will speak for you to the people, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were his God. 4:17 You will also take in your hand this staff, with which you will do the signs.”
Lord, when You give me a task to do may I respond without question, and when Your truth is spoken may people believe in You.
The Lord God instructed Moses to tell his people what He wanted him to do and Moses questioned the Lord’s choice of him, trying to pass-off the task to his brother-in-law Aaron. God was displeased but made Aaron the spokesman for Moses-the-prophet.
The Lord God gave Moses some small miracles, in addition to His name I AM that I AM; the rod which could become a snake, the hand that could become leprous and not leprous, and the turning of water to blood.
The Lord God made Moses His instrument of deliverance to his people and Moses looked for a way out, to the point that the text says that he angered God.
Do we have a long list of excuses, like Moses, when the Lord God asks us to do something challenging?
Might Moses have been a little cautious due to the bad outcome of his prior adventures in Egypt?
While Moses is a type of Jesus, a deliverer sent by God to set His/his people free, he is unlike Jesus (and more like Peter) as he resisted the call to dangerous and sacrificial ministry.
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal a special task that God has prepared for you.
Today I will pursue whatever the Holy Spirit asks of me, while I am sensitive to His prodding for me to deal with anything that might interfere with His work through me, and I will deal with those things so that I may be as valuable and undistracted as I can be.
Be Specific ____________________________________________________
The Return of Moses
4:18 So Moses went back to his father-in-law Jethro and said to him, “Let me go, so that I may return to my relatives in Egypt and see if they are still alive.” Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.”
4:19 The Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, because all the men who were seeking your life are dead.”
4:20 Then Moses took his wife and sons and put them on a donkey and headed back to the land of Egypt, and Moses took the staff of God in his hand.
4:21 The Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the wonders I have put under your control. But I will harden his heart and he will not let the people go.
4:22 You must say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Israel is my son, my firstborn, 4:23 and I said to you, ‘Let my son go that he may serve me,’ but since you have refused to let him go, I will surely kill your son, your firstborn!”‘“
4:24 Now on the way, at a place where they stopped for the night, the Lord met Moses and sought to kill him. 4:25 But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off the foreskin of her son and touched it to Moses’ feet, and said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me.” 4:26 So the Lord let him alone. (At that time she said, “A bridegroom of blood,” referring to the circumcision.)
4:27 The Lord said to Aaron, “Go to the wilderness to meet Moses. So he went and met him at the mountain of God and greeted him with a kiss. 4:28 Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord who had sent him and all the signs that he had commanded him.
4:29 Then Moses and Aaron went and brought together all the Israelite elders. 4:30 Aaron spoke all the words that the Lord had spoken to Moses and did the signs in the sight of the people, 4:31 and the people believed. When they heard that the Lord had attended to the Israelites and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed down close to the ground.
Lord, You choose to use us in Your great plan, but often You have to clean us up along the way. May I stay the course in Your ministry despite challenges along the way.
The Lord prophesied the resistance of Pharaoh and His intention to overpower his resistance with incrementally more devastating plagues up to and including the death of Pharaoh’s son.
The Lord God told Moses that He would further-harden the already-hard heart of Pharaoh so as to move the process along – He knew the heart of Pharaoh and that he would never agree to release the Israelites.
The story of “... the Lord met Moses and sought to kill him” is much like Jacob’s story of wrestling with the angel/man. Moses, both a man of the flesh (impulsive) and a spiritually-sensitive man, to create a deeper sense of dependence upon and obedience to the Lord God. Moses had not been obedient in circumcising his own son – so his wife did so (bringing Moses back into a right-relationship with God).
Aaron agreed to serve with Moses and the people heard and believed what Aaron told them from what Moses told him.
Jethro seemed excited by the adventure, perhaps because he had Moses with him, or perhaps that was just his personality – plus his training and experience as a priest.
When have you found yourself on a mission for the Lord God and He has blocked your way because you were doing what He had asked you – but you had left something important in your relationship with Him incomplete – and He saw that it was necessary to His pouring blessings through you into others? (An example might be during planning and preparations for a short-term missions trip He required you to divert attention to deal with a place of unforgiveness or unrepented sin or bad doctrine – that you might pass-on to others.)
Moses-the-deliverer returned to Egypt with his wife and sons on a donkey. Later, Joseph would travel with Mary-about-to-deliver-Jesus on a donkey, then Jesus-the-deliverer would enter Jerusalem on a donkey.
What are some ways that you have experienced or observed where those called to leadership were refined by the Lord God?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life which you need to address prior to Him entrusting you with greater responsibilities.
Today I will confess and repent of that which might compromise my value as His instrument. I will ask a fellow believer to walk alongside me in prayer, and otherwise, as I clean-up my walk – rather than persist in rebellion and force the Lord to clean me up the hard way.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 12
Opposition to the Plan of God
5:1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Release my people so that they may hold a pilgrim feast to me in the desert.’”
5:2 But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord that I should obey him by releasing Israel? I do not know the Lord, and I will not release Israel!”
5:3 And they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Let us go a three-day journey into the desert so that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, so that he does not strike us with plague or the sword.”
5:4 The king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you cause the people to refrain from their work? Return to your labor!” 5:5 Pharaoh was thinking, “The people of the land are now many, and you are giving them rest from their labor.”
5:6 That same day Pharaoh commanded the slave masters and foremen who were over the people: 5:7 “You must no longer give straw to the people for making bricks as before. Let them go and collect straw for themselves. 5:8 But you must require of them the same quota of bricks that they were making before. Do not reduce it, for they are slackers. That is why they are crying, ‘Let us go sacrifice to our God.’ 5:9 Make the work harder for the men so they will keep at it and pay no attention to lying words!”
5:10 So the slave masters of the people and their foremen went to the Israelites and said, “Thus says Pharaoh: ‘I am not giving you straw. 5:11 You go get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, because there will be no reduction at all in your workload.’” 5:12 So the people spread out through all the land of Egypt to collect stubble for straw. 5:13 The slave masters were pressuring them, saying, “Complete your work for each day, just like when there was straw!” 5:14 The Israelite foremen whom Pharaoh’s slave masters had set over them were beaten and were asked, “Why did you not complete your requirement for brickmaking as in the past – both yesterday and today?”
5:15 The Israelite foremen went and cried out to Pharaoh, “Why are you treating your servants this way? 5:16 No straw is given to your servants, but we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Your servants are even being beaten, but the fault is with your people.”
5:17 But Pharaoh replied, “You are slackers! Slackers! That is why you are saying, ‘Let us go sacrifice to the Lord.’ 5:18 So now, get back to work! You will not be given straw, but you must still produce your quota of bricks!” 5:19 The Israelite foremen saw that they were in trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce the daily quota of your bricks.”
5:20 When they went out from Pharaoh, they encountered Moses and Aaron standing there to meet them, 5:21 and they said to them, “May the Lord look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the opinion of Pharaoh and his servants, so that you have given them an excuse to kill us!”
The Assurance of Deliverance
5:22 Moses returned to the Lord, and said, “Lord, why have you caused trouble for this people? Why did you ever send me? 5:23 From the time I went to speak to Pharaoh in your name, he has caused trouble for this people, and you have certainly not rescued them!”
Lord, Your ways are not our ways, please teach me obedience and patience.
The Lord God had warned Moses that things would not go well initially.
When Moses told Pharaoh that God demanded that he allow the Israelites to go to Canaan to sacrifice to their God Pharaoh responded that he didn’t know or respect their God and refused.
Then he decided that the Israelites must not be adequately oppressed that they would even ask such a thing, so he took away the provision of straw – which made the making of bricks easier – and still required them to produce as many bricks. When they failed he had his soldiers beat their foremen and them.
Pharaoh’s goal was also to turn the Israelites against Moses and Aaron with their “lying words”.
The Hebrew foremen blamed Moses and Aaron.
Moses whined to God, as if God had not warned him, but God merely instructed Moses to stay the course and to see what He did to force Pharaoh to obey.
The Lord explained what would happen in advance, but at the first sign of opposition Moses whined to God, rather than going to Him and humbly asking what should be their next step together.
Moses got in trouble as a young man because he was impatient and impetuous, now he appears to demonstrate some of the same immaturity. Perhaps God chose him because he was not one of the Israelites in Egypt who had grown fearfully-compliant after generations in slavery?
Why would Moses expect Pharaoh to listen to such a demand when he didn't know the Lord God, had no vested self-interest in the Israelites' religious desires, and was fearful of the huge population of Israelites gaining any sense of independence or self-respect?
When have you set out on a task only to face resistance? How did you respond to the resistance? How has that changed from when you were younger?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where some resistance in the world, including direct spiritual resistance from the Enemy, has caused you to hesitate in doing God's will.
Today I will partner with the Holy Spirit in overcoming my confusion and fear and will forge ahead despite resistance to complete the task which God has placed before me. It may be freedom from an addiction or a destructive lifestyle, it may be earning the certification, education, or other training I need for the vocation for which He has gifted me, it may be stepping-away from an unhealthy religious affiliation/association, it may be an evangelical/missionary outreach, it may be a volunteer role in a fellowship, or some other circumstance, opportunity, or task He has placed before me.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
6:1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh, for compelled by my strong hand he will release them, and by my strong hand he will drive them out of his land.”
6:2 God spoke to Moses and said to him, “I am the Lord. 6:3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name ‘the Lord’ I was not known to them. 6:4 I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they were living as resident foreigners. 6:5 I have also heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant. 6:6 Therefore, tell the Israelites, ‘I am the Lord. I will bring you out from your enslavement to the Egyptians, I will rescue you from the hard labor they impose, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. 6:7 I will take you to myself for a people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from your enslavement to the Egyptians. 6:8 I will bring you to the land I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob – and I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord!’”
6:9 Moses told this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and hard labor. 6:10 Then the Lord said to Moses, 6:11 “Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt that he must release the Israelites from his land.” 6:12 But Moses replied to the Lord, “If the Israelites did not listen to me, then how will Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with difficulty?”
6:13 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron and gave them a charge for the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt to bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt.
The Ancestry of the Deliverer
6:14 These are the heads of their fathers’ households:
The sons of Reuben, the firstborn son of Israel, were Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. These were the clans of Reuben.
6:15 The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman. These were the clans of Simeon.
6:16 Now these are the names of the sons of Levi, according to their records: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. (The length of Levi’s life was 137 years.)
6:17 The sons of Gershon, by their families, were Libni and Shimei.
6:18 The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. (The length of Kohath’s life was 133 years.)
6:19 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of Levi, according to their records.
6:20 Amram married his father’s sister Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses. (The length of Amram’s life was 137 years.)
6:21 The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg, and Zikri.
6:22 The sons of Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri.
6:23 Aaron married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
6:24 The sons of Korah were Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph. These were the Korahite clans.
6:25 Now Eleazar son of Aaron married one of the daughters of Putiel and she bore him Phinehas.
These are the heads of the fathers’ households of Levi according to their clans.
6:26 It was the same Aaron and Moses to whom the Lord said, “Bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt by their regiments.” 6:27 They were the men who were speaking to Pharaoh king of Egypt, in order to bring the Israelites out of Egypt. It was the same Moses and Aaron.
The Authentication of the Word
6:28 When the Lord spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt, 6:29 he said to him, “I am the Lord. Tell Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I am telling you.” 6:30 But Moses said before the Lord, “Since I speak with difficulty, why should Pharaoh listen to me?”
Lord, may you find me a willing servant – nervous like Moses or bold like Aaron – but still willing.
The line of God’s family extends from Levi to Kohath to Amram to Aaron and Moses.
The Lord God repeated His instructions to Moses to speak to Pharaoh and again Moses hesitated with fear due to his insecurity about his speaking ability. The Lord once-again authorized Aaron to speak for Moses what He told Moses to do, and to handle the staff He had empowered as His sign.
As the Lord prophesied, Pharaoh was resistant, so Aaron cast down the staff which became a snake. The wizards did as Aaron did, then Aarons snake ate theirs and turned back into a staff. Pharaoh, his hard heart further-hardened by God (to escalate the confrontation in His time) refused to act wisely and refused to let the people go.
The Word contains the history of the generations of man and of the great civilization of Egypt, the accountability-for-credibility built into the Bible gives more cause to people to trust it.
The Word tells us of God’s desire to use imperfect men as His messengers, and His flexibility to allow the insecure Moses to delegate to Aaron. Why do you think God used such role models?
How different are we than Moses? Do we make excuses to avoid doing as God has asked?
When have you seen God clearly demonstrate His power yet some have refused to acknowledge Him, or have acknowledged Him but refuse to respond rightly?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you something that you can do for Him.
Today I will go and do as the Holy Spirit directs. If needed I will ask a fellow believer to join me in that ministry.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
7:1 So the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet. 7:2 You are to speak everything I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh that he must release the Israelites from his land. 7:3 But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and although I will multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt, 7:4 Pharaoh will not listen to you. I will reach into Egypt and bring out my regiments, my people the Israelites, from the land of Egypt with great acts of judgment. 7:5 Then the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord, when I extend my hand over Egypt and bring the Israelites out from among them.
7:6 And Moses and Aaron did so; they did just as the Lord commanded them. 7:7 Now Moses was eighty years old and Aaron was eighty-three years old when they spoke to Pharaoh.
7:8 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 7:9 “When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Do a miracle,’ and you say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,’ it will become a snake.” 7:10 When Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh, they did so, just as the Lord had commanded them – Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his servants and it became a snake. 7:11 Then Pharaoh also summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the magicians of Egypt by their secret arts did the same thing. 7:12 Each man threw down his staff, and the staffs became snakes. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs. 7:13 Yet Pharaoh’s heart became hard, and he did not listen to them, just as the Lord had predicted.
The First Blow: Water to Blood
7:14 The Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is hard; he refuses to release the people. 7:15 Go to Pharaoh in the morning when he goes out to the water. Position yourself to meet him by the edge of the Nile, and take in your hand the staff that was turned into a snake. 7:16 Tell him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to you to say, “Release my people, that they may serve me in the desert!” But until now you have not listened. 7:17 Thus says the Lord: “By this you will know that I am the Lord: I am going to strike the water of the Nile with the staff that is in my hand, and it will be turned into blood. 7:18 Fish in the Nile will die, the Nile will stink, and the Egyptians will be unable to drink water from the Nile.”‘” 7:19 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over Egypt’s waters – over their rivers, over their canals, over their ponds, and over all their reservoirs – so that it becomes blood.’ There will be blood everywhere in the land of Egypt, even in wooden and stone containers.” 7:20 Moses and Aaron did so, just as the Lord had commanded. Moses raised the staff and struck the water that was in the Nile right before the eyes of Pharaoh and his servants, and all the water that was in the Nile was turned to blood. 7:21 When the fish that were in the Nile died, the Nile began to stink, so that the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile. There was blood everywhere in the land of Egypt! 7:22 But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts, and so Pharaoh’s heart remained hard, and he refused to listen to Moses and Aaron – just as the Lord had predicted. 7:23 And Pharaoh turned and went into his house. He did not pay any attention to this. 7:24 All the Egyptians dug around the Nile for water to drink, because they could not drink the water of the Nile.
The Second Blow: Frogs
7:25 Seven full days passed after the Lord struck the Nile.
Lord, why do we force You to come down so hard? May you find me obedient and teachable and willing rather than hard-hearted, stiff-necked, and stubborn.
The Lord God instructed Moses and Aaron to strike the water of the Nile with the staff, in the presence of Pharaoh, and that it and even the water people had in containers, would turn to blood – the fish would die and the Nile would stink.
They did so but then Satan empowered Pharaoh’s witches, the magicians (7:11 “... wise men and sorcerers, and the magicians of Egypt by their secret arts “), to duplicate what Moses had done (on a smaller scale), so Pharaoh chose to not believe and not to obey God.
The people were able to dig new wells near the Nile and find some drinkable water.
Seven days later it is unclear but it appears that the water of the Nile may have remained in the form of blood.
The Nile river is a massive body of water, for anyone to turn all of that to blood – plus the water already in containers throughout Egypt – should have gotten Pharaoh’s attention.
Have you heard of, or observed, people performing feats that appeared to be beyond the capacity of man? From where do you believe that they acquired that power?
Pharaoh cared about himself, and the power that the great nation he ruled gave to him, but he appears to have traded to the Enemy his caring for his people for his power over them – that explains why the terrible suffering they endured from the first plague of the Nile turned to blood – and the hassle and minimal solution that came from their need to dig new wells failed to trouble him … so he just went inside.
When have you tried to teach someone about God by telling of His miracles, only to have a highly-resistant person attempt to explain-away those miracles?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where God has been doing miracles to get your attention.
Today I will recognize the miracles of God all around me, albeit somewhat more subtle than those in today’s text, and I will respond to whatever is His call. (God’s miracle may be His provision of food or money I didn’t expect, a small healing that man’s medical knowledge cannot adequately explain, an opportunity to use my gifts at home or school or work that I did not expect, or some other intervention that a time of prayerful listening and reflecting reveals.)
Be Specific _________________________________________________
8:1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and tell him, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Release my people in order that they may serve me! 8:2 But if you refuse to release them, then I am going to plague all your territory with frogs. 8:3 The Nile will swarm with frogs, and they will come up and go into your house, in your bedroom, and on your bed, and into the houses of your servants and your people, and into your ovens and your kneading troughs. 8:4 Frogs will come up against you, your people, and all your servants.”‘”
8:5 The Lord spoke to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Extend your hand with your staff over the rivers, over the canals, and over the ponds, and bring the frogs up over the land of Egypt.’” 8:6 So Aaron extended his hand over the waters of Egypt, and frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt.
8:7 The magicians did the same with their secret arts and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt too.
8:8 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Pray to the Lord that he may take the frogs away from me and my people, and I will release the people that they may sacrifice to the Lord.” 8:9 Moses said to Pharaoh, “You may have the honor over me – when shall I pray for you, your servants, and your people, for the frogs to be removed from you and your houses, so that they will be left only in the Nile?” 8:10 He said, “Tomorrow.” And Moses said, “It will be as you say, so that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God. 8:11 The frogs will depart from you, your houses, your servants, and your people; they will be left only in the Nile.”
8:12 Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried to the Lord because of the frogs that he had brought on Pharaoh. 8:13 The Lord did as Moses asked – the frogs died out of the houses, the villages, and the fields. 8:14 The Egyptians piled them in countless heaps, and the land stank. 8:15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not listen to them, just as the Lord had predicted.
The Third Blow: Gnats
8:16 The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Extend your staff and strike the dust of the ground, and it will become gnats throughout all the land of Egypt.’” 8:17 They did so; Aaron extended his hand with his staff, he struck the dust of the ground, and it became gnats on people and on animals. All the dust of the ground became gnats throughout all the land of Egypt. 8:18 When the magicians attempted to bring forth gnats by their secret arts, they could not. So there were gnats on people and on animals. 8:19 The magicians said to Pharaoh, “It is the finger of God!” But Pharaoh’s heart remained hard, and he did not listen to them, just as the Lord had predicted.
The Fourth Blow: Flies
8:20 The Lord said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning and position yourself before Pharaoh as he goes out to the water, and tell him, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Release my people that they may serve me! 8:21 If you do not release my people, then I am going to send swarms of flies on you and on your servants and on your people and in your houses. The houses of the Egyptians will be full of flies, and even the ground they stand on. 8:22 But on that day I will mark off the land of Goshen, where my people are staying, so that no swarms of flies will be there, that you may know that I am the Lord in the midst of this land. 8:23 I will put a division between my people and your people. This sign will take place tomorrow.”‘” 8:24 The Lord did so; a thick swarm of flies came into Pharaoh’s house and into the houses of his servants, and throughout the whole land of Egypt the land was ruined because of the swarms of flies.
8:25 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.” 8:26 But Moses said, “That would not be the right thing to do, for the sacrifices we make to the Lord our God would be an abomination to the Egyptians. If we make sacrifices that are an abomination to the Egyptians right before their eyes, will they not stone us? 8:27 We must go on a three-day journey into the desert and sacrifice to the Lord our God, just as he is telling us.”
8:28 Pharaoh said, “I will release you so that you may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the desert. Only you must not go very far. Do pray for me.”
8:29 Moses said, “I am going to go out from you and pray to the Lord, and the swarms of flies will go away from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people tomorrow. Only do not let Pharaoh deal falsely again by not releasing the people to sacrifice to the Lord.” 8:30 So Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord, 8:31 and the Lord did as Moses asked – he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. Not one remained! 8:32 But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also and did not release the people.
Lord, You taught Your people – and those around them – that You are not to be trifled-with – and that Your sovereign will is never blocked. May I be watchful that I not arrogantly or carelessly ignore Your action and direction in my life.
Seven days later God sent Moses and Aaron to challenge Pharaoh with a plague of frogs.
Once again Satan used Pharaoh’s witches/wizards to draw a token number of frogs out of the Nile, so Pharaoh’s heart remained hard.
This time Pharaoh asked Moses to remove the frogs, because unlike the bloodied-water the frogs directly interfered with everything in Egypt – therefore directly impacting him.
He promised to let the Israelites go and sacrifice to their God. The next day Moses responded and the frogs that were on the land all died, resulting in piles of them all over Egypt, rotting in the sun. But once the frogs were dead Pharaoh reneged on his promise.
God then told Moses and Aaron to strike the dust of the earth with the staff and it turned into gnats all over the animals and people of Egypt. The witch/wizards who unable to duplicate this and acknowledged that it was the “finger of God”, but Pharaoh’s hard heart would not allow him to submit.
God instructed Moses to warn Pharaoh of the plague of flies, but this time Moses did nothing more than to deliver the message.
One of the other unique elements in this text is that God explained His protection of Goshen, where the Israelites lived, from the plague – “... that you may know that I am the Lord in the midst of this land.”
Moses negotiated with Pharaoh, who wanted them to worship in Goshen, but Moses said they must do so in Canaan – outside of Egypt. Pharaoh agreed but asked that they not travel far, and he asked that Moses would pray to have the flies removed (not because they only affected others but because they affected him).
The Pharaoh continued to demonstrate his selfishness and his superstition.
Have you heard of, or observed, people performing feats that appeared to be beyond the capacity of man? From where do you believe that they acquired that power? It is easy to question Pharaoh’s sanity here but could someone not find a blind-spot in your life where you have plenty of evidence to cause you to do something differently but you continue in a wrong direction?
After the first two plagues Pharaoh’s witches/wizards were no longer able to duplicate the miracles of God, once again demonstrating the limitations of the power of Satan’s deceptions, and his ability to imitate God.
God twice stuck Egypt and clearly protected the Israelites – how hard could it have been for Pharaoh to recognize the power and precision of God – and when should something have been obvious to you but what you wanted to believe/see blinded you to the truth?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a blind-spot in your life.
Today I will act on the information the Holy Spirit has revealed, choosing wisdom over stubbornness.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
The Fifth Blow: Disease
9:1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and tell him, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, “Release my people that they may serve me! 9:2 For if you refuse to release them and continue holding them, 9:3 then the hand of the Lord will surely bring a very terrible plague on your livestock in the field, on the horses, the donkeys, the camels, the herds, and the flocks. 9:4 But the Lord will distinguish between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, and nothing will die of all that the Israelites have.”‘”
9:5 The Lord set an appointed time, saying, “Tomorrow the Lord will do this in the land.” 9:6 And the Lord did this on the next day; all the livestock of the Egyptians died, but of the Israelites’ livestock not one died. 9:7 Pharaoh sent representatives to investigate, and indeed, not even one of the livestock of Israel had died. But Pharaoh’s heart remained hard, and he did not release the people.
The Sixth Blow: Boils
9:8 Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Take handfuls of soot from a furnace, and have Moses throw it into the air while Pharaoh is watching. 9:9 It will become fine dust over the whole land of Egypt and will cause boils to break out and fester on both people and animals in all the land of Egypt.” 9:10 So they took soot from a furnace and stood before Pharaoh, Moses threw it into the air, and it caused festering boils to break out on both people and animals.
9:11 The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for boils were on the magicians and on all the Egyptians. 9:12 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not listen to them, just as the Lord had predicted to Moses.
The Seventh Blow: Hail
9:13 The Lord said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning, stand before Pharaoh, and tell him, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews: “Release my people so that they may serve me! 9:14 For this time I will send all my plagues on your very self and on your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth. 9:15 For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with plague, and you would have been destroyed from the earth. 9:16 But for this purpose I have caused you to stand: to show you my strength, and so that my name may be declared in all the earth. 9:17 You are still exalting yourself against my people by not releasing them. 9:18 I am going to cause very severe hail to rain down about this time tomorrow, such hail as has never occurred in Egypt from the day it was founded until now. 9:19 So now, send instructions to gather your livestock and all your possessions in the fields to a safe place. Every person or animal caught in the field and not brought into the house – the hail will come down on them, and they will die!”‘”
9:20 Those of Pharaoh’s servants who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring their servants and livestock into the houses, 9:21 but those who did not take the word of the Lord seriously left their servants and their cattle in the field.
9:22 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Extend your hand toward the sky that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, on people and on animals, and on everything that grows in the field in the land of Egypt.” 9:23 When Moses extended his staff toward the sky, the Lord sent thunder and hail, and fire fell to the earth; so the Lord caused hail to rain down on the land of Egypt. 9:24 Hail fell and fire mingled with the hail; the hail was so severe that there had not been any like it in all the land of Egypt since it had become a nation. 9:25 The hail struck everything in the open fields, both people and animals, throughout all the land of Egypt. The hail struck everything that grows in the field, and it broke all the trees of the field to pieces. 9:26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the Israelites lived, was there no hail.
9:27 So Pharaoh sent and summoned Moses and Aaron and said to them, “I have sinned this time! The Lord is righteous, and I and my people are guilty. 9:28 Pray to the Lord, for the mighty thunderings and hail are too much! I will release you and you will stay no longer.”
9:29 Moses said to him, “When I leave the city I will spread my hands to the Lord, the thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, so that you may know that the earth belongs to the Lord. 9:30 But as for you and your servants, I know that you do not yet fear the Lord God.”
9:31 (Now the flax and the barley were struck by the hail, for the barley had ripened and the flax was in bud. 9:32 But the wheat and the spelt were not struck, for they are later crops.)
9:33 So Moses left Pharaoh, went out of the city, and spread out his hands to the Lord, and the thunder and the hail ceased, and the rain stopped pouring on the earth. 9:34 When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder ceased, he sinned again: both he and his servants hardened their hearts. 9:35 So Pharaoh’s heart remained hard, and he did not release the Israelites, as the Lord had predicted through Moses.
Lord, You warn us and You warn us again, but sometimes we are so stubborn that You must increase the loudness of Your message until we listen.
Moses kept his word but Pharaoh, once again, did not – as God foretold.
The Lord God then struck only the cattle of the Egyptians with a deadly plague and even though Pharaoh verifies that the Israelite cattle were unharmed he refused to release them.
The Sixth plague was unmistakably the hand of God through Moses; the boils covered the people and the animals and even the magician/witches, Pharaoh still refused to relent.
The Lord God instructed Moses to inform Pharaoh that much worse was to come and to further explained “9:15 For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with plague, and you would have been destroyed from the earth. 9:16 But for this purpose I have caused you to stand: to show you my strength, and so that my name may be declared in all the earth.”
The Lord instructed Moses to warn Pharaoh and his people to protect anything they cared about because He was sending hail and fire from the sky, interestingly there were apparently many who were wiser than Pharaoh as the text reports “9:20 Those of Pharaoh’s servants who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring their servants and livestock into the houses,” Once again God protected Goshen, the land in Egypt where the Israelites lived.
The destruction was terrible and Pharaoh uttered some new words “I have sinned this time! The Lord is righteous, and I and my people are guilty. “
Even so, when the storm ceased so did Pharaoh’s will to do the right thing.
In a new variable the Lord God warned Pharaoh and his people to protect themselves against the coming hail and fire storm. Some had become wise enough to listen to the Lord God and some, despite all of the evidence of the first six plagues, had not.
Was it not God’s grace which motivated His merciful warning to those who would believe His prophesy and heed His instructions to protect their servants and livestock?
The Lord did not simply destroy the Egyptians for their disobedience - because He wanted to make His power and presence known through them to all of the known world.
When have you been warned about something yet refused to pay attention – and the result was bad?
Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of something the Lord God has warned you to avoid or to flee.
Today I will act on God’s warning, separating myself from a place of danger, or avoiding it in the first place. It may be a bad attitude, bad associations, bad habits, bad theology, or other bad influences that rain evil down upon me (sources of entertainment, friends, non-Biblical philosophies and religions, etc.)
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Eighth Blow: Locusts
10:1 The Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, in order to display these signs of mine before him, 10:2 and in order that in the hearing of your son and your grandson you may tell how I made fools of the Egyptians and about my signs that I displayed among them, so that you may know that I am the Lord.”
10:3 So Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh and told him, “Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews: ‘How long do you refuse to humble yourself before me? Release my people so that they may serve me! 10:4 But if you refuse to release my people, I am going to bring locusts into your territory tomorrow. 10:5 They will cover the surface of the earth, so that you will be unable to see the ground. They will eat the remainder of what escaped – what is left over for you – from the hail, and they will eat every tree that grows for you from the field. 10:6 They will fill your houses, the houses of your servants, and all the houses of Egypt, such as neither your fathers nor your grandfathers have seen since they have been in the land until this day!’” Then Moses turned and went out from Pharaoh.
10:7 Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long will this man be a menace to us? Release the people so that they may serve the Lord their God. Do you not know that Egypt is destroyed?”
10:8 So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh, and he said to them, “Go, serve the Lord your God. Exactly who is going with you?” 10:9 Moses said, “We will go with our young and our old, with our sons and our daughters, and with our sheep and our cattle we will go, because we are to hold a pilgrim feast for the Lord.”
10:10 He said to them, “The Lord will need to be with you if I release you and your dependents! Watch out! Trouble is right in front of you! 10:11 No! Go, you men only, and serve the Lord, for that is what you want.” Then Moses and Aaron were driven out of Pharaoh’s presence.
10:12 The Lord said to Moses, “Extend your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up over the land of Egypt and eat everything that grows in the ground, everything that the hail has left.” 10:13 So Moses extended his staff over the land of Egypt, and then the Lord brought an east wind on the land all that day and all night. The morning came, and the east wind had brought up the locusts! 10:14 The locusts went up over all the land of Egypt and settled down in all the territory of Egypt. It was very severe; there had been no locusts like them before, nor will there be such ever again. 10:15 They covered the surface of all the ground, so that the ground became dark with them, and they ate all the vegetation of the ground and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left. Nothing green remained on the trees or on anything that grew in the fields throughout the whole land of Egypt.
10:16 Then Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you! 10:17 So now, forgive my sin this time only, and pray to the Lord your God that he would only take this death away from me.” 10:18 Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord, 10:19 and the Lord turned a very strong west wind, and it picked up the locusts and blew them into the Red Sea. Not one locust remained in all the territory of Egypt. 10:20 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not release the Israelites.
The Ninth Blow: Darkness
10:21 The Lord said to Moses, “Extend your hand toward heaven so that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness so thick it can be felt.”
10:22 So Moses extended his hand toward heaven, and there was absolute darkness throughout the land of Egypt for three days. 10:23 No one could see another person, and no one could rise from his place for three days. But the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.
10:24 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and said, “Go, serve the Lord – only your flocks and herds will be detained. Even your families may go with you.”
10:25 But Moses said, “Will you also provide us with sacrifices and burnt offerings that we may present them to the Lord our God? 10:26 Our livestock must also go with us! Not a hoof is to be left behind! For we must take these animals to serve the Lord our God. Until we arrive there, we do not know what we must use to serve the Lord.”
10:27 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was not willing to release them. 10:28 Pharaoh said to him, “Go from me! Watch out for yourself! Do not appear before me again, for when you see my face you will die!” 10:29 Moses said, “As you wish! I will not see your face again.”
Lord, may our hearts not be found hard toward You, so that You must bring “a plague of locusts” into our lives to get our attention.
The Lord God explained that He not only does not have Pharaoh's attention but that He still desires that the children and grandchildren of Moses and Aaron become properly acquainted with His Lordship, and for that purpose Pharaoh's arrogant stubbornness is opportune.
Moses warned Pharaoh about the plague of locusts and Pharaoh's advisers pleaded with him to let the Israelites go because Egypt “is already destroyed” (they were trying to preserve the barley and spelt crops as well as some fruit and nut trees which survived the hail). Pharaoh arrogantly attempted to control the details of Moses' request for the exodus of the Israelites to serve God, Moses refused to negotiate, so Pharaoh had him run out of the palace.
The plague of the locusts is as God warned Pharaoh through Moses and once again Pharaoh acknowledged that he had sinned against God and asked Moses to pray for the locusts to be gone.
God sends three days of utter darkness upon Egypt, yet the part of Egypt occupied by the Israelites remained light.
Pharaoh continued to think that he had the power to dictate boundaries for the Israelites. When Moses rejected his limitations Pharaoh threatened to kill him the next time he saw him.
The Lord God always has a perfect purpose, in this case it was to teach the next two generations of Israelites about Himself in contrast to a mere human king, and as a demonstration of His power to protect and to provide. (The latter they should have known from Joseph.)
Does it seem absurd to you that Pharaoh would be so obsessed with holding onto the “Hebrew” slaves to build his temples and other structures that he would allow the rest of Egypt to be systematically-destroyed?
The expression “But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart ...” is worth revisiting here in the midst of this titanic struggle between Pharaoh, who thinks he is one among many gods, and the Lord God Who is the only true God. Pharaoh's heart was hardened against God from the beginning, God didn't cause it to be so, He amplified the hardness to serve as an object lesson to those observing.
When has the Lord overcome what seemed to be insurmountable odds in you life? Did that increase your faith?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you a place in your life where you need to see things through His eyes.
Today I will accept the leading of the Holy Spirit and repent (turn away from ) those things I value which are blocking my vision of that which God says is most valuable. It may be an obsession with comfort, entertainment, hobby, money, popularity, power, sports, tradition, or anything else that is out of balance in my life and is keeping me from being and doing what Jesus saved me to be and to do.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Manasseh The Tenth Blow: Death
11:1 The Lord said to Moses, “I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt; after that he will release you from this place. When he releases you, he will drive you out completely from this place. 11:2 Instruct the people that each man and each woman is to request from his or her neighbor items of silver and gold.”
11:3 (Now the Lord granted the people favor with the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, respected by Pharaoh’s servants and by the Egyptian people.)
11:4 Moses said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘About midnight I will go throughout Egypt, 11:5 and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, to the firstborn son of the slave girl who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle. 11:6 There will be a great cry throughout the whole land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever will be again.
11:7 But against any of the Israelites not even a dog will bark against either people or animals, so that you may know that the Lord distinguishes between Egypt and Israel.’ 11:8 All these your servants will come down to me and bow down to me, saying, ‘Go, you and all the people who follow you,’ and after that I will go out.” Then Moses went out from Pharaoh in great anger.
11:9 The Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not listen to you, so that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”
11:10 So Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, but the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not release the Israelites from his land.
Lord, may we not be so stubborn, and our words so violent and ill-conceived, that we bring upon ourselves that which we wish upon others.
Joseph Before Moses left Pharaoh God gave him one last pronouncement; the death of the firstborns, even of the cattle.
God reminded Moses of His prophesy, saying “Instruct the people that each man and each woman is to request from his or her neighbor items of silver and gold.”
God declared His intention to leave a lasting impression upon the Egyptians, and any who would hear of what He had done, saying “But against any of the Israelites not even a dog will bark against either people or animals, so that you may know that the Lord distinguishes between Egypt and Israel.”
When the Lord says that a person or a people belong to Him those so affiliated will benefit from His protection and provision.
The Pharaoh threatening the life of God's anointed - Moses, after all of the evidence of his close association with the God of power, seems foolish in retrospect.
Why do you think that Moses was so angry? “All these your servants will come down to me and bow down to me, saying, ‘Go, you and all the people who follow you,’ and after that I will go out.” Then Moses went out from Pharaoh in great anger.”
Egypt had been blessed in many ways due to its association with the Israelites, from the time of Joseph to the time of Moses, including the immoral benefit of their slave-labor. God stripped-away all that they had gained – crops, livestock, health, and valuables (gold and silver) – restoring Egypt to their pre-Israelite condition, perhaps minus something extra for their mistreatment of His people.
When have you observed a situation where someone who has no power, and who has behaved badly, continued to make demands or to try to dictate terms despite the clear evidence that in so doing they make their situation worse?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where, following a time of trouble, He has 'brought you out' and provided for you.
Today I will share, with a fellow believer, the story of God's restoration and blessing of me. It may be when He saved me from an addiction, a destructive relationship, an ethically-compromising work environment, a sin-promoting lifestyle, or other place of bondage to the world. And, as the Lord provides, I will also share this story with someone who is considering-Christ as an act of evangelistic-missions.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 13
The Institution of the Passover
12:1 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, 12:2 “This month is to be your beginning of months; it will be your first month of the year. 12:3 Tell the whole community of Israel, ‘In the tenth day of this month they each must take a lamb for themselves according to their families – a lamb for each household. 12:4 If any household is too small for a lamb, the man and his next-door neighbor are to take a lamb according to the number of people – you will make your count for the lamb according to how much each one can eat. 12:5 Your lamb must be perfect, a male, one year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 12:6 You must care for it until the fourteenth day of this month, and then the whole community of Israel will kill it around sundown. 12:7 They will take some of the blood and put it on the two side posts and top of the doorframe of the houses where they will eat it. 12:8 They will eat the meat the same night; they will eat it roasted over the fire with bread made without yeast and with bitter herbs. 12:9 Do not eat it raw or boiled in water, but roast it over the fire with its head, its legs, and its entrails. 12:10 You must leave nothing until morning, but you must burn with fire whatever remains of it until morning. 12:11 This is how you are to eat it – dressed to travel, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. You are to eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s Passover.
12:12 I will pass through the land of Egypt in the same night, and I will attack all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both of humans and of animals, and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment. I am the Lord. 12:13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, so that when I see the blood I will pass over you, and this plague will not fall on you to destroy you when I attack the land of Egypt.
12:14 This day will become a memorial for you, and you will celebrate it as a festival to the Lord – you will celebrate it perpetually as a lasting ordinance. 12:15 For seven days you must eat bread made without yeast. Surely on the first day you must put away yeast from your houses because anyone who eats bread made with yeast from the first day to the seventh day will be cut off from Israel.
12:16 On the first day there will be a holy convocation, and on the seventh day there will be a holy convocation for you. You must do no work of any kind on them, only what every person will eat – that alone may be prepared for you. 12:17 So you will keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread, because on this very day I brought your regiments out from the land of Egypt, and so you must keep this day perpetually as a lasting ordinance. 12:18 In the first month, from the fourteenth day of the month, in the evening, you will eat bread made without yeast until the twenty-first day of the month in the evening. 12:19 For seven days yeast must not be found in your houses, for whoever eats what is made with yeast – that person will be cut off from the community of Israel, whether a foreigner or one born in the land. 12:20 You will not eat anything made with yeast; in all the places where you live you must eat bread made without yeast.’”
12:21 Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel, and told them, “Go and select for yourselves a lamb or young goat for your families, and kill the Passover animals. 12:22 Take a branch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and apply to the top of the doorframe and the two side posts some of the blood that is in the basin. Not one of you is to go out the door of his house until morning. 12:23 For the Lord will pass through to strike Egypt, and when he sees the blood on the top of the doorframe and the two side posts, then the Lord will pass over the door, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you. 12:24 You must observe this event as an ordinance for you and for your children forever. 12:25 When you enter the land that the Lord will give to you, just as he said, you must observe this ceremony. 12:26 When your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ – 12:27 then you will say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover, when he passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt, when he struck Egypt and delivered our households.’” The people bowed down low to the ground, 12:28 and the Israelites went away and did exactly as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron.
Lord, the initiation of the Passover rite was significant step-up in the commitment of Your people to recognize Your Lordship, may we Christians remember that what we call “Communion” is an equally powerful symbol of Your Lordship. Although the old festival and sacrificial system has passed away, may we never forget all that You did because of Your faithful love for Israel – so that it remains a constant reminder that You are equally faithful to us.
The Lord God instructed the Israelites as to how they might protect themselves against the coming final judgment of the Egyptians who had held them in captivity and who had rejected God’s demand to set them free.
The Israelites, at least the obedient among them, were to sacrifice a “perfect” lamb (goat or sheep).
This text refers only in the generic to “firstborn”, but the prior Chapter Verse 11:5 is rendered “... and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, to the firstborn son of the slave girl who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle.”, implying that it was the firstborn males who were to be targeted. Psalm 135:8 offers clarification “He struck down the firstborn of Egypt, including both men and animals.” In both cases the Net Bible - Word Analysis shows the intended meaning to be gender-specific: male.
The Lord explained how they would keep this new rite as a reminder of His protection, provision, and His Lordship.
He warned that the failure to obey His detailed instructions closely would result in tragedy.
Celebration, convocation, feast, festival, memorial, passover, and sacrifice are all terms the text uses to define the rite of remembrance of the plague which brought the exodus from Egypt.
God explained the reason for the perpetual (for the generations of Israelites) requirement “... because on this very day I brought your regiments out from the land of Egypt”
God described in general, and with some specificity, what was to be done and not done. (Additional detail would come later in the life of Israel.)
According to the Net translators the hyssop was a common plant whose shape and texture was well-suited for painting blood on the doorframe and for use by priests in rituals that involved blood. It may also have been an aromatic herb.
The Lord God destroyed the last and most valued thing of all, the firstborn male of both humans and livestock – taking the final step of getting the Pharaoh’s attention – and that of the Egyptians whose cooperation allowed Pharaoh to enslave God’s people. He only offered protection to the people of Israel “Tell the whole community of Israel” Just as the blood of the “perfect” lamb protected the Israelites against the “destroyer” in Egypt the blood of The Lamb, Jesus, will protect us in the last days of the end times when God comes in final judgment.
This is the first time that God told the people to dress to travel and that what was about to happen was to be remembered in a rite to be repeated annually – how must they have felt after several false-starts to finally be told that this it the time of their exodus from Egypt? After all of the plagues visited upon Egypt, how frightening must it have been to hear that the very angel of death “the destroyer” would be passing through all of Egypt – including Goshen – which had previously been spared?
Note how sensitive the Lord God is to the details where He allowed that a small family, or one with small children who did not eat much might join with another family, as they were required to eat the entire lamb and to burn the leftovers. God knew how quickly people would forget His liberation of them from bondage in Egypt, so not only did He require an annual remembrance, He placed strict limits to prevent them from being distracted with the busyness of their usual work.
When have you anticipated a change for a while but circumstances forced you to wait, even after more than one false-start? How did you feel when the time finally arrived? When have you made time to pause and to remember how and when God set you free from the bondage of eternally-unforgiven sin?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you somewhere in your life where He has provided a way out (1 Corinthians 10:13) and to bring to your remembrance how and when He set you free.
Today I will share with a fellow Christian God's provision of a way out, and exodus, in my life. We will celebrate His faithfulness together. I also will make plans for an annual celebration of my salvation. I will not make it about me, or about the sin from which I was set free, but rather about the One Who set me free and celebrate His victory.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
The Deliverance from Egypt
12:29 It happened at midnight – the Lord attacked all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the prison, and all the firstborn of the cattle. 12:30 Pharaoh got up in the night, along with all his servants and all Egypt, and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was no house in which there was not someone dead. 12:31 Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron in the night and said, “Get up, get out from among my people, both you and the Israelites! Go, serve the Lord as you have requested! 12:32 Also, take your flocks and your herds, just as you have requested, and leave. But bless me also.”
12:33 The Egyptians were urging the people on, in order to send them out of the land quickly, for they were saying, “We are all dead!” 12:34 So the people took their dough before the yeast was added, with their kneading troughs bound up in their clothing on their shoulders. 12:35 Now the Israelites had done as Moses told them – they had requested from the Egyptians silver and gold items and clothing. 12:36 The Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, and they gave them whatever they wanted, and so they plundered Egypt.
12:37 The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Sukkoth. There were about 600,000 men on foot, plus their dependants. 12:38 A mixed multitude also went up with them, and flocks and herds – a very large number of cattle. 12:39 They baked cakes of bread without yeast using the dough they had brought from Egypt, for it was made without yeast – because they were thrust out of Egypt and were not able to delay, they could not prepare food for themselves either.
12:40 Now the length of time the Israelites lived in Egypt was 430 years. 12:41 At the end of the 430 years, on the very day, all the regiments of the Lord went out of the land of Egypt. 12:42 It was a night of vigil for the Lord to bring them out from the land of Egypt, and so on this night all Israel is to keep the vigil to the Lord for generations to come.
Lord, when You sovereignly decide that the moment has come there is no power in all of existence that can resist You.
Pharaoh finally got God’s message and joined the rest of Egypt in pressing the Israelites to leave Egypt – before anything else awful happened to them.
As would later be the method for counting the population in some New Testament texts, e.g. the “Feeding of the Four Thousand”, only the men with dependents are numbered. In this case that is given as 600,000. One is left to extrapolate the wives and children and other dependents to gather a sense of the huge community that was suddenly on the move.
The unleavened bread was first part of the first Passover meal, and then a necessity of the sudden migration, and thereafter part of both the religious rites as well as a frequent rhetorical tool in God’s teaching.
Just as God prophesied before the exodus-ministry of Moses started, because the Egyptians were glad to see them go God was free to cause them to “favor” the departing Israelites with gold and silver and clothing “.. they plundered Egypt.”
As was the prophesy of the Messiah, not a bone broken, so also was God’s instruction for the Passover lamb. God additionally linked circumcision with the eating of the Passover.
Imagine the Egyptians, devastated by plague after plague, helping the Israelites to load their wagons, pressing gold and silver and clothing into their hands, pleading with them to leave while there is something left of Egypt and of their families.
Even in this early time of Israel the Lord God was writing His prophesy of Jesus on the Cross. How does reading “… you must not break a bone of it” (the Passover lamb) encourage your trust in Him?
The Israelites had lived for 430 years in Egypt, multiple generations had known no other home. While slavery was troubling and the traditional stories reminded them of their tribal history, leaving Egypt had to have been very emotionally-conflicting.
When have you had to make a sudden and significant change in your life? How did that continue to imbalance you for a while? Did you sometimes long to return to the past, even though it was unpleasant?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where change is coming in your life.
Today I will step out in faith, making whatever change the Lord asks of me, not looking back longingly on what I am leaving but looking ahead to what He has prepared.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Participation in the Passover
12:43 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover. No foreigner may share in eating it. 12:44 But everyone’s servant who is bought for money, after you have circumcised him, may eat it. 12:45 A foreigner and a hired worker must not eat it. 12:46 It must be eaten in one house; you must not bring any of the meat outside the house, and you must not break a bone of it. 12:47 The whole community of Israel must observe it.
12:48 “When a foreigner lives with you and wants to observe the Passover to the Lord, all his males must be circumcised, and then he may approach and observe it, and he will be like one who is born in the land – but no uncircumcised person may eat of it. 12:49 The same law will apply to the person who is native-born and to the foreigner who lives among you.”
12:50 So all the Israelites did exactly as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron. 12:51 And on this very day the Lord brought the Israelites out of the land of Egypt by their regiments.
The Law of the Firstborn
13:1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 13:2 “Set apart to me every firstborn male – the first offspring of every womb among the Israelites, whether human or animal; it is mine.”
13:3 Moses said to the people, “Remember this day on which you came out from Egypt, from the place where you were enslaved, for the Lord brought you out of there with a mighty hand – and no bread made with yeast may be eaten. 13:4 On this day, in the month of Abib, you are going out.
13:5 When the Lord brings you to the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, then you will keep this ceremony in this month. 13:6 For seven days you must eat bread made without yeast, and on the seventh day there is to be a festival to the Lord. 13:7 Bread made without yeast must be eaten for seven days; no bread made with yeast shall be seen among you, and you must have no yeast among you within any of your borders.
13:8 You are to tell your son on that day, ‘It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ 13:9 It will be a sign for you on your hand and a memorial on your forehead, so that the law of the Lord may be in your mouth, for with a mighty hand the Lord brought you out of Egypt. 13:10 So you must keep this ordinance at its appointed time from year to year.
13:11 When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and to your fathers, and gives it to you, 13:12 then you must give over to the Lord the first offspring of every womb. Every firstling of a beast that you have – the males will be the Lord’s. 13:13 Every firstling of a donkey you must redeem with a lamb, and if you do not redeem it, then you must break its neck. Every firstborn of your sons you must redeem.
13:14 In the future, when your son asks you ‘What is this?’ you are to tell him, ‘With a mighty hand the Lord brought us out from Egypt, from the land of slavery. 13:15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to release us, the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of people to the firstborn of animals. That is why I am sacrificing to the Lord the first male offspring of every womb, but all my firstborn sons I redeem.’ 13:16 It will be for a sign on your hand and for frontlets on your forehead, for with a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt.”
Lord, You set them free, guided them, and protected them – You are a truly loving God.
God requires of the Israelites the firstborn animals as sacrifices of remembrance and the firstborn children as ones dedicated to His service.
God explains that this will be an assurance they never forget what He did for them in Egypt.
As the people left Egypt they left after generations as slaves, they were ill-equipped for a nomadic life nor were they prepared for military conflict, so God directed them away from the land of the Philistines. Although God could have easily protected them against the Philistines He knew that their faith was weak and their hearts fickle and He did not want them retreating to Egypt out of fear.
Moses kept the word that had been given to Joseph and brought his bones with them. There was no spiritual power in that but a matter of integrity and of symbolism of the return home.
God guided this huge populace, over a million people “Now the Lord was going before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them in the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel day or night. 13:22 He did not remove the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night from before the people.”
While the Egyptians would not soon forget the God Who tore His people free of their selfish clutches, the Israelites, facing danger and trial, might have more readily forgotten – so the Lord required of them several elements of sacrificial remembrance.
Over a million people traveling together, something rarely seen in the history of the world, what must it have been like to deal with all of the needs?
The Lord God made it possible for everyone to see Him leading, a “... pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night” He kept them from getting lost along the way and allowed them to travel as was best due to the weather.
When have you been through a time of change and the Lord provided clear guidance to you?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you a path around conflict so that you will not be distracted from the task He has set before you.
Today I will pray and study, and I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement, that I hear rightly from the Holy Spirit how I might avoid a looming conflict. This is not because I should fear conflict, indeed sometimes it is unavoidable, but this is about avoidable conflict that might distract me from His mission. I will act according to lead of the Holy Spirit and I will share the results with a fellow believer as an encouragement to them.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
The Leading of God
13:17 When Pharaoh released the people, God did not lead them by the way to the land of the Philistines, although that was nearby, for God said, “Lest the people change their minds and return to Egypt when they experience war.”
13:18 So God brought the people around by the way of the desert to the Red Sea, and the Israelites went up from the land of Egypt prepared for battle.
13:19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the Israelites solemnly swear, “God will surely attend to you, and you will carry my bones up from this place with you.”
13:20 They journeyed from Sukkoth and camped in Etham, on the edge of the desert.
13:21 Now the Lord was going before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them in the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel day or night.
13:22 He did not remove the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night from before the people.
Lord, You know how fickle fallen humankind can be, our bravery turns to cowardice in a moment. May I be attentive to Your directions as to ways to avoid, and means to stand, so that I never retreat from the right path.
As the Israelites departed Egypt the most-direct path to their destination would have created the probability of an armed conflict with the Philistines – so the Lord God guided them away.
Although they were great in number they had just escaped generations of slavery and were not prepared, emotionally or militarily.
He took used the extra time of travel to prepare them for a more controlled battle, with the Egyptians rather than the Philistines.
He guided them continuously so that they were completely dependent upon His obvious presence.
The Lord God was completely familiar with the nature of the Israelites and guided them accordingly.
Had the Israelites been immediately confronted in battle by the Philistines how likely is it that they would have fled back to Egypt?
Even though the Lord God was constantly present in the cloud and the fire he knew that the moment the Israelites were confronted by force they’d wither – slavery can have that impact.
When have you been guided away from a conflict – and in retrospect you recognized that your were not prepared to deal with it?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where you need to allow the Lord God to guide you and prepare you.
I agree to prayerfully listen for the voice of the Lord through His Holy Spirit, engaging where He tells me to engage, and diverting away from engagement where He so directs. When I am uncertain I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement for clarity, and as-appropriate I will consult one who meets the Biblical definition of an “elder”.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
The Victory at the Red Sea
14:1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 14:2 “Tell the Israelites that they must turn and camp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea; you are to camp by the sea before Baal Zephon opposite it. 14:3 Pharaoh will think regarding the Israelites, ‘They are wandering around confused in the land – the desert has closed in on them.’ 14:4 I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will chase after them. I will gain honor because of Pharaoh and because of all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” So this is what they did.
14:5 When it was reported to the king of Egypt that the people had fled, the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people, and the king and his servants said, “What in the world have we done? For we have released the people of Israel from serving us!” 14:6 Then he prepared his chariots and took his army with him. 14:7 He took six hundred select chariots, and all the rest of the chariots of Egypt, and officers on all of them.
14:8 But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he chased after the Israelites. Now the Israelites were going out defiantly. 14:9 The Egyptians chased after them, and all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh and his horsemen and his army overtook them camping by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, before Baal-Zephon. 14:10 When Pharaoh got closer, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians marching after them, and they were terrified. The Israelites cried out to the Lord, 14:11 and they said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the desert? What in the world have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? 14:12 Isn’t this what we told you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone so that we can serve the Egyptians, because it is better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!’”
14:13 Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! Stand firm and see the salvation of the Lord that he will provide for you today; for the Egyptians that you see today you will never, ever see again. 14:14 The Lord will fight for you, and you can be still.”
14:15 The Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. 14:16 And as for you, lift up your staff and extend your hand toward the sea and divide it, so that the Israelites may go through the middle of the sea on dry ground. 14:17 And as for me, I am going to harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will come after them, that I may be honored because of Pharaoh and his army and his chariots and his horsemen. 14:18 And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I have gained my honor because of Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”
Lord, Your are my Lord and my defender, Who can march against the Lord God and live?
The Lord instructed Moses to divide the camp into two locations near the Red Sea in order to convince Pharaoh that they were in disarray.
Pharaoh, meanwhile, once-again changed his mind about the Israelites and decided to retrieve them – and he committed not only his most elite chariots but also all of the others – each of them carrying an officer.
The people saw the approach and immediately questioned the wisdom of Moses in taking them from relative safety-in-slavery into an expected slaughter in the desert. Moses instructed them to stand their ground, and though Moses’ words are not provided in the text the Lord God corrected Moses “Why do you cry out to me?” and directed him instead to tell the Israelites to march to the sea and to extend his staff over sea so which God would part and dry.
Meanwhile an angel of the Lord placed the columns of fire and cloud between the Israelites and Egyptians as a protective shield while the Israelites crossed the dry sea bed.
God again “hardened the heart of Pharaoh”, that is He amplified the already hard and stubborn heart of Pharaoh so that he would again act rashly and Pharaoh had his chariots charge after the Israelites.
God caused the charioteers to panic and their wheels to get stuck and then he brought the waters down upon them and Pharaoh’s entire army of chariots and horses and horsemen were drowned.
God’s stated purpose was then achieved “When Israel saw the great power that the Lord had exercised over the Egyptians, they feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.”
Pharaoh seemed to have had a very short memory. Every time he opposed the freedom of the Israelites Egypt suffered terribly.
After all of the plagues and the great power God had applied, through Moses, to set the Israelites free from Egyptian bondage why would they immediately doubt Moses the moment they saw Pharaoh’s army?
Man had lots of agendas and God did also – to get everyone’s attention focused upon Him – in order that they would believe in Him and trust in His anointed leader, Moses.
When have you made it necessary for God to get your attention?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how He has protected you against danger and trouble.
Today I will remember what the Lord has done for me and I will celebrate it with at least one fellow believer.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
14:19 The angel of God, who was going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them. 14:20 It came between the Egyptian camp and the Israelite camp; it was a dark cloud and it lit up the night so that one camp did not come near the other the whole night.
14:21 Moses stretched out his hand toward the sea, and the Lord drove the sea apart by a strong east wind all that night, and he made the sea into dry land, and the water was divided.
14:22 So the Israelites went through the middle of the sea on dry ground, the water forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.
14:23 The Egyptians chased them and followed them into the middle of the sea – all the horses of Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.
14:24 In the morning watch the Lord looked down on the Egyptian army through the pillar of fire and cloud, and he threw the Egyptian army into a panic. 14:25 He jammed the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving, and the Egyptians said, “Let’s flee from Israel, for the Lord fights for them against Egypt!”
14:26 The Lord said to Moses, “Extend your hand toward the sea, so that the waters may flow back on the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen!”
14:27 So Moses extended his hand toward the sea, and the sea returned to its normal state when the sun began to rise. Now the Egyptians were fleeing before it, but the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the middle of the sea.
14:28 The water returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen and all the army of Pharaoh that was coming after the Israelites into the sea – not so much as one of them survived!
14:29 But the Israelites walked on dry ground in the middle of the sea, the water forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.
14:30 So the Lord saved Israel on that day from the power of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the shore of the sea.
14:31 When Israel saw the great power that the Lord had exercised over the Egyptians, they feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.
Lord, Your have always been consistent, protecting Your people from punishment meant only for their enemies. May I trust that You control the elements and everything else in creation and may with them as You sovereignly choose.
The Israelites had complained and grumbled against the Lord and Moses when they felt threatened by their former captors.
The Lord God blocked the Egyptians from attacking the Israelites throughout the night.
He then used Moses as His instrument of power, parting the sea and drying the seabed for their ease of travel.
In their arrogance, and despite their past experiences – and the immediate evidence of the power of the Lord on behalf of the Israelites – the Egyptians charged after them.
The Lord God stalled the Egyptian attack, they became disorganized when they finally recognized His presence, and then allowed the waters to return only upon the Egyptians.
He accomplished His multiple goals, protecting the Israelites from the Egyptians, punishing the Egyptians, causing the Israelites to return to a right-recognition of Himself, and to cause the Israelites to recognize Moses as His chosen instrument.
The Lord God could easily have struck the Egyptians dead but He chose another process so as to accomplish more.
Watching this from his vantage point what must have been going through the mind of Pharaoh?
The pattern of this was consistent with most of the plagues where only the Egyptians were harmed.
When have you been faced with a challenge only to recognize that the Lord God had protected you as He punished those who sought to harm you?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where I am doubting you, or refusing to be led by Your chosen leader, and may be creating the need for Him to educate you.
I agree to be still and listen to the Holy Spirit, to humbly receive His correction, and to be teachable by His chosen leader and trusting in Him.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Song of Triumph
15:1 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord. They said, “I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously, the horse and its rider he has thrown into the sea.
15:2 The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation. This is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
15:3 The Lord is a warrior, the Lord is his name.
15:4 The chariots of Pharaoh and his army he has thrown into the sea, and his chosen officers were drowned in the Red Sea.
15:5 The depths have covered them, they went down to the bottom like a stone.
15:6 Your right hand, O Lord, was majestic in power, your right hand, O Lord, shattered the enemy.
15:7 In the abundance of your majesty you have overthrown those who rise up against you. You sent forth your wrath; it consumed them like stubble.
15:8 By the blast of your nostrils the waters were piled up, the flowing water stood upright like a heap, and the deep waters were solidified in the heart of the sea.
15:9 The enemy said, ‘I will chase, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my desire will be satisfied on them. I will draw my sword, my hand will destroy them.’
15:10 But you blew with your breath, and the sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters.
15:11 Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you? – majestic in holiness, fearful in praises, working wonders?
15:12 You stretched out your right hand, the earth swallowed them.
15:13 By your loyal love you will lead the people whom you have redeemed; you will guide them by your strength to your holy dwelling place.
15:14 The nations will hear and tremble; anguish will seize the inhabitants of Philistia.
15:15 Then the chiefs of Edom will be terrified, trembling will seize the leaders of Moab, and the inhabitants of Canaan will shake.
15:16 Fear and dread will fall on them; by the greatness of your arm they will be as still as stone until your people pass by, O Lord, until the people whom you have bought pass by.
15:17 You will bring them in and plant them in the mountain of your inheritance, in the place you made for your residence, O Lord, the sanctuary, O Lord, that your hands have established.
15:18 The Lord will reign forever and ever!
15:19 For the horses of Pharaoh came with his chariots and his footmen into the sea, and the Lord brought back the waters of the sea on them, but the Israelites walked on dry land in the middle of the sea.”
15:20 Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a hand-drum in her hand, and all the women went out after her with hand-drums and with dances. 15:21 Miriam sang in response to them, “Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and its rider he has thrown into the sea.”
The Bitter Water
15:22 Then Moses led Israel to journey away from the Red Sea. They went out to the Desert of Shur, walked for three days into the desert, and found no water. 15:23 Then they came to Marah, but they were not able to drink the waters of Marah, because they were bitter. (That is why its name was Marah.)
15:24 So the people murmured against Moses, saying, “What can we drink?” 15:25 He cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When Moses threw it into the water, the water became safe to drink. There the Lord made for them a binding ordinance, and there he tested them. 15:26 He said, “If you will diligently obey the Lord your God, and do what is right in his sight, and pay attention to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, then all the diseases that I brought on the Egyptians I will not bring on you, for I, the Lord, am your healer.”
15:27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there by the water.
Lord, may we be as excited in our celebration of Your great deeds as were Moses and the Israelites.
Moses and the Israelites created a song of celebration of God’s liberation and protection. Songs were a common means of remembering history.
Their song also looked ahead to God’s prophesy of their conquest and occupation of the promised lands currently occupied but other people.
The huge nation continued their travels but went three days without a source of fresh water. They found water but it was too bitter, unsafe, to drink. Moses asked God and God directed him to a nearby tree which when placed in the water rendered it safe to drink.
God then tells them that so long as they are faithful to Him they need not worry about any of the plagues of Egypt being visited upon them.
The Israelite method of celebrating and remembering history through the use of songs has also been used in other cultures.
How important is the linkage between the remembrance of what God has done and what he has promised to do?
Over a million people and their livestock needed water and were without a fresh source after 3 days of travel in the desert.
When have you felt as though you were in an emotional and/or spiritual desert, without hope of water, and when you thought you had found it you discovered a problem? How did God heal that situation so that you were refreshed?
Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of what He has done in your life and what He is promising to do.
Today I will find time apart for the busyness for prayer and time in the Word. I will be silent before the Lord and will submit to the Holy Spirit as He teaches me. I will be encouraged by remembrances of God’s faithfulness and reassured by His promises for my future. I will ask at least one fellow believer to pray for this special time with the Lord and I will share what I learn.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 14
The Bitter Water
15:22 Then Moses led Israel to journey away from the Red Sea. They went out to the Desert of Shur, walked for three days into the desert, and found no water. 15:23 Then they came to Marah, but they were not able to drink the waters of Marah, because they were bitter. (That is why its name was Marah.)
15:24 So the people murmured against Moses, saying, “What can we drink?” 15:25 He cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When Moses threw it into the water, the water became safe to drink. There the Lord made for them a binding ordinance, and there he tested them.
15:26 He said, “If you will diligently obey the Lord your God, and do what is right in his sight, and pay attention to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, then all the diseases that I brought on the Egyptians I will not bring on you, for I, the Lord, am your healer.”
15:27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there by the water.
Lord, may we recognize that Your desire is to bless us, but that the consequence of rebellion is trouble.
The huge nation continued their travels but went three days without a source of fresh water. They found water but it was too bitter, unsafe, to drink. Moses asked God and God directed him to a nearby tree which when placed in the water rendered it safe to drink.
God then tells them that so long as they are faithful to Him they need not worry about any of the plagues of Egypt being visited upon them.
A right expectation in this fallen world is for difficulties, but nothing is to great for the Lord God.
Why is it that the Israelites, and we, have such short memories of the Lord’s protection and provision – and that His blessings are conditioned upon our obedience?
Over a million people and their livestock needed water and were without a fresh source after 3 days of travel in the desert.
When have you felt as though you were in an emotional and/or spiritual desert, without hope of water, and when you thought you had found it you discovered a problem? How did God heal that situation so that you were refreshed?
Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of what He has done in your life and what He is promising to do.
Today I will find time apart for the busyness for prayer and time in the Word. I will be silent before the Lord and will submit to the Holy Spirit as He teaches me. I will be encouraged by remembrances of God's faithfulness and reassured by His promises for my future. I will ask at least one fellow believer to pray for this special time with the Lord and I will share what I learn.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
The Provision of Manna
16:1 When they journeyed from Elim, the entire company of Israelites came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their exodus from the land of Egypt.
16:2 The entire company of Israelites murmured against Moses and Aaron in the desert.
16:3 The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat, when we ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this desert to kill this whole assembly with hunger!”
16:4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people will go out and gather the amount for each day, so that I may test them. Will they will walk in my law or not?
16:5 On the sixth day they will prepare what they bring in, and it will be twice as much as they gather every other day.”
16:6 Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you will know that the Lord has brought you out of the land of Egypt, 16:7 and in the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your murmurings against the Lord. As for us, what are we, that you should murmur against us?”
16:8 Moses said, “You will know this when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and bread in the morning to satisfy you, because the Lord has heard your murmurings that you are murmuring against him. As for us, what are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord.”
16:9 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Tell the whole community of the Israelites, ‘Come before the Lord, because he has heard your murmurings.’”
16:10 As Aaron spoke to the whole community of the Israelites and they looked toward the desert, there the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud, 16:11 and the Lord spoke to Moses: 16:12 “I have heard the murmurings of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘During the evening you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be satisfied with bread, so that you may know that I am the Lord your God.’”
16:13 In the evening the quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning a layer of dew was all around the camp. 16:14 When the layer of dew had evaporated, there on the surface of the desert was a thin flaky substance, thin like frost on the earth.
16:15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” because they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you for food.
16:16 “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Each person is to gather from it what he can eat, an omer per person according to the number of your people; each one will pick it up for whoever lives in his tent.’”
16:17 The Israelites did so, and they gathered – some more, some less.
16:18 When they measured with an omer, the one who gathered much had nothing left over, and the one who gathered little lacked nothing; each one had gathered what he could eat.
16:19 Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.”
16:20 But they did not listen to Moses; some kept part of it until morning, and it was full of worms and began to stink, and Moses was angry with them.
16:21 So they gathered it each morning, each person according to what he could eat, and when the sun got hot, it would melt.
16:22 And on the sixth day they gathered twice as much food, two omers per person; and all the leaders of the community came and told Moses.
16:23 He said to them, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Tomorrow is a time of cessation from work, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Whatever you want to bake, bake today; whatever you want to boil, boil today; whatever is left put aside for yourselves to be kept until morning.’”
16:24 So they put it aside until the morning, just as Moses had commanded, and it did not stink, nor were there any worms in it.
16:25 Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the area.
16:26 Six days you will gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any.”
16:27 On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather it, but they found nothing. 16:28 So the Lord said to Moses, “How long do you refuse to obey my commandments and my instructions?
16:29 See, because the Lord has given you the Sabbath, that is why he is giving you food for two days on the sixth day. Each of you stay where you are; let no one go out of his place on the seventh day.”
16:30 So the people rested on the seventh day.
16:31 The house of Israel called its name “manna.” It was like coriander seed and was white, and it tasted like wafers with honey.
16:32 Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Fill an omer with it to be kept for generations to come, so that they may see the food I fed you in the desert when I brought you out from the land of Egypt.’”
16:33 Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar and put in it an omer full of manna, and place it before the Lord to be kept for generations to come.”
16:34 Just as the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the Testimony for safekeeping.
16:35 Now the Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a land that was inhabited; they ate manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan. 16:36 (Now an omer is one tenth of an ephah.)
Lord, we are quick to complain when things are difficult, yet You bear our immature whining and continue to love us. Thank you Lord for Your patience.
After previously complaining about the lack of water the Israelites now complain about the lack of food, even suggesting that Moses had led them to the desert to starve, as they previously accused him of leading them into the desert to die for lack of water. They again declare that it would have been better to die as slaves if only their stomachs were full.
God tells Moses that He will send bread and meat, that the people should gather a double-ration on the sixth day (Friday by the ancient Jewish reckoning) and to rest on Saturday. They were also to gather only enough for their family and not to hoard any.
God told Moses that He was doing it this way as a test to see if the people would “walk in My law”.
The people were corrected by Moses who reminded them that he was not the One who brought they out of captivity nor was he the One Who protected them and Who could provide for them – they were complaining about and to God, not him.
Moses told Aaron who told the people. Everyone who gathered discovered that they had just enough, whether they gathered more than their neighbor or less.
Some people disobeyed and hoarded extra and what they had hoarded rotted and Moses was righteously-angry with their disobedience. Then when the Sabbath day came they grumbled that there was no new food – and were reminded that they received a double-portion the day before.
Verses 16:32 to 34 describe God’s command that they gather an “omer” (one tenth of an ephah, about 1 or 2 liters) of manna and put it with the “Testimony” for a remembrance. Some have suggested that this is a misplaced text from the end of Exodus when the Ark of the Covenant had been created at God’s command (see NET translators notes). Another possibility is that just as their forefathers had built various memorials of stones to remember intersections with God, so also may Moses have kept a scroll or other article of remembrance as a pre-Ark physical “Testimony”.
God provided manna for all of the forty years of their journey in the desert.
Rather than make a humble and polite request for food the Israelites were instead accusatory and demanding, not to mention disrespectful to Moses.
Why did God test the people in the way that he did?
How different are we from the Israelites? Do we not also hoard, out of fear and/or greed, and forget to rest in God but rather prefer the pursuit of money and pleasure?
When have you had your needs met but when it came time to take time to rest in the Lord God you busied yourself with other things?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you have displaced rest in the Lord with other things.
Today I will listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and re-order my priorities. I will set aside significant time for the Lord and will not worry myself with the distractions of other things. It does not need to become a rigid day and time schedule but it does need to be intentional and significant.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Water at Massa and Meribah
17:1 The whole community of the Israelites traveled on their journey from the Desert of Sin according to the Lord’s instruction, and they pitched camp in Rephidim. Now there was no water for the people to drink.
17:2 So the people contended with Moses, and they said, “Give us water to drink!” Moses said to them, “Why do you contend with me? Why do you test the Lord?”
17:3 But the people were very thirsty there for water, and they murmured against Moses and said, “Why in the world did you bring us up out of Egypt – to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?”
17:4 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What will I do with this people? – a little more and they will stone me!”
17:5 The Lord said to Moses, “Go over before the people; take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand your staff with which you struck the Nile and go.
17:6 I will be standing before you there on the rock in Horeb, and you will strike the rock, and water will come out of it so that the people may drink.” And Moses did so in plain view of the elders of Israel.
17:7 He called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contending of the Israelites and because of their testing the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”
Lord, just as the people with Moses were desperate for water for temporary earthly life, we are desperate to You for the water of eternal life.
Once again there was a shortage of water for the traveling nation and once again instead of asking respectfully they questioned the wisdom of Moses, and by-association, God – and Moses again chastised them for that.
The Lord God still provided, instructing Moses to gather the elders and to strike a rock upon which He will appear, and Moses did so and water flowed. (It is important to remember the details of this interaction because something similar occurs later which Moses mishandles.)
The pattern of distrust of and disrespect toward Moses, whenever they were uncomfortable, has been established by this time. It will rear its ugly head later and result in a terrible consequence for the fearful and rebellious Israelites.
Do some imagine themselves in a saving relationship with the Lord God merely because they are members of a man-made 'church' institution? How many have never truly received the water of eternal life?
The Lord God required the presences of the elders, the tribal leaders of Israel, when He appeared at the rock and had Moses strike the rock with the staff to cause water to flow. It was a dramatic demonstration of His power and of His expression of that power through Moses.
When has a group within a fellowship challenged the leadership in a somewhat disrespectful way rather than respectfully seeking guidance to seek their needs in-faithful prayer?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where you tend to be demanding rather than respectfully-requesting of the Lord God.
Today I will confess and repent of my disrespectful attitude, request and receive Your forgiveness, and prayerfully bring my requests to You with a humble heart.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
Victory over the Amalekites
17:8 Amalek came and attacked Israel in Rephidim.
17:9 So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.”
17:10 So Joshua fought against Amalek just as Moses had instructed him;and Moses and Aaron and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
17:11 Whenever Moses would raise his hands, then Israel prevailed, but whenever he would rest his hands, then Amalek prevailed.
17:12 When the hands of Moses became heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side and one on the other, and so his hands were steady until the sun went down.
17:13 So Joshua destroyed Amalek and his army with the sword.
17:14 The Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in the book, and rehearse it in Joshua’s hearing; for I will surely wipe out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.
17:15 Moses built an altar, and he called it “The Lord is my Banner,” 17:16 for he said, “For a hand was lifted up to the throne of the Lord – that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”
Lord, despite our whining and improperly demanding attitudes You are faithful to us; please find me more faithful to and trusting of You.
The Amalekites attacked Israel and Moses dispatched Joshua to lead an army against them. The staff of Moses when upheld caused Israel to prevail but when Moses’ arms became tired Israel did not prevail. Aaron and Hur brought a stone for Moses to sit on and they each held one side of the staff and Israel destroyed the Amalekites.
God declared that He would wipe the Amalekites from the face of the earth (after a war with them “from generation to generation”) and instructed Moses to “Write this as a memorial in the book, and rehearse it in Joshua’s hearing ...”, which further enhances the likelihood that the reference to “The Testimony” (in Exo. 16:34) may have been about an ongoing record – which was later added to the artifacts in the Ark of the Covenant.
The Enemy, imagining the Israelites to be vulnerable, used the Amalekites in an attempt to destroy them – his insane rage blinding him to the obvious – that the Lord God would defend His chosen people.
God continued to choose the staff as a tool of His expression of power, and He allowed His power to flow only as Moses’ arms raise and steady the staff (this time eventually requiring the assistance of Aaron and Hur), what message might God have been communicating to the people? To Moses?
The transmission of the Lord God’s promises from Moses to Joshua was vital to the perpetuation of a right-understanding of the Lord and the reliance His people were to have upon Him.
When have you experienced the power and provision of God, delivered to you through another?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you need to allow Him to minister to you through another, someone whom He has equipped with His power to assist you.
Today I will set aside my pride and allow God to intervene on my behalf through another. It may be someone physically able to complete a task for which my body is not capable, it may be a counselor or mediator or spokesman who can persuade another to favor me, it may be an accountant or doctor or lawyer or other professional acting on my behalf, or it may be someone intervening through intercessory prayer and/or spiritual warfare.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
The Advice of Jethro
18:1 Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard about all that God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, that the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.
18:2 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Moses’ wife Zipporah after he had sent her back, 18:3 and her two sons, one of whom was named Gershom (for Moses had said, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land”), 18:4 and the other Eliezer (for Moses had said, “The God of my father has been my help and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”).
18:5 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, together with Moses’ sons and his wife, came to Moses in the desert where he was camping by the mountain of God.
18:6 He said to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you, along with your wife and her two sons with her.”
18:7 Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him; they each asked about the other’s welfare, and then they went into the tent.
18:8 Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to Egypt for Israel’s sake, and all the hardship that had come on them along the way, and how the Lord had delivered them.
18:9 Jethro rejoiced because of all the good that the Lord had done for Israel, whom he had delivered from the hand of Egypt.
18:10 Jethro said, “Blessed be the Lord who has delivered you from the hand of Egypt, and from the hand of Pharaoh, who has delivered the people from the Egyptians’ control!
18:11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods, for in the thing in which they dealt proudly against them he has destroyed them.”
18:12 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat food with the father-in-law of Moses before God.
18:13 On the next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning until evening.
18:14 When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why are you sitting by yourself, and all the people stand around you from morning until evening?”
18:15 Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God.
18:16 When they have a dispute, it comes to me and I decide between a man and his neighbor, and I make known the decrees of God and his laws.”
Lord, what You did in and through Moses was a testimony of power and of truth to Jethro “Priest of the Midianites”, as well as Moses’ father-in-law. May Your work in and through me also be a testimony to You.
Jethro had cared for the family of Moses while he served the Lord God in the liberation of His (and his) people in Egypt.
Now that the Israelites were past the liberation and conflict with the Amalekites Jethro brought them to Moses.
Moses treated Jethro with gratefulness and honor and humbly shared what the Lord had done.
Jethro recognized and surrendered to the Lordship of God and brought an offering.
Jethro then observed Moses as he attempted to judge all of the people of Israel, a nation very likely over half of a million people.
Moses explained his reasons.
Up until this point Jethro did not acknowledge the Lordship of God, he was a priest for another religion, and very likely taught the same to his daughter and to Moses’ children.
Why would Moses think that he could, and should, attempt to judge the entire nation of Israel alone?
Jethro, despite his age and title, remained teachable. A role model to Moses.
When have you observed a person who was older and who held a title of some sort learn from someone younger and alter something they thought and/or did?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you something that He wants to change in your thinking.
I will humble myself and be teachable so that the lesson the Lord God has for me may make me wiser and a more valuable instrument in His great work.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
18:17 Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good! 18:18 You will surely wear out, both you and these people who are with you, for this is too heavy a burden for you; you are not able to do it by yourself.
18:19 Now listen to me, I will give you advice, and may God be with you: You be a representative for the people to God, and you bring their disputes to God; 18:20 warn them of the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do.
18:21 But you choose from the people capable men, God-fearing, men of truth, those who hate bribes, and put them over the people as rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
18:22 They will judge the people under normal circumstances, and every difficult case they will bring to you, but every small case they themselves will judge, so that you may make it easier for yourself, and they will bear the burden with you.
18:23 If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people will be able to go home satisfied.”
18:24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he had said. 18:25 Moses chose capable men from all Israel, and he made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
18:26 They judged the people under normal circumstances; the difficult cases they would bring to Moses, but every small case they would judge themselves.
18:27 Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and so Jethro went to his own land.
Lord, may leaders be humble and trusting enough to delegate, and may those to whom they delegate be faithful, and in whichever role You place me may I give my best.
Jethro observed Moses carrying the weight of resolving every small and great legal conflict among the Israelite nation of over a million people.
He advised Moses to recruit men of maturity to handle the small matters so that he would only have to handle the major ones.
Moses was humble enough to hear and heed the counsel of Jethro. (The NET translators notes remark that this is a role model for all leaders. One might also observe that much of the modern court system owes its roots to this wise counsel, presumably instigated in Jethro by God.)
Moses made a decision to submit as the Lord God’s chosen instrument in leading the Israelites out of Egyptian captivity and left his family in the safekeeping of Jethro.
Do you agree with the NET translators that Jethro was in a strong position to have his advice heard by Moses because of his age, his relationship, and that he had no plans to remain and be one of those to whom Moses delegated, nor to continue to give additional advise?
Moses was advised to choose men who were respected in the community, much as the apostle Paul later counseled Timothy to do the same when choosing elders. Moses would also need to instruct them as to the dividing line between minor cases, which they would handle, and major cases, which they were to escalate-up to him.
When have you experienced or observed a leader who became overwhelmed by too many responsibilities? Was that leader able to receive the wisdom of taking the risk to delegate?
Ask the Holy Spirit to send me a Jethro, and to give me the humility to receive what he says.
Today I will humbly delegate where I need to delegate, respectfully counsel where I need to counsel a leader to delegate, or humbly make myself available to answer the call to fill a gap where there is a gap for which God has equipped and prepared me to fill.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Israel at Sinai
19:1 In the third month after the Israelites went out from the land of Egypt, on the very day, they came to the Desert of Sinai. 19:2 After they journeyed from Rephidim, they came to the Desert of Sinai, and they camped in the desert; Israel camped there in front of the mountain.
19:3 Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, “Thus you will tell the house of Jacob, and declare to the people of Israel: 19:4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt and how I lifted you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 19:5 And now, if you will diligently listen to me and keep my covenant, then you will be my special possession out of all the nations, for all the earth is mine, 19:6 and you will be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you will speak to the Israelites.”
19:7 So Moses came and summoned the elders of Israel. He set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him, 19:8 and all the people answered together, “All that the Lord has commanded we will do!” So Moses brought the words of the people back to the Lord.
19:9 The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak with you and so that they will always believe in you.” And Moses told the words of the people to the Lord.
19:10 The Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and make them wash their clothes 19:11 and be ready for the third day, for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 19:12 You must set boundaries for the people all around, saying, ‘Take heed to yourselves not to go up on the mountain nor touch its edge. Whoever touches the mountain will surely be put to death! 19:13 No hand will touch him – but he will surely be stoned or shot through, whether a beast or a human being; he must not live.’ When the ram’s horn sounds a long blast they may go up on the mountain.”
19:14 Then Moses went down from the mountain to the people and sanctified the people, and they washed their clothes. 19:15 He said to the people, “Be ready for the third day. Do not go near your wives.”
19:16 On the third day in the morning there was thunder and lightning and a dense cloud on the mountain, and the sound of a very loud horn; all the people who were in the camp trembled. 19:17 Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their place at the foot of the mountain. 19:18 Now Mount Sinai was completely covered with smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire, and its smoke went up like the smoke of a great furnace, and the whole mountain shook violently. 19:19 When the sound of the horn grew louder and louder, Moses was speaking and God was answering him with a voice.
19:20 The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain, and the Lord summoned Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. 19:21 The Lord said to Moses, “Go down and solemnly warn the people, lest they force their way through to the Lord to look, and many of them perish. 19:22 Let the priests also, who approach the Lord, sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break through against them.”
19:23 Moses said to the Lord, “The people are not able to come up to Mount Sinai, because you solemnly warned us, ‘Set boundaries for the mountain and set it apart.’” 19:24 The Lord said to him, “Go, get down, and come up, and Aaron with you, but do not let the priests and the people force their way through to come up to the Lord, lest he break through against them.” 19:25 So Moses went down to the people and spoke to them.
Lord, Your presence of perfection is like fire to the dross that is a fallen creature (man or beast) here on Earth. May I remember that while You love me, You are still a holy and perfect Lord God and I am only worthy to call you Abba Father because of Jesus. Please find me humble.
90 days after they left Egypt the Israelites arrived at the base of Mount Sinai. The precise location of Mount Sinai has been debated based upon archeology and differing interpretations of Biblical mention of specific features and stopping points along the way there.
Moses climbed the mountain and the Lord God instructed him to tell the people that He desired them to be a nation guided by priests, as they were obedient they would become a holy nation - worthy of His blessing - as a nation set apart from all others by Him.
Moses traveled back down and delivered God’s message to elders who on behalf of the people agreed to His terms. Moses then returned to the mountain to deliver the message that the elders had agreed.
The Lord was pleased and instructed Moses to have the people ceremonially prepare themselves for three days and to warn them to keep themselves, and their animals, from touching any part of the mountain or else they would die.
Israel had a simple, indeed primitive, national relationship with (and an understanding of) God. They had suffered a lot of distracting influences from their days in Egypt, as well as other influenced from their national past.
Over a million strong, generations accustomed to the predictability of life in Egypt, challenged by the Egyptian charioteers at the Red Sea, attacked by the Amorites along the way, twice running out of water and once out of food, and now confronted with a mountain that rumbled and roared with clouds and smoke – all in the brief span of 90 days (during a period when they were constantly moving). How confused, disoriented, exhausted, and frightened must they have been?
God used what was probably a volcanic mountain to stage His meeting with Moses, on behalf of the Israelites, to establish Himself as their Lord God – it was designed to be a profoundly visual manifestation.
When have you found yourself in the midst of many changes and discovered that things you had previously found easy to manage, and to understand, somehow became more challenging?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you may need some work on your walk before the Lord.
Today I will humbly and prayerfully accept the guidance of the Holy Spirit as to areas in my walk that are not guided by the new covenant Biblical expectations of the “priesthood of all believers” so that I may be more-intimately and profoundly part of the “righteous nation” that is Christ’s church.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 15
The Decalogue
20:1 God spoke all these words:
20:2 “I, the Lord, am your God, who brought you from the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery.
20:3 “You shall have no other gods before me.
20:4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is on the earth beneath or that is in the water below. 20:5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I, the Lord, your God, am a jealous God, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children to the third and fourth generations of those who reject me, 20:6 and showing covenant faithfulness to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
20:7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold guiltless anyone who takes his name in vain.
20:8 “Remember the Sabbath day to set it apart as holy. 20:9 For six days you may labor and do all your work, 20:10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; on it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your cattle, or the resident foreigner who is in your gates. 20:11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, and he rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.
20:12 “Honor your father and your mother, that you may live a long time in the land the Lord your God is giving to you.
20:13 “You shall not murder.
20:14 “You shall not commit adultery.
20:15 “You shall not steal.
20:16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
20:17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
20:18 All the people were seeing the thundering and the lightning, and heard the sound of the horn, and saw the mountain smoking – and when the people saw it they trembled with fear and kept their distance. 20:19 They said to Moses, “You speak to us and we will listen, but do not let God speak with us, lest we die.” 20:20 Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you so that you do not sin.” 20:21 The people kept their distance, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was.
The Altar
20:22 The Lord said to Moses: “Thus you will tell the Israelites: ‘You yourselves have seen that I have spoken with you from heaven. 20:23 You must not make gods of silver alongside me, nor make gods of gold for yourselves.
20:24 ‘You must make for me an altar made of earth, and you will sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your cattle. In every place where I cause my name to be honored I will come to you and I will bless you. 20:25 If you make me an altar of stone, you must not build it of stones shaped with tools, for if you use your tool on it you have defiled it. 20:26 And you must not go up by steps to my altar, so that your nakedness is not exposed.’
Lord, Your 10 Commandments are as valid today as when You gave them to the Israelites, may I be found faithful to them.
The Lord God gave Moses the “Decalogue”, which in the Bible means the 10 Commandments, and elsewhere refers to a list of laws, rules – together with the associated authority.
He introduced the Decalogue by reminding them of Who He was to them – the Liberator – the One Who with-power set them free from 400 years of slavery in Egypt.
One
20:3 “You shall have no other gods before me.”
The Lord God declared His superiority. He pre-existed all else and caused it to be, He is sovereign.
Two
20:4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is on the earth beneath or that is in the water below. 20:5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I, the Lord, your God, am a jealous God, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children to the third and fourth generations of those who reject me, 20:6 and showing covenant faithfulness to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
The Lord God declared monotheism and then He left no room whatsoever for multiple Gods. He also included a curse for disobedience and His conditional-promise; “... showing covenant faithfulness to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.”
Three
20:7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold guiltless anyone who takes his name in vain.
The Lord God required respect, His name was holy because He is holy. In this case the failure to obey included a curse.
Four
20:8 “Remember the Sabbath day to set it apart as holy. 20:9 For six days you may labor and do all your work, 20:10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; on it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your cattle, or the resident foreigner who is in your gates. 20:11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, and he rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.
The Lord God had previously “given” the Sabbath to His people, He knew that in their busyness they would lose site of the priority of their relationship with Him, forget their history with Him, and drift into the ways of non-Israelites around them. He removed their freedom to work; which did not mean they could do nothing at all on the Sabbath. He would later define this all in greater detail. He also explained that they were to model His pattern in Creation.
Five
20:12 “Honor your father and your mother, that you may live a long time in the land the Lord your God is giving to you.
He included a curse and a promise; a long life in the promised land, or the corollary.
Six
20:13 “You shall not murder.
The Lord God put a fine-edge on this command as it required a measure of heart-intent; He did not say (as some have mistranslated) “You shall not kill”, He very intentionally said “You shall not murder”. All murder is killing but all killing is not murder.
Murder is a selfish action, killing has multiple motivations. Murder begins with a heart of rebellion, it degrades what God says is in His image – humankind – and it is committed for selfish personal gain.
Killing was not only done by God, it was done at the behest of God, to make of all killing a act of sin one makes God the author of sin – which is blasphemy. Killing may be accidental, in self-defense, in defense of another, due to carelessness, or may be in war.
Seven
20:14 “You shall not commit adultery.
The Lord God set a literal standard, one that precluded a specific (and presumably physical) relational act, that of sexual contact with one not ones spouse, if one were married, (or contact with a married person if one were single).
Jesus would later expand the definition to include a heart of lust toward one not ones spouse, if one were married, or toward a married person if one were single. While God's legal standard was challenging for the undisciplined person the grace-centered heart-based requirement of Jesus called for a transformative surrender to the Holy Spirit, for without that no man or woman could remain free of sin.
The presumption for all sexual contact involved God-ordained male-female marriage, there was no provision for two non-married people having sexual contact, nor for same-gender relationships.
Eight
20:15 “You shall not steal.
The essence of the Lord God's law against stealing permeated all of the others. To have another God before Him would be to steal His rightful place. To worship idols would be to steal His rightful place. To dishonor ones parents is to steal from them due-respect. To murder steals life from another, and their dependents and loved-ones for selfish gain. To commit adultery steals affections not rightfully yours (whether stealing them from the disrespected spouse or taking them from another single person without the protective context of marriage). To give false testimony steals justice from another.
Nine
20:16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
Just as adultery, disrespect, murder, and stealing would destroy the Israelite family, God knew that lying about one-another would do so as well.
Ten
20:17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
Covetousness was also a wrong heart condition. God knew that if His people focused on what others possessed, be it their house, spouse, servants, beasts of burden, or anything else it would become an obsession which would drive them to compete with or to take away from others.
The 10 Commandments are often found, at least in part, in the guidelines for every successful civilization, yet rarely do they give the Lord God proper credit. There is evidence from the earliest recorded history of man that these things had been placed in their hearts by the Lord God, yet here God makes them ordinances for a nation who had promised to be a holy and priest-led people.
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you may be violating some of the 10 Commandments, and where you have been faithful in honoring them.
Today I will make an unflinching assessment of my walk, acknowledging where the Holy Spirit points out strengths and weaknesses in my partnership with Him. I will celebrate those areas where I have been found faithful and recommit myself to mature in the areas of failure.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
The Decisions
21:1 “These are the decisions that you will set before them:
Hebrew Servants
21:2 “If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years, but in the seventh year he will go out free without paying anything. 21:3 If he came in by himself he will go out by himself; if he had a wife when he came in, then his wife will go out with him. 21:4 If his master gave him a wife, and she bore sons or daughters, the wife and the children will belong to her master, and he will go out by himself. 21:5 But if the servant should declare, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ 21:6 then his master must bring him to the judges, and he will bring him to the door or the doorposts, and his master will pierce his ear with an awl, and he shall serve him forever.
21:7 “If a man sells his daughter as a female servant, she will not go out as the male servants do. 21:8 If she does not please her master, who has designated her for himself, then he must let her be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to a foreign nation, because he has dealt deceitfully with her. 21:9 If he designated her for his son, then he will deal with her according to the customary rights of daughters. 21:10 If he takes another wife, he must not diminish the first one’s food, her clothing, or her marital rights. 21:11 If he does not provide her with these three things, then she will go out free, without paying money.
Personal Injuries
21:12 “Whoever strikes someone so that he dies must surely be put to death. 21:13 But if he does not do it with premeditation, but it happens by accident, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee. 21:14 But if a man willfully attacks his neighbor to kill him cunningly, you will take him even from my altar that he may die.
21:15 “Whoever strikes his father or his mother must surely be put to death.
21:16 “Whoever kidnaps someone and sells him, or is caught still holding him, must surely be put to death.
21:17 “Whoever treats his father or his mother disgracefully must surely be put to death.
21:18 “If men fight, and one strikes his neighbor with a stone or with his fist and he does not die, but must remain in bed, 21:19 and then if he gets up and walks about outside on his staff, then the one who struck him is innocent, except he must pay for the injured person’s loss of time and see to it that he is fully healed.
21:20 “If a man strikes his male servant or his female servant with a staff so that he or she dies as a result of the blow, he will surely be punished. 21:21 However, if the injured servant survives one or two days, the owner will not be punished, for he has suffered the loss.
21:22 “If men fight and hit a pregnant woman and her child is born prematurely, but there is no serious injury, he will surely be punished in accordance with what the woman’s husband demands of him, and he will pay what the court decides. 21:23 But if there is serious injury, then you will give a life for a life, 21:24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 21:25 burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.
21:26 “If a man strikes the eye of his male servant or his female servant so that he destroys it, he will let the servant go free as compensation for the eye. 21:27 If he knocks out the tooth of his male servant or his female servant, he will let the servant go free as compensation for the tooth.
Laws about Animals
21:28 “If an ox gores a man or a woman so that either dies, then the ox must surely be stoned and its flesh must not be eaten, but the owner of the ox will be acquitted. 21:29 But if the ox had the habit of goring, and its owner was warned, and he did not take the necessary precautions, and then it killed a man or a woman, the ox must be stoned and the man must be put to death. 21:30 If a ransom is set for him, then he must pay the redemption for his life according to whatever amount was set for him. 21:31 If the ox gores a son or a daughter, the owner will be dealt with according to this rule. 21:32 If the ox gores a male servant or a female servant, the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver, and the ox must be stoned.
21:33 “If a man opens a pit or if a man digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, 21:34 the owner of the pit must repay the loss. He must give money to its owner, and the dead animal will become his. 21:35 If the ox of one man injures the ox of his neighbor so that it dies, then they will sell the live ox and divide its proceeds, and they will also divide the dead ox. 21:36 Or if it is known that the ox had the habit of goring, and its owner did not take the necessary precautions, he must surely pay ox for ox, and the dead animal will become his.
Laws about Property
22:1 (21:37) “If a man steals an ox or a sheep and kills it or sells it, he must pay back five head of cattle for the ox, and four sheep for the one sheep.
22:2 “If a thief is caught breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there will be no blood guilt for him. 22:3 If the sun has risen on him, then there is blood guilt for him. A thief must surely make full restitution; if he has nothing, then he will be sold for his theft. 22:4 If the stolen item should in fact be found alive in his possession, whether it be an ox or a donkey or a sheep, he must pay back double.
22:5 “If a man grazes his livestock in a field or a vineyard, and he lets the livestock loose and they graze in the field of another man, he must make restitution from the best of his own field and the best of his own vineyard.
22:6 “If a fire breaks out and spreads to thorn bushes, so that stacked grain or standing grain or the whole field is consumed, the one who started the fire must surely make restitution.
22:7 “If a man gives his neighbor money or articles for safekeeping, and it is stolen from the man’s house, if the thief is caught, he must repay double. 22:8 If the thief is not caught, then the owner of the house will be brought before the judges to see whether he has laid his hand on his neighbor’s goods. 22:9 In all cases of illegal possessions, whether for an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any kind of lost item, about which someone says ‘This belongs to me,’ the matter of the two of them will come before the judges, and the one whom the judges declare guilty must repay double to his neighbor. 22:10 If a man gives his neighbor a donkey or an ox or a sheep or any beast to keep, and it dies or is hurt or is carried away without anyone seeing it, 22:11 then there will be an oath to the Lord between the two of them, that he has not laid his hand on his neighbor’s goods, and its owner will accept this, and he will not have to pay. 22:12 But if it was stolen from him, he will pay its owner. 22:13 If it is torn in pieces, then he will bring it for evidence, and he will not have to pay for what was torn.
22:14 “If a man borrows an animal from his neighbor, and it is hurt or dies when its owner was not with it, the man who borrowed it will surely pay. 22:15 If its owner was with it, he will not have to pay; if it was hired, what was paid for the hire covers it.
Moral and Ceremonial Laws
22:16 “If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged and has sexual relations with her, he must surely endow her to be his wife. 22:17 If her father refuses to give her to him, he must pay money for the bride price of virgins.
22:18 “You must not allow a sorceress to live.
22:19 “Whoever has sexual relations with a beast must surely be put to death.
22:20 “Whoever sacrifices to a god other than the Lord alone must be utterly destroyed.
22:21 “You must not wrong a foreigner nor oppress him, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.
22:22 “You must not afflict any widow or orphan. 22:23 If you afflict them in any way and they cry to me, I will surely hear their cry, 22:24 and my anger will burn and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives will be widows and your children will be fatherless.
22:25 “If you lend money to any of my people who are needy among you, do not be like a moneylender to him; do not charge him interest. 22:26 If you do take the garment of your neighbor in pledge, you must return it to him by the time the sun goes down, 22:27 for it is his only covering – it is his garment for his body. What else can he sleep in? And when he cries out to me, I will hear, for I am gracious.
22:28 “You must not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.
22:29 “Do not hold back offerings from your granaries or your vats. You must give me the firstborn of your sons. 22:30 You must also do this for your oxen and for your sheep; seven days they may remain with their mothers, but give them to me on the eighth day.
22:31 “You will be holy people to me; you must not eat any meat torn by animals in the field. You must throw it to the dogs.
Justice
23:1 “You must not give a false report. Do not make common cause with the wicked to be a malicious witness.
23:2 “You must not follow a crowd in doing evil things; in a lawsuit you must not offer testimony that agrees with a crowd so as to pervert justice, 23:3 and you must not show partiality to a poor man in his lawsuit.
23:4 “If you encounter your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering off, you must by all means return it to him. 23:5 If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen under its load, you must not ignore him, but be sure to help him with it.
23:6 “You must not turn away justice for your poor people in their lawsuits. 23:7 Keep your distance from a false charge – do not kill the innocent and the righteous, for I will not justify the wicked.
23:8 “You must not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and subverts the words of the righteous.
23:9 “You must not oppress a foreigner, since you know the life of a foreigner, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.
Sabbaths and Feasts
23:10 “For six years you are to sow your land and gather in its produce. 23:11 But in the seventh year you must let it lie fallow and leave it alone so that the poor of your people may eat, and what they leave any animal in the field may eat; you must do likewise with your vineyard and your olive grove. 23:12 For six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you must cease, in order that your ox and your donkey may rest and that your female servant’s son and any hired help may refresh themselves.
23:13 “Pay attention to do everything I have told you, and do not even mention the names of other gods – do not let them be heard on your lips.
23:14 “Three times in the year you must make a pilgrim feast to me. 23:15 You are to observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread; seven days you must eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you, at the appointed time of the month of Abib, for at that time you came out of Egypt. No one may appear before me empty-handed.
23:16 “You are also to observe the Feast of Harvest, the firstfruits of your labors that you have sown in the field, and the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year when you have gathered in your harvest out of the field. 23:17 At three times in the year all your males will appear before the Lord God.
23:18 “You must not offer the blood of my sacrifice with bread containing yeast; the fat of my festal sacrifice must not remain until morning. 23:19 The first of the firstfruits of your soil you must bring to the house of the Lord your God.
“You must not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.
The Angel of the Presence
23:20 “I am going to send an angel before you to protect you as you journey and to bring you into the place that I have prepared. 23:21 Take heed because of him, and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgressions, for my name is in him. 23:22 But if you diligently obey him and do all that I command, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and I will be an adversary to your adversaries. 23:23 For my angel will go before you and bring you to the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, and I will destroy them completely.
23:24 “You must not bow down to their gods; you must not serve them or do according to their practices. Instead you must completely overthrow them and smash their standing stones to pieces. 23:25 You must serve the Lord your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will remove sickness from your midst. 23:26 No woman will miscarry her young or be barren in your land. I will fulfill the number of your days.
23:27 “I will send my terror before you, and I will destroy all the people whom you encounter; I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. 23:28 I will send hornets before you that will drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite before you. 23:29 I will not drive them out before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild animals multiply against you. 23:30 Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you become fruitful and inherit the land. 23:31 I will set your boundaries from the Red Sea to the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert to the River, for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you will drive them out before you.
23:32 “You must make no covenant with them or with their gods. 23:33 They must not live in your land, lest they make you sin against me, for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”
Lord, Your law was perfect in its time as is your grace, may I have your heart for justice and love. You are the author of love, the definer of justice, and the source of holiness – please draw me nearer to You. You instructed the ancient Israelites to not even mention the name of other Gods, to destroy their places of worship, to copy none of their religious customs or traditions, or to dwell among them. May You find me as equally-yoked to You-alone, in all of these ways, for all of my days.
The Lord God dictated the laws or regulations for the Israelites, recognizing their primitive social customs and economic systems, and He provided guidelines for the Elders to whom Moses had delegated much of the justice system.
Hebrew servants were generally in that role for economic reasons rather than involuntary servitude, perhaps “indentured servant” might be a better term. While the term Hebrew was to the Egyptians a generic term for nomadic people, whose lineage was not limited to the twelve tribes but may have traced back to Abraham, in this case it appears to have been narrowed to the Israelites (the 12 tribes).
The Lord God provides for consideration of intent and for what would later become known as a city of refuge 21:12 “Whoever strikes someone so that he dies must surely be put to death. 21:13 But if he does not do it with premeditation, but it happens by accident, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.“
In an interesting reference to the unborn God required special caution around pregnant women “21:22 “If men fight and hit a pregnant woman and her child is born prematurely, but there is no serious injury, he will surely be punished in accordance with what the woman’s husband demands of him, and he will pay what the court decides. 21:23 But if there is serious injury, then you will give a life for a life, 21:24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 21:25 burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.”
In multiple cases God provides for consideration of careless and reckless disregard for the safety of others, something often thought of as a modern legal concept, for example 21:29 But if the ox had the habit of goring, and its owner was warned, and he did not take the necessary precautions, and then it killed a man or a woman, the ox must be stoned and the man must be put to death.
The Lord God continues to define the boundaries for a balanced and just society.
The rules for the new Israelite civilization included moral regulations, a prohibition against witchcraft (among them), and a “do to others” imperative in the treatment of non-Israelites in their midst (“... for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt”).
Widows and orphans were not to be mistreated in any way, if funds were loaned to fellow Israelites then interest was not to be charged and ones last possessions (e.g. their coat) was only allowed to be kept for a day, not overnight when they desperately needed it.
The NET translators note that 22:28 could reasonably be translated to refer to not blaspheming God by cursing leaders Whom God had chosen and empowered “You must not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.”
The Lord God continued His instructions as to the administration of justice among the Israelites.
He then also required of them sabbaths and feasts of celebration, remembrance, and sacrifice.
He required that they not even say the names of false foreign gods.
He then announced 23:20 “I am going to send an angel before you ...”, which in some ways would be like the power they viewed from a distance on the mountain, or in the columns of cloud/smoke and fire as they traveled away from Egypt, and in some others like the angel/man with Whom Jacob wrestled, and the One who appeared standing on the rock which Moses struck to draw forth water. While speculation has been that this may refer to a preincarnate Jesus, such is not required (nor excluded) by the text as there is a pattern throughout the OT of angelic appearances and various expressions of God's power in men, animals, and even inanimate objects.
The Lord God once-again makes clear that His provision and protection is conditional “23:22 But if you diligently obey him and do all that I command ...”
He concluded this section of instructions with a warning to not be in fellowship with, or yoked to, those who worshiped foreign Gods.
Many of our so-called modern legal concepts find their roots in the ancient Book of Exodus, as well as others. These were a million somewhat primitive people who had grown dependent upon the provision and regulations of their Egyptian captors, they had more than once expressed a desire to return to captivity rather than face struggles and the unknown, thus they required a very clear and detailed structure. Most, if not all of these laws and regulations, sabbaths, feasts, and promises have been completed, yet all are valuable upon which to reflect God's character and wisdom.
How uncomfortable does the ancient primitive social and legal system make you in these modern times? Are you aware that Sharia Law, promoted by a powerful minority in Islam, bears much in common with this law – though Sharia it is not as enlightened in many ways e.g. the Lord God singles out widows and orphans for special protection; in primitive societies, then and now, is not their vulnerability profound? God forbade the Israelites from even speaking the names of the false foreign gods. Perhaps it was because He did not want them to become in any way comfortable with them by so doing? Surely God Himself was repelled by them.
While a Hebrew servant was not treated with equal value to a non-servant God provided some considerable protections to them. God's moral boundaries span a wide range of circumstances from the seduction of a virgin to the loaning of money, He addressed all of those issues which could be used by the enemy to attack the Israelites from within. How amazing must it have been to hear that the Lord God would send the “angel of His presence” ahead of and among them to guide, to provide, and to protect.
When have you been a participant in a legal proceeding, or been aware of the details of one? Share something from that proceeding that now reminds you of something in Exodus 21. When have you faced one of the circumstances described in this text? If the others involved did not deal with you justly, and/or honor these moral boundaries, how might things have worked out better if they had? When have you experienced or observed conflict and confusion that resulted from Christians who had become enmeshed in relationships with non-Christians and/or with non-Christian religious influences?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you need to learn to be an greater control of your actions and your words, to show you where you a widow or an orphan who is being mistreated and/or who needs assistance, to show you where you may be compromising your pure Biblical faith due to improper associations and/or mixing-in the religious beliefs and/or practices of non-Biblical faiths. (This is called syncretism).
Today I will begin a week of careful monitoring of my actions and my words, and may choose to invite a fellow believer to observe and keep notes for me as well. Where my actions and/or words result in harm to another, be they physically violent of otherwise improper or unloving, I will repent (turn away) from them. I will reach out to a Christian widow or a Christian orphan and encourage them, pray for them, and provide them some sort of assistance. I may provide services if my gifts and/or profession matches their need, or some sort of practical assistance in the form of food or clothing. I will heed the warning of the Holy Spirit and cleanse my faith-walk of any non-Biblical influences and I will place careful boundaries upon my associations with non-Christians so that I may be certain to be not of this world while I remain in this world to honor, obey, and serve the Lord God.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Lord Ratifies the Covenant
24:1 But to Moses the Lord said, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from a distance. 24:2 Moses alone may come near the Lord, but the others must not come near, nor may the people go up with him.”
24:3 Moses came and told the people all the Lord’s words and all the decisions. All the people answered together, “We are willing to do all the words that the Lord has said,” 24:4 and Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. Early in the morning he built an altar at the foot of the mountain and arranged twelve standing stones – according to the twelve tribes of Israel. 24:5 He sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls for peace offerings to the Lord. 24:6 Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and half of the blood he splashed on the altar. 24:7 He took the Book of the Covenant and read it aloud to the people, and they said, “We are willing to do and obey all that the Lord has spoken.” 24:8 So Moses took the blood and splashed it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”
24:9 Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up, 24:10 and they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet there was something like a pavement made of sapphire, clear like the sky itself. 24:11 But he did not lay a hand on the leaders of the Israelites, so they saw God, and they ate and they drank.
24:12 The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me to the mountain and remain there, and I will give you the stone tablets with the law and the commandments that I have written, so that you may teach them.” 24:13 So Moses set out with Joshua his attendant, and Moses went up the mountain of God. 24:14 He told the elders, “Wait for us in this place until we return to you. Here are Aaron and Hur with you. Whoever has any matters of dispute can approach them.”
24:15 Moses went up the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 24:16 The glory of the Lord resided on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day he called to Moses from within the cloud. 24:17 Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in plain view of the people. 24:18 Moses went into the cloud when he went up the mountain, and Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.
Lord, in Your new Covenant we no longer “worship at a distance”, nor do we have a mere human priest like Moses to stand in our stead. You, in the Holy Person of Jesus the Christ – the Son - are both priest and God for every believer. Thank You that I may approach Your throne because of Christ.
The Lord God instructed that only Moses was allowed to come to the top of the mountain.
Moses brought the Lord God's “decisions”, as reported to us in Exodus 21-23, to the people. They agreed and sealed their commitment to the covenant with blood splashed on twelve stones – one for each tribe – and on their tribal leaders – the elders.
God allowed “Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel” to come part way up the mountain and He appeared to them “... and they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet there was something like a pavement made of sapphire, clear like the sky itself.” His appearance was not His full presence, else they would have been destroyed.
The Lord called Moses up the mountain and Moses instructed the elders to bring the most significant justice matters to Aaron and Hur in his absence.
The text reports “... and Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord”. Archeologists date early usage of papyrus to 3,000 BC, at this point in the OT story it is about1600 BC. Moses would have learned to write while living in Pharaoh's home and would have had access to papyrus and to writing utensils. It is reasonable to expect that he took some of those tools and supplies with him during the Exodus. It may be that on some of the occasions when Moses was away with the Lord the time may have been a result of the slowness of writing.
The Lord God had Moses wait 7 days and then kept him for 40 days.
It is important to remember that the elders, on behalf of the people, agreed to the terms of God's covenant. They were now bound to them.
The text says that Moses was writing everything down that God told him. Why does God decide to write on stone tablets Himself and give them to Moses “... so that you may teach them”?
“... Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up, 24:10 and they saw the God of Israel.” along with Moses. In addition to hearing what God had said to Moses and then agreeing to the covenant via the ritual of animal blood, now God brings them into His symbolic presence to worship, and then He says He will write the law and commandments on stone. How much more clear could He have made the terms of their relationship with Him?
When have you found it valuable to be able to refer to God's Word for authority and guidance, and when has He corrected you for violating your agreement to honor and obey Him?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you anew what God expects of you in the new covenant, with a focus on one area where you are doing well (submitting to the Holy Spirit), and one area where you remain in rebellion against complete submission to the Holy Spirit.
Today I will celebrate that area of my walk that the Holy Spirit shows me is in His hands, and I will prayerfully commit to an intentional process of submission where I have willfully resisted the control of the Holy Spirit.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
The Materials for the Sanctuary
25:1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 25:2 “Tell the Israelites to take an offering for me; from every person motivated by a willing heart you are to receive my offering. 25:3 This is the offering you are to accept from them: gold, silver, bronze, 25:4 blue, purple, scarlet, fine linen, goat’s hair, 25:5 ram skins dyed red, fine leather, acacia wood, 25:6 oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for fragrant incense, 25:7 onyx stones, and other gems to be set in the ephod and in the breastpiece. 25:8 Let them make for me a sanctuary, so that I may live among them. 25:9 According to all that I am showing you – the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings – you must make it exactly so.
The Ark of the Covenant
25:10 “They are to make an ark of acacia wood – its length is to be three feet nine inches, its width two feet three inches, and its height two feet three inches. 25:11 You are to overlay it with pure gold – both inside and outside you must overlay it, and you are to make a surrounding border of gold over it. 25:12 You are to cast four gold rings for it and put them on its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other side. 25:13 You are to make poles of acacia wood, overlay them with gold, 25:14 and put the poles into the rings at the sides of the ark in order to carry the ark with them. 25:15 The poles must remain in the rings of the ark; they must not be removed from it. 25:16 You are to put into the ark the testimony that I will give to you.
25:17 “You are to make an atonement lid of pure gold; its length is to be three feet nine inches, and its width is to be two feet three inches. 25:18 You are to make two cherubim of gold; you are to make them of hammered metal on the two ends of the atonement lid. 25:19 Make one cherub on one end and one cherub on the other end; from the atonement lid you are to make the cherubim on the two ends. 25:20 The cherubim are to be spreading their wings upward, overshadowing the atonement lid with their wings, and the cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the atonement lid. 25:21 You are to put the atonement lid on top of the ark, and in the ark you are to put the testimony I am giving you. 25:22 I will meet with you there, and from above the atonement lid, from between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will command you for the Israelites.
The Table for the Bread of the Presence
25:23 “You are to make a table of acacia wood; its length is to be three feet, its width one foot six inches, and its height two feet three inches. 25:24 You are to overlay it with pure gold, and you are to make a surrounding border of gold for it. 25:25 You are to make a surrounding frame for it about three inches broad, and you are to make a surrounding border of gold for its frame. 25:26 You are to make four rings of gold for it and attach the rings at the four corners where its four legs are. 25:27 The rings are to be close to the frame to provide places for the poles to carry the table. 25:28 You are to make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold, so that the table may be carried with them. 25:29 You are to make its plates, its ladles, its pitchers, and its bowls, to be used in pouring out offerings; you are to make them of pure gold. 25:30 You are to set the Bread of the Presence on the table before me continually.
The Lampstand
25:31 “You are to make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand is to be made of hammered metal; its base and its shaft, its cups, its buds, and its blossoms are to be from the same piece. 25:32 Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand, three branches of the lampstand from one side of it and three branches of the lampstand from the other side of it. 25:33 Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on one branch, and three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on the next branch, and the same for the six branches extending from the lampstand. 25:34 On the lampstand there are to be four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms, 25:35 with a bud under the first two branches from it, and a bud under the next two branches from it, and a bud under the third two branches from it, according to the six branches that extend from the lampstand. 25:36 Their buds and their branches will be one piece, all of it one hammered piece of pure gold.
25:37 “You are to make its seven lamps, and then set its lamps up on it, so that it will give light to the area in front of it. 25:38 Its trimmers and its trays are to be of pure gold. 25:39 About seventy-five pounds of pure gold is to be used for it and for all these utensils. 25:40 Now be sure to make them according to the pattern you were shown on the mountain.
Lord, You have made of those who belong to Christ a new kind of “Ark of the Covenant”, You – as the Holy Spirit - dwell in us and meet with us continually. May I be ever-grateful and mindful of Your incredible gift and of Your amazing presence.
The Lord God instructed Moses to take up a special collection because He wanted the Israelites to build a sanctuary where He could come among them without destroying them.
He gave Moses very detailed instructions as to every detail.
Key to it all was God's desire to draw the eyes of the Israelites away from the corrupting fallen things of the world and rather to His healing a loving and perfect presence.
The Israelites had plundered Egypt of many valuables, God now asked that they voluntarily surrender some of what had become dear to them to build a place for sacrifice and worship.
Imagine the reaction of the Israelites to the announcement that the Lord God wanted a sanctuary in order to dwell among them? Would their reaction have been fear, or joy, or some mixture of both?
Everything the Lord God described was portable – He knew that they would be traveling for a while.
When you planned to travel what were the valuables which you prepared to be certain that they traveled well and were readily accessible?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you have sacrificed something that the world considers important for the sake of improving your intimacy with God.
Today I will celebrate the success of the Holy Spirit in leading me to the moment of maturity where I sacrificed something that the world sees as valuable for the sake of drawing nearer to Him. It may have been money and time spend on entertainment or a hobby, the pursuit of fame or fortune, popularity or possessions, but whatever it was it came between me and intimacy with my Lord God. And then I will commit to partner with the Holy Spirit to do it again in another area of my life.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
The Tabernacle
26:1 “The tabernacle itself you are to make with ten curtains of fine twisted linen and blue and purple and scarlet; you are to make them with cherubim that are the work of an artistic designer. 26:2 The length of each curtain is to be forty-two feet, and the width of each curtain is to be six feet – the same size for each of the curtains. 26:3 Five curtains are to be joined, one to another, and the other five curtains are to be joined, one to another. 26:4 You are to make loops of blue material along the edge of the end curtain in one set, and in the same way you are to make loops in the outer edge of the end curtain in the second set. 26:5 You are to make fifty loops on the one curtain, and you are to make fifty loops on the end curtain which is on the second set, so that the loops are opposite one to another. 26:6 You are to make fifty gold clasps and join the curtains together with the clasps, so that the tabernacle is a unit.
26:7 “You are to make curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle; you are to make eleven curtains. 26:8 The length of each curtain is to be forty-five feet, and the width of each curtain is to be six feet – the same size for the eleven curtains. 26:9 You are to join five curtains by themselves and six curtains by themselves. You are to double over the sixth curtain at the front of the tent. 26:10 You are to make fifty loops along the edge of the end curtain in one set and fifty loops along the edge of the curtain that joins the second set. 26:11 You are to make fifty bronze clasps and put the clasps into the loops and join the tent together so that it is a unit. 26:12 Now the part that remains of the curtains of the tent – the half curtain that remains will hang over at the back of the tabernacle. 26:13 The foot and a half on the one side and the foot and a half on the other side of what remains in the length of the curtains of the tent will hang over the sides of the tabernacle, on one side and the other side, to cover it.
26:14 “You are to make a covering for the tent out of ram skins dyed red and over that a covering of fine leather.
26:15 “You are to make the frames for the tabernacle out of acacia wood as uprights. 26:16 Each frame is to be fifteen feet long, and each frame is to be two feet three inches wide, 26:17 with two projections per frame parallel one to another. You are to make all the frames of the tabernacle in this way. 26:18 So you are to make the frames for the tabernacle: twenty frames for the south side, 26:19 and you are to make forty silver bases to go under the twenty frames – two bases under the first frame for its two projections, and likewise two bases under the next frame for its two projections; 26:20 and for the second side of the tabernacle, the north side, twenty frames, 26:21 and their forty silver bases, two bases under the first frame, and two bases under the next frame. 26:22 And for the back of the tabernacle on the west you will make six frames. 26:23 You are to make two frames for the corners of the tabernacle on the back. 26:24 At the two corners they must be doubled at the lower end and finished together at the top in one ring. So it will be for both. 26:25 So there are to be eight frames and their silver bases, sixteen bases, two bases under the first frame, and two bases under the next frame.
26:26 “You are to make bars of acacia wood, five for the frames on one side of the tabernacle, 26:27 and five bars for the frames on the second side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the frames on the back of the tabernacle on the west. 26:28 The middle bar in the center of the frames will reach from end to end. 26:29 You are to overlay the frames with gold and make their rings of gold to provide places for the bars, and you are to overlay the bars with gold. 26:30 You are to set up the tabernacle according to the plan that you were shown on the mountain.
26:31 “You are to make a special curtain of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine twisted linen; it is to be made with cherubim, the work of an artistic designer. 26:32 You are to hang it with gold hooks on four posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold, set in four silver bases. 26:33 You are to hang this curtain under the clasps and bring the ark of the testimony in there behind the curtain. The curtain will make a division for you between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. 26:34 You are to put the atonement lid on the ark of the testimony in the Most Holy Place. 26:35 You are to put the table outside the curtain and the lampstand on the south side of the tabernacle, opposite the table, and you are to place the table on the north side.
26:36 “You are to make a hanging for the entrance of the tent of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine twined linen, the work of an embroiderer. 26:37 You are to make for the hanging five posts of acacia wood and overlay them with gold, and their hooks will be gold, and you are to cast five bronze bases for them.
The Altar
27:1 “You are to make the altar of acacia wood, seven feet six inches long, and seven feet six inches wide; the altar is to be square, and its height is to be four feet six inches. 27:2 You are to make its four horns on its four corners; its horns will be part of it, and you are to overlay it with bronze. 27:3 You are to make its pots for the ashes, its shovels, its tossing bowls, its meat hooks, and its fire pans – you are to make all its utensils of bronze. 27:4 You are to make a grating for it, a network of bronze, and you are to make on the network four bronze rings on its four corners. 27:5 You are to put it under the ledge of the altar below, so that the network will come halfway up the altar. 27:6 You are to make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and you are to overlay them with bronze. 27:7 The poles are to be put into the rings so that the poles will be on two sides of the altar when carrying it. 27:8 You are to make the altar hollow, out of boards. Just as it was shown you on the mountain, so they must make it.
The Courtyard
27:9 “You are to make the courtyard of the tabernacle. For the south side there are to be hangings for the courtyard of fine twisted linen, one hundred fifty feet long for one side, 27:10 with twenty posts and their twenty bronze bases, with the hooks of the posts and their bands of silver. 27:11 Likewise for its length on the north side, there are to be hangings for one hundred fifty feet, with twenty posts and their twenty bronze bases, with silver hooks and bands on the posts. 27:12 The width of the court on the west side is to be seventy-five feet with hangings, with their ten posts and their ten bases. 27:13 The width of the court on the east side, toward the sunrise, is to be seventy-five feet. 27:14 The hangings on one side of the gate are to be twenty-two and a half feet long, with their three posts and their three bases. 27:15 On the second side there are to be hangings twenty-two and a half feet long, with their three posts and their three bases. 27:16 For the gate of the courtyard there is to be a curtain of thirty feet, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine twined linen, the work of an embroiderer, with four posts and their four bases. 27:17 All the posts around the courtyard are to have silver bands; their hooks are to be silver, and their bases bronze. 27:18 The length of the courtyard is to be one hundred fifty feet and the width seventy-five feet, and the height of the fine twisted linen hangings is to be seven and a half feet, with their bronze bases. 27:19 All the utensils of the tabernacle used in all its service, all its tent pegs, and all the tent pegs of the courtyard are to be made of bronze.
Offering the Oil
27:20 “You are to command the Israelites that they bring to you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, so that the lamps will burn regularly. 27:21 In the tent of meeting outside the curtain that is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons are to arrange it from evening to morning before the Lord. This is to be a lasting ordinance among the Israelites for generations to come.
Lord, Your attention to detail was with perfect precision and with perfect purpose, thank You that You are equally attentive to the lives of all who belong to You.
The Lord God continued His presentation of the details of the portable tabernacle.
A key element in the design “You are to hang this curtain under the clasps and bring the ark of the testimony in there behind the curtain. The curtain will make a division for you between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. 26:34 You are to put the atonement lid on the ark of the testimony in the Most Holy Place.”
He reminded Moses “You are to set up the tabernacle according to the plan that you were shown on the mountain.”
Even the orientation of the tabernacle, when not being transported, was important “You are to put the table outside the curtain and the lampstand on the south side of the tabernacle, opposite the table, and you are to place the table on the north side.”
Moses had been previously given a vision of the tabernacle, as well as many of the details, so the Lord God was repeating Himself to be certain that Moses did not forget any of the important detail.
Does the Lord's attention to detail give you greater confidence as to His awareness of the details of your life as well?
The Lord God was making it very clear that every detail of His laws and regulations were important.
When have you been given a big picture by God, and later to experience Him filling in all of the detail?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you are skipping some of the Lord God's details for you life.
Today I will humbly acknowledge that I do not have all of the details, nor that I am even fully following the ones that I do know, and I will ask the Holy Spirit to remind me of what I have left undone. I will submit myself anew to study and prayer, service and discipline as the Holy Spirit leads.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Clothing of the Priests
28:1 “And you, bring near to you your brother Aaron and his sons with him from among the Israelites, so that they may minister as my priests – Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons. 28:2 You must make holy garments for your brother Aaron, for glory and for beauty. 28:3 You are to speak to all who are specially skilled, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, so that they may make Aaron’s garments to set him apart to minister as my priest. 28:4 Now these are the garments that they are to make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a fitted tunic, a turban, and a sash. They are to make holy garments for your brother Aaron and for his sons, that they may minister as my priests. 28:5 The artisans are to use the gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine linen.
28:6 “They are to make the ephod of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twisted linen, the work of an artistic designer. 28:7 It is to have two shoulder pieces attached to two of its corners, so it can be joined together. 28:8 The artistically woven waistband of the ephod that is on it is to be like it, of one piece with the ephod, of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twisted linen.
28:9 “You are to take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel, 28:10 six of their names on one stone, and the six remaining names on the second stone, according to the order of their birth. 28:11 You are to engrave the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel with the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a seal; you are to have them set in gold filigree settings. 28:12 You are to put the two stones on the shoulders of the ephod, stones of memorial for the sons of Israel, and Aaron will bear their names before the Lord on his two shoulders for a memorial. 28:13 You are to make filigree settings of gold 28:14 and two braided chains of pure gold, like a cord, and attach the chains to the settings.
28:15 “You are to make a breastpiece for use in making decisions, the work of an artistic designer; you are to make it in the same fashion as the ephod; you are to make it of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twisted linen. 28:16 It is to be square when doubled, nine inches long and nine inches wide. 28:17 You are to set in it a setting for stones, four rows of stones, a row with a ruby, a topaz, and a beryl – the first row; 28:18 and the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire, and an emerald; 28:19 and the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 28:20 and the fourth row, a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper. They are to be enclosed in gold in their filigree settings. 28:21 The stones are to be for the names of the sons of Israel, twelve, according to the number of their names. Each name according to the twelve tribes is to be like the engravings of a seal.
28:22 “You are to make for the breastpiece braided chains like cords of pure gold, 28:23 and you are to make for the breastpiece two gold rings and attach the two rings to the upper two ends of the breastpiece. 28:24 You are to attach the two gold chains to the two rings at the ends of the breastpiece; 28:25 the other two ends of the two chains you will attach to the two settings and then attach them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front of it. 28:26 You are to make two rings of gold and put them on the other two ends of the breastpiece, on its edge that is on the inner side of the ephod. 28:27 You are to make two more gold rings and attach them to the bottom of the two shoulder pieces on the front of the ephod, close to the juncture above the waistband of the ephod. 28:28 They are to tie the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod by blue cord, so that it may be above the waistband of the ephod, and so that the breastpiece will not be loose from the ephod. 28:29 Aaron will bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of decision over his heart when he goes into the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually.
28:30 “You are to put the Urim and the Thummim into the breastpiece of decision; and they are to be over Aaron’s heart when he goes in before the Lord. Aaron is to bear the decisions of the Israelites over his heart before the Lord continually.
28:31 “You are to make the robe of the ephod completely blue. 28:32 There is to be an opening in its top in the center of it, with an edge all around the opening, the work of a weaver, like the opening of a collar, so that it cannot be torn. 28:33 You are to make pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet all around its hem and bells of gold between them all around. 28:34 The pattern is to be a gold bell and a pomegranate, a gold bell and a pomegranate, all around the hem of the robe. 28:35 The robe is to be on Aaron as he ministers, and his sound will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the Lord and when he leaves, so that he does not die.
28:36 “You are to make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it the way a seal is engraved: “Holiness to the Lord.” 28:37 You are to attach to it a blue cord so that it will be on the turban; it is to be on the front of the turban, 28:38 It will be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron will bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the Israelites are to sanctify by all their holy gifts; it will always be on his forehead, for their acceptance before the Lord. 28:39 You are to weave the tunic of fine linen and make the turban of fine linen, and make the sash the work of an embroiderer.
28:40 “For Aaron’s sons you are to make tunics, sashes, and headbands for glory and for beauty.
28:41 “You are to clothe them – your brother Aaron and his sons with him – and anoint them and ordain them and set them apart as holy, so that they may minister as my priests. 28:42 Make for them linen undergarments to cover their naked bodies; they must cover from the waist to the thighs. 28:43 These must be on Aaron and his sons when they enter to the tent of meeting, or when they approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place, so that they bear no iniquity and die. It is to be a perpetual ordinance for him and for his descendants after him.
The Consecration of Aaron and His Sons
29:1 “Now this is what you are to do for them to consecrate them so that they may minister as my priests. Take a young bull and two rams without blemish; 29:2 and bread made without yeast, and perforated cakes without yeast mixed with oil, and wafers without yeast spread with oil – you are to make them using fine wheat flour. 29:3 You are to put them in one basket and present them in the basket, along with the bull and the two rams.
29:4 “You are to present Aaron and his sons at the entrance of the tent of meeting. You are to wash them with water 29:5 and take the garments and clothe Aaron with the tunic, the robe of the ephod, the ephod, and the breastpiece; you are to fasten the ephod on him by using the skillfully woven waistband. 29:6 You are to put the turban on his head and put the holy diadem on the turban. 29:7 You are to take the anointing oil and pour it on his head and anoint him. 29:8 You are to present his sons and clothe them with tunics 29:9 and wrap the sashes around Aaron and his sons and put headbands on them, and so the ministry of priesthood will belong to them by a perpetual ordinance. Thus you are to consecrate Aaron and his sons.
29:10 “You are to present the bull at the front of the tent of meeting, and Aaron and his sons are to put their hands on the head of the bull. 29:11 You are to kill the bull before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting 29:12 and take some of the blood of the bull and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger; all the rest of the blood you are to pour out at the base of the altar. 29:13 You are to take all the fat that covers the entrails, and the lobe that is above the liver, and the two kidneys and the fat that is on them, and burn them on the altar. 29:14 But the meat of the bull, its skin, and its dung you are to burn up outside the camp. It is the purification offering.
29:15 “You are to take one ram, and Aaron and his sons are to lay their hands on the ram’s head, 29:16 and you are to kill the ram and take its blood and splash it all around on the altar. 29:17 Then you are to cut the ram into pieces and wash the entrails and its legs and put them on its pieces and on its head 29:18 and burn the whole ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the Lord, a soothing aroma; it is an offering made by fire to the Lord.
29:19 “You are to take the second ram, and Aaron and his sons are to lay their hands on the ram’s head, 29:20 and you are to kill the ram and take some of its blood and put it on the tip of the right ear of Aaron, on the tip of the right ear of his sons, on the thumb of their right hand, and on the big toe of their right foot, and then splash the blood all around on the altar. 29:21 You are to take some of the blood that is on the altar and some of the anointing oil and sprinkle it on Aaron, on his garments, on his sons, and on his sons’ garments with him, so that he may be holy, he and his garments along with his sons and his sons’ garments.
29:22 “You are to take from the ram the fat, the fat tail, the fat that covers the entrails, the lobe of the liver, the two kidneys and the fat that is on them, and the right thigh – for it is the ram for consecration – 29:23 and one round flat cake of bread, one perforated cake of oiled bread, and one wafer from the basket of bread made without yeast that is before the Lord. 29:24 You are to put all these in Aaron’s hands and in his sons’ hands, and you are to wave them as a wave offering before the Lord. 29:25 Then you are to take them from their hands and burn them on the altar for a burnt offering, for a soothing aroma before the Lord. It is an offering made by fire to the Lord. 29:26 You are to take the breast of the ram of Aaron’s consecration; you are to wave it as a wave offering before the Lord, and it is to be your share. 29:27 You are to sanctify the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the contribution, which were waved and lifted up as a contribution from the ram of consecration, from what belongs to Aaron and to his sons. 29:28 It is to belong to Aaron and to his sons from the Israelites, by a perpetual ordinance, for it is a contribution. It is to be a contribution from the Israelites from their peace offerings, their contribution to the Lord.
29:29 “The holy garments that belong to Aaron are to belong to his sons after him, so that they may be anointed in them and consecrated in them. 29:30 The priest who succeeds him from his sons, when he first comes to the tent of meeting to minister in the Holy Place, is to wear them for seven days.
29:31 “You are to take the ram of the consecration and cook its meat in a holy place. 29:32 Aaron and his sons are to eat the meat of the ram and the bread that was in the basket at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 29:33 They are to eat those things by which atonement was made to consecrate and to set them apart, but no one else may eat them, for they are holy. 29:34 If any of the meat from the consecration offerings or any of the bread is left over until morning, then you are to burn up what is left over. It must not be eaten, because it is holy.
29:35 “Thus you are to do for Aaron and for his sons, according to all that I have commanded you; you are to consecrate them for seven days. 29:36 Every day you are to prepare a bull for a purification offering for atonement. You are to purge the altar by making atonement for it, and you are to anoint it to set it apart as holy. 29:37 For seven days you are to make atonement for the altar and set it apart as holy. Then the altar will be most holy. Anything that touches the altar will be holy.
29:38 “Now this is what you are to prepare on the altar every day continually: two lambs a year old. 29:39 The first lamb you are to prepare in the morning, and the second lamb you are to prepare around sundown. 29:40 With the first lamb offer a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with a fourth of a hin of oil from pressed olives, and a fourth of a hin of wine as a drink offering. 29:41 The second lamb you are to offer around sundown; you are to prepare for it the same meal offering as for the morning and the same drink offering, for a soothing aroma, an offering made by fire to the Lord.
29:42 “This will be a regular burnt offering throughout your generations at the entrance of the tent of meeting before the Lord, where I will meet with you to speak to you there. 29:43 There I will meet with the Israelites, and it will be set apart as holy by my glory.
29:44 “So I will set apart as holy the tent of meeting and the altar, and I will set apart as holy Aaron and his sons, that they may minister as priests to me. 29:45 I will reside among the Israelites, and I will be their God, 29:46 and they will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out from the land of Egypt, so that I may reside among them. I am the Lord their God.
Lord, thank You that the era of the priest has passed and all who belong to You are priests whose high priest is Christ. You drew me near and offered me the gift provided by Jesus, then You washed me clean of my past – You own me and have set me apart as holy. May I be found faithful in a life devoted to You.
The Lord God called “Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons.” to the priesthood, to serve in the newly created tabernacle.
He declared that “It is to be a perpetual ordinance for him and for his descendants after him.”
The details of their clothing were designed to set them apart and to indicate that their service is only valid through God and their speech only has authority as it comes from God.
For Aaron was to be made “... a breastpiece, an ephod, and a robe, abd each element of his priestly clothing had a meaning and a purpose:
The breastpiece is summarized “You are to make a breastpiece for use in making decisions... You are to put the Urim and the Thummim into the breastpiece of decision” [From the NET translators notes: “U. Cassuto has the most thorough treatment of the subject (Exodus, 378-82); he lists several very clear rules for their uses gathered from their instances in the Bible, including that they were a form of sacred lot, that priests or leaders of the people only could use them, and that they were used for discovering the divine will in areas that were beyond human knowledge.”]
The ephod bore the names of the 12 tribes as a reminder of God's chosen people and whom, o earth, the priest served at God's anointing.
The robe included “... a gold bell and a pomegranate, all around the hem of the robe. 28:35 The robe is to be on Aaron as he ministers, and his sound will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the Lord and when he leaves, so that he does not die.”
For Aaron's sons was to be made “... a fitted tunic, a turban, and a sash.”
If they were to survive entry into the altar-area they must be dressed in this specific respectful manner.
It took more than clothes to prepare Aaron and his sons to serve in God's tabernacle, He instructed Moses “... consecrate them so that they may minister as my priests.”
Aaron and his sons were prepared somewhat like the sacrificial offerings they were being consecrated to handle on behalf of the Israelite people “... present Aaron and his sons at the entrance of the tent of meeting. You are to wash them with water”
Everything that was handled in the consecration received a status of holy, so that the bread and the meat could only be eaten by Aaron and his sons, leftovers had to be burned. Aaron's specially designed robes were to be passed to his sons and then to those who followed, to be worn for 7 days.
The Lord God established the tabernacle as “... the tent of meeting before the Lord, where I will meet with you to speak to you there. 29:43 There I will meet with the Israelites, and it will be set apart as holy by my glory.”
The Lord God did not merely call but He also attended to the details of preparation so that the one whom He had called displayed appropriate respect before Him for all of the people to see. The covenant to which the elders (the leaders of the 12 tribes) agreed on behalf of their people required their assent to be a priest-led people, so here the Lord God established that priesthood.
How scary must it have been for Aaron, and especially his sons, to know that their preparation to enter the altar-area was so specific that death could result from any carelessness. One wonders how long it took the Israelites to discover that their lives just became more accountable and complex with the establishment of rules and rule-keepers?
The Lord God made certain that Aaron and his sons knew that they were servants of the 12 tribes and that every detail of everything that they did was specified by God and not subject to their changes. The Lord God was no longer a stranger to most of the Israelites, He “... will meet with the Israelites”.
When have you sensed that the Holy Spirit was preparing you for a special form of service? Perhaps leading you to discipleship with mentoring in some area, leading you to learn about a different culture or nation, leading you into fellowship with a new community of people, etc. When did you discover a way that you prepare yourself to really come-apart with the Lord that helped you to make the most of that time? Perhaps fasting, perhaps going to a certain location, perhaps listening to certain music, perhaps reciting certain Bible text; not to create a rigid ritual but more-so learning how you focus on Him and disconnect from the busyness and noise of the world.
Ask the Holy Spirit to make you aware of your next place of service and to show you how to prepare yourself to be set apart for holy service.
Today I will ask a fellow believer to pray for confirmation of my calling and will then immediately and humbly pursue the preparation He calls me to so that I will be fully prepared with the tools to be His hands and feet in the world. I will humbly acknowledge my artificial piety, my carelessness, my distractedness, my rigid religiosity, or whatever other impediment to a full surrender to fellowship with the Holy Spirit during my time(s) apart with God. I will joyfully follow the leading of the Holy Spirit to a healthier means of preparing my special time with the Lord.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Altar of Incense
30:1 “You are to make an altar for burning incense; you are to make it of acacia wood. 30:2 Its length is to be a foot and a half and its width a foot and a half; it will be square. Its height is to be three feet, with its horns of one piece with it. 30:3 You are to overlay it with pure gold – its top, its four walls, and its horns – and make a surrounding border of gold for it. 30:4 You are to make two gold rings for it under its border, on its two flanks; you are to make them on its two sides. The rings will be places for poles to carry it with. 30:5 You are to make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.
30:6 “You are to put it in front of the curtain that is before the ark of the testimony (before the atonement lid that is over the testimony), where I will meet you. 30:7 Aaron is to burn sweet incense on it morning by morning; when he attends to the lamps he is to burn incense. 30:8 When Aaron sets up the lamps around sundown he is to burn incense on it; it is to be a regular incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations. 30:9 You must not offer strange incense on it, nor burnt offering, nor meal offering, and you must not pour out a drink offering on it. 30:10 Aaron is to make atonement on its horns once in the year with some of the blood of the sin offering for atonement; once in the year he is to make atonement on it throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.”
The Ransom Money
30:11 The Lord spoke to Moses: 30:12 “When you take a census of the Israelites according to their number, then each man is to pay a ransom for his life to the Lord when you number them, so that there will be no plague among them when you number them. 30:13 Everyone who crosses over to those who are numbered is to pay this: a half shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (a shekel weighs twenty gerahs). The half shekel is to be an offering to the Lord. 30:14 Everyone who crosses over to those numbered, from twenty years old and up, is to pay an offering to the Lord. 30:15 The rich are not to increase it, and the poor are not to pay less than the half shekel when giving the offering of the Lord, to make atonement for your lives. 30:16 You are to receive the atonement money from the Israelites and give it for the service of the tent of meeting. It will be a memorial for the Israelites before the Lord, to make atonement for your lives.”
The Bronze Laver
30:17 The Lord spoke to Moses: 30:18 “You are also to make a large bronze basin with a bronze stand for washing. You are to put it between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it, 30:19 and Aaron and his sons must wash their hands and their feet from it. 30:20 When they enter the tent of meeting, they must wash with water so that they do not die. Also, when they approach the altar to minister by burning incense as an offering made by fire to the Lord, 30:21 they must wash their hands and their feet so that they do not die. And this will be a perpetual ordinance for them and for their descendants throughout their generations.”
Oil and Incense
30:22 The Lord spoke to Moses: 30:23 “Take choice spices: twelve and a half pounds of free-flowing myrrh, half that – about six and a quarter pounds – of sweet-smelling cinnamon, six and a quarter pounds of sweet-smelling cane, 30:24 and twelve and a half pounds of cassia, all weighed according to the sanctuary shekel, and four quarts of olive oil. 30:25 You are to make this into a sacred anointing oil, a perfumed compound, the work of a perfumer. It will be sacred anointing oil.
30:26 “With it you are to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark of the testimony, 30:27 the table and all its utensils, the lampstand and its utensils, the altar of incense, 30:28 the altar for the burnt offering and all its utensils, and the laver and its base. 30:29 So you are to sanctify them, and they will be most holy; anything that touches them will be holy.
30:30 “You are to anoint Aaron and his sons and sanctify them, so that they may minister as my priests. 30:31 And you are to tell the Israelites: ‘This is to be my sacred anointing oil throughout your generations. 30:32 It must not be applied to people’s bodies, and you must not make any like it with the same recipe. It is holy, and it must be holy to you. 30:33 Whoever makes perfume like it and whoever puts any of it on someone not a priest will be cut off from his people.’”
30:34 The Lord said to Moses: “Take spices, gum resin, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense of equal amounts 30:35 and make it into an incense, a perfume, the work of a perfumer. It is to be finely ground, and pure and sacred. 30:36 You are to beat some of it very fine and put some of it before the ark of the testimony in the tent of meeting where I will meet with you; it is to be most holy to you. 30:37 And the incense that you are to make, you must not make for yourselves using the same recipe; it is to be most holy to you, belonging to the Lord. 30:38 Whoever makes anything like it, to use as perfume, will be cut off from his people.”
Willing Artisans
31:1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 31:2 “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 31:3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God in skill, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship, 31:4 to make artistic designs for work with gold, with silver, and with bronze, 31:5 and with cutting and setting stone, and with cutting wood, to work in all kinds of craftsmanship. 31:6 Moreover, I have also given him Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, and I have given ability to all the specially skilled, that they may make everything I have commanded you: 31:7 the tent of meeting, the ark of the testimony, the atonement lid that is on it, all the furnishings of the tent, 31:8 the table with its utensils, the pure lampstand with all its utensils, the altar of incense, 31:9 the altar for the burnt offering with all its utensils, the large basin with its base, 31:10 the woven garments, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons, to minister as priests, 31:11 the anointing oil, and sweet incense for the Holy Place. They will make all these things just as I have commanded you.”
Lord, with whatever gifts You have given me, please allow me to humbly serve You in any way that You choose. May the incense of my obedience, and the anointing oil of my service to fellow believers, be a sweet offering to You.
Continuing His pattern the Lord God described in careful detail the incense and anointing oil and how it is to be handled. He insisted that the recipe of both be reserved exclusively to their priestly purposes, preventing either from being demeaned in common use.
He required the washing of priestly hands and feet prior to any service, adding to the high standards of everything associated with God's tabernacle presence.
He also required the payment of an atonement-ransom “Everyone who crosses over to those numbered, from twenty years old and up, is to pay an offering to the Lord ... a half shekel when giving the offering of the Lord, to make atonement for your lives.” It is unclear as to how often this was done. Some (see NET translators notes) have speculated it was only for the purpose of raising an army, but this text does not support that. Tradition suggests an annual census, which would have a multiple value: counting the new males just turned 20 which could generally be extrapolated-out to estimate growth in the tribes, knowing who would be available should an army need to be mustered, as a sociological check-point in their individual maturity, and as a means to raise funds to maintain the tabernacle.
The money itself did not buy peace with God, it was a token of submission and part of the larger system of sacrifice.
After the Lord God instructed Moses as to what He wanted done He then identified those whom He had prepared to do it; in this case it was Bezalel, the son of Hur, “I have filled him with the Spirit of God in skill, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship,” and “Oholiab son of Ahisamach ... I have given ability to all the specially skilled” [The latter phrase perhaps better rendered “specialty skills”?]
God's instructions to Moses in the preparation of Aaron and his sons then became patterns for their lifelong priestly service. The Lord God gives gifts for His purposes, not ours.
How exciting must it have been for a young man to approach the age of twenty and the atonement-ransom. For some it may have been a difficult financial sacrifice but for all it much have become an important transitional moment in life. How exciting would it be to know that God had given to you specific gifts for such a special purpose as the construction of the tabernacle and the manufacture of the robes and furniture and utensils?
At twenty years old the Lord God established a new level of responsibility for ones sin and for ones place within the larger Israelite civilization. While God has given us the ability to be creative we do not Create in the same original way that He did. Man labored then, as now, under the terms of the curse of the Fall. God's insistence that they cease from those labors one day each week was to keep them from becoming slaves to the world with no time for Him.
When have you experienced a transitional moment like that of the twenty year old male under the OT old covenant? When have you experienced God using the gifts that He gave to you?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a transition moment where He would like you to pause and celebrate. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you are using God's gifts to His purposes and glory and where you are either failing to use those gifts or are misusing them to some worldly purpose.
Today I will ask a Biblical elder or other mature Christian friend to pray in-agreement with me to know what is a transitional moment in my life where the Holy Spirit has led me to a new step of more-mature faith. I will celebrate by doing something for another in His name, and by committing myself to push on toward the next step in my spiritual growth. Today I will celebrate the way(s) that God has and is using the gifts He gave me. I will also commit to partner with the Holy Spirit, and a prayerful accountability partner, to cease from using His gifts to my glory or that of anyone or anything other than Him.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 16
Sabbath Observance
31:12 The Lord said to Moses, 31:13 “Tell the Israelites, ‘Surely you must keep my Sabbaths, for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you. 31:14 So you must keep the Sabbath, for it is holy for you. Everyone who defiles it must surely be put to death; indeed, if anyone does any work on it, then that person will be cut off from among his people. 31:15 Six days work may be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, holy to the Lord; anyone who does work on the Sabbath day must surely be put to death. 31:16 The Israelites must keep the Sabbath by observing the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. 31:17 It is a sign between me and the Israelites forever; for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’”
31:18 He gave Moses two tablets of testimony when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, tablets of stone written by the finger of God.
Lord, You design our priorities and worship so that we are prioritized to focus on You, Your perfection, and Your desire to perfect us. May I be found humble and teachable.
The Lord God re-emphasized the importance of the Sabbath in the OT covenant with the Israelites “Six days work may be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, holy to the Lord ...”
He continued with an explanation as to why the Sabbath was holy “It is a sign between me and the Israelites forever; for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’”
It is important to note the NET translators clarification that “rested” refers to the cessation of the original unique Creation, not because God was tired, nor that He never acted upon His Creation again. It is also important to note that “was refreshed” may be better rendered with an eye toward the Creation-phrase “And He saw that it was good.” [See Gen. 1:4, 31, 2:1-3]
And with the lengthy completion of His instructions to Moses “He gave Moses two tablets of testimony when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, tablets of stone written by the finger of God.”
We need to rest from worldly distractions so that we may focus on the Lord God apart from the busyness and noise of day to day life.
Why do you suppose the Lord God imposed this rather than trusting the Israelites to make time for Him on their own?
The Israelites had not previously demonstrated much patience, and they had been through 400 years of slavery in a pagan nation.
When have you struggled with making time for the Lord God?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you are too busy for the Lord God.
I will humbly confess that I have been remiss in making time for the Lord, both on a daily basis and for a special weekly time together with other believers. I will take a hard look at my schedule and make certain that I schedule Him in first.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
The Sin of the Golden Calf
32:1 When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, “Get up, make us gods that will go before us. As for this fellow Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him!”
32:2 So Aaron said to them, “Break off the gold earrings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.”
32:3 So all the people broke off the gold earrings that were on their ears and brought them to Aaron.
32:4 He accepted the gold from them, fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molten calf. Then they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”
32:5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it, and Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow will be a feast to the Lord.”
32:6 So they got up early on the next day and offered up burnt offerings and brought peace offerings, and the people sat down to eat and drink, and they rose up to play.
32:7 The Lord spoke to Moses: “Go quickly, descend, because your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have acted corruptly.
32:8 They have quickly turned aside from the way that I commanded them – they have made for themselves a molten calf and have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt.’”
32:9 Then the Lord said to Moses: “I have seen this people. Look what a stiff-necked people they are!
32:10 So now, leave me alone so that my anger can burn against them and I can destroy them, and I will make from you a great nation.”
32:11 But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God and said, “O Lord, why does your anger burn against your people, whom you have brought out from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?
32:12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘For evil he led them out to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger, and relent of this evil against your people.
32:13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel your servants, to whom you swore by yourself and told them, ‘I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken about I will give to your descendants, and they will inherit it forever.’”
32:14 Then the Lord relented over the evil that he had said he would do to his people.
32:15 Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hands. The tablets were written on both sides – they were written on the front and on the back.
32:16 Now the tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.
32:17 When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “It is the sound of war in the camp!”
32:18 Moses said, “It is not the sound of those who shout for victory, nor is it the sound of those who cry because they are overcome, but the sound of singing I hear.”
Lord, when times in this flesh in this fallen world are tough and I am afraid of the uncertain and the unknown may I never be found making an idol of anyone or anything.
Aaron was challenged by the Israelites to make for them an idol as they believed that Moses may be dead or somehow imprisoned on the mountain and they were frightened.
He agreed and asked them to bring the gold from their earrings, much of which was plundered from the Egyptians, and given that there were over a million people there was enough gold for a molten calf.
The people chanted that this was their god (or gods) who brought them out of Egypt and so Aaron built an altar to which they brought peace offerings and then they danced and sang.
The Lord God saw what they had done and instructed Moses to leave the mountain as He was contemplating the destruction of the Israelites.
Moses, sensing the righteous anger and the justice of His punishment, appealed to His grace in order that a testimony of God’s greatness might be had in the world rather than One Who led His people out of Egypt only to destroy them a few months later at the mountain.
The Lord chose His sovereign option of grace over His sovereign right to law and relented from His righteous anger.
As Moses descended from the mountain Joshua met him where he had been waiting. As they traveled further down they heard sounds from the valley; Joshua took them to be sounds of war, Moses knew them to be the sounds of a sinful people singing in their corruption.
The Israelites were a primitive people only months free from 400 years of captivity in Egypt. They had been surrounded by pagans and still lacked a clear understanding of God.
How heartsick the Lord God must have been, and Moses as well, for the Israelites to rebel so soon – and for His chosen high priest Aaron to be a party to their idolatry?
The people were confused and frightened and wanted something that they could see and touch rather than a God Who was at a distance from them and generally appeared in frighteningly powerful ways.
When have you longed for a more visible indication of the presence of God?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you may have idols in your life.
Today I will humbly confess those things that function as idols in my life. They may be money or power, position or title, gifts and talents that I use to bring glory to me rather than to God. They may be celebrities, politicians, sports stars, entertainers, rebels, or pompous religious leaders. They may be habits or hobbies, pecadillos or possessions, temptations or traditions. I will repent of them, turn away from them, and rather partner with the Holy Spirit to keep my eyes upon God-alone.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
32:19 When he approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses became extremely angry. He threw the tablets from his hands and broke them to pieces at the bottom of the mountain. 32:20 He took the calf they had made and burned it in the fire, ground it to powder, poured it out on the water, and made the Israelites drink it.
32:21 Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you, that you have brought on them so great a sin?” 32:22 Aaron said, “Do not let your anger burn hot, my lord; you know these people, that they tend to evil. 32:23 They said to me, ‘Make us gods that will go before us, for as for this fellow Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.’ 32:24 So I said to them, ‘Whoever has gold, break it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and this calf came out.”
32:25 Moses saw that the people were running wild, for Aaron had let them get completely out of control, causing derision from their enemies. 32:26 So Moses stood at the entrance of the camp and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” All the Levites gathered around him, 32:27 and he said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Each man fasten his sword on his side, and go back and forth from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and each one kill his brother, his friend, and his neighbor.’”
32:28 The Levites did what Moses ordered, and that day about three thousand men of the people died. 32:29 Moses said, “You have been consecrated today for the Lord, for each of you was against his son or against his brother, so he has given a blessing to you today.”
32:30 The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a very serious sin, but now I will go up to the Lord – perhaps I can make atonement on behalf of your sin.”
32:31 So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Alas, this people has committed a very serious sin, and they have made for themselves gods of gold. 32:32 But now, if you will forgive their sin…, but if not, wipe me out from your book that you have written.” 32:33 The Lord said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me – that person I will wipe out of my book. 32:34 So now go, lead the people to the place I have spoken to you about. See, my angel will go before you. But on the day that I punish, I will indeed punish them for their sin.”
32:35 And the Lord sent a plague on the people because they had made the calf – the one Aaron made.
33:1 The Lord said to Moses, “Go up from here, you and the people whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’
33:2 I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.
33:3 Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go up among you, for you are a stiff-necked people, and I might destroy you on the way.”
33:4 When the people heard this troubling word they mourned; no one put on his ornaments.
33:5 For the Lord had said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. If I went up among you for a moment, I might destroy you. Now take off your ornaments, that I may know what I should do to you.’”
33:6 So the Israelites stripped off their ornaments by Mount Horeb.
Lord, the sin of rebellion is serious; may Your Holy Spirit keep me from such a sin.
Moses was angry when he saw what the Israelites, and Aaron, had done and in his anger he smashed the two tablets of the commandments on the rocks.
Moses burned the golden calf and ground it to powder, cast it on the water, then required the Israelites to drink it. [The NET translators suggest that this was a “bitter waters” test where those who were guilty of inciting the idolatry would become ill.]
Moses challenged Aaron for his complicity and he blamed the people and then lied and suggested that the gold, once cast into the fire, came out as the calf.
Aaron, a priest and not a leader, had allowed the people to become drunk and crazed so Moses stood in the middle of the Israelites and summoned all who were faithful to the Lord God to gather near to him – and all of the Levites (the priestly tribe) did so. Note: Moses would have been calling to the adult males.
Moses then instructed the Levites to strap on their swords and to go out into the crazed Israelites and to kill their brother, friend, and neighbor. They killed 3,000 people. [The NET translators suggest that they may have identified the guilty due to their illness from the powered gold/bitter waters test.]
Moses informed them that they had been God’s hands of punishment and would be blessed for their obedience, however difficult it must have been.
Moses then informed the people that he would then return to the Lord God on the mountain and seek atonement so that He would not destroy them.
Moses appealed to God and even said that if He was to destroy all of the Israelites then he would choose to be destroyed with them.
The Lord God replied that He knew who was guilty and that they would be judged on the day of judgment. [Note: The NET Cross-Reference goes to David and Bathsheba where God delivered His punishment in the future with the death of their firstborn who was conceived in the terrible sin of adultery and murder.]
God then brought an undefined (in the text) plague, in addition to the 3,000 executed by the Levitical priests, upon the Israelites (presumably those who were guilty of inciting the idolatry).
The Lord God chose Aaron to be the high priest not for his leadership skills but for his servants heart.
Aaron spoke rightly when he declared that the Israelites were prone toward evil. Is it clear why God needed to draw a proverbial line in the sand with a people numbering over a million? Did they not need to fear Him and to therefore be repelled by the temptation to worship idols?
How different are we? When we are confused and/or frightened do we not often seek out the familiar and whatever other sources of comfort or power we can find?
When have you found yourself caught up in the emotional reactions of people around you and made some choices to participate in their ill-conceived actions and/or words that you later regretted?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you have stood with the Lord God against the majority, and/or have gone with the crowd.
Today I will celebrate the work of the Holy Spirit which empowered me to stand with the Lord God instead of the majority, and/or I will repent of going with the crowd and commit to partner with the Holy Spirit in maturing to a higher level of maturity and courage.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
The Presence of the Lord
33:7 Moses took the tent and pitched it outside the camp, at a good distance from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. Anyone seeking the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting that was outside the camp.
33:8 And when Moses went out to the tent, all the people would get up and stand at the entrance to their tents and watch Moses until he entered the tent. 33:9 And whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord would speak with Moses. 33:10 When all the people would see the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people, each one at the entrance of his own tent, would rise and worship. 33:11 The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, the way a person speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his servant, Joshua son of Nun, a young man, did not leave the tent.
33:12 Moses said to the Lord, “See, you have been saying to me, ‘Bring this people up,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. But you said, ‘I know you by name, and also you have found favor in my sight.’ 33:13 Now if I have found favor in your sight, show me your way, that I may know you, that I may continue to find favor in your sight. And see that this nation is your people.”
33:14 And the Lord said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
33:15 And Moses said to him, “If your presence does not go with us, do not take us up from here. 33:16 For how will it be known then that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not by your going with us, so that we will be distinguished, I and your people, from all the people who are on the face of the earth?”
33:17 The Lord said to Moses, “I will do this thing also that you have requested, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.”
33:18 And Moses said, “Show me your glory.”
33:19 And the Lord said, “I will make all my goodness pass before your face, and I will proclaim the Lord by name before you; I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy.” 33:20 But he added, “You cannot see my face, for no one can see me and live.” 33:21 The Lord said, “Here is a place by me; you will station yourself on a rock. 33:22 When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and will cover you with my hand while I pass by. 33:23 Then I will take away my hand, and you will see my back, but my face must not be seen.”
Lord, You were righteously angry but You found a way to maintain community with Your chosen people through Moses. Thank You that Your loving grace continues today!
Moses set up a tent between the camp and the tabernacle where he served as the intermediary for the people with God. God met with Moses there.
Moses appealed to God to renew His presence among the people. [The NET translators observe the link back to 32:10 where God prompts Moses with a reference to the Abrahamic covenant while at the same time telling Moses to leave Him because His justice desired to punish the people. So Moses took advantage of the opening for reconciliation that God provided.]
Moses asked to see more of the presence of God than he had previously. God agreed but clarified that Moses could only see a shadow of His passing as no man may see God, in his fallen state prior to Heaven, and live.
Moses served as a bridge between a righteously indignant God Whose justice demanded severe punishment but Whose grace tempered that judgment.
Despite their chronic complaining and rebellion the Israelites had transitioned from dependent upon the power of the Egyptians to the power of God. Imagine their fear that out in the wilderness, surrounded by enemies, that the Lord God – their protector - might suddenly abandon them?
God still chooses to send an angel to clear the land of non-Israelite tribes because no matter how the Israelites violated their side of the covenental agreement God was always faithful to His.
When have you desperately cried-out to the Lord God, knowing that your sin had created a barrier to your fellowship with the Holy Spirit, repenting of that sin, and seeking reconciliation and restoration of intimacy with God?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where something you value may be an instrument of rebellion.
Today I will prayerfully receive the message of the Holy Spirit, through the Word, through an elder-confirmed (“elder”: a mature believer, as defined in the NT), and through His answer to prayer directly to me. I will remove from my environment that thing, or those things, that have become tools of rebellion. In the case of the Israelites it had been their gold “ornaments”. In my case it could be a computer that needs strong filters, clothing and/or other fashion items that draw too much attention to the body, a group with whom I associate who lead me away from God, a phone that is used dangerously while driving or to communicate in a non-edifying manner, resources that enable me to cheat or deceive, etc. I will partner with the Holy Spirit to fill the vacuum of what I remove with something edifying.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
The New Tablets of the Covenant
34:1 The Lord said to Moses, “Cut out two tablets of stone like the first, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you smashed. 34:2 Be prepared in the morning, and go up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and station yourself for me there on the top of the mountain. 34:3 No one is to come up with you; do not let anyone be seen anywhere on the mountain; not even the flocks or the herds may graze in front of that mountain.” 34:4 So Moses cut out two tablets of stone like the first; early in the morning he went up to Mount Sinai, just as the Lord had commanded him, and he took in his hand the two tablets of stone.
34:5 The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there and proclaimed the Lord by name. 34:6 The Lord passed by before him and proclaimed: “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and abounding in loyal love and faithfulness, 34:7 keeping loyal love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin. But he by no means leaves the guilty unpunished, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children and children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.”
34:8 Moses quickly bowed to the ground and worshiped 34:9 and said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, let my Lord go among us, for we are a stiff-necked people; pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”
34:10 He said, “See, I am going to make a covenant before all your people. I will do wonders such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation. All the people among whom you live will see the work of the Lord, for it is a fearful thing that I am doing with you.
34:11 “Obey what I am commanding you this day. I am going to drive out before you the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. 34:12 Be careful not to make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it become a snare among you. 34:13 Rather you must destroy their altars, smash their images, and cut down their Asherah poles. 34:14 For you must not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. 34:15 Be careful not to make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, for when they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to their gods, and someone invites you, you will eat from his sacrifice; 34:16 and you then take his daughters for your sons, and when his daughters prostitute themselves to their gods, they will make your sons prostitute themselves to their gods as well. 34:17 You must not make yourselves molten gods.
34:18 “You must keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. For seven days you must eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you; do this at the appointed time of the month Abib, for in the month Abib you came out of Egypt.
34:19 “Every firstborn of the womb belongs to me, even every firstborn of your cattle that is a male, whether ox or sheep. 34:20 Now the firstling of a donkey you may redeem with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, then break its neck. You must redeem all the firstborn of your sons.
“No one will appear before me empty-handed.
34:21 “On six days you may labor, but on the seventh day you must rest; even at the time of plowing and of harvest you are to rest.
34:22 “You must observe the Feast of Weeks – the firstfruits of the harvest of wheat – and the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year. 34:23 At three times in the year all your men must appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel. 34:24 For I will drive out the nations before you and enlarge your borders; no one will covet your land when you go up to appear before the Lord your God three times in the year.
34:25 “You must not offer the blood of my sacrifice with yeast; the sacrifice from the feast of Passover must not remain until the following morning.
34:26 “The first of the firstfruits of your soil you must bring to the house of the Lord your God.
You must not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.”
34:27 The Lord said to Moses, “Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” 34:28 So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did not eat bread, and he did not drink water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
The Radiant Face of Moses
34:29 Now when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand – when he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. 34:30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to approach him. 34:31 But Moses called to them, so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and Moses spoke to them. 34:32 After this all the Israelites approached, and he commanded them all that the Lord had spoken to him on Mount Sinai. 34:33 When Moses finished speaking with them, he would put a veil on his face. 34:34 But when Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would remove the veil until he came out. Then he would come out and tell the Israelites what he had been commanded. 34:35 When the Israelites would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone, Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with the Lord.
Sabbath Regulations
35:1 Moses assembled the whole community of the Israelites and said to them, “These are the things that the Lord has commanded you to do. 35:2 In six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there must be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of complete rest to the Lord. Anyone who does work on it will be put to death. 35:3 You must not kindle a fire in any of your homes on the Sabbath day.”
Lord, thank You Lord for your patience and forgiveness and grace – the ancient Israelites are not the only ones who need it – I do as well.
The Lord God instructed Moses to cut new tablets of stone for Him to etch with the commandments to replace those Moses had smashed.
He then proclaimed His name to Moses “The Lord, the Lord,” which the NET translators render also as “I am that I am”, which is the same name that He previously gave to Moses when He first called him to the Exodus mission and Moses had asked how he should identify God to the people.
He then added the detail “... the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and abounding in loyal love and faithfulness, keeping loyal love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin. But he by no means leaves the guilty unpunished, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children and children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.” Note that the NET translators explain that “slow to anger” means that God refrains from immediate judgment to allow time for repentance.
He then not only agreed to renew His covenant with the Israelites but prophesied greater miracles.
He repeated the terms of the covenant and the words of the commandments were recorded on the replacement set of tablets. Moses remained with God for 40 days and nights and was completely sustained by God as he did not take food or water.
Moses came down from the mountain and the glow on his face, from nearness to the Lord God frightened the people, but they drew near when he called them and he shared what God had said.
The NET translators observe that there is a different sequential order in the renewed covenant than was in the pre-idolatry covenant “It is the artistic design that puts the filling of the Spirit section (31:1-11) prior to the Sabbath laws (31:12-18) before the idolatry section, and then after the renewal there is the Sabbath reminder (35:1-3) before the filling of the Spirit material (35:21)”
The Lord God required, and communicated to the Israelites once again through Moses, the importance of the Sabbath rest. It may be helpful to think of the Sabbath rest as resting from the world and in the Lord God. The people were not to be immobile on the Sabbath; they did not rest from eating or drinking, walking or talking, breathing or loving, healing or helping – all activities that may have been used in their day-to-day worldly work – it was that during the Sabbath rest all things were intentionally focused on God and all things that were a distraction from that were forbidden.
A fire in the fireplace or oven was not a problem on the Sabbath but kindling one anew was – because the process of kindling was too distracting – people were expected to be prepared for the Sabbath so that such activities were unnecessary. The fire should have been tended in such a manner prior to the Sabbath that it may need to be fed but not newly kindled. Given the change of weather and the poorly insulated Bedouin-like portable homes of the Israelites there would be times when they would need heat against the cold (potentially below freezing during Winter nights in the desert).
God always keeps His word even when His children are rebellious. It was important that the Israelites plan for the Sabbath so they were not engaging in forbidden activities on that day. They had already been taught this by the Lord God in the gathering of Manna – since He had provided that for several months in double-portion on Friday to be gathered for both Friday and Saturday.
How else could the sovereign God of Creation and beyond identify Himself except in reference to Himself? Jesus would use a similar phrase “Before Moses I Am” to identify Himself. Would treatment of injuries or the ill, birthing of a baby, defending the nation from attack, managing a disaster such as a flood, or other activity be suspended on the Sabbath?
Moses surrendered himself utterly to God, relying upon Him for sustenance without food or water. God’s presence imprinted a visible glow upon his face. David and his men picked grain and ate it on the Sabbath and Jesus referred to that when He was challenged by the religious authorities for healing on the Sabbath. Clearly the intent of the Sabbath rest is not immobility but rather a highly-intentional and minimally-distracted emphasis upon what the Lord God specified for the days activities.
When have you tried to explain God to someone who persisted in trying to stuff Him into a man-sized box and ended up saying “He is defined by Himself, there is no comparison.”? When have you observed the people of God responding to a need in such an overwhelming manner that they had to be asked to cease?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you one way that God has expressed His character in your life “... the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and abounding in loyal love and faithfulness, keeping loyal love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.” and to show you where you need to be more intentional about time apart with God and/or where your resources and talents may be used to meet needs among believers.
Today I will share and celebrate with a fellow believer the way(s) that God has expressed His character in my life. I will prayerfully review my daily and weekly schedule for regular times apart with God, as well as a weekly time apart with God gathered-together with believers. I will also prayerfully seek opportunities to being the resources and talents God has given me to bless fellow believers.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Willing Workers
35:4 Moses spoke to the whole community of the Israelites, “This is the word that the Lord has commanded: 35:5 ‘Take an offering for the Lord. Let everyone who has a willing heart bring an offering to the Lord: gold, silver, bronze, 35:6 blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, fine linen, goat’s hair, 35:7 ram skins dyed red, fine leather, acacia wood, 35:8 olive oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, 35:9 onyx stones, and other gems for mounting on the ephod and the breastpiece.
35:10 Every skilled person among you is to come and make all that the Lord has commanded: 35:11 the tabernacle with its tent, its covering, its clasps, its frames, its crossbars, its posts, and its bases; 35:12 the ark, with its poles, the atonement lid, and the special curtain that conceals it; 35:13 the table with its poles and all its vessels, and the Bread of the Presence; 35:14 the lampstand for the light and its accessories, its lamps, and oil for the light; 35:15 and the altar of incense with its poles, the anointing oil, and the fragrant incense; the hanging for the door at the entrance of the tabernacle; 35:16 the altar for the burnt offering with its bronze grating that is on it, its poles, and all its utensils; the large basin and its pedestal; 35:17 the hangings of the courtyard, its posts and its bases, and the curtain for the gateway to the courtyard; 35:18 tent pegs for the tabernacle and tent pegs for the courtyard and their ropes; 35:19 the woven garments for serving in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments for his sons to minister as priests.”
35:20 So the whole community of the Israelites went out from the presence of Moses.
35:21 Everyone whose heart stirred him to action and everyone whose spirit was willing came and brought the offering for the Lord for the work of the tent of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments.
35:22 They came, men and women alike, all who had willing hearts. They brought brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments, all kinds of gold jewelry, and everyone came who waved a wave offering of gold to the Lord.
35:23 Everyone who had blue, purple, or scarlet yarn, fine linen, goats’ hair, ram skins dyed red, or fine leather brought them. 35:24 Everyone making an offering of silver or bronze brought it as an offering to the Lord, and everyone who had acacia wood for any work of the service brought it. 35:25 Every woman who was skilled spun with her hands and brought what she had spun, blue, purple, or scarlet yarn, or fine linen, 35:26 and all the women whose heart stirred them to action and who were skilled spun goats’ hair.
35:27 The leaders brought onyx stones and other gems to be mounted for the ephod and the breastpiece, 35:28 and spices and olive oil for the light, for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense.
35:29 The Israelites brought a freewill offering to the Lord, every man and woman whose heart was willing to bring materials for all the work that the Lord through Moses had commanded them to do.
35:30 Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 35:31 He has filled him with the Spirit of God – with skill, with understanding, with knowledge, and in all kinds of work, 35:32 to design artistic designs, to work in gold, in silver, and in bronze, 35:33 and in cutting stones for their setting, and in cutting wood, to do work in every artistic craft. 35:34 And he has put it in his heart to teach, he and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. 35:35 He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as craftsmen, as designers, as embroiderers in blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and in fine linen, and as weavers. They are craftsmen in all the work and artistic designers.
36:1 So Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person in whom the Lord has put skill and ability to know how to do all the work for the service of the sanctuary are to do the work according to all that the Lord has commanded.”
36:2 Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person in whom the Lord had put skill – everyone whose heart stirred him to volunteer to do the work, 36:3 and they received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to do the work for the service of the sanctuary, and they still continued to bring him a freewill offering each morning. 36:4 So all the skilled people who were doing all the work on the sanctuary came from the work they were doing 36:5 and told Moses, “The people are bringing much more than is needed for the completion of the work which the Lord commanded us to do!”
36:6 Moses instructed them to take his message throughout the camp, saying, “Let no man or woman do any more work for the offering for the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing any more. 36:7 Now the materials were more than enough for them to do all the work.
Lord, You allowed everyone, male or female, to have a part in the construction of Your Tabernacle. May I be found useful in Your service today.
All of the people were encouraged to bring resources and talents to the construction of the tabernacle, they were motivated by the Holy Spirit (as they responded rightly), and they were gifted with resources and talents by God.
The response among the Israelites was so overwhelming that in verses 36:5-7 Moses had to ask them to stop as the project had more than it needed.
“All generous giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change.” (James 1:17)
Why do you think the text was carefully qualified with the phrases “willing spirits”, “willing hearts”, “freewill offering”?
Each of the artisans received their gifts from the Lord God.
When have you observed the people of God responding to a need in such an overwhelming manner that they had to be asked to cease?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you have a gift or a resource which He desires to use somewhere in His ministry.
Today I will adjust my schedule, and perhaps my attitude, so that the gifts He has given me may be used in His service.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Building of the Tabernacle
36:8 All the skilled among those who were doing the work made the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twisted linen and blue and purple and scarlet; they were made with cherubim that were the work of an artistic designer. 36:9 The length of one curtain was forty-two feet, and the width of one curtain was six feet – the same size for each of the curtains. 36:10 He joined five of the curtains to one another, and the other five curtains he joined to one another. 36:11 He made loops of blue material along the edge of the end curtain in the first set; he did the same along the edge of the end curtain in the second set. 36:12 He made fifty loops on the first curtain, and he made fifty loops on the end curtain that was in the second set, with the loops opposite one another. 36:13 He made fifty gold clasps and joined the curtains together to one another with the clasps, so that the tabernacle was a unit.
36:14 He made curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle; he made eleven curtains. 36:15 The length of one curtain was forty-five feet, and the width of one curtain was six feet – one size for all eleven curtains. 36:16 He joined five curtains by themselves and six curtains by themselves. 36:17 He made fifty loops along the edge of the end curtain in the first set and fifty loops along the edge of the curtain that joined the second set. 36:18 He made fifty bronze clasps to join the tent together so that it might be a unit. 36:19 He made a covering for the tent out of ram skins dyed red and over that a covering of fine leather.
36:20 He made the frames for the tabernacle of acacia wood as uprights. 36:21 The length of each frame was fifteen feet, the width of each frame was two and a quarter feet, 36:22 with two projections per frame parallel one to another. He made all the frames of the tabernacle in this way. 36:23 So he made frames for the tabernacle: twenty frames for the south side. 36:24 He made forty silver bases under the twenty frames – two bases under the first frame for its two projections, and likewise two bases under the next frame for its two projections, 36:25 and for the second side of the tabernacle, the north side, he made twenty frames 36:26 and their forty silver bases, two bases under the first frame and two bases under the next frame. 36:27 And for the back of the tabernacle on the west he made six frames. 36:28 He made two frames for the corners of the tabernacle on the back. 36:29 At the two corners they were doubled at the lower end and finished together at the top in one ring. So he did for both. 36:30 So there were eight frames and their silver bases, sixteen bases, two bases under each frame.
36:31 He made bars of acacia wood, five for the frames on one side of the tabernacle 36:32 and five bars for the frames on the second side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the frames of the tabernacle for the back side on the west. 36:33 He made the middle bar to reach from end to end in the center of the frames. 36:34 He overlaid the frames with gold and made their rings of gold to provide places for the bars, and he overlaid the bars with gold.
36:35 He made the special curtain of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine twisted linen; he made it with cherubim, the work of an artistic designer. 36:36 He made for it four posts of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold, with gold hooks, and he cast for them four silver bases.
36:37 He made a hanging for the entrance of the tent of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine twisted linen, the work of an embroiderer, 36:38 and its five posts and their hooks. He overlaid their tops and their bands with gold, but their five bases were bronze.
The Making of the Ark
37:1 Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood; its length was three feet nine inches, its width two feet three inches, and its height two feet three inches. 37:2 He overlaid it with pure gold, inside and out, and he made a surrounding border of gold for it. 37:3 He cast four gold rings for it that he put on its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other side. 37:4 He made poles of acacia wood, overlaid them with gold, 37:5 and put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark in order to carry the ark.
37:6 He made an atonement lid of pure gold; its length was three feet nine inches, and its width was two feet three inches. 37:7 He made two cherubim of gold; he made them of hammered metal on the two ends of the atonement lid, 37:8 one cherub on one end and one cherub on the other end. He made the cherubim from the atonement lid on its two ends. 37:9 The cherubim were spreading their wings upward, overshadowing the atonement lid with their wings. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the atonement lid.
The Making of the Table
37:10 He made the table of acacia wood; its length was three feet, its width one foot six inches, and its height two feet three inches. 37:11 He overlaid it with pure gold, and he made a surrounding border of gold for it. 37:12 He made a surrounding frame for it about three inches wide, and he made a surrounding border of gold for its frame. 37:13 He cast four gold rings for it and attached the rings at the four corners where its four legs were. 37:14 The rings were close to the frame to provide places for the poles to carry the table. 37:15 He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold, to carry the table. 37:16 He made the vessels which were on the table out of pure gold, its plates, its ladles, its pitchers, and its bowls, to be used in pouring out offerings.
The Making of the Lampstand
37:17 He made the lampstand of pure gold. He made the lampstand of hammered metal; its base and its shaft, its cups, its buds, and its blossoms were from the same piece. 37:18 Six branches were extending from its sides, three branches of the lampstand from one side of it, and three branches of the lampstand from the other side of it. 37:19 Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms were on the first branch, and three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms were on the next branch, and the same for the six branches that were extending from the lampstand. 37:20 On the lampstand there were four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms, 37:21 with a bud under the first two branches from it, and a bud under the next two branches from it, and a bud under the third two branches from it; according to the six branches that extended from it. 37:22 Their buds and their branches were of one piece; all of it was one hammered piece of pure gold. 37:23 He made its seven lamps, its trimmers, and its trays of pure gold. 37:24 He made the lampstand and all its accessories with seventy-five pounds of pure gold.
The Making of the Altar of Incense
37:25 He made the incense altar of acacia wood. Its length was a foot and a half and its width a foot and a half – a square – and its height was three feet. Its horns were of one piece with it. 37:26 He overlaid it with pure gold – its top, its four walls, and its horns – and he made a surrounding border of gold for it. 37:27 He also made two gold rings for it under its border, on its two sides, on opposite sides, as places for poles to carry it with. 37:28 He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.
37:29 He made the sacred anointing oil and the pure fragrant incense, the work of a perfumer.
The Making of the Altar for the Burnt Offering
38:1 He made the altar for the burnt offering of acacia wood seven feet six inches long and seven feet six inches wide – it was square – and its height was four feet six inches. 38:2 He made its horns on its four corners; its horns were part of it, and he overlaid it with bronze. 38:3 He made all the utensils of the altar – the pots, the shovels, the tossing bowls, the meat hooks, and the fire pans – he made all its utensils of bronze. 38:4 He made a grating for the altar, a network of bronze under its ledge, halfway up from the bottom. 38:5 He cast four rings for the four corners of the bronze grating, to provide places for the poles. 38:6 He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with bronze. 38:7 He put the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar, with which to carry it. He made the altar hollow, out of boards.
38:8 He made the large basin of bronze and its pedestal of bronze from the mirrors of the women who served at the entrance of the tent of meeting.
The Construction of the Courtyard
38:9 He made the courtyard. For the south side the hangings of the courtyard were of fine twisted linen, one hundred fifty feet long, 38:10 with their twenty posts and their twenty bronze bases, with the hooks of the posts and their bands of silver. 38:11 For the north side the hangings were one hundred fifty feet, with their twenty posts and their twenty bronze bases, with the hooks of the posts and their bands of silver. 38:12 For the west side there were hangings seventy-five feet long, with their ten posts and their ten bases, with the hooks of the posts and their bands of silver. 38:13 For the east side, toward the sunrise, it was seventy-five feet wide, 38:14 with hangings on one side of the gate that were twenty-two and a half feet long, with their three posts and their three bases, 38:15 and for the second side of the gate of the courtyard, just like the other, the hangings were twenty-two and a half feet long, with their three posts and their three bases. 38:16 All the hangings around the courtyard were of fine twisted linen. 38:17 The bases for the posts were bronze. The hooks of the posts and their bands were silver, their tops were overlaid with silver, and all the posts of the courtyard had silver bands. 38:18 The curtain for the gate of the courtyard was of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine twisted linen, the work of an embroiderer. It was thirty feet long, and like the hangings in the courtyard, it was seven and a half feet high, 38:19 with four posts and their four bronze bases. Their hooks and their bands were silver, and their tops were overlaid with silver. 38:20 All the tent pegs of the tabernacle and of the courtyard all around were bronze.
The Materials of the Construction
38:21 This is the inventory of the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the testimony, which was counted by the order of Moses, being the work of the Levites under the direction of Ithamar, son of Aaron the priest. 38:22 Now Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made everything that the Lord had commanded Moses; 38:23 and with him was Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an artisan, a designer, and an embroiderer in blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine linen.
38:24 All the gold that was used for the work, in all the work of the sanctuary (namely, the gold of the wave offering) was twenty-nine talents and 730 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel.
38:25 The silver of those who were numbered of the community was one hundred talents and 1,775 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel, 38:26 one beka per person, that is, a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, for everyone who crossed over to those numbered, from twenty years old or older, 603,550 in all. 38:27 The one hundred talents of silver were used for casting the bases of the sanctuary and the bases of the special curtain – one hundred bases for one hundred talents, one talent per base. 38:28 From the remaining 1,775 shekels he made hooks for the posts, overlaid their tops, and made bands for them.
38:29 The bronze of the wave offering was seventy talents and 2,400 shekels. 38:30 With it he made the bases for the door of the tent of meeting, the bronze altar, the bronze grating for it, and all the utensils of the altar, 38:31 the bases for the courtyard all around, the bases for the gate of the courtyard, all the tent pegs of the tabernacle, and all the tent pegs of the courtyard all around.
The Making of the Priestly Garments
39:1 From the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn they made woven garments for serving in the sanctuary; they made holy garments that were for Aaron, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
The Ephod
39:2 He made the ephod of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twisted linen. 39:3 They hammered the gold into thin sheets and cut it into narrow strips to weave them into the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and into the fine linen, the work of an artistic designer. 39:4 They made shoulder pieces for it, attached to two of its corners, so it could be joined together. 39:5 The artistically woven waistband of the ephod that was on it was like it, of one piece with it, of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine twisted linen, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
39:6 They set the onyx stones in gold filigree settings, engraved as with the engravings of a seal with the names of the sons of Israel. 39:7 He put them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as stones of memorial for the Israelites, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
The Breastpiece of Decision
39:8 He made the breastpiece, the work of an artistic designer, in the same fashion as the ephod, of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet, and fine twisted linen. 39:9 It was square – they made the breastpiece doubled, nine inches long and nine inches wide when doubled. 39:10 They set on it four rows of stones: a row with a ruby, a topaz, and a beryl – the first row; 39:11 and the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire, and an emerald; 39:12 and the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 39:13 and the fourth row, a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper. They were enclosed in gold filigree settings. 39:14 The stones were for the names of the sons of Israel, twelve, corresponding to the number of their names. Each name corresponding to one of the twelve tribes was like the engravings of a seal.
39:15 They made for the breastpiece braided chains like cords of pure gold, 39:16 and they made two gold filigree settings and two gold rings, and they attached the two rings to the upper two ends of the breastpiece. 39:17 They attached the two gold chains to the two rings at the ends of the breastpiece; 39:18 the other two ends of the two chains they attached to the two settings, and they attached them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front of it. 39:19 They made two rings of gold and put them on the other two ends of the breastpiece on its edge, which is on the inner side of the ephod. 39:20 They made two more gold rings and attached them to the bottom of the two shoulder pieces on the front of the ephod, close to the juncture above the waistband of the ephod. 39:21 They tied the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod by blue cord, so that it was above the waistband of the ephod, so that the breastpiece would not be loose from the ephod, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
The Other Garments
39:22 He made the robe of the ephod completely blue, the work of a weaver. 39:23 There was an opening in the center of the robe, like the opening of a collar, with an edge all around the opening so that it could not be torn. 39:24 They made pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and twisted linen around the hem of the robe. 39:25 They made bells of pure gold and attached the bells between the pomegranates around the hem of the robe between the pomegranates. 39:26 There was a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, all around the hem of the robe, to be used in ministering, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
39:27 They made tunics of fine linen – the work of a weaver, for Aaron and for his sons – 39:28 and the turban of fine linen, the headbands of fine linen, and the undergarments of fine twisted linen. 39:29 The sash was of fine twisted linen and blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, the work of an embroiderer, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 39:30 They made a plate, the holy diadem, of pure gold and wrote on it an inscription, as on the engravings of a seal, “Holiness to the Lord.” 39:31 They attached to it a blue cord, to attach it to the turban above, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Moses Inspects the Sanctuary
39:32 So all the work of the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, was completed, and the Israelites did according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses – they did it exactly so. 39:33 They brought the tabernacle to Moses, the tent and all its furnishings, clasps, frames, bars, posts, and bases; 39:34 and the coverings of ram skins dyed red, the covering of fine leather, and the protecting curtain; 39:35 the ark of the testimony and its poles, and the atonement lid; 39:36 the table, all its utensils, and the Bread of the Presence; 39:37 the pure lampstand, its lamps, with the lamps set in order, and all its accessories, and oil for the light; 39:38 and the gold altar, and the anointing oil, and the fragrant incense; and the curtain for the entrance to the tent; 39:39 the bronze altar and its bronze grating, its poles, and all its utensils; the large basin with its pedestal; 39:40 the hangings of the courtyard, its posts and its bases, and the curtain for the gateway of the courtyard, its ropes and its tent pegs, and all the furnishings for the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of meeting; 39:41 the woven garments for serving in the sanctuary, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments for his sons to minister as priests.
39:42 The Israelites did all the work according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses. 39:43 Moses inspected all the work – and they had done it just as the Lord had commanded – they had done it exactly – and Moses blessed them.
Setting Up the Sanctuary
40:1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 40:2 “On the first day of the first month you are to set up the tabernacle, the tent of meeting. 40:3 You are to place the ark of the testimony in it and shield the ark with the special curtain. 40:4 You are to bring in the table and set out the things that belong on it; then you are to bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps. 40:5 You are to put the gold altar for incense in front of the ark of the testimony and put the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle. 40:6 You are to put the altar for the burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting. 40:7 You are to put the large basin between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it. 40:8 You are to set up the courtyard around it and put the curtain at the gate of the courtyard. 40:9 And take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it, and sanctify it and all its furnishings, and it will be holy. 40:10 Then you are to anoint the altar for the burnt offering with all its utensils; you are to sanctify the altar, and it will be the most holy altar. 40:11 You must also anoint the large basin and its pedestal, and you are to sanctify it.
40:12 “You are to bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting and wash them with water. 40:13 Then you are to clothe Aaron with the holy garments and anoint him and sanctify him so that he may minister as my priest. 40:14 You are to bring his sons and clothe them with tunics 40:15 and anoint them just as you anointed their father, so that they may minister as my priests; their anointing will make them a priesthood that will continue throughout their generations.” 40:16 This is what Moses did, according to all the Lord had commanded him – so he did.
40:17 So the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month, in the second year. 40:18 When Moses set up the tabernacle and put its bases in place, he set up its frames, attached its bars, and set up its posts. 40:19 Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent over it, as the Lord had commanded Moses. 40:20 He took the testimony and put it in the ark, attached the poles to the ark, and then put the atonement lid on the ark. 40:21 And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, hung the protecting curtain, and shielded the ark of the testimony from view, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
40:22 And he put the table in the tent of meeting, on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the curtain. 40:23 And he set the bread in order on it before the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
40:24 And he put the lampstand in the tent of meeting opposite the table, on the south side of the tabernacle. 40:25 Then he set up the lamps before the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
40:26 And he put the gold altar in the tent of meeting in front of the curtain, 40:27 and he burned fragrant incense on it, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
40:28 Then he put the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle. 40:29 He also put the altar for the burnt offering by the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the meal offering, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
40:30 Then he put the large basin between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing. 40:31 Moses and Aaron and his sons would wash their hands and their feet from it. 40:32 Whenever they entered the tent of meeting, and whenever they approached the altar, they would wash, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
40:33 And he set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and the altar, and put the curtain at the gate of the courtyard. So Moses finished the work.
40:34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 40:35 Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 40:36 But when the cloud was lifted up from the tabernacle, the Israelites would set out on all their journeys; 40:37 but if the cloud was not lifted up, then they would not journey further until the day it was lifted up. 40:38 For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, but fire would be on it at night, in plain view of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.
Lord, when You call someone You equip them for excellence. May I give myself fully to Your service so that You might equip me to serve You in some small way with excellence. You have tolerated so much rebellion and been un-endingly patient with us, may my life be a sacrifice to You as the ancient Israelites sacrificed to build Your desert tabernacle. May the words of my mouth and the works of my hands be of such excellence that they proclaim your royal Lordship in and over me. You set your people free and created a means for them to commune with You, and You did the same for me. Please find me humbled and grateful.
The Lord God called and equipped Bezalel to be His “artistic designer” with oversight for the highly-detailed construction of the Tabernacle.
The NET search tool finds the name Bezalel in 22 locations in the Bible text:
Exo: 31:2 35:30 35:31 35:34 36:1 36:2 36:8 36:10 37:1 37:6 37:10 37:15 37:25 38:1 38:22 38:23 38:30 39:2 39:8, 1Ch: 2:20, 2Ch: 1:5, Ezr: 10:30
The first reference to Bezalel is Exodus 31:1 “The Lord spoke to Moses: 31:2 “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 31:3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God in skill, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship,”
The Exodus references to Bezalel are generally descriptive of his work on the tabernacle. The Chronicles (1 and 2) and Ezra references are of his lineage or reference his handiwork to identify something that he had made.
The NET translators estimate that approximately 2,000 pounds of gold were donated and used in the construction of the tabernacle. Silver received at the census of those age 20 and older was approximately 3.75 tons.
The detailed, ornate, and valuable nature of design and content of the tabernacle required the finest artisans and materials and the highest attention to excellence as befitted The King of Kings.
The text repeatedly noted that each element of their work was as the Lord God had described to Moses; He had left no detail unattended.
And so they obediently followed His instructions so that when they brought the tabernacle to him “... Moses inspected all the work – and they had done it just as the Lord had commanded – they had done it exactly – and Moses blessed them.”
The Lord God instructed Moses that the first day of the first month was when he was to assemble the items in the tabernacle and prepare Aaron and his sons to serve therein as priests.
Numbers provides the context for Exodus 40:2; verse 1:1 “Now the Lord spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting in the wilderness of Sinai on the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites departed from the land of Egypt.” Therefore this Exodus 40:2 event occurred on the first day of the first month of the second year since their exodus from Egypt.
Once Moses had completed the task of preparation “Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.”
Even “Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.”
God then used the tabernacle as the ancient version of a GPS and a travel schedule “But when the cloud was lifted up from the tabernacle, the Israelites would set out on all their journeys; but if the cloud was not lifted up, then they would not journey further until the day it was lifted up. For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, but fire would be on it at night, in plain view of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.”
The detailed and quality work had to have been extremely time-consuming and exhausting. Much of the gold and silver and other fine resources of wealth that was taken from Egypt in the Exodus was sacrificed to the Lord God for the tabernacle. The detail and the talent to create that detail is amazing to this day – one wonders what these people had endured in Egypt, creating fine clothing and furnishings for Pharaoh – now God redeems that experience to His glory. God chose New Year’s Day to open His tabernacle.
While Michaelangelo poured himself into painting the Sistine Chapel what must it have been like for Bezalel to work in a much more primitive environment and directly for the Lord God? How impressive must it have been for the artisans to see God working through their hands as He guided the construction of His tabernacle? Imagine Moses inspecting the tabernacle in all of its detail, seeing now the completion of what God had described to him during his time on the mountain – how might he have verbalized as he looked it all over? What must it have meant to the confidence and sense of national value for the Israelites to have the Lord God choose to not merely visit them but to dwell among them and to lead them toward the promised land?
While the text refers to Bezalel as the “artistic designer” clearly he was God’s human-hands in the creation of what He had described to Moses. The detailed, ornate, and valuable nature of design and content of the tabernacle was not intended to be a model for elite wealthy living nor a goal for those desirous of improving their standard of living, it was to enhance a sense of awe and honor when the people came into the place of sacrifice and worship. From God’s voice to the ears of Moses, and perhaps to papyrus, came 40 days of details and now it has been manufactured in order that a suitable place of meeting between God and His covenant people may exist. God had led, and protected, the Israelites out of Egypt and to the mountain using His presence in a cloud – He now does that again – this time with His presence centered on the tabernacle.
When have you been blessed to create something for God’s service? How were you energized and inspired to know that the Lord God intended to use your handiwork in His ministry? When have you participated in a project that required a high degree of excellence? How did you feel as you watched it come together? When have you looked upon the fine handiwork of a true artisan and been amazed? When have you experienced a sense of God’s special presence in your life?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you have, or where you are, or will you will apply your gifts to God’s ministry, to show you an opportunity to do something of excellence which will bring glory to Him and blessing to others, to show you where He has used your gifts and talents, and where He would like to use them again, and to reveal to you a way that He has been protecting you and is offering to lead you.
Today I will prayerfully agree that whatever God asks me to do that I will humbly give my all to that task and be His tool of excellence to accomplish whatever it is that He decides. I will prayerfully, perhaps with the confirmation of a mature fellow believer, discern the guidance of the Holy Spirit and give myself fully to the task of excellence He sets before me. I will celebrate those places, perhaps small and largely unnoticed by humankind (but not missed by God), where He has used my gifts and talents for His purposes. I agree to apply myself to excellence in anything He places before me – if it is prayer for others because my circumstances limit my physical activity then I will pray earnestly, if it is the use of my voice to teach, my hands to write, or my body to create and work – I will do it all with excellence because ultimately I am doing it for Him. I will take some time to praise and thank God for His protection. I also commit to prayerfully seek clarity as to His leading; soliciting the prayers in-agreement of one or more mature believers (preferably Biblically-qualified elders) for affirmation/confirmation that I have heard rightly, then act in obedience to His leading.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 17
Introduction to the Sacrificial Regulations
1:1 Then the Lord called to Moses and spoke to him from the Meeting Tent: 1:2 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘When someone among you presents an offering to the Lord, you must present your offering from the domesticated animals, either from the herd or from the flock.
Burnt Offering Regulations: Animal from the Herd
1:3 “‘If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd he must present it as a flawless male; he must present it at the entrance of the Meeting Tent for its acceptance before the Lord. 1:4 He must lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted for him to make atonement on his behalf. 1:5 Then the one presenting the offering must slaughter the bull before the Lord, and the sons of Aaron, the priests, must present the blood and splash the blood against the sides of the altar which is at the entrance of the Meeting Tent. 1:6 Next, the one presenting the offering must skin the burnt offering and cut it into parts, 1:7 and the sons of Aaron, the priest, must put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. 1:8 Then the sons of Aaron, the priests, must arrange the parts with the head and the suet on the wood that is in the fire on the altar. 1:9 Finally, the one presenting the offering must wash its entrails and its legs in water and the priest must offer all of it up in smoke on the altar – it is a burnt offering, a gift of a soothing aroma to the Lord.
Animal from the Flock
1:10 “‘If his offering is from the flock for a burnt offering – from the sheep or the goats – he must present a flawless male, 1:11 and must slaughter it on the north side of the altar before the Lord, and the sons of Aaron, the priests, will splash its blood against the altar’s sides. 1:12 Next, the one presenting the offering must cut it into parts, with its head and its suet, and the priest must arrange them on the wood which is in the fire, on the altar. 1:13 Then the one presenting the offering must wash the entrails and the legs in water, and the priest must present all of it and offer it up in smoke on the altar – it is a burnt offering, a gift of a soothing aroma to the Lord.
From the Birds
1:14 “‘If his offering to the Lord is a burnt offering from the birds, he must present his offering from the turtledoves or from the young pigeons. 1:15 The priest must present it at the altar, pinch off its head and offer the head up in smoke on the altar, and its blood must be drained out against the side of the altar. 1:16 Then the priest must remove its entrails by cutting off its tail feathers, and throw them to the east side of the altar into the place of fatty ashes, 1:17 and tear it open by its wings without dividing it into two parts. Finally, the priest must offer it up in smoke on the altar on the wood which is in the fire – it is a burnt offering, a gift of a soothing aroma to the Lord.
Grain Offering Regulations: Offering of Raw Flour
2:1 “‘When a person presents a grain offering to the Lord, his offering must consist of choice wheat flour, and he must pour olive oil on it and put frankincense on it. 2:2 Then he must bring it to the sons of Aaron, the priests, and the priest must scoop out from there a handful of its choice wheat flour and some of its olive oil in addition to all of its frankincense, and the priest must offer its memorial portion up in smoke on the altar – it is a gift of a soothing aroma to the Lord. 2:3 The remainder of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and to his sons – it is most holy from the gifts of the Lord.
Processed Grain Offerings
2:4 “‘When you present an offering of grain baked in an oven, it must be made of choice wheat flour baked into unleavened loaves mixed with olive oil or unleavened wafers smeared with olive oil. 2:5 If your offering is a grain offering made on the griddle, it must be choice wheat flour mixed with olive oil, unleavened. 2:6 Crumble it in pieces and pour olive oil on it – it is a grain offering. 2:7 If your offering is a grain offering made in a pan, it must be made of choice wheat flour deep fried in olive oil.
2:8 “‘You must bring the grain offering that must be made from these to the Lord. Present it to the priest, and he will bring it to the altar. 2:9 Then the priest must take up from the grain offering its memorial portion and offer it up in smoke on the altar – it is a gift of a soothing aroma to the Lord. 2:10 The remainder of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and to his sons – it is most holy from the gifts of the Lord.
Additional Grain Offering Regulations
2:11 “‘No grain offering which you present to the Lord can be made with yeast, for you must not offer up in smoke any yeast or honey as a gift to the Lord. 2:12 You can present them to the Lord as an offering of first fruit, but they must not go up to the altar for a soothing aroma. 2:13 Moreover, you must season every one of your grain offerings with salt; you must not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be missing from your grain offering – on every one of your grain offerings you must present salt.
2:14 “‘If you present a grain offering of first ripe grain to the Lord, you must present your grain offering of first ripe grain as soft kernels roasted in fire – crushed bits of fresh grain. 2:15 And you must put olive oil on it and set frankincense on it – it is a grain offering. 2:16 Then the priest must offer its memorial portion up in smoke – some of its crushed bits, some of its olive oil, in addition to all of its frankincense – it is a gift to the Lord.
Peace Offering Regulations: Animal from the Herd
3:1 “‘Now if his offering is a peace offering sacrifice, if he presents an offering from the herd, he must present before the Lord a flawless male or a female. 3:2 He must lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it at the entrance of the Meeting Tent, and the sons of Aaron, the priests, must splash the blood against the altar’s sides. 3:3 Then the one presenting the offering must present a gift to the Lord from the peace offering sacrifice: He must remove the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that surrounds the entrails, 3:4 the two kidneys with the fat on their sinews, and the protruding lobe on the liver (which he is to remove along with the kidneys). 3:5 Then the sons of Aaron must offer it up in smoke on the altar atop the burnt offering that is on the wood in the fire as a gift of a soothing aroma to the Lord.
Animal from the Flock
3:6 “‘If his offering for a peace offering sacrifice to the Lord is from the flock, he must present a flawless male or female. 3:7 If he presents a sheep as his offering, he must present it before the Lord. 3:8 He must lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it before the Meeting Tent, and the sons of Aaron must splash its blood against the altar’s sides. 3:9 Then he must present a gift to the Lord from the peace offering sacrifice: He must remove all the fatty tail up to the end of the spine, the fat covering the entrails, and all the fat on the entrails, 3:10 the two kidneys with the fat on their sinews, and the protruding lobe on the liver (which he is to remove along with the kidneys). 3:11 Then the priest must offer it up in smoke on the altar as a food gift to the Lord.
3:12 “‘If his offering is a goat he must present it before the Lord, 3:13 lay his hand on its head, and slaughter it before the Meeting Tent, and the sons of Aaron must splash its blood against the altar’s sides. 3:14 Then he must present from it his offering as a gift to the Lord: the fat which covers the entrails and all the fat on the entrails, 3:15 the two kidneys with the fat on their sinews, and the protruding lobe on the liver (which he is to remove along with the kidneys). 3:16 Then the priest must offer them up in smoke on the altar as a food gift for a soothing aroma – all the fat belongs to the Lord. 3:17 This is a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all the places where you live: You must never eat any fat or any blood.’”
Sin Offering Regulations
4:1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 4:2 “Tell the Israelites, ‘When a person sins by straying unintentionally from any of the Lord’s commandments which must not be violated, and violates any one of them –
For the Priest
4:3 “‘If the high priest sins so that the people are guilty, on account of the sin he has committed he must present a flawless young bull to the Lord for a sin offering. 4:4 He must bring the bull to the entrance of the Meeting Tent before the Lord, lay his hand on the head of the bull, and slaughter the bull before the Lord. 4:5 Then that high priest must take some of the blood of the bull and bring it to the Meeting Tent. 4:6 The priest must dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle some of it seven times before the Lord toward the front of the veil-canopy of the sanctuary. 4:7 The priest must put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense that is before the Lord in the Meeting Tent, and all the rest of the bull’s blood he must pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering that is at the entrance of the Meeting Tent.
4:8 “‘Then he must take up all the fat from the sin offering bull: the fat covering the entrails and all the fat surrounding the entrails, 4:9 the two kidneys with the fat on their sinews, and the protruding lobe on the liver (which he is to remove along with the kidneys) 4:10 – just as it is taken from the ox of the peace offering sacrifice – and the priest must offer them up in smoke on the altar of burnt offering. 4:11 But the hide of the bull, all its flesh along with its head and its legs, its entrails, and its dung – 4:12 all the rest of the bull – he must bring outside the camp to a ceremonially clean place, to the fatty ash pile, and he must burn it on a wood fire; it must be burned on the fatty ash pile.
For the Whole Congregation
4:13 “‘If the whole congregation of Israel strays unintentionally and the matter is not noticed by the assembly, and they violate one of the Lord’s commandments, which must not be violated, so they become guilty, 4:14 the assembly must present a young bull for a sin offering when the sin they have committed becomes known. They must bring it before the Meeting Tent, 4:15 the elders of the congregation must lay their hands on the head of the bull before the Lord, and someone must slaughter the bull before the Lord. 4:16 Then the high priest must bring some of the blood of the bull to the Meeting Tent, 4:17 and that priest must dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle some of the blood seven times before the Lord toward the front of the veil-canopy. 4:18 He must put some of the blood on the horns of the altar which is before the Lord in the Meeting Tent, and all the rest of the blood he must pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering that is at the entrance of the Meeting Tent.
4:19 “‘Then the priest must take all its fat and offer the fat up in smoke on the altar. 4:20 He must do with the rest of the bull just as he did with the bull of the sin offering; this is what he must do with it. So the priest will make atonement on their behalf and they will be forgiven. 4:21 He must bring the rest of the bull outside the camp and burn it just as he burned the first bull – it is the sin offering of the assembly.
For the Leader
4:22 “‘Whenever a leader, by straying unintentionally, sins and violates one of the commandments of the Lord his God which must not be violated, and he pleads guilty, 4:23 or his sin that he committed is made known to him, he must bring a flawless male goat as his offering. 4:24 He must lay his hand on the head of the male goat and slaughter it in the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered before the Lord – it is a sin offering. 4:25 Then the priest must take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and he must pour out the rest of its blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering. 4:26 Then the priest must offer all of its fat up in smoke on the altar like the fat of the peace offering sacrifice. So the priest will make atonement on his behalf for his sin and he will be forgiven.
For the Common Person
4:27 “‘If an ordinary individual sins by straying unintentionally when he violates one of the Lord’s commandments which must not be violated, and he pleads guilty 4:28 or his sin that he committed is made known to him, he must bring a flawless female goat as his offering for the sin that he committed. 4:29 He must lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter the sin offering in the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered. 4:30 Then the priest must take some of its blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and he must pour out all the rest of its blood at the base of the altar. 4:31 Then he must remove all of its fat (just as fat was removed from the peace offering sacrifice) and the priest must offer it up in smoke on the altar for a soothing aroma to the Lord. So the priest will make atonement on his behalf and he will be forgiven.
4:32 “‘But if he brings a sheep as his offering, for a sin offering, he must bring a flawless female. 4:33 He must lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it for a sin offering in the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered. 4:34 Then the priest must take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and he must pour out all the rest of its blood at the base of the altar. 4:35 Then the one who brought the offering must remove all its fat (just as the fat of the sheep is removed from the peace offering sacrifice) and the priest must offer them up in smoke on the altar on top of the other gifts of the Lord. So the priest will make atonement on his behalf for his sin which he has committed and he will be forgiven.
Additional Sin Offering Regulations
5:1 “‘When a person sins in that he hears a public curse against one who fails to testify and he is a witness (he either saw or knew what had happened) and he does not make it known, then he will bear his punishment for iniquity. 5:2 Or when there is a person who touches anything ceremonially unclean, whether the carcass of an unclean wild animal, or the carcass of an unclean domesticated animal, or the carcass of an unclean creeping thing, even if he did not realize it, but he himself has become unclean and is guilty; 5:3 or when he touches human uncleanness with regard to anything by which he can become unclean, even if he did not realize it, but he himself has later come to know it and is guilty; 5:4 or when a person swears an oath, speaking thoughtlessly with his lips, whether to do evil or to do good, with regard to anything which the individual might speak thoughtlessly in an oath, even if he did not realize it, but he himself has later come to know it and is guilty with regard to one of these oaths – 5:5 when an individual becomes guilty with regard to one of these things he must confess how he has sinned, 5:6 and he must bring his penalty for guilt to the Lord for his sin that he has committed, a female from the flock, whether a female sheep or a female goat, for a sin offering. So the priest will make atonement on his behalf for his sin.
5:7 “‘If he cannot afford an animal from the flock, he must bring his penalty for guilt for his sin that he has committed, two turtledoves or two young pigeons, to the Lord, one for a sin offering and one for a burnt offering. 5:8 He must bring them to the priest and present first the one that is for a sin offering. The priest must pinch its head at the nape of its neck, but must not sever the head from the body. 5:9 Then he must sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the wall of the altar, and the remainder of the blood must be squeezed out at the base of the altar – it is a sin offering. 5:10 The second bird he must make a burnt offering according to the standard regulation. So the priest will make atonement on behalf of this person for his sin which he has committed, and he will be forgiven.
5:11 “‘If he cannot afford two turtledoves or two young pigeons, he must bring as his offering for his sin which he has committed a tenth of an ephah of choice wheat flour for a sin offering. He must not place olive oil on it and he must not put frankincense on it, because it is a sin offering. 5:12 He must bring it to the priest and the priest must scoop out from it a handful as its memorial portion and offer it up in smoke on the altar on top of the other gifts of the Lord – it is a sin offering. 5:13 So the priest will make atonement on his behalf for his sin which he has committed by doing one of these things, and he will be forgiven. The remainder of the offering will belong to the priest like the grain offering.’”
Guilt Offering Regulations: Known Trespass
5:14 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 5:15 “When a person commits a trespass and sins by straying unintentionally from the regulations about the Lord’s holy things, then he must bring his penalty for guilt to the Lord, a flawless ram from the flock, convertible into silver shekels according to the standard of the sanctuary shekel, for a guilt offering. 5:16 And whatever holy thing he violated he must restore and must add one fifth to it and give it to the priest. So the priest will make atonement on his behalf with the guilt offering ram and he will be forgiven.”
Unknown trespass
5:17 “If a person sins and violates any of the Lord’s commandments which must not be violated (although he did not know it at the time, but later realizes he is guilty), then he will bear his punishment for iniquity 5:18 and must bring a flawless ram from the flock, convertible into silver shekels, for a guilt offering to the priest. So the priest will make atonement on his behalf for his error which he committed (although he himself had not known it) and he will be forgiven. 5:19 It is a guilt offering; he was surely guilty before the Lord.”
Trespass by Deception and False Oath
6:1 (5:20) Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 6:2 “When a person sins and commits a trespass against the Lord by deceiving his fellow citizen in regard to something held in trust, or a pledge, or something stolen, or by extorting something from his fellow citizen, 6:3 or has found something lost and denies it and swears falsely concerning any one of the things that someone might do to sin – 6:4 when it happens that he sins and he is found guilty, then he must return whatever he had stolen, or whatever he had extorted, or the thing that he had held in trust, or the lost thing that he had found, 6:5 or anything about which he swears falsely. He must restore it in full and add one fifth to it; he must give it to its owner when he is found guilty. 6:6 Then he must bring his guilt offering to the Lord, a flawless ram from the flock, convertible into silver shekels, for a guilt offering to the priest. 6:7 So the priest will make atonement on his behalf before the Lord and he will be forgiven for whatever he has done to become guilty.”
Sacrificial Instructions for the Priests: The Burnt Offering
6:8 (6:1) Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 6:9 “Command Aaron and his sons, ‘This is the law of the burnt offering. The burnt offering is to remain on the hearth on the altar all night until morning, and the fire of the altar must be kept burning on it. 6:10 Then the priest must put on his linen robe and must put linen leggings over his bare flesh, and he must take up the fatty ashes of the burnt offering that the fire consumed on the altar, and he must place them beside the altar. 6:11 Then he must take off his clothes and put on other clothes, and he must bring the fatty ashes outside the camp to a ceremonially clean place, 6:12 but the fire which is on the altar must be kept burning on it. It must not be extinguished. So the priest must kindle wood on it morning by morning, and he must arrange the burnt offering on it and offer the fat of the peace offering up in smoke on it. 6:13 A continual fire must be kept burning on the altar. It must not be extinguished.
The Grain Offering of the Common Person
6:14 “‘This is the law of the grain offering. The sons of Aaron are to present it before the Lord in front of the altar, 6:15 and the priest must take up with his hand some of the choice wheat flour of the grain offering and some of its olive oil, and all of the frankincense that is on the grain offering, and he must offer its memorial portion up in smoke on the altar as a soothing aroma to the Lord. 6:16 Aaron and his sons are to eat what is left over from it. It must be eaten unleavened in a holy place; they are to eat it in the courtyard of the Meeting Tent. 6:17 It must not be baked with yeast. I have given it as their portion from my gifts. It is most holy, like the sin offering and the guilt offering. 6:18 Every male among the sons of Aaron may eat it. It is a perpetual allotted portion throughout your generations from the gifts of the Lord. Anyone who touches these gifts must be holy.’”
The Grain Offering of the Priests
6:19 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 6:20 “This is the offering of Aaron and his sons which they must present to the Lord on the day when he is anointed: a tenth of an ephah of choice wheat flour as a continual grain offering, half of it in the morning and half of it in the evening. 6:21 It must be made with olive oil on a griddle and you must bring it well soaked, so you must present a grain offering of broken pieces as a soothing aroma to the Lord. 6:22 The high priest who succeeds him from among his sons must do it. It is a perpetual statute; it must be offered up in smoke as a whole offering to the Lord. 6:23 Every grain offering of a priest must be a whole offering; it must not be eaten.”
The Sin Offering
6:24 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 6:25 “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is the law of the sin offering. In the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered the sin offering must be slaughtered before the Lord. It is most holy. 6:26 The priest who offers it for sin is to eat it. It must be eaten in a holy place, in the court of the Meeting Tent. 6:27 Anyone who touches its meat must be holy, and whoever spatters some of its blood on a garment, you must wash whatever he spatters it on in a holy place. 6:28 Any clay vessel it is boiled in must be broken, and if it was boiled in a bronze vessel, then that vessel must be rubbed out and rinsed in water. 6:29 Any male among the priests may eat it. It is most holy. 6:30 But any sin offering from which some of its blood is brought into the Meeting Tent to make atonement in the sanctuary must not be eaten. It must be burned up in the fire.
The Guilt Offering
7:1 “‘This is the law of the guilt offering. It is most holy. 7:2 In the place where they slaughter the burnt offering they must slaughter the guilt offering, and the officiating priest must splash the blood against the altar’s sides. 7:3 Then the one making the offering must present all its fat: the fatty tail, the fat covering the entrails, 7:4 the two kidneys and the fat on their sinews, and the protruding lobe on the liver (which he must remove along with the kidneys). 7:5 Then the priest must offer them up in smoke on the altar as a gift to the Lord. It is a guilt offering. 7:6 Any male among the priests may eat it. It must be eaten in a holy place. It is most holy. 7:7 The law is the same for the sin offering and the guilt offering; it belongs to the priest who makes atonement with it.
Priestly Portions of Burnt and Grain Offerings
7:8 “‘As for the priest who presents someone’s burnt offering, the hide of that burnt offering which he presented belongs to him. 7:9 Every grain offering which is baked in the oven or made in the pan or on the griddle belongs to the priest who presented it. 7:10 Every grain offering, whether mixed with olive oil or dry, belongs to all the sons of Aaron, each one alike.
The Peace Offering
7:11 “‘This is the law of the peace offering sacrifice which he is to present to the Lord. 7:12 If he presents it on account of thanksgiving, along with the thank offering sacrifice he must present unleavened loaves mixed with olive oil, unleavened wafers smeared with olive oil, and well soaked ring-shaped loaves made of choice wheat flour mixed with olive oil. 7:13 He must present this grain offering in addition to ring-shaped loaves of leavened bread which regularly accompany the sacrifice of his thanksgiving peace offering. 7:14 He must present one of each kind of grain offering as a contribution offering to the Lord; it belongs to the priest who splashes the blood of the peace offering. 7:15 The meat of his thanksgiving peace offering must be eaten on the day of his offering; he must not set any of it aside until morning.
7:16 “‘If his offering is a votive or freewill sacrifice, it may be eaten on the day he presents his sacrifice, and also the leftovers from it may be eaten on the next day, 7:17 but the leftovers from the meat of the sacrifice must be burned up in the fire on the third day. 7:18 If some of the meat of his peace offering sacrifice is ever eaten on the third day it will not be accepted; it will not be accounted to the one who presented it, since it is spoiled, and the person who eats from it will bear his punishment for iniquity. 7:19 The meat which touches anything ceremonially unclean must not be eaten; it must be burned up in the fire. As for ceremonially clean meat, everyone who is ceremonially clean may eat the meat. 7:20 The person who eats meat from the peace offering sacrifice which belongs to the Lord while his uncleanness persists will be cut off from his people. 7:21 When a person touches anything unclean (whether human uncleanness, or an unclean animal, or an unclean detestable creature) and eats some of the meat of the peace offering sacrifice which belongs to the Lord, that person will be cut off from his people.’”
Sacrificial Instructions for the Common People: Fat and Blood
7:22 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 7:23 “Tell the Israelites, ‘You must not eat any fat of an ox, sheep, or goat. 7:24 Moreover, the fat of an animal that has died of natural causes and the fat of an animal torn by beasts may be used for any other purpose, but you must certainly never eat it. 7:25 If anyone eats fat from the animal from which he presents a gift to the Lord, that person will be cut off from his people. 7:26 And you must not eat any blood of the birds or the domesticated land animals in any of the places where you live. 7:27 Any person who eats any blood – that person will be cut off from his people.’”
Priestly Portions of Peace Offerings
7:28 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 7:29 “Tell the Israelites, ‘The one who presents his peace offering sacrifice to the Lord must bring his offering to the Lord from his peace offering sacrifice. 7:30 With his own hands he must bring the Lord’s gifts. He must bring the fat with the breast to wave the breast as a wave offering before the Lord, 7:31 and the priest must offer the fat up in smoke on the altar, but the breast will belong to Aaron and his sons. 7:32 The right thigh you must give as a contribution offering to the priest from your peace offering sacrifices. 7:33 The one from Aaron’s sons who presents the blood of the peace offering and fat will have the right thigh as his share, 7:34 for the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the contribution offering I have taken from the Israelites out of their peace offering sacrifices and have given them to Aaron the priest and to his sons from the people of Israel as a perpetual allotted portion.’”
7:35 This is the allotment of Aaron and the allotment of his sons from the Lord’s gifts on the day Moses presented them to serve as priests to the Lord. 7:36 This is what the Lord commanded to give to them from the Israelites on the day Moses anointed them – a perpetual allotted portion throughout their generations.
Summary of Sacrificial Regulations in Leviticus 6:8-7:36
7:37 This is the law for the burnt offering, the grain offering, the sin offering, the guilt offering, the ordination offering, and the peace offering sacrifice, 7:38 which the Lord commanded Moses on Mount Sinai on the day he commanded the Israelites to present their offerings to the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai.
Lord, You provided for proportional sacrifices to match the violation against You, and You provided for sustenance for the priests who served the people upon Your calling. My I remember Your perfect balance and Your reliable provision.
In order to be certain that offerings came with the heart of Abel rather than that of Cain the Lord God set some high standards:
They were to bring animals that they had cared for since birth, or had purchased, not something they went out and killed in the wild. The people needed a real investment in their sacrifice “... you must present your offering from the domesticated animals”.
Not just any domesticated animal would do, it had to be “... a flawless male”.
The grain offering could not be carelessly chosen from the less-valuable barley but had to be the “... choice wheat flour”.
Together with the grain offering was a physical requirement and a symbolic one, the grain offering was always to be prepared with salt “... you must not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be missing from your grain offering”.
And in an echo of the gift of the wise men to Jesus in the manger, the grain offering was to include frankincense, (the NET translators notes “Frankincense refers to the aromatic resin of certain trees, used as a sweet-smelling incense (L&N 6.212).”) elsewhere describe as “... an oil derived from the sap of a deciduous tree Boswellia Thurifera. Common to the modern nation-states of Somalia, Oman, and Yemen.” http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-frankincense.htm
The Lord God instructed Moses and Aaron that a “... peace offering sacrifice” must be “... from the flock [or the herd] ...” and must be “... a flawless male or a female.”
The Lord God then addressed the matter of unintentional sin “When a person sins by straying unintentionally from any of the Lord’s commandments which must not be violated, and violates any one of them ...”
He made a distinction as to who or whom committed the unintentional sin.
The principle of proportionality, that is, reasonable sacrifices to match the nature of the offense continued through the Lord God’s instructions.
The Lord God addressed additional contexts of sin offerings “... when an individual becomes guilty with regard to one of these things he must confess how he has sinned, 5:6 and he must bring his penalty for guilt to the Lord for his sin that he has committed, a female from the flock”
If the person was poor the Lord God provided an appropriate alternative “If he cannot afford an animal from the flock, he must bring his penalty for guilt for his sin that he has committed, two turtledoves or two young pigeons,”. This text only addressed an alternative to the physical sacrifice, the poor person was still required to confess their sin.
If the person was destitute the Lord God offered yet another alternative “If he cannot afford two turtledoves or two young pigeons, he must bring as his offering for his sin which he has committed a tenth of an ephah of choice wheat flour for a sin offering. He must not place olive oil on it and he must not put frankincense on it, because it is a sin offering.”
The NET translators notes explain “The sin offering deals with violations of “any of the commandments,” whereas the guilt offering focuses specifically on violations of regulations regarding “holy things” (i.e., things that have been consecrated to the Lord).”
The regulations regarding guilt offerings were divided into two categories, the first was for those trespasses where the offender recognized in-the-moment they had sinned “When a person commits a trespass and sins by straying unintentionally from the regulations about the Lord’s holy things, then he must bring his penalty for guilt to the Lord, a flawless ram from the flock, convertible into silver shekels according to the standard of the sanctuary shekel, for a guilt offering. 5:16 And whatever holy thing he violated he must restore and must add one fifth to it and give it to the priest.
The second was for when the offender recognized after-the-fact that they had sinned, in this case the restoration and one fifth value appears to have been waived, leaving only “... a flawless ram from the flock, convertible into silver shekels”
Continuing the practical application of the Commandments, the Lord God’s instructions covered cases where the sin was deception and false oath “When a person sins and commits a trespass against the Lord by deceiving his fellow citizen in regard to something held in trust, or a pledge, or something stolen, or by extorting something from his fellow citizen, 6:3 or has found something lost and denies it and swears falsely concerning any one of the things that someone might do to sin – 6:4 when it happens that he sins and he is found guilty … He must restore it in full and add one fifth to it; he must give it to its owner when he is found guilty. 6:6 Then he must bring his guilt offering to the Lord, a flawless ram from the flock, convertible into silver shekels...”
And one final observation, the Lord God provided for His servants, the priests “I have taken from the Israelites out of their peace offering sacrifices and have given them to Aaron the priest and to his sons from the people of Israel as a perpetual allotted portion.”
It is a matter of a momentary emotional reaction for one to be generous in response to a significant event, be it assisting people after a disaster, or having a part in the construction of the tabernacle. It was a whole different challenge to keep the attention of the Israelites over time; the detailed requirements of the sacrificial system were intended to keep them focused on a holy and awesome God. It is notable that the peace offering could be a male or female whereas the burnt offering from Lev. 1 could only be a male animal. No explanation of this is provided in the text nor in the NET translators notes.
How exciting must it have been, initially, to learn and to practice the required rituals – knowing that the Lord God would be receiving them? Isn’t it an evidence of His perfect attention to detail that God takes the covenant promise of the Israelites to be a holy and priest-led people and then links their unintentional sin and that of their high priest to identical offerings? How loved and understood must the least among the Israelites have felt to hear that the Lord God showed consideration for their lowly financial circumstances?
How strong must have been the temptation for the less-mature, the more selfish, and the simply lazy to respond with the attitude of Cain and to try to go-cheap on their sacrifices? It is notable that the sin of the high priest impacted the entire congregation and therefore required the same sacrifice as when the whole congregation sinned unintentionally; however, the leader was treated as an ordinary individual.
When have you had to resist the temptation to give God the leftovers of your gifts, your money, and/or your time? When have you unintentionally sinned? How have you made peace with God about that? When have you sinned against a Christian, one who has been set-apart by the Lord God as His child, and had a clear sense in the moment – or later on – that the sin was more grievous before a holy God?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you need to pay some closer attention to your heart-condition when approaching God in praise and prayer, study and worship. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where, due to your carelessness and/or ignorance (lack of knowledge or understanding of the Bible or of your circumstances) you have sinned unintentionally. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you may be sinning against the Commandments and/or against those whom He called His children.
Today I will humbly accept the challenge of the Holy Spirit as to the careless and/or lazy manner in which I approach Him in praise and prayer, study and worship. I will interpolate (translate from one context to another) the detailed attention to investment and quality of the God-specified tabernacle sacrifice and be more intentional about giving God the best and/or first of my gifts, my money, and my time and not merely my leftovers. I will make peace with God by confessing my unintentional sin, repenting (turning away from) that sin, and asking – and accepting - His forgiveness. I will faithfully confess then repent of my sins, seek and accept the forgiveness of the Lord, then alter my daily walk in such ways as to avoid the repetition of those sins. I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement with me for these things and will seek the counsel of a Biblically-qualified elder as needed.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Ordination of the Priests
8:1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 8:2 “Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, the anointing oil, the sin offering bull, the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread, 8:3 and assemble the whole congregation at the entrance of the Meeting Tent.” 8:4 So Moses did just as the Lord commanded him, and the congregation assembled at the entrance of the Meeting Tent. 8:5 Then Moses said to the congregation: “This is what the Lord has commanded to be done.”
Clothing Aaron
8:6 So Moses brought Aaron and his sons forward and washed them with water. 8:7 Then he put the tunic on Aaron, wrapped the sash around him, and clothed him with the robe. Next he put the ephod on him and placed on him the decorated band of the ephod, and fastened the ephod closely to him with the band. 8:8 He then set the breastpiece on him and put the Urim and Thummim into the breastpiece. 8:9 Finally, he set the turban on his head and attached the gold plate, the holy diadem, to the front of the turban just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Anointing the Tabernacle and Aaron, and Clothing Aaron’s Sons
8:10 Then Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and everything in it, and so consecrated them. 8:11 Next he sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times and so anointed the altar, all its vessels, and the wash basin and its stand to consecrate them. 8:12 He then poured some of the anointing oil on the head of Aaron and anointed him to consecrate him. 8:13 Moses also brought forward Aaron’s sons, clothed them with tunics, wrapped sashes around them, and wrapped headbands on them just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Consecration Offerings
8:14 Then he brought near the sin offering bull and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the sin offering bull, 8:15 and he slaughtered it. Moses then took the blood and put it all around on the horns of the altar with his finger and decontaminated the altar, and he poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar and so consecrated it to make atonement on it. 8:16 Then he took all the fat on the entrails, the protruding lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys and their fat, and Moses offered it all up in smoke on the altar, 8:17 but the rest of the bull – its hide, its flesh, and its dung – he completely burned up outside the camp just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
8:18 Then he presented the burnt offering ram and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram, 8:19 and he slaughtered it. Moses then splashed the blood against the altar’s sides. 8:20 Then he cut the ram into parts, and Moses offered the head, the parts, and the suet up in smoke, 8:21 but the entrails and the legs he washed with water, and Moses offered the whole ram up in smoke on the altar – it was a burnt offering for a soothing aroma, a gift to the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
8:22 Then he presented the second ram, the ram of ordination, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram 8:23 and he slaughtered it. Moses then took some of its blood and put it on Aaron’s right earlobe, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. 8:24 Next he brought Aaron’s sons forward, and Moses put some of the blood on their right earlobes, on their right thumbs, and on the big toes of their right feet, and Moses splashed the rest of the blood against the altar’s sides.
8:25 Then he took the fat (the fatty tail, all the fat on the entrails, the protruding lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys and their fat) and the right thigh, 8:26 and from the basket of unleavened bread that was before the Lord he took one unleavened loaf, one loaf of bread mixed with olive oil, and one wafer, and placed them on the fat parts and on the right thigh. 8:27 He then put all of them on the palms of Aaron and his sons, who waved them as a wave offering before the Lord. 8:28 Moses then took them from their palms and offered them up in smoke on the altar on top of the burnt offering – they were an ordination offering for a soothing aroma; it was a gift to the Lord. 8:29 Finally, Moses took the breast and waved it as a wave offering before the Lord from the ram of ordination. It was Moses’ share just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Anointing Aaron, his Sons, and their Garments
8:30 Then Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood which was on the altar and sprinkled it on Aaron and his garments, and on his sons and his sons’ garments with him. So he consecrated Aaron, his garments, and his sons and his sons’ garments with him. 8:31 Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons, “Boil the meat at the entrance of the Meeting Tent, and there you are to eat it and the bread which is in the ordination offering basket, just as I have commanded, saying, ‘Aaron and his sons are to eat it,’ 8:32 but the remainder of the meat and the bread you must burn with fire. 8:33 And you must not go out from the entrance of the Meeting Tent for seven days, until the day when your days of ordination are completed, because you must be ordained over a seven-day period. 8:34 What has been done on this day the Lord has commanded to be done to make atonement for you. 8:35 You must reside at the entrance of the Meeting Tent day and night for seven days and keep the charge of the Lord so that you will not die, for this is what I have been commanded.” 8:36 So Aaron and his sons did all the things the Lord had commanded through Moses.
Inauguration of Tabernacle Worship
9:1 On the eighth day Moses summoned Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel, 9:2 and said to Aaron, “Take for yourself a bull calf for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, both flawless, and present them before the Lord. 9:3 Then tell the Israelites: ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering and a calf and lamb, both a year old and flawless, for a burnt offering, 9:4 and an ox and a ram for peace offerings to sacrifice before the Lord, and a grain offering mixed with olive oil, for today the Lord is going to appear to you.’” 9:5 So they took what Moses had commanded to the front of the Meeting Tent and the whole congregation presented them and stood before the Lord. 9:6 Then Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded you to do so that the glory of the Lord may appear to you.” 9:7 Moses then said to Aaron, “Approach the altar and make your sin offering and your burnt offering, and make atonement on behalf of yourself and on behalf of the people; and also make the people’s offering and make atonement on behalf of them just as the Lord has commanded.”
The Sin Offering for the Priests
9:8 So Aaron approached the altar and slaughtered the sin offering calf which was for himself. 9:9 Then Aaron’s sons presented the blood to him and he dipped his finger in the blood and put it on the horns of the altar, and the rest of the blood he poured out at the base of the altar. 9:10 The fat and the kidneys and the protruding lobe of the liver from the sin offering he offered up in smoke on the altar just as the Lord had commanded Moses, 9:11 but the flesh and the hide he completely burned up outside the camp.
The Burnt Offering for the Priests
9:12 He then slaughtered the burnt offering, and his sons handed the blood to him and he splashed it against the altar’s sides. 9:13 The burnt offering itself they handed to him by its parts, including the head, and he offered them up in smoke on the altar, 9:14 and he washed the entrails and the legs and offered them up in smoke on top of the burnt offering on the altar.
The Offerings for the People
9:15 Then he presented the people’s offering. He took the sin offering male goat which was for the people, slaughtered it, and performed a decontamination rite with it like the first one. 9:16 He then presented the burnt offering, and did it according to the standard regulation. 9:17 Next he presented the grain offering, filled his hand with some of it, and offered it up in smoke on the altar in addition to the morning burnt offering. 9:18 Then he slaughtered the ox and the ram – the peace offering sacrifices which were for the people – and Aaron’s sons handed the blood to him and he splashed it against the altar’s sides. 9:19 As for the fat parts from the ox and from the ram (the fatty tail, the fat covering the entrails, the kidneys, and the protruding lobe of the liver), 9:20 they set those on the breasts and he offered the fat parts up in smoke on the altar. 9:21 Finally Aaron waved the breasts and the right thigh as a wave offering before the Lord just as Moses had commanded.
9:22 Then Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them and descended from making the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offering. 9:23 Moses and Aaron then entered into the Meeting Tent. When they came out, they blessed the people, and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. 9:24 Then fire went out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat parts on the altar, and all the people saw it, so they shouted loudly and fell down with their faces to the ground.
Nadab and Abihu
10:1 Then Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, each took his fire pan and put fire in it, set incense on it, and presented strange fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them to do. 10:2 So fire went out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them so that they died before the Lord. 10:3 Moses then said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke: ‘Among the ones close to me I will show myself holy, and in the presence of all the people I will be honored.’” So Aaron kept silent. 10:4 Moses then called to Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel, Aaron’s uncle, and said to them, “Come near, carry your brothers away from the front of the sanctuary to a place outside the camp.” 10:5 So they came near and carried them away in their tunics to a place outside the camp just as Moses had spoken. 10:6 Then Moses said to Aaron and to Eleazar and Ithamar his other two sons, “Do not dishevel the hair of your heads and do not tear your garments, so that you do not die and so that wrath does not come on the whole congregation. Your brothers, all the house of Israel, are to mourn the burning which the Lord has caused, 10:7 but you must not go out from the entrance of the Meeting Tent lest you die, for the Lord’s anointing oil is on you.” So they acted according to the word of Moses.
Perpetual Statutes the Lord Spoke to Aaron
10:8 Then the Lord spoke to Aaron, 10:9 “Do not drink wine or strong drink, you and your sons with you, when you enter into the Meeting Tent, so that you do not die, which is a perpetual statute throughout your generations, 10:10 as well as to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean, 10:11 and to teach the Israelites all the statutes that the Lord has spoken to them through Moses.”
Perpetual Statutes Moses spoke to Aaron
10:12 Then Moses spoke to Aaron and to Eleazar and Ithamar, his remaining sons, “Take the grain offering which remains from the gifts of the Lord and eat it unleavened beside the altar, for it is most holy. 10:13 You must eat it in a holy place because it is your allotted portion and the allotted portion of your sons from the gifts of the Lord, for this is what I have been commanded. 10:14 Also, the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the contribution offering you must eat in a ceremonially clean place, you and your sons and daughters with you, for they have been given as your allotted portion and the allotted portion of your sons from the peace offering sacrifices of the Israelites. 10:15 The thigh of the contribution offering and the breast of the wave offering they must bring in addition to the gifts of the fat parts to wave them as a wave offering before the Lord, and it will belong to you and your sons with you for a perpetual statute just as the Lord has commanded.”
The Problem with the Inaugural Sin Offering
10:16 Later Moses sought diligently for the sin offering male goat, but it had actually been burnt. So he became angry at Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s remaining sons, saying, 10:17 “Why did you not eat the sin offering in the sanctuary? For it is most holy and he gave it to you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement on their behalf before the Lord. 10:18 See here! Its blood was not brought into the holy place within! You should certainly have eaten it in the sanctuary just as I commanded!” 10:19 But Aaron spoke to Moses, “See here! Just today they presented their sin offering and their burnt offering before the Lord and such things as these have happened to me! If I had eaten a sin offering today would the Lord have been pleased?” 10:20 When Moses heard this explanation, he was satisfied.
Lord, You alone are the object of our praise and worship, and from You alone comes the power which causes us to humble ourselves before You. My I be found humbly subservient to You and to honor and praise no other deceptive exhibition of power from human or spiritual source. Your Word is sovereign and when You act in judgment of a wrong we must understand Your perfect holiness and never doubt Your righteousness. Please find me never-forgetting Who You are.
Fulfilling the instructions of Exodus 29:20 “Moses then took some of its blood and put it on Aaron’s right earlobe, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.”
The NET translators explain the meaning and purpose of this ritual “By this ritual the priests were set apart completely to the service of God. The ear represented the organ of hearing (as in “ears you have dug” in Ps 40 or “awakens my ear” in Isa 50), and this had to be set apart to God so that they could hear the Word of God. The thumb and the hand represented the instrument to be used for all ministry, and so everything that they “put their hand to” had to be dedicated to God and appropriate for his service. The toe set the foot apart to God, meaning that the walk of the priest had to be consecrated – where he went, how he conducted himself, what life he lived, all belonged to God now.”
Moses then brought the wave offering, fulfilling what is described in Numbers 6:20, Lev. 8:25 “Then he took the fat (the fatty tail, all the fat on the entrails, the protruding lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys and their fat) and the right thigh, 8:26 and from the basket of unleavened bread that was before the Lord he took one unleavened loaf, one loaf of bread mixed with olive oil, and one wafer, and placed them on the fat parts and on the right thigh. 8:27 He then put all of them on the palms of Aaron and his sons, who waved them as a wave offering before the Lord.”
The NET translators explain “The ritual of lifting the hands filled with the offering and waving them in the presence of the was designed to symbolize the transfer of the offering to God in the sight of all. This concludes the worshiper’s part; the offering now becomes the property of the priest – his priest’s due (or “raised/heave offering”).”
After all of the required rituals of ordination, consecration, and initial sacrifice had been completed “Then fire went out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat parts on the altar, and all the people saw it, so they shouted loudly and fell down with their faces to the ground.”
The Lord God had made it very clear what was to be done and what was not to be done in His holy tabernacle.
Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, ignored God’s instructions and violated the rules – they were consumed by the fire of God.
Moses reminded Aaron of what God had said about presenting Himself holy to the priests so that the priest-led people would honor Him. Aaron therefore remained quiet.
Moses instructed Aaron’s two sons, Mishael and Elzaphan, to dispose of the bodies outside of the camp. Moses did not allow Aaron or his remaining two sons to participate in the public mourning for his two dead sons – they had been anointed with oil for service and were required to complete their duties.
Moses later chastised Aaron and his sons for not eating the grain offering as-instructed but Aaron explained that the loss of his sons made that improper and that God would understand and Moses relented.
The commitment of the priest to God is a precursor to the commitment God expects of every believer; to intentionally make a time and place to hear the Word of God, that everything we do be dedicated to God and appropriate for his service, and that our walk be consecrated – where we go, how we conduct ourselves, what life we live, all belongs to God. [Note: Much of this is rephrased from the NET translators notes.] Right and wrong, respectful and disrespectful, righteous and unrighteous are defined by the Lord God and we violate those boundaries at our peril.
Knowing that Aaron had previously allowed himself to be led into the creation of an idol what sort of intense transformation must have resulted from this consecration? Imagine the anguish of Aaron at the sudden loss of his sons in the very place he would spend the rest of his life in priestly service, then being denied permission to join in the public mourning for them, as was the custom.
When the people saw that God’s fire consumed their offering they then knew that He had accepted it – this is why they “... shouted loudly and fell down with their faces to the ground.” How fearful must the remaining four brothers have been when it became their turn to serve?
When have you made a commitment to the Lord to be in His Word, to dedicate your work to His glory, and to make your walk honoring to Him? How are you doing? When have you observed someone who had violated a custom, a law, a regulation, or a rule and was confronted with that? Did it cause you to be more careful?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where your walk is bringing honor to God and where it falls short, and to show you where something you do violates the clearly stated expectations of God.
Today I will commit to the Holy Spirit my partnership in bringing at least one specific area of my walk to a right-place so that it no longer dishonors the One Whose name I bear as a CHRISTian. I will also celebrate with a fellow believer one specific part of my walk where the Holy Spirit has successfully led me to a God-honoring place. I will acknowledge, confess, and repent of what the Holy Spirit has revealed as my violation of His expectations of me. I will request and accept His forgiveness. (It may be something about my regular fellowship with the saints, it may be a failure to be in the Word and prayer and daily reflection, it may be the way I treat others, it may be experimenting with other religions, it may be speaking carelessly and/or disrespectfully of God, or it may be some other sin.)
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Clean and Unclean Land Creatures
11:1 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them, 11:2 “Tell the Israelites: ‘This is the kind of creature you may eat from among all the animals that are on the land. 11:3 You may eat any among the animals that has a divided hoof (the hooves are completely split in two) and that also chews the cud. 11:4 However, you must not eat these from among those that chew the cud and have divided hooves: The camel is unclean to you because it chews the cud even though its hoof is not divided. 11:5 The rock badger is unclean to you because it chews the cud even though its hoof is not divided. 11:6 The hare is unclean to you because it chews the cud even though its hoof is not divided. 11:7 The pig is unclean to you because its hoof is divided (the hoof is completely split in two), even though it does not chew the cud. 11:8 You must not eat from their meat and you must not touch their carcasses; they are unclean to you.
Clean and Unclean Water Creatures
11:9 “‘These you can eat from all creatures that are in the water: Any creatures in the water that have both fins and scales, whether in the seas or in the streams, you may eat. 11:10 But any creatures that do not have both fins and scales, whether in the seas or in the streams, from all the swarming things of the water and from all the living creatures that are in the water, are detestable to you. 11:11 Since they are detestable to you, you must not eat their meat and their carcass you must detest. 11:12 Any creature in the water that does not have both fins and scales is detestable to you.
Clean and Unclean Birds
11:13 “‘These you are to detest from among the birds – they must not be eaten, because they are detestable: the griffon vulture, the bearded vulture, the black vulture, 11:14 the kite, the buzzard of any kind, 11:15 every kind of crow, 11:16 the eagle owl, the short-eared owl, the long-eared owl, the hawk of any kind, 11:17 the little owl, the cormorant, the screech owl, 11:18 the white owl, the scops owl, the osprey, 11:19 the stork, the heron of any kind, the hoopoe, and the bat.
Clean and Unclean Insects
11:20 “‘Every winged swarming thing that walks on all fours is detestable to you. 11:21 However, this you may eat from all the winged swarming things that walk on all fours, which have jointed legs to hop with on the land. 11:22 These you may eat from them: the locust of any kind, the bald locust of any kind, the cricket of any kind, the grasshopper of any kind. 11:23 But any other winged swarming thing that has four legs is detestable to you.
Carcass Uncleanness
11:24 “‘By these you defile yourselves; anyone who touches their carcass will be unclean until the evening, 11:25 and anyone who carries their carcass must wash his clothes and will be unclean until the evening.
Inedible Land Quadrupeds
11:26 “‘All animals that divide the hoof but it is not completely split in two and do not chew the cud are unclean to you; anyone who touches them becomes unclean. 11:27 All that walk on their paws among all the creatures that walk on all fours are unclean to you. Anyone who touches their carcass will be unclean until the evening, 11:28 and the one who carries their carcass must wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening; they are unclean to you.
Creatures that Swarm on the Land
11:29 “‘Now this is what is unclean to you among the swarming things that swarm on the land: the rat, the mouse, the large lizard of any kind, 11:30 the Mediterranean gecko, the spotted lizard, the wall gecko, the skink, and the chameleon. 11:31 These are the ones that are unclean to you among all the swarming things. Anyone who touches them when they die will be unclean until evening. 11:32 Also, anything they fall on when they die will become unclean – any wood vessel or garment or article of leather or sackcloth. Any such vessel with which work is done must be immersed in water and will be unclean until the evening. Then it will become clean. 11:33 As for any clay vessel they fall into, everything in it will become unclean and you must break it. 11:34 Any food that may be eaten which becomes soaked with water will become unclean. Anything drinkable in any such vessel will become unclean. 11:35 Anything their carcass may fall on will become unclean. An oven or small stove must be smashed to pieces; they are unclean, and they will stay unclean to you. 11:36 However, a spring or a cistern which collects water will be clean, but one who touches their carcass will be unclean. 11:37 Now, if such a carcass falls on any sowing seed which is to be sown, it is clean, 11:38 but if water is put on the seed and such a carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you.
Edible Land Quadrupeds
11:39 “‘Now if an animal that you may eat dies, whoever touches its carcass will be unclean until the evening. 11:40 One who eats from its carcass must wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening, and whoever carries its carcass must wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening. 11:41 Every swarming thing that swarms on the land is detestable; it must not be eaten. 11:42 You must not eat anything that crawls on its belly or anything that walks on all fours or on any number of legs of all the swarming things that swarm on the land, because they are detestable. 11:43 Do not make yourselves detestable by any of the swarming things. You must not defile yourselves by them and become unclean by them, 11:44 for I am the Lord your God and you are to sanctify yourselves and be holy because I am holy. You must not defile yourselves by any of the swarming things that creep on the ground, 11:45 for I am the Lord who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God, and you are to be holy because I am holy. 11:46 This is the law of the land animals, the birds, all the living creatures that move in the water, and all the creatures that swarm on the land, 11:47 to distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between the living creatures that may be eaten and the living creatures that must not be eaten.’”
Purification of a Woman after Childbirth
12:1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 12:2 “Tell the Israelites, ‘When a woman produces offspring and bears a male child, she will be unclean seven days, as she is unclean during the days of her menstruation. 12:3 On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin must be circumcised. 12:4 Then she will remain thirty-three days in blood purity. She must not touch anything holy and she must not enter the sanctuary until the days of her purification are fulfilled. 12:5 If she bears a female child, she will be impure fourteen days as during her menstrual flow, and she will remain sixty-six days in blood purity.
12:6 “‘When the days of her purification are completed for a son or for a daughter, she must bring a one year old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or turtledove for a sin offering to the entrance of the Meeting Tent, to the priest. 12:7 The priest is to present it before the Lord and make atonement on her behalf, and she will be clean from her flow of blood. This is the law of the one who bears a child, for the male or the female child. 12:8 If she cannot afford a sheep, then she must take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and one for a sin offering, and the priest is to make atonement on her behalf, and she will be clean.’”
Infections on the Skin
13:1 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: 13:2 “When someone has a swelling or a scab or a bright spot on the skin of his body that may become a diseased infection, he must be brought to Aaron the priest or one of his sons, the priests. 13:3 The priest must then examine the infection on the skin of the body, and if the hair in the infection has turned white and the infection appears to be deeper than the skin of the body, then it is a diseased infection, so when the priest examines it he must pronounce the person unclean.
A Bright Spot on the Skin
13:4 “If it is a white bright spot on the skin of his body, but it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, and the hair has not turned white, then the priest is to quarantine the person with the infection for seven days. 13:5 The priest must then examine it on the seventh day, and if, as far as he can see, the infection has stayed the same and has not spread on the skin, then the priest is to quarantine the person for another seven days. 13:6 The priest must then examine it again on the seventh day, and if the infection has faded and has not spread on the skin, then the priest is to pronounce the person clean. It is a scab, so he must wash his clothes and be clean. 13:7 If, however, the scab is spreading further on the skin after he has shown himself to the priest for his purification, then he must show himself to the priest a second time. 13:8 The priest must then examine it, and if the scab has spread on the skin, then the priest is to pronounce the person unclean. It is a disease.
A Swelling on the Skin
13:9 “When someone has a diseased infection, he must be brought to the priest. 13:10 The priest will then examine it, and if a white swelling is on the skin, it has turned the hair white, and there is raw flesh in the swelling, 13:11 it is a chronic disease on the skin of his body, so the priest is to pronounce him unclean. The priest must not merely quarantine him, for he is unclean. 13:12 If, however, the disease breaks out on the skin so that the disease covers all the skin of the person with the infection from his head to his feet, as far as the priest can see, 13:13 the priest must then examine it, and if the disease covers his whole body, he is to pronounce the person with the infection clean. He has turned all white, so he is clean. 13:14 But whenever raw flesh appears in it he will be unclean, 13:15 so the priest is to examine the raw flesh and pronounce him unclean – it is diseased. 13:16 If, however, the raw flesh once again turns white, then he must come to the priest. 13:17 The priest will then examine it, and if the infection has turned white, the priest is to pronounce the person with the infection clean – he is clean.
A Boil on the Skin
13:18 “When someone’s body has a boil on its skin and it heals, 13:19 and in the place of the boil there is a white swelling or a reddish white bright spot, he must show himself to the priest. 13:20 The priest will then examine it, and if it appears to be deeper than the skin and its hair has turned white, then the priest is to pronounce the person unclean. It is a diseased infection that has broken out in the boil. 13:21 If, however, the priest examines it, and there is no white hair in it, it is not deeper than the skin, and it has faded, then the priest is to quarantine him for seven days. 13:22 If it is spreading further on the skin, then the priest is to pronounce him unclean. It is an infection. 13:23 But if the bright spot stays in its place and has not spread, it is the scar of the boil, so the priest is to pronounce him clean.
A Burn on the Skin
13:24 “When a body has a burn on its skin and the raw area of the burn becomes a reddish white or white bright spot, 13:25 the priest must examine it, and if the hair has turned white in the bright spot and it appears to be deeper than the skin, it is a disease that has broken out in the burn. The priest is to pronounce the person unclean. It is a diseased infection. 13:26 If, however, the priest examines it and there is no white hair in the bright spot, it is not deeper than the skin, and it has faded, then the priest is to quarantine him for seven days. 13:27 The priest must then examine it on the seventh day, and if it is spreading further on the skin, then the priest is to pronounce him unclean. It is a diseased infection. 13:28 But if the bright spot stays in its place, has not spread on the skin, and it has faded, then it is the swelling of the burn, so the priest is to pronounce him clean, because it is the scar of the burn.
Scall on the Head or in the Beard
13:29 “When a man or a woman has an infection on the head or in the beard, 13:30 the priest is to examine the infection, and if it appears to be deeper than the skin and the hair in it is reddish yellow and thin, then the priest is to pronounce the person unclean. It is scall, a disease of the head or the beard. 13:31 But if the priest examines the scall infection and it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, and there is no black hair in it, then the priest is to quarantine the person with the scall infection for seven days. 13:32 The priest must then examine the infection on the seventh day, and if the scall has not spread, there is no reddish yellow hair in it, and the scall does not appear to be deeper than the skin, 13:33 then the individual is to shave himself, but he must not shave the area affected by the scall, and the priest is to quarantine the person with the scall for another seven days. 13:34 The priest must then examine the scall on the seventh day, and if the scall has not spread on the skin and it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, then the priest is to pronounce him clean. So he is to wash his clothes and be clean. 13:35 If, however, the scall spreads further on the skin after his purification, 13:36 then the priest is to examine it, and if the scall has spread on the skin the priest is not to search further for reddish yellow hair. The person is unclean. 13:37 If, as far as the priest can see, the scall has stayed the same and black hair has sprouted in it, the scall has been healed; the person is clean. So the priest is to pronounce him clean.
Bright White Spots on the Skin
13:38 “When a man or a woman has bright spots – white bright spots – on the skin of their body, 13:39 the priest is to examine them, and if the bright spots on the skin of their body are faded white, it is a harmless rash that has broken out on the skin. The person is clean.
Baldness on the Head
13:40 “When a man’s head is bare so that he is balding in back, he is clean. 13:41 If his head is bare on the forehead so that he is balding in front, he is clean. 13:42 But if there is a reddish white infection in the back or front bald area, it is a disease breaking out in his back or front bald area. 13:43 The priest is to examine it, and if the swelling of the infection is reddish white in the back or front bald area like the appearance of a disease on the skin of the body, 13:44 he is a diseased man. He is unclean. The priest must surely pronounce him unclean because of his infection on his head.
The Life of the Person with Skin Disease
13:45 “As for the diseased person who has the infection, his clothes must be torn, the hair of his head must be unbound, he must cover his mustache, and he must call out ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ 13:46 The whole time he has the infection he will be continually unclean. He must live in isolation, and his place of residence must be outside the camp.
Infections in Garments, Cloth, or Leather
13:47 “When a garment has a diseased infection in it, whether a wool or linen garment, 13:48 or in the warp or woof of the linen or the wool, or in leather or anything made of leather, 13:49 if the infection in the garment or leather or warp or woof or any article of leather is yellowish green or reddish, it is a diseased infection and it must be shown to the priest. 13:50 The priest is to examine and then quarantine the article with the infection for seven days. 13:51 He must then examine the infection on the seventh day. If the infection has spread in the garment, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in the leather – whatever the article into which the leather was made – the infection is a malignant disease. It is unclean. 13:52 He must burn the garment or the warp or the woof, whether wool or linen, or any article of leather which has the infection in it. Because it is a malignant disease it must be burned up in the fire. 13:53 But if the priest examines it and the infection has not spread in the garment or in the warp or in the woof or in any article of leather, 13:54 the priest is to command that they wash whatever has the infection and quarantine it for another seven days. 13:55 The priest must then examine it after the infection has been washed out, and if the infection has not changed its appearance even though the infection has not spread, it is unclean. You must burn it up in the fire. It is a fungus, whether on the back side or front side of the article. 13:56 But if the priest has examined it and the infection has faded after it has been washed, he is to tear it out of the garment or the leather or the warp or the woof. 13:57 Then if it still appears again in the garment or the warp or the woof, or in any article of leather, it is an outbreak. Whatever has the infection in it you must burn up in the fire. 13:58 But the garment or the warp or the woof or any article of leather which you wash and infection disappears from it is to be washed a second time and it will be clean.”
Summary of Infection Regulations
13:59 This is the law of the diseased infection in the garment of wool or linen, or the warp or woof, or any article of leather, for pronouncing it clean or unclean.
Purification of Diseased Skin Infections
14:1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 14:2 “This is the law of the diseased person on the day of his purification, when he is brought to the priest. 14:3 The priest is to go outside the camp and examine the infection. If the infection of the diseased person has been healed, 14:4 then the priest will command that two live clean birds, a piece of cedar wood, a scrap of crimson fabric, and some twigs of hyssop be taken up for the one being cleansed. 14:5 The priest will then command that one bird be slaughtered into a clay vessel over fresh water. 14:6 Then he is to take the live bird along with the piece of cedar wood, the scrap of crimson fabric, and the twigs of hyssop, and he is to dip them and the live bird in the blood of the bird slaughtered over the fresh water, 14:7 and sprinkle it seven times on the one being cleansed from the disease, pronounce him clean, and send the live bird away over the open countryside.
The Seven Days of Purification
14:8 “The one being cleansed must then wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe in water, and so be clean. Then afterward he may enter the camp, but he must live outside his tent seven days. 14:9 When the seventh day comes he must shave all his hair – his head, his beard, his eyebrows, all his hair – and he must wash his clothes, bathe his body in water, and so be clean.
The Eighth Day Atonement Rituals
14:10 “On the eighth day he must take two flawless male lambs, one flawless yearling female lamb, three-tenths of an ephah of choice wheat flour as a grain offering mixed with olive oil, and one log of olive oil, 14:11 and the priest who pronounces him clean will have the man who is being cleansed stand along with these offerings before the Lord at the entrance of the Meeting Tent.
14:12 “The priest is to take one male lamb and present it for a guilt offering along with the log of olive oil and present them as a wave offering before the Lord. 14:13 He must then slaughter the male lamb in the place where the sin offering and the burnt offering are slaughtered, in the sanctuary, because, like the sin offering, the guilt offering belongs to the priest; it is most holy. 14:14 Then the priest is to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the right earlobe of the one being cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. 14:15 The priest will then take some of the log of olive oil and pour it into his own left hand. 14:16 Then the priest is to dip his right forefinger into the olive oil that is in his left hand, and sprinkle some of the olive oil with his finger seven times before the Lord. 14:17 The priest will then put some of the rest of the olive oil that is in his hand on the right earlobe of the one being cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the blood of the guilt offering, 14:18 and the remainder of the olive oil that is in his hand the priest is to put on the head of the one being cleansed. So the priest is to make atonement for him before the Lord.
14:19 “The priest must then perform the sin offering and make atonement for the one being cleansed from his impurity. After that he is to slaughter the burnt offering, 14:20 and the priest is to offer the burnt offering and the grain offering on the altar. So the priest is to make atonement for him and he will be clean.
The Eighth Day Atonement Rituals for the Poor Person
14:21 “If the person is poor and does not have sufficient means, he must take one male lamb as a guilt offering for a wave offering to make atonement for himself, one-tenth of an ephah of choice wheat flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering, a log of olive oil, 14:22 and two turtledoves or two young pigeons, which are within his means. One will be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering.
14:23 “On the eighth day he must bring them for his purification to the priest at the entrance of the Meeting Tent before the Lord, 14:24 and the priest is to take the male lamb of the guilt offering and the log of olive oil and wave them as a wave offering before the Lord. 14:25 Then he is to slaughter the male lamb of the guilt offering, and the priest is to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the right earlobe of the one being cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. 14:26 The priest will then pour some of the olive oil into his own left hand, 14:27 and sprinkle some of the olive oil that is in his left hand with his right forefinger seven times before the Lord. 14:28 Then the priest is to put some of the olive oil that is in his hand on the right earlobe of the one being cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the place of the blood of the guilt offering, 14:29 and the remainder of the olive oil that is in the hand of the priest he is to put on the head of the one being cleansed to make atonement for him before the Lord.
14:30 “He will then make one of the turtledoves or young pigeons, which are within his means, 14:31 a sin offering and the other a burnt offering along with the grain offering. So the priest is to make atonement for the one being cleansed before the Lord. 14:32 This is the law of the one in whom there is a diseased infection, who does not have sufficient means for his purification.”
Purification of Disease-Infected Houses
14:33 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: 14:34 “When you enter the land of Canaan which I am about to give to you for a possession, and I put a diseased infection in a house in the land you are to possess, 14:35 then whoever owns the house must come and declare to the priest, ‘Something like an infection is visible to me in the house.’ 14:36 Then the priest will command that the house be cleared before the priest enters to examine the infection so that everything in the house does not become unclean, and afterward the priest will enter to examine the house. 14:37 He is to examine the infection, and if the infection in the walls of the house consists of yellowish green or reddish eruptions, and it appears to be deeper than the surface of the wall, 14:38 then the priest is to go out of the house to the doorway of the house and quarantine the house for seven days. 14:39 The priest must return on the seventh day and examine it, and if the infection has spread in the walls of the house, 14:40 then the priest is to command that the stones that had the infection in them be pulled and thrown outside the city into an unclean place. 14:41 Then he is to have the house scraped all around on the inside, and the plaster which is scraped off must be dumped outside the city into an unclean place. 14:42 They are then to take other stones and replace those stones, and he is to take other plaster and replaster the house.
14:43 “If the infection returns and breaks out in the house after he has pulled out the stones, scraped the house, and it is replastered, 14:44 the priest is to come and examine it, and if the infection has spread in the house, it is a malignant disease in the house. It is unclean. 14:45 He must tear down the house, its stones, its wood, and all the plaster of the house, and bring all of it outside the city to an unclean place. 14:46 Anyone who enters the house all the days the priest has quarantined it will be unclean until evening. 14:47 Anyone who lies down in the house must wash his clothes. Anyone who eats in the house must wash his clothes.
14:48 “If, however, the priest enters and examines it, and the infection has not spread in the house after the house has been replastered, then the priest is to pronounce the house clean because the infection has been healed. 14:49 Then he is to take two birds, a piece of cedar wood, a scrap of crimson fabric, and some twigs of hyssop to decontaminate the house, 14:50 and he is to slaughter one bird into a clay vessel over fresh water. 14:51 He must then take the piece of cedar wood, the twigs of hyssop, the scrap of crimson fabric, and the live bird, and dip them in the blood of the slaughtered bird and in the fresh water, and sprinkle the house seven times. 14:52 So he is to decontaminate the house with the blood of the bird, the fresh water, the live bird, the piece of cedar wood, the twigs of hyssop, and the scrap of crimson fabric, 14:53 and he is to send the live bird away outside the city into the open countryside. So he is to make atonement for the house and it will be clean.
Summary of Purification Regulations for Infections
14:54 “This is the law for all diseased infections, for scall, 14:55 for the diseased garment, for the house, 14:56 for the swelling, for the scab, and for the bright spot, 14:57 to teach when something is unclean and when it is clean. This is the law for dealing with infectious disease.”
Male Bodily Discharges
15:1 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: 15:2 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘When any man has a discharge from his body, his discharge is unclean. 15:3 Now this is his uncleanness in regard to his discharge – whether his body secretes his discharge or blocks his discharge, he is unclean. All the days that his body has a discharge or his body blocks his discharge, this is his uncleanness.
15:4 “‘Any bed the man with a discharge lies on will be unclean, and any furniture he sits on will be unclean. 15:5 Anyone who touches his bed must wash his clothes, bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. 15:6 The one who sits on the furniture the man with a discharge sits on must wash his clothes, bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. 15:7 The one who touches the body of the man with a discharge must wash his clothes, bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. 15:8 If the man with a discharge spits on a person who is ceremonially clean, that person must wash his clothes, bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. 15:9 Any means of riding the man with a discharge rides on will be unclean. 15:10 Anyone who touches anything that was under him will be unclean until evening, and the one who carries those items must wash his clothes, bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. 15:11 Anyone whom the man with the discharge touches without having rinsed his hands in water must wash his clothes, bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. 15:12 A clay vessel which the man with the discharge touches must be broken, and any wooden utensil must be rinsed in water.
Purity Regulations for Male Bodily Discharges
15:13 “‘When the man with the discharge becomes clean from his discharge he is to count off for himself seven days for his purification, and he must wash his clothes, bathe in fresh water, and be clean. 15:14 Then on the eighth day he is to take for himself two turtledoves or two young pigeons, and he is to present himself before the Lord at the entrance of the Meeting Tent and give them to the priest, 15:15 and the priest is to make one of them a sin offering and the other a burnt offering. So the priest is to make atonement for him before the Lord for his discharge.
15:16 “‘When a man has a seminal emission, he must bathe his whole body in water and be unclean until evening, 15:17 and he must wash in water any clothing or leather that has semen on it, and it will be unclean until evening. 15:18 When a man has sexual intercourse with a woman and there is a seminal emission, they must bathe in water and be unclean until evening.
Female Bodily Discharges
15:19 “‘When a woman has a discharge and her discharge is blood from her body, she is to be in her menstruation seven days, and anyone who touches her will be unclean until evening. 15:20 Anything she lies on during her menstruation will be unclean, and anything she sits on will be unclean. 15:21 Anyone who touches her bed must wash his clothes, bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. 15:22 Anyone who touches any furniture she sits on must wash his clothes, bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. 15:23 If there is something on the bed or on the furniture she sits on, when he touches it he will be unclean until evening, 15:24 and if a man actually has sexual intercourse with her so that her menstrual impurity touches him, then he will be unclean seven days and any bed he lies on will be unclean.
15:25 “‘When a woman’s discharge of blood flows many days not at the time of her menstruation, or if it flows beyond the time of her menstruation, all the days of her discharge of impurity will be like the days of her menstruation – she is unclean. 15:26 Any bed she lies on all the days of her discharge will be to her like the bed of her menstruation, any furniture she sits on will be unclean like the impurity of her menstruation, 15:27 and anyone who touches them will be unclean, and he must wash his clothes, bathe in water, and be unclean until evening.
Purity Regulations from Female Bodily Discharges
15:28 “‘If she becomes clean from her discharge, then she is to count off for herself seven days, and afterward she will be clean. 15:29 Then on the eighth day she must take for herself two turtledoves or two young pigeons and she must bring them to the priest at the entrance of the Meeting Tent, 15:30 and the priest is to make one a sin offering and the other a burnt offering. So the priest is to make atonement for her before the Lord from her discharge of impurity.
Summary of Purification Regulations for Bodily Discharges
15:31 “‘Thus you are to set the Israelites apart from their impurity so that they do not die in their impurity by defiling my tabernacle which is in their midst. 15:32 This is the law of the one with a discharge: the one who has a seminal emission and becomes unclean by it, 15:33 the one who is sick in her menstruation, the one with a discharge, whether male or female, and a man who has sexual intercourse with an unclean woman.’”
Lord, You have rightly said that we are to be holy because Your are holy. May I walk respectfully before You. Your knowledge and understanding of all things is perfect and You share that knowledge generously with Your people.
The Lord God provided Moses with a list of living things that may and may not be eaten, beginning with land-based animals ‘This is the kind of creature you may eat from among all the animals that are on the land.”
There were two reasons for this list; one was because He knew which animals were healthy and unhealthy, and the other was part of the larger plan to teach the people to make a choice to walk obediently in all things – even what they ate.
Next He defined the water-based creatures “These you can eat from all creatures that are in the water.”
Then He categorized the birds, essentially excluding carrion-birds “These you are to detest from among the birds.”
Most insects were not permitted, but John’s favorite with honey – the grasshopper/locust was acceptable “Every winged swarming thing that walks on all fours is detestable to you. 11:21 However, this you may eat from all the winged swarming things that walk on all fours, which have jointed legs to hop with on the land. 11:22 These you may eat from them: the locust of any kind, the bald locust of any kind, the cricket of any kind, the grasshopper of any kind. 11:23 But any other winged swarming thing that has four legs is detestable to you.”
The ground-dwelling carrion and garbage-eating creatures were also disapproved “Now this is what is unclean to you among the swarming things that swarm on the land: the rat, the mouse, the large lizard of any kind, 11:30 the Mediterranean gecko, the spotted lizard, the wall gecko, the skink, and the chameleon. 11:31 These are the ones that are unclean to you among all the swarming things.”
He concluded with a reminder of the big picture context “... you are to be holy because I am holy. 11:46 This is the law of the land animals, the birds, all the living creatures that move in the water, and all the creatures that swarm on the land, 11:47 to distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between the living creatures that may be eaten and the living creatures that must not be eaten.’”“
Earlier in the Old Testament the Lord God specified the correct age for a child’s circumcision – modern studies show that the eight day of life is when the Vitamin K levels, a natural clotting agent, peaks in a child. The Israelites could not have known this but the Lord did.
The NET translators share some of the speculations as to why the periods of uncleanliness differ between the birthing of a male versus a female child, we may wish to consider yet another explanation; while a male fetus requires large amounts of testoterone to transform the always initially-female fetus to a male (testosterone that the mother doesn’t require) the female fetus is demanding progesterone from the mother – perhaps depleting it and unbalancing her system – creating the need for a longer period of “blood purity”. (This is mere speculation based on casual conversations with medical people and some past reading of books related to human fetal development – which are not cited here as they are not immediately available.)
The Lord God then addressed the management of diseased infections in a scientifically-sound, for the ancient context, manner – consistent with His treatment of foods and child birth.
While the people had little understanding of the relationship between health and sickness and their diet, God did, and He provided guidelines as to which creatures were to be avoided. The Lord is never arbitrary or random. Despite the ravages of the Fall the human body was still perfectly understood by the Lord God.
How many of the items on God's unclean foods list can you not imagine anyone eating? Over a million people in a mobile community represents a challenging environment for sanitation, imagine the problems were the Lord God to not have created such a highly disciplined system for health monitoring and sanitation?
The Lord God linked the holiness of His chosen people with a number of things, one was their obedience in the matter of clean and unclean foods. Perhaps modern medical science might benefit from a new look at God’s Word?
Which creatures on God’s list of unclean foods do you now know to be unhealthy? When have you been faced with a difficult challenge and unexpectedly, according to worldly expectations, found the answer in God’s Word?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the clean and unclean things that enter your body daily, not just through your mouth but through all of your activities and senses. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where something in this text may apply to your management of dietary or other health-related matters.
Today I will make a list of things that I avoid because they are “unclean”, meaning in the new covenant sense, that they do not build me up in Christ and are also a poor witness to the One Who dwells within me. I will celebrate those things with a fellow Christian. Then I will add at least one new thing to that list, from what the Holy Spirit has disclosed, and intentionally avoid that as well. I will accept the prompting of the Holy Spirit to ask some questions of myself and the medical-science community as to the possible solution of a nagging health problem that may be related to something I am doing (or failing to do) and/or that I am ingesting (breathing, drinking, or eating).
Be Specific _________________________________________________
The Day of Atonement
16:1 The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of Aaron’s two sons when they approached the presence of the Lord and died, 16:2 and the Lord said to Moses: “Tell Aaron your brother that he must not enter at any time into the holy place inside the veil-canopy in front of the atonement plate that is on the ark so that he may not die, for I will appear in the cloud over the atonement plate.
Day of Atonement Offerings
16:3 “In this way Aaron is to enter into the sanctuary – with a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. 16:4 He must put on a holy linen tunic, linen leggings are to cover his body, and he is to wrap himself with a linen sash and wrap his head with a linen turban. They are holy garments, so he must bathe his body in water and put them on. 16:5 He must also take two male goats from the congregation of the Israelites for a sin offering and one ram for a burnt offering. 16:6 Then Aaron is to present the sin offering bull which is for himself and is to make atonement on behalf of himself and his household. 16:7 He must then take the two goats and stand them before the Lord at the entrance of the Meeting Tent, 16:8 and Aaron is to cast lots over the two goats, one lot for the Lord and one lot for Azazel. 16:9 Aaron must then present the goat which has been designated by lot for the Lord, and he is to make it a sin offering, 16:10 but the goat which has been designated by lot for Azazel is to be stood alive before the Lord to make atonement on it by sending it away to Azazel into the wilderness.
The Sin Offering Sacrificial Procedures
16:11 “Aaron is to present the sin offering bull which is for himself, and he is to make atonement on behalf of himself and his household. He is to slaughter the sin offering bull which is for himself, 16:12 and take a censer full of coals of fire from the altar before the Lord and a full double handful of finely ground fragrant incense, and bring them inside the veil-canopy. 16:13 He must then put the incense on the fire before the Lord, and the cloud of incense will cover the atonement plate which is above the ark of the testimony, so that he will not die. 16:14 Then he is to take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the eastern face of the atonement plate, and in front of the atonement plate he is to sprinkle some of the blood seven times with his finger.
16:15 “He must then slaughter the sin offering goat which is for the people. He is to bring its blood inside the veil-canopy, and he is to do with its blood just as he did to the blood of the bull: He is to sprinkle it on the atonement plate and in front of the atonement plate. 16:16 So he is to make atonement for the holy place from the impurities of the Israelites and from their transgressions with regard to all their sins, and thus he is to do for the Meeting Tent which resides with them in the midst of their impurities. 16:17 Nobody is to be in the Meeting Tent when he enters to make atonement in the holy place until he goes out, and he has made atonement on his behalf, on behalf of his household, and on behalf of the whole assembly of Israel.
16:18 “Then he is to go out to the altar which is before the Lord and make atonement for it. He is to take some of the blood of the bull and some of the blood of the goat, and put it all around on the horns of the altar. 16:19 Then he is to sprinkle on it some of the blood with his finger seven times, and cleanse and consecrate it from the impurities of the Israelites.
The Live Goat Ritual Procedures
16:20 “When he has finished purifying the holy place, the Meeting Tent, and the altar, he is to present the live goat. 16:21 Aaron is to lay his two hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the iniquities of the Israelites and all their transgressions in regard to all their sins, and thus he is to put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man standing ready. 16:22 The goat is to bear on itself all their iniquities into an inaccessible land, so he is to send the goat away in the wilderness.
The Concluding Rituals
16:23 “Aaron must then enter the Meeting Tent and take off the linen garments which he had put on when he entered the sanctuary, and leave them there. 16:24 Then he must bathe his body in water in a holy place, put on his clothes, and go out and make his burnt offering and the people’s burnt offering. So he is to make atonement on behalf of himself and the people.
16:25 “Then he is to offer up the fat of the sin offering in smoke on the altar, 16:26 and the one who sent the goat away to Azazel must wash his clothes, bathe his body in water, and afterward he may reenter the camp. 16:27 The bull of the sin offering and the goat of the sin offering, whose blood was brought to make atonement in the holy place, must be brought outside the camp and their hide, their flesh, and their dung must be burned up, 16:28 and the one who burns them must wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may reenter the camp.
Review of the Day of Atonement
16:29 “This is to be a perpetual statute for you. In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you must humble yourselves and do no work of any kind, both the native citizen and the foreigner who resides in your midst, 16:30 for on this day atonement is to be made for you to cleanse you from all your sins; you must be clean before the Lord. 16:31 It is to be a Sabbath of complete rest for you, and you must humble yourselves. It is a perpetual statute.
16:32 “The priest who is anointed and ordained to act as high priest in place of his father is to make atonement. He is to put on the linen garments, the holy garments, 16:33 and he is to purify the Most Holy Place, he is to purify the Meeting Tent and the altar, and he is to make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. 16:34 This is to be a perpetual statute for you to make atonement for the Israelites for all their sins once a year.” So he did just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
The Slaughter of Animals
17:1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 17:2 “Speak to Aaron, his sons, and all the Israelites, and tell them: ‘This is the word that the Lord has commanded: 17:3 “Blood guilt will be accounted to any man from the house of Israel who slaughters an ox or a lamb or a goat inside the camp or outside the camp, 17:4 but has not brought it to the entrance of the Meeting Tent to present it as an offering to the Lord before the tabernacle of the Lord. He has shed blood, so that man will be cut off from the midst of his people. 17:5 This is so that the Israelites will bring their sacrifices that they are sacrificing in the open field to the Lord at the entrance of the Meeting Tent to the priest and sacrifice them there as peace offering sacrifices to the Lord. 17:6 The priest is to splash the blood on the altar of the Lord at the entrance of the Meeting Tent, and offer the fat up in smoke for a soothing aroma to the Lord. 17:7 So they must no longer offer their sacrifices to the goat demons, acting like prostitutes by going after them. This is to be a perpetual statute for them throughout their generations.
17:8 “You are to say to them: ‘Any man from the house of Israel or from the foreigners who reside in their midst, who offers a burnt offering or a sacrifice 17:9 but does not bring it to the entrance of the Meeting Tent to offer it to the Lord – that person will be cut off from his people.
Prohibition against Eating Blood
17:10 “‘Any man from the house of Israel or from the foreigners who reside in their midst who eats any blood, I will set my face against that person who eats the blood, and I will cut him off from the midst of his people, 17:11 for the life of every living thing is in the blood. So I myself have assigned it to you on the altar to make atonement for your lives, for the blood makes atonement by means of the life. 17:12 Therefore, I have said to the Israelites: No person among you is to eat blood, and no resident foreigner who lives among you is to eat blood.
17:13 “‘Any man from the Israelites or from the foreigners who reside in their midst who hunts a wild animal or a bird that may be eaten must pour out its blood and cover it with soil, 17:14 for the life of all flesh is its blood. So I have said to the Israelites: You must not eat the blood of any living thing because the life of every living thing is its blood – all who eat it will be cut off.
Regulations for Eating Carcasses
17:15 “‘Any person who eats an animal that has died of natural causes or an animal torn by beasts, whether a native citizen or a foreigner, must wash his clothes, bathe in water, and be unclean until evening; then he becomes clean. 17:16 But if he does not wash his clothes and does not bathe his body, he will bear his punishment for iniquity.’”
Exhortation to Obedience and Life
18:1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 18:2 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘I am the Lord your God! 18:3 You must not do as they do in the land of Egypt where you have been living, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan into which I am about to bring you; you must not walk in their statutes. 18:4 You must observe my regulations and you must be sure to walk in my statutes. I am the Lord your God. 18:5 So you must keep my statutes and my regulations; anyone who does so will live by keeping them. I am the Lord.
Laws of Sexual Relations
18:6 “‘No man is to approach any close relative to have sexual intercourse with her. I am the Lord. 18:7 You must not expose your father’s nakedness by having sexual intercourse with your mother. She is your mother; you must not have intercourse with her. 18:8 You must not have sexual intercourse with your father’s wife; she is your father’s nakedness. 18:9 You must not have sexual intercourse with your sister, whether she is your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she is born in the same household or born outside it; you must not have sexual intercourse with either of them. 18:10 You must not expose the nakedness of your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter by having sexual intercourse with them, because they are your own nakedness. 18:11 You must not have sexual intercourse with the daughter of your father’s wife born of your father; she is your sister. You must not have intercourse with her. 18:12 You must not have sexual intercourse with your father’s sister; she is your father’s flesh. 18:13 You must not have sexual intercourse with your mother’s sister, because she is your mother’s flesh. 18:14 You must not expose the nakedness of your father’s brother; you must not approach his wife to have sexual intercourse with her. She is your aunt. 18:15 You must not have sexual intercourse with your daughter-in-law; she is your son’s wife. You must not have intercourse with her. 18:16 You must not have sexual intercourse with your brother’s wife; she is your brother’s nakedness. 18:17 You must not have sexual intercourse with both a woman and her daughter; you must not take as wife either her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter to have intercourse with them. They are closely related to her – it is lewdness. 18:18 You must not take a woman in marriage and then marry her sister as a rival wife while she is still alive, to have sexual intercourse with her.
18:19 “‘You must not approach a woman in her menstrual impurity to have sexual intercourse with her. 18:20 You must not have sexual intercourse with the wife of your fellow citizen to become unclean with her. 18:21 You must not give any of your children as an offering to Molech, so that you do not profane the name of your God. I am the Lord! 18:22 You must not have sexual intercourse with a male as one has sexual intercourse with a woman; it is a detestable act. 18:23 You must not have sexual intercourse with any animal to become defiled with it, and a woman must not stand before an animal to have sexual intercourse with it; it is a perversion.
Warning against the Abominations of the Nations
18:24 “‘Do not defile yourselves with any of these things, for the nations which I am about to drive out before you have been defiled with all these things. 18:25 Therefore the land has become unclean and I have brought the punishment for its iniquity upon it, so that the land has vomited out its inhabitants. 18:26 You yourselves must obey my statutes and my regulations and must not do any of these abominations, both the native citizen and the resident foreigner in your midst, 18:27 for the people who were in the land before you have done all these abominations, and the land has become unclean. 18:28 So do not make the land vomit you out because you defile it just as it has vomited out the nations that were before you. 18:29 For if anyone does any of these abominations, the persons who do them will be cut off from the midst of their people. 18:30 You must obey my charge to not practice any of the abominable statutes that have been done before you, so that you do not defile yourselves by them. I am the Lord your God.’”
Lord, You are the One true God, the only One worthy of worship. May I never bow down to or otherwise submit to a false god or idol.
According to the NET translator’s notes Lev. 16:8-10 refers to Azazel, which appears to be a word-play describing the concept of one bearing the iniquity of another. The combination found in this text of the sacrifice of one goat to God and another one sent away, is in keeping with the pattern found in Lev. 14:5-7 and 16:21-22 “14:5 The priest will then command that one bird be slaughtered into a clay vessel over fresh water. 14:6 Then he is to take the live bird along with the piece of cedar wood, the scrap of crimson fabric, and the twigs of hyssop, and he is to dip them and the live bird in the blood of the bird slaughtered over the fresh water, 14:7 and sprinkle it seven times on the one being cleansed from the disease, pronounce him clean, and send the live bird away over the open countryside.”
“16:21 Aaron is to lay his two hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the iniquities of the Israelites and all their transgressions in regard to all their sins, and thus he is to put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man standing ready. 16:22 The goat is to bear on itself all their iniquities into an inaccessible land, so he is to send the goat away in the wilderness.” While the NET translators notes observe that there has been much speculation as to subtle meanings it is probably poor scholarship to read-in more than what was also the intended purpose of those two similar occasions – recorded before and after the Azazel reference.
When Aaron makes the sacrifice of atonement he does so for himself, his family, and for all of the people. The high priest was never set apart by the Lord God as somehow above the people in his imperfections and need to make appropriate sacrifice to God.
The Lord God required that blood not be eaten. He also required that when a wild animal or bird is killed for food its blood be poured out and covered with dirt. This was both a matter of health and or teaching a powerful symbolic message about the source of life – a symbolism that was used for understanding of the work of Jesus on the Cross.
The Lord God warned the Israelites to be careful to not copy or otherwise fall prey to the false religions of the non-Israelite people around them.
He established clean new guidelines as to relationships which involved sexual intercourse. There was both a physical health reason and a psycho-social reason for this; the gene pool had been significantly degraded by this time due to the Fall and because inter-marriage within the Israelite nation was many hundreds of years old, thus marriage to close relatives created the risk of multiplying serious genetic defects. The psycho-social reasons included the directly cited intention of a man to take in another closely-related woman as a concubine to make his wife jealous or to otherwise hurt her emotionally, there was also the matter of distrust because without boundaries even a close relative could not feel safe.
He continued to list several additional boundaries; no intercourse during a woman’s period, no adultery, no sacrifice of children to the false god Molech, no homosexual sex, and no bestiality (sex with animals).
For everything the focal point was their right standing before a holy God. All of these forbidden acts were against His design from the Creation and each therefore represented a rebellion by those who according to the covenant were to be holy.
We have a modern term for one who bears the iniquities of another “scapegoat”. Much of the attack upon the Israelites then and Christianity today, as well as the very nature of a sustainable civilization, comes in the form of promotion of the values God forbade in Lev. 18.
Where blood was a symbol of life, do you see a linkage between life coming from the soil in Genesis and then being returned to the soil here in Leviticus? Is it not true that the Israelites had already demonstrated, by the making of the golden calf, their willingness to copy the idols of the non-Israelites?
Many pagan rituals, then and now, included and include the ritual drinking of blood. The notion was to imagine the gaining of some sort of power, or the transfer of some sort of spiritual presence, all of which was in opposition to the teaching of the Lord God. Imagine how close to paganism the Israelites must have been that God needed to warn them to not sacrifice their children to the false god Molech.
When have you observed someone in the unfortunate role of a scapegoat? How chaotic do you think things would have been if anyone could marry, take as a concubine, or simply engage in sexual intercourse with anyone?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where the lines are being blurred between the clear message of the Bible that God is the source of life, and that all life belongs to him, and pagan teaching that misuses blood and blood-images to imply God-like power in the hands of humans and spiritual-beings other than God. Also, ask Him to show you where you may be compromising with a false teaching or are drifting into idolatry.
Today I will acknowledge the lie of the enemy in blurring the line between the Lord God as sovereign over life and false paganism slipping into the lives of believers. I will purge anything that lends itself to the subtle misinformation of the enemy – remembering that this is the same lie he used to deceive Eve. I will ask a fellow believer to pray and to reflect with me about this and agree to surrender to the Holy Spirit and to partner with a fellow believer in keeping these deceptions out of my life. Today I will acknowledge where I have been compromising with a false teaching and have blended that with Biblical teaching (syncretism). I will also acknowledge where I have made someone or something of the world an idol in my life. I will repent, seek and accept the Lord’s forgiveness, and ask a fellow believer – preferably one Biblically qualified as an elder – to be my accountability partner to hold-fast to the commitment of holiness I have made.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Religious and Social Regulations
19:1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 19:2 “Speak to the whole congregation of the Israelites and tell them, ‘You must be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy. 19:3 Each of you must respect his mother and his father, and you must keep my Sabbaths. I am the Lord your God. 19:4 Do not turn to idols, and you must not make for yourselves gods of cast metal. I am the Lord your God.
Eating the Peace Offering
19:5 “‘When you sacrifice a peace offering sacrifice to the Lord, you must sacrifice it so that it is accepted for you. 19:6 It must be eaten on the day of your sacrifice and on the following day, but what is left over until the third day must be burned up. 19:7 If, however, it is eaten on the third day, it is spoiled, it will not be accepted, 19:8 and the one who eats it will bear his punishment for iniquity because he has profaned what is holy to the Lord. That person will be cut off from his people.
Leaving the Gleanings
19:9 “‘When you gather in the harvest of your land, you must not completely harvest the corner of your field, and you must not gather up the gleanings of your harvest. 19:10 You must not pick your vineyard bare, and you must not gather up the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You must leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God.
Dealing Honestly
19:11 “‘You must not steal, you must not tell lies, and you must not deal falsely with your fellow citizen. 19:12 You must not swear falsely in my name, so that you do not profane the name of your God. I am the Lord. 19:13 You must not oppress your neighbor or commit robbery against him. You must not withhold the wages of the hired laborer overnight until morning. 19:14 You must not curse a deaf person or put a stumbling block in front of a blind person. You must fear your God; I am the Lord.
Justice, Love, and Propriety
19:15 “‘You must not deal unjustly in judgment: you must neither show partiality to the poor nor honor the rich. You must judge your fellow citizen fairly. 19:16 You must not go about as a slanderer among your people. You must not stand idly by when your neighbor’s life is at stake. I am the Lord. 19:17 You must not hate your brother in your heart. You must surely reprove your fellow citizen so that you do not incur sin on account of him. 19:18 You must not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the children of your people, but you must love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. 19:19 You must keep my statutes. You must not allow two different kinds of your animals to breed, you must not sow your field with two different kinds of seed, and you must not wear a garment made of two different kinds of fabric.
Lying with a Slave Woman
19:20 “‘When a man has sexual intercourse with a woman, although she is a slave woman designated for another man and she has not yet been ransomed, or freedom has not been granted to her, there will be an obligation to pay compensation. They must not be put to death, because she was not free. 19:21 He must bring his guilt offering to the Lord at the entrance of the Meeting Tent, a guilt offering ram, 19:22 and the priest is to make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering before the Lord for his sin that he has committed, and he will be forgiven of his sin that he has committed.
The Produce of Fruit Trees
19:23 “‘When you enter the land and plant any fruit tree, you must consider its fruit to be forbidden. Three years it will be forbidden to you; it must not be eaten. 19:24 In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy, praise offerings to the Lord. 19:25 Then in the fifth year you may eat its fruit to add its produce to your harvest. I am the Lord your God.
Blood, Hair, and Body
19:26 “‘You must not eat anything with the blood still in it. You must not practice either divination or soothsaying. 19:27 You must not round off the corners of the hair on your head or ruin the corners of your beard. 19:28 You must not slash your body for a dead person or incise a tattoo on yourself. I am the Lord. 19:29 Do not profane your daughter by making her a prostitute, so that the land does not practice prostitution and become full of lewdness.
Purity, Honor, Respect, and Honesty
19:30 “‘You must keep my Sabbaths and fear my sanctuary. I am the Lord. 19:31 Do not turn to the spirits of the dead and do not seek familiar spirits to become unclean by them. I am the Lord your God. 19:32 You must stand up in the presence of the aged, honor the presence of an elder, and fear your God. I am the Lord. 19:33 When a foreigner resides with you in your land, you must not oppress him. 19:34 The foreigner who resides with you must be to you like a native citizen among you; so you must love him as yourself, because you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God. 19:35 You must not do injustice in the regulation of measures, whether of length, weight, or volume. 19:36 You must have honest balances, honest weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin. I am the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt. 19:37 You must be sure to obey all my statutes and regulations. I am the Lord.’”
Prohibitions against Illegitimate Family Worship
20:1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 20:2 “You are to say to the Israelites, ‘Any man from the Israelites or from the foreigners who reside in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech must be put to death; the people of the land must pelt him with stones. 20:3 I myself will set my face against that man and cut him off from the midst of his people, because he has given some of his children to Molech and thereby defiled my sanctuary and profaned my holy name. 20:4 If, however, the people of the land shut their eyes to that man when he gives some of his children to Molech so that they do not put him to death, 20:5 I myself will set my face against that man and his clan. I will cut off from the midst of their people both him and all who follow after him in spiritual prostitution, to commit prostitution by worshiping Molech.
Prohibition against Spiritists and Mediums
20:6 “‘The person who turns to the spirits of the dead and familiar spirits to commit prostitution by going after them, I will set my face against that person and cut him off from the midst of his people.
Exhortation to Holiness and Obedience
20:7 “‘You must sanctify yourselves and be holy, because I am the Lord your God. 20:8 You must be sure to obey my statutes. I am the Lord who sanctifies you.
Family Life and Sexual Prohibitions
20:9 “‘If anyone curses his father and mother he must be put to death. He has cursed his father and mother; his blood guilt is on himself. 20:10 If a man commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death. 20:11 If a man has sexual intercourse with his father’s wife, he has exposed his father’s nakedness. Both of them must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves. 20:12 If a man has sexual intercourse with his daughter-in-law, both of them must be put to death. They have committed perversion; their blood guilt is on themselves. 20:13 If a man has sexual intercourse with a male as one has sexual intercourse with a woman, the two of them have committed an abomination. They must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves. 20:14 If a man has sexual intercourse with both a woman and her mother, it is lewdness. Both he and they must be burned to death, so there is no lewdness in your midst. 20:15 If a man has sexual intercourse with any animal, he must be put to death, and you must kill the animal. 20:16 If a woman approaches any animal to have sexual intercourse with it, you must kill the woman, and the animal must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves.
20:17 “‘If a man has sexual intercourse with his sister, whether the daughter of his father or his mother, so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace. They must be cut off in the sight of the children of their people. He has exposed his sister’s nakedness; he will bear his punishment for iniquity.
20:18 If a man has sexual intercourse with a menstruating woman and uncovers her nakedness, he has laid bare her fountain of blood and she has exposed the fountain of her blood, so both of them must be cut off from the midst of their people.
20:19 You must not expose the nakedness of your mother’s sister and your father’s sister, for such a person has laid bare his own close relative. They must bear their punishment for iniquity.
20:20 If a man has sexual intercourse with his aunt, he has exposed his uncle’s nakedness; they must bear responsibility for their sin, they will die childless. 20:21 If a man has sexual intercourse with his brother’s wife, it is indecency. He has exposed his brother’s nakedness; they will be childless.
Exhortation to Holiness and Obedience
20:22 “‘You must be sure to obey all my statutes and regulations, so that the land to which I am about to bring you to take up residence there does not vomit you out.
20:23 You must not walk in the statutes of the nation which I am about to drive out before you, because they have done all these things and I am filled with disgust against them.
20:24 So I have said to you: You yourselves will possess their land and I myself will give it to you for a possession, a land flowing with milk and honey. I am the Lord your God who has set you apart from the other peoples.
20:25 Therefore you must distinguish between the clean animal and the unclean, and between the unclean bird and the clean, and you must not make yourselves detestable by means of an animal or bird or anything that creeps on the ground – creatures I have distinguished for you as unclean.
20:26 You must be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the other peoples to be mine.
Prohibition against Spiritists and Mediums
20:27 “‘A man or woman who has in them a spirit of the dead or a familiar spirit must be put to death. They must pelt them with stones; their blood guilt is on themselves.’”
Lord, remind me daily of Your holiness and of my responsibility to live holy before You. Lord, may the influences of witchcraft never be found in my home or anywhere else where I have authority.
The Lord God reminded the Israelites of their covenental obligation to live holy lives, because of their agreement and relationship with a holy God.
He instructed them to be sensitive to the needs of the poor and of the foreigner, thus they were not to pick everything clean at harvest but to leave some behind for them; this was not a completely free gift as it required that those receiving the “gleanings” work to harvest them.
He provided guidance for daily living:
Deal justly with others
Do not slander others
Defend a brother in danger.
Do “... not hate your brother in your heart.” [This is interesting as it is a precursor to the teaching of Jesus in the NT.].
To warn a brother who has stumbled so that you do not share in his guilt.
To not seek vengeance.
To not bear a grudge against a fellow Israelites.
To love your neighbor as yourself.
To not allow two different kinds of your animals to breed (e.g. donkey and horse because they produce the mule which cannot reproduce).
To not mix different seed in the same field.
To not wear a garment made of two different kinds of fabric. (e.g. There are significant moisture-management differences between cotton and wool.)
In those primitive times a slave woman did not have the same rights as a free woman, therefore while it was a sin for her master to have sexual intercourse with her they were not killed but he was required to present a sin offering. The unfortunate precedent of a master being with a slave woman had been set by Abraham.
Fruit trees planted in the new land was to be uneaten in the first three years and the fourth given as a praise offering to the Lord God. Only in the fifth year and beyond was the fruit acceptable for the people to eat.
The people were warned again to not eat blood.
The people were warned again to avoid witchcraft; no divining (asking spirits to show where wells should be), trying to communicate with the dead, no fortune telling, be respectful to an angel and an elder,
The people were warned to not decorate themselves with odd beard and hair styles nor to be tatoo-ed.
The people were not to follow the pagan practice of self-mutilation for the dead.
Parents, no matter how poor, we not to cause their daughter to be a prostitute – all prostitution was bad for the society.
People were to treat foreigners respectfully when they were guests, at least as well as if they were Israelites.
People were to deal honestly with one another, no cheating.
The people were to keep all of the statutes given by God.
The Lord God reiterated His prohibition against the sacrifice of children to the false god Molech. He added that if family (clan) members knew of one who was doing this and did nothing – the punishment was death - the whole family was guilty and would be removed from the covenant with God.
He uses the term “spiritual prostitution” for those who sacrificed children to Molech as well as for those who sought-after the spirits of the dead and familiar spirits. This term must have been jarring for the Israelites to hear as in their culture a prostitute was to be shunned.
He reiterated guidelines for right-living on matters of respect and sexual relations.
God repeats Himself when He really wants us to remember what He has said. Witchcraft in its many forms were ways to worship the enemy instead of God, therefore God continuously-stressed His prohibition against it.
Which of the items on this list were also taught by Jesus? How serious must have been the problem of incest and bestiality that God found it necessary to repeat His prohibitions?
Witchcraft in all of its many forms were forbidden by God. The sexual sins that are forbidden would have created both genetic problems and psycho-social problems within Israelite society.
When have you recognized that the way that you adorned yourself was an expression of a heart not focused on God but instead on worldly values that were not pleasing to God? Has the Holy Spirit led you to recognize subtle elements of witchcraft in your church or home that you had not previously recognized as such? When you asked about them what was the reaction?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where something in the list from this text also applies to Christians and is a problem in your life, and to reveal to you any place in your relationships where the enemy is tempting you to even think of any of the sexual sins listed in today’s text.
Today I will repent of that which the Holy Spirit reveals to me and will partner with a fellow believer for accountability in remaining where God, rather than the world, would have me in my walk. I will repent of anything associated with witchcraft and any thoughts that the enemy has stimulated in me toward any of the sins in today’s text. As necessary I will ask a spiritually-mature fellow believer to pray in-agreement and in confidence for these things to be an abomination to me as they are to the Lord God.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Rules for the Priests
21:1 The Lord said to Moses: “Say to the priests, the sons of Aaron – say to them, ‘For a dead person no priest is to defile himself among his people, 21:2 except for his close relative who is near to him: his mother, his father, his son, his daughter, his brother, 21:3 and his virgin sister who is near to him, who has no husband; he may defile himself for her. 21:4 He must not defile himself as a husband among his people so as to profane himself. 21:5 Priests must not have a bald spot shaved on their head, they must not shave the corner of their beard, and they must not cut slashes in their body.
21:6 “‘They must be holy to their God, and they must not profane the name of their God, because they are the ones who present the Lord’s gifts, the food of their God. Therefore they must be holy. 21:7 They must not take a wife defiled by prostitution, nor are they to take a wife divorced from her husband, for the priest is holy to his God. 21:8 You must sanctify him because he presents the food of your God. He must be holy to you because I, the Lord who sanctifies you all, am holy. 21:9 If a daughter of a priest profanes herself by engaging in prostitution, she is profaning her father. She must be burned to death.
Rules for the High Priest
21:10 “‘The high priest – who is greater than his brothers, on whose head the anointing oil is poured, who has been ordained to wear the priestly garments – must neither dishevel the hair of his head nor tear his garments. 21:11 He must not go where there is any dead person; he must not defile himself even for his father and his mother. 21:12 He must not go out from the sanctuary and must not profane the sanctuary of his God, because the dedication of the anointing oil of his God is on him. I am the Lord. 21:13 He must take a wife who is a virgin. 21:14 He must not marry a widow, a divorced woman, or one profaned by prostitution; he may only take a virgin from his people as a wife. 21:15 He must not profane his children among his people, for I am the Lord who sanctifies him.’”
Rules for the Priesthood
21:16 The Lord spoke to Moses: 21:17 “Tell Aaron, ‘No man from your descendants throughout their generations who has a physical flaw is to approach to present the food of his God. 21:18 Certainly no man who has a physical flaw is to approach: a blind man, or one who is lame, or one with a slit nose, or a limb too long, 21:19 or a man who has had a broken leg or arm, 21:20 or a hunchback, or a dwarf, or one with a spot in his eye, or a festering eruption, or a feverish rash, or a crushed testicle. 21:21 No man from the descendants of Aaron the priest who has a physical flaw may step forward to present the Lord’s gifts; he has a physical flaw, so he must not step forward to present the food of his God. 21:22 He may eat both the most holy and the holy food of his God, 21:23 but he must not go into the veil-canopy or step forward to the altar because he has a physical flaw. Thus he must not profane my holy places, for I am the Lord who sanctifies them.’”
21:24 So Moses spoke these things to Aaron, his sons, and all the Israelites.
Regulations for the Eating of Priestly Stipends
22:1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 22:2 “Tell Aaron and his sons that they must deal respectfully with the holy offerings of the Israelites, which they consecrate to me, so that they do not profane my holy name. I am the Lord. 22:3 Say to them, ‘Throughout your generations, if any man from all your descendants approaches the holy offerings which the Israelites consecrate to the Lord while he is impure, that person must be cut off from before me. I am the Lord. 22:4 No man from the descendants of Aaron who is diseased or has a discharge may eat the holy offerings until he becomes clean. The one who touches anything made unclean by contact with a dead person, or a man who has a seminal emission, 22:5 or a man who touches a swarming thing by which he becomes unclean, or touches a person by which he becomes unclean, whatever that person’s impurity – 22:6 the person who touches any of these will be unclean until evening and must not eat from the holy offerings unless he has bathed his body in water. 22:7 When the sun goes down he will be clean, and afterward he may eat from the holy offerings, because they are his food. 22:8 He must not eat an animal that has died of natural causes or an animal torn by beasts and thus become unclean by it. I am the Lord. 22:9 They must keep my charge so that they do not incur sin on account of it and therefore die because they profane it. I am the Lord who sanctifies them.
22:10 “‘No lay person may eat anything holy. Neither a priest’s lodger nor a hired laborer may eat anything holy, 22:11 but if a priest buys a person with his own money, that person may eat the holy offerings, and those born in the priest’s own house may eat his food. 22:12 If a priest’s daughter marries a lay person, she may not eat the holy contribution offerings, 22:13 but if a priest’s daughter is a widow or divorced, and she has no children so that she returns to live in her father’s house as in her youth, she may eat from her father’s food, but no lay person may eat it.
22:14 “‘If a man eats a holy offering by mistake, he must add one fifth to it and give the holy offering to the priest. 22:15 They must not profane the holy offerings which the Israelites contribute to the Lord, 22:16 and so cause them to incur a penalty for guilt when they eat their holy offerings, for I am the Lord who sanctifies them.’”
Regulations for Offering Votive and Freewill Offerings
22:17 The Lord spoke to Moses: 22:18 “Speak to Aaron, his sons, and all the Israelites and tell them, ‘When any man from the house of Israel or from the foreigners in Israel presents his offering for any of the votive or freewill offerings which they present to the Lord as a burnt offering, 22:19 if it is to be acceptable for your benefit it must be a flawless male from the cattle, sheep, or goats. 22:20 You must not present anything that has a flaw, because it will not be acceptable for your benefit. 22:21 If a man presents a peace offering sacrifice to the Lord for a special votive offering or for a freewill offering from the herd or the flock, it must be flawless to be acceptable; it must have no flaw.
22:22 “‘You must not present to the Lord something blind, or with a broken bone, or mutilated, or with a running sore, or with a festering eruption, or with a feverish rash. You must not give any of these as a gift on the altar to the Lord. 22:23 As for an ox or a sheep with a limb too long or stunted, you may present it as a freewill offering, but it will not be acceptable for a votive offering. 22:24 You must not present to the Lord something with testicles that are bruised, crushed, torn, or cut off; you must not do this in your land. 22:25 Even from a foreigner you must not present the food of your God from such animals as these, for they are ruined and flawed; they will not be acceptable for your benefit.’”
22:26 The Lord spoke to Moses: 22:27 “When an ox, lamb, or goat is born, it must be under the care of its mother seven days, but from the eighth day onward it will be acceptable as an offering gift to the Lord. 22:28 You must not slaughter an ox or a sheep and its young on the same day. 22:29 When you sacrifice a thanksgiving offering to the Lord, you must sacrifice it so that it is acceptable for your benefit. 22:30 On that very day it must be eaten; you must not leave any part of it over until morning. I am the Lord.
22:31 “You must be sure to do my commandments. I am the Lord. 22:32 You must not profane my holy name, and I will be sanctified in the midst of the Israelites. I am the Lord who sanctifies you, 22:33 the one who brought you out from the land of Egypt to be your God. I am the Lord.”
Regulations for Israel’s Appointed Times
23:1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 23:2 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘These are the Lord’s appointed times which you must proclaim as holy assemblies – my appointed times:
The Weekly Sabbath
23:3 “‘Six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there must be a Sabbath of complete rest, a holy assembly. You must not do any work; it is a Sabbath to the Lord in all the places where you live.
The Festival of Passover and Unleavened Bread
23:4 “‘These are the Lord’s appointed times, holy assemblies, which you must proclaim at their appointed time. 23:5 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight, is a Passover offering to the Lord. 23:6 Then on the fifteenth day of the same month will be the festival of unleavened bread to the Lord; seven days you must eat unleavened bread. 23:7 On the first day there will be a holy assembly for you; you must not do any regular work. 23:8 You must present a gift to the Lord for seven days, and the seventh day is a holy assembly; you must not do any regular work.’”
The Presentation of First Fruits
23:9 The Lord spoke to Moses: 23:10 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘When you enter the land that I am about to give to you and you gather in its harvest, then you must bring the sheaf of the first portion of your harvest to the priest, 23:11 and he must wave the sheaf before the Lord to be accepted for your benefit – on the day after the Sabbath the priest is to wave it. 23:12 On the day you wave the sheaf you must also offer a flawless yearling lamb for a burnt offering to the Lord, 23:13 along with its grain offering, two tenths of an ephah of choice wheat flour mixed with olive oil, as a gift to the Lord, a soothing aroma, and its drink offering, one fourth of a hin of wine. 23:14 You must not eat bread, roasted grain, or fresh grain until this very day, until you bring the offering of your God. This is a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all the places where you live.
The Festival of Weeks
23:15 “‘You must count for yourselves seven weeks from the day after the Sabbath, from the day you bring the wave offering sheaf; they must be complete weeks. 23:16 You must count fifty days – until the day after the seventh Sabbath – and then you must present a new grain offering to the Lord. 23:17 From the places where you live you must bring two loaves of bread for a wave offering; they must be made from two tenths of an ephah of fine wheat flour, baked with yeast, as first fruits to the Lord. 23:18 Along with the loaves of bread, you must also present seven flawless yearling lambs, one young bull, and two rams. They are to be a burnt offering to the Lord along with their grain offering and drink offerings, a gift of a soothing aroma to the Lord. 23:19 You must also offer one male goat for a sin offering and two yearling lambs for a peace offering sacrifice, 23:20 and the priest is to wave them – the two lambs – along with the bread of the first fruits, as a wave offering before the Lord; they will be holy to the Lord for the priest.
23:21 “‘On this very day you must proclaim an assembly; it is to be a holy assembly for you. You must not do any regular work. This is a perpetual statute in all the places where you live throughout your generations. 23:22 When you gather in the harvest of your land, you must not completely harvest the corner of your field, and you must not gather up the gleanings of your harvest. You must leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God.’”
The Festival of Horn Blasts
23:23 The Lord spoke to Moses: 23:24 “Tell the Israelites, ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you must have a complete rest, a memorial announced by loud horn blasts, a holy assembly. 23:25 You must not do any regular work, but you must present a gift to the Lord.’”
The Day of Atonement
23:26 The Lord spoke to Moses: 23:27 “The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It is to be a holy assembly for you, and you must humble yourselves and present a gift to the Lord. 23:28 You must not do any work on this particular day, because it is a day of atonement to make atonement for yourselves before the Lord your God. 23:29 Indeed, any person who does not behave with humility on this particular day will be cut off from his people. 23:30 As for any person who does any work on this particular day, I will exterminate that person from the midst of his people! 23:31 You must not do any work. This is a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all the places where you live. 23:32 It is a Sabbath of complete rest for you, and you must humble yourselves on the ninth day of the month in the evening, from evening until evening you must observe your Sabbath.”
The Festival of Booths
23:33 The Lord spoke to Moses: 23:34 “Tell the Israelites, ‘On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the Festival of Temporary Shelters for seven days to the Lord. 23:35 On the first day is a holy assembly; you must do no regular work. 23:36 For seven days you must present a gift to the Lord. On the eighth day there is to be a holy assembly for you, and you must present a gift to the Lord. It is a solemn assembly day; you must not do any regular work.
23:37 “‘These are the appointed times of the Lord that you must proclaim as holy assemblies to present a gift to the Lord – burnt offering, grain offering, sacrifice, and drink offerings, each day according to its regulation, 23:38 besides the Sabbaths of the Lord and all your gifts, votive offerings, and freewill offerings which you must give to the Lord.
23:39 “‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you gather in the produce of the land, you must celebrate a pilgrim festival of the Lord for seven days. On the first day is a complete rest and on the eighth day is complete rest. 23:40 On the first day you must take for yourselves branches from majestic trees – palm branches, branches of leafy trees, and willows of the brook – and you must rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. 23:41 You must celebrate it as a pilgrim festival to the Lord for seven days in the year. This is a perpetual statute throughout your generations; you must celebrate it in the seventh month. 23:42 You must live in temporary shelters for seven days; every native citizen in Israel must live in temporary shelters, 23:43 so that your future generations may know that I made the Israelites live in temporary shelters when I brought them out from the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’”
23:44 So Moses spoke to the Israelites about the appointed times of the Lord.
Regulations for the Lampstand and Table of Bread
24:1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 24:2 “Command the Israelites to bring to you pure oil of beaten olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually. 24:3 Outside the veil-canopy of the congregation in the Meeting Tent Aaron must arrange it from evening until morning before the Lord continually. This is a perpetual statute throughout your generations. 24:4 On the ceremonially pure lampstand he must arrange the lamps before the Lord continually.
24:5 “You must take choice wheat flour and bake twelve loaves; there must be two tenths of an ephah of flour in each loaf, 24:6 and you must set them in two rows, six in a row, on the ceremonially pure table before the Lord. 24:7 You must put pure frankincense on each row, and it will become a memorial portion for the bread, a gift to the Lord. 24:8 Each Sabbath day Aaron must arrange it before the Lord continually; this portion is from the Israelites as a perpetual covenant. 24:9 It will belong to Aaron and his sons, and they must eat it in a holy place because it is most holy to him, a perpetual allotted portion from the gifts of the Lord.”
Lord, while there are no longer priests and highly-regulated religious events and sacrifices You are still holy. Since I am the ‘tabernacle’ of Your Holy Spirit may my life be lived increasingly-holy before You.
Because an Old Testament covenant priest was an integral part of the sacrificial system the Lord God required of him a number of special lifestyle mandates that were not required of others; these included remaining ceremonially clean – with rare close-relative exceptions – whom he was allowed to marry, and how he was to conduct himself so as to rightly-represent his position in God’s holy sacrificial system. The wife and children of the high priest were also held to a higher standard. Not just anyone was allowed the honor of a priestly role in the tabernacle.
The Old Testament covenant priest was to, himself, physically appear much alike the very “without flaw” sacrifices he was to present “No man from the descendants of Aaron the priest who has a physical flaw may step forward to present the Lord’s gifts; he has a physical flaw, so he must not step forward to present the food of his God. 21:22 He may eat both the most holy and the holy food of his God, 21:23 but he must not go into the veil-canopy or step forward to the altar because he has a physical flaw.”
The part of the holy offerings given to the priest as his food was also protected, this was to preserve the sense of sanctity of all things associated with the tabernacle, and prevented abuses where those sacrificial foods might be misused for financial or other gains.
This is a summary of the required religious events:
The Weekly Sabbath - Six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there must be a Sabbath of complete rest
The Festival of Passover and Unleavened Bread - In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight, is a Passover offering to the Lord. Then on the fifteenth day of the same month will be the festival of unleavened bread to the Lord; seven days you must eat unleavened bread. On the first day there will be a holy assembly for you; you must not do any regular work. You must present a gift to the Lord for seven days, and the seventh day is a holy assembly; you must not do any regular work.’”
The Presentation of First Fruits - When you enter the land that I am about to give to you … bring the sheaf of the first portion of your harvest to the priest
The Festival of Weeks – seven complete weeks following the day of the Sabbath count fifty days – until the day after the seventh Sabbath
The Festival of Horn Blasts – the first day of the seventh month
The Day of Atonement – the tenth day of the tenth month
The Festival of Booths - ‘On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the Festival of Temporary Shelters for seven days to the Lord. On the first day is a holy assembly; you must do no regular work. 23:36 For seven days you must present a gift to the Lord. On the eighth day there is to be a holy assembly for you, and you must present a gift to the Lord. ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you gather in the produce of the land, you must celebrate a pilgrim festival of the Lord for seven days. On the first day is a complete rest and on the eighth day is complete rest. 23:40 On the first day you must take for yourselves branches from majestic trees – palm branches, branches of leafy trees, and willows of the brook – and you must rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. 23:41 You must celebrate it as a pilgrim festival to the Lord for seven days in the year.
The regulations for the Lampstand and Table of Bread were repeated as they had been previously described to Moses by the Lord God.
The new covenant was somewhat foreign to the Israelites, thus God wisely provided for them great detail and many moments to reinforce its importance in their lives.
How isolated might the priest have felt from the people around them with all of the requirements of God they were required to meet and all of the limitations placed uniquely upon them?
With all of the details of all of the religious activities the lives of the Israelites was deeply infused with an awareness of the presence of God, their dependence upon Him, and their obligations to Him. This was essential to the covenant to which they had agreed.
When have you discovered that without a regular, not necessarily rigid – but not careless either – time set apart for God that you drifted into a benign neglect of your relationship with Him?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you have become either too ritualized or careless about your time with the Lord, His Word, and His people.
Today I will intentionally act to assure that I have a daily time with the Lord, that I gather regularly with His people to celebrate, encourage, learn, and pray, and that I will otherwise build for myself a system that keeps awareness of Him ever before me.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
A Case of Blaspheming the Name
24:10 Now an Israelite woman’s son whose father was an Egyptian went out among the Israelites, and the Israelite woman’s son and an Israelite man had a fight in the camp. 24:11 The Israelite woman’s son misused the Name and cursed, so they brought him to Moses. (Now his mother’s name was Shelomith daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.) 24:12 So they placed him in custody until they were able to make a clear legal decision for themselves based on words from the mouth of the Lord.
24:13 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 24:14 “Bring the one who cursed outside the camp, and all who heard him are to lay their hands on his head, and the whole congregation is to stone him to death. 24:15 Moreover, you are to tell the Israelites, ‘If any man curses his God he will bear responsibility for his sin, 24:16 and one who misuses the name of the Lord must surely be put to death. The whole congregation must surely stone him, whether he is a foreigner or a native citizen; when he misuses the Name he must be put to death.
24:17 “‘If a man beats any person to death, he must be put to death. 24:18 One who beats an animal to death must make restitution for it, life for life. 24:19 If a man inflicts an injury on his fellow citizen, just as he has done it must be done to him – 24:20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth – just as he inflicts an injury on another person that same injury must be inflicted on him. 24:21 One who beats an animal to death must make restitution for it, but one who beats a person to death must be put to death. 24:22 There will be one regulation for you, whether a foreigner or a native citizen, for I am the Lord your God.’”
24:23 Then Moses spoke to the Israelites and they brought the one who cursed outside the camp and stoned him with stones. So the Israelites did just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Regulations for the Sabbatical Year
25:1 The Lord spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai: 25:2 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘When you enter the land that I am giving you, the land must observe a Sabbath to the Lord. 25:3 Six years you may sow your field, and six years you may prune your vineyard and gather the produce, 25:4 but in the seventh year the land must have a Sabbath of complete rest – a Sabbath to the Lord. You must not sow your field or prune your vineyard. 25:5 You must not gather in the aftergrowth of your harvest and you must not pick the grapes of your unpruned vines; the land must have a year of complete rest. 25:6 You may have the Sabbath produce of the land to eat – you, your male servant, your female servant, your hired worker, the resident foreigner who stays with you, 25:7 your cattle, and the wild animals that are in your land – all its produce will be for you to eat.
Regulations for the Jubilee Year of Release
25:8 “‘You must count off seven weeks of years, seven times seven years, and the days of the seven weeks of years will amount to forty-nine years. 25:9 You must sound loud horn blasts – in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, on the Day of Atonement – you must sound the horn in your entire land. 25:10 So you must consecrate the fiftieth year, and you must proclaim a release in the land for all its inhabitants. That year will be your jubilee; each one of you must return to his property and each one of you must return to his clan.
25:11 That fiftieth year will be your jubilee; you must not sow the land, harvest its aftergrowth, or pick the grapes of its unpruned vines. 25:12 Because that year is a jubilee, it will be holy to you – you may eat its produce from the field.
Release of Landed Property
25:13 “‘In this year of jubilee you must each return to your property. 25:14 If you make a sale to your fellow citizen or buy from your fellow citizen, no one is to wrong his brother. 25:15 You may buy it from your fellow citizen according to the number of years since the last jubilee; he may sell it to you according to the years of produce that are left. 25:16 The more years there are, the more you may make its purchase price, and the fewer years there are, the less you must make its purchase price, because he is only selling to you a number of years of produce.
25:17 No one is to oppress his fellow citizen, but you must fear your God, because I am the Lord your God. 25:18 You must obey my statutes and my regulations; you must be sure to keep them so that you may live securely in the land.
25:19 “‘The land will give its fruit and you may eat until you are satisfied, and you may live securely in the land. 25:20 If you say, ‘What will we eat in the seventh year if we do not sow and gather our produce?’ 25:21 I will command my blessing for you in the sixth year so that it may yield the produce for three years, 25:22 and you may sow the eighth year and eat from that sixth year’s produce – old produce. Until you bring in the ninth year’s produce, you may eat old produce.
25:23 The land must not be sold without reclaim because the land belongs to me, for you are foreigners and residents with me. 25:24 In all your landed property you must provide for the right of redemption of the land.
25:25 “‘If your brother becomes impoverished and sells some of his property, his near redeemer is to come to you and redeem what his brother sold. 25:26 If a man has no redeemer, but he prospers and gains enough for its redemption, 25:27 he is to calculate the value of the years it was sold, refund the balance to the man to whom he had sold it, and return to his property. 25:28 If he has not prospered enough to refund a balance to him, then what he sold will belong to the one who bought it until the jubilee year, but it must revert in the jubilee and the original owner may return to his property.
Release of Houses
25:29 “‘If a man sells a residential house in a walled city, its right of redemption must extend until one full year from its sale; its right of redemption must extend to a full calendar year. 25:30 If it is not redeemed before the full calendar year is ended, the house in the walled city will belong without reclaim to the one who bought it throughout his generations; it will not revert in the jubilee.
25:31 The houses of villages, however, which have no wall surrounding them must be considered as the field of the land; they will have the right of redemption and must revert in the jubilee.
25:32 As for the cities of the Levites, the houses in the cities which they possess, the Levites must have a perpetual right of redemption. 25:33 Whatever someone among the Levites might redeem – the sale of a house which is his property in a city – must revert in the jubilee, because the houses of the cities of the Levites are their property in the midst of the Israelites. 25:34 Moreover, the open field areas of their cities must not be sold, because that is their perpetual possession.
Debt and Slave Regulations
25:35 “‘If your brother becomes impoverished and is indebted to you, you must support him; he must live with you like a foreign resident. 25:36 Do not take interest or profit from him, but you must fear your God and your brother must live with you. 25:37 You must not lend him your money at interest and you must not sell him food for profit. 25:38 I am the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan – to be your God.
25:39 “‘If your brother becomes impoverished with regard to you so that he sells himself to you, you must not subject him to slave service. 25:40 He must be with you as a hired worker, as a resident foreigner; he must serve with you until the year of jubilee, 25:41 but then he may go free, he and his children with him, and may return to his family and to the property of his ancestors. 25:42 Since they are my servants whom I brought out from the land of Egypt, they must not be sold in a slave sale. 25:43 You must not rule over him harshly, but you must fear your God.
25:44 “‘As for your male and female slaves who may belong to you – you may buy male and female slaves from the nations all around you. 25:45 Also you may buy slaves from the children of the foreigners who reside with you, and from their families that are with you, whom they have fathered in your land, they may become your property. 25:46 You may give them as inheritance to your children after you to possess as property. You may enslave them perpetually. However, as for your brothers the Israelites, no man may rule over his brother harshly.
25:47 “‘If a resident foreigner who is with you prospers and your brother becomes impoverished with regard to him so that he sells himself to a resident foreigner who is with you or to a member of a foreigner’s family, 25:48 after he has sold himself he retains a right of redemption. One of his brothers may redeem him, 25:49 or his uncle or his cousin may redeem him, or anyone of the rest of his blood relatives – his family – may redeem him, or if he prospers he may redeem himself. 25:50 He must calculate with the one who bought him the number of years from the year he sold himself to him until the jubilee year, and the cost of his sale must correspond to the number of years, according to the rate of wages a hired worker would have earned while with him. 25:51 If there are still many years, in keeping with them he must refund most of the cost of his purchase for his redemption, 25:52 but if only a few years remain until the jubilee, he must calculate for himself in keeping with the remaining years and refund it for his redemption. 25:53 He must be with the one who bought him like a yearly hired worker. The one who bought him must not rule over him harshly in your sight. 25:54 If, however, he is not redeemed in these ways, he must go free in the jubilee year, he and his children with him, 25:55 because the Israelites are my own servants; they are my servants whom I brought out from the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.
Exhortation to Obedience
26:1 “‘You must not make for yourselves idols, so you must not set up for yourselves a carved image or a pillar, and you must not place a sculpted stone in your land to bow down before it, for I am the Lord your God. 26:2 You must keep my Sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary. I am the Lord.
The Benefits of Obedience
26:3 “‘If you walk in my statutes and are sure to obey my commandments, 26:4 I will give you your rains in their time so that the land will give its yield and the trees of the field will produce their fruit. 26:5 Threshing season will extend for you until the season for harvesting grapes, and the season for harvesting grapes will extend until sowing season, so you will eat your bread until you are satisfied, and you will live securely in your land. 26:6 I will grant peace in the land so that you will lie down to sleep without anyone terrifying you. I will remove harmful animals from the land, and no sword of war will pass through your land. 26:7 You will pursue your enemies and they will fall before you by the sword. 26:8 Five of you will pursue a hundred, and a hundred of you will pursue ten thousand, and your enemies will fall before you by the sword. 26:9 I will turn to you, make you fruitful, multiply you, and maintain my covenant with you. 26:10 You will still be eating stored produce from the previous year and will have to clean out what is stored from the previous year to make room for new.
26:11 “‘I will put my tabernacle in your midst and I will not abhor you. 26:12 I will walk among you, and I will be your God and you will be my people. 26:13 I am the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, from being their slaves, and I broke the bars of your yoke and caused you to walk upright.
The Consequences of Disobedience
26:14 “‘If, however, you do not obey me and keep all these commandments – 26:15 if you reject my statutes and abhor my regulations so that you do not keep all my commandments and you break my covenant – 26:16 I for my part will do this to you: I will inflict horror on you, consumption and fever, which diminish eyesight and drain away the vitality of life. You will sow your seed in vain because your enemies will eat it. 26:17 I will set my face against you. You will be struck down before your enemies, those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee when there is no one pursuing you.
26:18 “‘If, in spite of all these things, you do not obey me, I will discipline you seven times more on account of your sins. 26:19 I will break your strong pride and make your sky like iron and your land like bronze. 26:20 Your strength will be used up in vain, your land will not give its yield, and the trees of the land will not produce their fruit.
26:21 “‘If you walk in hostility against me and are not willing to obey me, I will increase your affliction seven times according to your sins. 26:22 I will send the wild animals against you and they will bereave you of your children, annihilate your cattle, and diminish your population so that your roads will become deserted.
26:23 “‘If in spite of these things you do not allow yourselves to be disciplined and you walk in hostility against me, 26:24 I myself will also walk in hostility against you and strike you seven times on account of your sins. 26:25 I will bring on you an avenging sword, a covenant vengeance. Although you will gather together into your cities, I will send pestilence among you and you will be given into enemy hands. 26:26 When I break off your supply of bread, ten women will bake your bread in one oven; they will ration your bread by weight, and you will eat and not be satisfied.
26:27 “‘If in spite of this you do not obey me but walk in hostility against me, 26:28 I will walk in hostile rage against you and I myself will also discipline you seven times on account of your sins. 26:29 You will eat the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters. 26:30 I will destroy your high places and cut down your incense altars, and I will stack your dead bodies on top of the lifeless bodies of your idols. I will abhor you. 26:31 I will lay your cities waste and make your sanctuaries desolate, and I will refuse to smell your soothing aromas. 26:32 I myself will make the land desolate and your enemies who live in it will be appalled. 26:33 I will scatter you among the nations and unsheathe the sword after you, so your land will become desolate and your cities will become a waste.
26:34 “‘Then the land will make up for its Sabbaths all the days it lies desolate while you are in the land of your enemies; then the land will rest and make up its Sabbaths. 26:35 All the days of the desolation it will have the rest it did not have on your Sabbaths when you lived on it.
26:36 “‘As for the ones who remain among you, I will bring despair into their hearts in the lands of their enemies. The sound of a blowing leaf will pursue them, and they will flee as one who flees the sword and fall down even though there is no pursuer. 26:37 They will stumble over each other as those who flee before a sword, though there is no pursuer, and there will be no one to take a stand for you before your enemies. 26:38 You will perish among the nations; the land of your enemies will consume you.
Restoration through Confession and Repentance
26:39 “‘As for the ones who remain among you, they will rot away because of their iniquity in the lands of your enemies, and they will also rot away because of their ancestors’ iniquities which are with them. 26:40 However, when they confess their iniquity and their ancestors’ iniquity which they committed by trespassing against me, by which they also walked in hostility against me 26:41 (and I myself will walk in hostility against them and bring them into the land of their enemies), and then their uncircumcised hearts become humbled and they make up for their iniquity,
26:42 I will remember my covenant with Jacob and also my covenant with Isaac and also my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land.
26:43 The land will be abandoned by them in order that it may make up for its Sabbaths while it is made desolate without them, and they will make up for their iniquity because they have rejected my regulations and have abhorred my statutes. 26:44 In spite of this, however, when they are in the land of their enemies I will not reject them and abhor them to make a complete end of them, to break my covenant with them, for I am the Lord their God.
26:45 I will remember for them the covenant with their ancestors whom I brought out from the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations to be their God. I am the Lord.’”
Summary Colophon
26:46 These are the statutes, regulations, and instructions which the Lord established between himself and the Israelites at Mount Sinai through Moses.
Redemption of Vowed People
27:1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 27:2 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘When a man makes a special votive offering based on the conversion value of persons to the Lord, 27:3 the conversion value of the male from twenty years old up to sixty years old is fifty shekels by the standard of the sanctuary shekel. 27:4 If the person is a female, the conversion value is thirty shekels.
27:5 If the person is from five years old up to twenty years old, the conversion value of the male is twenty shekels, and for the female ten shekels. 27:6 If the person is one month old up to five years old, the conversion value of the male is five shekels of silver, and for the female the conversion value is three shekels of silver.
27:7 If the person is from sixty years old and older, if he is a male the conversion value is fifteen shekels, and for the female ten shekels. 27:8 If he is too poor to pay the conversion value, he must stand the person before the priest and the priest will establish his conversion value; according to what the man who made the vow can afford, the priest will establish his conversion value.
Redemption of Vowed Animals
27:9 “‘If what is vowed is a kind of animal from which an offering may be presented to the Lord, anything which he gives to the Lord from this kind of animal will be holy. 27:10 He must not replace or exchange it, good for bad or bad for good, and if he does indeed exchange one animal for another animal, then both the original animal and its substitute will be holy.
27:11 If what is vowed is an unclean animal from which an offering must not be presented to the Lord, then he must stand the animal before the priest, 27:12 and the priest will establish its conversion value, whether good or bad. According to the assessed conversion value of the priest, thus it will be. 27:13 If, however, the person who made the vow redeems the animal, he must add one fifth to its conversion value.
Redemption of Vowed Houses
27:14 “‘If a man consecrates his house as holy to the Lord, the priest will establish its conversion value, whether good or bad. Just as the priest establishes its conversion value, thus it will stand.
27:15 If the one who consecrates it redeems his house, he must add to it one fifth of its conversion value in silver, and it will belong to him.
Redemption of Vowed Fields
27:16 “‘If a man consecrates to the Lord some of his own landed property, the conversion value must be calculated in accordance with the amount of seed needed to sow it, a homer of barley seed being priced at fifty shekels of silver. 27:17 If he consecrates his field in the jubilee year, the conversion value will stand, 27:18 but if he consecrates his field after the jubilee, the priest will calculate the price for him according to the years that are left until the next jubilee year, and it will be deducted from the conversion value.
27:19 If, however, the one who consecrated the field redeems it, he must add to it one fifth of the conversion price and it will belong to him.
27:20 If he does not redeem the field, but sells the field to someone else, he may never redeem it.
27:21 When it reverts in the jubilee, the field will be holy to the Lord like a permanently dedicated field; it will become the priest’s property.
27:22 “‘If he consecrates to the Lord a field he has purchased, which is not part of his own landed property, 27:23 the priest will calculate for him the amount of its conversion value until the jubilee year, and he must pay the conversion value on that jubilee day as something that is holy to the Lord.
27:24 In the jubilee year the field will return to the one from whom he bought it, the one to whom it belongs as landed property.
27:25 Every conversion value must be calculated by the standard of the sanctuary shekel; twenty gerahs to the shekel.
Redemption of the Firstborn
27:26 “‘Surely no man may consecrate a firstborn that already belongs to the Lord as a firstborn among the animals; whether it is an ox or a sheep, it belongs to the Lord. 27:27 If, however, it is among the unclean animals, he may ransom it according to its conversion value and must add one fifth to it, but if it is not redeemed it must be sold according to its conversion value.
Things Permanently Dedicated to the Lord
27:28 “‘Surely anything which a man permanently dedicates to the Lord from all that belongs to him, whether from people, animals, or his landed property, must be neither sold nor redeemed; anything permanently dedicated is most holy to the Lord.
27:29 Any human being who is permanently dedicated must not be ransomed; such a person must be put to death.
Redemption of the Tithe
27:30 “‘Any tithe of the land, from the grain of the land or from the fruit of the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord. 27:31 If a man redeems part of his tithe, however, he must add one fifth to it. 27:32 All the tithe of herd or flock, everything which passes under the rod, the tenth one will be holy to the Lord. 27:33 The owner must not examine the animals to distinguish between good and bad, and he must not exchange it. If, however, he does exchange it, both the original animal and its substitute will be holy. It must not be redeemed.’”
Final Colophon
27:34 These are the commandments which the Lord commanded Moses to tell the Israelites at Mount Sinai.
Lord, Your name is neither a secret nor is it forbidden to speak or to write, but it is to be honored and respected because You are the One true and holy God. May all that I do and say in Your name bring only praise to You.
A case was brought to Moses where the son of a woman of the tribe of Dan (and of an Egyptian father) used the Lord’s Name in vain during an argument with an Israelite. The Lord God instructed Moses to have him taken outside of the camp and stoned to death by the people. He instructed Moses that the same should be done to anyone who took the Name of God in vain.
He also instructed Moses that justice for violence was to be literally-proportional, a life for a life, and eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
He provided for a “sabbath year”, the seventh, and a “jubilee year”, following the forty-ninth for celebration and remembrance. In the jubilee year God declared that the people were living on His land, therefore all debts and purchases among fellow Israelites were to be guided by special standards with a goal of restoring people to the land/property/resources which He had given to their family.
Israelites in poverty were to be cared for and given opportunities to work for other Israelites but never as slaves. An Israelite who sold himself to a resident non-Israelite could be redeemed by a relative or redeem himself using a calculation relative to the jubilee and his value-owed. In any case neither an Israelite nor a foreigner was allowed to treat an indebted Israelite harshly.
The Lord God called the people to obedience, to make no idols, and to remember always that He is Lord.
He presented the Israelites with a stark contrast between the blessings He desired to pour out upon them, and through them into the fallen world, and the terrible consequences of unrepentent rebellion.
He then reviewed the statutes, regulations, and instructions of the covenant with the Israelites.
In order to teach the Israelites to respect life and to not bully the Lord God used an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth principle of consequences for impetuous or venal actions against another person. The key was that all Israelites were rescued from slavery in Egypt by the Lord God and were bound to Him through the covenant, therefore an attack on an Israelite was an attack on His family. The Lord God had amazing plans to bless Israel.
Disrespect and ridicule are methods used to diminish the credibility and influence of a person, how might the enemy have leveraged the misuse of the Lord’s Name during the formative times of the new OT covenant Israel to undermine the Lord God’s effectiveness? What would cause Israel to choose rebellion and therefore to both lose the blessings and to receive the curses?
The Lord God consistently made arrangements for the poor to participate fully in Israelite commerce and society. He also made arrangements to enable those who temporarily fell upon hard times to be restored to full freedom within the community. The Lord God repeated in layers of systems (the sacrificial system, the rules and regulations of their business and interpersonal lives, and the contrast between blessing and curse based on their obedience), and also in a variety of ways (demonstrations of power, withheld judgment, His finger of writing on the stone tablets) His simple message of hope and promise – all predicated on the keeping of the covenant to which Israel had agreed – to be priest-led and to live holy before a God Who wanted to bless them.
When have you been financially indebted or obligated in some way and a fellow believer assisted you in meeting that indebtedness or obligation? When have you known what was the right thing to do, something that would lead to positive results, and you still chose to go a different way – a way that you knew would lead to trouble?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where something you tend to do or say brings disrespect or ridicule to His Name, and to show you where you are in rebellion against Him.
Today I will repent of careless language and/or careless conduct that brings disrespect or ridicule to the Lord’s Name because I am one of His children. It may be words I know that I should not use but have become a habit, clothes that I wear that are inappropriate for a Christian, practices that I indulge which are contrary to His moral will, or dabbling in other religious which I know to be in conflict with Biblical Christianity. As necessary I will ask someone who is Biblically qualified to be an elder to assist me with prayer and wise counsel and to hold me accountable. Today I will confess, repent, seek and receive forgiveness for my rebellion. I will surrender more intimately myself to the leadership of the Holy Spirit so as to make it less likely that my rebellion with reoccur. My rebellion may be cheating, lying, laziness, disrespect, neglect of responsibilities to others, neglect of my relationship with God, idolatry of self, idolatry of others, etc. Every sin is an act of rebellion, even when that sin persists in the heart and is never realized in the external flesh. I will pray to be transformed so that I am a cleaner and more useful vessel for God’s love in this world.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 18
Due to the quantity of text here are the links to the Bible.org/NET text, or you may choose to consult another equally-reliable translation.
http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Num&chapter=1
http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Num&chapter=2
http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Num&chapter=3
http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Num&chapter=4
Lord, may I be found of some small value in Your great plan so that I, like the Levites, may be Your hands and feet in this world.
The NET Bible translator’s introduction to the Book of Numbers (or a similar introduction one may find in another version) is very important to understand the role of the Book in the OT and in the Bible as a whole.
Here is the NET translators introduction to Numbers..
“The book of Numbers is the fourth book of the Pentateuch, traditionally called the Law of Moses. It provides a record of the experience of the Israelites during the wilderness wanderings, and records the laws for the camp as they traveled from place to place. The book focuses on the difficulties of the Israelites due to their lack of faith, rebellion, and apostasy. It also records God’s protection of his people from opposition from without. The book makes a fitting contribution to the collection of holy writings as it shows the spiritual and physical progression of the company of the redeemed toward the promised land. The book has to be studied in conjunction with the other books of the Pentateuch. It builds on the promises made to Abraham in Genesis and the redemption from bondage in Exodus; it completes the cultic instructions for Israel that were laid down in Leviticus, and it concerns the worship in and the movement of the tabernacle that was built in Exodus. But the information here, both legal and historical, was not the major concern in those books. The book gets its title in English (following the Greek tradition) from the two censuses taken of the people, one at the beginning of the wanderings and the other at the end (although the Hebrew title is taken from the beginning of the book, בַּמִּדְבַּר [bammidbar], “in the wilderness”). In these lists particular emphasis is given to the leaders of the clans, a theme that will continue in the book as the focus is on how the leaders function in all the trials and temptations of the journey. The material in this book is essentially a theological interpretation of historical events, and as such it stands as an integral part of the revelation of God. In the study of the book of Numbers, when these issues of the nature of the text are significant to the interpretation and acceptance of the text, the notes will comment on them briefly. The indication at the outset of the book is that Moses had a good number of people who were able to help him compile the statistics and the facts of the wandering community. In Num 11:16-18 there is a group of leaders known as שֹׁטְּרִים (shottÿrim). This term was used in Exod 5:16-19 to describe the officers or foremen of the Israelites. They were appointed supervisors of the clans by Moses, and by the time of Joshua (Josh 1:10) they were a literary guild. The Hebrew word, cognate with Akkadian sataru, means “to write.” These people were to Israel what the scribes and chroniclers were to the pagan nations. They assisted Moses and the priests in their keeping of records. So no matter what they were called from time to time, there was a group of literate people who could keep the records and preserve the information from the very beginning. Their work matches the activities of scribes in the ancient world who used all the literary devices to preserve the material. There is no reason to doubt that the events recorded were attested to and preserved by such eyewitnesses. But their work would have been essentially to serve the leader, Moses. The book essentially follows the order of the events chronologically, more or less. Where it departs from that order it does so for literary or theological reasons. At the center of the theological concern is the tabernacle, its significance to the faith, and therefore the care in using it and in moving it. Its importance explains the presence and the arrangement of the ritual laws. With the records and statistics provided for him, Moses could then introduce into the record the great events in the wilderness experience of Israel, which were to become warnings and encouragements for all time. Most of this material comes from the two years at the beginning of the experience and the two years at the end. But this itself may be a literary device (merism) to show the nature of the wanderings throughout. The Hebrew text of the book of Numbers has been preserved fairly well. It has not been preserved as well as Leviticus, which was most important to the ministry of the priests and Levites. But in comparison with some of the prophetic writings, Numbers represents a well-preserved text. The problems will be discussed in the relevant passages. So Numbers is essentially a part of the unfolding revelation of the Torah, the Law. It shows God’s faithfulness to his covenant plan and to his covenant people, but it also shows the problems incurred by the people’s lack of faith and obedience. The book focuses frequently on the nature of the holy Lord God, for at the center of all this material is the person and the works of the Lord. This provided the standard for the faith and practice of the people.”
The Lord God instructed Moses to conduct a census of the Israelite people.
When Moses had counted the Levites God called them apart and numbered them as replacements for the firstborn of all of Israel until the number of Levites ran out – then Moses assessed 5 shekels for each firstborn beyond that and the number was 273 – that money was given to the Levites to meet their needs. [The NET translators observe that this was equal to about 2 ounces of silver per 5 shekels, or converted to US Dollars at a value (in late 2010) of $21. per ounce, or approximately $28,665.]
The Levite men, aged 30 to 50 numbered 8,580, we assigned to the transport and care of the tabernacle.
The Book of Numbers tells the story of the organization of this moving-city of around a million people, how they would transport and maintain the tabernacle, and how they would interact with God through the covenant to which they had agreed.
Imagine being one of the 8,580 men to whom it was assigned, in great detail, the transport and care for the Lord God’s tabernacle. How would you react to such an assignment?
The Lord God essentially bought the Levites from the rest of Israel – counting them as the fee owed to Him – then placing them in service to the tabernacle.
When have you been given an assignment to serve God in a specific way?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where and how He is either using you right now, or where He wants you to be His hands and His feet.
Today I will praise God for allowing me to be a part of His plan. I will prepare myself as He directs, I will serve with a heart of joy and an eye to excellence, and I will prayerfully ask that I am continuously valuable in His service.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Separation of the Unclean
5:1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 5:2 “Command the Israelites to expel from the camp every leper, everyone who has a discharge, and whoever becomes defiled by a corpse. 5:3 You must expel both men and women; you must put them outside the camp, so that they will not defile their camps, among which I live.” 5:4 So the Israelites did so, and expelled them outside the camp. As the Lord had spoken to Moses, so the Israelites did.
Restitution for Sin
5:5 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 5:6 “Tell the Israelites, ‘When a man or a woman commits any sin that people commit, thereby breaking faith with the Lord, and that person is found guilty, 5:7 then he must confess his sin that he has committed and must make full reparation, add one fifth to it, and give it to whomever he wronged. 5:8 But if the individual has no close relative to whom reparation can be made for the wrong, the reparation for the wrong must be paid to the Lord for the priest, in addition to the ram of atonement by which atonement is made for him. 5:9 Every offering of all the Israelites’ holy things that they bring to the priest will be his. 5:10 Every man’s holy things will be his; whatever any man gives the priest will be his.’”
The Jealousy Ordeal
5:11 The Lord spoke to Moses: 5:12 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘If any man’s wife goes astray and behaves unfaithfully toward him, 5:13 and a man has sexual relations with her without her husband knowing it, and it is hidden that she has defiled herself, since there was no witness against her, nor was she caught – 5:14 and if jealous feelings come over him and he becomes suspicious of his wife, when she is defiled; or if jealous feelings come over him and he becomes suspicious of his wife, when she is not defiled – 5:15 then the man must bring his wife to the priest, and he must bring the offering required for her, one tenth of an ephah of barley meal; he must not pour olive oil on it or put frankincense on it, because it is a grain offering of suspicion, a grain offering for remembering, for bringing iniquity to remembrance.
5:16 “‘Then the priest will bring her near and have her stand before the Lord. 5:17 The priest will then take holy water in a pottery jar, and take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle, and put it into the water. 5:18 Then the priest will have the woman stand before the Lord, uncover the woman’s head, and put the grain offering for remembering in her hands, which is the grain offering of suspicion. The priest will hold in his hand the bitter water that brings a curse. 5:19 Then the priest will put the woman under oath and say to the her, “If no other man has had sexual relations with you, and if you have not gone astray and become defiled while under your husband’s authority, may you be free from this bitter water that brings a curse. 5:20 But if you have gone astray while under your husband’s authority, and if you have defiled yourself and some man other than your husband has had sexual relations with you….” 5:21 Then the priest will put the woman under the oath of the curse and will say to the her, “The Lord make you an attested curse among your people, if the Lord makes your thigh fall away and your abdomen swell; 5:22 and this water that causes the curse will go into your stomach, and make your abdomen swell and your thigh rot.” Then the woman must say, “Amen, amen.”
5:23 “‘Then the priest will write these curses on a scroll and then scrape them off into the bitter water. 5:24 He will make the woman drink the bitter water that brings a curse, and the water that brings a curse will enter her to produce bitterness. 5:25 The priest will take the grain offering of suspicion from the woman’s hand, wave the grain offering before the Lord, and bring it to the altar. 5:26 Then the priest will take a handful of the grain offering as its memorial portion, burn it on the altar, and afterward make the woman drink the water. 5:27 When he has made her drink the water, then, if she has defiled herself and behaved unfaithfully toward her husband, the water that brings a curse will enter her to produce bitterness – her abdomen will swell, her thigh will fall away, and the woman will become a curse among her people. 5:28 But if the woman has not defiled herself, and is clean, then she will be free of ill effects and will be able to bear children.
5:29 “‘This is the law for cases of jealousy, when a wife, while under her husband’s authority, goes astray and defiles herself, 5:30 or when jealous feelings come over a man and he becomes suspicious of his wife; then he must have the woman stand before the Lord, and the priest will carry out all this law upon her. 5:31 Then the man will be free from iniquity, but that woman will bear the consequences of her iniquity.’”
Lord, every sin we commit against another person we first commit against You; may I be ever mindful of that and may that awareness strengthen me against the temptation to sin.
The Lord God commanded, as He had previously taught, that Moses put every leper, everyone with a discharge, and anyone defiled by a corpse outside the camp. This served both to protect against a plague and enforced the general sense of holiness among the people. [He had elsewhere in Leviticus described the means of restoration.]
He declared that every sin that the people committed broke faith with Him. They were to confess and repent and make reparations to the one they offended, and if that person was unavailable then to a close relative, and lacking that to the high priest.
If a husband suspected his wife of infidelity he was to bring her to the priest who would administer the rite of bitter water. If guilty the Lord would make her physically ill and if not she would be symptom-free. If guilty she, and other man, would receive the punishment for adultery described elsewhere in Leviticus.
Every sin we commit against others is first committed against God because He is holy and we belong to Him.
The Lord God knew that jealously related to a husband suspicious of his wife could lead to him attacking her and her presumed lover in a jealous rage – is it not an excellent solution to require him to bring her to the priest for God’s judgment?
When jealously festers it poisons the heart, confuses the mind, harms ones walk, and pollutes relationships with the Lord and with others.
When have you observed a jealous person reacting irrationally? Can you see a value in a system that requires one to bring the accused into a neutral place of evaluation rather than every person being their own judge and priest?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you are jealous and have not known how to resolve that toxic situation.
Today I will apply the principles of this text to my circumstance of jealousy, be it within a relationship, of the circumstances of another, or in any other place. I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement with me and will consult with one Biblically-qualified to be an elder as needed. I will confess and repent of the anger, bitterness, and/or depression this has cause me, as well as any harm to others. I will accept the Lord’s forgiveness and healing.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
https://net.bible.org/#!bible/Numbers+6
The Nazirite Vow
6:1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 6:2 “Speak to the Israelites, and tell them, ‘When either a man or a woman takes a special vow, to take a vow as a Nazirite, to separate himself to the Lord, 6:3 he must separate himself from wine and strong drink, he must drink neither vinegar made from wine nor vinegar made from strong drink, nor may he drink any juice of grapes, nor eat fresh grapes or raisins. 6:4 All the days of his separation he must not eat anything that is produced by the grapevine, from seed to skin.
6:5 “‘All the days of the vow of his separation no razor may be used on his head until the time is fulfilled for which he separated himself to the Lord. He will be holy, and he must let the locks of hair on his head grow long.
6:6 “‘All the days that he separates himself to the Lord he must not contact a dead body. 6:7 He must not defile himself even for his father or his mother or his brother or his sister if they die, because the separation for his God is on his head. 6:8 All the days of his separation he must be holy to the Lord.
Contingencies for Defilement
6:9 “‘If anyone dies very suddenly beside him and he defiles his consecrated head, then he must shave his head on the day of his purification – on the seventh day he must shave it. 6:10 On the eighth day he is to bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest, to the entrance to the tent of meeting. 6:11 Then the priest will offer one for a purification offering and the other as a burnt offering, and make atonement for him, because of his transgression in regard to the corpse. So he must reconsecrate his head on that day. 6:12 He must rededicate to the Lord the days of his separation and bring a male lamb in its first year as a reparation offering, but the former days will not be counted because his separation was defiled.
Fulfilling the Vows
6:13 “‘Now this is the law of the Nazirite: When the days of his separation are fulfilled, he must be brought to the entrance of the tent of meeting, 6:14 and he must present his offering to the Lord: one male lamb in its first year without blemish for a burnt offering, one ewe lamb in its first year without blemish for a purification offering, one ram without blemish for a peace offering, 6:15 and a basket of bread made without yeast, cakes of fine flour mixed with olive oil, wafers made without yeast and smeared with olive oil, and their grain offering and their drink offerings.
6:16 “‘Then the priest must present all these before the Lord and offer his purification offering and his burnt offering. 6:17 Then he must offer the ram as a peace offering to the Lord, with the basket of bread made without yeast; the priest must also offer his grain offering and his drink offering.
6:18 “‘Then the Nazirite must shave his consecrated head at the entrance to the tent of meeting and must take the hair from his consecrated head and put it on the fire where the peace offering is burning. 6:19 And the priest must take the boiled shoulder of the ram, one cake made without yeast from the basket, and one wafer made without yeast, and put them on the hands of the Nazirite after he has shaved his consecrated head; 6:20 then the priest must wave them as a wave offering before the Lord; it is a holy portion for the priest, together with the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the raised offering. After this the Nazirite may drink wine.’
6:21 “This is the law of the Nazirite who vows to the Lord his offering according to his separation, as well as whatever else he can provide. Thus he must fulfill his vow that he makes, according to the law of his separation.”
The Priestly Benediction
6:22 The Lord spoke to Moses: 6:23 “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is the way you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:
6:24 “The Lord bless you and protect you;
6:25 The Lord make his face to shine upon you,
and be gracious to you;
6:26 The Lord lift up his countenance upon you
and give you peace.”‘
6:27 So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”
Chapter 7:
https://net.bible.org/#!bible/Numbers+7
Lighting the Lamps
8:1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 8:2 “Speak to Aaron and tell him, ‘When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps are to give light in front of the lampstand.’”
8:3 And Aaron did so; he set up the lamps to face toward the front of the lampstand, as the Lord commanded Moses. 8:4 This is how the lampstand was made: It was beaten work in gold; from its shaft to its flowers it was beaten work. According to the pattern which the Lord had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand.
The Separation of the Levites
8:5 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 8:6 “Take the Levites from among the Israelites and purify them. 8:7 And do this to them to purify them: Sprinkle water of purification on them; then have them shave all their body and wash their clothes, and so purify themselves. 8:8 Then they are to take a young bull with its grain offering of fine flour mixed with olive oil; and you are to take a second young bull for a purification offering. 8:9 You are to bring the Levites before the tent of meeting and assemble the entire community of the Israelites. 8:10 Then you are to bring the Levites before the Lord, and the Israelites are to lay their hands on the Levites; 8:11 and Aaron is to offer the Levites before the Lord as a wave offering from the Israelites, that they may do the work of the Lord. 8:12 When the Levites lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, offer the one for a purification offering and the other for a whole burnt offering to the Lord, to make atonement for the Levites. 8:13 You are to have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons, and then offer them as a wave offering to the Lord. 8:14 And so you are to separate the Levites from among the Israelites, and the Levites will be mine.
8:15 “After this, the Levites will go in to do the work of the tent of meeting. So you must cleanse them and offer them like a wave offering. 8:16 For they are entirely given to me from among the Israelites. I have taken them for myself instead of all who open the womb, the firstborn sons of all the Israelites. 8:17 For all the firstborn males among the Israelites are mine, both humans and animals; when I destroyed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I set them apart for myself. 8:18 So I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn sons among the Israelites. 8:19 I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the Israelites, to do the work for the Israelites in the tent of meeting, and to make atonement for the Israelites, so there will be no plague among the Israelites when the Israelites come near the sanctuary.”
8:20 So Moses and Aaron and the entire community of the Israelites did this with the Levites. According to all that the Lord commanded Moses concerning the Levites, this is what the Israelites did with them. 8:21 The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothing; then Aaron presented them like a wave offering before the Lord, and Aaron made atonement for them to purify them. 8:22 After this, the Levites went in to do their work in the tent of meeting before Aaron and before his sons. As the Lord had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they did.
The Work of the Levites
8:23 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 8:24 “This is what pertains to the Levites: At the age of twenty-five years and upward one may begin to join the company in the work of the tent of meeting, 8:25 and at the age of fifty years they must retire from performing the work and may no longer work. 8:26 They may assist their colleagues in the tent of meeting, to attend to needs, but they must do no work. This is the way you must establish the Levites regarding their duties.”
Lord, it is Your desire to bless us. My I mature and as I do may I be found more obedient so that Your blessings flow into and through me to the benefit of others.
A man or a woman is permitted to voluntarily take a Nazarite vow. This set them apart to the service of the Lord. There were a number of special restrictions and requirements thereafter.
The Lord God provided Aaron a priestly blessing to speak to the people and he encouraged them with a summary of the blessings that the Lord had for them:
“The Lord bless you and protect you;
The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”
When the dedication of the altar had been completed “... Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the Lord, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the atonement lid that was on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim.”
The Lord God then gave Moses some additional instructions about the lighting of the lamps and the separation of the Levites from the rest of the Israelite population.
He also instructed that the Levites were available to work in the tabernacle at the age of 25 but had to retire at age 50. after 50 they could assist others but to not do the work themselves.
Aaron's prayer was a message of the Lord's love, not a guarantee that no-matter-what such would be done.
Some translations begin Aaron's blessing with the qualifying-term “May”. Given the Lord's consistent history of blessings contingent upon obedience would it help in a fuller understanding to read that into the NET rendering?
Both men and women were allowed the honor of choosing to take a Nazarite vow to serve the Lord God. This is another evidence that He did not reserve all duties related to His work to males only.
When have you observed the Lord blessing you for obedience, and the loss of those blessings when you knowingly pressed Him away for the sake of a worldly pleasure and/or priority?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how the “priestly prayer” given to Aaron for the people might still be an encouragement to you and to others.
Today I will read aloud and/or quietly the “priestly prayer” at least three times – in the morning, at mid-day, and again in the evening. I will meditate on the words and their meaning and prayerfully ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten my heart. I will share with a fellow believer what I learn.
“The Lord bless you and protect you;
The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”
Be Specific _________________________________________________
Passover Regulations
9:1 The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt:
9:2 “The Israelites are to observe the Passover at its appointed time. 9:3 In the fourteenth day of this month, at twilight, you are to observe it at its appointed time; you must keep it in accordance with all its statutes and all its customs.”
9:4 So Moses instructed the Israelites to observe the Passover.
9:5 And they observed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight in the wilderness of Sinai; in accordance with all that the Lord had commanded Moses, so the Israelites did.
9:6 It happened that some men who were ceremonially defiled by the dead body of a man could not keep the Passover on that day, so they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day.
9:7 And those men said to him, “We are ceremonially defiled by the dead body of a man; why are we kept back from offering the Lord’s offering at its appointed time among the Israelites?”
9:8 So Moses said to them, “Remain here and I will hear what the Lord will command concerning you.”
9:9 The Lord spoke to Moses: 9:10 “Tell the Israelites, ‘If any of you or of your posterity become ceremonially defiled by touching a dead body, or are on a journey far away, then he may observe the Passover to the Lord. 9:11 They may observe it on the fourteenth day of the second month at twilight; they are to eat it with bread made without yeast and with bitter herbs. 9:12 They must not leave any of it until morning, nor break any of its bones; they must observe it in accordance with every statute of the Passover.
9:13 But the man who is ceremonially clean, and was not on a journey, and fails to keep the Passover, that person must be cut off from his people. Because he did not bring the Lord’s offering at its appointed time, that man must bear his sin.
9:14 If a resident foreigner lives among you and wants to keep the Passover to the Lord, he must do so according to the statute of the Passover, and according to its custom. You must have the same statute for the resident foreigner and for the one who was born in the land.’”
The Leading of the Lord
9:15 On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle – the tent of the testimony – and from evening until morning there was a fiery appearance over the tabernacle. 9:16 This is the way it used to be continually: The cloud would cover it by day, and there was a fiery appearance by night. 9:17 Whenever the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the Israelites would begin their journey; and in whatever place the cloud settled, there the Israelites would make camp.
9:18 At the commandment of the Lord the Israelites would begin their journey, and at the commandment of the Lord they would make camp; as long as the cloud remained settled over the tabernacle they would camp.
9:19 When the cloud remained over the tabernacle many days, then the Israelites obeyed the instructions of the Lord and did not journey.
9:20 When the cloud remained over the tabernacle a number of days, they remained camped according to the Lord’s commandment, and according to the Lord’s commandment they would journey.
9:21 And when the cloud remained only from evening until morning, when the cloud was taken up the following morning, then they traveled on. Whether by day or by night, when the cloud was taken up they traveled.
9:22 Whether it was for two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud prolonged its stay over the tabernacle, the Israelites remained camped without traveling; but when it was taken up, they traveled on.
9:23 At the commandment of the Lord they camped, and at the commandment of the Lord they traveled on; they kept the instructions of the Lord according to the commandment of the Lord, by the authority of Moses.
Lord, You understand our circumstances and You make a way for us to meet Your expectations – whether it was in the OT celebration of the Passover or today when life challenges us with seeming impossible situations. May I never doubt that You know, You care, and You will make a way.
The Lord God reminded the people, through Moses, to remember to keep the Passover.
Some men came to Moses asking about keeping the Passover if they were ceremonially unclean and God said they, as well as Israelites who were far away at Passover – a special Passover celebration would be provided 4 weeks later. He also provided that a resident foreigner would be allowed to celebrate the Passover.
Those who were present and who failed to celebrate the Passover were to be “cut-off” from the people and would thereafter bear the consequences of their sin without access to the tabernacle.
The Lord instructed that He would, as during the Exodus, lead them with a cloud and a column of fire and they would travel only when the cloud was lifted.
The Lord God did not have to provide an alternative for people to celebrate Passover, but He did.
It has been over two years since the Exodus – how excited must the Israelites have been to finally begin their travel to the promised land?
Those who could celebrate the Passover when scheduled, and who chose to be rebellious and ungrateful, were dis-fellowshipped. To not do so would have allowed disunity within the community.
When have you known that you should participate in a time of fellowship but made excuses and did not bother to do so?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where He has been calling you to participate in fellowship or to prayer or study in His Word and you have not done so.
Today I will repent of carelessness about time in fellowship with fellow believers and with God as well as time in the Word. I agree to listen closely to the call of the Holy Spirit and to obey. As necessary I will ask a fellow believer to pray for me and to hold me accountable.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
The Blowing of Trumpets
10:1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 10:2 “Make two trumpets of silver; you are to make them from a single hammered piece. You will use them for assembling the community and for directing the traveling of the camps. 10:3 When they blow them both, all the community must come to you to the entrance of the tent of meeting.
10:4 “But if they blow with one trumpet, then the leaders, the heads of the thousands of Israel, must come to you.
10:5 When you blow an alarm, then the camps that are located on the east side must begin to travel. 10:6 And when you blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that are located on the south side must begin to travel. An alarm must be sounded for their journeys.
10:7 But when you assemble the community, you must blow, but you must not sound an alarm.
10:8 The sons of Aaron, the priests, must blow the trumpets; and they will be to you for an eternal ordinance throughout your generations.
10:9 If you go to war in your land against an adversary who opposes you, then you must sound an alarm with the trumpets, and you will be remembered before the Lord your God, and you will be saved from your enemies.
10:10 “Also in the time when you rejoice, such as on your appointed festivals or at the beginnings of your months, you must blow with your trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings, so that they may become a memorial for you before your God: I am the Lord your God.”
10:11 The Journey From Sinai to Kadesh
On the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle of the testimony. 10:12 So the Israelites set out on their journeys from the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud settled in the wilderness of Paran.
Judah Begins the Journey
10:13 This was the first time they set out on their journey according to the commandment of the Lord, by the authority of Moses.
10:14 The standard of the camp of the Judahites set out first according to their companies, and over his company was Nahshon son of Amminadab.
10:15 Over the company of the tribe of Issacharites was Nathanel son of Zuar, 10:16 and over the company of the tribe of the Zebulunites was Elion son of Helon. 10:17 Then the tabernacle was dismantled, and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set out, carrying the tabernacle.
Journey Arrangements for the Tribes
10:18 The standard of the camp of Reuben set out according to their companies; over his company was Elizur son of Shedeur. 10:19 Over the company of the tribe of the Simeonites was Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, 10:20 and over the company of the tribe of the Gadites was Eliasaph son of Deuel. 10:21 And the Kohathites set out, carrying the articles for the sanctuary; the tabernacle was to be set up before they arrived. 10:22 And the standard of the camp of the Ephraimites set out according to their companies; over his company was Elishama son of Ammihud. 10:23 Over the company of the tribe of the Manassehites was Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, 10:24 and over the company of the tribe of Benjaminites was Abidan son of Gideoni.
10:25 The standard of the camp of the Danites set out, which was the rear guard of all the camps by their companies; over his company was Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai. 10:26 Over the company of the tribe of the Asherites was Pagiel son of Ocran, 10:27 and over the company of the tribe of the Naphtalites was Ahira son of Enan. 10:28 These were the traveling arrangements of the Israelites according to their companies when they traveled.
The Appeal to Hobab
10:29 Moses said to Hobab son of Reuel, the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are journeying to the place about which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised good things for Israel.”
10:30 But Hobab said to him, “I will not go, but I will go instead to my own land and to my kindred.”
10:31 Moses said, “Do not leave us, because you know places for us to camp in the wilderness, and you could be our guide. 10:32 And if you come with us, it is certain that whatever good things the Lord will favor us with, we will share with you as well.”
10:33 So they traveled from the mountain of the Lord three days’ journey; and the ark of the covenant of the Lord was traveling before them during the three days’ journey, to find a resting place for them. 10:34 And the cloud of the Lord was over them by day, when they traveled from the camp.
10:35 And when the ark traveled, Moses would say, “Rise up, O Lord! May your enemies be scattered, and may those who hate you flee before you!”
10:36 And when it came to rest he would say, “Return, O Lord, to the many thousands of Israel!”
Lord, You guide us, You tell us when to move and when to stand, and you bring alongside the people and resources that we truly need. May I be trusting of Your guidance, watchful for Your signals, and aware of Your provision.
The Lord instructed that Moses have a trumpet made of silver and to use it to lead the people in assembly, travel, alarm, and rejoicing.
The Israelites began their travel away from Sanai to Kadesh “On the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year.” The tribe of Judah led.
Moses asked Hobab, a Moabite and a relative through Jethro, to travel with them as he knew the land and resources well and he agreed.
When we wonder what the Lord wants of us we are to pray, read His Word, and trust that He has the perfect plan.
Did the Lord choose Hobab, a Moabite, to serve as a guide or might Moses have created a dependency where he had not been told to do so?
Clear and rapid communication would have been a major challenge across an ancient moving-nation of nearly a million people, so the Lord God explained how they were to use the trumpets for that purpose.
When have you been involved with a large group of people and observed problems with communication that was both accurate and fast?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you an opportunity to serve as His instrument of guidance to other believers.
I will gratefully and unreservedly surrender to His guidance, to His directives, and remain humble and teachable when He sends others to assist.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Israelites Complain
11:1 When the people complained, it displeased the Lord. When the Lord heard it, his anger burned, and so the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outer parts of the camp. 11:2 When the people cried to Moses, he prayed to the Lord, and the fire died out. 11:3 So he called the name of that place Taberah because there the fire of the Lord burned among them.
Complaints about Food
11:4 Now the mixed multitude who were among them craved more desirable foods, and so the Israelites wept again and said, “If only we had meat to eat! 11:5 We remember the fish we used to eat freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. 11:6 But now we are dried up, and there is nothing at all before us except this manna!” 11:7 (Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its color like the color of bdellium. 11:8 And the people went about and gathered it, and ground it with mills or pounded it in mortars; they baked it in pans and made cakes of it. It tasted like fresh olive oil. 11:9 And when the dew came down on the camp in the night, the manna fell with it.)
Moses’ Complaint to the Lord
11:10 Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent; and when the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly, Moses was also displeased. 11:11 And Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you afflicted your servant? Why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of this entire people on me? 11:12 Did I conceive this entire people? Did I give birth to them, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your arms, as a foster father bears a nursing child,’ to the land which you swore to their fathers? 11:13 From where shall I get meat to give to this entire people, for they cry to me, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat!’ 11:14 I am not able to bear this entire people alone, because it is too heavy for me! 11:15 But if you are going to deal with me like this, then kill me immediately. If I have found favor in your sight then do not let me see my trouble.”
The Response of God
11:16 The Lord said to Moses, “Gather to me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know are elders of the people and officials over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting; let them take their position there with you. 11:17 Then I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take part of the spirit that is on you, and will put it on them, and they will bear some of the burden of the people with you, so that you do not bear it all by yourself.
11:18 “And say to the people, ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, and you will eat meat, for you have wept in the hearing of the Lord, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat, for life was good for us in Egypt?” Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you will eat. 11:19 You will eat, not just one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days, 11:20 but a whole month, until it comes out your nostrils and makes you sick, because you have despised the Lord who is among you and have wept before him, saying, “Why did we ever come out of Egypt?”‘”
11:21 Moses said, “The people around me are 600,000 on foot; but you say, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat for a whole month.’ 11:22 Would they have enough if the flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? If all the fish of the sea were caught for them, would they have enough?” 11:23 And the Lord said to Moses, “Is the Lord’s hand shortened? Now you will see whether my word to you will come true or not!”
11:24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord. He then gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and had them stand around the tabernacle. 11:25 And the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to them, and he took some of the Spirit that was on Moses and put it on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but did not do so again.
Eldad and Medad
11:26 But two men remained in the camp; one’s name was Eldad, and the other’s name was Medad. And the spirit rested on them. (Now they were among those in the registration, but had not gone to the tabernacle.) So they prophesied in the camp. 11:27 And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!” 11:28 Joshua son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his choice young men, said, “My lord Moses, stop them!” 11:29 Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for me? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” 11:30 Then Moses returned to the camp along with the elders of Israel.
Provision of Quail
11:31 Now a wind went out from the Lord and brought quail from the sea, and let them fall near the camp, about a day’s journey on this side, and about a day’s journey on the other side, all around the camp, and about three feet high on the surface of the ground. 11:32 And the people stayed up all that day, all that night, and all the next day, and gathered the quail. The one who gathered the least gathered ten homers, and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. 11:33 But while the meat was still between their teeth, before they chewed it, the anger of the Lord burned against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very great plague.
11:34 So the name of that place was called Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried the people that craved different food. 11:35 The people traveled from Kibroth Hattaavah to Hazeroth, and they stayed at Hazeroth.
Lord, You owe us nothing and we owe You everything. May I never have a complaining heart toward You.
The Israelites complained against the Lord God because they were frustrated with the travel and the living conditions He was righteously angry with their ungrateful hearts and caused a fire along the perimeter of their camp. They cried for relief to Moses and he asked God for grace, which he granted.
Those among the Israelites who had become accustomed to living somewhat well in Egypt then started to complain about the lack of variety in the food (God was providing them Manna) and that they mostly wanted some meat. This new ungratefulness frustrated Moses and he asked God how he was to respond to their need and he asked God to end his life rather than force him to listen to their complaining.
God responded by instructing Moses to summon the 70 elders where He transferred some of the responsibilities Moses was bearing to them. God also told Moses that He would give the people an over-abundance of meat for 30 days until they were sick of it – as a punishment for their demanding spirits.
When the Lord God descended upon the elders they prophesied as they went out among the people, as an evidence that some of God’s anointing for Moses had been transferred to them, but only that one time as a witness of authority to the people. Two others, Eldad and Medad, who had not been among them then prophesied. Joshua suggested silencing them as he thought it would undermine Moses but Moses said it was of God and he was OK with it.
God then brought a massive quantity of quail to the camp and people rushed to gather and eat it – but the Lord caused a plague to come upon them for their complaining and many died.
Do we have any right to demand anything of God?
How overwhelmed must Moses have been that he asked God to take his life?
How different are we than the Israelites? Are we ever really satisfied, or no matter what, is there always something more that we desire?
When have you been faced with people who were demanding things that you could not provide? Did you have a similar sense of being overwhelmed as did Moses?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you have a heart of demandingness toward Him.
Today I will confess those areas in my life where I am not content but am instead demanding of God. Perhaps it is for more money, better looks, a new car, a different home, a mate or a different mate, different food than your budget allows, a better or different job, easier work, easier school work (if a student), more toys, less responsibilities, more recognition, etc. I agree to set those things before the Lord God in prayer, to trust Him to give me what is healthy for me and to keep the rest from me, and to not concern myself again with the absence of what He does not provide.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Miriam and Aaron Oppose Moses
12:1 Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married (for he had married an Ethiopian woman). 12:2 They said, “Has the Lord only spoken through Moses? Has he not also spoken through us?” And the Lord heard it.
12:3 (Now the man Moses was very humble, more so than any man on the face of the earth.)
The Response of the Lord
12:4 The Lord spoke immediately to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam: “The three of you come to the tent of meeting.” So the three of them went. 12:5 And the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the tent; he then called Aaron and Miriam, and they both came forward.
12:6 The Lord said, “Hear now my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known to him in a vision; I will speak with him in a dream. 12:7 My servant Moses is not like this; he is faithful in all my house. 12:8 With him I will speak face to face, openly, and not in riddles; and he will see the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” 12:9 The anger of the Lord burned against them, and he departed. 12:10 When the cloud departed from above the tent, Miriam became leprous as snow. Then Aaron looked at Miriam, and she was leprous!
The Intercession of Moses
12:11 So Aaron said to Moses, “O my lord, please do not hold this sin against us, in which we have acted foolishly and have sinned! 12:12 Do not let her be like a baby born dead, whose flesh is half-consumed when it comes out of its mother’s womb!”
12:13 Then Moses cried to the Lord, “Heal her now, O God.” 12:14 The Lord said to Moses, “If her father had only spit in her face, would she not have been disgraced for seven days? Shut her out from the camp seven days, and afterward she can be brought back in again.”
12:15 So Miriam was shut outside of the camp for seven days, and the people did not journey on until Miriam was brought back in. 12:16 After that the people moved from Hazeroth and camped in the wilderness of Paran.
Lord, You speak and we listen. What You specify as set-apart is holy, it is not our place to ever question You. May I always honor You.
Aaron and Miriam allowed their personal and tribal pride to be used by the enemy to create conflict between themselves and Moses; they presumed to challenge his unique God-ordained authority merely because he married someone whom they did not approve.
The Lord God reminded them that He spoke to prophets in dreams and riddles, but that He had chosen to meet with Moses “face to face”, and therefore Moses was profoundly-unique among His people.
The Lord declared that they were beyond-foolish to challenge the one whom He had anointed. He punished Aaron and Miriam by striking Miriam with the plague of leprosy.
Aaron pleaded to Moses and Moses asked God to take her leprosy away – to which He responded that she would first need to be put-out of the camp for the usual seven days, then He would restore her.
Moses was known as the most humble man on the face of the earth. One may recall that more than once he confessed himself incapable to meeting God’s expectations and welcoming God’s blessings upon others to prophesy or to serve as judges.
What could Aaron and Miriam have hoped to gain from challenging Moses?
God could have strike Aaron and Miriam dead, or could have brought plagues upon both of them and refused to relent, but He loved Moses and knew the heart of Moses would be broken were He to do so.
When have you challenged someone with spiritual authority, about something that – upon reflection - was really petty, and later regretted it?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you may be challenging someone with spiritual authority, or you are the one being challenged, and how you may not be handling the situation wisely – or affirm that you are being His vessel of wisdom.
Today I will repent if I am improperly challenging the authority of a Biblically-recognized authority who is not violating the Bible. The person may be a coach/mentor, a counselor, an elder, a parent, a secular authority (government), a teacher, or occupy some other role. I will repent if I have responded with rage or depression to an improper challenge to my authority – because it is not genuinely an attack on me but upon God – and it reveals a lack of humility in me that I take such attacks personally. I will allow God to handle the situation and will rest in my humility before Him. I will share the circumstances with a mature fellow believer, ask them to pray in-agreement with me for wisdom, and I will ask them to hold me accountable for walking with humble heart that rests in the Lord.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 19
Spies Sent Out
13:1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 13:2 “Send out men to investigate the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. You are to send one man from each ancestral tribe, each one a leader among them.” 13:3 So Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran at the command of the Lord. All of them were leaders of the Israelites.
13:4 Now these were their names: from the tribe of Reuben, Shammua son of Zaccur; 13:5 from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat son of Hori; 13:6 from the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh; 13:7 from the tribe of Issachar, Igal son of Joseph; 13:8 from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea son of Nun; 13:9 from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti son of Raphu; 13:10 from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel son of Sodi; 13:11 from the tribe of Joseph, namely, the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi son of Susi; 13:12 from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel son of Gemalli; 13:13 from the tribe of Asher, Sethur son of Michael; 13:14 from the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi son of Vopshi; 13:15 from the tribe of Gad, Geuel son of Maki. 13:16 These are the names of the men whom Moses sent to investigate the land. And Moses gave Hoshea son of Nun the name Joshua.
The Spies’ Instructions
13:17 When Moses sent them to investigate the land of Canaan, he told them, “Go up through the Negev, and then go up into the hill country 13:18 and see what the land is like, and whether the people who live in it are strong or weak, few or many, 13:19 and whether the land they live in is good or bad, and whether the cities they inhabit are like camps or fortified cities, 13:20 and whether the land is rich or poor, and whether or not there are forests in it. And be brave, and bring back some of the fruit of the land.” Now it was the time of year for the first ripe grapes.
The Spies’ Activities
13:21 So they went up and investigated the land from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, at the entrance of Hamath. 13:22 When they went up through the Negev, they came to Hebron where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, descendants of Anak, were living. (Now Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) 13:23 When they came to the valley of Eshcol, they cut down from there a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a staff between two men, as well as some of the pomegranates and the figs. 13:24 That place was called the Eshcol Valley, because of the cluster of grapes that the Israelites cut from there. 13:25 They returned from investigating the land after forty days.
The Spies’ Reports
13:26 They came back to Moses and Aaron and to the whole community of the Israelites in the wilderness of Paran at Kadesh. They reported to the whole community and showed the fruit of the land. 13:27 They told Moses, “We went to the land where you sent us. It is indeed flowing with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 13:28 But the inhabitants are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. Moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. 13:29 The Amalekites live in the land of the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan.”
13:30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses, saying, “Let us go up and occupy it, for we are well able to conquer it.” 13:31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against these people, because they are stronger than we are!” 13:32 Then they presented the Israelites with a discouraging report of the land they had investigated, saying, “The land that we passed through to investigate is a land that devours its inhabitants. All the people we saw there are of great stature. 13:33 We even saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak came from the Nephilim), and we seemed liked grasshoppers both to ourselves and to them.”
Lord, You never make a promise that You fail to keep, and You never send us where we cannot – in Your power – prevail. No matter the challenge may I never doubt Your promises.
The Lord God gave Moses instructions to send leaders from all of the tribes to investigate the land of Canaan, the land that He was giving to Israel, as promised.
Moses instructed them as to how they should approach the land, what to look for, and to bring back some of the produce of the land.
They were gone for 40 days and returned with a great deal of produce which they showed the people and brought to Moses.
They reported that the land was filled with large and strong people and was fortified.
Caleb called them to silence and declared that they should enter and take the land.
They replied with a discouraging report that the land was one of conflict and the people labored mightily to develop and farm it. They described the men as large and strong, even making reference to the fables of old of Nephilim “giants”, declaring that it was impossible to Israel to prevail.
The Lord God never suggested that the ones He had sent were to return with an opinion as to whether the land was theirs, nor whether they could take the land, He had already promised it to them.
How often had the people if Israel previously doubted God? Why had they not yet learned?
God had overwhelmed the entire empire of Egypt and now the Israelites doubted that He could deliver this land to them?
When have you been faced with a difficulty in doing what God asked of you? Did you hesitate? Why?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you are seeing a challenge though your human eyes and not the eyes of the almighty God.
Today I will prayerfully submit to the Holy Spirit's vision of my world. I will bring any doubts and fears I have to Him. I will accept whatever challenge He places before me without any doubts that He is able. I agree to step-out in faith and will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement with me for courage and trust and wisdom.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
The Israelites Respond in Unbelief
14:1 Then all the community raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. 14:2 And all the Israelites murmured against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had perished in this wilderness!
14:3 Why has the Lord brought us into this land only to be killed by the sword, that our wives and our children should become plunder? Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?”
14:4 So they said to one another, “Let’s appoint a leader and return to Egypt.”
14:5 Then Moses and Aaron fell down with their faces to the ground before the whole assembled community of the Israelites.
14:6 And Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, two of those who had investigated the land, tore their garments.
14:7 They said to the whole community of the Israelites, “The land we passed through to investigate is an exceedingly good land. 14:8 If the Lord delights in us, then he will bring us into this land and give it to us – a land that is flowing with milk and honey. 14:9 Only do not rebel against the Lord, and do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection has turned aside from them, but the Lord is with us. Do not fear them!”
14:10 However, the whole community threatened to stone them. But the glory of the Lord appeared to all the Israelites at the tent of meeting.
The Punishment from God
14:11 The Lord said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me, and how long will they not believe in me, in spite of the signs that I have done among them?
14:12 I will strike them with the pestilence, and I will disinherit them; I will make you into a nation that is greater and mightier than they!”
14:13 Moses said to the Lord, “When the Egyptians hear it – for you brought up this people by your power from among them – 14:14 then they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you, Lord, are among this people, that you, Lord, are seen face to face, that your cloud stands over them, and that you go before them by day in a pillar of cloud and in a pillar of fire by night. 14:15 If you kill this entire people at once, then the nations that have heard of your fame will say, 14:16 ‘Because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land that he swore to them, he killed them in the wilderness.’
14:17 So now, let the power of my Lord be great, just as you have said, 14:18 ‘The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in loyal love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children until the third and fourth generations.’
14:19 Please forgive the iniquity of this people according to your great loyal love, just as you have forgiven this people from Egypt even until now.”
14:20 Then the Lord said, “I have forgiven them as you asked.
14:21 But truly, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord. 14:22 For all the people have seen my glory and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have tempted me now these ten times, and have not obeyed me, 14:23 they will by no means see the land that I swore to their fathers, nor will any of them who despised me see it.
14:24 Only my servant Caleb, because he had a different spirit and has followed me fully – I will bring him into the land where he had gone, and his descendants will possess it.
14:25 (Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites were living in the valleys.) Tomorrow, turn and journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea.”
14:26 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: 14:27 “How long must I bear with this evil congregation that murmurs against me? I have heard the complaints of the Israelites that they murmured against me.
14:28 Say to them, ‘As I live, says the Lord, I will surely do to you just what you have spoken in my hearing. 14:29 Your dead bodies will fall in this wilderness – all those of you who were numbered, according to your full number, from twenty years old and upward, who have murmured against me. 14:30 You will by no means enter into the land where I swore to settle you. The only exceptions are Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.
14:31 But I will bring in your little ones, whom you said would become victims of war, and they will enjoy the land that you have despised.
14:32 But as for you, your dead bodies will fall in this wilderness, 14:33 and your children will wander in the wilderness forty years and suffer for your unfaithfulness, until your dead bodies lie finished in the wilderness.
14:34 According to the number of the days you have investigated this land, forty days – one day for a year – you will suffer for your iniquities, forty years, and you will know what it means to thwart me.
14:35 I, the Lord, have said, “I will surely do so to all this evil congregation that has gathered together against me. In this wilderness they will be finished, and there they will die!”’”
14:36 The men whom Moses sent to investigate the land, who returned and made the whole community murmur against him by producing an evil report about the land, 14:37 those men who produced the evil report about the land, died by the plague before the Lord.
14:38 But Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among the men who went to investigate the land, lived.
14:39 When Moses told these things to all the Israelites, the people mourned greatly.
14:40 And early in the morning they went up to the crest of the hill country, saying, “Here we are, and we will go up to the place that the Lord commanded, for we have sinned.”
14:41 But Moses said, “Why are you now transgressing the commandment of the Lord? It will not succeed! 14:42 Do not go up, for the Lord is not among you, and you will be defeated before your enemies. 14:43 For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and you will fall by the sword. Because you have turned away from the Lord, the Lord will not be with you.”
14:44 But they dared to go up to the crest of the hill, although neither the ark of the covenant of the Lord nor Moses departed from the camp.
14:45 So the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country swooped down and attacked them as far as Hormah.
Lord, it is painful to read about Israel's rebellion as they stood at the threshold of the promised land. May I learn to never doubt Your promises and to never rebel against Your leading.
The tribal leaders whose fear had overcome their faith and whose spirit of rebellion overwhelmed their good sense turned the people against Moses and Aaron and God – they became partners with the enemy in deception and rebellion.
They whined that they would fall in battle and that their children would become victims of the inhabitants.
Moses and Aaron and Caleb and Joshua pleaded with them to repent and to trust God, since He had repeatedly proved Himself able, but they instead threatened to stone them to death.
God intervened and just as He had used Pharaoh's words against him He used theirs against them – declaring than none over the age of 20 would live to see the promised land and that their wives and children would be victims of their rebellion and suffer 40 years in the wilderness with them – then the children would inherit the land of promise.
Only Joshua and Caleb would live to enter the promised land as they had trusted the Lord God.
The people mourned the news then some decided to enter the land, even though the Ark and Moses did not join them, and without the protection of God they were killed by the inhabitants.
Just as Eve partnered with the serpent to deceive Adam into disbelieving and disobeying God, the tribal leaders likewise conspired in the spreading of the lie that God was not telling the truth and/or that He was not able to keep His promise.
Why would the people attack the residents of the promised land without the Ark or Moses, and therefore without the support of God?
God knows our hearts, and in those time and places in which we rebel, we are chastised.
When have you mistrusted God and gone your own way only to discover that without His blessing your schemes were destroyed?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you may be harboring doubt, due to fear, because you are looking at the world through the eyes of man and not the Lord God - and to remind you why you should trust Him.
Today I will confess my doubts and surrender to the Holy Spirit. I will trust that He has already gone ahead of me in a situation where the enemy has had me believing a lie. I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement with me for courage and faith, trust and wisdom.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Numbers 15
http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Num&chapter=15&mode=text
The Rebellion of Korah
16:1 Now Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, who were Reubenites, took men 16:2 and rebelled against Moses, along with some of the Israelites, 250 leaders of the community, chosen from the assembly, famous men. 16:3 And they assembled against Moses and Aaron, saying to them, “You take too much upon yourselves, seeing that the whole community is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the community of the Lord?”
16:4 When Moses heard it he fell down with his face to the ground. 16:5 Then he said to Korah and to all his company, “In the morning the Lord will make known who are his, and who is holy. He will cause that person to approach him; the person he has chosen he will cause to approach him. 16:6 Do this, Korah, you and all your company: Take censers, 16:7 put fire in them, and set incense on them before the Lord tomorrow, and the man whom the Lord chooses will be holy. You take too much upon yourselves, you sons of Levi!” 16:8 Moses said to Korah, “Listen now, you sons of Levi! 16:9 Does it seem too small a thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the community of Israel to bring you near to himself, to perform the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the community to minister to them? 16:10 He has brought you near and all your brothers, the sons of Levi, with you. Do you now seek the priesthood also? 16:11 Therefore you and all your company have assembled together against the Lord! And Aaron – what is he that you murmur against him?” 16:12 Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, but they said, “We will not come up. 16:13 Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of the land that flows with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness? Now do you want to make yourself a prince over us? 16:14 Moreover, you have not brought us into a land that flows with milk and honey, nor given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Do you think you can blind these men? We will not come up.”
16:15 Moses was very angry, and he said to the Lord, “Have no respect for their offering! I have not taken so much as one donkey from them, nor have I harmed any one of them!”
16:16 Then Moses said to Korah, “You and all your company present yourselves before the Lord – you and they, and Aaron – tomorrow. 16:17 And each of you take his censer, put incense in it, and then each of you present his censer before the Lord: 250 censers, along with you, and Aaron – each of you with his censer.” 16:18 So everyone took his censer, put fire in it, and set incense on it, and stood at the entrance of the tent of meeting, with Moses and Aaron. 16:19 When Korah assembled the whole community against them at the entrance of the tent of meeting, then the glory of the Lord appeared to the whole community.
The Judgment on the Rebels
16:20 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: 16:21 “Separate yourselves from among this community, that I may consume them in an instant.” 16:22 Then they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground and said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all people, will you be angry with the whole community when only one man sins?”
16:23 So the Lord spoke to Moses: 16:24 “Tell the community: ‘Get away from around the homes of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.’” 16:25 Then Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel went after him. 16:26 And he said to the community, “Move away from the tents of these wicked men, and do not touch anything they have, lest you be destroyed because of all their sins.” 16:27 So they got away from the homes of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram on every side, and Dathan and Abiram came out and stationed themselves in the entrances of their tents with their wives, their children, and their toddlers. 16:28 Then Moses said, “This is how you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will. 16:29 If these men die a natural death, or if they share the fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me. 16:30 But if the Lord does something entirely new, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up along with all that they have, and they go down alive to the grave, then you will know that these men have despised the Lord!”
16:31 When he had finished speaking all these words, the ground that was under them split open, 16:32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, along with their households, and all Korah’s men, and all their goods. 16:33 They and all that they had went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed over them. So they perished from among the community. 16:34 All the Israelites who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, “What if the earth swallows us too?” 16:35 Then a fire went out from the Lord and devoured the 250 men who offered incense.
The Atonement for the Rebellion
16:36 (17:1) The Lord spoke to Moses: 16:37 “Tell Eleazar son of Aaron the priest to pick up the censers out of the flame, for they are holy, and then scatter the coals of fire at a distance. 16:38 As for the censers of these men who sinned at the cost of their lives, they must be made into hammered sheets for covering the altar, because they presented them before the Lord and sanctified them. They will become a sign to the Israelites.” 16:39 So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers presented by those who had been burned up, and they were hammered out as a covering for the altar. 16:40 It was a memorial for the Israelites, that no outsider who is not a descendant of Aaron should approach to burn incense before the Lord, that he might not become like Korah and his company – just as the Lord had spoken by the authority of Moses. 16:41 But on the next day the whole community of Israelites murmured against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the Lord’s people!” 16:42 When the community assembled against Moses and Aaron, they turned toward the tent of meeting – and the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared. 16:43 Then Moses and Aaron stood before the tent of meeting.
16:44 The Lord spoke to Moses: 16:45 “Get away from this community, so that I can consume them in an instant!” But they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground. 16:46 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Take the censer, put burning coals from the altar in it, place incense on it, and go quickly into the assembly and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone out from the Lord – the plague has begun!” 16:47 So Aaron did as Moses commanded and ran into the middle of the assembly, where the plague was just beginning among the people. So he placed incense on the coals and made atonement for the people. 16:48 He stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stopped. 16:49 Now 14,700 people died in the plague, in addition to those who died in the event with Korah. 16:50 Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and the plague was stopped.
Lord, the attacks on Moses and Aaron were precursors to the attack upon Jesus. May I not challenge the authority of Jesus, nor of the indwelling Holy Spirit, through overt disobedience and/or subtle disrespect for the clear and life-changing meaning found in Your teaching.
The Lord God repeated some of the details of sacrificial practices to Moses.
Korath, of the tribe of Levi, among those who had been called to serve the Lord gathered 250 men and challenged the authority of Moses, to which Moses replied that they come before the Lord in the morning to see whom the Lord selected to come forward near to Him.
They accused Moses and Aaron of taking too much authority, saying that “You take too much upon yourself ...”, and Moses turned the same phrase back on them. They took their censors of incense and waved them before the Lord.
Moses was angry and asked the Lord to intervene, specifically uttering an 'imprecatory prayer' against them, that the Lord not accept their offering and therefore withhold forgiveness and instead cause them to receive the full punishment of the law for their sin.
God separated-out the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram and Moses declared that his authority from God would be known because those who challenged him would die a sudden and unnatural death. God opened the ground and it swallowed them and then He sent flames like fire out to kill all of the 250 who had rebelled.
The brass censors of the men were hammered into a sheet which was thereafter used to cover the altar as a reminder to the people.
But the people accused Moses of killing the men and spoke disrespectfully and rebelliously against Moses and Aaron. God instructed Moses to move away from the people so that He could strike them all dead.
Moses sent Aaron to make atonement for them while he pleaded with the Lord, as a plague from the Lord had already begun. 14,700 people died before Aaron could place the incense upon the coals in their midst.
Once again, despite the impossible-to-miss anointing of the Lord upon Moses and the clear calling of Aaron, the people rebelled - first a small group and then the whole community.
How many times and in how many ways did the Lord God have to affirm His anointing of Moses as their human emissary-leader for the people to accept that?
The punishment of God matched the rebellion, first directed at the 250 and their leaders, then at the congregation as a whole (the plague).
When have you observed people in rebellion against legitimate authority because they did not want to hear the truth they were being told and/or they simply did not want to submit to authority.
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you have rebelled against legitimate authority - because they were holding you accountable for the consequences of your choices? (Perhaps it was (is) a boss, a business, a law enforcement person, a parent, a politician, a regulator, a teacher.)
Today I will confess my sin and repent. I will humbly submit to the legitimate authority which is bringing chastisement for my sin. Perhaps a bosses sanctions for carelessness or laziness, a business assessing a fine or penalty for some element of a contract, a law enforcement officer enforcing the law (e.g. a traffic offense), a parent punishing a child for disrespect or disobedience, a politician challenging those who misuse power for selfish ends, a regulator enforcing rules, or a teacher punishing cheating or misbehavior or sloth.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
The Budding of Aaron’s Staff
17:1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 17:2 “Speak to the Israelites, and receive from them a staff from each tribe, one from every tribal leader, twelve staffs; you must write each man’s name on his staff.
17:3 You must write Aaron’s name on the staff of Levi; for one staff is for the head of every tribe.
17:4 You must place them in the tent of meeting before the ark of the covenant where I meet with you.
17:5 And the staff of the man whom I choose will blossom; so I will rid myself of the complaints of the Israelites, which they murmur against you.”
17:6 So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and each of their leaders gave him a staff, one for each leader, according to their tribes – twelve staffs; the staff of Aaron was among their staffs. 17:7 Then Moses placed the staffs before the Lord in the tent of the testimony.
17:8 On the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony – and the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted, and brought forth buds, and produced blossoms, and yielded almonds!
17:9 So Moses brought out all the staffs from before the Lord to all the Israelites. They looked at them, and each man took his staff.
The Memorial
17:10 The Lord said to Moses, “Bring Aaron’s staff back before the testimony to be preserved for a sign to the rebels, so that you may bring their murmurings to an end before me, that they will not die.” 17:11 So Moses did as the Lord commanded him – this is what he did.
17:12 The Israelites said to Moses, “We are bound to die! We perish, we all perish! 17:13 (17:28) Anyone who even comes close to the tabernacle of the Lord will die! Are we all to die?”
http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Num&chapter=18
http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Num&chapter=19
Lord, You choose our spiritual leaders, and You have declared that as long as they obey You we are to obey and respect them. May I be humble before those whom You have called to leadership, and “a good Berean” (one who verifies all teaching in Your Word), so that I know whether a leader is being faithful to You.
The Lord God instructed Moses to require each tribal leader to present a staff at the tabernacle.
Each staff was to be labeled with the name of the elder. Aaron's staff was to be among them.
The staffs were presented to the Lord at the entrance to the tent of testimony. God said that He would cause Aaron's staff to bud so that the elders would clearly know who was His chosen priest.
God caused the staff of Aaron to bud and produce almonds while the others remained dead. The elder's staffs were returned to them after they saw all of them.
Aaron's staff, at the direction of God, was returned to the tent of testimony as a remembrance of God's miracle and to finally quell any doubts about the divine calling of Moses and Aaron so that He would not have to strike them down.
The Israelites cried in fear that they could not approach God's tabernacle of presence without dying. Aaron, his sons, and the tribe of Levi were charged with responsibility to represent the people at the Tabernacle.
The Lord provided some additional details for the ordinances and sacrifices.
God again clarified His calling of Aaron and Moses using a clear symbolic gesture and He drove the chronically-rebellious people away from His Holy Tabernacle.
Why would the people be afraid of death because they could not approach the tabernacle?
In an agricultural society the life in Aaron's staff and death in the staff's of the elders was a powerful imagery. The Lord God created a structure that was even more “representative” versus “democratic” as He increased the degree to which the people were dependent upon the priests for access to Him.
When have you observed a challenge to leadership where the Lord God powerfully intervened to affirm His leader?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you have authority, and with it, responsibility.
Today I will accept the Lord's calling in my life to lead; it may be as a coach, a counselor, a mentor, a parent, a teacher, or some other role, but I will speak His truth in love but without fear. If my leadership is challenged I will prayerfully request that the Lord intervene for His sake. I will share my call to leadership with a fellow believer and ask them to pray in-agreement for confirmation and protection.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
The Israelites Complain Again
20:1 Then the entire community of Israel entered the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh. Miriam died and was buried there.
20:2 And there was no water for the community, and so they gathered themselves together against Moses and Aaron. 20:3 The people contended with Moses, saying, “If only we had died when our brothers died before the Lord! 20:4 Why have you brought up the Lord’s community into this wilderness? So that we and our cattle should die here? 20:5 Why have you brought us up from Egypt only to bring us to this dreadful place? It is no place for grain, or figs, or vines, or pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink!”
Moses Responds
20:6 So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting. They then threw themselves down with their faces to the ground, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. 20:7 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 20:8 “Take the staff and assemble the community, you and Aaron your brother, and then speak to the rock before their eyes. It will pour forth its water, and you will bring water out of the rock for them, and so you will give the community and their beasts water to drink.”
20:9 So Moses took the staff from before the Lord, just as he commanded him. 20:10 Then Moses and Aaron gathered the community together in front of the rock, and he said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring water out of this rock for you?” 20:11 Then Moses raised his hand, and struck the rock twice with his staff. And water came out abundantly. So the community drank, and their beasts drank too.
The Lord’s Judgment
20:12 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me enough to show me as holy before the Israelites, therefore you will not bring this community into the land I have given them.”
20:13 These are the waters of Meribah, because the Israelites contended with the Lord, and his holiness was maintained among them.
Rejection by the Edomites
20:14 Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: “Thus says your brother Israel: ‘You know all the hardships we have experienced, 20:15 how our ancestors went down into Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians treated us and our ancestors badly. 20:16 So when we cried to the Lord, he heard our voice and sent a messenger, and has brought us up out of Egypt. Now we are here in Kadesh, a town on the edge of your country. 20:17 Please let us pass through your country. We will not pass through the fields or through the vineyards, nor will we drink water from any well. We will go by the King’s Highway; we will not turn to the right or the left until we have passed through your region.’”
20:18 But Edom said to him, “You will not pass through me, or I will come out against you with the sword.” 20:19 Then the Israelites said to him, “We will go along the highway, and if we or our cattle drink any of your water, we will pay for it. We will only pass through on our feet, without doing anything else.”
20:20 But he said, “You may not pass through.” Then Edom came out against them with a large and powerful force. 20:21 So Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border; therefore Israel turned away from him.
Aaron’s Death
20:22 So the entire company of Israelites traveled from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor. 20:23 And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor, by the border of the land of Edom. He said: 20:24 “Aaron will be gathered to his ancestors, for he will not enter into the land I have given to the Israelites because both of you rebelled against my word at the waters of Meribah. 20:25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up on Mount Hor. 20:26 Remove Aaron’s priestly garments and put them on Eleazar his son, and Aaron will be gathered to his ancestors and will die there.”
20:27 So Moses did as the Lord commanded; and they went up Mount Hor in the sight of the whole community. 20:28 And Moses removed Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar. So Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. And Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. 20:29 When all the community saw that Aaron was dead, the whole house of Israel mourned for Aaron thirty days.
Victory at Hormah
21:1 When the Canaanite king of Arad who lived in the Negev heard that Israel was approaching along the road to Atharim, he fought against Israel and took some of them prisoner.
21:2 So Israel made a vow to the Lord and said, “If you will indeed deliver this people into our hand, then we will utterly destroy their cities.” 21:3 The Lord listened to the voice of Israel and delivered up the Canaanites, and they utterly destroyed them and their cities. So the name of the place was called Hormah.
Fiery Serpents
21:4 Then they traveled from Mount Hor by the road to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom, but the people became impatient along the way. 21:5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness, for there is no bread or water, and we detest this worthless food.”
21:6 So the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people, and they bit the people; many people of Israel died. 21:7 Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord that he would take away the snakes from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.
21:8 The Lord said to Moses, “Make a poisonous snake and set it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.” 21:9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it on a pole, so that if a snake had bitten someone, when he looked at the bronze snake he lived.
The Approach to Moab
21:10 The Israelites traveled on and camped in Oboth. 21:11 Then they traveled on from Oboth and camped at Iye Abarim, in the wilderness that is before Moab, on the eastern side. 21:12 From there they moved on and camped in the valley of Zered. 21:13 From there they moved on and camped on the other side of the Arnon, in the wilderness that extends from the regions of the Amorites, for Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. 21:14 This is why it is said in the Book of the Wars of the Lord,
“Waheb in Suphah and the wadis, the Arnon 21:15 and the slope of the valleys that extends to the dwelling of Ar, and falls off at the border of Moab.”
21:16 And from there they traveled to Beer; that is the well where the Lord spoke to Moses, “Gather the people and I will give them water.” 21:17 Then Israel sang this song:
“Spring up, O well, sing to it!
21:18 The well which the princes dug, which the leaders of the people opened with their scepters and their staffs.”
And from the wilderness they traveled to Mattanah; 21:19 and from Mattanah to Nahaliel; and from Nahaliel to Bamoth; 21:20 and from Bamoth to the valley that is in the country of Moab, near the top of Pisgah, which overlooks the wilderness.
The Victory over Sihon and Og
21:21 Then Israel sent messengers to King Sihon of the Amorites, saying,
21:22 “Let us pass through your land; we will not turn aside into the fields or into the vineyards, nor will we drink water from any well, but we will go along the King’s Highway until we pass your borders.” 21:23 But Sihon did not permit Israel to pass through his border; he gathered all his forces together and went out against Israel into the wilderness. When he came to Jahaz, he fought against Israel. 21:24 But the Israelites defeated him in battle and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as the Ammonites, for the border of the Ammonites was strongly defended. 21:25 So Israel took all these cities; and Israel settled in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all its villages. 21:26 For Heshbon was the city of King Sihon of the Amorites. Now he had fought against the former king of Moab and had taken all of his land from his control, as far as the Arnon. 21:27 That is why those who speak in proverbs say,
“Come to Heshbon, let it be built. Let the city of Sihon be established! 21:28 For fire went out from Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon. It has consumed Ar of Moab and the lords of the high places of Arnon.
21:29 Woe to you, Moab. You are ruined, O people of Chemosh! He has made his sons fugitives, and his daughters the prisoners of King Sihon of the Amorites. 21:30 We have overpowered them; Heshbon has perished as far as Dibon. We have shattered them as far as Nophah, which reaches to Medeba.”
21:31 So the Israelites lived in the land of the Amorites. 21:32 Moses sent spies to reconnoiter Jaazer, and they captured its villages and dispossessed the Amorites who were there.
21:33 Then they turned and went up by the road to Bashan. And King Og of Bashan and all his forces marched out against them to do battle at Edrei. 21:34 And the Lord said to Moses, “Do not fear him, for I have delivered him and all his people and his land into your hand. You will do to him what you did to King Sihon of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon. 21:35 So they defeated Og, his sons, and all his people, until there were no survivors, and they possessed his land.
Lord, please find me obedient in action and in teaching, adding nothing to Your Word. You have shown us Your faithfulness and power, You ask only that we trust and obey. May I always trust in You and obey Your Word.
There is again a shortage of water and the people complain to Moses, again whining that he and Aaron have led them astray.
Moses and Aaron went to the Lord God and He instructed them to come before the nearby rock with the staff and to speak and water would come out.
Moses gathered the people and more than speak to the rock he asked the people if he and Aaron were to bring water from the rock and then struck it twice and water did come out – sufficient for the people and their animals.
Because Moses made it about himself, and Aaron, God told him that he (Moses) would not be the one to lead His/his people into the promised land – once the 40 years in the wilderness had passed.
Moses asked the king of the Edomites to allow them to cross their territory, and even offered to pay for any resources – e.g. water – that they consumed but he refused and brought a large army forward to keep them out, so they traveled a different route and stopped at Mount Hor.
Aaron's robes and responsibilities were transferred to his son and God called Aaron home.
Israel has a new head priest and has, at the Lord God's behest, continued their travels.
The Canaanites attack them and take them captive and they cry out to God – He intervenes and they were empowered to defeat them and to destroy their cities.
The continued their travels and once again complained, criticizing Moses and God, so God sent snakes among them. They cried out in repentance so God has Moses mount a brass snake on a pole and if they were bitten and looked to that symbol of God they would be healed.
The Amorites and then the King of Og both attacked them and God gave the Israelites victory and possession of their lands.
From his days as a young man in Egypt Moses had evidenced an impetuous nature. Because he was angry Moses did not follow God's instruction, but rather made it appear that it was he and Aaron who brought the water from the rock, thus he was disobedient – and as God's anointed he was held to a higher-standard.
The Israelites promised God that they would not compromise with the local inhabitants, and if God gave them victory in battle, they would utterly destroy them. He did and they did.
Why did the people keep challenging Moses and continually-question the wisdom of the exodus from slavery in Egypt every time things got uncomfortable? After all that has happened how could the people repeat the error of rebellion?
God could have moved the Edomites but chose not to since the people continued to be rebellious. God leads and provides and protects and empowers – and He wants to bless, but He does not bless disobedience.
When have you done or said something to cause the appearance that you had more authority and/or power than you actually did? When have you doubted God, despite repeated evidences of His loving care in your live, and perhaps in that of others?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you may be trading convenience for righteousness and comfort for obedience and to show you where you need to commit to serve God and to trust Him to be your strength.
Today I will ask a fellow believer to prayerfully assist me in an inventory of my walk with Christ. Where I find places that I make decisions about gathering together with believers, about service to others, about caring for other believers, about sharing the resources He has given me, and about telling His story to those who are considering-Christ based on my comfort and convenience – turning away or even just not showing up – and I will repent of that. I agree to reshape my priorities based upon God's perspective and priorities. I will partner with the Holy Spirit in the ministry that God has set before me. I will be fearless as the battle is the Lord's. I will share what He has said with a fellow believer and will ask that person to pray in-agreement with me for courage and wisdom. I will share what God does through me, and in me, as a result.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Balaam Refuses to Curse Israel
22:1 The Israelites traveled on and camped in the plains of Moab on the side of the Jordan River across from Jericho. 22:2 Balak son of Zippor saw all that the Israelites had done to the Amorites. 22:3 And the Moabites were greatly afraid of the people, because they were so numerous. The Moabites were sick with fear because of the Israelites.
22:4 So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “Now this mass of people will lick up everything around us, as the bull devours the grass of the field. Now Balak son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at this time. 22:5 And he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates River in the land of Amaw, to summon him, saying, “Look, a nation has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the earth, and they are settling next to me. 22:6 So now, please come and curse this nation for me, for they are too powerful for me. Perhaps I will prevail so that we may conquer them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”
22:7 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fee for divination in their hand. They came to Balaam and reported to him the words of Balak. 22:8 He replied to them, “Stay here tonight, and I will bring back to you whatever word the Lord may speak to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. 22:9 And God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” 22:10 Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent a message to me, saying, 22:11 “Look, a nation has come out of Egypt, and it covers the face of the earth. Come now and put a curse on them for me; perhaps I will be able to defeat them and drive them out.” 22:12 But God said to Balaam, “You must not go with them; you must not curse the people, for they are blessed.”
22:13 So Balaam got up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your land, for the Lord has refused to permit me to go with you.” 22:14 So the princes of Moab departed and went back to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
Balaam Accompanies the Moabite Princes
22:15 Balak again sent princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first. 22:16 And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak son of Zippor: ‘Please do not let anything hinder you from coming to me. 22:17 For I will honor you greatly, and whatever you tell me I will do. So come, put a curse on this nation for me.’”
22:18 Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “Even if Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I could not transgress the commandment of the Lord my God to do less or more. 22:19 Now therefore, please stay the night here also, that I may know what more the Lord might say to me.” 22:20 God came to Balaam that night, and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, get up and go with them; but the word that I will say to you, that you must do.” 22:21 So Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.
God Opposes Balaam
22:22 Then God’s anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose him. Now he was riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him. 22:23 And the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand, so the donkey turned aside from the road and went into the field. But Balaam beat the donkey, to make her turn back to the road.
22:24 Then the angel of the Lord stood in a path among the vineyards, where there was a wall on either side. 22:25 And when the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she pressed herself into the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So he beat her again.
22:26 Then the angel of the Lord went farther, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left. 22:27 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she crouched down under Balaam. Then Balaam was angry, and he beat his donkey with a staff.
22:28 Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?” 22:29 And Balaam said to the donkey, “You have made me look stupid; I wish there were a sword in my hand, for I would kill you right now.” 22:30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am not I your donkey that you have ridden ever since I was yours until this day? Have I ever attempted to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.” 22:31 Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way with his sword drawn in his hand; so he bowed his head and threw himself down with his face to the ground. 22:32 The angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Look, I came out to oppose you because what you are doing is perverse before me. 22:33 The donkey saw me and turned from me these three times. If she had not turned from me, I would have killed you but saved her alive.” 22:34 Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood against me in the road. So now, if it is evil in your sight, I will go back home.” 22:35 But the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you may only speak the word that I will speak to you.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
Balaam Meets Balak
22:36 When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at a city of Moab which was on the border of the Arnon at the boundary of his territory. 22:37 Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send again and again to you to summon you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?” 22:38 Balaam said to Balak, “Look, I have come to you. Now, am I able to speak just anything? I must speak only the word that God puts in my mouth.” 22:39 So Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. 22:40 And Balak sacrificed bulls and sheep, and sent some to Balaam, and to the princes who were with him. 22:41 Then on the next morning Balak took Balaam, and brought him up to Bamoth Baal. From there he saw the extent of the nation.
Balaam Blesses Israel
23:1 Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” 23:2 So Balak did just as Balaam had said. Balak and Balaam then offered on each altar a bull and a ram. 23:3 Balaam said to Balak, “Station yourself by your burnt offering, and I will go off; perhaps the Lord will come to meet me, and whatever he reveals to me I will tell you.” Then he went to a deserted height.
23:4 Then God met Balaam, who said to him, “I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.” 23:5 Then the Lord put a message in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and speak what I tell you.”
23:6 So he returned to him, and he was still standing by his burnt offering, he and all the princes of Moab. 23:7 Then Balaam uttered his oracle, saying,
“Balak, the king of Moab, brought me from Aram,
out of the mountains of the east, saying,
‘Come, pronounce a curse on Jacob for me;
come, denounce Israel.’
23:8 How can I curse one whom God has not cursed,
or how can I denounce one whom the Lord has not denounced?
23:9 For from the top of the rocks I see them;
from the hills I watch them.
Indeed, a nation that lives alone,
and it will not be reckoned among the nations.
23:10 Who can count the dust of Jacob,
Or number the fourth part of Israel?
Let me die the death of the upright,
and let the end of my life be like theirs.”
Balaam Relocates
23:11 Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but on the contrary you have only blessed them!” 23:12 Balaam replied, “Must I not be careful to speak what the Lord has put in my mouth?” 23:13 Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place from which you can observe them. You will see only a part of them, but you will not see all of them. Curse them for me from there.”
23:14 So Balak brought Balaam to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, where he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 23:15 And Balaam said to Balak, “Station yourself here by your burnt offering, while I meet the Lord there. 23:16 Then the Lord met Balaam and put a message in his mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and speak what I tell you.” 23:17 When Balaam came to him, he was still standing by his burnt offering, along with the princes of Moab. And Balak said to him, “What has the Lord spoken?”
Balaam Prophesies Again
23:18 Balaam uttered his oracle, and said,
“Rise up, Balak, and hear;
Listen to me, son of Zippor:
23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie,
nor a human being, that he should change his mind.
Has he said, and will he not do it?
Or has he spoken, and will he not make it happen?
23:20 Indeed, I have received a command to bless;
he has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.
23:21 He has not looked on iniquity in Jacob,
nor has he seen trouble in Israel.
The Lord their God is with them;
his acclamation as king is among them.
23:22 God brought them out of Egypt.
They have, as it were, the strength of a wild bull.
23:23 For there is no spell against Jacob,
nor is there any divination against Israel.
At this time it must be said of Jacob
and of Israel, ‘Look at what God has done!’
23:24 Indeed, the people will rise up like a lioness,
and like a lion raises himself up;
they will not lie down until they eat their prey,
and drink the blood of the slain.”
Balaam Relocates Yet Again
23:25 Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!” 23:26 But Balaam replied to Balak, “Did I not tell you, ‘All that the Lord speaks, I must do’?”
23:27 Balak said to Balaam, “Come, please; I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them for me from there.” 23:28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that looks toward the wilderness. 23:29 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars here for me, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams.” 23:30 So Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
Balaam Prophesies Yet Again
24:1 When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go as at the other times to seek for omens, but he set his face toward the wilderness. 24:2 When Balaam lifted up his eyes, he saw Israel camped tribe by tribe; and the Spirit of God came upon him. 24:3 Then he uttered this oracle:
“The oracle of Balaam son of Beor;
the oracle of the man whose eyes are open;
24:4 the oracle of the one who hears the words of God,
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
although falling flat on the ground with eyes open:
24:5 ‘How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob,
and your dwelling places, O Israel!
24:6 They are like valleys stretched forth,
like gardens by the river’s side,
like aloes that the Lord has planted,
and like cedar trees beside the waters.
24:7 He will pour the water out of his buckets,
and their descendants will be like abundant water;
their king will be greater than Agag,
and their kingdom will be exalted.
24:8 God brought them out of Egypt.
They have, as it were, the strength of a young bull;
they will devour hostile people
and will break their bones
and will pierce them through with arrows.
24:9 They crouch and lie down like a lion,
and as a lioness, who can stir him?
Blessed is the one who blesses you,
and cursed is the one who curses you!’”
24:10 Then Balak became very angry at Balaam, and he struck his hands together. Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and look, you have done nothing but bless them these three times! 24:11 So now, go back where you came from! I said that I would greatly honor you; but now the Lord has stood in the way of your honor.”
24:12 Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not also tell your messengers whom you sent to me, 24:13 ‘If Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord to do either good or evil of my own will, but whatever the Lord tells me I must speak’? 24:14 And now, I am about to go back to my own people. Come now, and I will advise you as to what this people will do to your people in the future.”
Balaam Prophesies a Fourth Time
24:15 Then he uttered this oracle:
“The oracle of Balaam son of Beor;
the oracle of the man whose eyes are open;
24:16 the oracle of the one who hears the words of God,
and who knows the knowledge of the Most High,
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
although falling flat on the ground with eyes open:
24:17 ‘I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not close at hand.
A star will march forth out of Jacob,
and a scepter will rise out of Israel.
He will crush the skulls of Moab,
and the heads of all the sons of Sheth.
24:18 Edom will be a possession,
Seir, his enemies, will also be a possession;
but Israel will act valiantly.
24:19 A ruler will be established from Jacob;
he will destroy the remains of the city.’”
Balaam’s Final Prophecies
24:20 Then Balaam looked on Amalek and delivered this oracle:
“Amalek was the first of the nations,
but his end will be that he will perish.”
24:21 Then he looked on the Kenites and uttered this oracle:
“Your dwelling place seems strong,
and your nest is set on a rocky cliff.
24:22 Nevertheless the Kenite will be consumed.
How long will Asshur take you away captive?”
24:23 Then he uttered this oracle:
“O, who will survive when God does this!
24:24 Ships will come from the coast of Kittim,
and will afflict Asshur, and will afflict Eber,
and he will also perish forever.”
24:25 Balaam got up and departed and returned to his home, and Balak also went his way.
Israel’s Sin with the Moabite Women
25:1 When Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to commit sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab. 25:2 These women invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods; then the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 25:3 When Israel joined themselves to Baal-peor, the anger of the Lord flared up against Israel.
God’s Punishment
25:4 The Lord said to Moses, “Arrest all the leaders of the people, and hang them up before the Lord in broad daylight, so that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel.” 25:5 So Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you must execute those of his men who were joined to Baal-peor.”
25:6 Just then one of the Israelites came and brought to his brothers a Midianite woman in the plain view of Moses and of the whole community of the Israelites, while they were weeping at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 25:7 When Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he got up from among the assembly, took a javelin in his hand, 25:8 and went after the Israelite man into the tent and thrust through the Israelite man and into the woman’s abdomen. So the plague was stopped from the Israelites. 25:9 Those that died in the plague were 24,000.
The Aftermath
25:10 The Lord spoke to Moses: 25:11 “Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites, when he manifested such zeal for my sake among them, so that I did not consume the Israelites in my zeal. 25:12 Therefore, announce: ‘I am going to give to him my covenant of peace. 25:13 So it will be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of a permanent priesthood, because he has been zealous for his God, and has made atonement for the Israelites.’”
25:14 Now the name of the Israelite who was stabbed – the one who was stabbed with the Midianite woman – was Zimri son of Salu, a leader of a clan of the Simeonites. 25:15 The name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi daughter of Zur. He was a leader over the people of a clan of Midian.
25:16 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 25:17 “Bring trouble to the Midianites, and destroy them, 25:18 because they bring trouble to you by their treachery with which they have deceived you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, who was killed on the day of the plague that happened as a result of Peor.”
Lord, You require Your servants to listen closely and to obey completely, may I be found to be a good listener and a faithful follower. You have warned us against dividing our loyalty between You and the false Gods, may I be found faithful to You alone.
The Moabites had observed all that God for the Israelites against the Amorites and others and decided to engage in spiritual warfare against them.
They reached out to Balaam who had a reputation for some power in the realm of blessings and curses. Balaam heard their request to come and curse Israel and asked the spirits what he was allowed to do. God intervened and forbid him to curse Israel.
The messengers returned with Balaam's refusal so the king sent a higher-level delegation to pressure him to come. Balaam again consulted the spirits and God again intervened and told him that if they came to call him – and when they asked him to go with them he went – without returning to ask God what he was to say and do.
God was angry with his disobedience and blocked the way of his donkey with an angel wielding a sword that only the donkey could see, so Balaam whipped the donkey, then the angel allowed the donkey to precede to the vineyard when this time the angel caused the donkey to grind up against the walls, crushing Balaam's foot, so Balaam whipped him again, then the angel allowed the donkey to travel a bit further until the way was narrowed – at which point the donkey crouched down – and Balaam whipped him again.
The Lord God placed the voice of a man in the mouth of the donkey and he asked Balaam why he was beating him. Balaam, accustomed to meddling in the occult, seemed unaffected by a talking donkey and answered him that he (the donkey) had embarrassed him and had he a sword he would have killed him. The donkey asked if he (the donkey) had ever done such a thing before and Balaam acknowledged that he had not – then God revealed the angel to Balaam.
Balaam bowed and confessed that he had not seen the angel. God explained that what he (Balaam) was on his way to do was evil (Balaam did not know this because he had not waited long enough to hear from God what He wanted of him). Balaam offered to return home but God instructed him to continue - this time knowing what was his mission – he was going not to serve the princes of Balak but to serve God.
Balak took Balaam from location to location to curse Israel but at each point he consulted God and decided to stand with those whom God was blessing and not with Balak in cursing them.
Balaam warned Balak and the other pagan kings to not attack Israel and prophesied their downfall before Israel.
Some of the Israelite men disobeyed God and chose to engage in sexual sin with the Moabite women.
Once they had become emotionally and physically intimate with the Moabites they sought to fit in with their culture and to please them, so they indulged also in their pagan cult.
The Lord God was righteously angry and caused a plague to fall upon Israel. He instructed Moses to bring those who had led others into this sin before Him and to hang them.
While they were assembling one man brought a Moabite woman in front of the tent of meeting to show here to Moses – openly flaunting his sin before Moses, the tribal leaders (elders), and others.
Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest rose up in righteous indignation and killed them both with a single javelin thrust. God stopped the plague but 24,000 had died. He also rewarded Phineas and his descendants with a perpetual priesthood.
God instructed Moses to destroy the Moabites for luring the Israelites into sin.
God then instructed Moses to conduct a new census of the people. Those men over 20 years of age, capable of serving in the military, numbered 601,730 – and not one of those who had been over the age of 20 at the time of rebellion against God and Moses at the edge of the promised land was still alive. Only Caleb and Joshua were spared.
Balaam wanted to serve Balak and receive the money and prestige but was superstitious enough to consult the spirits first – then he heard from the Lord God – but rushed off before listening fully to God. All sin is first against God, then against ourselves, and finally against others.
Why was Balak so convinced, despite Balaam telling him that God seemed to be standing in the way of cursing Israel, that Balaam would do as asked for the price he offered? What were the differences in heart between the impetuous man with the Moabite woman and Phineas who speared them?
Balaam didn't care on whose side he served but was superstitious enough to look where the spirits were moving and it was clear that the Lord God had made a decision about Israel and He was the most powerful. Through the several battles and plagues God purged Israel of all of the rebels, just as He said He would.
When have you been asked to pray for something and you were unsure if it was truly the will of God? When have you responded with a heart jealous for righteousness to an obvious sin?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you may either be rushing into a situation without a clear sense of God's instructions, or where you have been asked to support something in opposition to God's will and to show you where you may be flaunting sin before God and man.
Today I will prayerfully consult the Word and inquire of the Holy Spirit so as to obtain God's perspective. No matter what others offer or say I will be steadfast in standing with God. I will share this challenging situation with one who is Biblically qualified as an elder and seek their prayerful counsel and prayers in-agreement for strength and wisdom. I will confess, repent, request and receive forgiveness, and build an accountability system to avoid the sin I have previously been unaware that I was flaunting – or had been thinking I could get away with. I may be tempting my brother to stumble in the way that I act or dress, I may be making of worldly things something important – drawing others to prioritize them over the more-important things of God (activities, celebrities, entertainment, hobbies, possessions, power, sports e.g. I may be presenting a careless or crass attitude toward the things of God in an effort to set myself apart as a rebel).
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Psalm 90
90:1 A prayer of Moses, the man of God.
O Lord, you have been our protector through all generations!
90:2 Even before the mountains came into existence, or you brought the world into being, you were the eternal God.
90:3 You make mankind return to the dust, and say, “Return, O people!”
90:4 Yes, in your eyes a thousand years are like yesterday that quickly passes, or like one of the divisions of the nighttime.
90:5 You bring their lives to an end and they “fall asleep.” In the morning they are like the grass that sprouts up;
90:6 in the morning it glistens and sprouts up; at evening time it withers and dries up.
90:7 Yes, we are consumed by your anger; we are terrified by your wrath.
90:8 You are aware of our sins; you even know about our hidden sins.
90:9 Yes, throughout all our days we experience your raging fury; the years of our lives pass quickly, like a sigh.
90:10 The days of our lives add up to seventy years, or eighty, if one is especially strong. But even one’s best years are marred by trouble and oppression. Yes, they pass quickly and we fly away.
90:11 Who can really fathom the intensity of your anger?
Your raging fury causes people to fear you.
90:12 So teach us to consider our mortality, so that we might live wisely.
90:13 Turn back toward us, O Lord!
How long must this suffering last?
Have pity on your servants!
90:14 Satisfy us in the morning with your loyal love!
Then we will shout for joy and be happy all our days!
90:15 Make us happy in proportion to the days you have afflicted us, in proportion to the years we have experienced trouble!
90:16 May your servants see your work!
May their sons see your majesty!
90:17 May our sovereign God extend his favor to us!
Make our endeavors successful!
Yes, make them successful!
Lord, You are not like us; You have existed without beginning and will continue without end, Your holiness is offended by sin and honored by obedience. May I choose to live in obedience so that I may be a useful instrument rather than a useless-discarded tool.
Moses reflected upon the big picture history of the Lord's faithfulness to Israel.
He also honored the unique characteristics of God; the eternal One - with a long perspective vs the short-view humankind takes.
Moses emphasized the brevity of human life, exacerbated by our rebellious and self-destructive choices.
He asked that the Lord would help the people to better appreciate their mortality so that rather than living frivolously they would live wisely before Him.
Moses appealed for blessing and grace.
Since the Lord God has existed forever, and humankind briefly, it would seem wise for us to always begin every consideration from His perspective.
Why would Moses and the Israelites look at their troubled history, and short lives, as the consequence of God's anger?
For the hundreds of years in Egyptian slavery, and decades of wandering, Moses asked for an equal time of peace and stability.
When have you behaved as if you would live forever, without regard for the consequences of abuse to your body and the passage of time, only to discover the reality of your mortality?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you are being a poor steward of health and of time.
I will confess and repent of my poor stewardship, ask for and accept His forgiveness, then realign my priorities to His standard..
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 20
A Second Census Required
26:1 After the plague the Lord said to Moses and to Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, 26:2 “Take a census of the whole community of Israelites, from twenty years old and upward, by their clans, everyone who can serve in the army of Israel.”
26:3 So Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them in the plains of Moab, by the Jordan River across from Jericho. They said, 26:4 “Number the people from twenty years old and upward, just as the Lord commanded Moses and the Israelites who went out from the land of Egypt.”
Reuben
26:5 Reuben was the firstborn of Israel. The Reubenites: from Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites; from Pallu, the family of the Palluites; 26:6 from Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; from Carmi, the family of the Carmites. 26:7 These were the families of the Reubenites; and those numbered of them were 43,730. 26:8 Pallu’s descendant was Eliab. 26:9 Eliab’s descendants were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. It was Dathan and Abiram who as leaders of the community rebelled against Moses and Aaron with the followers of Korah when they rebelled against the Lord. 26:10 The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and Korah at the time that company died, when the fire consumed 250 men. So they became a warning. 26:11 But the descendants of Korah did not die.
Simeon
26:12 The Simeonites by their families: from Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites; from Jamin, the family of the Jaminites; from Jakin, the family of the Jakinites; 26:13 from Zerah, the family of the Zerahites; and from Shaul, the family of the Shaulites. 26:14 These were the families of the Simeonites, 22,200.
Gad
26:15 The Gadites by their families: from Zephon, the family of the Zephonites; from Haggi, the family of the Haggites; from Shuni, the family of the Shunites; 26:16 from Ozni, the family of the Oznites; from Eri, the family of the Erites; 26:17 from Arod, the family of the Arodites, and from Areli, the family of the Arelites. 26:18 These were the families of the Gadites according to those numbered of them, 40,500.
Judah
26:19 The descendants of Judah were Er and Onan, but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. 26:20 And the Judahites by their families were: from Shelah, the family of the Shelahites; from Perez, the family of the Perezites; and from Zerah, the family of the Zerahites. 26:21 And the Perezites were: from Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; from Hamul, the family of the Hamulites. 26:22 These were the families of Judah according to those numbered of them, 76,500.
Issachar
26:23 The Issacharites by their families: from Tola, the family of the Tolaites; from Puah, the family of the Puites; 26:24 from Jashub, the family of the Jashubites; and from Shimron, the family of the Shimronites. 26:25 These were the families of Issachar, according to those numbered of them, 64,300.
Zebulun
26:26 The Zebulunites by their families: from Sered, the family of the Sardites; from Elon, the family of the Elonites; from Jahleel, the family of the Jahleelites. 26:27 These were the families of the Zebulunites, according to those numbered of them, 60,500.
Manasseh
26:28 The descendants of Joseph by their families: Manasseh and Ephraim. 26:29 The Manassehites: from Machir, the family of the Machirites (now Machir became the father of Gilead); from Gilead, the family of the Gileadites. 26:30 These were the Gileadites: from Iezer, the family of the Iezerites; from Helek, the family of the Helekites; 26:31 from Asriel, the family of the Asrielites; from Shechem, the family of the Shechemites; 26:32 from Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites; from Hepher, the family of the Hepherites. 26:33 Now Zelophehad son of Hepher had no sons, but only daughters; and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 26:34 These were the families of Manasseh; those numbered of them were 52,700.
Ephraim
26:35 These are the Ephraimites by their families: from Shuthelah, the family of the Shuthelahites; from Beker, the family of the Bekerites; from Tahan, the family of the Tahanites. 26:36 Now these were the Shuthelahites: from Eran, the family of the Eranites. 26:37 These were the families of the Ephraimites, according to those numbered of them, 32,500. These were the descendants of Joseph by their families.
Benjamin
26:38 The Benjaminites by their families: from Bela, the family of the Belaites; from Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites; from Ahiram, the family of the Ahiramites; 26:39 from Shupham, the family of the Shuphamites; from Hupham, the family of the Huphamites. 26:40 The descendants of Bela were Ard and Naaman. From Ard, the family of the Ardites; from Naaman, the family of the Naamanites. 26:41 These are the Benjaminites, according to their families, and according to those numbered of them, 45,600.
Dan
26:42 These are the Danites by their families: from Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites. These were the families of Dan, according to their families. 26:43 All the families of the Shuhahites according to those numbered of them were 64,400.
Asher
26:44 The Asherites by their families: from Imnah, the family of the Imnahites; from Ishvi, the family of the Ishvites; from Beriah, the family of the Beriahites. 26:45 From the Beriahites: from Heber, the family of the Heberites; from Malkiel, the family of the Malkielites. 26:46 Now the name of the daughter of Asher was Serah. 26:47 These are the families of the Asherites, according to those numbered of them, 53,400.
Naphtali
26:48 The Naphtalites by their families: from Jahzeel, the family of the Jahzeelites; from Guni, the family of the Gunites; 26:49 from Jezer, the family of the Jezerites; from Shillem, the family of the Shillemites. 26:50 These were the families of Naphtali according to their families; and those numbered of them were 45,400.
Total Number and Division of the Land
26:51 These were those numbered of the Israelites, 601,730.
26:52 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 26:53 “To these the land must be divided as an inheritance according to the number of the names. 26:54 To a larger group you will give a larger inheritance, and to a smaller group you will give a smaller inheritance. To each one its inheritance must be given according to the number of people in it.
26:55 The land must be divided by lot; and they will inherit in accordance with the names of their ancestral tribes.
26:56 Their inheritance must be apportioned by lot among the larger and smaller groups.
26:57 And these are the Levites who were numbered according to their families: from Gershon, the family of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites; from Merari, the family of the Merarites. 26:58 These are the families of the Levites: the family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites, the family of the Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, the family of the Korahites. Kohath became the father of Amram. 26:59 Now the name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed, daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt. And to Amram she bore Aaron, Moses, and Miriam their sister. 26:60 And to Aaron were born Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
26:61 But Nadab and Abihu died when they offered strange fire before the Lord. 26:62 Those of them who were numbered were 23,000, all males from a month old and upward, for they were not numbered among the Israelites; no inheritance was given to them among the Israelites.
26:63 These are those who were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the Israelites in the plains of Moab along the Jordan River opposite Jericho. 26:64 But there was not a man among these who had been among those numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest when they numbered the Israelites in the wilderness of Sinai. 26:65 For the Lord had said of them, “They will surely die in the wilderness.” And there was not left a single man of them, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.
Special Inheritance Laws
27:1 Then the daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh of the families of Manasseh, the son Joseph came forward. Now these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
27:2 And they stood before Moses and Eleazar the priest and the leaders of the whole assembly at the entrance to the tent of meeting and said, 27:3 “Our father died in the wilderness, although he was not part of the company of those that gathered themselves together against the Lord in the company of Korah; but he died for his own sin, and he had no sons.
27:4 Why should the name of our father be lost from among his family because he had no son? Give us a possession among the relatives of our father.”
27:5 So Moses brought their case before the Lord.
27:6 The Lord said to Moses: 27:7 “The daughters of Zelophehad have a valid claim. You must indeed give them possession of an inheritance among their father’s relatives, and you must transfer the inheritance of their father to them. 27:8 And you must tell the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and has no son, then you must transfer his inheritance to his daughter; 27:9 and if he has no daughter, then you are to give his inheritance to his brothers; 27:10 and if he has no brothers, then you are to give his inheritance to his father’s brothers; 27:11 and if his father has no brothers, then you are to give his inheritance to his relative nearest to him from his family, and he will possess it. This will be for the Israelites a legal requirement, as the Lord commanded Moses.’”
Lord, when rebellion occurred You destroyed whom You would destroy and preserved who You would preserve. When the inheritance of a family was in jeopardy You provided a method to preserve it. May I trust that within Your perfect plan You preserve what is of value.
After the plagues the Lord God required Moses to conduct a census of those males at the age or conscription (20) or older.
As the Tribes were processed Moses recorded their history before the Lord in order to explain unusual deficits in their number, e.g. a Tribe involved in rebellion may have lost 10’s of thousands to the Lord God’s punishment.
The daughters of Zelophehad asked Moses for the preservation of their family line through them for lack of a son, so he consulted the Lord, and His reply was that the inheritance should pass to them – then He expanded His regulation to provide for other circumstances.
The consequences of the rebellion of certain tribal leaders and their followers was devastating and continued to have repercussions.
Why would the preservation of their family line have been so important to The daughters of Zelophehad?
The preservation of tribal and family identification was one way the Lord God build history and a systemic identity into the Israeli community.
When have you been confronted with a custom or practice or regulation which threatened to unfairly exclude or mistreat you? Were you successful in an appeal to a person in authority for justice?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you something from a prior generation, biological and/or legal, which has impacted your life.
I will assess the negative and/or positive impact of generational choices and prayerfully acknowledge the Lord's desire to make something good from the bad and to leverage the good in His perfect plan.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Leadership Change
27:12 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain of the Abarim range, and see the land I have given to the Israelites. 27:13 When you have seen it, you will be gathered to your ancestors, as Aaron your brother was gathered to his ancestors. 27:14 For in the wilderness of Zin when the community rebelled against me, you rebelled against my command to show me as holy before their eyes over the water – the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.”
27:15 Then Moses spoke to the Lord: 27:16 “Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all humankind, appoint a man over the community, 27:17 who will go out before them, and who will come in before them, and who will lead them out, and who will bring them in, so that the community of the Lord may not be like sheep that have no shepherd.”
27:18 The Lord replied to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is such a spirit, and lay your hand on him; 27:19 set him before Eleazar the priest and before the whole community, and commission him publicly. 27:20 Then you must delegate some of your authority to him, so that the whole community of the Israelites will be obedient. 27:21 And he will stand before Eleazar the priest, who will seek counsel for him before the Lord by the decision of the Urim. At his command they will go out, and at his command they will come in, he and all the Israelites with him, the whole community.”
27:22 So Moses did as the Lord commanded him; he took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before the whole community. 27:23 He laid his hands on him and commissioned him, just as the Lord commanded, by the authority of Moses.
Daily, Weekly, Monthly Offerings, Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, Blowing Trumpets, Day of Atonement, The Feast of Temporary Shelters
http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Num&chapter=28
http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Num&chapter=29
Lord, Your heart is one of perfect grace and justice and You see beyond gender and race to the heart of the matter. May I follow Your perfect model, may I apply Your standard of justice to everyone, without regard to the imperfect preferences and traditions of man.
The Lord God instructed Moses to view the promised land and reminded him that he would not be allowed to enter it due to his rebellion at the second miracle of water from the stone.
Moses asked God to appoint a successor so that the people would have a shepherd and God instructed Moses and Eleazar to anoint Joshua before the people as evidence that God had called him.
The women brought a new question about the disposition of their inheritance were they to marry someone outside of their tribe. Moses consulted with God and His priority was that that an inheritance remain with a tribe, therefore women were required to marry within their tribe so that their inheritance would not be displaced.
Lord, You required of the Israelites a daily offering, may my life also be a daily offering to You.
The Lord God refined His prior instructions for the offerings required of the people. He increased the offering to daily.
He reminded them of the importance of the Passover, of refraining from “ordinary work” on the seventh day, and that the offering must be “unblemished”.
Notable is the summary of 29:39 “‘These things you must present to the Lord at your appointed times, in addition to your vows and your freewill offerings, as your burnt offerings, your grain offerings, your drink offerings, and your peace offerings.’”
In matters of justice God does not discriminate against people based on their gender. The Lord appears to have increased the level of offerings, perhaps to keep the Israelites more constantly focused on Him, and less likely to rebel and to wander.
What had the people had observed about the Lord God, from His direct actions and through Moses, that caused these women to believe that their appeal for a change to the traditions would be heard? What must have been the impact of increased offerings as they meant more investment in the raising of “unblemished” sacrificial animals and of the best quality grains, all to be given without financial compensation for the sacrifice?
Moses was the single most-important human spokesman for God, when he rebelled at the stone of water (Meriba) it was a huge matter, as he placed himself between God and man and took upon himself credibility and expressed less-than-righteous anger. A lot had happened since their exodus from Egypt but as they are about to enter the promised land the Lord reminded them of the Passover so that they would not forget Who made it all possible.
When have you acted and/or spoken impulsively in a way that would have appeared to an observer to displace God in both authority and temperament? When have you assessed your giving to the Lord? Did you discover multiple ways that you do so from the resources He has given to you?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you may be acting independent of God and to show you where you may need to build a little structure (not rigid legalism or soul-numbing ritual) into your life - to keep Him constantly before you.
Today I will receive the chastising of the Holy Spirit. I will confess and repent of those times and places where I contemplate, and even act-out, revenge (great or small) – knowing that God has said that “... revenge belongs to the Lord”, or sin in my anger by allowing myself to be a tool of the enemy as I act and/or speak in a fit of rage, uncontrolled by the Holy Spirit; or perhaps I am cruel, disrespectful, spiteful, unjust, or in some other way I allow my flesh to control me when I am known as a child of God who should be a conduit of His love and to be under control. I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement for my healing from this/these sin(s). As necessary I will ask one who is Biblically qualified as an elder to counsel and mentor me and to hold me accountable. I will agree with the Holy Spirit and add the necessary daily activities, dedicated to the praise and worship of God, to help me to keep my eyes on Him so that I am less likely to drift into the world. If I am reminded that I am already doing this well then I will pause to praise Him for that work in my life and I will look carefully to assure that these activities have not become powerless rituals or heart-dulling legalisms.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Vows Made by Men
30:1 Moses told the leaders of the tribes concerning the Israelites, “This is what the Lord has commanded: 30:2 If a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath of binding obligation on himself, he must not break his word, but must do whatever he has promised.
Vows Made by Single Women
30:3 “If a young woman who is still living in her father’s house makes a vow to the Lord or places herself under an obligation, 30:4 and her father hears of her vow or the obligation to which she has pledged herself, and her father remains silent about her, then all her vows will stand, and every obligation to which she has pledged herself will stand. 30:5 But if her father overrules her when he hears about it, then none of her vows or her obligations which she has pledged for herself will stand. And the Lord will release her from it, because her father overruled her.
Vows Made by Married Women
30:6 “And if she marries a husband while under a vow, or she uttered anything impulsively by which she has pledged herself, 30:7 and her husband hears about it, but remains silent about her when he hears about it, then her vows will stand and her obligations which she has pledged for herself will stand. 30:8 But if when her husband hears it he overrules her, then he will nullify the vow she has taken, and whatever she uttered impulsively which she has pledged for herself. And the Lord will release her from it.
Vows Made by Widows
30:9 “But every vow of a widow or of a divorced woman which she has pledged for herself will remain intact. 30:10 If she made the vow in her husband’s house or put herself under obligation with an oath, 30:11 and her husband heard about it, but remained silent about her, and did not overrule her, then all her vows will stand, and every obligation which she pledged for herself will stand. 30:12 But if her husband clearly nullifies them when he hears them, then whatever she says by way of vows or obligations will not stand. Her husband has made them void, and the Lord will release her from them.
30:13 “Any vow or sworn obligation that would bring affliction to her, her husband can confirm or nullify. 30:14 But if her husband remains completely silent about her from day to day, he thus confirms all her vows or all her obligations which she is under; he confirms them because he remained silent about when he heard them. 30:15 But if he should nullify them after he has heard them, then he will bear her iniquity.”
30:16 These are the statutes that the Lord commanded Moses, relating to a man and his wife, and a father and his young daughter who is still living in her father’s house.
Lord, You have told us that our yes must be our yes and our no our no, that we must honor our word, and that we live under various sorts of authority. May I be found faithful to keep my word.
The Lord, through Moses, communicated to the elders of the tribes of Israel His instructions as to the integrity of a person’s word.
The adult male who gave his word was completely bound by it once given.
In matters where a vow or sworn obligation of an unmarried woman, still in her father’s household, could be over-ruled by her father – the father remained the final authority.
Under the same circumstances and for the same reason a married woman could be over-ruled by her husband as he was the final authority.
A widow was like an adult male, fully responsible to fulfill her vows and oaths, regardless of the consequences; however, if her vows and oaths were made while her husband still lived and he had over-ruled her then she did not suddenly become responsible for them merely because she had become a widow.
The same is true for the divorced woman with the qualifier that if her vow or oath was made while still married (perhaps also and/or still living in his house) and he over-ruled her it was null, if not then it was valid. A legally-divorced person no longer has a spouse so the former husband would have no authority post-divorce. The text reinforces this as it uses the past-tense “heard” to refer to pre-divorce.
The Lord God made provision for single women and wives (who often married very young and were not allowed access to education and significant decision-making roles where they would learn to be more cautious) to be protected from careless vows and oaths they might make that could cause them affliction (while they were under the protection of their father or husband).
In modern cultures the ability of a father or husband to over-rule an adult daughter or wife initially sounds troublesome. When one considers the common practice of girls in their early to mid teens marrying, and the obligation of the father or husband to protect his daughter or wife, doesn't God's caring-protective context of “... would bring affliction to her” appear to be a gift not a burden?
Once a woman had been married and then widowed the Lord appears to anticipate that she was mature enough to make decisions and to be held fully accountable for them.
When have you made an oath or a vow, one with the potential to bring you affliction, and which you later hoped and prayed someone might over-rule on your behalf? (e.g. challenging someone to a fight, or making a bet, and an adult was able to unilaterally nullify it as “not permitted”.)
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you may be failing to keep your word, and where you are doing so responsibly.
Today I will celebrate those areas of my life where I have been matured by the Holy Spirit so that I am a partner with Him in faithfulness to my word, no matter what. I will also confess those areas where I still struggle with that and will ask a fellow believer to be my accountability and prayer partner as I move closer to the Holy Spirit in integrity and obedience.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
Numbers 31
The Midianite War
31:1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 31:2 “Exact vengeance for the Israelites on the Midianites – after that you will be gathered to your people.”
31:3 So Moses spoke to the people: “Arm men from among you for the war, to attack the Midianites and to execute the Lord’s vengeance on Midian. 31:4 You must send to the battle a thousand men from every tribe throughout all the tribes of Israel.” 31:5 So a thousand from every tribe, twelve thousand armed for battle in all, were provided out of the thousands of Israel.
Campaign Against the Midianites
31:6 So Moses sent them to the war, one thousand from every tribe, with Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, who was in charge of the holy articles and the signal trumpets. 31:7 They fought against the Midianites, as the Lord commanded Moses, and they killed every male. 31:8 They killed the kings of Midian in addition to those slain – Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba – five Midianite kings. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.
31:9 The Israelites took the women of Midian captives along with their little ones, and took all their herds, all their flocks, and all their goods as plunder. 31:10 They burned all their towns where they lived and all their encampments. 31:11 They took all the plunder and all the spoils, both people and animals. 31:12 They brought the captives and the spoils and the plunder to Moses, to Eleazar the priest, and to the Israelite community, to the camp on the plains of Moab, along the Jordan River across from Jericho. 31:13 Moses, Eleazar the priest, and all the leaders of the community went out to meet them outside the camp.
The Death of the Midianite Women
31:14 But Moses was furious with the officers of the army, the commanders over thousands and commanders over hundreds, who had come from service in the war. 31:15 Moses said to them, “Have you allowed all the women to live? 31:16 Look, these people through the counsel of Balaam caused the Israelites to act treacherously against the Lord in the matter of Peor – which resulted in the plague among the community of the Lord! 31:17 Now therefore kill every boy, and kill every woman who has had sexual intercourse with a man. 31:18 But all the young women who have not had sexual intercourse with a man will be yours.
Purification After Battle
31:19 “Any of you who has killed anyone or touched any of the dead, remain outside the camp for seven days; purify yourselves and your captives on the third day, and on the seventh day. 31:20 You must purify each garment and everything that is made of skin, everything made of goat’s hair, and everything made of wood.”
31:21 Then Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who had gone into the battle, “This is the ordinance of the law that the Lord commanded Moses: 31:22 ‘Only the gold, the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead, 31:23 everything that may stand the fire, you are to pass through the fire, and it will be ceremonially clean, but it must still be purified with the water of purification. Anything that cannot withstand the fire you must pass through the water. 31:24 You must wash your clothes on the seventh day, and you will be ceremonially clean, and afterward you may enter the camp.’”
The Distribution of Spoils
31:25 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 31:26 “You and Eleazar the priest, and all the family leaders of the community, take the sum of the plunder that was captured, both people and animals. 31:27 Divide the plunder into two parts, one for those who took part in the war – who went out to battle – and the other for all the community.
31:28 “You must exact a tribute for the Lord from the fighting men who went out to battle: one life out of five hundred, from the people, the cattle, and from the donkeys and the sheep. 31:29 You are to take it from their half-share and give it to Eleazar the priest for a raised offering to the Lord. 31:30 From the Israelites’ half-share you are to take one portion out of fifty of the people, the cattle, the donkeys, and the sheep – from every kind of animal – and you are to give them to the Levites, who are responsible for the care of the Lord’s tabernacle.”
31:31 So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses. 31:32 The spoil that remained of the plunder which the fighting men had gathered was 675,000 sheep, 31:33 72,000 cattle, 31:34 61,000 donkeys, 31:35 and 32,000 young women who had never had sexual intercourse with a man.
31:36 The half-portion of those who went to war numbered 337,500 sheep; 31:37 the Lord’s tribute from the sheep was 675. 31:38 The cattle numbered 36,000; the Lord’s tribute was 72. 31:39 The donkeys were 30,500, of which the Lord’s tribute was 61. 31:40 The people were 16,000, of which the Lord’s tribute was 32 people.
31:41 So Moses gave the tribute, which was the Lord’s raised offering, to Eleazar the priest, as the Lord commanded Moses.
31:42 From the Israelites’ half-share that Moses had separated from the fighting men, 31:43 there were 337,500 sheep from the portion belonging to the community, 31:44 36,000 cattle, 31:45 30,500 donkeys, 31:46 and 16,000 people.
31:47 From the Israelites’ share Moses took one of every fifty people and animals and gave them to the Levites who were responsible for the care of the Lord’s tabernacle, just as the Lord commanded Moses.
31:48 Then the officers who were over the thousands of the army, the commanders over thousands and the commanders over hundreds, approached Moses 31:49 and said to him, “Your servants have taken a count of the men who were in the battle, who were under our authority, and not one is missing. 31:50 So we have brought as an offering for the Lord what each man found: gold ornaments, armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and necklaces, to make atonement for ourselves before the Lord.” 31:51 Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold from them, all of it in the form of ornaments. 31:52 All the gold of the offering they offered up to the Lord from the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds weighed 16,750 shekels. 31:53 Each soldier had taken plunder for himself. 31:54 So Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds and brought it into the tent of meeting as a memorial for the Israelites before the Lord.
The Petition of the Reubenites and Gadites
32:1 Now the Reubenites and the Gadites possessed a very large number of cattle. When they saw that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were ideal for cattle, 32:2 the Gadites and the Reubenites came and addressed Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the leaders of the community. They said, 32:3 “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon, 32:4 the land that the Lord subdued before the community of Israel, is ideal for cattle, and your servants have cattle.” 32:5 So they said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants for our inheritance. Do not have us cross the Jordan River.”
Moses’ Response
32:6 Moses said to the Gadites and the Reubenites, “Must your brothers go to war while you remain here? 32:7 Why do you frustrate the intent of the Israelites to cross over into the land which the Lord has given them? 32:8 Your fathers did the same thing when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to see the land. 32:9 When they went up to the Eshcol Valley and saw the land, they frustrated the intent of the Israelites so that they did not enter the land that the Lord had given them. 32:10 So the anger of the Lord was kindled that day, and he swore, 32:11 ‘Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of the men twenty years old and upward who came from Egypt will see the land that I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, 32:12 except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the Lord wholeheartedly.’ 32:13 So the Lord’s anger was kindled against the Israelites, and he made them wander in the wilderness for forty years, until all that generation that had done wickedly before the Lord was finished. 32:14 Now look, you are standing in your fathers’ place, a brood of sinners, to increase still further the fierce wrath of the Lord against the Israelites. 32:15 For if you turn away from following him, he will once again abandon them in the wilderness, and you will be the reason for their destruction.”
The Offer of the Reubenites and Gadites
32:16 Then they came very close to him and said, “We will build sheep folds here for our flocks and cities for our families, 32:17 but we will maintain ourselves in armed readiness and go before the Israelites until whenever we have brought them to their place. Our descendants will be living in fortified towns as a protection against the inhabitants of the land. 32:18 We will not return to our homes until every Israelite has his inheritance. 32:19 For we will not accept any inheritance on the other side of the Jordan River and beyond, because our inheritance has come to us on this eastern side of the Jordan.”
32:20 Then Moses replied, “If you will do this thing, and if you will arm yourselves for battle before the Lord, 32:21 and if all your armed men cross the Jordan before the Lord until he drives out his enemies from his presence 32:22 and the land is subdued before the Lord, then afterward you may return and be free of your obligation to the Lord and to Israel. This land will then be your possession in the Lord’s sight.
32:23 “But if you do not do this, then look, you will have sinned against the Lord. And know that your sin will find you out. 32:24 So build cities for your descendants and pens for your sheep, but do what you have said you would do.”
32:25 So the Gadites and the Reubenites replied to Moses, “Your servants will do as my lord commands. 32:26 Our children, our wives, our flocks, and all our livestock will be there in the cities of Gilead, 32:27 but your servants will cross over, every man armed for war, to do battle in the Lord’s presence, just as my lord says.”
32:28 So Moses gave orders about them to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua son of Nun, and to the heads of the families of the Israelite tribes. 32:29 Moses said to them: “If the Gadites and the Reubenites cross the Jordan with you, each one equipped for battle in the Lord’s presence, and you conquer the land, then you must allot them the territory of Gilead as their possession. 32:30 But if they do not cross over with you armed, they must receive possessions among you in Canaan.” 32:31 Then the Gadites and the Reubenites answered, “Your servants will do what the Lord has spoken. 32:32 We will cross armed in the Lord’s presence into the land of Canaan, and then the possession of our inheritance that we inherit will be ours on this side of the Jordan River.”
Land Assignment
32:33 So Moses gave to the Gadites, the Reubenites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph the realm of King Sihon of the Amorites, and the realm of King Og of Bashan, the entire land with its cities and the territory surrounding them. 32:34 The Gadites rebuilt Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, 32:35 Atroth Shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, 32:36 Beth Nimrah, and Beth Haran as fortified cities, and constructed pens for their flocks. 32:37 The Reubenites rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim, 32:38 Nebo, Baal Meon (with a change of name), and Sibmah. They renamed the cities they built.
32:39 The descendants of Machir son of Manasseh went to Gilead, took it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were in it. 32:40 So Moses gave Gilead to Machir, son of Manasseh, and he lived there. 32:41 Now Jair son of Manasseh went and captured their small towns and named them Havvoth Jair. 32:42 Then Nobah went and captured Kenath and its villages and called it Nobah after his own name.
Lord, Your vengeance for the deliberate corruption of Your people is perfectly holy and just. May recognize my duty to defend my holiness before you with the same zealotry. You allow Your people to make choices, and ask only that they keep their commitments to You, and to others. May I never forget my obligations to You and to my fellow believers.
The Lord God instructed Moses that his last act would be to direct the Israelites to assemble a military force so that they might serve as His avenging punishment of the Midianites for their deliberate efforts to curse, and then to seduce, Israel on behalf of their false pagan god.
Moses required each of the twelve tribes to send 1,000 men, together with a priest, into battle. God gave them the complete victory and they killed every man (soldier) on the field, including the five tribal Midianite kings, and destroyed their cities.
Balaam, the mercenary sorcerer/priest, had apparently returned to the service of the Midianites to advise and assist them in their efforts to seduce the Israelites and he also paid with his life for his treachery.
Without permission, as this was a “holy war” of obliteration of evil, the tribal leaders took as plunder the women and children, livestock, crops, and precious metals. Moses was righteously angry as they had brought the evil back with them.
In God’s will Moses instructed that every adult woman who was no longer a virgin be killed as well as all of the male children. He allowed them to keep the female children and virgin women. The goal was to eliminate sources of spiritual seduction.
[The NET translators observe that this was a horrible thing, though less horrible than the complete destruction of every Midianite.]
All of the soldiers and their clothing and weapons and spoils had to go through the purification rite as the taking of human life made one ritually unclean. [Later on King David was denied the privilege of building the permanent temple because he had been a man of war.]
The spoils were divided with a portion to the priests, a portion to the Israelites who did not fight, and a portion to the soldiers.
Because God had preserved the lives of every one of the 12,000 Israelite soldiers their commanders brought a special thanks offering, from the precious metals they had captured, as a memorial.
The Reubenites and Gadites had a plan – they liked the grazing lands in Gilead on the opposite side of the Jordan River from the promised land.
When they asked Moses if they could have that land instead of what was on the other side he angrily challenged them as repeating the rebellion of their fathers for refusing to cross the Jordan and to do battle.
The offered to build fortified cities for their women and children and livestock then to go with the rest of Israel to conquer the promised lands – and only once everyone else was settled would they return to Gilead.
Moses agreed and so instructed the priests, who would oversee the division of lands.
The Lord God had little mercy for those who would cooperate with the enemy to seduce His people – they were a troublesome enough lot without any outside distractions. Moses was very sensitive to any sign of tribal fragmentation or rebellion.
Can you see how God viewed the adult men, and the women who had crossed the physical, emotional, and spiritual line of intercourse, of being guilty of assisting in the attempted seduction of the Israelites on behalf of the enemy – because they were mature enough to make choices? In the case of the boys, that they brought the sins of their fathers along with them and would become a problem to Israel when they grew older? (His instruction was that all of the Midianites be destroyed, but once the soldiers had brought many back with them He chose mercy because, for cultural reasons, the female children and virgin-women could be safely integrated into the Israelite culture.) How convinced must have been the Reubenites and Gadites that the land in Gilead was excellent for their cattle that they’d make the deal they did with Moses and the rest of the tribes?
Balaam only refused to curse Israel because God did not allow him to do so – he clearly had no love for Israel and little regard for God. Having the Reubenites and Gadites on the opposite side of the Jordan would have served as a buffer and early-warning of attack from that side.
When have you set out on a task and decided to do things differently than instructed? What was the result? When have you identified a somewhat different way to go than the ‘crowd’ and faced some early resistance?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you are compromising with worldly influences in your life, and to reveal to you any place where you may be choosing a path that causes you to fail to keep your obligations to other believers.
Today I will agree with the Holy Spirit and I will mount my own ‘holy war’ against one or more things in my life which draw me away from the Lord. I will ask a fellow believer to be my accountability partner and my prayer partner as well. I will accept the truth revealed by the Holy Spirit and negotiate a way that I may follow the path that I believe represents the best stewardship of the resources and responsibilities given to me by the Lord while balancing that with my obligations to the fellowship of believers.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Numbers 33-34
Wanderings from Egypt to Sinai
33:1 These are the journeys of the Israelites, who went out of the land of Egypt by their divisions under the authority of Moses and Aaron. 33:2 Moses recorded their departures according to their journeys, by the commandment of the Lord; now these are their journeys according to their departures. 33:3 They departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the day after the Passover the Israelites went out defiantly in plain sight of all the Egyptians. 33:4 Now the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom the Lord had killed among them; the Lord also executed judgments on their gods.
33:5 The Israelites traveled from Rameses and camped in Succoth.
33:6 They traveled from Succoth, and camped in Etham, which is on the edge of the wilderness. 33:7 They traveled from Etham, and turned again to Pi-hahiroth, which is before Baal-Zephon; and they camped before Migdal. 33:8 They traveled from Pi-hahiroth, and passed through the middle of the sea into the wilderness, and went three days’ journey in the wilderness of Etham, and camped in Marah. 33:9 They traveled from Marah and came to Elim; in Elim there are twelve fountains of water and seventy palm trees, so they camped there.
33:10 They traveled from Elim, and camped by the Red Sea. 33:11 They traveled from the Red Sea and camped in the wilderness of Zin. 33:12 They traveled from the wilderness of Zin and camped in Dophkah. 33:13 And they traveled from Dophkah, and camped in Alush.
33:14 They traveled from Alush and camped at Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink. 33:15 They traveled from Rephidim and camped in the wilderness of Sinai.
Wanderings in the Wilderness
33:16 They traveled from the desert of Sinai and camped at Kibroth Hattaavah. 33:17 They traveled from Kibroth Hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth. 33:18 They traveled from Hazeroth and camped in Rithmah. 33:19 They traveled from Rithmah and camped at Rimmon-perez. 33:20 They traveled from Rimmon-perez and camped in Libnah. 33:21 They traveled from Libnah and camped at Rissah. 33:22 They traveled from Rissah and camped in Kehelathah. 33:23 They traveled from Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher. 33:24 They traveled from Mount Shepher and camped in Haradah. 33:25 They traveled from Haradah and camped in Makheloth. 33:26 They traveled from Makheloth and camped at Tahath. 33:27 They traveled from Tahath and camped at Terah. 33:28 They traveled from Terah and camped in Mithcah. 33:29 They traveled from Mithcah and camped in Hashmonah. 33:30 They traveled from Hashmonah and camped in Moseroth. 33:31 They traveled from Moseroth and camped in Bene-jaakan. 33:32 They traveled from Bene-jaakan and camped at Hor-haggidgad. 33:33 They traveled from Hor-haggidgad and camped in Jotbathah. 33:34 They traveled from Jotbathah and camped in Abronah. 33:35 They traveled from Abronah and camped at Ezion-geber. 33:36 They traveled from Ezion-geber and camped in the wilderness of Zin, which is Kadesh.
Wanderings from Kadesh to Moab
33:37 They traveled from Kadesh and camped in Mount Hor at the edge of the land of Edom. 33:38 Aaron the priest ascended Mount Hor at the command of the Lord, and he died there in the fortieth year after the Israelites had come out of the land of Egypt on the first day of the fifth month. 33:39 Now Aaron was 123 years old when he died in Mount Hor. 33:40 The king of Arad, the Canaanite king who lived in the south of the land of Canaan, heard about the approach of the Israelites.
33:41 They traveled from Mount Hor and camped in Zalmonah. 33:42 They traveled from Zalmonah and camped in Punon. 33:43 They traveled from Punon and camped in Oboth. 33:44 They traveled from Oboth and camped in Iye-abarim, on the border of Moab. 33:45 They traveled from Iim and camped in Dibon-gad. 33:46 They traveled from Dibon-gad and camped in Almon-diblathaim. 33:47 They traveled from Almon-diblathaim and camped in the mountains of Abarim before Nebo. 33:48 They traveled from the mountains of Abarim and camped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan River across from Jericho. 33:49 They camped by the Jordan, from Beth-jeshimoth as far as Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab.
At the Border of Canaan
33:50 The Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho. He said: 33:51 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘When you have crossed the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 33:52 you must drive out all the inhabitants of the land before you. Destroy all their carved images, all their molten images, and demolish their high places. 33:53 You must dispossess the inhabitants of the land and live in it, for I have given you the land to possess it. 33:54 You must divide the land by lot for an inheritance among your families. To a larger group you must give a larger inheritance, and to a smaller group you must give a smaller inheritance. Everyone’s inheritance must be in the place where his lot falls. You must inherit according to your ancestral tribes. 33:55 But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land before you, then those whom you allow to remain will be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your side, and will cause you trouble in the land where you will be living. 33:56 And what I intended to do to them I will do to you.”
The Southern Border of the Land
34:1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 34:2 “Give these instructions to the Israelites, and tell them: ‘When you enter Canaan, the land that has been assigned to you as an inheritance, the land of Canaan with its borders, 34:3 your southern border will extend from the wilderness of Zin along the Edomite border, and your southern border will run eastward to the extremity of the Salt Sea, 34:4 and then the border will turn from the south to the Scorpion Ascent, continue to Zin, and then its direction will be from the south to Kadesh Barnea. Then it will go to Hazar Addar and pass over to Azmon. 34:5 There the border will turn from Azmon to the Brook of Egypt, and then its direction is to the sea.
The Western Border of the Land
34:6 “‘And for a western border you will have the Great Sea. This will be your western border.
The Northern Border of the Land
34:7 “‘And this will be your northern border: From the Great Sea you will draw a line to Mount Hor; 34:8 from Mount Hor you will draw a line to Lebo Hamath, and the direction of the border will be to Zedad. 34:9 The border will continue to Ziphron, and its direction will be to Hazar Enan. This will be your northern border.
The Eastern Border of the Land
34:10 “‘For your eastern border you will draw a line from Hazar Enan to Shepham. 34:11 The border will run down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain, and the border will descend and reach the eastern side of the Sea of Chinnereth. 34:12 Then the border will continue down the Jordan River and its direction will be to the Salt Sea. This will be your land by its borders that surround it.’”
34:13 Then Moses commanded the Israelites: “This is the land which you will inherit by lot, which the Lord has commanded to be given to the nine and a half tribes, 34:14 because the tribe of the Reubenites by their families, the tribe of the Gadites by their families, and half of the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance. 34:15 The two and a half tribes have received their inheritance on this side of the Jordan, east of Jericho, toward the sunrise.”
Appointed Officials
34:16 The Lord said to Moses: 34:17 “These are the names of the men who are to allocate the land to you as an inheritance: Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun. 34:18 You must take one leader from every tribe to assist in allocating the land as an inheritance. 34:19 These are the names of the men: from the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh; 34:20 from the tribe of the Simeonites, Shemuel son of Ammihud; 34:21 from the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad son of Kislon; 34:22 and from the tribe of the Danites, a leader, Bukki son of Jogli. 34:23 From the Josephites, Hanniel son of Ephod, a leader from the tribe of Manasseh; 34:24 from the tribe of the Ephraimites, a leader, Kemuel son of Shiphtan; 34:25 from the tribe of the Zebulunites, a leader, Elizaphan son of Parnach; 34:26 from the tribe of the Issacharites, a leader, Paltiel son of Azzan; 34:27 from the tribe of the Asherites, a leader, Ahihud son of Shelomi; 34:28 and from the tribe of the Naphtalites, a leader, Pedahel son of Ammihud.” 34:29 These are the ones whom the Lord commanded to divide up the inheritance among the Israelites in the land of Canaan.
Lord, Your power is beyond any other, Your judgments and plans beyond challenge, and Your love for those who obey You is expressed in ways beyond human expectation. May I trust and obey You more each day.
Moses reviewed the history of the travels of the Israelites since the Exodus. He noted that God not only brought mortal-judgment upon the Egyptians, by taking their first born sons, He also “executed judgments” upon those agents of the enemy who served as their false gods.
The Lord God instructed Moses to tell the Israelites to drive out all the inhabitants of the land, destroy all their idols and temples. To divide the land by lots. To inherit according to ancestral tribe.
The Lord God warned that if they fail to do as instructed those whom they allow to remain would “... be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your side, and will cause you trouble in the land where you will be living. And what I intended to do to them I will do to you.”
The Lord God has always been very clear as to His expectations, it is man and not God who has complicated the simple.
Given the very simple and direct instructions of God, His promise of blessing for obedience, and His warning of negative consequences for disobedience, why would the Israelites choose to be disobedient?
Even though it is the Lord’s desire to bless humankind, in order to have a relationship that is genuine, He repeatedly offers choices; knowing that humankind will often choose unwisely. He holds to His plan to gather, to Himself (for eternity), only those who freely choose relationship with Him.
When have you been confronted with different paths, and although you knew knowing the positive benefits of one path you recklessly chose, another and suffered the ill-consequences?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the place in your life from which He most wants you to choose to turn-away and rather choose to turn toward Him.
Today I will obey the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I will repent of my wrong choices and will follow the path He directs, no matter the cost. I will share my decision, seemingly great or small in the eyes of the world, with a fellow believer and ask them to pray in-agreement for my Holy Spirit-empowered perseverance.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Levitical Cities
35:1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the Moabite plains by the Jordan near Jericho. He said: 35:2 “Instruct the Israelites to give the Levites towns to live in from the inheritance the Israelites will possess. You must also give the Levites grazing land around the towns. 35:3 Thus they will have towns in which to live, and their grazing lands will be for their cattle, for their possessions, and for all their animals. 35:4 The grazing lands around the towns that you will give to the Levites must extend to a distance of 500 yards from the town wall.
35:5 “You must measure from outside the wall of the town on the east 1,000 yards, and on the south side 1,000 yards, and on the west side 1,000 yards, and on the north side 1,000 yards, with the town in the middle. This territory must belong to them as grazing land for the towns. 35:6 Now from these towns that you will give to the Levites you must select six towns of refuge to which a person who has killed someone may flee. And you must give them forty-two other towns.
35:7 “So the total of the towns you will give the Levites is forty-eight. You must give these together with their grazing lands. 35:8 The towns you will give must be from the possession of the Israelites. From the larger tribes you must give more; and from the smaller tribes fewer. Each must contribute some of its own towns to the Levites in proportion to the inheritance allocated to each.
The Cities of Refuge
35:9 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 35:10 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘When you cross over the Jordan River into the land of Canaan, 35:11 you must then designate some towns as towns of refuge for you, to which a person who has killed someone unintentionally may flee. 35:12 And they must stand as your towns of refuge from the avenger in order that the killer may not die until he has stood trial before the community. 35:13 These towns that you must give shall be your six towns for refuge.
35:14 “You must give three towns on this side of the Jordan, and you must give three towns in the land of Canaan; they must be towns of refuge. 35:15 These six towns will be places of refuge for the Israelites, and for the foreigner, and for the settler among them, so that anyone who kills any person accidentally may flee there.
35:16 “But if he hits someone with an iron tool so that he dies, he is a murderer. The murderer must surely be put to death. 35:17 If he strikes him by throwing a stone large enough that he could die, and he dies, he is a murderer. The murderer must surely be put to death. 35:18 Or if he strikes him with a wooden hand weapon so that he could die, and he dies, he is a murderer. The murderer must surely be put to death. 35:19 The avenger of blood himself must kill the murderer; when he meets him, he must kill him.
35:20 “But if he strikes him out of hatred or throws something at him intentionally so that he dies, 35:21 or with enmity he strikes him with his hand and he dies, the one who struck him must surely be put to death, for he is a murderer. The avenger of blood must kill the murderer when he meets him.
35:22 “But if he strikes him suddenly, without enmity, or throws anything at him unintentionally, 35:23 or with any stone large enough that a man could die, without seeing him, and throws it at him, and he dies, even though he was not his enemy nor sought his harm, 35:24 then the community must judge between the slayer and the avenger of blood according to these decisions. 35:25 The community must deliver the slayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the community must restore him to the town of refuge to which he fled, and he must live there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the consecrated oil. 35:26 But if the slayer at any time goes outside the boundary of the town to which he had fled, 35:27 and the avenger of blood finds him outside the borders of the town of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the slayer, he will not be guilty of blood, 35:28 because the slayer should have stayed in his town of refuge until the death of the high priest. But after the death of the high priest, the slayer may return to the land of his possessions. 35:29 So these things must be a statutory ordinance for you throughout your generations, in all the places where you live.
35:30 “Whoever kills any person, the murderer must be put to death by the testimony of witnesses; but one witness cannot testify against any person to cause him to be put to death. 35:31 Moreover, you must not accept a ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death; he must surely be put to death. 35:32 And you must not accept a ransom for anyone who has fled to a town of refuge, to allow him to return home and live on his own land before the death of the high priest.
35:33 “You must not pollute the land where you live, for blood defiles the land, and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed there, except by the blood of the person who shed it. 35:34 Therefore do not defile the land that you will inhabit, in which I live, for I the Lord live among the Israelites.”
Lord, You define true justice and You provide a way for man’s rage to be diverted long enough for justice to prevail. May I always remember to consult You first before acting from emotion.
The Lord God instructed the Israelites, through Moses, to provide land for the Levites in which to live and to keep their animals.
He also provided for six cities of refuge so that those who claimed innocence in the death of another might have a safe place to await evaluation, or to wait-out the death of the current high priest (a curious ‘loophole’).
Three of the cities of refuge would be located on one side of the Jordan and three in the land of Canaan.
In an obvious case of intentional-murder a relative was free to kill the murderer, but in an accidental death the accused was to go to a city of refuge and could not be harmed unless they left that city before the current high priest died – at which time they were not to be harmed anywhere.
God’s stated goal was to keep murder in the promised land from making it unclean, especially since He (rhetorically) dwelt among His people in the land - in the tabernacle.
The Lord God drew a careful distinction in the death of a person between intent and accident, so that the punishment suited the crime, and that the bereaved did not themselves commit murder in their grief-driven-rage.
While the cities of refuge were distributed so that people had quick access to them, it must have sometimes been a footrace to see if the accused could make it there before a family member killed him. What might have been the environment in the cities of refuge as the numbers of accused murderers multiplied?
God made the bereaved His tools of justice when someone was deliberately murdered while protecting them from sinning in their anger.
When have you been so angry that you sinned in that anger?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you where you tend to sin in your anger.
Today I will confess and repent of sinning in my anger. I will request and accept the forgiveness of God, and also of the one(s) against whom I have sinned (am sinning). I will pray in the morning every day for the Holy Spirit to warn me each time my anger begins to rise so that I may stop and pray and regain control before I sin again.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Women and Land Inheritance
36:1 Then the heads of the family groups of the Gileadites, the descendant of Machir, the descendant of Manasseh, who were from the Josephite families, approached and spoke before Moses and the leaders who were the heads of the Israelite families. 36:2 They said, “The Lord commanded my lord to give the land as an inheritance by lot to the Israelites; and my lord was commanded by the Lord to give the inheritance of our brother Zelophehad to his daughters. 36:3 Now if they should be married to one of the men from another Israelite tribe, their inheritance would be taken from the inheritance of our fathers and added to the inheritance of the tribe into which they marry. As a result, it will be taken from the lot of our inheritance. 36:4 And when the Jubilee of the Israelites is to take place, their inheritance will be added to the inheritance of the tribe into which they marry. So their inheritance will be taken away from the inheritance of our ancestral tribe.”
Moses’ Decision
36:5 Then Moses gave a ruling to the Israelites by the word of the Lord: “What the tribe of the Josephites is saying is right. 36:6 This is what the Lord has commanded for Zelophehad’s daughters: ‘Let them marry whomever they think best, only they must marry within the family of their father’s tribe. 36:7 In this way the inheritance of the Israelites will not be transferred from tribe to tribe. But every one of the Israelites must retain the ancestral heritage. 36:8 And every daughter who possesses an inheritance from any of the tribes of the Israelites must become the wife of a man from any family in her father’s tribe, so that every Israelite may retain the inheritance of his fathers. 36:9 No inheritance may pass from tribe to tribe. But every one of the tribes of the Israelites must retain its inheritance.”
36:10 As the Lord had commanded Moses, so the daughters of Zelophehad did. 36:11 For the daughters of Zelophehad – Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah – were married to the sons of their uncles. 36:12 They were married into the families of the Manassehites, the descendants of Joseph, and their inheritance remained in the tribe of their father’s family.
36:13 These are the commandments and the decisions that the Lord commanded the Israelites through the authority of Moses, on the plains of Moab by the Jordan River opposite Jericho.
Lord, You protect our inheritance from Jesus, once truly granted it cannot ever be transferred or lost. May I always be grateful that by Your grace my inheritance is in Jesus the Christ.
Women, whose ancestry traced back to Joseph, had previously been promised that because no male was born to their father - his inheritance would pass to them and not a non-family member. Moses had consulted with God and affirmed that they should receive the inheritance.
Their new question addressed the disposition of their inheritance if they were to marry someone outside of their tribe. Again, Moses consulted with God and His priority was that that an inheritance remain with a tribe; therefore, women were required to marry within their tribe so that their inheritance would not be displaced.
When they were very young these same women were concerned about the challenge of the moment; their father had died without a son and tradition did not provide for a daughter to inherit, now they as they contemplated marriage their new concern was about the impact of marriage on the family inheritance.
While these women were concerned about maintaining the line of family inheritance, how might they deal with a choice between their love for a potential husband from another tribe and protecting the inheritance?
These women were required to make a sacrifice, they were limited – for husbands - to only the men within their tribe. If they married outside of their tribe their inheritance could not follow them.
When have you discovered that the answer to a problem in the past may have created a created a new challenge in the future?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you may need to sacrifice an option or an opportunity in one area of your life in order to meet your responsibilities in another area.
Today I will give thanks that the Lord entrusts me with the freedom to make choices and I will pray for wisdom. Where I must make a decision that requires sacrifice I will do so in consultation with the Word, in prayer, and in consultation with those whom the Bible acknowledges as “elders”. I will share my decision making process with a fellow believer as a testimony to the power of the Holy Spirit to guide and empower those who are His.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 21
Deuteronomy 1-3
http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Deu&chapter=1#n12
http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Deu&chapter=2#n52
http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Deu&chapter=3#n43
Deuteronomy 4
The Privileges of the Covenant
4:1 Now, Israel, pay attention to the statutes and ordinances I am about to teach you, so that you might live and go on to enter and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. 4:2 Do not add a thing to what I command you nor subtract from it, so that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I am delivering to you. 4:3 You have witnessed what the Lord did at Baal Peor, how he eradicated from your midst everyone who followed Baal Peor. 4:4 But you who remained faithful to the Lord your God are still alive to this very day, every one of you. 4:5 Look! I have taught you statutes and ordinances just as the Lord my God told me to do, so that you might carry them out in the land you are about to enter and possess. 4:6 So be sure to do them, because this will testify of your wise understanding to the people who will learn of all these statutes and say, “Indeed, this great nation is a very wise people.” 4:7 In fact, what other great nation has a god so near to them like the Lord our God whenever we call on him? 4:8 And what other great nation has statutes and ordinances as just as this whole law that I am about to share with you today?
Reminder of the Horeb Covenant
4:9 Again, however, pay very careful attention, lest you forget the things you have seen and disregard them for the rest of your life; instead teach them to your children and grandchildren. 4:10 You stood before the Lord your God at Horeb and he said to me, “Assemble the people before me so that I can tell them my commands. Then they will learn to revere me all the days they live in the land, and they will instruct their children.” 4:11 You approached and stood at the foot of the mountain, a mountain ablaze to the sky above it and yet dark with a thick cloud. 4:12 Then the Lord spoke to you from the middle of the fire; you heard speech but you could not see anything – only a voice was heard. 4:13 And he revealed to you the covenant he has commanded you to keep, the ten commandments, writing them on two stone tablets. 4:14 Moreover, at that same time the Lord commanded me to teach you statutes and ordinances for you to keep in the land which you are about to enter and possess.
The Nature of Israel’s God
4:15 Be very careful, then, because you saw no form at the time the Lord spoke to you at Horeb from the middle of the fire. 4:16 I say this so you will not corrupt yourselves by making an image in the form of any kind of figure. This includes the likeness of a human male or female, 4:17 any kind of land animal, any bird that flies in the sky, 4:18 anything that crawls on the ground, or any fish in the deep waters of the earth. 4:19 When you look up to the sky and see the sun, moon, and stars – the whole heavenly creation – you must not be seduced to worship and serve them, for the Lord your God has assigned them to all the people of the world. 4:20 You, however, the Lord has selected and brought from Egypt, that iron-smelting furnace, to be his special people as you are today. 4:21 But the Lord became angry with me because of you and vowed that I would never cross the Jordan nor enter the good land that he is about to give you. 4:22 So I must die here in this land; I will not cross the Jordan. But you are going over and will possess that good land. 4:23 Be on guard so that you do not forget the covenant of the Lord your God that he has made with you, and that you do not make an image of any kind, just as he has forbidden you. 4:24 For the Lord your God is a consuming fire; he is a jealous God.
Threat and Blessing following Covenant Disobedience
4:25 After you have produced children and grandchildren and have been in the land a long time, if you become corrupt and make an image of any kind and do other evil things before the Lord your God that enrage him, 4:26 I invoke heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that you will surely and swiftly be removed from the very land you are about to cross the Jordan to possess. You will not last long there because you will surely be annihilated. 4:27 Then the Lord will scatter you among the peoples and there will be very few of you among the nations where the Lord will drive you. 4:28 There you will worship gods made by human hands – wood and stone that can neither see, hear, eat, nor smell. 4:29 But if you seek the Lord your God from there, you will find him, if, indeed, you seek him with all your heart and soul. 4:30 In your distress when all these things happen to you in the latter days, if you return to the Lord your God and obey him 4:31 (for he is a merciful God), he will not let you down or destroy you, for he cannot forget the covenant with your ancestors that he confirmed by oath to them.
The Uniqueness of Israel’s God
4:32 Indeed, ask about the distant past, starting from the day God created humankind on the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether there has ever been such a great thing as this, or even a rumor of it. 4:33 Have a people ever heard the voice of God speaking from the middle of fire, as you yourselves have, and lived to tell about it? 4:34 Or has God ever before tried to deliver a nation from the middle of another nation, accompanied by judgments, signs, wonders, war, strength, power, and other very terrifying things like the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes? 4:35 You have been taught that the Lord alone is God – there is no other besides him. 4:36 From heaven he spoke to you in order to teach you, and on earth he showed you his great fire from which you also heard his words. 4:37 Moreover, because he loved your ancestors, he chose their descendants who followed them and personally brought you out of Egypt with his great power 4:38 to dispossess nations greater and stronger than you and brought you here this day to give you their land as your property. 4:39 Today realize and carefully consider that the Lord is God in heaven above and on earth below – there is no other! 4:40 Keep his statutes and commandments that I am setting forth today so that it may go well with you and your descendants and that you may enjoy longevity in the land that the Lord your God is about to give you as a permanent possession.
The Narrative Concerning Cities of Refuge
4:41 Then Moses selected three cities in the Transjordan, toward the east. 4:42 Anyone who accidentally killed someone without hating him at the time of the accident could flee to one of those cities and be safe. 4:43 These cities are Bezer, in the desert plateau, for the Reubenites; Ramoth in Gilead for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan for the Manassehites.
The Setting and Introduction of the Covenant
4:44 This is the law that Moses set before the Israelites. 4:45 These are the stipulations, statutes, and ordinances that Moses spoke to the Israelites after he had brought them out of Egypt, 4:46 in the Transjordan, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, in the land of King Sihon of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon. (It is he whom Moses and the Israelites attacked after they came out of Egypt. 4:47 They possessed his land and that of King Og of Bashan – both of whom were Amorite kings in the Transjordan, to the east. 4:48 Their territory extended from Aroer at the edge of the Arnon valley as far as Mount Siyon – that is, Hermon – 4:49 including all the Arabah of the Transjordan in the east to the sea of the Arabah, beneath the watershed of Pisgah.)
Lord, I am in awe of Your patience and Your provision as I read Your history with the Israelites during their post-exodus travels. Lord, what You teach us is always important and must be remembered. May I continue to write Your Word on my heart and gain wisdom for living from it.
The Lord God lead Moses to review the recent history of the Israelites as they paused in their travels in the “transjordanian wasteland”, which the NET translators clarify as ones perspective from anywhere within view of the Jordan river valley, in this specific case, Moab.
Events at Horeb
Moses recalled that the Lord God instructed the nation of Israel to remain no longer at the mountain and begin their travel to the promised land.
Instructions at Kadesh Barnea
Moses recalled that they spied-out the promised land and discovered that it was a very fertile and beautiful land, just as God had promised.
Disobedience at Kadesh Barnea
Moses recalled that instead of stepping-out in faith to take the promised land the people were instead incited to fear and refused to enter. Despite all of the evidence of power and provision and protection from the Lord God they rebelled.
Judgment at Kadesh Barnea
Moses recalled that all of the adult males (elsewhere labeled “military men”) who incited the rebellion and all who followed (only Caleb and Joshua did not rebel) were condemned to die in the wilderness.
Unsuccessful Conquest of Canaan
Moses recalled that when they heard God's judgment some of those who had rebelled attacked the Amorites, without God, and were devastated by them.
The Journey from Kadesh Barnea to Moab
Moses recalled that they spent 38 years wandering in the wilderness.
Instructions Concerning Ammon
Moses recalled that God redirected them so that He could challenge them to defeat and dispossess the Amorites.
Defeat of Sihon, King of Heshbon
Moses recalled that despite efforts to negotiate Sihon attacked and the Lord delivered them into the hands of Israel.
Defeat of King Og of Bashan
Moses recalled that Og attacked and the Lord delivered them into the hands of Israel.
Distribution of the Transjordanian Allotments
Moses recalled that some of the tribal nation requested prime grazing land in view of the promised land but on the opposite side from the rest. This was granted.
Instructions to the Transjordanian Tribes
Moses recalled that they agreed to provide military support for the conquest of the rest before settling in their new land.
Denial to Moses of the Promised Land
Moses recalled that the Lord God denied him physical entry into the promised land because of the chronic rebellion of the people.
The Lord God commanded the people, through Moses, to ad or subtract nothing but to remember and obey all that he [He] was telling them.
He warned them that it was necessary for them to “... live and go on to enter and take possession of the land ...”
As for the statutes and ordinances they were to carry them out “... because this will testify of your wise understanding to the people ...”
They were to “teach them to … [their] … your children and grandchildren.”
They were warned that God is a jealous and consuming God so to avoid making or worshiping idols.
They were warned that if they drifted into idolatry God would drive them far away from the land into the hands of pagans and they would for a time be subject to false gods, but not forgotten or abandoned.
They were reminded that since the beginning of time what God had done for them had never been done for anyone anywhere.
They were reminded of the cities of refuge and of the context of the covenant.
The Lord God, as recorded in the text of chapter 2, was also involved in the change of national control of other lands. What they were told about themselves, about God, about His expectations of them, about His promises, and about His warnings was to be unchanged and lived-out faithfully.
Why would Moses repeat all of this history? How special in all of history must they have felt, hearing that nothing had ever been done by God for anyone else as it had been done for them?
When recalling that the Lord God would not allow him physical entry into the promised land Moses blamed the people's chronic rebellion. He neglected to note in the Deuteronomy text that he had chosen to sin in his anger and that it was at that specific moment that God said he would not enter the land. If they rebelled and brought idolatry into the promised land then God would banish them, as in Eden, and subject them to those false Gods and to those pagan worshipers.
When have you found it valuable to review your history with God prior to making an important decision? When have you forgotten the many blessings of God and acted in rebellion against His teachings?
Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of God's faithfulness in your life and to show you where you need to remember one of God's teachings.
Today I will share my story of God's faithfulness in my life with a fellow believer and together we will celebrate. I will read and meditate upon the Word God has given me. I will pray and seek understanding so that my knowledge and understanding will become wisdom. I will then apply that wisdom to my life. I will share what God does for me with a fellow believer and together we will celebrate His gift to me.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
The Opening Exhortation
5:1 Then Moses called all the people of Israel together and said to them: “Listen, Israel, to the statutes and ordinances that I am about to deliver to you today; learn them and be careful to keep them! 5:2 The Lord our God made a covenant with us at Horeb. 5:3 He did not make this covenant with our ancestors but with us, we who are here today, all of us living now. 5:4 The Lord spoke face to face with you at the mountain, from the middle of the fire. 5:5 (I was standing between the Lord and you at that time to reveal to you the message of the Lord, because you were afraid of the fire and would not go up the mountain.) He said:
The Ten Commandments
5:6 “I am the Lord your God, he who brought you from the land of Egypt, from the place of slavery. 5:7 You must not have any other gods besides me. 5:8 You must not make for yourself an image of anything in heaven above, on earth below, or in the waters beneath. 5:9 You must not worship or serve them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God. I punish the sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons for the sin of the fathers who reject me, 5:10 but I show covenant faithfulness to the thousands who choose me and keep my commandments. 5:11 You must not make use of the name of the Lord your God for worthless purposes, for the Lord will not exonerate anyone who abuses his name that way. 5:12 Be careful to observe the Sabbath day just as the Lord your God has commanded you. 5:13 You are to work and do all your tasks in six days, 5:14 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. On that day you must not do any work, you, your son, your daughter, your male slave, your female slave, your ox, your donkey, any other animal, or the foreigner who lives with you, so that your male and female slaves, like yourself, may have rest. 5:15 Recall that you were slaves in the land of Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there by strength and power. That is why the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day. 5:16 Honor your father and your mother just as the Lord your God has commanded you to do, so that your days may be extended and that it may go well with you in the land that he is about to give you. 5:17 You must not murder. 5:18 You must not commit adultery. 5:19 You must not steal. 5:20 You must not offer false testimony against another. 5:21 You must not desire another man’s wife, nor should you crave his house, his field, his male and female servants, his ox, his donkey, or anything else he owns.”
The Narrative of the Sinai Revelation and Israel’s Response
5:22 The Lord said these things to your entire assembly at the mountain from the middle of the fire, the cloud, and the darkness with a loud voice, and that was all he said. Then he inscribed the words on two stone tablets and gave them to me. 5:23 Then, when you heard the voice from the midst of the darkness while the mountain was ablaze, all your tribal leaders and elders approached me. 5:24 You said, “The Lord our God has shown us his great glory and we have heard him speak from the middle of the fire. It is now clear to us that God can speak to human beings and they can keep on living. 5:25 But now, why should we die, because this intense fire will consume us! If we keep hearing the voice of the Lord our God we will die! 5:26 Who is there from the entire human race who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the middle of the fire as we have, and has lived? 5:27 You go near so that you can hear everything the Lord our God is saying and then you can tell us whatever he says to you; then we will pay attention and do it.” 5:28 When the Lord heard you speaking to me, he said to me, “I have heard what these people have said to you – they have spoken well. 5:29 If only it would really be their desire to fear me and obey all my commandments in the future, so that it may go well with them and their descendants forever. 5:30 Go and tell them, ‘Return to your tents!’ 5:31 But as for you, remain here with me so I can declare to you all the commandments, statutes, and ordinances that you are to teach them, so that they can carry them out in the land I am about to give them.” 5:32 Be careful, therefore, to do exactly what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn right or left! 5:33 Walk just as he has commanded you so that you may live, that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land you are going to possess.
Lord, You initiate a covenant and ask us to respond in faithful trust and obedience. May my walk with You honor the terms of Your merciful covenant.
Moses reminded the people that God's covenant with them was not the one made with Abraham or anyone else but directly with them, communicated via him, and initiated only very recently at Horeb.
He reminded them that they were expected to learn and obey the terms of the covenant.
He reminded them that although near to God and the holy fire of His presence they were not consumed, and that even he had been allowed to approach more-closely, and still had not been harmed.
He reminded them that the Lord God desired to bless them and that their responsibility was to obey.
Theirs was a new covenant, one made just with them, and one they entered voluntarily.
Once Moses had reviewed the Commandments and the rest of the covenant how could the Israelites ever claim that they had an excuse for disobedience?
With knowledge of God's expectations comes the responsibility to obey.
When have you know the right thing to do but chosen to do otherwise?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you what part of His Word you need to study, and to obey, more closely.
Today I will take the time to pray, read, and pray again as I obtain greater knowledge of the Word of God and then to humbly allow the Holy Spirit to lead me to understanding. I will apply His revealed wisdom to my life. I will share that experience with a fellow believer.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Exhortation to Keep the Covenant Principles
6:1 Now these are the commandments, statutes, and ordinances that the Lord your God instructed me to teach you so that you may carry them out in the land where you are headed 6:2 and that you may so revere the Lord your God that you will keep all his statutes and commandments that I am giving you – you, your children, and your grandchildren – all your lives, to prolong your days. 6:3 Pay attention, Israel, and be careful to do this so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in number – as the Lord, God of your ancestors, said to you, you will have a land flowing with milk and honey.
The Essence of the Covenant Principles
6:4 Listen, Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! 6:5 You must love the Lord your God with your whole mind, your whole being, and all your strength.
Exhortation to Teach the Covenant Principles
6:6 These words I am commanding you today must be kept in mind, 6:7 and you must teach them to your children and speak of them as you sit in your house, as you walk along the road, as you lie down, and as you get up. 6:8 You should tie them as a reminder on your forearm and fasten them as symbols on your forehead. 6:9 Inscribe them on the doorframes of your houses and gates.
Exhortation to Worship the Lord Exclusively
6:10 Then when the Lord your God brings you to the land he promised your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to give you – a land with large, fine cities you did not build, 6:11 houses filled with choice things you did not accumulate, hewn out cisterns you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant – and you eat your fill, 6:12 be careful not to forget the Lord who brought you out of Egypt, that place of slavery. 6:13 You must revere the Lord your God, serve him, and take oaths using only his name. 6:14 You must not go after other gods, those of the surrounding peoples, 6:15 for the Lord your God, who is present among you, is a jealous God and his anger will erupt against you and remove you from the land.
Exhortation to Obey the Lord Exclusively
6:16 You must not put the Lord your God to the test as you did at Massah. 6:17 Keep his commandments very carefully, as well as the stipulations and statutes he commanded you to observe. 6:18 Do whatever is proper and good before the Lord so that it may go well with you and that you may enter and occupy the good land that he promised your ancestors, 6:19 and that you may drive out all your enemies just as the Lord said.
Exhortation to Remember the Past
6:20 When your children ask you later on, “What are the stipulations, statutes, and ordinances that the Lord our God commanded you?” 6:21 you must say to them, “We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt in a powerful way. 6:22 And he brought signs and great, devastating wonders on Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on his whole family before our very eyes. 6:23 He delivered us from there so that he could give us the land he had promised our ancestors. 6:24 The Lord commanded us to obey all these statutes and to revere him so that it may always go well for us and he may preserve us, as he has to this day. 6:25 We will be innocent if we carefully keep all these commandments before the Lord our God, just as he demands.”
Lord, You teach us the what, the why, and the how of life. May I accept the gift of understanding so that Your wisdom will guide my life.
Moses reminded Israel that “the land of milk and honey” would only be a lasting blessing if they learned and obeyed God's commands.
Moses delivered the Lord God's instruction that they teach the children and that they make every effort to keep God's teaching before themselves – literally posting it around their home and reciting it constantly – so that it was central to their lives.
Moses reminded them to worship and obey the Lord God only – and he reminded them of God's past response to their forays Into disobedient pagan worship.
Moses instructed them to memorize his review of God's miracle of exodus, of His provision, and of His protection so that they might teach their children.
God's blessing is conditional; it is conditional based upon obedience.
With all that was ahead of them, fighting their way into the promised land, living in tents and settling-in, how challenging must the instruction to keep God's Word constantly before them have been?
Adults teaching the children would also help them to keep the Word in front of themselves.
When have you observed that God's blessings flow more readily to you, and through you to others, when you have been obedient versus disobedient?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you might help to teach the children about God's Word.
Today I will adjust my priorities and resources to be certain that I am both keeping God's Word before myself and I am helping to teach it to children, to new “like a child” believers, and to humble “like a child” older believers alike.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
The Dispossession of Nonvassals
7:1 When the Lord your God brings you to the land that you are going to occupy and forces out many nations before you – Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, seven nations more numerous and powerful than you – 7:2 and he delivers them over to you and you attack them, you must utterly annihilate them. Make no treaty with them and show them no mercy! 7:3 You must not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, 7:4 for they will turn your sons away from me to worship other gods. Then the anger of the Lord will erupt against you and he will quickly destroy you. 7:5 Instead, this is what you must do to them: You must tear down their altars, shatter their sacred pillars, cut down their sacred Asherah poles, and burn up their idols. 7:6 For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. He has chosen you to be his people, prized above all others on the face of the earth.
The Basis of Israel’s Election
7:7 It is not because you were more numerous than all the other peoples that the Lord favored and chose you – for in fact you were the least numerous of all peoples. 7:8 Rather it is because of his love for you and his faithfulness to the promise he solemnly vowed to your ancestors that the Lord brought you out with great power, redeeming you from the place of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 7:9 So realize that the Lord your God is the true God, the faithful God who keeps covenant faithfully with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations, 7:10 but who pays back those who hate him as they deserve and destroys them. He will not ignore those who hate him but will repay them as they deserve! 7:11 So keep the commandments, statutes, and ordinances that I today am commanding you to do.
Promises of Good for Covenant Obedience
7:12 If you obey these ordinances and are careful to do them, the Lord your God will faithfully keep covenant with you as he promised your ancestors. 7:13 He will love and bless you, and make you numerous. He will bless you with many children, with the produce of your soil, your grain, your new wine, your oil, the offspring of your oxen, and the young of your flocks in the land which he promised your ancestors to give you. 7:14 You will be blessed beyond all peoples; there will be no barrenness among you or your livestock. 7:15 The Lord will protect you from all sickness, and you will not experience any of the terrible diseases that you knew in Egypt; instead he will inflict them on all those who hate you.
Exhortation to Destroy Canaanite Paganism
7:16 You must destroy all the people whom the Lord your God is about to deliver over to you; you must not pity them or worship their gods, for that will be a snare to you. 7:17 If you think, “These nations are more numerous than I – how can I dispossess them?” 7:18 you must not fear them. You must carefully recall what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and all Egypt, 7:19 the great judgments you saw, the signs and wonders, the strength and power by which he brought you out – thus the Lord your God will do to all the people you fear. 7:20 Furthermore, the Lord your God will release hornets among them until the very last ones who hide from you perish. 7:21 You must not tremble in their presence, for the Lord your God, who is present among you, is a great and awesome God. 7:22 He, the God who leads you, will expel the nations little by little. You will not be allowed to destroy them all at once lest the wild animals overrun you. 7:23 The Lord your God will give them over to you; he will throw them into a great panic until they are destroyed. 7:24 He will hand over their kings to you and you will erase their very names from memory. Nobody will be able to resist you until you destroy them. 7:25 You must burn the images of their gods, but do not covet the silver and gold that covers them so much that you take it for yourself and thus become ensnared by it; for it is abhorrent to the Lord your God. 7:26 You must not bring any abhorrent thing into your house and thereby become an object of divine wrath along with it. You must absolutely detest and abhor it, for it is an object of divine wrath.
The Lord’s Provision in the Desert
8:1 You must keep carefully all these commandments I am giving you today so that you may live, increase in number, and go in and occupy the land that the Lord promised to your ancestors. 8:2 Remember the whole way by which he has brought you these forty years through the desert so that he might, by humbling you, test you to see if you have it within you to keep his commandments or not. 8:3 So he humbled you by making you hungry and then feeding you with unfamiliar manna. He did this to teach you that humankind cannot live by bread alone, but also by everything that comes from the Lord’s mouth. 8:4 Your clothing did not wear out nor did your feet swell all these forty years. 8:5 Be keenly aware that just as a parent disciplines his child, the Lord your God disciplines you. 8:6 So you must keep his commandments, live according to his standards, and revere him. 8:7 For the Lord your God is bringing you to a good land, a land of brooks, springs, and fountains flowing forth in valleys and hills, 8:8 a land of wheat, barley, vines, fig trees, and pomegranates, of olive trees and honey, 8:9 a land where you may eat food in plenty and find no lack of anything, a land whose stones are iron and from whose hills you can mine copper. 8:10 You will eat your fill and then praise the Lord your God because of the good land he has given you.
Exhortation to Remember That Blessing Comes from God
8:11 Be sure you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments, ordinances, and statutes that I am giving you today. 8:12 When you eat your fill, when you build and occupy good houses, 8:13 when your cattle and flocks increase, when you have plenty of silver and gold, and when you have abundance of everything, 8:14 be sure you do not feel self-important and forget the Lord your God who brought you from the land of Egypt, the place of slavery, 8:15 and who brought you through the great, fearful desert of venomous serpents and scorpions, an arid place with no water. He made water flow from a flint rock and 8:16 fed you in the desert with manna (which your ancestors had never before known) so that he might by humbling you test you and eventually bring good to you. 8:17 Be careful not to say, “My own ability and skill have gotten me this wealth.” 8:18 You must remember the Lord your God, for he is the one who gives ability to get wealth; if you do this he will confirm his covenant that he made by oath to your ancestors, even as he has to this day. 8:19 Now if you forget the Lord your God at all and follow other gods, worshiping and prostrating yourselves before them, I testify to you today that you will surely be annihilated. 8:20 Just like the nations the Lord is about to destroy from your sight, so he will do to you because you would not obey him.
Theological Justification of the Conquest
9:1 Listen, Israel: Today you are about to cross the Jordan so you can dispossess the nations there, people greater and stronger than you who live in large cities with extremely high fortifications. 9:2 They include the Anakites, a numerous and tall people whom you know about and of whom it is said, “Who is able to resist the Anakites?” 9:3 Understand today that the Lord your God who goes before you is a devouring fire; he will defeat and subdue them before you. You will dispossess and destroy them quickly just as he has told you. 9:4 Do not think to yourself after the Lord your God has driven them out before you, “Because of my own righteousness the Lord has brought me here to possess this land.” It is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is driving them out ahead of you. 9:5 It is not because of your righteousness, or even your inner uprightness, that you have come here to possess their land. Instead, because of the wickedness of these nations the Lord your God is driving them out ahead of you in order to confirm the promise he made on oath to your ancestors, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 9:6 Understand, therefore, that it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is about to give you this good land as a possession, for you are a stubborn people!
The History of Israel’s Stubbornness
9:7 Remember – don’t ever forget – how you provoked the Lord your God in the desert; from the time you left the land of Egypt until you came to this place you were constantly rebelling against him. 9:8 At Horeb you provoked him and he was angry enough with you to destroy you. 9:9 When I went up the mountain to receive the stone tablets, the tablets of the covenant that the Lord made with you, I remained there forty days and nights, eating and drinking nothing. 9:10 The Lord gave me the two stone tablets, written by the very finger of God, and on them was everything he said to you at the mountain from the midst of the fire at the time of that assembly. 9:11 Now at the end of the forty days and nights the Lord presented me with the two stone tablets, the tablets of the covenant. 9:12 And he said to me, “Get up, go down at once from here because your people whom you brought out of Egypt have sinned! They have quickly turned from the way I commanded them and have made for themselves a cast metal image.” 9:13 Moreover, he said to me, “I have taken note of these people; they are a stubborn lot! 9:14 Stand aside and I will destroy them, obliterating their very name from memory, and I will make you into a stronger and more numerous nation than they are.”
9:15 So I turned and went down the mountain while it was blazing with fire; the two tablets of the covenant were in my hands. 9:16 When I looked, you had indeed sinned against the Lord your God and had cast for yourselves a metal calf; you had quickly turned aside from the way he had commanded you! 9:17 I grabbed the two tablets, threw them down, and shattered them before your very eyes. 9:18 Then I again fell down before the Lord for forty days and nights; I ate and drank nothing because of all the sin you had committed, doing such evil before the Lord as to enrage him. 9:19 For I was terrified at the Lord’s intense anger that threatened to destroy you. But he listened to me this time as well. 9:20 The Lord was also angry enough at Aaron to kill him, but at that time I prayed for him too. 9:21 As for your sinful thing that you had made, the calf, I took it, melted it down, ground it up until it was as fine as dust, and tossed the dust into the stream that flows down the mountain. 9:22 Moreover, you continued to provoke the Lord at Taberah, Massah, and Kibroth-Hattaavah. 9:23 And when he sent you from Kadesh-Barnea and told you, “Go up and possess the land I have given you,” you rebelled against the Lord your God and would neither believe nor obey him. 9:24 You have been rebelling against him from the very first day I knew you!
Moses’ Plea on Behalf of the Lord’s Reputation
9:25 I lay flat on the ground before the Lord for forty days and nights, for he had said he would destroy you. 9:26 I prayed to him: O, Lord God, do not destroy your people, your valued property that you have powerfully redeemed, whom you brought out of Egypt by your strength. 9:27 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; ignore the stubbornness, wickedness, and sin of these people. 9:28 Otherwise the people of the land from which you brought us will say, “The Lord was unable to bring them to the land he promised them, and because of his hatred for them he has brought them out to kill them in the desert.” 9:29 They are your people, your valued property, whom you brought out with great strength and power.
The Opportunity to Begin Again
10:1 At that same time the Lord said to me, “Carve out for yourself two stone tablets like the first ones and come up the mountain to me; also make for yourself a wooden ark. 10:2 I will write on the tablets the same words that were on the first tablets you broke, and you must put them into the ark.” 10:3 So I made an ark of acacia wood and carved out two stone tablets just like the first ones. Then I went up the mountain with the two tablets in my hands. 10:4 The Lord then wrote on the tablets the same words, the ten commandments, which he had spoken to you at the mountain from the middle of the fire at the time of that assembly, and he gave them to me. 10:5 Then I turned, went down the mountain, and placed the tablets into the ark I had made – they are still there, just as the Lord commanded me.
Conclusion of the Historical Resume
10:6 “During those days the Israelites traveled from Beeroth Bene-Yaaqan to Moserah. There Aaron died and was buried, and his son Eleazar became priest in his place. 10:7 From there they traveled to Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a place of flowing streams. 10:8 At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the Lord’s covenant, to stand before the Lord to serve him, and to formulate blessings in his name, as they do to this very day. 10:9 Therefore Levi has no allotment or inheritance among his brothers; the Lord is his inheritance just as the Lord your God told him. 10:10 As for me, I stayed at the mountain as I did the first time, forty days and nights. The Lord listened to me that time as well and decided not to destroy you. 10:11 Then he said to me, “Get up, set out leading the people so they may go and possess the land I promised to give to their ancestors.”
An Exhortation to Love Both God and People
10:12 Now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you except to revere him, to obey all his commandments, to love him, to serve him with all your mind and being, 10:13 and to keep the Lord’s commandments and statutes that I am giving you today for your own good? 10:14 The heavens – indeed the highest heavens – belong to the Lord your God, as does the earth and everything in it. 10:15 However, only to your ancestors did he show his loving favor, and he chose you, their descendants, from all peoples – as is apparent today. 10:16 Therefore, cleanse your heart and stop being so stubborn! 10:17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God who is unbiased and takes no bribe, 10:18 who justly treats the orphan and widow, and who loves resident foreigners, giving them food and clothing. 10:19 So you must love the resident foreigner because you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. 10:20 Revere the Lord your God, serve him, be loyal to him and take oaths only in his name. 10:21 He is the one you should praise; he is your God, the one who has done these great and awesome things for you that you have seen. 10:22 When your ancestors went down to Egypt, they numbered only seventy, but now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars of the sky.
Lord, Your power and Your holiness go together. As I am blessed by You may I never forget that You are a holy God. You provide for us in ways we rarely recognize. May I be ever-humble before You because I stand only in Your strength and I advance only in Your power. Everything belongs to You and yet You choose to pour Your love into us. May I remember that Your gift deserves the loving obedience of a grateful recipient.
Moses reminded the Israelites that the Lord God had kept them humble by meeting their need for food via the manna. That was His first step to then teach them that they did not live by bread alone but by every Word of God's teaching.
Moses told them that the promised land was filled with wonderful food and land and water.
He reminded them to always remember that all good things came from God and that to worship a false God would bring upon them the same annihilation He had prophesied to those nations currently in the promised land.
He reminded them that it was the evil of the current occupants that caused them to be driven out, and that despite their physical size and number He would sweep them away before the Israelites.
He humbled them by informing them that it was not their righteousness that earned them access to the promised land but it was the Lord God's promise to their predecessors such as Abraham.
He further humbled them by reminding them of their persistent rebellion and stubbornness.
He concluded by reminding them that he had prayed on his face for forty days that the Lord would bring glory to His name by honoring His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – despite the rebellion and stubbornness of the Israelites.
Moses reminded them of the circumstances surrounding the second set of tablets of the commandments, God's second chance for them following their terrible betrayal with the golden calf.
He also revisited the calling of the Levis, away from life as they had know it, and into the priesthood.
He reminded the people that their obligation to God was reverence, obedience, love, and service.
He challenged them to cleanse their hearts of the idolatry of tradition, and of the things of the world, and to cease from resisting God as He sought to be at the center of their lives.
Just as God was not required by His perfect justice to refrain from destroying Adam and Eve for their rebellion in the Garden, so also was it not required that He refrain from obliterating Israel – other than for the plea of Moses that they were useful in demonstrating both His power and His grace – something God needed Moses as their leader to understand.
Moses delivered God's message that among those who must be driven from the promised land were seven nations that were bigger and stronger than they. He promised to deliver them to the Israelites but required them to obliterate those nations and to destroy all of their religious idols and temples. He forbade inter-marriage and warned against any contact with their pagan gods.
When God says to have no fear we may be certain that we have nothing to fear. God allowed the pagan peoples to occupy and work the promised land in order to prepare it for them – He never intended for them to remain there. As worshipers of false gods, facades for the enemy, they were generally implacable enemies of the Lord God.
Why would God remind them so many times to be careful to not drift into the beliefs and values of the pagans? How difficult might it have been for the proud and stubborn Israelites to hear God's rebuke through Moses, and to be humbled over and over therein? Why would God judge it necessary to repeatedly remind the Israelites of their humble standing, total dependence, and obligation to Him?
God reminded them of their calling, not because they were a great nation, in order to keep them humble. God is always faithful to His sovereign prophesy even when we are rebellious and stubborn in areas of His moral/preferential (non-sovereign) will for us. It is apparent that the religious practices and regulations were insufficient to keep the Israelites faithful, while they had multiplied in number from seventy to nearly a million, their hearts were not yet His.
When have you found yourself drifting away from God because you have immersed yourself in too much of the world? When have you discovered God's faithfulness despite your lack of faith and your disobedience? When have you discovered that you have fallen into a religious practice but that your relationship with God was not growing there?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you one place or thing or perhaps person(s) that you need to remove from your life because it or they are drawing you away from God, to show you where you may need to be more humble before Him, and to reveal to you a place in your walk where you need to make a more intentional effort to allow Him to have Lordship where you are currently resisting Him.
Today I will consult a fellow believer who meets the Biblical requirement of an elder to prayerfully review my priorities to discover what it is the Holy Spirit needs me to change. I will pray for the courage to make that change, no matter the cost. I will read these verses again and reflect upon those areas in my life where I tend to be rebellious and stubborn toward God's perfect moral/preferential will for my life. I will make a list and agree to pray for the Holy Spirit to guide me back on the right path – the path of God's blessing. I will surrender that place in my life where the Holy Spirit does not yet have full Lordship. I will share this with a fellow believer for accountability and for prayer.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Reiteration of the Call to Obedience
11:1 You must love the Lord your God and do what he requires; keep his statutes, ordinances, and commandments at all times.
11:2 Bear in mind today that I am not speaking to your children who have not personally experienced the judgments of the Lord your God, which revealed his greatness, strength, and power.
11:3 They did not see the awesome deeds he performed in the midst of Egypt against Pharaoh king of Egypt and his whole land, 11:4 or what he did to the army of Egypt, including their horses and chariots, when he made the waters of the Red Sea overwhelm them while they were pursuing you and he annihilated them.
11:5 They did not see what he did to you in the desert before you reached this place, 11:6 or what he did to Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab the Reubenite, when the earth opened its mouth in the middle of the Israelite camp and swallowed them, their families, their tents, and all the property they brought with them.
11:7 I am speaking to you because you are the ones who saw all the great deeds of the Lord!
The Abundance of the Land of Promise
11:8 Now pay attention to all the commandments I am giving you today, so that you may be strong enough to enter and possess the land where you are headed, 11:9 and that you may enjoy long life in the land the Lord promised to give to your ancestors and their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey.
11:10 For the land where you are headed is not like the land of Egypt from which you came, a land where you planted seed and which you irrigated by hand like a vegetable garden.
11:11 Instead, the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy is one of hills and valleys, a land that drinks in water from the rains, 11:12 a land the Lord your God looks after. He is constantly attentive to it from the beginning to the end of the year.
11:13 Now, if you pay close attention to my commandments that I am giving you today and love the Lord your God and serve him with all your mind and being, 11:14 then he promises, “I will send rain for your land in its season, the autumn and the spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine, and olive oil. 11:15 I will provide pasture for your livestock and you will eat your fill.”
Exhortation to Instruction and Obedience
11:16 Make sure you do not turn away to serve and worship other gods! 11:17 Then the anger of the Lord will erupt against you and he will close up the sky so that it does not rain. The land will not yield its produce, and you will soon be removed from the good land that the Lord is about to give you.
11:18 Fix these words of mine into your mind and being, and tie them as a reminder on your hands and let them be symbols on your forehead.
11:19 Teach them to your children and speak of them as you sit in your house, as you walk along the road, as you lie down, and as you get up.
11:20 Inscribe them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates 11:21 so that your days and those of your descendants may be extended in the land which the Lord promised to give to your ancestors, like the days of heaven itself. 11:22 For if you carefully observe all of these commandments I am giving you and love the Lord your God, live according to his standards, and remain loyal to him, 11:23 then he will drive out all these nations ahead of you, and you will dispossess nations greater and stronger than you.
11:24 Every place you set your foot will be yours; your border will extend from the desert to Lebanon and from the River (that is, the Euphrates) as far as the Mediterranean Sea.
11:25 Nobody will be able to resist you; the Lord your God will spread the fear and terror of you over the whole land on which you walk, just as he promised you.
Anticipation of a Blessing and Cursing Ceremony
11:26 Take note – I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: 11:27 the blessing if you take to heart the commandments of the Lord your God that I am giving you today, 11:28 and the curse if you pay no attention to his commandments and turn from the way I am setting before you today to pursue other gods you have not known.
11:29 When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are to possess, you must pronounce the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal. 11:30 Are they not across the Jordan River, toward the west, in the land of the Canaanites who live in the Arabah opposite Gilgal near the oak of Moreh?
11:31 For you are about to cross the Jordan to possess the land the Lord your God is giving you, and you will possess and inhabit it.
11:32 Be certain to keep all the statutes and ordinances that I am presenting to you today.
The Central Sanctuary
12:1 These are the statutes and ordinances you must be careful to obey as long as you live in the land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given you to possess.
12:2 You must by all means destroy all the places where the nations you are about to dispossess worship their gods – on the high mountains and hills and under every leafy tree.
12:3 You must tear down their altars, shatter their sacred pillars, burn up their sacred Asherah poles, and cut down the images of their gods; you must eliminate their very memory from that place.
12:4 You must not worship the Lord your God the way they worship.
12:5 But you must seek only the place he chooses from all your tribes to establish his name as his place of residence, and you must go there. 12:6 And there you must take your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the personal offerings you have prepared, your votive offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks.
12:7 Both you and your families must feast there before the Lord your God and rejoice in all the output of your labor with which he has blessed you.
12:8 You must not do like we are doing here today, with everyone doing what seems best to him, 12:9 for you have not yet come to the final stop and inheritance the Lord your God is giving you.
12:10 When you do go across the Jordan River and settle in the land he is granting you as an inheritance and you find relief from all the enemies who surround you, you will live in safety.
12:11 Then you must come to the place the Lord your God chooses for his name to reside, bringing everything I am commanding you – your burnt offerings, sacrifices, tithes, the personal offerings you have prepared, and all your choice votive offerings which you devote to him.
12:12 You shall rejoice in the presence of the Lord your God, along with your sons, daughters, male and female servants, and the Levites in your villages (since they have no allotment or inheritance with you).
12:13 Make sure you do not offer burnt offerings in any place you wish, 12:14 for you may do so only in the place the Lord chooses in one of your tribal areas – there you may do everything I am commanding you.
Regulations for Profane Slaughter
12:15 On the other hand, you may slaughter and eat meat as you please when the Lord your God blesses you in all your villages. Both the ritually pure and impure may eat it, whether it is a gazelle or an ibex.
12:16 However, you must not eat blood – pour it out on the ground like water. 12:17 You will not be allowed to eat in your villages your tithe of grain, new wine, olive oil, the firstborn of your herd and flock, any votive offerings you have vowed, or your freewill and personal offerings.
12:18 Only in the presence of the Lord your God may you eat these, in the place he chooses. This applies to you, your son, your daughter, your male and female servants, and the Levites in your villages. In that place you will rejoice before the Lord your God in all the output of your labor.
12:19 Be careful not to overlook the Levites as long as you live in the land.
The Sanctity of Blood
12:20 When the Lord your God extends your borders as he said he would do and you say, “I want to eat meat just as I please,” you may do so as you wish. 12:21 If the place he chooses to locate his name is too far for you, you may slaughter any of your herd and flock he has given you just as I have stipulated; you may eat them in your villages just as you wish. 12:22 Like you eat the gazelle or ibex, so you may eat these; the ritually impure and pure alike may eat them. 12:23 However, by no means eat the blood, for the blood is life itself – you must not eat the life with the meat! 12:24 You must not eat it! You must pour it out on the ground like water. 12:25 You must not eat it so that it may go well with you and your children after you; you will be doing what is right in the Lord’s sight. 12:26 Only the holy things and votive offerings that belong to you, you must pick up and take to the place the Lord will choose.
12:27 You must offer your burnt offerings, both meat and blood, on the altar of the Lord your God; the blood of your other sacrifices you must pour out on his altar while you eat the meat.
12:28 Pay careful attention to all these things I am commanding you so that it may always go well with you and your children after you when you do what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God.
The Abomination of Pagan Gods
12:29 When the Lord your God eliminates the nations from the place where you are headed and you dispossess them, you will settle down in their land.
12:30 After they have been destroyed from your presence, be careful not to be ensnared like they are; do not pursue their gods and say, “How do these nations serve their gods? I will do the same.”
12:31 You must not worship the Lord your God the way they do! For everything that is abhorrent to him, everything he hates, they have done when worshiping their gods. They even burn up their sons and daughters before their gods!
Idolatry and False Prophets
12:32 (13:1) You must be careful to do everything I am commanding you. Do not add to it or subtract from it!
Lord, You chose to bless Israel, just as You choose to bless us today. May I be both grateful and faithful to You.
Moses was addressing those who were not of military age at the time of the rebellion against God's first call to enter the promised land (because they were too young) were still old enough to remember to remember the pre-Exodus events in Egypt and all that followed. (The others were either too young to remember or dead.)
If they were under the age of 20 then they'd be 59 or younger following 40 years after the time of punishment-wandering.
They were reminded again that God desired to bless them greatly in a “land of milk and honey” which He would cause to provide for them abundantly, almost like the Garden of Eden.
They were reminded of God's promise to empty the land of the current temporary occupants and to protect them, as well as to bless the produce of the land, but only as long as they remained faithful to Him (including teaching their children to know and to do the same). Otherwise they would lose all of those blessings.
Moses instructed them that as they entered the land they were to conduct a ceremony where they announced blessings from Mount Gerizim and curses from Mount Ebal, on opposite sides of the Jordan. This would be yet one more symbolic reminder of their responsibility to be faithful in return for God's intervention in an otherwise hostile environment.
They were instructed to destroy every place of pagan worship and to worship the Lord God only in the single location He directed for their tribe.
If they wished to eat of their offerings they must first bring them to the central place of worship and surrender them to God through the priests – and in that place they could join in the eating of them. They may, however eat meat, not of the firstborn for the offering, anywhere – but to never eat the blood as that was symbolic of life.
They were reminded again to avoid the pagan false gods and to not try to mix the way they worship the Lord God with the way the pagans worshiped their false gods (the technical term is "syncretism"). They were reminded again to not alter any of God's teaching; to neither add to or subtract from it.
Blessings for obedience, curses for disobedience – repeated again and again – knowing that they were a “stiff-necked” (stubborn) people.
Do you see the continuum of God's Word here? From the description of an Eden-like land, to the law of blessing vs curse, to the symbolism of life in blood (Jesus on the Cross), and to the warning to not alter the meaning of His Word in any way?
Once again God warned the Israelites to alter nothing about His teaching; neither to add nor to subtract, nor to sell-out in even small ways to the pagans around them.
When have you found yourself teaching those who are younger in age, or in their Christian walk, of things that you learned and/or experienced from the past – information which you paired with knowledge so that they would have the wisdom to walk rightly before the Lord God?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you a place in your walk where you have an incomplete or incorrect understanding of something in His Word.
Today I will accept the challenge of the Holy Spirit to re-examine my understanding of something in the Word of God. I will prayerfully surrender to His leading toward greater understanding. I will consult those who are Biblically-qualified as “elders” and seek their counsel and prayers toward my understanding. I will praise the Lord!
Be Specific _____________________________________________
13:1 Suppose a prophet or one who foretells by dreams should appear among you and show you a sign or wonder, 13:2 and the sign or wonder should come to pass concerning what he said to you, namely, “Let us follow other gods” – gods whom you have not previously known – “and let us serve them.”
13:3 You must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer, for the Lord your God will be testing you to see if you love him with all your mind and being.
13:4 You must follow the Lord your God and revere only him; and you must observe his commandments, obey him, serve him, and remain loyal to him.
13:5 As for that prophet or dreamer, he must be executed because he encouraged rebellion against the Lord your God who brought you from the land of Egypt, redeeming you from that place of slavery, and because he has tried to entice you from the way the Lord your God has commanded you to go. In this way you must purge out evil from within.
False Prophets in the Family
13:6 Suppose your own full brother, your son, your daughter, your beloved wife, or your closest friend should seduce you secretly and encourage you to go and serve other gods that neither you nor your ancestors have previously known, 13:7 the gods of the surrounding people (whether near you or far from you, from one end of the earth to the other).
13:8 You must not give in to him or even listen to him; do not feel sympathy for him or spare him or cover up for him.
13:9 Instead, you must kill him without fail! Your own hand must be the first to strike him, and then the hands of the whole community.
13:10 You must stone him to death because he tried to entice you away from the Lord your God, who delivered you from the land of Egypt, that place of slavery. 13:11 Thus all Israel will hear and be afraid; no longer will they continue to do evil like this among you.
Punishment of Community Idolatry
13:12 Suppose you should hear in one of your cities, which the Lord your God is giving you as a place to live, that 13:13 some evil people have departed from among you to entice the inhabitants of their cities, saying, “Let’s go and serve other gods” (whom you have not known before).
13:14 You must investigate thoroughly and inquire carefully. If it is indeed true that such a disgraceful thing is being done among you, 13:15 you must by all means slaughter the inhabitants of that city with the sword; annihilate with the sword everyone in it, as well as the livestock. 13:16 You must gather all of its plunder into the middle of the plaza and burn the city and all its plunder as a whole burnt offering to the Lord your God. It will be an abandoned ruin forever – it must never be rebuilt again. 13:17 You must not take for yourself anything that has been placed under judgment. Then the Lord will relent from his intense anger, show you compassion, have mercy on you, and multiply you as he promised your ancestors.
13:18 Thus you must obey the Lord your God, keeping all his commandments that I am giving you today and doing what is right before him.
The Holy and the Profane
14:1 You are children of the Lord your God. Do not cut yourselves or shave your forehead bald for the sake of the dead. 14:2 For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. He has chosen you to be his people, prized above all others on the face of the earth.
14:3 You must not eat any forbidden thing. 14:4 These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, 14:5 the ibex, the gazelle, the deer, the wild goat, the antelope, the wild oryx, and the mountain sheep. 14:6 You may eat any animal that has hooves divided into two parts and that chews the cud. 14:7 However, you may not eat the following animals among those that chew the cud or those that have divided hooves: the camel, the hare, and the rock badger. (Although they chew the cud, they do not have divided hooves and are therefore ritually impure to you). 14:8 Also the pig is ritually impure to you; though it has divided hooves, it does not chew the cud. You may not eat their meat or even touch their remains.
14:9 These you may eat from among water creatures: anything with fins and scales you may eat, 14:10 but whatever does not have fins and scales you may not eat; it is ritually impure to you.
14:11 All ritually clean birds you may eat. 14:12 These are the ones you may not eat: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture, 14:13 the kite, the black kite, the dayyah after its species, 14:14 every raven after its species, 14:15 the ostrich, the owl, the seagull, the falcon after its species, 14:16 the little owl, the long-eared owl, the white owl, 14:17 the jackdaw, the carrion vulture, the cormorant, 14:18 the stork, the heron after its species, the hoopoe, the bat, 14:19 and any winged thing on the ground are impure to you – they may not be eaten.
14:20 You may eat any clean bird.
14:21 You may not eat any corpse, though you may give it to the resident foreigner who is living in your villages and he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner. You are a people holy to the Lord your God. Do not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.
The Offering of Tribute
14:22 You must be certain to tithe all the produce of your seed that comes from the field year after year. 14:23 In the presence of the Lord your God you must eat from the tithe of your grain, your new wine, your olive oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the place he chooses to locate his name, so that you may learn to revere the Lord your God always.
14:24 When he blesses you, if the place where he chooses to locate his name is distant, 14:25 you may convert the tithe into money, secure the money, and travel to the place the Lord your God chooses for himself. 14:26 Then you may spend the money however you wish for cattle, sheep, wine, beer, or whatever you desire. You and your household may eat there in the presence of the Lord your God and enjoy it.
14:27 As for the Levites in your villages, you must not ignore them, for they have no allotment or inheritance along with you.
14:28 At the end of every three years you must bring all the tithe of your produce, in that very year, and you must store it up in your villages. 14:29 Then the Levites (because they have no allotment or inheritance with you), the resident foreigners, the orphans, and the widows of your villages may come and eat their fill so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work you do.
Lord, protecting Your sovereign truth among Your people was always a high priority. May I be vigilant in my life, and my fellowships, in resisting false teaching.
False prophets, despite the appearance of miracles, were to be executed to keep them from misleading the people away from the Lord God.
Loved-ones who promoted any false religion were to be killed.
A city, town, or village that turned away from God and to a false god was to be utterly destroyed; everyone and everything in it piled up and burned as an offering to God.
The regulations as to clean and unclean food were reviewed as well and the eating of the offerings.
A false prophet is an emissary of Satan.
Did it not make sense that if someone came to deceive people into leaving the one true God in favor of a false God that they were mortal enemies, the same as an attacking warrior?
Merely because the deceiver is a family member or loved one does not make them any less an enemy of truth and light and genuine eternal hope.
When have you experienced or observed the impact of a false prophet or teacher in a fellowship? What was the result?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a promoter of false teaching. It may be in your fellowship, at work, in school, on the Internet, on the radio, or on the television.
Today I will acknowledge the truth of God versus false teaching. Insofar as I am able I will communicate the Biblical alternative to the falsehoods, which the Holy Spirit has revealed to me, to the false teacher. If he or she is not repentant then I will communicate their refusal to repent to the appropriate theological authorities (denominational or associational leaders). If they are either not under authority, or their authority shares their false message, I will communicate the falsehood to believers and also to those considering-Christ, via whatever means is available.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Release for Debt Slaves
15:1 At the end of every seven years you must declare a cancellation of debts. 15:2 This is the nature of the cancellation: Every creditor must remit what he has loaned to another person; he must not force payment from his fellow Israelite, for it is to be recognized as “the Lord’s cancellation of debts.”
15:3 You may exact payment from a foreigner, but whatever your fellow Israelite owes you, you must remit.
15:4 However, there should not be any poor among you, for the Lord will surely bless you in the land that he is giving you as an inheritance, 15:5 if you carefully obey him by keeping all these commandments that I am giving you today. 15:6 For the Lord your God will bless you just as he has promised; you will lend to many nations but will not borrow from any, and you will rule over many nations but they will not rule over you.
The Spirit of Liberality
15:7 If a fellow Israelite from one of your villages in the land that the Lord your God is giving you should be poor, you must not harden your heart or be insensitive to his impoverished condition.
15:8 Instead, you must be sure to open your hand to him and generously lend him whatever he needs.
15:9 Be careful lest you entertain the wicked thought that the seventh year, the year of cancellation of debts, has almost arrived, and your attitude be wrong toward your impoverished fellow Israelite and you do not lend him anything; he will cry out to the Lord against you and you will be regarded as having sinned. 15:10 You must by all means lend to him and not be upset by doing it, for because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you attempt.
15:11 There will never cease to be some poor people in the land; therefore, I am commanding you to make sure you open your hand to your fellow Israelites who are needy and poor in your land.
Release of Debt Slaves
15:12 If your fellow Hebrew – whether male or female – is sold to you and serves you for six years, then in the seventh year you must let that servant go free.
15:13 If you set them free, you must not send them away empty-handed. 15:14 You must supply them generously from your flock, your threshing floor, and your winepress – as the Lord your God has blessed you, you must give to them. 15:15 Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore, I am commanding you to do this thing today. 15:16 However, if the servant says to you, “I do not want to leave you,” because he loves you and your household, since he is well off with you, 15:17 you shall take an awl and pierce a hole through his ear to the door. Then he will become your servant permanently (this applies to your female servant as well).
15:18 You should not consider it difficult to let him go free, for he will have served you for six years, twice the time of a hired worker; the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do.
Giving God the Best
15:19 You must set apart for the Lord your God every firstborn male born to your herds and flocks. You must not work the firstborn of your bulls or shear the firstborn of your flocks. 15:20 You and your household must eat them annually before the Lord your God in the place he chooses.
15:21 If they have any kind of blemish – lameness, blindness, or anything else – you may not offer them as a sacrifice to the Lord your God. 15:22 You may eat it in your villages, whether you are ritually impure or clean, just as you would eat a gazelle or an ibex. 15:23 However, you must not eat its blood; you must pour it out on the ground like water.
The Passover-Unleavened Bread Festival
16:1 Observe the month Abib and keep the Passover to the Lord your God, for in that month he brought you out of Egypt by night. 16:2 You must sacrifice the Passover animal (from the flock or the herd) to the Lord your God in the place where he chooses to locate his name.
16:3 You must not eat any yeast with it; for seven days you must eat bread made without yeast, symbolic of affliction, for you came out of Egypt hurriedly. You must do this so you will remember for the rest of your life the day you came out of the land of Egypt. 16:4 There must not be a scrap of yeast within your land for seven days, nor can any of the meat you sacrifice on the evening of the first day remain until the next morning.
16:5 You may not sacrifice the Passover in just any of your villages that the Lord your God is giving you, 16:6 but you must sacrifice it in the evening in the place where he chooses to locate his name, at sunset, the time of day you came out of Egypt.
16:7 You must cook and eat it in the place the Lord your God chooses; you may return the next morning to your tents. 16:8 You must eat bread made without yeast for six days. The seventh day you are to hold an assembly for the Lord your God; you must not do any work on that day.
The Festival of Weeks
16:9 You must count seven weeks; you must begin to count them from the time you begin to harvest the standing grain. 16:10 Then you are to celebrate the Festival of Weeks before the Lord your God with the voluntary offering that you will bring, in proportion to how he has blessed you.
16:11 You shall rejoice before him – you, your son, your daughter, your male and female slaves, the Levites in your villages, the resident foreigners, the orphans, and the widows among you – in the place where the Lord chooses to locate his name. 16:12 Furthermore, remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and so be careful to observe these statutes.
The Festival of Temporary Shelters
16:13 You must celebrate the Festival of Temporary Shelters for seven days, at the time of the grain and grape harvest. 16:14 You are to rejoice in your festival, you, your son, your daughter, your male and female slaves, the Levites, the resident foreigners, the orphans, and the widows who are in your villages.
16:15 You are to celebrate the festival seven days before the Lord your God in the place he chooses, for he will bless you in all your productivity and in whatever you do; so you will indeed rejoice!
16:16 Three times a year all your males must appear before the Lord your God in the place he chooses for the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks, and the Festival of Temporary Shelters; and they must not appear before him empty-handed.
16:17 Every one of you must give as you are able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God that he has given you.
Provision for Justice
16:18 You must appoint judges and civil servants for each tribe in all your villages that the Lord your God is giving you, and they must judge the people fairly.
16:19 You must not pervert justice or show favor. Do not take a bribe, for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and distort the words of the righteous.
16:20 You must pursue justice alone so that you may live and inherit the land the Lord your God is giving you.
Examples of Legal Cases
16:21 You must not plant any kind of tree as a sacred Asherah pole near the altar of the Lord your God which you build for yourself. 16:22 You must not erect a sacred pillar, a thing the Lord your God detests.
Lord, you anticipate our foolishness and provide ways that we may assist one-another. May I listen for Your invitation to be Your conduit of blessing to fellow believers.
Every seven years creditors were to cancel all debts owed to fellow Israelites. The qualification of this was that if the people were faithful then there would be no poor as God would be blessing them.
There was also a requirement that those who have debts must keep current on their payments, in this way someone could not incur a debt and fail to pay for seven years only to then expect to be released from the obligation without out any prior effort to repay.
Foreigners were not included in the seven-year debt cancellation, this was only for God's family of Israelites.
Loans to fellow Israelites in need were to be given generously as God promised to bless those who did so. They were also not to worry, even if the 7 year forgiveness date was near as God would bless them for doing so even then.
Debt servants were to be set free with gifts from flocks and other resources. If they chose to remain, because of an emotional-attachment to the family, then an awl-hole in their ear would mark them as a permanent slave.
The Israelites were reminded that all sacrifices were to be from the first and the best, the unblemished. They were also reminded of the various festivals.
The Lord God provided for a system of justice, one that was to be free of bribery and/or favoritism, and for the right of appeal to a higher court from among the Levitical priests.
There would be no poor Israelites if all Israelites obeyed the Lord.
Would it not require great faith and trust in God to loan a person money near to a 7 year cancellation of debts?
A slave, despite the opportunity to go free with animals and other resources – free to start anew – might actually become so attached to his or her master's family that they'd choose to remain a slave to them permanently.
When have you assisted or been assisted by a fellow believer who had no expectation that you could every repay them?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you an opportunity to bless someone with generous assistance, in their time of need, from the resources that God has generously given to you
Today I will prayerfully, and as-needed in consultation with one or more who are Biblically-qualified as elders, discern a legitimate need for assistance to a brother or sister in the Lord.
I will wisely assist them, which may mean paying a bill rather than giving money, as sometimes people are not themselves wise in handling their funds; however as I have good cause to trust them then I will give them money to use as they deem best. My assistance may instead be fixing something, providing transportation, spending time in encouragement, prayer, food, child care, or other need-meeting sacrifice of my time and physical resources. I will share a report of God's blessing to them poured-out through me, not as a testimony to me but to Him.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 22
17:1 You must not sacrifice to him a bull or sheep that has a blemish or any other defect, because that is considered offensive to the Lord your God. 17:2 Suppose a man or woman is discovered among you – in one of your villages that the Lord your God is giving you – who sins before the Lord your God and breaks his covenant 17:3 by serving other gods and worshiping them – the sun, moon, or any other heavenly bodies which I have not permitted you to worship. 17:4 When it is reported to you and you hear about it, you must investigate carefully. If it is indeed true that such a disgraceful thing is being done in Israel, 17:5 you must bring to your city gates that man or woman who has done this wicked thing – that very man or woman – and you must stone that person to death. 17:6 At the testimony of two or three witnesses they must be executed. They cannot be put to death on the testimony of only one witness. 17:7 The witnesses must be first to begin the execution, and then all the people are to join in afterward. In this way you will purge evil from among you.
Appeal to a Higher Court
17:8 If a matter is too difficult for you to judge – bloodshed, legal claim, or assault – matters of controversy in your villages – you must leave there and go up to the place the Lord your God chooses. 17:9 You will go to the Levitical priests and the judge in office in those days and seek a solution; they will render a verdict. 17:10 You must then do as they have determined at that place the Lord chooses. Be careful to do just as you are taught. 17:11 You must do what you are instructed, and the verdict they pronounce to you, without fail. Do not deviate right or left from what they tell you. 17:12 The person who pays no attention to the priest currently serving the Lord your God there, or to the verdict – that person must die, so that you may purge evil from Israel. 17:13 Then all the people will hear and be afraid, and not be so presumptuous again.
Provision for Kingship
17:14 When you come to the land the Lord your God is giving you and take it over and live in it and then say, “I will select a king like all the nations surrounding me,” 17:15 you must select without fail a king whom the Lord your God chooses. From among your fellow citizens you must appoint a king – you may not designate a foreigner who is not one of your fellow Israelites. 17:16 Moreover, he must not accumulate horses for himself or allow the people to return to Egypt to do so, for the Lord has said you must never again return that way. 17:17 Furthermore, he must not marry many wives lest his affections turn aside, and he must not accumulate much silver and gold. 17:18 When he sits on his royal throne he must make a copy of this law on a scroll given to him by the Levitical priests. 17:19 It must be with him constantly and he must read it as long as he lives, so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and observe all the words of this law and these statutes and carry them out. 17:20 Then he will not exalt himself above his fellow citizens or turn from the commandments to the right or left, and he and his descendants will enjoy many years ruling over his kingdom in Israel.
Provision for Priests and Levites
18:1 The Levitical priests – indeed, the entire tribe of Levi – will have no allotment or inheritance with Israel; they may eat the burnt offerings of the Lord and of his inheritance. 18:2 They will have no inheritance in the midst of their fellow Israelites; the Lord alone is their inheritance, just as he had told them. 18:3 This shall be the priests’ fair allotment from the people who offer sacrifices, whether bull or sheep – they must give to the priest the shoulder, the jowls, and the stomach. 18:4 You must give them the best of your grain, new wine, and olive oil, as well as the best of your wool when you shear your flocks. 18:5 For the Lord your God has chosen them and their sons from all your tribes to stand and serve in his name permanently. 18:6 Suppose a Levite comes by his own free will from one of your villages, from any part of Israel where he is living, to the place the Lord chooses 18:7 and serves in the name of the Lord his God like his fellow Levites who stand there before the Lord. 18:8 He must eat the same share they do, despite any profits he may gain from the sale of his family’s inheritance.
Provision for Prophetism
18:9 When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, you must not learn the abhorrent practices of those nations. 18:10 There must never be found among you anyone who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, anyone who practices divination, an omen reader, a soothsayer, a sorcerer, 18:11 one who casts spells, one who conjures up spirits, a practitioner of the occult, or a necromancer. 18:12 Whoever does these things is abhorrent to the Lord and because of these detestable things the Lord your God is about to drive them out from before you. 18:13 You must be blameless before the Lord your God. 18:14 Those nations that you are about to dispossess listen to omen readers and diviners, but the Lord your God has not given you permission to do such things.
18:15 The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you – from your fellow Israelites; you must listen to him. 18:16 This accords with what happened at Horeb in the day of the assembly. You asked the Lord your God: “Please do not make us hear the voice of the Lord our God any more or see this great fire any more lest we die.” 18:17 The Lord then said to me, “What they have said is good. 18:18 I will raise up a prophet like you for them from among their fellow Israelites. I will put my words in his mouth and he will speak to them whatever I command. 18:19 I will personally hold responsible anyone who then pays no attention to the words that prophet speaks in my name.
18:20 “But if any prophet presumes to speak anything in my name that I have not authorized him to speak, or speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet must die. 18:21 Now if you say to yourselves, ‘How can we tell that a message is not from the Lord?’ – 18:22 whenever a prophet speaks in my name and the prediction is not fulfilled, then I have not spoken it; the prophet has presumed to speak it, so you need not fear him.”
Laws Concerning Manslaughter
19:1 When the Lord your God destroys the nations whose land he is about to give you and you dispossess them and settle in their cities and houses, 19:2 you must set apart for yourselves three cities in the middle of your land that the Lord your God is giving you as a possession. 19:3 You shall build a roadway and divide into thirds the whole extent of your land that the Lord your God is providing as your inheritance; anyone who kills another person should flee to the closest of these cities. 19:4 Now this is the law pertaining to one who flees there in order to live, if he has accidentally killed another without hating him at the time of the accident. 19:5 Suppose he goes with someone else to the forest to cut wood and when he raises the ax to cut the tree, the ax head flies loose from the handle and strikes his fellow worker so hard that he dies. The person responsible may then flee to one of these cities to save himself. 19:6 Otherwise the blood avenger will chase after the killer in the heat of his anger, eventually overtake him, and kill him, though this is not a capital case since he did not hate him at the time of the accident. 19:7 Therefore, I am commanding you to set apart for yourselves three cities. 19:8 If the Lord your God enlarges your borders as he promised your ancestors and gives you all the land he pledged to them, 19:9 and then you are careful to observe all these commandments I am giving you today (namely, to love the Lord your God and to always walk in his ways), then you must add three more cities to these three. 19:10 You must not shed innocent blood in your land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, for that would make you guilty. 19:11 However, suppose a person hates someone else and stalks him, attacks him, kills him, and then flees to one of these cities. 19:12 The elders of his own city must send for him and remove him from there to deliver him over to the blood avenger to die. 19:13 You must not pity him, but purge out the blood of the innocent from Israel, so that it may go well with you.
Laws Concerning Witnesses
19:14 You must not encroach on your neighbor’s property, which will have been defined in the inheritance you will obtain in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
19:15 A single witness may not testify against another person for any trespass or sin that he commits. A matter may be legally established only on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 19:16 If a false witness testifies against another person and accuses him of a crime, 19:17 then both parties to the controversy must stand before the Lord, that is, before the priests and judges who will be in office in those days. 19:18 The judges will thoroughly investigate the matter, and if the witness should prove to be false and to have given false testimony against the accused, 19:19 you must do to him what he had intended to do to the accused. In this way you will purge evil from among you. 19:20 The rest of the people will hear and become afraid to keep doing such evil among you. 19:21 You must not show pity; the principle will be a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, and a foot for a foot.
Lord, You are a holy God and anything associated with the enemy is an offense to You. May I never compromise with witchcraft or anything like it.
The Israelites were reminded that all sacrifices were to be from the first and the best, the unblemished. They were also reminded of the various festivals.
The Lord God provided for a system of justice, one that was to be free of bribery and/or favoritism, and for the right of appeal to a higher court from among the Levitical priests.
If the Israelites should insist upon a king like the nations around them, God must choose that king; however, that king was not to enrich himself nor marry multiple wives else he would turn away from God and the people.
The Israelites were reminded to provide for the Levites as they surrendered all for the service of the priesthood for the rest of Israel.
The Lord God condemned all forms of witchcraft; divination, omen reading, soothsaying, sorcery, casting spells, conjuring up spirits, practitioners of the occult, or necromancy (trying to speak with the dead). He also, again, condemned casting children into the fire of sacrifice.
Moses communicated God’s intention to raise up another prophet, like himself, to guide them as to the instructions of the Lord God, and that God would punish those who disrespected or disobeyed the prophet. He further informed them that if a prophet predicted something that did not happen then they were not speaking from God and were not to be feared as they had broken from God in an act of disobedience.
The necessity of the cities of refuge was revisited, with the provision that if a person hunted and killed another then hid in one of the cities then the elders were to remove them and turn them over to the relatives of the murdered Israelite to be killed.
Israelites were to honor the lands of one another as they were distributed to them by the Lord God.
The requirement for more than one witness was reaffirmed.
The principle of an eye for an eye was also reaffirmed as a reference-point for proportional punishment for a crime.
Saul and David and Solomon were the first kings of Israel and all of them violated God’s limitations on the king and all of them harmed Israel as a result. Essentially, everything that we might generally refer to as the occult was condemned by the Lord God as evil and repulsive to Him and anyone who honored Him.
Why did God place such a high priority on the people listening to His anointed prophet and for them to reject even the most subtle elements of the occult and false teaching?
A system of justice, respect for the property of one another, and certain consequences for those who chose to commit crimes against their fellow Israelites was important to God.
When have you discovered elements of the occult drifting into your life or somewhere within the families within your fellowship? Was the problem addressed? What was the response and the result? Based on the teaching in today’s Deuteronomy text, which was re-affirmed by Jesus and the authors of the New Testament, would God have been pleased?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any element of the occult in your life or that of your family and friends.
Today I will partner with the Holy Spirit to purge my life of even the smallest elements of the occult, and I will prayerfully and respectfully implore others to do so as well. If I have any question about something I believe to be of the occult I will consult one or more who meet the Biblical qualification of an elder.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Laws Concerning War with Distant Enemies
20:1 When you go to war against your enemies and see chariotry and troops who outnumber you, do not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, is with you.
20:2 As you move forward for battle, the priest will approach and say to the soldiers, 20:3 “Listen, Israel! Today you are moving forward to do battle with your enemies. Do not be fainthearted. Do not fear and tremble or be terrified because of them, 20:4 for the Lord your God goes with you to fight on your behalf against your enemies to give you victory.”
20:5 Moreover, the officers are to say to the troops, “Who among you has built a new house and not dedicated it? He may go home, lest he die in battle and someone else dedicate it. 20:6 Or who among you has planted a vineyard and not benefited from it? He may go home, lest he die in battle and someone else benefit from it.
20:7 Or who among you has become engaged to a woman but has not married her? He may go home, lest he die in battle and someone else marry her.” 20:8 In addition, the officers are to say to the troops, “Who among you is afraid and fainthearted? He may go home so that he will not make his fellow soldier’s heart as fearful as his own.” 20:9 Then, when the officers have finished speaking, they must appoint unit commanders to lead the troops.
20:10 When you approach a city to wage war against it, offer it terms of peace. 20:11 If it accepts your terms and submits to you, all the people found in it will become your slaves. 20:12 If it does not accept terms of peace but makes war with you, then you are to lay siege to it.
20:13 The Lord your God will deliver it over to you and you must kill every single male by the sword. 20:14 However, the women, little children, cattle, and anything else in the city – all its plunder – you may take for yourselves as spoil. You may take from your enemies the plunder that the Lord your God has given you. 20:15 This is how you are to deal with all those cities located far from you, those that do not belong to these nearby nations.
Laws Concerning War with Canaanite Nations
20:16 As for the cities of these peoples that the Lord your God is going to give you as an inheritance, you must not allow a single living thing to survive. 20:17 Instead you must utterly annihilate them – the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites – just as the Lord your God has commanded you, 20:18 so that they cannot teach you all the abhorrent ways they worship their gods, causing you to sin against the Lord your God.
20:19 If you besiege a city for a long time while attempting to capture it, you must not chop down its trees, for you may eat fruit from them and should not cut them down. A tree in the field is not human that you should besiege it!
20:20 However, you may chop down any tree you know is not suitable for food, and you may use it to build siege works against the city that is making war with you until that city falls.
Laws Concerning Unsolved Murder
21:1 If a homicide victim should be found lying in a field in the land the Lord your God is giving you, and no one knows who killed him, 21:2 your elders and judges must go out and measure how far it is to the cities in the vicinity of the corpse.
21:3 Then the elders of the city nearest to the corpse must take from the herd a heifer that has not been worked – that has never pulled with the yoke – 21:4 and bring the heifer down to a wadi with flowing water, to a valley that is neither plowed nor sown. There at the wadi they are to break the heifer’s neck.
21:5 Then the Levitical priests will approach (for the Lord your God has chosen them to serve him and to pronounce blessings in his name, and to decide every judicial verdict) 21:6 and all the elders of that city nearest the corpse must wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley.
21:7 Then they must proclaim, “Our hands have not spilled this blood, nor have we witnessed the crime. 21:8 Do not blame your people Israel whom you redeemed, O Lord, and do not hold them accountable for the bloodshed of an innocent person.” Then atonement will be made for the bloodshed.
21:9 In this manner you will purge out the guilt of innocent blood from among you, for you must do what is right before the Lord.
Laws Concerning Wives
21:10 When you go out to do battle with your enemies and the Lord your God allows you to prevail and you take prisoners, 21:11 if you should see among them an attractive woman whom you wish to take as a wife, 21:12 you may bring her back to your house. She must shave her head, trim her nails, 21:13 discard the clothing she was wearing when captured, and stay in your house, lamenting for her father and mother for a full month. After that you may have sexual relations with her and become her husband and she your wife.
21:14 If you are not pleased with her, then you must let her go where she pleases. You cannot in any case sell her; you must not take advantage of her, since you have already humiliated her.
Laws Concerning Children
21:15 Suppose a man has two wives, one whom he loves more than the other, and they both bear him sons, with the firstborn being the child of the less loved wife. 21:16 In the day he divides his inheritance he must not appoint as firstborn the son of the favorite wife in place of the other wife’s son who is actually the firstborn. 21:17 Rather, he must acknowledge the son of the less loved wife as firstborn and give him the double portion of all he has, for that son is the beginning of his father’s procreative power – to him should go the right of the firstborn.
21:18 If a person has a stubborn, rebellious son who pays no attention to his father or mother, and they discipline him to no avail, 21:19 his father and mother must seize him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his city. 21:20 They must declare to the elders of his city, “Our son is stubborn and rebellious and pays no attention to what we say – he is a glutton and drunkard.” 21:21 Then all the men of his city must stone him to death. In this way you will purge out wickedness from among you, and all Israel will hear about it and be afraid.
Disposition of a Criminal’s Remains
21:22 If a person commits a sin punishable by death and is executed, and you hang the corpse on a tree, 21:23 his body must not remain all night on the tree; instead you must make certain you bury him that same day, for the one who is left exposed on a tree is cursed by God. You must not defile your land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.
Laws Concerning Preservation of Life
22:1 When you see your neighbor’s ox or sheep going astray, do not ignore it; you must return it without fail to your neighbor. 22:2 If the owner does not live near you or you do not know who the owner is, then you must corral the animal at your house and let it stay with you until the owner looks for it; then you must return it to him. 22:3 You shall do the same to his donkey, his clothes, or anything else your neighbor has lost and you have found; you must not refuse to get involved. 22:4 When you see your neighbor’s donkey or ox fallen along the road, do not ignore it; instead, you must be sure to help him get the animal on its feet again.
22:5 A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor should a man dress up in women’s clothing, for anyone who does this is offensive to the Lord your God.
22:6 If you happen to notice a bird’s nest along the road, whether in a tree or on the ground, and there are chicks or eggs with the mother bird sitting on them, you must not take the mother from the young. 22:7 You must be sure to let the mother go, but you may take the young for yourself. Do this so that it may go well with you and you may have a long life.
22:8 If you build a new house, you must construct a guard rail around your roof to avoid being culpable in the event someone should fall from it.
Illustrations of the Principle of Purity
22:9 You must not plant your vineyard with two kinds of seed; otherwise the entire yield, both of the seed you plant and the produce of the vineyard, will be defiled. 22:10 You must not plow with an ox and a donkey harnessed together. 22:11 You must not wear clothing made with wool and linen meshed together. 22:12 You shall make yourselves tassels for the four corners of the clothing you wear.
Purity in the Marriage Relationship
22:13 Suppose a man marries a woman, has sexual relations with her, and then rejects her, 22:14 accusing her of impropriety and defaming her reputation by saying, “I married this woman but when I had sexual relations with her I discovered she was not a virgin!”
22:15 Then the father and mother of the young woman must produce the evidence of virginity for the elders of the city at the gate. 22:16 The young woman’s father must say to the elders, “I gave my daughter to this man and he has rejected her. 22:17 Moreover, he has raised accusations of impropriety by saying, ‘I discovered your daughter was not a virgin,’ but this is the evidence of my daughter’s virginity!” The cloth must then be spread out before the city’s elders. 22:18 The elders of that city must then seize the man and punish him. 22:19 They will fine him one hundred shekels of silver and give them to the young woman’s father, for the man who made the accusation ruined the reputation of an Israelite virgin. She will then become his wife and he may never divorce her as long as he lives.
22:20 But if the accusation is true and the young woman was not a virgin, 22:21 the men of her city must bring the young woman to the door of her father’s house and stone her to death, for she has done a disgraceful thing in Israel by behaving like a prostitute while living in her father’s house. In this way you will purge evil from among you.
22:22 If a man is caught having sexual relations with a married woman both the man who had relations with the woman and the woman herself must die; in this way you will purge evil from Israel.
22:23 If a virgin is engaged to a man and another man meets her in the city and has sexual relations with her, 22:24 you must bring the two of them to the gate of that city and stone them to death, the young woman because she did not cry out though in the city and the man because he violated his neighbor’s fiance; in this way you will purge evil from among you. 22:25 But if the man came across the engaged woman in the field and overpowered her and raped her, then only the rapist must die. 22:26 You must not do anything to the young woman – she has done nothing deserving of death. This case is the same as when someone attacks another person and murders him, 22:27 for the man met her in the field and the engaged woman cried out, but there was no one to rescue her.
22:28 Suppose a man comes across a virgin who is not engaged and overpowers and rapes her and they are discovered. 22:29 The man who has raped her must pay her father fifty shekels of silver and she must become his wife because he has violated her; he may never divorce her as long as he lives.
22:30 (23:1) A man may not marry his father’s former wife and in this way dishonor his father.
Lord, it was a primitive time in history yet as You provided strong orders for conquest and tough regulations to preserve civilization, You also injected grace. May I remember that when I exert authority to be a person of grace. Lord, You call upon us to be caring and ethical participants in the community of faith-in-You, You said so for the ancient Israelites, and You have said so Christians. May I be found faithful in both caring and ethical in all of my dealings with fellow believers.
The Lord God, through Moses, reminded the Israelites to not fear the difficult challenges ahead as they dispossessed great armies of large nations from the Land; He promised to go ahead and assure their victory, even as He gave permission to release from service those men who are recently engaged, fearful, have recently build but not dedicated a new home, or whose new vineyard has not seen its first harvest.
They are instructed to offer terms of peace to a city they approach, if accepted all of the people become their slaves, otherwise they take it and kill all of the adult males and take the rest as slaves along with their valuables as plunder.
They were to obliterate the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites as they were implacable enemies of God. They were to be sure to not participate in any of their pagan practices, but as they stormed the cities they were to be wise stewards, preserving the trees which produced edible food and destroying only those non-food trees necessary to the war effort.
Where there was an unsolved murder the elders of the nearest city were given a ritual to demonstrate that they neither committed the crime nor knew who did.
A captured woman must mourn her family and then may be taken as a wife. If the captor-husband changes his mind he is to release her wherever she chooses as he has already humiliated her once.
The firstborn received honor and a double-portion as an inheritance, even if he was the child of the less-loved of two wives. If any son was rebellious and a lazy glutton he was to be brought to the elders and if they found him unrepentant he was to be stoned to death so that he did not spread his evil ways to others.
One executed by hanging was to be buried before nightfall so as to not be cursed by God, and so that the curse did not extend to the people. (Generations later faithful Jews were quick to remove Jesus from the Cross. Judas, on the other hand, hung himself and his death and decay were unknown until his body was found on the ground.)
The Lord God set the standard for a successful civilization, one that was healthy, and one that was sustainable. He instructed His people to care about the well-being of one another and to be helpful and ethical in all of their dealings.
Cross-dressing was prohibited, one was not to remove a mother bird from the babies – leaving them to die unattended – but it was OK to take the babies and eggs, and a guard rail was to be placed around the roof-edge so that people up there might not fall (many roofs were flat and were used for social gatherings).
They were not to mix types of grape seed together as they would cross-pollinate and change the nature of the grapes, and they were not to put an ox and donkey together in harness as the ox would drag the donkey around until it injured or killed it.
Continuing the illustrations of purity; they were not to mix wool and linen - this was an unethical way to make material less expensively, wool and linen hold and release moisture differently and wool is less likely to feel moist whereas linen would – possibly leading to misjudging dry linen and dry-feeling wool as truly dry – leading to the early rotting of the linen, and some have speculated that wool and linen handle static electricity differently leading to potential skin reactions.
A man must treat his new wife with honor. If he falsely accused her of not being a virgin at marriage he was to be fined, the money to be given to her father, and could never divorce her. If it proved true that she was not a virgin then she was to be stoned to death at her father’s doorstep.
Adultery between a man and the wife of another required both to be stoned to death.
If a man sexually assaulted a woman in the city and she failed to cry out and be rescued then both are to be stoned to death – as there was the assumption that she was in-agreement. If the same occurred in the fields then only the man was to be stoned as she was unable to cry out and be rescued. If the virgin is not engaged the man must pay a fine to her father and marry her and may never divorce her.
A man may not marry his father’s former wife. [The text is unclear as to whether the woman was a widow or divorced, but while the text does not specify the father’s memory, only his father, one may reasonably (but not exclusively) postulate that it is his living father who would be dishonored by the son’s action. (Note: Later in the history of Israel David’s son Absalom deliberately sexually-assaulted his concubines in public in order to dishonor him and symbolically claim the throne.) The text also does not state that the son is adopted, the child of a different woman by his father, or the biological child of both father and mother – but the implication of the text is the latter – making the action one of incest.]
Destroying the cities and their places of false worship would break the history of the presence of the displaced people, executing or enslaving the males (if they surrendered) would prevent rebellion and intermarriage, and taking the rest as slaves and their valuables as plunder fit the prophesied role of the pagan nations. They were only allowed in the promised land to labor in anticipation of God giving them, and the product of their labors, to His chosen people. Healthy family and healthy neighborhoods have always been essential to healthy civilizations.
Why would the Lord God feel that it was necessary to warn the Israelites over and over to avoid any involvement with the local pagan religions? Why and/or how might confusion as to gender identity, intimate relationships, and social roles undermine the well-being of a civilization?
Disobedience in the matter of religious practices or of a child was taken very seriously to protect the health of the whole community. The Lord God applied wisdom not only to human interactions but also to the consequences of mixing crops, unequally-yoking work animals, and mixing fabrics so that there was an unmistakable consistency to His teaching about balance and intentional integrity in all things.
When have you been blessed by the grace of God in a difficult situation? When have you discovered that wisdom taught in the Old Testament applied to your life in a very practical way today?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you may bless someone with an act of grace and to reveal to you an opportunity to care about and to serve another believer.
Today I will begin the day with a prayer for an opportunity to allow God to pour His grace through me into the life of someone who is having a difficult time and to show me an opportunity to notice a fellow believer in need and to meet that need as He has provided. I will remain alert and sensitive to His guidance so that I am both aware and wise.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Purity in Public Worship
23:1 A man with crushed or severed genitals may not enter the assembly of the Lord. 23:2 A person of illegitimate birth may not enter the assembly of the Lord; to the tenth generation no one related to him may do so.
23:3 An Ammonite or Moabite may not enter the assembly of the Lord; to the tenth generation none of their descendants shall ever do so, 23:4 for they did not meet you with food and water on the way as you came from Egypt, and furthermore, they hired Balaam son of Beor of Pethor in Aram Naharaim to curse you. 23:5 But the Lord your God refused to listen to Balaam and changed the curse to a blessing, for the Lord your God loves you. 23:6 You must not seek peace and prosperity for them through all the ages to come. 23:7 You must not hate an Edomite, for he is your relative; you must not hate an Egyptian, for you lived as a foreigner in his land. 23:8 Children of the third generation born to them may enter the assembly of the Lord.
Purity in Personal Hygiene
23:9 When you go out as an army against your enemies, guard yourselves against anything impure. 23:10 If there is someone among you who is impure because of some nocturnal emission, he must leave the camp; he may not reenter it immediately. 23:11 When evening arrives he must wash himself with water and then at sunset he may reenter the camp.
23:12 You are to have a place outside the camp to serve as a latrine. 23:13 You must have a spade among your other equipment and when you relieve yourself outside you must dig a hole with the spade and then turn and cover your excrement. 23:14 For the Lord your God walks about in the middle of your camp to deliver you and defeat your enemies for you. Therefore your camp should be holy, so that he does not see anything indecent among you and turn away from you.
Purity in the Treatment of the Nonprivileged
23:15 You must not return an escaped slave to his master when he has run away to you. 23:16 Indeed, he may live among you in any place he chooses, in whichever of your villages he prefers; you must not oppress him.
Purity in Cultic Personnel
23:17 There must never be a sacred prostitute among the young women of Israel nor a sacred male prostitute among the young men of Israel. 23:18 You must never bring the pay of a female prostitute or the wage of a male prostitute into the temple of the Lord your God in fulfillment of any vow, for both of these are abhorrent to the Lord your God.
Respect for Others’ Property
23:19 You must not charge interest on a loan to your fellow Israelite, whether on money, food, or anything else that has been loaned with interest. 23:20 You may lend with interest to a foreigner, but not to your fellow Israelite; if you keep this command the Lord your God will bless you in all you undertake in the land you are about to enter to possess. 23:21 When you make a vow to the Lord your God you must not delay in fulfilling it, for otherwise he will surely hold you accountable as a sinner. 23:22 If you refrain from making a vow, it will not be sinful. 23:23 Whatever you vow, you must be careful to do what you have promised, such as what you have vowed to the Lord your God as a freewill offering. 23:24 When you enter the vineyard of your neighbor you may eat as many grapes as you please, but you must not take away any in a container. 23:25 When you go into the ripe grain fields of your neighbor you may pluck off the kernels with your hand, but you must not use a sickle on your neighbor’s ripe grain.
24:1 If a man marries a woman and she does not please him because he has found something offensive in her, then he may draw up a divorce document, give it to her, and evict her from his house. 24:2 When she has left him she may go and become someone else’s wife. 24:3 If the second husband rejects her and then divorces her, gives her the papers, and evicts her from his house, or if the second husband who married her dies, 24:4 her first husband who divorced her is not permitted to remarry her after she has become ritually impure, for that is offensive to the Lord. You must not bring guilt on the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.
24:5 When a man is newly married, he need not go into the army nor be obligated in any way; he must be free to stay at home for a full year and bring joy to the wife he has married.
24:6 One must not take either lower or upper millstones as security on a loan, for that is like taking a life itself as security.
24:7 If a man is found kidnapping a person from among his fellow Israelites, and regards him as mere property and sells him, that kidnapper must die. In this way you will purge evil from among you.
Respect for Human Dignity
24:8 Be careful during an outbreak of leprosy to follow precisely all that the Levitical priests instruct you; as I have commanded them, so you should do. 24:9 Remember what the Lord your God did to Miriam along the way after you left Egypt.
24:10 When you make any kind of loan to your neighbor, you may not go into his house to claim what he is offering as security. 24:11 You must stand outside and the person to whom you are making the loan will bring out to you what he is offering as security. 24:12 If the person is poor you may not use what he gives you as security for a covering. 24:13 You must by all means return to him at sunset the item he gave you as security so that he may sleep in his outer garment and bless you for it; it will be considered a just deed by the Lord your God.
24:14 You must not oppress a lowly and poor servant, whether one from among your fellow Israelites or from the resident foreigners who are living in your land and villages. 24:15 You must pay his wage that very day before the sun sets, for he is poor and his life depends on it. Otherwise he will cry out to the Lord against you, and you will be guilty of sin.
24:16 Fathers must not be put to death for what their children do, nor children for what their fathers do; each must be put to death for his own sin.
24:17 You must not pervert justice due a resident foreigner or an orphan, or take a widow’s garment as security for a loan. 24:18 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I am commanding you to do all this. 24:19 Whenever you reap your harvest in your field and leave some unraked grain there, you must not return to get it; it should go to the resident foreigner, orphan, and widow so that the Lord your God may bless all the work you do. 24:20 When you beat your olive tree you must not repeat the procedure; the remaining olives belong to the resident foreigner, orphan, and widow. 24:21 When you gather the grapes of your vineyard you must not do so a second time; they should go to the resident foreigner, orphan, and widow. 24:22 Remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt; therefore, I am commanding you to do all this.
25:1 If controversy arises between people, they should go to court for judgment. When the judges hear the case, they shall exonerate the innocent but condemn the guilty. 25:2 Then, if the guilty person is sentenced to a beating, the judge shall force him to lie down and be beaten in his presence with the number of blows his wicked behavior deserves. 25:3 The judge may sentence him to forty blows, but no more. If he is struck with more than these, you might view your fellow Israelite with contempt.
25:4 You must not muzzle your ox when it is treading grain.
Respect for the Sanctity of Others
25:5 If brothers live together and one of them dies without having a son, the dead man’s wife must not remarry someone outside the family. Instead, her late husband’s brother must go to her, marry her, and perform the duty of a brother-in-law. 25:6 Then the first son she bears will continue the name of the dead brother, thus preventing his name from being blotted out of Israel. 25:7 But if the man does not want to marry his brother’s widow, then she must go to the elders at the town gate and say, “My husband’s brother refuses to preserve his brother’s name in Israel; he is unwilling to perform the duty of a brother-in-law to me!” 25:8 Then the elders of his city must summon him and speak to him. If he persists, saying, “I don’t want to marry her,” 25:9 then his sister-in-law must approach him in view of the elders, remove his sandal from his foot, and spit in his face. She will then respond, “Thus may it be done to any man who does not maintain his brother’s family line!” 25:10 His family name will be referred to in Israel as “the family of the one whose sandal was removed.”
25:11 If two men get into a hand-to-hand fight, and the wife of one of them gets involved to help her husband against his attacker, and she reaches out her hand and grabs his genitals, 25:12 then you must cut off her hand – do not pity her.
25:13 You must not have in your bag different stone weights, a heavy and a light one. 25:14 You must not have in your house different measuring containers, a large and a small one. 25:15 You must have an accurate and correct stone weight and an accurate and correct measuring container, so that your life may be extended in the land the Lord your God is about to give you. 25:16 For anyone who acts dishonestly in these ways is abhorrent to the Lord your God.
Treatment of the Amalekites
25:17 Remember what the Amalekites did to you on your way from Egypt, 25:18 how they met you along the way and cut off all your stragglers in the rear of the march when you were exhausted and tired; they were unafraid of God. 25:19 So when the Lord your God gives you relief from all the enemies who surround you in the land he is giving you as an inheritance, you must wipe out the memory of the Amalekites from under heaven – do not forget!
Lord, You have consistently called upon us to walk before you in integrity and to treat one another with honor. May I intentionally pursue integrity in my life and treat fellow believers with honor.
Limitations upon access to the tabernacle were placed upon those who opposed the Israelites on their way to the promised land and on those who served in pagan rituals (the reference to altered genitals, or castration). [Note: The NET translators observe that this text does not restrict access to God for those with birth defects or injuries.]
Personal hygiene was part of the ritual cleanliness of the Israelite soldiers as they entered battle if they were to expect the Lord God to be among them.
A runaway slave was not to be forcibly returned to his master but allowed to remain. [The text is unclear but the overall prior context suggests this may refer only to slaves of non-Israelites.]
Israelites were forbidden to participate in pagan temple prostitution and no money belonging to them was ever to be brought into the tabernacle.
Israelites were not allowed to charge one-another interest on a loan, if an oath (promise) was made it had to be kept to avoid sin, and one was permitted to eat of a neighbor’s grain or grapes while passing through his property but one was not allowed to fill a container or use a tool to harvest.
A man was allowed to divorce his wife and she was then allowed to remarry, but if her second husband died or divorced her she was not permitted to return to the first.
A newlywed military-age man was allowed to stay at home with his wife for a full year before serving in the military.
Because a millstone was necessary to grinding grains to eat they were not allowed to be taken as security on a loan.
Kidnapping and selling a fellow Israelite was punishable by death.
One was not permitted to enter a person’s home to collect the item offered as security but rather respect his home and wait outside.
If a poor Israelite used a warm outer garment as security for a loan the garment was to be returned each night so that he’d be warm. A poor person was to be paid on time as they were dependent on the money to survive.
Each Israelite was to receive punishment for their own crime/sin; a father was not to be punished for the sin of the son nor the son for his father.
They were reminded that they were once slaves so they were to treat resident foreigners and orphans with justice the same as an Israelite and an Israelite from an intact family. A widow’s garment was not to be taken as security for a loan.
So that a poor resident foreigner, widow, or orphan might have something to eat the harvesting of crops and vineyards was to allow a little to remain for them to harvest to survive.
Controversies not resolved among Israelites were to be brought to a judge. If one was judged guilty one would lie on the floor to receive a flogging, but not more than 40 strikes as that would be so severe as to imply disrespect for a fellow Israelite as a member of God’s chosen people, rather than a corrective punishment to encourage changed future behavior.
If a man died his brother was to marry his widow and their first-born son was to take his deceased brother-in-laws name to continue the family name. If he refuses then the widow was to bring him to the elders and if he still refused he would be socially-disrespected. [The text does not at this place specify any further remedy for the widow, either presuming that the social pressure would force compliance, or that she would remarry and take her inheritance out of her dead husband and uncooperative brother-in-law’s family.]
The use of dishonest weights and measures in the marketplace to cheat customers was forbidden. Israelites were to deal honestly with one another in all things.
Once the Israelites completed their conquest of the promised land they were to obliterate the Amalekites who had attacked them on their travel from Egypt.
Integrity, justice, and mutual respect were required of the Israelites by the Lord God. The continuance of biological family lines within the tribes was unique to the Old Testament, it is not a New Testament/new covenant value, multiplication of believers without regard to family history is instead.
Why would God deem it necessary to regulate so many elements of Israelite life?
While other peoples worshiped false pagan gods who emphasized greed and power the Lord God attended to the details of caring and integrity and justice. Ethical treatment of Israelites in the legal system, marketplace, and relationships reflected their unique standing as the people of God.
When have you been blessed by a fellow believer who was a conduit of God’s grace? When have you been mistreated by a fellow believer, or observed another being mistreated? How did that impact the well-being of the fellowship and/or your sense of community and social safety?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you an opportunity to pour caring and respect into the life of a fellow believer.
Today I will seize the opportunity given me by the Holy Spirit. I will share His blessings, encourage the downtrodden, and promote equal value for all in the family of believers.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
Presentation of the First Fruits
26:1 When you enter the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, and you occupy it and live in it, 26:2 you must take the first of all the ground’s produce you harvest from the land the Lord your God is giving you, place it in a basket, and go to the place where he chooses to locate his name. 26:3 You must go to the priest in office at that time and say to him, “I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord promised to our ancestors to give us.” 26:4 The priest will then take the basket from you and set it before the altar of the Lord your God. 26:5 Then you must affirm before the Lord your God, “A wandering Aramean was my ancestor, and he went down to Egypt and lived there as a foreigner with a household few in number, but there he became a great, powerful, and numerous people. 26:6 But the Egyptians mistreated and oppressed us, forcing us to do burdensome labor. 26:7 So we cried out to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, and he heard us and saw our humiliation, toil, and oppression. 26:8 Therefore the Lord brought us out of Egypt with tremendous strength and power, as well as with great awe-inspiring signs and wonders. 26:9 Then he brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. 26:10 So now, look! I have brought the first of the ground’s produce that you, Lord, have given me.” Then you must set it down before the Lord your God and worship before him. 26:11 You will celebrate all the good things that the Lord your God has given you and your family, along with the Levites and the resident foreigners among you.
Presentation of the Third-year Tithe
26:12 When you finish tithing all your income in the third year (the year of tithing), you must give it to the Levites, the resident foreigners, the orphans, and the widows so that they may eat to their satisfaction in your villages. 26:13 Then you shall say before the Lord your God, “I have removed the sacred offering from my house and given it to the Levites, the resident foreigners, the orphans, and the widows just as you have commanded me. I have not violated or forgotten your commandments. 26:14 I have not eaten anything when I was in mourning, or removed any of it while ceremonially unclean, or offered any of it to the dead; I have obeyed you and have done everything you have commanded me. 26:15 Look down from your holy dwelling place in heaven and bless your people Israel and the land you have given us, just as you promised our ancestors – a land flowing with milk and honey.”
Narrative Interlude
26:16 Today the Lord your God is commanding you to keep these statutes and ordinances, something you must do with all your heart and soul. 26:17 Today you have declared the Lord to be your God, and that you will walk in his ways, keep his statutes, commandments, and ordinances, and obey him. 26:18 And today the Lord has declared you to be his special people (as he already promised you) so you may keep all his commandments. 26:19 Then he will elevate you above all the nations he has made and you will receive praise, fame, and honor. You will be a people holy to the Lord your God, as he has said.
The Assembly at Shechem
27:1 Then Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people: “Pay attention to all the commandments I am giving you today. 27:2 When you cross the Jordan River to the land the Lord your God is giving you, you must erect great stones and cover them with plaster. 27:3 Then you must inscribe on them all the words of this law when you cross over, so that you may enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, said to you. 27:4 So when you cross the Jordan you must erect on Mount Ebal these stones about which I am commanding you today, and you must cover them with plaster. 27:5 Then you must build an altar there to the Lord your God, an altar of stones – do not use an iron tool on them. 27:6 You must build the altar of the Lord your God with whole stones and offer burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God. 27:7 Also you must offer fellowship offerings and eat them there, rejoicing before the Lord your God. 27:8 You must inscribe on the stones all the words of this law, making them clear.”
27:9 Then Moses and the Levitical priests spoke to all Israel: “Be quiet and pay attention, Israel. Today you have become the people of the Lord your God. 27:10 You must obey him and keep his commandments and statutes that I am giving you today.” 27:11 Moreover, Moses commanded the people that day: 27:12 “The following tribes must stand to bless the people on Mount Gerizim when you cross the Jordan: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. 27:13 And these other tribes must stand for the curse on Mount Ebal: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.
The Covenant Curses
27:14 “The Levites will call out to every Israelite with a loud voice: 27:15 ‘Cursed is the one who makes a carved or metal image – something abhorrent to the Lord, the work of the craftsman – and sets it up in a secret place.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’ 27:16 ‘Cursed is the one who disrespects his father and mother.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’ 27:17 ‘Cursed is the one who moves his neighbor’s boundary marker.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’ 27:18 ‘Cursed is the one who misleads a blind person on the road.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’ 27:19 ‘Cursed is the one who perverts justice for the resident foreigner, the orphan, and the widow.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’ 27:20 ‘Cursed is the one who has sexual relations with his father’s former wife, for he dishonors his father.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’ 27:21 ‘Cursed is the one who commits bestiality.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’ 27:22 ‘Cursed is the one who has sexual relations with his sister, the daughter of either his father or mother.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’ 27:23 ‘Cursed is the one who has sexual relations with his mother-in-law.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’ 27:24 ‘Cursed is the one who kills his neighbor in private.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’ 27:25 ‘Cursed is the one who takes a bribe to kill an innocent person.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’ 27:26 ‘Cursed is the one who refuses to keep the words of this law.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’
The Covenant Blessings
28:1 “If you indeed obey the Lord your God and are careful to observe all his commandments I am giving you today, the Lord your God will elevate you above all the nations of the earth. 28:2 All these blessings will come to you in abundance if you obey the Lord your God: 28:3 You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the field. 28:4 Your children will be blessed, as well as the produce of your soil, the offspring of your livestock, the calves of your herds, and the lambs of your flocks. 28:5 Your basket and your mixing bowl will be blessed. 28:6 You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out. 28:7 The Lord will cause your enemies who attack you to be struck down before you; they will attack you from one direction but flee from you in seven different directions. 28:8 The Lord will decree blessing for you with respect to your barns and in everything you do – yes, he will bless you in the land he is giving you. 28:9 The Lord will designate you as his holy people just as he promised you, if you keep his commandments and obey him. 28:10 Then all the peoples of the earth will see that you belong to the Lord, and they will respect you. 28:11 The Lord will greatly multiply your children, the offspring of your livestock, and the produce of your soil in the land which he promised your ancestors he would give you. 28:12 The Lord will open for you his good treasure house, the heavens, to give you rain for the land in its season and to bless all you do; you will lend to many nations but you will not borrow from any. 28:13 The Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always end up at the top and not at the bottom, if you obey his commandments which I am urging you today to be careful to do. 28:14 But you must not turn away from all the commandments I am giving you today, to either the right or left, nor pursue other gods and worship them.
Lord, You remind us of Your blessings and our responsibilities in our covenant relationship with You – then in the Old Testament and now in the New Testament/new covenant. May I never forget what You have done for me and may I live more intentionally-obedient before You every day. You never keep us in the dark about the consequences of our choices. May I pause and pray and reconsider, as Your Holy Spirit guides, before making decisions which consequences I am in any way in doubt.
Moses reviewed the history of the Exodus, the importance of surrendering the first-fruits in recognition that everything good was a gift from God, and the need to be faithful to receive continued blessings.
Moses instructed the Levites to call out the covenant curses for disobedience and the people to echo them.
The Lord God had Moses remind the people of all of His covenant promises to bless them.
He concluded the recitation of blessings with the conditional “... if you obey his commandments which I am urging you today to be careful to do. But you must not turn away from all the commandments I am giving you today, to either the right or left, nor pursue other gods and worship them.”
He then followed the list of blessings, and the condition of obedience to continue to receive them, with the corollary reverse-blessing list of curses which would befall them should they choose to violate their covenant with God.
The desire of God to bless His created humankind has not ceased since the Garden of Eden, neither has our propensity to rebel.
Can you think of any way the Lord God could have made the consequences of obedience versus disobedience more plain to the Israelites? What would be the value of the Levites reciting the covenant curses and the people repeating them back?
The list of curses should have frightened anyone and everyone into the obedience that results from enlightened self-interest if the list of blessings had not drawn them into grateful obedience.
When have you known that the consequences of two choices represented radically opposite good and bad experiences for you and you still chose to risk the bad?
Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of blessings God has given to you and to reveal to you a specific blessing, and a curse, which face you in choices you will have to make.
Today I will pause to take the time to recall the many ways that the Lord God has blessed me. I will share that testimony with a fellow believer and together we will praise the Lord. I will partner closely with the Holy Spirit to investigate carefully and fully the decision ahead for which the consequences are extreme and opposite. I will submit to His gift of wisdom, despite the desires of my flesh, and choose His best path for my life. I will share this experience with a fellow believer as an encouragement to them to do the same, and as a praise report of the loving-care of God in my life.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Curses as Reversal of Blessings
28:15 “But if you ignore the Lord your God and are not careful to keep all his commandments and statutes I am giving you today, then all these curses will come upon you in full force: 28:16 You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the field. 28:17 Your basket and your mixing bowl will be cursed. 28:18 Your children will be cursed, as well as the produce of your soil, the calves of your herds, and the lambs of your flocks. 28:19 You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out.
Curses by Disease and Drought
28:20 “The Lord will send on you a curse, confusing you and opposing you in everything you undertake until you are destroyed and quickly perish because of the evil of your deeds, in that you have forsaken me. 28:21 The Lord will plague you with deadly diseases until he has completely removed you from the land you are about to possess. 28:22 He will afflict you with weakness, fever, inflammation, infection, sword, blight, and mildew; these will attack you until you perish. 28:23 The sky above your heads will be bronze and the earth beneath you iron. 28:24 The Lord will make the rain of your land powder and dust; it will come down on you from the sky until you are destroyed.
Curses by Defeat and Deportation
28:25 “The Lord will allow you to be struck down before your enemies; you will attack them from one direction but flee from them in seven directions and will become an object of terror to all the kingdoms of the earth. 28:26 Your carcasses will be food for every bird of the sky and wild animal of the earth, and there will be no one to chase them off. 28:27 The Lord will afflict you with the boils of Egypt and with tumors, eczema, and scabies, all of which cannot be healed. 28:28 The Lord will also subject you to madness, blindness, and confusion of mind. 28:29 You will feel your way along at noon like the blind person does in darkness and you will not succeed in anything you do; you will be constantly oppressed and continually robbed, with no one to save you. 28:30 You will be engaged to a woman and another man will rape her. You will build a house but not live in it. You will plant a vineyard but not even begin to use it. 28:31 Your ox will be slaughtered before your very eyes but you will not eat of it. Your donkey will be stolen from you as you watch and will not be returned to you. Your flock of sheep will be given to your enemies and there will be no one to save you. 28:32 Your sons and daughters will be given to another people while you look on in vain all day, and you will be powerless to do anything about it. 28:33 As for the produce of your land and all your labor, a people you do not know will consume it, and you will be nothing but oppressed and crushed for the rest of your lives. 28:34 You will go insane from seeing all this. 28:35 The Lord will afflict you in your knees and on your legs with painful, incurable boils – from the soles of your feet to the top of your head. 28:36 The Lord will force you and your king whom you will appoint over you to go away to a people whom you and your ancestors have not known, and you will serve other gods of wood and stone there. 28:37 You will become an occasion of horror, a proverb, and an object of ridicule to all the peoples to whom the Lord will drive you.
The Curse of Reversed Status
28:38 “You will take much seed to the field but gather little harvest, because locusts will consume it. 28:39 You will plant vineyards and cultivate them, but you will not drink wine or gather in grapes, because worms will eat them. 28:40 You will have olive trees throughout your territory but you will not anoint yourself with olive oil, because the olives will drop off the trees while still unripe. 28:41 You will bear sons and daughters but not keep them, because they will be taken into captivity. 28:42 Whirring locusts will take over every tree and all the produce of your soil. 28:43 The foreigners who reside among you will become higher and higher over you and you will become lower and lower. 28:44 They will lend to you but you will not lend to them; they will become the head and you will become the tail!
28:45 All these curses will fall on you, pursuing and overtaking you until you are destroyed, because you would not obey the Lord your God by keeping his commandments and statutes that he has given you. 28:46 These curses will be a perpetual sign and wonder with reference to you and your descendants.
The Curse of Military Siege
28:47 “Because you have not served the Lord your God joyfully and wholeheartedly with the abundance of everything you have, 28:48 instead in hunger, thirst, nakedness, and poverty you will serve your enemies whom the Lord will send against you. They will place an iron yoke on your neck until they have destroyed you. 28:49 The Lord will raise up a distant nation against you, one from the other side of the earth as the eagle flies, a nation whose language you will not understand, 28:50 a nation of stern appearance that will have no regard for the elderly or pity for the young. 28:51 They will devour the offspring of your livestock and the produce of your soil until you are destroyed. They will not leave you with any grain, new wine, olive oil, calves of your herds, or lambs of your flocks until they have destroyed you. 28:52 They will besiege all of your villages until all of your high and fortified walls collapse – those in which you put your confidence throughout the land. They will besiege all your villages throughout the land the Lord your God has given you. 28:53 You will then eat your own offspring, the flesh of the sons and daughters the Lord your God has given you, because of the severity of the siege by which your enemies will constrict you. 28:54 The man among you who is by nature tender and sensitive will turn against his brother, his beloved wife, and his remaining children. 28:55 He will withhold from all of them his children’s flesh that he is eating (since there is nothing else left), because of the severity of the siege by which your enemy will constrict you in your villages. 28:56 Likewise, the most tender and delicate of your women, who would never think of putting even the sole of her foot on the ground because of her daintiness, will turn against her beloved husband, her sons and daughters, 28:57 and will secretly eat her afterbirth and her newborn children (since she has nothing else), because of the severity of the siege by which your enemy will constrict you in your villages.
The Curse of Covenant Termination
28:58 “If you refuse to obey all the words of this law, the things written in this scroll, and refuse to fear this glorious and awesome name, the Lord your God, 28:59 then the Lord will increase your punishments and those of your descendants – great and long-lasting afflictions and severe, enduring illnesses. 28:60 He will infect you with all the diseases of Egypt that you dreaded, and they will persistently afflict you. 28:61 Moreover, the Lord will bring upon you every kind of sickness and plague not mentioned in this scroll of commandments, until you have perished. 28:62 There will be very few of you left, though at one time you were as numerous as the stars in the sky, because you will have disobeyed the Lord your God. 28:63 This is what will happen: Just as the Lord delighted to do good for you and make you numerous, he will take delight in destroying and decimating you. You will be uprooted from the land you are about to possess. 28:64 The Lord will scatter you among all nations, from one end of the earth to the other. There you will worship other gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known, gods of wood and stone. 28:65 Among those nations you will have no rest nor will there be a place of peaceful rest for the soles of your feet, for there the Lord will give you an anxious heart, failing eyesight, and a spirit of despair. 28:66 Your life will hang in doubt before you; you will be terrified by night and day and will have no certainty of surviving from one day to the next. 28:67 In the morning you will say, ‘If only it were evening!’ And in the evening you will say, ‘I wish it were morning!’ because of the things you will fear and the things you will see. 28:68 Then the Lord will make you return to Egypt by ship, over a route I said to you that you would never see again. There you will sell yourselves to your enemies as male and female slaves, but no one will buy you.”
Narrative Interlude
29:1 (28:69) These are the words of the covenant that the Lord commanded Moses to make with the people of Israel in the land of Moab, in addition to the covenant he had made with them at Horeb.
The Exodus, Wandering, and Conquest Reviewed
29:2 Moses proclaimed to all Israel as follows: “You have seen all that the Lord did in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, all his servants, and his land. 29:3 Your eyes have seen the great judgments, those signs and mighty wonders. 29:4 But to this very day the Lord has not given you an understanding mind, perceptive eyes, or discerning ears! 29:5 I have led you through the desert for forty years. Your clothing has not worn out nor have your sandals deteriorated. 29:6 You have eaten no bread and drunk no wine or beer – all so that you might know that I am the Lord your God! 29:7 When you came to this place King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan came out to make war and we defeated them. 29:8 Then we took their land and gave it as an inheritance to Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh.
The Present Covenant Setting
29:9 “Therefore, keep the terms of this covenant and obey them so that you may be successful in everything you do. 29:10 You are standing today, all of you, before the Lord your God – the heads of your tribes, your elders, your officials, every Israelite man, 29:11 your infants, your wives, and the foreigners living in your encampment, those who chop wood and those who carry water – 29:12 so that you may enter by oath into the covenant the Lord your God is making with you today. 29:13 Today he will affirm that you are his people and that he is your God, just as he promised you and as he swore by oath to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 29:14 It is not with you alone that I am making this covenant by oath, 29:15 but with whoever stands with us here today before the Lord our God as well as those not with us here today.
The Results of Disobedience
29:16 “(For you know how we lived in the land of Egypt and how we crossed through the nations as we traveled. 29:17 You have seen their detestable things and idols of wood, stone, silver, and gold.) 29:18 Beware that the heart of no man, woman, clan, or tribe among you turns away from the Lord our God today to pursue and serve the gods of those nations; beware that there is among you no root producing poisonous and bitter fruit. 29:19 When such a person hears the words of this oath he secretly blesses himself and says, “I will have peace though I continue to walk with a stubborn spirit.” This will destroy the watered ground with the parched. 29:20 The Lord will be unwilling to forgive him, and his intense anger will rage against that man; all the curses written in this scroll will fall upon him and the Lord will obliterate his name from memory. 29:21 The Lord will single him out for judgment from all the tribes of Israel according to all the curses of the covenant written in this scroll of the law. 29:22 The generation to come – your descendants who will rise up after you, as well as the foreigner who will come from distant places – will see the afflictions of that land and the illnesses that the Lord has brought on it. 29:23 The whole land will be covered with brimstone, salt, and burning debris; it will not be planted nor will it sprout or produce grass. It will resemble the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which the Lord destroyed in his intense anger. 29:24 Then all the nations will ask, “Why has the Lord done all this to this land? What is this fierce, heated display of anger all about?” 29:25 Then people will say, “Because they abandoned the covenant of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, which he made with them when he brought them out of the land of Egypt. 29:26 They went and served other gods and worshiped them, gods they did not know and that he did not permit them to worship. 29:27 That is why the Lord’s anger erupted against this land, bringing on it all the curses written in this scroll. 29:28 So the Lord has uprooted them from their land in anger, wrath, and great rage and has deported them to another land, as is clear today.” 29:29 Secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those that are revealed belong to us and our descendants forever, so that we might obey all the words of this law.
The Results of Covenant Reaffirmation
30:1 “When you have experienced all these things, both the blessings and the curses I have set before you, you will reflect upon them in all the nations where the Lord your God has banished you. 30:2 Then if you and your descendants turn to the Lord your God and obey him with your whole mind and being just as I am commanding you today, 30:3 the Lord your God will reverse your captivity and have pity on you. He will turn and gather you from all the peoples among whom he has scattered you. 30:4 Even if your exiles are in the most distant land, from there the Lord your God will gather you and bring you back. 30:5 Then he will bring you to the land your ancestors possessed and you also will possess it; he will do better for you and multiply you more than he did your ancestors. 30:6 The Lord your God will also cleanse your heart and the hearts of your descendants so that you may love him with all your mind and being and so that you may live. 30:7 Then the Lord your God will put all these curses on your enemies, on those who hate you and persecute you. 30:8 You will return and obey the Lord, keeping all his commandments I am giving you today. 30:9 The Lord your God will make the labor of your hands abundantly successful and multiply your children, the offspring of your cattle, and the produce of your soil. For the Lord your God will once more rejoice over you to make you prosperous just as he rejoiced over your ancestors, 30:10 if you obey the Lord your God and keep his commandments and statutes that are written in this scroll of the law. But you must turn to him with your whole mind and being.
Exhortation to Covenant Obedience
30:11 “This commandment I am giving you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it too remote. 30:12 It is not in heaven, as though one must say, “Who will go up to heaven to get it for us and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 30:13 And it is not across the sea, as though one must say, “Who will cross over to the other side of the sea and get it for us and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 30:14 For the thing is very near you – it is in your mouth and in your mind so that you can do it.
30:15 “Look! I have set before you today life and prosperity on the one hand, and death and disaster on the other. 30:16 What I am commanding you today is to love the Lord your God, to walk in his ways, and to obey his commandments, his statutes, and his ordinances. Then you will live and become numerous and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you are about to possess. 30:17 However, if you turn aside and do not obey, but are lured away to worship and serve other gods, 30:18 I declare to you this very day that you will certainly perish! You will not extend your time in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess. 30:19 Today I invoke heaven and earth as a witness against you that I have set life and death, blessing and curse, before you. Therefore choose life so that you and your descendants may live! 30:20 I also call on you to love the Lord your God, to obey him and be loyal to him, for he gives you life and enables you to live continually in the land the Lord promised to give to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
Lord, You never keep us in the dark about the consequences of our choices. May I pause and pray and reconsider, as Your Holy Spirit guides, before making decisions which consequences I am in any way in doubt. You bless us as much as we damaged vessels may hold, and You hold us accountable for our choices. May I seek Your healing from my imperfect faith that this vessel may be useful to You in pouring Yourself in and through me to others. You know that we are often foolish and chronically-rebellious. May Your Holy Spirit find me teachable that I may learn to live by Your wisdom and follow Your path for my life.
The Lord God had Moses remind the people of all of His covenant promises to bless them.
He concluded the recitation of blessings with the conditional “... if you obey his commandments which I am urging you today to be careful to do. But you must not turn away from all the commandments I am giving you today, to either the right or left, nor pursue other gods and worship them.”
He then followed the list of blessings, and the condition of obedience to continue to receive them, with the corollary reverse-blessing list of curses which would befall them should they choose to violate their covenant with God.
Moses, at the Lord God’s prompting, reminded the Israelites of what He had done for them.
He then reminded them that God had not yet given them “... an understanding mind, perceptive eyes, or discerning ears”, not because He did not want that for them, their rebellious natures made them unsuitable vessels.
God had caused Moses to assemble the entire nation of Israel because He wanted to make it clear that the covenant was not only with Moses or even the elders but with every Israelite no matter his or her age, gender, or social status.
The Lord God warned than no one among His covenant people must rebel and worship false Gods or else trouble would come to all.
Moses describes for the Israelites God’s willingness to restore them if, due to their disobedient rebellion they find themselves scattered and in captivity, and reminds them that God’s condition; they must then “... turn to him with your whole mind and being.”
The Lord God communicated to the Israelites that they were without excuse; not able to claim that the expectations of them were hidden in Heaven or across the sea, but that they had full knowledge of His expectations “What I am commanding you today is to love the Lord your God, to walk in his ways, and to obey his commandments, his statutes, and his ordinances.”
He reminded them of His desired blessings and His certain punishment and then a remind as to Who He was to them “... he gives you life and enables you to live continually in the land the Lord promised to give to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
The desire of God to bless His created humankind has not ceased since the Garden of Eden, neither has our propensity to rebel. The choices of each member of the nation of Israel had an impact upon the others. The Lord God warned them that their future depended upon their future choices.
Can you think of any way the Lord God could have made the consequences of obedience versus disobedience more plain to the Israelites? What may have been reaction to the sudden and profound sense of accountability and conviction when everyone was informed that God’s covenant, for blessing or curse, was made directly with each of them? (Prior to this time the people had rationalized that Moses was their intermediary and therefore they could make poor choices and he would intervene on their behalf.) With all that God had done, and this very clear warning, how could any Israelite not obey – if not in loving gratefulness then in abject terror?
The list of curses should have frightened anyone and everyone into the obedience that results from enlightened self-interest if the list of blessings had not drawn them into grateful obedience. There are some things that are secrets that belong to God alone, we don’t need to know all the answers to submit to His perfect Lordship. How different are we, knowing that God sees all, we still rebel and make ourselves poor vessels for blessing?
When have you known that the consequences of two choices represented radically opposite good and bad experiences for you and you still chose to risk the bad? When have you been in a fellowship where the impact of the unrighteous choice(s) of one of your fellow members had a profound impact? When have you known the right thing to do and the probable consequences of the wrong choice yet you persisted in doing what was wrong? What happened?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where your poor choices are having a negative effect on your family, your friends, and/or your fellowship.
Today I will partner closely with the Holy Spirit to investigate carefully and fully the decision ahead for which the consequences are extreme and opposite. I will submit to His gift of wisdom, despite the desires of my flesh, and choose His best path for my life. I will share this experience with a fellow believer as an encouragement to them to do the same, and as a praise report of the loving-care of God in my life. I will repent of my unrighteous choice(s) and partner with the Holy Spirit to purge them from my life. I will share this challenge with one other believer, or as-appropriate with a small group, and ask them to pray in-agreement for my faithfulness and to help hold me accountable. I will confess and repent of my wrong choice and allow the Holy Spirit to restore me to a more-whole relationship with Him.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Succession of Moses by Joshua
31:1 Then Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel. 31:2 He said to them, “Today I am a hundred and twenty years old. I am no longer able to get about, and the Lord has said to me, ‘You will not cross the Jordan.’ 31:3 As for the Lord your God, he is about to cross over before you; he will destroy these nations before you and dispossess them. As for Joshua, he is about to cross before you just as the Lord has said. 31:4 The Lord will do to them just what he did to Sihon and Og, the Amorite kings, and to their land, which he destroyed. 31:5 The Lord will deliver them over to you and you will do to them according to the whole commandment I have given you. 31:6 Be strong and courageous! Do not fear or tremble before them, for the Lord your God is the one who is going with you. He will not fail you or abandon you!” 31:7 Then Moses called out to Joshua in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you will accompany these people to the land that the Lord promised to give their ancestors, and you will enable them to inherit it. 31:8 The Lord is indeed going before you – he will be with you; he will not fail you or abandon you. Do not be afraid or discouraged!”
The Deposit of the Covenant Text
31:9 Then Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the Levitical priests, who carry the ark of the Lord’s covenant, and to all Israel’s elders. 31:10 He commanded them: “At the end of seven years, at the appointed time of the cancellation of debts, at the Feast of Temporary Shelters, 31:11 when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God in the place he chooses, you must read this law before them within their hearing. 31:12 Gather the people – men, women, and children, as well as the resident foreigners in your villages – so they may hear and thus learn about and fear the Lord your God and carefully obey all the words of this law. 31:13 Then their children, who have not known this law, will also hear about and learn to fear the Lord your God for as long as you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”
The Commissioning of Joshua
31:14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “The day of your death is near. Summon Joshua and present yourselves in the tent of meeting so that I can commission him.” So Moses and Joshua presented themselves in the tent of meeting. 31:15 The Lord appeared in the tent in a pillar of cloud that stood above the door of the tent. 31:16 Then the Lord said to Moses, “You are about to die, and then these people will begin to prostitute themselves with the foreign gods of the land into which they are going. They will reject me and break my covenant that I have made with them. 31:17 At that time my anger will erupt against them and I will abandon them and hide my face from them until they are devoured. Many disasters and distresses will overcome them so that they will say at that time, ‘Have not these disasters overcome us because our God is not among us?’ 31:18 But I will certainly hide myself at that time because of all the wickedness they will have done by turning to other gods. 31:19 Now write down for yourselves the following song and teach it to the Israelites. Put it into their very mouths so that this song may serve as my witness against the Israelites! 31:20 For after I have brought them to the land I promised to their ancestors – one flowing with milk and honey – and they eat their fill and become fat, then they will turn to other gods and worship them; they will reject me and break my covenant. 31:21 Then when many disasters and distresses overcome them this song will testify against them, for their descendants will not forget it. I know the intentions they have in mind today, even before I bring them to the land I have promised.” 31:22 So on that day Moses wrote down this song and taught it to the Israelites, 31:23 and the Lord commissioned Joshua son of Nun, “Be strong and courageous, for you will take the Israelites to the land I have promised them, and I will be with you.”
Anticipation of Disobedience
31:24 When Moses finished writing on a scroll the words of this law in their entirety, 31:25 he commanded the Levites who carried the ark of the Lord’s covenant, 31:26 “Take this scroll of the law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God. It will remain there as a witness against you, 31:27 for I know about your rebellion and stubbornness. Indeed, even while I have been living among you to this very day, you have rebelled against the Lord; you will be even more rebellious after my death! 31:28 Gather to me all your tribal elders and officials so I can speak to them directly about these things and call the heavens and the earth to witness against them. 31:29 For I know that after I die you will totally corrupt yourselves and turn away from the path I have commanded you to walk. Disaster will confront you in the days to come because you will act wickedly before the Lord, inciting him to anger because of your actions.” 31:30 Then Moses recited the words of this song from start to finish in the hearing of the whole assembly of Israel.
Invocation of Witnesses
32:1 Listen, O heavens, and I will speak;
hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
32:2 My teaching will drop like the rain,
my sayings will drip like the dew,
as rain drops upon the grass,
and showers upon new growth.
32:3 For I will proclaim the name of the Lord;
you must acknowledge the greatness of our God.
32:4 As for the Rock, his work is perfect,
for all his ways are just.
He is a reliable God who is never unjust,
he is fair and upright.
32:5 His people have been unfaithful to him;
they have not acted like his children – this is their sin.
They are a perverse and deceitful generation.
32:6 Is this how you repay the Lord,
you foolish, unwise people?
Is he not your father, your creator?
He has made you and established you.
32:7 Remember the ancient days;
bear in mind the years of past generations.
Ask your father and he will inform you,
your elders, and they will tell you.
32:8 When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance,
when he divided up humankind,
he set the boundaries of the peoples,
according to the number of the heavenly assembly.
32:9 For the Lord’s allotment is his people,
Jacob is his special possession.
32:10 The Lord found him in a desolate land,
in an empty wasteland where animals howl.
He continually guarded him and taught him;
he continually protected him like the pupil of his eye.
32:11 Like an eagle that stirs up its nest,
that hovers over its young,
so the Lord spread out his wings and took him,
he lifted him up on his pinions.
32:12 The Lord alone was guiding him,
no foreign god was with him.
32:13 He enabled him to travel over the high terrain of the land,
and he ate of the produce of the fields.
He provided honey for him from the cliffs,
and olive oil from the hardest of rocks,
32:14 butter from the herd
and milk from the flock,
along with the fat of lambs,
rams and goats of Bashan,
along with the best of the kernels of wheat;
and from the juice of grapes you drank wine.
Israel’s Rebellion
32:15 But Jeshurun became fat and kicked,
you got fat, thick, and stuffed!
Then he deserted the God who made him,
and treated the Rock who saved him with contempt.
32:16 They made him jealous with other gods,
they enraged him with abhorrent idols.
32:17 They sacrificed to demons, not God,
to gods they had not known;
to new gods who had recently come along,
gods your ancestors had not known about.
32:18 You have forgotten the Rock who fathered you,
and put out of mind the God who gave you birth.
A Word of Judgment
32:19 But the Lord took note and despised them
because his sons and daughters enraged him.
32:20 He said, “I will reject them,
I will see what will happen to them;
for they are a perverse generation,
children who show no loyalty.
32:21 They have made me jealous with false gods,
enraging me with their worthless gods;
so I will make them jealous with a people they do not recognize,
with a nation slow to learn I will enrage them.
32:22 For a fire has been kindled by my anger,
and it burns to lowest Sheol;
it consumes the earth and its produce,
and ignites the foundations of the mountains.
32:23 I will increase their disasters,
I will use up my arrows on them.
32:24 They will be starved by famine,
eaten by plague, and bitterly stung;
I will send the teeth of wild animals against them,
along with the poison of creatures that crawl in the dust.
32:25 The sword will make people childless outside,
and terror will do so inside;
they will destroy both the young man and the virgin,
the infant and the gray-haired man.
The Weakness of Other Gods
32:26 “I said, ‘I want to cut them in pieces.
I want to make people forget they ever existed.
32:27 But I fear the reaction of their enemies,
for their adversaries would misunderstand
and say, “Our power is great,
and the Lord has not done all this!”‘
32:28 They are a nation devoid of wisdom,
and there is no understanding among them.
32:29 I wish that they were wise and could understand this,
and that they could comprehend what will happen to them.”
32:30 How can one man chase a thousand of them,
and two pursue ten thousand;
unless their Rock had delivered them up,
and the Lord had handed them over?
32:31 For our enemies’ rock is not like our Rock,
as even our enemies concede.
32:32 For their vine is from the stock of Sodom,
and from the fields of Gomorrah.
Their grapes contain venom,
their clusters of grapes are bitter.
32:33 Their wine is snakes’ poison,
the deadly venom of cobras.
32:34 “Is this not stored up with me?” says the Lord,
“Is it not sealed up in my storehouses?
32:35 I will get revenge and pay them back
at the time their foot slips;
for the day of their disaster is near,
and the impending judgment is rushing upon them!”
32:36 The Lord will judge his people,
and will change his plans concerning his servants;
when he sees that their power has disappeared,
and that no one is left, whether confined or set free.
32:37 He will say, “Where are their gods,
the rock in whom they sought security,
32:38 who ate the best of their sacrifices,
and drank the wine of their drink offerings?
Let them rise and help you;
let them be your refuge!
The Vindication of the Lord
32:39 “See now that I, indeed I, am he!” says the Lord,
“and there is no other god besides me.
I kill and give life,
I smash and I heal,
and none can resist my power.
32:40 For I raise up my hand to heaven,
and say, ‘As surely as I live forever,
32:41 I will sharpen my lightning-like sword,
and my hand will grasp hold of the weapon of judgment;
I will execute vengeance on my foes,
and repay those who hate me!
32:42 I will make my arrows drunk with blood,
and my sword will devour flesh –
the blood of the slaughtered and captured,
the chief of the enemy’s leaders!’”
32:43 Cry out, O nations, with his people,
for he will avenge his servants’ blood;
he will take vengeance against his enemies,
and make atonement for his land and people.
Narrative Interlude
32:44 Then Moses went with Joshua son of Nun and recited all the words of this song to the people. 32:45 When Moses finished reciting all these words to all Israel 32:46 he said to them, “Keep in mind all the words I am solemnly proclaiming to you today; you must command your children to observe carefully all the words of this law. 32:47 For this is no idle word for you – it is your life! By this word you will live a long time in the land you are about to cross the Jordan to possess.”
Instructions about Moses’ Death
32:48 Then the Lord said to Moses that same day, 32:49 “Go up to this Abarim hill country, to Mount Nebo (which is in the land of Moab opposite Jericho) and look at the land of Canaan that I am giving to the Israelites as a possession. 32:50 You will die on the mountain that you ascend and join your deceased ancestors, just as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor and joined his deceased ancestors, 32:51 for both of you rebelled against me among the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the desert of Zin when you did not show me proper respect among the Israelites. 32:52 You will see the land before you, but you will not enter the land that I am giving to the Israelites.”
Lord, You know our hearts, and so You know the foolish rebellion that resides within. May I not be so foolish as to imagine that I can hide anything from You but to instead live in Your truth. You have been so patient with Your people, then and now. You forgive and reconcile and restore, but that does not remove the scars of our rebellion. May I not stray far from You.
Moses informed the Israelites that he would not be traveling into the promised land with them but that Joshua would lead them in that next phase of their national history. He reminded them of what God had done to remove enemies from their path in the path as he encouraged them to not fear any who stood in their way.
Moses wrote down the covenant that he had been communicating to them from the Lord God and placed next to the Ark of the Covenant and instructed them to read it in seven years when God summoned them to a gathering place.
The Lord God called Moses and Joshua together at the Tent of Meeting where He commissioned Joshua and informed them both that once the Israelites had successfully conquered the promised land they would become careless and drift into the ways of the pagans and He would withdraw from their presence – resulting in all of the curses falling upon them.
He gave to Moses a song of encouragement for the people to share when they were scattered and in captivity. Moses recorded it and then he gathered the elders and warned them that God knew the hearts of the people contained the seeds of rebellion, that their rebellion would result in disaster, and then he taught them the song God had given him.
Moses recited, in a poetic/song form, a history of God’s faithfulness in contrast to the unfaithfulness of the people.
He told them of God’s great power, exercised to bless and protect them, and the consequences of their rebellion which caused Him to withdraw from them.
He told them of God’s forgiveness and grace and mercy, His desire to reconcile and restore, and His intent to punish those who attack and abuse His people.
Moses reminded the people to teach the story to the children so that none would forget.
The Lord then called Moses to the mountain where he could view the promised land but could not enter as he has disrespected God before the people in the desert when angrily and pridefully taking credit for bringing the water from the stone on the second such occasion.
God did not simply ask the Israelites to trust Him but to remember His past faithfulness and then to trust in His future promises. The Lord God reminds the people that when they draw near to Him they are blessed and when they move away from Him they suffer.
What kind of love already provides a path to forgiveness and mercy, reconciliation and restoration even though it already knows the rebellion is coming? Why was the disrespect shown God by Moses significant enough to block him from entering the promised land?
Even knowing that the Israelites would rebel God intended to keep His promise, His part of the covenant, and bring them into the promised land. At the same time God warned the people that their rebellious hearts would lead them away from His blessings He also promised them hope – if they turned back to Him He would rescue them.
When have you told someone that even if they make wrong choices you would still love them and that you would still come to the line of reconciliation? When have you observed the consequences of a leader abusing authority for their own benefit?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where there is a seed of rebellion against God in you and to reveal to you a place in your life where you have drifted from the Lord and are suffering ill-consequences.
Today I will recognize and confess that weak place in my life that the Holy Spirit has revealed. I will partner in prayer and repentance with the Holy Spirit, and one who is Biblically qualified as an elder, to walk through the process of purging my heart and mind of one dark place in me. I will share the testimony of God’s cleansing-healing of me with a new or stuck believer as an encouragement to them. I will confess, request and receive forgiveness, and repent (turn away) from my rebellion, however small it may seem to me. I will ask a fellow believer to partner with me, and the Holy Spirit, in accountability and prayer as I more-fully surrender to the Lordship of Christ through the Holy Spirit in this troubled area of my life.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Introduction to the Blessing of Moses
33:1 This is the blessing Moses the man of God pronounced upon the Israelites before his death. 33:2 He said:
A Historical Review
The Lord came from Sinai
and revealed himself to Israel from Seir.
He appeared in splendor from Mount Paran,
and came forth with ten thousand holy ones.
With his right hand he gave a fiery law to them.
33:3 Surely he loves the people;
all your holy ones are in your power.
And they sit at your feet,
each receiving your words.
33:4 Moses delivered to us a law,
an inheritance for the assembly of Jacob.
33:5 The Lord was king over Jeshurun,
when the leaders of the people assembled,
the tribes of Israel together.
Blessing on Reuben
33:6 May Reuben live and not die,
and may his people multiply.
Blessing on Judah
33:7 And this is the blessing to Judah. He said,
Listen, O Lord, to Judah’s voice,
and bring him to his people.
May his power be great,
and may you help him against his foes.
Blessing on Levi
33:8 Of Levi he said:
Your Thummim and Urim belong to your godly one,
whose authority you challenged at Massah,
and with whom you argued at the waters of Meribah.
33:9 He said to his father and mother, “I have not seen him,”
and he did not acknowledge his own brothers
or know his own children,
for they kept your word,
and guarded your covenant.
33:10 They will teach Jacob your ordinances
and Israel your law;
they will offer incense as a pleasant odor,
and a whole offering on your altar.
33:11 Bless, O Lord, his goods,
and be pleased with his efforts;
undercut the legs of any who attack him,
and of those who hate him, so that they cannot stand.
Blessing on Benjamin
33:12 Of Benjamin he said:
The beloved of the Lord will live safely by him;
he protects him all the time,
and the Lord places him on his chest.
Blessing on Joseph
33:13 Of Joseph he said:
May the Lord bless his land
with the harvest produced by the sky, by the dew,
and by the depths crouching beneath;
33:14 with the harvest produced by the daylight
and by the moonlight;
33:15 with the best of the ancient mountains
and the harvest produced by the age-old hills;
33:16 with the harvest of the earth and its fullness
and the pleasure of him who resided in the burning bush.
May blessing rest on Joseph’s head,
and on the top of the head of the one set apart from his brothers.
33:17 May the firstborn of his bull bring him honor,
and may his horns be those of a wild ox;
with them may he gore all peoples,
all the far reaches of the earth.
They are the ten thousands of Ephraim,
and they are the thousands of Manasseh.
Blessing on Zebulun and Issachar
33:18 Of Zebulun he said:
Rejoice, Zebulun, when you go outside,
and Issachar, when you are in your tents.
33:19 They will summon peoples to the mountain,
there they will sacrifice proper sacrifices;
for they will enjoy the abundance of the seas,
and the hidden treasures of the shores.
Blessing on Gad
33:20 Of Gad he said:
Blessed be the one who enlarges Gad.
Like a lioness he will dwell;
he will tear at an arm – indeed, a scalp.
33:21 He has selected the best part for himself,
for the portion of the ruler is set aside there;
he came with the leaders of the people,
he obeyed the righteous laws of the Lord
and his ordinances with Israel.
Blessing on Dan
33:22 Of Dan he said:
Dan is a lion’s cub;
he will leap forth from Bashan.
Blessing on Naphtali
33:23 Of Naphtali he said:
O Naphtali, overflowing with favor,
and full of the Lord’s blessing,
possess the west and south.
Blessing on Asher
33:24 Of Asher he said:
Asher is blessed with children,
may he be favored by his brothers
and may he dip his foot in olive oil.
33:25 The bars of your gates will be made of iron and bronze,
and may you have lifelong strength.
General Praise and Blessing
33:26 There is no one like God, O Jeshurun,
who rides through the sky to help you,
on the clouds in majesty.
33:27 The everlasting God is a refuge,
and underneath you are his eternal arms;
he has driven out enemies before you,
and has said, “Destroy!”
33:28 Israel lives in safety,
the fountain of Jacob is quite secure,
in a land of grain and new wine;
indeed, its heavens rain down dew.
33:29 You have joy, Israel! Who is like you?
You are a people delivered by the Lord,
your protective shield
and your exalted sword.
May your enemies cringe before you;
may you trample on their backs.
The Death of Moses
34:1 Then Moses ascended from the deserts of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the summit of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho. The Lord showed him the whole land – Gilead to Dan, 34:2 and all of Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the distant sea, 34:3 the Negev, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of the date palm trees, as far as Zoar. 34:4 Then the Lord said to him, “This is the land I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it, but you will not cross over there.”
34:5 So Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab as the Lord had said. 34:6 He buried him in the land of Moab near Beth Peor, but no one knows his exact burial place to this very day. 34:7 Moses was 120 years old when he died, but his eye was not dull nor had his vitality departed. 34:8 The Israelites mourned for Moses in the deserts of Moab for thirty days; then the days of mourning for Moses ended.
The Epitaph of Moses
34:9 Now Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had placed his hands on him; and the Israelites listened to him and did just what the Lord had commanded Moses. 34:10 No prophet ever again arose in Israel like Moses, who knew the Lord face to face. 34:11 He did all the signs and wonders the Lord had sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh, all his servants, and the whole land, 34:12 and he displayed great power and awesome might in view of all Israel.
Psalm 91
91:1 As for you, the one who lives in the shelter of the sovereign One, and resides in the protective shadow of the mighty king –
91:2 I say this about the Lord, my shelter and my stronghold, my God in whom I trust –
91:3 he will certainly rescue you from the snare of the hunter and from the destructive plague.
91:4 He will shelter you with his wings; you will find safety under his wings. His faithfulness is like a shield or a protective wall.
91:5 You need not fear the terrors of the night, the arrow that flies by day,
91:6 the plague that comes in the darkness, or the disease that comes at noon.
91:7 Though a thousand may fall beside you, and a multitude on your right side, it will not reach you.
91:8 Certainly you will see it with your very own eyes – you will see the wicked paid back.
91:9 For you have taken refuge in the Lord, my shelter, the sovereign One.
91:10 No harm will overtake you; no illness will come near your home.
91:11 For he will order his angels to protect you in all you do.
91:12 They will lift you up in their hands, so you will not slip and fall on a stone.
91:13 You will subdue a lion and a snake; you will trample underfoot a young lion and a serpent.
91:14 The Lord says, “Because he is devoted to me, I will deliver him; I will protect him because he is loyal to me.
91:15 When he calls out to me, I will answer him. I will be with him when he is in trouble; I will rescue him and bring him honor.
91:16 I will satisfy him with long life, and will let him see my salvation.
Lord, You are a faithful and loving God across the generations. May I praise You name and trust You always.
Moses, just prior to his death, reviewed for the Israelites the blessings that the Lord God had promised and delivered to the Israelites, specifically to each of the tribes.
In his summary of general blessings upon the Israelites he intentionally used the title “Jeshurun”, which the NET translators define as meaning “be upright” - so that there was a clear understanding that God’s blessings were for an obedient people.
The Lord God showed Moses the promised land, from the mountaintop across the Jordan River, and then Moses died at 120 years of age and was buried in Moab.
Moses was the last prophet to have a nearly face to face level of contact with God. Joshua assumed leadership and the people generally followed him along the path Moses had announced from God.
The Psalm of praise of Moses reflects the nature of his intimate relationship with the Lord God and the love and reverence that flowed from it.
Moses made certain that before he died, and Joshua led the people into the promised land, they remembered what God had promised and had done for their tribes and for their nation as a whole.
Imagine being a member of a tribe of Israel and hearing Moses recite the blessing of God that was specifically promised to your tribe – what honor, sense of purpose, and value would that create and what willingness to sacrifice as He might ask?
Joshua’s credibility with the people would flow from God’s anointing, Moses’s affirmation, and from his role as God’s tool in fulfilling His plan to bring them into the promised land.
When have you been commissioned to lead others in the fulfillment of a mission to which they had agreed and in which they found a lot of shared-value? Was your task made easier, in contrast to leading people without a clear vested self-interest in the project, as a result?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you some way that you may be useful in His great plan.
Today I will joyfully receive the call of the Lord and prayerfully seek wisdom as to how I may serve Him. I will consult one who meets the Biblical definition of an elder for prayer and Biblical perspective to be certain that I have heard rightly from the Holy Spirit.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 23
The Lord Commissions Joshua
1:1 After Moses the Lord’s servant died, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant: 1:2 “Moses my servant is dead. Get ready! Cross the Jordan River! Lead these people into the land which I am ready to hand over to them. 1:3 I am handing over to you every place you set foot, as I promised Moses. 1:4 Your territory will extend from the wilderness in the south to Lebanon in the north. It will extend all the way to the great River Euphrates in the east (including all of Syria) and all the way to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 1:5 No one will be able to resist you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not abandon you or leave you alone. 1:6 Be strong and brave! You must lead these people in the conquest of this land that I solemnly promised their ancestors I would hand over to them. 1:7 Make sure you are very strong and brave! Carefully obey all the law my servant Moses charged you to keep! Do not swerve from it to the right or to the left, so that you may be successful in all you do. 1:8 This law scroll must not leave your lips! You must memorize it day and night so you can carefully obey all that is written in it. Then you will prosper and be successful. 1:9 I repeat, be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic, for I, the Lord your God, am with you in all you do.”
Joshua Prepares for the Invasion
1:10 Joshua instructed the leaders of the people: 1:11 “Go through the camp and command the people, ‘Prepare your supplies, for within three days you will cross the Jordan River and begin the conquest of the land the Lord your God is ready to hand over to you.’”
1:12 Joshua told the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh: 1:13 “Remember what Moses the Lord’s servant commanded you. The Lord your God is giving you a place to settle and is handing this land over to you. 1:14 Your wives, children and cattle may stay in the land that Moses assigned to you east of the Jordan River. But all you warriors must cross over armed for battle ahead of your brothers. You must help them 1:15 until the Lord gives your brothers a place like yours to settle and they conquer the land the Lord your God is ready to hand over to them. Then you may go back to your allotted land and occupy the land Moses the Lord’s servant assigned you east of the Jordan.”
1:16 They told Joshua, “We will do everything you say. We will go wherever you send us. 1:17 Just as we obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. But may the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses! 1:18 Any man who rebels against what you say and does not obey all your commands will be executed. But be strong and brave!”
Joshua Sends Spies into the Land
2:1 Joshua son of Nun sent two spies out from Shittim secretly and instructed them: “Find out what you can about the land, especially Jericho.” They stopped at the house of a prostitute named Rahab and spent the night there. 2:2 The king of Jericho received this report: “Note well! Israelite men have come here tonight to spy on the land.” 2:3 So the king of Jericho sent this order to Rahab: “Turn over the men who came to you – the ones who came to your house – for they have come to spy on the whole land!” 2:4 But the woman hid the two men and replied, “Yes, these men were clients of mine, but I didn’t know where they came from. 2:5 When it was time to shut the city gate for the night, the men left. I don’t know where they were heading. Chase after them quickly, for you have time to catch them!” 2:6 (Now she had taken them up to the roof and had hidden them in the stalks of flax she had spread out on the roof.) 2:7 Meanwhile the king’s men tried to find them on the road to the Jordan River near the fords. The city gate was shut as soon as they set out in pursuit of them.
2:8 Now before the spies went to sleep, Rahab went up to the roof. 2:9 She said to the men, “I know the Lord is handing this land over to you. We are absolutely terrified of you, and all who live in the land are cringing before you. 2:10 For we heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you left Egypt and how you annihilated the two Amorite kings, Sihon and Og, on the other side of the Jordan. 2:11 When we heard the news we lost our courage and no one could even breathe for fear of you. For the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below! 2:12 So now, promise me this with an oath sworn in the Lord’s name. Because I have shown allegiance to you, show allegiance to my family. Give me a solemn pledge 2:13 that you will spare the lives of my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and all who belong to them, and rescue us from death.” 2:14 The men said to her, “If you die, may we die too! If you do not report what we’ve been up to, then, when the Lord hands the land over to us, we will show unswerving allegiance to you.”
2:15 Then Rahab let them down by a rope through the window. (Her house was built as part of the city wall; she lived in the wall.) 2:16 She told them, “Head to the hill country, so the ones chasing you don’t find you. Hide from them there for three days, long enough for those chasing you to return. Then you can be on your way.” 2:17 The men said to her, “We are not bound by this oath you made us swear unless the following conditions are met: 2:18 When we invade the land, tie this red rope in the window through which you let us down, and gather together in your house your father, mother, brothers, and all who live in your father’s house. 2:19 Anyone who leaves your house will be responsible for his own death – we are innocent in that case! But if anyone with you in the house is harmed, we will be responsible. 2:20 If you should report what we’ve been up to, we are not bound by this oath you made us swear.” 2:21 She said, “I agree to these conditions.” She sent them on their way and then tied the red rope in the window. 2:22 They went to the hill country and stayed there for three days, long enough for those chasing them to return. Their pursuers looked all along the way but did not find them. 2:23 Then the two men returned – they came down from the hills, crossed the river, came to Joshua son of Nun, and reported to him all they had discovered. 2:24 They told Joshua, “Surely the Lord is handing over all the land to us! All who live in the land are cringing before us!”
Israel Crosses the Jordan
3:1 Bright and early the next morning Joshua and the Israelites left Shittim and came to the Jordan. They camped there before crossing the river. 3:2 After three days the leaders went through the camp 3:3 and commanded the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God being carried by the Levitical priests, you must leave here and walk behind it. 3:4 But stay about three thousand feet behind it. Keep your distance so you can see which way you should go, for you have not traveled this way before.”
3:5 Joshua told the people, “Ritually consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will perform miraculous deeds among you.” 3:6 Joshua told the priests, “Pick up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they picked up the ark of the covenant and went ahead of the people.
3:7 The Lord told Joshua, “This very day I will begin to honor you before all Israel so they will know that I am with you just as I was with Moses. 3:8 Instruct the priests carrying the ark of the covenant, ‘When you reach the bank of the Jordan River, wade into the water.’”
3:9 Joshua told the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God!” 3:10 Joshua continued, “This is how you will know the living God is among you and that he will truly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites. 3:11 Look! The ark of the covenant of the Ruler of the whole earth is ready to enter the Jordan ahead of you. 3:12 Now select for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one per tribe. 3:13 When the feet of the priests carrying the ark of the Lord, the Ruler of the whole earth, touch the water of the Jordan, the water coming downstream toward you will stop flowing and pile up.”
3:14 So when the people left their tents to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. 3:15 When the ones carrying the ark reached the Jordan and the feet of the priests carrying the ark touched the surface of the water – (the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest time) – 3:16 the water coming downstream toward them stopped flowing. It piled up far upstream at Adam (the city near Zarethan); there was no water at all flowing to the sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea). The people crossed the river opposite Jericho. 3:17 The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan. All Israel crossed over on dry ground until the entire nation was on the other side.
Israel Commemorates the Crossing
4:1 When the entire nation was on the other side, the Lord told Joshua, 4:2 “Select for yourselves twelve men from the people, one per tribe. 4:3 Instruct them, ‘Pick up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests stand firmly, and carry them over with you and put them in the place where you camp tonight.’”
4:4 Joshua summoned the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one per tribe. 4:5 Joshua told them, “Go in front of the ark of the Lord your God to the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to put a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the Israelite tribes. 4:6 The stones will be a reminder to you. When your children ask someday, ‘Why are these stones important to you?’ 4:7 tell them how the water of the Jordan stopped flowing before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the water of the Jordan stopped flowing. These stones will be a lasting memorial for the Israelites.”
4:8 The Israelites did just as Joshua commanded. They picked up twelve stones, according to the number of the Israelite tribes, from the middle of the Jordan as the Lord had instructed Joshua. They carried them over with them to the camp and put them there. 4:9 Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan in the very place where the priests carrying the ark of the covenant stood. They remain there to this very day.
4:10 Now the priests carrying the ark of the covenant were standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the Lord had commanded Joshua to tell the people was accomplished, in accordance with all that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people went across quickly, 4:11 and when all the people had finished crossing, the ark of the Lord and the priests crossed as the people looked on. 4:12 The Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed for battle ahead of the Israelites, just as Moses had instructed them. 4:13 About forty thousand battle-ready troops marched past the Lord to fight on the plains of Jericho. 4:14 That day the Lord brought honor to Joshua before all Israel. They respected him all his life, just as they had respected Moses.
4:15 The Lord told Joshua, 4:16 “Instruct the priests carrying the ark of the covenantal laws to come up from the Jordan.” 4:17 So Joshua instructed the priests, “Come up from the Jordan!” 4:18 The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord came up from the middle of the Jordan, and as soon as they set foot on dry land, the water of the Jordan flowed again and returned to flood stage.
4:19 The people went up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month and camped in Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho. 4:20 Now Joshua set up in Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan. 4:21 He told the Israelites, “When your children someday ask their fathers, ‘What do these stones represent?’ 4:22 explain to your children, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan River on dry ground.’ 4:23 For the Lord your God dried up the water of the Jordan before you while you crossed over. It was just like when the Lord your God dried up the Red Sea before us while we crossed it. 4:24 He has done this so all the nations of the earth might recognize the Lord’s power and so you might always obey the Lord your God.”
Lord, You are our strength, You are our truth, You are our power, and You are our wisdom. May I dwell upon Your glory and love, learn, remember and share Your Word, and follow you all of my days. You go on ahead and prepare the way, may I obey You with confidence. You make a way for us where there seems no way. May I trust You always.
The Lord God instructed Joshua to get about the business of taking the promised land as He desired to complete His promise of that land to their ancestors.
While God instructed Joshua to be bold and fearless, because He would vanquish their enemies before them, He also reminded Joshua that everything was conditioned upon their faithfulness
“Carefully obey all the law my servant Moses charged you to keep! Do not swerve from it to the right or to the left, so that you may be successful in all you do.”
Joshua gave the people three days notice to prepare to enter the promised land.
The Reubenites, Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh were reminded of their promise to accompany their fellow tribes before they returned to their homes on the other side of the Jordan – and in so doing they acknowledged that their loyalty to Joshua as leader was the same as that given to Moses.
Joshua sent spies into Jericho, as would any good general, and the Lord God guided them to the home of Rahab. Rahab lived along the fortified walls of Jericho as she was a prostitute.
Rahab reported to them that everyone was terrified because of the news they had heard of God’s great power exercised for Israel.
Word came to the king that the spies had visited Rahab so soldiers demanded that she surrender them. She had hidden them on the roof but told the soldiers that she didn’t know they were enemy spies and that they had just left the city before the gates were closed – then encouraged them to chase after them.
Rahab challenged the spies to promise to protect her extended family because she had given them information and hidden them from the soldiers and they agreed. They did require her to mark her home with a red rope and to have her family gathered in her home so they would know whom to protect.
She let them down by a rope and instructed them to flee to the hills and hide for 3days until the soldiers gave up their search. They did so and then reported to Joshua who was thus assured that the Lord had given them the city.
Joshua, as instructed by the Lord God, instructed the people to follow the Ark that the priests carried, so the huge populace could see where to go, but to do so at a distance of 3,000 feet.
The people were to told to “ritually consecrate” themselves, meaning both a literal religious ritual described in Deuteronomy and Leviticus, and an attitude of obedience and trust.
The Lord God informed Joshua that He would show the people that he, Joshua, was God’s chosen the same as Moses. He instructed Joshua to go ahead of the people and to wade into the water.
From there Joshua informed the people that they would know that God was going on ahead because when the priests entered the water it would part and create dry land for them to cross – even though the Jordan was at flood-level that time of year.
The priests did so and the whole nation crossed, then Joshua instructed that one elder from each of the 12 tribes select a stone from where the priests stood and bring them to Gilgal where the people rested on the other side. The piled stones were a remembrance of what God had done that day. Joshua also piled 12 stones in the Jordan where the priests stood.
When the priests left the Jordan it returned to it normal flood-stage flow.
Joshua inherited the same stiff-necked people as had troubled Moses for so long, he inherited a small modern city-sized population of nearly a million, and he inherited leadership of a military campaign and population settlement project never before seen on earth. The Jordan was a huge river that would have been enormously dangerous and powerful at flood- stage. Stopping it was a major demonstration of God’s power from the people’s perspective.
What might have been the feelings that flowed across the people and the tribes of Israel when the message of Joshua, that they would enter the promised land in three days, passed in waves across the great mass of people. The Lord God works in mysterious ways and He uses whomsoever He will to accomplish His ends. Would the first spies, 40 years prior, have had the courage and trust in God to take the risks that these men did? How could anyone who doubted the calling of Joshua still doubt when God stopped the Jordan when he stepped into the water and then directed the priests with the ark to do the same?
The Reubenites, Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh already had their land, their families and livestock were there, and they had built some fortifications. Now they would be gone for months or years alongside the other tribes. As frightened of the Israelites as were the people of Jericho, Rahab recognized God as supreme and that her self-interest in serving those who served Him, so she chose to side with God. Almost a million people crossed the Jordan on dry land in the middle of flood-stage season - no man (other than Caleb and Joshua) who was of military age or older was alive when the people crossed the Red Sea.
When have you been faced with a major change – how did the sudden reality of it wash over you emotionally? When have you been faced with an awkward and unexpected circumstance where God is clearly working and you had to act in faith despite great risk? How did things work out? When have you observed God making His presence known in an unmistakable way?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you what He has planned for you to do in His service in the near future. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal an opportunity for you to serve someone who is serving Him. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you how He has gone-ahead to clear the way for the ministry He has chosen for you.
Today I will prepare myself in prayer and be certain that I have good stewardship of my resources so that I may serve the Lord wherever and however He calls. Today I will prayerfully agree to partner with the Holy Spirit in support of someone to whom He has assigned a ministry, I will do so with full confidence and trust in God, and I will do so to the best of my ability. Today I will praise the Lord for His power and provision so that I may be well-used in His service. As He directs I will expand my existing ministry and/or engage a new one. I will do so prayerfully and in consultation with one who is Biblically qualified as an elder.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
5:1 When all the Amorite kings on the west side of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the seacoast heard how the Lord had dried up the water of the Jordan before the Israelites while they crossed, they lost their courage and could not even breathe for fear of the Israelites.
A New Generation is Circumcised
5:2 At that time the Lord told Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites once again.” 5:3 So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites on the Hill of the Foreskins. 5:4 This is why Joshua had to circumcise them: All the men old enough to fight when they left Egypt died on the journey through the desert after they left Egypt. 5:5 Now all the men who left were circumcised, but all the sons born on the journey through the desert after they left Egypt were uncircumcised. 5:6 Indeed, for forty years the Israelites traveled through the desert until all the men old enough to fight when they left Egypt, the ones who had disobeyed the Lord, died off. For the Lord had sworn a solemn oath to them that he would not let them see the land he had sworn on oath to give them, a land rich in milk and honey. 5:7 He replaced them with their sons, whom Joshua circumcised. They were uncircumcised; their fathers had not circumcised them along the way. 5:8 When all the men had been circumcised, they stayed there in the camp until they had healed. 5:9 The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have taken away the disgrace of Egypt from you.” So that place is called Gilgal even to this day.
5:10 So the Israelites camped in Gilgal and celebrated the Passover in the evening of the fourteenth day of the month on the plains of Jericho. 5:11 They ate some of the produce of the land the day after the Passover, including unleavened bread and roasted grain. 5:12 The manna stopped appearing the day they ate some of the produce of the land; the Israelites never ate manna again.
Israel Conquers Jericho
5:13 When Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him holding a drawn sword. Joshua approached him and asked him, “Are you on our side or allied with our enemies?” 5:14 He answered, “Truly I am the commander of the Lord’s army. Now I have arrived!” Joshua bowed down with his face to the ground and asked, “What does my master want to say to his servant?” 5:15 The commander of the Lord’s army answered Joshua, “Remove your sandals from your feet, because the place where you stand is holy.” Joshua did so.
6:1 Now Jericho was shut tightly because of the Israelites. No one was allowed to leave or enter. 6:2 The Lord told Joshua, “See, I am about to defeat Jericho for you, along with its king and its warriors. 6:3 Have all the warriors march around the city one time; do this for six days. 6:4 Have seven priests carry seven rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day march around the city seven times, while the priests blow the horns. 6:5 When you hear the signal from the ram’s horn, have the whole army give a loud battle cry. Then the city wall will collapse and the warriors should charge straight ahead.”
6:6 So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and instructed them, “Pick up the ark of the covenant, and seven priests must carry seven rams’ horns in front of the ark of the Lord.” 6:7 And he told the army, “Move ahead and march around the city, with armed troops going ahead of the ark of the Lord.”
6:8 When Joshua gave the army its orders, the seven priests carrying the seven rams’ horns before the Lord moved ahead and blew the horns as the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed behind. 6:9 Armed troops marched ahead of the priests blowing the horns, while the rear guard followed along behind the ark blowing rams’ horns. 6:10 Now Joshua had instructed the army, “Do not give a battle cry or raise your voices; say nothing until the day I tell you, ‘Give the battle cry.’ Then give the battle cry!” 6:11 So Joshua made sure they marched the ark of the Lord around the city one time. Then they went back to the camp and spent the night there.
6:12 Bright and early the next morning Joshua had the priests pick up the ark of the Lord. 6:13 The seven priests carrying the seven rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord marched along blowing their horns. Armed troops marched ahead of them, while the rear guard followed along behind the ark of the Lord blowing rams’ horns. 6:14 They marched around the city one time on the second day, then returned to the camp. They did this six days in all.
6:15 On the seventh day they were up at the crack of dawn and marched around the city as before – only this time they marched around it seven times. 6:16 The seventh time around, the priests blew the rams’ horns and Joshua told the army, “Give the battle cry, for the Lord is handing the city over to you! 6:17 The city and all that is in it must be set apart for the Lord, except for Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house, because she hid the spies we sent. 6:18 But be careful when you are setting apart the riches for the Lord. If you take any of it, you will make the Israelite camp subject to annihilation and cause a disaster. 6:19 All the silver and gold, as well as bronze and iron items, belong to the Lord. They must go into the Lord’s treasury.”
6:20 The rams’ horns sounded and when the army heard the signal, they gave a loud battle cry. The wall collapsed and the warriors charged straight ahead into the city and captured it. 6:21 They annihilated with the sword everything that breathed in the city, including men and women, young and old, as well as cattle, sheep, and donkeys. 6:22 Joshua told the two men who had spied on the land, “Enter the prostitute’s house and bring out the woman and all who belong to her as you promised her.” 6:23 So the young spies went and brought out Rahab, her father, mother, brothers, and all who belonged to her. They brought out her whole family and took them to a place outside the Israelite camp. 6:24 But they burned the city and all that was in it, except for the silver, gold, and bronze and iron items they put in the treasury of the Lord’s house. 6:25 Yet Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, her father’s family, and all who belonged to her. She lives in Israel to this very day because she hid the messengers Joshua sent to spy on Jericho. 6:26 At that time Joshua made this solemn declaration: “The man who attempts to rebuild this city of Jericho will stand condemned before the Lord. He will lose his firstborn son when he lays its foundations and his youngest son when he erects its gates!” 6:27 The Lord was with Joshua and he became famous throughout the land.
Lord, You are the power and we are Your tools, what You say will be will be. May Joshua be one of my Biblical role models for faithful service to You.
While all of the men of age to serve in the military at the time of the exodus had been circumcised, they and the elderly men died in the 40 years of wandering, but the younger men had never been circumcised.
The Lord God instructed Joshua to have them circumcised as they were ritually unclean. After a time of healing the people then celebrated Passover and ate of the local food – at which time the Manna ceased to fall and never was seen again.
What appeared to the eyes of Joshua to be a man appeared before him with a sword, so Joshua issued the common challenge, are you friend or foe. The bring answered that He was the commander of the armies of God. The implied message was that He was on the side of God, and therefore on the side of whoever was faithful to Him.
[Note: Joshua bowed to the “man” and referred to Him as “my Lord”. The being responded that he must remove his sandals because he was on “holy ground”. Two keys here are that the only other references to “holy ground” was when Moses in the presence of God on the mountain, and that in every other case of a person bowing to a mere angel there was an immediate instruction to stand as one only bows to God. Therefore, this suggests that Joshua was in the presence of either Jesus or the Holy Spirit.]
The Lord God then instructed Joshua to have the priests with the ark lead a silent procession around Jericho for six days, then on the seventh to make the circle seven times immediately concluded with a battle cry from the soldiers – at which moment He would cause the walls to collapse and the soldiers could charge directly into the city. Joshua gave that instruction and included a reminder to protect Rahab’s family and to dedicate all of the silver, gold, bronze, and iron to “the Lord’s service” [the priests].
It happened as the Lord God had said, everything in the city was destroyed except for the metals given to the priests, Rahab’s family was rescued and moved to a place outside of the Israelite camp, and a curse was pronounced on anyone who attempted to rebuild Jericho.
And as the Lord God had planned, his chosen leader for the Israelites – Joshua – became well-known as a symbol of the people of God who were blessed by God with victory that day..
The Lord God made clear that the victory was His and His chosen instruments were Joshua and the priests and not the might of an army or special weapons.
As the priests and army marched around Jericho what may have been the emotions and thoughts of the already-terrified residents of Jericho, the priests and soldiers for whom this was an unusual exercise, and of the watching Israelites?
While the Lord God protected Rahab’s family from the annihilation of her people it is notable that they were not relocated within the Israelite camp but outside of it. Only later, presumably once appropriate boundaries were established, were they allowed to take up residence among the Israelites.
When have you observed the Lord God performing a miracle in which He used unlikely methods and/or persons?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where He intends to do a miracle and where it will be clear that no man was responsible.
Today I will prayerfully seek an opportunity to be the Lord’s instrument as He reveals Himself through a miracle, however great or small, and I agree to testify of Him to anyone who asks about it. It may be Him leading me victory over a sin, Him using me to walk alongside another in such a victory, the salvation of one or more, the restoration of a prodigal, healing, or whatever He chooses.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Achan Sins and is Punished
7:1 But the Israelites disobeyed the command about the city’s riches. Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, stole some of the riches. The Lord was furious with the Israelites.
7:2 Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai (which is located near Beth Aven, east of Bethel) and instructed them, “Go up and spy on the land.” So the men went up and spied on Ai. 7:3 They returned and reported to Joshua, “Don’t send the whole army. About two or three thousand men are adequate to defeat Ai. Don’t tire out the whole army, for Ai is small.”
7:4 So about three thousand men went up, but they fled from the men of Ai. 7:5 The men of Ai killed about thirty-six of them and chased them from in front of the city gate all the way to the fissures and defeated them on the steep slope. The people’s courage melted away like water.
7:6 Joshua tore his clothes; he and the leaders of Israel lay face down on the ground before the ark of the Lord until evening and threw dirt on their heads. 7:7 Joshua prayed, “O, Master, Lord! Why did you bring these people across the Jordan to hand us over to the Amorites so they could destroy us? 7:8 If only we had been satisfied to live on the other side of the Jordan! O Lord, what can I say now that Israel has retreated before its enemies? 7:9 When the Canaanites and all who live in the land hear about this, they will turn against us and destroy the very memory of us from the earth. What will you do to protect your great reputation?”
7:10 The Lord responded to Joshua, “Get up! Why are you lying there face down? 7:11 Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenantal commandment! They have taken some of the riches; they have stolen them and deceitfully put them among their own possessions. 7:12 The Israelites are unable to stand before their enemies; they retreat because they have become subject to annihilation. I will no longer be with you, unless you destroy what has contaminated you. 7:13 Get up! Ritually consecrate the people and tell them this: ‘Ritually consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, because the Lord God of Israel says, “You are contaminated, O Israel! You will not be able to stand before your enemies until you remove what is contaminating you.” 7:14 In the morning you must approach in tribal order. The tribe the Lord selects must approach by clans. The clan the Lord selects must approach by families. The family the Lord selects must approach man by man. 7:15 The one caught with the riches must be burned up along with all who belong to him, because he violated the Lord’s covenant and did such a disgraceful thing in Israel.’”
7:16 Bright and early the next morning Joshua made Israel approach in tribal order and the tribe of Judah was selected. 7:17 He then made the clans of Judah approach and the clan of the Zerahites was selected. He made the clan of the Zerahites approach and Zabdi was selected. 7:18 He then made Zabdi’s family approach man by man and Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, was selected. 7:19 So Joshua said to Achan, “My son, honor the Lord God of Israel and give him praise! Tell me what you did; don’t hide anything from me!” 7:20 Achan told Joshua, “It is true. I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel in this way: 7:21 I saw among the goods we seized a nice robe from Babylon, two hundred silver pieces, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels. I wanted them, so I took them. They are hidden in the ground right in the middle of my tent with the silver underneath.”
7:22 Joshua sent messengers who ran to the tent. The things were hidden right in his tent, with the silver underneath. 7:23 They took it all from the middle of the tent, brought it to Joshua and all the Israelites, and placed it before the Lord. 7:24 Then Joshua and all Israel took Achan, son of Zerah, along with the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, his sons, daughters, ox, donkey, sheep, tent, and all that belonged to him and brought them up to the Valley of Disaster. 7:25 Joshua said, “Why have you brought disaster on us? The Lord will bring disaster on you today!” All Israel stoned him to death. (They also stoned and burned the others.) 7:26 Then they erected over him a large pile of stones (it remains to this very day) and the Lord’s anger subsided. So that place is called the Valley of Disaster to this very day.
Israel Conquers Ai
8:1 The Lord told Joshua, “Don’t be afraid and don’t panic! Take the whole army with you and march against Ai! See, I am handing over to you the king of Ai, along with his people, city, and land. 8:2 Do to Ai and its king what you did to Jericho and its king, except you may plunder its goods and cattle. Set an ambush behind the city!”
8:3 Joshua and the whole army marched against Ai. Joshua selected thirty thousand brave warriors and sent them out at night. 8:4 He told them, “Look, set an ambush behind the city. Don’t go very far from the city; all of you be ready! 8:5 I and all the troops who are with me will approach the city. When they come out to fight us like before, we will retreat from them. 8:6 They will attack us until we have lured them from the city, for they will say, ‘They are retreating from us like before.’ We will retreat from them. 8:7 Then you rise up from your hiding place and seize the city. The Lord your God will hand it over to you. 8:8 When you capture the city, set it on fire. Do as the Lord says! See, I have given you orders.” 8:9 Joshua sent them away and they went to their hiding place west of Ai, between Bethel and Ai. Joshua spent that night with the army.
8:10 Bright and early the next morning Joshua gathered the army, and he and the leaders of Israel marched at the head of it to Ai. 8:11 All the troops that were with him marched up and drew near the city. They camped north of Ai on the other side of the valley. 8:12 He took five thousand men and set an ambush west of the city between Bethel and Ai. 8:13 The army was in position – the main army north of the city and the rear guard west of the city. That night Joshua went into the middle of the valley.
8:14 When the king of Ai saw Israel, he and his whole army quickly got up the next day and went out to fight Israel at the meeting place near the Arabah. But he did not realize men were hiding behind the city. 8:15 Joshua and all Israel pretended to be defeated by them and they retreated along the way to the desert. 8:16 All the reinforcements in Ai were ordered to chase them; they chased Joshua and were lured away from the city. 8:17 No men were left in Ai or Bethel; they all went out after Israel. They left the city wide open and chased Israel.
8:18 The Lord told Joshua, “Hold out toward Ai the curved sword in your hand, for I am handing the city over to you.” So Joshua held out toward Ai the curved sword in his hand. 8:19 When he held out his hand, the men waiting in ambush rose up quickly from their place and attacked. They entered the city, captured it, and immediately set it on fire. 8:20 When the men of Ai turned around, they saw the smoke from the city ascending into the sky and were so shocked they were unable to flee in any direction. In the meantime the men who were retreating to the desert turned against their pursuers. 8:21 When Joshua and all Israel saw that the men in ambush had captured the city and that the city was going up in smoke, they turned around and struck down the men of Ai. 8:22 At the same time the men who had taken the city came out to fight, and the men of Ai were trapped in the middle. The Israelites struck them down, leaving no survivors or refugees. 8:23 But they captured the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.
8:24 When Israel had finished killing all the men of Ai who had chased them toward the desert (they all fell by the sword), all Israel returned to Ai and put the sword to it. 8:25 Twelve thousand men and women died that day, including all the men of Ai. 8:26 Joshua kept holding out his curved sword until Israel had annihilated all who lived in Ai. 8:27 But Israel did plunder the cattle and the goods of the city, in accordance with the Lord’s orders to Joshua. 8:28 Joshua burned Ai and made it a permanently uninhabited mound (it remains that way to this very day). 8:29 He hung the king of Ai on a tree, leaving him exposed until evening. At sunset Joshua ordered that his corpse be taken down from the tree. They threw it down at the entrance of the city gate and erected over it a large pile of stones (it remains to this very day).
Covenant Renewal
8:30 Then Joshua built an altar for the Lord God of Israel on Mount Ebal, 8:31 just as Moses the Lord’s servant had commanded the Israelites. As described in the law scroll of Moses, it was made with uncut stones untouched by an iron tool. They offered burnt sacrifices on it and sacrificed tokens of peace. 8:32 There, in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua inscribed on the stones a duplicate of the law written by Moses. 8:33 All the people, rulers, leaders, and judges were standing on either side of the ark, in front of the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord. Both resident foreigners and native Israelites were there. Half the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim and the other half in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the Lord’s servant had previously instructed to them to do for the formal blessing ceremony. 8:34 Then Joshua read aloud all the words of the law, including the blessings and the curses, just as they are written in the law scroll. 8:35 Joshua read aloud every commandment Moses had given before the whole assembly of Israel, including the women, children, and resident foreigners who lived among them.
Lord, You are holy and Your commands are to always be obeyed to the intent and letter if mankind wishes to receive the blessing from obedience to which they are associated. May I be intentional in following Your instructions carefully, turning neither to the left or to the right.
All seemed well with the taking of Jericho until the Israelites turned their sites on Ai. The spies reported a small military which could be easily overrun by a subset of the Israeli forces – but when their tried they were repelled and chased away.
The leaders were prostrate on the ground before the ark of the covenant and Joshua feared that the other nations would see them as weak and destroy them. The Lord God explained that someone had stolen what He said to destroy or give only to the priests from Jericho and therefore the entire nation had lost His protection, as He had warned.
God explained to Joshua how to find the perpetrator(s) and he did so, “Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah” was found to be guilty, and as God instructed he and his children and animals and tent and other property were brought to the “Valley of Disaster” where they were stoned to death by the people and then everything burned. Thus the ceremonial purity of the people before the holy and pure God was restored.
[Note: The text does not specifically mention Achan’s wife. Culturally, she would have been considered part of the “all that belonged to him”, so unless he was a widower she was likely killed along with the rest of the family.]
God gave to Joshua His plan to take and destroy the city and the people of Ai. This time they were allowed to plunder that city. Joshua’s standing as God’s instrument was evidenced by the curved sword he held toward the city until the mission was complete.
Joshua built an altar to the Lord on Mount Ebal as previously instructed by the Lord via Moses, he inscribed the ten commandments again on the stones he used, then he read the law to the people. They made sacrifices to the Lord God there.
The Lord God had warned that all of Israel was accountable for the actions of anyone in Israel, He had instructed that nothing but the metals survive Jericho and those were to go only to the priests, so there was no surprise to be had when Achan disobeyed – his punishment was both swift and terrible.
After God's clear instruction that He would go before them in battle and His choreography of the taking of Jericho, placing the priests in the lead with the Ark of the Covenant – bearing His presence – why would the Israelites think that they could then attack Ai without God's leadership?
The Lord God’s expectations were clearly stated and set high, but He also provided a path for restoration for His people.
When have you stumbled because you disobeyed God but then repented and He led you to a victory in your life?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where He wants to lead you to healing and wholeness so that He may use you in His ministry?
Today I will surrender to and partner with the Holy Spirit in the healing and restorative work He desires for my life. I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement for courage and wisdom.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
The Gibeonites Deceive Israel
9:1 When the news reached all the kings on the west side of the Jordan – in the hill country, the lowlands, and all along the Mediterranean coast as far as Lebanon (including the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites) – 9:2 they formed an alliance to fight against Joshua and Israel.
9:3 When the residents of Gibeon heard what Joshua did to Jericho and Ai, 9:4 they did something clever. They collected some provisions and put worn-out sacks on their donkeys, along with worn-out wineskins that were ripped and patched. 9:5 They had worn-out, patched sandals on their feet and dressed in worn-out clothes. All their bread was dry and hard.
9:6 They came to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant land. Make a treaty with us.”
9:7 The men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you live near us. So how can we make a treaty with you?” 9:8 But they said to Joshua, “We are willing to be your subjects.” So Joshua said to them, “Who are you and where do you come from?” 9:9 They told him, “Your subjects have come from a very distant land because of the reputation of the Lord your God, for we have heard the news about all he did in Egypt 9:10 and all he did to the two Amorite kings on the other side of the Jordan – King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan in Ashtaroth.
9:11 Our leaders and all who live in our land told us, ‘Take provisions for your journey and go meet them. Tell them, “We are willing to be your subjects. Make a treaty with us.”‘ 9:12 This bread of ours was warm when we packed it in our homes the day we started out to meet you, but now it is dry and hard. 9:13 These wineskins we filled were brand new, but look how they have ripped. Our clothes and sandals have worn out because it has been a very long journey.”
9:14 The men examined some of their provisions, but they failed to ask the Lord’s advice.
9:15 Joshua made a peace treaty with them and agreed to let them live. The leaders of the community sealed it with an oath.
9:16 Three days after they made the treaty with them, the Israelites found out they were from the local area and lived nearby.
9:17 So the Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities – Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim.
9:18 The Israelites did not attack them because the leaders of the community had sworn an oath to them in the name of the Lord God of Israel. The whole community criticized the leaders, 9:19 but all the leaders told the whole community, “We swore an oath to them in the name of the Lord God of Israel. So now we can’t hurt them!
9:20 We must let them live so we can escape the curse attached to the oath we swore to them.”
9:21 The leaders then added, “Let them live.” So they became woodcutters and water carriers for the whole community, as the leaders had decided.
9:22 Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said to them, “Why did you trick us by saying, ‘We live far away from you,’ when you really live nearby? 9:23 Now you are condemned to perpetual servitude as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”
9:24 They said to Joshua, “It was carefully reported to your subjects how the Lord your God commanded Moses his servant to assign you the whole land and to destroy all who live in the land from before you. Because of you we were terrified we would lose our lives, so we did this thing.
9:25 So now we are in your power. Do to us what you think is good and appropriate. 9:26 Joshua did as they said; he kept the Israelites from killing them 9:27 and that day made them woodcutters and water carriers for the community and for the altar of the Lord at the divinely chosen site. (They continue in that capacity to this very day.)
Lord, You are always there for us, may I always remember to pray without ceasing so that I may have the inestimable value of Your perfect wisdom in all decisions.
People in the region in the path of the advancing Israelites created an alliance against them and the Gibeonites hatched a scheme to trick them. They used old clothes and bread and wineskins to appear to have traveled a distance, lied and said they from a distance, and pleaded for a treaty.
The Gibeonites were actually people from a nearby region which included the cities of Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim, they were sometimes referred to as Hivites.
Joshua and the elders and other leaders failed to consult the Lord but trusted instead in the word of their enemies and the evidence of their human eyes and made a treaty, but 3 days later they discovered the truth.
Joshua challenged the leaders of the Gibeonites for deceiving them to which they replied that they expected to be annihilated so the ruse was their only hope of survival. Joshua kept his oath-bound word and made them water and wood carriers for the people and the priests.
The Gibeonites were in a no-win situation, had they not acted deceitfully they faced annihilation, rather they manipulated the circumstances to became servants to a people with the blessings of the almighty God.
What foolish pride motivated Joshua to not pause to consult God, especially considering all that he had heard and seen?
Their oath-bound word given could not be withdrawn, so the Israelites now had to live with a pagan nation dwelling among them – choices have consequences.
When have you been deceived by someone who misled you? Were you without God’s perspective because you failed to seek Him directly in prayer, and indirectly through His people around you?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you need to slow down and consult Him before making a commitment.
Today I will pause from a rush to decision and prayerfully seek God’s wisdom in His Word, in my time alone with Him, and through those whom He has equipped to Biblically counsel me. I will consult one who is Biblically-qualified as an elder to prayerfully reflect with me on the decision before me.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Israel Defeats an Amorite Coalition
10:1 Adoni-Zedek, king of Jerusalem, heard how Joshua captured Ai and annihilated it and its king as he did Jericho and its king. He also heard how the people of Gibeon made peace with Israel and lived among them. 10:2 All Jerusalem was terrified because Gibeon was a large city, like one of the royal cities. It was larger than Ai and all its men were warriors. 10:3 So King Adoni-Zedek of Jerusalem sent this message to King Hoham of Hebron, King Piram of Jarmuth, King Japhia of Lachish, and King Debir of Eglon: 10:4 “Come to my aid so we can attack Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.” 10:5 So the five Amorite kings (the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon) and all their troops gathered together and advanced. They deployed their troops and fought against Gibeon.
10:6 The men of Gibeon sent this message to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal, “Do not abandon your subjects! Rescue us! Help us! For all the Amorite kings living in the hill country are attacking us.” 10:7 So Joshua and his whole army, including the bravest warriors, marched up from Gilgal. 10:8 The Lord told Joshua, “Don’t be afraid of them, for I am handing them over to you. Not one of them can resist you.” 10:9 Joshua attacked them by surprise after marching all night from Gilgal. 10:10 The Lord routed them before Israel. Israel thoroughly defeated them at Gibeon. They chased them up the road to the pass of Beth Horon and struck them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah. 10:11 As they fled from Israel on the slope leading down from Beth Horon, the Lord threw down on them large hailstones from the sky, all the way to Azekah. They died – in fact, more died from the hailstones than the Israelites killed with the sword.
10:12 The day the Lord delivered the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua prayed to the Lord before Israel:
“O sun, stand still over Gibeon!
O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon!”
10:13 The sun stood still and the moon stood motionless while the nation took vengeance on its enemies. The event is recorded in the Scroll of the Upright One. The sun stood motionless in the middle of the sky and did not set for about a full day. 10:14 There has not been a day like it before or since. The Lord obeyed a man, for the Lord fought for Israel! 10:15 Then Joshua and all Israel returned to the camp at Gilgal.
10:16 The five Amorite kings ran away and hid in the cave at Makkedah. 10:17 Joshua was told, “The five kings have been found hiding in the cave at Makkedah.” 10:18 Joshua said, “Roll large stones over the mouth of the cave and post guards in front of it. 10:19 But don’t you delay! Chase your enemies and catch them! Don’t allow them to retreat to their cities, for the Lord your God is handing them over to you.” 10:20 Joshua and the Israelites almost totally wiped them out, but some survivors did escape to the fortified cities. 10:21 Then the whole army safely returned to Joshua at the camp in Makkedah. No one dared threaten the Israelites. 10:22 Joshua said, “Open the cave’s mouth and bring the five kings out of the cave to me.” 10:23 They did as ordered; they brought the five kings out of the cave to him – the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon. 10:24 When they brought the kings out to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the commanders of the troops who accompanied him, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came up and put their feet on their necks. 10:25 Then Joshua said to them, “Don’t be afraid and don’t panic! Be strong and brave, for the Lord will do the same thing to all your enemies you fight. 10:26 Then Joshua executed them and hung them on five trees. They were left hanging on the trees until evening. 10:27 At sunset Joshua ordered his men to take them down from the trees. They threw them into the cave where they had hidden and piled large stones over the mouth of the cave. (They remain to this very day.)
Joshua Launches a Southern Campaign
10:28 That day Joshua captured Makkedah and put the sword to it and its king. He annihilated everyone who lived in it; he left no survivors. He did to its king what he had done to the king of Jericho.
10:29 Joshua and all Israel marched from Makkedah to Libnah and fought against it. 10:30 The Lord handed it and its king over to Israel, and Israel put the sword to all who lived there; they left no survivors. They did to its king what they had done to the king of Jericho.
10:31 Joshua and all Israel marched from Libnah to Lachish. He deployed his troops and fought against it. 10:32 The Lord handed Lachish over to Israel and they captured it on the second day. They put the sword to all who lived there, just as they had done to Libnah. 10:33 Then King Horam of Gezer came up to help Lachish, but Joshua struck down him and his army until no survivors remained.
10:34 Joshua and all Israel marched from Lachish to Eglon. They deployed troops and fought against it. 10:35 That day they captured it and put the sword to all who lived there. That day they annihilated it just as they had done to Lachish.
10:36 Joshua and all Israel marched up from Eglon to Hebron and fought against it. 10:37 They captured it and put the sword to its king, all its surrounding cities, and all who lived in it; they left no survivors. As they had done at Eglon, they annihilated it and all who lived there.
10:38 Joshua and all Israel turned to Debir and fought against it. 10:39 They captured it, its king, and all its surrounding cities and put the sword to them. They annihilated everyone who lived there; they left no survivors. They did to Debir and its king what they had done to Libnah and its king and to Hebron.
10:40 Joshua defeated the whole land, including the hill country, the Negev, the lowlands, the slopes, and all their kings. He left no survivors. He annihilated everything that breathed, just as the Lord God of Israel had commanded. 10:41 Joshua conquered the area between Kadesh Barnea and Gaza and the whole region of Goshen, all the way to Gibeon. 10:42 Joshua captured in one campaign all these kings and their lands, for the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel. 10:43 Then Joshua and all Israel returned to the camp at Gilgal.
Israel Defeats a Northern Coalition
11:1 When King Jabin of Hazor heard the news, he organized a coalition, including King Jobab of Madon, the king of Shimron, the king of Acshaph, 11:2 and the northern kings who ruled in the hill country, the Arabah south of Kinnereth, the lowlands, and the heights of Dor to the west. 11:3 Canaanites came from the east and west; Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, and Jebusites from the hill country; and Hivites from below Hermon in the area of Mizpah. 11:4 These kings came out with their armies; they were as numerous as the sand on the seashore and had a large number of horses and chariots. 11:5 All these kings gathered and joined forces at the Waters of Merom to fight Israel.
11:6 The Lord told Joshua, “Don’t be afraid of them, for about this time tomorrow I will cause all of them to lie dead before Israel. You must hamstring their horses and burn their chariots.” 11:7 Joshua and his whole army caught them by surprise at the Waters of Merom and attacked them. 11:8 The Lord handed them over to Israel and they struck them down and chased them all the way to Greater Sidon, Misrephoth Maim, and the Mizpah Valley to the east. They struck them down until no survivors remained. 11:9 Joshua did to them as the Lord had commanded him; he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots.
11:10 At that time Joshua turned, captured Hazor, and struck down its king with the sword, for Hazor was at that time the leader of all these kingdoms. 11:11 They annihilated everyone who lived there with the sword – no one who breathed remained – and burned Hazor.
11:12 Joshua captured all these royal cities and all their kings and annihilated them with the sword, as Moses the Lord’s servant had commanded. 11:13 But Israel did not burn any of the cities located on mounds, except for Hazor; it was the only one Joshua burned. 11:14 The Israelites plundered all the goods of these cities and the cattle, but they totally destroyed all the people and allowed no one who breathed to live. 11:15 Moses the Lord’s servant passed on the Lord’s commands to Joshua, and Joshua did as he was told. He did not ignore any of the commands the Lord had given Moses.
A Summary of Israel’s Victories
11:16 Joshua conquered the whole land, including the hill country, all the Negev, all the land of Goshen, the lowlands, the Arabah, the hill country of Israel and its lowlands, 11:17 from Mount Halak on up to Seir, as far as Baal Gad in the Lebanon Valley below Mount Hermon. He captured all their kings and executed them. 11:18 Joshua campaigned against these kings for quite some time. 11:19 No city made peace with the Israelites (except the Hivites living in Gibeon); they had to conquer all of them, 11:20 for the Lord determined to make them obstinate so they would attack Israel. He wanted Israel to annihilate them without mercy, as he had instructed Moses.
11:21 At that time Joshua attacked and eliminated the Anakites from the hill country – from Hebron, Debir, Anab, and all the hill country of Judah and Israel. Joshua annihilated them and their cities. 11:22 No Anakites were left in Israelite territory, though some remained in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod. 11:23 Joshua conquered the whole land, just as the Lord had promised Moses, and he assigned Israel their tribal portions. Then the land was free of war.
12:1 Now these are the kings of the land whom the Israelites defeated and drove from their land on the east side of the Jordan, from the Arnon Valley to Mount Hermon, including all the eastern Arabah:
12:2 King Sihon of the Amorites who lived in Heshbon and ruled from Aroer (on the edge of the Arnon Valley) – including the city in the middle of the valley and half of Gilead – all the way to the Jabbok Valley bordering Ammonite territory. 12:3 His kingdom included the eastern Arabah from the Sea of Kinnereth to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea), including the route to Beth Jeshimoth and the area southward below the slopes of Pisgah.
12:4 The territory of King Og of Bashan, one of the few remaining Rephaites, who lived in Ashtaroth and Edrei 12:5 and ruled over Mount Hermon, Salecah, all of Bashan to the border of the Geshurites and Maacathites, and half of Gilead as far as the border of King Sihon of Heshbon.
12:6 Moses the Lord’s servant and the Israelites defeated them and Moses the Lord’s servant assigned their land to Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh.
12:7 These are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the Israelites defeated on the west side of the Jordan, from Baal Gad in the Lebanon Valley to Mount Halak on up to Seir. Joshua assigned this territory to the Israelite tribes, 12:8 including the hill country, the lowlands, the Arabah, the slopes, the wilderness, and the Negev – the land of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites:
12:9 the king of Jericho (one), the king of Ai – located near Bethel – (one), 12:10 the king of Jerusalem (one), the king of Hebron (one), 12:11 the king of Jarmuth (one), the king of Lachish (one), 12:12 the king of Eglon (one), the king of Gezer (one), 12:13 the king of Debir (one), the king of Geder (one), 12:14 the king of Hormah (one), the king of Arad (one), 12:15 the king of Libnah (one), the king of Adullam (one), 12:16 the king of Makkedah (one), the king of Bethel (one), 12:17 the king of Tappuah (one), the king of Hepher (one), 12:18 the king of Aphek (one), the king of Lasharon (one), 12:19 the king of Madon (one), the king of Hazor (one), 12:20 the king of Shimron Meron (one), the king of Acshaph (one), 12:21 the king of Taanach (one), the king of Megiddo (one), 12:22 the king of Kedesh (one), the king of Jokneam near Carmel (one), 12:23 the king of Dor – near Naphath Dor – (one), the king of Goyim – near Gilgal – (one), 12:24 the king of Tirzah (one), a total of thirty-one kings.
Lord, no person or nation or every nation on earth can stand against You, or against those whom You send. When I feel powerless may I remember that You are my power when I stand with You.
The five kings of those remaining in the alliance of nation-state/cities, whom the Gibeonites had abandoned to make a truce with Israel, attacked then in vengeance so the Gibeonites asked Israel for help.
The Lord God told Joshua that he would deliver those nations to him so they defeated and chased them, then God killed more with hailstones than had died in battle, and finally - at Joshua’s request - God caused the sun to stand still as Israel continued to put their enemies to the sword.
The five kings escaped to some caves and Joshua had large stones placed to trap them while the soldiers continue to destroy their remaining forces. Despite his encouragement to allow none to escape a few survivors of the alliance managed to return alive to their fortified cities.
Joshua then had the stones rolled back and the kings brought to him. He instructed soldiers to put their feet on their necks and challenged them to not be afraid of mere human kings because the Lord God was allied with them. He then executed the kings, hung them on trees, and at sunset had their bodies thrown into the caves and the stones rolled back to seal them. Joshua then turned south and defeated and obliterated the nations and kings there.
The kings to the north then created an alliance, but even with the help of fighters left over from those who had attacked the Gibeonites, they were overwhelmed and defeated by Joshua’s men. Their leader was the king of Hazor, he was killed as well as the other kings and their men, but of those cities on the mounds only his city was burned. Israel plundered all of the nations that they defeated.
Despite the evidence of overwhelming power only the Gibeonites were clever enough to survive, the rest were obliterated as God used their pride against them so that Joshua could eliminate them from the land.
Given all of the evidence of the irresistible power of God that was allied with Joshua’s army why would the kings not have sued for peace or fled to another land?
All of the things that those who hated God had labored to gather now became the possession of Israel.
When have you found yourself arguing with God, or acting in ways in opposition of His clear will? How did that work out for you?
Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of the irresistible power of God.
Today I will take some time to celebrate our awesome God with one or more fellow believers.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Lord Speaks to Joshua
13:1 When Joshua was very old, the Lord told him, “You are very old, and a great deal of land remains to be conquered. 13:2 This is the land that remains: all the territory of the Philistines and all the Geshurites, 13:3 from the Shihor River east of Egypt northward to the territory of Ekron (it is regarded as Canaanite territory), including the area belonging to the five Philistine lords who ruled in Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron, as well as Avvite land 13:4 to the south; all the Canaanite territory, from Arah in the region of Sidon to Aphek, as far as Amorite territory; 13:5 the territory of Byblos and all Lebanon to the east, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo Hamath. 13:6 I will drive out before the Israelites all who live in the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, all the Sidonians; you be sure to parcel it out to Israel as I instructed you.” 13:7 Now, divide up this land among the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh.”
Tribal Lands East of the Jordan
13:8 The other half of Manasseh, Reuben, and Gad received their allotted tribal lands beyond the Jordan, just as Moses, the Lord’s servant, had assigned them. 13:9 Their territory started from Aroer (on the edge of the Arnon Valley), included the city in the middle of the valley, the whole plain of Medeba as far as Dibon, 13:10 and all the cities of King Sihon of the Amorites who ruled in Heshbon, and ended at the Ammonite border. 13:11 Their territory also included Gilead, Geshurite and Maacathite territory, all Mount Hermon, and all Bashan to Salecah – 13:12 the whole kingdom of Og in Bashan, who ruled in Ashtaroth and Edrei. (He was one of the few remaining Rephaites.) Moses defeated them and took their lands. 13:13 But the Israelites did not conquer the Geshurites and Maacathites; Geshur and Maacah live among Israel to this very day. 13:14 However, Moses did not assign land as an inheritance to the Levites; their inheritance is the sacrificial offerings made to the Lord God of Israel, as he instructed them.
13:15 Moses assigned land to the tribe of Reuben by its clans. 13:16 Their territory started at Aroer (on the edge of the Arnon Valley) and included the city in the middle of the valley, the whole plain of Medeba, 13:17 Heshbon and all its surrounding cities on the plain, including Dibon, Bamoth Baal, Beth Baal Meon, 13:18 Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath, 13:19 Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth Shahar on the hill in the valley, 13:20 Beth Peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth Jeshimoth. 13:21 It encompassed all the cities of the plain and the whole realm of King Sihon of the Amorites who ruled in Heshbon. Moses defeated him and the Midianite leaders Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba (they were subjects of Sihon and lived in his territory). 13:22 The Israelites killed Balaam son of Beor, the omen reader, along with the others. 13:23 The border of the tribe of Reuben was the Jordan. The land allotted to the tribe of Reuben by its clans included these cities and their towns.
13:24 Moses assigned land to the tribe of Gad by its clans. 13:25 Their territory included Jazer, all the cities of Gilead, and half of Ammonite territory as far as Aroer near Rabbah. 13:26 Their territory ran from Heshbon to Ramath Mizpah and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the territory of Debir. 13:27 It included the valley of Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon, and the rest of the realm of King Sihon of Heshbon, the area east of the Jordan to the end of the Sea of Kinnereth. 13:28 The land allotted to the tribe of Gad by its clans included these cities and their towns.
13:29 Moses assigned land to the half-tribe of Manasseh by its clans. 13:30 Their territory started at Mahanaim and encompassed all Bashan, the whole realm of King Og of Bashan, including all sixty cities in Havvoth Jair in Bashan. 13:31 Half of Gilead, Ashtaroth, and Edrei, cities in the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were assigned to the descendants of Makir son of Manasseh, to half the descendants of Makir by their clans.
13:32 These are the land assignments made by Moses on the plains of Moab east of the Jordan River opposite Jericho. 13:33 However, Moses did not assign land as an inheritance to the Levites; their inheritance is the Lord God of Israel, as he instructed them.
Judah’s Tribal Lands
14:1 The following is a record of the territory assigned to the Israelites in the land of Canaan by Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the Israelite tribal leaders. 14:2 The land assignments to the nine-and-a-half tribes were made by drawing lots, as the Lord had instructed Moses. 14:3 Now Moses had assigned land to the two-and-a-half tribes east of the Jordan, but he assigned no land to the Levites. 14:4 The descendants of Joseph were considered as two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. The Levites were allotted no territory, though they were assigned cities in which to live, along with the grazing areas for their cattle and possessions. 14:5 The Israelites followed the Lord’s instructions to Moses and divided up the land.
14:6 The men of Judah approached Joshua in Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said about you and me to Moses, the man of God, at Kadesh Barnea. 14:7 I was forty years old when Moses, the Lord’s servant, sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy on the land and I brought back to him an honest report. 14:8 My countrymen who accompanied me frightened the people, but I remained loyal to the Lord my God. 14:9 That day Moses made this solemn promise: ‘Surely the land on which you walked will belong to you and your descendants permanently, for you remained loyal to the Lord your God.’ 14:10 So now, look, the Lord has preserved my life, just as he promised, these past forty-five years since the Lord spoke these words to Moses, during which Israel traveled through the wilderness. Now look, I am today eighty-five years old. 14:11 Today I am still as strong as when Moses sent me out. I can fight and go about my daily activities with the same energy I had then. 14:12 Now, assign me this hill country which the Lord promised me at that time! No doubt you heard at that time that the Anakites live there in large, fortified cities. But, assuming the Lord is with me, I will conquer them, as the Lord promised.” 14:13 Joshua asked God to empower Caleb son of Jephunneh and assigned him Hebron. 14:14 So Hebron remains the assigned land of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this very day because he remained loyal to the Lord God of Israel. 14:15 (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba. Arba was a famous Anakite.) Then the land was free of war.
15:1 The land allotted to the tribe of Judah by its clans reached to the border of Edom, to the Wilderness of Zin in the Negev far to the south. 15:2 Their southern border started at the southern tip of the Salt Sea, 15:3 extended south of the Scorpion Ascent, crossed to Zin, went up from the south to Kadesh Barnea, crossed to Hezron, went up to Addar, and turned toward Karka. 15:4 It then crossed to Azmon, extended to the Stream of Egypt, and ended at the sea. This was their southern border.
15:5 The eastern border was the Salt Sea to the mouth of the Jordan River.
The northern border started north of the Salt Sea at the mouth of the Jordan, 15:6 went up to Beth Hoglah, crossed north of Beth Arabah, and went up to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben. 15:7 It then went up to Debir from the Valley of Achor, turning northward to Gilgal (which is opposite the Pass of Adummim south of the valley), crossed to the waters of En Shemesh and extended to En Rogel. 15:8 It then went up the Valley of Ben Hinnom to the slope of the Jebusites on the south (that is, Jerusalem), going up to the top of the hill opposite the Valley of Ben Hinnom to the west, which is at the end of the Valley of the Rephaites to the north. 15:9 It then went from the top of the hill to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah, extended to the cities of Mount Ephron, and went to Baalah (that is, Kiriath Jearim). 15:10 It then turned from Baalah westward to Mount Seir, crossed to the slope of Mount Jearim on the north (that is Kesalon), descended to Beth Shemesh, and crossed to Timnah. 15:11 It then extended to the slope of Ekron to the north, went toward Shikkeron, crossed to Mount Baalah, extended to Jabneel, and ended at the sea.
15:12 The western border was the Mediterranean Sea. These were the borders of the tribe of Judah and its clans.
15:13 Caleb son of Jephunneh was assigned Kiriath Arba (that is Hebron) within the tribe of Judah, according to the Lord’s instructions to Joshua. (Arba was the father of Anak.) 15:14 Caleb drove out from there three Anakites – Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, descendants of Anak. 15:15 From there he attacked the people of Debir. (Debir used to be called Kiriath Sepher.) 15:16 Caleb said, “To the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher I will give my daughter Acsah as a wife.” 15:17 When Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s brother, captured it, Caleb gave Acsah his daughter to him as a wife.
15:18 One time Acsah came and charmed her father so that she could ask him for some land. When she got down from her donkey, Caleb said to her, “What would you like?” 15:19 She answered, “Please give me a special present. Since you have given me land in the Negev, now give me springs of water. So he gave her both upper and lower springs.
15:20 This is the land assigned to the tribe of Judah by its clans: 15:21 These cities were located at the southern extremity of Judah’s tribal land near the border of Edom: Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur, 15:22 Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah, 15:23 Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan, 15:24 Ziph, Telem, Bealoth, 15:25 Hazor Hadattah, Kerioth Hezron (that is, Hazor), 15:26 Amam, Shema, Moladah, 15:27 Hazar Gaddah, Heshbon, Beth Pelet, 15:28 Hazar Shual, Beer Sheba, Biziothiah, 15:29 Baalah, Iim, Ezem, 15:30 Eltolad, Kesil, Hormah, 15:31 Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah, 15:32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon – a total of twenty-nine cities and their towns.
15:33 These cities were in the lowlands: Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah, 15:34 Zanoah, En Gannim, Tappuah, Enam, 15:35 Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah, 15:36 Shaaraim, Adithaim, and Gederah (or Gederothaim) – a total of fourteen cities and their towns.
15:37 Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal Gad, 15:38 Dilean, Mizpah, Joktheel, 15:39 Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon, 15:40 Cabbon, Lahmas, Kitlish, 15:41 Gederoth, Beth Dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah – a total of sixteen cities and their towns.
15:42 Libnah, Ether, Ashan, 15:43 Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib, 15:44 Keilah, Aczib, and Mareshah – a total of nine cities and their towns.
15:45 Ekron and its surrounding towns and settlements; 15:46 from Ekron westward, all those in the vicinity of Ashdod and their towns; 15:47 Ashdod with its surrounding towns and settlements, and Gaza with its surrounding towns and settlements, as far as the Stream of Egypt and the border at the Mediterranean Sea.
15:48 These cities were in the hill country: Shamir, Jattir, Socoh, 15:49 Dannah, Kiriath Sannah (that is, Debir), 15:50 Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim, 15:51 Goshen, Holon, and Giloh – a total of eleven cities and their towns.
15:52 Arab, Dumah, Eshan, 15:53 Janim, Beth Tappuah, Aphekah, 15:54 Humtah, Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior – a total of nine cities and their towns.
15:55 Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah, 15:56 Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah, 15:57 Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah – a total of ten cities and their towns.
15:58 Halhul, Beth Zur, Gedor, 15:59 Maarath, Beth Anoth, and Eltekon – a total of six cities and their towns.
15:60 Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim) and Rabbah – a total of two cities and their towns.
15:61 These cities were in the desert: Beth Arabah, Middin, Secacah, 15:62 Nibshan, the city of Salt, and En Gedi – a total of six cities and their towns.
15:63 The men of Judah were unable to conquer the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. The Jebusites live with the people of Judah in Jerusalem to this very day.
Joseph’s Tribal Lands
16:1 The land allotted to Joseph’s descendants extended from the Jordan at Jericho to the waters of Jericho to the east, through the desert and on up from Jericho into the hill country of Bethel. 16:2 The southern border extended from Bethel to Luz, and crossed to Arkite territory at Ataroth. 16:3 It then descended westward to Japhletite territory, as far as the territory of lower Beth Horon and Gezer, and ended at the sea.
16:4 Joseph’s descendants, Manasseh and Ephraim, were assigned their land. 16:5 The territory of the tribe of Ephraim by its clans included the following: The border of their assigned land to the east was Ataroth Addar as far as upper Beth Horon. 16:6 It then extended on to the sea, with Micmethath on the north. It turned eastward to Taanath Shiloh and crossed it on the east to Janoah. 16:7 It then descended from Janoah to Ataroth and Naarah, touched Jericho, and extended to the Jordan River. 16:8 From Tappuah it went westward to the Valley of Kanah and ended at the sea. This is the land assigned to the tribe of Ephraim by its clans. 16:9 Also included were the cities set apart for the tribe of Ephraim within Manasseh’s territory, along with their towns.
16:10 The Ephraimites did not conquer the Canaanites living in Gezer. The Canaanites live among the Ephraimites to this very day and do hard labor as their servants.
17:1 The tribe of Manasseh, Joseph’s firstborn son, was also allotted land. The descendants of Makir, Manasseh’s firstborn and the father of Gilead, received land, for they were warriors. They were assigned Gilead and Bashan. 17:2 The rest of Manasseh’s descendants were also assigned land by their clans, including the descendants of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These are the male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph by their clans.
17:3 Now Zelophehad son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Makir, son of Manasseh, had no sons, only daughters. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 17:4 They went before Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders and said, “The Lord told Moses to assign us land among our relatives.” So Joshua assigned them land among their uncles, as the Lord had commanded. 17:5 Manasseh was allotted ten shares of land, in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan east of the Jordan, 17:6 for the daughters of Manasseh were assigned land among his sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the descendants of Manasseh.
17:7 The border of Manasseh went from Asher to Micmethath which is near Shechem. It then went south toward those who live in Tappuah. 17:8 (The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but Tappuah, located on the border of Manasseh, belonged to the tribe of Ephraim.) 17:9 The border then descended southward to the Valley of Kanah. Ephraim was assigned cities there among the cities of Manasseh, but the border of Manasseh was north of the valley and ended at the sea. 17:10 Ephraim’s territory was to the south, and Manasseh’s to the north. The sea was Manasseh’s western border and their territory touched Asher on the north and Issachar on the east. 17:11 Within Issachar’s and Asher’s territory Manasseh was assigned Beth Shean, Ibleam, the residents of Dor, En Dor, the residents of Taanach, the residents of Megiddo, the three of Napheth, and the towns surrounding all these cities. 17:12 But the men of Manasseh were unable to conquer these cities; the Canaanites managed to remain in those areas. 17:13 Whenever the Israelites were strong militarily, they forced the Canaanites to do hard labor, but they never totally conquered them.
17:14 The descendants of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you assigned us only one tribal allotment? After all, we have many people, for until now the Lord has enabled us to increase in number.” 17:15 Joshua replied to them, “Since you have so many people, go up into the forest and clear out a place to live in the land of the Perizzites and Rephaites, for the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you.” 17:16 The descendants of Joseph said, “The whole hill country is inadequate for us, and the Canaanites living down in the valley in Beth Shean and its surrounding towns and in the Valley of Jezreel have chariots with iron-rimmed wheels.” 17:17 Joshua said to the family of Joseph – to both Ephraim and Manasseh: “You have many people and great military strength. You will not have just one tribal allotment. 17:18 The whole hill country will be yours; though it is a forest, you can clear it and it will be entirely yours. You can conquer the Canaanites, though they have chariots with iron-rimmed wheels and are strong.”
The Tribes Meet at Shiloh
18:1 The entire Israelite community assembled at Shiloh and there they set up the tent of meeting. Though they had subdued the land, 18:2 seven Israelite tribes had not been assigned their allotted land. 18:3 So Joshua said to the Israelites: “How long do you intend to put off occupying the land the Lord God of your ancestors has given you? 18:4 Pick three men from each tribe. I will send them out to walk through the land and make a map of it for me. 18:5 Divide it into seven regions. Judah will stay in its territory in the south, and the family of Joseph in its territory in the north. 18:6 But as for you, map out the land into seven regions and bring it to me. I will draw lots for you here before the Lord our God. 18:7 But the Levites will not have an allotted portion among you, for their inheritance is to serve the Lord. Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have already received their allotted land east of the Jordan which Moses the Lord’s servant assigned them.”
18:8 When the men started out, Joshua told those going to map out the land, “Go, walk through the land, map it out, and return to me. Then I will draw lots for you before the Lord here in Shiloh.” 18:9 The men journeyed through the land and mapped it and its cities out into seven regions on a scroll. Then they came to Joshua at the camp in Shiloh. 18:10 Joshua drew lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord and divided the land among the Israelites according to their allotted portions.
Benjamin’s Tribal Lands
18:11 The first lot belonged to the tribe of Benjamin by its clans. Their allotted territory was between Judah and Joseph. 18:12 Their northern border started at the Jordan, went up to the slope of Jericho on the north, ascended westward to the hill country, and extended to the desert of Beth Aven. 18:13 It then crossed from there to Luz, to the slope of Luz to the south (that is, Bethel), and descended to Ataroth Addar located on the hill that is south of lower Beth Horon. 18:14 It then turned on the west side southward from the hill near Beth Horon on the south and extended to Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim), a city belonging to the tribe of Judah. This is the western border. 18:15 The southern side started on the edge of Kiriath Jearim and extended westward to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah. 18:16 The border then descended to the edge of the hill country near the Valley of Ben Hinnom located in the Valley of the Rephaites to the north. It descended through the Valley of Hinnom to the slope of the Jebusites to the south and then down to En Rogel. 18:17 It went northward, extending to En Shemesh and Geliloth opposite the Pass of Adummim, and descended to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben. 18:18 It crossed to the slope in front of the Arabah to the north and descended into the Arabah. 18:19 It then crossed to the slope of Beth Hoglah to the north and ended at the northern tip of the Salt Sea at the mouth of the Jordan River. This was the southern border. 18:20 The Jordan River borders it on the east. These were the borders of the land assigned to the tribe of Benjamin by its clans.
18:21 These cities belonged to the tribe of Benjamin by its clans: Jericho, Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz, 18:22 Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, 18:23 Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, 18:24 Kephar Ammoni, Ophni, and Geba – a total of twelve cities and their towns.
18:25 Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, 18:26 Mizpah, Kephirah, Mozah, 18:27 Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, 18:28 Zelah, Haeleph, the Jebusite city (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah, and Kiriath – a total of fourteen cities and their towns. This was the land assigned to the tribe of Benjamin by its clans.
Simeon’s Tribal Lands
19:1 The second lot belonged to the tribe of Simeon by its clans. 19:2 Their assigned land included Beer Sheba, Moladah, 19:3 Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem, 19:4 Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, 19:5 Ziklag, Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susah, 19:6 Beth Lebaoth, and Sharuhen – a total of thirteen cities and their towns, 19:7 Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan – a total of four cities and their towns, 19:8 as well as all the towns around these cities as far as Baalath Beer (Ramah of the Negev). This was the land assigned to the tribe of Simeon by its clans. 19:9 Simeon’s assigned land was taken from Judah’s allotted portion, for Judah’s territory was too large for them; so Simeon was assigned land within Judah.
Zebulun’s Tribal Lands
19:10 The third lot belonged to the tribe of Zebulun by its clans. The border of their territory extended to Sarid. 19:11 Their border went up westward to Maralah and touched Dabbesheth and the valley near Jokneam. 19:12 From Sarid it turned eastward to the territory of Kisloth Tabor, extended to Daberath, and went up to Japhia. 19:13 From there it crossed eastward to Gath Hepher and Eth Kazin and extended to Rimmon, turning toward Neah. 19:14 It then turned on the north to Hannathon and ended at the Valley of Iphtah El. 19:15 Their territory included Kattah, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem; in all they had twelve cities and their towns. 19:16 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Zebulun by its clans, including these cities and their towns.
Issachar’s Tribal Lands
19:17 The fourth lot belonged to the tribe of Issachar by its clans. 19:18 Their assigned land included Jezreel, Kesulloth, Shunem, 19:19 Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, 19:20 Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, 19:21 Remeth, En Gannim, En Haddah and Beth Pazzez. 19:22 Their border touched Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth Shemesh, and ended at the Jordan. They had sixteen cities and their towns. 19:23 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Issachar by its clans, including the cities and their towns.
Asher’s Tribal Lands
19:24 The fifth lot belonged to the tribe of Asher by its clans. 19:25 Their territory included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Acshaph, 19:26 Alammelech, Amad, and Mishal. Their border touched Carmel to the west and Shihor Libnath. 19:27 It turned eastward toward Beth Dagon, touched Zebulun and the Valley of Iphtah El to the north, as well as the Valley of Emek and Neiel, and extended to Cabul on the north 19:28 and on to Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, as far as Greater Sidon. 19:29 It then turned toward Ramah as far as the fortified city of Tyre, turned to Hosah, and ended at the sea near Hebel, Aczib, 19:30 Umah, Aphek, and Rehob. In all they had twenty-two cities and their towns. 19:31 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Asher by its clans, including these cities and their towns.
Naphtali’s Tribal Lands
19:32 The sixth lot belonged to the tribe of Naphtali by its clans. 19:33 Their border started at Heleph and the oak of Zaanannim, went to Adami Nekeb, Jabneel and on to Lakkum, and ended at the Jordan River. 19:34 It turned westward to Aznoth Tabor, extended from there to Hukok, touched Zebulun on the south, Asher on the west, and the Jordan on the east. 19:35 The fortified cities included Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Kinnereth, 19:36 Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, 19:37 Kedesh, Edrei, En Hazor, 19:38 Yiron, Migdal El, Horem, Beth Anath, and Beth Shemesh. In all they had nineteen cities and their towns. 19:39 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Naphtali by its clans, including the cities and their towns.
Dan’s Tribal Lands
19:40 The seventh lot belonged to the tribe of Dan by its clans. 19:41 Their assigned land included Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir Shemesh, 19:42 Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah, 19:43 Elon, Timnah, Ekron, 19:44 Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, 19:45 Jehud, Bene Berak, Gath Rimmon, 19:46 the waters of Jarkon, and Rakkon, including the territory in front of Joppa. 19:47 (The Danites failed to conquer their territory, so they went up and fought with Leshem and captured it. They put the sword to it, took possession of it, and lived in it. They renamed it Dan after their ancestor.) 19:48 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Dan by its clans, including these cities and their towns.
Joshua Receives Land
19:49 When they finished dividing the land into its regions, the Israelites gave Joshua son of Nun some land. 19:50 As the Lord had instructed, they gave him the city he requested – Timnath Serah in the Ephraimite hill country. He built up the city and lived in it.
19:51 These are the land assignments which Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the Israelite tribal leaders made by drawing lots in Shiloh before the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting. So they finished dividing up the land.
Israel Designates Cities of Refuge
20:1 The Lord instructed Joshua: 20:2 “Have the Israelites select the cities of refuge that I told you about through Moses. 20:3 Anyone who accidentally kills someone can escape there; these cities will be a place of asylum from the avenger of blood. 20:4 The one who committed manslaughter should escape to one of these cities, stand at the entrance of the city gate, and present his case to the leaders of that city. They should then bring him into the city, give him a place to stay, and let him live there. 20:5 When the avenger of blood comes after him, they must not hand over to him the one who committed manslaughter, for he accidentally killed his fellow man without premeditation. 20:6 He must remain in that city until his case is decided by the assembly and the high priest dies. Then the one who committed manslaughter may return home to the city from which he escaped.”
20:7 So they selected Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah. 20:8 Beyond the Jordan east of Jericho they selected Bezer in the desert on the plain belonging to the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead belonging to the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan belonging to the tribe of Manasseh. 20:9 These were the cities of refuge appointed for all the Israelites and for resident foreigners living among them. Anyone who accidentally killed someone could escape there and not be executed by the avenger of blood, at least until his case was reviewed by the assembly.
Levitical Cities
21:1 The tribal leaders of the Levites went before Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun and the Israelite tribal leaders 21:2 in Shiloh in the land of Canaan and said, “The Lord told Moses to assign us cities in which to live along with the grazing areas for our cattle.” 21:3 So the Israelites assigned these cities and their grazing areas to the Levites from their own holdings, as the Lord had instructed.
21:4 The first lot belonged to the Kohathite clans. The Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest were allotted thirteen cities from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin. 21:5 The rest of Kohath’s descendants were allotted ten cities from the clans of the tribe of Ephraim, and from the tribe of Dan and the half-tribe of Manasseh. 21:6 Gershon’s descendants were allotted thirteen cities from the clans of the tribe of Issachar, and from the tribes of Asher and Naphtali and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. 21:7 Merari’s descendants by their clans were allotted twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. 21:8 So the Israelites assigned to the Levites by lot these cities and their grazing areas, as the Lord had instructed Moses.
21:9 They assigned from the tribes of Judah and Simeon the cities listed below. 21:10 They were assigned to the Kohathite clans of the Levites who were descendants of Aaron, for the first lot belonged to them. 21:11 They assigned them Kiriath Arba (Arba was the father of Anak), that is, Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, along with its surrounding grazing areas. 21:12 (Now the city’s fields and surrounding towns they had assigned to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his property.) 21:13 So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they assigned Hebron (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter), Libnah, 21:14 Jattir, Eshtemoa, 21:15 Holon, Debir, 21:16 Ain, Juttah, and Beth Shemesh, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of nine cities taken from these two tribes. 21:17 From the tribe of Benjamin they assigned Gibeon, Geba, 21:18 Anathoth, and Almon, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities. 21:19 The priests descended from Aaron received thirteen cities and their grazing areas.
21:20 The rest of the Kohathite clans of the Levites were allotted cities from the tribe of Ephraim. 21:21 They assigned them Shechem (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter) in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer, 21:22 Kibzaim, and Beth Horon, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities. 21:23 From the tribe of Dan they assigned Eltekeh, Gibbethon, 21:24 Aijalon, and Gath Rimmon, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities. 21:25 From the half-tribe of Manasseh they assigned Taanach and Gath Rimmon, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of two cities. 21:26 The rest of the Kohathite clans received ten cities and their grazing areas.
21:27 They assigned to the Gershonite clans of the Levites the following cities: from the half-tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter) and Beeshtarah, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of two cities; 21:28 from the tribe of Issachar: Kishon, Daberath, 21:29 Jarmuth, and En Gannim, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities; 21:30 from the tribe of Asher: Mishal, Abdon, 21:31 Helkath, and Rehob, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities; 21:32 from the tribe of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter), Hammoth Dor, and Kartan, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of three cities. 21:33 The Gershonite clans received thirteen cities and their grazing areas.
21:34 They assigned to the Merarite clans (the remaining Levites) the following cities: from the tribe of Zebulun: Jokneam, Kartah, 21:35 Dimnah, and Nahalal, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities; 21:36 from the tribe of Reuben: Bezer, Jahaz, 21:37 Kedemoth, and Mephaath, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities; 21:38 from the tribe of Gad: Ramoth in Gilead (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter), Mahanaim, 21:39 Heshbon, and Jazer, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities. 21:40 The Merarite clans (the remaining Levites) were allotted twelve cities.
21:41 The Levites received within the land owned by the Israelites forty-eight cities in all and their grazing areas. 21:42 Each of these cities had grazing areas around it; they were alike in this regard.
21:43 So the Lord gave Israel all the land he had solemnly promised to their ancestors, and they conquered it and lived in it. 21:44 The Lord made them secure, in fulfillment of all he had solemnly promised their ancestors. None of their enemies could resist them. 21:45 Not one of the Lord’s faithful promises to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled; every one was realized.
Lord, You brought Your people into the promised land just as you said You would. May I trust in Your every promise to me. Your preference was that the Israelites completely purge the promised land of the pagan people and influences, but some of the Israelites fell-short – yet their victories far outnumbered their occasional incomplete occupation – and every victory came from You. May I remember that You provide but I am responsible to do all I am instructed to do – completely – or else live with the consequences. When You assign a task to Your people You expect it to be done thoroughly and not incompletely. May You find me faithful in completing what You assign to me. You told Moses what You expected of the Israelites, in Your New Testament – Your New Covenant - You have also told us what You expect of us. May I study and strive to be obedient to Your expectations of me as a Christian.
The Lord God spoke to Joshua, reminding him that the entirety of the promised land had not yet been conquered.
The text does not explicitly say so but the implication is that as the assignments were made, the lands were then conquered. [Look at 14:11-15 and ahead to Joshua 15:63]
Caleb requested and was granted the assignment of the hill country of the Anakites. He declared that although he was in his 80’s he could still march and fight with the best of his men, but then he qualified that it would be the Lord who would make victory possible.
The text of Joshua 14 concluded “Then the land was free of war.”
While the Israelites occupied the entire promised land they had failed to completely remove the prior residents from it, thus those residents (and their pagan practices and traditions) continued to dwell among them.
Caleb gave his wife in marriage to his nephew for taking a city in the hill country of the Anakites and later gave her two springs in response to her request of him.
The descendants of Joseph had grown in number and asked for more land, they protested when Caleb offered them land occupied by the Canaanites, but Caleb assured them that they could overcome the Canaanites.
Joshua, at the prompting of the Lord God, challenged the people of Israel. He drew a distinction between “subduing” and “occupying” the promised land.
Joshua directed them to assign men to survey all of the land.
Joshua then reported the completion of the documented assignments and occupation of the promised land.
The Lord God challenged the Israelites to fulfill His mandate of cities of refuge and reiterated their purpose, distribution, and design.
The Lord God also challenged the Israelites to establish the Levitical cities.
The book of Joshua records that once these tasks had been completed that all that God had promised about the promised land had been fulfilled.
The promised land was divided by the Lord God, first using Moses and then Joshua and others. God had a detailed plan, and excellent reasons for every part of it. The taking of the promised land was an incredible event in history yet for a variety of reasons some of the Israelite tribes failed to remove all of the prior occupants; the text hints at fatigue, fear, and laziness as possible explanations. While the Israelites had defeated all of the significant enemies within the promised land they had not completed the task of distributing the tribes into the areas assigned to them – this placed them at-odds with fulfilling the instructions of God. The cities of refuge were designed to promote a civilized manner of dealing with the violent death of people; rather than primitive rage-driven revenge, reason and justice would prevail.
Does it make you smile to read that Caleb, at 85 years old was not only still healthy and strong but still fearless-in-the-Lord? After all that they had seen the Lord God do for them why would the descendants of Joseph doubt their capacity to take the land still occupied by the Canaanites? Is it any surprise that the history of the Israelites carelessness about full obedience led God to prompt Joshua to challenge them? How important was it to the Israelites, and to everyone who has believed in and followed God since, to know that God always keeps His promises?
Caleb, fearless the first time he and Joshua pleaded with the people to enter the promised land, and still fearless as they – 40 years later – actually did so, was not in the least deterred by the challenge of dispossessing the Anakites who boasted of famous warriors and strong forts in the hill country. What may have been the negative influence of pagan people dwelling among the Israelites? Even though the Israelites could have spread out and settled they had not yet bothered to do so – despite God’s promise and provision and all of the effort they invested to subdue the land. The Levites invested themselves in the sacrificial system and the system of justice in service of their fellow Israelites and God made sure that they were well-provided for.
When have you interacted with an older believer whose energy and faith in the Lord was both surprising and encouraging? When have you been on your way to victory with God yet were dissuaded or distracted and failed to complete the task? What were the negative consequences? When have you had the opportunity to benefit from an opportunity and not followed through? When have you trusted a promise of God because you had read so many times in the Bible of the promises He had kept to others?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a tough challenge that He has set before you and which He intends you to undertake with confidence in Him, to show you where you need to finish a work once-begun with Him, to reveal to you an unfinished work in your life, and to reveal to you a moment in your life where God has fulfilled a promise. (Perhaps one where you had some doubts, perhaps in a moment of crisis, or from something another person had said.)
Today I will prayerfully prepare and begin the journey that God has set before me. The journey may be to overcome a sin in my life, to confront unrighteousness in my fellowship, to reach out with God’s truth to those who are considering-Christ (as the Holy Spirit leads), or some other challenge. I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement for courage and wisdom. I will prayerfully assess what it is that I have left uncompleted and I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement and to hold me accountable to see it through. I will thank the Holy Spirit for the opportunity to complete a work in my life in partnership with Him. I will either ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement and to hold me accountable, or one who is Biblically qualified as an elder, as is most appropriate to the level of accountability and access to wisdom. I will share the story of God’s faithfulness in my life with a fellow believer, as a celebration and encouragement to them, and as-appropriate with someone who is considering-Christ as a testimony to His trustworthiness.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Joshua Sends Home the Eastern Tribes
22:1 Then Joshua summoned the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh 22:2 and told them: “You have carried out all the instructions of Moses the Lord’s servant, and you have obeyed all I have told you. 22:3 You have not abandoned your fellow Israelites this entire time, right up to this very day. You have completed the task given you by the Lord your God. 22:4 Now the Lord your God has made your fellow Israelites secure, just as he promised them. So now you may turn around and go to your homes in your own land which Moses the Lord’s servant assigned to you east of the Jordan. 22:5 But carefully obey the commands and instructions Moses the Lord’s servant gave you. Love the Lord your God, follow all his instructions, obey his commands, be loyal to him, and serve him with all your heart and being!”
22:6 Joshua rewarded them and sent them on their way; they returned to their homes. 22:7 (Now to one half-tribe of Manasseh, Moses had assigned land in Bashan; and to the other half Joshua had assigned land on the west side of the Jordan with their fellow Israelites.) When Joshua sent them home, he rewarded them, 22:8 saying, “Take home great wealth, a lot of cattle, silver, gold, bronze, iron, and a lot of clothing. Divide up the goods captured from your enemies with your brothers.” 22:9 So the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh left the Israelites in Shiloh in the land of Canaan and headed home to their own land in Gilead, which they acquired by the Lord’s command through Moses.
Civil War is Averted
22:10 The Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh came to Geliloth near the Jordan in the land of Canaan and built there, near the Jordan, an impressive altar. 22:11 The Israelites received this report: “Look, the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar at the entrance to the land of Canaan, at Geliloth near the Jordan on the Israelite side.” 22:12 When the Israelites heard this, the entire Israelite community assembled at Shiloh to launch an attack against them.
22:13 The Israelites sent Phinehas, son of Eleazar, the priest, to the land of Gilead to the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. 22:14 He was accompanied by ten leaders, one from each of the Israelite tribes, each one a family leader among the Israelite clans. 22:15 They went to the land of Gilead to the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and said to them: 22:16 “The entire community of the Lord says, ‘Why have you disobeyed the God of Israel by turning back today from following the Lord? You built an altar for yourselves and have rebelled today against the Lord. 22:17 The sin we committed at Peor was bad enough. To this very day we have not purified ourselves; it even brought a plague on the community of the Lord. 22:18 Now today you dare to turn back from following the Lord! You are rebelling today against the Lord; tomorrow he may break out in anger against the entire community of Israel. 22:19 But if your own land is impure, cross over to the Lord’s own land, where the Lord himself lives, and settle down among us. But don’t rebel against the Lord or us by building for yourselves an altar aside from the altar of the Lord our God. 22:20 When Achan son of Zerah disobeyed the command about the city’s riches, the entire Israelite community was judged, though only one man had sinned. He most certainly died for his sin!’”
22:21 The Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered the leaders of the Israelite clans: 22:22 “El, God, the Lord! El, God, the Lord! He knows the truth! Israel must also know! If we have rebelled or disobeyed the Lord, don’t spare us today! 22:23 If we have built an altar for ourselves to turn back from following the Lord by making burnt sacrifices and grain offerings on it, or by offering tokens of peace on it, the Lord himself will punish us. 22:24 We swear we have done this because we were worried that in the future your descendants would say to our descendants, ‘What relationship do you have with the Lord God of Israel? 22:25 The Lord made the Jordan a boundary between us and you Reubenites and Gadites. You have no right to worship the Lord.’ In this way your descendants might cause our descendants to stop obeying the Lord. 22:26 So we decided to build this altar, not for burnt offerings and sacrifices, 22:27 but as a reminder to us and you, and to our descendants who follow us, that we will honor the Lord in his very presence with burnt offerings, sacrifices, and tokens of peace. Then in the future your descendants will not be able to say to our descendants, ‘You have no right to worship the Lord.’ 22:28 We said, ‘If in the future they say such a thing to us or to our descendants, we will reply, “See the model of the Lord’s altar that our ancestors made, not for burnt offerings or sacrifices, but as a reminder to us and you.”‘ 22:29 Far be it from us to rebel against the Lord by turning back today from following after the Lord by building an altar for burnt offerings, sacrifices, and tokens of peace aside from the altar of the Lord our God located in front of his dwelling place!”
22:30 When Phinehas the priest and the community leaders and clan leaders who accompanied him heard the defense of the Reubenites, Gadites, and the Manassehites, they were satisfied. 22:31 Phinehas, son of Eleazar, the priest, said to the Reubenites, Gadites, and the Manassehites, “Today we know that the Lord is among us, because you have not disobeyed the Lord in this. Now you have rescued the Israelites from the Lord’s judgment.”
22:32 Phinehas, son of Eleazar, the priest, and the leaders left the Reubenites and Gadites in the land of Gilead and reported back to the Israelites in the land of Canaan. 22:33 The Israelites were satisfied with their report and gave thanks to God. They said nothing more about launching an attack to destroy the land in which the Reubenites and Gadites lived. 22:34 The Reubenites and Gadites named the altar, “Surely it is a Reminder to us that the Lord is God.”
Joshua Challenges Israel to be Faithful
23:1 A long time passed after the Lord made Israel secure from all their enemies, and Joshua was very old. 23:2 So Joshua summoned all Israel, including the elders, rulers, judges, and leaders, and told them: “I am very old. 23:3 You saw everything the Lord your God did to all these nations on your behalf, for the Lord your God fights for you. 23:4 See, I have parceled out to your tribes these remaining nations, from the Jordan to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, including all the nations I defeated. 23:5 The Lord your God will drive them out from before you and remove them, so you can occupy their land as the Lord your God promised you. 23:6 Be very strong! Carefully obey all that is written in the law scroll of Moses so you won’t swerve from it to the right or the left, 23:7 or associate with these nations that remain near you. You must not invoke or make solemn declarations by the names of their gods! You must not worship or bow down to them! 23:8 But you must be loyal to the Lord your God, as you have been to this very day.
23:9 “The Lord drove out from before you great and mighty nations; no one has been able to resist you to this very day. 23:10 One of you makes a thousand run away, for the Lord your God fights for you as he promised you he would. 23:11 Watch yourselves carefully! Love the Lord your God! 23:12 But if you ever turn away and make alliances with these nations that remain near you, and intermarry with them and establish friendly relations with them, 23:13 know for certain that the Lord our God will no longer drive out these nations from before you. They will trap and ensnare you; they will be a whip that tears your sides and thorns that blind your eyes until you disappear from this good land the Lord your God gave you.
23:14 “Look, today I am about to die. You know with all your heart and being that not even one of all the faithful promises the Lord your God made to you is left unfulfilled; every one was realized – not one promise is unfulfilled! 23:15 But in the same way every faithful promise the Lord your God made to you has been realized, it is just as certain, if you disobey, that the Lord will bring on you every judgment until he destroys you from this good land which the Lord your God gave you. 23:16 If you violate the covenantal laws of the Lord your God which he commanded you to keep, and follow, worship, and bow down to other gods, the Lord will be very angry with you and you will disappear quickly from the good land which he gave to you.”
Israel Renews its Commitment to the Lord
24:1 Joshua assembled all the Israelite tribes at Shechem. He summoned Israel’s elders, rulers, judges, and leaders, and they appeared before God. 24:2 Joshua told all the people, “Here is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘In the distant past your ancestors lived beyond the Euphrates River, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor. They worshiped other gods, 24:3 but I took your father Abraham from beyond the Euphrates and brought him into the entire land of Canaan. I made his descendants numerous; I gave him Isaac, 24:4 and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. To Esau I assigned Mount Seir, while Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt. 24:5 I sent Moses and Aaron, and I struck Egypt down when I intervened in their land. Then I brought you out. 24:6 When I brought your fathers out of Egypt, you arrived at the sea. The Egyptians chased your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea. 24:7 Your fathers cried out for help to the Lord; he made the area between you and the Egyptians dark, and then drowned them in the sea. You witnessed with your very own eyes what I did in Egypt. You lived in the wilderness for a long time. 24:8 Then I brought you to the land of the Amorites who lived east of the Jordan. They fought with you, but I handed them over to you; you conquered their land and I destroyed them from before you. 24:9 Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, launched an attack against Israel. He summoned Balaam son of Beor to call down judgment on you. 24:10 I refused to respond to Balaam; he kept prophesying good things about you, and I rescued you from his power. 24:11 You crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho. The leaders of Jericho, as well as the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites, and Jebusites, fought with you, but I handed them over to you. 24:12 I sent terror ahead of you to drive out before you the two Amorite kings. I gave you the victory; it was not by your swords or bows. 24:13 I gave you a land in which you had not worked hard; you took up residence in cities you did not build and you are eating the produce of vineyards and olive groves you did not plant.’
24:14 Now obey the Lord and worship him with integrity and loyalty. Put aside the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates and in Egypt and worship the Lord. 24:15 If you have no desire to worship the Lord, choose today whom you will worship, whether it be the gods whom your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. But I and my family will worship the Lord!”
24:16 The people responded, “Far be it from us to abandon the Lord so we can worship other gods! 24:17 For the Lord our God took us and our fathers out of slavery in the land of Egypt and performed these awesome miracles before our very eyes. He continually protected us as we traveled and when we passed through nations. 24:18 The Lord drove out from before us all the nations, including the Amorites who lived in the land. So we too will worship the Lord, for he is our God!”
24:19 Joshua warned the people, “You will not keep worshiping the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God who will not forgive your rebellion or your sins. 24:20 If you abandon the Lord and worship foreign gods, he will turn against you; he will bring disaster on you and destroy you, though he once treated you well.”
24:21 The people said to Joshua, “No! We really will worship the Lord!” 24:22 Joshua said to the people, “Do you agree to be witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to worship the Lord?” They replied, “We are witnesses!” 24:23 Joshua said, “Now put aside the foreign gods that are among you and submit to the Lord God of Israel.”
24:24 The people said to Joshua, “We will worship the Lord our God and obey him.”
24:25 That day Joshua drew up an agreement for the people, and he established rules and regulations for them in Shechem. 24:26 Joshua wrote these words in the Law Scroll of God. He then took a large stone and set it up there under the oak tree near the Lord’s shrine. 24:27 Joshua said to all the people, “Look, this stone will be a witness against you, for it has heard everything the Lord said to us. It will be a witness against you if you deny your God.” 24:28 When Joshua dismissed the people, they went to their allotted portions of land.
An Era Ends
24:29 After all this Joshua son of Nun, the Lord’s servant, died at the age of one hundred ten. 24:30 They buried him in his allotted territory in Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. 24:31 Israel worshiped the Lord throughout Joshua’s lifetime and as long as the elderly men who outlived him remained alive. These men had experienced firsthand everything the Lord had done for Israel.
24:32 The bones of Joseph, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem in the part of the field that Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for one hundred pieces of money. So it became the inheritance of the tribe of Joseph.
24:33 Eleazar son of Aaron died, and they buried him in Gibeah in the hill country of Ephraim, where his son Phinehas had been assigned land.
Lord, You taught Your people to be careful for their own choices and those of their brothers. May I be found attentive in my choices – that they honor You. You provide for us and ask that we demonstrate our gratefulness by not selling-out to the enemies of truth. May I be found faithful to God and God alone. You raised up a role model for faithfulness in Joshua. May I learn from him and choose to emulate him in my own life.
Joshua thanked the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh for keeping their word to stand with their brothers through the subduing and occupying of the promised land.
He rewarded them with a large quantity of what had been gathered from sacking the land and sent them home.
The Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh build a large altar and the other tribes presumed it was to make sacrifices apart from the one location established by the Lord. They sent a delegation to challenge them because they feared that the Lord God would punish them all for the actions of the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
The Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh explained that they had no intention of making sacrifices but that it was only intended as a symbolic reminder to both sides that they all shared a common standing with God and a right to access to the common place of sacrifice and worship.
The delegates were satisfied and returned with a good report.
Joshua reminded the people of what God had done and that He was still ready to fight for them. He warned them to not compromise with the pagan people around them.
Joshua described in some detail the consequences of compromising with the pagans as disastrous.
Joshua observed that he was about to die and was very concerned that the people understand that their adherence to the covenant of the Lord God was necessary to their blessing. Joshua presented the Lord God’s review of His provision for the people from Abraham to the present, then he challenges them to make a decision; would they worship the pagan gods of their past, or follow only the Lord God, then he declared that no matter what they decided – his family would serve to the Lord..
The people declared that they would follow the Lord but Joshua challenged them on the truth of that – followed by a reminder of the consequence that offending the Lord God though rebellion would trigger His jealous response.
Joshua wrote for them on The Scroll of Law their agreement to follow the Lord God and the rules and regulations of their civilization, set up a large stone as a symbolic witness of their agreement, then sent them home.
Joshua died and the obedience of the people continued as long as there were still elders in the land who remembered the great things that God had done.
The Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had served alongside their brothers for a very long time – sacrificing time at home with their families – keeping their word to Moses and Joshua and to the Lord God. Joshua had walked with his people from the Exodus to the promised land and had a huge personal investment in their long-term well-being. The history of God’s provision and protection from Abraham to the promised land was an incredible legacy for the Israelites.
Given God’s past discipline of the Israelites was it any surprise that they were fearful when they heard that the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had acted in rebellion by building what appeared to be a second sacrificial altar? Why would Joshua worry that the Israelites might compromise with the pagan people around them? The Israelites had apparently continued to drift back into their old pagan ways but given their promised to God, His faithfulness to them, and the prophesied consequences for rebellion – why would Joshua be so concerned that they would still drift backwards into paganism?
There was a profound contrast between the blessing of God and the curse of God and the people owned the consequences based on the choices they would make. As long as there were elders present among the people to remind them of God’s powerful provision and protection they kept their eyes on Him.
The tribes of Israel had finally learned that they had an enlightened self-interest in keeping their brothers in right-standing before the Lord God. When have you done something with good intention, but not thought it necessary to explain yourself, only to be confronted and challenged to explain yourself to others who had misunderstood your intentions? When have you observed a fellowship that compromised with the world and suffered negative consequences? When have you experienced or heard of the power of retelling God’s faithfulness to keep a fellowship moving forward in faithfulness to Him?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you may need to clarify your intentions, to reveal to you a place where a choice ahead of you will result in the receipt of a blessing or not, and to remind you again of God’s faithfulness in your life, and/or that of your fellowship.
Today I will ask a mature fellow believer, perhaps one fully qualified according to Biblical standards as an elder, to prayerfully reflect with me as to anywhere that my actions may be misunderstood by fellow believers. I agree to communicate a clarification so that potential conflict is avoided. I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement for sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and clarity in consulting the Word as He guides me to the correct decision. I will gather together with one or more fellow believers and we will share our stories of God’s faithfulness. We will celebrate together and pray earnestly that we will never forget and never drift backward from the place of grateful faithfulness to Him where we now find ourselves.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 24
Judah Takes the Lead
1:1 After Joshua died, the Israelites asked the Lord, “Who should lead the invasion against the Canaanites and launch the attack?” 1:2 The Lord said, “The men of Judah should take the lead. Be sure of this! I am handing the land over to them.” 1:3 The men of Judah said to their relatives, the men of Simeon, “Invade our allotted land with us and help us attack the Canaanites. Then we will go with you into your allotted land.” So the men of Simeon went with them.
1:4 The men of Judah attacked, and the Lord handed the Canaanites and Perizzites over to them. They killed ten thousand men at Bezek. 1:5 They met Adoni-Bezek at Bezek and fought him. They defeated the Canaanites and Perizzites. 1:6 When Adoni-Bezek ran away, they chased him and captured him. Then they cut off his thumbs and big toes. 1:7 Adoni-Bezek said, “Seventy kings, with thumbs and big toes cut off, used to lick up food scraps under my table. God has repaid me for what I did to them.” They brought him to Jerusalem, where he died. 1:8 The men of Judah attacked Jerusalem and captured it. They put the sword to it and set the city on fire.
1:9 Later the men of Judah went down to attack the Canaanites living in the hill country, the Negev, and the lowlands. 1:10 The men of Judah attacked the Canaanites living in Hebron. (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba.) They killed Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai. 1:11 From there they attacked the people of Debir. (Debir used to be called Kiriath Sepher.) 1:12 Caleb said, “To the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher I will give my daughter Acsah as a wife.” 1:13 When Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, captured it, Caleb gave him his daughter Acsah as a wife.
1:14 One time Acsah came and charmed her father so she could ask him for some land. When she got down from her donkey, Caleb said to her, “What would you like?” 1:15 She answered, “Please give me a special present. Since you have given me land in the Negev, now give me springs of water.” So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs.
1:16 Now the descendants of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up with the people of Judah from the City of Date Palm Trees to Arad in the desert of Judah, located in the Negev. They went and lived with the people of Judah.
1:17 The men of Judah went with their brothers the men of Simeon and defeated the Canaanites living in Zephath. They wiped out Zephath. So people now call the city Hormah. 1:18 The men of Judah captured Gaza, Ashkelon, Ekron, and the territory surrounding each of these cities.
1:19 The Lord was with the men of Judah. They conquered the hill country, but they could not conquer the people living in the coastal plain, because they had chariots with iron-rimmed wheels. 1:20 Caleb received Hebron, just as Moses had promised. He drove out the three Anakites. 1:21 The men of Benjamin, however, did not conquer the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. The Jebusites live with the people of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this very day.
Partial Success
1:22 When the men of Joseph attacked Bethel, the Lord was with them. 1:23 When the men of Joseph spied out Bethel (it used to be called Luz), 1:24 the spies spotted a man leaving the city. They said to him, “If you show us a secret entrance into the city, we will reward you.” 1:25 He showed them a secret entrance into the city, and they put the city to the sword. But they let the man and his extended family leave safely. 1:26 He moved to Hittite country and built a city. He named it Luz, and it has kept that name to this very day.
1:27 The men of Manasseh did not conquer Beth Shan, Taanach, or their surrounding towns. Nor did they conquer the people living in Dor, Ibleam, Megiddo or their surrounding towns. The Canaanites managed to remain in those areas. 1:28 Whenever Israel was strong militarily, they forced the Canaanites to do hard labor, but they never totally conquered them.
1:29 The men of Ephraim did not conquer the Canaanites living in Gezer. The Canaanites lived among them in Gezer.
1:30 The men of Zebulun did not conquer the people living in Kitron and Nahalol. The Canaanites lived among them and were forced to do hard labor.
1:31 The men of Asher did not conquer the people living in Acco or Sidon, nor did they conquer Ahlab, Aczib, Helbah, Aphek, or Rehob. 1:32 The people of Asher live among the Canaanites residing in the land because they did not conquer them.
1:33 The men of Naphtali did not conquer the people living in Beth Shemesh or Beth Anath. They live among the Canaanites residing in the land. The Canaanites living in Beth Shemesh and Beth Anath were forced to do hard labor for them.
1:34 The Amorites forced the people of Dan to live in the hill country. They did not allow them to live in the coastal plain. 1:35 The Amorites managed to remain in Har Heres, Aijalon, and Shaalbim. Whenever the tribe of Joseph was strong militarily, the Amorites were forced to do hard labor. 1:36 The border of Amorite territory ran from the Scorpion Ascent to Sela and on up.
Confrontation and Repentance at Bokim
2:1 The Lord’s angelic messenger went up from Gilgal to Bokim. He said, “I brought you up from Egypt and led you into the land I had solemnly promised to give to your ancestors. I said, ‘I will never break my agreement with you, 2:2 but you must not make an agreement with the people who live in this land. You should tear down the altars where they worship.’ But you have disobeyed me. Why would you do such a thing? 2:3 At that time I also warned you, ‘If you disobey, I will not drive out the Canaanites before you. They will ensnare you and their gods will lure you away.’”
2:4 When the Lord’s messenger finished speaking these words to all the Israelites, the people wept loudly. 2:5 They named that place Bokim and offered sacrifices to the Lord there.
The End of an Era
2:6 When Joshua dismissed the people, the Israelites went to their allotted portions of territory, intending to take possession of the land. 2:7 The people worshiped the Lord throughout Joshua’s lifetime and as long as the elderly men who outlived him remained alive. These men had witnessed all the great things the Lord had done for Israel. 2:8 Joshua son of Nun, the Lord’s servant, died at the age of one hundred ten. 2:9 The people buried him in his allotted land in Timnath Heres in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. 2:10 That entire generation passed away; a new generation grew up that had not personally experienced the Lord’s presence or seen what he had done for Israel.
A Monotonous Cycle
2:11 The Israelites did evil before the Lord by worshiping the Baals. 2:12 They abandoned the Lord God of their ancestors who brought them out of the land of Egypt. They followed other gods – the gods of the nations who lived around them. They worshiped them and made the Lord angry. 2:13 They abandoned the Lord and worshiped Baal and the Ashtars.
2:14 The Lord was furious with Israel and handed them over to robbers who plundered them. He turned them over to their enemies who lived around them. They could not withstand their enemies’ attacks. 2:15 Whenever they went out to fight, the Lord did them harm, just as he had warned and solemnly vowed he would do. They suffered greatly.
2:16 The Lord raised up leaders who delivered them from these robbers. 2:17 But they did not obey their leaders. Instead they prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped them. They quickly turned aside from the path their ancestors had walked. Their ancestors had obeyed the Lord’s commands, but they did not. 2:18 When the Lord raised up leaders for them, the Lord was with each leader and delivered the people from their enemies while the leader remained alive. The Lord felt sorry for them when they cried out in agony because of what their harsh oppressors did to them. 2:19 When a leader died, the next generation would again act more wickedly than the previous one. They would follow after other gods, worshiping them and bowing down to them. They did not give up their practices or their stubborn ways.
A Divine Decision
2:20 The Lord was furious with Israel. He said, “This nation has violated the terms of the agreement I made with their ancestors by disobeying me. 2:21 So I will no longer remove before them any of the nations that Joshua left unconquered when he died. 2:22 Joshua left those nations to test Israel. I wanted to see whether or not the people would carefully walk in the path marked out by the Lord, as their ancestors were careful to do.” 2:23 This is why the Lord permitted these nations to remain and did not conquer them immediately; he did not hand them over to Joshua.
Lord, You give us the freedom to choose to follow You closely, or to wander. You also allow us to experience the consequences. May I choose to follow You closely.
The text begins after the death of Joshua, returns to describe events just prior to the death of Joshua, then continues after Joshua.
In the absence of Joshua the Lord God instructed the tribe of Judah to lead the Israelites against the Canannites.
The text then described the many locations where the Israelites failed to completely clear the promised land of the pagan peoples there.
The text described the pattern of rebellion and suffering, rescue and peace, rebellion and suffering that was to follow the death of Joshua and all of those who had experienced the powerful works of God in the exodus and taking of the promised land.
Because the Lord God knew of the seeds of rebellion in the hearts of the people He did not give every one of the pagan peoples and their cities in the promised land over to Joshua, He fulfilled His promise to give them the expanse of the promised land, but allowed the consequence of the people's unfaithfulness to remain among them as a test.
The Lord God wanted the Israelites to choose to follow Him, not to create an artificial environment where there were no alternatives.
Is a relationship genuine if people do not have meaningful alternatives?
Despite the history of God's faithfulness the Israelites still choose to worship false gods because those religions appealed to their flesh rather than their righteousness.
When have you been faced with two options and have chosen the one that you knew would not please the Lord God? What was the consequence?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you may be drifting away from keeping your eyes on the Lord.
Today I will accept the chastising of the Holy Spirit and renew my commitment to keep my eyes on the Lord in all things and at all times. I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
3:1 These were the nations the Lord permitted to remain so he could use them to test Israel – he wanted to test all those who had not experienced battle against the Canaanites. 3:2 He left those nations simply because he wanted to teach the subsequent generations of Israelites, who had not experienced the earlier battles, how to conduct holy war. 3:3 These were the nations: the five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo-Hamath. 3:4 They were left to test Israel, so the Lord would know if his people would obey the commands he gave their ancestors through Moses.
3:5 The Israelites lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 3:6 They took the Canaanites’ daughters as wives and gave their daughters to the Canaanites; they worshiped their gods as well.
Othniel: A Model Leader
3:7 The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. They forgot the Lord their God and worshiped the Baals and the Asherahs. 3:8 The Lord was furious with Israel and turned them over to King Cushan-Rishathaim of Aram-Naharaim. They were Cushan-Rishathaim’s subjects for eight years. 3:9 When the Israelites cried out for help to the Lord, he raised up a deliverer for the Israelites who rescued them. His name was Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. 3:10 The Lord’s spirit empowered him and he led Israel. When he went to do battle, the Lord handed over to him King Cushan-Rishathaim of Aram and he overpowered him. 3:11 The land had rest for forty years; then Othniel son of Kenaz died.
Deceit, Assassination, and Deliverance
3:12 The Israelites again did evil in the Lord’s sight. The Lord gave King Eglon of Moab control over Israel because they had done evil in the Lord’s sight. 3:13 Eglon formed alliances with the Ammonites and Amalekites. He came and defeated Israel, and they seized the City of Date Palm Trees. 3:14 The Israelites were subject to King Eglon of Moab for eighteen years.
3:15 When the Israelites cried out for help to the Lord, he raised up a deliverer for them. His name was Ehud son of Gera the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. The Israelites sent him to King Eglon of Moab with their tribute payment. 3:16 Ehud made himself a sword – it had two edges and was eighteen inches long. He strapped it under his coat on his right thigh. 3:17 He brought the tribute payment to King Eglon of Moab. (Now Eglon was a very fat man.)
3:18 After Ehud brought the tribute payment, he dismissed the people who had carried it. 3:19 But he went back once he reached the carved images at Gilgal. He said to Eglon, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” Eglon said, “Be quiet!” All his attendants left. 3:20 When Ehud approached him, he was sitting in his well-ventilated upper room all by himself. Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” When Eglon rose up from his seat, 3:21 Ehud reached with his left hand, pulled the sword from his right thigh, and drove it into Eglon’s belly. 3:22 The handle went in after the blade, and the fat closed around the blade, for Ehud did not pull the sword out of his belly. 3:23 As Ehud went out into the vestibule, he closed the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.
3:24 When Ehud had left, Eglon’s servants came and saw the locked doors of the upper room. They said, “He must be relieving himself in the well-ventilated inner room.” 3:25 They waited so long they were embarrassed, but he still did not open the doors of the upper room. Finally they took the key and opened the doors. Right before their eyes was their master, sprawled out dead on the floor! 3:26 Now Ehud had escaped while they were delaying. When he passed the carved images, he escaped to Seirah.
3:27 When he reached Seirah, he blew a trumpet in the Ephraimite hill country. The Israelites went down with him from the hill country, with Ehud in the lead. 3:28 He said to them, “Follow me, for the Lord is about to defeat your enemies, the Moabites!” They followed him, captured the fords of the Jordan River opposite Moab, and did not let anyone cross. 3:29 That day they killed about ten thousand Moabites – all strong, capable warriors; not one escaped. 3:30 Israel humiliated Moab that day, and the land had rest for eighty years.
3:31 After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath; he killed six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad and, like Ehud, delivered Israel.
Lord, when we come to an end to our pride and rebellion and cry out to You then You rescue us. May I come to You first whenever I am uncertain that my choices may in any way be offensive to You.
The Israelites lived among the pagan people because God wanted to test both their loyalty and their willingness to fight for their nation when He so instructed.
The Israelites did as the Lord God feared and both intermarried with the pagan people and drifted into the worship of their false gods. God allowed them to be overtaken by the pagan nations for eight years but when they cried out to Him He sent Caleb's son to set them free.
The Israelites had peace again for forty years.
The Israelites drifted into unfaithfulness to God again and were allowed to be taken by pagan rulers for eighteen years. They again cried out to God and He sent Ehud to free them. The Israelites had eighty years of peace.
Some time after the death of Ehud The Lord God sent Shamgar to intervene against the Philistines.
There are no Biblical grounds to extrapolate the Lord God's protection of the Israelites to any post-Israelite/post-Cross nation state, He terminated his covenant with nations and replaced it with one with individuals. The Lord only protects a nation state if it serves His will as a launching pad for evangelism, an incubator for discipleship, or is otherwise a useful instrument in His great plan.
The people deliberately disobeyed the Lord God when they intermarried with the pagan people and rebelled to the extreme when they turned away from the worship of Him to the worship of false pagan gods.
After the first experience of eight years of captivity why would the Israelites have risked the wrath of God by again rebelling after forty years? Short memories?
After eight years of captivity the people cried out and were rescued and had peace for forty years, but it took eighteen years of captivity the next time for them to cry out and once liberated they were loyal to the Lord God for eighty years.
When have you forgotten the negative consequences of a bad choice over time and repeated it, only to suffer an even more negative impact the second time?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you are drifting away from the Lord and into things that harm you and offend Him.
Today I agree to confess and repent of (turn away from) that which the Holy Spirit has revealed. I will consult one who is Biblically-qualified as an elder for guidance and accountability as I build an intentional plan to return to a God-honoring path and prevent a drift backwards.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Deborah Summons Barak
4:1 The Israelites again did evil in the Lord’s sight after Ehud’s death. 4:2 The Lord turned them over to King Jabin of Canaan, who ruled in Hazor. The general of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth Haggoyim. 4:3 The Israelites cried out for help to the Lord, because Sisera had nine hundred chariots with iron-rimmed wheels, and he cruelly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years.
4:4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. 4:5 She would sit under the Date Palm Tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the Ephraimite hill country. The Israelites would come up to her to have their disputes settled.
4:6 She summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali. She said to him, “Is it not true that the Lord God of Israel is commanding you? Go, march to Mount Tabor! Take with you ten thousand men from Naphtali and Zebulun! 4:7 I will bring Sisera, the general of Jabin’s army, to you at the Kishon River, along with his chariots and huge army. I will hand him over to you.” 4:8 Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go. But if you do not go with me, I will not go.” 4:9 She said, “I will indeed go with you. But you will not gain fame on the expedition you are undertaking, for the Lord will turn Sisera over to a woman.” Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh. 4:10 Barak summoned men from Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh. Ten thousand men followed him; Deborah went up with him as well. 4:11 Now Heber the Kenite had moved away from the Kenites, the descendants of Hobab, Moses’ father-in-law. He lived near the great tree in Zaanannim near Kedesh.
4:12 When Sisera heard that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, 4:13 he ordered all his chariotry – nine hundred chariots with iron-rimmed wheels – and all the troops he had with him to go from Harosheth-Haggoyim to the River Kishon. 4:14 Deborah said to Barak, “Spring into action, for this is the day the Lord is handing Sisera over to you! Has the Lord not taken the lead?” Barak quickly went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him. 4:15 The Lord routed Sisera, all his chariotry, and all his army with the edge of the sword. Sisera jumped out of his chariot and ran away on foot. 4:16 Now Barak chased the chariots and the army all the way to Harosheth Haggoyim. Sisera’s whole army died by the edge of the sword; not even one survived!
4:17 Now Sisera ran away on foot to the tent of Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite, for King Jabin of Hazor and the family of Heber the Kenite had made a peace treaty. 4:18 Jael came out to welcome Sisera. She said to him, “Stop and rest, my lord. Stop and rest with me. Don’t be afraid.” So Sisera stopped to rest in her tent, and she put a blanket over him. 4:19 He said to her, “Give me a little water to drink, because I’m thirsty.” She opened a goatskin container of milk and gave him some milk to drink. Then she covered him up again. 4:20 He said to her, “Stand watch at the entrance to the tent. If anyone comes along and asks you, ‘Is there a man here?’ say ‘No.’” 4:21 Then Jael wife of Heber took a tent peg in one hand and a hammer in the other. She crept up on him, drove the tent peg through his temple into the ground while he was asleep from exhaustion, and he died. 4:22 Now Barak was chasing Sisera. Jael went out to welcome him. She said to him, “Come here and I will show you the man you are searching for.” He went with her into the tent, and there he saw Sisera sprawled out dead with the tent peg in his temple.
4:23 That day God humiliated King Jabin of Canaan before the Israelites. 4:24 Israel’s power continued to overwhelm King Jabin of Canaan until they did away with him.
Celebrating the Victory in Song
5:1 On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this victory song:
5:2 “When the leaders took the lead in Israel, When the people answered the call to war – Praise the Lord!
5:3 Hear, O kings! Pay attention, O rulers! I will sing to the Lord! I will sing to the Lord God of Israel!
5:4 O Lord, when you departed from Seir, when you marched from Edom’s plains, the earth shook, the heavens poured down, the clouds poured down rain.
5:5 The mountains trembled before the Lord, the God of Sinai; before the Lord God of Israel.
5:6 In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael caravans disappeared; travelers had to go on winding side roads.
5:7 Warriors were scarce, they were scarce in Israel, until you arose, Deborah, until you arose as a motherly protector in Israel.
5:8 God chose new leaders, then fighters appeared in the city gates; but, I swear, not a shield or spear could be found, among forty military units in Israel.
5:9 My heart went out to Israel’s leaders, to the people who answered the call to war.
Praise the Lord!
5:10 You who ride on light-colored female donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets,
you who walk on the road, pay attention!
5:11 Hear the sound of those who divide the sheep among the watering places;
there they tell of the Lord’s victorious deeds, the victorious deeds of his warriors in Israel.
Then the Lord’s people went down to the city gates –
5:12 Wake up, wake up, Deborah!
Wake up, wake up, sing a song!
Get up, Barak!
Capture your prisoners of war, son of Abinoam!
5:13 Then the survivors came down to the mighty ones; the Lord’s people came down to me as warriors.
5:14 They came from Ephraim, who uprooted Amalek, they follow after you, Benjamin, with your soldiers. From Makir leaders came down, from Zebulun came the ones who march carrying an officer’s staff.
5:15 Issachar’s leaders were with Deborah, the men of Issachar supported Barak; into the valley they were sent under Barak’s command. Among the clans of Reuben there was intense heart searching.
5:16 Why do you remain among the sheepfolds, listening to the shepherds playing their pipes for their flocks? As for the clans of Reuben – there was intense searching of heart.
5:17 Gilead stayed put beyond the Jordan River. As for Dan – why did he seek temporary employment in the shipyards? Asher remained on the seacoast,
he stayed by his harbors.
5:18 The men of Zebulun were not concerned about their lives; Naphtali charged on to the battlefields.
5:19 Kings came, they fought; the kings of Canaan fought, at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, but they took no silver as plunder.
5:20 From the sky the stars fought, from their paths in the heavens they fought against Sisera.
5:21 The Kishon River carried them off; the river confronted them – the Kishon River. Step on the necks of the strong!
5:22 The horses’ hooves pounded the ground; the stallions galloped madly.
5:23 ‘Call judgment down on Meroz,’ says the Lord’s angelic messenger;
‘Be sure to call judgment down on those who live there, because they did not come to help in the Lord’s battle, to help in the Lord’s battle against the warriors.’
5:24 The most rewarded of women should be Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite!
She should be the most rewarded of women who live in tents.
5:25 He asked for water, and she gave him milk; in a bowl fit for a king, she served him curds.
5:26 Her left hand reached for the tent peg, her right hand for the workmen’s hammer. She “hammered” Sisera, she shattered his skull, she smashed his head,
she drove the tent peg through his temple.
5:27 Between her feet he collapsed, he fell limp and was lifeless; between her feet he collapsed and fell limp, in the spot where he collapsed, there he fell limp – violently murdered!
5:28 Through the window she looked; Sisera’s mother cried out through the lattice: ‘Why is his chariot so slow to return? Why are the hoofbeats of his chariot-horses delayed?’
5:29 The wisest of her ladies answer; indeed she even thinks to herself,
5:30 ‘No doubt they are gathering and dividing the plunder – a girl or two for each man to rape! Sisera is grabbing up colorful cloth, he is grabbing up colorful embroidered cloth, two pieces of colorful embroidered cloth, for the neck of the plunderer!’
5:31 May all your enemies perish like this, O Lord! But may those who love you shine like the rising sun at its brightest!”
And the land had rest for forty years.
Lord, when You have a task to be completed, and the one You first choose refuses to step-out in faith, You choose another. May I faithful do all that You ask so that I may not miss the blessing of serving as Your instrument in the world.
Remaining in the cycle of rebellion and redemption the Israelites once-again rebelled against the Lord God and He turned them over to their enemies. After 20 years of harsh treatment they cried out to the Lord.
Deborah was a married woman and a prophetess who, like Moses, was God's chosen conduit for judging disputes and guiding the decision-making of the nation's leaders.
Deborah directed the military leader, Barak, to assemble his troops and to attack their captors. Barak, rather than obeying the Word of the Lord as delivered to him through Deborah, insisted upon her physical presence – so she informed him that he would not be the instrument of victory but that a woman would be given that honor by the Lord God.
Barak brought his troops to battle, with Deborah alongside and God delivered their enemies to them, but the leader of the enemy He brought to another married woman, Jael. General Sisera was exhausted from battle and his flight from the battle and asked her to hide him in her tent. Jael won his trust with a warm blanket and some milk and while he dozed she killed him – using a tent peg rather than a sword – a further humiliation as he was not killed “in battle”.
God was apparently more interested in faithful obedience and trust than gender.
Is there a Biblical message in this text, and that of Rahab in Joshua, for those who might declare a strict ban on the role of women in certain areas of ministry and service?
In what were traditionally male-dominated societies here was a double-challenge; a woman judge-prophet and another woman who killed the opposition's general.
When have you observed the Lord God choosing to use unexpected persons as His tools of ministry?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you are either not responding to His call (e.g. Barak) or where you are being called despite what may appear to be traditionally less-significant.
Today I will acknowledge the prompting of the Holy Spirit. I will ask a fellow believer, if possible one who is Biblically-qualified as an elder, to ask the Holy Spirit for confirmation. Once assured of the Lord's calling I agree to step-out in faith to be His chosen instrument.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
Oppression and Confrontation
6:1 The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord turned them over to Midian for seven years. 6:2 The Midianites overwhelmed Israel. Because of Midian the Israelites made shelters for themselves in the hills, as well as caves and strongholds. 6:3 Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people from the east would attack them. 6:4 They invaded the land and devoured its crops all the way to Gaza. They left nothing for the Israelites to eat, and they took away the sheep, oxen, and donkeys. 6:5 When they invaded with their cattle and tents, they were as thick as locusts. Neither they nor their camels could be counted. They came to devour the land. 6:6 Israel was so severely weakened by Midian that the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help.
6:7 When the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help because of Midian, 6:8 he sent a prophet to the Israelites. He said to them, “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I brought you up from Egypt and took you out of that place of slavery. 6:9 I rescued you from Egypt’s power and from the power of all who oppressed you. I drove them out before you and gave their land to you. 6:10 I said to you, “I am the Lord your God! Do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are now living!” But you have disobeyed me.’”
Gideon Meets Some Visitors
6:11 The Lord’s angelic messenger came and sat down under the oak tree in Ophrah owned by Joash the Abiezrite. He arrived while Joash’s son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress so he could hide it from the Midianites. 6:12 The Lord’s messenger appeared and said to him, “The Lord is with you, courageous warrior!” 6:13 Gideon said to him, “Pardon me, but if the Lord is with us, why has such disaster overtaken us? Where are all his miraculous deeds our ancestors told us about? They said, ‘Did the Lord not bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to Midian.” 6:14 Then the Lord himself turned to him and said, “You have the strength. Deliver Israel from the power of the Midianites! Have I not sent you?” 6:15 Gideon said to him, “But Lord, how can I deliver Israel? Just look! My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my family.” 6:16 The Lord said to him, “Ah, but I will be with you! You will strike down the whole Midianite army.” 6:17 Gideon said to him, “If you really are pleased with me, then give me a sign as proof that it is really you speaking with me. 6:18 Do not leave this place until I come back with a gift and present it to you.” The Lord said, “I will stay here until you come back.”
6:19 Gideon went and prepared a young goat, along with unleavened bread made from an ephah of flour. He put the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot. He brought the food to him under the oak tree and presented it to him. 6:20 God’s messenger said to him, “Put the meat and unleavened bread on this rock, and pour out the broth.” Gideon did as instructed. 6:21 The Lord’s messenger touched the meat and the unleavened bread with the tip of his staff. Fire flared up from the rock and consumed the meat and unleavened bread. The Lord’s messenger then disappeared.
6:22 When Gideon realized that it was the Lord’s messenger, he said, “Oh no! Master, Lord! I have seen the Lord’s messenger face to face!” 6:23 The Lord said to him, “You are safe! Do not be afraid! You are not going to die!” 6:24 Gideon built an altar for the Lord there, and named it “The Lord is on friendly terms with me.” To this day it is still there in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
Gideon Destroys the Altar
6:25 That night the Lord said to him, “Take the bull from your father’s herd, as well as a second bull, one that is seven years old. Pull down your father’s Baal altar and cut down the nearby Asherah pole. 6:26 Then build an altar for the Lord your God on the top of this stronghold according to the proper pattern. Take the second bull and offer it as a burnt sacrifice on the wood from the Asherah pole that you cut down.” 6:27 So Gideon took ten of his servants and did just as the Lord had told him. He was too afraid of his father’s family and the men of the city to do it in broad daylight, so he waited until nighttime.
6:28 When the men of the city got up the next morning, they saw the Baal altar pulled down, the nearby Asherah pole cut down, and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar. 6:29 They said to one another, “Who did this?” They investigated the matter thoroughly and concluded that Gideon son of Joash had done it. 6:30 The men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, so we can execute him! He pulled down the Baal altar and cut down the nearby Asherah pole.” 6:31 But Joash said to all those who confronted him, “Must you fight Baal’s battles? Must you rescue him? Whoever takes up his cause will die by morning! If he really is a god, let him fight his own battles! After all, it was his altar that was pulled down.” 6:32 That very day Gideon’s father named him Jerub-Baal, because he had said, “Let Baal fight with him, for it was his altar that was pulled down.”
Gideon Summons an Army and Seeks Confirmation
6:33 All the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people from the east assembled. They crossed the Jordan River and camped in the Jezreel Valley. 6:34 The Lord’s spirit took control of Gideon. He blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him. 6:35 He sent messengers throughout Manasseh and summoned them to follow him as well. He also sent messengers throughout Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they came up to meet him.
6:36 Gideon said to God, “If you really intend to use me to deliver Israel, as you promised, then give me a sign as proof. 6:37 Look, I am putting a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece, and the ground around it is dry, then I will be sure that you will use me to deliver Israel, as you promised.” 6:38 The Lord did as he asked. When he got up the next morning, he squeezed the fleece, and enough dew dripped from it to fill a bowl. 6:39 Gideon said to God, “Please do not get angry at me, when I ask for just one more sign. Please allow me one more test with the fleece. This time make only the fleece dry, while the ground around it is covered with dew.” 6:40 That night God did as he asked. Only the fleece was dry and the ground around it was covered with dew.
Gideon Reduces the Ranks
7:1 Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and his men got up the next morning and camped near the spring of Harod. The Midianites were camped north of them near the hill of Moreh in the valley. 7:2 The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men for me to hand Midian over to you. Israel might brag, ‘Our own strength has delivered us.’ 7:3 Now, announce to the men, ‘Whoever is shaking with fear may turn around and leave Mount Gilead.’” Twenty-two thousand men went home; ten thousand remained. 7:4 The Lord spoke to Gideon again, “There are still too many men. Bring them down to the water and I will thin the ranks some more. When I say, ‘This one should go with you,’ pick him to go; when I say, ‘This one should not go with you,’ do not take him.” 7:5 So he brought the men down to the water. Then the Lord said to Gideon, “Separate those who lap the water as a dog laps from those who kneel to drink.” 7:6 Three hundred men lapped; the rest of the men kneeled to drink water. 7:7 The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men who lapped I will deliver the whole army and I will hand Midian over to you. The rest of the men should go home.” 7:8 The men who were chosen took supplies and their trumpets. Gideon sent all the men of Israel back to their homes; he kept only three hundred men. Now the Midianites were camped down below in the valley.
Gideon Reassured of Victory
7:9 That night the Lord said to Gideon, “Get up! Attack the camp, for I am handing it over to you. 7:10 But if you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with Purah your servant 7:11 and listen to what they are saying. Then you will be brave and attack the camp.” So he went down with Purah his servant to where the sentries were guarding the camp. 7:12 Now the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people from the east covered the valley like a swarm of locusts. Their camels could not be counted; they were as innumerable as the sand on the seashore. 7:13 When Gideon arrived, he heard a man telling another man about a dream he had. The man said, “Look! I had a dream. I saw a stale cake of barley bread rolling into the Midianite camp. It hit a tent so hard it knocked it over and turned it upside down. The tent just collapsed.” 7:14 The other man said, “Without a doubt this symbolizes the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God is handing Midian and all the army over to him.”
Gideon Routs the Enemy
7:15 When Gideon heard the report of the dream and its interpretation, he praised God. Then he went back to the Israelite camp and said, “Get up, for the Lord is handing the Midianite army over to you!” 7:16 He divided the three hundred men into three units. He gave them all trumpets and empty jars with torches inside them. 7:17 He said to them, “Watch me and do as I do. Watch closely! I am going to the edge of the camp. Do as I do! 7:18 When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, you also blow your trumpets all around the camp. Then say, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon!’”
7:19 Gideon took a hundred men to the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guards. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars they were carrying. 7:20 All three units blew their trumpets and broke their jars. They held the torches in their left hand and the trumpets in their right. Then they yelled, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” 7:21 They stood in order all around the camp. The whole army ran away; they shouted as they scrambled away. 7:22 When the three hundred men blew their trumpets, the Lord caused the Midianites to attack one another with their swords throughout the camp. The army fled to Beth Shittah on the way to Zererah. They went to the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath. 7:23 Israelites from Naphtali, Asher, and Manasseh answered the call and chased the Midianites.
Lord, You are so patient and forgiving, even as we sin against You again and again. May I not test Your patience but be ever-vigilant to resist the temptations of the enemy to turn away from You.
The Israelites again drifted into rebellion and were overrun by the Midianites.
The Lord God called Gideon, the youngest son in the weakest family, to deliver them. Gideon, surrounded by pagan influences twice asks the Lord God to verify that it was indeed Him who was calling. His first assignment was to destroy the pagan altars and to use the wood to burn an offering to God.
Gideon gathered the soldiers of Israel to do battle but God reduced their numbers to only 300 versus tens of thousands of the enemy so that it would be impossible for Israel to boast of victory apart from God.
Gideon was rightfully skeptical of any spiritual apparition since the pagan worship of false gods all around him would surely have welcomed demonic activity.
Can you imagine the courage and faithfulness of Gideon to attack a massive camp of enemy soldiers with only 300 men?
Gideon was called to service by the Lord God to be His instrument of liberation once the people had confessed their sin of rebellion and sought the Lord's mercy.
When have you, or someone you know of, been asked by the Lord God to do something that seemed impossible for you (them)? How did it work out?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a ministry in which you may serve that can only succeed if He blesses and empowers it.
Today I will step-out with the courage and faith of Gideon to be an instrument of God in a ministry whose successful conclusion may only be of His doing. Like Gideon I will prayerfully discern with certainty that the calling is of Him, and like Gideon I will allow Him to direct so that there will be no question that the successful conclusion is not of the works of man but of God-alone through man.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Gideon Appeases the Ephraimites
7:24 Now Gideon sent messengers throughout the Ephraimite hill country who announced, “Go down and head off the Midianites. Take control of the fords of the streams all the way to Beth Barah and the Jordan River.” When all the Ephraimites had assembled, they took control of the fords all the way to Beth Barah and the Jordan River. 7:25 They captured the two Midianite generals, Oreb and Zeeb. They executed Oreb on the rock of Oreb and Zeeb in the winepress of Zeeb. They chased the Midianites and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was now on the other side of the Jordan River.
8:1 The Ephraimites said to him, “Why have you done such a thing to us? You did not summon us when you went to fight the Midianites!” They argued vehemently with him. 8:2 He said to them, “Now what have I accomplished compared to you? Even Ephraim’s leftover grapes are better quality than Abiezer’s harvest! 8:3 It was to you that God handed over the Midianite generals, Oreb and Zeeb! What did I accomplish to rival that?” When he said this, they calmed down.
Gideon Tracks Down the Midianite Kings
8:4 Now Gideon and his three hundred men had crossed over the Jordan River, and even though they were exhausted, they were still chasing the Midianites. 8:5 He said to the men of Succoth, “Give some loaves of bread to the men who are following me, because they are exhausted. I am chasing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.” 8:6 The officials of Succoth said, “You have not yet overpowered Zebah and Zalmunna. So why should we give bread to your army?” 8:7 Gideon said, “Since you will not help, after the Lord hands Zebah and Zalmunna over to me, I will thresh your skin with desert thorns and briers.” 8:8 He went up from there to Penuel and made the same request. The men of Penuel responded the same way the men of Succoth had. 8:9 He also threatened the men of Penuel, warning, “When I return victoriously, I will tear down this tower.”
8:10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their armies. There were about fifteen thousand survivors from the army of the eastern peoples; a hundred and twenty thousand sword-wielding soldiers had been killed. 8:11 Gideon went up the road of the nomads east of Nobah and Jogbehah and ambushed the surprised army. 8:12 When Zebah and Zalmunna ran away, Gideon chased them and captured the two Midianite kings, Zebah and Zalmunna. He had surprised their entire army.
8:13 Gideon son of Joash returned from the battle by the pass of Heres. 8:14 He captured a young man from Succoth and interrogated him. The young man wrote down for him the names of Succoth’s officials and city leaders – seventy-seven men in all. 8:15 He approached the men of Succoth and said, “Look what I have! Zebah and Zalmunna! You insulted me, saying, ‘You have not yet overpowered Zebah and Zalmunna. So why should we give bread to your exhausted men?’” 8:16 He seized the leaders of the city, along with some desert thorns and briers; he then “threshed” the men of Succoth with them. 8:17 He also tore down the tower of Penuel and executed the city’s men.
8:18 He said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “Describe for me the men you killed at Tabor.” They said, “They were like you. Each one looked like a king’s son.” 8:19 He said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. I swear, as surely as the Lord is alive, if you had let them live, I would not kill you.” 8:20 He ordered Jether his firstborn son, “Come on! Kill them!” But Jether was too afraid to draw his sword, because he was still young. 8:21 Zebah and Zalmunna said to Gideon, “Come on, you strike us, for a man is judged by his strength.” So Gideon killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and he took the crescent-shaped ornaments which were on the necks of their camels.
Gideon Rejects a Crown but Makes an Ephod
8:22 The men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us – you, your son, and your grandson. For you have delivered us from Midian’s power.” 8:23 Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.” 8:24 Gideon continued, “I would like to make one request. Each of you give me an earring from the plunder you have taken.” (The Midianites had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.) 8:25 They said, “We are happy to give you earrings.” So they spread out a garment, and each one threw an earring from his plunder onto it. 8:26 The total weight of the gold earrings he requested came to seventeen hundred gold shekels. This was in addition to the crescent-shaped ornaments, jewelry, purple clothing worn by the Midianite kings, and the necklaces on the camels. 8:27 Gideon used all this to make an ephod, which he put in his hometown of Ophrah. All the Israelites prostituted themselves to it by worshiping it there. It became a snare to Gideon and his family.
Gideon’s Story Ends
8:28 The Israelites humiliated Midian; the Midianites’ fighting spirit was broken. The land had rest for forty years during Gideon’s time. 8:29 Then Jerub-Baal son of Joash went home and settled down. 8:30 Gideon fathered seventy sons through his many wives. 8:31 His concubine, who lived in Shechem, also gave him a son, whom he named Abimelech. 8:32 Gideon son of Joash died at a very old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash located in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
Israel Returns to Baal-Worship
8:33 After Gideon died, the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals. They made Baal-Berith their god. 8:34 The Israelites did not remain true to the Lord their God, who had delivered them from all the enemies who lived around them. 8:35 They did not treat the family of Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) fairly in return for all the good he had done for Israel.
Lord, You fight the fights that matter in our lives, and You forgive us things we should never even consider doing to offend You. May I be careful not to stray and humbly repent and seek forgiveness rather than haughty arrogance when I fail.
The Ephraimites were indignant that they were not part of the early phase of the battle but when Gideon showed them how great was their role they relented.
Gideon gathered some of the plunder and from the gold made an “ephod” which later became one of his family's idols.
Gideon took multiple wives and one concubine. He had seventy sons by his wives and one by his concubine. While he lived the people remained generally-faithful to the Lord God but after his death they once-again rebelled.
When Gideon was actively involved in the Lord's work he was intentionally faithful, but once left to his own wisdom he behaved very foolishly.
Why would Gideon make such foolish choices?
After his great military victories, as an instrument of God, Gideon's poor choices became part of the process of his people drifting back into rebellion.
When have you observed a person being used mightily of the Lord then later drifting into sin, and leading others astray as well?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where you forget Him and rely upon your own flawed wisdom.
I will confess and repent, seek and accept the Lord's forgiveness, and I will act decisively to remove the sin from my life (bad language, crass humor, substance abuse, gambling, sexual lust and/or deeds, violent words and deeds, dabbling in non-Christian spiritual things, etc.)
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Abimelech Murders His Brothers
9:1 Now Abimelech son of Jerub-Baal went to Shechem to see his mother’s relatives. He said to them and to his mother’s entire extended family, 9:2 “Tell all the leaders of Shechem this: ‘Why would you want to have seventy men, all Jerub-Baal’s sons, ruling over you, when you can have just one ruler? Recall that I am your own flesh and blood.’” 9:3 His mother’s relatives spoke on his behalf to all the leaders of Shechem and reported his proposal. The leaders were drawn to Abimelech; they said, “He is our close relative.” 9:4 They paid him seventy silver shekels out of the temple of Baal-Berith. Abimelech then used the silver to hire some lawless, dangerous men as his followers. 9:5 He went to his father’s home in Ophrah and murdered his half-brothers, the seventy legitimate sons of Jerub-Baal, on one stone. Only Jotham, Jerub-Baal’s youngest son, escaped, because he hid. 9:6 All the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo assembled and then went and made Abimelech king by the oak near the pillar in Shechem.
Jotham’s Parable
9:7 When Jotham heard the news, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim. He spoke loudly to the people below, “Listen to me, leaders of Shechem, so that God may listen to you!
9:8 “The trees were determined to go out and choose a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king!’ 9:9 But the olive tree said to them, ‘I am not going to stop producing my oil, which is used to honor gods and men, just to sway above the other trees!’
9:10 “So the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and be our king!’ 9:11 But the fig tree said to them, ‘I am not going to stop producing my sweet figs, my excellent fruit, just to sway above the other trees!’
9:12 “So the trees said to the grapevine, ‘You come and be our king!’ 9:13 But the grapevine said to them, ‘I am not going to stop producing my wine, which makes gods and men so happy, just to sway above the other trees!’
9:14 “So all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘You come and be our king!’ 9:15 The thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to choose me as your king, then come along, find safety under my branches! Otherwise may fire blaze from the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’
9:16 “Now, if you have shown loyalty and integrity when you made Abimelech king, if you have done right to Jerub-Baal and his family, if you have properly repaid him – 9:17 my father fought for you; he risked his life and delivered you from Midian’s power. 9:18 But you have attacked my father’s family today. You murdered his seventy legitimate sons on one stone and made Abimelech, the son of his female slave, king over the leaders of Shechem, just because he is your close relative. 9:19 So if you have shown loyalty and integrity to Jerub-Baal and his family today, then may Abimelech bring you happiness and may you bring him happiness! 9:20 But if not, may fire blaze from Abimelech and consume the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo! May fire also blaze from the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo and consume Abimelech!” 9:21 Then Jotham ran away to Beer and lived there to escape from Abimelech his half-brother.
God Fulfills Jotham’s Curse
9:22 Abimelech commanded Israel for three years. 9:23 God sent a spirit to stir up hostility between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem. He made the leaders of Shechem disloyal to Abimelech. 9:24 He did this so the violent deaths of Jerub-Baal’s seventy sons might be avenged and Abimelech, their half-brother who murdered them, might have to pay for their spilled blood, along with the leaders of Shechem who helped him murder them. 9:25 The leaders of Shechem rebelled against Abimelech by putting bandits in the hills, who robbed everyone who traveled by on the road. But Abimelech found out about it.
9:26 Gaal son of Ebed came through Shechem with his brothers. The leaders of Shechem transferred their loyalty to him. 9:27 They went out to the field, harvested their grapes, squeezed out the juice, and celebrated. They came to the temple of their god and ate, drank, and cursed Abimelech. 9:28 Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerub-Baal, and is not Zebul the deputy he appointed? Serve the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem! But why should we serve Abimelech? 9:29 If only these men were under my command, I would get rid of Abimelech!” He challenged Abimelech, “Muster your army and come out for battle!”
9:30 When Zebul, the city commissioner, heard the words of Gaal son of Ebed, he was furious. 9:31 He sent messengers to Abimelech, who was in Arumah, reporting, “Beware! Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers are coming to Shechem and inciting the city to rebel against you. 9:32 Now, come up at night with your men and set an ambush in the field outside the city. 9:33 In the morning at sunrise quickly attack the city. When he and his men come out to fight you, do what you can to him.”
9:34 So Abimelech and all his men came up at night and set an ambush outside Shechem – they divided into four units. 9:35 When Gaal son of Ebed came out and stood at the entrance to the city’s gate, Abimelech and his men got up from their hiding places. 9:36 Gaal saw the men and said to Zebul, “Look, men are coming down from the tops of the hills.” But Zebul said to him, “You are seeing the shadows on the hills – it just looks like men.” 9:37 Gaal again said, “Look, men are coming down from the very center of the land. A unit is coming by way of the Oak Tree of the Diviners.” 9:38 Zebul said to him, “Where now are your bragging words, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Are these not the men you insulted? Go out now and fight them!” 9:39 So Gaal led the leaders of Shechem out and fought Abimelech. 9:40 Abimelech chased him, and Gaal ran from him. Many Shechemites fell wounded at the entrance of the gate. 9:41 Abimelech went back to Arumah; Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem.
9:42 The next day the Shechemites came out to the field. When Abimelech heard about it, 9:43 he took his men and divided them into three units and set an ambush in the field. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he attacked and struck them down. 9:44 Abimelech and his units attacked and blocked the entrance to the city’s gate. Two units then attacked all the people in the field and struck them down. 9:45 Abimelech fought against the city all that day. He captured the city and killed all the people in it. Then he leveled the city and spread salt over it.
9:46 When all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem heard the news, they went to the stronghold of the temple of El-Berith. 9:47 Abimelech heard that all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem were in one place. 9:48 He and all his men went up on Mount Zalmon. He took an ax in his hand and cut off a tree branch. He put it on his shoulder and said to his men, “Quickly, do what you have just seen me do!” 9:49 So each of his men also cut off a branch and followed Abimelech. They put the branches against the stronghold and set fire to it. All the people of the Tower of Shechem died – about a thousand men and women.
9:50 Abimelech moved on to Thebez; he besieged and captured it. 9:51 There was a fortified tower in the center of the city, so all the men and women, as well as the city’s leaders, ran into it and locked the entrance. Then they went up to the roof of the tower. 9:52 Abimelech came and attacked the tower. When he approached the entrance of the tower to set it on fire, 9:53 a woman threw an upper millstone down on his head and shattered his skull. 9:54 He quickly called to the young man who carried his weapons, “Draw your sword and kill me, so they will not say, ‘A woman killed him.’” So the young man stabbed him and he died. 9:55 When the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they went home.
9:56 God repaid Abimelech for the evil he did to his father by murdering his seventy half-brothers. 9:57 God also repaid the men of Shechem for their evil deeds. The curse spoken by Jotham son of Jerub-Baal fell on them.
Lord, Your revenge is perfectly-precise and perfectly-holy meted-out upon those who stand against You. May I be careful to never ally myself with those who oppose my Lord God.
Abimelech, the only son of Gideon by his concubine, schemed to seize power. Using seventy silver coins from his mother's relatives he hired mercenaries to murder Gideon's seventy children from his multiple wives.
Abimelech's scheme almost worked. He tricked all seventy of his half-brothers into gathering together and his henchmen successfully murdered sixty-nine of them, the youngest escaping notice by hiding.
After Abimelech assumed power Jotham, the remaining legitimate successor to Gideon, announced a curse upon Abimelech and then escaped to hide from his revenge.
Several years later the Lord God caused those who had allied themselves with Abimelech to quarrel among themselves resulting in their deaths and the death of Abimelech.
Gideon made a bad choice to take a concubine, and then to have a son by her, in so doing he created an opportunity for the enemy to make mischief later on.
Isn't it frightening how easily the people were manipulated by Abimelech merely based upon an appeal to familial relationship? Do you see a pattern in history to this very day where appeals to age, gender, national origin, race, and/or human-tradition are used to overwhelm more substantive values?
When the Lord God fulfilled Jotham's curse He turned the murderers upon one-another to kill each other.
When have you observed an appeal to age, gender, national origin, race, and/or human-tradition being used to manipulate people into an ill-conceived choice?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you where you may either be misusing an appeal to age, gender, national origin, race, or human-tradition or may be making decisions based upon such a false appeal.
Today I will acknowledge the flawed reasoning and results that come from a false appeal to age, gender, national origin, race, or human-tradition. I will repent of such manipulation if I am using it and will recognize and reject it if I am its victim. I will share my experience with a fellow believer as an instrument of peer-discipleship.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Stability Restored
10:1 After Abimelech’s death, Tola son of Puah, grandson of Dodo, from the tribe of Issachar, rose up to deliver Israel. He lived in Shamir in the Ephraimite hill country. 10:2 He led Israel for twenty-three years, then died and was buried in Shamir.
10:3 Jair the Gileadite rose up after him; he led Israel for twenty-two years. 10:4 He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys and possessed thirty cities. To this day these towns are called Havvoth Jair – they are in the land of Gilead. 10:5 Jair died and was buried in Kamon.
The Lord’s Patience Runs Short
10:6 The Israelites again did evil in the Lord’s sight. They worshiped the Baals and the Ashtars, as well as the gods of Syria, Sidon, Moab, the Ammonites, and the Philistines. They abandoned the Lord and did not worship him. 10:7 The Lord was furious with Israel and turned them over to the Philistines and Ammonites. 10:8 They ruthlessly oppressed the Israelites that eighteenth year – that is, all the Israelites living east of the Jordan in Amorite country in Gilead. 10:9 The Ammonites crossed the Jordan to fight with Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim. Israel suffered greatly.
10:10 The Israelites cried out for help to the Lord: “We have sinned against you. We abandoned our God and worshiped the Baals.” 10:11 The Lord said to the Israelites, “Did I not deliver you from Egypt, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines, 10:12 the Sidonians, Amalek, and Midian when they oppressed you? You cried out for help to me, and I delivered you from their power. 10:13 But since you abandoned me and worshiped other gods, I will not deliver you again. 10:14 Go and cry for help to the gods you have chosen! Let them deliver you from trouble!” 10:15 But the Israelites said to the Lord, “We have sinned. You do to us as you see fit, but deliver us today!” 10:16 They threw away the foreign gods they owned and worshiped the Lord. Finally the Lord grew tired of seeing Israel suffer so much.
An Outcast Becomes a General
10:17 The Ammonites assembled and camped in Gilead; the Israelites gathered together and camped in Mizpah. 10:18 The leaders of Gilead said to one another, “Who is willing to lead the charge against the Ammonites? He will become the leader of all who live in Gilead!”
11:1 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a brave warrior. His mother was a prostitute, but Gilead was his father. 11:2 Gilead’s wife also gave him sons. When his wife’s sons grew up, they made Jephthah leave and said to him, “You are not going to inherit any of our father’s wealth, because you are another woman’s son.” 11:3 So Jephthah left his half-brothers and lived in the land of Tob. Lawless men joined Jephthah’s gang and traveled with him.
11:4 It was some time after this when the Ammonites fought with Israel. 11:5 When the Ammonites attacked, the leaders of Gilead asked Jephthah to come back from the land of Tob. 11:6 They said, “Come, be our commander, so we can fight with the Ammonites.” 11:7 Jephthah said to the leaders of Gilead, “But you hated me and made me leave my father’s house. Why do you come to me now, when you are in trouble?” 11:8 The leaders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “That may be true, but now we pledge to you our loyalty. Come with us and fight with the Ammonites. Then you will become the leader of all who live in Gilead.” 11:9 Jephthah said to the leaders of Gilead, “All right! If you take me back to fight with the Ammonites and the Lord gives them to me, I will be your leader.” 11:10 The leaders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “The Lord will judge any grievance you have against us, if we do not do as you say.” 11:11 So Jephthah went with the leaders of Gilead. The people made him their leader and commander. Jephthah repeated the terms of the agreement before the Lord in Mizpah.
Jephthah Gives a History Lesson
11:12 Jephthah sent messengers to the Ammonite king, saying, “Why have you come against me to attack my land?” 11:13 The Ammonite king said to Jephthah’s messengers, “Because Israel stole my land when they came up from Egypt – from the Arnon River in the south to the Jabbok River in the north, and as far west as the Jordan. Now return it peaceably!”
11:14 Jephthah sent messengers back to the Ammonite king 11:15 and said to him, “This is what Jephthah says, ‘Israel did not steal the land of Moab and the land of the Ammonites. 11:16 When they left Egypt, Israel traveled through the desert as far as the Red Sea and then came to Kadesh. 11:17 Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, “Please allow us to pass through your land.” But the king of Edom rejected the request. Israel sent the same request to the king of Moab, but he was unwilling to cooperate. So Israel stayed at Kadesh. 11:18 Then Israel went through the desert and bypassed the land of Edom and the land of Moab. They traveled east of the land of Moab and camped on the other side of the Arnon River; they did not go through Moabite territory (the Arnon was Moab’s border). 11:19 Israel sent messengers to King Sihon, the Amorite king who ruled in Heshbon, and said to him, “Please allow us to pass through your land to our land.” 11:20 But Sihon did not trust Israel to pass through his territory. He assembled his whole army, camped in Jahaz, and fought with Israel. 11:21 The Lord God of Israel handed Sihon and his whole army over to Israel and they defeated them. Israel took all the land of the Amorites who lived in that land. 11:22 They took all the Amorite territory from the Arnon River on the south to the Jabbok River on the north, from the desert in the east to the Jordan in the west. 11:23 Since the Lord God of Israel has driven out the Amorites before his people Israel, do you think you can just take it from them? 11:24 You have the right to take what Chemosh your god gives you, but we will take the land of all whom the Lord our God has driven out before us. 11:25 Are you really better than Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he dare to quarrel with Israel? Did he dare to fight with them? 11:26 Israel has been living in Heshbon and its nearby towns, in Aroer and its nearby towns, and in all the cities along the Arnon for three hundred years! Why did you not reclaim them during that time? 11:27 I have not done you wrong, but you are doing wrong by attacking me. May the Lord, the Judge, judge this day between the Israelites and the Ammonites!’” 11:28 But the Ammonite king disregarded the message sent by Jephthah.
A Foolish Vow Spells Death for a Daughter
11:29 The Lord’s spirit empowered Jephthah. He passed through Gilead and Manasseh and went to Mizpah in Gilead. From there he approached the Ammonites. 11:30 Jephthah made a vow to the Lord, saying, “If you really do hand the Ammonites over to me, 11:31 then whoever is the first to come through the doors of my house to meet me when I return safely from fighting the Ammonites – he will belong to the Lord and I will offer him up as a burnt sacrifice.” 11:32 Jephthah approached the Ammonites to fight with them, and the Lord handed them over to him. 11:33 He defeated them from Aroer all the way to Minnith – twenty cities in all, even as far as Abel Keramim! He wiped them out! The Israelites humiliated the Ammonites.
11:34 When Jephthah came home to Mizpah, there was his daughter hurrying out to meet him, dancing to the rhythm of tambourines. She was his only child; except for her he had no son or daughter. 11:35 When he saw her, he ripped his clothes and said, “Oh no! My daughter! You have completely ruined me! You have brought me disaster! I made an oath to the Lord, and I cannot break it.” 11:36 She said to him, “My father, since you made an oath to the Lord, do to me as you promised. After all, the Lord vindicated you before your enemies, the Ammonites.” 11:37 She then said to her father, “Please grant me this one wish. For two months allow me to walk through the hills with my friends and mourn my virginity.” 11:38 He said, “You may go.” He permitted her to leave for two months. She went with her friends and mourned her virginity as she walked through the hills. 11:39 After two months she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed. She died a virgin. Her tragic death gave rise to a custom in Israel. 11:40 Every year Israelite women commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite for four days.
Civil Strife Mars the Victory
12:1 The Ephraimites assembled and crossed over to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, “Why did you go and fight with the Ammonites without asking us to go with you? We will burn your house down right over you!”
12:2 Jephthah said to them, “My people and I were entangled in controversy with the Ammonites. I asked for your help, but you did not deliver me from their power. 12:3 When I saw that you were not going to help, I risked my life and advanced against the Ammonites, and the Lord handed them over to me. Why have you come up to fight with me today?” 12:4 Jephthah assembled all the men of Gilead and they fought with Ephraim. The men of Gilead defeated Ephraim, because the Ephraimites insulted them, saying, “You Gileadites are refugees in Ephraim, living within Ephraim’s and Manasseh’s territory.” 12:5 The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan River opposite Ephraim. Whenever an Ephraimite fugitive said, “Let me cross over,” the men of Gilead asked him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said, “No,” 12:6 then they said to him, “Say ‘Shibboleth!’” If he said, “Sibboleth” (and could not pronounce the word correctly), they grabbed him and executed him right there at the fords of the Jordan. On that day forty-two thousand Ephraimites fell dead. 12:7 Jephthah led Israel for six years; then he died and was buried in his city in Gilead.
Order Restored
12:8 After him Ibzan of Bethlehem led Israel. 12:9 He had thirty sons. He arranged for thirty of his daughters to be married outside his extended family, and he arranged for thirty young women to be brought from outside as wives for his sons. Ibzan led Israel for seven years; 12:10 then he died and was buried in Bethlehem.
12:11 After him Elon the Zebulunite led Israel for ten years. 12:12 Then Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.
12:13 After him Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite led Israel. 12:14 He had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy donkeys. He led Israel for eight years. 12:15 Then Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.
Lord, You are never careless in deed or word, and neither should we be. May I follow Your model as an intentional-Christian, thinking before acting or speaking, prayerfully considering what would be Your perspective.
The Lord God raised up two good men as leaders of Israel over the course of forty-five years, but once the second of them died the people again rebelled against the Lord God.
He allowed the people to suffer under those whose false gods they had chosen to worship but in the eighteenth year He responded to their cries for help. He challenged them for their rebellion and they responded that He might punish them as He chose but pleaded with Him to set them free of the pagans. They discarded their pagan idols and God raised up another liberator.
Just as He had done before, the Lord God chose a very unlikely leader in Jephthah; he was the son of a prostitute and his father was Gilead but his half brothers by Gilead expelled him from their community.
When troubles came they knew Jephthah was a hardened fighter with strong men around him so they asked that he be their leader. They promised to make things right and to keep him as their leader after they were free.
Jephthah tried to reason with their enemies but they were unwilling to recognize the truth of his words.
Jephthah made a foolish vow to the Lord God that if he was granted victory he would give whoever first approached him upon his return home to the Lord as a burnt offering. Upon his return it was his only child, a daughter, who greeted him. The Lord God would not have taken Jephthah's foolish vow literally as human sacrifice was not permitted, the actual vow resulted in no descendants for Jephthah as his daughter was condemned to remain a virgin for life.
The Ephraimites foolishly insulted and challenged the Gileadites, Jephthah's people, and the resulting civil war between the two Israelite groups resulted in the death of forty-two thousand Ephraimites.
A series of leaders, including Jephthah, led Israel for thirty-one years.
God's intervention was conditioned upon the active repentance of the Israelites, in this case it was their willingness to destroy their false idols.
Why did the Lord God keep choosing the most-unlikely people to lead Israel to freedom from their self-inflicted bondage?
Among the Israelites the foolishness of pride resulted in severe conflict.
When have you observed a leader attempt to reason with an enemy only to have the enemy refuse to be reasonable and the result was conflict?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you are headed for conflict, either because you have refused to humbly acknowledge reason or because another has refused to do so.
Today I will prayerfully repent of my pride or will humbly pray asking that another repent of theirs. If conflict is unavoidable I will ask others to pray in-agreement for my protection and that I will conduct myself in a manner that honors the Lord God.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 25
Samson’s Birth
13:1 The Israelites again did evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord handed them over to the Philistines for forty years.
13:2 There was a man named Manoah from Zorah, from the Danite tribe. His wife was infertile and childless. 13:3 The Lord’s angelic messenger appeared to the woman and said to her, “You are infertile and childless, but you will conceive and have a son. 13:4 Now be careful! Do not drink wine or beer, and do not eat any food that will make you ritually unclean. 13:5 Look, you will conceive and have a son. You must never cut his hair, for the child will be dedicated to God from birth. He will begin to deliver Israel from the power of the Philistines.”
13:6 The woman went and said to her husband, “A man sent from God came to me! He looked like God’s angelic messenger – he was very awesome. I did not ask him where he came from, and he did not tell me his name. 13:7 He said to me, ‘Look, you will conceive and have a son. So now, do not drink wine or beer and do not eat any food that will make you ritually unclean. For the child will be dedicated to God from birth till the day he dies.’”
13:8 Manoah prayed to the Lord, “Please, Lord, allow the man sent from God to visit us again, so he can teach us how we should raise the child who will be born.” 13:9 God answered Manoah’s prayer. God’s angelic messenger visited the woman again while she was sitting in the field. But her husband Manoah was not with her. 13:10 The woman ran at once and told her husband, “Come quickly, the man who visited me the other day has appeared to me!” 13:11 So Manoah got up and followed his wife. When he met the man, he said to him, “Are you the man who spoke to my wife?” He said, “Yes.” 13:12 Manoah said, “Now, when your announcement comes true, how should the child be raised and what should he do?” 13:13 The Lord’s messenger told Manoah, “Your wife should pay attention to everything I told her. 13:14 She should not drink anything that the grapevine produces. She must not drink wine or beer, and she must not eat any food that will make her ritually unclean. She should obey everything I commanded her to do.” 13:15 Manoah said to the Lord’s messenger, “Please stay here awhile, so we can prepare a young goat for you to eat.” 13:16 The Lord’s messenger said to Manoah, “If I stay, I will not eat your food. But if you want to make a burnt sacrifice to the Lord, you should offer it.” (He said this because Manoah did not know that he was the Lord’s messenger.) 13:17 Manoah said to the Lord’s messenger, “Tell us your name, so we can honor you when your announcement comes true.” 13:18 The Lord’s messenger said to him, “You should not ask me my name, because you cannot comprehend it.” 13:19 Manoah took a young goat and a grain offering and offered them on a rock to the Lord. The Lord’s messenger did an amazing thing as Manoah and his wife watched. 13:20 As the flame went up from the altar toward the sky, the Lord’s messenger went up in it while Manoah and his wife watched. They fell facedown to the ground.
13:21 The Lord’s messenger did not appear again to Manoah and his wife. After all this happened Manoah realized that the visitor had been the Lord’s messenger. 13:22 Manoah said to his wife, “We will certainly die, because we have seen a supernatural being!” 13:23 But his wife said to him, “If the Lord wanted to kill us, he would not have accepted the burnt offering and the grain offering from us. He would not have shown us all these things, or have spoken to us like this just now.”
13:24 Manoah’s wife gave birth to a son and named him Samson. The child grew and the Lord empowered him. 13:25 The Lord’s spirit began to control him in Mahaneh Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.
Lord, You showed the Israelites long before the coming of the Christ-child how You would bring The Deliverer into the world. May I be watchful for Your guiding hand in the world and live as You have taught me to live.
When the Israelites rebelled it resulted in forty years of bondage to the Philistines.
The Lord God heard their cries and sent his angelic messenger to guide Manoah’s previously-infertile wife in properly carrying and raising her son, whom they named Samson.
She was to avoid alcoholic beverages and foods forbidden to Iraelites as ritually-unclean.
They asked the angelic messenger his name which he refused, saying that they could not comprehend it, and he then ascended back to Heaven along with the smoke of the goat-offering they made to the Lord God.
Samson was to only begin the liberation of Israel.
How many parallels are there between the prophesied birth of Samson and that of Jesus?
The angelic messenger had to keep refocusing Manoah and his wife from their obsession with him and on to his purpose and to his message of the coming partial-deliverance of Israel from bondage through their son.
When have you become so focused on the messenger, or observed that in others, that you had trouble even remembering the message?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you have become too interested in the message or the mode of the message-delivery system that you are missing some of the essence of the message.
Today I will repent of taking my eyes off of the Lord God and have not been fastidious in checking all teaching with His Word. I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement that I will accept the guidance of the Holy Spirit and focus my attention on His message.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Samson’s Unconsummated Marriage
14:1 Samson went down to Timnah, where a Philistine girl caught his eye. 14:2 When he got home, he told his father and mother, “A Philistine girl in Timnah has caught my eye. Now get her for my wife.” 14:3 But his father and mother said to him, “Certainly you can find a wife among your relatives or among all our people! You should not have to go and get a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines.” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, because she is the right one for me.” 14:4 Now his father and mother did not realize this was the Lord’s doing, because he was looking for an opportunity to stir up trouble with the Philistines (for at that time the Philistines were ruling Israel).
14:5 Samson went down to Timnah. When he approached the vineyards of Timnah, he saw a roaring young lion attacking him. 14:6 The Lord’s spirit empowered him and he tore the lion in two with his bare hands as easily as one would tear a young goat. But he did not tell his father or mother what he had done.
14:7 Samson continued on down to Timnah and spoke to the girl. In his opinion, she was just the right one. 14:8 Some time later, when he went back to marry her, he turned aside to see the lion’s remains. He saw a swarm of bees in the lion’s carcass, as well as some honey. 14:9 He scooped it up with his hands and ate it as he walked along. When he returned to his father and mother, he offered them some and they ate it. But he did not tell them he had scooped the honey out of the lion’s carcass.
14:10 Then Samson’s father accompanied him to Timnah for the marriage. Samson hosted a party there, for this was customary for bridegrooms to do. 14:11 When the Philistines saw he had no attendants, they gave him thirty groomsmen who kept him company. 14:12 Samson said to them, “I will give you a riddle. If you really can solve it during the seven days the party lasts, I will give you thirty linen robes and thirty sets of clothes. 14:13 But if you cannot solve it, you will give me thirty linen robes and thirty sets of clothes.” They said to him, “Let us hear your riddle.” 14:14 He said to them,
“Out of the one who eats came something to eat;
out of the strong one came something sweet.”
They could not solve the riddle for three days.
14:15 On the fourth day they said to Samson’s bride, “Trick your husband into giving the solution to the riddle. If you refuse, we will burn up you and your father’s family. Did you invite us here to make us poor?” 14:16 So Samson’s bride cried on his shoulder and said, “You must hate me; you do not love me! You told the young men a riddle, but you have not told me the solution.” He said to her, “Look, I have not even told my father or mother. Do you really expect me to tell you?” 14:17 She cried on his shoulder until the party was almost over. Finally, on the seventh day, he told her because she had nagged him so much. Then she told the young men the solution to the riddle. 14:18 On the seventh day, before the sun set, the men of the city said to him,
“What is sweeter than honey?
What is stronger than a lion?”
He said to them,
“If you had not plowed with my heifer,
you would not have solved my riddle!”
14:19 The Lord’s spirit empowered him. He went down to Ashkelon and murdered thirty men. He took their clothes and gave them to the men who had solved the riddle. He was furious as he went back home. 14:20 Samson’s bride was then given to his best man.
Samson Versus the Philistines
15:1 Sometime later, during the wheat harvest, Samson took a young goat as a gift and went to visit his bride. He said to her father, “I want to have sex with my bride in her bedroom!” But her father would not let him enter. 15:2 Her father said, “I really thought you absolutely despised her, so I gave her to your best man. Her younger sister is more attractive than she is. Take her instead!” 15:3 Samson said to them, “This time I am justified in doing the Philistines harm!” 15:4 Samson went and captured three hundred jackals and got some torches. He tied the jackals in pairs by their tails and then tied a torch to each pair. 15:5 He lit the torches and set the jackals loose in the Philistines’ standing grain. He burned up the grain heaps and the standing grain, as well as the vineyards and olive groves. 15:6 The Philistines asked, “Who did this?” They were told, “Samson, the Timnite’s son-in-law, because the Timnite took Samson’s bride and gave her to his best man.” So the Philistines went up and burned her and her father. 15:7 Samson said to them, “Because you did this, I will get revenge against you before I quit fighting.” 15:8 He struck them down and defeated them. Then he went down and lived for a time in the cave in the cliff of Etam.
15:9 The Philistines went up and invaded Judah. They arrayed themselves for battle in Lehi. 15:10 The men of Judah said, “Why are you attacking us?” The Philistines said, “We have come up to take Samson prisoner so we can do to him what he has done to us.” 15:11 Three thousand men of Judah went down to the cave in the cliff of Etam and said to Samson, “Do you not know that the Philistines rule over us? Why have you done this to us?” He said to them, “I have only done to them what they have done to me.” 15:12 They said to him, “We have come down to take you prisoner so we can hand you over to the Philistines.” Samson said to them, “Promise me you will not kill me.” 15:13 They said to him, “We promise! We will only take you prisoner and hand you over to them. We promise not to kill you.” They tied him up with two brand new ropes and led him up from the cliff. 15:14 When he arrived in Lehi, the Philistines shouted as they approached him. But the Lord’s spirit empowered him. The ropes around his arms were like flax dissolving in fire, and they melted away from his hands. 15:15 He happened to see a solid jawbone of a donkey. He grabbed it and struck down a thousand men. 15:16 Samson then said,
“With the jawbone of a donkey
I have left them in heaps;
with the jawbone of a donkey
I have struck down a thousand men!”
15:17 When he finished speaking, he threw the jawbone down and named that place Ramath Lehi.
15:18 He was very thirsty, so he cried out to the Lord and said, “You have given your servant this great victory. But now must I die of thirst and fall into hands of the Philistines?” 15:19 So God split open the basin at Lehi and water flowed out from it. When he took a drink, his strength was restored and he revived. For this reason he named the spring En Hakkore. It remains in Lehi to this very day. 15:20 Samson led Israel for twenty years during the days of Philistine prominence.
Lord, Your plan and timing was to begin the liberation of Israel from the Philistines, and Samson was the instrument you selected. May I not forget that merely because you select a person as Your instrument it does not mean that You endorse all that they are or all that they do. You say that revenge is Yours, and this story of Samson illustrates what happens when mere men take it upon themselves to deliver revenge. May I be wise enough to resist the fleshy temptation to attack another, verbally, physically, other otherwise in a fit of unrighteous rage.
The Lord God had said that it was His timing to begin the liberation of Israel from the Philistines.
He chose the impulsive and immature Samson much as Moses was impulsive and the Pharaoh was immature; their character defects created circumstances that God could use.
Samson went into the town and decided at first-sight he wanted to marry a Philistine woman he happened upon and returned home to inform his parents that they needed to get her for him. This was wrong on several levels; he was under a Nazirite vow and for him to marry a pagan risked spiritual pollution, he was acting impulsively which was immature and careless, the text implies a rude and disrespectful demandingness toward his parents.
Samson and Timnah the Philistine were engaged, which according to the custom of the time meant that they were all-but-married except for the ceremony and consummation.
During his travels to and from the vineyard of Timnah’s family Samson encountered a lion and the Holy Spirit came upon him, giving him superhuman strength, so that he tore the lion in half. Later on in his travels he discovered that a swarm of honeybees had nested in the carcass of the same lion and he scooped honey from it to eat himself and to share with his family.
As a Nazarite Samson was made ritually unclean by touching the carcass but he deceived others by not disclosing what he had done. (His choice would only impact him as they were unaware and thus could not sin by violating the ritual-law.)
When he arrived for the arranged wedding some of her male relatives gathered around so he decided to taunt them with a riddle. They threatened Timnah’s family and she nagged Samson for days until he told her and they used it against him. He stormed out in anger, killed thirty of their kin in Ashkelon and then brought the men their clothes, then stormed off again. Timnah was quickly given to his bridegroom to deny her to Samson.
Samson, not yet aware that his bride (his wife, less the ceremony and consummation) had been given to another man, arrived with a gift and discovers what had been done. While their excuse was that they though he despised her, that they acted so quickly and did not consult him, suggested that their motive was to deny her to him.
They offered Samson Timnah’s younger sister but in a fit of rage he instead caused the fields and orchards of the Philistines to burn by tying torches to 300 jackals tied in pairs by their tails. In revenge the Philistines killed Timnah and her father, with fire, which triggered Samson to kill many Philistines and then hide in a cave.
The Israelites, faced with an angry Philistine army invading their land to take revenge took 1,000 men to capture Samson in order to give him to the Philistines but God caused the ropes to dissolve off of Samson and with the jawbone of a donkey he killed 1,000 Philistines. (In a prior miracle another man had killed 500 with such a bone. Samson may have been aware of that story and the Lord God likely chose the same weapon as a matter of consistency.)
Samson bragged of his victory, apparently giving no credit to God, but was still allowed by the Lord to serve as the leader of and equally-foolish Israel for twenty years.
Samson’s initial rebellious and selfish choices led to the death of Timnah and over a thousand others.
The Lord God uses who He will in the way He will, He is not like us nor does He answer to our man-invented expectations. What other men in the history since the Garden of Eden can you recall being as impetuous and immature as Samson? How much power must God have given to Samson that he could round-up and use three hundred jackals, not friendly or pleasant creatures, in such a manner?
Samson’s impetuous nature and immaturity led him into several actions that were ultimately rebellious against God; e.g. touching the dead lion and rushing to marry a Philistine. The Philistines, not comprehending the source of Samson’s moments of strength, repeatedly underestimated him.
When have you rushed into a choice only to realize at some point you should have consulted God first, or paused long enough to remember what you already knew of God that should have guided your choice? When have you experienced or observed the backlash of revenge? What was the result?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where you have a pattern of impetuous and/or immature choices and to reveal to you a place in your life where you may be tested and where you are weak enough to act from rage in revenge.
Today I will confess and repent of my immaturity my impetuous actions. I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement that I will discipline myself to pause and to pray before I act in a way or say something that I know – or I should know – will not bring glory to God. I will also ask a fellow believer to be my accountability partner and to pray in-agreement as I prayerfully partner with the Holy Spirit to learn to discipline my reaction to circumstances that may lead me into rage and revenge.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Samson’s Downfall
16:1 Samson went to Gaza. There he saw a prostitute and went in to have sex with her. 16:2 The Gazites were told, “Samson has come here!” So they surrounded the town and hid all night at the city gate, waiting for him to leave. They relaxed all night, thinking, “He will not leave until morning comes; then we will kill him!” 16:3 Samson spent half the night with the prostitute; then he got up in the middle of the night and left. He grabbed the doors of the city gate, as well as the two posts, and pulled them right off, bar and all. He put them on his shoulders and carried them up to the top of a hill east of Hebron.
16:4 After this Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah, who lived in the Sorek Valley. 16:5 The rulers of the Philistines went up to visit her and said to her, “Trick him! Find out what makes him so strong and how we can subdue him and humiliate him. Each one of us will give you eleven hundred silver pieces.”
16:6 So Delilah said to Samson, “Tell me what makes you so strong and how you can be subdued and humiliated.” 16:7 Samson said to her, “If they tie me up with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried, I will become weak and be just like any other man.” 16:8 So the rulers of the Philistines brought her seven fresh bowstrings which had not been dried and they tied him up with them. 16:9 They hid in the bedroom and then she said to him, “The Philistines are here, Samson!” He snapped the bowstrings as easily as a thread of yarn snaps when it is put close to fire. The secret of his strength was not discovered.
16:10 Delilah said to Samson, “Look, you deceived me and told me lies! Now tell me how you can be subdued.” 16:11 He said to her, “If they tie me tightly with brand new ropes that have never been used, I will become weak and be just like any other man.” 16:12 So Delilah took new ropes and tied him with them and said to him, “The Philistines are here, Samson!” (The Philistines were hiding in the bedroom.) But he tore the ropes from his arms as if they were a piece of thread.
16:13 Delilah said to Samson, “Up to now you have deceived me and told me lies. Tell me how you can be subdued.” He said to her, “If you weave the seven braids of my hair into the fabric on the loom and secure it with the pin, I will become weak and be like any other man.” 16:14 So she made him go to sleep, wove the seven braids of his hair into the fabric on the loom, fastened it with the pin, and said to him, “The Philistines are here, Samson!” He woke up and tore away the pin of the loom and the fabric.
16:15 She said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when you will not share your secret with me? Three times you have deceived me and have not told me what makes you so strong.” 16:16 She nagged him every day and pressured him until he was sick to death of it. 16:17 Finally he told her his secret. He said to her, “My hair has never been cut, for I have been dedicated to God from the time I was conceived. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me; I would become weak, and be just like all other men.” 16:18 When Delilah saw that he had told her his secret, she sent for the rulers of the Philistines, saying, “Come up here again, for he has told me his secret.” So the rulers of the Philistines went up to visit her, bringing the silver in their hands. 16:19 She made him go to sleep on her lap and then called a man in to shave off the seven braids of his hair. She made him vulnerable and his strength left him. 16:20 She said, “The Philistines are here, Samson!” He woke up and thought, “I will do as I did before and shake myself free.” But he did not realize that the Lord had left him. 16:21 The Philistines captured him and gouged out his eyes. They brought him down to Gaza and bound him in bronze chains. He became a grinder in the prison. 16:22 His hair began to grow back after it had been shaved off.
Samson’s Death and Burial
16:23 The rulers of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to celebrate. They said, “Our god has handed Samson, our enemy, over to us.” 16:24 When the people saw him, they praised their god, saying, “Our god has handed our enemy over to us, the one who ruined our land and killed so many of us!”
16:25 When they really started celebrating, they said, “Call for Samson so he can entertain us!” So they summoned Samson from the prison and he entertained them. They made him stand between two pillars. 16:26 Samson said to the young man who held his hand, “Position me so I can touch the pillars that support the temple. Then I can lean on them.” 16:27 Now the temple was filled with men and women, and all the rulers of the Philistines were there. There were three thousand men and women on the roof watching Samson entertain. 16:28 Samson called to the Lord, “O Master, Lord, remember me! Strengthen me just one more time, O God, so I can get swift revenge against the Philistines for my two eyes!” 16:29 Samson took hold of the two middle pillars that supported the temple and he leaned against them, with his right hand on one and his left hand on the other. 16:30 Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” He pushed hard and the temple collapsed on the rulers and all the people in it. He killed many more people in his death than he had killed during his life. 16:31 His brothers and all his family went down and brought him back. They buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father. He had led Israel for twenty years.
Lord, in our rebellion we do many foolish things, which lead to our worldly destruction, but You can even use our foolishness in your great plan. May I be less foolish so that I am useful to You as a productive instrument.
Samson continued in his foolish ways, this time visiting a prostitute. The Philistines planned to capture him in the morning but he left early and tore the city gates – carrying them to the top of a hill.
Then Samson became infatuated with another non-Israelite woman Delilah. The text does not state that he married her but it does describe his overnight stays in her home.
The Philistines leaders promised her a lot of money to trick him into disclosing the source of his extraordinary strength. She nagged him for many days and after teasing her with false explanations he finally gave in, as he had with the riddle to Timnah, and she told the Philistines.
Delilah cut Samson’s hair, which was symbolic of his Nazarite vow, and his power-link to God was broken. The Philistines captured Samson, gouged-out his eyes, and made him work like a beast of burden in their prison.
The Philistine’s had a great celebration and brought Samson as a source of entertainment – he appealed to God to give him strength one more time (his hair had grown back) – and he brought the building down on the 3,000+ Philistine leaders and wealthy citizens. This served as a major loss to the strength of the Philistines.
Samson seemed unable to learn from his mistakes, generally resulting from his lust for non-Israelite women.
With the amazing blessing of the gift of extraordinary strength from God, plus his responsibility as the leader of Israel, why would Samson have been so foolish in his dealings with Philistine women?
The Philistines feared Samson, though they should have feared the God from whom he received his strength, and in the end God used the foolishness of both Samson and the Philistines to further His goal of loosening the grip of the Philistines on Israel.
When have you made a bad decision then later observed that God used some element of it for good?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where you are vulnerable, where you are likely to allow a test of faithfulness to the Lord God to become a temptation and then lead to overt sin.
Today I will prayerfully submit to the Lordship of Christ through the Holy Spirit in order to mature to where I am no longer vulnerable to temptation in the area He has revealed to me. It may be a place where I react to difficult circumstances with rage, where I engage in crude and foolish talk, dishonest dealings with others, gossip, laziness, pornography or other sexual sin, substance abuse, etc. I will ask another believer to assist me with accountability and prayer in-agreement.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
Micah Makes His Own Religion
17:1 There was a man named Micah from the Ephraimite hill country. 17:2 He said to his mother, “You know the eleven hundred pieces of silver which were stolen from you, about which I heard you pronounce a curse? Look here, I have the silver. I stole it, but now I am giving it back to you.” His mother said, “May the Lord reward you, my son!” 17:3 When he gave back to his mother the eleven hundred pieces of silver, his mother said, “I solemnly dedicate this silver to the Lord. It will be for my son’s benefit. We will use it to make a carved image and a metal image.” 17:4 When he gave the silver back to his mother, she took two hundred pieces of silver to a silversmith, who made them into a carved image and a metal image. She then put them in Micah’s house. 17:5 Now this man Micah owned a shrine. He made an ephod and some personal idols and hired one of his sons to serve as a priest. 17:6 In those days Israel had no king. Each man did what he considered to be right.
Micah Hires a Professional
17:7 There was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah. He was a Levite who had been temporarily residing among the tribe of Judah. 17:8 This man left the town of Bethlehem in Judah to find another place to live. He came to the Ephraimite hill country and made his way to Micah’s house. 17:9 Micah said to him, “Where do you come from?” He replied, “I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah. I am looking for a new place to live.” 17:10 Micah said to him, “Stay with me. Become my adviser and priest. I will give you ten pieces of silver per year, plus clothes and food.” 17:11 So the Levite agreed to stay with the man; the young man was like a son to Micah. 17:12 Micah paid the Levite; the young man became his priest and lived in Micah’s house. 17:13 Micah said, “Now I know God will make me rich, because I have this Levite as my priest.”
Lord, You warn us that everything we worship – directly or indirectly (when we divert our attention from You) will bring harm to us. May I be careful every day to be certain that You are first in all things.
Micah stole from his mother and then received compliments from her for returning what he had stolen.
Micah’s mother made idols from some of the returned money and gave them to Micah, perhaps initiating the fulfillment of the curse she had spoken against the one who has stolen from her.
Micah added more pagan religious articles in the form of personal idols and an ephod and then hired his son to serve as his private priest – all without consulting the Lord God.
A wandering Levite found his way to Micah’s home and Micah hired him as his priest, imagining that the mere association with a Levite (even an apostate) would bring him blessings.
Micah knew the role of the Levites and therefore he knew of God’s law, yet he behaved in a pagan manner in direct rebellion against God’s law.
Why would Micah disobey God and still expect that hiring an apostate Levite, who was untroubled by the presence of false idols, would bring him blessings from God?
Mere association with a religious order or an association says nothing about ones character, nor ones standing before the Lord God, only fealty to His Word can serve as evidence of Biblical integrity as a leader.
When have you experienced or observed a religious leader who was entrusted with responsibility but who was clearly functioning in opposition to God’s Word?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a person or an organization in whom you have placed some trust but who may be unworthy of that trust.
Today I will prayerfully review those whom I am trusting for accountability, discipleship, Christian fellowship and/or teaching to discern the prompting of the Holy Spirit that they are not worthy of my trust. I will be a good Berean and consult the Word and I will also solicit the prayers of a fellow believer and the counsel of an organizationally-independent person who is Biblically-qualified to be an elder. As is practically-possible and appropriate I will communicate my concerns to the person whom I believe to be apostate and unless they immediately repent and return to the Lord I will immediately separate myself from the untrustworthy influence. To the degree that I have contributed to the problem I will remove from my possession any materials or objects that contain or reinforce bad teaching.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
The Tribe of Dan Finds an Inheritance
18:1 In those days Israel had no king. And in those days the Danite tribe was looking for a place to settle, because at that time they did not yet have a place to call their own among the tribes of Israel. 18:2 The Danites sent out from their whole tribe five representatives, capable men from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and explore it. They said to them, “Go, explore the land.” They came to the Ephraimite hill country and spent the night at Micah’s house. 18:3 As they approached Micah’s house, they recognized the accent of the young Levite. So they stopped there and said to him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? What is your business here?” 18:4 He told them what Micah had done for him, saying, “He hired me and I became his priest.” 18:5 They said to him, “Seek a divine oracle for us, so we can know if we will be successful on our mission.” 18:6 The priest said to them, “Go with confidence. The Lord will be with you on your mission.”
18:7 So the five men journeyed on and arrived in Laish. They noticed that the people there were living securely, like the Sidonians do, undisturbed and unsuspecting. No conqueror was troubling them in any way. They lived far from the Sidonians and had no dealings with anyone. 18:8 When the Danites returned to their tribe in Zorah and Eshtaol, their kinsmen asked them, “How did it go?” 18:9 They said, “Come on, let’s attack them, for we saw their land and it is very good. You seem lethargic, but don’t hesitate to invade and conquer the land. 18:10 When you invade, you will encounter unsuspecting people. The land is wide! God is handing it over to you – a place that lacks nothing on earth!”
18:11 So six hundred Danites, fully armed, set out from Zorah and Eshtaol. 18:12 They went up and camped in Kiriath Jearim in Judah. (To this day that place is called Camp of Dan. It is west of Kiriath Jearim.) 18:13 From there they traveled through the Ephraimite hill country and arrived at Micah’s house. 18:14 The five men who had gone to spy out the land of Laish said to their kinsmen, “Do you realize that inside these houses are an ephod, some personal idols, a carved image, and a metal image? Decide now what you want to do.” 18:15 They stopped there, went inside the young Levite’s house (which belonged to Micah), and asked him how he was doing. 18:16 Meanwhile the six hundred Danites, fully armed, stood at the entrance to the gate. 18:17 The five men who had gone to spy out the land broke in and stole the carved image, the ephod, the personal idols, and the metal image, while the priest was standing at the entrance to the gate with the six hundred fully armed men. 18:18 When these men broke into Micah’s house and stole the carved image, the ephod, the personal idols, and the metal image, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?” 18:19 They said to him, “Shut up! Put your hand over your mouth and come with us! You can be our adviser and priest. Wouldn’t it be better to be a priest for a whole Israelite tribe than for just one man’s family?” 18:20 The priest was happy. He took the ephod, the personal idols, and the carved image and joined the group.
18:21 They turned and went on their way, but they walked behind the children, the cattle, and their possessions. 18:22 After they had gone a good distance from Micah’s house, Micah’s neighbors gathered together and caught up with the Danites. 18:23 When they called out to the Danites, the Danites turned around and said to Micah, “Why have you gathered together?” 18:24 He said, “You stole my gods that I made, as well as this priest, and then went away. What do I have left? How can you have the audacity to say to me, ‘What do you want?’” 18:25 The Danites said to him, “Don’t say another word to us, or some very angry men will attack you, and you and your family will die.” 18:26 The Danites went on their way; when Micah realized they were too strong to resist, he turned around and went home.
18:27 Now the Danites took what Micah had made, as well as his priest, and came to Laish, where the people were undisturbed and unsuspecting. They struck them down with the sword and burned the city. 18:28 No one came to the rescue because the city was far from Sidon and they had no dealings with anyone. The city was in a valley near Beth Rehob. The Danites rebuilt the city and occupied it. 18:29 They named it Dan after their ancestor, who was one of Israel’s sons. But the city’s name used to be Laish. 18:30 The Danites worshiped the carved image. Jonathan, descendant of Gershom, son of Moses, and his descendants served as priests for the tribe of Dan until the time of the exile. 18:31 They worshiped Micah’s carved image the whole time God’s authorized shrine was in Shiloh.
Lord, You show us the good and right way to fellowship with You and with one-another but we all-too-often choose to go our own destructive and rebellious way. May I recognize Your provision and Your path and follow You all of my days.
The tribe of Dan had failed to fulfill God’s instructions and settled into a part of the promised land which God had caused the Israelites to subdue.
They sent out spies who came upon Micah’s home, with his hired personal Levite priest, his metal idol, personal idols, ephod, and pagan religious practices. They also discovered a nearby city which was not Israelite nor was it prepared against any potential attack.
They returned home and persuaded their tribe to gather and attack. The tribe of Dan traveled past the home of Micah where they took his hired personal Levite priest, his metal idol, his personal idols, his ephod, and worse of all his pagan religious practices.
Micah and his family pursued them but were persuaded to turn back as the Danites were much to strong for them.
The Danites took the city and settled there but sold-out to the pagan religion and remained in rebellion against God until the time of exile from the promised land.
The Israelites were in such persistent rebellion, despite all that the Lord God had shown them and had done for them, that He had chosen to give them no leader rather to allow them to choose freely (in their own wisdom) which way they would go.
Given all that they had to know of their tribal history, and of the Lord God, why would the Danites act so foolishly?
The Lord had warned what would happen if the people turned to idols, yet they did so anyhow.
When have you thought that you had achieved something valuable, in the eyes of the world, only to discover that you had paid a price too high in your relationship with God and/or a fellow believer?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you may be leaving God behind as you pursue something that the world says is valuable.
Today I will acknowledge my drift away from the Lord in pursuit of a worldly value. I will repent of it and return to a balance that favors God over everything else.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Sodom and Gomorrah Revisited
19:1 In those days Israel had no king. There was a Levite living temporarily in the remote region of the Ephraimite hill country. He acquired a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah. 19:2 However, she got angry at him and went home to her father’s house in Bethlehem in Judah. When she had been there four months, 19:3 her husband came after her, hoping he could convince her to return. He brought with him his servant and a pair of donkeys. When she brought him into her father’s house and the girl’s father saw him, he greeted him warmly. 19:4 His father-in-law, the girl’s father, persuaded him to stay with him for three days, and they ate and drank together, and spent the night there. 19:5 On the fourth day they woke up early and the Levite got ready to leave. But the girl’s father said to his son-in-law, “Have a bite to eat for some energy, then you can go.” 19:6 So the two of them sat down and had a meal together. Then the girl’s father said to the man, “Why not stay another night and have a good time!” 19:7 When the man got ready to leave, his father-in-law convinced him to stay another night. 19:8 He woke up early in the morning on the fifth day so he could leave, but the girl’s father said, “Get some energy. Wait until later in the day to leave!” So they ate a meal together. 19:9 When the man got ready to leave with his concubine and his servant, his father-in-law, the girl’s father, said to him, “Look! The day is almost over! Stay another night! Since the day is over, stay another night here and have a good time. You can get up early tomorrow and start your trip home.” 19:10 But the man did not want to stay another night. He left and traveled as far as Jebus (that is, Jerusalem). He had with him a pair of saddled donkeys and his concubine.
19:11 When they got near Jebus, it was getting quite late and the servant said to his master, “Come on, let’s stop at this Jebusite city and spend the night in it.” 19:12 But his master said to him, “We should not stop at a foreign city where non-Israelites live. We will travel on to Gibeah.” 19:13 He said to his servant, “Come on, we will go into one of the other towns and spend the night in Gibeah or Ramah.” 19:14 So they traveled on, and the sun went down when they were near Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin. 19:15 They stopped there and decided to spend the night in Gibeah. They came into the city and sat down in the town square, but no one invited them to spend the night.
19:16 But then an old man passed by, returning at the end of the day from his work in the field. The man was from the Ephraimite hill country; he was living temporarily in Gibeah. (The residents of the town were Benjaminites.) 19:17 When he looked up and saw the traveler in the town square, the old man said, “Where are you heading? Where do you come from?” 19:18 The Levite said to him, “We are traveling from Bethlehem in Judah to the remote region of the Ephraimite hill country. That’s where I’m from. I had business in Bethlehem in Judah, but now I’m heading home. But no one has invited me into their home. 19:19 We have enough straw and grain for our donkeys, and there is enough food and wine for me, your female servant, and the young man who is with your servants. We lack nothing.” 19:20 The old man said, “Everything is just fine! I will take care of all your needs. But don’t spend the night in the town square.” 19:21 So he brought him to his house and fed the donkeys. They washed their feet and had a meal.
19:22 They were having a good time, when suddenly some men of the city, some good-for-nothings, surrounded the house and kept beating on the door. They said to the old man who owned the house, “Send out the man who came to visit you so we can have sex with him.” 19:23 The man who owned the house went outside and said to them, “No, my brothers! Don’t do this wicked thing! After all, this man is a guest in my house. Don’t do such a disgraceful thing! 19:24 Here are my virgin daughter and my guest’s concubine. I will send them out and you can abuse them and do to them whatever you like. But don’t do such a disgraceful thing to this man!” 19:25 The men refused to listen to him, so the Levite grabbed his concubine and made her go outside. They raped her and abused her all night long until morning. They let her go at dawn. 19:26 The woman arrived back at daybreak and was sprawled out on the doorstep of the house where her master was staying until it became light. 19:27 When her master got up in the morning, opened the doors of the house, and went outside to start on his journey, there was the woman, his concubine, sprawled out on the doorstep of the house with her hands on the threshold. 19:28 He said to her, “Get up, let’s leave!” But there was no response. He put her on the donkey and went home. 19:29 When he got home, he took a knife, grabbed his concubine, and carved her up into twelve pieces. Then he sent the pieces throughout Israel. 19:30 Everyone who saw the sight said, “Nothing like this has happened or been witnessed during the entire time since the Israelites left the land of Egypt! Take careful note of it! Discuss it and speak!”
Lord, You have demonstrated over and over how much You hate sin, yet we persist in returning to our flesh-dominated and demon-manipulated ways over and over. May I intentionally seek the accountability, continuous discipleship, prayer-without-ceasing, and time in Your Word that is necessary to keep me from drifting into such terrible sin.
While the Ark of the Covenant remained in the Tabernacle and the chief Priest, Phinehas “... son of Eleazar, son of Aaron” continued to practice the Lord God-prescribed religious rituals, much of Israel had reverted to paganism and self-governance apart from God - without a God-anointed and appointed prophet, judge, or king. Indeed, each man did as he thought best.
A Levite had taken for himself a young woman as a concubine. He visited his concubine’s father and after several days he moved on to a city in a region populated by Benjaminites. He was invited into the home of an older man who was from the “Ephraimite hill country; he was living temporarily in Gibeah”.
As had happened in Sodom and Gomorrah in the past, sin-crazed men surrounded the house and demanded that the man give them his guess to abuse sexually until he was dead.
The old man refused because custom required that a guest in your home be defended at all costs. He offered instead his “... virgin daughter and his guest’s concubine” but they refused.
The Levite recognized the danger to the entire household and thus forced his concubine outside where she was raped repeatedly until he found her dead in the morning.
He brought her body home, cut it to pieces, and had the pieces delivered throughout the Israelite tribes as a challenge to the nation for justice.
The rampant rebellion against God, and His decision to abandon them to their own ways, had gone so far as to cause one of the tribes to drift all of the way back to the demon-controlled madness of Sodom and Gomorrah.
What decision had the Benjamanites made about their living circumstances which led to the demon-controlled mob?
The purpose of the back-story is not to justify the Levite’s taking of a concubine, nor the old man offering his virgin daughter and the concubine to the demon-controlled psychopaths in the city, nor the Levite shoving his concubine out to the psychopaths for them to abuse. The Lord God was clearly not pleased with Israel and was allowing the crisis to be a teachable-moment to gain their attention.
When have you observed a person, group, or fellowship drifting into rebellion and then the sin became rampant?
Ask the Holy Spirit to Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where your compromise with the world adds to the growing rebellion within your family, group, fellowship, or larger society.
Today I will repent of my sin. It may be alcohol, food, or drug abuse. It may be debt or dishonesty, a lust for power or the lure of promiscuity, it may be laziness or the idolatry of perfectionism, it may be disrespecting God, parents, or fellow Christians who have Biblically-earned the right to be honored, respected, and trusted. I will create an intentional system of accountability, continuous discipleship, prayer-without-ceasing, and time in the Word that is necessary to keep me from drifting into terrible sin.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Civil War Breaks Out
20:1 All the Israelites from Dan to Beer Sheba and from the land of Gilead left their homes and assembled together before the Lord at Mizpah. 20:2 The leaders of all the people from all the tribes of Israel took their places in the assembly of God’s people, which numbered four hundred thousand sword-wielding foot soldiers. 20:3 The Benjaminites heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah. Then the Israelites said, “Explain how this wicked thing happened!” 20:4 The Levite, the husband of the murdered woman, spoke up, “I and my concubine stopped in Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin to spend the night. 20:5 The leaders of Gibeah attacked me and at night surrounded the house where I was staying. They wanted to kill me; instead they abused my concubine so badly that she died. 20:6 I grabbed hold of my concubine and carved her up and sent the pieces throughout the territory occupied by Israel, because they committed such an unthinkable atrocity in Israel. 20:7 All you Israelites, make a decision here!”
20:8 All Israel rose up in unison and said, “Not one of us will go home! Not one of us will return to his house! 20:9 Now this is what we will do to Gibeah: We will attack the city as the lot dictates. 20:10 We will take ten of every group of a hundred men from all the tribes of Israel (and a hundred of every group of a thousand, and a thousand of every group of ten thousand) to get supplies for the army. When they arrive in Gibeah of Benjamin they will punish them for the atrocity which they committed in Israel.” 20:11 So all the men of Israel gathered together at the city as allies.
20:12 The tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “How could such a wicked thing take place? 20:13 Now, hand over the good-for-nothings in Gibeah so we can execute them and purge Israel of wickedness.” But the Benjaminites refused to listen to their Israelite brothers. 20:14 The Benjaminites came from their cities and assembled at Gibeah to make war against the Israelites. 20:15 That day the Benjaminites mustered from their cities twenty-six thousand sword-wielding soldiers, besides seven hundred well-trained soldiers from Gibeah. 20:16 Among this army were seven hundred specially-trained left-handed soldiers. Each one could sling a stone and hit even the smallest target. 20:17 The men of Israel (not counting Benjamin) had mustered four hundred thousand sword-wielding soldiers, every one an experienced warrior.
20:18 The Israelites went up to Bethel and asked God, “Who should lead the charge against the Benjaminites?” The Lord said, “Judah should lead.” 20:19 The Israelites got up the next morning and moved against Gibeah. 20:20 The men of Israel marched out to fight Benjamin; they arranged their battle lines against Gibeah. 20:21 The Benjaminites attacked from Gibeah and struck down twenty-two thousand Israelites that day.
20:22 The Israelite army took heart and once more arranged their battle lines, in the same place where they had taken their positions the day before. 20:23 The Israelites went up and wept before the Lord until evening. They asked the Lord, “Should we again march out to fight the Benjaminites, our brothers?” The Lord said, “Attack them!” 20:24 So the Israelites marched toward the Benjaminites the next day. 20:25 The Benjaminites again attacked them from Gibeah and struck down eighteen thousand sword-wielding Israelite soldiers.
20:26 So all the Israelites, the whole army, went up to Bethel. They wept and sat there before the Lord; they did not eat anything that day until evening. They offered up burnt sacrifices and tokens of peace to the Lord. 20:27 The Israelites asked the Lord (for the ark of God’s covenant was there in those days; 20:28 Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, was serving the Lord in those days), “Should we once more march out to fight the Benjaminites our brothers, or should we quit?” The Lord said, “Attack, for tomorrow I will hand them over to you.”
20:29 So Israel hid men in ambush outside Gibeah. 20:30 The Israelites attacked the Benjaminites the next day; they took their positions against Gibeah just as they had done before. 20:31 The Benjaminites attacked the army, leaving the city unguarded. They began to strike down their enemy just as they had done before. On the main roads (one leads to Bethel, the other to Gibeah) and in the field, they struck down about thirty Israelites. 20:32 Then the Benjaminites said, “They are defeated just as before.” But the Israelites said, “Let’s retreat and lure them away from the city into the main roads.” 20:33 All the men of Israel got up from their places and took their positions at Baal Tamar, while the Israelites hiding in ambush jumped out of their places west of Gibeah. 20:34 Ten thousand men, well-trained soldiers from all Israel, then made a frontal assault against Gibeah – the battle was fierce. But the Benjaminites did not realize that disaster was at their doorstep. 20:35 The Lord annihilated Benjamin before Israel; the Israelites struck down that day 25,100 sword-wielding Benjaminites. 20:36 Then the Benjaminites saw they were defeated.
The Israelites retreated before Benjamin, because they had confidence in the men they had hid in ambush outside Gibeah. 20:37 The men hiding in ambush made a mad dash to Gibeah. They attacked and put the sword to the entire city. 20:38 The Israelites and the men hiding in ambush had arranged a signal. When the men hiding in ambush sent up a smoke signal from the city, 20:39 the Israelites counterattacked. Benjamin had begun to strike down the Israelites; they struck down about thirty men. They said, “There’s no doubt about it! They are totally defeated as in the earlier battle.” 20:40 But when the signal, a pillar of smoke, began to rise up from the city, the Benjaminites turned around and saw the whole city going up in a cloud of smoke that rose high into the sky. 20:41 When the Israelites turned around, the Benjaminites panicked because they could see that disaster was on their doorstep. 20:42 They retreated before the Israelites, taking the road to the wilderness. But the battle overtook them as men from the surrounding cities struck them down. 20:43 They surrounded the Benjaminites, chased them from Nohah, and annihilated them all the way to a spot east of Geba. 20:44 Eighteen thousand Benjaminites, all of them capable warriors, fell dead. 20:45 The rest turned and ran toward the wilderness, heading toward the cliff of Rimmon. But the Israelites caught five thousand of them on the main roads. They stayed right on their heels all the way to Gidom and struck down two thousand more. 20:46 That day twenty-five thousand sword-wielding Benjaminites fell in battle, all of them capable warriors. 20:47 Six hundred survivors turned and ran away to the wilderness, to the cliff of Rimmon. They stayed there four months. 20:48 The Israelites returned to the Benjaminite towns and put the sword to them. They wiped out the cities, the animals, and everything they could find. They set fire to every city in their path.
600 Brides for 600 Brothers
21:1 The Israelites had taken an oath in Mizpah, saying, “Not one of us will allow his daughter to marry a Benjaminite.” 21:2 So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, weeping loudly and uncontrollably. 21:3 They said, “Why, O Lord God of Israel, has this happened in Israel?” An entire tribe has disappeared from Israel today!”
21:4 The next morning the people got up early and built an altar there. They offered up burnt sacrifices and token of peace. 21:5 The Israelites asked, “Who from all the Israelite tribes has not assembled before the Lord?” They had made a solemn oath that whoever did not assemble before the Lord at Mizpah must certainly be executed. 21:6 The Israelites regretted what had happened to their brother Benjamin. They said, “Today we cut off an entire tribe from Israel! 21:7 How can we find wives for those who are left? After all, we took an oath in the Lord’s name not to give them our daughters as wives.” 21:8 So they asked, “Who from all the Israelite tribes did not assemble before the Lord at Mizpah?” Now it just so happened no one from Jabesh Gilead had come to the gathering. 21:9 When they took roll call, they noticed none of the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead were there. 21:10 So the assembly sent 12,000 capable warriors against Jabesh Gilead. They commanded them, “Go and kill with your swords the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead, including the women and little children. 21:11 Do this: exterminate every male, as well as every woman who has had sexual relations with a male. But spare the lives of any virgins.” So they did as instructed. 21:12 They found among the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead four hundred young girls who were virgins – they had never had sexual relations with a male. They brought them back to the camp at Shiloh in the land of Canaan.
21:13 The entire assembly sent messengers to the Benjaminites at the cliff of Rimmon and assured them they would not be harmed. 21:14 The Benjaminites returned at that time, and the Israelites gave to them the women they had spared from Jabesh Gilead. But there were not enough to go around.
21:15 The people regretted what had happened to Benjamin because the Lord had weakened the Israelite tribes. 21:16 The leaders of the assembly said, “How can we find wives for those who are left? After all, the Benjaminite women have been wiped out. 21:17 The remnant of Benjamin must be preserved. An entire Israelite tribe should not be wiped out. 21:18 But we can’t allow our daughters to marry them, for the Israelites took an oath, saying, ‘Whoever gives a woman to a Benjaminite will be destroyed!’ 21:19 However, there is an annual festival to the Lord in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel (east of the main road that goes up from Bethel to Shechem) and south of Lebonah.” 21:20 So they commanded the Benjaminites, “Go hide in the vineyards, 21:21 and keep your eyes open. When you see the daughters of Shiloh coming out to dance in the celebration, jump out from the vineyards. Each one of you, catch yourself a wife from among the daughters of Shiloh and then go home to the land of Benjamin. 21:22 When their fathers or brothers come and protest to us, we’ll say to them, “Do us a favor and let them be, for we could not get each one a wife through battle. Don’t worry about breaking your oath! You would only be guilty if you had voluntarily given them wives.’”
21:23 The Benjaminites did as instructed. They abducted two hundred of the dancing girls to be their wives. They went home to their own territory, rebuilt their cities, and settled down. 21:24 Then the Israelites dispersed from there to their respective tribal and clan territories. Each went from there to his own property. 21:25 In those days Israel had no king. Each man did what he considered to be right.
Lord, it is horrifying to a modern Christian to read the things that happened in the past, yet we have excused or tolerated equally terrible things (abortion, Crusades, religious persecutions, and even slavery) in our so-called civilized societies. May I not be blinded in my criticism of the sins of the past and miss the sins of today displayed in the mirror of the Holy Spirit.
The people were horrified that what they thought could only happen in Sodom and Gomorrah, a place they knew that God had obliterated, and in terror gathered four hundred thousand strong at the Tabernacle to decide what to do.
The text does not state that they consulted with and heard from God but they decided to surround Gibeah and demand the lives of those who had committed the terrible crime. The Benjaminites refused and instead gathered to do battle. The first two engagements went badly for the larger Israelite forces and nearly 40,000 died.
They consulted God each time and He told them to attack, yet the Benjaminites prevailed the first two times, but on the third try He said that He would deliver the Benjaminites to them and He did so. The other tribes killed most of the Benjaminites, 25,000 of them – leaving only 600 of age to serve in battle - and for four months they systematically destroyed their cities and villages, animals and crops.
After four months of rampaging-destruction, their erstwhile purging of the evil among the Benjamintes, the other tribes realized that they had nearly obliterated an entire tribe and thus weakened the nation of twelve tribes appointed by the Lord God.
In their impetuous rush to separate themselves from the sin of the Benjaminites they had vowed that none of their tribes would give their daughters as wives to any Benjaminite.
In their next rush-to-act they decided that somehow they had to find wives for the remaining 600 Benjaminite men.
They discovered that one tribe was absent from their gathering, so they sent a force to wipe-out all but the young virgins, which resulted in 400 of the needed 600 wives.
Next them schemed that they’d allow the Benjamites to kidnap young virgins from an upcoming local celebration, which they arranged, and through which the final 200 wives were provided – all without directly violating their vow.
The Lord God had created the 12 tribes and He had declared them important, thereafter the identity of every Israelite was powerfully linked to a tribe, and through the tribe to the nation, and then the nation to God. The utter loss of a tribe would have been unthinkable to them.
One wonders if the “young virgins” of Shiloh were told that they were about to be kidnapped by the men of the tribe of Ben, if so were they all praying they would not be one of the 200? How must their parents have felt, knowing the recent vile history of the Benjamites, and their daughter would be going to that decimated and dishonored tribe?
The Lord God was clearly not pleased with Israel since He allowed ten percent (40,000) of their soldiers to be killed by the Benjaminites before He delivered the Benjaminites into their hands
The back-story was to explain just how terribly corrupt and rebellious all of Israel had become.
The people of Jabesh Gilead paid a terrible price for not showing up to worship that day. While most paid with their lives, the 400 young virgins found themselves displaced to the tribe of Ben after the death of everyone that they had known. Their loss became their sacrifice to preserve the tribe of Ben.
When have you observed fear driving someone to over-react to circumstances?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a way that you have, you are, or you can be used to preserve something that God says is valuable.
Today I will pray, and ask at least one fellow believer to pray in-agreement, for clarity as to how the Lord God wishes to use me to preserve something of value. It may be the memory of His faithfulness within a fellowship or family or an individual’s life, it may be reminding believers who are drifting away from a Biblical truth, or it may be something else. I agree to be attentive to His call.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 26
A Family Tragedy: Famine and Death
1:1 During the time of the judges there was a famine in the land of Judah. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah went to live as a resident foreigner in the region of Moab, along with his wife and two sons. 1:2 (Now the man’s name was Elimelech, his wife was Naomi, and his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were of the clan of Ephrath from Bethlehem in Judah.) They entered the region of Moab and settled there. 1:3 Sometime later Naomi’s husband Elimelech died, so she and her two sons were left alone. 1:4 So her sons married Moabite women. (One was named Orpah and the other Ruth.) And they continued to live there about ten years. 1:5 Then Naomi’s two sons, Mahlon and Kilion, also died. So the woman was left all alone – bereaved of her two children as well as her husband! 1:6 So she decided to return home from the region of Moab, accompanied by her daughters-in-law, because while she was living in Moab she had heard that the Lord had shown concern for his people, reversing the famine by providing abundant crops.
Ruth Returns with Naomi
1:7 Now as she and her two daughters-in-law began to leave the place where she had been living to return to the land of Judah, 1:8 Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Listen to me! Each of you should return to your mother’s home! May the Lord show you the same kind of devotion that you have shown to your deceased husbands and to me! 1:9 May the Lord enable each of you to find security in the home of a new husband!” Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept loudly. 1:10 But they said to her, “No! We will return with you to your people.”
1:11 But Naomi replied, “Go back home, my daughters! There is no reason for you to return to Judah with me! I am no longer capable of giving birth to sons who might become your husbands! 1:12 Go back home, my daughters! For I am too old to get married again. Even if I thought that there was hope that I could get married tonight and conceive sons, 1:13 surely you would not want to wait until they were old enough to marry! Surely you would not remain unmarried all that time! No, my daughters, you must not return with me. For my intense suffering is too much for you to bear. For the Lord is afflicting me!”
1:14 Again they wept loudly. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung tightly to her.
Lord, tragedy comes in this fallen world and You have instructed us to gather together so that we may assist and encourage one-another. May I be found faithful in the gathering-together with fellow Christians and in assisting and encouraging my brothers and sisters in Christ.
A man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife Naomi and two sons, moved to the land of the Moabites due to a famine.
While there he died. His wife, now in a foreign land with no certainty if or when she might ever return home to Bethlehem in Judah, allowed her sons to marry Moabite women.
After a while, but before they had any children, both of her sons died.
Naomi heard that the famine had been lifted in Judah and so she made plans to return home. She first thought to bring her two widowed daughters-in-law with her and then thought better of it, encouraging them to return to their people to find new husbands.
They both resisted, Orpah eventually departed, but Ruth refused to leave Naomi’s side.
Orpah and Ruth would have been well-justified if they had returned to the Moabites as they had a greater probability of being accepted and re-married there than in Judah.
What might have drawn Ruth so close to Naomi as to risk traveling to Judah?
The cultural animosities and resistance to cross-nationality marriage may have been Naomi's reason for her change of heart about bringing them with her to Judah.
When have you felt such a strong sense of loyalty to a person that it over-rode your natural send of apparent self-interest.
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you someone who has earned your affection and trust because they have a bond to the Lord of affection and trust.
Today I will tell someone that the reason I have a sense of brotherly or sisterly affection for, and trust in, them is because of their intimate relationship with the Lord. I will do so as both an affirmation of and encouragement to them.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
1:15 So Naomi said, “Look, your sister-in-law is returning to her people and to her god. Follow your sister-in-law back home!” 1:16 But Ruth replied,
“Stop urging me to abandon you!
For wherever you go, I will go.
Wherever you live, I will live.
Your people will become my people,
and your God will become my God.
1:17 Wherever you die, I will die – and there I will be buried.
May the Lord punish me severely if I do not keep my promise!
Only death will be able to separate me from you!”
1:18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped trying to dissuade her. 1:19 So the two of them journeyed together until they arrived in Bethlehem.
Naomi and Ruth Arrive in Bethlehem
When they entered Bethlehem, the whole village was excited about their arrival. The women of the village said, “Can this be Naomi?” 1:20 But she replied to them, “Don’t call me ‘Naomi’! Call me ‘Mara’ because the Sovereign One has treated me very harshly. 1:21 I left here full, but the Lord has caused me to return empty-handed. Why do you call me ‘Naomi,’ seeing that the Lord has opposed me, and the Sovereign One has caused me to suffer?” 1:22 So Naomi returned, accompanied by her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, who came back with her from the region of Moab. (Now they arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.)
Lord, You choose to use us in Your great plan to draw others to Yourself. May I be surrendered to You so that You may show Yourself through me to those whom I meet.
Naomi was concerned that Ruth was not returning to her fellow Moabites, along with Orpah, without really thinking it through. Ruth assured her that her faith was no longer in the false god of the Moabites but in the one true God of Naomi.
It is likely that Ruth married Naomi’s son as a girl of 14 or 15, perhaps as old as 17, so she would have grown from that age to an adult of 24-27 years of age alongside Naomi and she appears to have bonded with her emotionally.
Ruth finally declared that not only had she no intention of parting from Naomi but that she would worship the same God and had surrendered herself to His punishment should she depart from Naomi.
Naomi arrived in Bethlehem bitter for the loss of her husband and sons and without grandchildren to carry the family line.
They arrived in Bethlehem at harvest time which was God’s provision.
Ruth’s speech to Naomi revealed that she had already accepted the one true God of the Israelites as she called Him “Lord”.
How could Ruth return to the Moabites, and their false god, when her God had become that of the Israelites?
Naomi had suffered terrible losses but God’s timing for her and for Ruth was perfect.
When have you experienced or observed someone coming to faith as a result of them seeing Jesus in the life of another person?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you are either an attractive witness for Christ or where you may need to address some things about your walk so that you are.
Today I will prayerfully celebrate the work God is doing in me and will surrender to the Holy Spirit of God as He transforms me one step at a time so that I, like Ruth, may be used to draw others nearer to Him.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Ruth Works in the Field of Boaz
2:1 Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side of the family named Boaz. He was a wealthy, prominent man from the clan of Elimelech. 2:2 One day Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the fields so I can gather grain behind whoever permits me to do so.” Naomi replied, “You may go, my daughter.” 2:3 So Ruth went and gathered grain in the fields behind the harvesters. Now she just happened to end up in the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech.
Boaz and Ruth Meet
2:4 Now at that very moment, Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, “May the Lord be with you!” They replied, “May the Lord bless you!” 2:5 Boaz asked his servant in charge of the harvesters, “To whom does this young woman belong?” 2:6 The servant in charge of the harvesters replied, “She’s the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi from the region of Moab. 2:7 She asked, ‘May I follow the harvesters and gather grain among the bundles?’ Since she arrived she has been working hard from this morning until now – except for sitting in the resting hut a short time.”
2:8 So Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen carefully, my dear! Do not leave to gather grain in another field. You need not go beyond the limits of this field. You may go along beside my female workers. 2:9 Take note of the field where the men are harvesting and follow behind with the female workers. I will tell the men to leave you alone. When you are thirsty, you may go to the water jars and drink some of the water the servants draw.”
2:10 Ruth knelt before him with her forehead to the ground and said to him, “Why are you so kind and so attentive to me, even though I am a foreigner?” 2:11 Boaz replied to her, “I have been given a full report of all that you have done for your mother-in-law following the death of your husband – how you left your father and your mother, as well as your homeland, and came to live among people you did not know previously. 2:12 May the Lord reward your efforts! May your acts of kindness be repaid fully by the Lord God of Israel, from whom you have sought protection!” 2:13 She said, “You really are being kind to me, sir, for you have reassured and encouraged me, your servant, even though I am not one of your servants!”
2:14 Later during the mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come here and have some food! Dip your bread in the vinegar!” So she sat down beside the harvesters. Then he handed her some roasted grain. She ate until she was full and saved the rest. 2:15 When she got up to gather grain, Boaz told his male servants, “Let her gather grain even among the bundles! Don’t chase her off! 2:16 Make sure you pull out ears of grain for her and drop them so she can gather them up. Don’t tell her not to!” 2:17 So she gathered grain in the field until evening. When she threshed what she had gathered, it came to about thirty pounds of barley!
Lord, You provide loving-care for those who honor Your name. May I always remember to honor You.
As she went to cull the dropped and missed grain, according to the instructions of the Lord God that the harvesters leave something for the poor, Ruth was (unbeknownst to her) led by the Lord to the field of Naomi’s wealthy kinsman Boaz.
She worked very hard all day, only resting once, and then briefly. When Boaz asked who she was he was informed of her relationship to Naomi. Boaz kindly encouraged her to return each day and assured her that he would be sure of her safety while she was there.
She asked him for the reason for his kindness and he explained that he knew of her loyalty to Naomi, and of her hard work in the fields to provide for them both. He also noted that she had trusted the Lord as her protector and provider.
Boaz later invited Ruth to eat with his servants and then instructed them to leave behind extra for her to harvest.
The God-honoring among the Israelites had continued to practice God's instruction to share their harvest with the poor by not culling every last bit of grain. In that way the poor still had to work yet there was opportunity to successfully gather enough to feed themselves and their families.
Imagine the surprise of a foreigner like Ruth when treated so well by a wealthy Israelite?
There was an interesting cultural balance between care for needy fellow Israelites and allowing them to retain some pride by earning their food through hard work.
When have you been given opportunity, but not a handout, and found yourself better for it?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you can encourage and perhaps provide opportunity for someone.
Today I will seize the opportunity to encourage a fellow believer, and as the Lord provides, to give them an opportunity to learn, to serve, and or to work.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
Ruth Returns to Naomi
2:18 She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much grain she had gathered. Then Ruth gave her the roasted grain she had saved from mealtime. 2:19 Her mother-in-law asked her, “Where did you gather grain today? Where did you work? May the one who took notice of you be rewarded!” So Ruth told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked. She said, “The name of the man with whom I worked today is Boaz.” 2:20 Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be rewarded by the Lord because he has shown loyalty to the living on behalf of the dead!” Then Naomi said to her, “This man is a close relative of ours; he is our guardian.” 2:21 Ruth the Moabite replied, “He even told me, ‘You may go along beside my servants until they have finished gathering all my harvest!’” 2:22 Naomi then said to her daughter-in-law Ruth, “It is good, my daughter, that you should go out to work with his female servants. That way you will not be harmed, which could happen in another field.” 2:23 So Ruth worked beside Boaz’s female servants, gathering grain until the end of the barley harvest as well as the wheat harvest. After that she stayed home with her mother-in-law.
Naomi Instructs Ruth
3:1 At that time, Naomi, her mother-in-law, said to her, “My daughter, I must find a home for you so you will be secure. 3:2 Now Boaz, with whose female servants you worked, is our close relative. Look, tonight he is winnowing barley at the threshing floor. 3:3 So bathe yourself, rub on some perfumed oil, and get dressed up. Then go down to the threshing floor. But don’t let the man know you’re there until he finishes his meal. 3:4 When he gets ready to go to sleep, take careful notice of the place where he lies down. Then go, uncover his legs, and lie down beside him. He will tell you what you should do.” 3:5 Ruth replied to Naomi, “I will do everything you have told me to do.”
Lord, You bless those who give You the proper honor of Lordship, and You bless and provide beyond our expectations. May I trust You with my needs and my eternity and declare Your name to the world.
Ruth returned to Naomi who celebrated with her the fruits of her labors in the fields.
Naomi questioned Ruth as to whose fields she culled and celebrated all the more that it was of her relative Boaz and that Ruth was blessed with both bounty and safety.
Naomi then instructed Ruth to make known her availability in marriage to Boaz by what was apparently an accepted act of submission – to which he would be trusted to respond respectfully and with instructions as to how to proceed according to the law and local tradition.
The Lord God not only provided a safe place for Ruth to harvest, He provided great bounty for her to harvest for herself and Naomi.
What level of trust must Ruth have had for Naomi that she’d submit herself to the humility of presenting herself to Boaz as instructed?
Naomi apparently had a strong sense for the integrity of Boaz to ask Ruth to place herself in such a vulnerable position.
When have you been in need and God provided beyond what you expected?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you a place where He has protected and provided for you abundantly.
Today I will share the story of God’s provision with a fellow believer as an encouragement to them and together we will celebrate His faithfulness.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Ruth Visits Boaz
3:6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law had instructed her to do. 3:7 When Boaz had finished his meal and was feeling satisfied, he lay down to sleep at the far end of the grain heap. Then Ruth crept up quietly, uncovered his legs, and lay down beside him. 3:8 In the middle of the night he was startled and turned over. Now he saw a woman lying beside him! 3:9 He said, “Who are you?” She replied, “I am Ruth, your servant. Marry your servant, for you are a guardian of the family interests.” 3:10 He said, “May you be rewarded by the Lord, my dear! This act of devotion is greater than what you did before. For you have not sought to marry one of the young men, whether rich or poor. 3:11 Now, my dear, don’t worry! I intend to do for you everything you propose, for everyone in the village knows that you are a worthy woman. 3:12 Now yes, it is true that I am a guardian, but there is another guardian who is a closer relative than I am. 3:13 Remain here tonight. Then in the morning, if he agrees to marry you, fine, let him do so. But if he does not want to do so, I promise, as surely as the Lord lives, to marry you. Sleep here until morning.” 3:14 So she slept beside him until morning. She woke up while it was still dark. Boaz thought, “No one must know that a woman visited the threshing floor.” 3:15 Then he said, “Hold out the shawl you are wearing and grip it tightly.” As she held it tightly, he measured out about sixty pounds of barley into the shawl and put it on her shoulders. Then he went into town, 3:16 and she returned to her mother-in-law.
Ruth Returns to Naomi
When Ruth returned to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, “How did things turn out for you, my daughter?” Ruth told her about all the man had done for her. 3:17 She said, “He gave me these sixty pounds of barley, for he said to me, ‘Do not go to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’” 3:18 Then Naomi said, “Stay put, my daughter, until you know how the matter turns out. For the man will not rest until he has taken care of the matter today.”
Lord, Boaz was a man of honor and integrity, a role model for all men. May I strive to mature to his fine example.
Ruth went to Boaz as instructed and when Boaz awoke she announced her availability for marriage.
Boaz was impressed as Ruth was not obligated to marry an older man any more than she was obligated to return with Naomi to a foreign land and culture.
Boaz informed her that he had to allow a closer relative the right of first refusal to marry her then promised to see the process through the very next day.
Boaz protected her honor by giving her a load of grain and sending her back to Naomi so that there would be no appearance of evil when others arrived later in the morning.
Boaz was a man of integrity as he made no effort to take advantage of the younger and highly vulnerable Ruth. He was also a man who gave honor to others as he took care to prevent anyone from observing and misinterpreting her presence there overnight.
Boaz was clearly attracted to Ruth as well as impressed by her loyalty and her work ethic, yet he was always respectful toward her; how often in the earlier texts of the Old Testament had men in a similar situation treated foreign women dishonorably?
Ruth took a huge risk in going to Boaz. Neither she or Naomi knew of the nearer-relative.
When have you found yourself at the mercy of someone and rather them abusing that power they blessed you?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a relationship where you have influence or power over someone.
Today I will prayerfully consider how the Lord God would have me use my authority to be His conduit of blessing to someone.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Boaz Settles the Matter
4:1 Now Boaz went up to the village gate and sat there. Then along came the guardian whom Boaz had mentioned to Ruth! Boaz said, “Come here and sit down, ‘John Doe’!” So he came and sat down. 4:2 Boaz chose ten of the village leaders and said, “Sit down here!” So they sat down. 4:3 Then Boaz said to the guardian, “Naomi, who has returned from the region of Moab, is selling the portion of land that belongs to our relative Elimelech. 4:4 So I am legally informing you: Acquire it before those sitting here and before the leaders of my people! If you want to exercise your right to redeem it, then do so. But if not, then tell me so I will know. For you possess the first option to redeem it; I am next in line after you.” He replied, “I will redeem it.” 4:5 Then Boaz said, “When you acquire the field from Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the wife of our deceased relative, in order to preserve his family name by raising up a descendant who will inherit his property.” 4:6 The guardian said, “Then I am unable to redeem it, for I would ruin my own inheritance in that case. You may exercise my redemption option, for I am unable to redeem it.” 4:7 (Now this used to be the customary way to finalize a transaction involving redemption in Israel: A man would remove his sandal and give it to the other party. This was a legally binding act in Israel.) 4:8 So the guardian said to Boaz, “You may acquire it,” and he removed his sandal. 4:9 Then Boaz said to the leaders and all the people, “You are witnesses today that I have acquired from Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech, Kilion, and Mahlon. 4:10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, as my wife to raise up a descendant who will inherit his property so the name of the deceased might not disappear from among his relatives and from his village. You are witnesses today.” 4:11 All the people who were at the gate and the elders replied, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is entering your home like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built up the house of Israel! May you prosper in Ephrathah and become famous in Bethlehem. 4:12 May your family become like the family of Perez – whom Tamar bore to Judah – through the descendants the Lord gives you by this young woman.”
Lord, You bring honor to those who honor Your name and who serve You faithfully. May I seek honor from You first and never look first for the approval of mere fallen-man.
Boaz was faithful in bringing the matter of the widow Naomi and the family inheritance of property and the redemption of their name to the one who was a closer relative. That man refused to serve as the kinsman-redeemer for Elimelech and his dead sons Kilion, and Mahlon because he selfishly did not want their inheritance to interfere with his own.
The Bible does not record the name of this relative because he refused his duty to redeem the name of his close relative – he is forgotten.
Boaz then declared his intent to purchase the property and to also marry Ruth to bring her a son which would continue the family line.
The people gathered-about celebrated what he had done and prayed that the Lord God would bless him as He had others of great fame and importance in Israel’s history.
Boaz would have received minor mention and the closer relative major mention, in the line of David, had that relative accepted his duty as a kinsman-redeemer. The kinsman-redeemer process was intended to continue the name of an Israelite family but could have the effect of displacing the name of the kinsman-redeemer if he only had one son by the widow whom he married. It was an unselfish act.
Ruth took a large risk traveling with Naomi and then submitting herself to the kinsman-redeemer process, but so did Boaz now; he seems to have not hesitated to offer himself as kinsman-redeemer without fear for his own family name should he have only one son.
Boaz was a respected and wealthy man, but for some reason apparently unmarried, and it seems the Lord had prepared him for such a time as this.
When have you experienced or observed a risk taken for the sake of another?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where in your life you might serve Him by taking a risk with something of significant to you.
Today I will step-out in faith and take a risk in order to be His instrument of blessing to another. If I have any doubts as to His call, or the specifics of my potential action, I will both pray and consult one who meets the Biblical qualifications of an elder.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
A Grandson is Born to Naomi
4:13 So Boaz married Ruth and had sexual relations with her. The Lord enabled her to conceive and she gave birth to a son. 4:14 The village women said to Naomi, “May the Lord be praised because he has not left you without a guardian today! May he become famous in Israel! 4:15 He will encourage you and provide for you when you are old, for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, has given him birth. She is better to you than seven sons!” 4:16 Naomi took the child and placed him on her lap; she became his caregiver. 4:17 The neighbor women named him, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. Now he became the father of Jesse – David’s father!
Epilogue: Obed in the Genealogy of David
4:18 These are the descendants of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron, 4:19 Hezron was the father of Ram, Ram was the father of Amminadab, 4:20 Amminadab was the father of Nachshon, Nachshon was the father of Salmah, 4:21 Salmon was the father of Boaz, Boaz was the father of Obed, 4:22 Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of David.
Lord, You pour out Your favor upon the faithful. May I make myself available to Your favor by choosing to be faithful.
Boaz kept his word and married Ruth and the Lord blessed their faithfulness “The Lord enabled her to conceive ...” a son.
The entire local Israelite community witnessed and celebrated the Lord’s blessing of Boaz, Ruth, and Naomi.
As a result of their faithfulness the son was blessed by the Lord God to be the father of Jesse who was the father of David.
Ruth had been married for 10 years and yet was childless but the Lord intervened and enabled her to bear Boaz a son.
Boaz and Ruth allowed their fellow Israelites to name their son; is that not a clear evidence that they understood that the child belonged to all of God’s people, and that he represented God’s working His plan through them?
The Lord God transformed Naomi’s sorrow to gladness.
When have you experienced or observed the Lord God blessing one person through others because they were faithful and therefore available to be used by Him?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you a place where you may be used to bless someone else.
Today I will prayerfully make myself available to the Lord at the beginning of every day so that He may find me faithful and obedient enough to be useful in Him in bringing His blessing to someone else.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 27
Hannah Gives Birth to Samuel
1:1 There was a man from Ramathaim Zophim, from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah. He was the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 1:2 He had two wives; the name of the first was Hannah and the name of the second was Peninnah. Now Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless.
1:3 Year after year this man would go up from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh. It was there that the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, served as the Lord’s priests. 1:4 Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he used to give meat portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 1:5 But he would give a double portion to Hannah, because he especially loved her. Now the Lord had not enabled her to have children. 1:6 Her rival wife used to upset her and make her worry, for the Lord had not enabled her to have children. 1:7 Peninnah would behave this way year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the Lord’s house, Peninnah would upset her so that she would weep and refuse to eat. 1:8 Finally her husband Elkanah said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep and not eat? Why are you so sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”
1:9 On one occasion in Shiloh, after they had finished eating and drinking, Hannah got up. (Now at the time Eli the priest was sitting in his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s temple.) 1:10 She was very upset as she prayed to the Lord, and she was weeping uncontrollably. 1:11 She made a vow saying, “O Lord of hosts, if you will look with compassion on the suffering of your female servant, remembering me and not forgetting your servant, and give a male child to your servant, then I will dedicate him to the Lord all the days of his life. His hair will never be cut.”
1:12 As she continued praying to the Lord, Eli was watching her mouth. 1:13 Now Hannah was speaking from her heart. Although her lips were moving, her voice was inaudible. Eli therefore thought she was drunk. 1:14 So he said to her, “How often do you intend to get drunk? Put away your wine!”
1:15 But Hannah replied, “That’s not the way it is, my lord! I am under a great deal of stress. I have drunk neither wine nor beer. Rather, I have poured out my soul to the Lord. 1:16 Don’t consider your servant a wicked woman, for until now I have spoken from my deep pain and anguish.”
1:17 Eli replied, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant the request that you have asked of him.” 1:18 She said, “May I, your servant, find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and got something to eat. Her face no longer looked sad.
1:19 They got up early the next morning and after worshiping the Lord, they returned to their home at Ramah. Elkanah had marital relations with his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. 1:20 After some time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, thinking, “I asked the Lord for him.
Hannah Dedicates Samuel to the Lord
1:21 This man Elkanah went up with all his family to make the yearly sacrifice to the Lord and to keep his vow, 1:22 but Hannah did not go up with them. Instead she told her husband, “Once the boy is weaned, I will bring him and appear before the Lord, and he will remain there from then on.”
1:23 So her husband Elkanah said to her, “Do what you think best. Stay until you have weaned him. May the Lord fulfill his promise.”
So the woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him. 1:24 Once she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with three bulls, an ephah of flour, and a container of wine. She brought him to the Lord’s house at Shiloh, even though he was young. 1:25 Once the bull had been slaughtered, they brought the boy to Eli. 1:26 She said, “Just as surely as you are alive, my lord, I am the woman who previously stood here with you in order to pray to the Lord. 1:27 I prayed for this boy, and the Lord has given me the request that I asked of him. 1:28 Now I dedicate him to the Lord. From this time on he is dedicated to the Lord.” Then they worshiped the Lord there.
Hannah Exalts the Lord in Prayer
2:1 Hannah prayed, “My heart rejoices in the Lord; my horn is exalted high because of the Lord. I loudly denounce my enemies, for I am happy that you delivered me.
2:2 No one is holy like the Lord! There is no one other than you! There is no rock like our God!
2:3 Don’t keep speaking so arrogantly, letting proud talk come out of your mouth! For the Lord is a God who knows; he evaluates what people do.
2:4 The bows of warriors are shattered, but those who stumble find their strength reinforced.
2:5 Those who are well-fed hire themselves out to earn food, but the hungry no longer lack. Even the barren woman gives birth to seven, but the one with many children withers away.
2:6 The Lord both kills and gives life; he brings down to the grave and raises up.
2:7 The Lord impoverishes and makes wealthy; he humbles and he exalts.
2:8 He lifts the weak from the dust; he raises the poor from the ash heap to seat them with princes and to bestow on them an honored position. The foundations of the earth belong to the Lord, and he has placed the world on them.
2:9 He watches over his holy ones, but the wicked are made speechless in the darkness, for it is not by one’s own strength that one prevails.
2:10 The Lord shatters his adversaries; he thunders against them from the heavens. The Lord executes judgment to the ends of the earth. He will strengthen his king and exalt the power of his anointed one.”
2:11 Then Elkanah went back home to Ramah. But the boy was serving the Lord under the supervision of Eli the priest.
Eli’s Sons Misuse Their Sacred Office
2:12 The sons of Eli were wicked men. They did not recognize the Lord’s authority. 2:13 Now the priests would always treat the people in the following way: Whenever anyone was making a sacrifice, while the meat was boiling, the priest’s attendant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand. 2:14 He would jab it into the basin, kettle, caldron, or pot, and everything that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is what they used to do to all the Israelites when they came there to Shiloh.
2:15 Even before they burned the fat, the priest’s attendant would come and say to the person who was making the sacrifice, “Hand over some meat for the priest to roast! He won’t take boiled meat from you, but only raw.” 2:16 If the individual said to him, “First let the fat be burned away, and then take for yourself whatever you wish,” he would say, “No! Hand it over right now! If you don’t, I will take it forcibly!”
2:17 The sin of these young men was very great in the Lord’s sight, for they treated the Lord’s offering with contempt.
2:18 Now Samuel was ministering before the Lord. The boy was dressed in a linen ephod. 2:19 His mother used to make him a small robe and bring it up to him at regular intervals when she would go up with her husband to make the annual sacrifice. 2:20 Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife saying, “May the Lord raise up for you descendants from this woman to replace the one that she dedicated to the Lord.” Then they would go to their home. 2:21 So the Lord graciously attended to Hannah, and she was able to conceive and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. The boy Samuel grew up at the Lord’s sanctuary.
2:22 Now Eli was very old when he heard about everything that his sons used to do to all the people of Israel and how they used to have sex with the women who were stationed at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 2:23 He said to them, “Why do you behave in this way? For I hear about these evil things from all these people. 2:24 This ought not to be, my sons! For the report that I hear circulating among the Lord’s people is not good. 2:25 If a man sins against a man, one may appeal to God on his behalf. But if a man sins against the Lord, who then will intercede for him?” But Eli’s sons would not listen to their father, for the Lord had decided to kill them.
2:26 Now the boy Samuel was growing up and finding favor both with the Lord and with people.
The Lord Judges the House of Eli
2:27 A man of God came to Eli and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Did I not plainly reveal myself to your ancestor’s house when they were in Egypt in the house of Pharaoh? 2:28 I chose your ancestor from all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer sacrifice on my altar, to burn incense, and to bear the ephod before me. I gave to your ancestor’s house all the fire offerings made by the Israelites. 2:29 Why are you scorning my sacrifice and my offering that I commanded for my dwelling place? You have honored your sons more than you have me by having made yourselves fat from the best parts of all the offerings of my people Israel.’
2:30 Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘I really did say that your house and your ancestor’s house would serve me forever.’ But now the Lord says, ‘May it never be! For I will honor those who honor me, but those who despise me will be cursed! 2:31 In fact, days are coming when I will remove your strength and the strength of your father’s house. There will not be an old man in your house! 2:32 You will see trouble in my dwelling place! Israel will experience blessings, but there will not be an old man in your house for all time. 2:33 Any one of you that I do not cut off from my altar, I will cause your eyes to fail and will cause you grief. All of those born to your family will die in the prime of life. 2:34 This will be a confirming sign for you that will be fulfilled through your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas: in a single day they both will die! 2:35 Then I will raise up for myself a faithful priest. He will do what is in my heart and soul. I will build for him a secure dynasty and he will serve my chosen one for all time. 2:36 Everyone who remains in your house will come to bow before him for a little money and for a scrap of bread. Each will say, ‘Assign me to a priestly task so I can eat a scrap of bread.’”
Lord, sometimes the sacrifices You ask of us are greater than other times, but at all times Your will for our lives is perfect. May I never doubt Your goodness. You bless those who honor You, and You punish those who misuse the authority You have delegated to them. May I remember to give You all of the praise and walk in Your ways.
Hannah was desperate to bear a child. Her husband’s other wife had children and would taunt her to tears about her infertility.
One day Hannah prayed in Lord’s house, the tabernacle, but this time she was so distraught that she had not eaten and was so overcome with angst that her lips appeared to the priest Eli to inaudibly move, so he accused her of being drunk.
Hannah pleaded her innocence and explained her tribulation, and her just-confessed willingness to give her son to the Lord God’s service if he would give her a son. She promised the Lord that he would fulfill the Nazarite vow of uncut hair and other requirements. Eli recognized her honesty in the matter and assured her that the Lord had heard her and would bless her.
Hannah had a son and when he was still young enough to have just been weaned (could have been as few as 15 months or as long as 5 years but is generally thought to have been about 3 years of age) she brought him to the priest Eli to serve and to be trained in the tabernacle.
Hannah gave great praise to the Lord God for answered prayer. Each year she would bring a new robe for Samuel to wear in his service to the Lord. Eli prayed for her and the Lord gave her three more sons and two daughters.
Eli’s sons abused their authority and position, very brashly and very publicly, they selfishly stole from the offerings.
Eli was an old man when he heard about the sins of his sons. He challenged them as to why they were stealing, and even having sex with women at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, warning them that because of their position their sin was unforgivable – it was against the Lord and not merely a fellow man. They were unrepentant as their hearts were hard. The Lord did not soften their hearts as He had decided to punish them as the Law required.
An angel “a man of God” came to Eli to challenge him for tolerating the sin of his sons. He delivered the Lord God’s curse upon his family and the prophesy that another priest from another family would be raised up to take his place.
Eli was apparently not used to people praying in severe emotional distress and earnest. Hannah remembered to give due praise to the God and the Lord blessed her faithfulness.
Did God allow Hannah to deepen in her desire to bear a child until she would be willing to accept His gift and then return it to Him in only 3 years? The sons of Eli knew the expectations of God and His clearly-stated consequences for a priest who abused his position. Why would they not only violate God’s instructions but do so without any effort at subterfuge?
Hanna's obsession with giving birth to son, even one she would surrender at the age of 3, was driven by worldly pressure - but she became an instrument of God in raising up a new priest for Israel. Because Eli took no action when he learned of their evil deeds he gave the Lord God no tool through which to to deal with his evil sons. He might have punished and then restored them, or miraculously replace them (Eli was old), Eli's inaction resulted in an end to the family line.
When have you negotiated with God in prayer? When have you experienced or observed the Lord’s blessing and given Him praise, directly and expressed it to others? Did He expand His blessing?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you a place in your life where He has blessed you and now expects you to return something and to reveal to you a place where you are behaving wrongly before the Lord, or someone over whom you have some authority is doing so.
Today I will prayerfully submit to the Holy Spirit so as to discern which of God's gifts to me are now ready to be returned to Him. Perhaps it is from my Biblical-Christian discipleship, my practical skills education, my restored health, my long-sought employment and income, etc. I will share this with a fellow believer as a testimony. I will confess and repent of my sin, I will seek forgiveness from the Lord (and anyone I have offended), and I will walk toward restoration of my damaged relationships with others and the Lord. If I am in authority (as a parent, teacher, elder, employer, etc.) or I am a peer, I will honor the Lord's New Testament teaching that I am to confront my brother in love when I see them in sin. I will walk alongside my brother through confession, repentance, forgiveness, and restoration. If I am in some sort of position of spiritual authority I will not fail to confront sin among those over whom I have authority.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
The Call of Samuel
3:1 Now the boy Samuel continued serving the Lord under Eli’s supervision. Word from the Lord was rare in those days; revelatory visions were infrequent.
3:2 Eli’s eyes had begun to fail, so that he was unable to see well. At that time he was lying down in his place, 3:3 and the lamp of God had not yet been extinguished. Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord as well; the ark of God was also there. 3:4 The Lord called to Samuel, and he replied, “Here I am!” 3:5 Then he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But Eli said, “I didn’t call you. Go back and lie down.” So he went back and lay down. 3:6 The Lord again called, “Samuel!” So Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But Eli said, “I didn’t call you, my son. Go back and lie down.”
3:7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord; the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. 3:8 Then the Lord called Samuel a third time. So he got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me!” Eli then realized that it was the Lord who was calling the boy. 3:9 So Eli said to Samuel, “Go back and lie down. When he calls you, say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” So Samuel went back and lay down in his place.
3:10 Then the Lord came and stood nearby, calling as he had previously done, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel replied, “Speak, for your servant is listening!” 3:11 The Lord said to Samuel, “Look! I am about to do something in Israel; when anyone hears about it, both of his ears will tingle. 3:12 On that day I will carry out against Eli everything that I spoke about his house – from start to finish! 3:13 You should tell him that I am about to judge his house forever because of the sin that he knew about. For his sons were cursing God, and he did not rebuke them. 3:14 Therefore I swore an oath to the house of Eli, ‘The sin of the house of Eli can never be forgiven by sacrifice or by grain offering.’”
3:15 So Samuel lay down until morning. Then he opened the doors of the Lord’s house. But Samuel was afraid to tell Eli about the vision. 3:16 However, Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son!” He replied, “Here I am.” 3:17 Eli said, “What message did he speak to you? Don’t conceal it from me. God will judge you severely if you conceal from me anything that he said to you!”
3:18 So Samuel told him everything. He did not hold back anything from him. Eli said, “The Lord will do what he pleases.” 3:19 Samuel continued to grow, and the Lord was with him. None of his prophecies fell to the ground unfulfilled. 3:20 All Israel from Dan to Beer Sheba realized that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the Lord. 3:21 Then the Lord again appeared in Shiloh, for it was in Shiloh that the Lord had revealed himself to Samuel through the word of the Lord.
4:1 Samuel revealed the word of the Lord to all Israel.
The Ark of the Covenant is Lost to the Philistines
Then the Israelites went out to fight the Philistines. They camped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines camped at Aphek. 4:2 The Philistines arranged their forces to fight Israel. As the battle spread out, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men in the battle line in the field.
4:3 When the army came back to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why did the Lord let us be defeated today by the Philistines? Let’s take with us the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Shiloh. When it is with us, it will save us from the hand of our enemies.
4:4 So the army sent to Shiloh, and they took from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts who sits between the cherubim. Now the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. 4:5 When the ark of the covenant of the Lord arrived at the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the ground shook.
4:6 When the Philistines heard the sound of the shout, they said, “What is this loud shout in the camp of the Hebrews?” Then they realized that the ark of the Lord had arrived at the camp. 4:7 The Philistines were scared because they thought that gods had come to the camp. They said, “Too bad for us! We’ve never seen anything like this! 4:8 Too bad for us! Who can deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all sorts of plagues in the desert! 4:9 Be strong and act like men, you Philistines, or else you will wind up serving the Hebrews the way they have served you! Act like men and fight!”
4:10 So the Philistines fought. Israel was defeated; they all ran home. The slaughter was very great; thirty thousand foot soldiers fell in battle. 4:11 The ark of God was taken, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, were killed.
Eli Dies
4:12 On that day a Benjaminite ran from the battle lines and came to Shiloh. His clothes were torn and dirt was on his head. 4:13 When he arrived in Shiloh, Eli was sitting in his chair watching by the side of the road, for he was very worried about the ark of God. As the man entered the city to give his report, the whole city cried out.
4:14 When Eli heard the outcry, he said, “What is this commotion?” The man quickly came and told Eli. 4:15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old and his eyes looked straight ahead; he was unable to see.
4:16 The man said to Eli, “I am the one who came from the battle lines! Just today I fled from the battle lines!” Eli asked, “How did things go, my son?” 4:17 The messenger replied, “Israel has fled from the Philistines! The army has suffered a great defeat! Your two sons, Hophni and Phineas, are dead! The ark of God has been captured!”
4:18 When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward from his chair beside the gate. He broke his neck and died, for he was old and heavy. He had judged Israel for forty years.
4:19 His daughter-in-law, the wife of Phineas, was pregnant and close to giving birth. When she heard that the ark of God was captured and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she doubled over and gave birth. But her labor pains were too much for her. 4:20 As she was dying, the women who were there with her said, “Don’t be afraid! You have given birth to a son!” But she did not reply or pay any attention.
4:21 She named the boy Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel,” referring to the capture of the ark of God and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband. 4:22 She said, “The glory has departed from Israel, because the ark of God has been captured.”
Lord, You choose those who serve You and You hold them accountable to Your standard. May I always be as ready to serve and careful to avoid sin. Rebellion has consequences, Your children cannot expect blessings from You when they refuse to obey You. May I consider daily how I might be more faithful.
Samuel was old enough for the Lord God to call him into the priesthood and because of the sin of Eli’s sons, and Eli’s failure to correct them, it had cost them any opportunity to continue their family line and service; therefore, there was a need for a replacement.
Samuel had not previously heard the voice of God so when the Lord God called to Him, as He later would Mary, Samuel presumed the voice to be that of Eli. On his third response to Eli the elderly priest realized that the Lord God was calling Samuel and thus instructed him as to how he should respond.
Samuel heard from God His curse upon Eli’s family and at Eli’s insistence shared it with him the next day. Samuel became a priest and prophet of great respect within Israel.
Just as Samuel was stepping into the priesthood, and Eli and sons were about to be literally-terminated by the Lord God, a military conflict started with the Philistines.
The text does not describe the Israelites seeking the Lord God’s will prior to engaging in battle and 4,000 were killed. They retreated and gathered-up Eli’s two evil sons and the Ark of the Covenant and returned to the battle.
The Israelites loudly celebrated the arrival of the ark of God, because they had heard of the past military victories associated with its presence, and the Philistines were initially fearful.
The Philistines were encouraged by their leaders to stand their ground and the result was a huge victory and the death of 30,000 Israelite soldiers. The text added “The ark of God was taken, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, were killed.”
When the report of the defeat, the death of his sons, and the capture of the ark of God was brought to Eli - elderly and overweight – the head priest fell out of his chair and died.
Eli’s daughter-in-law, through the evil son Phineas, also heard the news and as she died in childbirth she named her son Ichabod which meant “The glory has departed from Israel”.
Samuel’s reply to the Lord God echoed that of His faithful servants before and after his time “... Your servant is listening!”
How must Samuel have felt, being compelled to tell the man who had raised and trained him in the priestly service that the Lord God was to kill his sons and end his family line? Why would the Israelites imagine that the corrupt and perverse sons of Eli would bring them good fortune in the military engagement?
Samuel’s faithfulness served as a conduit for the Lord God to renew His presence among His people through prophesy. The loss of the covenant was a symbolic crisis in the world of Israel as they viewed it as a superstitious link to God and therefore as necessary to their well-being.
When have you had to deliver a hard message to someone you cared about? When have you experienced the negative result of poor leadership choices?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where He desires to increase your service as His instrument of blessing to others. The Israelites had a superstitious relationship with the ark of God rather than one based upon a faith-relationship. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where you are presuming upon God for His blessing in a superstitious way rather than striving day-to-day to live humbly before Him, praising Him for all good things.
Today I will prayerfully surrender to the Holy Spirit every part of my life so that He may clean me up, teach me up, and lift me up for a new work. I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement for my faithfulness in this process. I will remember that all good things come from God, that He owes me nothing, and that He is due my humble obedience every day. I will call upon Him in prayer for those things He has promised to those who are obedient and will give testimony to His faithfulness.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Ark Causes Trouble for the Philistines
5:1 Now the Philistines had captured the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 5:2 The Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the temple of Dagon, where they positioned it beside Dagon. 5:3 When the residents of Ashdod got up early the next day, Dagon was lying on the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and set him back in his place. 5:4 But when they got up early the following day, Dagon was again lying on the ground before the ark of the Lord. The head of Dagon and his two hands were sheared off and were lying at the threshold. Only Dagon’s body was left intact. 5:5 (For this reason, to this very day, neither Dagon’s priests nor anyone else who enters Dagon’s temple step on Dagon’s threshold in Ashdod.)
5:6 The Lord attacked the residents of Ashdod severely, bringing devastation on them. He struck the people of both Ashdod and the surrounding area with sores. 5:7 When the people of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel should not remain with us, for he has attacked both us and our god Dagon!”
5:8 So they assembled all the leaders of the Philistines and asked, “What should we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” They replied, “The ark of the God of Israel should be moved to Gath.” So they moved the ark of the God of Israel.
5:9 But after it had been moved the Lord attacked that city as well, causing a great deal of panic. He struck all the people of that city with sores. 5:10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron.
But when the ark of God arrived at Ekron, the residents of Ekron cried out saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel here to kill our people!” 5:11 So they assembled all the leaders of the Philistines and said, “Get the ark of the God of Israel out of here! Let it go back to its own place so that it won’t kill us and our people!” The terror of death was throughout the entire city; God was attacking them very severely there. 5:12 The people who did not die were struck with sores; the city’s cry for help went all the way up to heaven.
The Philistines Return the Ark
6:1 When the ark of the Lord had been in the land of the Philistines for seven months, 6:2 the Philistines called the priests and the omen readers, saying, “What should we do with the ark of the Lord? Advise us as to how we should send it back to its place.”
6:3 They replied, “If you are going to send the ark of the God of Israel back, don’t send it away empty. Be sure to return it with a guilt offering. Then you will be healed, and you will understand why his hand is not removed from you.” 6:4 They inquired, “What is the guilt offering that we should send to him?”
They replied, “The Philistine leaders number five. So send five gold sores and five gold mice, for it is the same plague that has afflicted both you and your leaders. 6:5 You should make images of the sores and images of the mice that are destroying the land. You should honor the God of Israel. Perhaps he will release his grip on you, your gods, and your land. 6:6 Why harden your hearts like the Egyptians and Pharaoh did? When God treated them harshly, didn’t the Egyptians send the Israelites on their way? 6:7 So now go and make a new cart. Get two cows that have calves and that have never had a yoke placed on them. Harness the cows to the cart and take their calves from them back to their stalls. 6:8 Then take the ark of the Lord and place it on the cart, and put in a chest beside it the gold objects you are sending to him as a guilt offering. You should then send it on its way. 6:9 But keep an eye on it. If it should go up by the way of its own border to Beth Shemesh, then he has brought this great calamity on us. But if that is not the case, then we will know that it was not his hand that struck us; rather, it just happened to us by accident.”
6:10 So the men did as instructed. They took two cows that had calves and harnessed them to a cart; they also removed their calves to their stalls. 6:11 They put the ark of the Lord on the cart, along with the chest, the gold mice, and the images of the sores. 6:12 Then the cows went directly on the road to Beth Shemesh. They went along, mooing as they went; they turned neither to the right nor to the left. The leaders of the Philistines were walking along behind them all the way to the border of Beth Shemesh.
6:13 Now the residents of Beth Shemesh were harvesting wheat in the valley. When they looked up and saw the ark, they were pleased at the sight. 6:14 The cart was coming to the field of Joshua, who was from Beth Shemesh. It paused there near a big stone. Then they cut up the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord. 6:15 The Levites took down the ark of the Lord and the chest that was with it, which contained the gold objects. They placed them near the big stone. At that time the people of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices to the Lord. 6:16 The five leaders of the Philistines watched what was happening and then returned to Ekron on the same day.
6:17 These are the gold sores that the Philistines brought as a guilt offering to the Lord – one for each of the following cities: Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron. 6:18 The gold mice corresponded in number to all the Philistine cities of the five leaders, from the fortified cities to hamlet villages, to greater Abel, where they positioned the ark of the Lord until this very day in the field of Joshua who was from Beth Shemesh.
6:19 But the Lord struck down some of the people of Beth Shemesh because they had looked into the ark of the Lord; he struck down 50,070 of the men. The people grieved because the Lord had struck the people with a hard blow. 6:20 The residents of Beth Shemesh asked, “Who is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God? To whom will the ark go up from here?”
6:21 So they sent messengers to the residents of Kiriath Jearim, saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of the Lord. Come down here and take it back home with you.”
7:1 Then the people of Kiriath Jearim came and took the ark of the Lord; they brought it to the house of Abinadab located on the hill. They consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the Lord.
Further Conflict with the Philistines
7:2 It was quite a long time – some twenty years in all – that the ark stayed at Kiriath Jearim. All the people of Israel longed for the Lord. 7:3 Samuel said to all the people of Israel, “If you are really turning to the Lord with all your hearts, remove from among you the foreign gods and the images of Ashtoreth. Give your hearts to the Lord and serve only him. Then he will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” 7:4 So the Israelites removed the Baals and images of Ashtoreth. They served only the Lord.
7:5 Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord on your behalf.” 7:6 After they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. They fasted on that day, and they confessed there, “We have sinned against the Lord.” So Samuel led the people of Israel at Mizpah.
7:7 When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, the leaders of the Philistines went up against Israel. When the Israelites heard about this, they were afraid of the Philistines. 7:8 The Israelites said to Samuel, “Keep crying out to the Lord our God so that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines!” 7:9 So Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. Samuel cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him.
7:10 As Samuel was offering burnt offerings, the Philistines approached to do battle with Israel. But on that day the Lord thundered loudly against the Philistines. He caused them to panic, and they were defeated by Israel. 7:11 Then the men of Israel left Mizpah and chased the Philistines, striking them down all the way to an area below Beth Car.
7:12 Samuel took a stone and placed it between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Up to here the Lord has helped us.” 7:13 So the Philistines were defeated; they did not invade Israel again. The hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
7:14 The cities that the Philistines had captured from Israel were returned to Israel, from Ekron to Gath. Israel also delivered their territory from the control of the Philistines. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites. 7:15 So Samuel led Israel all the days of his life. 7:16 Year after year he used to travel the circuit of Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah; he used to judge Israel in all of these places. 7:17 Then he would return to Ramah, because his home was there. He also judged Israel there and built an altar to the Lord there.
Lord, Your presence is only where You decide it will be, those who falsely claim Your name do so at risk of terrible consequences. May I always be careful to consult You in prayer and search Your Word with care before asserting Your approval for what I say or do. You bless those who honor You and bring destruction to those who disobey or reject You. May I never lose my sense of awe for You. When we are faithful You love to bless us. May I be careful to keep any sort of idol out of my home and trust You-alone to guide and protect me.
The Philistines had an even more superstitious view of the ark of God than did the Israelites; they believed that when they captured it they not only deprived Israel of their god-in-a-box but that they could transfer His power to their purposes alongside their false god Dagon.
The Lord God first warned them by knocking over the wooden idol of their false god Dagon. Then the next day He knocked it over and placed its head and hands at the threshold to their temple to their false god. When they still failed to recognize their error He struck the whole city with sores – so they moved the ark of God to another city.
The Lord God struck the second city with sores so they moved the ark of God to a third city. The third city protested as they had heard of what had happened to the others but the Lord God struck many there dead and others with sores. They cried out to the Philistine leaders to return the ark of God to Israel and God heard them.
The Philistine leaders consulted their religious leaders as to how they should go about returning the ark of God to the Israelites. They were informed that they needed to return it with an offering to sooth the God of Israel.
They were instructed to make gold images of the sores and the mice that plagued them and to build a cart pulled by never-yoked calves.
They were told to follow rather than lead the calves, if they went to Beth Shemesh it was indeed the Israelite God Who had attacked them, if they went elsewhere then it was not.
The calves went to Beth Shemesh and the Israelites used the wood from the cart for the fire of offering of the calves to the Lord in thanks and the Philistines observed that and then returned home.
After the sacrifice some of the people of Beth Shemesh foolishly looked into the Ark of God and He struck 50,070 of them dead for their sin. They called to their neighbors in Keriath Jearim to come for the ark of God.
The ark of God was moved to Kiriath Jearim and Samuel challenged the people to prove their allegiance to God by removing all of the idols from their homes and communities, which they did, and the Lord God gave them twenty years of peace with the Philistines.
Samuel gathered the people at Mizpah to confess their sins, for a special sacrifice, and so that he could pray for them. The Philistines heard they had gathered and decided to attack.
The people were afraid but Samuel made an offering to the Lord and He gave Israel a great victory over the Philistines such that they gave back to Israel lands they had previously taken and they were unable to prevail against Israel all of the time that Samuel led his people.
The Philistines made the error of thinking that the Lord God was a peer to their false god Dagon. The Philistine religious leaders were not yet convinced that the God of the Israelites had caused their troubles, so they had the ark of God returned as they would any pagan idol. They set up the test of the unguided calves to evaluate if the ark of God was indeed the source of trouble. When the Israelites got rid of their false idols the Lord God blessed them.
How could the Philistines have so quickly forgotten what had happened to them after they captured the ark of God? Is it possible that the Philistines had a wrong understanding of the Lord God because the Israelites behaved in such a contradictory manner to His law and treated Him, and the ark of God, with superstition rather than a holy relationship? Everyone in Israel knew that the ark of God was never to be opened except at the behest of the Lord God and only then by the high priest; why would they have looked into it?
Given the evil that the Philistines had done to Israel and others they had little reason to expect sympathy from anyone. Both the Philistines and the Israelites in Beth Shemesh learned the truth of the all-powerful and Holy God of Israel. Because Samuel was a leader who called the people back to the Lord God they were together blessed by Him for as long as he was their leader.
When have you experienced or observed a non-Christian treating the Lord God like a common pagan idol? When have you experienced or observed the consequence of Christians treating the Lord God carelessly and suffering as a result? Perhaps living sinfully or neglecting time in prayer and in the Word and/or dabbling in false religions? When have you experienced or observed a leader who called a confused and troubled fellowship back into the Word of God and to walking in His ways? What was the result?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you may be carelessly treating the Lord God more like an idol rather than the Holy One with Whom you are blessed to have a relationship and to show you where some sort of idol, or idolatry, may be distracting you from God. It may be laziness or selfishness, greed or lust, a person, a non-Biblical philosophy or organization; anyone or any thing that displaces the Lord God from His rightful place as first in all things at all time in all places.
Today I will prayerfully confess my carelessness in relationship to the Lord God. I will pause and seek His direction in the morning, later again ask for His reflection upon my morning, at noon seek His direction (redirection), and in the evening submit to His review of my day. I will read His word daily to stay connected and praise Him at least once per day to remain humble. I will repent of my carelessness and/or disrespect toward the Lord God. As is appropriate I may consult with one who meets the Biblical definition of an elder to gain clarity. If the solution is obvious from the Word I will get right before the Lord. I will confess the idol or idolatry in my life, ask and receive the forgiveness of the Lord God, repent of (turn away from) it, and partner with a fellow believer to pray in-agreement with one-another for mutual-accountability in resisting idols and/or idolatry in our lives.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
Israel Seeks a King
8:1 In his old age Samuel appointed his sons as judges over Israel. 8:2 The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second son was Abijah. They were judges in Beer Sheba. 8:3 But his sons did not follow his ways. Instead, they made money dishonestly, accepted bribes, and perverted justice.
8:4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and approached Samuel at Ramah. 8:5 They said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons don’t follow your ways. So now appoint over us a king to lead us, just like all the other nations have.”
8:6 But this request displeased Samuel, for they said, “Give us a king to lead us.” So Samuel prayed to the Lord. 8:7 The Lord said to Samuel, “Do everything the people request of you. For it is not you that they have rejected, but it is me that they have rejected as their king. 8:8 Just as they have done from the day that I brought them up from Egypt until this very day, they have rejected me and have served other gods. This is what they are also doing to you. 8:9 So now do as they say. But seriously warn them and make them aware of the policies of the king who will rule over them.”
8:10 So Samuel spoke all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. 8:11 He said, “Here are the policies of the king who will rule over you: He will conscript your sons and put them in his chariot forces and in his cavalry; they will run in front of his chariot. 8:12 He will appoint for himself leaders of thousands and leaders of fifties, as well as those who plow his ground, reap his harvest, and make his weapons of war and his chariot equipment. 8:13 He will take your daughters to be ointment makers, cooks, and bakers. 8:14 He will take your best fields and vineyards and give them to his own servants. 8:15 He will demand a tenth of your seed and of the produce of your vineyards and give it to his administrators and his servants. 8:16 He will take your male and female servants, as well as your best cattle and your donkeys, and assign them for his own use. 8:17 He will demand a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will be his servants. 8:18 In that day you will cry out because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord won’t answer you in that day.”
8:19 But the people refused to heed Samuel’s warning. Instead they said, “No! There will be a king over us! 8:20 We will be like all the other nations. Our king will judge us and lead us and fight our battles.”
8:21 So Samuel listened to everything the people said and then reported it to the Lord. 8:22 The Lord said to Samuel, “Do as they say and install a king over them.” Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Each of you go back to his own city.”
Samuel Meets with Saul
9:1 There was a Benjaminite man named Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin. He was a prominent person. 9:2 He had a son named Saul, a handsome young man. There was no one among the Israelites more handsome than he was; he stood head and shoulders above all the people.
9:3 The donkeys of Saul’s father Kish wandered off, so Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go look for the donkeys.” 9:4 So Saul crossed through the hill country of Ephraim, passing through the land of Shalisha, but they did not find them. So they crossed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then he crossed through the land of Benjamin, and still they did not find them.
9:5 When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come on, let’s head back before my father quits worrying about the donkeys and becomes anxious about us!” 9:6 But the servant said to him, “Look, there is a man of God in this town. He is highly respected. Everything that he says really happens. Now let’s go there. Perhaps he will tell us where we should go from here.” 9:7 So Saul said to his servant, “All right, we can go. But what can we bring the man, since the food in our bags is used up? We have no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?” 9:8 The servant went on to answer Saul, “Look, I happen to have in my hand a quarter shekel of silver. I will give it to the man of God and he will tell us where we should go.” 9:9 (Now it used to be in Israel that whenever someone went to inquire of God he would say, “Come on, let’s go to the seer.” For today’s prophet used to be called a seer.) 9:10 So Saul said to his servant, “That’s a good idea! Come on. Let’s go.” So they went to the town where the man of God was.
9:11 As they were going up the ascent to the town, they met some girls coming out to draw water. They said to them, “Is this where the seer is?” 9:12 They replied, “Yes, straight ahead! But hurry now, for he came to the town today, and the people are making a sacrifice at the high place. 9:13 When you enter the town, you can find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people won’t eat until he arrives, for he must bless the sacrifice. Once that happens, those who have been invited will eat. Now go on up, for this is the time when you can find him!”
9:14 So they went up to the town. As they were heading for the middle of the town, Samuel was coming in their direction to go up to the high place. 9:15 Now the day before Saul arrived, the Lord had told Samuel: 9:16 “At this time tomorrow I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin. You must consecrate him as a leader over my people Israel. He will save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked with favor on my people. Their cry has reached me!”
9:17 When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said, “Here is the man that I told you about! He will rule over my people.” 9:18 As Saul approached Samuel in the middle of the gate, he said, “Please tell me where the seer’s house is.”
9:19 Samuel replied to Saul, “I am the seer! Go up in front of me to the high place! Today you will eat with me and in the morning I will send you away. I will tell you everything that you are thinking. 9:20 Don’t be concerned about the donkeys that you lost three days ago, for they have been found. Whom does all Israel desire? Is it not you, and all your father’s family?”
9:21 Saul replied, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the smallest of Israel’s tribes, and is not my family clan the smallest of all the tribes of Benjamin? Why do you speak to me in this way?”
9:22 Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the room and gave them a place at the head of those who had been invited. There were about thirty people present. 9:23 Samuel said to the cook, “Give me the portion of meat that I gave to you – the one I asked you to keep with you.”
9:24 So the cook picked up the leg and brought it and set it in front of Saul. Samuel said, “What was kept is now set before you! Eat, for it has been kept for you for this meeting time, from the time I said, ‘I have invited the people.’” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
9:25 When they came down from the high place to the town, Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof. 9:26 They got up at dawn and Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get up, so I can send you on your way.” So Saul got up and the two of them – he and Samuel – went outside. 9:27 While they were going down to the edge of town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us.” So he did. Samuel then said, “You remain here awhile, so I can inform you of God’s message.”
Samuel Anoints Saul
10:1 Then Samuel took a small container of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head. Samuel kissed him and said, “The Lord has chosen you to lead his people Israel! You will rule over the Lord’s people and you will deliver them from the power of the enemies who surround them. This will be your sign that the Lord has chosen you as leader over his inheritance. 10:2 When you leave me today, you will find two men near Rachel’s tomb at Zelzah on Benjamin’s border. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys you have gone looking for have been found. Your father is no longer concerned about the donkeys but has become anxious about you two! He is asking, “What should I do about my son?”‘
10:3 “As you continue on from there, you will come to the tall tree of Tabor. At that point three men who are going up to God at Bethel will meet you. One of them will be carrying three young goats, one of them will be carrying three round loaves of bread, and one of them will be carrying a container of wine. 10:4 They will ask you how you’re doing and will give you two loaves of bread. You will accept them. 10:5 Afterward you will go to Gibeah of God, where there are Philistine officials. When you enter the town, you will meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place. They will have harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres, and they will be prophesying. 10:6 Then the spirit of the Lord will rush upon you and you will prophesy with them. You will be changed into a different person.
10:7 “When these signs have taken place, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God will be with you. 10:8 You will go down to Gilgal before me. I am going to join you there to offer burnt offerings and to make peace offerings. You should wait for seven days, until I arrive and tell you what to do.”
Lord, the demandingness of humans to go their own way was the cause of the Fall, and has been an unending rotten-fruit of the Fall. May I be accountable to fellow believers so that I may resist drifting into a demanding and rebellious attitude toward You. You call whomseoever You will and You equip those whom You call. May I be ever ready and willing to serve You however You may direct.
Samuel’s sons were unlike their father, they chose the path of Eli’s evil sons, so there was no apparent successor to Samuel as a combined judge and priest and prophet.
The people demanded a king like the pagan nations around them which made Samuel sad. He went to the Lord God Who declared that the people had been continuously-rebellious and thus He was no longer willing to protect them from their foolish choices.
He instructed Samuel to warn them as to the bad consequences of a human king versus God Himself as their king, which Samuel did, but still they insisted. Samuel agreed to facilitate the appointment of a human king and sent them home.
The Lord God caused Saul to be sent in search of lost donkeys and after three days he stopped at a village to seek directions where he was brought together with Samuel.
Samuel informed him of his calling from God to be king of his people.
Saul was surprised as he was from a small family in a small tribe.
Samuel gave Saul very detailed instructions as to what was to happen and what he, Saul, was to do over the next several days of his journey home.
Samuel also instructed Saul as to the coming of the Holy Spirit upon him, that he would prophesy with the prophets and thus be transformed, and that he would be blessed in all that he did – then to wait on Samuel’s arrival.
A humble, obedient, and wise parent is not always assured of children who will choose to live likewise. The text is silent as to the details of Samuel’s children so it is unclear what were their primary influences. It may be that Samuel was so occupied with his responsibilities as judge, priest, and prophet that he failed to be actively involved with his sons. The Lord God chose Saul and guided him along the way.
After Samuel explained all of the terrible troubles that would accompany a human king why would the people have continued to demand one? Saul should have known of the many times that God had chosen men who were not famous or from great families and tribes, so why would he question Samuel when informed that he had been chosen as the first human King of Israel?
God decided that He had tolerated the arrogance and disrespect of the Israelites long enough and that it was time to allow them to learn the hard way the difference between a human king and the Lord God as King. Samuel sent Saul on a journey of prophesied events to build his faith, then Saul-himself would become the vessel of the Holy Spirit and prophesy, all designed to prepare him to be the first human king – while subservient to the Lord God.
When have you ignored warnings and pursued something despite them? When have you been unexpectedly chosen for a role which you expected would go to another?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life that you are ignoring wise counsel and to reveal to you a journey upon which He is sending you.
Today I will pause and reflect upon the counsel I have received which asked me to reconsider a current activity or a planned future endeavor. I will consult the Word of God, pray, and as is appropriate consult one who is Biblically qualified as an elder for mature and prayerful counsel. I will prayerfully seek clarity as to the journey the Lord has begun, or is about to begin, in my life. It may be related to education or training, beginning or ending a relationship or relationships, it may be separating from some unhealthy worldly influences or joining with others to reach into the world with the Word in order to change a small part of it, it may be freedom from emotional, intellectual, physical, and/or spiritual bondage of some sort. Whatever it is I will agree to see it through with confidence and will seek accountability and prayer support from fellow believers.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Saul Becomes King
10:9 As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed his inmost person. All these signs happened on that very day. 10:10 When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a company of prophets was coming out to meet him. Then the spirit of God rushed upon Saul and he prophesied among them. 10:11 When everyone who had known him previously saw him prophesying with the prophets, the people all asked one another, “What on earth has happened to the son of Kish? Does even Saul belong with the prophets?”
10:12 A man who was from there replied, “And who is their father?” Therefore this became a proverb: “Is even Saul among the prophets?” 10:13 When Saul had finished prophesying, he went to the high place.
10:14 Saul’s uncle asked him and his servant, “Where did you go?” Saul replied, “To look for the donkeys. But when we realized they were lost, we went to Samuel.” 10:15 Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me what Samuel said to you.” 10:16 Saul said to his uncle, “He assured us that the donkeys had been found.” But Saul did not tell him what Samuel had said about the matter of kingship.
10:17 Then Samuel called the people together before the Lord at Mizpah. 10:18 He said to the Israelites, “This is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘I brought Israel up from Egypt and I delivered you from the power of the Egyptians and from the power of all the kingdoms that oppressed you. 10:19 But today you have rejected your God who saves you from all your trouble and distress. You have said, “No! Appoint a king over us.” Now take your positions before the Lord by your tribes and by your clans.’”
10:20 Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen by lot. 10:21 Then he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its families, and the family of Matri was chosen by lot. At last Saul son of Kish was chosen by lot. But when they looked for him, he was nowhere to be found. 10:22 So they inquired again of the Lord, “Has the man arrived here yet?” The Lord said, “He has hidden himself among the equipment.”
10:23 So they ran and brought him from there. When he took his position among the people, he stood head and shoulders above them all. 10:24 Then Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the one whom the Lord has chosen? Indeed, there is no one like him among all the people!” All the people shouted out, “Long live the king!”
10:25 Then Samuel talked to the people about how the kingship would work. He wrote it all down on a scroll and set it before the Lord. Then Samuel sent all the people away to their homes. 10:26 Even Saul went to his home in Gibeah. With him went some brave men whose hearts God had touched. 10:27 But some wicked men said, “How can this man save us?” They despised him and did not even bring him a gift. But Saul said nothing about it.
Saul Comes to the Aid of Jabesh
11:1 Nahash the Ammonite marched against Jabesh Gilead. All the men of Jabesh Gilead said to Nahash, “Make a treaty with us and we will serve you.”
11:2 But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “The only way I will make a treaty with you is if you let me gouge out the right eye of every one of you and in so doing humiliate all Israel!”
11:3 The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Leave us alone for seven days so that we can send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. If there is no one who can deliver us, we will come out voluntarily to you.”
11:4 When the messengers went to Gibeah (where Saul lived) and informed the people of these matters, all the people wept loudly. 11:5 Now Saul was walking behind the oxen as he came from the field. Saul asked, “What has happened to the people? Why are they weeping?” So they told him about the men of Jabesh.
11:6 The Spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words, and he became very angry. 11:7 He took a pair of oxen and cut them up. Then he sent the pieces throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, who said, “Whoever does not go out after Saul and after Samuel should expect this to be done to his oxen!” Then the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they went out as one army. 11:8 When Saul counted them at Bezek, the Israelites were 300,000 strong and the men of Judah numbered 30,000.
11:9 They said to the messengers who had come, “Here’s what you should say to the men of Jabesh Gilead: ‘Tomorrow deliverance will come to you when the sun is fully up.’” When the messengers went and told the men of Jabesh Gilead, they were happy. 11:10 The men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out to you and you can do with us whatever you wish.”
11:11 The next day Saul placed the people in three groups. They went to the Ammonite camp during the morning watch and struck them down until the hottest part of the day. The survivors scattered; no two of them remained together.
Saul Is Established as King
11:12 Then the people said to Samuel, “Who were the ones asking, ‘Will Saul reign over us?’ Hand over those men so we may execute them!” 11:13 But Saul said, “No one will be killed on this day. For today the Lord has given Israel a victory!” 11:14 Samuel said to the people, “Come on! Let’s go to Gilgal and renew the kingship there.” 11:15 So all the people went to Gilgal, where they established Saul as king in the Lord’s presence. They offered up peace offerings there in the Lord’s presence. Saul and all the Israelites were very happy.
12:1 Samuel said to all Israel, “I have done everything you requested. I have given you a king. 12:2 Now look! This king walks before you. As for me, I am old and gray, though my sons are here with you. I have walked before you from the time of my youth till the present day. 12:3 Here I am. Bring a charge against me before the Lord and before his chosen king. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I wronged? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I taken a bribe so that I would overlook something? Tell me, and I will return it to you!”
12:4 They replied, “You have not wronged us or oppressed us. You have not taken anything from the hand of anyone.” 12:5 He said to them, “The Lord is witness against you, and his chosen king is witness this day, that you have not found any reason to accuse me.” They said, “He is witness!”
12:6 Samuel said to the people, “The Lord is the one who chose Moses and Aaron and who brought your ancestors up from the land of Egypt. 12:7 Now take your positions, so I may confront you before the Lord regarding all the Lord’s just actions toward you and your ancestors. 12:8 When Jacob entered Egypt, your ancestors cried out to the Lord. The Lord sent Moses and Aaron, and they led your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them in this place.
12:9 “But they forgot the Lord their God, so he gave them into the hand of Sisera, the general in command of Hazor’s army, and into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them. 12:10 Then they cried out to the Lord and admitted, ‘We have sinned, for we have forsaken the Lord and have served the Baals and the images of Ashtoreth. Now deliver us from the hand of our enemies so that we may serve you.’ 12:11 So the Lord sent Jerub-Baal, Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel, and he delivered you from the hand of the enemies all around you, and you were able to live securely.
12:12 “When you saw that King Nahash of the Ammonites was advancing against you, you said to me, ‘No! A king will rule over us’ – even though the Lord your God is your king! 12:13 Now look! Here is the king you have chosen – the one that you asked for! Look, the Lord has given you a king! 12:14 If you fear the Lord, serving him and obeying him and not rebelling against what he says, and if both you and the king who rules over you follow the Lord your God, all will be well. 12:15 But if you don’t obey the Lord and rebel against what the Lord says, the hand of the Lord will be against both you and your king.
12:16 “So now, take your positions and watch this great thing that the Lord is about to do in your sight. 12:17 Is this not the time of the wheat harvest? I will call on the Lord so that he makes it thunder and rain. Realize and see what a great sin you have committed before the Lord by asking for a king for yourselves.”
12:18 So Samuel called to the Lord, and the Lord made it thunder and rain that day. All the people were very afraid of both the Lord and Samuel. 12:19 All the people said to Samuel, “Pray to the Lord your God on behalf of us – your servants – so we won’t die, for we have added to all our sins by asking for a king.”
12:20 Then Samuel said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. You have indeed sinned. However, don’t turn aside from the Lord. Serve the Lord with all your heart. 12:21 You should not turn aside after empty things that can’t profit and can’t deliver, since they are empty. 12:22 The Lord will not abandon his people because he wants to uphold his great reputation. The Lord was pleased to make you his own people. 12:23 As far as I am concerned, far be it from me to sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you! I will instruct you in the way that is good and upright. 12:24 However, fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. Just look at the great things he has done for you! 12:25 But if you continue to do evil, both you and your king will be swept away.”
Lord, when we are stubborn and demanding You meet us where we are and sometimes you give us what we demand, even though it may prove a difficulty for us. May I not be so demanding and stubborn that You have to discipline me by granting my wrong-headed demands of You. We often create impediments to our relationship with You, often in the form of religious persons, rituals, and man-made traditions. My I be found faithful and resistant to anything that might interfere in the intimate relationship You desire to have with me.
The Lord God fulfilled what He has prophesied through Samuel – as soon as Saul left Samuel He came upon Saul and with the presence of the Holy Spirit transformed him – for a time.
Saul met the prophets and he also, through the same Holy Spirit, did prophesy. People who knew Saul were both amazed and confused.
Saul did not immediately tell anyone of Samuel’s message about him becoming Israel’s first human king, perhaps remembering the ancient story of what had happened to Joseph when he shared an unusual story of earthly authority.
Samuel called the leaders of the tribes together and by lot the tribe of Benjamin was chosen, then a family, and finally Saul. He was hidden among the equipment but when brought forward was taller than the rest and when Samuel declared him the one called by God they all cheered.
Samuel reminded the people what to expect of a human king and then dismissed them. Saul returned home with a few men set apart by the Lord God, but he also heard from a few who doubted him and who refused to give him gifts, but he said nothing about that.
The Ammonites threatened the people of Jabesh Gilead and when Saul heard the Lord God, through the Holy Spirit, made him righteously angry. With his new authority as king he summoned 330,000 fighting men from Israel and Judah and defeated the Ammonites completely.
The people demanded that they be allowed to kill the men who disrespected Saul but he replied that the Lord had given them a great victory and they needed to do no more killing that day.
Samuel called the people together to affirm Saul’s calling and they gave offerings to the Lord God. It is worthy of note that it was not unusual for people to make an offering to God when a new leader was recognized. In some cases, as in Daniel 2:46 there has been confusion by some as to whom the offering was made, but in a righteous circumstance it was always and only to the Lord God. A man or an angel may be treated with honor but never worshiped or sacrificed to as that would make them an idol or a false Messiah.
Samuel challenged the people to show how he had ever wronged them, and they confessed that he had not, so he reminded them of the history of God’s provision up until the time of their demand for a human king in place of the Lord God as their King.
He warned them that both they and their human king were now mutually responsible to submit to the Lord God or else both they and their human king would suffer.
He then asked the Lord God to affirm his relationship with rain and thunder, then they confessed their sin for demanding a king and begged him to pray for them. Samuel assured them of his continued prayers as that was his ministry and it would be a sin to not pray for the people.
When the Lord God calls He equips, and He surely did so with Saul. Samuel remained very troubled that the people demanded a human king and worried that it would become another impediment in their intimacy with the Lord God.
An unusually tall, strong, and handsome man, Saul then was given the presence of the Holy Spirit so as to prophesy and was called as king; so why was he reluctant to tell anyone and at the time of Samuel’s announcement was he “hiding among the equipment”? How intimidated must Saul have been in the presence of Samuel, as well as by Samuel’s charge that he and the people were mutually responsible to live rightly and without rebellion before the Lord God, as the thunder and lightning came?
Samuel again warned the people what to expect of a human king, the one they demanded instead of God-Himself. Samuel convicted the people of their sin by reviewing the history of God’s provision and protection in order to alert them to their need to remain right in His eyes.
When have you experienced or observed a group of people demanding a leader or an action by their leaders that was obviously foolish? What were the consequences? When have you observed a leader being given, or taking, more power than was necessary – displacing the responsibilities of the people? What was the result?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a task for which He has called you and to show you where you may be giving responsibilities to someone in authority that really belong to you.
Today I will prayerfully and humbly accept whatever it is that the Holy Spirit has tasked to me. I will trust Him to provide the strength and wisdom and other resources that I need. I will ask at least one other believer to pray in-agreement for my faithfulness in this task. I will take an inventory of the responsibilities the Lord says are mine and repent of any that I have improperly left to someone in a position of religious authority. It may be expecting a pastor or teacher to provide all of my Bible study, for the corporate gatherings of a fellowship to represent all of my time in prayer and worship, or a counselor or minister to intervene every time there is confusion or conflict – before I follow the Biblical process myself.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Saul Fails the Lord
13:1 Saul was [thirty] years old when he began to reign; he ruled over Israel for [forty] years. 13:2 Saul selected for himself three thousand men from Israel. Two thousand of these were with Saul at Micmash and in the hill country of Bethel; the remaining thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin. He sent all the rest of the people back home.
13:3 Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost that was at Geba and the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul alerted all the land saying, “Let the Hebrews pay attention!” 13:4 All Israel heard this message, “Saul has attacked the Philistine outpost, and now Israel is repulsive to the Philistines!” So the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.
13:5 For the battle with Israel the Philistines had amassed 3,000 chariots, 6,000 horsemen, and an army as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Micmash, east of Beth Aven. 13:6 The men of Israel realized they had a problem because their army was hard pressed. So the army hid in caves, thickets, cliffs, strongholds, and cisterns. 13:7 Some of the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan River to the land of Gad and Gilead. But Saul stayed at Gilgal; the entire army that was with him was terrified. 13:8 He waited for seven days, the time period indicated by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the army began to abandon Saul.
13:9 So Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” Then he offered a burnt offering. 13:10 Just when he had finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel appeared on the scene. Saul went out to meet him and to greet him.
13:11 But Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul replied, “When I saw that the army had started to abandon me and that you didn’t come at the appointed time and that the Philistines had assembled at Micmash, 13:12 I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down on me at Gilgal and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I felt obligated to offer the burnt offering.”
13:13 Then Samuel said to Saul, “You have made a foolish choice! You have not obeyed the commandment that the Lord your God gave you. Had you done that, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever! 13:14 But now your kingdom will not continue! The Lord has sought out for himself a man who is loyal to him and the Lord has appointed him to be leader over his people, for you have not obeyed what the Lord commanded you.”
13:15 Then Samuel set out and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin. Saul mustered the army that remained with him; there were about six hundred men. 13:16 Saul, his son Jonathan, and the army that remained with them stayed in Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin, while the Philistines camped in Micmash. 13:17 Raiding bands went out from the camp of the Philistines in three groups. One band turned toward the road leading to Ophrah by the land of Shual; 13:18 another band turned toward the road leading to Beth Horon; and yet another band turned toward the road leading to the border that overlooks the valley of Zeboim in the direction of the desert.
13:19 A blacksmith could not be found in all the land of Israel, for the Philistines had said, “This will prevent the Hebrews from making swords and spears.” 13:20 So all Israel had to go down to the Philistines in order to get their plowshares, cutting instruments, axes, and sickles sharpened. 13:21 They charged two-thirds of a shekel to sharpen plowshares and cutting instruments, and a third of a shekel to sharpen picks and axes, and to set ox goads. 13:22 So on the day of the battle no sword or spear was to be found in the hand of anyone in the army that was with Saul and Jonathan. No one but Saul and his son Jonathan had them.
Jonathan Ignites a Battle
13:23 A garrison of the Philistines had gone out to the pass at Micmash.
14:1 Then one day Jonathan son of Saul said to his armor bearer, “Come on, let’s go over to the Philistine garrison that is opposite us.” But he did not let his father know.
14:2 Now Saul was sitting under a pomegranate tree in Migron, on the outskirts of Gibeah. The army that was with him numbered about six hundred men. 14:3 Now Ahijah was carrying an ephod. He was the son of Ahitub, who was the brother of Ichabod and a son of Phineas, son of Eli, the priest of the Lord in Shiloh. The army was unaware that Jonathan had left.
14:4 Now there was a steep cliff on each side of the pass through which Jonathan intended to go to reach the Philistine garrison. One cliff was named Bozez, the other Seneh. 14:5 The cliff to the north was closer to Micmash, the one to the south closer to Geba.
14:6 Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come on, let’s go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will intervene for us. Nothing can prevent the Lord from delivering, whether by many or by a few.” 14:7 His armor bearer said to him, “Do everything that is on your mind. Do as you’re inclined. I’m with you all the way!”
14:8 Jonathan replied, “All right! We’ll go over to these men and fight them. 14:9 If they say to us, ‘Stay put until we approach you,’ we will stay right there and not go up to them. 14:10 But if they say, ‘Come up against us,’ we will go up. For in that case the Lord has given them into our hand – it will be a sign to us.”
14:11 When they made themselves known to the Philistine garrison, the Philistines said, “Look! The Hebrews are coming out of the holes in which they hid themselves.” 14:12 Then the men of the garrison said to Jonathan and his armor bearer, “Come on up to us so we can teach you a thing or two!” Then Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come up behind me, for the Lord has given them into the hand of Israel!”
14:13 Jonathan crawled up on his hands and feet, with his armor bearer following behind him. Jonathan struck down the Philistines, while his armor bearer came along behind him and killed them. 14:14 In this initial skirmish Jonathan and his armor bearer struck down about twenty men in an area that measured half an acre.
14:15 Then fear overwhelmed those who were in the camp, those who were in the field, all the army in the garrison, and the raiding bands. They trembled and the ground shook. This fear was caused by God.
14:16 Saul’s watchmen at Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin looked on as the crowd of soldiers seemed to melt away first in one direction and then in another. 14:17 So Saul said to the army that was with him, “Muster the troops and see who is no longer with us.” When they mustered the troops, Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there. 14:18 So Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring near the ephod,” for he was at that time wearing the ephod. 14:19 While Saul spoke to the priest, the panic in the Philistines’ camp was becoming greater and greater. So Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand!”
14:20 Saul and all the army that was with him assembled and marched into battle, where they found the Philistines in total panic killing one another with their swords. 14:21 The Hebrews who had earlier gone over to the Philistine side joined the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 14:22 When all the Israelites who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines had fled, they too pursued them in battle. 14:23 So the Lord delivered Israel that day, and the battle shifted over to Beth Aven.
Jonathan Violates Saul’s Oath
14:24 Now the men of Israel were hard pressed that day, for Saul had made the army agree to this oath: “Cursed be the man who eats food before evening! I will get my vengeance on my enemies!” So no one in the army ate anything.
14:25 Now the whole army entered the forest and there was honey on the ground. 14:26 When the army entered the forest, they saw the honey flowing, but no one ate any of it, for the army was afraid of the oath. 14:27 But Jonathan had not heard about the oath his father had made the army take. He extended the end of his staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb. When he ate it, his eyes gleamed. 14:28 Then someone from the army informed him, “Your father put the army under a strict oath saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food today!’ That is why the army is tired.” 14:29 Then Jonathan said, “My father has caused trouble for the land. See how my eyes gleamed when I tasted just a little of this honey. 14:30 Certainly if the army had eaten some of the enemies’ provisions that they came across today, would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been even greater?”
14:31 On that day the army struck down the Philistines from Micmash to Aijalon, and they became very tired. 14:32 So the army rushed greedily on the plunder, confiscating sheep, cattle, and calves. They slaughtered them right on the ground, and the army ate them blood and all.
14:33 Now it was reported to Saul, “Look, the army is sinning against the Lord by eating even the blood.” He said, “All of you have broken the covenant! Roll a large stone over here to me.” 14:34 Then Saul said, “Scatter out among the army and say to them, ‘Each of you bring to me your ox and sheep and slaughter them in this spot and eat. But don’t sin against the Lord by eating the blood.” So that night each one brought his ox and slaughtered it there. 14:35 Then Saul built an altar for the Lord; it was the first time he had built an altar for the Lord.
14:36 Saul said, “Let’s go down after the Philistines at night; we will rout them until the break of day. We won’t leave any of them alive!” They replied, “Do whatever seems best to you.” But the priest said, “Let’s approach God here.” 14:37 So Saul asked God, “Should I go down after the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hand of Israel?” But he did not answer him that day.
14:38 Then Saul said, “All you leaders of the army come here. Find out how this sin occurred today. 14:39 For as surely as the Lord, the deliverer of Israel, lives, even if it turns out to be my own son Jonathan, he will certainly die!” But no one from the army said anything.
14:40 Then he said to all Israel, “You will be on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will be on the other side.” The army replied to Saul, “Do whatever you think is best.”
14:41 Then Saul said, “O Lord God of Israel! If this sin has been committed by me or by my son Jonathan, then, O Lord God of Israel, respond with Urim. But if this sin has been committed by your people Israel, respond with Thummim.” Then Jonathan and Saul were indicated by lot, while the army was exonerated. 14:42 Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan!” Jonathan was indicated by lot.
14:43 So Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” Jonathan told him, “I used the end of the staff that was in my hand to taste a little honey. I must die!” 14:44 Saul said, “God will punish me severely if Jonathan doesn’t die!”
14:45 But the army said to Saul, “Should Jonathan, who won this great victory in Israel, die? May it never be! As surely as the Lord lives, not a single hair of his head will fall to the ground! For it is with the help of God that he has acted today.” So the army rescued Jonathan from death.
14:46 Then Saul stopped chasing the Philistines, and the Philistines went back home. 14:47 After Saul had secured his royal position over Israel, he fought against all their enemies on all sides – the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. In every direction that he turned he was victorious. 14:48 He fought bravely, striking down the Amalekites and delivering Israel from the hand of its enemies.
Members of Saul’s Family
14:49 The sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malki-Shua. He had two daughters; the older one was named Merab and the younger Michal. 14:50 The name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the general in command of his army was Abner son of Ner, Saul’s uncle. 14:51 Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.
14:52 There was fierce war with the Philistines all the days of Saul. So whenever Saul saw anyone who was a warrior or a brave individual, he would conscript him.
Lord, You set the boundaries and define the rules, we do not get to invent our own definitions of good and evil or right and wrong. May I not drift into the situational ethics and personal- religion practices of the world around me – Your Word is truth. Sometimes human leaders behave foolishly, but Your will is done despite them. May I be ever watchful for opportunities to serve You even with those about me appear immobilized.
While Saul ruled Israel as its human king for 40 years it was an uneasy rule.
His son Jonathan attacked the Philistines which caused them to gather massive forces for battle against a relatively tiny Israelite army of 3,000. While Saul waited day after day for Samuel to come and make an offering to seek God’s blessing the soldiers began to leave in large numbers.
Saul took it upon himself to make the offering, something he knew he was not supposed to do, and when Samuel arrived he informed Saul that in so-doing he had lost the right for his descendants to follow in his place as king.
The Philistines had strategically blocked the Israelites from having their own blacksmith shops in order to force them to buy tools from Philistine blacksmiths, and to deny them the ability to make their own weapons. Only King Saul and his son Jonathan possessed metal spears and swords.
Jonathan continued his impetuous ways, this time setting off to attack a Philistine outpost without consulting Saul. He asked the Lord to affirm His endorsement and received it – while they killed twenty men the Lord God attacked the Philistine army, sending them into a chaotic terror, killing one another.
Saul, hearing of the conflict gathered his forces and attacked, and many Israelites who left him or fallen-in with the Philistines joined in attacking the Philistines as the Lord gave them victory
Like Jonathan, Saul was impulsive, so he made a rule and an oath – none should eat until the Philistines were completely defeated and a curse on the one who does eat. Jonathan did not know and he ate of the honey God had provided and recognized that Saul had blocked the strength God intended to give to the Israelite army through that honey.
The soldiers defeated many Philistines but were exhausted and hungry and killed the captured animals, eating them blood and all. Saul heard of this and was upset that they broke both God’s rule against eating the blood and his prohibition against eating.
Saul then built his first altar and called for the men to bring offerings. He asked the Lord for His Word as to how they should proceed but the Lord did not reply.
Saul challenged the army to confess as to who first ate and after lots it was shown to be Jonathan – he cried out that he must die but the army saw that the victory had really been his through God and would not allow him to be killed. They stopped their attack on the Philistines.
Saul then built up a great army, conscripting every able-bodied young man into the army, and had great success attacking the enemies of Israel on every side.
Jonathan appeared to be somewhat impetuous and to have a closer relationship with the Lord God than did his father, the King.
With all of the history that he knew, and with God’s Holy Spirit having come upon him, why would Saul have been so impatient and impetuous? Did he not remember the story of Gideon, and others, where God reduced the army to make it clear that He was fighting the battle? Why would Saul declare a ban on eating and a curse on the one who did? He knew that the army would get hungry and tired. Was it arrogance or immaturity? There is no evidence in the text that he first consulted God.
For the sake of one military battle Saul sacrificed the future of his descendants as kings. The Lord God used Saul to defeat the enemies of Israel in spite of Saul’s many personal failings.
When have you acted impetuously, intending good, only to make things worse? When have you observed someone in authority carelessly making declarations which turned out to not be wise?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you a place where you are seeking circumstances though your limited human eyes instead of trusting Him to be in control and to reveal to you His vision and to reveal to you an opportunity to be used for His purposes even though those in leadership appear to be powerless and trapped.
Today I will slow down and pray, study the Word, reflect upon my circumstances, and pray some more … and then I will be quiet and listen to God. I will trust Him to be in control, I will trust Him to make a way for me, and I will resist the temptation to get out ahead of Him. I will step out in faith and seize the opportunities given to me by the Lord.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Saul Is Rejected as King
15:1 Then Samuel said to Saul, “I was the one the Lord sent to anoint you as king over his people Israel. Now listen to what the Lord says. 15:2 Here is what the Lord of hosts says: ‘I carefully observed how the Amalekites opposed Israel along the way when Israel came up from Egypt. 15:3 So go now and strike down the Amalekites. Destroy everything that they have. Don’t spare them. Put them to death – man, woman, child, infant, ox, sheep, camel, and donkey alike.’”
15:4 So Saul assembled the army and mustered them at Telaim. There were 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah. 15:5 Saul proceeded to the city of Amalek, where he set an ambush in the wadi. 15:6 Saul said to the Kenites, “Go on and leave! Go down from among the Amalekites! Otherwise I will sweep you away with them! After all, you were kind to all the Israelites when they came up from Egypt.” So the Kenites withdrew from among the Amalekites.
15:7 Then Saul struck down the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, which is next to Egypt. 15:8 He captured King Agag of the Amalekites alive, but he executed all Agag’s people with the sword. 15:9 However, Saul and the army spared Agag, along with the best of the flock, the cattle, the fatlings, and the lambs, as well as everything else that was of value. They were not willing to slaughter them. But they did slaughter everything that was despised and worthless.
15:10 Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel: 15:11 “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned away from me and has not done what I told him to do.” Samuel became angry and he cried out to the Lord all that night.
15:12 Then Samuel got up early to meet Saul the next morning. But Samuel was informed, “Saul has gone to Carmel where he is setting up a monument for himself. Then Samuel left and went down to Gilgal.” 15:13 When Samuel came to him, Saul said to him, “May the Lord bless you! I have done what the Lord said.”
15:14 Samuel replied, “If that is the case, then what is this sound of sheep in my ears and the sound of cattle that I hear?” 15:15 Saul said, “They were brought from the Amalekites; the army spared the best of the flocks and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord our God. But everything else we slaughtered.”
15:16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Wait a minute! Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.” Saul said to him, “Tell me.” 15:17 Samuel said, “Is it not true that when you were insignificant in your own eyes, you became head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord chose you as king over Israel. 15:18 The Lord sent you on a campaign saying, ‘Go and exterminate those sinful Amalekites! Fight against them until you have destroyed them.’ 15:19 Why haven’t you obeyed the Lord? Instead you have greedily rushed upon the plunder! You have done what is wrong in the Lord’s estimation.”
15:20 Then Saul said to Samuel, “But I have obeyed the Lord! I went on the campaign the Lord sent me on. I brought back King Agag of the Amalekites after exterminating the Amalekites. 15:21 But the army took from the plunder some of the sheep and cattle – the best of what was to be slaughtered – to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.”
15:22 Then Samuel said,
“Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as he does in obedience?
Certainly, obedience is better than sacrifice;
paying attention is better than the fat of rams.
15:23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination,
and presumption is like the evil of idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
he has rejected you as king.”
15:24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have disobeyed what the Lord commanded and what you said as well. For I was afraid of the army, and I followed their wishes. 15:25 Now please forgive my sin! Go back with me so I can worship the Lord.”
15:26 Samuel said to Saul, “I will not go back with you, for you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel!”
15:27 When Samuel turned to leave, Saul grabbed the edge of his robe and it tore. 15:28 Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to one of your colleagues who is better than you! 15:29 The Preeminent One of Israel does not go back on his word or change his mind, for he is not a human being who changes his mind.” 15:30 Saul again replied, “I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel. Go back with me so I may worship the Lord your God.” 15:31 So Samuel followed Saul back, and Saul worshiped the Lord.
Samuel Puts Agag to Death
15:32 Then Samuel said, “Bring me King Agag of the Amalekites.” So Agag came to him trembling, thinking to himself, “Surely death is bitter!” 15:33 Samuel said, “Just as your sword left women childless, so your mother will be the most bereaved among women!” Then Samuel hacked Agag to pieces there in Gilgal before the Lord.
15:34 Then Samuel went to Ramah, while Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul. 15:35 Until the day he died Samuel did not see Saul again. Samuel did, however, mourn for Saul, but the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.
Lord, when You give an instruction You expect it to be obeyed to the letter, no modifications. May I never alter Your Word, for any reason.
The Lord God, through Samuel, gave Saul instructions to obliterate the Amalekites. Saul allowed his army to plunder the best and he also took their king prisoner rather than killing him on the battlefield.
When Samuel was informed of Saul’s disobedience by the Lord God he was upset and immediately sought Saul.
When confronted Saul made excuses but when Samuel shared God’s condemnation of him, and God’s intent to remove him as king, he confessed and begged Samuel to make an offering to God to turn away His wrath. Samuel refused as God had made a final decision.
Saul then asked Samuel to honor him as king and come to make a sacrifice to the Lord God, with no petition for God to alter His plan and Samuel did so. After they had worshiped the Lord Samuel commanded that the Amalekite king be brought to him and he killed him.
Samuel left Saul and though he was sad about and for him he was never with him again; this is perhaps explained by the text “... the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.”
The Lord God was always explicit in His instructions prior to battle, Saul would have had no reason to doubt that he was expected to gather no plunder, nor allow his soldiers to do so, nor to capture rather than kill the other king.
Saul was Israel’s first human king. The judges and prophets, who led them prior to him, had exercised considerable discipline during military conflicts. Why was Saul so weak as a leader in comparison to Moses and Joshua?
When the Lord God declared an end to Saul’s kingship there was no more purpose for Samuel to interact with him, indeed for him to do so might have given Saul false hope, and the people a wrong perspective of Saul’s standing with God.
When have you observed a religious leader behaving in an impetuous and Biblically-improper manner? How did that impact his witness in the community?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where you may be making your own small “adjustments” to the Word of God in order to suit your purposes, out of fear of others, a desire to benefit certain others, or for direct personal gain.
Today I will confess and repent of my sin, however small it may seem to me. I will request and accept the Lord God’s forgiveness. I will purge that sin from my life and build an accountability system of prayer and seek a prayer-partner to keep me faithful.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 28
Samuel Anoints David as King
16:1 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long do you intend to mourn for Saul? I have rejected him as king over Israel. Fill your horn with olive oil and go! I am sending you to Jesse in Bethlehem, for I have selected a king for myself from among his sons.”
16:2 Samuel replied, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me!” But the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 16:3 Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you should do. You will anoint for me the one I point out to you.”
16:4 Samuel did what the Lord told him. When he arrived in Bethlehem, the elders of the city were afraid to meet him. They said, “Do you come in peace?” 16:5 He replied, “Yes, in peace. I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” So he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
16:6 When they arrived, Samuel noticed Eliab and said to himself, “Surely, here before the Lord stands his chosen king!” 16:7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t be impressed by his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. God does not view things the way men do. People look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
16:8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and presented him to Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one, either.” 16:9 Then Jesse presented Shammah. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” 16:10 Jesse presented seven of his sons to Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” 16:11 Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Is that all of the young men?” Jesse replied, “There is still the youngest one, but he’s taking care of the flock.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we cannot turn our attention to other things until he comes here.”
16:12 So Jesse had him brought in. Now he was ruddy, with attractive eyes and a handsome appearance. The Lord said, “Go and anoint him. This is the one!” 16:13 So Samuel took the horn full of olive oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers. The Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day onward. Then Samuel got up and went to Ramah.
David Appears before Saul
16:14 Now the Spirit of the Lord had turned away from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him. 16:15 Then Saul’s servants said to him, “Look, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you!” 16:16 Let our lord instruct his servants who are here before you to look for a man who knows how to play the lyre. Then whenever the evil spirit from God comes upon you, he can play the lyre and you will feel better.” 16:17 So Saul said to his servants, “Find me a man who plays well and bring him to me.” 16:18 One of his attendants replied, “I have seen a son of Jesse in Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave warrior and is articulate and handsome, for the Lord is with him.”
16:19 So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is out with the sheep. 16:20 So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a container of wine, and a young goat and sent them to Saul with his son David. 16:21 David came to Saul and stood before him. Saul liked him a great deal, and he became his armor bearer. 16:22 Then Saul sent word to Jesse saying, “Let David be my servant, for I really like him.”
16:23 So whenever the spirit from God would come upon Saul, David would take his lyre and play it. This would bring relief to Saul and make him feel better. Then the evil spirit would leave him alone.
Lord, when You anoint a person in a special way for a special purpose Your presence is obvious, even as You may not receive due credit. May I be sensitive to those whom You have specially anointed so that I might encourage them, direct others to them, and walk alongside of them as You work out Your great plan.
Despite all that Samuel knew and had experienced he remained human, fearful of man, despite the immediate presence of God.
The Lord God provided a means for Samuel to feel confident and sent him to find an anoint David as the next king.
The Lord had to move Samuel past those whose age and appearance misled his eyes to imagine them to be the one whom he was to anoint until he found David.
David was so filled with the presence of the Lord that he was brought to soothe an agitated, yet unknowing, Saul.
Samuel has been the Lord’s instrument in anointing the very first human king of Israel, in delivering His Word to Saul, and in delivering the Lord’s judgment of Saul’s rebellion. It was difficult for Samuel to move on.
Why would Samuel have doubted that the Lord God could and would have protected him from Saul?
Samuel looked at the outside, God saw the inside – David's potential because of his teachable heart.
When have you observed a transition of leadership where the current leader was largely unaware of the selection of his replacement? Was that awkward or handled well?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you fear man more than you trust God, and/or where you are looking at appearance versus character and may be missing the right person for a ministry.
I will humbly confess my error and repent of it. I will see the counsel of one who meets the Biblical qualifications of an Elder as I sort out a more faithful and wise path.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
David Kills Goliath
17:1 The Philistines gathered their troops for battle. They assembled at Socoh in Judah. They camped in Ephes Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah. 17:2 Saul and the Israelite army assembled and camped in the valley of Elah, where they arranged their battle lines to fight against the Philistines. 17:3 The Philistines were standing on one hill, and the Israelites on another hill, with the valley between them.
17:4 Then a champion came out from the camp of the Philistines. His name was Goliath; he was from Gath. He was close to seven feet tall. 17:5 He had a bronze helmet on his head and was wearing scale body armor. The weight of his bronze body armor was five thousand shekels. 17:6 He had bronze shin guards on his legs, and a bronze javelin was slung over his shoulders. 17:7 The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the iron point of his spear weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer was walking before him.
17:8 Goliath stood and called to Israel’s troops, “Why do you come out to prepare for battle? Am I not the Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose for yourselves a man so he may come down to me! 17:9 If he is able to fight with me and strike me down, we will become your servants. But if I prevail against him and strike him down, you will become our servants and will serve us.” 17:10 Then the Philistine said, “I defy Israel’s troops this day! Give me a man so we can fight each other!” 17:11 When Saul and all the Israelites heard these words of the Philistine, they were upset and very afraid.
17:12 Now David was the son of this Ephrathite named Jesse from Bethlehem in Judah. He had eight sons, and in Saul’s days he was old and well advanced in years. 17:13 Jesse’s three oldest sons had followed Saul to war. The names of the three sons who went to war were Eliab, his firstborn, Abinadab, the second oldest, and Shammah, the third oldest. 17:14 Now David was the youngest. While the three oldest sons followed Saul, 17:15 David was going back and forth from Saul in order to care for his father’s sheep in Bethlehem.
17:16 Meanwhile for forty days the Philistine approached every morning and evening and took his position. 17:17 Jesse said to his son David, “Take your brothers this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread; go quickly to the camp to your brothers. 17:18 Also take these ten portions of cheese to their commanding officer. Find out how your brothers are doing and bring back their pledge that they received the goods. 17:19 They are with Saul and the whole Israelite army in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.”
17:20 So David got up early in the morning and entrusted the flock to someone else who would watch over it. After loading up, he went just as Jesse had instructed him. He arrived at the camp as the army was going out to the battle lines shouting its battle cry. 17:21 Israel and the Philistines drew up their battle lines opposite one another. 17:22 After David had entrusted his cargo to the care of the supply officer, he ran to the battlefront. When he arrived, he asked his brothers how they were doing. 17:23 As he was speaking with them, the champion named Goliath, the Philistine from Gath, was coming up from the battle lines of the Philistines. He spoke the way he usually did, and David heard it. 17:24 When all the men of Israel saw this man, they retreated from his presence and were very afraid.
17:25 The men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who is coming up? He does so to defy Israel. But the king will make the man who can strike him down very wealthy! He will give him his daughter in marriage, and he will make his father’s house exempt from tax obligations in Israel.”
17:26 David asked the men who were standing near him, “What will be done for the man who strikes down this Philistine and frees Israel from this humiliation? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he defies the armies of the living God?” 17:27 The soldiers told him what had been promised, saying, “This is what will be done for the man who can strike him down.”
17:28 When David’s oldest brother Eliab heard him speaking to the men, he became angry with David and said, “Why have you come down here? To whom did you entrust those few sheep in the desert? I am familiar with your pride and deceit! You have come down here to watch the battle!”
17:29 David replied, “What have I done now? Can’t I say anything?” 17:30 Then he turned from those who were nearby to someone else and asked the same question, but they gave him the same answer as before. 17:31 When David’s words were overheard and reported to Saul, he called for him.
17:32 David said to Saul, “Don’t let anyone be discouraged. Your servant will go and fight this Philistine!” 17:33 But Saul replied to David, “You aren’t able to go against this Philistine and fight him! You’re just a boy! He has been a warrior from his youth!”
17:34 David replied to Saul, “Your servant has been a shepherd for his father’s flock. Whenever a lion or bear would come and carry off a sheep from the flock, 17:35 I would go out after it, strike it down, and rescue the sheep from its mouth. If it rose up against me, I would grab it by its jaw, strike it, and kill it. 17:36 Your servant has struck down both the lion and the bear. This uncircumcised Philistine will be just like one of them. For he has defied the armies of the living God!” 17:37 David went on to say, “The Lord who delivered me from the lion and the bear will also deliver me from the hand of this Philistine!” Then Saul said to David, “Go! The Lord will be with you.”
17:38 Then Saul clothed David with his own fighting attire and put a bronze helmet on his head. He also put body armor on him. 17:39 David strapped on his sword over his fighting attire and tried to walk around, but he was not used to them. David said to Saul, “I can’t walk in these things, for I’m not used to them.” So David removed them. 17:40 He took his staff in his hand, picked out five smooth stones from the stream, placed them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag, took his sling in hand, and approached the Philistine.
17:41 The Philistine kept coming closer to David, with his shield bearer walking in front of him. 17:42 When the Philistine looked carefully at David, he despised him, for he was only a ruddy and handsome boy. 17:43 The Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you are coming after me with sticks?” Then the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 17:44 The Philistine said to David, “Come here to me, so I can give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the field!”
17:45 But David replied to the Philistine, “You are coming against me with sword and spear and javelin. But I am coming against you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel’s armies, whom you have defied! 17:46 This very day the Lord will deliver you into my hand! I will strike you down and cut off your head. This day I will give the corpses of the Philistine army to the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the land. Then all the land will realize that Israel has a God 17:47 and all this assembly will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves! For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will deliver you into our hand.”
17:48 The Philistine drew steadily closer to David to attack him, while David quickly ran toward the battle line to attack the Philistine. 17:49 David reached his hand into the bag and took out a stone. He slung it, striking the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank deeply into his forehead, and he fell down with his face to the ground.
17:50 David prevailed over the Philistine with just the sling and the stone. He struck down the Philistine and killed him. David did not even have a sword in his hand. 17:51 David ran and stood over the Philistine. He grabbed Goliath’s sword, drew it from its sheath, killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they ran away.
17:52 Then the men of Israel and Judah charged forward, shouting a battle cry. They chased the Philistines to the valley and to the very gates of Ekron. The Philistine corpses lay fallen along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron. 17:53 When the Israelites returned from their hot pursuit of the Philistines, they looted their camp. 17:54 David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, and he put Goliath’s weapons in his tent.
17:55 Now as Saul watched David going out to fight the Philistine, he asked Abner, the general in command of the army, “Whose son is this young man, Abner?” Abner replied, “As surely as you live, O king, I don’t know.” 17:56 The king said, “Find out whose son this boy is!”
17:57 So when David returned from striking down the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul. He still had the head of the Philistine in his hand. 17:58 Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” David replied, “I am the son of your servant Jesse in Bethlehem.”
Lord, You are a holy and righteous God and You are not pleased when anyone attacks and/or demeans Your children, both then and now. May I be sensitive to Your righteous indignation when anyone, including me, is disrespectful to You, Your Word, or Your “Church” (every believer, gathered or alone).
While David’s older brothers served in King Saul’s army he continued to serve his father as a shepherd as well as occasionally as Saul’s armor bearer and lyre-playing spiritual comforter.
The Israelite army and the Philistines were gathered for battle when the Philistines presented a huge warrior named Goliath who challenged the Israelites to send forth a single champion to fight and thereby avoid the carnage of a full-scale battle. He did so with a clear size advantage, heavy armor, and superior weaponry.
David’s father, Jesse, was now elderly and was concerned for his sons who were on the battlefield. Jesse was unaware of Goliath’s presence nor of his challenge but only sent David with some supplies in order to determine their well-being.
When David arrived he heard of the Philistine from whom the Israelites cowered, and he heard that King Saul was so desperate for a champion that he had promised to make that man wealthy, to free his father’s house from taxes, and his daughter in marriage.
David became angry because the Holy Spirit had made him keenly aware that the Israelites were the special people of the Lord God and thus innocently asked why no one had answered the challenge.
David’s brothers, embarrassed by his simple faith, and their obvious lack thereof, attacked him with demeaning words based on his age and inexperience. David asked others the same question of righteous indignation and this was reported to Saul.
Saul summoned David and he volunteered to serve as Israel’s champion against Goliath. Saul was initially unwilling, observing that even looking past Goliath’s size, David was not an experienced soldier and Goliath was.
David shared his exceptional experiences with deadly animals during his service as a shepherd, stories similar to those of Samson, and then declared that he would be enabled by the Lord God to do the same to Goliath.
Saul, desperate for a champion, as he and the entire army had stood paralyzed in fear for several days, agreed. He tried to dress David in his own armor but it was too heavy and large and David had no need of it.
David greeted Goliath with his shepherd’s staff and a sling and stones and Goliath was indignant that he was not challenged by a peer soldier. Goliath cursed David by his false pagan gods and declared that he would feed David to the dogs.
David responded that Goliath would, on that day, be killed by the Lord God and be fed to the carrion birds. He declared that it would happen in such a manner that everyone would know for certain that it was the One true God’s victory.
Goliath, enraged, charged as David carefully loaded his stone, swung his sling, and took aim and buried the stone in Goliath’s forehead – killing him. He then took Goliath’s own giant sword and cut off his head. The Philistine army fled in terror and the Israelites charged, killing many of them, and looting their camp.
David presented the head of Goliath in Jerusalem and placed his weapons in his tent. Saul, inquired as to whose son David was, and David reminded him that his father was Jesse.
Saul was apparently so crazed, on those occasions when David was called to play the lyre and sooth him, that he did not recall who David was when he interacted with him on the battlefield.
Do we have the same righteous indignation when we heard the Lord God’s “Church” (the body of believers) cursed and disrespected by apostates, cultists, pagans and so-called Atheists?
The parallels of the Holy Spirit giving power for victory, between David and Samson, are worthy of note; not only in the killing of dangerous wild animals, but also in battle. In the text David could not carry the weight of Saul’s armor yet he could lift Goliath’s massive sword and use it to cut off his head.
When have you felt the righteous indignation of the Holy Spirit within when someone in a believer’s fellowship misrepresented the Word of God or when a non-believer verbally attacked a Christian or Christians in general?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you need to trust Him more, to have a greater awareness of the value He places upon His children, and where you need to speak boldly when His name is disrespected inside or outside of the family of God.
Today I will prayerfully renew my commitment to see myself and all fellow believers as God sees us, children of the one true God, whom He calls “saints”. I will receive from the Holy Spirit a greater sense of confidence to speak and to act boldly when he prompts me to do so, to respectfully challenge those who dare to suggest that He is not able, and to decisively-challenge spiritual forces who attack me or fellow believers.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Saul Comes to Fear David
18:1 When David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan and David became bound together in close friendship. Jonathan loved David as much as he did his own life. 18:2 Saul retained David on that day and did not allow him to return to his father’s house. 18:3 Jonathan made a covenant with David, for he loved him as much as he did his own life. 18:4 Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with the rest of his gear, including his sword, his bow, and even his belt.
18:5 On every mission on which Saul sent him, David achieved success. So Saul appointed him over the men of war. This pleased not only all the army, but also Saul’s servants.
18:6 When the men arrived after David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women from all the cities of Israel came out singing and dancing to meet King Saul. They were happy as they played their tambourines and three-stringed instruments. 18:7 The women who were playing the music sang,
“Saul has struck down his thousands,
but David his tens of thousands!”
18:8 This made Saul very angry. The statement displeased him and he thought, “They have attributed to David tens of thousands, but to me they have attributed only thousands. What does he lack, except the kingdom?” 18:9 So Saul was keeping an eye on David from that day onward.
18:10 The next day an evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul and he prophesied within his house. Now David was playing the lyre that day. There was a spear in Saul’s hand, 18:11 and Saul threw the spear, thinking, “I’ll nail David to the wall!” But David escaped from him on two different occasions.
18:12 So Saul feared David, because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul. 18:13 Saul removed David from his presence and made him a commanding officer. David led the army out to battle and back. 18:14 Now David achieved success in all he did, for the Lord was with him. 18:15 When Saul saw how very successful he was, he was afraid of him. 18:16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he was the one leading them out to battle and back.
18:17 Then Saul said to David, “Here’s my oldest daughter, Merab. I want to give her to you in marriage. Only be a brave warrior for me and fight the battles of the Lord.” For Saul thought, “There’s no need for me to raise my hand against him. Let it be the hand of the Philistines!”
18:18 David said to Saul, “Who am I? Who are my relatives or the clan of my father in Israel that I should become the king’s son-in-law?” 18:19 When the time came for Merab, Saul’s daughter, to be given to David, she instead was given in marriage to Adriel, who was from Meholah.
18:20 Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. When they told Saul about this, it pleased him. 18:21 Saul said, “I will give her to him so that she may become a snare to him and the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “Today is the second time for you to become my son-in-law.”
18:22 Then Saul instructed his servants, “Tell David secretly, ‘The king is pleased with you, and all his servants like you. So now become the king’s son-in-law.” 18:23 So Saul’s servants spoke these words privately to David. David replied, “Is becoming the king’s son-in-law something insignificant to you? I’m just a poor and lightly-esteemed man!”
18:24 When Saul’s servants reported what David had said, 18:25 Saul replied, “Here is what you should say to David: ‘There is nothing that the king wants as a price for the bride except a hundred Philistine foreskins, so that he can be avenged of his enemies.’” (Now Saul was thinking that he could kill David by the hand of the Philistines.)
18:26 So his servants told David these things and David agreed to become the king’s son-in-law. Now the specified time had not yet expired 18:27 when David, along with his men, went out and struck down two hundred Philistine men. David brought their foreskins and presented all of them to the king so he could become the king’s son-in-law. Saul then gave him his daughter Michal in marriage.
18:28 When Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David, 18:29 Saul became even more afraid of him. Saul continued to be at odds with David from then on. 18:30 Then the leaders of the Philistines would march out, and as often as they did so, David achieved more success than all of Saul’s servants. His name was held in high esteem.
Saul Repeatedly Attempts to Take David’s Life
19:1 Then Saul told his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David. But Saul’s son Jonathan liked David very much. 19:2 So Jonathan told David, “My father Saul is trying to kill you. So be careful tomorrow morning. Find a hiding place and stay in seclusion. 19:3 I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are. I will speak about you to my father. When I find out what the problem is, I will let you know.”
19:4 So Jonathan spoke on David’s behalf to his father Saul. He said to him, “The king should not sin against his servant David, for he has not sinned against you. On the contrary, his actions have been very beneficial for you. 19:5 He risked his life when he struck down the Philistine and the Lord gave all Israel a great victory. When you saw it, you were happy. So why would you sin against innocent blood by putting David to death for no reason?”
19:6 Saul accepted Jonathan’s advice and took an oath, “As surely as the Lord lives, he will not be put to death.” 19:7 Then Jonathan called David and told him all these things. Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he served him as he had done formerly.
19:8 Now once again there was war. So David went out to fight the Philistines. He defeated them thoroughly and they ran away from him. 19:9 Then an evil spirit from the Lord came upon Saul. He was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, while David was playing the lyre. 19:10 Saul tried to nail David to the wall with the spear, but he escaped from Saul’s presence and the spear drove into the wall. David escaped quickly that night.
19:11 Saul sent messengers to David’s house to guard it and to kill him in the morning. Then David’s wife Michal told him, “If you do not save yourself tonight, tomorrow you will be dead!” 19:12 So Michal lowered David through the window, and he ran away and escaped.
19:13 Then Michal took a household idol and put it on the bed. She put a quilt made of goat’s hair over its head and then covered the idol with a garment. 19:14 When Saul sent messengers to arrest David, she said, “He’s sick.”
19:15 Then Saul sent the messengers back to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me on his bed so I can kill him.” 19:16 When the messengers came, they found only the idol on the bed and the quilt made of goat’s hair at its head.
19:17 Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me this way by sending my enemy away? Now he has escaped!” Michal replied to Saul, “He said to me, ‘Help me get away or else I will kill you!’”
19:18 Now David had run away and escaped. He went to Samuel in Ramah and told him everything that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went and stayed at Naioth. 19:19 It was reported to Saul saying, “David is at Naioth in Ramah.” 19:20 So Saul sent messengers to capture David. When they saw a company of prophets prophesying with Samuel standing there as their leader, the spirit of God came upon Saul’s messengers, and they also prophesied. 19:21 When it was reported to Saul, he sent more messengers, but they prophesied too. So Saul sent messengers a third time, but they also prophesied. 19:22 Finally Saul himself went to Ramah. When he arrived at the large cistern that is in Secu, he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” They said, “At Naioth in Ramah.”
19:23 So Saul went to Naioth in Ramah. The Spirit of God came upon him as well, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 19:24 He even stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel. He lay there naked all that day and night. (For that reason it is asked, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”)
Lord, You bless whomsoever You will bless, and You withhold blessing from those whom You determine to be in opposition to You. May I be intentional in my availability to You, my loyalty to You – expressed in obedience, and my praise and worship of You as the One True and Holy Lord God. You also protect those whom You have called to serve, and You allow those who have turned away from You to be tormented by the prince of this world whom they have chosen over You. May I be faithful so that You will choose to use me.
Jonathan, who had previously demonstrated a high-level of sensitivity to the Lord, immediately bonded with David – giving to him his armor and weapons and other clothing.
Saul, always seeking a military or personal or political advantage and observing that the Lord was blessing David, conscripted him into the army and every battle in which David was the leader was victorious. This also pleased the army, with whom Saul had a historically-uneasy relationship.
As they returned to the city from their campaigns against the Philistines the women welcomed them with songs of praise for Saul, but more generous praise for David, and this angered the proud Saul. Because Saul was estranged from God he was vulnerable to the enemy and an “evil spirit from God” troubled him again. [Much like the “hardening” of Pharaoh’s heart was an amplification of a pre-existing condition of Pharaoh’s choice and not an original cause of Pharaoh’s refusal to honor the Lord God. This “spirit” was not “evil” originating from God but was one which God now allowed to trouble Saul because of his former acts of disobedience which had severed his relationship with God. There is no evil in God.]
Saul was so affected by the presence of the evil spirit that he threw his spear at David, but the Lord God protected David each time this happened. Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with David, so he sent him away to war – but the army and the people loved David even more because God continued to give him success.
Saul offered his first daughter to David but David protested that he had no family-standing to become the son-in-law of the king, so she was given to another. Saul’s next daughter, Michal, loved David and Saul thought it might create the opportunity to manipulate David into danger – so he challenged David to bring 100 Philistine foreskins (hoping the Philistines would kill him as he attempted the feat) but David was blessed by the Lord and brought him 200 from Philistines whom he and his men killed in battle.
Saul now had a daughter married to David, and who loved him, and the Lord God who was with David and estranged from Saul. Whenever David fought the Philistines he had more success than any of Saul’s other military leaders.
Saul instructed everyone to kill David but Jonathan challenged him, reminding him that David had served him faithfully, so Saul relented and David returned to his home with Michal.
Israel was again at war and David was given a significant victory by the Lord God. When David returned and was playing the lyre for Saul an evil spirit again agitated Saul and he once-again threw his spear at David, despite his prior promise to not do so. David escaped, with Michal’s assistance, as Saul returned to his all-out effort to kill him.
David joined Samuel and shared Saul’s conduct then the two of them joined the other prophets where they prophesied together. Saul sent men for David but the Holy Spirit overcame them and they prophesied, he sent two more groups with the same result so he went himself and was also overcome to where he stripped and laid on the ground all night prophesying.
Saul, like his emissaries, were caused to be humbled and to prophesy (speak the Words of God) as a clear demonstration of His power and sovereignty.
Saul was like the kings of the pagan people around the Israelites, just as they had demanded of the Lord God, and he was as much the source of trouble as God had warned he would be. Jonathan seemed to be able to get his father's attention but Saul was otherwise constantly victimized by demons.
Why would Saul, who had during one brief time an intimate relationship with the Lord God, imagine that he could kill one whom God was clearly blessing? What might the Lord God been intending to teach by causing Saul's “messengers”, and Saul himself, to prophesy?
David would later cause the death of Bathsheba’s husband in much the same way that Saul tried to cause his. What did it say about Saul’s deadly temper that Michal found it necessary to lie about her reasons for helping David to escape his murderous schemes?
When have you observed someone under attack but whose life continued to be blessed because they loved and were loved by the Lord God? When have you dealt with someone whose moods swung so wildly that you never were certain if it was even safe to be around them?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where He is blessing you despite attacks and difficulties and to reveal to you someone who could use your encouragement and prayers to be set free from harassing evil spirits.
Today I will stop and reflect and celebrate in prayer and worship the ways that the Lord God has blessed me despite attacks and/or difficulties. I will share my story of praise with another believer as an encouragement. I will learn what I need about spiritual warfare and pray in earnest for the one whom the Holy Spirit identifies.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
Jonathan Seeks to Protect David
20:1 David fled from Naioth in Ramah. He came to Jonathan and asked, “What have I done? What is my offense? How have I sinned before your father? For he is seeking my life!”
20:2 Jonathan said to him, “By no means are you going to die! My father does nothing large or small without making me aware of it. Why would my father hide this matter from me? It just won’t happen!”
20:3 Taking an oath, David again said, “Your father is very much aware of the fact that I have found favor with you, and he has thought, ‘Don’t let Jonathan know about this, or he will be upset.’ But as surely as the Lord lives and you live, there is about one step between me and death!” 20:4 Jonathan replied to David, “Tell me what I can do for you.”
20:5 David said to Jonathan, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and I am certainly expected to join the king for a meal. You must send me away so I can hide in the field until the third evening from now. 20:6 If your father happens to miss me, you should say, ‘David urgently requested me to let him go to his city Bethlehem, for there is an annual sacrifice there for his entire family.’ 20:7 If he should then say, ‘That’s fine,’ then your servant is safe. But if he becomes very angry, be assured that he has decided to harm me. 20:8 You must be loyal to your servant, for you have made a covenant with your servant in the Lord’s name. If I am guilty, you yourself kill me! Why bother taking me to your father?”
20:9 Jonathan said, “Far be it from you to suggest this! If I were at all aware that my father had decided to harm you, wouldn’t I tell you about it?” 20:10 David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?” 20:11 Jonathan said to David, “Come on. Let’s go out to the field.”
When the two of them had gone out into the field, 20:12 Jonathan said to David, “The Lord God of Israel is my witness. I will feel out my father about this time the day after tomorrow. If he is favorably inclined toward David, will I not then send word to you and let you know? 20:13 But if my father intends to do you harm, may the Lord do all this and more to Jonathan, if I don’t let you know and send word to you so you can go safely on your way. May the Lord be with you, as he was with my father. 20:14 While I am still alive, extend to me the loyalty of the Lord, or else I will die! 20:15 Don’t ever cut off your loyalty to my family, not even when the Lord has cut off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth 20:16 and called David’s enemies to account.” So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David. 20:17 Jonathan once again took an oath with David, because he loved him. In fact Jonathan loved him as much as he did his own life. 20:18 Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed, for your seat will be empty. 20:19 On the third day you should go down quickly and come to the place where you hid yourself the day this all started. Stay near the stone Ezel. 20:20 I will shoot three arrows near it, as though I were shooting at a target. 20:21 When I send a boy after them, I will say, “Go and find the arrows.” If I say to the boy, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you; get them,’ then come back. For as surely as the Lord lives, you will be safe and there will no problem. 20:22 But if I say to the boy, “Look, the arrows are on the other side of you,’ get away. For in that case the Lord has sent you away. 20:23 With regard to the matter that you and I discussed, the Lord is the witness between us forever!”
20:24 So David hid in the field. When the new moon came, the king sat down to eat his meal. 20:25 The king sat down in his usual place by the wall, with Jonathan opposite him and Abner at his side. But David’s place was vacant. 20:26 However, Saul said nothing about it that day, for he thought, “Something has happened to make him ceremonially unclean. Yes, he must be unclean.” 20:27 But the next morning, the second day of the new moon, David’s place was still vacant. So Saul said to his son Jonathan, “Why has Jesse’s son not come to the meal yesterday or today?”
20:28 Jonathan replied to Saul, “David urgently requested that he be allowed to go to Bethlehem. 20:29 He said, ‘Permit me to go, for we are having a family sacrifice in the city, and my brother urged me to be there. So now, if I have found favor with you, let me go to see my brothers.’ For that reason he has not come to the king’s table.”
20:30 Saul became angry with Jonathan and said to him, “You stupid traitor! Don’t I realize that to your own disgrace and to the disgrace of your mother’s nakedness you have chosen this son of Jesse? 20:31 For as long as this son of Jesse is alive on the earth, you and your kingdom will not be established. Now, send some men and bring him to me. For he is as good as dead!”
20:32 Jonathan responded to his father Saul, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?” 20:33 Then Saul threw his spear at Jonathan in order to strike him down. So Jonathan was convinced that his father had decided to kill David. 20:34 Jonathan got up from the table enraged. He did not eat any food on that second day of the new moon, for he was upset that his father had humiliated David.
20:35 The next morning Jonathan, along with a young servant, went out to the field to meet David. 20:36 He said to his servant, “Run, find the arrows that I am about to shoot.” As the servant ran, Jonathan shot the arrow beyond him. 20:37 When the servant came to the place where Jonathan had shot the arrow, Jonathan called out to the servant, “Isn’t the arrow further beyond you?” 20:38 Jonathan called out to the servant, “Hurry! Go faster! Don’t delay!” Jonathan’s servant retrieved the arrow and came back to his master. 20:39 (Now the servant did not understand any of this. Only Jonathan and David knew what was going on.) 20:40 Then Jonathan gave his equipment to the servant who was with him. He said to him, “Go, take these things back to the city.”
20:41 When the servant had left, David got up from beside the mound, knelt with his face to the ground, and bowed three times. Then they kissed each other and they both wept, especially David. 20:42 Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for the two of us have sworn together in the name of the Lord saying, ‘The Lord will be between me and you and between my descendants and your descendants forever.’”
(21:1)
Then David got up and left, while Jonathan went back to the city.
Lord, when leaders break fellowship with You they become victims of the enemy, and they create opportunity for harm to others. You protect those who are faithful to you from harm – though not necessarily from hurt. May I be intentional in fellowship to You so that hurt does not come to others because of my spiritual carelessness.
David challenged Jonathan to explain what he had done wrong that Saul was trying to kill him. The last Jonathan knew Saul had pledged to not try to kill David, so he was surprised, even more so because he believed that his father told him everything.
David observed that Saul knew of Jonathan’s friendship with him and so may have avoided saying anything about his schemes. Jonathan pledged to find out and to send a message to David if he was safe or not.
When Saul discovered that Jonathan was sympathetic to David he threw a spear at him, as he had David, but Jonathan was not harmed. Jonathan warned David and he fled to a greater distance from Saul.
Both Jonathan and David were terribly saddened, both because of the evil Saul was doing, and that they could not be together as brother-like friends.
Jonathan and David were faithful to the Lord God and therefore their word, when given, had lasting meaning. Saul, estranged from the Lord God, was unpredictable as he was subject to the manipulation of the enemy.
How heartbroken must Jonathan have been, not only caught between David and his father Saul, but then have his father – the king - Saul throw a spear at him?
Jonathan risked his life for his friend David because they were bonded through their common relationship with the Lord God.
When have you experienced a unique relationship with a friend because the Lord God was in-common between you and was working through you together?
Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of a current relationship which exists because of a mutual faithfulness to Him and one into which you may want to invest more encouragement and prayer.
Today I will speak and/or write a word of encouragement, and I will say a special prayer, for the one whom the Holy Spirit brings to my attention. I will praise the Lord for a dear friend in Christ.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
21:1 (21:2) David went to Ahimelech the priest in Nob. Ahimelech was shaking with fear when he met David, and said to him, “Why are you by yourself with no one accompanying you?” 21:2 David replied to Ahimelech the priest, “The king instructed me to do something, but he said to me, ‘Don’t let anyone know the reason I am sending you or the instructions I have given you.’ I have told my soldiers to wait at a certain place. 21:3 Now what do you have at your disposal? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever can be found.”
21:4 The priest replied to David, “I don’t have any ordinary bread at my disposal. Only holy bread is available, and then only if your soldiers have abstained from sexual relations with women.” 21:5 David said to the priest, “Certainly women have been kept away from us, just as on previous occasions when I have set out. The soldiers’ equipment is holy, even on an ordinary journey. How much more so will they be holy today, along with their equipment!”
21:6 So the priest gave him holy bread, for there was no bread there other than the bread of the Presence. It had been removed from before the Lord in order to replace it with hot bread on the day it had been taken away. 21:7 (One of Saul’s servants was there that day, detained before the Lord. His name was Doeg the Edomite, who was in charge of Saul’s shepherds.) 21:8 David said to Ahimelech, “Is there no sword or spear here at your disposal? I don’t have my own sword or equipment in hand due to the urgency of the king’s instructions.”
David Goes to Gath
21:9 The priest replied, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you struck down in the valley of Elah, is wrapped in a garment behind the ephod. If you wish, take it for yourself. Other than that, there’s nothing here.” David said, “There’s nothing like it! Give it to me!” 21:10 So on that day David arose and fled from Saul. He went to King Achish of Gath. 21:11 The servants of Achish said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Isn’t he the one that they sing about when they dance, saying,
‘Saul struck down his thousands,
But David his tens of thousands’?”
21:12 David thought about what they said and was very afraid of King Achish of Gath. 21:13 He altered his behavior in their presence. Since he was in their power, he pretended to be insane, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting his saliva run down his beard.
21:14 Achish said to his servants, “Look at this madman! Why did you bring him to me? 21:15 Do I have a shortage of fools, that you have brought me this man to display his insanity in front of me? Should this man enter my house?”
David Goes to Adullam and Mizpah
22:1 So David left there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and the rest of his father’s family learned about it, they went down there to him. 22:2 All those who were in trouble or owed someone money or were discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader. He had about four hundred men with him.
22:3 Then David went from there to Mizpah in Moab, where he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother stay with you until I know what God is going to do for me.” 22:4 So he had them stay with the king of Moab; they stayed with him the whole time that David was in the stronghold. 22:5 Then Gad the prophet said to David, “Don’t stay in the stronghold. Go to the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.
Saul Executes the Priests
22:6 But Saul found out the whereabouts of David and the men who were with him. Now Saul was sitting at Gibeah under the tamarisk tree at an elevated location with his spear in hand and all his servants stationed around him. 22:7 Saul said to his servants who were stationed around him, “Listen up, you Benjaminites! Is Jesse’s son giving fields and vineyards to all of you? Or is he making all of you commanders and officers? 22:8 For all of you have conspired against me! No one informs me when my own son makes an agreement with this son of Jesse! Not one of you feels sorry for me or informs me that my own son has commissioned my own servant to hide in ambush against me, as is the case today!”
22:9 But Doeg the Edomite, who had stationed himself with the servants of Saul, replied, “I saw this son of Jesse come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob. 22:10 He inquired of the Lord for him and gave him provisions. He also gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”
22:11 Then the king arranged for a meeting with the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub and all the priests of his father’s house who were at Nob. They all came to the king. 22:12 Then Saul said, “Listen, son of Ahitub.” He replied, “Here I am, my lord.” 22:13 Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me, you and this son of Jesse? You gave him bread and a sword and inquired of God on his behalf, so that he opposes me and waits in ambush, as is the case today!”
22:14 Ahimelech replied to the king, “Who among all your servants is faithful like David? He is the king’s son-in-law, the leader of your bodyguard, and honored in your house! 22:15 Was it just today that I began to inquire of God on his behalf? Far be it from me! The king should not accuse his servant or any of my father’s house. For your servant is not aware of all this – not in whole or in part!”
22:16 But the king said, “You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house! 22:17 Then the king said to the messengers who were stationed beside him, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, for they too have sided with David! They knew he was fleeing, but they did not inform me.” But the king’s servants refused to harm the priests of the Lord.
22:18 Then the king said to Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests!” So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck down the priests. He killed on that day eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. 22:19 As for Nob, the city of the priests, he struck down with the sword men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep – all with the sword.
22:20 But one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped and fled to David. His name was Abiathar. 22:21 Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. 22:22 Then David said to Abiathar, “I knew that day when Doeg the Edomite was there that he would certainly tell Saul! I am guilty of all the deaths in your father’s house! 22:23 Stay with me. Don’t be afraid! Whoever seeks my life is seeking your life as well. You are secure with me.”
Lord, when a leader does not receive his wisdom from You all of the people in the land suffer. May my responsibilities as a leader to my family, and in my community, always be a blessing to others because I listen closely to You.
The whole kingdom under Saul had been corrupted by his influence, once he left the favor of the Lord God and was instead leading from his own wisdom, and while he was under the influence of “evil spirits”.
David, still known to most as Saul’s most effective warrior, confronted a fearful priest named Ahimelech. David pretended that he was on business from Saul and demanded bread, which Ahimelech gave him from what had been removed and replaced by new holy bread. He also took away with him the sword of Goliath.
David then traveled to see King Achish of Gath, hoping to find safety there, but when the people repeated the chant about David killing more Philistines and Saul he feared for his life. David pretended to be mad and was put-out of the castle and thereby escaped.
David then went to the stronghold of the cave of Adullam where he was joined by members of his extended family and 400 men of dubious character; criminals, debtors, and others in some sort of trouble.
David asked the king of Moab to keep his parents safe.
Doeg the Edomite slaughtered the priests and their families at Saul’s behest as he cared nothing for the people and wanted favors from Saul. That Saul would order such a monstrous thing was more evidence of his estrangement from the Lord God.
The people had demanded a mere man be given authority and placed between the people and the Lord God. As long as their human king, Saul, listened to God things went well, when he rebelled the whole kingdom lost a sense of morality and safety. This is as the Lord God warned it would be.
Isn’t it amazing that despite his difficult circumstances David was so creative in acquiring food for his men, inventing a way to escape trouble in Gath, and finding a safe place for his parents?
David’s fear did not speak well of his confidence in the Lord God to protect him, since he knew that he was the anointed one – the next king – chosen by the all-powerful God. David, like Saul, tended to be impetuous and sometimes very self-absorbed. Doeg the Edomite was one of those people in life who sells-out one person to another for the sake of momentary gain or some other selfish moment.
When have you had to adapt quickly to a difficult situation by being “clever as a fox” yet “harmless as a lamb”?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a way that you might be better prepared for sudden changes in your circumstances.
Today I will make a list of ways that I may prepare for difficulties, which in this fallen world, are common. Perhaps I need to get out of debt, spend less and save more, buy some canned food on sale and stockpile it (in reasonable amounts), have the chimney cleaned to avoid a fire, add insulation to reduce energy costs, alter my diet to be more healthy, exercise to be more fit, study the Bible to intentionally to draw nearer to the Lord God, or something else that the Holy Spirit will reveal.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
David Delivers the City of Keilah
23:1 They told David, “The Philistines are fighting in Keilah and are looting the threshing floors.” 23:2 So David asked the Lord, “Should I go and strike down these Philistines?” The Lord said to David, “Go, strike down the Philistines and deliver Keilah.”
23:3 But David’s men said to him, “We are afraid while we are still here in Judah! What will it be like if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?” 23:4 So David asked the Lord once again. But again the Lord replied, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand.”
23:5 So David and his men went to Keilah and fought the Philistines. He took away their cattle and thoroughly defeated them. David delivered the inhabitants of Keilah.
David Eludes Saul Again
23:6 Now when Abiathar son of Ahimelech had fled to David at Keilah, he had brought with him an ephod. 23:7 When Saul was told that David had come to Keilah, Saul said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he has boxed himself into a corner by entering a city with two barred gates.” 23:8 So Saul mustered all his army to go down to Keilah and besiege David and his men.
23:9 When David realized that Saul was planning to harm him, he told Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod!” 23:10 Then David said, “O Lord God of Israel, your servant has clearly heard that Saul is planning to come to Keilah to destroy the city because of me. 23:11 Will the leaders of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down as your servant has heard? O Lord God of Israel, please inform your servant!”
Then the Lord said, “He will come down.” 23:12 David asked, “Will the leaders of Keilah deliver me and my men into Saul’s hand?” The Lord said, “They will deliver you over.”
23:13 So David and his men, who numbered about six hundred, set out and left Keilah; they moved around from one place to another. When told that David had escaped from Keilah, Saul called a halt to his expedition. 23:14 David stayed in the strongholds that were in the desert and in the hill country of the desert of Ziph. Saul looked for him all the time, but God did not deliver David into his hand. 23:15 David realized that Saul had come out to seek his life; at that time David was in Horesh in the desert of Ziph.
23:16 Then Jonathan son of Saul left and went to David at Horesh. He encouraged him through God. 23:17 He said to him, “Don’t be afraid! For the hand of my father Saul cannot find you. You will rule over Israel, and I will be your second in command. Even my father Saul realizes this.” 23:18 When the two of them had made a covenant before the Lord, David stayed on at Horesh, but Jonathan went to his house.
23:19 Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Isn’t David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh on the hill of Hakilah, south of Jeshimon? 23:20 Now at your own discretion, O king, come down. Delivering him into the king’s hand will be our responsibility.”
23:21 Saul replied, “May you be blessed by the Lord, for you have had compassion on me. 23:22 Go and make further arrangements. Determine precisely where he is and who has seen him there, for I am told that he is extremely cunning. 23:23 Locate precisely all the places where he hides and return to me with dependable information. Then I will go with you. If he is in the land, I will find him among all the thousands of Judah.”
23:24 So they left and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the desert of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon. 23:25 Saul and his men went to look for him. But David was informed and went down to the rock and stayed in the desert of Maon. When Saul heard about it, he pursued David in the desert of Maon. 23:26 Saul went on one side of the mountain, while David and his men went on the other side of the mountain. David was hurrying to get away from Saul, but Saul and his men were surrounding David and his men so they could capture them. 23:27 But a messenger came to Saul saying, “Come quickly, for the Philistines have raided the land!”
23:28 So Saul stopped pursuing David and went to confront the Philistines. Therefore that place is called Sela Hammahlekoth. 23:29 (24:1) Then David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of En Gedi.
David Spares Saul’s Life
24:1 (24:2) When Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, they told him, “Look, David is in the desert of En Gedi.” 24:2 So Saul took three thousand select men from all Israel and went to find David and his men in the region of the rocks of the mountain goats. 24:3 He came to the sheepfolds by the road, where there was a cave. Saul went into it to relieve himself.
Now David and his men were sitting in the recesses of the cave. 24:4 David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the Lord said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hand, and you can do to him whatever seems appropriate to you.’” So David got up and quietly cut off an edge of Saul’s robe. 24:5 Afterward David’s conscience bothered him because he had cut off an edge of Saul’s robe. 24:6 He said to his men, “May the Lord keep me far away from doing such a thing to my lord, who is the Lord’s chosen one, by extending my hand against him. After all, he is the Lord’s chosen one.” 24:7 David restrained his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. Then Saul left the cave and started down the road.
24:8 Afterward David got up and went out of the cave. He called out after Saul, “My lord, O king!” When Saul looked behind him, David kneeled down and bowed with his face to the ground. 24:9 David said to Saul, “Why do you pay attention when men say, ‘David is seeking to do you harm’? 24:10 Today your own eyes see how the Lord delivered you – this very day – into my hands in the cave. Some told me to kill you, but I had pity on you and said, ‘I will not extend my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s chosen one.’ 24:11 Look, my father, and see the edge of your robe in my hand! When I cut off the edge of your robe, I didn’t kill you. So realize and understand that I am not planning evil or rebellion. Even though I have not sinned against you, you are waiting in ambush to take my life. 24:12 May the Lord judge between the two of us, and may the Lord vindicate me over you, but my hand will not be against you. 24:13 It’s like the old proverb says: ‘From evil people evil proceeds.’ But my hand will not be against you. 24:14 Who has the king of Israel come out after? Who is it that you are pursuing? A dead dog? A single flea? 24:15 May the Lord be our judge and arbiter. May he see and arbitrate my case and deliver me from your hands!”
24:16 When David finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is that your voice, my son David?” Then Saul wept loudly. 24:17 He said to David, “You are more innocent than I, for you have treated me well, even though I have tried to harm you! 24:18 You have explained today how you have treated me well. The Lord delivered me into your hand, but you did not kill me. 24:19 Now if a man finds his enemy, does he send him on his way in good shape? May the Lord repay you with good this day for what you have done to me. 24:20 Now look, I realize that you will in fact be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand. 24:21 So now swear to me in the Lord’s name that you will not kill my descendants after me or destroy my name from the house of my father.”
24:22 David promised Saul this on oath. Then Saul went to his house, and David and his men went up to the stronghold.
Lord, when leaders distance themselves from You the only alternative is the enemy, the same is true of every person. May I pray for leaders who are intentional about keeping their eyes on Jesus. You protect those whom You call and You send, yet You allow them the opportunity to make choices along the way. May I listen closely to Your Holy Spirit so that I will be wise.
The Israelites had a historically-uneasy relationship with the Edomites; as descendants of Esau (Gen. 36:43) they were relatives, but they were often aggressive, and they lacked a sense of loyalty to traditional Israelite values.
Saul found out that David had received food, Godly counsel, and Goliath’s sword from the priests he was furious. Despite the clear evidence that the priests were unaware of the breach between Saul and David he wanted the priests killed. When none of those in Saul’s court would kill a priest Doeg the Edomite, who had found his way into Saul’s corrupted inner-circle, volunteered. Doeg also killed and destroyed across Nob, the city of the priests. Only one son of the priests escaped and informed David.
David blamed himself, though Saul and Doeg’s evil was their own choice, and promised to keep the young man safe.
Hearing that the city of Keilah was under siege from the Philistines David twice consulted God and received assurances that he should rescue them. After his victory Saul heard he was there and set out to trap him.
David again consulted the Lord God and was informed that the people of the city would give him over to Saul so he left with his men for strongholds in the desert and the hills and Saul was unable to find him.
Jonathan went to David. He reminded David that both he and Saul knew that David was to be king – Jonathan believed that he was to serve David as he had Saul.
Saul heard from some Ziphites of David’s whereabouts. They promised to deliver David to him but Saul boasted that if they got him to the right area he would find David though hidden among thousands in Judah.
Just as Saul thought he had David and his men cornered there came word of a Philistine attack and he had to leave to respond to that.
Saul returned to pursue David but God had made Saul easy prey for him yet David only cut off a piece of his cloak and otherwise left Saul unharmed. David still felt bad as Saul had been the Lord’s anointed leader so he went to Saul, while Saul was alone, and confessed what he had done.
David reminded Saul that he had not wronged him and that Saul’s pursuit of him was to be judged by the Lord God. David also reminded Saul that he was believing false voices when he was convinced to think of him as an enemy.
Saul acknowledged that David was to succeed him, confessed his sin in pursuing David, and asked David to pledge not to kill his (Saul’s) offspring – and David agreed.
Saul was past the point of reason and without access to the Lord God. That he would order his men to murder the priests was evidence that he was heavily influenced by “evil spirits”. David could have killed Saul as he was no longer the chosen leader of the Lord God, but he decided to allow God to choose and to directly cause the circumstances and time of transition.
While David did deceive the priests when he visited them, why would he feel responsible for the reprehensible choice of Saul and Doeg to murder them? Wasn’t it the presence of the Holy Spirit with David that brought Saul to his senses, albeit only temporarily?
Even though he was on the run from the king, David was still willing to take the risk to save others from the Philistines. He was wiser than Saul and consulted the Lord God first. Because Saul was deceived and manipulated by “evil spirits” he wasted huge amounts of Israel’s resources trying to kill Israel’s next king, one who was chosen by the Lord God.
When have you decided to do the right thing even as those in authority over you were making your circumstances difficult? When have you had the opportunity to do harm to someone who had made themselves your enemy, and you chose to not do so?
Ask the Holy Spirit to direct your attention to a leader for whom you need to pray and for a place where you need to step out in faith to do the right, albeit risky, thing and to give you an opportunity to be His instrument of grace to an enemy.
Today I will pray in-earnest for a leader, in a Christian fellowship, or in government. I will pray that they will turn away from every influence that is not of the Lord God, that they will become devoted servants of God, and that their lives and leadership will be salt and light through the humility and wisdom they receive from the Holy Spirit. I will also step out in faith to do the right thing, as the Holy Spirit guides, and I will do so with accountability and prayers in-agreement from a fellow believer. I will humble myself to be an instrument of the Lord God’s grace toward someone who has been hateful toward me. It may be to compliment them for something good they have done, offer to pray for them in some planned good-endeavor, to show them where I could have done them harm but did not (because of God), or to otherwise be a witness to God’s love in me.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Psalm 11
11:1 For the music director; by David.
In the Lord I have taken shelter. How can you say to me, “Flee to a mountain like a bird!
11:2 For look, the wicked prepare their bows, they put their arrows on the strings, to shoot in the darkness at the morally upright.
11:3 When the foundations are destroyed, what can the godly accomplish?”
11:4 The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven. His eyes watch; his eyes examine all people.
11:5 The Lord approves of the godly, but he hates the wicked and those who love to do violence.
11:6 May the Lord rain down burning coals and brimstone on the wicked!
A whirlwind is what they deserve!
11:7 Certainly the Lord is just; he rewards godly deeds; the upright will experience his favor.
Psalm 59
59:1 For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; a prayer of David, written when Saul sent men to surround his house and murder him.
Deliver me from my enemies, my God!
Protect me from those who attack me!
59:2 Deliver me from evildoers!
Rescue me from violent men!
59:3 For look, they wait to ambush me; powerful men stalk me, but not because I have rebelled or sinned, O Lord.
59:4 Though I have done nothing wrong, they are anxious to attack.
Spring into action and help me! Take notice of me!
59:5 You, O Lord God, the invincible warrior, the God of Israel, rouse yourself and punish all the nations!
Have no mercy on any treacherous evildoers! (Selah)
59:6 They return in the evening; they growl like a dog and prowl around outside the city.
59:7 Look, they hurl insults at me and openly threaten to kill me, for they say,
“Who hears?”
59:8 But you, O Lord, laugh in disgust at them; you taunt all the nations.
59:9 You are my source of strength! I will wait for you!
For God is my refuge.
59:10 The God who loves me will help me; God will enable me to triumph over my enemies.
59:11 Do not strike them dead suddenly, because then my people might forget the lesson. Use your power to make them homeless vagabonds and then bring them down, O Lord who shields us!
59:12 They speak sinful words. So let them be trapped by their own pride and by the curses and lies they speak!
59:13 Angrily wipe them out! Wipe them out so they vanish!
Let them know that God rules in Jacob and to the ends of the earth! (Selah)
59:14 They return in the evening; they growl like a dog and prowl around outside the city.
59:15 They wander around looking for something to eat; they refuse to sleep until they are full.
59:16 As for me, I will sing about your strength; I will praise your loyal love in the morning. For you are my refuge and my place of shelter when I face trouble.
59:17 You are my source of strength! I will sing praises to you!
For God is my refuge, the God who loves me.
Lord, You are attentive to our pleas and praises but You act in Your perfect time and way. May I never fear pouring my heart out to You, with pleas and praises, and then may I patiently await Your reply.
David’s eleventh Psalm reflected his fear of worldly enemies as well as his certainty that the character of the Lord God was such as would defend him and to oppose them.
David’s fifty-ninth Psalm employed an imprecatory prayer and added the phrase “God is my refuge”.
David appeared to draw again upon his shepherd-days for the concepts of “refuge” and “shelter”.
How could David be so loquacious in confidence and praise for the Lord God and still plead sometimes as if he was not certain the Lord cared or even noticed his plight?
David’s prayers for the Lord God to destroy, or to at least punish, are called “imprecatory prayers”. There is considerable debate as to whether or not such prayers are appropriate for post-ascension, post=Pentecost, New Testament Biblical-Christians.
When have you be so troubled that you wondered if the Lord cared or even noticed your plight?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where He is waiting to answer one of your prayers, either because there is something you have left undone, or something He wants to happen first.
Today I will be still and listen in prayer for the Holy Spirit to show me what the Lord God may want to do in me.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 29
7:1 A musical composition by David, which he sang to the Lord concerning a Benjaminite named Cush.
O Lord my God, in you I have taken shelter.
Deliver me from all who chase me! Rescue me!
7:2 Otherwise they will rip me to shreds like a lion;
they will tear me to bits and no one will be able to rescue me.
7:3 O Lord my God, if I have done what they say,
or am guilty of unjust actions,
7:4 or have wronged my ally,
or helped his lawless enemy,
7:5 may an enemy relentlessly chase me and catch me;
may he trample me to death
and leave me lying dishonored in the dust. (Selah)
7:6 Stand up angrily, Lord!
Rise up with raging fury against my enemies!
Wake up for my sake and execute the judgment you have decreed for them!
7:7 The countries are assembled all around you;
take once more your rightful place over them!
7:8 The Lord judges the nations.
Vindicate me, Lord, because I am innocent,
because I am blameless, O Exalted One!
7:9 May the evil deeds of the wicked come to an end!
But make the innocent secure,
O righteous God,
you who examine inner thoughts and motives!
7:10 The Exalted God is my shield,
the one who delivers the morally upright.
7:11 God is a just judge;
he is angry throughout the day.
7:12 If a person does not repent, God sharpens his sword
and prepares to shoot his bow.
7:13 He prepares to use deadly weapons against him;
he gets ready to shoot flaming arrows.
7:14 See the one who is pregnant with wickedness,
who conceives destructive plans,
and gives birth to harmful lies –
7:15 he digs a pit
and then falls into the hole he has made.
7:16 He becomes the victim of his own destructive plans
and the violence he intended for others falls on his own head.
7:17 I will thank the Lord for his justice;
I will sing praises to the sovereign Lord!
27:1 By David. The Lord delivers and vindicates me!
I fear no one!
The Lord protects my life!
I am afraid of no one!
27:2 When evil men attack me to devour my flesh, when my adversaries and enemies attack me, they stumble and fall.
27:3 Even when an army is deployed against me, I do not fear. Even when war is imminent, I remain confident.
27:4 I have asked the Lord for one thing – this is what I desire!
I want to live in the Lord’s house all the days of my life, so I can gaze at the splendor of the Lord and contemplate in his temple.
27:5 He will surely give me shelter in the day of danger; he will hide me in his home; he will place me on an inaccessible rocky summit.
27:6 Now I will triumph over my enemies who surround me!
I will offer sacrifices in his dwelling place and shout for joy!
I will sing praises to the Lord!
27:7 Hear me, O Lord, when I cry out!
Have mercy on me and answer me!
27:8 My heart tells me to pray to you, and I do pray to you, O Lord.
27:9 Do not reject me!
Do not push your servant away in anger!
You are my deliverer!
Do not forsake or abandon me, O God who vindicates me!
27:10 Even if my father and mother abandoned me, the Lord would take me in.
27:11 Teach me how you want me to live; lead me along a level path because of those who wait to ambush me!
27:12 Do not turn me over to my enemies, for false witnesses who want to destroy me testify against me.
27:13 Where would I be if I did not believe I would experience the Lord’s favor in the land of the living?
27:14 Rely on the Lord!
Be strong and confident!
Rely on the Lord!
31:1 For the music director; a psalm of David.
In you, O Lord, I have taken shelter!
Never let me be humiliated!
Vindicate me by rescuing me!
31:2 Listen to me!
Quickly deliver me!
Be my protector and refuge,
a stronghold where I can be safe!
31:3 For you are my high ridge and my stronghold;
for the sake of your own reputation you lead me and guide me.
31:4 You will free me from the net they hid for me,
for you are my place of refuge.
31:5 Into your hand I entrust my life;
you will rescue me, O Lord, the faithful God.
31:6 I hate those who serve worthless idols,
but I trust in the Lord.
31:7 I will be happy and rejoice in your faithfulness,
because you notice my pain
and you are aware of how distressed I am.
31:8 You do not deliver me over to the power of the enemy;
you enable me to stand in a wide open place.
31:9 Have mercy on me, for I am in distress!
My eyes grow dim from suffering.
I have lost my strength.
31:10 For my life nears its end in pain;
my years draw to a close as I groan.
My strength fails me because of my sin,
and my bones become brittle.
31:11 Because of all my enemies, people disdain me;
my neighbors are appalled by my suffering –
those who know me are horrified by my condition;
those who see me in the street run away from me.
31:12 I am forgotten, like a dead man no one thinks about;
I am regarded as worthless, like a broken jar.
31:13 For I hear what so many are saying,
the terrifying news that comes from every direction.
When they plot together against me,
they figure out how they can take my life.
31:14 But I trust in you, O Lord!
I declare, “You are my God!”
31:15 You determine my destiny!
Rescue me from the power of my enemies and those who chase me.
31:16 Smile on your servant!
Deliver me because of your faithfulness!
31:17 O Lord, do not let me be humiliated,
for I call out to you!
May evil men be humiliated!
May they go wailing to the grave!
31:18 May lying lips be silenced –
lips that speak defiantly against the innocent
with arrogance and contempt!
31:19 How great is your favor,
which you store up for your loyal followers!
In plain sight of everyone you bestow it on those who take shelter in you.
31:20 You hide them with you, where they are safe from the attacks of men;
you conceal them in a shelter, where they are safe from slanderous attacks.
31:21 The Lord deserves praise
for he demonstrated his amazing faithfulness to me when I was besieged by enemies.
31:22 I jumped to conclusions and said,
“I am cut off from your presence!”
But you heard my plea for mercy when I cried out to you for help.
31:23 Love the Lord, all you faithful followers of his!
The Lord protects those who have integrity,
but he pays back in full the one who acts arrogantly.
31:24 Be strong and confident,
all you who wait on the Lord!
34:1 Written by David, when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, causing the king to send him away.
I will praise the Lord at all times;
my mouth will continually praise him.
34:2 I will boast in the Lord;
let the oppressed hear and rejoice!
34:3 Magnify the Lord with me!
Let’s praise his name together!
34:4 I sought the Lord’s help and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
34:5 Those who look to him for help are happy;
their faces are not ashamed.
34:6 This oppressed man cried out and the Lord heard;
he saved him from all his troubles.
34:7 The Lord’s angel camps around
the Lord’s loyal followers and delivers them.
34:8 Taste and see that the Lord is good!
How blessed is the one who takes shelter in him!
34:9 Remain loyal to the Lord, you chosen people of his,
for his loyal followers lack nothing!
34:10 Even young lions sometimes lack food and are hungry,
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
34:11 Come children! Listen to me!
I will teach you what it means to fear the Lord.
34:12 Do you want to really live?
Would you love to live a long, happy life?
34:13 Then make sure you don’t speak evil words
or use deceptive speech!
34:14 Turn away from evil and do what is right!
Strive for peace and promote it!
34:15 The Lord pays attention to the godly
and hears their cry for help.
34:16 But the Lord opposes evildoers
and wipes out all memory of them from the earth.
34:17 The godly cry out and the Lord hears;
he saves them from all their troubles.
34:18 The Lord is near the brokenhearted;
he delivers those who are discouraged.
34:19 The godly face many dangers,
but the Lord saves them from each one of them.
34:20 He protects all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
34:21 Evil people self-destruct;
those who hate the godly are punished.
34:22 The Lord rescues his servants;
all who take shelter in him escape punishment.
52:1 For the music director; a well-written song by David. It was written when Doeg the Edomite went and informed Saul: “David has arrived at the home of Ahimelech.”
Why do you boast about your evil plans, O powerful man?
God’s loyal love protects me all day long!
52:2 Your tongue carries out your destructive plans; it is as effective as a sharp razor, O deceiver.
52:3 You love evil more than good, lies more than speaking the truth. (Selah)
52:4 You love to use all the words that destroy, and the tongue that deceives.
52:5 Yet God will make you a permanent heap of ruins. He will scoop you up and remove you from your home; he will uproot you from the land of the living. (Selah)
52:6 When the godly see this, they will be filled with awe, and will mock the evildoer, saying:
52:7 “Look, here is the man who would not make God his protector!
He trusted in his great wealth and was confident about his plans to destroy others.”
52:8 But I am like a flourishing olive tree in the house of God; I continually trust in God’s loyal love.
52:9 I will continually thank you when you execute judgment; I will rely on you, for your loyal followers know you are good.
56:1 For the music director; according to the yonath-elem-rechovim style; a prayer of David, written when the Philistines captured him in Gath.
Have mercy on me, O God, for men are attacking me!
All day long hostile enemies are tormenting me.
56:2 Those who anticipate my defeat attack me all day long. Indeed, many are fighting against me, O Exalted One.
56:3 When I am afraid, I trust in you.
56:4 In God – I boast in his promise – in God I trust, I am not afraid.
What can mere men do to me?
56:5 All day long they cause me trouble; they make a habit of plotting my demise.
56:6 They stalk and lurk; they watch my every step, as they prepare to take my life.
56:7 Because they are bent on violence, do not let them escape!
In your anger bring down the nations, O God!
56:8 You keep track of my misery.
Put my tears in your leather container!
Are they not recorded in your scroll?
56:9 My enemies will turn back when I cry out to you for help; I know that God is on my side.
56:10 In God – I boast in his promise – in the Lord – I boast in his promise –
56:11 in God I trust, I am not afraid.
What can mere men do to me?
56:12 I am obligated to fulfill the vows I made to you, O God; I will give you the thank-offerings you deserve,
56:13 when you deliver my life from death. You keep my feet from stumbling, so that I might serve God as I enjoy life.
120:1 A song of ascents.
In my distress I cried out to the Lord and he answered me.
120:2 I said, “O Lord, rescue me from those who lie with their lips and those who deceive with their tongue.
120:3 How will he severely punish you, you deceptive talker?
120:4 Here’s how! With the sharp arrows of warriors, with arrowheads forged over the hot coals.
120:5 How miserable I am!
For I have lived temporarily in Meshech; I have resided among the tents of Kedar.
120:6 For too long I have had to reside with those who hate peace.
120:7 I am committed to peace, but when I speak, they want to make war.
140:1 For the music director; a psalm of David.
O Lord, rescue me from wicked men!
Protect me from violent men,
140:2 who plan ways to harm me. All day long they stir up conflict.
140:3 Their tongues wound like a serpent; a viper’s venom is behind their lips. (Selah)
140:4 O Lord, shelter me from the power of the wicked!
Protect me from violent men, who plan to knock me over.
140:5 Proud men hide a snare for me; evil men spread a net by the path; they set traps for me. (Selah)
140:6 I say to the Lord, “You are my God.” O Lord, pay attention to my plea for mercy!
140:7 O sovereign Lord, my strong deliverer, you shield my head in the day of battle.
140:8 O Lord, do not let the wicked have their way!
Do not allow their plan to succeed when they attack! (Selah)
140:9 As for the heads of those who surround me – may the harm done by their lips overwhelm them!
140:10 May he rain down fiery coals upon them!
May he throw them into the fire!
From bottomless pits they will not escape.
140:11 A slanderer will not endure on the earth; calamity will hunt down a violent man and strike him down.
140:12 I know that the Lord defends the cause of the oppressed and vindicates the poor.
140:13 Certainly the godly will give thanks to your name; the morally upright will live in your presence.
141:1 A psalm of David.
O Lord, I cry out to you. Come quickly to me!
Pay attention to me when I cry out to you!
141:2 May you accept my prayer like incense, my uplifted hands like the evening offering!
141:3 O Lord, place a guard on my mouth!
Protect the opening of my lips!
141:4 Do not let me have evil desires, or participate in sinful activities with men who behave wickedly. I will not eat their delicacies.
141:5 May the godly strike me in love and correct me!
May my head not refuse choice oil!
Indeed, my prayer is a witness against their evil deeds.
141:6 They will be thrown down the side of a cliff by their judges. They will listen to my words, for they are pleasant.
141:7 As when one plows and breaks up the soil, so our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.
141:8 Surely I am looking to you, O sovereign Lord. In you I take shelter.
Do not expose me to danger!
141:9 Protect me from the snare they have laid for me, and the traps the evildoers have set.
141:10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I escape.
142:1 A well-written song by David, when he was in the cave; a prayer.
To the Lord I cry out; to the Lord I plead for mercy.
142:2 I pour out my lament before him; I tell him about my troubles.
142:3 Even when my strength leaves me, you watch my footsteps. In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me.
142:4 Look to the right and see!
No one cares about me. I have nowhere to run; no one is concerned about my life.
142:5 I cry out to you, O Lord; I say, “You are my shelter, my security in the land of the living.”
142:6 Listen to my cry for help, for I am in serious trouble!
Rescue me from those who chase me, for they are stronger than I am.
142:7 Free me from prison, that I may give thanks to your name.
Because of me the godly will assemble, for you will vindicate me.
Lord, You are not like us, You are God. Your justice and love, knowledge and wisdom are perfect. You hear our cries and intervene only in the perfect time and the perfect way. May I trust in You in all ways and at all times.
Psalm 7 – David considers the threat of Benjamin the Cush then concludes that the man would suffer for his actions.
Psalm 27 – David celebrates his certainty of the Lord’s deliverance.
Psalm 31 – David continues his celebration of confidence in the Lord.
Psalm 34 – David celebrates the Lord’s inspiration to trick Abimelech in order to escape.
Psalm 52 – David continues his celebration of escape from Abimelech and Doeg.
Psalm 56 – David recognizes the threat of the Philistines but chooses to trust the Lord to deliver him.
Psalms 120, 140, 141, 142 – David cries out for deliverance.
David knew he was God’s anointed, and he knew of the power of God, yet he often drifted back and forth from confident-trust to abject-fear.
How can a man be the recipient, or at least an observer, of the Lord deliverance and power, yet still fear man?
David always returned to confidence in God which suggests that his whining was when the Lord allowed him to express “the groanings of his heart”, in the flesh, while waiting for David to return to a more mature faith-based perspective.
When have you been under attack from ‘evil men’ and either responded to them or chose to be silent and to only communicate with the Lord God? How have the different paths turned out?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a circumstance where you are under attack by ‘man’.
Today I will choose not to respond in-kind to an ‘evil man’ who has or is attacking me, serving the enemy as his delegated-accuser, and will instead pray, read the Bible, and perhaps journal the experience and how the Lord God brings me through.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
The Death of Samuel
25:1 Samuel died, and all Israel assembled and mourned him. They buried him at his home in Ramah. Then David left and went down to the desert of Paran.
David Marries Abigail the Widow of Nabal
25:2 There was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. This man was very wealthy; he owned three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. At that time he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. 25:3 The man’s name was Nabal, and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was both wise and beautiful, but the man was harsh and his deeds were evil. He was a Calebite.
25:4 When David heard in the desert that Nabal was shearing his sheep, 25:5 he sent ten servants, saying to them, “Go up to Carmel to see Nabal and give him greetings in my name. 25:6 Then you will say to my brother, “Peace to you and your house! Peace to all that is yours! 25:7 Now I hear that they are shearing sheep for you. When your shepherds were with us, we neither insulted them nor harmed them the whole time they were in Carmel. 25:8 Ask your own servants; they can tell you! May my servants find favor in your sight, for we have come at the time of a holiday. Please provide us – your servants and your son David – with whatever you can spare.”
25:9 So David’s servants went and spoke all these words to Nabal in David’s name. Then they paused. 25:10 But Nabal responded to David’s servants, “Who is David, and who is this son of Jesse? This is a time when many servants are breaking away from their masters! 25:11 Should I take my bread and my water and my meat that I have slaughtered for my shearers and give them to these men? I don’t even know where they came from!”
25:12 So David’s servants went on their way. When they had returned, they came and told David all these things. 25:13 Then David instructed his men, “Each of you strap on your sword!” So each one strapped on his sword, and David also strapped on his sword. About four hundred men followed David up, while two hundred stayed behind with the equipment.
25:14 But one of the servants told Nabal’s wife Abigail, “David sent messengers from the desert to greet our lord, but he screamed at them. 25:15 These men were very good to us. They did not insult us, nor did we sustain any loss during the entire time we were together in the field. 25:16 Both night and day they were a protective wall for us the entire time we were with them, while we were tending our flocks. 25:17 Now be aware of this, and see what you can do. For disaster has been planned for our lord and his entire household. He is such a wicked person that no one tells him anything!”
25:18 So Abigail quickly took two hundred loaves of bread, two containers of wine, five prepared sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred bunches of raisins, and two hundred lumps of pressed figs. She loaded them on donkeys 25:19 and said to her servants, “Go on ahead of me. I will come after you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal.
25:20 Riding on her donkey, she went down under cover of the mountain. David and his men were coming down to meet her, and she encountered them. 25:21 Now David had been thinking, “In vain I guarded everything that belonged to this man in the desert. I didn’t take anything from him. But he has repaid my good with evil. 25:22 God will severely punish David, if I leave alive until morning even one male from all those who belong to him!”
25:23 When Abigail saw David, she got down quickly from the donkey, threw herself down before David, and bowed to the ground. 25:24 Falling at his feet, she said, “My lord, I accept all the guilt! But please let your female servant speak with my lord! Please listen to the words of your servant! 25:25 My lord should not pay attention to this wicked man Nabal. He simply lives up to his name! His name means ‘fool,’ and he is indeed foolish! But I, your servant, did not see the servants my lord sent.
25:26 “Now, my lord, as surely as the Lord lives and as surely as you live, it is the Lord who has kept you from shedding blood and taking matters into your own hands. Now may your enemies and those who seek to harm my lord be like Nabal. 25:27 Now let this present that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the servants who follow my lord. 25:28 Please forgive the sin of your servant, for the Lord will certainly establish the house of my lord, because my lord fights the battles of the Lord. May no evil be found in you all your days! 25:29 When someone sets out to chase you and to take your life, the life of my lord will be wrapped securely in the bag of the living by the Lord your God. But he will sling away the lives of your enemies from the sling’s pocket! 25:30 The Lord will do for my lord everything that he promised you, and he will make you a leader over Israel. 25:31 Your conscience will not be overwhelmed with guilt for having poured out innocent blood and for having taken matters into your own hands. When the Lord has granted my lord success, please remember your servant.”
25:32 Then David said to Abigail, “Praised be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you this day to meet me! 25:33 Praised be your good judgment! May you yourself be rewarded for having prevented me this day from shedding blood and taking matters into my own hands! 25:34 Otherwise, as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives – he who has prevented me from harming you – if you had not come so quickly to meet me, by morning’s light not even one male belonging to Nabal would have remained alive!” 25:35 Then David took from her hand what she had brought to him. He said to her, “Go back to your home in peace. Be assured that I have listened to you and responded favorably.”
25:36 When Abigail went back to Nabal, he was holding a banquet in his house like that of the king. Nabal was having a good time and was very intoxicated. She told him absolutely nothing until morning’s light. 25:37 In the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him about these matters. He had a stroke and was paralyzed. 25:38 After about ten days the Lord struck Nabal down and he died.
25:39 When David heard that Nabal had died, he said, “Praised be the Lord who has vindicated me and avenged the insult that I suffered from Nabal! The Lord has kept his servant from doing evil, and he has repaid Nabal for his evil deeds.” Then David sent word to Abigail and asked her to become his wife.
25:40 So the servants of David went to Abigail at Carmel and said to her, “David has sent us to you to bring you back to be his wife.” 25:41 She arose, bowed her face toward the ground, and said, “Your female servant, like a lowly servant, will wash the feet of the servants of my lord.” 25:42 Then Abigail quickly went and mounted her donkey, with five of her female servants accompanying her. She followed David’s messengers and became his wife.
25:43 David had also married Ahinoam from Jezreel; the two of them became his wives. 25:44 (Now Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to Paltiel son of Laish, who was from Gallim.)
David Spares Saul’s Life Again
26:1 The Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Isn’t David hiding on the hill of Hakilah near Jeshimon?” 26:2 So Saul arose and went down to the desert of Ziph, accompanied by three thousand select men of Israel, to look for David in the desert of Ziph. 26:3 Saul camped by the road on the hill of Hakilah near Jeshimon, but David was staying in the desert. When he realized that Saul had come to the desert to find him, 26:4 David sent scouts and verified that Saul had indeed arrived.
26:5 So David set out and went to the place where Saul was camped. David saw the place where Saul and Abner son of Ner, the general in command of his army, were sleeping. Now Saul was lying in the entrenchment, and the army was camped all around him. 26:6 David said to Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, “Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?” Abishai replied, “I will go down with you.”
26:7 So David and Abishai approached the army at night and found Saul lying asleep in the entrenchment with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. Abner and the army were lying all around him. 26:8 Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me drive the spear right through him into the ground with one swift jab! A second jab won’t be necessary!”
26:9 But David said to Abishai, “Don’t kill him! Who can extend his hand against the Lord’s chosen one and remain guiltless?” 26:10 David went on to say, “As the Lord lives, the Lord himself will strike him down. Either his day will come and he will die, or he will go down into battle and be swept away. 26:11 But may the Lord prevent me from extending my hand against the Lord’s chosen one! Now take the spear by Saul’s head and the jug of water, and let’s get out of here!” 26:12 So David took the spear and the jug of water by Saul’s head, and they got out of there. No one saw them or was aware of their presence or woke up. All of them were asleep, for the Lord had caused a deep sleep to fall on them.
26:13 Then David crossed to the other side and stood on the top of the hill some distance away; there was a considerable distance between them. 26:14 David called to the army and to Abner son of Ner, “Won’t you answer, Abner?” Abner replied, “Who are you, that you have called to the king?” 26:15 David said to Abner, “Aren’t you a man? After all, who is like you in Israel? Why then haven’t you protected your lord the king? One of the soldiers came to kill your lord the king. 26:16 This failure on your part isn’t good! As surely as the Lord lives, you people who have not protected your lord, the Lord’s chosen one, are as good as dead! Now look where the king’s spear and the jug of water that was by his head are!”
26:17 When Saul recognized David’s voice, he said, “Is that your voice, my son David?” David replied, “Yes, it’s my voice, my lord the king.” 26:18 He went on to say, “Why is my lord chasing his servant? What have I done? What wrong have I done? 26:19 So let my lord the king now listen to the words of his servant. If the Lord has incited you against me, may he take delight in an offering. But if men have instigated this, may they be cursed before the Lord! For they have driven me away this day from being united with the Lord’s inheritance, saying, ‘Go on, serve other gods!’ 26:20 Now don’t let my blood fall to the ground away from the Lord’s presence, for the king of Israel has gone out to look for a flea the way one looks for a partridge in the hill country.”
26:21 Saul replied, “I have sinned. Come back, my son David. I won’t harm you, for you treated my life with value this day. I have behaved foolishly and have made a very terrible mistake!” 26:22 David replied, “Here is the king’s spear! Let one of your servants cross over and get it. 26:23 The Lord rewards each man for his integrity and loyalty. Even though today the Lord delivered you into my hand, I was not willing to extend my hand against the Lord’s chosen one. 26:24 In the same way that I valued your life this day, may the Lord value my life and deliver me from all danger.” 26:25 Saul replied to David, “May you be rewarded, my son David! You will without question be successful!” So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.
David Aligns Himself with the Philistines
27:1 David thought to himself, “One of these days I’m going to be swept away by the hand of Saul! There is nothing better for me than to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will despair of searching for me through all the territory of Israel and I will escape from his hand.”
27:2 So David left and crossed over to King Achish son of Maoch of Gath accompanied by his six hundred men. 27:3 David settled with Achish in Gath, along with his men and their families. David had with him his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail the Carmelite, Nabal’s widow. 27:4 When Saul learned that David had fled to Gath, he did not mount a new search for him.
27:5 David said to Achish, “If I have found favor with you, let me be given a place in one of the country towns so that I can live there. Why should your servant settle in the royal city with you?” 27:6 So Achish gave him Ziklag on that day. (For that reason Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah until this very day.) 27:7 The length of time that David lived in the Philistine countryside was a year and four months.
27:8 Then David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites. (They had been living in that land for a long time, from the approach to Shur as far as the land of Egypt.) 27:9 When David would attack a district, he would leave neither man nor woman alive. He would take sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels, and clothing and would then go back to Achish. 27:10 When Achish would ask, “Where did you raid today?” David would say, “The Negev of Judah” or “The Negev of Jeharmeel” or “The Negev of the Kenites.” 27:11 Neither man nor woman would David leave alive so as to bring them back to Gath. He was thinking, “This way they can’t tell on us, saying, ‘This is what David did.’” Such was his practice the entire time that he lived in the country of the Philistines. 27:12 So Achish trusted David, thinking to himself, “He is really hated among his own people in Israel! From now on he will be my servant.”
Psalms 17, 34, 56, 63
17:1 A prayer of David. Lord, consider my just cause! Pay attention to my cry for help!
Listen to the prayer I sincerely offer!
17:2 Make a just decision on my behalf!
Decide what is right!
17:3 You have scrutinized my inner motives; you have examined me during the night. You have carefully evaluated me, but you find no sin. I am determined I will say nothing sinful.
17:4 As for the actions of people – just as you have commanded, I have not followed in the footsteps of violent men.
17:5 I carefully obey your commands; I do not deviate from them.
17:6 I call to you for you will answer me, O God. Listen to me!
Hear what I say!
17:7 Accomplish awesome, faithful deeds, you who powerfully deliver those who look to you for protection from their enemies.
17:8 Protect me as you would protect the pupil of your eye!
Hide me in the shadow of your wings!
17:9 Protect me from the wicked men who attack me, my enemies who crowd around me for the kill.
17:10 They are calloused; they speak arrogantly.
17:11 They attack me, now they surround me; they intend to throw me to the ground.
17:12 He is like a lion that wants to tear its prey to bits, like a young lion crouching in hidden places.
17:13 Rise up, Lord!
Confront him! Knock him down!
Use your sword to rescue me from the wicked man!
17:14 Lord, use your power to deliver me from these murderers, from the murderers of this world!
They enjoy prosperity; you overwhelm them with the riches they desire.
They have many children, and leave their wealth to their offspring.
17:15 As for me, because I am innocent I will see your face; when I awake you will reveal yourself to me.
35:1 By David.
O Lord, fight those who fight with me!
Attack those who attack me!
35:2 Grab your small shield and large shield, and rise up to help me!
35:3 Use your spear and lance against those who chase me!
Assure me with these words: “I am your deliverer!”
35:4 May those who seek my life be embarrassed and humiliated!
May those who plan to harm me be turned back and ashamed!
35:5 May they be like wind-driven chaff, as the Lord’s angel attacks them!
35:6 May their path be dark and slippery, as the Lord’s angel chases them!
35:7 I did not harm them, but they hid a net to catch me and dug a pit to trap me.
35:8 Let destruction take them by surprise!
Let the net they hid catch them!
Let them fall into destruction!
35:9 Then I will rejoice in the Lord and be happy because of his deliverance.
35:10 With all my strength I will say, “O Lord, who can compare to you?
You rescue the oppressed from those who try to overpower them; the oppressed and needy from those who try to rob them.”
35:11 Violent men perjure themselves, and falsely accuse me.
35:12 They repay me evil for the good I have done; I am overwhelmed with sorrow.
35:13 When they were sick, I wore sackcloth, and refrained from eating food. (If I am lying, may my prayers go unanswered!)
35:14 I mourned for them as I would for a friend or my brother. I bowed down in sorrow as if I were mourning for my mother.
35:15 But when I stumbled, they rejoiced and gathered together; they gathered together to ambush me. They tore at me without stopping to rest.
35:16 When I tripped, they taunted me relentlessly, and tried to bite me.
35:17 O Lord, how long are you going to just stand there and watch this?
Rescue me from their destructive attacks; guard my life from the young lions!
35:18 Then I will give you thanks in the great assembly; I will praise you before a large crowd of people!
35:19 Do not let those who are my enemies for no reason gloat over me!
Do not let those who hate me without cause carry out their wicked schemes!
35:20 For they do not try to make peace with others, but plan ways to deceive those who are unsuspecting.
35:21 They are ready to devour me; they say, “Aha! Aha! We’ve got you!”
35:22 But you take notice, Lord!
O Lord, do not remain far away from me!
35:23 Rouse yourself, wake up and vindicate me!
My God and Lord, defend my just cause!
35:24 Vindicate me by your justice, O Lord my God!
Do not let them gloat over me!
35:25 Do not let them say to themselves, “Aha! We have what we wanted!”
Do not let them say, “We have devoured him!”
35:26 May those who want to harm me be totally embarrassed and ashamed!
May those who arrogantly taunt me be covered with shame and humiliation!
35:27 May those who desire my vindication shout for joy and rejoice!
May they continually say, “May the Lord be praised, for he wants his servant to be secure.”
35:28 Then I will tell others about your justice, and praise you all day long.
54:1 For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a well-written song by David. It was written when the Ziphites came and informed Saul: “David is hiding with us.”
O God, deliver me by your name!
Vindicate me by your power!
54:2 O God, listen to my prayer!
Pay attention to what I say!
54:3 For foreigners attack me; ruthless men, who do not respect God, seek my life. (Selah)
54:4 Look, God is my deliverer!
The Lord is among those who support me.
54:5 May those who wait to ambush me be repaid for their evil!
As a demonstration of your faithfulness, destroy them!
54:6 With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you!
I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good!
54:7 Surely he rescues me from all trouble, and I triumph over my enemies.
63:1 A psalm of David, written when he was in the Judean wilderness.
O God, you are my God! I long for you!
My soul thirsts for you, my flesh yearns for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.
63:2 Yes, in the sanctuary I have seen you, and witnessed your power and splendor.
63:3 Because experiencing your loyal love is better than life itself, my lips will praise you.
63:4 For this reason I will praise you while I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.
63:5 As if with choice meat you satisfy my soul. My mouth joyfully praises you,
63:6 whenever I remember you on my bed, and think about you during the nighttime hours.
63:7 For you are my deliverer; under your wings I rejoice.
63:8 My soul pursues you; your right hand upholds me.
63:9 Enemies seek to destroy my life, but they will descend into the depths of the earth.
63:10 Each one will be handed over to the sword; their corpses will be eaten by jackals.
63:11 But the king will rejoice in God; everyone who takes oaths in his name will boast, for the mouths of those who speak lies will be shut up.
1 Samuel 28 - 31
The Witch of Endor
28:1 In those days the Philistines gathered their troops for war in order to fight Israel. Achish said to David, “You should fully understand that you and your men must go with me into the battle.” 28:2 David replied to Achish, “That being the case, you will come to know what your servant can do!” Achish said to David, “Then I will make you my bodyguard from now on.”
28:3 Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had lamented over him and had buried him in Ramah, his hometown. In the meantime Saul had removed the mediums and magicians from the land. 28:4 The Philistines assembled; they came and camped at Shunem. Saul mustered all Israel and camped at Gilboa. 28:5 When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was absolutely terrified. 28:6 So Saul inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him – not by dreams nor by Urim nor by the prophets. 28:7 So Saul instructed his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so that I may go to her and inquire of her.” His servants replied to him, “There is a woman who is a medium in Endor.”
28:8 So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothing and left, accompanied by two of his men. They came to the woman at night and said, “Use your ritual pit to conjure up for me the one I tell you.”
28:9 But the woman said to him, “Look, you are aware of what Saul has done; he has removed the mediums and magicians from the land! Why are you trapping me so you can put me to death?” 28:10 But Saul swore an oath to her by the Lord, “As surely as the Lord lives, you will not incur guilt in this matter!” 28:11 The woman replied, “Who is it that I should bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up for me Samuel.”
28:12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out loudly. The woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!” 28:13 The king said to her, “Don’t be afraid! What have you seen?” The woman replied to Saul, “I have seen one like a god coming up from the ground!” 28:14 He said to her, “What about his appearance?” She said, “An old man is coming up! He is wrapped in a robe!”
Then Saul realized it was Samuel, and he bowed his face toward the ground and kneeled down. 28:15 Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul replied, “I am terribly troubled! The Philistines are fighting against me and God has turned away from me. He does not answer me – not by the prophets nor by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what I should do.”
28:16 Samuel said, “Why are you asking me, now that the Lord has turned away from you and has become your enemy? 28:17 The Lord has done exactly as I prophesied! The Lord has torn the kingdom from your hand and has given it to your neighbor David! 28:18 Since you did not obey the Lord and did not carry out his fierce anger against the Amalekites, the Lord has done this thing to you today. 28:19 The Lord will hand you and Israel over to the Philistines! Tomorrow both you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will also hand the army of Israel over to the Philistines!”
28:20 Saul quickly fell full length on the ground and was very afraid because of Samuel’s words. He was completely drained of energy, not having eaten anything all that day and night. 28:21 When the woman came to Saul and saw how terrified he was, she said to him, “Your servant has done what you asked. I took my life into my own hands and did what you told me. 28:22 Now it’s your turn to listen to your servant! Let me set before you a bit of bread so that you can eat. When you regain your strength, you can go on your way.”
28:23 But he refused, saying, “I won’t eat!” Both his servants and the woman urged him to eat, so he gave in. He got up from the ground and sat down on the bed. 28:24 Now the woman had a well-fed calf at her home that she quickly slaughtered. Taking some flour, she kneaded bread and baked it without leaven. 28:25 She brought it to Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they arose and left that same night.
David Is Rejected by the Philistine Leaders
29:1 The Philistines assembled all their troops at Aphek, while Israel camped at the spring that is in Jezreel. 29:2 When the leaders of the Philistines were passing in review at the head of their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men were passing in review in the rear with Achish.
29:3 The leaders of the Philistines asked, “What about these Hebrews?” Achish said to the leaders of the Philistines, “Isn’t this David, the servant of King Saul of Israel, who has been with me for quite some time? I have found no fault with him from the day of his defection until the present time!”
29:4 But the leaders of the Philistines became angry with him and said to him, “Send the man back! Let him return to the place that you assigned him! Don’t let him go down with us into the battle, for he might become our adversary in the battle. What better way to please his lord than with the heads of these men? 29:5 Isn’t this David, of whom they sang as they danced,
‘Saul has struck down his thousands,
but David his tens of thousands’?”
29:6 So Achish summoned David and said to him, “As surely as the Lord lives, you are an honest man, and I am glad to have you serving with me in the army. I have found no fault with you from the day that you first came to me until the present time. But in the opinion of the leaders, you are not reliable. 29:7 So turn and leave in peace. You must not do anything that the leaders of the Philistines consider improper!”
29:8 But David said to Achish, “What have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day that I first came into your presence until the present time, that I shouldn’t go and fight the enemies of my lord the king?” 29:9 Achish replied to David, “I am convinced that you are as reliable as the angel of God! However, the leaders of the Philistines have said, ‘He must not go up with us in the battle.’ 29:10 So get up early in the morning along with the servants of your lord who have come with you. When you get up early in the morning, as soon as it is light enough to see, leave.”
29:11 So David and his men got up early in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines, but the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
David Defeats the Amalekites
30:1 On the third day David and his men came to Ziklag. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They attacked Ziklag and burned it. 30:2 They took captive the women who were in it, from the youngest to the oldest, but they did not kill anyone. They simply carried them off and went on their way.
30:3 When David and his men came to the city, they found it burned. Their wives, sons, and daughters had been taken captive. 30:4 Then David and the men who were with him wept loudly until they could weep no more. 30:5 David’s two wives had been taken captive – Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail the Carmelite, Nabal’s widow. 30:6 David was very upset, for the men were thinking of stoning him; each man grieved bitterly over his sons and daughters. But David drew strength from the Lord his God.
30:7 Then David said to the priest Abiathar son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. 30:8 David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Should I pursue this raiding band? Will I overtake them?” He said to him, “Pursue, for you will certainly overtake them and carry out a rescue!”
30:9 So David went, accompanied by his six hundred men. When he came to the Wadi Besor, those who were in the rear stayed there. 30:10 David and four hundred men continued the pursuit, but two hundred men who were too exhausted to cross the Wadi Besor stayed there.
30:11 Then they found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David. They gave him bread to eat and water to drink. 30:12 They gave him a slice of pressed figs and two bunches of raisins to eat. This greatly refreshed him, for he had not eaten food or drunk water for three days and three nights. 30:13 David said to him, “To whom do you belong, and where are you from?” The young man said, “I am an Egyptian, the servant of an Amalekite man. My master abandoned me when I was ill for three days. 30:14 We conducted a raid on the Negev of the Kerethites, on the area of Judah, and on the Negev of Caleb. We burned Ziklag.” 30:15 David said to him, “Can you take us down to this raiding party?” He said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or hand me over to my master, and I will take you down to this raiding party.”
30:16 So he took David down, and they found them spread out over the land. They were eating and drinking and enjoying themselves because of all the loot they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. 30:17 But David struck them down from twilight until the following evening. None of them escaped, with the exception of four hundred young men who got away on camels. 30:18 David retrieved everything the Amalekites had taken; he also rescued his two wives. 30:19 There was nothing missing, whether small or great. He retrieved sons and daughters, the plunder, and everything else they had taken. David brought everything back. 30:20 David took all the flocks and herds and drove them in front of the rest of the animals. People were saying, “This is David’s plunder!”
30:21 Then David approached the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to go with him, those whom they had left at the Wadi Besor. They went out to meet David and the people who were with him. When David approached the people, he asked how they were doing. 30:22 But all the evil and worthless men among those who had gone with David said, “Since they didn’t go with us, we won’t give them any of the loot we retrieved! They may take only their wives and children. Let them lead them away and be gone!”
30:23 But David said, “No! You shouldn’t do this, my brothers. Look at what the Lord has given us! He has protected us and has delivered into our hands the raiding party that came against us. 30:24 Who will listen to you in this matter? The portion of the one who went down into the battle will be the same as the portion of the one who remained with the equipment! Let their portions be the same!”
30:25 From that time onward it was a binding ordinance for Israel, right up to the present time.
30:26 When David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah who were his friends, saying, “Here’s a gift for you from the looting of the Lord’s enemies!” 30:27 The gift was for those in the following locations: for those in Bethel, Ramoth Negev, and Jattir; 30:28 for those in Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa, 30:29 and Racal; for those in the cities of the Jerahmeelites and Kenites; 30:30 for those in Hormah, Bor Ashan, Athach, 30:31 and Hebron; and for those in whatever other places David and his men had traveled.
The Death of Saul
31:1 Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel. The men of Israel fled from the Philistines and many of them fell dead on Mount Gilboa. 31:2 The Philistines stayed right on the heels of Saul and his sons. They struck down Saul’s sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua. 31:3 Saul himself was in the thick of the battle; the archers spotted him and wounded him severely.
31:4 Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and stab me with it! Otherwise these uncircumcised people will come, stab me, and torture me.” But his armor bearer refused to do it, because he was very afraid. So Saul took his sword and fell on it. 31:5 When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his own sword and died with him. 31:6 So Saul, his three sons, his armor bearer, and all his men died together that day.
31:7 When the men of Israel who were in the valley and across the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the cities and fled. The Philistines came and occupied them.
31:8 The next day, when the Philistines came to strip loot from the corpses, they discovered Saul and his three sons lying dead on Mount Gilboa. 31:9 They cut off Saul’s head and stripped him of his armor. They sent messengers to announce the news in the temple of their idols and among their people throughout the surrounding land of the Philistines. 31:10 They placed Saul’s armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths and hung his corpse on the city wall of Beth Shan.
31:11 When the residents of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 31:12 all their warriors set out and traveled throughout the night. They took Saul’s corpse and the corpses of his sons from the city wall of Beth Shan and went to Jabesh, where they burned them. 31:13 They took the bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh; then they fasted for seven days.
Lord, vengeance is Yours, not ours. May I be found obedient enough to resist the trap of the enemy that is rage-driven revenge and instead leave that to You. Lord, You empower us to choose to give to You what is Yours, including our obedience and Your sole right to vengeance. May I have the wisdom to refrain from usurping you in my life, especially when I am angry, fearful, or hurt. Lord, You provide a safe haven for those whom You have called to serve You, and You may even use the foolishness of unbelievers as Your tools. May I trust You to always meet my real needs. Lord, You have warned us against witchcraft in any and all forms. May I be faithful in living and teaching Your truth which protects us against the deceptions of the evil one via cleverly promoted and popularized versions of witchcraft. Lord, when those who are obediently Yours are harmed, You restore them beyond what they first possessed. May I be faithful that You might keep and increase me despite my enemies so that I may have more resources with which to serve You. Lord, sometimes You express Your permissive will, allowing humankind to make choices and deal with the consequences, and sometimes You declare a certain path and it is always done. May I pray and study, gaining knowledge and understanding so that Your Holy Spirit will grant me the wisdom to recognize the difference.
1 Samuel 25-27 -
Samuel died and was buried and mourned.
David traveled to the desert of Paran near Carmel. There he and his men provided protection for some shepherds whose flocks belong to a man named Nabal.
When the time of an OT holiday had come when those who had much were to give to those who had little David sent messengers to Nabal requesting some resources for his men.
Nabal yelled at them and refused to honor their request despite the testimony of his own people that David and his men had respected their property and provided protection without any prior compensation.
David became angry at the news and set out to kill Nabal and all of his men for the disrespect both for his men and for the requirements of the holiday.
Nabal’s wife, more noble and wise than he, heard of David’s intentions and intercepted him. She apologized for her husbands foolishness and offered a large amount of food – without Nabal’s knowledge. She stated that the Lord God had sent her to keep David from taking upon himself the blood of a fool – and that the Lord God would deal with Nabal.
Later, Nabal was drunk and she told him what had happened, and had a stroke and 10 days later he died. David married his widow, making her his second wife-in-exile. Michal had been given to another man by Saul.
Once again the foolish Saul marched 3,000 men out to attack David. David heard of his coming and had his men locate his camp.
David took one volunteer and snuck into Saul’s camp at night – the Lord God had caused all of the men to sleep unusually deeply. While they could have killed Saul with his own spear, David again decided to let the Lord God deal with him, so they instead took his spear and his water container and left.
David then called out to Abner, Saul’s closest General, to taunt him for not protecting Saul. When Saul heard David’s voice he called to him. David again explained that he could have killed Saul but that he felt that would be wrong – because Saul was the Lord God’s anointed.
David challenged Saul to justify his effort to kill him, and Saul confessed once-again that he was wrong in doing so and that David would be blessed in all that he did, so Saul returned home and David to his stronghold.
The Philistines were the mortal enemies of Israel and had they been faithful when they took the Promised Land the tribes with whom they had striven for generations would have been obliterated.
David tired of being chased in Israel by Saul so he migrated to Philistine territory for a while with the permission of King Achish son of Maoch of Gath. They knew that he was at-odds with Saul, and that David had re-married outside of the royal family, therefore they trusted him.
David took advantage of their trust and from the small city they gave to him ran raiding parties against Philistine villages, killing everyone to cover his tracks, and bring back the spoils as if they came from battles with supporters of Saul.
Psalms 17, 35, 54, 63 – David presented imprecatory prayers to the Lord, pleading with him to obliterate his enemies.
1 Samuel 28-31 - The Philistines gathered to make full-scale war against Israel. Saul was terrified at the sight of them and tried to consult the Lord God but “... the Lord did not answer him – not by dreams nor by Urim nor by the prophets” – Saul’s prior rebellion had created a rift in his relationship with God.
The term “Urim” is often paired with the word “Thummin” and refer to stones used in a loosely described means to discern God’s will via lot; the stones are rolled and how they come up provides a simple answer or non-answer. There are multiple references to them in the OT.
Saul, desperate for some insight then calls for his advisors to locate a witch, despite his edit that they be driven out of Israel following the death of Samuel. The text provides no explanation as to why Saul would take such an action but one may speculate that it may have been an act of respect toward the deceased Samuel.
Saul disguised himself and asked a suspicious and fearful witch to conjure-up Samuel. The witch was terrified when she saw a vision of Samuel and then realized that the man was Saul – but he reassured her that she was safe.
There are several difficult questions raised in this text; Can a witch really raise the spirit of a dead person and cause them to appear as a vision and communicate? If so, what of the Biblical teaching that none may communicate with the dead, and that when one sees a being claiming to be a dead person it is a deceiving demon? If it was not Samuel what/who was it? The vision claimed to be Samuel and did give a correct rendering of Samuel’s past prophesy and of the events to come. What does this mean to those who assert that the dead in Christ are immediately in Heaven? Does it mean that in linear time they are not, they must await the Great Judgment, but in the timeless reality of the Lord God (time itself was created by God for us, He is not controlled or limited by it) they are?
It is not the purpose of these survey-type studies to fully address and resolve such matters but it is important that we be aware of them and trust the Lord God to reveal to us what we know when we truly need to know – and to be content with that.
As the Philistines gathered to do war with Saul they decided to not allow David to join them. He protested but even though his host, King Achish, thought him faithful (since he did not know of David’s raiding parties) the other Philistine leaders did not trust him.
While they were away from their temporary home in Philistine country the Amalekites raided, burning everything and taking the people, women and children and elderly. David’s band of men were angry and upset but he consulted the Lord God Who said to go after them.
They caught up with the Amalekites and destroyed all but 400 young fighters who escaped on camels. They not only recovered everything that was taken from them but much more plunder that the Amalekites had gathered.
Two hundred of David’s six hundred had been too exhausted to finish the chase but David insisted that the plunder be evenly divided. He also have some of the plunder to those who were friendly to him in Israel.
Saul went to war with the Philistines without the blessing and protection of the Lord God, indeed God had prophesied through a vision of Samuel that he and his sons would be killed and his army fall to the enemy.
As prophesied Saul’s sons were killed, as was Saul, and Saul was decapitated. His body (head and torso) and that of his sons were hung on the city wall of Beth Shan.
Israelites in Jabesh Gilead, apparently not involved in the battle, heard what had been done with the bodies and traveled by night to recover and burn the bodies, then they fasted for seven days.
David could be very impetuous and did not always consult the Lord God before he acted, his decision to kill Nabal displaced God’s role as the exacter of vengeance; Nabal’s wife led David to turn away from trying to control Nabal’s fate and to let God do it instead. David had every right to kill Saul and the Lord God gave him the opportunity. David had to make a choice, one that was designed to test and to build his character. Since the Israelites were in a continuous state of war with the Philistines David was under no obligation to assist them in any way, and he was free to deceive and to destroy, as an act of war. Saul continued to make impulsive and wrong decisions. First he banned witches then, when in need – because he was estranged from the Lord - he violated his own rule and consulted one. David had done such a good job of covering his tracks from secret raids that King Achish was willing to vouch for him to his fellow Philistines. Saul was doomed from the moment his final battle began because the Lord God had decided that his time as king had ended.
If not by the prompting of the Lord God why would Nabal’s wife have cared if David killed him and his men, surely their household was somewhat wealthy - and given the description that Abigail was beautiful and wise she would have had little difficulty finding another husband (probably not as foolish and harsh as Nabal) and workers? David did not take Saul up on his request to come to where he was, could it have been because David knew that because of the influence of “evil spirits” that Saul’s temperament was too erratic to trust? Isn’t it encouraging that while the Lord God allowed the temporary homes of David and his men to be destroyed and their families and possessions taken He prevented the Amalekites from killing any of them and then blessed David by returning everything and a lot more?
Saul continued his rebellious abuse of power, parting those whom the Lord God had brought together in marriage (David and Michal), and giving Michal to another man. The Philistine leaders understood the depth of tribal loyalty among the Israelites and therefore distrusted David. The Lord God allowed the pagan Philistines, bent only upon destruction, to serve as His instrument to remove Saul from leadership.
When have you been rescued from an impetuous decision by a more mature person? When have you had to deal with someone in authority who frequently changed directions and sometimes in very contradictory ways? When have you suffered an unexpected loss but had it restored and even more? When have you experienced or observed the Lord God working His will in the lives of His people through the instrument of non-believers?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you need to either turn-away or be His instrument in leading another to turn-away from a poor decision and to reveal to you a place where you may need to turn away from trying to “get even” for some perceived slight or wrongful treatment.
Today I will confess and accept the Lord God’s forgiveness for my wrong choice(s). I will repent, turn-away, and walk the more difficult path – but one in agreement with the Lord’s teaching and not that of the world. The bad choice may be self-medicating with adrenaline-risks, alcohol, drugs, gambling, sex, spending, or violence as a way to cope with difficulties, or it may be selling-out to the various forms of witchcraft that have invaded modern Western society at a level not experienced since the Dark Ages. I will trust the Lord God in prayer with whatever loss I have suffered. I will wait on Him to discover how He will make something good from the bad. It may be a testimony during the sadness of a death, maturity gained in a troubled period in relationships, a new (and perhaps different) start where prior employment or other activity has ended, or an actual restoration and improvement in possessions. In everything I will give God all of the glory.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
18:1 For the music director; by the Lord’s servant David, who sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord rescued him from the power of all his enemies, including Saul.
He said: “I love you, Lord, my source of strength!
18:2 The Lord is my high ridge, my stronghold, my deliverer. My God is my rocky summit where I take shelter, my shield, the horn that saves me, and my refuge.
18:3 I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I was delivered from my enemies.
18:4 The waves of death engulfed me, the currents of chaos overwhelmed me.
18:5 The ropes of Sheol tightened around me, the snares of death trapped me.
18:6 In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried out to my God. From his heavenly temple he heard my voice; he listened to my cry for help.
18:7 The earth heaved and shook; the roots of the mountains trembled; they heaved because he was angry.
18:8 Smoke ascended from his nose; fire devoured as it came from his mouth; he hurled down fiery coals.
18:9 He made the sky sink as he descended; a thick cloud was under his feet.
18:10 He mounted a winged angel and flew; he glided on the wings of the wind.
18:11 He shrouded himself in darkness, in thick rain clouds.
18:12 From the brightness in front of him came hail and fiery coals.
18:13 The Lord thundered in the sky; the sovereign One shouted.
18:14 He shot his arrows and scattered them, many lightning bolts and routed them.
18:15 The depths of the sea were exposed; the inner regions of the world were uncovered by your battle cry, Lord, by the powerful breath from your nose.
18:16 He reached down from above and took hold of me; he pulled me from the surging water.
18:17 He rescued me from my strong enemy, from those who hate me, for they were too strong for me.
18:18 They confronted me in my day of calamity, but the Lord helped me.
18:19 He brought me out into a wide open place; he delivered me because he was pleased with me.
18:20 The Lord repaid me for my godly deeds; he rewarded my blameless behavior.
18:21 For I have obeyed the Lord’s commands; I have not rebelled against my God.
18:22 For I am aware of all his regulations, and I do not reject his rules.
18:23 I was innocent before him, and kept myself from sinning.
18:24 The Lord rewarded me for my godly deeds; he took notice of my blameless behavior.
18:25 You prove to be loyal to one who is faithful; you prove to be trustworthy to one who is innocent.
18:26 You prove to be reliable to one who is blameless, but you prove to be deceptive to one who is perverse.
18:27 For you deliver oppressed people, but you bring down those who have a proud look.
18:28 Indeed, you are my lamp, Lord. My God illuminates the darkness around me.
18:29 Indeed, with your help I can charge against an army; by my God’s power I can jump over a wall.
18:30 The one true God acts in a faithful manner; the Lord’s promise is reliable; he is a shield to all who take shelter in him.
18:31 Indeed, who is God besides the Lord?
Who is a protector besides our God?
18:32 The one true God gives me strength; he removes the obstacles in my way.
18:33 He gives me the agility of a deer; he enables me to negotiate the rugged terrain.
18:34 He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend even the strongest bow.
18:35 You give me your protective shield; your right hand supports me; your willingness to help enables me to prevail.
18:36 You widen my path; my feet do not slip.
18:37 I chase my enemies and catch them; I do not turn back until I wipe them out.
18:38 I beat them to death; they fall at my feet.
18:39 You give me strength for battle; you make my foes kneel before me.
18:40 You make my enemies retreat; I destroy those who hate me.
18:41 They cry out, but there is no one to help them; they cry out to the Lord, but he does not answer them.
18:42 I grind them as fine windblown dust; I beat them underfoot like clay in the streets.
18:43 You rescue me from a hostile army; you make me a leader of nations; people over whom I had no authority are now my subjects.
18:44 When they hear of my exploits, they submit to me. Foreigners are powerless before me;
18:45 foreigners lose their courage; they shake with fear as they leave their strongholds.
18:46 The Lord is alive!
My protector is praiseworthy!
The God who delivers me is exalted as king!
18:47 The one true God completely vindicates me; he makes nations submit to me.
18:48 He delivers me from my enemies; you snatch me away from those who attack me; you rescue me from violent men.
18:49 So I will give you thanks before the nations, O Lord!
I will sing praises to you!
18:50 He gives his chosen king magnificent victories; he is faithful to his chosen ruler, to David and his descendants forever.”
121:1 A song of ascents.
I look up toward the hills.
From where does my help come?
121:2 My help comes from the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth!
121:3 May he not allow your foot to slip!
May your protector not sleep!
121:4 Look! Israel’s protector does not sleep or slumber!
121:5 The Lord is your protector; the Lord is the shade at your right hand.
121:6 The sun will not harm you by day, or the moon by night.
121:7 The Lord will protect you from all harm; he will protect your life.
121:8 The Lord will protect you in all you do, now and forevermore.
123:1 A song of ascents.
I look up toward you, the one enthroned in heaven.
123:2 Look, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a female servant look to the hand of her mistress, so my eyes will look to the Lord, our God, until he shows us favor.
123:3 Show us favor, O Lord, show us favor!
For we have had our fill of humiliation, and then some.
123:4 We have had our fill of the taunts of the self-assured, of the contempt of the proud.
124:1 A song of ascents, by David.
“If the Lord had not been on our side” – let Israel say this! –
124:2 if the Lord had not been on our side, when men attacked us,
124:3 they would have swallowed us alive, when their anger raged against us.
124:4 The water would have overpowered us; the current would have overwhelmed us.
124:5 The raging water would have overwhelmed us.
124:6 The Lord deserves praise, for he did not hand us over as prey to their teeth.
124:7 We escaped with our lives, like a bird from a hunter’s snare. The snare broke, and we escaped.
124:8 Our deliverer is the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth.
125:1 A song of ascents.
Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion; it cannot be upended and will endure forever.
125:2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, now and forevermore.
125:3 Indeed, the scepter of a wicked king will not settle upon the allotted land of the godly. Otherwise the godly might do what is wrong.
125:4 Do good, O Lord, to those who are good, to the morally upright!
125:5 As for those who are bent on traveling a sinful path, may the Lord remove them, along with those who behave wickedly!
May Israel experience peace!
128:1 A song of ascents.
How blessed is every one of the Lord’s loyal followers, each one who keeps his commands!
128:2 You will eat what you worked so hard to grow. You will be blessed and secure.
128:3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine in the inner rooms of your house; your children will be like olive branches, as they sit all around your table.
128:4 Yes indeed, the man who fears the Lord will be blessed in this way.
128:5 May the Lord bless you from Zion, that you might see Jerusalem prosper all the days of your life,
128:6 and that you might see your grandchildren.
May Israel experience peace!
129:1 A song of ascents.
“Since my youth they have often attacked me,” let Israel say.
129:2 “Since my youth they have often attacked me, but they have not defeated me.
129:3 The plowers plowed my back; they made their furrows long.
129:4 The Lord is just; he cut the ropes of the wicked.”
129:5 May all who hate Zion be humiliated and turned back!
129:6 May they be like the grass on the rooftops which withers before one can even pull it up,
129:7 which cannot fill the reaper’s hand, or the lap of the one who gathers the grain!
129:8 Those who pass by will not say, “May you experience the Lord’s blessing!
We pronounce a blessing on you in the name of the Lord.”
130:1 A song of ascents.
From the deep water I cry out to you, O Lord.
130:2 O Lord, listen to me!
Pay attention to my plea for mercy!
130:3 If you, O Lord, were to keep track of sins, O Lord, who could stand before you?
130:4 But you are willing to forgive, so that you might be honored.
130:5 I rely on the Lord, I rely on him with my whole being; I wait for his assuring word.
130:6 I yearn for the Lord, more than watchmen do for the morning, yes, more than watchmen do for the morning.
130:7 O Israel, hope in the Lord, for the Lord exhibits loyal love, and is more than willing to deliver.
130:8 He will deliver Israel from all the consequences of their sins.
David Learns of the Deaths of Saul and Jonathan
1:1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned from defeating the Amalekites, he stayed at Ziklag for two days. 1:2 On the third day a man arrived from the camp of Saul with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. When he approached David, the man threw himself to the ground.
1:3 David asked him, “Where are you coming from?” He replied, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” 1:4 David inquired, “How were things going? Tell me!” He replied, “The people fled from the battle and many of them fell dead. Even Saul and his son Jonathan are dead!” 1:5 David said to the young man who was telling him this, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 1:6 The young man who was telling him this said, “I just happened to be on Mount Gilboa and came across Saul leaning on his spear for support. The chariots and leaders of the horsemen were in hot pursuit of him. 1:7 When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me. I answered, ‘Here I am!’ 1:8 He asked me, ‘Who are you?’ I told him, ‘I’m an Amalekite.’ 1:9 He said to me, ‘Stand over me and finish me off! I’m very dizzy, even though I’m still alive.’ 1:10 So I stood over him and put him to death, since I knew that he couldn’t live in such a condition. Then I took the crown which was on his head and the bracelet which was on his arm. I have brought them here to my lord.”
1:11 David then grabbed his own clothes and tore them, as did all the men who were with him. 1:12 They lamented and wept and fasted until evening because Saul, his son Jonathan, the Lord’s people, and the house of Israel had fallen by the sword.
1:13 David said to the young man who told this to him, “Where are you from?” He replied, “I am an Amalekite, the son of a resident foreigner.” 1:14 David replied to him, “How is it that you were not afraid to reach out your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” 1:15 Then David called one of the soldiers and said, “Come here and strike him down!” So he struck him down, and he died. 1:16 David said to him, “Your blood be on your own head! Your own mouth has testified against you, saying ‘I have put the Lord’s anointed to death.’”
David’s Tribute to Saul and Jonathan
1:17 Then David chanted this lament over Saul and his son Jonathan. 1:18 (He gave instructions that the people of Judah should be taught “The Bow.” Indeed, it is written down in the Book of Yashar.)
1:19 The beauty of Israel lies slain on your high places!
How the mighty have fallen!
1:20 Don’t report it in Gath,
don’t spread the news in the streets of Ashkelon,
or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice,
the daughters of the uncircumcised will celebrate!
1:21 O mountains of Gilboa,
may there be no dew or rain on you, nor fields of grain offerings!
For it was there that the shield of warriors was defiled;
the shield of Saul lies neglected without oil.
1:22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of warriors,
the bow of Jonathan was not turned away.
The sword of Saul never returned empty.
1:23 Saul and Jonathan were greatly loved during their lives,
and not even in their deaths were they separated.
They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.
1:24 O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
who clothed you in scarlet as well as jewelry,
who put gold jewelry on your clothes.
1:25 How the warriors have fallen
in the midst of battle!
Jonathan lies slain on your high places!
1:26 I grieve over you, my brother Jonathan!
You were very dear to me.
Your love was more special to me than the love of women.
1:27 How the warriors have fallen!
The weapons of war are destroyed!
David is Anointed King
2:1 Afterward David inquired of the Lord, “Should I go up to one of the cities of Judah?” The Lord told him, “Go up.” David asked, “Where should I go?” The Lord replied, “To Hebron.” 2:2 So David went up, along with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail, formerly the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 2:3 David also brought along the men who were with him, each with his family. They settled in the cities of Hebron. 2:4 The men of Judah came and there they anointed David as king over the people of Judah.
David was told, “The people of Jabesh Gilead are the ones who buried Saul.” 2:5 So David sent messengers to the people of Jabesh Gilead and told them, “May you be blessed by the Lord because you have shown this kindness to your lord Saul by burying him. 2:6 Now may the Lord show you true kindness! I also will reward you, because you have done this deed. 2:7 Now be courageous and prove to be valiant warriors, for your lord Saul is dead. The people of Judah have anointed me as king over them.”
David’s Army Clashes with the Army of Saul
2:8 Now Abner son of Ner, the general in command of Saul’s army, had taken Saul’s son Ish-bosheth and had brought him to Mahanaim. 2:9 He appointed him king over Gilead, the Geshurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and all Israel. 2:10 Ish-bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he began to rule over Israel. He ruled two years. However, the people of Judah followed David. 2:11 David was king in Hebron over the people of Judah for seven and a half years.
2:12 Then Abner son of Ner and the servants of Ish-bosheth son of Saul went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 2:13 Joab son of Zeruiah and the servants of David also went out and confronted them at the pool of Gibeon. One group stationed themselves on one side of the pool, and the other group on the other side of the pool. 2:14 Abner said to Joab, “Let the soldiers get up and fight before us.” Joab said, “So be it!”
2:15 So they got up and crossed over by number: twelve belonging to Benjamin and to Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David. 2:16 As they grappled with one another, each one stabbed his opponent with his sword and they fell dead together. So that place is called the Field of Flints; it is in Gibeon.
2:17 Now the battle was very severe that day; Abner and the men of Israel were overcome by David’s soldiers. 2:18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there – Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. (Now Asahel was as quick on his feet as one of the gazelles in the field.) 2:19 Asahel chased Abner, without turning to the right or to the left as he followed Abner.
2:20 Then Abner turned and asked, “Is that you, Asahel?” He replied, “Yes it is!” 2:21 Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right or to your left. Capture one of the soldiers and take his equipment for yourself!” But Asahel was not willing to turn aside from following him. 2:22 So Abner spoke again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me! I do not want to strike you to the ground. How then could I show my face in the presence of Joab your brother?” 2:23 But Asahel refused to turn aside. So Abner struck him in the abdomen with the back end of his spear. The spear came out his back; Asahel collapsed on the spot and died there right before Abner. Everyone who now comes to the place where Asahel fell dead pauses in respect.
2:24 So Joab and Abishai chased Abner. At sunset they came to the hill of Ammah near Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon. 2:25 The Benjaminites formed their ranks behind Abner and were like a single army, standing at the top of a certain hill.
2:26 Then Abner called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize that this will turn bitter in the end? When will you tell the people to turn aside from pursuing their brothers?” 2:27 Joab replied, “As surely as God lives, if you had not said this, it would have been morning before the people would have abandoned pursuit of their brothers!” 2:28 Then Joab blew the ram’s horn and all the people stopped in their tracks. They stopped chasing Israel and ceased fighting. 2:29 Abner and his men went through the Arabah all that night. They crossed the Jordan River and went through the whole region of Bitron and came to Mahanaim.
2:30 Now Joab returned from chasing Abner and assembled all the people. Nineteen of David’s soldiers were missing, in addition to Asahel. 2:31 But David’s soldiers had slaughtered the Benjaminites and Abner’s men – in all, 360 men had died! 2:32 They took Asahel’s body and buried him in his father’s tomb at Bethlehem. Joab and his men then traveled all that night and reached Hebron by dawn.
3:1 However, the war was prolonged between the house of Saul and the house of David. David was becoming steadily stronger, while the house of Saul was becoming increasingly weaker.
3:2 Now sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, born to Ahinoam the Jezreelite. 3:3 His second son was Kileab, born to Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. His third son was Absalom, the son of Maacah daughter of King Talmai of Geshur. 3:4 His fourth son was Adonijah, the son of Haggith. His fifth son was Shephatiah, the son of Abitail. 3:5 His sixth son was Ithream, born to David’s wife Eglah. These sons were all born to David in Hebron.
Abner Defects to David’s Camp
3:6 As the war continued between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was becoming more influential in the house of Saul. 3:7 Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah daughter of Aiah. Ish-bosheth said to Abner, “Why did you have sexual relations with my father’s concubine?”
3:8 These words of Ish-bosheth really angered Abner and he said, “Am I the head of a dog that belongs to Judah? This very day I am demonstrating loyalty to the house of Saul your father and to his relatives and his friends! I have not betrayed you into the hand of David. Yet you have accused me of sinning with this woman today! 3:9 God will severely judge Abner if I do not do for David exactly what the Lord has promised him, 3:10 namely, to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah all the way from Dan to Beer Sheba!” 3:11 Ish-bosheth was unable to answer Abner with even a single word because he was afraid of him.
3:12 Then Abner sent messengers to David saying, “To whom does the land belong? Make an agreement with me, and I will do whatever I can to cause all Israel to turn to you.” 3:13 So David said, “Good! I will make an agreement with you. I ask only one thing from you. You will not see my face unless you bring Saul’s daughter Michal when you come to visit me.”
3:14 David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth son of Saul with this demand: “Give me my wife Michal whom I acquired for a hundred Philistine foreskins.” 3:15 So Ish-bosheth took her from her husband Paltiel son of Laish. 3:16 Her husband went along behind her, weeping all the way to Bahurim. Finally Abner said to him, “Go back!” So he returned home.
3:17 Abner advised the elders of Israel, “Previously you were wanting David to be your king. 3:18 Act now! For the Lord has said to David, ‘By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the Philistines and from all their enemies.’”
3:19 Then Abner spoke privately with the Benjaminites. Abner also went to Hebron to inform David privately of all that Israel and the entire house of Benjamin had agreed to. 3:20 When Abner, accompanied by twenty men, came to David in Hebron, David prepared a banquet for Abner and the men who were with him. 3:21 Abner said to David, “Let me leave so that I may go and gather all Israel to my lord the king so that they may make an agreement with you. Then you will rule over all that you desire.” So David sent Abner away, and he left in peace.
Abner Is Killed
3:22 Now David’s soldiers and Joab were coming back from a raid, bringing a great deal of plunder with them. Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, for David had sent him away and he had left in peace. 3:23 When Joab and all the army that was with him arrived, Joab was told: “Abner the son of Ner came to the king; he sent him away, and he left in peace!”
3:24 So Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Abner has come to you! Why would you send him away? Now he’s gone on his way! 3:25 You know Abner the son of Ner! Surely he came here to spy on you and to determine when you leave and when you return and to discover everything that you are doing!”
3:26 Then Joab left David and sent messengers after Abner. They brought him back from the well of Sirah. (But David was not aware of it.) 3:27 When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside at the gate as if to speak privately with him. Joab then stabbed him in the abdomen and killed him, avenging the shed blood of his brother Asahel.
3:28 When David later heard about this, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the Lord of the shed blood of Abner son of Ner! 3:29 May his blood whirl over the head of Joab and the entire house of his father! May the males of Joab’s house never cease to have someone with a running sore or a skin disease or one who works at the spindle or one who falls by the sword or one who lacks food!”
3:30 So Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel in Gibeon during the battle.
3:31 David instructed Joab and all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes! Put on sackcloth! Lament before Abner!” Now King David followed behind the funeral bier. 3:32 So they buried Abner in Hebron. The king cried loudly over Abner’s grave and all the people wept too. 3:33 The king chanted the following lament for Abner:
“Should Abner have died like a fool?
3:34 Your hands were not bound,
and your feet were not put into irons.
You fell the way one falls before criminals.”
All the people wept over him again. 3:35 Then all the people came and encouraged David to eat food while it was still day. But David took an oath saying, “God will punish me severely if I taste bread or anything whatsoever before the sun sets!”
3:36 All the people noticed this and it pleased them. In fact, everything the king did pleased all the people. 3:37 All the people and all Israel realized on that day that the killing of Abner son of Ner was not done at the king’s instigation.
3:38 Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not realize that a great leader has fallen this day in Israel? 3:39 Today I am weak, even though I am anointed as king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too much for me to bear! May the Lord punish appropriately the one who has done this evil thing!”
Ish-bosheth is killed
4:1 When Ish-bosheth the son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he was very disheartened, and all Israel was afraid. 4:2 Now Saul’s son had two men who were in charge of raiding units; one was named Baanah and the other Recab. They were sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, who was a Benjaminite. (Beeroth is regarded as belonging to Benjamin, 4:3 for the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and have remained there as resident foreigners until the present time.)
4:4 Now Saul’s son Jonathan had a son who was crippled in both feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan arrived from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but in her haste to get away, he fell and was injured. Mephibosheth was his name.
4:5 Now the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite – Recab and Baanah – went at the hottest part of the day to the home of Ish-bosheth, as he was enjoying his midday rest. 4:6 They entered the house under the pretense of getting wheat and mortally wounded him in the stomach. Then Recab and his brother Baanah escaped.
4:7 They had entered the house while Ish-bosheth was resting on his bed in his bedroom. They mortally wounded him and then cut off his head. Taking his head, they traveled on the way of the Arabah all that night. 4:8 They brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David in Hebron, saying to the king, “Look! The head of Ish-bosheth son of Saul, your enemy who sought your life! The Lord has granted vengeance to my lord the king this day against Saul and his descendants!”
4:9 David replied to Recab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As surely as the Lord lives, who has delivered my life from all adversity, 4:10 when someone told me that Saul was dead – even though he thought he was bringing good news – I seized him and killed him in Ziklag. That was the good news I gave to him! 4:11 Surely when wicked men have killed an innocent man as he slept in his own house, should I not now require his blood from your hands and remove you from the earth?”
4:12 So David issued orders to the soldiers and they put them to death. Then they cut off their hands and feet and hung them near the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner in Hebron.
David Is Anointed King Over Israel
5:1 All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron saying, “Look, we are your very flesh and blood! 5:2 In the past, when Saul was our king, you were the real leader in Israel. The Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel; you will rule over Israel.’”
5:3 When all the leaders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, King David made an agreement with them in Hebron before the Lord. They designated David as king over Israel. 5:4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign and he reigned for forty years. 5:5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned for thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.
David Occupies Jerusalem
5:6 Then the king and his men advanced to Jerusalem against the Jebusites who lived in the land. The Jebusites said to David, “You cannot invade this place! Even the blind and the lame will turn you back, saying, ‘David cannot invade this place!’”
5:7 But David captured the fortress of Zion (that is, the city of David). 5:8 David said on that day, “Whoever attacks the Jebusites must approach the ‘lame’ and the ‘blind’ who are David’s enemies by going through the water tunnel.” For this reason it is said, “The blind and the lame cannot enter the palace.”
5:9 So David lived in the fortress and called it the City of David. David built all around it, from the terrace inwards. 5:10 David’s power grew steadily, for the Lord God who commands armies was with him.
5:11 King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs, carpenters, and stonemasons. They built a palace for David. 5:12 David realized that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that he had elevated his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel. 5:13 David married more concubines and wives from Jerusalem after he arrived from Hebron. Even more sons and daughters were born to David. 5:14 These are the names of children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 5:15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 5:16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.
Lord, we mourn with You those who might have served You well but who foolishly chose another direction. May I be found faithful so that it may be said at my passing that my life was lived imperfectly(of course), but on-whole, for You. May I be careful to pray and listen so that I am acting in accordance with Your will. You anointed David as King, and caused events to fulfill Your prophesy, even as You allowed foolish men to make the process more messy than it needed to be. May I be patient and prayerful so that my actions reflect Your will more closely. King David was far from perfect, only You are perfect. May I never have unrealistic expectations of myself or others in leadership and look instead to You to be my one true King.
Psalm 121 “My help comes from the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth!”
Psalm 123 “I look up toward you, the one enthroned in heaven.”
Psalm 124 ““If the Lord had not been on our side” ... they would have swallowed us alive, when their anger raged against us.”
Psalm 125 “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion; it cannot be upended and will endure forever.”
Psalm 128 “How blessed is every one of the Lord’s loyal followers, each one who keeps his commands!”
Psalm 129 “The Lord is just; he cut the ropes of the wicked.”“
Psalm 130 “If you, O Lord, were to keep track of sins, O Lord, who could stand before you?”
As recorded in 1 Samuel 29-30 David was engaged in a rescue mission of his family and those of his 600 men against the Amalekites and was therefore unaware of the circumstances of the battle between Saul and the Philistines. He had returned to Ziklag, although largely destroyed, it remained the temporary home of David and his followers.
A young Amalekite, apparently seeking favor with David, whom many thought to be an enemy of Saul arrived with news of Saul’s death and with a story that he had delivered the final fatal blow to the mortally-wounded Saul. He brought with him Saul’s crown and arm bracelet as trophies, which he presented to David.
As recorded in 1 Samuel 31, Saul had asked his Israelite armor bearer to kill him but he was fearful of killing the Lord’s anointed, so Saul had therefore fallen on his own sword. It appears that the Amalekite was either lying and had merely removed the crown and bracelet from Saul’s corpse, or had found Saul wounded by the arrows and his own sword and finished things. David ordered a soldier to execute the non-Israelite man for killing the Lord’s anointed.
David then wrote one of his somewhat hyperbolic poetic-songs of lament and remembrance for Saul and Jonathan. David is anointed King but those still loyal to Saul’s family take advantage of his established kingdom and anoint one of his remaining sons as king. A running-battle ensues between the competing kingdoms.
As the civil war continues the Lord God gives success to David’s forces while those aligned with Saul’s son Ish-bosheth not only lost numbers in battle but in loyalty from Israelites as well.
Abner, who had foolishly anointed Saul’s son as king despite knowing that God has anointed David, is insulted by Saul’s son and decides to transfer his loyalty to David.
David made the return of his wife, Michal, a condition of a meeting with Abner to discuss the terms of peace and the reunification of Israel. Abner made it happen despite the protests of her second husband. [Saul had wrongly taken her from David and given her to another in a fit of anger.]
David and Abner agreed to terms but Joab, seeking revenge for Abner’s killing of his brother in battle, murdered Abner without David’s knowledge.
David mourned Abner and the people recognized that his murder was not David’s doing, the people found David agreeable for other reasons as well, and David spoke a curse upon Joab and his family for the murder.
David’s eighteenth Psalm was a celebration of the Lord God’s rescue. The text describes the Lord’s direct intervention as well as His empowering of David for battle.
Saul’s son Ish-bosheth, the illegitimate king installed by Abner, was murdered and his killers presented his head to King David. David responded to them the same as the Amalekite who claimed to have killed Saul – he had them executed.
The leaders of the tribes of Israel then swore allegiance to David.
David marched into Jerusalem, despite the dire warnings of the Jebusites who insisted that even the blind and lame there would resist him, and he established the center of his kingdom there.
King Hiram of Tyre, a wealthy Phoenician city, sent many resources to assist David in building a palace. David gave God the glory for establishing him as King and for blessing the kingdom.
David married several other concubines and wives and fathered many more children.
Because Saul had driven David away his best warrior, and the one most-blessed by the Lord God, was not with him in the great battle with the Philistines. Abner, who had been serving the apostate Saul, didn't bother to consult the Lord God but went ahead and anointed Saul's son Ish-bosheth as king. The destructive impact of Saul's failures continued even after his death. Abner knew the right thing to do but it took a personal insult to motivate him to do so. The adoptive Benjaminites, Recab and Baanah, repeated the error of the Amalekite by imagining that murder was a good way to curry favor with King David.
Why would the Amalekite soldier have gone to David rather than the Philistines with Saul's crown and bracelet? Since Saul had once acknowledged, in Abner's hearing, that David was God's anointed to be the next king, was Abner just protecting his position or getting even with David for teasing him for not protecting Saul? Why would David want Michal back since he knew that Deuteronomy taught that one must not take back a former wife who had been married to another? Why would the King of Tyre make such a great effort to assist King David?
Despite all of his flaws David still respected Saul for his title from God, and like Samuel, longed for the Saul who could and should have been a faithful and blessed servant of the Lord God. He also even more so lamented his faithful and dear friend Jonathan, a man whose future had been sacrificed on the altar of his father’s ego, foolish jealousy, and impetuous carelessness in his relationship with God. Abner should have known, from what happened to Saul and his other sons, what would inevitably happen when he opposed God’s anointed – David. Joab joined everyone else with his own personal act of rebellion, his was to exact vengeance when the Lord God had said we must leave vengeance to Him. David was very imperfect, adding concubines and wives as he consolidated political power, and in many cases including non-Israelites among them.
When have you lamented the death of someone whose life was more promise than results? When have you observed someone resisting legitimate Biblical authority despite clear evidence that they were in the wrong? When have you been so upset that you acted against what you knew to be God’s will? When have you experienced or observed blessings coming to believers from unexpected non-believer sources?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you someone who needs your encouragement and prayer to draw nearer to the Lord and to reveal to you a place where, despite the blessings of the Lord God, you are indulging in behaviors which do not bring glory to him but only pleasure to you.
Today I will encourage and pray in-earnest for the one whom the Holy Spirit has identified. I will pray in-agreement that they will draw nearer to the Lord so that they may be instruments of His blessing to others and thus be themselves blessed. I will step out in faith to support a Biblical leader, be it in the role of a parent, teacher, pastor, counselor, or other role. I will confess, ask and receive God’s forgiveness, and repent (turn away from) whatever it is that the Holy Spirit showed me was wrong before the Lord God. It may be laziness because I am selfishly avoiding carrying my fair share of work, gossip because I dislike or am jealous of someone, lying to avoid consequences for something I should not have done, flirting when I am married or flirting with someone else’s spouse or otherwise acting inappropriately toward another in a sexual manner, etc. I will ask another believer to pray-agreement for my continued surrender of this part of my life to the Lordship of Christ through the Holy Spirit. I will focus my attention on serving the Lord God with all of my resources and ignore the temptation to misuse my blessings in selfish indulgence.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
6:1 For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments, according to the sheminith style; a psalm of David.
Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger!
Do not discipline me in your raging fury!
6:2 Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am frail!
Heal me, Lord, for my bones are shaking!
6:3 I am absolutely terrified, and you, Lord – how long will this continue?
6:4 Relent, Lord, rescue me!
Deliver me because of your faithfulness!
6:5 For no one remembers you in the realm of death, In Sheol who gives you thanks?
6:6 I am exhausted as I groan; all night long I drench my bed in tears; my tears saturate the cushion beneath me.
6:7 My eyes grow dim from suffering; they grow weak because of all my enemies.
6:8 Turn back from me, all you who behave wickedly, for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping!
6:9 The Lord has heard my appeal for mercy; the Lord has accepted my prayer.
6:10 May all my enemies be humiliated and absolutely terrified!
May they turn back and be suddenly humiliated!
Psalm 8
8:1 For the music director, according to the gittith style; a psalm of David.
O Lord, our Lord, how magnificent is your reputation throughout the earth!
You reveal your majesty in the heavens above!
8:2 From the mouths of children and nursing babies you have ordained praise on account of your adversaries, so that you might put an end to the vindictive enemy.
8:3 When I look up at the heavens, which your fingers made, and see the moon and the stars, which you set in place,
8:4 Of what importance is the human race, that you should notice them?
Of what importance is mankind, that you should pay attention to them,
8:5 and make them a little less than the heavenly beings?
You grant mankind honor and majesty;
8:6 you appoint them to rule over your creation; you have placed everything under their authority,
8:7 including all the sheep and cattle, as well as the wild animals,
8:8 the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea and everything that moves through the currents of the seas.
8:9 O Lord, our Lord, how magnificent is your reputation throughout the earth!
Psalm 9
9:1 For the music director; according to the alumoth-labben style; a psalm of David.
I will thank the Lord with all my heart!
I will tell about all your amazing deeds!
9:2 I will be happy and rejoice in you!
I will sing praises to you, O sovereign One!
9:3 When my enemies turn back, they trip and are defeated before you.
9:4 For you defended my just cause; from your throne you pronounced a just decision.
9:5 You terrified the nations with your battle cry; you destroyed the wicked; you permanently wiped out all memory of them.
9:6 The enemy’s cities have been reduced to permanent ruins; you destroyed their cities; all memory of the enemies has perished.
9:7 But the Lord rules forever; he reigns in a just manner.
9:8 He judges the world fairly; he makes just legal decisions for the nations.
9:9 Consequently the Lord provides safety for the oppressed; he provides safety in times of trouble.
9:10 Your loyal followers trust in you, for you, Lord, do not abandon those who seek your help.
9:11 Sing praises to the Lord, who rules in Zion!
Tell the nations what he has done!
9:12 For the one who takes revenge against murderers took notice of the oppressed; he did not overlook their cry for help
9:13 when they prayed: “Have mercy on me, Lord!
See how I am oppressed by those who hate me, O one who can snatch me away from the gates of death!
9:14 Then I will tell about all your praiseworthy acts; in the gates of Daughter Zion I will rejoice because of your deliverance.”
9:15 The nations fell into the pit they had made; their feet were caught in the net they had hidden.
9:16 The Lord revealed himself; he accomplished justice; the wicked were ensnared by their own actions. (Higgaion. Selah)
9:17 The wicked are turned back and sent to Sheol; this is the destiny of all the nations that ignore God,
9:18 for the needy are not permanently ignored, the hopes of the oppressed are not forever dashed.
9:19 Rise up, Lord!
Don’t let men be defiant!
May the nations be judged in your presence!
9:20 Terrify them, Lord!
Let the nations know they are mere mortals! (Selah)
Psalm 10
10:1 Why, Lord, do you stand far off?
Why do you pay no attention during times of trouble?
10:2 The wicked arrogantly chase the oppressed; the oppressed are trapped by the schemes the wicked have dreamed up.
10:3 Yes, the wicked man boasts because he gets what he wants; the one who robs others curses and rejects the Lord.
10:4 The wicked man is so arrogant he always thinks, “God won’t hold me accountable; he doesn’t care.”
10:5 He is secure at all times. He has no regard for your commands; he disdains all his enemies.
10:6 He says to himself, “I will never be upended, because I experience no calamity.”
10:7 His mouth is full of curses and deceptive, harmful words; his tongue injures and destroys.
10:8 He waits in ambush near the villages; in hidden places he kills the innocent. His eyes look for some unfortunate victim.
10:9 He lies in ambush in a hidden place, like a lion in a thicket; he lies in ambush, waiting to catch the oppressed; he catches the oppressed by pulling in his net.
10:10 His victims are crushed and beaten down; they are trapped in his sturdy nets.
10:11 He says to himself, “God overlooks it; he does not pay attention; he never notices.”
10:12 Rise up, Lord!
O God, strike him down!
Do not forget the oppressed!
10:13 Why does the wicked man reject God?
He says to himself, “You will not hold me accountable.”
10:14 You have taken notice, for you always see one who inflicts pain and suffering. The unfortunate victim entrusts his cause to you; you deliver the fatherless.
10:15 Break the arm of the wicked and evil man!
Hold him accountable for his wicked deeds, which he thought you would not discover.
10:16 The Lord rules forever!
The nations are driven out of his land.
10:17 Lord, you have heard the request of the oppressed; you make them feel secure because you listen to their prayer.
10:18 You defend the fatherless and oppressed, so that mere mortals may no longer terrorize them.
Psalm 14
14:1 For the music director; by David.
Fools say to themselves, “There is no God.” They sin and commit evil deeds; none of them does what is right.
14:2 The Lord looks down from heaven at the human race, to see if there is anyone who is wise and seeks God.
14:3 Everyone rejects God; they are all morally corrupt. None of them does what is right, not even one!
14:4 All those who behave wickedly do not understand – those who devour my people as if they were eating bread, and do not call out to the Lord.
14:5 They are absolutely terrified, for God defends the godly.
14:6 You want to humiliate the oppressed, even though the Lord is their shelter.
14:7 I wish the deliverance of Israel would come from Zion!
When the Lord restores the well-being of his people, may Jacob rejoice, may Israel be happy!
16:1 A prayer of David. Protect me, O God, for I have taken shelter in you.
16:2 I say to the Lord, “You are the Lord, my only source of well-being.”
16:3 As for God’s chosen people who are in the land, and the leading officials I admired so much –
16:4 their troubles multiply, they desire other gods. I will not pour out drink offerings of blood to their gods, nor will I make vows in the name of their gods.
16:5 Lord, you give me stability and prosperity; you make my future secure.
16:6 It is as if I have been given fertile fields or received a beautiful tract of land.
16:7 I will praise the Lord who guides me; yes, during the night I reflect and learn.
16:8 I constantly trust in the Lord; because he is at my right hand, I will not be upended.
16:9 So my heart rejoices and I am happy; My life is safe.
16:10 You will not abandon me to Sheol; you will not allow your faithful follower to see the Pit.
16:11 You lead me in the path of life; I experience absolute joy in your presence; you always give me sheer delight.
19:1 For the music director; a psalm of David.
The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky displays his handiwork.
19:2 Day after day it speaks out; night after night it reveals his greatness.
19:3 There is no actual speech or word, nor is its voice literally heard.
19:4 Yet its voice echoes throughout the earth; its words carry to the distant horizon. In the sky he has pitched a tent for the sun.
19:5 Like a bridegroom it emerges from its chamber; like a strong man it enjoys running its course.
19:6 It emerges from the distant horizon, and goes from one end of the sky to the other; nothing can escape its heat.
19:7 The law of the Lord is perfect and preserves one’s life. The rules set down by the Lord are reliable and impart wisdom to the inexperienced.
19:8 The Lord’s precepts are fair and make one joyful. The Lord’s commands are pure and give insight for life.
19:9 The commands to fear the Lord are right and endure forever. The judgments given by the Lord are trustworthy and absolutely just.
19:10 They are of greater value than gold, than even a great amount of pure gold; they bring greater delight than honey, than even the sweetest honey from a honeycomb.
19:11 Yes, your servant finds moral guidance there; those who obey them receive a rich reward.
19:12 Who can know all his errors?
Please do not punish me for sins I am unaware of.
19:13 Moreover, keep me from committing flagrant sins; do not allow such sins to control me. Then I will be blameless, and innocent of blatant rebellion.
19:14 May my words and my thoughts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my sheltering rock and my redeemer.
21:1 For the music director; a psalm of David.
O Lord, the king rejoices in the strength you give; he takes great delight in the deliverance you provide.
21:2 You grant him his heart’s desire; you do not refuse his request. (Selah)
21:3 For you bring him rich blessings; you place a golden crown on his head.
21:4 He asked you to sustain his life, and you have granted him long life and an enduring dynasty.
21:5 Your deliverance brings him great honor; you give him majestic splendor.
21:6 For you grant him lasting blessings; you give him great joy by allowing him into your presence.
21:7 For the king trusts in the Lord, and because of the sovereign Lord’s faithfulness he is not upended.
21:8 You prevail over all your enemies; your power is too great for those who hate you.
21:9 You burn them up like a fiery furnace when you appear; the Lord angrily devours them; the fire consumes them.
21:10 You destroy their offspring from the earth, their descendants from among the human race.
21:11 Yes, they intend to do you harm; they dream up a scheme, but they do not succeed.
21:12 For you make them retreat when you shoot your arrows at them.
21:13 Rise up, O Lord, in strength!
We will sing and praise your power!
Lord, when we dwell in praise of You our faith grows and deepens, so it is stronger when most needed - during troubled times. May I praise You daily, in prayer and song, in my talk and in my walk.
David’s sixth Psalm came as David had reached a low point in his struggle against his enemies, he cried out to the Lord God in great angst, and yet still affirmed his certainty that the Lord had heard him and had already set about the destruction of his enemies and his path to restoration.
David’s eighth Psalm was a praise song. He praised the Lord God for Creation, for delegating care of Creation to man, and he observed that all of Creation is designed to give Him praise.
David’s ninth Psalm celebrated the Lord God’s rescue, His love and protection of his people, and His punishment of rebels.
David’s tenth Psalm took a sudden turn as he began to plead with the Lord God for protection and he brought forth an imprecatory prayer against his enemies. He concluded with his usual assurance that God was faithful and just and would make things right.
David’s fourteenth Psalm recorded David’s return to his reflection upon the wickedness of the rebellious and their intent to victimize the already-oppressed; yet David celebrated that they were in terror of the potential return of the Lord God and that he was looking forward to the intervention of the Lord.
David’s sixteenth Psalm celebrated the Lord God’s blessings and the dependence of the righteous upon Him.
David’s nineteenth Psalm celebrated the testimony to the magnificence of Lord God that may be found in the sun and the moon and the stars. He then directed people to learn and to trust in the law and wisdom of the Lord. David asked the Lord to not punish him for unintentional sin and to keep him from all sin. He concluded with a plea that his “... words and thoughts be acceptable …” to the Lord, acknowledging Him as “... my sheltering rock and my redeemer.”
David’s twenty-first Psalm was a song of praise and thanks for the Lord God’s provision and protection of him as king.
David was wise to remember God through praise.
Why would remembering what God had done in Creation and since be important to David as he faced new troubles?
David did not, at this time, drift into Job’s error of questioning the Lord God.
When have you discovered that your times of praise had strengthened your faith to bear-up as trouble times came?
Ask the Holy Spirit to assist you in making time for daily praise and worship.
Today I will make a sacrifice of the less-important things of this world in order to make room for the more-important things of eternity. I will praise the Lord!
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Adam’s Descendants
1:1 Adam, Seth, Enosh, 1:2 Kenan, Mahalalel, Jered, 1:3 Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, 1:4 Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Japheth’s Descendants
1:5 The sons of Japheth:
Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.
1:6 The sons of Gomer:
Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah.
1:7 The sons of Javan:
Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittites, and the Rodanites.
Ham’s Descendants
1:8 The sons of Ham:
Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.
1:9 The sons of Cush:
Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raamah, and Sabteca.
The sons of Raamah:
Sheba and Dedan.
1:10 Cush was the father of Nimrod, who established himself as a mighty warrior on earth.
1:11 Mizraim was the father of the Ludites, Anamites, Lehabites, Naphtuhites, 1:12 Pathrusites, Casluhites (from whom the Philistines descended), and the Caphtorites.
1:13 Canaan was the father of Sidon – his firstborn – and Heth, 1:14 as well as the Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites, 1:15 Hivites, Arkites, Sinites, 1:16 Arvadites, Zemarites, and Hamathites.
Shem’s Descendants
1:17 The sons of Shem:
Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram.
The sons of Aram:
Uz, Hul, Gether, and Meshech.
1:18 Arphaxad was the father of Shelah, and Shelah was the father of Eber. 1:19 Two sons were born to Eber: the first was named Peleg, for during his lifetime the earth was divided; his brother’s name was Joktan.
1:20 Joktan was the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 1:21 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 1:22 Ebal, Abimael, Sheba, 1:23 Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan.
1:24 Shem, Arphaxad, Shelah, 1:25 Eber, Peleg, Reu, 1:26 Serug, Nahor, Terah, 1:27 Abram (that is, Abraham).
1:28 The sons of Abraham:
Isaac and Ishmael.
1:29 These were their descendants:
Ishmael’s Descendants
Ishmael’s firstborn son was Nebaioth; the others were Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 1:30 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, 1:31 Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These were the sons of Ishmael.
Keturah’s Descendants
1:32 The sons to whom Keturah, Abraham’s concubine, gave birth:
Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, Shuah.
The sons of Jokshan:
Sheba and Dedan.
1:33 The sons of Midian:
Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the sons of Keturah.
Isaac’s Descendants
1:34 Abraham was the father of Isaac. The sons of Isaac:
Esau and Israel.
Esau’s Descendants
1:35 The sons of Esau:
Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.
1:36 The sons of Eliphaz:
Teman, Omar, Zephi, Gatam, Kenaz, and (by Timna) Amalek.
1:37 The sons of Reuel:
Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah.
The Descendants of Seir
1:38 The sons of Seir:
Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan.
1:39 The sons of Lotan:
Hori and Homam. (Timna was Lotan’s sister.)
1:40 The sons of Shobal:
Alyan, Manahath, Ebal, Shephi, and Onam.
The sons of Zibeon:
Aiah and Anah.
1:41 The son of Anah:
Dishon.
The sons of Dishon:
Hamran, Eshban, Ithran, and Keran.
1:42 The sons of Ezer:
Bilhan, Zaavan, Jaakan.
The sons of Dishan:
Uz and Aran.
Kings of Edom
1:43 These were the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king ruled over the Israelites:
Bela son of Beor; the name of his city was Dinhabah.
1:44 When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah from Bozrah, succeeded him.
1:45 When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites succeeded him.
1:46 When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad succeeded him. He struck down the Midianites in the plains of Moab; the name of his city was Avith.
1:47 When Hadad died, Samlah from Masrekah succeeded him.
1:48 When Samlah died, Shaul from Rehoboth on the river succeeded him.
1:49 When Shaul died, Baal-Hanan son of Achbor succeeded him.
1:50 When Baal-Hanan died, Hadad succeeded him; the name of his city was Pai. His wife was Mehetabel, daughter of Matred, daughter of Me-Zahab.
1:51 Hadad died.
Tribal Chiefs of Edom
The tribal chiefs of Edom were:
Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, 1:52 Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon, 1:53 Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, 1:54 Magdiel, Iram. These were the tribal chiefs of Edom.
Israel’s Descendants
2:1 These were the sons of Israel:
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;
Issachar and Zebulun;
2:2 Dan, Joseph, and Benjamin;
Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.
Judah’s Descendants
2:3 The sons of Judah:
Er, Onan, and Shelah. These three were born to him by Bathshua, a Canaanite woman. Er, Judah’s firstborn, displeased the Lord, so the Lord killed him.
2:4 Tamar, Judah’s daughter-in-law, bore to him Perez and Zerah. Judah had five sons in all.
2:5 The sons of Perez:
Hezron and Hamul.
2:6 The sons of Zerah:
Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Kalkol, Dara – five in all.
2:7 The son of Carmi:
Achan, who brought the disaster on Israel when he stole what was devoted to God.
2:8 The son of Ethan:
Azariah.
2:9 The sons born to Hezron:
Jerahmeel, Ram, and Caleb.
Ram’s Descendants
2:10 Ram was the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab was the father of Nahshon, the tribal chief of Judah. 2:11 Nahshon was the father of Salma, and Salma was the father of Boaz. 2:12 Boaz was the father of Obed, and Obed was the father of Jesse.
2:13 Jesse was the father of Eliab, his firstborn; Abinadab was born second, Shimea third, 2:14 Nethanel fourth, Raddai fifth, 2:15 Ozem sixth, David seventh. 2:16 Their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. Zeruiah’s three sons were Abshai, Joab, and Asahel. 2:17 Abigail bore Amasa, whose father was Jether the Ishmaelite.
Caleb’s Descendants
2:18 Caleb son of Hezron fathered sons by his wife Azubah (also known as Jerioth). Her sons were Jesher, Shobab, and Ardon. 2:19 When Azubah died, Caleb married Ephrath, who bore him Hur. 2:20 Hur was the father of Uri, and Uri was the father of Bezalel.
2:21 Later Hezron had sexual relations with the daughter of Makir, the father of Gilead. (He had married her when he was sixty years old.) She bore him Segub. 2:22 Segub was the father of Jair, who owned twenty-three cities in the land of Gilead. 2:23 (Geshur and Aram captured the towns of Jair, along with Kenath and its sixty surrounding towns.) All these were descendants of Makir, the father of Gilead.
2:24 After Hezron’s death, Caleb had sexual relations with Ephrath, his father Hezron’s widow, and she bore to him Ashhur the father of Tekoa.
Jerahmeel’s Descendants
2:25 The sons of Jerahmeel, Hezron’s firstborn, were Ram, the firstborn, Bunah, Oren, Ozem, and Ahijah. 2:26 Jerahmeel had another wife named Atarah; she was Onam’s mother.
2:27 The sons of Ram, Jerahmeel’s firstborn, were Maaz, Jamin, and Eker.
2:28 The sons of Onam were Shammai and Jada.
The sons of Shammai:
Nadab and Abishur.
2:29 Abishur’s wife was Abihail, who bore him Ahban and Molid.
2:30 The sons of Nadab:
Seled and Appaim. (Seled died without having sons.)
2:31 The son of Appaim:
Ishi.
The son of Ishi:
Sheshan.
The son of Sheshan:
Ahlai.
2:32 The sons of Jada, Shammai’s brother:
Jether and Jonathan. (Jether died without having sons.)
2:33 The sons of Jonathan:
Peleth and Zaza.
These were the descendants of Jerahmeel.
2:34 Sheshan had no sons, only daughters. Sheshan had an Egyptian servant named Jarha. 2:35 Sheshan gave his daughter to his servant Jarha as a wife; she bore him Attai.
2:36 Attai was the father of Nathan, and Nathan was the father of Zabad. 2:37 Zabad was the father of Ephlal, and Ephlal was the father of Obed. 2:38 Obed was the father of Jehu, and Jehu was the father of Azariah. 2:39 Azariah was the father of Helez, and Helez was the father of Eleasah. 2:40 Eleasah was the father of Sismai, and Sismai was the father of Shallum. 2:41 Shallum was the father of Jekamiah, and Jekamiah was the father of Elishama.
More of Caleb’s Descendants
2:42 The sons of Caleb, Jerahmeel’s brother:
His firstborn Mesha, the father of Ziph, and his second son Mareshah, the father of Hebron.
2:43 The sons of Hebron:
Korah, Tappuah, Rekem, and Shema.
2:44 Shema was the father of Raham, the father of Jorkeam. Rekem was the father of Shammai. 2:45 Shammai’s son was Maon, who was the father of Beth-Zur.
2:46 Caleb’s concubine Ephah bore Haran, Moza, and Gazez. Haran was the father of Gazez.
2:47 The sons of Jahdai:
Regem, Jotham, Geshan, Pelet, Ephah, and Shaaph.
2:48 Caleb’s concubine Maacah bore Sheber and Tirhanah. 2:49 She also bore Shaaph the father of Madmannah and Sheva the father of Machbenah and Gibea. Caleb’s daughter was Achsah.
2:50 These were the descendants of Caleb.
The sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrath:
Shobal, the father of Kiriath Jearim, 2:51 Salma, the father of Bethlehem, Hareph, the father of Beth-Gader.
2:52 The sons of Shobal, the father of Kiriath Jearim, were Haroeh, half of the Manahathites, 2:53 the clans of Kiriath Jearim – the Ithrites, Puthites, Shumathites, and Mishraites. (The Zorathites and Eshtaolites descended from these groups.)
2:54 The sons of Salma:
Bethlehem, the Netophathites, Atroth Beth-Joab, half the Manahathites, the Zorites, 2:55 and the clans of the scribes who lived in Jabez: the Tirathites, Shimeathites, and Sucathites. These are the Kenites who descended from Hammath, the father of Beth-Rechab.
Psalms
43:1 Vindicate me, O God!
Fight for me against an ungodly nation!
Deliver me from deceitful and evil men!
43:2 For you are the God who shelters me.
Why do you reject me?
Why must I walk around mourning because my enemies oppress me?
43:3 Reveal your light and your faithfulness!
They will lead me, they will escort me back to your holy hill, and to the place where you live.
43:4 Then I will go to the altar of God, to the God who gives me ecstatic joy, so that I express my thanks to you, O God, my God, with a harp.
43:5 Why are you depressed, O my soul?
Why are you upset?
Wait for God!
For I will again give thanks to my God for his saving intervention.
44:1 For the music director; by the Korahites, a well-written song.
O God, we have clearly heard; our ancestors have told us what you did in their days, in ancient times.
44:2 You, by your power, defeated nations and settled our fathers on their land; you crushed the people living there and enabled our ancestors to occupy it.
44:3 For they did not conquer the land by their swords, and they did not prevail by their strength, but rather by your power, strength and good favor, for you were partial to them.
44:4 You are my king, O God!
Decree Jacob’s deliverance!
44:5 By your power we will drive back our enemies; by your strength we will trample down our foes!
44:6 For I do not trust in my bow, and I do not prevail by my sword.
44:7 For you deliver us from our enemies; you humiliate those who hate us.
44:8 In God I boast all day long, and we will continually give thanks to your name. (Selah)
44:9 But you rejected and embarrassed us!
You did not go into battle with our armies.
44:10 You made us retreat from the enemy. Those who hate us take whatever they want from us.
44:11 You handed us over like sheep to be eaten; you scattered us among the nations.
44:12 You sold your people for a pittance; you did not ask a high price for them.
44:13 You made us an object of disdain to our neighbors; those who live on our borders taunt and insult us.
44:14 You made us an object of ridicule among the nations; foreigners treat us with contempt.
44:15 All day long I feel humiliated and am overwhelmed with shame,
44:16 before the vindictive enemy who ridicules and insults me.
44:17 All this has happened to us, even though we have not rejected you or violated your covenant with us.
44:18 We have not been unfaithful, nor have we disobeyed your commands.
44:19 Yet you have battered us, leaving us a heap of ruins overrun by wild dogs; you have covered us with darkness.
44:20 If we had rejected our God, and spread out our hands in prayer to another god,
44:21 would not God discover it, for he knows one’s thoughts?
44:22 Yet because of you we are killed all day long; we are treated like sheep at the slaughtering block.
44:23 Rouse yourself! Why do you sleep, O Lord?
Wake up! Do not reject us forever!
44:24 Why do you look the other way, and ignore the way we are oppressed and mistreated?
44:25 For we lie in the dirt, with our bellies pressed to the ground.
44:26 Rise up and help us!
Rescue us because of your loyal love!
45:1 For the music director; according to the tune of “Lilies;” by the Korahites, a well-written poem, a love song.
My heart is stirred by a beautiful song. I say, “I have composed this special song for the king; my tongue is as skilled as the stylus of an experienced scribe.”
45:2 You are the most handsome of all men!
You speak in an impressive and fitting manner!
For this reason God grants you continual blessings.
45:3 Strap your sword to your thigh, O warrior!
Appear in your majestic splendor!
45:4 Appear in your majesty and be victorious!
Ride forth for the sake of what is right, on behalf of justice!
Then your right hand will accomplish mighty acts!
45:5 Your arrows are sharp and penetrate the hearts of the king’s enemies. Nations fall at your feet.
45:6 Your throne, O God, is permanent. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of justice.
45:7 You love justice and hate evil. For this reason God, your God has anointed you with the oil of joy, elevating you above your companions.
45:8 All your garments are perfumed with myrrh, aloes, and cassia. From the luxurious palaces comes the music of stringed instruments that makes you happy.
45:9 Princesses are among your honored guests, your bride stands at your right hand, wearing jewelry made with gold from Ophir.
45:10 Listen, O princess!
Observe and pay attention!
Forget your homeland and your family!
45:11 Then the king will be attracted by your beauty. After all, he is your master! Submit to him!
45:12 Rich people from Tyre will seek your favor by bringing a gift.
45:13 The princess looks absolutely magnificent, decked out in pearls and clothed in a brocade trimmed with gold.
45:14 In embroidered robes she is escorted to the king. Her attendants, the maidens of honor who follow her, are led before you.
45:15 They are bubbling with joy as they walk in procession and enter the royal palace.
45:16 Your sons will carry on the dynasty of your ancestors; you will make them princes throughout the land.
45:17 I will proclaim your greatness through the coming years, then the nations will praise you forever.
49:1 For the music director, a psalm by the Korahites.
Listen to this, all you nations!
Pay attention, all you inhabitants of the world!
49:2 Pay attention, all you people, both rich and poor!
49:3 I will declare a wise saying; I will share my profound thoughts.
49:4 I will learn a song that imparts wisdom; I will then sing my insightful song to the accompaniment of a harp.
49:5 Why should I be afraid in times of trouble, when the sinful deeds of deceptive men threaten to overwhelm me?
49:6 They trust in their wealth and boast in their great riches.
49:7 Certainly a man cannot rescue his brother; he cannot pay God an adequate ransom price
49:8 (the ransom price for a human life is too high, and people go to their final destiny),
49:9 so that he might continue to live forever and not experience death.
49:10 Surely one sees that even wise people die; fools and spiritually insensitive people all pass away and leave their wealth to others.
49:11 Their grave becomes their permanent residence, their eternal dwelling place. They name their lands after themselves,
49:12 but, despite their wealth, people do not last, they are like animals that perish.
49:13 This is the destiny of fools, and of those who approve of their philosophy. (Selah)
49:14 They will travel to Sheol like sheep, with death as their shepherd. The godly will rule over them when the day of vindication dawns; Sheol will consume their bodies and they will no longer live in impressive houses.
49:15 But God will rescue my life from the power of Sheol; certainly he will pull me to safety. (Selah)
49:16 Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich and his wealth multiplies!
49:17 For he will take nothing with him when he dies; his wealth will not follow him down into the grave.
49:18 He pronounces this blessing on himself while he is alive: “May men praise you, for you have done well!”
49:19 But he will join his ancestors; they will never again see the light of day.
49:20 Wealthy people do not understand; they are like animals that perish.
84:1 For the music director; according to the gittith style; written by the Korahites, a psalm.
How lovely is the place where you live, O Lord who rules over all!
84:2 I desperately want to be in the courts of the Lord’s temple. My heart and my entire being shout for joy to the living God.
84:3 Even the birds find a home there, and the swallow builds a nest, where she can protect her young near your altars, O Lord who rules over all, my king and my God.
84:4 How blessed are those who live in your temple and praise you continually! (Selah)
84:5 How blessed are those who find their strength in you, and long to travel the roads that lead to your temple!
84:6 As they pass through the Baca Valley, he provides a spring for them. The rain even covers it with pools of water.
84:7 They are sustained as they travel along; each one appears before God in Zion.
84:8 O Lord, sovereign God, hear my prayer!
Listen, O God of Jacob! (Selah)
84:9 O God, take notice of our shield!
Show concern for your chosen king!
84:10 Certainly spending just one day in your temple courts is better than spending a thousand elsewhere. I would rather stand at the entrance to the temple of my God than live in the tents of the wicked.
84:11 For the Lord God is our sovereign protector. The Lord bestows favor and honor; he withholds no good thing from those who have integrity.
84:12 O Lord who rules over all, how blessed are those who trust in you!
Psalm 85
85:1 For the music director; written by the Korahites, a psalm.
O Lord, you showed favor to your land; you restored the well-being of Jacob.
85:2 You pardoned the wrongdoing of your people; you forgave all their sin. (Selah)
85:3 You withdrew all your fury; you turned back from your raging anger.
85:4 Restore us, O God our deliverer!
Do not be displeased with us!
85:5 Will you stay mad at us forever?
Will you remain angry throughout future generations?
85:6 Will you not revive us once more?
Then your people will rejoice in you!
85:7 O Lord, show us your loyal love!
Bestow on us your deliverance!
85:8 I will listen to what God the Lord says. For he will make peace with his people, his faithful followers. Yet they must not return to their foolish ways.
85:9 Certainly his loyal followers will soon experience his deliverance; then his splendor will again appear in our land.
85:10 Loyal love and faithfulness meet; deliverance and peace greet each other with a kiss.
85:11 Faithfulness grows from the ground, and deliverance looks down from the sky.
85:12 Yes, the Lord will bestow his good blessings, and our land will yield its crops.
85:13 Deliverance goes before him, and prepares a pathway for him.
87:1 Written by the Korahites; a psalm, a song.
The Lord’s city is in the holy hills.
87:2 The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.
87:3 People say wonderful things about you, O city of God. (Selah)
87:4 I mention Rahab and Babylon to my followers. Here are Philistia and Tyre, along with Ethiopia. It is said of them, “This one was born there.”
87:5 But it is said of Zion’s residents, “Each one of these was born in her, and the sovereign One makes her secure.”
87:6 The Lord writes in the census book of the nations, “This one was born there.” (Selah)
87:7 As for the singers, as well as the pipers – all of them sing within your walls.
Lord, Job and David both foolishly questioned Your awareness and timing, suggesting that You “slumbered” and You abandoned them without cause. May I learn from their example to never doubt You, to be patient – never as patient as You have been with me – and to emulate Job and David in their overall lives of faithful praise and obedience. Lord, throughout all time You are the sovereign One, all-knowing and all-powerful. May I obey You and praise You so that my life will be in right standing before You and You may use me in Your great plan.
1 Chronicles 1 – 2 document the vital family lines that slowed from the first human, Adam, pausing to cite an occasional historic note. The detail adds documentary archeological substance to the Book.
David’s forty-third Psalm was David’s self-talk as he questioned-aloud why the Lord God had not yet rescued him and yet he continued to be certain that the rescue would come.
David’s forty-fourth Psalm began with a reference to the Lord God’s protection and provision for ancient Israel, then returned again to an anxious plea for rescue. David complained that the people had not sinned against the Lord God but that He had abandoned them, without cause, to their enemies (This appears to echo the error of Job; presuming to have knowledge, apart from the Lord God, paired with the erroneous thought that one might instruct God in the ways of ‘fairness’.)
David’s forty-fifth Psalm celebrated the marriage of a king to a foreign woman, likely from Tyre, and likely for the purpose of an alliance. The young wife is encouraged not to be homesick as emotional stress might make her less-attractive. The king’s appearance in his battle regalia – the model designed for “State” affairs – was complimented. The faithfulness of the king would bring blessing from the Lord God in battle and all things.
David’s forty-ninth Psalm was a caution to not fear those with money and power over the Lord God Who would always be victorious.
Asaph’s Psalm, numbered eighty-four, was a praise-song with the following unique phrase “... spending just one day in your temple courts is better than spending a thousand elsewhere.”
Asaph’s Psalm, numbered eighty-five, was a petition which recalled God’s mercy upon Israel despite their past transgressions and asked that He show mercy one more time.
David, more than most of his peers, had enjoyed a life-long intimacy in his relationship with the Lord God – so he struggled greatly during those times that the relationship struggled. David wove the themes of the Lord God’s character and His action throughout his Psalms.
David was obviously a highly-emotional man, could it just have been his tendency to swing from high to low which caused him to swerve into a Job-like criticism of the Lord God? Why would David make such a big thing of the appearance of the king in his ‘show uniform’ and the emotional well-being of one of his ‘treaty-wives’?
Despite occasional lapses David generally poured-out faithful praise to the Lord. David’s warning to rich people who were arrogant and selfish, and his warning to others not to fear or idolize them, is still good counsel today.
When have you struggled so badly that you wondered where was the Lord God? When have you discovered yourself being overly-impressed by the outward appearance of a leader rather than focused on the Lord God and looking for ways that the leader honored Him rather than expecting honor for himself?
Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of a time when your intimacy with the Lord God was at its height and to reveal to you a place where you might be giving deference, out of awe or fear of a mere human – due to their celebrity, power, and/or wealth – and that deference is displacing the Lord God from His rightful first-place.
Today I will praise the Lord for His love, for His desire to be in relationship with me, and for His patience when I drift away. I will share the story of the best time(s) with the Lord with a fellow believer, as an encouragement, and together we will praise the Lord. I will confess and repent of my functional-idolatry, however subtle, of a created being. I will accept the Lord’s forgiveness and partner with Him to increase my focus on Him.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
David’s Descendants
3:1 These were the sons of David who were born to him in Hebron:
The firstborn was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel;
the second was Daniel, whose mother was Abigail from Carmel;
3:2 the third was Absalom whose mother was Maacah, daughter of King Talmai of Geshur;
the fourth was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith;
3:3 the fifth was Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital;
the sixth was Ithream, whose mother was Eglah.
3:4 These six were born to David in Hebron, where he ruled for seven years and six months.
He ruled thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 3:5 These were the sons born to him in Jerusalem:
Shimea, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon – the mother of these four was Bathsheba the daughter of Ammiel.
3:6 The other nine were Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, 3:7 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 3:8 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.
3:9 These were all the sons of David, not counting the sons of his concubines. Tamar was their sister.
Solomon’s Descendants
3:10 Solomon’s son was Rehoboam,
followed by Abijah his son,
Asa his son,
Jehoshaphat his son,
3:11 Joram his son,
Ahaziah his son,
Joash his son,
3:12 Amaziah his son,
Azariah his son,
Jotham his son,
3:13 Ahaz his son,
Hezekiah his son,
Manasseh his son,
3:14 Amon his son,
Josiah his son.
3:15 The sons of Josiah:
Johanan was the firstborn; Jehoiakim was born second; Zedekiah third; and Shallum fourth.
3:16 The sons of Jehoiakim:
his son Jehoiachin and his son Zedekiah.
3:17 The sons of Jehoiachin the exile:
Shealtiel his son, 3:18 Malkiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah.
3:19 The sons of Pedaiah:
Zerubbabel and Shimei.
The sons of Zerubbabel:
Meshullam and Hananiah. Shelomith was their sister.
3:20 The five others were Hashubah, Ohel, Berechiah, Hasadiah, and Jushab-Hesed.
3:21 The descendants of Hananiah:
Pelatiah, Jeshaiah, the sons of Rephaiah, of Arnan, of Obadiah, and of Shecaniah.
3:22 The descendants of Shecaniah:
Shemaiah and his sons: Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah, and Shaphat – six in all.
3:23 The sons of Neariah:
Elioenai, Hizkiah, and Azrikam – three in all.
3:24 The sons of Elioenai:
Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah, and Anani – seven in all.
Judah’s Descendants
4:1 The descendants of Judah:
Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal.
4:2 Reaiah the son of Shobal was the father of Jahath, and Jahath was the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These were the clans of the Zorathites.
4:3 These were the sons of Etam:
Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash. Their sister was Hazzelelponi.
4:4 Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Ezer was the father of Hushah. These were the descendants of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah and the father of Bethlehem.
4:5 Ashhur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah. 4:6 Naarah bore him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the sons of Naarah. 4:7 The sons of Helah: Zereth, Zohar, Ethnan, 4:8 and Koz, who was the father of Anub, Hazzobebah, and the clans of Aharhel the son of Harum.
4:9 Jabez was more respected than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, for she said, “I experienced pain when I gave birth to him.” 4:10 Jabez called out to the God of Israel, “If only you would greatly bless me and expand my territory! May your hand be with me! Keep me from harm so I might not endure pain!” God answered his prayer.
4:11 Kelub, the brother of Shuhah, was the father of Mehir, who was the father of Eshton. 4:12 Eshton was the father of Beth-Rapha, Paseah, and Tehinnah, the father of Ir Nahash. These were the men of Recah.
4:13 The sons of Kenaz:
Othniel and Seraiah.
The sons of Othniel:
Hathath and Meonothai. 4:14 Meonothai was the father of Ophrah.
Seraiah was the father of Joab, the father of those who live in Ge Harashim, who were craftsmen.
4:15 The sons of Caleb son of Jephunneh:
Iru, Elah, and Naam.
The son of Elah:
Kenaz.
4:16 The sons of Jehallelel:
Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel.
4:17 The sons of Ezrah:
Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon.
Mered’s wife Bithiah gave birth to Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah, the father of Eshtemoa. 4:18 (His Judahite wife gave birth to Jered the father of Gedor, Heber the father of Soco, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah.) These were the sons of Pharaoh’s daughter Bithiah, whom Mered married.
4:19 The sons of Hodiah’s wife, the sister of Naham:
the father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maacathite.
4:20 The sons of Shimon:
Amnon, Rinnah, Ben-Hanan, and Tilon.
The descendants of Ishi:
Zoheth and Ben Zoheth.
4:21 The sons of Shelah son of Judah:
Er the father of Lecah, Laadah the father of Mareshah, the clans of the linen workers at Beth-Ashbea, 4:22 Jokim, the men of Cozeba, and Joash and Saraph, both of whom ruled in Moab and Jashubi Lehem. (This information is from ancient records.) 4:23 They were the potters who lived in Netaim and Gederah; they lived there and worked for the king.
Simeon’s Descendants
4:24 The descendants of Simeon:
Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, Shaul, 4:25 his son Shallum, his son Mibsam, and his son Mishma.
4:26 The descendants of Mishma:
His son Hammuel, his son Zaccur, and his son Shimei.
4:27 Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters. But his brothers did not have many sons, so their whole clan was not as numerous as the sons of Judah. 4:28 They lived in Beer Sheba, Moladah, Hazar Shual, 4:29 Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad, 4:30 Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag, 4:31 Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susim, Beth Biri, and Shaaraim. These were their towns until the reign of David. 4:32 Their settlements also included Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan – five towns. 4:33 They also lived in all the settlements that surrounded these towns as far as Baal. These were their settlements; they kept genealogical records.
4:34 Their clan leaders were:
Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah son of Amaziah, 4:35 Joel, Jehu son of Joshibiah (son of Seraiah, son of Asiel), 4:36 Eleoenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah, 4:37 Ziza son of Shipi (son of Allon, son of Jedaiah, son of Shimri, son of Shemaiah). 4:38 These who are named above were the leaders of their clans.
Their extended families increased greatly in numbers. 4:39 They went to the entrance of Gedor, to the east of the valley, looking for pasture for their sheep. 4:40 They found fertile and rich pasture; the land was very broad, undisturbed and peaceful. Indeed some Hamites had been living there prior to that. 4:41 The men whose names are listed came during the time of King Hezekiah of Judah and attacked the Hamites’ settlements, as well as the Meunites they discovered there, and they wiped them out to this very day. They dispossessed them, for they found pasture for their sheep there. 4:42 Five hundred men of Simeon, led by Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi, went to the hill country of Seir 4:43 and defeated the rest of the Amalekite refugees; they live there to this very day.
Reuben’s Descendants
5:1 The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn –
(Now he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father’s bed, his rights as firstborn were given to the sons of Joseph, Israel’s son. So Reuben is not listed as firstborn in the genealogical records. 5:2 Though Judah was the strongest among his brothers and a leader descended from him, the right of the firstborn belonged to Joseph.)
5:3 The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn:
Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
5:4 The descendants of Joel:
His son Shemaiah, his son Gog, his son Shimei, 5:5 his son Micah, his son Reaiah, his son Baal, 5:6 and his son Beerah, whom King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria carried into exile. Beerah was the tribal leader of Reuben.
5:7 His brothers by their clans, as listed in their genealogical records:
The leader Jeiel, Zechariah, 5:8 and Bela son of Azaz, son of Shema, son of Joel.
They lived in Aroer as far as Nebo and Baal Meon. 5:9 In the east they settled as far as the entrance to the desert that stretches to the Euphrates River, for their cattle had increased in numbers in the land of Gilead. 5:10 During the time of Saul they attacked the Hagrites and defeated them. They took over their territory in the entire eastern region of Gilead.
Gad’s Descendants
5:11 The descendants of Gad lived near them in the land of Bashan, as far as Salecah.
5:12 They included Joel the leader, Shapham the second in command, Janai, and Shaphat in Bashan. 5:13 Their relatives, listed according to their families, included Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber – seven in all.
5:14 These were the sons of Abihail son of Huri, son of Jaroah, son of Gilead, son of Michael, son of Jeshishai, son of Jahdo, son of Buz. 5:15 Ahi son of Abdiel, son of Guni, was the leader of the family. 5:16 They lived in Gilead, in Bashan and its surrounding settlements, and in the pasturelands of Sharon to their very borders. 5:17 All of them were listed in the genealogical records in the time of King Jotham of Judah and in the time of King Jeroboam of Israel.
5:18 The Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men in their combined armies, warriors who carried shields and swords, were equipped with bows, and were trained for war. 5:19 They attacked the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. 5:20 They received divine help in fighting them, and the Hagrites and all their allies were handed over to them. They cried out to God during the battle; he responded to their prayers because they trusted in him. 5:21 They seized the Hagrites’ animals, including 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep, and 2,000 donkeys. They also took captive 100,000 people. 5:22 Because God fought for them, they killed many of the enemy. They dispossessed the Hagrites and lived in their land until the exile.
The Half-Tribe of Manasseh
5:23 The half-tribe of Manasseh settled in the land from Bashan as far as Baal Hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon. They grew in number.
5:24 These were the leaders of their families:
Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. They were skilled warriors, men of reputation, and leaders of their families. 5:25 But they were unfaithful to the God of their ancestors and worshiped instead the gods of the native peoples whom God had destroyed before them. 5:26 So the God of Israel stirred up King Pul of Assyria (that is, King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria), and he carried away the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh and took them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river of Gozan, where they remain to this very day.
Psalms
73:1 A psalm by Asaph.
Certainly God is good to Israel, and to those whose motives are pure!
73:2 But as for me, my feet almost slipped; my feet almost slid out from under me.
73:3 For I envied those who are proud, as I observed the prosperity of the wicked.
73:4 For they suffer no pain; their bodies are strong and well-fed.
73:5 They are immune to the trouble common to men; they do not suffer as other men do.
73:6 Arrogance is their necklace, and violence their clothing.
73:7 Their prosperity causes them to do wrong; their thoughts are sinful.
73:8 They mock and say evil things; they proudly threaten violence.
73:9 They speak as if they rule in heaven, and lay claim to the earth.
73:10 Therefore they have more than enough food to eat, and even suck up the water of the sea.
73:11 They say, “How does God know what we do?
Is the sovereign one aware of what goes on?”
73:12 Take a good look! This is what the wicked are like, those who always have it so easy and get richer and richer.
73:13 I concluded, “Surely in vain I have kept my motives pure and maintained a pure lifestyle.
73:14 I suffer all day long, and am punished every morning.”
73:15 If I had publicized these thoughts, I would have betrayed your loyal followers.
73:16 When I tried to make sense of this, it was troubling to me.
73:17 Then I entered the precincts of God’s temple, and understood the destiny of the wicked.
73:18 Surely you put them in slippery places; you bring them down to ruin.
73:19 How desolate they become in a mere moment!
Terrifying judgments make their demise complete!
73:20 They are like a dream after one wakes up.
O Lord, when you awake you will despise them.
73:21 Yes, my spirit was bitter, and my insides felt sharp pain.
73:22 I was ignorant and lacked insight; I was as senseless as an animal before you.
73:23 But I am continually with you; you hold my right hand.
73:24 You guide me by your wise advice, and then you will lead me to a position of honor.
73:25 Whom do I have in heaven but you?
I desire no one but you on earth.
73:26 My flesh and my heart may grow weak, but God always protects my heart and gives me stability.
73:27 Yes, look! Those far from you die; you destroy everyone who is unfaithful to you.
73:28 But as for me, God’s presence is all I need. I have made the sovereign Lord my shelter, as I declare all the things you have done.
77:1 For the music director, Jeduthun; a psalm of Asaph.
I will cry out to God and call for help!
I will cry out to God and he will pay attention to me.
77:2 In my time of trouble I sought the Lord. I kept my hand raised in prayer throughout the night. I refused to be comforted.
77:3 I said, “I will remember God while I groan; I will think about him while my strength leaves me.” (Selah)
77:4 You held my eyelids open; I was troubled and could not speak.
77:5 I thought about the days of old, about ancient times.
77:6 I said, “During the night I will remember the song I once sang; I will think very carefully.”
I tried to make sense of what was happening.
77:7 I asked, “Will the Lord reject me forever?
Will he never again show me his favor?
77:8 Has his loyal love disappeared forever?
Has his promise failed forever?
77:9 Has God forgotten to be merciful?
Has his anger stifled his compassion?”
77:10 Then I said, “I am sickened by the thought that the sovereign One might become inactive.
77:11 I will remember the works of the Lord. Yes, I will remember the amazing things you did long ago!
77:12 I will think about all you have done; I will reflect upon your deeds!”
77:13 O God, your deeds are extraordinary!
What god can compare to our great God?
77:14 You are the God who does amazing things; you have revealed your strength among the nations.
77:15 You delivered your people by your strength – the children of Jacob and Joseph. (Selah)
77:16 The waters saw you, O God, the waters saw you and trembled.Yes, the depths of the sea shook with fear.
77:17 The clouds poured down rain; the skies thundered. Yes, your arrows flashed about.
77:18 Your thunderous voice was heard in the wind; the lightning bolts lit up the world; the earth trembled and shook.
77:19 You walked through the sea; you passed through the surging waters, but left no footprints.
77:20 You led your people like a flock of sheep, by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
78:1 A well-written song by Asaph.
Pay attention, my people, to my instruction!
Listen to the words I speak!
78:2 I will sing a song that imparts wisdom; I will make insightful observations about the past.
78:3 What we have heard and learned – that which our ancestors have told us –
78:4 we will not hide from their descendants. We will tell the next generation about the Lord’s praiseworthy acts, about his strength and the amazing things he has done.
78:5 He established a rule in Jacob; he set up a law in Israel. He commanded our ancestors to make his deeds known to their descendants,
78:6 so that the next generation, children yet to be born, might know about them. They will grow up and tell their descendants about them.
78:7 Then they will place their confidence in God. They will not forget the works of God, and they will obey his commands.
78:8 Then they will not be like their ancestors, who were a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that was not committed and faithful to God.
78:9 The Ephraimites were armed with bows, but they retreated in the day of battle.
78:10 They did not keep their covenant with God, and they refused to obey his law.
78:11 They forgot what he had done, the amazing things he had shown them.
78:12 He did amazing things in the sight of their ancestors, in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan.
78:13 He divided the sea and led them across it; he made the water stand in a heap.
78:14 He led them with a cloud by day, and with the light of a fire all night long.
78:15 He broke open rocks in the wilderness, and gave them enough water to fill the depths of the sea.
78:16 He caused streams to flow from the rock, and made the water flow like rivers.
78:17 Yet they continued to sin against him, and rebelled against the sovereign One in the desert.
78:18 They willfully challenged God by asking for food to satisfy their appetite.
78:19 They insulted God, saying, “Is God really able to give us food in the wilderness?
78:20 Yes, he struck a rock and water flowed out, streams gushed forth.
But can he also give us food?
Will he provide meat for his people?”
78:21 When the Lord heard this, he was furious. A fire broke out against Jacob, and his anger flared up against Israel,
78:22 because they did not have faith in God, and did not trust his ability to deliver them.
78:23 He gave a command to the clouds above, and opened the doors in the sky.
78:24 He rained down manna for them to eat; he gave them the grain of heaven.
78:25 Man ate the food of the mighty ones. He sent them more than enough to eat.
78:26 He brought the east wind through the sky, and by his strength led forth the south wind.
78:27 He rained down meat on them like dust, birds as numerous as the sand on the seashores.
78:28 He caused them to fall right in the middle of their camp, all around their homes.
78:29 They ate until they were stuffed; he gave them what they desired.
78:30 They were not yet filled up, their food was still in their mouths,
78:31 when the anger of God flared up against them. He killed some of the strongest of them; he brought the young men of Israel to their knees.
78:32 Despite all this, they continued to sin, and did not trust him to do amazing things.
78:33 So he caused them to die unsatisfied and filled with terror.
78:34 When he struck them down, they sought his favor; they turned back and longed for God.
78:35 They remembered that God was their protector, and that the sovereign God was their deliverer.
78:36 But they deceived him with their words, and lied to him.
78:37 They were not really committed to him, and they were unfaithful to his covenant.
78:38 Yet he is compassionate. He forgives sin and does not destroy. He often holds back his anger, and does not stir up his fury.
78:39 He remembered that they were made of flesh, and were like a wind that blows past and does not return.
78:40 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness, and insulted him in the desert!
78:41 They again challenged God, and offended the Holy One of Israel.
78:42 They did not remember what he had done, how he delivered them from the enemy,
78:43 when he performed his awesome deeds in Egypt, and his acts of judgment in the region of Zoan.
78:44 He turned their rivers into blood, and they could not drink from their streams.
78:45 He sent swarms of biting insects against them, as well as frogs that overran their land.
78:46 He gave their crops to the grasshopper, the fruit of their labor to the locust.
78:47 He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycamore-fig trees with driving rain.
78:48 He rained hail down on their cattle, and hurled lightning bolts down on their livestock.
78:49 His raging anger lashed out against them, He sent fury, rage, and trouble as messengers who bring disaster.
78:50 He sent his anger in full force; he did not spare them from death; he handed their lives over to destruction.
78:51 He struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, the firstfruits of their reproductive power in the tents of Ham.
78:52 Yet he brought out his people like sheep; he led them through the wilderness like a flock.
78:53 He guided them safely along, while the sea covered their enemies.
78:54 He brought them to the border of his holy land, to this mountainous land which his right hand acquired.
78:55 He drove the nations out from before them; he assigned them their tribal allotments and allowed the tribes of Israel to settle down.
78:56 Yet they challenged and defied the sovereign God, and did not obey his commands.
78:57 They were unfaithful and acted as treacherously as their ancestors; they were as unreliable as a malfunctioning bow.
78:58 They made him angry with their pagan shrines, and made him jealous with their idols.
78:59 God heard and was angry; he completely rejected Israel.
78:60 He abandoned the sanctuary at Shiloh, the tent where he lived among men.
78:61 He allowed the symbol of his strong presence to be captured; he gave the symbol of his splendor into the hand of the enemy.
78:62 He delivered his people over to the sword, and was angry with his chosen nation.
78:63 Fire consumed their young men, and their virgins remained unmarried.
78:64 Their priests fell by the sword, but their widows did not weep.
78:65 But then the Lord awoke from his sleep; he was like a warrior in a drunken rage.
78:66 He drove his enemies back; he made them a permanent target for insults.
78:67 He rejected the tent of Joseph; he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim.
78:68 He chose the tribe of Judah, and Mount Zion, which he loves.
78:69 He made his sanctuary as enduring as the heavens above; as secure as the earth, which he established permanently.
78:70 He chose David, his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds.
78:71 He took him away from following the mother sheep, and made him the shepherd of Jacob, his people, and of Israel, his chosen nation.
78:72 David cared for them with pure motives; he led them with skill.
Levi’s Descendants
6:1 The sons of Levi:
Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
6:2 The sons of Kohath:
Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
6:3 The children of Amram:
Aaron, Moses, and Miriam.
The sons of Aaron:
Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
6:4 Eleazar was the father of Phinehas, and Phinehas was the father of Abishua. 6:5 Abishua was the father of Bukki, and Bukki was the father of Uzzi. 6:6 Uzzi was the father of Zerahiah, and Zerahiah was the father of Meraioth. 6:7 Meraioth was the father of Amariah, and Amariah was the father of Ahitub. 6:8 Ahitub was the father of Zadok, and Zadok was the father of Ahimaaz. 6:9 Ahimaaz was the father of Azariah, and Azariah was the father of Johanan. 6:10 Johanan was the father of Azariah, who served as a priest in the temple Solomon built in Jerusalem. 6:11 Azariah was the father of Amariah, and Amariah was the father of Ahitub. 6:12 Ahitub was the father of Zadok, and Zadok was the father of Shallum. 6:13 Shallum was the father of Hilkiah, and Hilkiah was the father of Azariah. 6:14 Azariah was the father of Seraiah, and Seraiah was the father of Jehozadak. 6:15 Jehozadak went into exile when the Lord sent the people of Judah and Jerusalem into exile by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.
6:16 The sons of Levi:
Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.
6:17 These are the names of the sons Gershom:
Libni and Shimei.
6:18 The sons of Kohath:
Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
6:19 The sons of Merari:
Mahli and Mushi.
These are the clans of the Levites by their families.
6:20 To Gershom:
His son Libni, his son Jahath, his son Zimmah, 6:21 his son Joah, his son Iddo, his son Zerah, and his son Jeatherai.
6:22 The sons of Kohath:
His son Amminadab, his son Korah, his son Assir, 6:23 his son Elkanah, his son Ebiasaph, his son Assir, 6:24 his son Tahath, his son Uriel, his son Uzziah, and his son Shaul.
6:25 The sons of Elkanah:
Amasai, Ahimoth, 6:26 his son Elkanah, his son Zophai, his son Nahath, 6:27 his son Eliab, his son Jeroham, and his son Elkanah.
6:28 The sons of Samuel:
Joel the firstborn and Abijah the second oldest.
6:29 The descendants of Merari:
Mahli, his son Libni, his son Shimei, his son Uzzah, 6:30 his son Shimea, his son Haggiah, and his son Asaiah.
Professional Musicians
6:31 These are the men David put in charge of music in the Lord’s sanctuary, after the ark was placed there. 6:32 They performed music before the sanctuary of the meeting tent until Solomon built the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem. They carried out their tasks according to regulations.
6:33 These are the ones who served along with their sons:
From the Kohathites:
Heman the musician, son of Joel, son of Samuel, 6:34 son of Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Eliel, son of Toah, 6:35 son of Zuph, son of Elkanah, son of Mahath, son of Amasai, 6:36 son of Elkanah, son of Joel, son of Azariah, son of Zephaniah, 6:37 son of Tahath, son of Assir, son of Ebiasaph, son of Korah, 6:38 son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, son of Israel.
6:39 Serving beside him was his fellow Levite Asaph, son of Berechiah, son of Shimea, 6:40 son of Michael, son of Baaseiah, son of Malkijah, 6:41 son of Ethni, son of Zerah, son of Adaiah, 6:42 son of Ethan, son of Zimmah, son of Shimei, 6:43 son of Jahath, son of Gershom, son of Levi.
6:44 Serving beside them were their fellow Levites, the descendants of Merari, led by Ethan, son of Kishi, son of Abdi, son of Malluch, 6:45 son of Hashabiah, son of Amaziah, son of Hilkiah, 6:46 son of Amzi, son of Bani, son of Shemer, 6:47 son of Mahli, son of Mushi, son of Merari, son of Levi.
6:48 The rest of their fellow Levites were assigned to perform the remaining tasks at God’s sanctuary. 6:49 But Aaron and his descendants offered sacrifices on the altar for burnt offerings and on the altar for incense as they had been assigned to do in the most holy sanctuary. They made atonement for Israel, just as God’s servant Moses had ordered.
6:50 These were the descendants of Aaron:
His son Eleazar, his son Phinehas, his son Abishua, 6:51 his son Bukki, his son Uzzi, his son Zerahiah, 6:52 his son Meraioth, his son Amariah, his son Ahitub, 6:53 his son Zadok, and his son Ahimaaz.
6:54 These were the areas where Aaron’s descendants lived:
The following belonged to the Kohathite clan, for they received the first allotment:
6:55 They were allotted Hebron in the territory of Judah, as well as its surrounding pasturelands. 6:56 (But the city’s land and nearby towns were allotted to Caleb son of Jephunneh.) 6:57 The descendants of Aaron were also allotted as cities of refuge Hebron, Libnah and its pasturelands, Jattir, Eshtemoa and its pasturelands, 6:58 Hilez and its pasturelands, Debir and its pasturelands, 6:59 Ashan and its pasturelands, and Beth Shemesh and its pasturelands.
6:60 Within the territory of the tribe of Benjamin they were allotted Geba and its pasturelands, Alemeth and its pasturelands, and Anathoth and its pasturelands. Their clans were allotted thirteen cities in all. 6:61 The rest of Kohath’s descendants were allotted ten cities in the territory of the half-tribe of Manasseh.
6:62 The clans of Gershom’s descendants received thirteen cities within the territory of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Manasseh (in Bashan).
6:63 The clans of Merari’s descendants were allotted twelve cities within the territory of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.
6:64 So the Israelites gave to the Levites these cities and their pasturelands. 6:65 They allotted these previously named cities from the territory of the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.
6:66 The clans of Kohath’s descendants also received territory within the tribe of Ephraim. 6:67 They were allotted as cities of refuge Shechem and its pasturelands (in the hill country of Ephraim), Gezer and its pasturelands, 6:68 Jokmeam and its pasturelands, Beth Horon and its pasturelands, 6:69 Aijalon and its pasturelands, and Gath Rimmon and its pasturelands.
6:70 Within the territory of the half-tribe of Manasseh, the rest of Kohath’s descendants received Aner and its pasturelands and Bileam and its pasturelands.
6:71 The following belonged to Gershom’s descendants:
Within the territory of the half-tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan and its pasturelands and Ashtaroth and its pasturelands.
6:72 Within the territory of the tribe of Issachar: Kedesh and its pasturelands, Daberath and its pasturelands, 6:73 Ramoth and its pasturelands, and Anem and its pasturelands.
6:74 Within the territory of the tribe of Asher: Mashal and its pasturelands, Abdon and its pasturelands, 6:75 Hukok and its pasturelands, and Rehob and its pasturelands.
6:76 Within the territory of the tribe of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee and its pasturelands, Hammon and its pasturelands, and Kiriathaim and its pasturelands.
6:77 The following belonged to the rest of Merari’s descendants:
Within the territory of the tribe of Zebulun: Rimmono and its pasturelands, and Tabor and its pasturelands.
6:78 Within the territory of the tribe of Reuben across the Jordan River east of Jericho: Bezer in the desert and its pasturelands, Jahzah and its pasturelands, 6:79 Kedemoth and its pasturelands, and Mephaath and its pasturelands.
6:80 Within the territory of the tribe of Gad: Ramoth in Gilead and its pasturelands, Mahanaim and its pasturelands, 6:81 Heshbon and its pasturelands, and Jazer and its pasturelands.
Psalms
81:1 For the music director; according to the gittith style; by Asaph.
Shout for joy to God, our source of strength!
Shout out to the God of Jacob!
81:2 Sing a song and play the tambourine, the pleasant sounding harp, and the ten-stringed instrument!
81:3 Sound the ram’s horn on the day of the new moon, and on the day of the full moon when our festival begins.
81:4 For observing the festival is a requirement for Israel; it is an ordinance given by the God of Jacob.
81:5 He decreed it as a regulation in Joseph, when he attacked the land of Egypt. I heard a voice I did not recognize.
81:6 It said: “I removed the burden from his shoulder; his hands were released from holding the basket.
81:7 In your distress you called out and I rescued you. I answered you from a dark thundercloud. I tested you at the waters of Meribah. (Selah)
81:8 I said, ‘Listen, my people!
I will warn you!
O Israel, if only you would obey me!
81:9 There must be no other god among you. You must not worship a foreign god.
81:10 I am the Lord, your God, the one who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide and I will fill it!’
81:11 But my people did not obey me; Israel did not submit to me.
81:12 I gave them over to their stubborn desires; they did what seemed right to them.
81:13 If only my people would obey me!
If only Israel would keep my commands!
81:14 Then I would quickly subdue their enemies, and attack their adversaries.”
81:15 (May those who hate the Lord cower in fear before him!
May they be permanently humiliated!)
81:16 “I would feed Israel the best wheat, and would satisfy your appetite with honey from the rocky cliffs.”
88:1 A song, a psalm written by the Korahites; for the music director; according to the machalath-leannoth style; a well-written song by Heman the Ezrachite.
O Lord God who delivers me!
By day I cry out and at night I pray before you.
88:2 Listen to my prayer!
Pay attention to my cry for help!
88:3 For my life is filled with troubles and I am ready to enter Sheol.
88:4 They treat me like those who descend into the grave. I am like a helpless man,
88:5 adrift among the dead, like corpses lying in the grave, whom you remember no more, and who are cut off from your power.
88:6 You place me in the lowest regions of the pit, in the dark places, in the watery depths.
88:7 Your anger bears down on me, and you overwhelm me with all your waves. (Selah)
88:8 You cause those who know me to keep their distance; you make me an appalling sight to them. I am trapped and cannot get free.
88:9 My eyes grow weak because of oppression. I call out to you, O Lord, all day long; I spread out my hands in prayer to you.
88:10 Do you accomplish amazing things for the dead?
Do the departed spirits rise up and give you thanks? (Selah)
88:11 Is your loyal love proclaimed in the grave, or your faithfulness in the place of the dead?
88:12 Are your amazing deeds experienced in the dark region, or your deliverance in the land of oblivion?
88:13 As for me, I cry out to you, O Lord; in the morning my prayer confronts you.
88:14 O Lord, why do you reject me, and pay no attention to me?
88:15 I am oppressed and have been on the verge of death since my youth. I have been subjected to your horrors and am numb with pain.
88:16 Your anger overwhelms me; your terrors destroy me.
88:17 They surround me like water all day long; they join forces and encircle me.
88:18 You cause my friends and neighbors to keep their distance; those who know me leave me alone in the darkness.
92:1 A psalm; a song for the Sabbath day.
It is fitting to thank the Lord, and to sing praises to your name, O sovereign One!
92:2 It is fitting to proclaim your loyal love in the morning, and your faithfulness during the night,
92:3 to the accompaniment of a ten-stringed instrument and a lyre, to the accompaniment of the meditative tone of the harp.
92:4 For you, O Lord, have made me happy by your work. I will sing for joy because of what you have done.
92:5 How great are your works, O Lord!
Your plans are very intricate!
92:6 The spiritually insensitive do not recognize this; the fool does not understand this.
92:7 When the wicked sprout up like grass, and all the evildoers glisten, it is so that they may be annihilated.
92:8 But you, O Lord, reign forever!
92:9 Indeed, look at your enemies, O Lord!
Indeed, look at how your enemies perish!
All the evildoers are scattered!
92:10 You exalt my horn like that of a wild ox. I am covered with fresh oil.
92:11 I gloat in triumph over those who tried to ambush me; I hear the defeated cries of the evil foes who attacked me.
92:12 The godly grow like a palm tree; they grow high like a cedar in Lebanon.
92:13 Planted in the Lord’s house, they grow in the courts of our God.
92:14 They bear fruit even when they are old; they are filled with vitality and have many leaves.
92:15 So they proclaim that the Lord, my protector, is just and never unfair.
93:1 The Lord reigns!
He is robed in majesty, the Lord is robed, he wears strength around his waist. Indeed, the world is established, it cannot be moved.
93:2 Your throne has been secure from ancient times; you have always been king.
93:3 The waves roar, O Lord, the waves roar, the waves roar and crash.
93:4 Above the sound of the surging water, and the mighty waves of the sea, the Lord sits enthroned in majesty.
93:5 The rules you set down are completely reliable. Holiness aptly adorns your house, O Lord, forever.
Lord, You have been faithful to Your covenant, including both the protection and provision for obedience and the negative consequences for disobedience. May I not complain when You chastise me as it is always a perfectly-proportional response to my disobedience.
The continuing genealogies in 1 Chronicles 3 – 5 maintain the archeological record for perspective and validation of David’s line. Family history was important at that time and remains such for many modern-day Jews.
Asaph’s Psalm, numbered seventy-three in the sequence, was his lament that he had allowed jealousy of the wealthy to cloud his perception of the Lord God and of his own life.
Asaph’s Psalm, numbered seventy-eight, was a wisdom-song in which he reviewed the long history of the Lord God’s protection and provision of His people, concluding with the reign of king David.
The continuing genealogies in 1 Chronicles 6 maintain the archeological record for perspective and validation of the Levite (priestly) line.
Asaph’s Psalm, numbered eighty-one, described the obligation of Israel to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles (Booths) – per the NET translator’s notes – and linked that act of obedience to the Lord God’s intervention and rescue.
A Psalm by the Korahites, specifically Heman the Ezrachite, numbered eighty-eight was a petition for rescue.
Psalm Ninety-Two is not labeled as to the author, it has been speculated that it was of David, of Moses, of one of the Kohalites, or a high priest. It was a prayer of praise which emphasized the protective care of the Lord God in times of trouble. It contained this wisdom-text “How great are your works, O Lord! Your plans are very intricate! The spiritually insensitive do not recognize this; the fool does not understand this.”
Psalm Ninety-Three was unlabeled but likely from a High Priest or one of the Kohalites. It was a praise-prayer which celebrated the Lord God’s hand of power over the forces of the earth.
The history of the Lord God’s protection and provision of His people is amazing. He always kept His part of the covenant.
Why would Asaph expect the Lord God to relent from His judgment of the nation of Israel after the long history of chronic rebellion?
Asaph seemed to see mostly the consequences rather than the cause of Israel’s troubles.
When have you troubles and later realized that if you had focused on the cause rather than the symptoms of the trouble you would have found relief sooner?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a list of times when He has protected and/or provided for you.
Today I will give praise to the Lord God for His faithfulness, I will share the story with a fellow believer, and I will read Psalm seventy-eight several times this week as a reinforcement of my confidence in the Lord’s faithfulness.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Issachar’s Descendants
7:1 The sons of Issachar:
Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron – four in all.
7:2 The sons of Tola:
Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Jibsam, and Samuel. They were leaders of their families. In the time of David there were 22,600 warriors listed in Tola’s genealogical records.
7:3 The son of Uzzi:
Izrachiah.
The sons of Izrahiah:
Michael, Obadiah, Joel, and Isshiah. All five were leaders.
7:4 According to the genealogical records of their families, they had 36,000 warriors available for battle, for they had numerous wives and sons. 7:5 Altogether the genealogical records of the clans of Issachar listed 87,000 warriors.
Benjamin’s Descendants
7:6 The sons of Benjamin:
Bela, Beker, and Jediael – three in all.
7:7 The sons of Bela:
Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, and Iri. The five of them were leaders of their families. There were 22,034 warriors listed in their genealogical records.
7:8 The sons of Beker:
Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth, and Alameth. All these were the sons of Beker. 7:9 There were 20,200 family leaders and warriors listed in their genealogical records.
7:10 The son of Jediael:
Bilhan.
The sons of Bilhan:
Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Kenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish, and Ahishahar. 7:11 All these were the sons of Jediael. Listed in their genealogical records were 17,200 family leaders and warriors who were capable of marching out to battle.
7:12 The Shuppites and Huppites were descendants of Ir; the Hushites were descendants of Aher.
Naphtali’s Descendants
7:13 The sons of Naphtali:
Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shallum – sons of Bilhah.
Manasseh’s Descendants
7:14 The sons of Manasseh:
Asriel, who was born to Manasseh’s Aramean concubine. She also gave birth to Makir the father of Gilead. 7:15 Now Makir married a wife from the Huppites and Shuppites. (His sister’s name was Maacah.)
Zelophehad was Manasseh’s second son; he had only daughters.
7:16 Maacah, Makir’s wife, gave birth to a son, whom she named Peresh. His brother was Sheresh, and his sons were Ulam and Rekem.
7:17 The son of Ulam:
Bedan.
These were the sons of Gilead, son of Makir, son of Manasseh. 7:18 His sister Hammoleketh gave birth to Ishhod, Abiezer, and Mahlah.
7:19 The sons of Shemida were Ahian, Shechem, Likhi, and Aniam.
Ephraim’s Descendants
7:20 The descendants of Ephraim:
Shuthelah, his son Bered, his son Tahath, his son Eleadah, his son Tahath, 7:21 his son Zabad, his son Shuthelah
(Ezer and Elead were killed by the men of Gath, who were natives of the land, when they went down to steal their cattle. 7:22 Their father Ephraim mourned for them many days and his brothers came to console him. 7:23 He had sexual relations with his wife; she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. Ephraim named him Beriah because tragedy had come to his family. 7:24 His daughter was Sheerah, who built Lower and Upper Beth Horon, as well as Uzzen Sheerah),
7:25 his son Rephah, his son Resheph, his son Telah, his son Tahan, 7:26 his son Ladan, his son Ammihud, his son Elishama, 7:27 his son Nun, and his son Joshua.
7:28 Their property and settlements included Bethel and its surrounding towns, Naaran to the east, Gezer and its surrounding towns to the west, and Shechem and its surrounding towns as far as Ayyah and its surrounding towns. 7:29 On the border of Manasseh’s territory were Beth-Shean and its surrounding towns, Taanach and its surrounding towns, Megiddo and its surrounding towns, and Dor and its surrounding towns. The descendants of Joseph, Israel’s son, lived here.
Asher’s Descendants
7:30 The sons of Asher:
Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah. Serah was their sister.
7:31 The sons of Beriah:
Heber and Malkiel, who was the father of Birzaith.
7:32 Heber was the father of Japhlet, Shomer, Hotham, and Shua their sister.
7:33 The sons of Japhlet:
Pasach, Bimhal, and Ashvath. These were Japhlet’s sons.
7:34 The sons of his brother Shemer:
Rohgah, Hubbah, and Aram.
7:35 The sons of his brother Helem:
Zophah, Imna, Shelesh, and Amal.
7:36 The sons of Zophah:
Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, Imrah, 7:37 Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran, and Beera.
7:38 The sons of Jether:
Jephunneh, Pispah, and Ara.
7:39 The sons of Ulla:
Arah, Hanniel, and Rizia.
7:40 All these were the descendants of Asher. They were the leaders of their families, the most capable men, who were warriors and served as head chiefs. There were 26,000 warriors listed in their genealogical records as capable of doing battle.
Benjamin’s Descendants (Continued)
8:1 Benjamin was the father of Bela, his firstborn; Ashbel was born second, Aharah third, 8:2 Nohah fourth, and Rapha fifth.
8:3 Bela’s sons were Addar, Gera, Abihud, 8:4 Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah, 8:5 Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram.
8:6 These were the descendants of Ehud who were leaders of the families living in Geba who were forced to move to Manahath: 8:7 Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera, who moved them. Gera was the father of Uzzah and Ahihud.
8:8 Shaharaim fathered sons in Moab after he divorced his wives Hushim and Baara. 8:9 By his wife Hodesh he fathered Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malkam, 8:10 Jeuz, Sakia, and Mirmah. These were his sons; they were family leaders. 8:11 By Hushim he fathered Abitub and Elpaal.
8:12 The sons of Elpaal:
Eber, Misham, Shemed (who built Ono and Lod, as well as its surrounding towns), 8:13 Beriah, and Shema. They were leaders of the families living in Aijalon and chased out the inhabitants of Gath.
8:14 Ahio, Shashak, Jeremoth, 8:15 Zebadiah, Arad, Eder, 8:16 Michael, Ishpah, and Joha were the sons of Beriah.
8:17 Zebadiah, Meshullam, Hizki, Heber, 8:18 Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab were the sons of Elpaal.
8:19 Jakim, Zikri, Zabdi, 8:20 Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel, 8:21 Adaiah, Beraiah, and Shimrath were the sons of Shimei.
8:22 Ishpan, Eber, Eliel, 8:23 Abdon, Zikri, Hanan, 8:24 Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah, 8:25 Iphdeiah, and Penuel were the sons of Shashak.
8:26 Shamsherai, Shechariah, Athaliah, 8:27 Jaareshiah, Elijah, and Zikri were the sons of Jeroham. 8:28 These were the family leaders listed in the genealogical records; they lived in Jerusalem.
8:29 The father of Gibeon lived in Gibeon; his wife’s name was Maacah. 8:30 His firstborn son was Abdon, followed by Zur, Kish, Baal, Nadab, 8:31 Gedor, Ahio, Zeker, and Mikloth.
8:32 Mikloth was the father of Shimeah. They also lived near their relatives in Jerusalem.
8:33 Ner was the father of Kish, and Kish was the father of Saul. Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malki-Shua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.
8:34 The son of Jonathan:
Meribbaal.
Meribbaal was the father of Micah.
8:35 The sons of Micah:
Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz.
8:36 Ahaz was the father of Jehoaddah, and Jehoaddah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri was the father of Moza, 8:37 and Moza was the father of Binea. His son was Raphah, whose son was Eleasah, whose son was Azel.
8:38 Azel had six sons: Azrikam his firstborn, followed by Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel.
8:39 The sons of his brother Eshek:
Ulam was his firstborn, Jeush second, and Eliphelet third. 8:40 The sons of Ulam were warriors who were adept archers. They had many sons and grandsons, a total of 150.
All these were the descendants of Benjamin.
9:1 Genealogical records were kept for all Israel; they are recorded in the Scroll of the Kings of Israel.
Exiles Who Resettled in Jerusalem
The people of Judah were carried away to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness. 9:2 The first to resettle on their property and in their cities were some Israelites, priests, Levites, and temple servants. 9:3 Some from the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim and Manasseh settled in Jerusalem.
9:4 The settlers included: Uthai son of Ammihud, son of Omri, son of Imri, son of Bani, who was a descendant of Perez son of Judah.
9:5 From the Shilonites: Asaiah the firstborn and his sons.
9:6 From the descendants of Zerah: Jeuel.
Their relatives numbered 690.
9:7 From the descendants of Benjamin:
Sallu son of Meshullam, son of Hodaviah, son of Hassenuah; 9:8 Ibneiah son of Jeroham; Elah son of Uzzi, son of Mikri; and Meshullam son of Shephatiah, son of Reuel, son of Ibnijah.
9:9 Their relatives, listed in their genealogical records, numbered 956. All these men were leaders of their families.
9:10 From the priests:
Jedaiah; Jehoiarib; Jakin; 9:11 Azariah son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub the leader in God’s temple; 9:12 Adaiah son of Jeroham, son of Pashhur, son of Malkijah; and Maasai son of Adiel, son of Jahzerah, son of Meshullam, son of Meshillemith, son of Immer.
9:13 Their relatives, who were leaders of their families, numbered 1,760. They were capable men who were assigned to carry out the various tasks of service in God’s temple.
9:14 From the Levites:
Shemaiah son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah a descendant of Merari; 9:15 Bakbakkar; Heresh; Galal; Mattaniah son of Mika, son of Zikri, son of Asaph; 9:16 Obadiah son of Shemaiah, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun; and Berechiah son of Asa, son of Elkanah, who lived among the settlements of the Netophathites.
9:17 The gatekeepers were:
Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their brothers. Shallum was the leader; 9:18 he serves to this day at the King’s Gate on the east. These were the gatekeepers from the camp of the descendants of Levi.
9:19 Shallum son of Kore, son of Ebiasaph, son of Korah, and his relatives from his family (the Korahites) were assigned to guard the entrance to the sanctuary. Their ancestors had guarded the entrance to the Lord’s dwelling place. 9:20 Phinehas son of Eleazar had been their leader in earlier times, and the Lord was with him. 9:21 Zechariah son of Meshelemiah was the guard at the entrance to the meeting tent.
9:22 All those selected to be gatekeepers at the entrances numbered 212. Their names were recorded in the genealogical records of their settlements. David and Samuel the prophet had appointed them to their positions. 9:23 They and their descendants were assigned to guard the gates of the Lord’s sanctuary (that is, the tabernacle). 9:24 The gatekeepers were posted on all four sides – east, west, north, and south. 9:25 Their relatives, who lived in their settlements, came from time to time and served with them for seven-day periods. 9:26 The four head gatekeepers, who were Levites, were assigned to guard the storerooms and treasuries in God’s sanctuary. 9:27 They would spend the night in their posts all around God’s sanctuary, for they were assigned to guard it and would open it with the key every morning. 9:28 Some of them were in charge of the articles used by those who served; they counted them when they brought them in and when they brought them out. 9:29 Some of them were in charge of the equipment and articles of the sanctuary, as well as the flour, wine, olive oil, incense, and spices. 9:30 (But some of the priests mixed the spices.) 9:31 Mattithiah, a Levite, the firstborn son of Shallum the Korahite, was in charge of baking the bread for offerings. 9:32 Some of the Kohathites, their relatives, were in charge of preparing the bread that is displayed each Sabbath.
9:33 The musicians and Levite family leaders stayed in rooms at the sanctuary and were exempt from other duties, for day and night they had to carry out their assigned tasks. 9:34 These were the family leaders of the Levites, as listed in their genealogical records. They lived in Jerusalem.
Jeiel’s Descendants
9:35 Jeiel (the father of Gibeon) lived in Gibeon. His wife was Maacah. 9:36 His firstborn son was Abdon, followed by Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab, 9:37 Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth. 9:38 Mikloth was the father of Shimeam. They also lived near their relatives in Jerusalem.
9:39 Ner was the father of Kish, and Kish was the father of Saul. Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malki-Shua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.
9:40 The son of Jonathan:
Meribbaal, who was the father of Micah.
9:41 The sons of Micah:
Pithon, Melech, Tahrea, and Ahaz.
9:42 Ahaz was the father of Jarah, and Jarah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri was the father of Moza, 9:43 and Moza was the father of Binea. His son was Rephaiah, whose son was Eleasah, whose son was Azel.
9:44 Azel had six sons: Azrikam his firstborn, followed by Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. These were the sons of Azel.
Saul’s Death
10:1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel. The Israelites fled before the Philistines and many of them fell dead on Mount Gilboa. 10:2 The Philistines stayed right on the heels of Saul and his sons. They struck down Saul’s sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua. 10:3 The battle was thick around Saul; the archers spotted him and wounded him. 10:4 Saul told his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and stab me with it. Otherwise these uncircumcised people will come and torture me.” But his armor bearer refused to do it, because he was very afraid. So Saul took the sword and fell on it. 10:5 When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died. 10:6 So Saul and his three sons died; his whole household died together. 10:7 When all the Israelites who were in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled. The Philistines came and occupied them.
10:8 The next day, when the Philistines came to strip loot from the corpses, they discovered Saul and his sons lying dead on Mount Gilboa. 10:9 They stripped his corpse, and then carried off his head and his armor. They sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines proclaiming the news to their idols and their people. 10:10 They placed his armor in the temple of their gods and hung his head in the temple of Dagon. 10:11 When all the residents of Jabesh Gilead heard about everything the Philistines had done to Saul, 10:12 all the warriors went and recovered the bodies of Saul and his sons and brought them to Jabesh. They buried their remains under the oak tree in Jabesh and fasted for seven days.
10:13 So Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord and did not obey the Lord’s instructions; he even tried to conjure up underworld spirits. 10:14 He did not seek the Lord’s guidance, so the Lord killed him and transferred the kingdom to David son of Jesse.
Psalms
102:1 The prayer of an oppressed man, as he grows faint and pours out his lament before the Lord.
O Lord, hear my prayer!
Pay attention to my cry for help!
102:2 Do not ignore me in my time of trouble!
Listen to me!
When I call out to you, quickly answer me!
102:3 For my days go up in smoke, and my bones are charred like a fireplace.
102:4 My heart is parched and withered like grass, for I am unable to eat food.
102:5 Because of the anxiety that makes me groan, my bones protrude from my skin.
102:6 I am like an owl in the wilderness; I am like a screech owl among the ruins.
102:7 I stay awake; I am like a solitary bird on a roof.
102:8 All day long my enemies taunt me; those who mock me use my name in their curses.
102:9 For I eat ashes as if they were bread, and mix my drink with my tears,
102:10 because of your anger and raging fury. Indeed, you pick me up and throw me away.
102:11 My days are coming to an end, and I am withered like grass.
102:12 But you, O Lord, rule forever, and your reputation endures.
102:13 You will rise up and have compassion on Zion. For it is time to have mercy on her, for the appointed time has come.
102:14 Indeed, your servants take delight in her stones, and feel compassion for the dust of her ruins.
102:15 The nations will respect the reputation of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth will respect his splendor,
102:16 when the Lord rebuilds Zion, and reveals his splendor,
102:17 when he responds to the prayer of the destitute, and does not reject their request.
102:18 The account of his intervention will be recorded for future generations; people yet to be born will praise the Lord.
102:19 For he will look down from his sanctuary above; from heaven the Lord will look toward earth,
102:20 in order to hear the painful cries of the prisoners, and to set free those condemned to die,
102:21 so they may proclaim the name of the Lord in Zion, and praise him in Jerusalem,
102:22 when the nations gather together, and the kingdoms pay tribute to the Lord.
102:23 He has taken away my strength in the middle of life; he has cut short my days.
102:24 I say, “O my God, please do not take me away in the middle of my life!
You endure through all generations.
102:25 In earlier times you established the earth; the skies are your handiwork.
102:26 They will perish, but you will endure. They will wear out like a garment; like clothes you will remove them and they will disappear.
102:27 But you remain; your years do not come to an end.
102:28 The children of your servants will settle down here, and their descendants will live securely in your presence.”
103:1 By David.
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
With all that is within me, praise his holy name!
103:2 Praise the Lord, O my soul!
Do not forget all his kind deeds!
103:3 He is the one who forgives all your sins, who heals all your diseases,
103:4 who delivers your life from the Pit, who crowns you with his loyal love and compassion,
103:5 who satisfies your life with good things, so your youth is renewed like an eagle’s.
103:6 The Lord does what is fair, and executes justice for all the oppressed.
103:7 The Lord revealed his faithful acts to Moses, his deeds to the Israelites.
103:8 The Lord is compassionate and merciful; he is patient and demonstrates great loyal love.
103:9 He does not always accuse, and does not stay angry.
103:10 He does not deal with us as our sins deserve; he does not repay us as our misdeeds deserve.
103:11 For as the skies are high above the earth, so his loyal love towers over his faithful followers.
103:12 As far as the eastern horizon is from the west, so he removes the guilt of our rebellious actions from us.
103:13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on his faithful followers.
103:14 For he knows what we are made of; he realizes we are made of clay.
103:15 A person’s life is like grass. Like a flower in the field it flourishes,
103:16 but when the hot wind blows by, it disappears, and one can no longer even spot the place where it once grew.
103:17 But the Lord continually shows loyal love to his faithful followers, and is faithful to their descendants,
103:18 to those who keep his covenant, who are careful to obey his commands.
103:19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven; his kingdom extends over everything.
103:20 Praise the Lord, you angels of his, you powerful warriors who carry out his decrees and obey his orders!
103:21 Praise the Lord, all you warriors of his, you servants of his who carry out his desires!
103:22 Praise the Lord, all that he has made, in all the regions of his kingdom!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
104:1 Praise the Lord, O my soul!
O Lord my God, you are magnificent. You are robed in splendor and majesty.
104:2 He covers himself with light as if it were a garment. He stretches out the skies like a tent curtain,
104:3 and lays the beams of the upper rooms of his palace on the rain clouds. He makes the clouds his chariot, and travels along on the wings of the wind.
104:4 He makes the winds his messengers, and the flaming fire his attendant.
104:5 He established the earth on its foundations; it will never be upended.
104:6 The watery deep covered it like a garment; the waters reached above the mountains.
104:7 Your shout made the waters retreat; at the sound of your thunderous voice they hurried off –
104:8 as the mountains rose up, and the valleys went down – to the place you appointed for them.
104:9 You set up a boundary for them that they could not cross, so that they would not cover the earth again.
104:10 He turns springs into streams; they flow between the mountains.
104:11 They provide water for all the animals in the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
104:12 The birds of the sky live beside them; they chirp among the bushes.
104:13 He waters the mountains from the upper rooms of his palace; the earth is full of the fruit you cause to grow.
104:14 He provides grass for the cattle, and crops for people to cultivate, so they can produce food from the ground,
104:15 as well as wine that makes people feel so good, and so they can have oil to make their faces shine, as well as food that sustains people’s lives.
104:16 The trees of the Lord receive all the rain they need, the cedars of Lebanon which he planted,
104:17 where the birds make nests, near the evergreens in which the herons live.
104:18 The wild goats live in the high mountains; the rock badgers find safety in the cliffs.
104:19 He made the moon to mark the months, and the sun sets according to a regular schedule.
104:20 You make it dark and night comes, during which all the beasts of the forest prowl around.
104:21 The lions roar for prey, seeking their food from God.
104:22 When the sun rises, they withdraw and sleep in their dens.
104:23 Men then go out to do their work, and labor away until evening.
104:24 How many living things you have made, O Lord!
You have exhibited great skill in making all of them; the earth is full of the living things you have made.
104:25 Over here is the deep, wide sea, which teems with innumerable swimming creatures, living things both small and large.
104:26 The ships travel there, and over here swims the whale you made to play in it.
104:27 All of your creatures wait for you to provide them with food on a regular basis.
104:28 You give food to them and they receive it; you open your hand and they are filled with food.
104:29 When you ignore them, they panic. When you take away their life’s breath, they die and return to dust.
104:30 When you send your life-giving breath, they are created, and you replenish the surface of the ground.
104:31 May the splendor of the Lord endure!
May the Lord find pleasure in the living things he has made!
104:32 He looks down on the earth and it shakes; he touches the mountains and they start to smolder.
104:33 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God as long as I exist!
104:34 May my thoughts be pleasing to him!
I will rejoice in the Lord.
104:35 May sinners disappear from the earth, and the wicked vanish!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
Praise the Lord!
Lord, Your power and creativity, mercy and provision are manifest in Your Creation – even after the Fall. May I pause frequently to marvel at what You created and give praise and thanks.
Genealogies continued through 1 Chronicles 7 – 9, including notes as to important events.
The terse summary of 1 Chronicles 10 describes the end of Saul’s term as king gave emphasis to the reason that not only he but also his sons were allowed to be killed by the Philistines “10:13 So Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord and did not obey the Lord’s instructions; he even tried to conjure up underworld spirits. 10:14 He did not seek the Lord’s guidance, so the Lord killed him and transferred the kingdom to David son of Jesse.”
David had previously been called an anointed as the next king so the people recognized and followed him.
Psalm 102 is a prayer of petition which includes wisdom “You endure through all generations. In earlier times you established the earth; the skies are your handiwork. They will perish, but you will endure. They will wear out like a garment; like clothes you will remove them and they will disappear. But you remain; your years do not come to an end.”
The Psalmist is not identified and though it is similar to David’s writing, the text
“You will rise up and have compassion on Zion. For it is time to have mercy on her, for the appointed time has come. Indeed, your servants take delight in her stones, and feel compassion for the dust of her ruins.”
suggests that that the events may be much later - after Jerusalem has been destroyed.
Psalm 103 is a praise-song of David which includes a great deal of wisdom: “Praise the Lord, O my soul! Do not forget all his kind deeds! He is the one who forgives all your sins, who heals all your diseases, who delivers your life from the Pit, who crowns you with his loyal love and compassion,” and “He does not deal with us as our sins deserve; he does not repay us as our misdeeds deserve. For as the skies are high above the earth, so his loyal love towers over his faithful followers. As far as the eastern horizon is from the west, so he removes the guilt of our rebellious actions from us.” and “For he knows what we are made of; he realizes we are made of clay.”
Psalm 104 is praise with wisdom “All of your creatures … When you take away their life’s breath, they die and return to dust. When you send your life-giving breath, they are created ...” The identity of the author was not included in the text.
Choices have consequences. Although the Lord God allowed Saul to serve as king for many years his rebellion eventually destroyed him and his family. The Psalmists agree that the Lord God is eternal and that His creation is temporary.
Why did the Lord God allow David to be tested so severely, along with those around him, for so many years prior to him becoming king? Could it be that David’s own struggles enabled him to communicate the wisdom that the Lord God understands that we are fragile “clay”, that He understands our weakness and does not punish us as we deserve, He-alone can and does save us “from the pit”, and He-alone removes our guilt from us?
Those around David earned the right to trusted authority and responsibility. The gift of life is from the Lord God.
When have you experienced or observed someone being tested by the “fire” of challenging experiences prior to being promoted? When have you experienced or observed someone whose healing from a disease was clearly a miracle? Was the Lord God given credit and praise?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where the Lord God is testing you through challenges, and/or has done so in the past, as preparation for the future and to reveal to you a place in your life where the Lord God has granted mercy rather than than as your “misdeeds” deserved?
Today I will celebrate the Lord’s preparation of me, even as I remember that during the time of testing I was not happy about it, and I will use that experience to encourage myself as current and future testing (trials) prepare me for the future. I will give grateful thanks and praise for the mercy of the Lord in my life and I will share that praise-report with a fellow believer as an encouragement.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 30
David Is Anointed King Over Israel
5:1 All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron saying, “Look, we are your very flesh and blood! 5:2 In the past, when Saul was our king, you were the real leader in Israel. The Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel; you will rule over Israel.’”
5:3 When all the leaders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, King David made an agreement with them in Hebron before the Lord. They designated David as king over Israel. 5:4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign and he reigned for forty years. 5:5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned for thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.
David Occupies Jerusalem
5:6 Then the king and his men advanced to Jerusalem against the Jebusites who lived in the land. The Jebusites said to David, “You cannot invade this place! Even the blind and the lame will turn you back, saying, ‘David cannot invade this place!’”
5:7 But David captured the fortress of Zion (that is, the city of David). 5:8 David said on that day, “Whoever attacks the Jebusites must approach the ‘lame’ and the ‘blind’ who are David’s enemies by going through the water tunnel.” For this reason it is said, “The blind and the lame cannot enter the palace.”
5:9 So David lived in the fortress and called it the City of David. David built all around it, from the terrace inwards. 5:10 David’s power grew steadily, for the Lord God who commands armies was with him.
1 Chronicles 11-12
David Becomes King
11:1 All Israel joined David at Hebron and said, “Look, we are your very flesh and blood! 11:2 In the past, even when Saul was king, you were Israel’s commanding general. The Lord your God said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel; you will rule over my people Israel.’” 11:3 When all the leaders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, David made an agreement with them in Hebron before the Lord. They anointed David king over Israel, just as the Lord had announced through Samuel.
David Conquers Jerusalem
11:4 David and the whole Israelite army advanced to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus). (The Jebusites, the land’s original inhabitants, lived there.) 11:5 The residents of Jebus said to David, “You cannot invade this place!” But David captured the fortress of Zion (that is, the City of David). 11:6 David said, “Whoever attacks the Jebusites first will become commanding general!” So Joab son of Zeruiah attacked first and became commander. 11:7 David lived in the fortress; for this reason it is called the City of David. 11:8 He built up the city around it, from the terrace to the surrounding walls; Joab restored the rest of the city. 11:9 David’s power steadily grew, for the Lord who commands armies was with him.
David’s Warriors
11:10 These were the leaders of David’s warriors who helped establish and stabilize his rule over all Israel, in accordance with the Lord’s word. 11:11 This is the list of David’s warriors:
Jashobeam, a Hacmonite, was head of the officers. He killed three hundred men with his spear in a single battle.
11:12 Next in command was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite. He was one of the three elite warriors. 11:13 He was with David in Pas Dammim when the Philistines assembled there for battle. In an area of the field that was full of barley, the army retreated before the Philistines, 11:14 but then they made a stand in the middle of that area. They defended it and defeated the Philistines; the Lord gave them a great victory.
11:15 Three of the thirty leaders went down to David at the rocky cliff at the cave of Adullam, while a Philistine force was camped in the Valley of Rephaim. 11:16 David was in the stronghold at the time, while a Philistine garrison was in Bethlehem. 11:17 David was thirsty and said, “How I wish someone would give me some water to drink from the cistern in Bethlehem near the city gate!” 11:18 So the three elite warriors broke through the Philistine forces and drew some water from the cistern in Bethlehem near the city gate. They carried it back to David, but David refused to drink it. He poured it out as a drink offering to the Lord 11:19 and said, “God forbid that I should do this! Should I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives?” Because they risked their lives to bring it to him, he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three elite warriors.
11:20 Abishai the brother of Joab was head of the three elite warriors. He killed three hundred men with his spear and gained fame along with the three elite warriors. 11:21 From the three he was given double honor and he became their officer, even though he was not one of them.
11:22 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a brave warrior from Kabzeel who performed great exploits. He struck down the two sons of Ariel of Moab; he also went down and killed a lion inside a cistern on a snowy day. 11:23 He even killed an Egyptian who was seven and a half feet tall. The Egyptian had a spear as big as the crossbeam of a weaver’s loom; Benaiah attacked him with a club. He grabbed the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 11:24 Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who gained fame along with the three elite warriors. 11:25 He received honor from the thirty warriors, though he was not one of the three elite warriors. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.
NOTE: The genealogy in 11:26-47 has not been included here.
Warriors Who Joined David at Ziklag
12:1 These were the men who joined David in Ziklag, when he was banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish. (They were among the warriors who assisted him in battle. 12:2 They were armed with bows and could shoot arrows or sling stones right or left-handed. They were fellow tribesmen of Saul from Benjamin.) These were:
12:3 Ahiezer, the leader, and Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth;
Berachah,
Jehu the Anathothite,
12:4 Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, one of the thirty warriors and their leader,
(12:5) Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite, 12:5 (12:6) Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, Shephatiah the Haruphite, 12:6 Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, who were Korahites, 12:7 and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham from Gedor.
12:8 Some of the Gadites joined David at the stronghold in the desert. They were warriors who were trained for battle; they carried shields and spears. They were as fierce as lions and could run as quickly as gazelles across the hills. 12:9 Ezer was the leader, Obadiah the second in command, Eliab the third, 12:10 Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth, 12:11 Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh, 12:12 Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth, 12:13 Jeremiah the tenth, and Machbannai the eleventh. 12:14 These Gadites were military leaders; the least led a hundred men, the greatest a thousand. 12:15 They crossed the Jordan River in the first month, when it was overflowing its banks, and routed those living in all the valleys to the east and west.
12:16 Some from Benjamin and Judah also came to David’s stronghold. 12:17 David went out to meet them and said, “If you come to me in peace and want to help me, then I will make an alliance with you. But if you come to betray me to my enemies when I have not harmed you, may the God of our ancestors take notice and judge!” 12:18 But a spirit empowered Amasai, the leader of the thirty warriors, and he said:
“We are yours, O David!
We support you, O son of Jesse!
May you greatly prosper!
May those who help you prosper!
Indeed your God helps you!”
So David accepted them and made them leaders of raiding bands.
12:19 Some men from Manasseh joined David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. (But in the end they did not help the Philistines because, after taking counsel, the Philistine lords sent David away, saying: “It would be disastrous for us if he deserts to his master Saul.”) 12:20 When David went to Ziklag, the men of Manasseh who joined him were Adnach, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, leaders of a thousand soldiers each in the tribe of Manasseh. 12:21 They helped David fight against raiding bands, for all of them were warriors and leaders in the army. 12:22 Each day men came to help David until his army became very large.
Support for David in Hebron
12:23 The following is a record of the armed warriors who came with their leaders and joined David in Hebron in order to make David king in Saul’s place, in accordance with the Lord’s decree:
12:24 From Judah came 6,800 trained warriors carrying shields and spears.
12:25 From Simeon there were 7,100 warriors.
12:26 From Levi there were 4,600. 12:27 Jehoiada, the leader of Aaron’s descendants, brought 3,700 men with him, 12:28 along with Zadok, a young warrior, and twenty-two leaders from his family.
12:29 From Benjamin, Saul’s tribe, there were 3,000, most of whom, up to that time, had been loyal to Saul.
12:30 From Ephraim there were 20,800 warriors, who had brought fame to their families.
12:31 From the half tribe of Manasseh there were 18,000 who had been designated by name to come and make David king.
12:32 From Issachar there were 200 leaders and all their relatives at their command – they understood the times and knew what Israel should do.
12:33 From Zebulun there were 50,000 warriors who were prepared for battle, equipped with all kinds of weapons, and ready to give their undivided loyalty.
12:34 From Naphtali there were 1,000 officers, along with 37,000 men carrying shields and spears.
12:35 From Dan there were 28,600 men prepared for battle.
12:36 From Asher there were 40,000 warriors prepared for battle.
12:37 From the other side of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, there were 120,000 men armed with all kinds of weapons.
12:38 All these men were warriors who were ready to march. They came to Hebron to make David king over all Israel by acclamation; all the rest of the Israelites also were in agreement that David should become king. 12:39 They spent three days feasting there with David, for their relatives had given them provisions. 12:40 Also their neighbors, from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali, were bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen. There were large supplies of flour, fig cakes, raisins, wine, olive oil, beef, and lamb, for Israel was celebrating.
Psalm
133:1 A song of ascents, by David.
Look! How good and how pleasant it is when brothers live together!
133:2 It is like fine oil poured on the head which flows down the beard – Aaron’s beard, and then flows down his garments.
133:3 It is like the dew of Hermon, which flows down upon the hills of Zion. Indeed that is where the Lord has decreed a blessing will be available – eternal life.
106:1 Praise the Lord!
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, and his loyal love endures!
106:2 Who can adequately recount the Lord’s mighty acts,
or relate all his praiseworthy deeds?
106:3 How blessed are those who promote justice, and do what is right all the time!
106:4 Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people!
Pay attention to me, when you deliver,
106:5 so I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones, rejoice along with your nation, and boast along with the people who belong to you.
106:6 We have sinned like our ancestors; we have done wrong, we have done evil.
106:7 Our ancestors in Egypt failed to appreciate your miraculous deeds, they failed to remember your many acts of loyal love, and they rebelled at the sea, by the Red Sea.
106:8 Yet he delivered them for the sake of his reputation, that he might reveal his power.
106:9 He shouted at the Red Sea and it dried up; he led them through the deep water as if it were a desert.
106:10 He delivered them from the power of the one who hated them, and rescued them from the power of the enemy.
106:11 The water covered their enemies; not even one of them survived.
106:12 They believed his promises; they sang praises to him.
106:13 They quickly forgot what he had done; they did not wait for his instructions.
106:14 In the wilderness they had an insatiable craving for meat; they challenged God in the desert.
106:15 He granted their request, then struck them with a disease.
106:16 In the camp they resented Moses, and Aaron, the Lord’s holy priest.
106:17 The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan; it engulfed the group led by Abiram.
106:18 Fire burned their group; the flames scorched the wicked.
106:19 They made an image of a calf at Horeb, and worshiped a metal idol.
106:20 They traded their majestic God for the image of an ox that eats grass.
106:21 They rejected the God who delivered them, the one who performed great deeds in Egypt,
106:22 amazing feats in the land of Ham, mighty acts by the Red Sea.
106:23 He threatened to destroy them, but Moses, his chosen one, interceded with him and turned back his destructive anger.
106:24 They rejected the fruitful land; they did not believe his promise.
106:25 They grumbled in their tents; they did not obey the Lord.
106:26 So he made a solemn vow that he would make them die in the desert,
106:27 make their descendants die among the nations, and scatter them among foreign lands.
106:28 They worshiped Baal of Peor, and ate sacrifices offered to the dead.
106:29 They made the Lord angry by their actions, and a plague broke out among them.
106:30 Phinehas took a stand and intervened, and the plague subsided.
106:31 This brought him a reward, an eternal gift.
106:32 They made him angry by the waters of Meribah, and Moses suffered because of them,
106:33 for they aroused his temper, and he spoke rashly.
106:34 They did not destroy the nations, as the Lord had commanded them to do.
106:35 They mixed in with the nations and learned their ways.
106:36 They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them.
106:37 They sacrificed their sons and daughters to demons.
106:38 They shed innocent blood – the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan. The land was polluted by bloodshed.
106:39 They were defiled by their deeds, and unfaithful in their actions.
106:40 So the Lord was angry with his people and despised the people who belong to him.
106:41 He handed them over to the nations, and those who hated them ruled over them.
106:42 Their enemies oppressed them; they were subject to their authority.
106:43 Many times he delivered them, but they had a rebellious attitude, and degraded themselves by their sin.
106:44 Yet he took notice of their distress, when he heard their cry for help.
106:45 He remembered his covenant with them, and relented because of his great loyal love.
106:46 He caused all their conquerors to have pity on them.
106:47 Deliver us, O Lord, our God!
Gather us from among the nations!
Then we will give thanks to your holy name, and boast about your praiseworthy deeds.
106:48 The Lord God of Israel deserves praise, in the future and forevermore.
Let all the people say, “We agree! Praise the Lord!”
107:1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, and his loyal love endures!
107:2 Let those delivered by the Lord speak out, those whom he delivered from the power of the enemy,
107:3 and gathered from foreign lands, from east and west, from north and south.
107:4 They wandered through the wilderness on a desert road; they found no city in which to live.
107:5 They were hungry and thirsty; they fainted from exhaustion.
107:6 They cried out to the Lord in their distress; he delivered them from their troubles.
107:7 He led them on a level road, that they might find a city in which to live.
107:8 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love, and for the amazing things he has done for people!
107:9 For he has satisfied those who thirst, and those who hunger he has filled with food.
107:10 They sat in utter darkness, bound in painful iron chains,
107:11 because they had rebelled against God’s commands, and rejected the instructions of the sovereign king.
107:12 So he used suffering to humble them; they stumbled and no one helped them up.
107:13 They cried out to the Lord in their distress; he delivered them from their troubles.
107:14 He brought them out of the utter darkness, and tore off their shackles.
107:15 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love, and for the amazing things he has done for people!
107:16 For he shattered the bronze gates, and hacked through the iron bars.
107:17 They acted like fools in their rebellious ways, and suffered because of their sins.
107:18 They lost their appetite for all food, and they drew near the gates of death.
107:19 They cried out to the Lord in their distress; he delivered them from their troubles.
107:20 He sent them an assuring word and healed them; he rescued them from the pits where they were trapped.
107:21 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love, and for the amazing things he has done for people!
107:22 Let them present thank offerings, and loudly proclaim what he has done!
107:23 Some traveled on the sea in ships, and carried cargo over the vast waters.
107:24 They witnessed the acts of the Lord, his amazing feats on the deep water.
107:25 He gave the order for a windstorm, and it stirred up the waves of the sea.
107:26 They reached up to the sky, then dropped into the depths. The sailors’ strength left them because the danger was so great.
107:27 They swayed and staggered like a drunk, and all their skill proved ineffective.
107:28 They cried out to the Lord in their distress; he delivered them from their troubles.
107:29 He calmed the storm, and the waves grew silent.
107:30 The sailors rejoiced because the waves grew quiet, and he led them to the harbor they desired.
107:31 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love, and for the amazing things he has done for people!
107:32 Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people!
Let them praise him in the place where the leaders preside!
107:33 He turned streams into a desert, springs of water into arid land,
107:34 and a fruitful land into a barren place, because of the sin of its inhabitants.
107:35 As for his people, he turned a desert into a pool of water, and a dry land into springs of water.
107:36 He allowed the hungry to settle there, and they established a city in which to live.
107:37 They cultivated fields, and planted vineyards, which yielded a harvest of fruit.
107:38 He blessed them so that they became very numerous. He would not allow their cattle to decrease in number.
107:39 As for their enemies, they decreased in number and were beaten down, because of painful distress and suffering.
107:40 He would pour contempt upon princes, and he made them wander in a wasteland with no road.
107:41 Yet he protected the needy from oppression, and cared for his families like a flock of sheep.
107:42 When the godly see this, they rejoice, and every sinner shuts his mouth.
107:43 Whoever is wise, let him take note of these things!
Let them consider the Lord’s acts of loyal love!
Lord, You have been so very patient and Your mercy overflowing, but there is an end to that. May I not test the limits of Your patience in my life.
The leaders of the tribes of Israel then swore allegiance to David.
David marched into Jerusalem, despite the dire warnings of the Jebusites who insisted that even the blind and lame there would resist him, and he established the center of his kingdom there.
King Hiram of Tyre, a wealthy Phonecian city, sent many resources to assist David in building a palace. David gave God the glory for establishing him as King and for blessing the kingdom.
David married several other concubines and wives and fathered many more children.
David had previously been called an anointed as the next king so the people recognized and followed him.
The text reviews the military men who accompanied David while he was being hunted by Saul, describing their great feats, and the rewards they received when he became king as a result of their bravery and loyalty.
Psalm 133 “Look! How good and how pleasant it is when brothers live together!”
Psalm 106 was a prayer of praise which contained confession “We have sinned like our ancestors; we have done wrong, we have done evil.”, petition “Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people!”, and wisdom “The Lord God of Israel deserves praise, in the future and forevermore.”
The text recorded the author’s teaching that the Lord God deserved praise for His faithfulness, despite the ancient rebellion of Israel, and for His repeated rescues and restoration. This text describes the subjugation of Israel at the hands of foreign nations as God’s chastising of Israel. The author was not identified in the text.
Psalm 107 was a praise and wisdom Psalm with a stream of petition. The author recounted God’s punishment and rescue of Israel on more than one occasion. “They sat in utter darkness, bound in painful iron chains, because they had rebelled against God’s commands, and rejected the instructions of the sovereign king.” might be taken to refer to a time after the kings or could refer to a difficult time during the ebb and flow of the latter kings. There was an interesting reference to a somewhat parallel story to that of Jesus “He calmed the storm, and the waves grew silent.” The author is not identified in the text.
Choices have consequences. Although the Lord God allowed Saul to serve as king for many years his rebellion eventually destroyed him and his family.
Why did the Lord God allow David to be tested so severely, along with those around him, for so many years prior to him becoming king?
Those around David earned the right to trusted authority and responsibility.
When have you experienced of observed someone being tested by the “fire” of challenging experiences prior to being promoted?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where the Lord God is testing you through challenges, and/or has done so in the past, as preparation for the future.
Today I will celebrate the Lord's preparation of me, even as I remember that during the time of testing I was not happy about it, and I will use that experience to encourage myself as current and future testing (trials) prepare me for the future.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
2 Samuel
5:11 King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs, carpenters, and stonemasons. They built a palace for David. 5:12 David realized that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that he had elevated his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel. 5:13 David married more concubines and wives from Jerusalem after he arrived from Hebron. Even more sons and daughters were born to David. 5:14 These are the names of children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 5:15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 5:16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.
Conflict with the Philistines
5:17 When the Philistines heard that David had been designated king over Israel, they all went up to search for David. When David heard about it, he went down to the fortress. 5:18 Now the Philistines had arrived and spread out in the valley of Rephaim. 5:19 So David asked the Lord, “Should I march up against the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The Lord said to David, “March up, for I will indeed hand the Philistines over to you.”
5:20 So David marched against Baal Perazim and defeated them there. Then he said, “The Lord has burst out against my enemies like water bursts out.” So he called the name of that place Baal Perazim. 5:21 The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men picked them up.
5:22 The Philistines again came up and spread out in the valley of Rephaim. 5:23 So David asked the Lord what he should do. This time the Lord said to him, “Don’t march straight up. Instead, circle around behind them and come against them opposite the trees. 5:24 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the trees, act decisively. For at that moment the Lord is going before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.” 5:25 David did just as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines from Gibeon all the way to Gezer.
David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem
6:1 David again assembled all the best men in Israel, thirty thousand in number. 6:2 David and all the men who were with him traveled to Baalah in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts, who sits enthroned between the cherubim that are on it. 6:3 They loaded the ark of God on a new cart and carried it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart. 6:4 They brought it with the ark of God up from the house of Abinadab on the hill. Ahio was walking in front of the ark, 6:5 while David and all Israel were energetically celebrating before the Lord, singing and playing various stringed instruments, tambourines, rattles, and cymbals.
6:6 When they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and grabbed hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. 6:7 The Lord was so furious with Uzzah, he killed him on the spot for his negligence. He died right there beside the ark of God.
6:8 David was angry because the Lord attacked Uzzah; so he called that place Perez Uzzah, which remains its name to this very day. 6:9 David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, “How will the ark of the Lord ever come to me?” 6:10 So David was no longer willing to bring the ark of the Lord to be with him in the City of David. David left it in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 6:11 The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months. The Lord blessed Obed-Edom and all his family.
Uzzah Meets Disaster
6:12 David was told, “The Lord has blessed the family of Obed-Edom and everything he owns because of the ark of God.” So David went and joyfully brought the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David. 6:13 Those who carried the ark of the Lord took six steps and then David sacrificed an ox and a fatling calf. 6:14 Now David, wearing a linen ephod, was dancing with all his strength before the Lord. 6:15 David and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord, shouting and blowing trumpets.
6:16 As the ark of the Lord entered the City of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked out the window. When she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him. 6:17 They brought the ark of the Lord and put it in its place in the middle of the tent that David had pitched for it. Then David offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before the Lord. 6:18 When David finished offering the burnt sacrifices and peace offerings, he pronounced a blessing over the people in the name of the Lord of hosts. 6:19 He then handed out to each member of the entire assembly of Israel, both men and women, a portion of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake. Then all the people went home. 6:20 When David went home to pronounce a blessing on his own house, Michal, Saul’s daughter, came out to meet him. She said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself this day! He has exposed himself today before his servants’ slave girls the way a vulgar fool might do!”
6:21 David replied to Michal, “It was before the Lord! I was celebrating before the Lord, who chose me over your father and his entire family and appointed me as leader over the Lord’s people Israel. 6:22 I am willing to shame and humiliate myself even more than this! But with the slave girls whom you mentioned let me be distinguished!” 6:23 Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, had no children to the day of her death.
1 Chronicles
13:1 David consulted with his military officers, including those who led groups of a thousand and those who led groups of a hundred. 13:2 David said to the whole Israelite assembly, “If you so desire and the Lord our God approves, let’s spread the word to our brothers who remain in all the regions of Israel, and to the priests and Levites in their cities, so they may join us. 13:3 Let’s move the ark of our God back here, for we did not seek his will throughout Saul’s reign.” 13:4 The whole assembly agreed to do this, for the proposal seemed right to all the people. 13:5 So David assembled all Israel from the Shihor River in Egypt to Lebo Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim. 13:6 David and all Israel went up to Baalah (that is, Kiriath Jearim) in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God the Lord, who sits enthroned between the cherubim – the ark that is called by his name.
13:7 They transported the ark on a new cart from the house of Abinadab; Uzzah and Ahio were guiding the cart, 13:8 while David and all Israel were energetically celebrating before God, singing and playing various stringed instruments, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets. 13:9 When they arrived at the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to take hold of the ark, because the oxen stumbled. 13:10 The Lord was so furious with Uzzah, he killed him, because he reached out his hand and touched the ark. He died right there before God.
13:11 David was angry because the Lord attacked Uzzah; so he called that place Perez Uzzah, which remains its name to this very day. 13:12 David was afraid of God that day and said, “How will I ever be able to bring the ark of God up here?” 13:13 So David did not move the ark to the City of David; he left it in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 13:14 The ark of God remained in Obed-Edom’s house for three months; the Lord blessed Obed-Edom’s family and everything that belonged to him.
David’s Prestige Grows
14:1 King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs, stonemasons, and carpenters to build a palace for him. 14:2 David realized that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that he had elevated his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.
14:3 In Jerusalem David married more wives and fathered more sons and daughters. 14:4 These are the names of children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 14:5 Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, 14:6 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 14:7 Elishama, Beeliada, and Eliphelet.
14:8 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king of all Israel, all the Philistines marched up to confront him. When David heard about it, he marched out against them. 14:9 Now the Philistines had come and raided the Valley of Rephaim. 14:10 David asked God, “Should I march up against the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The Lord said to him, “March up! I will hand them over to you!” 14:11 So they marched against Baal Perazim and David defeated them there. David said, “Using me as his instrument, God has burst out against my enemies like water bursts out.” So that place is called Baal Perazim. 14:12 The Philistines left their idols there, so David ordered that they be burned.
14:13 The Philistines again raided the valley. 14:14 So David again asked God what he should do. This time God told him, “Don’t march up after them; circle around them and come against them in front of the trees. 14:15 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the trees, then attack. For at that moment the Lord is going before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.” 14:16 David did just as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army from Gibeon to Gezer.
14:17 So David became famous in all the lands; the Lord caused all the nations to fear him.
David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem
15:1 David constructed buildings in the City of David; he then prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. 15:2 Then David said, “Only the Levites may carry the ark of God, for the Lord chose them to carry the ark of the Lord and to serve before him perpetually. 15:3 David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem to bring the ark of the Lord up to the place he had prepared for it. 15:4 David gathered together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites:
15:5 From the descendants of Kohath: Uriel the leader and 120 of his relatives.
15:6 From the descendants of Merari: Asaiah the leader and 220 of his relatives.
15:7 From the descendants of Gershom: Joel the leader and 130 of his relatives.
15:8 From the descendants of Elizaphan: Shemaiah the leader and 200 of his relatives.
15:9 From the descendants of Hebron: Eliel the leader and 80 of his relatives.
15:10 From the descendants of Uzziel: Amminadab the leader and 112 of his relatives.
15:11 David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar, along with the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab. 15:12 He told them: “You are the leaders of the Levites’ families. You and your relatives must consecrate yourselves and bring the ark of the Lord God of Israel up to the place I have prepared for it. 15:13 The first time you did not carry it; that is why the Lord God attacked us, because we did not ask him about the proper way to carry it.” 15:14 The priests and Levites consecrated themselves so they could bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel. 15:15 The descendants of Levi carried the ark of God on their shoulders with poles, just as Moses had ordered according to the divine command.
15:16 David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint some of their relatives as musicians; they were to play various instruments, including stringed instruments and cymbals, and to sing loudly and joyfully. 15:17 So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; one of his relatives, Asaph son of Berechiah; one of the descendants of Merari, Ethan son of Kushaiah; 15:18 along with some of their relatives who were second in rank, including Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, the gatekeepers.
15:19 The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; 15:20 Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play the harps according to the alamoth style; 15:21 Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to play the lyres according to the sheminith style, as led by the director; 15:22 Kenaniah, the leader of the Levites, was in charge of transport, for he was well-informed on this matter; 15:23 Berechiah and Elkanah were guardians of the ark; 15:24 Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer the priests were to blow the trumpets before the ark of God; Obed-Edom and Jehiel were also guardians of the ark.
15:25 So David, the leaders of Israel, and the commanders of units of a thousand went to bring up the ark of the Lord’s covenant from the house of Obed-Edom with celebration. 15:26 When God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the Lord’s covenant, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. 15:27 David was wrapped in a linen robe, as were all the Levites carrying the ark, the musicians, and Kenaniah the supervisor of transport and the musicians; David also wore a linen ephod. 15:28 All Israel brought up the ark of the Lord’s covenant; they were shouting, blowing trumpets, sounding cymbals, and playing stringed instruments. 15:29 As the ark of the Lord’s covenant entered the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked out the window. When she saw King David jumping and celebrating, she despised him.
David Leads in Worship
16:1 They brought the ark of God and put it in the middle of the tent David had pitched for it. Then they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before God. 16:2 When David finished offering burnt sacrifices and peace offerings, he pronounced a blessing over the people in the Lord’s name. 16:3 He then handed out to each Israelite man and woman a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake. 16:4 He appointed some of the Levites to serve before the ark of the Lord, to offer prayers, songs of thanks, and hymns to the Lord God of Israel. 16:5 Asaph was the leader and Zechariah second in command, followed by Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel. They were to play stringed instruments; Asaph was to sound the cymbals; 16:6 and the priests Benaiah and Jahaziel were to blow trumpets regularly before the ark of God’s covenant.
David Thanks God
16:7 That day David first gave to Asaph and his colleagues this song of thanks to the Lord:
16:8 Give thanks to the Lord!
Call on his name!
Make known his accomplishments among the nations!
16:9 Sing to him! Make music to him!
Tell about all his miraculous deeds!
16:10 Boast about his holy name!
Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
16:11 Seek the Lord and the strength he gives!
Seek his presence continually!
16:12 Recall the miraculous deeds he performed,
his mighty acts and the judgments he decreed,
16:13 O children of Israel, God’s servant,
you descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen ones!
16:14 He is the Lord our God;
he carries out judgment throughout the earth.
16:15 Remember continually his covenantal decree,
the promise he made to a thousand generations –
16:16 the promise he made to Abraham,
the promise he made by oath to Isaac!
16:17 He gave it to Jacob as a decree,
to Israel as a lasting promise,
16:18 saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan
as the portion of your inheritance.”
16:19 When they were few in number,
just a very few, and foreign residents within it,
16:20 they wandered from nation to nation,
and from one kingdom to another.
16:21 He let no one oppress them,
he disciplined kings for their sake,
16:22 saying, “Don’t touch my anointed ones!
Don’t harm my prophets!”
16:23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth!
Announce every day how he delivers!
16:24 Tell the nations about his splendor,
tell all the nations about his miraculous deeds!
16:25 For the Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise,
he is more awesome than all gods.
16:26 For all the gods of the nations are worthless,
but the Lord made the heavens.
16:27 Majestic splendor emanates from him,
he is the source of strength and joy.
16:28 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the nations,
ascribe to the Lord splendor and strength!
16:29 Ascribe to the Lord the splendor he deserves!
Bring an offering and enter his presence!
Worship the Lord in holy attire!
16:30 Tremble before him, all the earth!
The world is established, it cannot be moved.
16:31 Let the heavens rejoice, and the earth be happy!
Let the nations say, ‘The Lord reigns!’
16:32 Let the sea and everything in it shout!
Let the fields and everything in them celebrate!
16:33 Then let the trees of the forest shout with joy before the Lord,
for he comes to judge the earth!
16:34 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good
and his loyal love endures.
16:35 Say this prayer: “Deliver us, O God who delivers us!
Gather us! Rescue us from the nations!
Then we will give thanks to your holy name,
and boast about your praiseworthy deeds.”
16:36 May the Lord God of Israel be praised,
in the future and forevermore.
Then all the people said, “We agree! Praise the Lord!”
David Appoints Worship Leaders
16:37 David left Asaph and his colleagues there before the ark of the Lord’s covenant to serve before the ark regularly and fulfill each day’s requirements, 16:38 including Obed-Edom and sixty-eight colleagues. Obed-Edom son of Jeduthun and Hosah were gatekeepers. 16:39 Zadok the priest and his fellow priests served before the Lord’s tabernacle at the worship center in Gibeon, 16:40 regularly offering burnt sacrifices to the Lord on the altar for burnt sacrifice, morning and evening, according to what is prescribed in the law of the Lord which he charged Israel to observe. 16:41 Joining them were Heman, Jeduthun, and the rest of those chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the Lord. (For his loyal love endures!) 16:42 Heman and Jeduthun were in charge of the music, including the trumpets, cymbals, and the other musical instruments used in praising God. The sons of Jeduthun guarded the entrance.
16:43 Then all the people returned to their homes, and David went to pronounce a blessing on his family.
Psalm 1
1:1 How blessed is the one who does not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand in the pathway with sinners, or sit in the assembly of scoffers!
1:2 Instead he finds pleasure in obeying the Lord’s commands; he meditates on his commands day and night.
1:3 He is like a tree planted by flowing streams; it yields its fruit at the proper time, and its leaves never fall off. He succeeds in everything he attempts.
1:4 Not so with the wicked!
Instead they are like wind-driven chaff.
1:5 For this reason the wicked cannot withstand judgment, nor can sinners join the assembly of the godly.
1:6 Certainly the Lord guards the way of the godly, but the way of the wicked ends in destruction.
Psalm 2
2:1 Why do the nations rebel?
Why are the countries devising plots that will fail?
2:2 The kings of the earth form a united front; the rulers collaborate against the Lord and his anointed king.
2:3 They say, “Let’s tear off the shackles they’ve put on us!
Let’s free ourselves from their ropes!”
2:4 The one enthroned in heaven laughs in disgust; the Lord taunts them.
2:5 Then he angrily speaks to them and terrifies them in his rage, saying,
2:6 “I myself have installed my king on Zion, my holy hill.”
2:7 The king says, “I will announce the Lord’s decree. He said to me: ‘You are my son! This very day I have become your father!
2:8 Ask me, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the ends of the earth as your personal property.
2:9 You will break them with an iron scepter; you will smash them like a potter’s jar!’”
2:10 So now, you kings, do what is wise; you rulers of the earth, submit to correction!
2:11 Serve the Lord in fear!
Repent in terror!
2:12 Give sincere homage!
Otherwise he will be angry, and you will die because of your behavior, when his anger quickly ignites. How blessed are all who take shelter in him!
Lord, Your Word is sovereign and You expect it to be obeyed, the consequence of disobedience is sometimes only discomfort, but result in death. May I be careful to both know and obey Your Word. You have consistently asked us to come before You as children, innocent or presumption or pride. The world does not understand that and never will. May I leave my concerns for worldly approval behind, and only think of You, when I enter into praise and worship of You. Before we step out in Your name we must always consult You first, if we want to be certain we are doing the right thing at the right time in the right way. May I be patient and wise and always consult You in prayer before every decision as all that I am and all that I do belongs to You.
The Philistines heard that David had united Israel as King so they gathered to attack. David consulted the Lord God Who told him to attack them. He did so and God gave him success against them.
The Philistines regrouped and gathered again to attack. David again consulted God Who told him to come around to the side and that He would attack the Philistines for him. David did so and God caused the Philistines to fall from Gibeon to Gezer, a distance of 25 miles, about halfway from Jerusalem roughly west to Joppa on the Mediterranean Sea.
David gathered 30,000 men and traveled to Judah to retrieve the ark of God for relocation to Jerusalem. As they traveled he and others played instruments and danced in celebration.
David gathered his military leaders and made plans to relocate the ark of God to Jerusalem.
During the process the cart carrying the ark of God was allowed to dip into a rut and the ark threatened to topple. Uzzah, not a priest authorized by the Lord God to have any contact with the ark, reached out to steady the ark and was struck dead – according to the rules God had dictated about the ark.
Uzzah was among those responsible for transporting the ark of God and when the oxen stumbled and the ark was shaken instead of having control via the proper carrying bars he grabbed the actual ark. This was forbidden to anyone other than the High Priest (even then under very rare circumstances) and thus Uzzah was struck dead.
David was upset because Uzzah was his nephew, so he left the ark of God in Nacon (or Kidon) in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. The Lord God blessed house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months.
After three months David went to bring the ark of God to Jerusalem, this time obeying the rule of the Lord God, only allowing the Levitical priests to handle the ark.. After the first six steps they offered a sacrifice and following that they brought it triumphantly into the city and placed it in a tent prepared there for it.
The priests and ark were accompanied by the military leaders and led by David, dancing with great joy, as they entered the city. One of David’s wives, Michal – daughter of Saul – saw him and felt humiliated.
Once the ark was safely in Jerusalem David gave thanks to the Lord God with a lengthly prayer and a great time of celebration and worship. Then David returned to his home to bless his family. When David had completed the ceremonies and prayers associated with the ark’s arrival in Jerusalem he went home to bless his household and was greeted by an angry and offended Michal.
Michal, daughter of Saul and one of the wives of David, saw him dancing with joy dressed only in skirt-like clothing and was embarassed. [Michal had been raised in the household of the arrogant, proud, and rebellious King Saul; she would have developed a pompous sense of the conduct of members of royalty and little of placing the Lord God first. Michal had also suffered the indignity of marriage to David, was taken from him by her father and given to another man in marriage, then taken back by force by David. Seeing David in the streets would have made for an easy temptation by the enemy.] She disrepected him for his childlike joy before the God and was made permanently barren by the Lord God as a punishment.
David shared with Nathan the prophet his concern that the ark of God was in a tent while he lived in a palace. Nathan’s first response was that since the Lord God was with him then he should do as he desired.
The Lord God corrected Nathan and instead had him tell David that He had never asked for a building but had traveled with and blessed His people. He promised to bless David and build for him a dynasty, to give a time of peace to Israel, and to make him great among the greatest kings. He also promised to give David a son who would be an even greater king and who would build a house for His name. David’s son would be the first among a permanent dynasty to never be broken, unlike that of Saul’s family.
King Hiram of Tyre offered to assist David with artisans and resources to build a palace.
David’s first Psalm contrasted the righteous with the wicked.
David’s second Psalm challenged the kings of captive nations and sub-groups within Israel, who took the opportunity of the transition of kings from Saul to David to contemplate rebellion, to consider that the Lord God was watching and that it was He who had assembled them together and called David as their king.
David was right to desire to transport the ark of God to Jerusalem, and correct to note that during the reign of Saul the Lord had not been consulted, but nothing in the text describes David consulting the priests or the Lord God prior to moving the ark of God.
David was blessed in battle, where Saul was not, because he consulted the Lord God from a pre-existing relationship – not merely on those occasions when he wanted something from Him.
Michal, like her father Saul, appears to have placed the Lord God in a small box that suited her needs and preferences and had no room for variation from that. She sacrificed many potential blessings as a result.
Why would David have been so careless as to forget to assign responsibility for the ark of God to the Levitical priesthood on the first occasion? David should have know the regulations of the Lord God relative to contact with the ark of God. Why would David have abandoned the ark for three months, rather than mourning the death of his nephew? Given David’s history as a shepherd boy who both sang songs to the Lord and battled lions with power from Him, then was called to be King but hunted like an animal, and was finally at peace in Jerusalem and blessed by the presence of the Lord God through the ark of God – is it any surprise that he would burst out in exuberant praise?
Saul had neglected the centrality of the Lord God and David was attempting to set things right. The Philistines must have sensed a major change in the balance of power with the arrival of David as king. God’s blessings were always conditioned on obedience, no less so for David and Solomon, but for the moment David’s eyes and heart were on Him and so the pathway of blessing through David to the kingdom was clear.
When have you experienced or observed the right thing being done in the wrong way – with at least partially-negative results? When have you realized that you were treating the Lord God like an occasional helper, ignoring Him on a daily basis, then expecting Him to bless you when you call? How was that not working for you? When have you experienced a moment of joy and peace which prompted you to break out in uncommon praise and worship for the Lord God?
Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of either something of God that has been neglected that you can restore, or something you are doing which appears to be right but which violates the Word of God in some way and to reveal to you some ways that you may improve your relationship with the Lord God. Ask the Holy Spirit to touch your heart in such a way that you will make the God-honoring choices that will lead you to a nearer walk with the Lord God.
Today I will make things right before the Lord God, either restoring something neglected or fixing what I have been doing incorrectly. It may be gathering together in fellowship more consistently, reading His Word and praying more frequently, sharing His truth with people who appear to be open – rather than shrinking from the task for fear of conflict, giving to His ministry, serving in His ministry, avoiding crude and crass joking and language, avoiding situations that tempt me to sin, refraining from gossip or substance abuse, attending worship more concerned about my physical appearance and the approval of man than celebrating the Lord God, etc. I will prayerfully cooperate with the Holy Spirit as He transforms my careless relationship with the Lord God to a rich daily relationship so that He may use me as an instrument of blessings for others. This may include more time in His Word, more time in prayer, more time listening to music where He is glorified, more time in fellowship with others engaged in shared worship and discipleship, more time in evangelistic-missions, and/or more time serving others in His name. I will prayerfully search my life for those places where the Holy Spirit directs me to seek the Lord’s perspectives and His priorities and turn away from those of the world. I will flood my environment with music of praise and of worship and with His Word. I will give to Him more of my creativity, energy, more of my gifts and talents, and more of my time. I will recognize His work in my life and thank Him for that. And I will make more time for praise and worship, alone and with others.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
2 Samuel
The Lord Establishes a Covenant with David
7:1 The king settled into his palace, for the Lord gave him relief from all his enemies on all sides. 7:2 The king said to Nathan the prophet, “Look! I am living in a palace made from cedar, while the ark of God sits in the middle of a tent.” 7:3 Nathan replied to the king, “You should go and do whatever you have in mind, for the Lord is with you.” 7:4 That night the Lord told Nathan, 7:5 “Go, tell my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord says: Do you really intend to build a house for me to live in? 7:6 I have not lived in a house from the time I brought the Israelites up from Egypt to the present day. Instead, I was traveling with them and living in a tent. 7:7 Wherever I moved among all the Israelites, I did not say to any of the leaders whom I appointed to care for my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house made from cedar?”‘
7:8 “So now, say this to my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of hosts says: I took you from the pasture and from your work as a shepherd to make you leader of my people Israel. 7:9 I was with you wherever you went, and I defeated all your enemies before you. Now I will make you as famous as the great men of the earth. 7:10 I will establish a place for my people Israel and settle them there; they will live there and not be disturbed any more. Violent men will not oppress them again, as they did in the beginning 7:11 and during the time when I appointed judges to lead my people Israel. Instead, I will give you relief from all your enemies. The Lord declares to you that he himself will build a dynastic house for you. 7:12 When the time comes for you to die, I will raise up your descendant, one of your own sons, to succeed you, and I will establish his kingdom. 7:13 He will build a house for my name, and I will make his dynasty permanent. 7:14 I will become his father and he will become my son. When he sins, I will correct him with the rod of men and with wounds inflicted by human beings. 7:15 But my loyal love will not be removed from him as I removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 7:16 Your house and your kingdom will stand before me permanently; your dynasty will be permanent.’” 7:17 Nathan told David all these words that were revealed to him.
David Offers a Prayer to God
7:18 King David went in, sat before the Lord, and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you should have brought me to this point? 7:19 And you didn’t stop there, O Lord God! You have also spoken about the future of your servant’s family. Is this your usual way of dealing with men, O Lord God? 7:20 What more can David say to you? You have given your servant special recognition, O Lord God! 7:21 For the sake of your promise and according to your purpose you have done this great thing in order to reveal it to your servant. 7:22 Therefore you are great, O Lord God, for there is none like you! There is no God besides you! What we have heard is true! 7:23 Who is like your people, Israel, a unique nation on the earth? Their God went to claim a nation for himself and to make a name for himself! You did great and awesome acts for your land, before your people whom you delivered for yourself from the Egyptian empire and its gods. 7:24 You made Israel your very own people for all time. You, O Lord, became their God. 7:25 So now, O Lord God, make this promise you have made about your servant and his family a permanent reality. Do as you promised, 7:26 so you may gain lasting fame, as people say, ‘The Lord of hosts is God over Israel!’ The dynasty of your servant David will be established before you, 7:27 for you, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have told your servant, ‘I will build you a dynastic house.’ That is why your servant has had the courage to pray this prayer to you. 7:28 Now, O sovereign Lord, you are the true God! May your words prove to be true! You have made this good promise to your servant! 7:29 Now be willing to bless your servant’s dynasty so that it may stand permanently before you, for you, O sovereign Lord, have spoken. By your blessing may your servant’s dynasty be blessed on into the future!”
David Subjugates Nearby Nations
8:1 Later David defeated the Philistines and subdued them. David took Metheg Ammah from the Philistines. 8:2 He defeated the Moabites. He made them lie on the ground and then used a rope to measure them off. He put two-thirds of them to death and spared the other third. The Moabites became David’s subjects and brought tribute. 8:3 David defeated King Hadadezer son of Rehob of Zobah when he came to reestablish his authority over the Euphrates River. 8:4 David seized from him 1,700 charioteers and 20,000 infantrymen. David cut the hamstrings of all but a hundred of the chariot horses. 8:5 The Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, but David killed 22,000 of the Arameans. 8:6 David placed garrisons in the territory of the Arameans of Damascus; the Arameans became David’s subjects and brought tribute. The Lord protected David wherever he campaigned. 8:7 David took the golden shields that belonged to Hadadezer’s servants and brought them to Jerusalem. 8:8 From Tebah and Berothai, Hadadezer’s cities, King David took a great deal of bronze.
8:9 When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, 8:10 he sent his son Joram to King David to extend his best wishes and to pronounce a blessing on him for his victory over Hadadezer, for Toi had been at war with Hadadezer. He brought with him various items made of silver, gold, and bronze. 8:11 King David dedicated these things to the Lord, along with the dedicated silver and gold that he had taken from all the nations that he had subdued, 8:12 including Aram, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amelek. This also included some of the plunder taken from King Hadadezer son of Rehob of Zobah.
8:13 David became famous when he returned from defeating the Arameans in the Valley of Salt, he defeated 18,000 in all. 8:14 He placed garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became David’s subjects. The Lord protected David wherever he campaigned. 8:15 David reigned over all Israel; he guaranteed justice for all his people.
David’s Cabinet
8:16 Joab son of Zeruiah was general in command of the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was secretary; 8:17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was scribe; 8:18 Benaiah son of Jehoida supervised the Kerithites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were priests.
1 Chronicles
God Makes a Promise to David
17:1 When David had settled into his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Look, I am living in a palace made from cedar, while the ark of the Lord’s covenant is under a tent.” 17:2 Nathan said to David, “You should do whatever you have in mind, for God is with you.”
17:3 That night God told Nathan the prophet, 17:4 “Go, tell my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord says: “You must not build me a house in which to live. 17:5 For I have not lived in a house from the time I brought Israel up from Egypt to the present day. I have lived in a tent that has been in various places. 17:6 Wherever I moved throughout Israel, I did not say to any of the leaders whom I appointed to care for my people Israel, ‘Why have you not built me a house made from cedar?’”‘
17:7 “So now, say this to my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord who commands armies says: “I took you from the pasture and from your work as a shepherd to make you a leader of my people Israel. 17:8 I was with you wherever you went and I defeated all your enemies before you. Now I will make you as famous as the great men of the earth. 17:9 I will establish a place for my people Israel and settle them there; they will live there and not be disturbed anymore. Violent men will not oppress them again, as they did in the beginning 17:10 and during the time when I appointed judges to lead my people Israel. I will subdue all your enemies.
“‘“I declare to you that the Lord will build a dynastic house for you! 17:11 When the time comes for you to die, I will raise up your descendant, one of your own sons, to succeed you, and I will establish his kingdom. 17:12 He will build me a house, and I will make his dynasty permanent. 17:13 I will become his father and he will become my son. I will never withhold my loyal love from him, as I withheld it from the one who ruled before you. 17:14 I will put him in permanent charge of my house and my kingdom; his dynasty will be permanent.”‘” 17:15 Nathan told David all these words that were revealed to him.
David Praises God
17:16 David went in, sat before the Lord, and said: “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you should have brought me to this point? 17:17 And you did not stop there, O God! You have also spoken about the future of your servant’s family. You have revealed to me what men long to know, O Lord God. 17:18 What more can David say to you? You have honored your servant; you have given your servant special recognition. 17:19 O Lord, for the sake of your servant and according to your will, you have done this great thing in order to reveal your greatness. 17:20 O Lord, there is none like you; there is no God besides you! What we heard is true! 17:21 And who is like your people, Israel, a unique nation in the earth? Their God went to claim a nation for himself! You made a name for yourself by doing great and awesome deeds when you drove out nations before your people whom you had delivered from the Egyptian empire and its gods. 17:22 You made Israel your very own nation for all time. You, O Lord, became their God. 17:23 So now, O Lord, may the promise you made about your servant and his family become a permanent reality! Do as you promised, 17:24 so it may become a reality and you may gain lasting fame, as people say, ‘The Lord who commands armies is the God of Israel.’ David’s dynasty will be established before you, 17:25 for you, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a dynasty for him. That is why your servant has had the courage to pray to you. 17:26 Now, O Lord, you are the true God; you have made this good promise to your servant. 17:27 Now you are willing to bless your servant’s dynasty so that it may stand permanently before you, for you, O Lord, have blessed it and it will be blessed from now on into the future.”
David Conquers the Neighboring Nations
18:1 Later David defeated the Philistines and subdued them. He took Gath and its surrounding towns away from the Philistines.
18:2 He defeated the Moabites; the Moabites became David’s subjects and brought tribute.
18:3 David defeated King Hadadezer of Zobah as far as Hamath, when he went to extend his authority to the Euphrates River. 18:4 David seized from him 1,000 chariots, 7,000 charioteers, and 20,000 infantrymen. David cut the hamstrings of all but a hundred of Hadadezer’s chariot horses. 18:5 The Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, but David killed 22,000 of the Arameans. 18:6 David placed garrisons in the territory of the Arameans of Damascus; the Arameans became David’s subjects and brought tribute. The Lord protected David wherever he campaigned. 18:7 David took the golden shields which Hadadezer’s servants had carried and brought them to Jerusalem. 18:8 From Tibhath and Kun, Hadadezer’s cities, David took a great deal of bronze. (Solomon used it to make the big bronze basin called “The Sea,” the pillars, and other bronze items.
18:9 When King Tou of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of King Hadadezer of Zobah, 18:10 he sent his son Hadoram to King David to extend his best wishes and to pronounce a blessing on him for his victory over Hadadezer, for Tou had been at war with Hadadezer. He also sent various items made of gold, silver, and bronze. 18:11 King David dedicated these things to the Lord, along with the silver and gold which he had carried off from all the nations, including Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amalek.
18:12 Abishai son of Zeruiah killed 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 18:13 He placed garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became David’s subjects. The Lord protected David wherever he campaigned.
David’s Officials
18:14 David reigned over all Israel; he guaranteed justice for all his people. 18:15 Joab son of Zeruiah was commanding general of the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was secretary; 18:16 Zadok son of Ahitub and Abimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Shavsha was scribe; 18:17 Benaiah son of Jehoiada supervised the Kerethites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were the king’s leading officials.
Lord, You have consistently asked us to come before You as children, innocent of presumption or pride. The world does not understand that and never will. May I leave my concerns for worldly approval behind, and only think of You, when I enter into praise and worship of You. None may stand before Your power, and all must eventually kneel before You. May I be useful in Your service and always humble in submission. You respond to humble obedience with blessings. May I remember to keep my heart humble before You.
David shared with Nathan the prophet his concern that the ark of God was in a tent while he lived in a palace. Nathan’s first response was that since the Lord God was with him then he should do as he desired.
The Lord God corrected Nathan and instead had him tell David that He had never asked for a building but had traveled with and blessed His people. He promised to bless David and build for him a dynasty, to give a time of peace to Israel, and to make him great among the greatest kings. He also promised to give David a son who would be an even greater king and who would build a house for His name. David’s son would be the first among a permanent dynasty to never be broken, unlike that of Saul’s family.
David prayed to the Lord God from a heart overwhelmed with gratefulness and surprise. He recited God’s blessing of, and faithfulness to, the nation of Israel.
David’s prayer was a little odd as he asked the Lord God to keep his promise of blessing as though God needed his permission or his request – it may have been that David was so emotional that he thought he needed to agree and to ask.
With the power of the Lord God David defeated the enemies of Israel in every direction, he took from them plunder which he dedicated to God, and he made them subjects who paid tribute.
David’s armies conquered enemies all around and received gifts from enemies of his enemies and he joined those with the plunder of war and dedicated it all to the Lord God. Then to keep the peace he appointed his key officials.
David was wise as he stopped to give praise to the Lord God and also gave to Him the first fruits of successful warfare. The two books of Chronicles repeat a great deal of the content of prior text, primarily emphasizing the events rather than other details.
Might David have been looking at the example of Saul when he asked God to fulfill His promise to bless his descendants? Why would it be so important to David that his descendants would be royalty?
God’s blessings were always conditioned on obedience, no less so for David and Solomon, but for the moment David’s eyes and heart were on Him and so the pathway of blessing through David to the kingdom was clear. An ancient Chinese military general quipped “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” King Toi of Hamath apparently viewed David as such since he had been at war with Hadadezer and David had defeated Hadadezer. Despite the bad decision of the Israelites to demand a mere human king when they had the Lord God as their King the Lord God chose to bless them.
When have you been so emotional in your worship of the Lord God that you found yourself asking Him to do things that He had already said He would do? When have you experienced or observed the Lord God bless someone despite a poor decision?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you a place in your life where the promises of the Lord God have been blessedly-fulfilled and to reveal to you a situation where you have made a poor decision but that the Lord God has found a way to bless you, or others through you, despite it.
Today I will gratefully praise and worship the Lord God for all that He has done to fulfill His promises in my life. I will celebrate the Lord God’s redemption of something good despite my poor decision(s). I will share that story with a fellow believer as an encouragement.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
2 Samuel
David and the Ammonites
10:1 Later the king of the Ammonites died and his son Hanun succeeded him. 10:2 David said, “I will express my loyalty to Hanun son of Nahash just as his father was loyal to me.” So David sent his servants with a message expressing sympathy over his father’s death. When David’s servants entered the land of the Ammonites, 10:3 the Ammonite officials said to their lord Hanun, “Do you really think David is trying to honor your father by sending these messengers to express his sympathy? No, David has sent his servants to you to get information about the city and spy on it so they can overthrow it!”
10:4 So Hanun seized David’s servants and shaved off half of each one’s beard. He cut the lower part of their robes off so that their buttocks were exposed, and then sent them away. 10:5 Messengers told David what had happened, so he summoned them, for the men were thoroughly humiliated. The king said, “Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown again; then you may come back.”
10:6 When the Ammonites realized that David was disgusted with them, they sent and hired 20,000 foot soldiers from Aram Beth Rehob and Aram Zobah, in addition to 1,000 men from the king of Maacah and 12,000 men from Ish-tob.
10:7 When David heard the news, he sent Joab and the entire army to meet them. 10:8 The Ammonites marched out and were deployed for battle at the entrance of the city gate, while the men from Aram Zobah, Rehob, Ish-tob, and Maacah were by themselves in the field.
10:9 When Joab saw that the battle would be fought on two fronts, he chose some of Israel’s best men and deployed them against the Arameans. 10:10 He put his brother Abishai in charge of the rest of the army and they were deployed against the Ammonites. 10:11 Joab said, “If the Arameans start to overpower me, you come to my rescue. If the Ammonites start to overpower you, I will come to your rescue. 10:12 Be strong! Let’s fight bravely for the sake of our people and the cities of our God! The Lord will do what he decides is best!”
10:13 So Joab and his men marched out to do battle with the Arameans, and they fled before him. 10:14 When the Ammonites saw the Arameans flee, they fled before his brother Abishai and went into the city. Joab withdrew from fighting the Ammonites and returned to Jerusalem.
10:15 When the Arameans realized that they had been defeated by Israel, they consolidated their forces. 10:16 Then Hadadezer sent for Arameans from beyond the Euphrates River, and they came to Helam. Shobach, the general in command of Hadadezer’s army, led them.
10:17 When David was informed, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan River, and came to Helam. The Arameans deployed their forces against David and fought with him. 10:18 The Arameans fled before Israel. David killed 700 Aramean charioteers and 40,000 foot soldiers. He also struck down Shobach, the general in command of the army, who died there. 10:19 When all the kings who were subject to Hadadezer saw they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became subjects of Israel. The Arameans were no longer willing to help the Ammonites.
1 Chronicles
David’s Campaign against the Ammonites
19:1 Later King Nahash of the Ammonites died and his son succeeded him. 19:2 David said, “I will express my loyalty to Hanun son of Nahash, for his father was loyal to me.” So David sent messengers to express his sympathy over his father’s death. When David’s servants entered Ammonite territory to visit Hanun and express the king’s sympathy, 19:3 the Ammonite officials said to Hanun, “Do you really think David is trying to honor your father by sending these messengers to express his sympathy? No, his servants have come to you so they can get information and spy out the land!” 19:4 So Hanun seized David’s servants and shaved their beards off. He cut off the lower part of their robes so that their buttocks were exposed and then sent them away. 19:5 Messengers came and told David what had happened to the men, so he summoned them, for the men were thoroughly humiliated. The king said, “Stay in Jericho until your beards grow again; then you may come back.”
19:6 When the Ammonites realized that David was disgusted with them, Hanun and the Ammonites sent 1,000 talents of silver to hire chariots and charioteers from Aram Naharaim, Aram Maacah, and Zobah. 19:7 They hired 32,000 chariots, along with the king of Maacah and his army, who came and camped in front of Medeba. The Ammonites also assembled from their cities and marched out to do battle.
19:8 When David heard the news, he sent Joab and the entire army to meet them. 19:9 The Ammonites marched out and were deployed for battle at the entrance to the city, while the kings who had come were by themselves in the field. 19:10 When Joab saw that the battle would be fought on two fronts, he chose some of Israel’s best men and deployed them against the Arameans. 19:11 He put his brother Abishai in charge of the rest of the army and they were deployed against the Ammonites. 19:12 Joab said, “If the Arameans start to overpower me, you come to my rescue. If the Ammonites start to overpower you, I will come to your rescue. 19:13 Be strong! Let’s fight bravely for the sake of our people and the cities of our God! The Lord will do what he decides is best!” 19:14 So Joab and his men marched toward the Arameans to do battle, and they fled before him. 19:15 When the Ammonites saw the Arameans flee, they fled before Joab’s brother Abishai and withdrew into the city. Joab went back to Jerusalem.
19:16 When the Arameans realized they had been defeated by Israel, they sent for reinforcements from beyond the Euphrates River, led by Shophach the commanding general of Hadadezer’s army. 19:17 When David was informed, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan River, and marched against them. David deployed his army against the Arameans for battle and they fought against him. 19:18 The Arameans fled before Israel. David killed 7,000 Aramean charioteers and 40,000 infantrymen; he also killed Shophach the commanding general. 19:19 When Hadadezer’s subjects saw they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became his subjects. The Arameans were no longer willing to help the Ammonites.
Lord, You stand with Your people against enemies but we must never presume that You will overlook our failure to stand righteously before You. May I be attentive to the things You have asked of me so that I am a suitable vessel for Your blessings.
When Saul was trying to kill David the king of the Ammonites gave him a place to live. When he heard that the king had died David sent messengers to honor the new king.
Advisors to the new king, the dead king’s son, gave him poor advice; they told him that David’s emissaries were spies so they were disrespected and sent home. When David heard he was disgusted.
When they discovered that David was now an angry adversary they panicked and massed for war.
The Ammonites sent soldiers, some their own and many hired as mercenaries from other cities, to attack Israel.
Joab took the army to meet them and when it came time for battle the enemy fled, frightened by the approaching Israelites, then regrouped.
When they returned in greater force (including many Arameans) David led the army against them, thoroughly defeating them so that they surrendered and became subjects of Israel.
The newly-crowned young Ammonite king was badly served by his advisers and should have known that David meant no harm.
Given the way that the Lord God had empowered king David to make subjects of many nations around Israel does it not seem strange that the new Ammonite king would risk offending him?
It is often true that one may reach out with the hand of peace only to have it slapped away.
When have you, or someone you know, intended to deliver a compliment or a word of encouragement only to have it misinterpreted and confusion or conflict result?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you may be misjudging the intentions of another, or perhaps accepting the wrongful counsel of others as to someone’s intention.
I agree to prayerfully re-evaluate my perspective, confess and repent if I have been hasty and incorrect, request and receive forgiveness (if not from the one offended then from the Lord), and repair my decision-making process.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Psalms
15:1 A psalm of David. Lord, who may be a guest in your home?
Who may live on your holy hill?
15:2 Whoever lives a blameless life, does what is right, and speaks honestly.
15:3 He does not slander, or do harm to others, or insult his neighbor.
15:4 He despises a reprobate, but honors the Lord’s loyal followers. He makes firm commitments and does not renege on his promise.
15:5 He does not charge interest when he lends his money. He does not take bribes to testify against the innocent. The one who lives like this will never be upended.
22:1 For the music director; according to the tune “Morning Doe;” a psalm of David.
My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
I groan in prayer, but help seems far away.
22:2 My God, I cry out during the day, but you do not answer, and during the night my prayers do not let up.
22:3 You are holy; you sit as king receiving the praises of Israel.
22:4 In you our ancestors trusted; they trusted in you and you rescued them.
22:5 To you they cried out, and they were saved; in you they trusted and they were not disappointed.
22:6 But I am a worm, not a man; people insult me and despise me.
22:7 All who see me taunt me; they mock me and shake their heads.
22:8 They say, “Commit yourself to the Lord!
Let the Lord rescue him!
Let the Lord deliver him, for he delights in him.”
22:9 Yes, you are the one who brought me out from the womb and made me feel secure on my mother’s breasts.
22:10 I have been dependent on you since birth; from the time I came out of my mother’s womb you have been my God.
22:11 Do not remain far away from me, for trouble is near and I have no one to help me.
22:12 Many bulls surround me; powerful bulls of Bashan hem me in.
22:13 They open their mouths to devour me like a roaring lion that rips its prey.
22:14 My strength drains away like water; all my bones are dislocated; my heart is like wax; it melts away inside me.
22:15 The roof of my mouth is as dry as a piece of pottery; my tongue sticks to my gums. You set me in the dust of death.
22:16 Yes, wild dogs surround me – a gang of evil men crowd around me; like a lion they pin my hands and feet.
22:17 I can count all my bones; my enemies are gloating over me in triumph.
22:18 They are dividing up my clothes among themselves; they are rolling dice for my garments.
22:19 But you, O Lord, do not remain far away!
You are my source of strength! Hurry and help me!
22:20 Deliver me from the sword!
Save my life from the claws of the wild dogs!
22:21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lion, and from the horns of the wild oxen!
You have answered me!
22:22 I will declare your name to my countrymen!
In the middle of the assembly I will praise you!
22:23 You loyal followers of the Lord, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
All you descendants of Israel, stand in awe of him!
22:24 For he did not despise or detest the suffering of the oppressed; he did not ignore him; when he cried out to him, he responded.
22:25 You are the reason I offer praise in the great assembly; I will fulfill my promises before the Lord’s loyal followers.
22:26 Let the oppressed eat and be filled!
Let those who seek his help praise the Lord!
May you live forever!
22:27 Let all the people of the earth acknowledge the Lord and turn to him!
Let all the nations worship you!
22:28 For the Lord is king and rules over the nations.
22:29 All of the thriving people of the earth will join the celebration and worship; all those who are descending into the grave will bow before him, including those who cannot preserve their lives.
22:30 A whole generation will serve him; they will tell the next generation about the sovereign Lord.
22:31 They will come and tell about his saving deeds; they will tell a future generation what he has accomplished.
23:1 A psalm of David.
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
23:2 He takes me to lush pastures, he leads me to refreshing water.
23:3 He restores my strength. He leads me down the right paths for the sake of his reputation.
23:4 Even when I must walk through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff reassure me.
23:5 You prepare a feast before me in plain sight of my enemies. You refresh my head with oil; my cup is completely full.
23:6 Surely your goodness and faithfulness will pursue me all my days, and I will live in the Lord’s house for the rest of my life.
24:1 A psalm of David.
The Lord owns the earth and all it contains, the world and all who live in it.
24:2 For he set its foundation upon the seas, and established it upon the ocean currents.
24:3 Who is allowed to ascend the mountain of the Lord?
Who may go up to his holy dwelling place?
24:4 The one whose deeds are blameless and whose motives are pure, who does not lie, or make promises with no intention of keeping them.
24:5 Such godly people are rewarded by the Lord, and vindicated by the God who delivers them.
24:6 Such purity characterizes the people who seek his favor, Jacob’s descendants, who pray to him. (Selah)
24:7 Look up, you gates!
Rise up, you eternal doors!
Then the majestic king will enter!
24:8 Who is this majestic king?
The Lord who is strong and mighty!
The Lord who is mighty in battle!
24:9 Look up, you gates!
Rise up, you eternal doors!
Then the majestic king will enter!
24:10 Who is this majestic king?
The Lord who commands armies!
He is the majestic king! (Selah)
47:1 For the music director; by the Korahites; a psalm. All you nations, clap your hands!
Shout out to God in celebration!
47:2 For the sovereign Lord is awe-inspiring; he is the great king who rules the whole earth!
47:3 He subdued nations beneath us and countries under our feet.
47:4 He picked out for us a special land to be a source of pride for Jacob, whom he loves. (Selah)
47:5 God has ascended his throne amid loud shouts; the Lord has ascended his throne amid the blaring of ram’s horns.
47:6 Sing to God! Sing!
Sing to our king! Sing!
47:7 For God is king of the whole earth!
Sing a well-written song!
47:8 God reigns over the nations!
God sits on his holy throne!
47:9 The nobles of the nations assemble, along with the people of the God of Abraham, for God has authority over the rulers of the earth.
He is highly exalted!
68:1 For the music director; by David, a psalm, a song.
God springs into action!
His enemies scatter; his adversaries run from him.
68:2 As smoke is driven away by the wind, so you drive them away.
As wax melts before fire, so the wicked are destroyed before God.
68:3 But the godly are happy; they rejoice before God and are overcome with joy.
68:4 Sing to God! Sing praises to his name!
Exalt the one who rides on the clouds!
For the Lord is his name!
Rejoice before him!
68:5 He is a father to the fatherless and an advocate for widows. God rules from his holy palace.
68:6 God settles those who have been deserted in their own homes; he frees prisoners and grants them prosperity. But sinful rebels live in the desert.
68:7 O God, when you lead your people into battle, when you march through the desert, (Selah)
68:8 the earth shakes, yes, the heavens pour down rain before God, the God of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel.
68:9 O God, you cause abundant showers to fall on your chosen people. When they are tired, you sustain them,
68:10 for you live among them. You sustain the oppressed with your good blessings, O God.
68:11 The Lord speaks; many, many women spread the good news.
68:12 Kings leading armies run away – they run away!
The lovely lady of the house divides up the loot.
68:13 When you lie down among the sheepfolds, the wings of the dove are covered with silver and with glittering gold.
68:14 When the sovereign judge scatters kings, let it snow on Zalmon!
68:15 The mountain of Bashan is a towering mountain; the mountain of Bashan is a mountain with many peaks.
68:16 Why do you look with envy, O mountains with many peaks, at the mountain where God has decided to live?
Indeed the Lord will live there permanently!
68:17 God has countless chariots; they number in the thousands. The Lord comes from Sinai in holy splendor.
68:18 You ascend on high, you have taken many captives. You receive tribute from men, including even sinful rebels.
Indeed the Lord God lives there!
68:19 The Lord deserves praise!
Day after day he carries our burden, the God who delivers us. (Selah)
68:20 Our God is a God who delivers; the Lord, the sovereign Lord, can rescue from death.
68:21 Indeed God strikes the heads of his enemies, the hairy foreheads of those who persist in rebellion.
68:22 The Lord says, “I will retrieve them from Bashan, I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
68:23 so that your feet may stomp in their blood, and your dogs may eat their portion of the enemies’ corpses.”
68:24 They see your processions, O God – the processions of my God, my king, who marches along in holy splendor.
68:25 Singers walk in front; musicians follow playing their stringed instruments, in the midst of young women playing tambourines.
68:26 In your large assemblies praise God, the Lord, in the assemblies of Israel!
68:27 There is little Benjamin, their ruler, and the princes of Judah in their robes, along with the princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali.
68:28 God has decreed that you will be powerful. O God, you who have acted on our behalf, demonstrate your power,
68:29 as you come out of your temple in Jerusalem!
Kings bring tribute to you.
68:30 Sound your battle cry against the wild beast of the reeds, and the nations that assemble like a herd of calves led by bulls!
They humble themselves and offer gold and silver as tribute. God scatters the nations that like to do battle.
68:31 They come with red cloth from Egypt, Ethiopia voluntarily offers tribute to God.
68:32 O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God!
Sing praises to the Lord, (Selah)
68:33 to the one who rides through the sky from ancient times!
Look! He thunders loudly.
68:34 Acknowledge God’s power, his sovereignty over Israel, and the power he reveals in the skies!
68:35 You are awe-inspiring, O God, as you emerge from your holy temple!
It is the God of Israel who gives the people power and strength.
God deserves praise!
89:1 A well-written song by Ethan the Ezrachite.
I will sing continually about the Lord’s faithful deeds; to future generations I will proclaim your faithfulness.
89:2 For I say, “Loyal love is permanently established; in the skies you set up your faithfulness.”
89:3 The Lord said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have made a promise on oath to David, my servant:
89:4 ‘I will give you an eternal dynasty and establish your throne throughout future generations.’” (Selah)
89:5 O Lord, the heavens praise your amazing deeds, as well as your faithfulness in the angelic assembly.
89:6 For who in the skies can compare to the Lord?
Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings,
89:7 a God who is honored in the great angelic assembly, and more awesome than all who surround him?
89:8 O Lord, sovereign God!
Who is strong like you, O Lord?
Your faithfulness surrounds you.
89:9 You rule over the proud sea. When its waves surge, you calm them.
89:10 You crushed the Proud One and killed it; with your strong arm you scattered your enemies.
89:11 The heavens belong to you, as does the earth. You made the world and all it contains.
89:12 You created the north and the south. Tabor and Hermon rejoice in your name.
89:13 Your arm is powerful, your hand strong, your right hand victorious.
89:14 Equity and justice are the foundation of your throne. Loyal love and faithfulness characterize your rule.
89:15 How blessed are the people who worship you!
O Lord, they experience your favor.
89:16 They rejoice in your name all day long, and are vindicated by your justice.
89:17 For you give them splendor and strength. By your favor we are victorious.
89:18 For our shield belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel.
89:19 Then you spoke through a vision to your faithful followers and said: “I have energized a warrior; I have raised up a young man from the people.
89:20 I have discovered David, my servant. With my holy oil I have anointed him as king.
89:21 My hand will support him, and my arm will strengthen him.
89:22 No enemy will be able to exact tribute from him; a violent oppressor will not be able to humiliate him.
89:23 I will crush his enemies before him; I will strike down those who hate him.
89:24 He will experience my faithfulness and loyal love, and by my name he will win victories.
89:25 I will place his hand over the sea, his right hand over the rivers.
89:26 He will call out to me, ‘You are my father, my God, and the protector who delivers me.’
89:27 I will appoint him to be my firstborn son, the most exalted of the earth’s kings.
89:28 I will always extend my loyal love to him, and my covenant with him is secure.
89:29 I will give him an eternal dynasty, and make his throne as enduring as the skies above.
89:30 If his sons reject my law and disobey my regulations,
89:31 if they break my rules and do not keep my commandments,
89:32 I will punish their rebellion by beating them with a club, their sin by inflicting them with bruises.
89:33 But I will not remove my loyal love from him, nor be unfaithful to my promise.
89:34 I will not break my covenant or go back on what I promised.
89:35 Once and for all I have vowed by my own holiness, I will never deceive David.
89:36 His dynasty will last forever. His throne will endure before me, like the sun,
89:37 it will remain stable, like the moon, his throne will endure like the skies.” (Selah)
89:38 But you have spurned and rejected him; you are angry with your chosen king.
89:39 You have repudiated your covenant with your servant; you have thrown his crown to the ground.
89:40 You have broken down all his walls; you have made his strongholds a heap of ruins.
89:41 All who pass by have robbed him; he has become an object of disdain to his neighbors.
89:42 You have allowed his adversaries to be victorious, and all his enemies to rejoice.
89:43 You turn back his sword from the adversary, and have not sustained him in battle.
89:44 You have brought to an end his splendor, and have knocked his throne to the ground.
89:45 You have cut short his youth, and have covered him with shame. (Selah)
89:46 How long, O Lord, will this last?
Will you remain hidden forever?
Will your anger continue to burn like fire?
89:47 Take note of my brief lifespan!
Why do you make all people so mortal?
89:48 No man can live on without experiencing death, or deliver his life from the power of Sheol. (Selah)
89:49 Where are your earlier faithful deeds, O Lord, the ones performed in accordance with your reliable oath to David?
89:50 Take note, O Lord, of the way your servants are taunted, and of how I must bear so many insults from people!
89:51 Your enemies, O Lord, hurl insults; they insult your chosen king as they dog his footsteps.
89:52 The Lord deserves praise forevermore!
We agree! We agree!
96:1 Sing to the Lord a new song!
Sing to the Lord, all the earth!
96:2 Sing to the Lord! Praise his name!
Announce every day how he delivers!
96:3 Tell the nations about his splendor!
Tell all the nations about his amazing deeds!
96:4 For the Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise; he is more awesome than all gods.
96:5 For all the gods of the nations are worthless, but the Lord made the sky.
96:6 Majestic splendor emanates from him; his sanctuary is firmly established and beautiful.
96:7 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the nations, ascribe to the Lord splendor and strength!
96:8 Ascribe to the Lord the splendor he deserves!
Bring an offering and enter his courts!
96:9 Worship the Lord in holy attire!
Tremble before him, all the earth!
96:10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!
The world is established, it cannot be moved. He judges the nations fairly.”
96:11 Let the sky rejoice, and the earth be happy!
Let the sea and everything in it shout!
96:12 Let the fields and everything in them celebrate!
Then let the trees of the forest shout with joy
96:13 before the Lord, for he comes!
For he comes to judge the earth!
He judges the world fairly, and the nations in accordance with his justice.
100:1 A thanksgiving psalm.
Shout out praises to the Lord, all the earth!
100:2 Worship the Lord with joy!
Enter his presence with joyful singing!
100:3 Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us and we belong to him; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
100:4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise!
Give him thanks!
Praise his name!
100:5 For the Lord is good. His loyal love endures, and he is faithful through all generations.
101:1 A psalm of David.
I will sing about loyalty and justice!
To you, O Lord, I will sing praises!
101:2 I will walk in the way of integrity. When will you come to me?
I will conduct my business with integrity in the midst of my palace.
101:3 I will not even consider doing what is dishonest. I hate doing evil; I will have no part of it.
101:4 I will have nothing to do with a perverse person; I will not permit evil.
101:5 I will destroy anyone who slanders his neighbor in secret. I will not tolerate anyone who has a cocky demeanor and an arrogant attitude.
101:6 I will favor the honest people of the land, and allow them to live with me. Those who walk in the way of integrity will attend me.
101:7 Deceitful people will not live in my palace. Liars will not be welcome in my presence.
101:8 Each morning I will destroy all the wicked people in the land, and remove all evildoers from the city of the Lord.
105:1 Give thanks to the Lord!
Call on his name!
Make known his accomplishments among the nations!
105:2 Sing to him!
Make music to him!
Tell about all his miraculous deeds!
105:3 Boast about his holy name!
Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
105:4 Seek the Lord and the strength he gives!
Seek his presence continually!
105:5 Recall the miraculous deeds he performed, his mighty acts and the judgments he decreed,
105:6 O children of Abraham, God’s servant, you descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen ones!
105:7 He is the Lord our God; he carries out judgment throughout the earth.
105:8 He always remembers his covenantal decree, the promise he made to a thousand generations –
105:9 the promise he made to Abraham, the promise he made by oath to Isaac!
105:10 He gave it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as a lasting promise,
105:11 saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion of your inheritance.”
105:12 When they were few in number, just a very few, and resident aliens within it,
105:13 they wandered from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another.
105:14 He let no one oppress them; he disciplined kings for their sake,
105:15 saying, “Don’t touch my chosen ones!
Don’t harm my prophets!”
105:16 He called down a famine upon the earth; he cut off all the food supply.
105:17 He sent a man ahead of them – Joseph was sold as a servant.
105:18 The shackles hurt his feet; his neck was placed in an iron collar,
105:19 until the time when his prediction came true. The Lord’s word proved him right.
105:20 The king authorized his release; the ruler of nations set him free.
105:21 He put him in charge of his palace, and made him manager of all his property,
105:22 giving him authority to imprison his officials and to teach his advisers.
105:23 Israel moved to Egypt; Jacob lived for a time in the land of Ham.
105:24 The Lord made his people very fruitful, and made them more numerous than their enemies.
105:25 He caused them to hate his people, and to mistreat his servants.
105:26 He sent his servant Moses, and Aaron, whom he had chosen.
105:27 They executed his miraculous signs among them, and his amazing deeds in the land of Ham.
105:28 He made it dark; they did not disobey his orders.
105:29 He turned their water into blood, and killed their fish.
105:30 Their land was overrun by frogs, which even got into the rooms of their kings.
105:31 He ordered flies to come; gnats invaded their whole territory.
105:32 He sent hail along with the rain; there was lightning in their land.
105:33 He destroyed their vines and fig trees, and broke the trees throughout their territory.
105:34 He ordered locusts to come, innumerable grasshoppers.
105:35 They ate all the vegetation in their land, and devoured the crops of their fields.
105:36 He struck down all the firstborn in their land, the firstfruits of their reproductive power.
105:37 He brought his people out enriched with silver and gold; none of his tribes stumbled.
105:38 Egypt was happy when they left, for they were afraid of them.
105:39 He spread out a cloud for a cover, and provided a fire to light up the night.
105:40 They asked for food, and he sent quails; he satisfied them with food from the sky.
105:41 He opened up a rock and water flowed out; a river ran through dry regions.
105:42 Yes, he remembered the sacred promise he made to Abraham his servant.
105:43 When he led his people out, they rejoiced; his chosen ones shouted with joy.
105:44 He handed the territory of nations over to them, and they took possession of what other peoples had produced,
105:45 so that they might keep his commands and obey his laws.
Praise the Lord!
132:1 A song of ascents.
O Lord, for David’s sake remember all his strenuous effort,
132:2 and how he made a vow to the Lord, and swore an oath to the powerful ruler of Jacob.
132:3 He said, “I will not enter my own home, or get into my bed.
132:4 I will not allow my eyes to sleep, or my eyelids to slumber,
132:5 until I find a place for the Lord, a fine dwelling place for the powerful ruler of Jacob.”
132:6 Look, we heard about it in Ephrathah, we found it in the territory of Jaar.
132:7 Let us go to his dwelling place!
Let us worship before his footstool!
132:8 Ascend, O Lord, to your resting place, you and the ark of your strength!
132:9 May your priests be clothed with integrity!
May your loyal followers shout for joy!
132:10 For the sake of David, your servant, do not reject your chosen king!
132:11 The Lord made a reliable promise to David; he will not go back on his word. He said, “I will place one of your descendants on your throne.
132:12 If your sons keep my covenant and the rules I teach them, their sons will also sit on your throne forever.”
132:13 Certainly the Lord has chosen Zion; he decided to make it his home.
132:14 He said, “This will be my resting place forever; I will live here, for I have chosen it.
132:15 I will abundantly supply what she needs; I will give her poor all the food they need.
132:16 I will protect her priests, and her godly people will shout exuberantly.
132:17 There I will make David strong; I have determined that my chosen king’s dynasty will continue.
132:18 I will humiliate his enemies, and his crown will shine.
Lord, You are the Creator-God, the One and only true-God, and yet You care for the least of Your created humankind. May I rest in the joy that I am loved by You. You want to be our Great Shepherd, the One Who gives us rest because You bring us safety and security in Your love and the promise of our eternity with You. May I rest in You Lord.
David’s fifteenth Psalm recorded his view of the exclusivity of those permitted into the presence of the Lord; essentially the list was of those who obeyed the Ten Commandments, and based on his prior description of his enemies David saw them as estranged from God.
David’s twenty-second Psalm returned to a cry for the Lord God’s rescue. He remained faithful that God would rescue him but lifted a plea for Him to please hurry.
He observed that those who pursued him mocked his faith in the Lord God, and in so-doing mocked God Himself.
David’s twenty-third Psalm is a celebration and recitation of the Lord God’s nearness, provision, and protection at all times and in all places for those who belong to Him. He used a parallel to sheep, which he knew well from his days as a shepherd, because sheep are very nervous and will only lie down if they feel very safe – which is part of the responsibility of the shepherd.
David’s twenty-fourth Psalm returned to the theme of praise and worship of the Lord God, marveling at His holiness and power, observing the exclusivity of His throne.
David’s forty-seventh Psalm was a praise song to the Lord God.
David’s sixty-fifth Psalm was a praise-song to the Lord God which emphasized His power.
David’s sixty-sixth Psalm was a praise-song to the Lord God which emphasized how He worked in the lives of the people.
David’s sixty-seventh Psalm was a praise song to the Lord God which emphasized His relationship with the nations and their obligation to respond rightly.
David’s sixty-eighth Psalm was a praise-song to the Lord God which emphasized His provision and protection. It included some notable phrases:
“He is a father to the fatherless and an advocate for widows.”
“The Lord speaks; many, many women spread the good news.”
“The lovely lady of the house divides up the loot.”
“... in the midst of young women playing tambourines.”
“There is little Benjamin, their ruler” [NET translators speculate this refers to Saul]
“... the one who rides through the sky from ancient times!” [A history of miracles for His people.]
“Day after day he carries our burden, the God who delivers us.”
A Psalm by the Korahites, specifically Ethan the Ezrachite, numbered eighty-nine began with praise, then contained wisdom about the call of David as king, then turned to a petition for rescue.
Psalm Ninety-Six was a praise-song which contained wisdom “Sing to the Lord a new song!” – which flowed from the assertion that He “... comes to judge the earth! He judges the world fairly, and the nations in accordance with his justice.” The author was not identified.
Psalm One-Hundred was a praise-song which contained wisdom “For the Lord is good. His loyal love endures, and he is faithful through all generations.” The author was not identified.
Psalm One-Hundred and One was a praise-song of David which contained wisdom “I will have nothing to do with a perverse person; I will not permit evil.”
Psalm 105 was for praise-leadership which included wisdom “Seek his presence continually!”; it called the people to remember God’s faithfulness to Israel and to praise Him for that. [The NET translator’s notes record that 1Chron16 contains similar text.] The author was not identified in the text.
Psalm 132 “Ascend, O Lord, to your resting place, you and the ark of your strength! May your priests be clothed with integrity! May your loyal followers shout for joy!”
David was again anxious for the Lord God’s rescue, but he continued to be confident in the Lord. David chose to emphasize the important role of women in the Lord God’s service. In the case of the “... young women playing tambourines.” the NET translator’s notes explain that David was referring to the tradition that such would be the practice during a victory parade.
Why would David be so offended that those who chased him also ridiculed his faith? Why would David invest so much time in writing songs of praise to the Lord God?
The Lord God redeemed David’s time as a shepherd as He taught him to understand his intimate relationship as parallel to the sheep to their earthly shepherd. David made a special effort to remind people of the Lord God’s caring, even specifically listing “the fatherless” and widows.
When have you been troubled yet found rest in the Lord? When have you found it an encouragement to read the Psalms which described the loving care of the Lord God?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you are allowing the troubles of this world to worry you – and then to lead you to a place of rest in Him, and to reveal to you a specific moment in your life where He demonstrated His protection and/or provision for you.
Today I will trust the Lord to be my protector and my provider and I will surrender my fears to Him – allowing Him to give me His peace and His rest. I will make some time to prayerfully reflect on the loving care of the Lord and to give Him praise. I will share that with a fellow believer as an encouragement to them to do the same and as a way to share my joy.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Psalm 25
25:1 By David. O Lord, I come before you in prayer.
25:2 My God, I trust in you. Please do not let me be humiliated; do not let my enemies triumphantly rejoice over me!
25:3 Certainly none who rely on you will be humiliated. Those who deal in treachery will be thwarted and humiliated.
25:4 Make me understand your ways, O Lord!
Teach me your paths!
25:5 Guide me into your truth and teach me. For you are the God who delivers me; on you I rely all day long.
25:6 Remember your compassionate and faithful deeds, O Lord, for you have always acted in this manner.
25:7 Do not hold against me the sins of my youth or my rebellious acts!
Because you are faithful to me, extend to me your favor, O Lord!
25:8 The Lord is both kind and fair; that is why he teaches sinners the right way to live.
25:9 May he show the humble what is right!
May he teach the humble his way!
25:10 The Lord always proves faithful and reliable to those who follow the demands of his covenant.
25:11 For the sake of your reputation, O Lord, forgive my sin, because it is great.
25:12 The Lord shows his faithful followers the way they should live.
25:13 They experience his favor; their descendants inherit the land.
25:14 The Lord’s loyal followers receive his guidance, and he reveals his covenantal demands to them.
25:15 I continually look to the Lord for help, for he will free my feet from the enemy’s net.
25:16 Turn toward me and have mercy on me, for I am alone and oppressed!
25:17 Deliver me from my distress; rescue me from my suffering!
25:18 See my pain and suffering!
Forgive all my sins!
25:19 Watch my enemies, for they outnumber me; they hate me and want to harm me.
25:20 Protect me and deliver me!
Please do not let me be humiliated, for I have taken shelter in you!
25:21 May integrity and godliness protect me, for I rely on you!
25:22 O God, rescue Israel from all their distress!
Psalm 29
29:1 A psalm of David.
Acknowledge the Lord, you heavenly beings,
acknowledge the Lord’s majesty and power!
29:2 Acknowledge the majesty of the Lord’s reputation!
Worship the Lord in holy attire!
29:3 The Lord’s shout is heard over the water;
the majestic God thunders,
the Lord appears over the surging water.
29:4 The Lord’s shout is powerful,
the Lord’s shout is majestic.
29:5 The Lord’s shout breaks the cedars,
the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon.
29:6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf
and Sirion like a young ox.
29:7 The Lord’s shout strikes with flaming fire.
29:8 The Lord’s shout shakes the wilderness,
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
29:9 The Lord’s shout bends the large trees
and strips the leaves from the forests.
Everyone in his temple says, “Majestic!”
29:10 The Lord sits enthroned over the engulfing waters,
the Lord sits enthroned as the eternal king.
29:11 The Lord gives his people strength;
the Lord grants his people security.
Psalm 33
33:1 You godly ones, shout for joy because of the Lord!
It is appropriate for the morally upright to offer him praise.
33:2 Give thanks to the Lord with the harp!
Sing to him to the accompaniment of a ten-stringed instrument!
33:3 Sing to him a new song!
Play skillfully as you shout out your praises to him!
33:4 For the Lord’s decrees are just,
and everything he does is fair.
33:5 The Lord promotes equity and justice;
the Lord’s faithfulness extends throughout the earth.
33:6 By the Lord’s decree the heavens were made;
by a mere word from his mouth all the stars in the sky were created.
33:7 He piles up the water of the sea;
he puts the oceans in storehouses.
33:8 Let the whole earth fear the Lord!
Let all who live in the world stand in awe of him!
33:9 For he spoke, and it came into existence,
he issued the decree, and it stood firm.
33:10 The Lord frustrates the decisions of the nations;
he nullifies the plans of the peoples.
33:11 The Lord’s decisions stand forever;
his plans abide throughout the ages.
33:12 How blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people whom he has chosen to be his special possession.
33:13 The Lord watches from heaven;
he sees all people.
33:14 From the place where he lives he looks carefully
at all the earth’s inhabitants.
33:15 He is the one who forms every human heart,
and takes note of all their actions.
33:16 No king is delivered by his vast army;
a warrior is not saved by his great might.
33:17 A horse disappoints those who trust in it for victory;
despite its great strength, it cannot deliver.
33:18 Look, the Lord takes notice of his loyal followers,
those who wait for him to demonstrate his faithfulness
33:19 by saving their lives from death
and sustaining them during times of famine.
33:20 We wait for the Lord;
he is our deliverer and shield.
33:21 For our hearts rejoice in him,
for we trust in his holy name.
33:22 May we experience your faithfulness, O Lord,
for we wait for you.
Psalm 36
36:1 For the music director; written by the Lord’s servant, David; an oracle.
An evil man is rebellious to the core. He does not fear God,
36:2 for he is too proud to recognize and give up his sin.
36:3 The words he speaks are sinful and deceitful; he does not care about doing what is wise and right.
36:4 He plans ways to sin while he lies in bed; he is committed to a sinful lifestyle; he does not reject what is evil.
36:5 O Lord, your loyal love reaches to the sky; your faithfulness to the clouds.
36:6 Your justice is like the highest mountains, your fairness like the deepest sea; you preserve mankind and the animal kingdom.
36:7 How precious is your loyal love, O God!
The human race finds shelter under your wings.
36:8 They are filled with food from your house, and you allow them to drink from the river of your delicacies.
36:9 For you are the one who gives and sustains life.
36:10 Extend your loyal love to your faithful followers, and vindicate the morally upright!
36:11 Do not let arrogant men overtake me, or let evil men make me homeless!
36:12 I can see the evildoers! They have fallen!
They have been knocked down and are unable to get up!
Psalm 39
39:1 For the music director, Jeduthun; a psalm of David.
I decided, “I will watch what I say and make sure I do not sin with my tongue. I will put a muzzle over my mouth while in the presence of an evil man.”
39:2 I was stone silent; I held back the urge to speak. My frustration grew;
39:3 my anxiety intensified. As I thought about it, I became impatient. Finally I spoke these words:
39:4 “O Lord, help me understand my mortality and the brevity of life!
Let me realize how quickly my life will pass!
39:5 Look, you make my days short-lived, and my life span is nothing from your perspective. Surely all people, even those who seem secure, are nothing but vapor.
39:6 Surely people go through life as mere ghosts. Surely they accumulate worthless wealth without knowing who will eventually haul it away.”
39:7 But now, O Lord, upon what am I relying?
You are my only hope!
39:8 Deliver me from all my sins of rebellion!
Do not make me the object of fools’ insults!
39:9 I am silent and cannot open my mouth because of what you have done.
39:10 Please stop wounding me!
You have almost beaten me to death!
39:11 You severely discipline people for their sins; like a moth you slowly devour their strength. Surely all people are a mere vapor. (Selah)
39:12 Hear my prayer, O Lord!
Listen to my cry for help!
Do not ignore my sobbing!
For I am dependent on you, like one residing outside his native land; I am at your mercy, just as all my ancestors were.
39:13 Turn your angry gaze away from me, so I can be happy before I pass away.
Lord, You are always there, and our praise of You reminds us of Your perfection and power. May I worship the only One worthy of worship and trust the only One worthy of my faith.
David’s twenty-fifth Psalm represented a return to his cry for help from his enemies. He continued the theme of constant-faith in the Lord God, added a plea for the Lord to teach Him His ways, and asked that the rebellion and sin of his youth not be held against him. He concluded with a plea for the protection of Israel.
David’s twenty-ninth Psalm began with what sounded like an instruction to the angelic beings to acknowledge the Lord but is perhaps best understood as intending to be a statement of fact; that they do acknowledge Him, and that they do so partially in response to what He has done in His Creation.
David’s thirty-third Psalm was a song of praise, it recited His sovereign Creation, His sovereign power over all human activity, and His sovereign care for those whose faith is invested in Him.
David’s thirty-sixth Psalm was a prophesy of the future of the rebellious man.
David’s thirty-ninth Psalm was when David was being disciplined by the Lord God. Interestingly, David described his choice when “... in the presence of evil men” he chose not to respond to them but to instead talk to the Lord.
David’s long-time faith, despite occasional lapses of good judgment in the flesh, prepared him to truth the Lord even in the most difficult of times.
Why was it important to David to not only praise the worship of the angelic beings, in the heavenly presence of the Lord God, but to also offer his own reflective praise and worship of the greatness of God?
Remembering the future of the rebellious man is a powerful way to remind oneself to be certain of right-standing with the Lord God.
When have you been challenged by condemning-enemies, who didn’t care about you or what you might have to say, and it was your prayer-talk with the Lord that kept you confident and focused on His purposes?
Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of His perfect and powerful presence in your life, and that He has a plan for you.
I agree to remember the Lord in praise and worship several times today, I will bring all things – great and small to Him to be tested before I decide or speak, and I will resist failing the test - falling into the temptation to respond to evil with evil.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Psalms
50:1 A psalm by Asaph.
El, God, the Lord speaks, and summons the earth to come from the east and west.
50:2 From Zion, the most beautiful of all places, God comes in splendor.
50:3 Our God approaches and is not silent; consuming fire goes ahead of him and all around him a storm rages.
50:4 He summons the heavens above, as well as the earth, so that he might judge his people.
50:5 He says: “Assemble my covenant people before me, those who ratified a covenant with me by sacrifice!”
50:6 The heavens declare his fairness, for God is judge. (Selah)
50:7 He says: “Listen my people! I am speaking!
Listen Israel! I am accusing you!
I am God, your God!
50:8 I am not condemning you because of your sacrifices, or because of your burnt sacrifices that you continually offer me.
50:9 I do not need to take a bull from your household or goats from your sheepfolds.
50:10 For every wild animal in the forest belongs to me, as well as the cattle that graze on a thousand hills.
50:11 I keep track of every bird in the hills, and the insects of the field are mine.
50:12 Even if I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and all it contains belong to me.
50:13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls?
Do I drink the blood of goats?
50:14 Present to God a thank-offering!
Repay your vows to the sovereign One!
50:15 Pray to me when you are in trouble!
I will deliver you, and you will honor me!”
50:16 God says this to the evildoer: “How can you declare my commands, and talk about my covenant?
50:17 For you hate instruction and reject my words.
50:18 When you see a thief, you join him; you associate with men who are unfaithful to their wives.
50:19 You do damage with words, and use your tongue to deceive.
50:20 You plot against your brother; you slander your own brother.
50:21 When you did these things, I was silent, so you thought I was exactly like you. But now I will condemn you and state my case against you!
50:22 Carefully consider this, you who reject God!
Otherwise I will rip you to shreds and no one will be able to rescue you.
50:23 Whoever presents a thank-offering honors me. To whoever obeys my commands, I will reveal my power to deliver.”
53:1 For the music director; according to the machalath style; a well-written song by David.
Fools say to themselves, “There is no God.” They sin and commit evil deeds; none of them does what is right.
53:2 God looks down from heaven at the human race, to see if there is anyone who is wise and seeks God.
53:3 Everyone rejects God; they are all morally corrupt. None of them does what is right, not even one!
53:4 All those who behave wickedly do not understand – those who devour my people as if they were eating bread, and do not call out to God.
53:5 They are absolutely terrified, even by things that do not normally cause fear. For God annihilates those who attack you. You are able to humiliate them because God has rejected them.
53:6 I wish the deliverance of Israel would come from Zion!
When God restores the well-being of his people, may Jacob rejoice, may Israel be happy!
60:1 For the music director; according to the shushan-eduth style; a prayer of David written to instruct others. It was written when he fought against Aram Naharaim and Aram-Zobah. That was when Joab turned back and struck down 12,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
O God, you have rejected us. You suddenly turned on us in your anger.
Please restore us!
60:2 You made the earth quake; you split it open. Repair its breaches, for it is ready to fall.
60:3 You have made your people experience hard times; you have made us drink intoxicating wine.
60:4 You have given your loyal followers a rallying flag, so that they might seek safety from the bow. (Selah)
60:5 Deliver by your power and answer me, so that the ones you love may be safe.
60:6 God has spoken in his sanctuary: “I will triumph! I will parcel out Shechem; the Valley of Succoth I will measure off.
60:7 Gilead belongs to me, as does Manasseh!
Ephraim is my helmet, Judah my royal scepter.
60:8 Moab is my washbasin. I will make Edom serve me. I will shout in triumph over Philistia.”
60:9 Who will lead me into the fortified city?
Who will bring me to Edom?
60:10 Have you not rejected us, O God?
O God, you do not go into battle with our armies.
60:11 Give us help against the enemy, for any help men might offer is futile.
60:12 By God’s power we will conquer; he will trample down our enemies.
75:1 For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; a psalm of Asaph; a song.
We give thanks to you, O God! We give thanks!
You reveal your presence; people tell about your amazing deeds.
75:2 God says, “At the appointed times, I judge fairly.
75:3 When the earth and all its inhabitants dissolve in fear, I make its pillars secure.” (Selah)
75:4 I say to the proud, “Do not be proud,” and to the wicked, “Do not be so confident of victory!
75:5 Do not be so certain you have won!
Do not speak with your head held so high!
75:6 For victory does not come from the east or west, or from the wilderness.
75:7 For God is the judge!
He brings one down and exalts another.
75:8 For the Lord holds in his hand a cup full of foaming wine mixed with spices, and pours it out.
Surely all the wicked of the earth will slurp it up and drink it to its very last drop.”
75:9 As for me, I will continually tell what you have done; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob!
75:10 God says, “I will bring down all the power of the wicked; the godly will be victorious.”
20:1 For the music director; a psalm of David.
May the Lord answer you when you are in trouble; may the God of Jacob make you secure!
20:2 May he send you help from his temple; from Zion may he give you support!
20:3 May he take notice of your offerings; may he accept your burnt sacrifice! (Selah)
20:4 May he grant your heart’s desire; may he bring all your plans to pass!
20:5 Then we will shout for joy over your victory; we will rejoice in the name of our God!
May the Lord grant all your requests!
20:6 Now I am sure that the Lord will deliver his chosen king; he will intervene for him from his holy heavenly temple, and display his mighty ability to deliver.
20:7 Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we depend on the Lord our God.
20:8 They will fall down, but we will stand firm.
20:9 The Lord will deliver the king; he will answer us when we call to him for help!
65:1 For the music director; a psalm of David, a song.
Praise awaits you, O God, in Zion. Vows made to you are fulfilled.
65:2 You hear prayers; all people approach you.
65:3 Our record of sins overwhelms me, but you forgive our acts of rebellion.
65:4 How blessed is the one whom you choose, and allow to live in your palace courts.
May we be satisfied with the good things of your house – your holy palace.
65:5 You answer our prayers by performing awesome acts of deliverance, O God, our savior. All the ends of the earth trust in you, as well as those living across the wide seas.
65:6 You created the mountains by your power, and demonstrated your strength.
65:7 You calm the raging seas and their roaring waves, as well as the commotion made by the nations.
65:8 Even those living in the most remote areas are awestruck by your acts; you cause those living in the east and west to praise you.
65:9 You visit the earth and give it rain; you make it rich and fertile with overflowing streams full of water. You provide grain for them, for you prepare the earth to yield its crops.
65:10 You saturate its furrows, and soak its plowed ground. With rain showers you soften its soil, and make its crops grow.
65:11 You crown the year with your good blessings, and you leave abundance in your wake.
65:12 The pastures in the wilderness glisten with moisture, and the hills are clothed with joy.
65:13 The meadows are clothed with sheep, and the valleys are covered with grain. They shout joyfully, yes, they sing.
66:1 For the music director; a song, a psalm.
Shout out praise to God, all the earth!
66:2 Sing praises about the majesty of his reputation!
Give him the honor he deserves!
66:3 Say to God:
“How awesome are your deeds!
Because of your great power your enemies cower in fear before you.
66:4 All the earth worships you and sings praises to you!
They sing praises to your name!” (Selah)
66:5 Come and witness God’s exploits!
His acts on behalf of people are awesome!
66:6 He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot.
Let us rejoice in him there!
66:7 He rules by his power forever; he watches the nations. Stubborn rebels should not exalt themselves. (Selah)
66:8 Praise our God, you nations!
Loudly proclaim his praise!
66:9 He preserves our lives and does not allow our feet to slip.
66:10 For you, O God, tested us; you purified us like refined silver.
66:11 You led us into a trap; you caused us to suffer.
66:12 You allowed men to ride over our heads; we passed through fire and water, but you brought us out into a wide open place.
66:13 I will enter your temple with burnt sacrifices; I will fulfill the vows I made to you,
66:14 which my lips uttered and my mouth spoke when I was in trouble.
66:15 I will offer up to you fattened animals as burnt sacrifices, along with the smell of sacrificial rams. I will offer cattle and goats. (Selah)
66:16 Come! Listen, all you who are loyal to God!
I will declare what he has done for me.
66:17 I cried out to him for help and praised him with my tongue.
66:18 If I had harbored sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
66:19 However, God heard; he listened to my prayer.
66:20 God deserves praise, for he did not reject my prayer or abandon his love for me!
67:1 For the music director; to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a psalm, a song.
May God show us his favor and bless us!
May he smile on us! (Selah)
67:2 Then those living on earth will know what you are like; all nations will know how you deliver your people.
67:3 Let the nations thank you, O God!
Let all the nations thank you!
67:4 Let foreigners rejoice and celebrate!
For you execute justice among the nations, and govern the people living on earth. (Selah)
67:5 Let the nations thank you, O God!
Let all the nations thank you!
67:6 The earth yields its crops.
May God, our God, bless us!
67:7 May God bless us!
Then all the ends of the earth will give him the honor he deserves.
69:1 For the music director; according to the tune of “Lilies;” by David.
Deliver me, O God, for the water has reached my neck.
69:2 I sink into the deep mire where there is no solid ground; I am in deep water, and the current overpowers me.
69:3 I am exhausted from shouting for help; my throat is sore; my eyes grow tired of looking for my God.
69:4 Those who hate me without cause are more numerous than the hairs of my head. Those who want to destroy me, my enemies for no reason, outnumber me.
They make me repay what I did not steal!
69:5 O God, you are aware of my foolish sins; my guilt is not hidden from you.
69:6 Let none who rely on you be disgraced because of me,
O sovereign Lord and king!
Let none who seek you be ashamed because of me,
O God of Israel!
69:7 For I suffer humiliation for your sake and am thoroughly disgraced.
69:8 My own brothers treat me like a stranger; they act as if I were a foreigner.
69:9 Certainly zeal for your house consumes me; I endure the insults of those who insult you.
69:10 I weep and refrain from eating food, which causes others to insult me.
69:11 I wear sackcloth and they ridicule me.
69:12 Those who sit at the city gate gossip about me; drunkards mock me in their songs.
69:13 O Lord, may you hear my prayer and be favorably disposed to me!
O God, because of your great loyal love, answer me with your faithful deliverance!
69:14 Rescue me from the mud! Don’t let me sink!
Deliver me from those who hate me, from the deep water!
69:15 Don’t let the current overpower me!
Don’t let the deep swallow me up!
Don’t let the pit devour me!
69:16 Answer me, O Lord, for your loyal love is good!
Because of your great compassion, turn toward me!
69:17 Do not ignore your servant, for I am in trouble! Answer me right away!
69:18 Come near me and redeem me!
Because of my enemies, rescue me!
69:19 You know how I am insulted, humiliated and disgraced; you can see all my enemies.
69:20 Their insults are painful and make me lose heart; I look for sympathy, but receive none, for comforters, but find none.
69:21 They put bitter poison into my food, and to quench my thirst they give me vinegar to drink.
69:22 May their dining table become a trap before them!
May it be a snare for that group of friends!
69:23 May their eyes be blinded!
Make them shake violently!
69:24 Pour out your judgment on them!
May your raging anger overtake them!
69:25 May their camp become desolate, their tents uninhabited!
69:26 For they harass the one whom you discipline; they spread the news about the suffering of those whom you punish.
69:27 Hold them accountable for all their sins!
Do not vindicate them!
69:28 May their names be deleted from the scroll of the living!
Do not let their names be listed with the godly!
69:29 I am oppressed and suffering!
O God, deliver and protect me!
69:30 I will sing praises to God’s name!
I will magnify him as I give him thanks!
69:31 That will please the Lord more than an ox or a bull with horns and hooves.
69:32 The oppressed look on – let them rejoice!
You who seek God, may you be encouraged!
69:33 For the Lord listens to the needy; he does not despise his captive people.
69:34 Let the heavens and the earth praise him, along with the seas and everything that swims in them!
69:35 For God will deliver Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah, and his people will again live in them and possess Zion.
69:36 The descendants of his servants will inherit it, and those who are loyal to him will live in it.
70:1 For the music director; by David; written to get God’s attention.
O God, please be willing to rescue me!
O Lord, hurry and help me!
70:2 May those who are trying to take my life be embarrassed and ashamed!
May those who want to harm me be turned back and ashamed!
70:3 May those who say, “Aha! Aha!” be driven back and disgraced!
70:4 May all those who seek you be happy and rejoice in you!
May those who love to experience your deliverance say continually,
“May God be praised!”
70:5 I am oppressed and needy!
O God, hurry to me!
You are my helper and my deliverer!
O Lord, do not delay!
Lord, throughout all time You are the sovereign One, all-knowing and all-powerful. May I obey You and praise You so that my life will be in right standing before You and You may use me in Your great plan. One is indeed a fool who declares in his heart that there is no God, and then testifies their foolishness to the world by indulging in unrepentant sin. May I be careful that a pattern of sin in my life not be a testimony to a foolish functional-atheism as to Your concern about any specific sin. As David wrote You are my protector and deliverer and refuge, and You are also the source of both justice and love. May I rest in You, trust in You, follow You, entrust justice to You, and learn about love from You. You are the Creator-God, the One and only true-God, and yet You care for the least of Your created humankind. May I rest in the joy that I am loved by You. Your justice is perfectly balanced with Your mercy. May I not be as impatient with You as was David, but learn from the sharing of his many Psalms of anxious petition. May I rest assured that nothing can touch me if You choose to protect me – and whatever my circumstances You will strengthen and teach me – if I choose to be teachable.
David’s fiftieth Psalm is a wisdom-song warning that when the Lord God comes He comes in judgment. It was a warning to those who claim to speak for God but whose lives are filled with selfish disobedience. It was both a remembrance of the Lord challenging Israel at the mountain for their rebellion and a prophesy of the final judgment of God.
David’s fifty-third Psalm was a wisdom-song; he declared that a fool says there is no God - and then sins unrepentantly, no one does what is right, and that the Lord God allows such people to be humbled by others.
David’s sixtieth Psalm was his cry to the Lord God to assist his armies – which was answered when Joab was empowered to turn an annihilate over 100,000 Edomites.
Asaph’s Psalm, numbered seventy-five, was a praise and wisdom-song.
David’s twentieth Psalm records his prayer for all of the faithful that the Lord God will meet their needs and answer their other prayers. He included a prayer that the Lord would complete his installation as the king.
David’s sixty-fifth Psalm was a praise-song to the Lord God which emphasized His power.
David’s sixty-sixth Psalm was a praise-song to the Lord God which emphasized how He worked in the lives of the people.
David’s sixty-seventh Psalm was a praise song to the Lord God which emphasized His relationship with the nations and their obligation to respond rightly.
David’s sixty-ninth Psalm was his cry for mercy. He confessed that he had sinned and deserved punishment, and he repented and asked for forgiveness. He was upset that his failure and punishment was giving encouragement to the enemies of the Lord God to slander Him. He also worried that his circumstances would discourage the faithful. He asked the Lord God to right things so that His name would be glorified.
David’s seventieth Psalm was a cry for the Lord God to hurry and rescue him.
David weaves the themes of the Lord God’s character and His action throughout his Psalms. The Lord cleanses and then keeps one from future sin – if we let Him. The powerful thread of praise throughout most of David’s Psalms is a model for health and strength in a corrupt and corrupting world. David chose to emphasize the important role of women in the Lord God’s service. [In the case of the “... young women playing tambourines.” the NET translator’s notes explain that David was referring to the tradition that such would be the practice during a victory parade.] David was always an emotional and impatient personality – and it shows in his wild swings of emotion.
How could David be so loquacious in confidence and praise for the Lord God and still plead sometimes as if he were not certain the Lord cared or even noticed his plight? Why would David invest so much time in writing songs of praise to the Lord God? Why would David fear for his life if he truly believed that he was the Lord God’s anointed and that the Lord was sovereign?
David appeared to draw again upon his shepherd-days for the concepts of “refuge” and “shelter”. David’s discomfort was amplified because he had experienced great comfort for a time, both spiritually and physically. David made a special effort to remind people of the Lord God’s caring, even specifically listing “the fatherless” and widows. David worried that his errors were having a negative impact on the perceptions of others about the Lord God – and rightly so.
When have you be so troubled that you wondered if the Lord cared or even noticed your plight? When have you gone from comfort to discomfort, either voluntarily (e.g. camping or other unusual environment) or involuntarily (loss of home, moving, etc) and longed for your prior circumstance? When have you found it an encouragement to read the Psalms which described the loving care of the Lord God? When have you struggled and felt impatient with the Lord God to set you free? Did you later, upon reflection, observe that He delayed because He was teaching you?
The Lord cleanses and then keeps one from future sin – if we let Him. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a time and place of greater intimacy with Him, to reveal to you a specific moment in your life where He demonstrated His protection and/or provision for you, and to reveal to you something about your walk that the enemy could use to discourage believers and/or those who are considering-Christ, and encourage those who were already predisposed to oppose the Lord.
Today I will praise the Lord God for his clarity as to my standing before Him, and my dependence upon Him, and then ask Him to cleanse me and keep me clean. I will remember and celebrate my prior moments of exceptional intimacy with the Lord God and then I will assess my circumstances to discover how I might improve my relationship. I will make some time to prayerfully reflect on the loving care of the Lord and to give Him praise. I will share that with a fellow believer as an encouragement to them to do the same and as a way to share my joy. I will confess and repent my poor witness for Christ, I will accept the Lord’s forgiveness, and I will act intentionally to avoid the repetition of that sin. As appropriate I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement and to be my accountability-partner to assist me in remaining free of presenting that poor witness.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study –“Genesis 3. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 31
David Commits Adultery with Bathsheba
11:1 In the spring of the year, at the time when kings normally conduct wars, David sent out Joab with his officers and the entire Israelite army. They defeated the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed behind in Jerusalem. 11:2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of his palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. Now this woman was very attractive. 11:3 So David sent someone to inquire about the woman. The messenger said, “Isn’t this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?”
11:4 David sent some messengers to get her. She came to him and he had sexual relations with her. (Now at that time she was in the process of purifying herself from her menstrual uncleanness.) Then she returned to her home. 11:5 The woman conceived and then sent word to David saying, “I’m pregnant.”
11:6 So David sent a message to Joab that said, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent Uriah to David. 11:7 When Uriah came to him, David asked about how Joab and the army were doing and how the campaign was going. 11:8 Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your home and relax.” When Uriah left the palace, the king sent a gift to him. 11:9 But Uriah stayed at the door of the palace with all the servants of his lord. He did not go down to his house.
11:10 So they informed David, “Uriah has not gone down to his house.” So David said to Uriah, “Haven’t you just arrived from a journey? Why haven’t you gone down to your house?” 11:11 Uriah replied to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah reside in temporary shelters, and my lord Joab and my lord’s soldiers are camping in the open field. Should I go to my house to eat and drink and have marital relations with my wife? As surely as you are alive, I will not do this thing!” 11:12 So David said to Uriah, “Stay here another day. Tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem both that day and the following one. 11:13 Then David summoned him. He ate and drank with him, and got him drunk. But in the evening he went out to sleep on his bed with the servants of his lord; he did not go down to his own house.
11:14 In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. 11:15 In the letter he wrote: “Station Uriah in the thick of the battle and then withdraw from him so he will be cut down and killed.”
11:16 So as Joab kept watch on the city, he stationed Uriah at the place where he knew the best enemy soldiers were. 11:17 When the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, some of David’s soldiers fell in battle. Uriah the Hittite also died.
11:18 Then Joab sent a full battle report to David. 11:19 He instructed the messenger as follows: “When you finish giving the battle report to the king, 11:20 if the king becomes angry and asks you, ‘Why did you go so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you realize they would shoot from the wall? 11:21 Who struck down Abimelech the son of Jerub-Besheth? Didn’t a woman throw an upper millstone down on him from the wall so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go so close to the wall?’ just say to him, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.’”
11:22 So the messenger departed. When he arrived, he informed David of all the news that Joab had sent with him. 11:23 The messenger said to David, “The men overpowered us and attacked us in the field. But we forced them to retreat all the way to the door of the city gate. 11:24 Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall and some of the king’s soldiers died. Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.” 11:25 David said to the messenger, “Tell Joab, ‘Don’t let this thing upset you. There is no way to anticipate whom the sword will cut down. Press the battle against the city and conquer it.’ Encourage him with these words.”
11:26 When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband Uriah was dead, she mourned for him. 11:27 When the time of mourning passed, David had her brought to his palace. She became his wife and she bore him a son. But what David had done upset the Lord.
Nathan the Prophet Confronts David
12:1 So the Lord sent Nathan to David. When he came to David, Nathan said, “There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor. 12:2 The rich man had a great many flocks and herds. 12:3 But the poor man had nothing except for a little lamb he had acquired. He raised it, and it grew up alongside him and his children. It used to eat his food, drink from his cup, and sleep in his arms. It was just like a daughter to him.
12:4 “When a traveler arrived at the rich man’s home, he did not want to use one of his own sheep or cattle to feed the traveler who had come to visit him. Instead, he took the poor man’s lamb and cooked it for the man who had come to visit him.”
12:5 Then David became very angry at this man. He said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die! 12:6 Because he committed this cold-hearted crime, he must pay for the lamb four times over!”
12:7 Nathan said to David, “You are that man! This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I chose you to be king over Israel and I rescued you from the hand of Saul. 12:8 I gave you your master’s house, and put your master’s wives into your arms. I also gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all that somehow seems insignificant, I would have given you so much more as well! 12:9 Why have you shown contempt for the word of the Lord by doing evil in my sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and you have taken his wife as your own! You have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 12:10 So now the sword will never depart from your house. For you have despised me by taking the wife of Uriah the Hittite as your own!’ 12:11 This is what the Lord says: ‘I am about to bring disaster on you from inside your own household! Right before your eyes I will take your wives and hand them over to your companion. He will have sexual relations with your wives in broad daylight! 12:12 Although you have acted in secret, I will do this thing before all Israel, and in broad daylight.’”
12:13 Then David exclaimed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord!” Nathan replied to David, “Yes, and the Lord has forgiven your sin. You are not going to die. 12:14 Nonetheless, because you have treated the Lord with such contempt in this matter, the son who has been born to you will certainly die.”
12:15 Then Nathan went to his home. The Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and the child became very ill. 12:16 Then David prayed to God for the child and fasted. He would even go and spend the night lying on the ground. 12:17 The elders of his house stood over him and tried to lift him from the ground, but he was unwilling, and refused to eat food with them.
12:18 On the seventh day the child died. But the servants of David were afraid to inform him that the child had died, for they said, “While the child was still alive he would not listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He will do himself harm!”
12:19 When David saw that his servants were whispering to one another, he realized that the child was dead. So David asked his servants, “Is the child dead?” They replied, “Yes, he’s dead.” 12:20 So David got up from the ground, bathed, put on oil, and changed his clothes. He went to the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then, when he entered his palace, he requested that food be brought to him, and he ate.
12:21 His servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? While the child was still alive, you fasted and wept. Once the child was dead you got up and ate food!” 12:22 He replied, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept because I thought, ‘Perhaps the Lord will show pity and the child will live. 12:23 But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Am I able to bring him back? I will go to him, but he cannot return to me!’”
12:24 So David comforted his wife Bathsheba. He went to her and had marital relations with her. She gave birth to a son, and David named him Solomon. Now the Lord loved the child 12:25 and sent word through Nathan the prophet that he should be named Jedidiah for the Lord’s sake.
David’s Forces Defeat the Ammonites
12:26 So Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal city. 12:27 Joab then sent messengers to David, saying, “I have fought against Rabbah and have captured the water supply of the city. 12:28 So now assemble the rest of the army and besiege the city and capture it. Otherwise I will capture the city and it will be named for me.”
12:29 So David assembled all the army and went to Rabbah and fought against it and captured it. 12:30 He took the crown of their king from his head – it was gold, weighed about seventy-five pounds, and held a precious stone – and it was placed on David’s head. He also took from the city a great deal of plunder. 12:31 He removed the people who were in it and made them do hard labor with saws, iron picks, and iron axes, putting them to work at the brick kiln. This was his policy with all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem.
20:1 In the spring, at the time when kings normally conduct wars, Joab led the army into battle and devastated the land of the Ammonites. He went and besieged Rabbah, while David stayed in Jerusalem. Joab defeated Rabbah and tore it down. 20:2 David took the crown from the head of their king and wore it (its weight was a talent of gold and it was set with precious stones). He took a large amount of plunder from the city. 20:3 He removed the city’s residents and made them do hard labor with saws, iron picks, and axes. This was his policy with all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem.
Battles with the Philistines
20:4 Later there was a battle with the Philistines in Gezer. At that time Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Sippai, one of the descendants of the Rephaim, and the Philistines were subdued.
20:5 There was another battle with the Philistines in which Elhanan son of Jair the Bethlehemite killed the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear had a shaft as big as the crossbeam of a weaver’s loom.
20:6 In a battle in Gath there was a large man who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot – twenty-four in all! He too was a descendant of Rapha. 20:7 When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimea, David’s brother, killed him.
20:8 These were the descendants of Rapha who lived in Gath; they were killed by the hand of David and his soldiers.
Psalms
32:1 By David; a well-written song.
How blessed is the one whose rebellious acts are forgiven,
whose sin is pardoned!
32:2 How blessed is the one whose wrongdoing the Lord does not punish,
in whose spirit there is no deceit.
32:3 When I refused to confess my sin,
my whole body wasted away,
while I groaned in pain all day long.
32:4 For day and night you tormented me;
you tried to destroy me in the intense heat of summer. (Selah)
32:5 Then I confessed my sin;
I no longer covered up my wrongdoing.
I said, “I will confess my rebellious acts to the Lord.”
And then you forgave my sins. (Selah)
32:6 For this reason every one of your faithful followers should pray to you
while there is a window of opportunity.
Certainly when the surging water rises,
it will not reach them.
32:7 You are my hiding place;
you protect me from distress.
You surround me with shouts of joy from those celebrating deliverance. (Selah)
32:8 I will instruct and teach you about how you should live.
I will advise you as I look you in the eye.
32:9 Do not be like an unintelligent horse or mule,
which will not obey you
unless they are controlled by a bridle and bit.
32:10 An evil person suffers much pain,
but the Lord’s faithfulness overwhelms the one who trusts in him.
32:11 Rejoice in the Lord and be happy, you who are godly!
Shout for joy, all you who are morally upright!
51:1 For the music director; a psalm of David, written when Nathan the prophet confronted him after David’s affair with Bathsheba.
Have mercy on me, O God, because of your loyal love!
Because of your great compassion, wipe away my rebellious acts!
51:2 Wash away my wrongdoing!
Cleanse me of my sin!
51:3 For I am aware of my rebellious acts; I am forever conscious of my sin.
51:4 Against you – you above all – I have sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. So you are just when you confront me; you are right when you condemn me.
51:5 Look, I was guilty of sin from birth, a sinner the moment my mother conceived me.
51:6 Look, you desire integrity in the inner man; you want me to possess wisdom.
51:7 Sprinkle me with water and I will be pure; wash me and I will be whiter than snow.
51:8 Grant me the ultimate joy of being forgiven!
May the bones you crushed rejoice!
51:9 Hide your face from my sins!
Wipe away all my guilt!
51:10 Create for me a pure heart, O God!
Renew a resolute spirit within me!
51:11 Do not reject me!
Do not take your Holy Spirit away from me!
51:12 Let me again experience the joy of your deliverance!
Sustain me by giving me the desire to obey!
51:13 Then I will teach rebels your merciful ways, and sinners will turn to you.
51:14 Rescue me from the guilt of murder, O God, the God who delivers me!
Then my tongue will shout for joy because of your deliverance.
51:15 O Lord, give me the words!
Then my mouth will praise you.
51:16 Certainly you do not want a sacrifice, or else I would offer it; you do not desire a burnt sacrifice.
51:17 The sacrifices God desires are a humble spirit – O God, a humble and repentant heart you will not reject.
51:18 Because you favor Zion, do what is good for her!
Fortify the walls of Jerusalem!
51:19 Then you will accept the proper sacrifices, burnt sacrifices and whole offerings; then bulls will be sacrificed on your altar.
Lord, how quickly we go from intimacy with You to rebellion, because our flesh is weak and the constancy of our awareness of You falters. May I strive to be so constantly alert to Your presence that the indwelling Holy Spirit is able to get my attention before I allow tests to become temptations which then blossom into overt sin.
Not long after David had brought the ark of God to Jerusalem the season changed to Spring and the army of Israel went to do battle with their enemies as the cold and mud of Winter was not conducive to war- making.
David, as was sometimes his practice, had not gone out with his army but allowed Joab to lead them. The prior text (in 1 Samuel) described David leading directly only when they had some difficulty, as in the case of the regrouped and threatening coalition of enemy forces.
In the evening, when it was cool enough to be on the roof of the palace, David walked around and saw a woman on top of another building who was bathing. In keeping with his often-impetuous nature David sent someone to find out who she was and then to bring her to him. His immaturity was such that he committed adultery with her, even though she was known to him as the wife of one of his soldiers, a man currently on the battlefield.
Bathsheba returned home and in a while discovered herself pregnant by David. David attempted to cover-up his sin by calling her husband home, under cover of inquiring about the battle, but really to get him to be with his wife so that he’d think the child was his. Uriah was a more honorable man than David and refused to even go into his home so long as his fellow soldiers were in harms-way.
When David’s sneaky plan failed he escalated his scheming and instructed Joab to manipulate the placement of Uriah in the battle so that he’d be exposed and killed by the enemy – which is what happened.
After the mourning for her husband, Uriah, David summoned Bathsheba to the palace and added her to his wives.
Nathan, the prophet, confronted David with a parable and David’s condemnation of the selfish man in the story convicted him for the taking of Uriah’s wife and causing him to be killed by the Ammonites. Nathan reminded David that he had sinned first against the Lord God, and David confessed and repented of that.
Nathan told David that while he was forgiven, keeping the Lord God from striking him dead, he would no longer have peace with his enemies, his own wives would be taken and sexually assaulted by a relative, and his illegitimate child with Bathsheba would die.
David fasted and prayed but the boy still died. Although his servants could not get him to eat or to drink while the child was sick but not yet dead, once the child died David rose and bathed and worshiped, then he ate; explaining to astonished servants that there was no longer any chance that the Lord God would relent from His punishment, so he must go on with life.
Bathsheba bore David another son whom they called Solomon, but whom the Lord God instructed them through Nathan to also call Jedediah, meaning “loved by the Lord”.
Joab had finally about overcome the resistance at the Ammonite fortress so he sent word for David to lead the final assault so he, not Joab, would receive the credit. David did so, the plunder was great, and the Ammonites were forced to do heavy labor for Israel.
David’s thirty-second Psalm was a wisdom-song in which David used his own refusal to confess his sin, followed by his confession and repentance, as a teachable-moment for others to break free of the trap of prideful isolation from the Lord God.
David’s fifty-first Psalm was his repentant reaction after the prophet Nathan confronted him in the matter of Bathsheba. His Psalm contained a number of doctrinal/theological principles:
Guilty of sin from birth (inherited sin, due to the Fall of all Creation, from Adam and Eve).
Sin against Bathsheba, Uriah, and Israel really against the Lord God.
External sacrifice inadequate. (God wants a contrite and repentant heart.)
The Lord cleanses and then keeps one from future sin – if we let Him.
After all that the Lord God had done for and through David, and his very recent wild praise and worship of Him which had so offended his wife Michal, how quickly the lust of the flesh motivated David to forget God in a moment of illicit passion. Joab was careful that David receive credit for the military victory, perhaps to avoid the appearance of competing with him as was the appearance under Saul when David received credit for major victories, or perhaps simply out of respect for him.
David’s doctrine/theology from Psalm 51 remains true for NT Christians:
How could David imagine that he could get away with such conduct? How could he think that no one would notice his affair with Bathsheba, his effort to manipulate Uriah, and his arranged-murder of Uriah?
David had it made and for the sake of a fling with a pretty, married, woman he kicked it all away – and even worse he dragged down his family and the whole nation with him.
When have things been going really well in your life and then one poor decision has created a mess of things?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you may be headed for a really poor decision which could create serious trouble for you, and perhaps others as well. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you His truth about the doctrine/theology of David.
Today I will pray and listen closely so that the Holy Spirit will find me alert and teachable. I will repent of the path I am on where I may have been rationalizing a poor decision I was about to make and will now stop every movement in that direction – no matter the cost. It may be something involving money or relationships, substance abuse or angry revenge, compromising with the world for to earn the approval of others, or something else. I will praise the Lord God for his clarity as to my standing before Him, and my dependence upon Him, and then ask Him to cleanse me and keep me clean.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Psalms
86:1 A prayer of David.
Listen O Lord! Answer me!
For I am oppressed and needy.
86:2 Protect me, for I am loyal!
O my God, deliver your servant, who trusts in you!
86:3 Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I cry out to you all day long!
86:4 Make your servant glad, for to you, O Lord, I pray!
86:5 Certainly O Lord, you are kind and forgiving, and show great faithfulness to all who cry out to you.
86:6 O Lord, hear my prayer!
Pay attention to my plea for mercy!
86:7 In my time of trouble I cry out to you, for you will answer me.
86:8 None can compare to you among the gods, O Lord!
Your exploits are incomparable!
86:9 All the nations, whom you created, will come and worship you, O Lord. They will honor your name.
86:10 For you are great and do amazing things. You alone are God.
86:11 O Lord, teach me how you want me to live!
Then I will obey your commands. Make me wholeheartedly committed to you!
86:12 O Lord, my God, I will give you thanks with my whole heart!
I will honor your name continually!
86:13 For you will extend your great loyal love to me, and will deliver my life from the depths of Sheol.
86:14 O God, arrogant men attack me; a gang of ruthless men, who do not respect you, seek my life.
86:15 But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and merciful God. You are patient and demonstrate great loyal love and faithfulness.
86:16 Turn toward me and have mercy on me!
Give your servant your strength!
Deliver your slave!
86:17 Show me evidence of your favor!
Then those who hate me will see it and be ashamed, for you, O Lord, will help me and comfort me.
Psalm 122
122:1 A song of ascents, by David.
I was glad because they said to me, “We will go to the Lord’s temple.”
122:2 Our feet are standing inside your gates, O Jerusalem.
122:3 Jerusalem is a city designed to accommodate an assembly.
122:4 The tribes go up there, the tribes of the Lord, where it is required that Israel give thanks to the name of the Lord.
122:5 Indeed, the leaders sit there on thrones and make legal decisions, on the thrones of the house of David.
122:6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
May those who love her prosper!
122:7 May there be peace inside your defenses, and prosperity inside your fortresses!
122:8 For the sake of my brothers and my neighbors I will say, “May there be peace in you!”
122:9 For the sake of the temple of the Lord our God I will pray for you to prosper.
2 Samuel
The Rape of Tamar
13:1 Now David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. In the course of time David’s son Amnon fell madly in love with her. 13:2 But Amnon became frustrated because he was so lovesick over his sister Tamar. For she was a virgin, and to Amnon it seemed out of the question to do anything to her.
13:3 Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very crafty man. 13:4 He asked Amnon, “Why are you, the king’s son, so depressed every morning? Can’t you tell me?” So Amnon said to him, “I’m in love with Tamar the sister of my brother Absalom.” 13:5 Jonadab replied to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be sick. When your father comes in to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come in so she can fix some food for me. Let her prepare the food in my sight so I can watch. Then I will eat from her hand.’”
13:6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. When the king came in to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come in so she can make a couple of cakes in my sight. Then I will eat from her hand.”
13:7 So David sent Tamar to the house saying, “Please go to the house of Amnon your brother and prepare some food for him.” 13:8 So Tamar went to the house of Amnon her brother, who was lying down. She took the dough, kneaded it, made some cakes while he watched, and baked them. 13:9 But when she took the pan and set it before him, he refused to eat. Instead Amnon said, “Get everyone out of here!” So everyone left.
13:10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the cakes into the bedroom; then I will eat from your hand.” So Tamar took the cakes that she had prepared and brought them to her brother Amnon in the bedroom. 13:11 As she brought them to him to eat, he grabbed her and said to her, “Come on! Get in bed with me, my sister!”
13:12 But she said to him, “No, my brother! Don’t humiliate me! This just isn’t done in Israel! Don’t do this foolish thing! 13:13 How could I ever be rid of my humiliation? And you would be considered one of the fools in Israel! Just speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.” 13:14 But he refused to listen to her. He overpowered her and humiliated her by raping her. 13:15 Then Amnon greatly despised her. His disdain toward her surpassed the love he had previously felt toward her. Amnon said to her, “Get up and leave!”
13:16 But she said to him, “No I won’t, for sending me away now would be worse than what you did to me earlier!” But he refused to listen to her. 13:17 He called his personal attendant and said to him, “Take this woman out of my sight and lock the door behind her!” 13:18 (Now she was wearing a long robe, for this is what the king’s virgin daughters used to wear.) So Amnon’s attendant removed her and bolted the door behind her. 13:19 Then Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long robe she was wearing. She put her hands on her head and went on her way, wailing as she went.
13:20 Her brother Absalom said to her, “Was Amnon your brother with you? Now be quiet, my sister. He is your brother. Don’t take it so seriously!” Tamar, devastated, lived in the house of her brother Absalom.
13:21 Now King David heard about all these things and was very angry. 13:22 But Absalom said nothing to Amnon, either bad or good, yet Absalom hated Amnon because he had humiliated his sister Tamar.
Absalom Has Amnon Put to Death
13:23 Two years later Absalom’s sheepshearers were in Baal Hazor, near Ephraim. Absalom invited all the king’s sons. 13:24 Then Absalom went to the king and said, “My shearers have begun their work. Let the king and his servants go with me.”
13:25 But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son. We shouldn’t all go. We shouldn’t burden you in that way.” Though Absalom pressed him, the king was not willing to go. Instead, David blessed him.
13:26 Then Absalom said, “If you will not go, then let my brother Amnon go with us.” The king replied to him, “Why should he go with you?” 13:27 But when Absalom pressed him, he sent Amnon and all the king’s sons along with him.
13:28 Absalom instructed his servants, “Look! When Amnon is drunk and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ kill him then and there. Don’t fear! Is it not I who have given you these instructions? Be strong and courageous!” 13:29 So Absalom’s servants did to Amnon exactly what Absalom had instructed. Then all the king’s sons got up; each one rode away on his mule and fled.
13:30 While they were still on their way, the following report reached David: “Absalom has killed all the king’s sons; not one of them is left!” 13:31 Then the king stood up and tore his garments and lay down on the ground. All his servants were standing there with torn garments as well.
13:32 Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, said, “My lord should not say, ‘They have killed all the young men who are the king’s sons.’ For only Amnon is dead. This is what Absalom has talked about from the day that Amnon humiliated his sister Tamar. 13:33 Now don’t let my lord the king be concerned about the report that has come saying, ‘All the king’s sons are dead.’ It is only Amnon who is dead.”
13:34 In the meantime Absalom fled. When the servant who was the watchman looked up, he saw many people coming from the west on a road beside the hill. 13:35 Jonadab said to the king, “Look! The king’s sons have come! It’s just as I said!”
13:36 Just as he finished speaking, the king’s sons arrived, wailing and weeping. The king and all his servants wept loudly as well. 13:37 But Absalom fled and went to King Talmai son of Ammihud of Geshur. And David grieved over his son every day.
13:38 After Absalom fled and went to Geshur, he remained there for three years. 13:39 The king longed to go to Absalom, for he had since been consoled over the death of Amnon.
David Permits Absalom to Return to Jerusalem
14:1 Now Joab son of Zeruiah realized that the king longed to see Absalom. 14:2 So Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman. He told her, “Pretend to be in mourning and put on garments for mourning. Don’t anoint yourself with oil. Instead, act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for some time. 14:3 Go to the king and speak to him in the following fashion.” Then Joab told her what to say.
14:4 So the Tekoan woman went to the king. She bowed down with her face to the ground in deference to him and said, “Please help me, O king!” 14:5 The king replied to her, “What do you want?” She answered, “I am a widow; my husband is dead. 14:6 Your servant has two sons. When the two of them got into a fight in the field, there was no one present who could intervene. One of them struck the other and killed him. 14:7 Now the entire family has risen up against your servant, saying, ‘Turn over the one who struck down his brother, so that we can execute him and avenge the death of his brother whom he killed. In so doing we will also destroy the heir.’ They want to extinguish my remaining coal, leaving no one on the face of the earth to carry on the name of my husband.”
14:8 Then the king told the woman, “Go to your home. I will give instructions concerning your situation.” 14:9 The Tekoan woman said to the king, “My lord the king, let any blame fall on me and on the house of my father. But let the king and his throne be innocent!”
14:10 The king said, “Bring to me whoever speaks to you, and he won’t bother you again!” 14:11 She replied, “In that case, let the king invoke the name of the Lord your God so that the avenger of blood may not kill! Then they will not destroy my son!” He replied, “As surely as the Lord lives, not a single hair of your son’s head will fall to the ground.”
14:12 Then the woman said, “Please permit your servant to speak to my lord the king about another matter.” He replied, “Tell me.” 14:13 The woman said, “Why have you devised something like this against God’s people? When the king speaks in this fashion, he makes himself guilty, for the king has not brought back the one he has banished. 14:14 Certainly we must die, and are like water spilled on the ground that cannot be gathered up again. But God does not take away life; instead he devises ways for the banished to be restored. 14:15 I have now come to speak with my lord the king about this matter, because the people have made me fearful. But your servant said, ‘I will speak to the king! Perhaps the king will do what his female servant asks. 14:16 Yes! The king may listen and deliver his female servant from the hand of the man who seeks to remove both me and my son from the inheritance God has given us!’ 14:17 So your servant said, ‘May the word of my lord the king be my security, for my lord the king is like the angel of God when it comes to deciding between right and wrong! May the Lord your God be with you!’”
14:18 Then the king replied to the woman, “Don’t hide any information from me when I question you.” The woman said, “Let my lord the king speak!” 14:19 The king said, “Did Joab put you up to all of this?” The woman answered, “As surely as you live, my lord the king, there is no deviation to the right or to the left from all that my lord the king has said. For your servant Joab gave me instructions. He has put all these words in your servant’s mouth. 14:20 Your servant Joab did this so as to change this situation. But my lord has wisdom like that of the angel of God, and knows everything that is happening in the land.”
14:21 Then the king said to Joab, “All right! I will do this thing! Go and bring back the young man Absalom! 14:22 Then Joab bowed down with his face toward the ground and thanked the king. Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord the king, because the king has granted the request of your servant!”
14:23 So Joab got up and went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. 14:24 But the king said, “Let him go over to his own house. He may not see my face.” So Absalom went over to his own house; he did not see the king’s face.
14:25 Now in all Israel everyone acknowledged that there was no man as handsome as Absalom. From the sole of his feet to the top of his head he was perfect in appearance. 14:26 When he would shave his head – at the end of every year he used to shave his head, for it grew too long and he would shave it – he used to weigh the hair of his head at three pounds according to the king’s weight. 14:27 Absalom had three sons and one daughter, whose name was Tamar. She was a very attractive woman.
14:28 Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years without seeing the king’s face. 14:29 Then Absalom sent a message to Joab asking him to send him to the king, but Joab was not willing to come to him. So he sent a second message to him, but he still was not willing to come. 14:30 So he said to his servants, “Look, Joab has a portion of field adjacent to mine and he has some barley there. Go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set Joab’s portion of the field on fire.
14:31 Then Joab got up and came to Absalom’s house. He said to him, “Why did your servants set my portion of field on fire?” 14:32 Absalom said to Joab, “Look, I sent a message to you saying, ‘Come here so that I can send you to the king with this message: “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there.”‘ Let me now see the face of the king. If I am at fault, let him put me to death!”
14:33 So Joab went to the king and informed him. The king summoned Absalom, and he came to the king. Absalom bowed down before the king with his face toward the ground and the king kissed him.
Absalom Leads an Insurrection against David
15:1 Some time later Absalom managed to acquire a chariot and horses, as well as fifty men to serve as his royal guard. 15:2 Now Absalom used to get up early and stand beside the road that led to the city gate. Whenever anyone came by who had a complaint to bring to the king for arbitration, Absalom would call out to him, “What city are you from?” The person would answer, “I, your servant, am from one of the tribes of Israel.” 15:3 Absalom would then say to him, “Look, your claims are legitimate and appropriate. But there is no representative of the king who will listen to you.” 15:4 Absalom would then say, “If only they would make me a judge in the land! Then everyone who had a judicial complaint could come to me and I would make sure he receives a just settlement.”
15:5 When someone approached to bow before him, Absalom would extend his hand and embrace him and kiss him. 15:6 Absalom acted this way toward everyone in Israel who came to the king for justice. In this way Absalom won the loyalty of the citizens of Israel.
15:7 After four years Absalom said to the king, “Let me go and repay my vow that I made to the Lord while I was in Hebron. 15:8 For I made this vow when I was living in Geshur in Aram: ‘If the Lord really does allow me to return to Jerusalem, I will serve the Lord.’” 15:9 The king replied to him, “Go in peace.” So Absalom got up and went to Hebron.
15:10 Then Absalom sent spies through all the tribes of Israel who said, “When you hear the sound of the horn, you may assume that Absalom rules in Hebron.” 15:11 Now two hundred men had gone with Absalom from Jerusalem. Since they were invited, they went naively and were unaware of what Absalom was planning. 15:12 While he was offering sacrifices, Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s adviser, to come from his city, Giloh. The conspiracy was gaining momentum, and the people were starting to side with Absalom.
David Flees from Jerusalem
15:13 Then a messenger came to David and reported, “The men of Israel are loyal to Absalom!” 15:14 So David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, “Come on! Let’s escape! Otherwise no one will be delivered from Absalom! Go immediately, or else he will quickly overtake us and bring disaster on us and kill the city’s residents with the sword.” 15:15 The king’s servants replied to the king, “We will do whatever our lord the king decides.”
15:16 So the king and all the members of his royal court set out on foot, though the king left behind ten concubines to attend to the palace. 15:17 The king and all the people set out on foot, pausing at a spot some distance away. 15:18 All his servants were leaving with him, along with all the Kerethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites – some six hundred men who had come on foot from Gath. They were leaving with the king.
15:19 Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you come with us? Go back and stay with the new king, for you are a foreigner and an exile from your own country. 15:20 It seems like you arrived just yesterday. Today should I make you wander around by going with us? I go where I must go. But as for you, go back and take your men with you. May genuine loyal love protect you!”
15:21 But Ittai replied to the king, “As surely as the Lord lives and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king is, whether dead or alive, there I will be as well!” 15:22 So David said to Ittai, “Come along then.” So Ittai the Gittite went along, accompanied by all his men and all the dependents who were with him.
15:23 All the land was weeping loudly as all these people were leaving. As the king was crossing over the Kidron Valley, all the people were leaving on the road that leads to the desert. 15:24 Zadok and all the Levites who were with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. When they positioned the ark of God, Abiathar offered sacrifices until all the people had finished leaving the city.
15:25 Then the king said to Zadok, “Take the ark of God back to the city. If I find favor in the Lord’s sight he will bring me back and enable me to see both it and his dwelling place again. 15:26 However, if he should say, ‘I do not take pleasure in you,’ then he will deal with me in a way that he considers appropriate.”
15:27 The king said to Zadok the priest, “Are you a seer? Go back to the city in peace! Your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan may go with you and Abiathar. 15:28 Look, I will be waiting at the fords of the desert until word from you reaches me.” 15:29 So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem and remained there.
15:30 As David was going up the Mount of Olives, he was weeping as he went; his head was covered and his feet were bare. All the people who were with him also had their heads covered and were weeping as they went up. 15:31 Now David had been told, “Ahithophel has sided with the conspirators who are with Absalom. So David prayed, “Make the advice of Ahithophel foolish, O Lord!”
15:32 When David reached the summit, where he used to worship God, Hushai the Arkite met him with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. 15:33 David said to him, “If you leave with me you will be a burden to me. 15:34 But you will be able to counter the advice of Ahithophel if you go back to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king! Previously I was your father’s servant, and now I will be your servant.’ 15:35 Zadok and Abiathar the priests will be there with you. Everything you hear in the king’s palace you must tell Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 15:36 Furthermore, their two sons are there with them, Zadok’s son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. You must send them to me with any information you hear.”
15:37 So David’s friend Hushai arrived in the city, just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.
Psalms
3:1 A psalm of David, written when he fled from his son Absalom.
Lord, how numerous are my enemies!
Many attack me.
3:2 Many say about me, “God will not deliver him.” (Selah)
3:3 But you, Lord, are a shield that protects me; you are my glory and the one who restores me.
3:4 To the Lord I cried out, and he answered me from his holy hill. (Selah)
3:5 I rested and slept; I awoke, for the Lord protects me.
3:6 I am not afraid of the multitude of people who attack me from all directions.
3:7 Rise up, Lord!
Deliver me, my God!
Yes, you will strike all my enemies on the jaw; you will break the teeth of the wicked.
3:8 The Lord delivers; you show favor to your people. (Selah)
4:1 For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a psalm of David.
When I call out, answer me, O God who vindicates me!
Though I am hemmed in, you will lead me into a wide, open place. Have mercy on me and respond to my prayer!
4:2 You men, how long will you try to turn my honor into shame?
How long will you love what is worthless and search for what is deceptive? (Selah)
4:3 Realize that the Lord shows the godly special favor; the Lord responds when I cry out to him.
4:4 Tremble with fear and do not sin!
Meditate as you lie in bed, and repent of your ways! (Selah)
4:5 Offer the prescribed sacrifices and trust in the Lord!
4:6 Many say, “Who can show us anything good?”
Smile upon us, Lord!
4:7 You make me happier than those who have abundant grain and wine.
4:8 I will lie down and sleep peacefully, for you, Lord, make me safe and secure.
12:1 For the music director; according to the sheminith style; a psalm of David.
Deliver, Lord!
For the godly have disappeared; people of integrity have vanished.
12:2 People lie to one another; they flatter and deceive.
12:3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that boasts!
12:4 They say, “We speak persuasively; we know how to flatter and boast. Who is our master?”
12:5 “Because of the violence done to the oppressed, because of the painful cries of the needy, I will spring into action,” says the Lord. “I will provide the safety they so desperately desire.”
12:6 The Lord’s words are absolutely reliable. They are as untainted as silver purified in a furnace on the ground, where it is thoroughly refined.
12:7 You, Lord, will protect them; you will continually shelter each one from these evil people,
12:8 for the wicked seem to be everywhere, when people promote evil.
13:1 For the music director; a psalm of David.
How long, Lord, will you continue to ignore me?
How long will you pay no attention to me?
13:2 How long must I worry, and suffer in broad daylight?
How long will my enemy gloat over me?
13:3 Look at me! Answer me, O Lord my God!
Revive me, or else I will die!
13:4 Then my enemy will say, “I have defeated him!”
Then my foes will rejoice because I am upended.
13:5 But I trust in your faithfulness. May I rejoice because of your deliverance!
13:6 I will sing praises to the Lord when he vindicates me.
28:1 By David.
To you, O Lord, I cry out!
My protector, do not ignore me!
If you do not respond to me, I will join those who are descending into the grave.
28:2 Hear my plea for mercy when I cry out to you for help, when I lift my hands toward your holy temple!
28:3 Do not drag me away with evil men, with those who behave wickedly, who talk so friendly to their neighbors, while they plan to harm them!
28:4 Pay them back for their evil deeds!
Pay them back for what they do!
Punish them!
28:5 For they do not understand the Lord’s actions, or the way he carries out justice. The Lord will permanently demolish them.
28:6 The Lord deserves praise, for he has heard my plea for mercy!
28:7 The Lord strengthens and protects me; I trust in him with all my heart. I am rescued and my heart is full of joy; I will sing to him in gratitude.
28:8 The Lord strengthens his people; he protects and delivers his chosen king.
28:9 Deliver your people!
Empower the nation that belongs to you!
Care for them like a shepherd and carry them in your arms at all times!
55:1 For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a well-written song by David.
Listen, O God, to my prayer!
Do not ignore my appeal for mercy!
55:2 Pay attention to me and answer me!
I am so upset and distressed, I am beside myself,
55:3 because of what the enemy says, and because of how the wicked pressure me, for they hurl trouble down upon me and angrily attack me.
55:4 My heart beats violently within me; the horrors of death overcome me.
55:5 Fear and panic overpower me; terror overwhelms me.
55:6 I say, “I wish I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and settle in a safe place!
55:7 Look, I will escape to a distant place; I will stay in the wilderness. (Selah)
55:8 I will hurry off to a place that is safe from the strong wind and the gale.”
55:9 Confuse them, O Lord!
Frustrate their plans!
For I see violence and conflict in the city.
55:10 Day and night they walk around on its walls, while wickedness and destruction are within it.
55:11 Disaster is within it; violence and deceit do not depart from its public square.
55:12 Indeed, it is not an enemy who insults me, or else I could bear it; it is not one who hates me who arrogantly taunts me, or else I could hide from him.
55:13 But it is you, a man like me, my close friend in whom I confided.
55:14 We would share personal thoughts with each other; in God’s temple we would walk together among the crowd.
55:15 May death destroy them!
May they go down alive into Sheol!
For evil is in their dwelling place and in their midst.
55:16 As for me, I will call out to God, and the Lord will deliver me.
55:17 During the evening, morning, and noontime I will lament and moan, and he will hear me.
55:18 He will rescue me and protect me from those who attack me, even though they greatly outnumber me.
55:19 God, the one who has reigned as king from long ago, will hear and humiliate them. (Selah) They refuse to change, and do not fear God.
55:20 He attacks his friends; he breaks his solemn promises to them.
55:21 His words are as smooth as butter, but he harbors animosity in his heart. His words seem softer than oil, but they are really like sharp swords.
55:22 Throw your burden upon the Lord, and he will sustain you. He will never allow the godly to be upended.
55:23 But you, O God, will bring them down to the deep Pit. Violent and deceitful people will not live even half a normal lifespan. But as for me, I trust in you.
Lord, You instruct us to gather within social constructs, because without them we quickly regress to very primitive ways of thinking and acting. May I pray for our leaders that they might listen to and obey You and enforce the law righteously that justice might insure freedom and peace. When evil goes unpunished the disease of injustice spreads like cancer, which is why in Your perfect wisdom You established a system of justice. May I be as willing to submit to justice as I am to seek it for others. When leaders and people talk all ‘religious’ but make things up as they go and fail to consult You then only confusion results. May I be humble and wise enough to always consult You before I make decisions, and obedient enough to do things Your way even when I’m not sure I will like the results. When unresolved bitterness enters the heart of a person it poisons them to rebel against all authority, even You. May I be careful to avoid bitterness but rather to forgive, reconcile, and restore relationships.
David’s Psalm, numbered eighty-six, was a prayer of petition for rescue.
Psalm 122 “For the sake of my brothers and my neighbors I will say, “May there be peace in you!”“
One of David’s sons was lusting after his half-sister (Absolom’s sister) and was encouraged to consummate his lust through trickery. David believed the lie that Amnon was ill and so he instructed Tamar to bring him food. Amnon asked her to feed him and when she came near he grabbed and raped her, then sent her away like a cheap whore, shaming her.
Absolom took Tamar into his home and was furious with Amnon, but said nothing as he nursed his anger. David was angry but did nothing to punish Amnon, even though the law required that Amnon be put to death.
Two years after Amnon raped his half-sister Tamor, her brother Absalom still seethed in anger, as no justice had been brought to bear upon him for the crime by King David.
Amnon was the eldest son of King David, his mother was Ahinoam (from the Jezreelites; 2 Sam 3:2).
Absalom schemed to get Amnon out of the palace to the shearing fields where he instructed his servants to kill him. The rest of David’s sons fled in fear.
David first received word that all of his sons had been killed by Absalom but then learned that it was only Amnon.
Meanwhile Absalom fled to Geshur, the home of his mother Maacah (one of David’s wives and an Aramean) and he remained there for three years. David mourned Amnon and, after the time had passed, he desired to see Absalom to reconcile.
David made it known that he wanted to see Absalom but did nothing about it so Joab took it upon himself, as he had done in the past, to invent a scheme to get Absalom back to Jerusalem.
In a manner somewhat similar to that of Nathan in the matter of Bathsheba, Joab instructed a woman to tell a story to David and when he agreed, to let him know that the person she wanted returned and protected from harm was really Absalom.
David challenged her to admit that Joab put her up to it, and she confessed, at which point David called Joab and instructed him to go and bring home Absalom.
Absalom arrived but David, for no apparent reason, refused to see him. Absalom make two requests to see Joab but was ignored so he had servants set a part of Joab’s fields on fire, which brought Joab to him angrily demanding to know why.
Absalom explained that he was being ignored by Joab when he needed to get a message to King David and that he would rather have remained in Geshur than to have traveled to Jerusalem only to be ignored by David. He insisted that if he was to be judged then so be it.
Joab delivered his message and the King relented and invited Absalom to visit. Absalom arrived and bowed before David.
Absalom conspired against his father, King David, and in secret began a campaign to replace in him in the hearts of the people. After a while he asked for and received David’s permission to travel to Hebron.
Absalom took with him his closest associates and 200 others who followed David’s orders to assist him but who were unaware of his scheme. In Hebron Absalom accelerated his plan and when David heard that he was planning a coup he gathered 600 men and his closest associates and family and fled – leaving behind 20 concubines to care for the palace.
David instructed the high priest and a few others to remain in Jerusalem with the ark of God, requesting that they keep him informed of Absalom’s activities, and waited on the Lord God’s decision as to who He would allow to rule.
David heard that Ahithophel, his former royal adviser, had sided with Absalom – so he asked the Lord God to curse him with bad advice for Absalom. David also sent Hushai, his friend and confidant, to make himself available to Absalom and to balance the counsel of Ahithophel.
David’s third Psalm was his reaction to his son Absolom’s rebellion, he pleaded with the Lord God to rescue him, and declared his confidence that the Lord would do so.
David’s fourth Psalm was a testimony to resting peacefully in dependence on the Lord and included a call to others to make their prescribed sacrifices and to turn away from wrong directed at David or to others.
David’s twelfth Psalm reflected his increased sense of isolation as he felt surrounded by the forces of evil and by wicked people; yet David continued to have confidence in the Lord.
David’s thirteenth Psalm reflected his frustration that the Lord God had not acted according to his schedule and relieved him from his distress; yet David continued to voice his certainty of the Lord God’s imminent rescue.
David’s twenty-eighth Psalm was a new cry to the Lord God for rescue; again fearing for his life, and again pleading for intervention for himself and for Israel against those who would harm him and the nation.
David’s fifty-fifth Psalm was his lament that one whom he had trusted and in whom he had confided had turned against him, and his cry one of desperation for a quick rescue, yet David remained confident in the Lord God’s deliverance.
When a crime has been committed, and the perpetrator is known, if there is no justice it is probable that the victim (or those close to them) will seek vigilante justice. David’s behavior was bizarre and inconsistent, failing to punish a heinous crime, then running from his less-powerful son – only to then (in self-exile) decided to consult God – including requesting a curse of poor counsel on his son’s new adviser (a former adviser to David). Between the poison of bitterness in his heart, and his divided loyalties between his mother’s original nationality and Israel, Absalom was a highly conflicted and confused man.
Why would David do nothing to Amnon after he raped his half-sister when the law required action? Could David’s reluctance to bring justice to bear upon Amnon have been because he was his first born son? David’s inaction created confusion and frustration and disrespected Absalom again. Could David have been reluctant to see Absalom because he felt guilty for not punishing Amnon for the rape of his sister? Or is it that he was afraid of being told by the Lord God, or pressured by the people, to punish Absalom for vigilante ‘justice’? Why would David flee from Absalom rather than stand and fight, especially knowing that he was still the Lord’s chosen king?
David had already created a problem through his illicit relationship with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah and now he made it worse by failing to enforce the law. David’s irresponsible favoritism toward Amnon, an incestuous-rapist, created an environment where the enemy poisoned the heart of Absalom against both Amnon and King David. Joab seems to be the lynchpin who made things happen on the battlefield, and at home. This was the wrong role for him, it should have be King David and Nathan the prophet, but David’s indecision created a vacuum. David was confident enough to ask for a curse on Absalom’s advisor but not to stand his ground and fight Absalom’s illegitimate attempted coup.
When have you watched an organization be harmed because a leader failed to enforce the law (boundaries, guidelines, laws, rules) with consistency and justice? When have you experienced or observed an unpunished offense leading to further offenses, actual crimes or perhaps unresolved offenses? When have you observed a leader’s indecision leading to others filling the vacuum and a resulting confusion of authority and of vision? When have you observed someone in business, ministry, politics, or a relationship allow another person to illegitimately invade their space and do nothing, indeed to retreat even though they did not need to do so?
Ask the Holy Spirit to make you aware of a leader, who needs new courage and wisdom from the Lord God, for whom you are to pray and/or to make you aware of an injustice you are responsible to make right, or one for which you need to grant forgiveness and release to Him. Also, to reveal to you a place in your life where you may not be acting decisively, in consultation with Him, or where a leader needs your prayers for the same failure and to reveal a place where you need to reassess your confidence in God and your willingness to stand for the right in His strength.
Today I will pray for the leader whom the Holy Spirit brings to my attention. I will pray for a leader I will do so at least once per day for at least a week. I will pray for them to listen to the Lord God and to obey Him. I will pray that they be convicted by the Holy Spirit of any area where they have been careless or venal. I will pray for my own commitment to obey legitimate authority. I will use my appropriate authority to mediate justice where a wrong has been done and has not been properly addressed, it may be in the role as parent, coach, educator, ministry leader, judge, or some other role. If the injustice has been against me I will walk through the process of forgiveness so that the enemy can no longer use it to poison my life and perhaps manipulate me into stealing from the Lord God His sovereign right to vengeance against those who sin. I will prayerfully review my responsibilities as a leader, whatever that looks like, be it as a parent, coach, counselor, teacher, ministry leader, business leader, political leader, etc. If the Holy Spirit shows me a place that I am making decisions without consultation with Him, or am avoiding decisions for fear of consequences, I will repent and set my path right. If a leader needs my prayers, and as-appropriate some words of counsel and encouragement, I will request courage and wisdom from the Holy Spirit and do so. I will also ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement that I will be faithful in standing for truth.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
David Receives Gifts from Ziba
16:1 When David had gone a short way beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth was there to meet him. He had a couple of donkeys that were saddled, and on them were two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred raisin cakes, a hundred baskets of summer fruit, and a container of wine.
16:2 The king asked Ziba, “Why did you bring these things?” Ziba replied, “The donkeys are for the king’s family to ride on, the loaves of bread and the summer fruit are for the attendants to eat, and the wine is for those who get exhausted in the desert.” 16:3 The king asked, “Where is your master’s grandson?” Ziba replied to the king, “He remains in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give back to me my grandfather’s kingdom.’” 16:4 The king said to Ziba, “Everything that was Mephibosheth’s now belongs to you.” Ziba replied, “I bow before you. May I find favor in your sight, my lord the king.”
Shimei Curses David and His Men
16:5 Then King David reached Bahurim. There a man from Saul’s extended family named Shimei son of Gera came out, yelling curses as he approached. 16:6 He threw stones at David and all of King David’s servants, as well as all the people and the soldiers who were on his right and on his left. 16:7 As he yelled curses, Shimei said, “Leave! Leave! You man of bloodshed, you wicked man! 16:8 The Lord has punished you for all the spilled blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you rule. Now the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. Disaster has overtaken you, for you are a man of bloodshed!”
16:9 Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head!” 16:10 But the king said, “What do we have in common, you sons of Zeruiah? If he curses because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David!’, who can say to him, ‘Why have you done this?’” 16:11 Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son, my very own flesh and blood, is trying to take my life. So also now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone so that he can curse, for the Lord has spoken to him. 16:12 Perhaps the Lord will notice my affliction and this day grant me good in place of his curse.”
16:13 So David and his men went on their way. But Shimei kept going along the side of the hill opposite him, yelling curses as he threw stones and dirt at them. 16:14 The king and all the people who were with him arrived exhausted at their destination, where David refreshed himself.
The Advice of Ahithophel
16:15 Now when Absalom and all the men of Israel arrived in Jerusalem, Ahithophel was with him. 16:16 When David’s friend Hushai the Arkite came to Absalom, Hushai said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
16:17 Absalom said to Hushai, “Do you call this loyalty to your friend? Why didn’t you go with your friend?” 16:18 Hushai replied to Absalom, “No, I will be loyal to the one whom the Lord, these people, and all the men of Israel have chosen. 16:19 Moreover, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you.”
16:20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give us your advice. What should we do?” 16:21 Ahithophel replied to Absalom, “Have sex with your father’s concubines whom he left to care for the palace. All Israel will hear that you have made yourself repulsive to your father. Then your followers will be motivated to support you.” 16:22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom had sex with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.
16:23 In those days Ahithophel’s advice was considered as valuable as a prophetic revelation. Both David and Absalom highly regarded the advice of Ahithophel.
The Death of Ahithophel
17:1 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me pick out twelve thousand men. Then I will go and pursue David this very night. 17:2 When I catch up with him he will be exhausted and worn out. I will rout him, and the entire army that is with him will flee. I will kill only the king 17:3 and will bring the entire army back to you. In exchange for the life of the man you are seeking, you will get back everyone. The entire army will return unharmed.”
17:4 This seemed like a good idea to Absalom and to all the leaders of Israel. 17:5 But Absalom said, “Call for Hushai the Arkite, and let’s hear what he has to say.” 17:6 So Hushai came to Absalom. Absalom said to him, “Here is what Ahithophel has advised. Should we follow his advice? If not, what would you recommend?”
17:7 Hushai replied to Absalom, “Ahithophel’s advice is not sound this time.” 17:8 Hushai went on to say, “You know your father and his men – they are soldiers and are as dangerous as a bear out in the wild that has been robbed of her cubs. Your father is an experienced soldier; he will not stay overnight with the army. 17:9 At this very moment he is hiding out in one of the caves or in some other similar place. If it should turn out that he attacks our troops first, whoever hears about it will say, ‘Absalom’s army has been slaughtered!’ 17:10 If that happens even the bravest soldier – one who is lion-hearted – will virtually melt away. For all Israel knows that your father is a warrior and that those who are with him are brave. 17:11 My advice therefore is this: Let all Israel from Dan to Beer Sheba – in number like the sand by the sea! – be mustered to you, and you lead them personally into battle. 17:12 We will come against him wherever he happens to be found. We will descend on him like the dew falls on the ground. Neither he nor any of the men who are with him will be spared alive – not one of them! 17:13 If he regroups in a city, all Israel will take up ropes to that city and drag it down to the valley, so that not a single pebble will be left there!”
17:14 Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Arkite sounds better than the advice of Ahithophel.” Now the Lord had decided to frustrate the sound advice of Ahithophel, so that the Lord could bring disaster on Absalom.
17:15 Then Hushai reported to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, “Here is what Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the leaders of Israel to do, and here is what I have advised. 17:16 Now send word quickly to David and warn him, “Don’t spend the night at the fords of the desert tonight. Instead, be sure you cross over, or else the king and everyone who is with him may be overwhelmed.”
17:17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying in En Rogel. A female servant would go and inform them, and they would then go and inform King David. It was not advisable for them to be seen going into the city. 17:18 But a young man saw them on one occasion and informed Absalom. So the two of them quickly departed and went to the house of a man in Bahurim. There was a well in his courtyard, and they got down in it. 17:19 His wife then took the covering and spread it over the top of the well and scattered some grain over it. No one was aware of what she had done.
17:20 When the servants of Absalom approached the woman at her home, they asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” The woman replied to them, “They crossed over the stream.” Absalom’s men searched but did not find them, so they returned to Jerusalem.
17:21 After the men had left, Ahimaaz and Jonathan climbed out of the well. Then they left and informed King David. They advised David, “Get up and cross the stream quickly, for Ahithophel has devised a plan to catch you.” 17:22 So David and all the people who were with him got up and crossed the Jordan River. By dawn there was not one person left who had not crossed the Jordan.
17:23 When Ahithophel realized that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and returned to his house in his hometown. After setting his household in order, he hanged himself. So he died and was buried in the grave of his father.
17:24 Meanwhile David had gone to Mahanaim, while Absalom and all the men of Israel had crossed the Jordan River. 17:25 Absalom had made Amasa general in command of the army in place of Joab. (Now Amasa was the son of an Israelite man named Jether, who had married Abigail the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother.) 17:26 The army of Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.
17:27 When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, Makir the son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim 17:28 brought bedding, basins, and pottery utensils. They also brought food for David and all who were with him, including wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils, 17:29 honey, curds, flocks, and cheese. For they said, “The people are no doubt hungry, tired, and thirsty there in the desert.”
The Death of Absalom
18:1 David assembled the army that was with him. He appointed leaders of thousands and leaders of hundreds. 18:2 David then sent out the army – a third under the leadership of Joab, a third under the leadership of Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under the leadership of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the troops, “I too will indeed march out with you.”
18:3 But the soldiers replied, “You should not do this! For if we should have to make a rapid retreat, they won’t be too concerned about us. Even if half of us should die, they won’t be too concerned about us. But you are like ten thousand of us! So it is better if you remain in the city for support.” 18:4 Then the king said to them, “I will do whatever seems best to you.”
So the king stayed beside the city gate, while all the army marched out by hundreds and by thousands. 18:5 The king gave this order to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai: “For my sake deal gently with the young man Absalom.” Now the entire army was listening when the king gave all the leaders this order concerning Absalom.
18:6 Then the army marched out to the field to fight against Israel. The battle took place in the forest of Ephraim. 18:7 The army of Israel was defeated there by David’s men. The slaughter there was great that day – 20,000 soldiers were killed. 18:8 The battle there was spread out over the whole area, and the forest consumed more soldiers than the sword devoured that day.
18:9 Then Absalom happened to come across David’s men. Now as Absalom was riding on his mule, it went under the branches of a large oak tree. His head got caught in the oak and he was suspended in midair, while the mule he had been riding kept going.
18:10 When one of the men saw this, he reported it to Joab saying, “I saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree. 18:11 Joab replied to the man who was telling him this, “What! You saw this? Why didn’t you strike him down right on the spot? I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a commemorative belt!”
18:12 The man replied to Joab, “Even if I were receiving a thousand pieces of silver, I would not strike the king’s son! In our very presence the king gave this order to you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.’ 18:13 If I had acted at risk of my own life – and nothing is hidden from the king! – you would have abandoned me.”
18:14 Joab replied, “I will not wait around like this for you!” He took three spears in his hand and thrust them into the middle of Absalom while he was still alive in the middle of the oak tree. 18:15 Then ten soldiers who were Joab’s armor bearers struck Absalom and finished him off.
18:16 Then Joab blew the trumpet and the army turned back from chasing Israel, for Joab had called for the army to halt. 18:17 They took Absalom, threw him into a large pit in the forest, and stacked a huge pile of stones over him. In the meantime all the Israelite soldiers fled to their homes.
18:18 Prior to this Absalom had set up a monument and dedicated it to himself in the King’s Valley, reasoning “I have no son who will carry on my name.” He named the monument after himself, and to this day it is known as Absalom’s Memorial.
David Learns of Absalom’s Death
18:19 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Let me run and give the king the good news that the Lord has vindicated him before his enemies.” 18:20 But Joab said to him, “You will not be a bearer of good news today. You will bear good news some other day, but not today, for the king’s son is dead.”
18:21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go and tell the king what you have seen.” After bowing to Joab, the Cushite ran off. 18:22 Ahimaaz the son of Zadok again spoke to Joab, “Whatever happens, let me go after the Cushite.” But Joab said, “Why is it that you want to go, my son? You have no good news that will bring you a reward.” 18:23 But he said, “Whatever happens, I want to go!” So Joab said to him, “Then go!” So Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Jordan plain, and he passed the Cushite.
18:24 Now David was sitting between the inner and outer gates, and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate at the wall. When he looked, he saw a man running by himself. 18:25 So the watchman called out and informed the king. The king said, “If he is by himself, he brings good news.” The runner came ever closer.
18:26 Then the watchman saw another man running. The watchman called out to the gatekeeper, “There is another man running by himself.” The king said, “This one also is bringing good news.” 18:27 The watchman said, “It appears to me that the first runner is Ahimaaz son of Zadok.” The king said, “He is a good man, and he comes with good news.”
18:28 Then Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, “Greetings!” He bowed down before the king with his face toward the ground and said, “May the Lord your God be praised because he has defeated the men who opposed my lord the king!”
18:29 The king replied, “How is the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz replied, “I saw a great deal of confusion when Joab was sending the king’s servant and me, your servant, but I don’t know what it was all about.” 18:30 The king said, “Turn aside and take your place here.” So he turned aside and waited.
18:31 Then the Cushite arrived and said, “May my lord the king now receive the good news! The Lord has vindicated you today and delivered you from the hand of all who have rebelled against you!” 18:32 The king asked the Cushite, “How is the young man Absalom?” The Cushite replied, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who have plotted against you be like that young man!”
18:33 (19:1) The king then became very upset. He went up to the upper room over the gate and wept. As he went he said, “My son, Absalom! My son, my son, Absalom! If only I could have died in your place! Absalom, my son, my son!”
Psalms
26:1 By David. Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have integrity, and I trust in the Lord without wavering.
26:2 Examine me, O Lord, and test me!
Evaluate my inner thoughts and motives!
26:3 For I am ever aware of your faithfulness, and your loyalty continually motivates me.
26:4 I do not associate with deceitful men, or consort with those who are dishonest.
26:5 I hate the mob of evil men, and do not associate with the wicked.
26:6 I maintain a pure lifestyle, so I can appear before your altar, O Lord,
26:7 to give you thanks, and to tell about all your amazing deeds.
26:8 O Lord, I love the temple where you live, the place where your splendor is revealed.
26:9 Do not sweep me away with sinners, or execute me along with violent people,
26:10 who are always ready to do wrong or offer a bribe.
26:11 But I have integrity!
Rescue me and have mercy on me!
26:12 I am safe, and among the worshipers I will praise the Lord.
40:1 For the music director; By David, a psalm.
I relied completely on the Lord, and he turned toward me and heard my cry for help.
40:2 He lifted me out of the watery pit, out of the slimy mud. He placed my feet on a rock and gave me secure footing.
40:3 He gave me reason to sing a new song, praising our God.
May many see what God has done, so that they might swear allegiance to him and trust in the Lord!
40:4 How blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord and does not seek help from the proud or from liars!
40:5 O Lord, my God, you have accomplished many things; you have done amazing things and carried out your purposes for us.
No one can thwart you!
I want to declare them and talk about them, but they are too numerous to recount!
40:6 Receiving sacrifices and offerings are not your primary concern. You make that quite clear to me!
You do not ask for burnt sacrifices and sin offerings.
40:7 Then I say, “Look! I come!
What is written in the scroll pertains to me.
40:8 I want to do what pleases you, my God. Your law dominates my thoughts.”
40:9 I have told the great assembly about your justice. Look! I spare no words!
O Lord, you know this is true.
40:10 I have not failed to tell about your justice; I spoke about your reliability and deliverance; I have not neglected to tell the great assembly about your loyal love and faithfulness.
40:11 O Lord, you do not withhold your compassion from me. May your loyal love and faithfulness continually protect me!
40:12 For innumerable dangers surround me. My sins overtake me so I am unable to see; they outnumber the hairs of my head so my strength fails me.
40:13 Please be willing, O Lord, to rescue me!
O Lord, hurry and help me!
40:14 May those who are trying to snatch away my life be totally embarrassed and ashamed!
May those who want to harm me be turned back and ashamed!
40:15 May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!” be humiliated and disgraced!
40:16 May all those who seek you be happy and rejoice in you!
May those who love to experience your deliverance say continually,
“May the Lord be praised!”
40:17 I am oppressed and needy!
May the Lord pay attention to me!
You are my helper and my deliverer!
O my God, do not delay!
58:1 For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; a prayer of David.
Do you rulers really pronounce just decisions?
Do you judge people fairly?
58:2 No! You plan how to do what is unjust; you deal out violence in the earth.
58:3 The wicked turn aside from birth; liars go astray as soon as they are born.
58:4 Their venom is like that of a snake, like a deaf serpent that does not hear,
58:5 that does not respond to the magicians, or to a skilled snake-charmer.
58:6 O God, break the teeth in their mouths!
Smash the jawbones of the lions, O Lord!
58:7 Let them disappear like water that flows away!
Let them wither like grass!
58:8 Let them be like a snail that melts away as it moves along!
Let them be like stillborn babies that never see the sun!
58:9 Before the kindling is even placed under your pots, he will sweep it away along with both the raw and cooked meat.
58:10 The godly will rejoice when they see vengeance carried out; they will bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked.
58:11 Then observers will say, “Yes indeed, the godly are rewarded!
Yes indeed, there is a God who judges in the earth!”
61:1 For the music director; to be played on a stringed instrument; written by David.
O God, hear my cry for help!
Pay attention to my prayer!
61:2 From the most remote place on earth I call out to you in my despair.
Lead me up to an inaccessible rocky summit!
61:3 Indeed, you are my shelter, a strong tower that protects me from the enemy.
61:4 I will be a permanent guest in your home; I will find shelter in the protection of your wings. (Selah)
61:5 For you, O God, hear my vows; you grant me the reward that belongs to your loyal followers.
61:6 Give the king long life!
Make his lifetime span several generations!
61:7 May he reign forever before God!
Decree that your loyal love and faithfulness should protect him.
61:8 Then I will sing praises to your name continually, as I fulfill my vows day after day.
62:1 For the music director, Jeduthun; a psalm of David.
For God alone I patiently wait; he is the one who delivers me.
62:2 He alone is my protector and deliverer. He is my refuge; I will not be upended.
62:3 How long will you threaten a man?
All of you are murderers, as dangerous as a leaning wall or an unstable fence.
62:4 They spend all their time planning how to bring him down. They love to use deceit; they pronounce blessings with their mouths, but inwardly they utter curses. (Selah)
62:5 Patiently wait for God alone, my soul!
For he is the one who gives me confidence.
62:6 He alone is my protector and deliverer. He is my refuge; I will not be upended.
62:7 God delivers me and exalts me; God is my strong protector and my shelter.
62:8 Trust in him at all times, you people!
Pour out your hearts before him!
God is our shelter! (Selah)
62:9 Men are nothing but a mere breath; human beings are unreliable. When they are weighed in the scales, all of them together are lighter than air.
62:10 Do not trust in what you can gain by oppression!
Do not put false confidence in what you can gain by robbery!
If wealth increases, do not become attached to it!
62:11 God has declared one principle; two principles I have heard: God is strong,
62:12 and you, O Lord, demonstrate loyal love. For you repay men for what they do.
64:1 For the music director; a psalm of David.
Listen to me, O God, as I offer my lament!
Protect my life from the enemy’s terrifying attacks.
64:2 Hide me from the plots of evil men, from the crowd of evildoers.
64:3 They sharpen their tongues like a sword; they aim their arrow, a slanderous charge,
64:4 in order to shoot down the innocent in secluded places. They shoot at him suddenly and are unafraid of retaliation.
64:5 They encourage one another to carry out their evil deed. They plan how to hide snares, and boast, “Who will see them?”
64:6 They devise unjust schemes; they disguise a well-conceived plot. Man’s inner thoughts cannot be discovered.
64:7 But God will shoot at them; suddenly they will be wounded by an arrow.
64:8 Their slander will bring about their demise. All who see them will shudder,
64:9 and all people will fear. They will proclaim what God has done, and reflect on his deeds.
64:10 The godly will rejoice in the Lord and take shelter in him. All the morally upright will boast.
143:1 A psalm of David.
O Lord, hear my prayer!
Pay attention to my plea for help!
Because of your faithfulness and justice, answer me!
143:2 Do not sit in judgment on your servant, for no one alive is innocent before you.
143:3 Certainly my enemies chase me. They smash me into the ground. They force me to live in dark regions, like those who have been dead for ages.
143:4 My strength leaves me; I am absolutely shocked.
143:5 I recall the old days; I meditate on all you have done; I reflect on your accomplishments.
143:6 I spread my hands out to you in prayer; my soul thirsts for you in a parched land.
143:7 Answer me quickly, Lord!
My strength is fading. Do not reject me, or I will join those descending into the grave.
143:8 May I hear about your loyal love in the morning, for I trust in you. Show me the way I should go, because I long for you.
143:9 Rescue me from my enemies, O Lord!
I run to you for protection.
143:10 Teach me to do what pleases you, for you are my God. May your kind presence lead me into a level land.
143:11 O Lord, for the sake of your reputation, revive me!
Because of your justice, rescue me from trouble!
143:12 As a demonstration of your loyal love, destroy my enemies!
Annihilate all who threaten my life, for I am your servant.
144:1 By David.
The Lord, my protector, deserves praise – the one who trains my hands for battle, and my fingers for war,
144:2 who loves me and is my stronghold, my refuge and my deliverer, my shield and the one in whom I take shelter, who makes nations submit to me.
144:3 O Lord, of what importance is the human race, that you should notice them?
Of what importance is mankind, that you should be concerned about them?
144:4 People are like a vapor, their days like a shadow that disappears.
144:5 O Lord, make the sky sink and come down!
Touch the mountains and make them smolder!
144:6 Hurl lightning bolts and scatter them!
Shoot your arrows and rout them!
144:7 Reach down from above!
Grab me and rescue me from the surging water, from the power of foreigners,
144:8 who speak lies, and make false promises.
144:9 O God, I will sing a new song to you!
Accompanied by a ten-stringed instrument, I will sing praises to you,
144:10 the one who delivers kings, and rescued David his servant from a deadly sword.
144:11 Grab me and rescue me from the power of foreigners, who speak lies, and make false promises.
144:12 Then our sons will be like plants, that quickly grow to full size. Our daughters will be like corner pillars, carved like those in a palace.
144:13 Our storehouses will be full, providing all kinds of food. Our sheep will multiply by the thousands and fill our pastures.
144:14 Our cattle will be weighted down with produce. No one will break through our walls, no one will be taken captive, and there will be no terrified cries in our city squares.
144:15 How blessed are the people who experience these things!
How blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!
Lord, You have warned us that the heart of humankind is deceitful and selfish, but that we still share Your blessings and trust You to care for us. May I be as generous with what I have received from You as You have been with Your loving provision for me. Absalom was attacking Your chosen King, the outcome was certain to be bad for him. May I take care to prayerfully consult the Holy Spirit so that I do not find myself in hopeless contradiction to Your will, my Lord God. While great harm may be done by those who oppose You, in the end they will fail. May I be watchful that I am not drawn into alliance with those who oppose You, in major or in minor ways.
The handicapped son of Jonathan, Mephibosheth, whom David had treated as family and blessed with the gift of all of his father and grandfather (Saul’s) personal possessions had remained in Jerusalem. Ungrateful and greedy, Mephibosheth lusted for the throne and hoped that David’s departure would result in the return of Saul’s family to royal standing over Israel.
Ziba, whom David had assigned to care for Mephibosheth’s property and other resources, had decided that Mephibosheth’s actions forfeited them to David. Ziba brought food and wine and donkeys to David, and his fellow refugees, from those resources.
Along the way a distant relative of Saul cursed David and threw dirt and rocks at he and his entourage. One of David’s assistants offered to kill him, but David chose to ignore him and hope that God would answer his curses with blessings.
Meanwhile Absalom arrived in Jerusalem and was greeted by Hushai. Although initially suspicious he trusted Ahithophel’s counsel to accept Hushai.
Absalom also asked Ahithophel how to solidify his power and was told by Ahithophel to have public sex with David’s twenty concubines, which he did, as he valued Ahithophel’s counsel as David did – as if Ahithophel was a prophet (which he was not).
Note: This differs from the prior text as that rendering had his attack upon David’s “wives” versus his “concubines”. This rendering makes more sense as a concubine was viewed as “property” - he would have known that to have sex with David’s wives would have invited the condemnation of God.
Ahithophel offered to pursue David and his men into the desert while they were still exhausted from their flight from Jerusalem. He said he would kill David and that David’s men would return to Jerusalem and serve Absalom.
Ahithophel then challenged Absalom to ask Hushai what he would do. Hushai pursuaded Absalom to distrust Ahithophel’s advice and to instead undertake a much more grand scheme that would feature him as the leader of military victory rather than Ahithophel.
Absalom, predictably, chose Hushai’s scheme and when Ahithophel heard he was so devastated that he traveled home. “After setting his household in order, he hanged himself.”
Meanwhile Hushai sent word to David of Absalom’s plans and so David relocated, first across the Jordan, and when Absalom and the army of Israel followed and camped in Gilead David relocated again, this time to Mahanaim.
Absalom and his army would have traveled a great distance North and East to Gilead, David’s relocation to Mahanaim would have placed him further South and nearer to Jerusalem than Absalom.
David sent out three commanders, each of one-third of the huge army that had gathered around him. He instructed them to do their best but to avoid harm to Absalom.
The Lord God gave David the victory, using the forest as a weapon to kill more of Absalom’s army than did the swords of David’s army.
Absalom was also caught-up in the branches of a tree and swept off his donkey. Soldiers saw him and told Joab who was angry they had not killed him – but they reminded him that David had asked that Absalom be protected – and that they believed Joab would not have defended them had they killed Absalom.
Joab stuck three spears into Absalom’s stomach and then his ten armor bearers killed him with their swords, then buried him under rocks. Absalom’s army fled to their homes.
David’s twenty-sixth Psalm was a plea for protection based on his innocence and his righteous practices.
David’s fortieth Psalm began “I relied completely on the Lord ...” and though it was a plea for the Lord God’s intervention it recorded David’s continuous certainty of the Lord’s justice and provision and protection.
David’s fifty-eighth Psalm was an ‘imprecatory prayer’ wherein which he pleaded with the Lord God to bring profound harm to his enemies.
David’s sixty-first Psalm was a request for the Lord God’s protection and a song of praise.
David’s sixty-second Psalm was a wisdom-song, he wrote “He alone is my protector and deliverer. He is my refuge ...”, he warned those who were doing well to not become hostage to their wealth and to not improve their circumstances through the abuse of others, he also observed that the Lord God brought both justice and love.
David’s sixty-fourth Psalm was a wisdom-song where he declared the consequence for evil me to be destruction at the hand of the Lord God while the faithful rested in Him.
Psalm 143 was David’s “Do not sit in judgment on your servant, for no one alive is innocent before you ... May I hear about your loyal love in the morning, for I trust in you. Show me the way I should go, because I long for you.”
Psalm 144 was David’s praise song with a petition “Of what importance is mankind, that you should be concerned about them? People are like a vapor, their days like a shadow that disappears … Grab me and rescue me from the power of foreigners, who speak lies, and make false promises … How blessed are the people who experience these things! How blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!”
The text does not say so explicitly, but Ahithophel may have been the instigator of some of David's earlier poor choices in the matter of Absalom, Amnon, and Tamar. David's plan to frustrate the counsel of Ahithophel to Absalom via Hushai worked as planned and the proud Ahithophel could not bear the shame of being ignored. David continued to be protected by the Lord God despite his self-focused foolishness. His series of irresponsible choices led to the death of his son Absalom and 20,000 soldiers as well as a fracturing of the loyalties within the nation of Israel.
How powerful must have been the evil influences in Saul's life that even after David was so kind to Mephibosheth he still turned against David at the first opportunity? Why would Absalom, after acknowledging the truth in Ahithophel's advice (that David and his men would be tired and therefore more vulnerable), not notice that Hushai's advice would cause he and his men to be equally so after chasing him such a distance?
The Lord God blessed David with the fruits of Saul’s grandson Mephibosheth, through Ziba, because David had so generously supplied them to Mephibosheth. Hushai was apparently a better student of Absalom’s character than Ahithophel as he quickly discerned that Absalom could easily be manipulated through his ego and lust for power. Ahithophel was apparently focused only on giving practical advice, without regard to the person whom he was advising, and he presumed that his advice would automatically be accepted due to his reputation. David did bear significant responsibility for creating the circumstances of Absalom’s resentment, and the opportunity for the enemy to manipulate that into a civil war, but in the end Absalom was a man who chose to attack the Lord’s anointed – David – and therefore was doomed by his own decision.
When have you experienced or observed blessings coming from an unexpected source at just the right moment? When have you experienced or observed an appeal to ego causing a leader to choose poor advice over good?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal how you may be a blessing to someone in need as the resources He has given you are not yours alone but are intended to bless brothers and sisters in Christ as well, to reveal a place in your life where you are not being fully obedient, to show you a decision that you have made that may have sparked resentment in another.
Today I will share my reflections with at least one other believer. I will generously share from the bounty, great or small, which the Lord has given me. I will do so quietly, without need for public recognition, and will pray that the brother or sister in Christ will bless others in the same way when given the opportunity. I will prayerfully open my heart and mind to the Holy Spirit so that He may show me where I have drifted from the Lord’s plan, in great or small ways, and I will partner with Him to return to the right course. I will also pray for leaders as He directs. I will prayerfully consult the Holy Spirit and receive direction as to a wrong I have done that needs to be made right. It may be a harsh word said in anger, an unfairness to an employee, an insensitivity to a child or spouse, a financial dealing that was improper in some way, or some other place where the love of self was more in evidence than that of the Lord being poured out through me into the life of another. I will confess, repent, ask forgiveness, make restitution (as may be appropriate), and invest in the ministry of reconciliation.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
2 Samuel
19:1 (19:2) Joab was told, “The king is weeping and mourning over Absalom.” 19:2 So the victory of that day was turned to mourning as far as all the people were concerned. For the people heard on that day, “The king is grieved over his son.” 19:3 That day the people stole away to go to the city the way people who are embarrassed steal away in fleeing from battle. 19:4 The king covered his face and cried out loudly, “My son, Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!”
19:5 So Joab visited the king at his home. He said, “Today you have embarrassed all your servants who have saved your life this day, as well as the lives of your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your concubines. 19:6 You seem to love your enemies and hate your friends! For you have as much as declared today that leaders and servants don’t matter to you. I realize now that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, it would be all right with you. 19:7 So get up now and go out and give some encouragement to your servants. For I swear by the Lord that if you don’t go out there, not a single man will stay here with you tonight! This disaster will be worse for you than any disaster that has overtaken you from your youth right to the present time!”
19:8 So the king got up and sat at the city gate. When all the people were informed that the king was sitting at the city gate, they all came before him.
David Goes Back to Jerusalem
But the Israelite soldiers had all fled to their own homes. 19:9 All the people throughout all the tribes of Israel were arguing among themselves saying, “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies. He rescued us from the hand of the Philistines, but now he has fled from the land because of Absalom. 19:10 But Absalom, whom we anointed as our king, has died in battle. So now why do you hesitate to bring the king back?”
19:11 Then King David sent a message to Zadok and Abiathar the priests saying, “Tell the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you delay any further in bringing the king back to his palace, when everything Israel is saying has come to the king’s attention. 19:12 You are my brothers – my very own flesh and blood! Why should you delay any further in bringing the king back?’ 19:13 Say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my flesh and blood? God will punish me severely, if from this time on you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab!’”
19:14 He won over the hearts of all the men of Judah as though they were one man. Then they sent word to the king saying, “Return, you and all your servants as well.” 19:15 So the king returned and came to the Jordan River.
Now the people of Judah had come to Gilgal to meet the king and to help him cross the Jordan. 19:16 Shimei son of Gera the Benjaminite from Bahurim came down quickly with the men of Judah to meet King David. 19:17 There were a thousand men from Benjamin with him, along with Ziba the servant of Saul’s household, and with him his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They hurriedly crossed the Jordan within sight of the king. 19:18 They crossed at the ford in order to help the king’s household cross and to do whatever he thought appropriate.
Now after he had crossed the Jordan, Shimei son of Gera threw himself down before the king. 19:19 He said to the king, “Don’t think badly of me, my lord, and don’t recall the sin of your servant on the day when you, my lord the king, left Jerusalem! Please don’t call it to mind! 19:20 For I, your servant, know that I sinned, and I have come today as the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.”
19:21 Abishai son of Zeruiah replied, “For this should not Shimei be put to death? After all, he cursed the Lord’s anointed!” 19:22 But David said, “What do we have in common, you sons of Zeruiah? You are like my enemy today! Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? Don’t you realize that today I am king over Israel?” 19:23 The king said to Shimei, “You won’t die.” The king vowed an oath concerning this.
19:24 Now Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, came down to meet the king. From the day the king had left until the day he safely returned, Mephibosheth had not cared for his feet nor trimmed his mustache nor washed his clothes.
19:25 When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?” 19:26 He replied, “My lord the king, my servant deceived me! I said, ‘Let me get my donkey saddled so that I can ride on it and go with the king,’ for I am lame. 19:27 But my servant has slandered me to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like an angel of God. Do whatever seems appropriate to you. 19:28 After all, there was no one in the entire house of my grandfather who did not deserve death from my lord the king. But instead you allowed me to eat at your own table! What further claim do I have to ask the king for anything?”
19:29 Then the king replied to him, “Why should you continue speaking like this? You and Ziba will inherit the field together.” 19:30 Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him have the whole thing! My lord the king has returned safely to his house!”
19:31 Now when Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim, he crossed the Jordan with the king so he could send him on his way from there. 19:32 But Barzillai was very old – eighty years old, in fact – and he had taken care of the king when he stayed in Mahanaim, for he was a very rich man. 19:33 So the king said to Barzillai, “Cross over with me, and I will take care of you while you are with me in Jerusalem.”
19:34 Barzillai replied to the king, “How many days do I have left to my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 19:35 I am presently eighty years old. Am I able to discern good and bad? Can I taste what I eat and drink? Am I still able to hear the voices of male and female singers? Why should I continue to be a burden to my lord the king? 19:36 I will cross the Jordan with the king and go a short distance. Why should the king reward me in this way? 19:37 Let me return so that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. But look, here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever seems appropriate to you.”
19:38 The king replied, “Kimham will cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever I deem appropriate. And whatever you choose, I will do for you.”
19:39 So all the people crossed the Jordan, as did the king. After the king had kissed him and blessed him, Barzillai returned to his home. 19:40 When the king crossed over to Gilgal, Kimham crossed over with him. Now all the soldiers of Judah along with half of the soldiers of Israel had helped the king cross over.
19:41 Then all the men of Israel began coming to the king. They asked the king, “Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, sneak the king away and help the king and his household cross the Jordan – and not only him but all of David’s men as well?”
19:42 All the men of Judah replied to the men of Israel, “Because the king is our close relative! Why are you so upset about this? Have we eaten at the king’s expense? Or have we misappropriated anything for our own use?” 19:43 The men of Israel replied to the men of Judah, “We have ten shares in the king, and we have a greater claim on David than you do! Why do you want to curse us? Weren’t we the first to suggest bringing back our king?” But the comments of the men of Judah were more severe than those of the men of Israel.
Sheba’s Rebellion
20:1 Now a wicked man named Sheba son of Bicri, a Benjaminite, happened to be there. He blew the trumpet and said, “We have no share in David; we have no inheritance in this son of Jesse! Every man go home, O Israel!”
20:2 So all the men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba son of Bicri. But the men of Judah stuck by their king all the way from the Jordan River to Jerusalem.
20:3 Then David went to his palace in Jerusalem. The king took the ten concubines he had left to care for the palace and placed them under confinement. Though he provided for their needs, he did not have sexual relations with them. They remained in confinement until the day they died, living out the rest of their lives as widows.
20:4 Then the king said to Amasa, “Call the men of Judah together for me in three days, and you be present here with them too.” 20:5 So Amasa went out to call Judah together. But in doing so he took longer than the time that the king had allotted him.
20:6 Then David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba son of Bicri will cause greater disaster for us than Absalom did! Take your lord’s servants and pursue him. Otherwise he will secure fortified cities for himself and get away from us.” 20:7 So Joab’s men, accompanied by the Kerethites, the Pelethites, and all the warriors, left Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bicri.
20:8 When they were near the big rock that is in Gibeon, Amasa came to them. Now Joab was dressed in military attire and had a dagger in its sheath belted to his waist. When he advanced, it fell out.
20:9 Joab said to Amasa, “How are you, my brother?” With his right hand Joab took hold of Amasa’s beard as if to greet him with a kiss. 20:10 Amasa did not protect himself from the knife in Joab’s other hand, and Joab stabbed him in the abdomen, causing Amasa’s intestines to spill out on the ground. There was no need to stab him again; the first blow was fatal. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bicri.
20:11 One of Joab’s soldiers who stood over Amasa said, “Whoever is for Joab and whoever is for David, follow Joab!” 20:12 Amasa was squirming in his own blood in the middle of the path, and this man had noticed that all the soldiers stopped. Having noticed that everyone who came across Amasa stopped, the man pulled him away from the path and into the field and threw a garment over him. 20:13 Once he had removed Amasa from the path, everyone followed Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bicri.
20:14 Sheba traveled through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth Maacah and all the Berite region. When they had assembled, they too joined him. 20:15 So Joab’s men came and laid siege against him in Abel of Beth Maacah. They prepared a siege ramp outside the city which stood against its outer rampart. As all of Joab’s soldiers were trying to break through the wall so that it would collapse, 20:16 a wise woman called out from the city, “Listen up! Listen up! Tell Joab, ‘Come near so that I may speak to you.’”
20:17 When he approached her, the woman asked, “Are you Joab?” He replied, “I am.” She said to him, “Listen to the words of your servant.” He said, “Go ahead. I’m listening.” 20:18 She said, “In the past they would always say, ‘Let them inquire in Abel,’ and that is how they settled things. 20:19 I represent the peaceful and the faithful in Israel. You are attempting to destroy an important city in Israel. Why should you swallow up the Lord’s inheritance?”
20:20 Joab answered, “Get serious! I don’t want to swallow up or destroy anything! 20:21 That’s not the way things are. There is a man from the hill country of Ephraim named Sheba son of Bicri. He has rebelled against King David. Give me just this one man, and I will leave the city.” The woman said to Joab, “This very minute his head will be thrown over the wall to you!”
20:22 Then the woman went to all the people with her wise advice and they cut off Sheba’s head and threw it out to Joab. Joab blew the trumpet, and his men dispersed from the city, each going to his own home. Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.
20:23 Now Joab was the general in command of all the army of Israel. Benaiah the son of Jehoida was over the Kerethites and the Perethites. 20:24 Adoniram was supervisor of the work crews. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the secretary. 20:25 Sheva was the scribe, and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests. 20:26 Ira the Jairite was David’s personal priest.
The Gibeonites Demand Revenge
21:1 During David’s reign there was a famine for three consecutive years. So David inquired of the Lord. The Lord said, “It is because of Saul and his bloodstained family, because he murdered the Gibeonites.”
21:2 So the king summoned the Gibeonites and spoke with them. (Now the Gibeonites were not descendants of Israel; they were a remnant of the Amorites. The Israelites had made a promise to them, but Saul tried to kill them because of his zeal for the people of Israel and Judah.) 21:3 David said to the Gibeonites, “What can I do for you, and how can I make amends so that you will bless the Lord’s inheritance?”
21:4 The Gibeonites said to him, “We have no claim to silver or gold from Saul or from his family, nor would we be justified in putting to death anyone in Israel.” David asked, “What then are you asking me to do for you?” 21:5 They replied to the king, “As for this man who exterminated us and who schemed against us so that we were destroyed and left without status throughout all the borders of Israel – 21:6 let seven of his male descendants be turned over to us, and we will execute them before the Lord in Gibeah of Saul, who was the Lord’s chosen one.” The king replied, “I will turn them over.”
21:7 The king had mercy on Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, in light of the Lord’s oath that had been taken between David and Jonathan son of Saul. 21:8 So the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Aiah’s daughter Rizpah whom she had born to Saul, and the five sons of Saul’s daughter Merab whom she had born to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite. 21:9 He turned them over to the Gibeonites, and they executed them on a hill before the Lord. The seven of them died together; they were put to death during harvest time – during the first days of the beginning of the barley harvest.
21:10 Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest until the rain fell on them, she did not allow the birds of the air to feed on them by day, nor the wild animals by night. 21:11 When David was told what Rizpah daughter of Aiah, Saul’s concubine, had done, 21:12 he went and took the bones of Saul and of his son Jonathan from the leaders of Jabesh Gilead. (They had secretly taken them from the plaza at Beth Shan. It was there that Philistines publicly exposed their corpses after they had killed Saul at Gilboa.) 21:13 David brought the bones of Saul and of Jonathan his son from there; they also gathered up the bones of those who had been executed.
21:14 They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the land of Benjamin at Zela in the grave of his father Kish. After they had done everything that the king had commanded, God responded to their prayers for the land.
Israel Engages in Various Battles with the Philistines
21:15 Another battle was fought between the Philistines and Israel. So David went down with his soldiers and fought the Philistines. David became exhausted. 21:16 Now Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of Rapha, had a spear that weighed three hundred bronze shekels, and he was armed with a new weapon. He had said that he would kill David. 21:17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to David’s aid, striking the Philistine down and killing him. Then David’s men took an oath saying, “You will not go out to battle with us again! You must not extinguish the lamp of Israel!”
21:18 Later there was another battle with the Philistines, this time in Gob. On that occasion Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was one of the descendants of Rapha. 21:19 Yet another battle occurred with the Philistines in Gob. On that occasion Elhanan the son of Jair the Bethlehemite killed the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam. 21:20 Yet another battle occurred in Gath. On that occasion there was a large man who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in all! He too was a descendant of Rapha. 21:21 When he taunted Israel, Jonathan, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, killed him. 21:22 These four were the descendants of Rapha who lived in Gath; they were killed by David and his soldiers.
Psalms
5:1 For the music director, to be accompanied by wind instruments; a psalm of David.
Listen to what I say, Lord!
Carefully consider my complaint!
5:2 Pay attention to my cry for help, my king and my God, for I am praying to you!
5:3 Lord, in the morning you will hear me; in the morning I will present my case to you and then wait expectantly for an answer.
5:4 Certainly you are not a God who approves of evil; evil people cannot dwell with you.
5:5 Arrogant people cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who behave wickedly.
5:6 You destroy liars; the Lord despises violent and deceitful people.
5:7 But as for me, because of your great faithfulness I will enter your house; I will bow down toward your holy temple as I worship you.
5:8 Lord, lead me in your righteousness because of those who wait to ambush me, remove the obstacles in the way in which you are guiding me!
5:9 For they do not speak the truth; their stomachs are like the place of destruction, their throats like an open grave, their tongues like a steep slope leading into it.
5:10 Condemn them, O God!
May their own schemes be their downfall!
Drive them away because of their many acts of insurrection, for they have rebelled against you.
5:11 But may all who take shelter in you be happy!
May they continually shout for joy!
Shelter them so that those who are loyal to you may rejoice!
5:12 Certainly you reward the godly, Lord. Like a shield you protect them in your good favor.
38:1 A psalm of David, written to get God’s attention. O Lord, do not continue to rebuke me in your anger!
Do not continue to punish me in your raging fury!
38:2 For your arrows pierce me, and your hand presses me down.
38:3 My whole body is sick because of your judgment; I am deprived of health because of my sin.
38:4 For my sins overwhelm me; like a heavy load, they are too much for me to bear.
38:5 My wounds are infected and starting to smell, because of my foolish sins.
38:6 I am dazed and completely humiliated; all day long I walk around mourning.
38:7 For I am overcome with shame and my whole body is sick.
38:8 I am numb with pain and severely battered; I groan loudly because of the anxiety I feel.
38:9 O Lord, you understand my heart’s desire; my groaning is not hidden from you.
38:10 My heart beats quickly; my strength leaves me; I can hardly see.
38:11 Because of my condition, even my friends and acquaintances keep their distance; my neighbors stand far away.
38:12 Those who seek my life try to entrap me; those who want to harm me speak destructive words; all day long they say deceitful things.
38:13 But I am like a deaf man – I hear nothing; I am like a mute who cannot speak.
38:14 I am like a man who cannot hear and is incapable of arguing his defense.
38:15 Yet I wait for you, O Lord!
You will respond, O Lord, my God!
38:16 I have prayed for deliverance, because otherwise they will gloat over me; when my foot slips they will arrogantly taunt me.
38:17 For I am about to stumble, and I am in constant pain.
38:18 Yes, I confess my wrongdoing, and I am concerned about my sins.
38:19 But those who are my enemies for no reason are numerous; those who hate me without cause outnumber me.
38:20 They repay me evil for the good I have done; though I have tried to do good to them, they hurl accusations at me.
38:21 Do not abandon me, O Lord!
My God, do not remain far away from me!
38:22 Hurry and help me, O Lord, my deliverer!
41:1 For the music director; a psalm of David.
How blessed is the one who treats the poor properly!
When trouble comes, the Lord delivers him.
41:2 May the Lord protect him and save his life!
May he be blessed in the land!
Do not turn him over to his enemies!
41:3 The Lord supports him on his sickbed; you completely heal him from his illness.
41:4 As for me, I said: “O Lord, have mercy on me!
Heal me, for I have sinned against you!
41:5 My enemies ask this cruel question about me, ‘When will he finally die and be forgotten?’
41:6 When someone comes to visit, he pretends to be friendly; he thinks of ways to defame me, and when he leaves he slanders me.
41:7 All who hate me whisper insults about me to one another; they plan ways to harm me.
41:8 They say, ‘An awful disease overwhelms him, and now that he is bed-ridden he will never recover.’
41:9 Even my close friend whom I trusted, he who shared meals with me, has turned against me.
41:10 As for you, O Lord, have mercy on me and raise me up, so I can pay them back!”
41:11 By this I know that you are pleased with me, for my enemy does not triumph over me.
41:12 As for me, you uphold me because of my integrity; you allow me permanent access to your presence.
41:13 The Lord God of Israel deserves praise in the future and forevermore!
We agree! We agree!
42:1 For the music director; a well-written song by the Korahites.
As a deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God!
42:2 I thirst for God, for the living God.
I say, “When will I be able to go and appear in God’s presence?”
42:3 I cannot eat, I weep day and night; all day long they say to me, “Where is your God?”
42:4 I will remember and weep!
For I was once walking along with the great throng to the temple of God, shouting and giving thanks along with the crowd as we celebrated the holy festival.
42:5 Why are you depressed, O my soul?
Why are you upset?
Wait for God!
For I will again give thanks to my God for his saving intervention.
42:6 I am depressed, so I will pray to you while I am trapped here in the region of the upper Jordan, from Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
42:7 One deep stream calls out to another at the sound of your waterfalls; all your billows and waves overwhelm me.
42:8 By day the Lord decrees his loyal love, and by night he gives me a song, a prayer to the living God.
42:9 I will pray to God, my high ridge: “Why do you ignore me?
Why must I walk around mourning because my enemies oppress me?”
42:10 My enemies’ taunts cut into me to the bone, as they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
42:11 Why are you depressed, O my soul?
Why are you upset?
Wait for God!
For I will again give thanks to my God for his saving intervention.
2 Samuel
David Sings to the Lord
22:1 David sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord rescued him from the power of all his enemies, including Saul. 22:2 He said: “The Lord is my high ridge, my stronghold, my deliverer.
22:3 My God is my rocky summit where I take shelter, my shield, the horn that saves me, my stronghold,my refuge, my savior. You save me from violence!
22:4 I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I was delivered from my enemies.
22:5 The waves of death engulfed me; the currents of chaos overwhelmed me.
22:6 The ropes of Sheol tightened around me; the snares of death trapped me.
22:7 In my distress I called to the Lord; I called to my God.
From his heavenly temple he heard my voice; he listened to my cry for help.
22:8 The earth heaved and shook; the foundations of the sky trembled. They heaved because he was angry.
22:9 Smoke ascended from his nose; fire devoured as it came from his mouth; he hurled down fiery coals.
22:10 He made the sky sink as he descended; a thick cloud was under his feet.
22:11 He mounted a winged angel and flew; he glided on the wings of the wind.
22:12 He shrouded himself in darkness, in thick rain clouds.
22:13 From the brightness in front of him came coals of fire.
22:14 The Lord thundered from the sky; the sovereign One shouted loudly.
22:15 He shot arrows and scattered them, lightning and routed them.
22:16 The depths of the sea were exposed; the inner regions of the world were uncovered by the Lord’s battle cry, by the powerful breath from his nose.
22:17 He reached down from above and grabbed me; he pulled me from the surging water.
22:18 He rescued me from my strong enemy, from those who hate me, for they were too strong for me.
22:19 They confronted me in my day of calamity, but the Lord helped me.
22:20 He brought me out into a wide open place; he delivered me because he was pleased with me.
22:21 The Lord repaid me for my godly deeds; he rewarded my blameless behavior.
22:22 For I have obeyed the Lord’s commands; I have not rebelled against my God.
22:23 For I am aware of all his regulations, and I do not reject his rules.
22:24 I was blameless before him; I kept myself from sinning.
22:25 The Lord rewarded me for my godly deeds; he took notice of my blameless behavior.
22:26 You prove to be loyal to one who is faithful; you prove to be trustworthy to one who is innocent.
22:27 You prove to be reliable to one who is blameless, but you prove to be deceptive to one who is perverse.
22:28 You deliver oppressed people, but you watch the proud and bring them down.
22:29 Indeed, you are my lamp, Lord. The Lord illumines the darkness around me.
22:30 Indeed,with your help I can charge against an army; by my God’s power I can jump over a wall.
22:31 The one true God acts in a faithful manner; the Lord’s promise is reliable; he is a shield to all who take shelter in him.
22:32 Indeed, who is God besides the Lord?
Who is a protector besides our God?
22:33 The one true God is my mighty refuge; he removes the obstacles in my way.
22:34 He gives me the agility of a deer; he enables me to negotiate the rugged terrain.
22:35 He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend even the strongest bow.
22:36 You give me your protective shield; your willingness to help enables me to prevail.
22:37 You widen my path; my feet do not slip.
22:38 I chase my enemies and destroy them; I do not turn back until I wipe them out.
22:39 I wipe them out and beat them to death; they cannot get up; they fall at my feet.
22:40 You give me strength for battle; you make my foes kneel before me.
22:41 You make my enemies retreat; I destroy those who hate me.
22:42 They cry out, but there is no one to help them; they cry out to the Lord, but he does not answer them.
22:43 I grind them as fine as the dust of the ground; I crush them and stomp on them like clay in the streets.
22:44 You rescue me from a hostile army; you preserve me as a leader of nations; people over whom I had no authority are now my subjects.
22:45 Foreigners are powerless before me; when they hear of my exploits, they submit to me.
22:46 Foreigners lose their courage; they shake with fear as they leave their strongholds.
22:47 The Lord is alive!
My protector is praiseworthy!
The God who delivers me is exalted as king!
22:48 The one true God completely vindicates me; he makes nations submit to me.
22:49 He delivers me from my enemies; you snatch me away from those who attack me; you rescue me from violent men.
22:50 So I will give you thanks, O Lord, before the nations! I will sing praises to you.
22:51 He gives his chosen king magnificent victories; he is faithful to his chosen ruler, to David and to his descendants forever!”
David’s Final Words
23:1 These are the final words of David:
“The oracle of David son of Jesse, the oracle of the man raised up as the ruler chosen by the God of Jacob, Israel’s beloved singer of songs:
23:2 The Lord’s spirit spoke through me; his word was on my tongue.
23:3 The God of Israel spoke, the protector of Israel spoke to me.
The one who rules fairly among men, the one who rules in the fear of God,
23:4 is like the light of morning when the sun comes up, a morning in which there are no clouds.
He is like the brightness after rain that produces grass from the earth.
23:5 My dynasty is approved by God, for he has made a perpetual covenant with me, arranged in all its particulars and secured. He always delivers me, and brings all I desire to fruition.
23:6 But evil people are like thorns – all of them are tossed away, for they cannot be held in the hand.
23:7 The one who touches them must use an iron instrument or the wooden shaft of a spear.
They are completely burned up right where they lie!”
David’s Warriors
23:8 These are the names of David’s warriors:
Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was head of the officers. He killed eight hundred men with his spear in one battle. 23:9 Next in command was Eleazar son of Dodo, the son of Ahohi. He was one of the three warriors who were with David when they defied the Philistines who were assembled there for battle. When the men of Israel retreated, 23:10 he stood his ground and fought the Philistines until his hand grew so tired that it seemed stuck to his sword. The Lord gave a great victory on that day. When the army returned to him, the only thing left to do was to plunder the corpses.
23:11 Next in command was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines assembled at Lehi, where there happened to be an area of a field that was full of lentils, the army retreated before the Philistines. 23:12 But he made a stand in the middle of that area. He defended it and defeated the Philistines; the Lord gave them a great victory.
23:13 At the time of the harvest three of the thirty leaders went down to David at the cave of Adullam. A band of Philistines was camped in the valley of Rephaim. 23:14 David was in the stronghold at the time, while a Philistine garrison was in Bethlehem. 23:15 David was thirsty and said, “How I wish someone would give me some water to drink from the cistern in Bethlehem near the gate!” 23:16 So the three elite warriors broke through the Philistine forces and drew some water from the cistern in Bethlehem near the gate. They carried it back to David, but he refused to drink it. He poured it out as a drink offering to the Lord 23:17 and said, “O Lord, I will not do this! It is equivalent to the blood of the men who risked their lives by going.” So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three elite warriors.
23:18 Abishai son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, was head of the three. He killed three hundred men with his spear and gained fame among the three. 23:19 From the three he was given honor and he became their officer, even though he was not one of the three.
23:20 Benaiah son of Jehoida was a brave warrior from Kabzeel who performed great exploits. He struck down the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in a cistern on a snowy day. 23:21 He also killed an impressive-looking Egyptian. The Egyptian wielded a spear, while Benaiah attacked him with a club. He grabbed the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 23:22 Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoida, who gained fame among the three elite warriors. 23:23 He received honor from the thirty warriors, though he was not one of the three elite warriors. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.
23:24 Included with the thirty were the following: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem, 23:25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 23:26 Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa, 23:27 Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 23:28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 23:29 Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin, 23:30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the wadis of Gaash, 23:31 Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 23:32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan 23:33 son of Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite, 23:34 Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, 23:35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 23:36 Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 23:37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite (the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah), 23:38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite 23:39 and Uriah the Hittite. Altogether there were thirty-seven.
Lord, You bring good from what the enemy has used to bring evil, but sin always has negative consequences. May I be careful that I not presume that carelessness on my part, though forgiven and redeemed by You, will have no bad consequences for me and for others. Once again a foolish man attacked Your chosen leader and once again he paid with his life. May I be wise and seek after You that I may be a valued servant in Your great plan and not an impediment to be removed from the way. After David killed Goliath the Israelites were no longer terrified of giant soldiers among the Philistines. May I remember that You are greater than any giant in my world and therefore I will stand with You for truth. When we celebrate Your glory and honor and power we draw nearer to You, and it is only there that we have purpose and safety. May I praise and worship You often.
When David heard the news he went into mourning and Absalom’s army fled to their homes. Joab challenged David for creating a new crisis as he appeared to value Absalom his enemy more than the faithful soldiers, merely because he was one of his sons.
David understood the threat to his credibility and went to the city gate where people came to see him.
David sent word to the leaders of the tribes who represented the somewhat divided original Israel, still bearing the name Israel, as he had fled Jerusalem primarily in the company of those who had become identified and Judah – he asked them to make clear his way to Jerusalem.
The leaders of the Israelite tribes welcomed him home and greeted him.
Among those who greeted him were Shimei, the distant relative of Saul who had thrown stones and curse him as he fled, but David rebuked those who wished to kill him and instead accepted his confession and repentance and observed that it was time for healing.
Also among those who greeted David was an equally repentant Mephibosheth, grandson of Saul, who blamed bad counsel for turning him against David.
On the dark side was an escalation of the tribal conflict between the communities of Israel and Judah.
Sheba son of Bicri, a Benjaminite, took advantage of the squabbling between those of Israel and those of Judah and sparked another rebellion. He took some men with him and set out to rally others to his cause.
David sent Amassa to gather those of Judah but he was gone longer than David gave him to complete the task which made Joab suspicious.
Joab met him and killed him and then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba.
At the fortified city they prepared to breach the gate or the walls when a woman convinced Joab to negotiate. He agreed to spare the city if they surrendered Sheba, so they killed him and tossed his head over the wall, then Joab returned to Jerusalem.
There were three year of famine and when David inquired of the Lord God he learned that it was because of Saul’s unjust slaughter of the Gibeonites.
The Gibeonites asked for sever descendants of Saul to execute for the sake of justice, then their bones and those of Saul and Jonathan were brought to the land of the Benjaminites and the famine was lifted.
David was now an old man and when he joined his troops in battle against the Philistines he became tired and vulnerable and had to be rescued from one of the giant relatives of Goliath. The soldiers then declared that it was no longer necessary for David to battle with them as he represented Israel and their blessings.
Other giant relatives of Goliath came against the Israelites and they were also killed.
David’s fifth Psalm was a cry to the Lord, still a confident cry as before, and a testimony of the Lord God’s faithfulness to those who obey.
David’s thirty-eighth Psalm returned to a cry for the Lord God’s rescue, David sounded a lot like Job – complaining that he had become repulsive even to his friends – and pleading for the Lord God to intervene soon.
David’s forty-first Psalm began with a wisdom verse about God’s healing, protection, and provision for one who cares for the poor. Then it returned to the theme of rescue as he described all who had turned against him. It concluded with a statement of assurance that the Lord God would heal and rescue him because, despite his sin, he had remained steadfastly loyal to the Lord.
David’s forty-second Psalm was David’s cry to the Lord from his memories of intimacy with the Lord God and of great public celebrations of the Lord (such as dancing as they brought the ark of God into the city). He pleaded with the Lord for rescue him and he confidently looked forward to singing His praises when He did.
In his usual bombastic style David wrote a prosaic reflection on the recent events of his life. He narrowed his responsibility for the troubles by only addressing his direct honor to the Lord God, rather than his personal sin and leadership failures, and he emphasized the sin of others.
David did give glory to the Lord God in his poetic tribute, recognizing the Lord’s faithfulness, justice, and omnipotence.
David then gave honor to the warriors who had surrounded him over many years, telling of their amazing exploits in battle, and explaining how they had earned their promotions.
David's refusal to escalate the violence earlier against Shimei and Mephibosheth made this moment of repentance and reconciliation possible, a role model for others, and part of the healing of the nation. The Benjaminites had a troubled history, they were very proud of Saul, and with his loss there was some considerable angst as to their standing among the tribes. The Lord God had warned Israel against a mere human king and had told them all of the difficult things one would bring upon them. Saul went beyond even the troubles God prophesied and long after his death negative consequences of his poor choices were visited upon the people. David's emphasis, though favorable to himself, was primarily on the Lord God, where it should be.
Why would David prefer Amassa over Joab as leader of his army, and was that a wise priority? Why did Joab kill Amassa? Why would David had thought it necessary to be on the battlefront? Why would David believe it was important to celebrate the loyal warriors?
The leaders of Israel asked David a fair question, which he did not answer, and that was why he fled with those of Judah rather than remain with Israel and Judah and stand his ground. This is the second time that a woman saved David, this time indirectly, from a big hassle - using reason and strategy. There will be giant challenges in our lives, but because Jesus has overcome death we are not afraid. The kingdom was not about David but God’s chosen people, Israel. On those occasions where David fell short in his personal righteousness, and his sense for right-leadership priorities, it was because his eyes and heart were not on the Lord.
When have you observed that despite overcoming a past conflict in an organization or relationship there remained some difficulties? When have you received good advice and/or assistance from an unexpected person?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a situation where He wants you to deal gently with someone who stands in opposition to you because He intends to lead that person to repentance and to make of them an ally in the Lord’s service, to reveal to you a giant in your life that needs to be dealt with, and to show you the big and small picture of the Lord God’s role in your life.
Today I will pray for the one whom the Holy Spirit has identified, I will find a way to deal with them more gently than my flesh desires, and I will continue to pray as I patiently await the Lord’s work in their heart – and in mine. I will ask a fellow believer to pray-in agreement as I accept the courage and wisdom of the Lord to face and to overcome the giant(s) in my life. It may be depression, which flows from unresolved anger or fear, substance abuse, financial or relationship troubles, challenges in school or the workplace, health problems, or other events which are stealing your joy and blocking your blessings. I stand in the power of the Lord and walk one step at a time to victory and freedom. I will take the time to celebrate what the Lord God means to me; what He has done for me, what He has done in and through me, and what He has done in spite of me.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Psalms
57:1 For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; a prayer of David, written when he fled from Saul into the cave.
Have mercy on me, O God! Have mercy on me!
For in you I have taken shelter. In the shadow of your wings I take shelter until trouble passes.
57:2 I cry out for help to the sovereign God, to the God who vindicates me.
57:3 May he send help from heaven and deliver me from my enemies who hurl insults! (Selah)
May God send his loyal love and faithfulness!
57:4 I am surrounded by lions; I lie down among those who want to devour me; men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are a sharp sword.
57:5 Rise up above the sky, O God!
May your splendor cover the whole earth!
57:6 They have prepared a net to trap me; I am discouraged.
They have dug a pit for me. They will fall into it! (Selah)
57:7 I am determined, O God! I am determined!
I will sing and praise you!
57:8 Awake, my soul!
Awake, O stringed instrument and harp!
I will wake up at dawn!
57:9 I will give you thanks before the nations, O Master!
I will sing praises to you before foreigners!
57:10 For your loyal love extends beyond the sky, and your faithfulness reaches the clouds.
57:11 Rise up above the sky, O God!
May your splendor cover the whole earth!
95:1 Come! Let’s sing for joy to the Lord!
Let’s shout out praises to our protector who delivers us!
95:2 Let’s enter his presence with thanksgiving!
Let’s shout out to him in celebration!
95:3 For the Lord is a great God, a great king who is superior to all gods.
95:4 The depths of the earth are in his hand, and the mountain peaks belong to him.
95:5 The sea is his, for he made it. His hands formed the dry land.
95:6 Come! Let’s bow down and worship!
Let’s kneel before the Lord, our creator!
95:7 For he is our God; we are the people of his pasture, the sheep he owns.
Today, if only you would obey him!
95:8 He says, “Do not be stubborn like they were at Meribah, like they were that day at Massah in the wilderness,
95:9 where your ancestors challenged my authority, and tried my patience, even though they had seen my work.
95:10 For forty years I was continually disgusted with that generation, and I said, ‘These people desire to go astray; they do not obey my commands.’
95:11 So I made a vow in my anger, ‘They will never enter into the resting place I had set aside for them.’”
97:1 The Lord reigns!
Let the earth be happy!
Let the many coastlands rejoice!
97:2 Dark clouds surround him; equity and justice are the foundation of his throne.
97:3 Fire goes before him; on every side it burns up his enemies.
97:4 His lightning bolts light up the world; the earth sees and trembles.
97:5 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of the whole earth.
97:6 The sky declares his justice, and all the nations see his splendor.
97:7 All who worship idols are ashamed, those who boast about worthless idols.
All the gods bow down before him.
97:8 Zion hears and rejoices, the towns of Judah are happy, because of your judgments, O Lord.
97:9 For you, O Lord, are the sovereign king over the whole earth; you are elevated high above all gods.
97:10 You who love the Lord, hate evil!
He protects the lives of his faithful followers; he delivers them from the power of the wicked.
97:11 The godly bask in the light; the morally upright experience joy.
97:12 You godly ones, rejoice in the Lord!
Give thanks to his holy name.
Psalm 98
98:1 A psalm.
Sing to the Lord a new song, for he performs amazing deeds!
His right hand and his mighty arm accomplish deliverance.
98:2 The Lord demonstrates his power to deliver; in the sight of the nations he reveals his justice.
98:3 He remains loyal and faithful to the family of Israel. All the ends of the earth see our God deliver us.
98:4 Shout out praises to the Lord, all the earth!
Break out in a joyful shout and sing!
98:5 Sing to the Lord accompanied by a harp, accompanied by a harp and the sound of music!
98:6 With trumpets and the blaring of the ram’s horn, shout out praises before the king, the Lord!
98:7 Let the sea and everything in it shout, along with the world and those who live in it!
98:8 Let the rivers clap their hands!
Let the mountains sing in unison
98:9 before the Lord!
For he comes to judge the earth!
He judges the world fairly, and the nations in a just manner.
Psalm 99
99:1 The Lord reigns!
The nations tremble.
He sits enthroned above the winged angels; the earth shakes.
99:2 The Lord is elevated in Zion; he is exalted over all the nations.
99:3 Let them praise your great and awesome name!
He is holy!
99:4 The king is strong; he loves justice. You ensure that legal decisions will be made fairly; you promote justice and equity in Jacob.
99:5 Praise the Lord our God!
Worship before his footstool!
He is holy!
99:6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests; Samuel was one of those who prayed to him. They prayed to the Lord and he answered them.
99:7 He spoke to them from a pillar of cloud; they obeyed his regulations and the ordinance he gave them.
99:8 O Lord our God, you answered them. They found you to be a forgiving God, but also one who punished their sinful deeds.
99:9 Praise the Lord our God!
Worship on his holy hill, for the Lord our God is holy!
2 Samuel
David Displeases the Lord by Taking a Census
24:1 The Lord’s anger again raged against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go count Israel and Judah.” 24:2 The king told Joab, the general in command of his army, “Go through all the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beer Sheba and muster the army, so I may know the size of the army.”
24:3 Joab replied to the king, “May the Lord your God make the army a hundred times larger right before the eyes of my lord the king! But why does my master the king want to do this?”
24:4 But the king’s edict stood, despite the objections of Joab and the leaders of the army. So Joab and the leaders of the army left the king’s presence in order to muster the Israelite army.
24:5 They crossed the Jordan and camped at Aroer, on the south side of the city, at the wadi of Gad, near Jazer. 24:6 Then they went on to Gilead and to the region of Tahtim Hodshi, coming to Dan Jaan and on around to Sidon. 24:7 Then they went to the fortress of Tyre and all the cities of the Hivites and the Canaanites. Then they went on to the Negev of Judah, to Beer Sheba. 24:8 They went through all the land and after nine months and twenty days came back to Jerusalem.
24:9 Joab reported the number of warriors to the king. In Israel there were 800,000 sword-wielding warriors, and in Judah there were 500,000 soldiers.
24:10 David felt guilty after he had numbered the army. David said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly by doing this! Now, O Lord, please remove the guilt of your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.”
24:11 When David got up the next morning, the Lord had already spoken to Gad the prophet, David’s seer: 24:12 “Go, tell David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am offering you three forms of judgment. Pick one of them and I will carry it out against you.’”
24:13 Gad went to David and told him, “Shall seven years of famine come upon your land? Or shall you flee for three months from your enemy with him in hot pursuit? Or shall there be three days of plague in your land? Now decide what I should tell the one who sent me.” 24:14 David said to Gad, “I am very upset! I prefer that we be attacked by the Lord, for his mercy is great; I do not want to be attacked by men!”
24:15 So the Lord sent a plague through Israel from the morning until the completion of the appointed time. Seventy thousand men died from Dan to Beer Sheba. 24:16 When the angel extended his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord relented from his judgment. He told the angel who was killing the people, “That’s enough! Stop now!” (Now the Lord’s angel was near the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.)
24:17 When he saw the angel who was destroying the people, David said to the Lord, “Look, it is I who have sinned and done this evil thing! As for these sheep – what have they done? Attack me and my family.”
David Acquires a Threshing Floor and Constructs an Altar There
24:18 So Gad went to David that day and told him, “Go up and build an altar for the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” 24:19 So David went up as Gad instructed him to do, according to the Lord’s instructions.
24:20 When Araunah looked out and saw the king and his servants approaching him, he went out and bowed to the king with his face to the ground. 24:21 Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” David replied, “To buy from you the threshing floor so I can build an altar for the Lord, so that the plague may be removed from the people.” 24:22 Araunah told David, “My lord the king may take whatever he wishes and offer it. Look! Here are oxen for burnt offerings, and threshing sledges and harnesses for wood. 24:23 I, the servant of my lord the king, give it all to the king!” Araunah also told the king, “May the Lord your God show you favor!” 24:24 But the king said to Araunah, “No, I insist on buying it from you! I will not offer to the Lord my God burnt sacrifices that cost me nothing.”
So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty pieces of silver. 24:25 Then David built an altar for the Lord there and offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings. And the Lord accepted prayers for the land, and the plague was removed from Israel.
1 Chronicles
The Lord Sends a Plague against Israel
21:1 An adversary opposed Israel, inciting David to count how many warriors Israel had. 21:2 David told Joab and the leaders of the army, “Go, count the number of warriors from Beer Sheba to Dan. Then bring back a report to me so I may know how many we have.” 21:3 Joab replied, “May the Lord make his army a hundred times larger! My master, O king, do not all of them serve my master? Why does my master want to do this? Why bring judgment on Israel?”
21:4 But the king’s edict stood, despite Joab’s objections. So Joab left and traveled throughout Israel before returning to Jerusalem. 21:5 Joab reported to David the number of warriors. In all Israel there were 1,100,000 sword-wielding soldiers; Judah alone had 470,000 sword-wielding soldiers. 21:6 Now Joab did not number Levi and Benjamin, for the king’s edict disgusted him. 21:7 God was also offended by it, so he attacked Israel.
21:8 David said to God, “I have sinned greatly by doing this! Now, please remove the guilt of your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.” 21:9 The Lord told Gad, David’s prophet, 21:10 “Go, tell David, ‘This is what the Lord says: “I am offering you three forms of judgment from which to choose. Pick one of them.”‘” 21:11 Gad went to David and told him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Pick one of these: 21:12 three years of famine, or three months being chased by your enemies and struck down by their swords, or three days being struck down by the Lord, during which a plague will invade the land and the Lord’s messenger will destroy throughout Israel’s territory.’ Now, decide what I should tell the one who sent me.” 21:13 David said to Gad, “I am very upset! I prefer to be attacked by the Lord, for his mercy is very great; I do not want to be attacked by men!” 21:14 So the Lord sent a plague through Israel, and 70,000 Israelite men died.
21:15 God sent an angel to ravage Jerusalem. As he was doing so, the Lord watched and relented from his judgment. He told the angel who was destroying, “That’s enough! Stop now!”
Now the Lord’s angel was standing near the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 21:16 David looked up and saw the Lord’s messenger standing between the earth and sky with his sword drawn and in his hand, stretched out over Jerusalem. David and the leaders, covered with sackcloth, threw themselves down with their faces to the ground. 21:17 David said to God, “Was I not the one who decided to number the army? I am the one who sinned and committed this awful deed! As for these sheep – what have they done? O Lord my God, attack me and my family, but remove the plague from your people!”
21:18 So the Lord’s messenger told Gad to instruct David to go up and build an altar for the Lord on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 21:19 So David went up as Gad instructed him to do in the name of the Lord. 21:20 While Ornan was threshing wheat, he turned and saw the messenger, and he and his four sons hid themselves. 21:21 When David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David; he came out from the threshing floor and bowed to David with his face to the ground. 21:22 David said to Ornan, “Sell me the threshing floor so I can build on it an altar for the Lord – I’ll pay top price – so that the plague may be removed from the people.” 21:23 Ornan told David, “You can have it! My master, the king, may do what he wants. Look, I am giving you the oxen for burnt sacrifices, the threshing sledges for wood, and the wheat for an offering. I give it all to you.” 21:24 King David replied to Ornan, “No, I insist on buying it for top price. I will not offer to the Lord what belongs to you or offer a burnt sacrifice that cost me nothing. 21:25 So David bought the place from Ornan for 600 pieces of gold. 21:26 David built there an altar to the Lord and offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings. He called out to the Lord, and the Lord responded by sending fire from the sky and consuming the burnt sacrifice on the altar. 21:27 The Lord ordered the messenger to put his sword back into its sheath.
21:28 At that time, when David saw that the Lord responded to him at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he sacrificed there. 21:29 Now the Lord’s tabernacle (which Moses had made in the wilderness) and the altar for burnt sacrifices were at that time at the worship center in Gibeon. 21:30 But David could not go before it to seek God’s will, for he was afraid of the sword of the Lord’s messenger.
22:1 David then said, “This is the place where the temple of the Lord God will be, along with the altar for burnt sacrifices for Israel.”
22:2 David ordered the resident foreigners in the land of Israel to be called together. He appointed some of them to be stonecutters to chisel stones for the building of God’s temple. 22:3 David supplied a large amount of iron for the nails of the doors of the gates and for braces, more bronze than could be weighed, 22:4 and more cedar logs than could be counted. (The Sidonians and Tyrians had brought a large amount of cedar logs to David.)
22:5 David said, “My son Solomon is just an inexperienced young man, and the temple to be built for the Lord must be especially magnificent so it will become famous and be considered splendid by all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for its construction.” So David made extensive preparations before he died.
22:6 He summoned his son Solomon and charged him to build a temple for the Lord God of Israel. 22:7 David said to Solomon: “My son, I really wanted to build a temple to honor the Lord my God. 22:8 But the Lord said to me: ‘You have spilled a great deal of blood and fought many battles. You must not build a temple to honor me, for you have spilled a great deal of blood on the ground before me. 22:9 Look, you will have a son, who will be a peaceful man. I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. Indeed, Solomon will be his name; I will give Israel peace and quiet during his reign. 22:10 He will build a temple to honor me; he will become my son, and I will become his father. I will grant to his dynasty permanent rule over Israel.’
22:11 “Now, my son, may the Lord be with you! May you succeed and build a temple for the Lord your God, just as he announced you would. 22:12 Only may the Lord give you insight and understanding when he places you in charge of Israel, so you may obey the law of the Lord your God. 22:13 Then you will succeed, if you carefully obey the rules and regulations which the Lord ordered Moses to give to Israel. Be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic! 22:14 Now, look, I have made every effort to supply what is needed to build the Lord’s temple. I have stored up 100,000 talents of gold, 1,000,000 talents of silver, and so much bronze and iron it cannot be weighed, as well as wood and stones. Feel free to add more! 22:15 You also have available many workers, including stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and an innumerable array of workers who are skilled 22:16 in using gold, silver, bronze, and iron. Get up and begin the work! May the Lord be with you!”
22:17 David ordered all the officials of Israel to support his son Solomon. 22:18 He told them, “The Lord your God is with you! He has made you secure on every side, for he handed over to me the inhabitants of the region and the region is subdued before the Lord and his people. 22:19 Now seek the Lord your God wholeheartedly and with your entire being! Get up and build the sanctuary of the Lord God! Then you can bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant and the holy items dedicated to God’s service into the temple that is built to honor the Lord.”
Lord, You know our hearts and You do not tolerate sin gladly. May I take care in any role in leadership; husband, father, teacher, counselor, to not allow my sin to cause trouble for others. You stand with Your people against enemies but we must never presume that You will overlook our failure to stand righteously before You. May I be attentive to the things You have asked of me so that I am a suitable vessel for Your blessings.
David’s fifty-seventh Psalm was his cry for help, followed by praise for the Lord God, as he hid in a cave with Saul and his forces nearby. Notable phrases were that he took shelter in the Lord, a parallel to his shelter in the cave, and that the Lord might cover the whole earth with His splendor.
Psalm Ninety-Five was a praise-song which contained wisdom “For he is our God; we are the people of his pasture, the sheep he owns.” The author was not identified.
Psalm Ninety-Seven was a praise-song which contained wisdom “The godly bask in the light; the morally upright experience joy. You godly ones, rejoice in the Lord! Give thanks to his holy name.” The author was not identified.
Psalm Ninety-Eight was a praise-song which returned to the introductory theme of Psalm Ninety-Six “Sing to the Lord a new song!” and contained additional wisdom “His right hand and his mighty arm accomplish deliverance.” [The Net Translator’s Notes observe that this referred to the unique power of the Lord God and, as with His justice, reflected His character.] The author was not identified.
Psalm Ninety-Nine was a praise-song which contained wisdom “O Lord our God, you answered them. [Moses and Aaron ] They found you to be a forgiving God, but also one who punished their sinful deeds.” The author was not identified.
The Lord God was again angry with Israel, though the text does not specify the reason. It may have been the internal divisiveness, the failure of David to implement a system of justice (witness the case of Tamar and Absalom’s manipulation through the promise of justice), Israel’s chronic tolerance of other religions in their midst and often in their homes, or some other offense against God.
David commanded Joab to make a census of the manpower available to the army. Joab and the other military leaders pleaded with him to not do so, as they knew it was forbidden by the Lord God, but David insisted.
The NET translator’s notes postulate that the Lord God “incited” David to violate the law because He was angry with Israel. They suggest that the 2 Samuel 24 telling was a spiritual perspective, and that the Chronicles 1:21 telling was the human perspective e.g. that there was a foreign enemy whom David feared and therefore he desired knowledge of his resources for battle (despite God’s historic defense of Israel against overwhelming odds).
Give the ambiguities it may not be necessary to postulate either with certainty but rather that the adversary was David’s chronic personal insecurity, that his lack of faith created an adversarial relationship with the Lord God, so He then incited David to go ahead and conduct the census and bring trouble to his kingdom. (God had warned that a human king would be a two-way street of trouble for Israel, their sin would hurt him, and his sin would hurt them.)
The response of Joab and the other military leaders lends support to the notion that they were unconcerned as to troop strength and they they trusted the Lord God to raise up as many as were needed, Joab said “May the Lord your God make the army a hundred times larger right before the eyes of my lord the king! But why does my master the king want to do this?”.
Joab and his men reluctantly obeyed and returned with the census, at which time David was immediately repentant of his sin, but it was too late. The prophet Gad brought David three options from the Lord God; seven years of famine, three days of plague, or three months fleeing an enemy.
David had been through the fleeing-thing twice before and quickly decided that he preferred the measured judgment of God to that of man. His reason for rejecting the seven years of famine are not discussed but his age and the probable harm to the nation may have prompted him to choose against such a long hardship. David chose the plague and the Lord God took 70,000 men then halted the death angel.
David cried out to the Lord that it was his fault and he and his family rather than others should be punished. Gad instructed David to build an altar and to make an offering to the Lord, which he did, and the time of punishment ceased.
The Ammonite king died but when David sent messengers an adviser to his son, the new king, gave him the poor counsel that they were spies. They treated them disrespectfully and sent them home, only to discover that David was now an angry adversary, so they massed for war and paid the Arameans to join them.
The Arameans were frightened by the approaching Israelites and fled to safety. The Ammonites then hired ore mercenaries and again massed for war. David joined his armies and they routed the Arameans who negotiated peace and became David’s subjects.
Joab defeated the Amorites and devastated their cities, bring back the people to serve in manual labor for Israel.
The Philistines also attacked and lost, even the giant relatives of Goliath from Gath were killed.
David perceived a threat against Israel from a force not identified in the text, so in reaction David demanded a census of the men available for the army, despite the objections of his military advisers.
The Lord God was angry because He had forbidden that and brought a plague against Israel. The plague stopped at Jerusalem and David sacrficed at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. He bought the site from Ornan and established it as the location for future sacrifices because he was fearful of God’s wrath at the Tablenacle in Gibeon.
While David had just given praise and worship to the Lord God for what He had done, for him and for Israel, much of the trouble was David’s fault. The Ammonite king was badly served and should have known that David meant no harm.
Why was David unable to see what was obvious to Joab? David was neglecting the Passover celebration and had neglected consultations with God prior to conducting a census, why would he be so careless when God had blessed him so much?
It seems that it took yet another tragedy for David to recognize that he had err’d again and needed to confess and to repent. David’s fear of God’s wrath must have flowed more from a guilty conscience than anything he knew about the Lord God.
When have you observed the failures of a leader bringing harm to those whom they led? When have you experienced or observed a wrong thinking about the Lord God?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where imaginary fears are causing you to obsess about worldly defenses rather than relying upon the Lord and to reveal to you a place in your life where you are making decisions without consulting the Lord God.
Today I will confess and repent of those places where I have placed fears about health or money or popularity or anything else of this world above the Lord God. I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement with me as I restore the balance with God first in all things. I will confess, repent, and accept the Lord’s forgiveness. I will ask a fellow believer to be my accountability and prayer partner, challenging me when necessary, encouraging me always – as I bring every decision before the Lord God in prayer.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Psalms
30:1 A psalm – a song used at the dedication of the temple; by David.
I will praise you, O Lord, for you lifted me up,
and did not allow my enemies to gloat over me.
30:2 O Lord my God,
I cried out to you and you healed me.
30:3 O Lord, you pulled me up from Sheol;
you rescued me from among those descending into the grave.
30:4 Sing to the Lord, you faithful followers of his;
give thanks to his holy name.
30:5 For his anger lasts only a brief moment,
and his good favor restores one’s life.
One may experience sorrow during the night,
but joy arrives in the morning.
30:6 In my self-confidence I said,
“I will never be upended.”
30:7 O Lord, in your good favor you made me secure.
Then you rejected me and I was terrified.
30:8 To you, O Lord, I cried out;
I begged the Lord for mercy:
30:9 “What profit is there in taking my life,
in my descending into the Pit?
Can the dust of the grave praise you?
Can it declare your loyalty?
30:10 Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me!
O Lord, deliver me!”
30:11 Then you turned my lament into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and covered me with joy.
30:12 So now my heart will sing to you and not be silent;
O Lord my God, I will always give thanks to you.
108:1 A song, a psalm of David.
I am determined, O God!
I will sing and praise you with my whole heart.
108:2 Awake, O stringed instrument and harp!
I will wake up at dawn!
108:3 I will give you thanks before the nations, O Lord!
I will sing praises to you before foreigners!
108:4 For your loyal love extends beyond the sky, and your faithfulness reaches the clouds.
108:5 Rise up above the sky, O God!
May your splendor cover the whole earth!
108:6 Deliver by your power and answer me, so that the ones you love may be safe.
108:7 God has spoken in his sanctuary: “I will triumph! I will parcel out Shechem, the valley of Succoth I will measure off.
108:8 Gilead belongs to me, as does Manasseh!
Ephraim is my helmet, Judah my royal scepter.
108:9 Moab is my wash basin. I will make Edom serve me. I will shout in triumph over Philistia.”
108:10 Who will lead me into the fortified city?
Who will bring me to Edom?
108:11 Have you not rejected us, O God?
O God, you do not go into battle with our armies.
108:12 Give us help against the enemy, for any help men might offer is futile.
108:13 By God’s power we will conquer; he will trample down our enemies.
109:1 For the music director, a psalm of David.
O God whom I praise, do not ignore me!
109:2 For they say cruel and deceptive things to me; they lie to me.
109:3 They surround me and say hateful things; they attack me for no reason.
109:4 They repay my love with accusations, but I continue to pray.
109:5 They repay me evil for good, and hate for love.
109:6 Appoint an evil man to testify against him!
May an accuser stand at his right side!
109:7 When he is judged, he will be found guilty!
Then his prayer will be regarded as sinful.
109:8 May his days be few!
May another take his job!
109:9 May his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow!
109:10 May his children roam around begging, asking for handouts as they leave their ruined home!
109:11 May the creditor seize all he owns!
May strangers loot his property!
109:12 May no one show him kindness!
May no one have compassion on his fatherless children!
109:13 May his descendants be cut off!
May the memory of them be wiped out by the time the next generation arrives!
109:14 May his ancestors’ sins be remembered by the Lord!
May his mother’s sin not be forgotten!
109:15 May the Lord be constantly aware of them, and cut off the memory of his children from the earth!
109:16 For he never bothered to show kindness; he harassed the oppressed and needy, and killed the disheartened.
109:17 He loved to curse others, so those curses have come upon him. He had no desire to bless anyone, so he has experienced no blessings.
109:18 He made cursing a way of life, so curses poured into his stomach like water and seeped into his bones like oil.
109:19 May a curse attach itself to him, like a garment one puts on, or a belt one wears continually!
109:20 May the Lord repay my accusers in this way, those who say evil things about me!
109:21 O sovereign Lord, intervene on my behalf for the sake of your reputation!
Because your loyal love is good, deliver me!
109:22 For I am oppressed and needy, and my heart beats violently within me.
109:23 I am fading away like a shadow at the end of the day; I am shaken off like a locust.
109:24 I am so starved my knees shake; I have turned into skin and bones.
109:25 I am disdained by them. When they see me, they shake their heads.
109:26 Help me, O Lord my God!
Because you are faithful to me, deliver me!
109:27 Then they will realize this is your work, and that you, Lord, have accomplished it.
109:28 They curse, but you will bless. When they attack, they will be humiliated, but your servant will rejoice.
109:29 My accusers will be covered with shame, and draped in humiliation as if it were a robe.
109:30 I will thank the Lord profusely, in the middle of a crowd I will praise him,
109:31 because he stands at the right hand of the needy, to deliver him from those who threaten his life.
110:1 A psalm of David.
Here is the Lord’s proclamation to my lord:
“Sit down at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool!”
110:2 The Lord extends your dominion from Zion.
Rule in the midst of your enemies!
110:3 Your people willingly follow you when you go into battle. On the holy hills at sunrise the dew of your youth belongs to you.
110:4 The Lord makes this promise on oath and will not revoke it: “You are an eternal priest after the pattern of Melchizedek.”
110:5 O sovereign Lord, at your right hand he strikes down kings in the day he unleashes his anger.
110:6 He executes judgment against the nations; he fills the valleys with corpses; he shatters their heads over the vast battlefield.
110:7 From the stream along the road he drinks; then he lifts up his head.
1 Chronicles
David Organizes the Levites
23:1 When David was old and approaching the end of his life, he made his son Solomon king over Israel.
23:2 David assembled all the leaders of Israel, along with the priests and the Levites. 23:3 The Levites who were thirty years old and up were counted; there were 38,000 men. 23:4 David said, “Of these, 24,000 are to direct the work of the Lord’s temple; 6,000 are to be officials and judges; 23:5 4,000 are to be gatekeepers; and 4,000 are to praise the Lord with the instruments I supplied for worship.” 23:6 David divided them into groups corresponding to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
23:7 The Gershonites included Ladan and Shimei.
23:8 The sons of Ladan:
Jehiel the oldest, Zetham, and Joel – three in all.
23:9 The sons of Shimei:
Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran – three in all.
These were the leaders of the family of Ladan.
23:10 The sons of Shimei:
Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah. These were Shimei’s sons – four in all. 23:11 Jahath was the oldest and Zizah the second oldest. Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, so they were considered one family with one responsibility.
23:12 The sons of Kohath:
Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel – four in all.
23:13 The sons of Amram:
Aaron and Moses.
Aaron and his descendants were chosen on a permanent basis to consecrate the most holy items, to offer sacrifices before the Lord, to serve him, and to praise his name. 23:14 The descendants of Moses the man of God were considered Levites.
23:15 The sons of Moses:
Gershom and Eliezer.
23:16 The son of Gershom:
Shebuel the oldest.
23:17 The son of Eliezer was Rehabiah, the oldest. Eliezer had no other sons, but Rehabiah had many descendants.
23:18 The son of Izhar:
Shelomith the oldest.
23:19 The sons of Hebron:
Jeriah the oldest, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.
23:20 The sons of Uzziel:
Micah the oldest, and Isshiah the second.
23:21 The sons of Merari:
Mahli and Mushi.
The sons of Mahli:
Eleazar and Kish.
23:22 Eleazar died without having sons; he had only daughters. The sons of Kish, their cousins, married them.
23:23 The sons of Mushi:
Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth – three in all.
23:24 These were the descendants of Levi according to their families, that is, the leaders of families as counted and individually listed who carried out assigned tasks in the Lord’s temple and were twenty years old and up. 23:25 For David said, “The Lord God of Israel has given his people rest and has permanently settled in Jerusalem. 23:26 So the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the items used in its service.” 23:27 According to David’s final instructions, the Levites twenty years old and up were counted.
23:28 Their job was to help Aaron’s descendants in the service of the Lord’s temple. They were to take care of the courtyards, the rooms, ceremonial purification of all holy items, and other jobs related to the service of God’s temple. 23:29 They also took care of the bread that is displayed, the flour for offerings, the unleavened wafers, the round cakes, the mixing, and all the measuring. 23:30 They also stood in a designated place every morning and offered thanks and praise to the Lord. They also did this in the evening 23:31 and whenever burnt sacrifices were offered to the Lord on the Sabbath and at new moon festivals and assemblies. A designated number were to serve before the Lord regularly in accordance with regulations. 23:32 They were in charge of the meeting tent and the holy place, and helped their relatives, the descendants of Aaron, in the service of the Lord’s temple.
David Organizes the Priests
24:1 The divisions of Aaron’s descendants were as follows:
The sons of Aaron:
Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
24:2 Nadab and Abihu died before their father did; they had no sons. Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests.
24:3 David, Zadok (a descendant of Eleazar), and Ahimelech (a descendant of Ithamar) divided them into groups to carry out their assigned responsibilities. 24:4 The descendants of Eleazar had more leaders than the descendants of Ithamar, so they divided them up accordingly; the descendants of Eleazar had sixteen leaders, while the descendants of Ithamar had eight. 24:5 They divided them by lots, for there were officials of the holy place and officials designated by God among the descendants of both Eleazar and Ithamar. 24:6 The scribe Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite, wrote down their names before the king, the officials, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and the leaders of the priestly and Levite families. One family was drawn by lot from Eleazar, and then the next from Ithamar.
24:7 The first lot went to Jehoiarib,
the second to Jedaiah,
24:8 the third to Harim,
the fourth to Seorim,
24:9 the fifth to Malkijah,
the sixth to Mijamin,
24:10 the seventh to Hakkoz,
the eighth to Abijah,
24:11 the ninth to Jeshua,
the tenth to Shecaniah,
24:12 the eleventh to Eliashib,
the twelfth to Jakim,
24:13 the thirteenth to Huppah,
the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,
24:14 the fifteenth to Bilgah,
the sixteenth to Immer,
24:15 the seventeenth to Hezir,
the eighteenth to Happizzez,
24:16 the nineteenth to Pethahiah,
the twentieth to Jehezkel,
24:17 the twenty-first to Jakin,
the twenty-second to Gamul,
24:18 the twenty-third to Delaiah,
the twenty-fourth to Maaziah.
24:19 This was the order in which they carried out their assigned responsibilities when they entered the Lord’s temple, according to the regulations given them by their ancestor Aaron, just as the Lord God of Israel had instructed him.
Remaining Levites
24:20 The rest of the Levites included:
Shubael from the sons of Amram,
Jehdeiah from the sons of Shubael,
24:21 the firstborn Isshiah from Rehabiah and the sons of Rehabiah,
24:22 Shelomoth from the Izharites,
Jahath from the sons of Shelomoth.
24:23 The sons of Hebron:
Jeriah, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.
24:24 The son of Uzziel:
Micah;
Shamir from the sons of Micah.
24:25 The brother of Micah:
Isshiah.
Zechariah from the sons of Isshiah.
24:26 The sons of Merari:
Mahli and Mushi.
The son of Jaaziah:
Beno.
24:27 The sons of Merari, from Jaaziah:
Beno, Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri.
24:28 From Mahli:
Eleazar, who had no sons.
24:29 From Kish:
Jerahmeel.
24:30 The sons of Mushi:
Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth.
These were the Levites, listed by their families.
24:31 Just like their relatives, the descendants of Aaron, they also cast lots before King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, the leaders of families, the priests, and the Levites. The families of the oldest son cast lots along with the those of the youngest.
David Organizes the Musicians
25:1 David and the army officers selected some of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun to prophesy as they played stringed instruments and cymbals. The following men were assigned this responsibility:
25:2 From the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah. The sons of Asaph were supervised by Asaph, who prophesied under the king’s supervision.
25:3 From the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah – six in all, under supervision of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied as he played a harp, giving thanks and praise to the Lord.
25:4 From the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. 25:5 All these were the sons of Heman, the king’s prophet. God had promised him these sons in order to make him prestigious. God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.
25:6 All of these were under the supervision of their fathers; they were musicians in the Lord’s temple, playing cymbals and stringed instruments as they served in God’s temple. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the supervision of the king. 25:7 They and their relatives, all of them skilled and trained to make music to the Lord, numbered two hundred eighty-eight.
25:8 They cast lots to determine their responsibilities – oldest as well as youngest, teacher as well as student.
25:9 The first lot went to Asaph’s son Joseph and his relatives and sons – twelve in all,
the second to Gedaliah and his relatives and sons – twelve in all,
25:10 the third to Zaccur and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,
25:11 the fourth to Izri and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,
25:12 the fifth to Nethaniah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,
25:13 the sixth to Bukkiah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,
25:14 the seventh to Jesharelah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,
25:15 the eighth to Jeshaiah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,
25:16 the ninth to Mattaniah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,
25:17 the tenth to Shimei and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,
25:18 the eleventh to Azarel and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,
25:19 the twelfth to Hashabiah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,
25:20 the thirteenth to Shubael and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,
25:21 the fourteenth to Mattithiah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,
25:22 the fifteenth to Jerimoth and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,
25:23 the sixteenth to Hananiah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,
25:24 the seventeenth to Joshbekashah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,
25:25 the eighteenth to Hanani and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,
25:26 the nineteenth to Mallothi and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,
25:27 the twentieth to Eliathah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,
25:28 the twenty-first to Hothir and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,
25:29 the twenty-second to Giddalti and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,
25:30 the twenty-third to Mahazioth and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,
25:31 the twenty-fourth to Romamti-Ezer and his sons and relatives – twelve in all.
Psalms
131:1 A song of ascents, by David.
O Lord, my heart is not proud, nor do I have a haughty look. I do not have great aspirations, or concern myself with things that are beyond me.
131:2 Indeed I am composed and quiet, like a young child carried by its mother; I am content like the young child I carry.
131:3 O Israel, hope in the Lord now and forevermore!
138:1 By David.
I will give you thanks with all my heart; before the heavenly assembly I will sing praises to you.
138:2 I will bow down toward your holy temple, and give thanks to your name, because of your loyal love and faithfulness, for you have exalted your promise above the entire sky.
138:3 When I cried out for help, you answered me. You made me bold and energized me.
138:4 Let all the kings of the earth give thanks to you, O Lord, when they hear the words you speak.
138:5 Let them sing about the Lord’s deeds, for the Lord’s splendor is magnificent.
138:6 Though the Lord is exalted, he takes note of the lowly, and recognizes the proud from far away.
138:7 Even when I must walk in the midst of danger, you revive me. You oppose my angry enemies, and your right hand delivers me.
138:8 The Lord avenges me. O Lord, your loyal love endures.
Do not abandon those whom you have made!
139:1 For the music director, a psalm of David.
O Lord, you examine me and know.
139:2 You know when I sit down and when I get up; even from far away you understand my motives.
139:3 You carefully observe me when I travel or when I lie down to rest; you are aware of everything I do.
139:4 Certainly my tongue does not frame a word without you, O Lord, being thoroughly aware of it.
139:5 You squeeze me in from behind and in front; you place your hand on me.
139:6 Your knowledge is beyond my comprehension; it is so far beyond me, I am unable to fathom it.
139:7 Where can I go to escape your spirit?
Where can I flee to escape your presence?
139:8 If I were to ascend to heaven, you would be there. If I were to sprawl out in Sheol, there you would be.
139:9 If I were to fly away on the wings of the dawn, and settle down on the other side of the sea,
139:10 even there your hand would guide me, your right hand would grab hold of me.
139:11 If I were to say, “Certainly the darkness will cover me, and the light will turn to night all around me,”
139:12 even the darkness is not too dark for you to see, and the night is as bright as day; darkness and light are the same to you.
139:13 Certainly you made my mind and heart; you wove me together in my mother’s womb.
139:14 I will give you thanks because your deeds are awesome and amazing. You knew me thoroughly;
139:15 my bones were not hidden from you, when I was made in secret and sewed together in the depths of the earth.
139:16 Your eyes saw me when I was inside the womb. All the days ordained for me were recorded in your scroll before one of them came into existence.
139:17 How difficult it is for me to fathom your thoughts about me, O God!
How vast is their sum total!
139:18 If I tried to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. Even if I finished counting them, I would still have to contend with you.
139:19 If only you would kill the wicked, O God!
Get away from me, you violent men!
139:20 They rebel against you and act deceitfully; your enemies lie.
139:21 O Lord, do I not hate those who hate you, and despise those who oppose you?
139:22 I absolutely hate them, they have become my enemies!
139:23 Examine me, and probe my thoughts!
Test me, and know my concerns!
139:24 See if there is any idolatrous tendency in me, and lead me in the reliable ancient path!
145:1 A psalm of praise, by David.
I will extol you, my God, O king!
I will praise your name continually!
145:2 Every day I will praise you!
I will praise your name continually!
145:3 The Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise!
No one can fathom his greatness!
145:4 One generation will praise your deeds to another, and tell about your mighty acts!
145:5 I will focus on your honor and majestic splendor, and your amazing deeds!
145:6 They will proclaim the power of your awesome acts!
I will declare your great deeds!
145:7 They will talk about the fame of your great kindness, and sing about your justice.
145:8 The Lord is merciful and compassionate; he is patient and demonstrates great loyal love.
145:9 The Lord is good to all, and has compassion on all he has made.
145:10 All he has made will give thanks to the Lord. Your loyal followers will praise you.
145:11 They will proclaim the splendor of your kingdom; they will tell about your power,
145:12 so that mankind might acknowledge your mighty acts, and the majestic splendor of your kingdom.
145:13 Your kingdom is an eternal kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations.
145:14 The Lord supports all who fall, and lifts up all who are bent over.
145:15 Everything looks to you in anticipation, and you provide them with food on a regular basis.
145:16 You open your hand, and fill every living thing with the food they desire.
145:17 The Lord is just in all his actions, and exhibits love in all he does.
145:18 The Lord is near all who cry out to him, all who cry out to him sincerely.
145:19 He satisfies the desire of his loyal followers; he hears their cry for help and delivers them.
145:20 The Lord protects those who love him, but he destroys all the wicked.
145:21 My mouth will praise the Lord.
Let all who live praise his holy name forever!
Lord, Your character is what the Psalmists cited over and over as the point of reference for hope and for understanding – You never change. May I remember to trust in Your character and find my hope there. You are unique, powerful, and omni-present. May I never imagine that I may keep anything from You, may I rather be mindful that You know and see all things, and be more intentional every day to live rightly before You.
David’s thirtieth Psalm was yet another song of praise to the Lord; as the heading states this Psalm was prepared by David for use at the dedication of the Temple.
Psalm 108 was David’s typical prayer of petition and praise. He praised the Lord God for all that He had done but petitioned Him to return and to lead their armies as they were troubled in battle for His absence.
Psalm 109 was an imprecatory prayer of David that contained both petition and wisdom. David cited the many evils visited upon him by others, their curses and lies, and their persistent pursuit which had driven him to hunger and isolation. He pleaded with the Lord to visit their curses for him upon them and to rescue and restore him. Wisdom came in the form of the contrast between the actions of man and those of the Lord God “They curse, but you will bless.”
Psalm 110 was a prophetic prayer of David. From the NET Translator’s Notes: “In the psalm’s original context the speaker is an unidentified prophetic voice in the royal court. In the course of time the psalm is applied to each successive king in the dynasty and ultimately to the ideal Davidic king. NT references to the psalm understand David to be speaking about his “lord,” the Messiah. (See Matt 22:43-45; Mark 12:36-37; Luke 20:42-44; Acts 2:34-35).”
1 Chronicles
David explained to his young son, Solomon, why the Lord God did not allow him to build the Temple – but He had instructed that Solomon do so. David had spilled too much blood whereas Solomon would lead a kingdom at peace.
David informed Solomon that he had gathered resident foreigners in Israel and categorized them by trade so that the skilled artisans could be assigned tasks in the construction of the Temple.
David had also acquired massive quantities of brass, gold, iron, and silver along with cedar and other materials. Solomon was encouraged to add more but he had a huge start to the project.
David installed Solomon as king and then assigned the Levites to their responsibilities during the construction and operation of the tabernacle and the temple.
The balance of Chapter 23 and through Chapter 27 are scribal records of David’s Levitical, military, and other organizational assignments which may be viewed in any Bible.
Psalm 131 “O Israel, hope in the Lord now and forevermore!”
Psalm 138 began as a praise and concluded with a petition “When I cried out for help, you answered me. You made me bold and energized me … Do not abandon those whom you have made!” The author was David.
Psalm 139 was wisdom then concluded with a petition “You know when I sit down and when I get up; even from far away you understand my motives … Your knowledge is beyond my comprehension; it is so far beyond me, I am unable to fathom it. Where can I go to escape your spirit? Where can I flee to escape your presence? … Certainly you made my mind and heart; you wove me together in my mother’s womb … Your eyes saw me when I was inside the womb. All the days ordained for me were recorded in your scroll before one of them came into existence … Examine me, and probe my thoughts! Test me, and know my concerns! See if there is any idolatrous tendency in me, and lead me in the reliable ancient path!” The author was David.
Psalm 145 by David was praise “The Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise!” with wisdom “The Lord is near all who cry out to him, all who cry out to him sincerely.”
A persistent theme of the Psalms is both God’s justice and His mercy – and the context of generations of consistency. David had not only shed much blood in battle, an honorable act, yet one that would render one temporarily unclean in a ceremonial sense. This group of Psalms contains a powerful contrast between false gods and the One true God, a please for the destruction of those who had destroyed Jerusalem and enslaved the Israelites, and acknowledgment of the exceptional nature of the Lord God.
Could it be that the innocent blood David shed in the sad matter of his initial relationship with Solomon’s mother, Bathsheba, was what cost him the blessing of building the Temple? Why would David ask the Lord God to search and cleanse his heart?
The parallels between David’s times of fear and hunger and suffering and that of Israel are interesting. In some cases it was the wrong choices of one in power, Saul, rather than David’s sin which caused bad things to happen to him, in other cases it was the repeated sin of Israel that brought them calamity. David instructed young Solomon “... may the Lord give you insight and understanding when he places you in charge of Israel, so you may obey the law of the Lord your God.”, perhaps priming him to request the gift of wisdom when the Lord God asked. It is notable that he did not need for money or power as David had handed that to him. Psalm 139 contains two texts which are sometimes misapplied to proof-text the doctrines of fatalism and predestination “… you wove me together in my mother’s womb … All the days ordained for me were recorded in your scroll before one of them came into existence …” but such an interpretation is in conflict with many other Biblical texts. The reader must remember that David was prone to broad emotional declarations and not everything he wrote was intended to be doctrine.
Your eyes saw me when I was inside the womb. All the days ordained for me were recorded in your scroll before one of them came into existence … Examine me, and probe my thoughts! Test me, and know my concerns! See if there is any idolatrous tendency in me, and lead me in the reliable ancient path!” When have you experienced or observed a door being closed to an opportunity as a consequence of a past poor choice? The author was David. When have you cried out to the Lord to destroy someone who was troubling you?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a bigger-picture understanding of the Lord God’s justice and mercy surrounding your circumstances and to encourage you to invite Him to examine you for any tendencies toward idolatry and to purge it from your life.
Today I will read my Bible, spend time in prayerful reflection, and listen for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I will receive His comfort and assurance that He is in control. I will also accept His perspective that I am His child and may not know until Heaven all of the answers to all of my ‘why’s’, but that I may rest in His assurance that His justice and mercy are perfect. I will prayerfully and reflectively make a list of things in my life that distract me from the Lord God. I will surrender all of them to the Lord and ask Him to only return those things that will not function as idols, even in the smallest way, and to remove my desire for anything that will. When have you struggled and found perspective in reading the Psalms?
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Divisions of Gatekeepers
26:1 The divisions of the gatekeepers:
From the Korahites: Meshelemiah, son of Kore, one of the sons of Asaph.
26:2 Meshelemiah’s sons:
The firstborn Zechariah, the second Jediael, the third Zebadiah, the fourth Jathniel, 26:3 the fifth Elam, the sixth Jehohanan, and the seventh Elihoenai.
26:4 Obed-Edom’s sons:
The firstborn Shemaiah, the second Jehozabad, the third Joah, the fourth Sakar, the fifth Nethanel, 26:5 the sixth Ammiel, the seventh Issachar, and the eighth Peullethai. (Indeed, God blessed Obed-Edom.)
26:6 His son Shemaiah also had sons, who were leaders of their families, for they were highly respected. 26:7 The sons of Shemaiah:
Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad. His relatives Elihu and Semakiah were also respected.
26:8 All these were the descendants of Obed-Edom. They and their sons and relatives were respected men, capable of doing their responsibilities. There were sixty-two of them related to Obed-Edom.
26:9 Meshelemiah had sons and relatives who were respected – eighteen in all.
26:10 Hosah, one of the descendants of Merari, had sons:
The firstborn Shimri (he was not actually the firstborn, but his father gave him that status), 26:11 the second Hilkiah, the third Tebaliah, and the fourth Zechariah. All of Hosah’s sons and relatives numbered thirteen.
26:12 These divisions of the gatekeepers, corresponding to their leaders, had assigned responsibilities, like their relatives, as they served in the Lord’s temple.
26:13 They cast lots, both young and old, according to their families, to determine which gate they would be responsible for. 26:14 The lot for the east gate went to Shelemiah. They then cast lots for his son Zechariah, a wise adviser, and the lot for the north gate went to him. 26:15 Obed-Edom was assigned the south gate, and his sons were assigned the storehouses. 26:16 Shuppim and Hosah were assigned the west gate, along with the Shalleketh gate on the upper road. One guard was adjacent to another. 26:17 Each day there were six Levites posted on the east, four on the north, and four on the south. At the storehouses they were posted in pairs. 26:18 At the court on the west there were four posted on the road and two at the court. 26:19 These were the divisions of the gatekeepers who were descendants of Korah and Merari.
Supervisors of the Storehouses
26:20 Their fellow Levites were in charge of the storehouses in God’s temple and the storehouses containing consecrated items. 26:21 The descendants of Ladan, who were descended from Gershon through Ladan and were leaders of the families of Ladan the Gershonite, included Jehieli 26:22 and the sons of Jehieli, Zetham and his brother Joel. They were in charge of the storehouses in the Lord’s temple.
26:23 As for the Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites, and Uzzielites:
26:24 Shebuel son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was the supervisor of the storehouses. 26:25 His relatives through Eliezer included: Rehabiah his son, Jeshaiah his son, Joram his son, Zikri his son, and Shelomith his son. 26:26 Shelomith and his relatives were in charge of all the storehouses containing the consecrated items dedicated by King David, the family leaders who led units of a thousand and a hundred, and the army officers. 26:27 They had dedicated some of the plunder taken in battles to be used for repairs on the Lord’s temple. 26:28 They were also in charge of everything dedicated by Samuel the prophet, Saul son of Kish, Abner son of Ner, and Joab son of Zeruiah; Shelomith and his relatives were in charge of everything that had been dedicated.
26:29 As for the Izharites: Kenaniah and his sons were given responsibilities outside the temple as officers and judges over Israel.
26:30 As for the Hebronites: Hashabiah and his relatives, 1,700 respected men, were assigned responsibilities in Israel west of the Jordan; they did the Lord’s work and the king’s service.
26:31 As for the Hebronites: Jeriah was the leader of the Hebronites according to the genealogical records. In the fortieth year of David’s reign, they examined the records and discovered there were highly respected men in Jazer in Gilead. 26:32 Jeriah had 2,700 relatives who were respected family leaders. King David placed them in charge of the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh; they took care of all matters pertaining to God and the king.
Leaders of the Army
27:1 What follows is a list of Israelite family leaders and commanders of units of a thousand and a hundred, as well as their officers who served the king in various matters. Each division was assigned to serve for one month during the year; each consisted of 24,000 men.
27:2 Jashobeam son of Zabdiel was in charge of the first division, which was assigned the first month. His division consisted of 24,000 men. 27:3 He was a descendant of Perez; he was in charge of all the army officers for the first month.
27:4 Dodai the Ahohite was in charge of the division assigned the second month; Mikloth was the next in rank. His division consisted of 24,000 men.
27:5 The third army commander, assigned the third month, was Benaiah son of Jehoiada the priest. He was the leader of his division, which consisted of 24,000 men. 27:6 Benaiah was the leader of the thirty warriors and his division; his son was Ammizabad.
27:7 The fourth, assigned the fourth month, was Asahel, brother of Joab; his son Zebadiah succeeded him. His division consisted of 24,000 men.
27:8 The fifth, assigned the fifth month, was the commander Shamhuth the Izrahite. His division consisted of 24,000 men.
27:9 The sixth, assigned the sixth month, was Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite. His division consisted of 24,000 men.
27:10 The seventh, assigned the seventh month, was Helez the Pelonite, an Ephraimite. His division consisted of 24,000 men.
27:11 The eighth, assigned the eighth month, was Sibbekai the Hushathite, a Zerahite. His division consisted of 24,000 men.
27:12 The ninth, assigned the ninth month, was Abiezer the Anathothite, a Benjaminite. His division consisted of 24,000 men.
27:13 The tenth, assigned the tenth month, was Maharai the Netophathite, a Zerahite. His division consisted of 24,000 men.
27:14 The eleventh, assigned the eleventh month, was Benaiah the Pirathonite, an Ephraimite. His division consisted of 24,000 men.
27:15 The twelfth, assigned the twelfth month, was Heldai the Netophathite, a descendant of Othniel. His division consisted of 24,000 men.
27:16 The officers of the Israelite tribes:
Eliezer son of Zikri was the leader of the Reubenites,
Shephatiah son of Maacah led the Simeonites,
27:17 Hashabiah son of Kemuel led the Levites,
Zadok led the descendants of Aaron,
27:18 Elihu, a brother of David, led Judah,
Omri son of Michael led Issachar,
27:19 Ishmaiah son of Obadiah led Zebulun,
Jerimoth son of Azriel led Naphtali,
27:20 Hoshea son of Azaziah led the Ephraimites,
Joel son of Pedaiah led the half-tribe of Manasseh,
27:21 Iddo son of Zechariah led the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead,
Jaasiel son of Abner led Benjamin,
27:22 Azarel son of Jeroham led Dan.
These were the commanders of the Israelite tribes.
27:23 David did not count the males twenty years old and under, for the Lord had promised to make Israel as numerous as the stars in the sky. 27:24 Joab son of Zeruiah started to count the men but did not finish. God was angry with Israel because of this, so the number was not recorded in the scroll called The Annals of King David.
Royal Officials
27:25 Azmaveth son of Adiel was in charge of the king’s storehouses;
Jonathan son of Uzziah was in charge of the storehouses in the field, in the cities, in the towns, and in the towers.
27:26 Ezri son of Kelub was in charge of the field workers who farmed the land.
27:27 Shimei the Ramathite was in charge of the vineyards;
Zabdi the Shiphmite was in charge of the wine stored in the vineyards.
27:28 Baal-Hanan the Gederite was in charge of the olive and sycamore trees in the lowlands;
Joash was in charge of the storehouses of olive oil.
27:29 Shitrai the Sharonite was in charge of the cattle grazing in Sharon;
Shaphat son of Adlai was in charge of the cattle in the valleys.
27:30 Obil the Ishmaelite was in charge of the camels;
Jehdeiah the Meronothite was in charge of the donkeys.
27:31 Jaziz the Hagrite was in charge of the sheep.
All these were the officials in charge of King David’s property.
27:32 Jonathan, David’s uncle, was a wise adviser and scribe;
Jehiel son of Hacmoni cared for the king’s sons.
27:33 Ahithophel was the king’s adviser;
Hushai the Arkite was the king’s confidant.
27:34 Ahithophel was succeeded by Jehoiada son of Benaiah and by Abiathar.
Joab was the commanding general of the king’s army.
David Commissions Solomon to Build the Temple
28:1 David assembled in Jerusalem all the officials of Israel, including the commanders of the tribes, the commanders of the army divisions that served the king, the commanders of units of a thousand and a hundred, the officials who were in charge of all the property and livestock of the king and his sons, the eunuchs, and the warriors, including the most skilled of them.
28:2 King David rose to his feet and said: “Listen to me, my brothers and my people. I wanted to build a temple where the ark of the Lord’s covenant could be placed as a footstool for our God. I have made the preparations for building it. 28:3 But God said to me, ‘You must not build a temple to honor me, for you are a warrior and have spilled blood.’ 28:4 The Lord God of Israel chose me out of my father’s entire family to become king over Israel and have a permanent dynasty. Indeed, he chose Judah as leader, and my father’s family within Judah, and then he picked me out from among my father’s sons and made me king over all Israel. 28:5 From all the many sons the Lord has given me, he chose Solomon my son to rule on his behalf over Israel. 28:6 He said to me, ‘Solomon your son is the one who will build my temple and my courts, for I have chosen him to become my son and I will become his father. 28:7 I will establish his kingdom permanently, if he remains committed to obeying my commands and regulations, as you are doing this day.’ 28:8 So now, in the sight of all Israel, the Lord’s assembly, and in the hearing of our God, I say this: Carefully observe all the commands of the Lord your God, so that you may possess this good land and may leave it as a permanent inheritance for your children after you.
28:9 “And you, Solomon my son, obey the God of your father and serve him with a submissive attitude and a willing spirit, for the Lord examines all minds and understands every motive of one’s thoughts. If you seek him, he will let you find him, but if you abandon him, he will reject you permanently. 28:10 Realize now that the Lord has chosen you to build a temple as his sanctuary. Be strong and do it!”
28:11 David gave to his son Solomon the blueprints for the temple porch, its buildings, its treasuries, its upper areas, its inner rooms, and the room for atonement. 28:12 He gave him the blueprints of all he envisioned for the courts of the Lord’s temple, all the surrounding rooms, the storehouses of God’s temple, and the storehouses for the holy items.
28:13 He gave him the regulations for the divisions of priests and Levites, for all the assigned responsibilities within the Lord’s temple, and for all the items used in the service of the Lord’s temple.
28:14 He gave him the prescribed weight for all the gold items to be used in various types of service in the Lord’s temple, for all the silver items to be used in various types of service, 28:15 for the gold lampstands and their gold lamps, including the weight of each lampstand and its lamps, for the silver lampstands, including the weight of each lampstand and its lamps, according to the prescribed use of each lampstand, 28:16 for the gold used in the display tables, including the amount to be used in each table, for the silver to be used in the silver tables, 28:17 for the pure gold used for the meat forks, bowls, and jars, for the small gold bowls, including the weight for each bowl, for the small silver bowls, including the weight for each bowl, 28:18 and for the refined gold of the incense altar.
He gave him the blueprint for the seat of the gold cherubim that spread their wings and provide shelter for the ark of the Lord’s covenant.
28:19 David said, “All of this I put in writing as the Lord directed me and gave me insight regarding the details of the blueprints.”
28:20 David said to his son Solomon: “Be strong and brave! Do it! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic! For the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not leave you or abandon you before all the work for the service of the Lord’s temple is finished. 28:21 Here are the divisions of the priests and Levites who will perform all the service of God’s temple. All the willing and skilled men are ready to assist you in all the work and perform their service. The officials and all the people are ready to follow your instructions.”
The People Contribute to the Project
29:1 King David said to the entire assembly: “My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is just an inexperienced young man, and the task is great, for this palace is not for man, but for the Lord God. 29:2 So I have made every effort to provide what is needed for the temple of my God, including the gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, as well as a large amount of onyx, settings of antimony and other stones, all kinds of precious stones, and alabaster. 29:3 Now, to show my commitment to the temple of my God, I donate my personal treasure of gold and silver to the temple of my God, in addition to all that I have already supplied for this holy temple. 29:4 This includes 3,000 talents of gold from Ophir and 7,000 talents of refined silver for overlaying the walls of the buildings, 29:5 for gold and silver items, and for all the work of the craftsmen. Who else wants to contribute to the Lord today?”
29:6 The leaders of the families, the leaders of the Israelite tribes, the commanders of units of a thousand and a hundred, and the supervisors of the king’s work contributed willingly. 29:7 They donated for the service of God’s temple 5,000 talents and ten thousand darics of gold, 10,000 talents of silver, 18,000 talents of bronze, and 100,000 talents of iron. 29:8 All who possessed precious stones donated them to the treasury of the Lord’s temple, which was under the supervision of Jehiel the Gershonite. 29:9 The people were delighted with their donations, for they contributed to the Lord with a willing attitude; King David was also very happy.
David Praises the Lord
29:10 David praised the Lord before the entire assembly:
“O Lord God of our father Israel, you deserve praise forevermore! 29:11 O Lord, you are great, mighty, majestic, magnificent, glorious, and sovereign over all the sky and earth! You have dominion and exalt yourself as the ruler of all. 29:12 You are the source of wealth and honor; you rule over all. You possess strength and might to magnify and give strength to all. 29:13 Now, our God, we give thanks to you and praise your majestic name!
29:14 “But who am I and who are my people, that we should be in a position to contribute this much? Indeed, everything comes from you, and we have simply given back to you what is yours. 29:15 For we are resident foreigners and nomads in your presence, like all our ancestors; our days are like a shadow on the earth, without security. 29:16 O Lord our God, all this wealth, which we have collected to build a temple for you to honor your holy name, comes from you; it all belongs to you. 29:17 I know, my God, that you examine thoughts and are pleased with integrity. With pure motives I contribute all this; and now I look with joy as your people who have gathered here contribute to you. 29:18 O Lord God of our ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, maintain the motives of your people and keep them devoted to you. 29:19 Make my son Solomon willing to obey your commands, rules, and regulations, and to complete building the palace for which I have made preparations.”
29:20 David told the entire assembly: “Praise the Lord your God!” So the entire assembly praised the Lord God of their ancestors; they bowed down and stretched out flat on the ground before the Lord and the king.
David Designates Solomon King
29:21 The next day they made sacrifices and offered burnt sacrifices to the Lord (1,000 bulls, 1,000 rams, 1,000 lambs), along with their accompanying drink offerings and many other sacrifices for all Israel. 29:22 They held a feast before the Lord that day and celebrated.
Then they designated Solomon, David’s son, as king a second time; before the Lord they anointed him as ruler and Zadok as priest. 29:23 Solomon sat on the Lord’s throne as king in place of his father David; he was successful and all Israel was loyal to him. 29:24 All the officers and warriors, as well as all of King David’s sons, pledged their allegiance to King Solomon. 29:25 The Lord greatly magnified Solomon before all Israel and bestowed on him greater majesty than any king of Israel before him.
David’s Reign Comes to an End
29:26 David son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. 29:27 He reigned over Israel forty years; he reigned in Hebron seven years and in Jerusalem thirty-three years. 29:28 He died at a good old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth, and honor. His son Solomon succeeded him. 29:29 King David’s accomplishments, from start to finish, are recorded in the Annals of Samuel the prophet, the Annals of Nathan the prophet, and the Annals of Gad the prophet. 29:30 Recorded there are all the facts about his reign and accomplishments, and an account of the events that involved him, Israel, and all the neighboring kingdoms.
Psalms
127:1 A song of ascents, by Solomon.
If the Lord does not build a house, then those who build it work in vain. If the Lord does not guard a city, then the watchman stands guard in vain.
127:2 It is vain for you to rise early, come home late, and work so hard for your food.
Yes, he can provide for those whom he loves even when they sleep.
127:3 Yes, sons are a gift from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward.
127:4 Sons born during one’s youth are like arrows in a warrior’s hand.
127:5 How blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!
They will not be put to shame when they confront enemies at the city gate.
111:1 Praise the Lord!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
in the assembly of the godly and the congregation.
111:2 The Lord’s deeds are great,
eagerly awaited by all who desire them.
111:3 His work is majestic and glorious,
and his faithfulness endures forever.
111:4 He does amazing things that will be remembered;
the Lord is merciful and compassionate.
111:5 He gives food to his faithful followers;
he always remembers his covenant.
111:6 He announced that he would do mighty deeds for his people,
giving them a land that belonged to other nations.
111:7 His acts are characterized by faithfulness and justice;
all his precepts are reliable.
111:8 They are forever firm,
and should be faithfully and properly carried out.
111:9 He delivered his people;
he ordained that his covenant be observed forever.
His name is holy and awesome.
111:10 To obey the Lord is the fundamental principle for wise living;
all who carry out his precepts acquire good moral insight.
He will receive praise forever.
112:1 Praise the Lord!
How blessed is the one who obeys the Lord, who takes great delight in keeping his commands.
112:2 His descendants will be powerful on the earth; the godly will be blessed.
112:3 His house contains wealth and riches; his integrity endures.
112:4 In the darkness a light shines for the godly, for each one who is merciful, compassionate, and just.
112:5 It goes well for the one who generously lends money, and conducts his business honestly.
112:6 For he will never be upended; others will always remember one who is just.
112:7 He does not fear bad news. He is confident; he trusts in the Lord.
112:8 His resolve is firm; he will not succumb to fear before he looks in triumph on his enemies.
112:9 He generously gives to the needy; his integrity endures. He will be vindicated and honored.
112:10 When the wicked see this, they will worry; they will grind their teeth in frustration and melt away; the desire of the wicked will perish.
113:1 Praise the Lord!
Praise, you servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord!
113:2 May the Lord’s name be praised now and forevermore!
113:3 From east to west the Lord’s name is deserving of praise.
113:4 The Lord is exalted over all the nations; his splendor reaches beyond the sky.
113:5 Who can compare to the Lord our God, who sits on a high throne?
113:6 He bends down to look at the sky and the earth.
113:7 He raises the poor from the dirt, and lifts up the needy from the garbage pile,
113:8 that he might seat him with princes, with the princes of his people.
113:9 He makes the barren woman of the family a happy mother of children.
Praise the Lord!
114:1 When Israel left Egypt, when the family of Jacob left a foreign nation behind,
114:2 Judah became his sanctuary, Israel his kingdom.
114:3 The sea looked and fled; the Jordan River turned back.
114:4 The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs.
114:5 Why do you flee, O sea?
Why do you turn back, O Jordan River?
114:6 Why do you skip like rams, O mountains, like lambs, O hills?
114:7 Tremble, O earth, before the Lord – before the God of Jacob,
114:8 who turned a rock into a pool of water, a hard rock into springs of water!
115:1 Not to us, O Lord, not to us!
But to your name bring honor, for the sake of your loyal love and faithfulness.
115:2 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”
115:3 Our God is in heaven!
He does whatever he pleases!
115:4 Their idols are made of silver and gold – they are man-made.
115:5 They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see,
115:6 ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell,
115:7 hands, but cannot touch, feet, but cannot walk. They cannot even clear their throats.
115:8 Those who make them will end up like them, as will everyone who trusts in them.
115:9 O Israel, trust in the Lord!
He is their deliverer and protector.
115:10 O family of Aaron, trust in the Lord!
He is their deliverer and protector.
115:11 You loyal followers of the Lord, trust in the Lord!
He is their deliverer and protector.
115:12 The Lord takes notice of us, he will bless – he will bless the family of Israel, he will bless the family of Aaron.
115:13 He will bless his loyal followers, both young and old.
115:14 May he increase your numbers, yours and your children’s!
115:15 May you be blessed by the Lord, the creator of heaven and earth!
115:16 The heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth he has given to mankind.
115:17 The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any of those who descend into the silence of death.
115:18 But we will praise the Lord now and forevermore.
Praise the Lord!
116:1 I love the Lord because he heard my plea for mercy,
116:2 and listened to me. As long as I live, I will call to him when I need help.
116:3 The ropes of death tightened around me, the snares of Sheol confronted me. I was confronted with trouble and sorrow.
116:4 I called on the name of the Lord, “Please Lord, rescue my life!”
116:5 The Lord is merciful and fair; our God is compassionate.
116:6 The Lord protects the untrained; I was in serious trouble and he delivered me.
116:7 Rest once more, my soul, for the Lord has vindicated you.
116:8 Yes, Lord, you rescued my life from death, and kept my feet from stumbling.
116:9 I will serve the Lord in the land of the living.
116:10 I had faith when I said, “I am severely oppressed.”
116:11 I rashly declared, “All men are liars.”
116:12 How can I repay the Lord for all his acts of kindness to me?
116:13 I will celebrate my deliverance, and call on the name of the Lord.
116:14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord before all his people.
116:15 The Lord values the lives of his faithful followers.
116:16 Yes, Lord! I am indeed your servant; I am your lowest slave. You saved me from death.
116:17 I will present a thank offering to you, and call on the name of the Lord.
116:18 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord before all his people,
116:19 in the courts of the Lord’s temple, in your midst, O Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord!
117:1 Praise the Lord, all you nations!
Applaud him, all you foreigners!
117:2 For his loyal love towers over us, and the Lord’s faithfulness endures.
Praise the Lord!
118:1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good and his loyal love endures!
118:2 Let Israel say, “Yes, his loyal love endures!”
118:3 Let the family of Aaron say, “Yes, his loyal love endures!”
118:4 Let the loyal followers of the Lord say, “Yes, his loyal love endures!”
118:5 In my distress I cried out to the Lord. The Lord answered me and put me in a wide open place.
118:6 The Lord is on my side, I am not afraid!
What can people do to me?
118:7 The Lord is on my side as my helper. I look in triumph on those who hate me.
118:8 It is better to take shelter in the Lord than to trust in people.
118:9 It is better to take shelter in the Lord than to trust in princes.
118:10 All the nations surrounded me. Indeed, in the name of the Lord I pushed them away.
118:11 They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me. Indeed, in the name of the Lord I pushed them away.
118:12 They surrounded me like bees. But they disappeared as quickly as a fire among thorns. Indeed, in the name of the Lord I pushed them away.
118:13 “You aggressively attacked me and tried to knock me down, but the Lord helped me.
118:14 The Lord gives me strength and protects me; he has become my deliverer.”
118:15 They celebrate deliverance in the tents of the godly. The Lord’s right hand conquers,
118:16 the Lord’s right hand gives victory, the Lord’s right hand conquers.
118:17 I will not die, but live, and I will proclaim what the Lord has done.
118:18 The Lord severely punished me, but he did not hand me over to death.
118:19 Open for me the gates of the just king’s temple!
I will enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.
118:20 This is the Lord’s gate – the godly enter through it.
118:21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me, and have become my deliverer.
118:22 The stone which the builders discarded has become the cornerstone.
118:23 This is the Lord’s work.
We consider it amazing!
118:24 This is the day the Lord has brought about. We will be happy and rejoice in it.
118:25 Please Lord, deliver!
Please Lord, grant us success!
118:26 May the one who comes in the name of the Lord be blessed!
We will pronounce blessings on you in the Lord’s temple.
118:27 The Lord is God and he has delivered us.
Tie the offering with ropes to the horns of the altar!
118:28 You are my God and I will give you thanks!
You are my God and I will praise you!
118:29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good and his loyal love endures!
Lord, You bless the humble and obedient, and you provide all that we need to serve You. May I be attentive to the keeping of my responsibilities in our relationship, my Lord and King. Lord, You never change, Your character and characteristics are not subject to the things of Your creation – people or place or time. May I find confidence in Your unchanging perfection.
David calls the leaders of the kingdom together and reviews the preparations made for Solomon to build the Temple. He explains why the Lord God did not permit him to do so then celebrates all that the Lord had done to bring him out of his humble existence as a boy-shepherd and through forty years as king.
They again anointed and celebrated the installation of Solomon as king.
David commissions Solomon before the leaders to take all of the designs and materials and workers and to build God’s earthly Temple. He donated a huge amount of gold, above what he had gathered, and challenged the leaders to do the same – which they did generously and gladly – then they celebrated that the Lord had so blessed them that they could give so much back to Him.
David warned Solomon that to maintain the peace and prosperity that he must live before the Lord God as David now was, humble and obedient, because to do otherwise would risk the loss of God’s blessings.
Psalm 127 “If the Lord does not build a house, then those who build it work in vain. If the Lord does not guard a city, then the watchman stands guard in vain.”
Psalm 111 was praise with an interesting teaching method and wisdom – the author lists the characteristics of the Lord God for which His people are to give Him praise and then concluded with “To obey the Lord is the fundamental principle for wise living; all who carry out his precepts acquire good moral insight. He will receive praise forever.”
From the NET Translator’s Notes: “The psalmist praises God for his marvelous deeds, especially the way in which he provides for and delivers his people. The psalm is an acrostic. After the introductory call to praise, every poetic line (twenty-two in all) begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.” The author was not identified in the text.
Psalms 112 - 117 continued the praise theme, based upon the characteristics and deeds of the Lord God, begun in Psalm 111. The author(s) are not identified in the text.
Psalm 118 also continued the praise theme and added the prophetic phrase “The stone which the builders discarded has become the cornerstone.” which was later applied to Jesus. The author was not identified in the text.
David was careful to link God’s blessings to his current state of humble-obedience rather than indulge in a false declaration that he had always lived that way before the Lord. The references to Jesus, the Messiah, in the Psalms become an element of the argument against the religious leaders of the time of Jesus as they should have recognized Him from the prophetic descriptions – in the Psalms and elsewhere in the OT.
Why would David believe it was necessary to warn Solomon about the need to be constantly humble and obedient before the Lord? Given the obvious-to-us description of Jesus in the OT prophetic texts why would the religious leaders have failed to recognize Jesus?
There was a great emphasis on Solomon’s immaturity and youth, massive resources provided to him so that he had no needs, and great power – it all seemed a bit much to ask a young man who was unused to the process of making good choices to manage this well.
When have you experienced or observed someone immature and young who received great wealth and/or power. Did they handle it well? When have you used an acrostic to remember something important?
Ask the Holy Spirit to identify a young person in ministry who needs encouragement, help, and prayer so that they are not overwhelmed and then compromised by the enemy, and to reveal you a place in your walk where you would benefit from a greater knowledge of the character and characteristics of the Lord God.
Today I will pray for the young person you identify to me. I will respectfully encourage them, and I will help them as is appropriate. I will begin a week of reading Psalms 111 – 118, one each day – more than once each day – so that the character and characteristics of the Lord God are more deeply written upon my heart.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 32
119:1 א (Alef)
How blessed are those whose actions are blameless, who obey the law of the Lord.
119:2 How blessed are those who observe his rules,
and seek him with all their heart,
119:3 who, moreover, do no wrong,
but follow in his footsteps.
119:4 You demand that your precepts
be carefully kept.
119:5 If only I were predisposed
to keep your statutes!
119:6 Then I would not be ashamed,
if I were focused on all your commands.
119:7 I will give you sincere thanks,
when I learn your just regulations.
119:8 I will keep your statutes.
Do not completely abandon me!
119:9 ב (Bet)
How can a young person maintain a pure life?
By guarding it according to your instructions!
119:10 With all my heart I seek you.
Do not allow me to stray from your commands!
119:11 In my heart I store up your words,
so I might not sin against you.
119:12 You deserve praise, O Lord!
Teach me your statutes!
119:13 With my lips I proclaim
all the regulations you have revealed.
119:14 I rejoice in the lifestyle prescribed by your rules
as if they were riches of all kinds.
119:15 I will meditate on your precepts
and focus on your behavior.
119:16 I find delight in your statutes;
I do not forget your instructions.
119:17 ג (Gimel)
Be kind to your servant!
Then I will live and keep your instructions.
119:18 Open my eyes so I can truly see
the marvelous things in your law!
119:19 I am like a foreigner in this land.
Do not hide your commands from me!
119:20 I desperately long to know
your regulations at all times.
119:21 You reprimand arrogant people.
Those who stray from your commands are doomed.
119:22 Spare me shame and humiliation,
for I observe your rules.
119:23 Though rulers plot and slander me,
your servant meditates on your statutes.
119:24 Yes, I find delight in your rules;
they give me guidance.
119:25 ד (Dalet)
I collapse in the dirt.
Revive me with your word!
119:26 I told you about my ways and you answered me.
Teach me your statutes!
119:27 Help me to understand what your precepts mean!
Then I can meditate on your marvelous teachings.
119:28 I collapse from grief.
Sustain me by your word!
119:29 Remove me from the path of deceit!
Graciously give me your law!
119:30 I choose the path of faithfulness;
I am committed to your regulations.
119:31 I hold fast to your rules.
O Lord, do not let me be ashamed!
119:32 I run along the path of your commands,
for you enable me to do so.
119:33 ה (He)
Teach me, O Lord, the lifestyle prescribed by your statutes,
so that I might observe it continually.
119:34 Give me understanding so that I might observe your law,
and keep it with all my heart.
119:35 Guide me in the path of your commands,
for I delight to walk in it.
119:36 Give me a desire for your rules,
rather than for wealth gained unjustly.
119:37 Turn my eyes away from what is worthless!
Revive me with your word!
119:38 Confirm to your servant your promise,
which you made to the one who honors you.
119:39 Take away the insults that I dread!
Indeed, your regulations are good.
119:40 Look, I long for your precepts.
Revive me with your deliverance!
119:41 ו (Vav)
May I experience your loyal love, 64 O Lord,
and your deliverance, as you promised.
119:42 Then I will have a reply for the one who insults me,
for I trust in your word.
119:43 Do not completely deprive me of a truthful testimony,
for I await your justice.
119:44 Then I will keep your law continually now and for all time.
119:45 I will be secure,
for I seek your precepts.
119:46 I will speak about your regulations before kings
and not be ashamed.
119:47 I will find delight in your commands,
which I love.
119:48 I will lift my hands to your commands,
which I love,
and I will meditate on your statutes.
119:49 ז (Zayin)
Remember your word to your servant,
for you have given me hope.
119:50 This is what comforts me in my trouble,
for your promise revives me.
119:51 Arrogant people do nothing but scoff at me.
Yet I do not turn aside from your law.
119:52 I remember your ancient regulations,
O Lord, and console myself.
119:53 Rage takes hold of me because of the wicked,
those who reject your law.
119:54 Your statutes have been my songs
in the house where I live.
119:55 I remember your name during the night, O Lord,
and I will keep your law.
119:56 This has been my practice,
for I observe your precepts.
119:57 ח (Khet)
The Lord is my source of security.
I have determined to follow your instructions.
119:58 I seek your favor with all my heart.
Have mercy on me as you promised!
119:59 I consider my actions
and follow your rules.
119:60 I keep your commands
eagerly and without delay.
119:61 The ropes of the wicked tighten around me,
but I do not forget your law.
119:62 In the middle of the night I arise to thank you
for your just regulations.
119:63 I am a friend to all your loyal followers,
and to those who keep your precepts.
119:64 O Lord, your loyal love fills the earth.
Teach me your statutes!
119:65 ט (Tet)
You are good to your servant,
O Lord, just as you promised.
119:66 Teach me proper discernment and understanding!
For I consider your commands to be reliable.
119:67 Before I was afflicted I used to stray off,
but now I keep your instructions.
119:68 You are good and you do good.
Teach me your statutes!
119:69 Arrogant people smear my reputation with lies,
but I observe your precepts with all my heart.
119:70 Their hearts are calloused,
but I find delight in your law.
119:71 It was good for me to suffer,
so that I might learn your statutes.
119:72 The law you have revealed is more important to me
than thousands of pieces of gold and silver.
119:73 י (Yod)
Your hands made me and formed me.
Give me understanding so that I might learn your commands.
119:74 Your loyal followers will be glad when they see me,
for I find hope in your word.
119:75 I know, Lord, that your regulations are just.
You disciplined me because of your faithful devotion to me.
119:76 May your loyal love console me,
as you promised your servant.
119:77 May I experience your compassion, so I might live!
For I find delight in your law.
119:78 May the arrogant be humiliated, for they have slandered me!
But I meditate on your precepts.
119:79 May your loyal followers turn to me,
those who know your rules.
119:80 May I be fully committed to your statutes, so that I might not be ashamed.
119:81 כ (Kaf)
I desperately long for your deliverance.
I find hope in your word.
119:82 My eyes grow tired as I wait for your promise to be fulfilled.
I say, “When will you comfort me?”
119:83 For I am like a wineskin dried up in smoke.
I do not forget your statutes.
119:84 How long must your servant endure this?
When will you judge those who pursue me?
119:85 The arrogant dig pits to trap me,
which violates your law.
119:86 All your commands are reliable.
I am pursued without reason. Help me!
119:87 They have almost destroyed me here on the earth,
but I do not reject your precepts.
119:88 Revive me with your loyal love,
that I might keep the rules you have revealed.
Lord, no matter my circumstances may I always follow Your precepts rather than allowing the values of the fallen-world to displace Your perfect values.
Psalm 119 begins with wisdom “How blessed are those whose actions are blameless, who obey the law of the Lord.
How blessed are those who observe his rules,
and seek him with all their heart,
who, moreover, do no wrong,
but follow in his footsteps.
You demand that your precepts
be carefully kept.
If only I were predisposed
to keep your statutes!”
From the NET Translator's Notes: “This lengthy psalm exhibits an elaborate acrostic pattern. The psalm is divided into twenty-two sections (corresponding to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet), each of which is comprised of eight verses. Each of the verses in the first section (vv. 1-8) begins with the letter alef (א), the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This pattern continues throughout the psalm as each new section highlights a successive letter of the alphabet. Each verse in section two (vv. 9-16) begins with the second letter of the alphabet, each verse in section three (vv. 17-24) with the third letter, etc. This rigid pattern creates a sense of order and completeness and may have facilitated memorization.”
The author observes that obedience is a choice and reinforcement requires an intentional immersion in the Word “Your statutes have been my songs in the house where I live …”
The author taught felicity to faithful fellow believers “I am a friend to all your loyal followers, and to those who keep your precepts.”
Discipline is chastisement which purpose is to mature, therefore it is an act of love from our perfect Father in Heaven “I know, Lord, that your regulations are just.
The author includes a petition for rescue “I desperately long for your deliverance. I find hope in your word.” and a piece of wisdom “The arrogant dig pits to trap me, which violates your law.”
Strength from hope based on an eternal perspective is reasonable “All your commands are reliable ... They have almost destroyed me here on the earth, but I do not reject your precepts.”
As was present throughout the prior Psalms, here once again, is the theme of confidence in the Lord - despite ones circumstances.
Why would the author ask the Lord God to turn his eyes away from what is worthless? Couldn't he do that himself?
Is it not still the case that some in fellowships “... dig pits to trap” others in order to make themselves look better to other people, which violates the teaching of the Bible – to help those who stumble and to ourselves be humble?
When has it taken some sort of 'affliction' to stop you from 'wandering off'? (“Before I was afflicted I used to stray off, but now I keep your instructions.” 119:67)
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place when you wander off from the Lord..
Today I will confess and repent of my wandering off, seek and accept Your forgiveness, then endeavor to avoid that rebellious conduct (and the thought-life which leads to it).
Be Specific ________________________________________________
71:1 In you, O Lord, I have taken shelter!
Never let me be humiliated!
71:2 Vindicate me by rescuing me!
Listen to me! Deliver me!
71:3 Be my protector and refuge, a stronghold where I can be safe!
For you are my high ridge and my stronghold.
71:4 My God, rescue me from the power of the wicked, from the hand of the cruel oppressor!
71:5 For you give me confidence, O Lord; O Lord, I have trusted in you since I was young.
71:6 I have leaned on you since birth; you pulled me from my mother’s womb. I praise you continually.
71:7 Many are appalled when they see me, but you are my secure shelter.
71:8 I praise you constantly and speak of your splendor all day long.
71:9 Do not reject me in my old age!
When my strength fails, do not abandon me!
71:10 For my enemies talk about me; those waiting for a chance to kill me plot my demise.
71:11 They say, “God has abandoned him. Run and seize him, for there is no one who will rescue him!”
71:12 O God, do not remain far away from me!
My God, hurry and help me!
71:13 May my accusers be humiliated and defeated!
May those who want to harm me be covered with scorn and disgrace!
71:14 As for me, I will wait continually, and will continue to praise you.
71:15 I will tell about your justice, and all day long proclaim your salvation, though I cannot fathom its full extent.
71:16 I will come and tell about the mighty acts of the sovereign Lord. I will proclaim your justice – yours alone.
71:17 O God, you have taught me since I was young, and I am still declaring your amazing deeds.
71:18 Even when I am old and gray, O God, do not abandon me, until I tell the next generation about your strength, and those coming after me about your power.
71:19 Your justice, O God, extends to the skies above; you have done great things.
O God, who can compare to you?
71:20 Though you have allowed me to experience much trouble and distress, revive me once again!
Bring me up once again from the depths of the earth!
71:21 Raise me to a position of great honor!
Turn and comfort me!
71:22 I will express my thanks to you with a stringed instrument, praising your faithfulness, O my God!
I will sing praises to you accompanied by a harp, O Holy One of Israel!
71:23 My lips will shout for joy! Yes, I will sing your praises!
I will praise you when you rescue me!
71:24 All day long my tongue will also tell about your justice, for those who want to harm me will be embarrassed and ashamed.
94:1 O Lord, the God who avenges!
O God who avenges, reveal your splendor!
94:2 Rise up, O judge of the earth!
Pay back the proud!
94:3 O Lord, how long will the wicked, how long will the wicked celebrate?
94:4 They spew out threats and speak defiantly; all the evildoers boast.
94:5 O Lord, they crush your people; they oppress the nation that belongs to you.
94:6 They kill the widow and the one residing outside his native land, and they murder the fatherless.
94:7 Then they say, “The Lord does not see this; the God of Jacob does not take notice of it.”
94:8 Take notice of this, you ignorant people!
You fools, when will you ever understand?
94:9 Does the one who makes the human ear not hear?
Does the one who forms the human eye not see?
94:10 Does the one who disciplines the nations not punish?
He is the one who imparts knowledge to human beings!
94:11 The Lord knows that peoples’ thoughts are morally bankrupt.
94:12 How blessed is the one whom you instruct, O Lord, the one whom you teach from your law,
94:13 in order to protect him from times of trouble, until the wicked are destroyed.
94:14 Certainly the Lord does not forsake his people; he does not abandon the nation that belongs to him.
94:15 For justice will prevail, and all the morally upright will be vindicated.
94:16 Who will rise up to defend me against the wicked?
Who will stand up for me against the evildoers?
94:17 If the Lord had not helped me, I would have laid down in the silence of death.
94:18 If I say, “My foot is slipping,” your loyal love, O Lord, supports me.
94:19 When worries threaten to overwhelm me, your soothing touch makes me happy.
94:20 Cruel rulers are not your allies, those who make oppressive laws.
94:21 They conspire against the blameless, and condemn to death the innocent.
94:22 But the Lord will protect me, and my God will shelter me.
94:23 He will pay them back for their sin. He will destroy them because of their evil; the Lord our God will destroy them.
Lord, Your justice is perfectly balanced with Your mercy. May I not be as impatient with You as was David, but learn from the sharing of his many Psalms of anxious petition, and rest assured that nothing can touch me if You choose to protect me – and whatever my circumstances You will strengthen and teach me – if I choose to be teachable. You are so far above man in glory and honor that to give You praise is a natural response to our recognition of Who You are. May I read again the words of Your Bible whenever I need to be encouraged to praise and trust You.
David's seventy-first Psalm contained both petition and praise. He again asked the Lord God to rescue him (and not “forget” him in his “old age”) but he also reflected on a lifetime of relationship with the Lord, declared his intention to continue to give praise, and promised to proclaim the glory and justice and mercy of the Lord if he was restored to health and power.
Psalm Ninety-Four is similar in style to others of David. It combined elements of petition, praise, and wisdom. A unique phrase was “The Lord knows that peoples’ thoughts are morally bankrupt. How blessed is the one whom you instruct, O Lord, the one whom you teach from your law,”
David was always an emotional and impatient personality – and it shows in his wild swings of emotion.
Why would David fear for his life if he truly believed that he was the Lord God's anointed and that the Lord was sovereign? It is challenging and encouraging to know that the Lord God knows our thoughts and that they are damaged due to our fallen condition, but that He stands ready to “instruct” so that we might get it right?
David worried that his errors were having a negative impact on the perceptions of others about the Lord God – and rightly so. It is a great encouragement to know that we are “... under His wings” and that we may “... stand” in times of trouble because He is our strength.
When have you struggled and felt impatient with the Lord God to set you free? Did you later, upon reflection, observe that He delayed because He was teaching you? When have you been in a difficult place and could not have been able to “... stand” in your own strength but recalled these words and were therefore able to stand in His strength?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you something about your walk that the enemy could use to discourage believers and/or those who are considering-Christ, and encourage those who were already predisposed to oppose the Lord and to reveal to you a place where your thoughts tend to go to the wrong place, or become confused, and you need Him to teach you.
Today I will confess and repent my poor witness for Christ, I will accept the Lord's forgiveness, and I will act intentionally to avoid the repetition of that sin. As appropriate I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement and to be my accountability-partner to assist me in remaining free of presenting that poor witness. I will humbly accept the teaching of the Lord God through His Word, I will make time to be in His Word, and I will give Him thanks and praise for every time He – the sovereign Lord God of eternity - teaches me.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Adonijah Tries to Seize the Throne
1:1 King David was very old; even when they covered him with blankets, he could not get warm. 1:2 His servants advised him, “A young virgin must be found for our master, the king, to take care of the king’s needs and serve as his nurse. She can also sleep with you and keep our master, the king, warm.” 1:3 So they looked through all Israel for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag, a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 1:4 The young woman was very beautiful; she became the king’s nurse and served him, but the king did not have sexual relations with her.
1:5 Now Adonijah, son of David and Haggith, was promoting himself, boasting, “I will be king!” He managed to acquire chariots and horsemen, as well as fifty men to serve as his royal guard. 1:6 (Now his father had never corrected him by saying, “Why do you do such things?” He was also very handsome and had been born right after Absalom.) 1:7 He collaborated with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they supported him. 1:8 But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s elite warriors did not ally themselves with Adonijah. 1:9 Adonijah sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened steers at the Stone of Zoheleth near En Rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, as well as all the men of Judah, the king’s servants. 1:10 But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the elite warriors, or his brother Solomon.
1:11 Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, “Has it been reported to you that Haggith’s son Adonijah has become king behind our master David’s back? 1:12 Now let me give you some advice as to how you can save your life and your son Solomon’s life. 1:13 Visit King David and say to him, ‘My master, O king, did you not solemnly promise your servant, “Surely your son Solomon will be king after me; he will sit on my throne”? So why has Adonijah become king?’ 1:14 While you are still there speaking to the king, I will arrive and verify your report.”
1:15 So Bathsheba visited the king in his private quarters. (The king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.) 1:16 Bathsheba bowed down on the floor before the king. The king said, “What do you want?” 1:17 She replied to him, “My master, you swore an oath to your servant by the Lord your God, ‘Solomon your son will be king after me and he will sit on my throne.’ 1:18 But now, look, Adonijah has become king! But you, my master the king, are not even aware of it! 1:19 He has sacrificed many cattle, steers, and sheep and has invited all the king’s sons, Abiathar the priest, and Joab, the commander of the army, but he has not invited your servant Solomon. 1:20 Now, my master, O king, all Israel is watching anxiously to see who is named to succeed my master the king on the throne. 1:21 If a decision is not made, when my master the king is buried with his ancestors, my son Solomon and I will be considered state criminals.”
1:22 Just then, while she was still speaking to the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. 1:23 The king was told, “Nathan the prophet is here.” Nathan entered and bowed before the king with his face to the floor. 1:24 Nathan said, “My master, O king, did you announce, ‘Adonijah will be king after me; he will sit on my throne’? 1:25 For today he has gone down and sacrificed many cattle, steers, and sheep and has invited all the king’s sons, the army commanders, and Abiathar the priest. At this moment they are having a feast in his presence, and they have declared, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ 1:26 But he did not invite me – your servant – or Zadok the priest, or Benaiah son of Jehoiada, or your servant Solomon. 1:27 Has my master the king authorized this without informing your servants who should succeed my master the king on his throne?”
David Picks Solomon as His Successor
1:28 King David responded, “Summon Bathsheba!” She came and stood before the king. 1:29 The king swore an oath: “As certainly as the Lord lives (he who has rescued me from every danger), 1:30 I will keep today the oath I swore to you by the Lord God of Israel: ‘Surely Solomon your son will be king after me; he will sit in my place on my throne.’” 1:31 Bathsheba bowed down to the king with her face to the floor and said, “May my master, King David, live forever!”
1:32 King David said, “Summon Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” They came before the king, 1:33 and he told them, “Take your master’s servants with you, put my son Solomon on my mule, and lead him down to Gihon. 1:34 There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet will anoint him king over Israel; then blow the trumpet and declare, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ 1:35 Then follow him up as he comes and sits on my throne. He will be king in my place; I have decreed that he will be ruler over Israel and Judah.” 1:36 Benaiah son of Jehoiada responded to the king: “So be it! May the Lord God of my master the king confirm it! 1:37 As the Lord is with my master the king, so may he be with Solomon, and may he make him an even greater king than my master King David!”
1:38 So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites went down, put Solomon on King David’s mule, and led him to Gihon. 1:39 Zadok the priest took a horn filled with olive oil from the tent and poured it on Solomon; the trumpet was blown and all the people declared, “Long live King Solomon!” 1:40 All the people followed him up, playing flutes and celebrating so loudly they made the ground shake.
1:41 Now Adonijah and all his guests heard the commotion just as they had finished eating. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he asked, “Why is there such a noisy commotion in the city?” 1:42 As he was still speaking, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, “Come in, for an important man like you must be bringing good news.” 1:43 Jonathan replied to Adonijah: “No! Our master King David has made Solomon king. 1:44 The king sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites and they put him on the king’s mule. 1:45 Then Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed him king in Gihon. They went up from there rejoicing, and the city is in an uproar. That is the sound you hear. 1:46 Furthermore, Solomon has assumed the royal throne. 1:47 The king’s servants have even come to congratulate our master King David, saying, ‘May your God make Solomon more famous than you and make him an even greater king than you!’ Then the king leaned on the bed 1:48 and said this: ‘The Lord God of Israel is worthy of praise because today he has placed a successor on my throne and allowed me to see it.’”
1:49 All of Adonijah’s guests panicked; they jumped up and rushed off their separate ways. 1:50 Adonijah feared Solomon, so he got up and went and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar. 1:51 Solomon was told, “Look, Adonijah fears you; see, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘May King Solomon solemnly promise me today that he will not kill his servant with the sword.’” 1:52 Solomon said, “If he is a loyal subject, not a hair of his head will be harmed, but if he is found to be a traitor, he will die.” 1:53 King Solomon sent men to bring him down from the altar. He came and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon told him, “Go home.”
Lord, You are sovereign in the affairs of Your people and rebellion always results in harm to the rebellious. May I be careful and prayerful when making decisions so that I do not get out ahead of Your timing and/or apart from Your will.
When David was old and near death Adonijah decided to follow the model of Absalom and tried to steal the throne from Solomon, the promised successor to David.
Joab, Abiathar the priest, and others followed him, including many of David's other sons, but Nathan and several of the priests, and David's elite warriors did not – they were neither informed nor invited to Adonijah's illegitimate crowning at the temple.
Nathan heard and coordinated with Bathsheba to lead David to intervene, which he did, giving authority and instructions for the immediate crowning of Solomon.
Adonijah, Joab, and those with them were surprised and frightened that they had failed – most fled Adonijah who clung to the horns of the Ark of God and begged for Solomon's mercy, which he granted.
Nathan, the prophet, was God's agent in the mess that Adonijah had created. He knew David could be temperamental and as he had in the original tragedy with Bathsheba he led David, now in partnership with Bathsheba, to make a decisive and right decision.
There were multiple occasions when Joab had greater respect for the Lord God's Law than did David, such as the census, and others where he offered wisdom David. Why then did he assist Adonijah in his attempted coup?
David created an unstable environment through both his poor decisions and his inexplicable indecision.
When have you had to deal carefully with someone in authority because they were temperamental?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you what are currently minor things that require your attention and action so that they do not lead to major trouble.
Today I will prayerfully reflect upon those troubling things that have been brought to my attention, as I have the authority and opportunity I will act decisively, and I will be careful to be gracious as I do so.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
119:89 ל (Lamed)
O Lord, your instructions endure;
they stand secure in heaven.
119:90 You demonstrate your faithfulness to all generations.
You established the earth and it stood firm.
119:91 Today they stand firm by your decrees,
for all things are your servants.
119:92 If I had not found encouragement in your law, I would have died in my sorrow.
119:93 I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have revived me.
119:94 I belong to you. Deliver me!
For I seek your precepts.
119:95 The wicked prepare to kill me, yet I concentrate on your rules.
119:96 I realize that everything has its limits,
but your commands are beyond full comprehension.
119:97 מ (Mem)
O how I love your law!
All day long I meditate on it.
119:98 Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies,
for I am always aware of them.
119:99 I have more insight than all my teachers,
for I meditate on your rules.
119:100 I am more discerning than those older than I,
for I observe your precepts.
119:101 I stay away from the evil path,
so that I might keep your instructions.
119:102 I do not turn aside from your regulations,
for you teach me.
119:103 Your words are sweeter
in my mouth than honey!
119:104 Your precepts give me discernment.
Therefore I hate all deceitful actions.
119:105 נ (Nun)
Your word is a lamp to walk by,
and a light to illumine my path.
119:106 I have vowed and solemnly sworn
to keep your just regulations.
119:107 I am suffering terribly.
O Lord, revive me with your word!
119:108 O Lord, please accept the freewill offerings of my praise!
Teach me your regulations!
119:109 My life is in continual danger,
but I do not forget your law.
119:110 The wicked lay a trap for me,
but I do not wander from your precepts.
119:111 I claim your rules as my permanent possession,
for they give me joy.
119:112 I am determined to obey your statutes
at all times, to the very end.
119:113 ס (Samek)
I hate people with divided loyalties,
but I love your law.
119:114 You are my hiding place and my shield.
I find hope in your word.
119:115 Turn away from me, you evil men,
so that I can observe the commands of my God.
119:116 Sustain me as you promised, so that I will live.
Do not disappoint me!
119:117 Support me, so that I will be delivered.
Then I will focus on your statutes continually.
119:118 You despise all who stray from your statutes,
for they are deceptive and unreliable.
119:119 You remove all the wicked of the earth like slag.
Therefore I love your rules.
119:120 My body trembles because I fear you;
I am afraid of your judgments.
119:121 ע (Ayin)
I do what is fair and right.
Do not abandon me to my oppressors!
119:122 Guarantee the welfare of your servant!
Do not let the arrogant oppress me!
119:123 My eyes grow tired as I wait for your deliverance,
for your reliable promise to be fulfilled.
119:124 Show your servant your loyal love!
Teach me your statutes!
119:125 I am your servant. Give me insight,
so that I can understand 163 your rules.
119:126 It is time for the Lord to act –
they break your law!
119:127 For this reason I love your commands
more than gold, even purest gold.
119:128 For this reason I carefully follow all your precepts.
I hate all deceitful actions.
119:129 פ (Pe)
Your rules are marvelous.
Therefore I observe them.
119:130 Your instructions are a doorway through which light shines.
They give insight to the untrained.
119:131 I open my mouth and pant,
because I long for your commands.
119:132 Turn toward me and extend mercy to me,
as you typically do to your loyal followers.
119:133 Direct my steps by your word!
Do not let any sin dominate me!
119:134 Deliver me from oppressive men,
so that I can keep your precepts.
119:135 Smile on your servant!
Teach me your statutes!
119:136 Tears stream down from my eyes,
because people do not keep your law.
119:137 צ (Tsade)
You are just, O Lord,
and your judgments are fair.
119:138 The rules you impose are just, and absolutely reliable.
119:139 My zeal consumes me,
for my enemies forget your instructions.
119:140 Your word is absolutely pure,
and your servant loves it!
119:141 I am insignificant and despised,
yet I do not forget your precepts.
119:142 Your justice endures,
and your law is reliable.
119:143 Distress and hardship confront me,
yet I find delight in your commands.
119:144 Your rules remain just.
Give me insight so that I can live.
119:145 ק (Qof)
I cried out with all my heart, “Answer me, O Lord!
I will observe your statutes.”
119:146 I cried out to you, “Deliver me,
so that I can keep your rules.”
119:147 I am up before dawn crying for help.
I find hope in your word.
119:148 My eyes anticipate the nighttime hours,
so that I can meditate on your word.
119:149 Listen to me because of your loyal love!
O Lord, revive me, as you typically do!
119:150 Those who are eager to do wrong draw near;
they are far from your law.
119:151 You are near, O Lord,
and all your commands are reliable.
119:152 I learned long ago that
you ordained your rules to last.
119:153 ר (Resh)
See my pain and rescue me!
For I do not forget your law.
119:154 Fight for me and defend me!
Revive me with your word!
119:155 The wicked have no chance for deliverance,
for they do not seek your statutes.
119:156 Your compassion is great, O Lord.
Revive me, as you typically do!
119:157 The enemies who chase me are numerous.
Yet I do not turn aside from your rules.
119:158 I take note of the treacherous and despise them,
because they do not keep your instructions.
119:159 See how I love your precepts!
O Lord, revive me with your loyal love!
119:160 Your instructions are totally reliable;
all your just regulations endure.
119:161 שׂ/שׁ (Sin/Shin)
Rulers pursue me for no reason,
yet I am more afraid of disobeying your instructions.
119:162 I rejoice in your instructions,
like one who finds much plunder.
119:163 I hate and despise deceit;
I love your law.
119:164 Seven times a day I praise you
because of your just regulations.
119:165 Those who love your law are completely secure;
nothing causes them to stumble.
119:166 I hope for your deliverance, O Lord,
and I obey your commands.
119:167 I keep your rules;
I love them greatly.
119:168 I keep your precepts and rules,
for you are aware of everything I do.
119:169 ת (Tav)
Listen to my cry for help, O Lord!
Give me insight by your word!
119:170 Listen to my appeal for mercy!
Deliver me, as you promised.
119:171 May praise flow freely from my lips,
for you teach me your statutes.
119:172 May my tongue sing about your instructions,
for all your commands are just.
119:173 May your hand help me,
for I choose to obey your precepts.
119:174 I long for your deliverance, O Lord;
I find delight in your law.
119:175 May I live and praise you!
May your regulations help me!
119:176 I have wandered off like a lost sheep.
Come looking for your servant,
for I do not forget your commands.
Lord, “Your word is a lamp to walk by, and a light to illumine my path.” No matter my circumstances may I always follow Your light rather than looking to the world for direction.
The creation is not the equal of the Creator “I realize that everything has its limits, but your commands are beyond full comprehension.” God's truth is valuable “Your word is a lamp to walk by, and a light to illumine my path.”
A right response “O Lord, please accept the freewill offerings of my praise!” And the author concluded with a final petition “I have wandered off like a lost sheep. Come looking for your servant, for I do not forget your commands.”
As is present throughout the Psalms is again the theme of confidence in the Lord, despite ones circumstances.
What is the difference between a “lamp” and a “light”? (Consider that a “lamp” provides somewhat specific direction whereas “light”, as in 'the light of day' may refer to a more general presence.)
Parallel with his often immature poor decision making David's heart constantly returned to give praise to the Lord God for His loving care.
When have you, or someone you know, wandered off like a lost sheep and the Lord came looking for you?
Ask the Holy Spirit to the value-added in your life from the discipline of “Seven times a day I praise you because of your just regulations.”?
Today, and all this week, I will practice the discipline of giving praise to the Lord, seven times daily. Not as a religious ritual or a pagan chant but rather pausing and praising, after reflecting upon the time passed since the prior praise-pause, contemplating what may need to be confessed and repented of.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Psalm 72
72:1 For Solomon.
O God, grant the king the ability to make just decisions!
Grant the king’s son the ability to make fair decisions!
72:2 Then he will judge your people fairly, and your oppressed ones equitably.
72:3 The mountains will bring news of peace to the people, and the hills will announce justice.
72:4 He will defend the oppressed among the people; he will deliver the children of the poor and crush the oppressor.
72:5 People will fear you as long as the sun and moon remain in the sky, for generation after generation.
72:6 He will descend like rain on the mown grass, like showers that drench the earth.
72:7 During his days the godly will flourish; peace will prevail as long as the moon remains in the sky.
72:8 May he rule from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth!
72:9 Before him the coastlands will bow down, and his enemies will lick the dust.
72:10 The kings of Tarshish and the coastlands will offer gifts; the kings of Sheba and Seba will bring tribute.
72:11 All kings will bow down to him; all nations will serve him.
72:12 For he will rescue the needy when they cry out for help, and the oppressed who have no defender.
72:13 He will take pity on the poor and needy; the lives of the needy he will save.
72:14 From harm and violence he will defend them; he will value their lives.
72:15 May he live! May they offer him gold from Sheba!
May they continually pray for him!
May they pronounce blessings on him all day long!
72:16 May there be an abundance of grain in the earth; on the tops of the mountains may it sway!
May its fruit trees flourish like the forests of Lebanon!
May its crops be as abundant as the grass of the earth!
72:17 May his fame endure!
May his dynasty last as long as the sun remains in the sky!
May they use his name when they formulate their blessings!
May all nations consider him to be favored by God!
72:18 The Lord God, the God of Israel, deserves praise!
He alone accomplishes amazing things!
72:19 His glorious name deserves praise forevermore!
May his majestic splendor fill the whole earth!
We agree! We agree!
72:20 This collection of the prayers of David son of Jesse ends here.
David’s Final Words to Solomon
2:1 When David was close to death, he told Solomon his son: 2:2 “I am about to die. Be strong and become a man! 2:3 Do the job the Lord your God has assigned you by following his instructions and obeying his rules, commandments, regulations, and laws as written in the law of Moses. Then you will succeed in all you do and seek to accomplish, 2:4 and the Lord will fulfill his promise to me, ‘If your descendants watch their step and live faithfully in my presence with all their heart and being, then,’ he promised, ‘you will not fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’
2:5 “You know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me – how he murdered two commanders of the Israelite armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. During peacetime he struck them down like he would in battle; when he shed their blood as if in battle, he stained his own belt and the sandals on his feet. 2:6 Do to him what you think is appropriate, but don’t let him live long and die a peaceful death.
2:7 “Treat fairly the sons of Barzillai of Gilead and provide for their needs, because they helped me when I had to flee from your brother Absalom.
2:8 “Note well, you still have to contend with Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, who tried to call down upon me a horrible judgment when I went to Mahanaim. He came down and met me at the Jordan, and I solemnly promised him by the Lord, ‘I will not strike you down with the sword.’ 2:9 But now don’t treat him as if he were innocent. You are a wise man and you know how to handle him; make sure he has a bloody death.”
2:10 Then David passed away and was buried in the city of David. 2:11 David reigned over Israel forty years; he reigned in Hebron seven years, and in Jerusalem thirty-three years.
Solomon Secures the Throne
2:12 Solomon sat on his father David’s throne, and his royal authority was firmly solidified.
2:13 Haggith’s son Adonijah visited Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. She asked, “Do you come in peace?” He answered, “Yes.” 2:14 He added, “I have something to say to you.” She replied, “Speak.” 2:15 He said, “You know that the kingdom was mine and all Israel considered me king. But then the kingdom was given to my brother, for the Lord decided it should be his. 2:16 Now I’d like to ask you for just one thing. Please don’t refuse me.” She said, “Go ahead and ask.” 2:17 He said, “Please ask King Solomon if he would give me Abishag the Shunammite as a wife, for he won’t refuse you.” 2:18 Bathsheba replied, “That’s fine, I’ll speak to the king on your behalf.”
2:19 So Bathsheba visited King Solomon to speak to him on Adonijah’s behalf. The king got up to greet her, bowed to her, and then sat on his throne. He ordered a throne to be brought for the king’s mother, and she sat at his right hand. 2:20 She said, “I would like to ask you for just one small favor. Please don’t refuse me.” He said, “Go ahead and ask, my mother, for I would not refuse you.” 2:21 She said, “Allow Abishag the Shunammite to be given to your brother Adonijah as a wife.” 2:22 King Solomon answered his mother, “Why just request Abishag the Shunammite for him? Since he is my older brother, you should also request the kingdom for him, for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab son of Zeruiah!”
2:23 King Solomon then swore an oath by the Lord, “May God judge me severely, if Adonijah does not pay for this request with his life! 2:24 Now, as certainly as the Lord lives (he who made me secure, allowed me to sit on my father David’s throne, and established a dynasty for me as he promised), Adonijah will be executed today!” 2:25 King Solomon then sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he killed Adonijah.
2:26 The king then told Abiathar the priest, “Go back to your property in Anathoth. You deserve to die, but today I will not kill you because you did carry the ark of the sovereign Lord before my father David and you suffered with my father through all his difficult times.” 2:27 Solomon dismissed Abiathar from his position as priest of the Lord, fulfilling the decree of judgment the Lord made in Shiloh against the family of Eli.
2:28 When the news reached Joab (for Joab had supported Adonijah, although he had not supported Absalom), he ran to the tent of the Lord and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar. 2:29 When King Solomon heard that Joab had run to the tent of the Lord and was right there beside the altar, he ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada, “Go, strike him down.” 2:30 When Benaiah arrived at the tent of the Lord, he said to him, “The king says, ‘Come out!’” But he replied, “No, I will die here!” So Benaiah sent word to the king and reported Joab’s reply. 2:31 The king told him, “Do as he said! Strike him down and bury him. Take away from me and from my father’s family the guilt of Joab’s murderous, bloody deeds. 2:32 May the Lord punish him for the blood he shed; behind my father David’s back he struck down and murdered with the sword two men who were more innocent and morally upright than he – Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army. 2:33 May Joab and his descendants be perpetually guilty of their shed blood, but may the Lord give perpetual peace to David, his descendants, his family, and his dynasty.” 2:34 So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and executed Joab; he was buried at his home in the wilderness. 2:35 The king appointed Benaiah son of Jehoiada to take his place at the head of the army, and the king appointed Zadok the priest to take Abiathar’s place.
2:36 Next the king summoned Shimei and told him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there – but you may not leave there to go anywhere! 2:37 If you ever do leave and cross the Kidron Valley, know for sure that you will certainly die! You will be responsible for your own death.” 2:38 Shimei said to the king, “My master the king’s proposal is acceptable. Your servant will do as you say.” So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time.
2:39 Three years later two of Shimei’s servants ran away to King Achish son of Maacah of Gath. Shimei was told, “Look, your servants are in Gath.” 2:40 So Shimei got up, saddled his donkey, and went to Achish at Gath to find his servants; Shimei went and brought back his servants from Gath. 2:41 When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had then returned, 2:42 the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “You will recall that I made you take an oath by the Lord, and I solemnly warned you, ‘If you ever leave and go anywhere, know for sure that you will certainly die.’ You said to me, ‘The proposal is acceptable; I agree to it.’ 2:43 Why then have you broken the oath you made before the Lord and disobeyed the order I gave you?” 2:44 Then the king said to Shimei, “You are well aware of the way you mistreated my father David. The Lord will punish you for what you did. 2:45 But King Solomon will be empowered and David’s dynasty will endure permanently before the Lord.” 2:46 The king then gave the order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada who went and executed Shimei.
So Solomon took firm control of the kingdom.
Lord, You are sovereign in the affairs of Your people and rebellion always results in harm to the rebellious. May I be careful and prayerful when making decisions so that I do not get out ahead of Your timing and/or apart from Your will. Knew perfectly who Solomon could trust, and who had committed past crimes and were due justice. May I listen closely when You tell me who I may need to remove from a closest circle of associates if there be some who will be distractions from Your plan for my life.
David's seventy-second Psalm was the wishful and prophetic prayer of David for his heir and son Solomon.
David counseled Solomon that Joab had been too free to act without consulting in killing other leaders under David's authority and should be punished with death soon, and that Shimei also deserved an early death, only not by the sword.
David further counseled Solomon to follow the Law of Moses closely so that he would be blessed, he would be a blessing to the people, and he would have a kingdom to pass on to his descendants. Then David died.
Adonijah presented himself to Bathsheba, arrogantly declaring that he had been king of Israel (as if that had been legitimate), but then was displaced by God in favor of Solomon. He asked Bathsheba to request that Solomon give David's last concubine, the one who warmed him in his last days but with whom he had no sexual relationship, to him as his wife.
When Bathsheba presented this request to Solomon declared his request to be the same as if he were requesting the throne, and for this additional act of rebellion he sent Benaiah to execute him. Solomon also had Joab executed by Benaiah as David had advised.
Shimei was given the opportunity to live in Jerusalem but was not allowed to travel, he violated his commitment not to travel, and received the punishment of death – which he knew was the consequence and which David had recommended to Solomon.
Abithar the priest, a descendant of Eli, was dismissed by Solomon, ending the role of Eli's family in the priesthood as was prophesied. Zadok the priest took Abiathar’s place.
Nathan, the prophet, was God's agent in the mess that Adonijah had created. He knew David could be temperamental. As he had in the original tragedy with Bathsheba he led David, now in partnership with Bathsheba, to make a decisive and right decision. Abithar, Adonijah, Joab, and Shimei had to know that their days were numbered.
There were multiple occasions when Joab had greater respect for the Lord God's Law than did David, such as the census and others moments where he offered wisdom to David. Why then did he assist Adonijah in his attempted coup, was he presuming that the oldest should automatically be king, as in other nations? Why would Adonijah think that Solomon would give his father's concubine to him, very young and still a virgin (perhaps the only undefiled concubine or wife of David), after he had tried to steal the throne?
David counseled Solomon to act decisively in two areas; execute two men whom David believed represented unresolved sins against God, and to keep himself close to God's law. Solomon appears to have begun his reign as a clear-headed and decisive young man.
When have you had to deal carefully with someone in authority because they were temperamental? When have you experienced or observed a new leader consolidating authority by changing those in high positions of responsibility?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you influences that are a threat to your righteous living before the Lord God, to show you what actions you need to take to hold yourself close to Him, and a significant influence in your life with whom you may need to set new boundaries.
Today I will prayerfully inventory the activities in my life as the Holy Spirit points out that which may distract me from His priorities. As quickly as is possible I will alter my activities to intentionally diminish distractions. I also will prayerfully assess those with a significant influence on my life. I will set limiting-boundaries on those who do not reinforce God's priorities and make an effort to spend more time with those who do.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Lord Gives Solomon Wisdom
3:1 Solomon made an alliance by marriage with Pharaoh, king of Egypt; he married Pharaoh’s daughter. He brought her to the City of David until he could finish building his residence and the temple of the Lord and the wall around Jerusalem. 3:2 Now the people were offering sacrifices at the high places, because in those days a temple had not yet been built to honor the Lord. 3:3 Solomon demonstrated his loyalty to the Lord by following the practices of his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.
3:4 The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for it had the most prominent of the high places. Solomon would offer up a thousand burnt sacrifices on the altar there. 3:5 One night in Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream. God said, “Tell me what I should give you.” 3:6 Solomon replied, “You demonstrated great loyalty to your servant, my father David, as he served you faithfully, properly, and sincerely. You have maintained this great loyalty to this day by allowing his son to sit on his throne. 3:7 Now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in my father David’s place, even though I am only a young man and am inexperienced. 3:8 Your servant stands among your chosen people; they are a great nation that is too numerous to count or number. 3:9 So give your servant a discerning mind so he can make judicial decisions for your people and distinguish right from wrong. Otherwise no one is able to make judicial decisions for this great nation of yours.” 3:10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon made this request. 3:11 God said to him, “Because you asked for the ability to make wise judicial decisions, and not for long life, or riches, or vengeance on your enemies, 3:12 I grant your request, and give you a wise and discerning mind superior to that of anyone who has preceded or will succeed you. 3:13 Furthermore, I am giving you what you did not request – riches and honor so that you will be the greatest king of your generation. 3:14 If you follow my instructions by obeying my rules and regulations, just as your father David did, then I will grant you long life.” 3:15 Solomon then woke up and realized it was a dream. He went to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant, offered up burnt sacrifices, presented peace offerings, and held a feast for all his servants.
Solomon Demonstrates His Wisdom
3:16 Then two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. 3:17 One of the women said, “My master, this woman and I live in the same house. I had a baby while she was with me in the house. 3:18 Then three days after I had my baby, this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there was no one else in the house except the two of us. 3:19 This woman’s child suffocated during the night when she rolled on top of him. 3:20 She got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side, while your servant was sleeping. She put him in her arms, and put her dead son in my arms. 3:21 I got up in the morning to nurse my son, and there he was, dead! But when I examined him carefully in the morning, I realized it was not my baby.” 3:22 The other woman said, “No! My son is alive; your son is dead!” But the first woman replied, “No, your son is dead; my son is alive.” Each presented her case before the king.
3:23 The king said, “One says, ‘My son is alive; your son is dead,’ while the other says, ‘No, your son is dead; my son is alive.’” 3:24 The king ordered, “Get me a sword!” So they placed a sword before the king. 3:25 The king then said, “Cut the living child in two, and give half to one and half to the other!” 3:26 The real mother spoke up to the king, for her motherly instincts were aroused. She said, “My master, give her the living child! Whatever you do, don’t kill him!” But the other woman said, “Neither one of us will have him! Let them cut him in two!” 3:27 The king responded, “Give the first woman the living child; don’t kill him. She is the mother.” 3:28 When all Israel heard about the judicial decision which the king had rendered, they respected the king, for they realized that he possessed supernatural wisdom to make judicial decisions.
The Lord Gives Solomon Wisdom
1:1 Solomon son of David solidified his royal authority, for the Lord his God was with him and magnified him greatly.
1:2 Solomon addressed all Israel, including those who commanded units of a thousand and a hundred, the judges, and all the leaders of all Israel who were heads of families. 1:3 Solomon and the entire assembly went to the worship center in Gibeon, for the tent where they met God was located there, which Moses the Lord’s servant had made in the wilderness. 1:4 (Now David had brought up the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim to the place he had prepared for it, for he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem. 1:5 But the bronze altar made by Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, was in front of the Lord’s tabernacle. Solomon and the entire assembly prayed to him there.) 1:6 Solomon went up to the bronze altar before the Lord which was at the meeting tent, and he offered up a thousand burnt sacrifices.
1:7 That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Tell me what I should give you.” 1:8 Solomon replied to God, “You demonstrated great loyalty to my father David and have made me king in his place. 1:9 Now, Lord God, may your promise to my father David be realized, for you have made me king over a great nation as numerous as the dust of the earth. 1:10 Now give me wisdom and discernment so I can effectively lead this nation. Otherwise no one is able to make judicial decisions for this great nation of yours.”
1:11 God said to Solomon, “Because you desire this, and did not ask for riches, wealth, and honor, or for vengeance on your enemies, and because you did not ask for long life, but requested wisdom and discernment so you can make judicial decisions for my people over whom I have made you king, 1:12 you are granted wisdom and discernment. Furthermore I am giving you riches, wealth, and honor surpassing that of any king before or after you.”
1:13 Solomon left the meeting tent at the worship center in Gibeon and went to Jerusalem, where he reigned over Israel.
Solomon’s Wealth
1:14 Solomon accumulated chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He kept them in assigned cities and in Jerusalem. 1:15 The king made silver and gold as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones; cedar was as plentiful as sycamore fig trees are in the lowlands. 1:16 Solomon acquired his horses from Egypt and from Que; the king’s traders purchased them from Que. 1:17 They paid 600 silver pieces for each chariot from Egypt, and 150 silver pieces for each horse. They also sold chariots and horses to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Syria.
Lord, You give good gifts, but Your children do not always use them to Your glory. May I take regular inventory of the gifts You have given to be sure I have not drifted from Your intended purpose.
Solomon was well-intentioned, though immature, so he married Pharaoh's daughter as part of a peace treaty. He then copied the people who offered sacrifices to God in “the high places”, which had historically been for pagan false gods, rather than at the Ark of God.
God spoke to Solomon in a dream and asked him what he desired. Solomon replied that he desired wisdom to lead with justice. For his self-less request God granted exceptional wisdom as well as exceptional power and wealth.
Solomon inherited his father, David's, predisposition to speak and write in extremes, so his representation of his father as a flawless leader was clearly not historical but rather rhetorical.
Solomon's first public demonstration of God's gift of wisdom was discerning the true mother between two prostitutes with competing claims to a baby.
The Lord God asked Solomon what he desired as the new king of Israel, and as David had encouraged, he asked for wisdom to lead – which the Lord God granted, along with fame, power, and wealth – because Solomon had not asked for those.
What Solomon lacked in life experience he made up for in wisdom from the Lord God.
Why was Solomon so obsessed with the acquisition of worldly things?
Solomon married the daughter of an Egyptian Pharaoh before he received the gift of exceptional wisdom from the Lord.
When have you observed someone exercising great wisdom because they first consult the Lord in prayer and His guidance in the Word?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you may be seeking peace in a way that sows the seeds of future confusion.
I agree to prayerfully assess associations which may include value systems in opposition to those of the Lord God and which will, in the future, create conflict. I will take the necessary steps to remove myself from agreements and contracts that make me 'unequally-yoked' to contradictory values.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Solomon’s Royal Court and Administrators
4:1 King Solomon ruled over all Israel. 4:2 These were his officials:
Azariah son of Zadok was the priest.
4:3 Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, wrote down what happened.
Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was in charge of the records.
4:4 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was commander of the army.
Zadok and Abiathar were priests.
4:5 Azariah son of Nathan was supervisor of the district governors.
Zabud son of Nathan was a priest and adviser to the king.
4:6 Ahishar was supervisor of the palace.
Adoniram son of Abda was supervisor of the work crews.
4:7 Solomon had twelve district governors appointed throughout Israel who acquired supplies for the king and his palace. Each was responsible for one month in the year. 4:8 These were their names:
Ben-Hur was in charge of the hill country of Ephraim.
4:9 Ben-Deker was in charge of Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth Shemesh, and Elon Beth Hanan.
4:10 Ben-Hesed was in charge of Arubboth; he controlled Socoh and all the territory of Hepher.
4:11 Ben-Abinadab was in charge of Naphath Dor. (He was married to Solomon’s daughter Taphath.)
4:12 Baana son of Ahilud was in charge of Taanach and Megiddo, as well as all of Beth Shan next to Zarethan below Jezreel, from Beth Shan to Abel Meholah and on past Jokmeam.
4:13 Ben-Geber was in charge of Ramoth Gilead; he controlled the tent villages of Jair son of Manasseh in Gilead, as well as the region of Argob in Bashan, including sixty large walled cities with bronze bars locking their gates.
4:14 Ahinadab son of Iddo was in charge of Mahanaim.
4:15 Ahimaaz was in charge of Naphtali. (He married Solomon’s daughter Basemath.)
4:16 Baana son of Hushai was in charge of Asher and Aloth.
4:17 Jehoshaphat son of Paruah was in charge of Issachar.
4:18 Shimei son of Ela was in charge of Benjamin.
4:19 Geber son of Uri was in charge of the land of Gilead (the territory which had once belonged to King Sihon of the Amorites and to King Og of Bashan). He was sole governor of the area.
Solomon’s Wealth and Fame
4:20 The people of Judah and Israel were as innumerable as the sand on the seashore; they had plenty to eat and drink and were happy. 4:21 (5:1) Solomon ruled all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These kingdoms paid tribute as Solomon’s subjects throughout his lifetime. 4:22 Each day Solomon’s royal court consumed thirty cors of finely milled flour, sixty cors of cereal, 4:23 ten calves fattened in the stall, twenty calves from the pasture, and a hundred sheep, not to mention rams, gazelles, deer, and well-fed birds. 4:24 His royal court was so large because he ruled over all the kingdoms west of the Euphrates River from Tiphsah to Gaza; he was at peace with all his neighbors. 4:25 All the people of Judah and Israel had security; everyone from Dan to Beer Sheba enjoyed the produce of their vines and fig trees throughout Solomon’s lifetime. 4:26 Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his chariot horses and 12,000 horses. 4:27 The district governors acquired supplies for King Solomon and all who ate in his royal palace. Each was responsible for one month in the year; they made sure nothing was lacking. 4:28 Each one also brought to the assigned location his quota of barley and straw for the various horses.
4:29 God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment; the breadth of his understanding was as infinite as the sand on the seashore. 4:30 Solomon was wiser than all the men of the east and all the sages of Egypt. 4:31 He was wiser than any man, including Ethan the Ezrahite or Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol. He was famous in all the neighboring nations. 4:32 He composed 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs. 4:33 He produced manuals on botany, describing every kind of plant, from the cedars of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows on walls. He also produced manuals on biology, describing animals, birds, insects, and fish. 4:34 People from all nations came to hear Solomon’s display of wisdom; they came from all the kings of the earth who heard about his wisdom.
Psalm 37
37:1 By David. Do not fret when wicked men seem to succeed!
Do not envy evildoers!
37:2 For they will quickly dry up like grass, and wither away like plants.
37:3 Trust in the Lord and do what is right!
Settle in the land and maintain your integrity!
37:4 Then you will take delight in the Lord, and he will answer your prayers.
37:5 Commit your future to the Lord!
Trust in him, and he will act on your behalf.
37:6 He will vindicate you in broad daylight, and publicly defend your just cause.
37:7 Wait patiently for the Lord!
Wait confidently for him!
Do not fret over the apparent success of a sinner, a man who carries out wicked schemes!
37:8 Do not be angry and frustrated!
Do not fret! That only leads to trouble!
37:9 Wicked men will be wiped out, but those who rely on the Lord are the ones who will possess the land.
37:10 Evil men will soon disappear; you will stare at the spot where they once were, but they will be gone.
37:11 But the oppressed will possess the land and enjoy great prosperity.
37:12 Evil men plot against the godly and viciously attack them.
37:13 The Lord laughs in disgust at them, for he knows that their day is coming.
37:14 Evil men draw their swords and prepare their bows, to bring down the oppressed and needy, and to slaughter those who are godly.
37:15 Their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.
37:16 The little bit that a godly man owns is better than the wealth of many evil men,
37:17 for evil men will lose their power, but the Lord sustains the godly.
37:18 The Lord watches over the innocent day by day and they possess a permanent inheritance.
37:19 They will not be ashamed when hard times come; when famine comes they will have enough to eat.
37:20 But evil men will die; the Lord’s enemies will be incinerated – they will go up in smoke.
37:21 Evil men borrow, but do not repay their debt, but the godly show compassion and are generous.
37:22 Surely those favored by the Lord will possess the land, but those rejected by him will be wiped out.
37:23 The Lord grants success to the one whose behavior he finds commendable.
37:24 Even if he trips, he will not fall headlong, for the Lord holds his hand.
37:25 I was once young, now I am old. I have never seen a godly man abandoned, or his children forced to search for food.
37:26 All day long he shows compassion and lends to others, and his children are blessed.
37:27 Turn away from evil! Do what is right!
Then you will enjoy lasting security.
37:28 For the Lord promotes justice, and never abandons his faithful followers. They are permanently secure, but the children of evil men are wiped out.
37:29 The godly will possess the land and will dwell in it permanently.
37:30 The godly speak wise words and promote justice.
37:31 The law of their God controls their thinking; their feet do not slip.
37:32 Evil men set an ambush for the godly and try to kill them.
37:33 But the Lord does not surrender the godly, or allow them to be condemned in a court of law.
37:34 Rely on the Lord! Obey his commands!
Then he will permit you to possess the land; you will see the demise of evil men.
37:35 I have seen ruthless evil men growing in influence, like a green tree grows in its native soil.
37:36 But then one passes by, and suddenly they have disappeared!
I looked for them, but they could not be found.
37:37 Take note of the one who has integrity! Observe the godly!
For the one who promotes peace has a future.
37:38 Sinful rebels are totally destroyed; evil men have no future.
37:39 But the Lord delivers the godly; he protects them in times of trouble.
37:40 The Lord helps them and rescues them; he rescues them from evil men and delivers them, for they seek his protection.
Lord, You bless us ever though we are imperfect in actions and in faith, because of the sacrifice of Jesus. May I trust You to provide perfectly, whether I understand in the moment or not.
Solomon's royal court divided responsibilities for the administration of the royal activities as well as oversight of the regions of the nation among a list of trusted men.
Solomon ruled most of the civilized world and they all paid tribute, so his court (including representatives from all of them) was massive, and his wealth equally great. There was peace and prosperity for most, though there were many who labored hard to serve the king and to earn the tribute paid from other subject-nations.
David's thirty-seventh Psalm was a wisdom-song wherein David encouraged the faithful to not allow the apparent well-being of evil men to make them feel hopeless. He compared and contrasted the future of evil men with that of righteous men.
With so many people around him to handle the details, and peace and prosperity in the land, Solomon had lots of time, and essentially-unlimited resources, to be creative.
Why is it so important to not obsess about the circumstances of others, especially those who appear evil yet who profit?
When David was in the grip of evil men he chose not to respond to their insults and taunts but instead chose to communicate with the Lord God.
When have you been under attack from 'evil men' and either responded to them or chose to be silent and to only communicate with the Lord God? How have the different paths turned out?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a circumstance where you are under attack by 'man'.
Today I will choose not to respond in-kind to an 'evil man' who has or is attacking me, serving the enemy as his delegated-accuser, and will instead pray, read the Bible, and perhaps journal the experience and how the Lord God brings me through.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 33
Title/Superscription
1:1 Solomon’s Most Excellent Love Song.
The Desire for Love
1:2 The Beloved to Her Lover:
Oh, how I wish you would kiss me passionately!
For your lovemaking is more delightful than wine.
1:3 The fragrance of your colognes is delightful; your name is like the finest perfume. No wonder the young women adore you!
1:4 Draw me after you; let us hurry!
May the king bring me into his bedroom chambers!
The Maidens to the Lover:
We will rejoice and delight in you; we will praise your love more than wine.
The Beloved to Her Lover: How rightly the young women adore you!
The Country Maiden and the Daughters of Jerusalem
1:5 The Beloved to the Maidens:
I am dark but lovely, O maidens of Jerusalem, dark like the tents of Qedar, lovely like the tent curtains of Salmah.
1:6 Do not stare at me because I am dark, for the sun has burned my skin.
My brothers were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards.
Alas, my own vineyard I could not keep!
The Shepherd and the Shepherdess
1:7 The Beloved to Her Lover:
Tell me, O you whom my heart loves, where do you pasture your sheep?
Where do you rest your sheep during the midday heat?
Tell me lest I wander around beside the flocks of your companions!
1:8 The Lover to His Beloved:
If you do not know, O most beautiful of women, simply follow the tracks of my flock, and pasture your little lambs beside the tents of the shepherds.
The Beautiful Mare and the Fragrant Myrrh
1:9 The Lover to His Beloved:
O my beloved, you are like a mare among Pharaoh’s stallions.
1:10 Your cheeks are beautiful with ornaments; your neck is lovely with strings of jewels.
1:11 We will make for you gold ornaments studded with silver.
1:12 The Beloved about Her Lover:
While the king was at his banqueting table, my nard gave forth its fragrance.
1:13 My beloved is like a fragrant pouch of myrrh spending the night between my breasts.
1:14 My beloved is like a cluster of henna blossoms in the vineyards of En-Gedi.
Mutual Praise and Admiration
1:15 The Lover to His Beloved:
Oh, how beautiful you are, my beloved!
Oh, how beautiful you are!
Your eyes are like doves!
1:16 The Beloved to Her Lover:
Oh, how handsome you are, my lover!
Oh, how delightful you are!
The lush foliage is our canopied bed; 1:17 the cedars are the beams of our bedroom chamber; the pines are the rafters of our bedroom.
Lord, Your love for those who have accepted Jesus as Lord is beyond any mere human comparison, but that is the best we can do as we attempt to comprehend it. May I praise You and rest in the encouragement and peace that comes from knowing that you love me with a passion unmatched anywhere in this world.
There is scholarly debate as to authorship; if the texts are written by Solomon or were they written about Solomon, and if are they purely about romantic passion or if there are embedded meanings beyond that.
Solomon began with a description of the passion of one of the maidens, who compared his lovemaking to the intoxicating effects of wine, then apologizes for her dark sin due to labor in the sun. The maidens are all as smitten with him as she but she pleads to be invited into his king’s chambers.
Then he described himself as a shepherd and she as a shepherdess, she asked where he would be with his sheep, so that she would not be following around some other shepherd’s flock. He instructed her to follow closely the path of his sheep and thus be near to him.
He compared her to a mare among Pharaoh’s stallions. [The NET Translator’s Notes explain that this was drawn from a story where an enemy of Pharaoh sent a mare among his chariot-pulling stallions to cause them to go wild, but a soldier killed it before the stallions could react.]
She responded that he was like myrrh between her breasts as she slept or like henna blossoms in the desert oasis.
They concluded by exchanging compliments and her final word described their place of passions “The lush foliage is our canopied bed; the cedars are the beams of our bedroom chamber; the pines are the rafters of our bedroom.”
One might draw from the discussion of her following him with his sheep that a parallel-meaning could be the call of Jesus to His “bride” (the church) to do likewise.
Does it fit with the rest of the Biblical text the Song of Songs be merely about romantic passion, especially in the context of possible unwed lust, and possible multiple partners? Or should one look for meaning illustrated in an emotionally-powerful imagery?
The author's knowledge of Egyptian history was remarkably detailed.
When have you experienced or observed someone as smitten with Jesus as the woman in the text was by Solomon?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the deep and passionate love He has for you.
Today I will praise the Lord God and rest in the image of Him welcoming me, with open arms and a smile like the sun, into Heaven.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
The Lily among the Thorns and the Apple Tree in the Forest
2:1 The Beloved to Her Lover:
I am a meadow flower from Sharon, a lily from the valleys.
2:2 The Lover to His Beloved:
Like a lily among the thorns, so is my darling among the maidens.
2:3 The Beloved about Her Lover:
Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest, so is my beloved among the young men. I delight to sit in his shade, and his fruit is sweet to my taste.
The Banquet Hall for the Love-Sick
2:4 The Beloved about Her Lover:
He brought me into the banquet hall, and he looked at me lovingly.
2:5 Sustain me with raisin cakes, refresh me with apples, for I am faint with love.
The Double Refrain: Embracing and Adjuration
2:6 His left hand caresses my head, and his right hand stimulates me.
2:7 The Beloved to the Maidens:
I adjure you, O maidens of Jerusalem, by the gazelles and by the young does of the open fields:
Do not awaken or arouse love until it pleases!
The Arrival of the Lover
2:8 The Beloved about Her Lover:
Listen! My lover is approaching!
Look! Here he comes, leaping over the mountains, bounding over the hills!
2:9 My lover is like a gazelle or a young stag. Look! There he stands behind our wall, gazing through the window, peering through the lattice.
The Season of Love and the Song of the Turtle-Dove
2:10 The Lover to His Beloved:
My lover spoke to me, saying: “Arise, my darling;
My beautiful one, come away with me!
2:11 Look! The winter has passed, the winter rains are over and gone.
2:12 The pomegranates have appeared in the land, the time for pruning and singing has come; the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.
2:13 The fig tree has budded, the vines have blossomed and give off their fragrance.
Arise, come away my darling; my beautiful one, come away with me!”
The Dove in the Clefts of En-Gedi
2:14 The Lover to His Beloved:
O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places of the mountain crags, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.
The Foxes in the Vineyard
2:15 The Beloved to Her Lover:
Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes, that ruin the vineyards – for our vineyard is in bloom.
Poetic Refrain: Mutual Possession
2:16 The Beloved about Her Lover:
My lover is mine and I am his; he grazes among the lilies.
The Gazelle and the Rugged Mountains
2:17 The Beloved to Her Lover:
Until the dawn arrives and the shadows flee, turn, my beloved – be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountain gorges.
Lord, Your relationship with us is much like that described between Solomon and the woman, You love us passionately yet we are often fearful, timid, and wandering. May I accept Your love and seek-after only You.
The woman described herself humbly as a common flower of the region of Sharon, perhaps a crocus, and a chamomile lily of the valley.
Solomon responded, accepting her self-description, that she was therefore “a lily among the thorns”.
The woman replied that he was like an apple tree among the common trees of the field, continuing the analogy to describe his attention as like the sweet fruit, even as “a banquet hall.” She continued that when he held her and she felt loved, then she warned other “maidens” to not engage in mere physical passion without a genuine love relationship. Then she exclaimed with delight that he had arrived and was gazing at the women through the fence.
Solomon declared that it was Spring and therefore time for her to come away with him. He compared her to a timid dove, hiding in the protective clefts of the stony hills, and implored her to come out.
The woman replied that he should be careful of trouble, that she knows him to have multiple female interests, and that she had searched for him.
The woman accepted that the man has other physical interests, which did not mean that such was appropriate – merely an acknowledgment of reality, but she believed that her relationship with him was a unique true-love relationship.
Why would Solomon express special love for this woman yet continue to “graze among the lily’s”, likely a euphemism for sexual interaction with other “maidens”?
The woman warned him that there was trouble ahead for their relationship if he continued his wandering ways, or if he was not careful to avoid a temptation designed to subvert their relationship.
When have you experienced or observed someone who was in a relationship, one that they supposedly valued, yet they flirted (or worse) with other people?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your walk where you are being relationally-careless.
Today I will carefully, intentionally, and prayerfully seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance as to any relationship-carelessness in my life and will repent of it (turn away and not return to it). It could be thoughtless flirting, inappropriate online conversations that belong solely to a spouse (whether married or single, some discussions are Biblically-restricted to a marriage relationship), or something more extreme.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Lost Lover is Found
3:1 The Beloved about Her Lover:
All night long on my bed I longed for my lover. I longed for him but he never appeared.
3:2 “I will arise and look all around throughout the town, and throughout the streets and squares; I will search for my beloved.” I searched for him but I did not find him.
3:3 The night watchmen found me – the ones who guard the city walls. “Have you seen my beloved?”
3:4 Scarcely had I passed them by when I found my beloved!
I held onto him tightly and would not let him go until I brought him to my mother’s house, to the bedroom chamber of the one who conceived me.
3:5 The Adjuration Refrain
The Beloved to the Maidens:
I admonish you, O maidens of Jerusalem, by the gazelles and by the young does of the open fields: “Do not awake or arouse love until it pleases!”
The Royal Wedding Procession
3:6 The Speaker:
Who is this coming up from the desert like a column of smoke, like a fragrant billow of myrrh and frankincense, every kind of fragrant powder of the traveling merchants?
3:7 Look! It is Solomon’s portable couch!
It is surrounded by sixty warriors, some of Israel’s mightiest warriors.
3:8 All of them are skilled with a sword, well-trained in the art of warfare. Each has his sword at his side, to guard against the terrors of the night.
3:9 King Solomon made a sedan chair for himself of wood imported from Lebanon.
3:10 Its posts were made of silver; its back was made of gold. Its seat was upholstered with purple wool; its interior was inlaid with leather by the maidens of Jerusalem.
3:11 Come out, O maidens of Zion, and gaze upon King Solomon!
He is wearing the crown with which his mother crowned him on his wedding day, on the most joyous day of his life!
The Wedding Night: Praise of the Bride
4:1 The Lover to His Beloved:
Oh, you are beautiful, my darling!
Oh, you are beautiful!
Your eyes behind your veil are like doves. Your hair is like a flock of female goats descending from Mount Gilead.
4:2 Your teeth are like a flock of newly-shorn sheep coming up from the washing place; each of them has a twin, and not one of them is missing.
4:3 Your lips are like a scarlet thread; your mouth is lovely.
Your forehead behind your veil is like a slice of pomegranate.
4:4 Your neck is like the tower of David built with courses of stones; one thousand shields are hung on it – all shields of valiant warriors.
4:5 Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of the gazelle grazing among the lilies.
4:6 Until the dawn arrives and the shadows flee, I will go up to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense.
4:7 You are altogether beautiful, my darling!
There is no blemish in you!
The Wedding Night: Beautiful as Lebanon
4:8 Come with me from Lebanon, my bride, come with me from Lebanon. Descend from the crest of Amana, from the top of Senir, the summit of Hermon, from the lions’ dens and the mountain haunts of the leopards.
4:9 You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride!
You have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace.
4:10 How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride!
How much better is your love than wine; the fragrance of your perfume is better than any spice!
4:11 Your lips drip sweetness like the honeycomb, my bride, honey and milk are under your tongue. The fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon.
The Wedding Night: The Delightful Garden
4:12 The Lover to His Beloved:
You are a locked garden, my sister, my bride; you are an enclosed spring, a sealed-up fountain.
4:13 Your shoots are a royal garden full of pomegranates with choice fruits: henna with nard,
4:14 nard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon with every kind of spice, myrrh and aloes with all the finest spices.
4:15 You are a garden spring, a well of fresh water flowing down from Lebanon.
4:16 The Beloved to Her Lover:
Awake, O north wind; come, O south wind!
Blow on my garden so that its fragrant spices may send out their sweet smell. May my beloved come into his garden and eat its delightful fruit!
Lord, when we become Yours our relationship is “family” and we become exclusively Yours like the “locked garden” of ancient royalty. May I rest in the assurance of Your amazing love for me.
While the woman searched for Solomon she was found by the night watchmen, the guards of the walls. [Her search sounds a little like a person on the threshold of surrendering to the Lordship of Christ but who is clinging to worldly things, having trouble “finding” the Lord, but is “found” by those who already belong to the Lord.]
The woman announced that she finally found him and brought him to her mother’s home. [There is discussion in the NET Translator’s Notes that she wanted to make love in the same room as she was conceived because they had previously made love where he had been conceived.]
Solomon’s approach was heralded as he traveled in conspicuous luxury to the location of his impending wedding. Solomon then heaped compliments upon the appearance of his bride. His use of “sister” is explained in the NET Translator’s Notes as a common ancient phrase in love-literature, generally to elevate the level of commitment to ones wife beyond marriage. He also described her using a term “locked garden” which meaning parallels an ancient custom of private gardens used by royalty – again amplifying her exclusive relationship with him.
When a person is at the place in their journey where they are responding to the Lord's calling they “seek” and then are “found” by Him.
Given Solomon's propensity to add women to his collection of wives and concubines why might this woman had earned such a special place that he wrote of her?
Solomon, despite the gift of wisdom, seemed to have no comprehension of monogamy nor any fear of sinning via pre-marital sex.
When have you been seeking an answer to a challenge and wondered where the Lord God was, only to have Him “find” you where you had not looked – but should have?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a blind-spot in your lifestyle where, like Solomon, you have been missing God’s wisdom.
Today I will confess and repent, seek and accept the Lord God’s forgiveness, and replace that place of sin with something devoted to intentional righteousness. It may be some form of entertainment, a manner of dress, a way of speaking to others, uncontrolled anger, substance abuse/misuse, or other offense to the Holy Spirit within. I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement, and as is appropriate to be my accountability-partner, to challenge and encourage.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
5:1 The Lover to His Beloved:
I have entered my garden, O my sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh with my balsam spice.
I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey; I have drunk my wine and my milk!
The Poet to the Couple: Eat, friends, and drink!
Drink freely, O lovers!
The Trials of Love: The Beloved’s Dream of Losing Her Lover
5:2 The Beloved about Her Lover:
I was asleep, but my mind was dreaming. Listen! My lover is knocking at the door!
The Lover to His Beloved: “Open for me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my flawless one!
My head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night.”
5:3 The Beloved to Her Lover:
“I have already taken off my robe – must I put it on again?
I have already washed my feet – must I soil them again?”
5:4 My lover thrust his hand through the hole, and my feelings were stirred for him.
5:5 I arose to open for my beloved; my hands dripped with myrrh – my fingers flowed with myrrh on the handles of the lock.
5:6 I opened for my beloved, but my lover had already turned and gone away. I fell into despair when he departed. I looked for him but did not find him; I called him but he did not answer me.
5:7 The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city. They beat me, they bruised me; they took away my cloak, those watchmen on the walls!
The Triumph of Love: The Beloved Praises Her Lover
5:8 The Beloved to the Maidens:
O maidens of Jerusalem, I command you – If you find my beloved, what will you tell him?
Tell him that I am lovesick!
5:9 The Maidens to The Beloved:
Why is your beloved better than others, O most beautiful of women?
Why is your beloved better than others, that you would command us in this manner?
5:10 The Beloved to the Maidens:
My beloved is dazzling and ruddy; he stands out in comparison to all other men.
5:11 His head is like the most pure gold. His hair is curly – black like a raven.
5:12 His eyes are like doves by streams of water, washed in milk, mounted like jewels.
5:13 His cheeks are like garden beds full of balsam trees yielding perfume. His lips are like lilies dripping with drops of myrrh.
5:14 His arms are like rods of gold set with chrysolite. His abdomen is like polished ivory inlaid with sapphires.
5:15 His legs are like pillars of marble set on bases of pure gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, choice as its cedars.
5:16 His mouth is very sweet; he is totally desirable.
This is my beloved!
This is my companion, O maidens of Jerusalem!
Lord, You love us and have many times declared Your love. You, in the person of Jesus, have suffered mistreatment at the hands of those who should have supported You – the religious leaders – as You sought us out. May I return as much of Your love as I am capable. May I also seek-after what You call me to be and to do, during my brief time in this world, no matter the resistance from those who simply do not understand.
Solomon declared his love for the woman, then in an editorial insertion the text says “The Poet to the Couple: Eat, friends, and drink!”, followed by the woman’s nightmare where she sees Solomon at the gate but by the time she gets to open it he has left.
The woman searched for him again and is accosted, even her robe pulled away from her by the city watchmen, yet she continued her search.
She pleaded with the maidens to help her to find him, but they ask why they should do so, to which she responded that he was the most-unique man and was her intimate companion.
Solomon switched from an ‘actor’ in his love story, to editor/poet, and back again.
Why would the city watchmen have treated the woman so roughly?
The woman is so desperate for Solomon that she endured mistreatment and still continued her search for him in the danger of night.
When have you been so desperate for the attention of a person, or a heightened-level of interaction with the Lord God, that your pursuit continued despite the incredulity or even the mocking of others?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you an element of your relationship, or a task He has assigned to you, in which He desires you to pursue despite resistance from mere humans.
Today I will prayerfully confirm the call of the Holy Spirit and go where He has directed. I will ask more than one fellow-believer to pray in-agreement with me, both for verification of my initial right-discernment and for courage and wisdom, as I persevere.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
The Lost Lover Found
6:1 The Maidens to the Beloved:
Where has your beloved gone, O most beautiful among women?
Where has your beloved turned?
Tell us, that we may seek him with you.
6:2 The Beloved to the Maidens:
My beloved has gone down to his garden, to the flowerbeds of balsam spices, to graze in the gardens, and to gather lilies.
Poetic Refrain: Mutual Possession
6:3 The Beloved about Her Lover:
I am my lover’s and my lover is mine; he grazes among the lilies.
The Renewal of Love
6:4 The Lover to His Beloved:
My darling, you are as beautiful as Tirzah, as lovely as Jerusalem, as awe-inspiring as bannered armies!
6:5 Turn your eyes away from me – they overwhelm me!
Your hair is like a flock of goats descending from Mount Gilead.
6:6 Your teeth are like a flock of sheep coming up from the washing; each has its twin; not one of them is missing.
6:7 Like a slice of pomegranate is your forehead behind your veil.
6:8 There may be sixty queens, and eighty concubines, and young women without number.
6:9 But she is unique!
My dove, my perfect one!
She is the special daughter of her mother, she is the favorite of the one who bore her.
The maidens saw her and complimented her; the queens and concubines praised her:
6:10 “Who is this who appears like the dawn?
Beautiful as the moon, bright as the sun, awe-inspiring as the stars in procession?”
The Return to the Vineyards
6:11 The Lover to His Beloved:
I went down to the orchard of walnut trees, to look for the blossoms of the valley, to see if the vines had budded or if the pomegranates were in bloom.
6:12 I was beside myself with joy!
There please give me your myrrh, O daughter of my princely people.
The Love Song and Dance
6:13 The Lover to His Beloved:
Turn, turn, O Perfect One!
Turn, turn, that I may stare at you!
The Beloved to Her Lover:
Why do you gaze upon the Perfect One like the dance of the Mahanaim?
Lord, Solomon was a man of many earthly lusts, for fame and wealth, luxury and women. He stumbled into a functional-idolatry of them and it harmed everyone involved. May I grow in Your wisdom to appreciate the things of beauty and value in this world without allowing myself to become captive to them.
The maidens inquired of the troubled woman as to the whereabouts of Solomon, adding that they’d like to go and find him as well. [The text is unclear as to their intent; were they intending to assist her, or were they desirous of his physical affections as well.]
She said that she had learned that he had gone to the gardens to “graze” and to “gather lilies”, both terms previously used to describe sexual interactions and females. [The NET Translator’s Notes explain that there is some debate about the meaning, among which are that he’s visiting with his concubines, perhaps fleeing momentarily from the powerful emotions he’s experienced with this woman. Other suggest that he was somehow with her, yet not, which defies logic.]
The woman declared “I am my lover’s and my lover is mine; he grazes among the lilies.”, which may have been her assertion that even though Solomon was physically-with other women his heart still belonged to her.
Solomon then reappeared, repeating his flowery description of his affection for her, and reinforcing the sense that he had temporarily fled (due to the overwhelming emotions), he said “Turn your eyes away from me – they overwhelm me!”
He continued, saying that he had been to the valley to see how the blooms were coming during the Spring and was overjoyed with them, and so he pleaded with her to return with him there to be together. And, reversing his prior request that she not look at him, he begged her to do so – referring to her as “Perfect One”.
She responded to his, asking why he would “... gaze upon the Perfect One like the dance of the Mahanaim?”. [The NET Translator’s Text discusses the various possible meanings of the terms “Perfect One” and “dance of the Mahanaim”.]
The most-simple explanation, and the one flowing consistently with the rest of the text, is most likely to be correct; he had previously pontificated upon her physical perfection and her exceptional emotional connection with him – to the threshold of idol worship. His open-mouth staring at her would be parallel to one’s reaction to an exceptionally passionate and powerful dance performed by young and talented female dancers – appealing to both his (and other male spectator’s) awe and lust.
If taken as symbolism then we have our constant attraction to the Lord God, polluted by our impulsive lusts, yet He continues to pursue us.
Despite the gift of wisdom, great wealth and power, and the blessing of the Lord God – Solomon was still a mere man of mere flesh and just as vulnerable to temptation as any man.
Why would the woman want to be in a relationship with a man, king or not, who already had so many other women in his life?
The lust of the eyes is among the greatest enemies of our relationship with the Lord God, from the first failure of Eve and Adam in the Garden, though the present.
When have you been frightened by the adulation of others, fearing that you could not live up to it, or fearing that it might overwhelm your self-perspective?
Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you how to be your own second-greatest fan and greatest critic, second only to Him.
Today I will accept God’s teaching that I have value because of my relationship with Him, and that means that I am exceptionally-special. I will also partner with Him to search-out those places where I fall-short, and I will intentionally and prayerfully move toward greater maturity.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
7:1 The Lover to His Beloved:
How beautiful are your sandaled feet, O nobleman’s daughter!
The curves of your thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of a master craftsman.
7:2 Your navel is a round mixing bowl – may it never lack mixed wine!
Your belly is a mound of wheat, encircled by lilies.
7:3 Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle.
7:4 Your neck is like a tower made of ivory.
Your eyes are the pools in Heshbon by the gate of Bath-Rabbim.
Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon overlooking Damascus.
7:5 Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel.
The locks of your hair are like royal tapestries – the king is held captive in its tresses!
7:6 How beautiful you are! How lovely, O love, with your delights!
The Palm Tree and the Palm Tree Climber
7:7 The Lover to His Beloved:
Your stature is like a palm tree, and your breasts are like clusters of grapes.
7:8 I want to climb the palm tree, and take hold of its fruit stalks.
May your breasts be like the clusters of grapes, and may the fragrance of your breath be like apricots!
7:9 May your mouth be like the best wine, flowing smoothly for my beloved, gliding gently over our lips as we sleep together.
Poetic Refrain: Mutual Possession
7:10 The Beloved about Her Lover:
I am my beloved’s, and he desires me!
The Journey to the Countryside
7:11 The Beloved to Her Lover:
Come, my beloved, let us go to the countryside; let us spend the night in the villages.
7:12 Let us rise early to go to the vineyards, to see if the vines have budded, to see if their blossoms have opened, if the pomegranates are in bloom – there I will give you my love.
7:13 The mandrakes send out their fragrance; over our door is every delicacy, both new and old, which I have stored up for you, my lover.
Lord, You have often declared Your love for us; Jesus said “How I have longed to gather you to Myself.” May I be certain of Your love and respond in-kind.
Solomon, like his father David, was given to penning reams of flowery phraseology – in this case complimentary.
Solomon described the physical details of his young wife’s body using comparative images which could defy the ability of a reader to comprehend. [What do twin 4-legged gazelles and a woman’s breasts have in common, other than the numeric similarity?]
He returned to the reference to intoxication, perhaps explaining his poetic excesses, describing kissing her lips as like wine to his senses.
After her prior expression of concern for his commitment, followed by her hopeful declaration that his love would bring him back to her, she heard his praise and declared again her certainty of his commitment “I am my beloved’s, and he desires me!”
Solomon concluded by inviting her to the countryside, saying that if things are in bloom he would make love to her in the gardens.
The woman emphasized relationship, though she echoes Solomon’s emphasis upon physical attributes, whereas Solomon mostly spoke of the physical.
Might Solomon have been trying to assure the woman with his flowery language, given his growing bevy of young and beautiful wives and concubines from across the known world?
Solomon seemed to have a need to seek-out unusual experiences in unusual locations.
When have you read a poem or story wherein which the language was so extreme and flowery that it became difficult to follow?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal a place when He likes to meet you. Some place where you break away from the world and where you are the least distracted by the things of the world.
Today I will make time to be where the Lord God most effectively touches my heart and mind. It may be a certain room in your home at a certain time of day, it may be a place in your back yard or a park, it may be in a place where believers gather, or somewhere else. The key is to try and find a place that makes intimate communion with Him most-possible.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Beloved’s Wish Song
8:1 The Beloved to Her Lover:
Oh, how I wish you were my little brother, nursing at my mother’s breasts; if I saw you outside, I could kiss you – surely no one would despise me!
8:2 I would lead you and bring you to my mother’s house, the one who taught me. I would give you spiced wine to drink, the nectar of my pomegranates.
Double Refrain: Embracing and Adjuration
8:3 The Beloved about Her Lover:
His left hand caresses my head, and his right hand stimulates me.
8:4 The Beloved to the Maidens:
I admonish you, O maidens of Jerusalem: “Do not arouse or awaken love until it pleases!”
The Awakening of Love
8:5 The Maidens about His Beloved:
Who is this coming up from the desert, leaning on her beloved?
The Beloved to Her Lover: Under the apple tree I aroused you; there your mother conceived you, there she who bore you was in labor of childbirth.
The Nature of True Love
8:6 The Beloved to Her Lover:
Set me like a cylinder seal over your heart, like a signet on your arm. For love is as strong as death, passion is as unrelenting as Sheol. Its flames burst forth, it is a blazing flame.
8:7 Surging waters cannot quench love; floodwaters cannot overflow it. If someone were to offer all his possessions to buy love, the offer would be utterly despised.
The Brother’s Plan and the Sister’s Reward
8:8 The Beloved’s Brothers:
We have a little sister, and as yet she has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister on the day when she is spoken for?
8:9 If she is a wall, we will build on her a battlement of silver; but if she is a door, we will barricade her with boards of cedar.
8:10 The Beloved:
I was a wall, and my breasts were like fortress towers. Then I found favor in his eyes.
Solomon’s Vineyard and the Beloved’s Vineyard
8:11 The Beloved to Her Lover:
Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-Hamon; he leased out the vineyard to those who maintained it. Each was to bring a thousand shekels of silver for its fruit.
8:12 My vineyard, which belongs to me, is at my disposal alone. The thousand shekels belong to you, O Solomon, and two hundred shekels belong to those who maintain it for its fruit.
Epilogue: The Lover’s Request and His Beloved’s Invitation
8:13 The Lover to His Beloved:
O you who stay in the gardens, my companions are listening attentively for your voice; let me be the one to hear it!
8:14 The Beloved to Her Lover:
Make haste, my beloved! Be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices.
Lord, You desire that we be wholeheartedly committed to You, and that we freely give all that we are and all that we possess in this world over to You. May I remain fully surrendered to the Lord God in everything.
The woman wished that Solomon were her very little brother so that when they met in public they could kiss. [The NET Translator’s Notes explain that public displays of affection were discouraged but among family members were permitted. The age-hint served to assure that in her daydream no one could question the appropriateness of her kissing her baby brother.]
The NET Translator’s Notes further explain that the woman expanded her parallel illustration that she wanted to bring Solomon to the place where she was conceived (and where her mother nursed her little brother) and give to him the intoxicating pleasure of her physical affection.
She repeated her description of the touch of Solomon upon her head with one hand and her body with the other. (Scholars debate the precise meaning, as in vs2:6.) This could refer to his impact upon her mind and her body, could refer to his caring and his passion, or could mean literally what it appears to say. [Solomon’s predisposition to poetic license is nowhere as imprecise as in these love texts.]
She again warned her fellow maidens to avoid physical involvement prior to knowing that the man is truly their beloved.
The maidens chronicled the arrival of the couple and the woman remarked that they were near the same tree where they were first intimate and where his mother had begun childbirth (or conceived).
The woman asked that Solomon would make a commitment of love that marked his heart as belonging to her, declaring that none of the greatest powers of the earth could overcome it, nor could any sum of money ever buy it.
The woman’s brothers, who still think of her as a little girl, declared that they will reward her chastity and defend her innocence.
The woman reminded them that she was no longer a little girl (her transition from girl to woman may have been celebrated in the earlier Spring-associated text of Solomon), that she was well-defended, and that she had found both love and passion with Solomon. [Note: This appears to be out of time-sequence as some earlier sections of the text referred to their wedding.]
The woman compared Solomon’s vineyard (affections/possessions) to hers, his freely offered to her, and hers freely offered to him.
Solomon called out to her, observing that the others with him listened for her voice, but desired that he be the one to hear her first.
She responded, calling out “Make haste, my beloved! Be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices.”
The woman placed a high value on genuine love, on deep commitment, and on sharing all things in common.
Given his tendency to wander from woman to woman might Solomon’s desire that he be first among his companions, to hear her voice, be a concern that she might be as promiscuous as he – and go to the first man she met?
It appears that even the king and one of his wives needed to honor the cultural prohibition against public displays of affection.
When have you longed for the innocence, and associated freedom, of childhood?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your relationship with the Lord God where you need to make a more complete commitment and surrender. It will be one of the many moments in your journey to maturity that you will repeat that exercise.
Today I will joyfully and prayerfully commit and surrender, where the Holy Spirit directs, separating myself from the bondage of the worldly values which I had previously either not recognized or had resisted surrendering to Him.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 34
Introduction to the Book
1:1 The Proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
1:2 To learn wisdom and moral instruction, and to discern wise counsel.
1:3 To receive moral instruction in skillful living, in righteousness, justice, and equity.
1:4 To impart shrewdness to the morally naive, and a discerning plan to the young person.
1:5 (Let the wise also hear and gain instruction, and let the discerning acquire guidance!)
1:6 To discern the meaning of a proverb and a parable, the sayings of the wise and their riddles.
Introduction to the Theme of the Book
1:7 Fearing the Lord is the beginning of moral knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
1:8 Listen, my child, to the instruction from your father, and do not forsake the teaching from your mother.
1:9 For they will be like an elegant garland on your head, and like pendants around your neck.
Admonition to Avoid Easy but Unjust Riches
1:10 My child, if sinners try to entice you, do not consent!
1:11 If they say, “Come with us! We will lie in wait to shed blood; we will ambush an innocent person capriciously.
1:12 We will swallow them alive like Sheol, those full of vigor like those going down to the Pit.
1:13 We will seize all kinds of precious wealth; we will fill our houses with plunder.
1:14 Join with us! We will all share equally in what we steal.”
1:15 My child, do not go down their way, withhold yourself from their path;
1:16 for they are eager to inflict harm, and they hasten to shed blood.
1:17 Surely it is futile to spread a net in plain sight of any bird,
1:18 but these men lie in wait for their own blood, they ambush their own lives!
1:19 Such are the ways of all who gain profit unjustly; it takes away the life of those who obtain it!
Warning Against Disregarding Wisdom
1:20 Wisdom calls out in the street, she shouts loudly in the plazas;
1:21 at the head of the noisy streets she calls, in the entrances of the gates in the city she utters her words:
1:22 “How long will you simpletons love naiveté? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?
1:23 If only you will respond to my rebuke, then I will pour out my thoughts to you and I will make my words known to you.
1:24 However, because I called but you refused to listen, because I stretched out my hand but no one paid attention,
1:25 because you neglected all my advice, and did not comply with my rebuke,
1:26 so I myself will laugh when disaster strikes you, I will mock when what you dread comes,
1:27 when what you dread comes like a whirlwind, and disaster strikes you like a devastating storm, when distressing trouble comes on you.
1:28 Then they will call to me, but I will not answer; they will diligently seek me, but they will not find me.
1:29 Because they hated moral knowledge, and did not choose to fear the Lord,
1:30 they did not comply with my advice, they spurned all my rebuke.
1:31 Therefore they will eat from the fruit of their way, and they will be stuffed full of their own counsel.
1:32 For the waywardness of the simpletons will kill them, and the careless ease of fools will destroy them.
1:33 But the one who listens to me will live in security, and will be at ease from the dread of harm.
Lord, You offer to us Your perfect wisdom, and we ignore You to our own peril. May I be attentive to Your leading and make good use of Your wisdom.
Solomon’s clearly-stated purpose, as the recipient of the gift of wisdom to rule, was to share what he had learned with others.
“To learn wisdom and moral instruction, and to discern wise counsel.”
“To receive moral instruction in skillful living, in righteousness, justice, and equity.”
“To impart shrewdness to the morally naive, and a discerning plan to the young person.”
And to teach others how “To discern the meaning of a proverb and a parable, the sayings of the wise and their riddles.”
It often takes a process, rather than a momentary event, to lead a person to a true appreciation of wisdom – thus a riddle slows and engages the mind as it guides it through steps to the answer.
“Fearing the Lord is the beginning of moral knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
Fear of the Lord God may be understood as a nexus of respect for His absolute power and of His uniquely-perfect wisdom.
“Admonition to Avoid Easy but Unjust Riches” because such conduct ultimately harms the one doing so.
“Because they hated moral knowledge, and did not choose to fear the Lord … they did not comply with my advice, they spurned all my rebuke … Therefore they will eat from the fruit of their way, and they will be stuffed full of their own counsel.”
A “riddle” is used to motivate one to engage in a deep process of partnership with the Holy Spirit in order to acquire wisdom rather than simple awareness/knowledge of facts. e.g. The demons have knowledge of Who Jesus is, but they lacked the wisdom to choose His Lordship and instead followed Satan in rebellion.
Why are both awe and fear necessary for a right response to the Lord God?
The consequence of ignoring the wisdom that is offered, not imposed, by the Lord God is that you will suffer the collateral consequences of living in the absence of wisdom.
When have you experienced or observed someone deliberately ignoring the wisdom of the Lord God and suffering the consequences?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your walk where you are ignoring the wisdom of the Lord God.
Today I will confess and repent, seek and receive the Lord God's forgiveness, and act decisively to more-fully integrate the Lord's wisdom into my life.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Benefits of Seeking Wisdom
2:1 My child, if you receive my words, and store up my commands within you,
2:2 by making your ear attentive to wisdom, and by turning your heart to understanding,
2:3 indeed, if you call out for discernment – raise your voice for understanding –
2:4 if you seek it like silver, and search for it like hidden treasure,
2:5 then you will understand how to fear the Lord, and you will discover knowledge about God.
2:6 For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.
2:7 He stores up effective counsel for the upright, and is like a shield for those who live with integrity,
2:8 to guard the paths of the righteous and to protect the way of his pious ones.
2:9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity – every good way.
2:10 For wisdom will enter your heart, and moral knowledge will be attractive to you.
2:11 Discretion will protect you, understanding will guard you,
2:12 to deliver you from the way of the wicked, from those speaking perversity,
2:13 who leave the upright paths to walk on the dark ways,
2:14 who delight in doing evil, they rejoice in perverse evil;
2:15 whose paths are morally crooked, and who are devious in their ways;
2:16 to deliver you from the adulteress, from the sexually loose woman who speaks flattering words;
2:17 who leaves the husband from her younger days, and forgets her marriage covenant made before God.
2:18 For her house sinks down to death, and her paths lead to the place of the departed spirits.
2:19 None who go in to her will return, nor will they reach the paths of life.
2:20 So you will walk in the way of good people, and will keep on the paths of the righteous.
2:21 For the upright will reside in the land, and those with integrity will remain in it,
2:22 but the wicked will be removed from the land, and the treacherous will be torn away from it.
Lord, You lead us to knowledge and understanding and if we allow Your Holy Spirit to bring them together we will gain the wisdom that You desire for us. May I be attentive to Your teaching and seek-after Your wisdom.
King Solomon, having been blessed with the gift of exceptional wisdom from the Lord God, decided to keep a record of what he learned through that gift. In Proverbs 2 he broke-out the elements of how others might seek and acquire the Lord’s wisdom through him.
The learner had to be willing “... if you receive my words, and store up my commands within you, by making your ear attentive to wisdom, and by turning your heart to understanding, indeed, if you call out for discernment – raise your voice for understanding – if you seek it like silver, and search for it like hidden treasure ...”
The Lord God would reward him “... then you will understand how to fear the Lord, and you will discover knowledge about God.”
Wisdom is knowledge plus understanding “For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.”
The wisdom of God transforms a person “Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity – every good way. For wisdom will enter your heart, and moral knowledge will be attractive to you.”
The primary goal is “... you will discover knowledge about God.”
Could it be that the Lord told Solomon that he needed to both appeal to people to seek wisdom for its own sake and to keep them out of trouble? “... deliver you from the way of the wicked, from those speaking perversity ...”
What a shame that Solomon forgot much of the wisdom that he communicated from the Lord God to others and rather practiced the un-wise ways against which he himself wisely-warned.
When have you experienced or observed the benefits of seeking wisdom and the negative consequences of refusing wisdom?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the path to wisdom that you need to handle an especially difficult challenge in your life.
Today I will humble myself, pray, and reflect as I make myself available to the teaching of the Holy Spirit. As is appropriate I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement with me for this.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Exhortations to Seek Wisdom and Walk with the Lord
3:1 My child, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments,
3:2 for they will provide a long and full life, and they will add well-being to you.
3:3 Do not let truth and mercy leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.
3:4 Then you will find favor and good understanding, in the sight of God and people.
3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding.
3:6 Acknowledge him in all your ways, and he will make your paths straight.
3:7 Do not be wise in your own estimation; fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
3:8 This will bring healing to your body, and refreshment to your inner self.
3:9 Honor the Lord from your wealth and from the first fruits of all your crops;
3:10 then your barns will be filled completely, and your vats will overflow with new wine.
3:11 My child, do not despise discipline from the Lord, and do not loathe his rebuke.
3:12 For the Lord disciplines those he loves, just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights.
Blessings of Obtaining Wisdom
3:13 Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who obtains understanding.
3:14 For her benefit is more profitable than silver, and her gain is better than gold.
3:15 She is more precious than rubies, and none of the things you desire can compare with her.
3:16 Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.
3:17 Her ways are very pleasant, and all her paths are peaceful.
3:18 She is like a tree of life to those who obtain her, and everyone who grasps hold of her will be blessed.
3:19 By wisdom the Lord laid the foundation of the earth; he established the heavens by understanding.
3:20 By his knowledge the primordial sea was broken open, and the clouds drip down dew.
3:21 My child, do not let them escape from your sight; safeguard sound wisdom and discretion.
3:22 So they will give life to you, and grace to adorn your neck.
3:23 Then you will walk on your way with security, and you will not stumble.
3:24 When you lie down you will not be filled with fear; when you lie down your sleep will be pleasant.
3:25 You will not be afraid of sudden disaster, or when destruction overtakes the wicked;
3:26 for the Lord will be the source of your confidence, and he will guard your foot from being caught in a trap.
Wisdom Demonstrated in Relationships with People
3:27 Do not withhold good from those who need it, when you have the ability to help.
3:28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go! Return tomorrow and I will give it,” when you have it with you at the time.
3:29 Do not plot evil against your neighbor when he dwells by you unsuspectingly.
3:30 Do not accuse anyone without legitimate cause, if he has not treated you wrongly.
3:31 Do not envy a violent man, and do not choose to imitate any of his ways;
3:32 for one who goes astray is an abomination to the Lord, but he reveals his intimate counsel to the upright.
3:33 The Lord’s curse is on the household of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous.
3:34 Although he is scornful to arrogant scoffers, yet he shows favor to the humble.
3:35 The wise inherit honor, but he holds fools up to public contempt.
Lord, Your wisdom blesses us as it blesses others through us, but we have to be willing recipients of the gift – even when it makes us uncomfortable. May I accept Your wisdom even when it means discipline, inconvenience, and/or sacrifice for me.
Solomon continued to emphasize the link between receiving wisdom and blessing “Do not let truth and mercy leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will find favor and good understanding, in the sight of God and people. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. Acknowledge him in all your ways, and he will make your paths straight.”
He also warned that we must accept the wisdom that disciplines together with the wisdom that brings blessing “My child, do not despise discipline from the Lord, and do not loathe his rebuke. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights.”
The blessings of wisdom include discernment “Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who obtains understanding … the Lord will be the source of your confidence, and he will guard your foot from being caught in a trap.”
Wisdom means that we are without excuse because we will know what is right in the eyes of the Lord God and we must not be selfish “Do not withhold good from those who need it, when you have the ability to help.”
One who lives according to the wisdom of the Lord will be respected among their peers and the opposite for those who reject wisdom “The wise inherit honor, but he holds fools up to public contempt.”
Wisdom is a characteristic of the Lord God which He offers to share with humankind.
Might Solomon have thought it necessary to warn people to accept the wisdom that disciplines because they historically may have thought that all difficulties were punishment?
Solomon encouraged people to seek wisdom from God and not from man.
When have you experienced God’s discipleship through His wisdom shared with you by others and you benefited from it?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you need to seek wisdom from God, rather than flawed human sources.
Today I will humbly acknowledge that I have been seeking wisdom in all of the wrong places and will instead invest regular time in prayer and study of the wisdom that the Lord God has provided in His Bible.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
Admonition to Follow Righteousness and Avoid Wickedness
4:1 Listen, children, to a father’s instruction, and pay attention so that you may gain discernment.
4:2 Because I give you good instruction, do not forsake my teaching.
4:3 When I was a son to my father, a tender only child before my mother,
4:4 he taught me, and he said to me: “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands so that you will live.
4:5 Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding; do not forget and do not turn aside from the words I speak.
4:6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will guard you.
4:7 Wisdom is supreme – so acquire wisdom, and whatever you acquire, acquire understanding!
4:8 Esteem her highly and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her.
4:9 She will place a fair garland on your head; she will bestow a beautiful crown on you.”
4:10 Listen, my child, and accept my words, so that the years of your life will be many.
4:11 I will guide you in the way of wisdom and I will lead you in upright paths.
4:12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered, and when you run, you will not stumble.
4:13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; protect it, because it is your life.
4:14 Do not enter the path of the wicked or walk in the way of those who are evil.
4:15 Avoid it, do not go on it; turn away from it, and go on.
4:16 For they cannot sleep unless they cause harm; they are robbed of sleep until they make someone stumble.
4:17 For they eat bread gained from wickedness and drink wine obtained from violence.
4:18 But the path of the righteous is like the bright morning light, growing brighter and brighter until full day.
4:19 The way of the wicked is like gloomy darkness; they do not know what causes them to stumble.
4:20 My child, pay attention to my words; listen attentively to my sayings.
4:21 Do not let them depart from your sight, guard them within your heart;
4:22 for they are life to those who find them and healing to one’s entire body.
4:23 Guard your heart with all vigilance, for from it are the sources of life.
4:24 Remove perverse speech from your mouth; keep devious talk far from your lips.
4:25 Let your eyes look directly in front of you and let your gaze look straight before you.
4:26 Make the path for your feet level, so that all your ways may be established.
4:27 Do not turn to the right or to the left; turn yourself away from evil.
Admonition to Avoid Seduction to Evil
5:1 My child, be attentive to my wisdom, pay close attention to my understanding,
5:2 in order to safeguard discretion, and that your lips may guard knowledge.
5:3 For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey, and her seductive words are smoother than olive oil,
5:4 but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.
5:5 Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave.
5:6 Lest she should make level the path leading to life, her paths are unstable but she does not know it.
5:7 So now, children, listen to me; do not turn aside from the words I speak.
5:8 Keep yourself far from her, and do not go near the door of her house,
5:9 lest you give your vigor to others and your years to a cruel person,
5:10 lest strangers devour your strength, and your labor benefit another man’s house.
5:11 And at the end of your life you will groan when your flesh and your body are wasted away.
5:12 And you will say, “How I hated discipline!
My heart spurned reproof!
5:13 For I did not obey my teachers and I did not heed my instructors.
5:14 I almost came to complete ruin in the midst of the whole congregation!”
5:15 Drink water from your own cistern and running water from your own well.
5:16 Should your springs be dispersed outside, your streams of water in the wide plazas?
5:17 Let them be for yourself alone, and not for strangers with you.
5:18 May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in your young wife –
5:19 a loving doe, a graceful deer; may her breasts satisfy you at all times, may you be captivated by her love always.
5:20 But why should you be captivated, my son, by an adulteress, and embrace the bosom of a different woman?
5:21 For the ways of a person are in front of the Lord’s eyes, and the Lord weighs all that person’s paths.
5:22 The wicked will be captured by his own iniquities, and he will be held by the cords of his own sin.
5:23 He will die because there was no discipline; because of the greatness of his folly he will reel.
Lord, Your wisdom is beautiful and like a guiding angel. May I seek Your wisdom more than any pretty or valuable thing this imperfect world has to offer. You are the beauty of perfect righteousness and everything else is something less. May I always seek after Your righteousness rather than testing the boundaries of sin.
Solomon again repeated the reason one should value the Proverbs “Listen, children, to a father’s instruction, and pay attention so that you may gain discernment.
He then gave a human characteristic to wisdom “Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will guard you.”
He warned that one should obey the leading of wisdom and listed some of the negative paths that one might take if not “Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; protect it, because it is your life. Do not enter the path of the wicked or walk in the way of those who are evil.”
Then he returned to the positive “... for they are life to those who find them and healing to one’s entire body.”
Solomon included a traveling word-picture “Do not turn to the right or to the left; turn yourself away from evil.”
Solomon used the word-picture of a seductive and adulterous woman to warn of the temptation of sin. His point was that sin does not always look ugly, though it is, and it does not always feel bad – at first – but it is destructive.
He postulated that once one allowed oneself near to sin it was common to be drawn in, so to not even go near. He also postulated that once one was ensnared by sin that ones life could be consumed by it, ending sadly as one reflected upon a wasted life.
He concluded with a word-picture of the attractiveness of ones young wife, that one should remain faithful and nurture affection for her; this as an illustration of the way one should think of wisdom – which he had previously conceptualized as “she”.
Seeking and living according to wisdom is a choice. The enemy is like a seductive adulteress, or a seductive adulterer, pretending to care and ‘costumed’ to appeal to your fantasies – but in the end he/she/it is like poison.
Is it because we sometimes respond to the fear of negative consequences and sometimes to the appeal of positive consequences that Solomon uses both? How could Solomon have been so clear in the wisdom of the Lord God yet done precisely what he knew and taught was wrong?
Solomon’s word-picture about life as a journey is visualized well in the book ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’. A healthy relationship with the Lord God is like a healthy relationship with a mate, it requires commitment, investment, and a right-perspective – all are choices that must be made and kept daily.
When have you known what wisdom said but chosen another way? When have you been tested by the temptation of a sin and discovered that you have allowed yourself to be where you should not be and that it was then very difficult to break away?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where you need to make a more-intentional effort to seek His wisdom and to then follow it, and to reveal to you a place where you have been allowing yourself to drift-astray to where you may be more-easily tempted by sin. It may be about adultery, money, power, food, sloth, etc.
Today I will humbly accept the challenge of the Holy Spirit to submit to His wisdom, I will make the time to study His word which is relevant to that area, I will invite one who is Biblically-qualified as an elder to assist and pray in-agreement with me, and I will allow my walk to be transformed by wisdom. I will confess and repent, request and accept the Lord’s forgiveness, then alter my ways to keep myself far from the threshold of sin. I will ask a fellow believer to be my accountability partner and to pray in-agreement with me.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Admonitions and Warnings against Dangerous and Destructive Acts
6:1 My child, if you have made a pledge for your neighbor, and have become a guarantor for a stranger,
6:2 if you have been ensnared by the words you have uttered, and have been caught by the words you have spoken,
6:3 then, my child, do this in order to deliver yourself, because you have fallen into your neighbor’s power: go, humble yourself, and appeal firmly to your neighbor.
6:4 Permit no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids.
6:5 Deliver yourself like a gazelle from a snare, and like a bird from the trap of the fowler.
6:6 Go to the ant, you sluggard; observe its ways and be wise!
6:7 It has no commander, overseer, or ruler,
6:8 yet it prepares its food in the summer; it gathers at the harvest what it will eat.
6:9 How long, you sluggard, will you lie there?
When will you rise from your sleep?
6:10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to relax,
6:11 and your poverty will come like a robber, and your need like an armed man.
6:12 A worthless and wicked person walks around saying perverse things;
6:13 he winks with his eyes, signals with his feet, and points with his fingers;
6:14 he plots evil with perverse thoughts in his heart, he spreads contention at all times.
6:15 Therefore, his disaster will come suddenly; in an instant he will be broken, and there will be no remedy.
6:16 There are six things that the Lord hates, even seven things that are an abomination to him:
6:17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
6:18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift to run to evil,
6:19 a false witness who pours out lies, and a person who spreads discord among family members.
6:20 My child, guard the commands of your father and do not forsake the instruction of your mother.
6:21 Bind them on your heart continually; fasten them around your neck.
6:22 When you walk about, they will guide you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; when you wake up, they will talk to you.
6:23 For the commandments are like a lamp, instruction is like a light, and rebukes of discipline are like the road leading to life,
6:24 by keeping you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the loose woman.
6:25 Do not lust in your heart for her beauty, and do not let her captivate you with her alluring eyes;
6:26 for on account of a prostitute one is brought down to a loaf of bread, but the wife of another man preys on your precious life.
6:27 Can a man hold fire against his chest without burning his clothes?
6:28 Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet?
6:29 So it is with the one who has sex with his neighbor’s wife; no one who touches her will escape punishment.
6:30 People do not despise a thief when he steals to fulfill his need when he is hungry.
6:31 Yet if he is caught he must repay seven times over, he might even have to give all the wealth of his house.
6:32 A man who commits adultery with a woman lacks wisdom, whoever does it destroys his own life.
6:33 He will be beaten and despised, and his reproach will not be wiped away;
6:34 for jealousy kindles a husband’s rage, and he will not show mercy when he takes revenge.
6:35 He will not consider any compensation; he will not be willing, even if you multiply the compensation.
Admonition to Avoid the Wiles of the Adulteress
7:1 My child, keep my words and treasure up my commands in your own keeping.
7:2 Keep my commands so that you may live, and obey my instruction as your most prized possession.
7:3 Bind them on your forearm; write them on the tablet of your heart.
7:4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding a close relative,
7:5 so that they may keep you from the adulterous woman, from the loose woman who flatters you with her words.
7:6 For at the window of my house through my window lattice I looked out
7:7 and I saw among the naive – I discerned among the youths – a young man who lacked wisdom.
7:8 He was passing by the street near her corner, making his way along the road to her house
7:9 in the twilight, the evening, in the dark of the night.
7:10 Suddenly a woman came out to meet him!
She was dressed like a prostitute and with secret intent.
7:11 (She is loud and rebellious, she does not remain at home –
7:12 at one time outside, at another in the wide plazas, and by every corner she lies in wait.)
7:13 So she grabbed him and kissed him, and with a bold expression she said to him,
7:14 “I have fresh meat at home; today I have fulfilled my vows!
7:15 That is why I came out to meet you, to look for you, and I found you!
7:16 I have spread my bed with elegant coverings, with richly colored fabric from Egypt.
7:17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
7:18 Come, let’s drink deeply of lovemaking until morning, let’s delight ourselves with sexual intercourse.
7:19 For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a journey of some distance.
7:20 He has taken a bag of money with him; he will not return until the end of the month.”
7:21 She persuaded him with persuasive words; with her smooth talk she compelled him.
7:22 Suddenly he went after her like an ox that goes to the slaughter, like a stag prancing into a trapper’s snare
7:23 till an arrow pierces his liver – like a bird hurrying into a trap, and he does not know that it will cost him his life.
7:24 So now, sons, listen to me, and pay attention to the words I speak.
7:25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways – do not wander into her pathways;
7:26 for she has brought down many fatally wounded, and all those she has slain are many.
7:27 Her house is the way to the grave, going down to the chambers of death.
Lord, You are the Righteous One, all sin offends You. May I learn from the wisdom You shared with Solomon and pursue righteousness rather than the destructive and temporary sinful pleasures of the world. You have used every example and illustration to teach us, but our flesh is both weak as to the ease of temptation and strong in resistance against movement toward righteousness. May I “bind” Your wisdom “on my forearm” - keep it close and visible – so that I will make the choices You desire for me to make.
Solomon began with an instruction to break-free of obligations which indebted one to a neighbor who did not honor the Lord God.
He then moved on to challenge the “sluggard” to earn their way or be left without.
Solomon then shared a list of destructive character defects and behaviors:
“Haughty eyes” – an unteachable, proud, and superior attitude.
“A lying tongue”
“Hands that shed innocent blood” – murder is for personal gain, incl. abortion
“A heart that devises wicked plans”
“Feet that are swift to run to evil” – people who always live at the edge of sin
“A false witness who pours out lies”
“A person who spreads discord among family members.”
Solomon’s illustrated using common imagery; “... commandments are like a lamp, instruction is like a light, and rebukes of discipline are like the road leading to life ...”
Solomon concluded with two negative illustrations, adultery and thievery. He showed how adultery violates two homes, and everyone in them, and may generate a rage in the uninvolved spouse(s) that leads to destruction. He also showed how people may have compassion for a person who steals to feed his/her starving family yet the law – upon which civilization is dependent – would still require the thief to pay dearly if caught.
Solomon reminded his readers of the importance of wisdom “My child, keep my words and treasure up my commands in your own keeping. Keep my commands so that you may live, and obey my instruction as your most prized possession. Bind them on your forearm; write them on the tablet of your heart. Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding a close relative, so that they may keep you from ...”
What he wanted fellow children of the Lord God to be “kept … from” was sin.
Solomon continued with his illustration of temptation to sin via the word-picture of an adulteress and a young man. He told the story of the many ways that she appealed to his flesh and how she made excuses, like any salesman, to overcome his objections.
He concluded that once one begins along the path of the unrighteous person it always becomes more difficult to resist and that the end of such a path would be death to ones relationship with the Lord God.
Obligations to non-believers are not merely financial and can be ‘the tail that wags the dog’ of ones life. It is important to “count the cost” of associations, commitments, and debts of any sort prior to making them – and to endeavor to escape them if already made. Both wisdom and foolishness (surrendering to worldly temptations) are illustrated using feminine word-pictures, thus demonstrating the Lord God’s high-view of the influence of women in society.
Why would Solomon have committed so many sins when he so clearly understood and communicated the wisdom of the Lord God? Would teaching through stories like this be as effective today as in his time?
All of the sins described involved a selfish heart-condition. The young man had to choose to fail the ‘test’ (thus making an agreement with the enemy to be tempted) by choosing to go where he knew that he should not. He then had to choose not to flee the temptress; thus he twice acted to intentionally make his own temptation, and sin, possible.
When have you avoided trouble because you were reminded by the Holy Spirit of Solomon’s warnings in Proverbs? When have you failed the test by knowingly remaining where you knew you’d be tempted?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your walk where you would benefit from the application of Solomon’s God-inspired wisdom to your choices and to reveal to you a place where you fail the test by repeatedly placing yourself in a situation where you know that you are vulnerable to temptation.
Today I will humbly and prayerfully reflect upon a day and a week in my life and look for moments and patterns of choices which may reveal a conflict with the wisdom of this Psalm. I will confess and repent, request and receive the Lord’s forgiveness, and immediately act to alter my ways to stop the unrighteous choices. I may choose to ask one who is Biblically-qualified as an “elder” to hold me accountable and to pray in-agreement with me.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Appeal of Wisdom
8:1 Does not wisdom call out?
Does not understanding raise her voice?
8:2 At the top of the elevated places along the way, at the intersection of the paths she takes her stand;
8:3 beside the gates opening into the city, at the entrance of the doorways she cries out:
8:4 “To you, O people, I call out, and my voice calls to all mankind.
8:5 You who are naive, discern wisdom!
And you fools, understand discernment!
8:6 Listen, for I will speak excellent things, and my lips will utter what is right.
8:7 For my mouth speaks truth, and my lips hate wickedness.
8:8 All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing in them twisted or crooked.
8:9 All of them are clear to the discerning and upright to those who find knowledge.
8:10 Receive my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold.
8:11 For wisdom is better than rubies, and desirable things cannot be compared to her.
8:12 “I, wisdom, live with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.
8:13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride and the evil way and perverse utterances.
8:14 Counsel and sound wisdom belong to me; I possess understanding and might.
8:15 Kings reign by means of me, and potentates decree righteousness;
8:16 by me princes rule, as well as nobles and all righteous judges.
8:17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.
8:18 Riches and honor are with me, long-lasting wealth and righteousness.
8:19 My fruit is better than the purest gold, and what I produce is better than choice silver.
8:20 I walk in the path of righteousness, in the pathway of justice,
8:21 that I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, and that I may fill their treasuries.
8:22 The Lord created me as the beginning of his works, before his deeds of long ago.
8:23 From eternity I was appointed, from the beginning, from before the world existed.
8:24 When there were no deep oceans I was born, when there were no springs overflowing with water;
8:25 before the mountains were set in place – before the hills – I was born,
8:26 before he made the earth and its fields, or the beginning of the dust of the world.
8:27 When he established the heavens, I was there; when he marked out the horizon over the face of the deep,
8:28 when he established the clouds above, when the fountains of the deep grew strong,
8:29 when he gave the sea his decree that the waters should not pass over his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
8:30 then I was beside him as a master craftsman, and I was his delight day by day, rejoicing before him at all times,
8:31 rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth, and delighting in its people.
8:32 “So now, children, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways.
8:33 Listen to my instruction so that you may be wise, and do not neglect it.
8:34 Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching at my doors day by day, waiting beside my doorway.
8:35 For the one who finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord.
8:36 But the one who does not find me brings harm to himself; all who hate me love death.”
The Consequences of Accepting Wisdom or Folly
9:1 Wisdom has built her house; she has carved out its seven pillars.
9:2 She has prepared her meat, she has mixed her wine; she also has arranged her table.
9:3 She has sent out her female servants; she calls out on the highest places of the city.
9:4 “Whoever is naive, let him turn in here,” she says to those who lack understanding.
9:5 “Come, eat some of my food, and drink some of the wine I have mixed.
9:6 Abandon your foolish ways so that you may live, and proceed in the way of understanding.”
9:7 Whoever corrects a mocker is asking for insult; whoever reproves a wicked person receives abuse.
9:8 Do not reprove a mocker or he will hate you; reprove a wise person and he will love you.
9:9 Give instruction to a wise person, and he will become wiser still; teach a righteous person and he will add to his learning.
9:10 The beginning of wisdom is to fear the Lord, and acknowledging the Holy One is understanding.
9:11 For because of me your days will be many, and years will be added to your life.
9:12 If you are wise, you are wise to your own advantage, but if you are a mocker, you alone must bear it.
9:13 The woman called Folly is brash, she is naive and does not know anything.
9:14 So she sits at the door of her house, on a seat at the highest point of the city,
9:15 calling out to those who are passing by her in the way, who go straight on their way.
9:16 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here,” she says to those who lack understanding.
9:17 “Stolen waters are sweet, and food obtained in secret is pleasant!”
9:18 But they do not realize that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of the grave.
Lord, Your wisdom has a long history – embedded in everything that You have done and said is perfect wisdom. May I seek the peace and safety of Your wisdom so that I am not seduced by the pretty-appearing but genuinely crass, shallow, and temporary temptations of folly.
Solomon began with a proclamation from the personified-wisdom “To you, O people, I call out, and my voice calls to all mankind … Listen, for I will speak excellent things, and my lips will utter what is right … All of them are clear to the discerning and upright to those who find knowledge ... wisdom is better than rubies, and desirable things cannot be compared to her.”
He quoted wisdom “The Lord created me [wisdom] as the beginning of his works, before his deeds of long ago. From eternity I was appointed, from the beginning, from before the world existed.”
He continued with the pleas of wisdom “So now, children, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways. Listen to my instruction so that you may be wise, and do not neglect it. Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching at my doors day by day, waiting beside my doorway. For the one who finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord.”
And a warning “But the one who does not find me brings harm to himself; all who hate me love death.”
Solomon then contrasted the personified characters Wisdom and Folly.
He began with a description of Wisdom “Wisdom has built her house; she has carved out its seven pillars. She has prepared her meat, she has mixed her wine; she also has arranged her table.” and once thoughtfully-prepared she sends out invitations.
Then he contrasted the approach of Wisdom to people with different ‘hearts’ “Do not reprove a mocker or he will hate you; reprove a wise person and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise person, and he will become wiser still; teach a righteous person and he will add to his learning.”
Solomon then described Folly “The woman called Folly is brash, she is naive and does not know anything. So she sits at the door of her house, on a seat at the highest point of the city, calling out to those who are passing by her in the way ...”
He presented her clearly as shallow and crass ““Whoever is simple, let him turn in here,” she says to those who lack understanding. “Stolen waters are sweet, and food obtained in secret is pleasant!”“
And his conclusion of the consequences of trusting Folly was “But they do not realize that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of the grave.”
Wisdom was created by the Lord God, flowing from the essence of Himself, a gift for His creation. Just as humankind was created in the partial image of God, by design humankind was capable of receiving gifts such as wisdom, but as with all gifts it must be willingly accepted.
Does Solomon’s use of personified characters and common images help make clear his teaching?
The choice we make between wisdom and folly is a reflection of the condition of our hearts.
When have you observed the different responses to wisdom from a wise person and a mocker?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where He wants to add to your wisdom, a place where your lust and/or pride may be causing you to resist.
Today I will prayerfully reflect upon my past week to discern the places where the Holy Spirit desires to inject wisdom into my life. I will humble confess and repent of my past resistance and surrender to His blessing of wisdom, no matter how difficult or inconvenient.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The First Collection of Solomonic Proverbs
10:1 The Proverbs of Solomon: A wise child makes a father rejoice, but a foolish child is a grief to his mother.
10:2 Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from mortal danger.
10:3 The Lord satisfies the appetite of the righteous, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
10:4 The one who is lazy becomes poor, but the one who works diligently becomes wealthy.
10:5 The one who gathers crops in the summer is a wise son, but the one who sleeps during the harvest is a son who brings shame to himself.
10:6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the speech of the wicked conceals violence.
10:7 The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the reputation of the wicked will rot.
10:8 The wise person accepts instructions, but the one who speaks foolishness will come to ruin.
10:9 The one who conducts himself in integrity will live securely, but the one who behaves perversely will be found out.
10:10 The one who winks his eye causes trouble, and the one who speaks foolishness will come to ruin.
10:11 The teaching of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the speech of the wicked conceals violence.
10:12 Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers all transgressions.
10:13 Wisdom is found in the words of the discerning person, but the one who lacks wisdom will be disciplined.
10:14 Those who are wise store up knowledge, but foolish speech leads to imminent destruction.
10:15 The wealth of a rich person is like a fortified city, but the poor are brought to ruin by their poverty.
10:16 The reward which the righteous receive is life; the recompense which the wicked receive is judgment.
10:17 The one who heeds instruction is on the way to life, but the one who rejects rebuke goes astray.
10:18 The one who conceals hatred utters lies, and the one who spreads slander is certainly a fool.
10:19 When words abound, transgression is inevitable, but the one who restrains his words is wise.
10:20 What the righteous say is like the best silver, but what the wicked think is of little value.
10:21 The teaching of the righteous feeds many, but fools die for lack of wisdom.
10:22 The blessing from the Lord makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow to it.
10:23 Carrying out a wicked scheme is enjoyable to a fool, and so is wisdom for the one who has discernment.
10:24 What the wicked fears will come on him; what the righteous desire will be granted.
10:25 When the storm passes through, the wicked are swept away, but the righteous are an everlasting foundation.
10:26 Like vinegar to the teeth and like smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him.
10:27 Fearing the Lord prolongs life, but the life span of the wicked will be shortened.
10:28 The hope of the righteous is joy, but the expectation of the wicked will remain unfulfilled.
10:29 The way of the Lord is like a stronghold for the upright, but it is destruction to evildoers.
10:30 The righteous will never be moved, but the wicked will not inhabit the land.
10:31 The speech of the righteous bears the fruit of wisdom, but the one who speaks perversion will be destroyed.
10:32 The lips of the righteous know what is pleasing, but the speech of the wicked is perverse.
11:1 The Lord abhors dishonest scales, but an accurate weight is his delight.
11:2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
11:3 The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the unfaithful destroys them.
11:4 Wealth does not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from mortal danger.
11:5 The righteousness of the blameless will make straight their way, but the wicked person will fall by his own wickedness.
11:6 The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, but the faithless will be captured by their own desires.
11:7 When a wicked person dies, his expectation perishes, and the hope of his strength perishes.
11:8 The righteous person is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked turns up in his stead.
11:9 With his speech the godless person destroys his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous will be delivered.
11:10 When the righteous do well, the city rejoices; when the wicked perish, there is joy.
11:11 A city is exalted by the blessing provided from the upright, but it is destroyed by the counsel of the wicked.
11:12 The one who denounces his neighbor lacks wisdom, but the one who has discernment keeps silent.
11:13 The one who goes about slandering others reveals secrets, but the one who is trustworthy conceals a matter.
11:14 When there is no guidance a nation falls, but there is success in the abundance of counselors.
11:15 The one who puts up security for a stranger will surely have trouble, but whoever avoids shaking hands will be secure.
11:16 A generous woman gains honor, and ruthless men seize wealth.
11:17 A kind person benefits himself, but a cruel person brings himself trouble.
11:18 The wicked person earns deceitful wages, but the one who sows righteousness reaps a genuine reward.
11:19 True righteousness leads to life, but the one who pursues evil pursues it to his own death.
11:20 The Lord abhors those who are perverse in heart, but those who are blameless in their ways are his delight.
11:21 Be assured that the evil person will certainly be punished, but the descendants of the righteous will not suffer unjust judgment.
11:22 Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who rejects discretion.
11:23 What the righteous desire leads only to good, but what the wicked hope for leads to wrath.
11:24 One person is generous and yet grows more wealthy, but another withholds more than he should and comes to poverty.
11:25 A generous person will be enriched, and the one who provides water for others will himself be satisfied.
11:26 People will curse the one who withholds grain, but they will praise the one who sells it.
11:27 The one who diligently seeks good seeks favor, but the one who searches for evil – it will come to him.
11:28 The one who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.
11:29 The one who troubles his family will inherit nothing, and the fool will be a servant to the wise person.
11:30 The fruit of the righteous is like a tree producing life, and the one who wins souls is wise.
11:31 If the righteous are recompensed on earth, how much more the wicked sinner!
Lord, You have made the difference between those who listen to You and those who do not as plain as can be – choices have consequences. May I be careful to make the choice for You!
In what is labeled “The First Collection of Solomonic Proverbs” he presented a list of wise choices followed by the corollary, e.g. “The one who is lazy becomes poor, but the one who works diligently becomes wealthy.”
He continued this format though practical daily living, ones reputation, ones relationships, and ones relationship with the Lord God.
He continued the format into Chapter Eleven, addressing ones heart condition “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the unfaithful destroys them.”
Solomon also addressed the relationship between the wisdom that benefits a community versus the corollary when Godly wisdom is absent “A city is exalted by the blessing provided from the upright, but it is destroyed by the counsel of the wicked.”
He does not condemn capitalism but does condemn hoarding “People will curse the one who withholds grain, but they will praise the one who sells it.”
The Lord God allows us to make choices, He stands ready to forgive and to restore and to teach, but eventually there is an end to all of that - consequences.
Why would it be important for Solomon to not only provide lots of practical-life examples but to also challenge people to recognize their heart-condition?
There are consequence for everyone in a community which flows from the decisions made by leaders when they also must choose between wisdom and folly.
When have you observed the different outcomes of leaders, one who obeys the Lord God, and one who dies not?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a leader, or a potential leader, for whom He wants you to pray as their decision to follow or to reject the Lord God’s wisdom could have a profound impact on you, people about whom you care, and your entire community.
Today I will stop and listen to the Holy Spirit, and then I will make the time today, and every day the rest of the week, to pray for the leader or leaders of whom He has made me aware.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 35
12:1 The one who loves discipline loves knowledge, but the one who hates reproof is stupid.
12:2 A good person obtains favor from the Lord, but the Lord condemns a person with wicked schemes.
12:3 No one can be established through wickedness, but a righteous root cannot be moved.
12:4 A noble wife is the crown of her husband, but the wife who acts shamefully is like rottenness in his bones.
12:5 The plans of the righteous are just; the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
12:6 The words of the wicked lie in wait to shed innocent blood, but the words of the upright will deliver them.
12:7 The wicked are overthrown and perish, but the righteous household will stand.
12:8 A person is praised in accordance with his wisdom, but the one who has a twisted mind is despised.
12:9 Better is a person of humble standing who nevertheless has a servant, than one who pretends to be somebody important yet has no food.
12:10 A righteous person cares for the life of his animal, but even the most compassionate acts of the wicked are cruel.
12:11 The one who works his field will have plenty of food, but whoever chases daydreams lacks wisdom.
12:12 The wicked person desires a stronghold, but the righteous root endures.
12:13 The evil person is ensnared by the transgression of his speech, but the righteous person escapes out of trouble.
12:14 A person will be satisfied with good from the fruit of his words, and the work of his hands will be rendered to him.
12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own opinion, but the one who listens to advice is wise.
12:16 A fool’s annoyance is known at once, but the prudent overlooks an insult.
12:17 The faithful witness tells what is right, but a false witness speaks deceit.
12:18 Speaking recklessly is like the thrusts of a sword, but the words of the wise bring healing.
12:19 The one who tells the truth will endure forever, but the one who lies will last only for a moment.
12:20 Deceit is in the heart of those who plot evil, but those who promote peace have joy.
12:21 The righteous do not encounter any harm, but the wicked are filled with calamity.
12:22 The Lord abhors a person who lies, but those who deal truthfully are his delight.
12:23 The shrewd person conceals knowledge, but foolish people publicize folly.
12:24 The diligent person will rule, but the slothful will become a slave.
12:25 Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs him down, but an encouraging word brings him joy.
12:26 The righteous person is cautious in his friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
12:27 The lazy person does not roast his prey, but personal possessions are precious to the diligent.
12:28 In the path of righteousness there is life, but another path leads to death.
13:1 A wise son accepts his father’s discipline, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
13:2 From the fruit of his speech a person eats good things, but the faithless desire the fruit of violence.
13:3 The one who guards his words guards his life, but whoever is talkative will come to ruin.
13:4 The appetite of the sluggard craves but gets no thing, but the desire of the diligent will be abundantly satisfied.
13:5 The righteous person hates anything false, but the wicked person acts in shameful disgrace.
13:6 Righteousness guards the one who lives with integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner.
13:7 There is one who pretends to be rich and yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor and yet possesses great wealth.
13:8 The ransom of a person’s life is his wealth, but the poor person hears no threat.
13:9 The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked goes out.
13:10 With pride comes only contention, but wisdom is with the well-advised.
13:11 Wealth gained quickly will dwindle away, but the one who gathers it little by little will become rich.
13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is like a tree of life.
13:13 The one who despises instruction will pay the penalty, but whoever esteems instruction will be rewarded.
13:14 Instruction from the wise is like a life-giving fountain, to turn a person from deadly snares.
13:15 Keen insight wins favor, but the conduct of the unfaithful is harsh.
13:16 Every shrewd person acts with knowledge, but a fool displays his folly.
13:17 An unreliable messenger falls into trouble, but a faithful envoy brings healing.
13:18 The one who neglects discipline ends up in poverty and shame, but the one who accepts reproof is honored.
13:19 A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but fools abhor turning away from evil.
13:20 The one who associates with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.
13:21 Calamity pursues sinners, but prosperity rewards the righteous.
13:22 A benevolent person leaves an inheritance for his grandchildren, but the wealth of a sinner is stored up for the righteous.
13:23 There is abundant food in the field of the poor, but it is swept away by injustice.
13:24 The one who spares his rod hates his child, but the one who loves his child is diligent in disciplining him.
13:25 The righteous has enough food to satisfy his appetite, but the belly of the wicked lacks food.
Lord, You instruct in the best way to live and of the consequences of rebellion, and You do so frankly. May I never be offended by Your truth.
Solomon began with no pretense of worry for the feelings of those who read his Proverbs, merely wanting the truth to be known to all who were teachable “The one who loves discipline loves knowledge, but the one who hates reproof is stupid.”
He continued his frank declarations “A noble wife is the crown of her husband, but the wife who acts shamefully is like rottenness in his bones.”
Solomon warned of the folly of ‘good intentions’ coming from one who lacks wisdom “A righteous person cares for the life of his animal, but even the most compassionate acts of the wicked are cruel.”
He again reminded that choices have consequences “The one who works his field will have plenty of food, but whoever chases daydreams lacks wisdom.”
Solomon continued the theme of teachability “The way of a fool is right in his own opinion, but the one who listens to advice is wise.” and he returned again to theme that a wise person is patient and thoughtful while the corollary is equally true “A fool’s annoyance is known at once, but the prudent overlooks an insult.” and as the two respond to challenges the results differ dramatically “Speaking recklessly is like the thrusts of a sword, but the words of the wise bring healing.”
He reminded that it is not always best to broadcast everything of which one may be aware, and even more-so, to refrain from speaking without careful thought “The shrewd person conceals knowledge, but foolish people publicize folly.”
Concluding Chapter Twelve Solomon returned to the eternal principle “In the path of righteousness there is life, but another path leads to death.”
In Chapter Thirteen Solomon paralleled the worldly son-father relationship and the spiritual one “A wise son accepts his father’s discipline, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.”
He addressed gossips and false teachers versus encouragers and faithful teachers “An unreliable messenger falls into trouble, but a faithful envoy brings healing.”
Solomon challenged those who would be wise to dig deeply for understanding-in-application “A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but fools abhor turning away from evil.”
He warned that the company one keeps has an impact “The one who associates with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.”
He observed that in this fallen world there are problems, and that the weakest are the most easily victimized by the selfish who abuse power “There is abundant food in the field of the poor, but it is swept away by injustice.”
Solomon advised parents that children in this fallen world are sometimes too immature to respond only to reason and that they will also benefit from unpleasant consequences “The one who spares his rod hates his child, but the one who loves his child is diligent in disciplining him.”
A Biblically-accurate preacher/teacher is a “faithful envoy”.
Why do so many people worry so much about offending other people with the truth of the Lord God when He does not?
There is a lot contained in the Proverbs that shines light upon the troubles we see today.
When have you observed an “unreliable messenger” of God’s Word falling into trouble?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you which of the 'company that you keep' is drawing you away from a close relationship with the Lord God.
Today I will acknowledge the negative influence of those whom the Holy Spirit has made me aware, whether they are neighbors, relatives, workplace associates, or people with whom I associate on the Internet. I will place boundaries around those relationships, limiting them where that seems effective, and terminating them as is appropriate.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
14:1 Every wise woman builds her household, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.
14:2 The one who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord, but the one who is perverted in his ways despises him.
14:3 In the speech of a fool is a rod for his back, but the words of the wise protect them.
14:4 Where there are no oxen, the feeding trough is clean, but an abundant harvest is produced by strong oxen.
14:5 A truthful witness does not lie, but a false witness breathes out lies.
14:6 The scorner seeks wisdom but finds none, but understanding is easy for a discerning person.
14:7 Leave the presence of a foolish person, or you will not understand wise counsel.
14:8 The wisdom of the shrewd person is to discern his way, but the folly of fools is deception.
14:9 Fools mock at reparation, but among the upright there is favor.
14:10 The heart knows its own bitterness, and with its joy no one else can share.
14:11 The household of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish.
14:12 There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way that leads to death.
14:13 Even in laughter the heart may ache, and the end of joy may be grief.
14:14 The backslider will be paid back from his own ways, but a good person will be rewarded for his.
14:15 A naive person believes everything, but the shrewd person discerns his steps.
14:16 A wise person is cautious and turns from evil, but a fool throws off restraint and is overconfident.
14:17 A person who has a quick temper does foolish things, and a person with crafty schemes is hated.
14:18 The naive inherit folly, but the shrewd are crowned with knowledge.
14:19 Those who are evil will bow before those who are good, and the wicked will bow at the gates of the righteous.
14:20 A poor person is disliked even by his neighbors, but those who love the rich are many.
14:21 The one who despises his neighbor sins, but whoever is kind to the needy is blessed.
14:22 Do not those who devise evil go astray?
But those who plan good exhibit faithful covenant love.
14:23 In all hard work there is profit, but merely talking about it only brings poverty.
14:24 The crown of the wise is their riches, but the folly of fools is folly.
14:25 A truthful witness rescues lives, but the one who breathes lies brings deception.
14:26 In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and it will be a refuge for his children.
14:27 The fear of the Lord is like a life-giving fountain, to turn people from deadly snares.
14:28 A king’s glory is the abundance of people, but the lack of subjects is the ruin of a ruler.
14:29 The one who is slow to anger has great understanding, but the one who has a quick temper exalts folly.
14:30 A tranquil spirit revives the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones.
14:31 The one who oppresses the poor insults his Creator, but whoever shows favor to the needy honors him.
14:32 The wicked will be thrown down in his trouble, but the righteous have refuge even in the threat of death.
14:33 Wisdom rests in the heart of the discerning; it is known even in the heart of fools.
14:34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.
14:35 The king shows favor to a wise servant, but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.
15:1 A gentle response turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up wrath.
15:2 The tongue of the wise treats knowledge correctly, but the mouth of the fool spouts out folly.
15:3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on those who are evil and those who are good.
15:4 Speech that heals is like a life-giving tree, but a perverse tongue breaks the spirit.
15:5 A fool rejects his father’s discipline, but whoever heeds reproof shows good sense.
15:6 In the house of the righteous is abundant wealth, but the income of the wicked brings trouble.
15:7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge, but not so the heart of fools.
15:8 The Lord abhors the sacrifices of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.
15:9 The Lord abhors the way of the wicked, but he loves those who pursue righteousness.
15:10 Severe discipline is for the one who abandons the way; the one who hates reproof will die.
15:11 Death and Destruction are before the Lord – how much more the hearts of humans!
15:12 The scorner does not love one who corrects him; he will not go to the wise.
15:13 A joyful heart makes the face cheerful, but by a painful heart the spirit is broken.
15:14 The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of fools feeds on folly.
15:15 All the days of the afflicted are bad, but one with a cheerful heart has a continual feast.
15:16 Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth and turmoil with it.
15:17 Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened ox where there is hatred.
15:18 A quick-tempered person stirs up dissension, but one who is slow to anger calms a quarrel.
15:19 The way of the sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is like a highway.
15:20 A wise child brings joy to his father, but a foolish person despises his mother.
15:21 Folly is a joy to one who lacks sense, but one who has understanding follows an upright course.
15:22 Plans fail when there is no counsel, but with abundant advisers they are established.
15:23 A person has joy in giving an appropriate answer, and a word at the right time – how good it is!
15:24 The path of life is upward for the wise person, to keep him from going downward to Sheol.
15:25 The Lord tears down the house of the proud, but he maintains the boundaries of the widow.
15:26 The Lord abhors the plans of the wicked, but pleasant words are pure.
15:27 The one who is greedy for gain troubles his household, but whoever hates bribes will live.
15:28 The heart of the righteous considers how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
15:29 The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
15:30 A bright look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the body.
15:31 The person who hears the reproof that leads to life is at home among the wise.
15:32 The one who refuses correction despises himself, but whoever hears reproof acquires understanding.
15:33 The fear of the Lord provides wise instruction, and before honor comes humility.
Lord, Your gift of wisdom brings blessing to every part of our lives. May I pursue and honor Your wisdom wherever I find it.
Solomon contrasted the wise and foolish woman “Every wise woman builds her household, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.”
He warned that keeping the wrong company may interfere with understanding “Leave the presence of a foolish person, or you will not understand wise counsel.” and he warned that when a mere man imagines that he is more-wise than God there is trouble “There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way that leads to death.”
Solomon repeated his contrast between the thoughtfulness of a wise person versus a fool “A wise person is cautious and turns from evil, but a fool throws off restraint and is overconfident.”
He noted the consequences of different heart-conditions “A tranquil spirit revives the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones.”
Solomon observed “Wisdom rests in the heart of the discerning; it is known even in the heart of fools.”, which is why the fool is guilty before the Lord – he chooses to reject wisdom.
He continued the theme of consequences for choices “A gentle response turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up wrath ... Speech that heals is like a life-giving tree, but a perverse tongue breaks the spirit … A fool rejects his father’s discipline, but whoever heeds reproof shows good sense … A joyful heart makes the face cheerful, but by a painful heart the spirit is broken … The fear of the Lord provides wise instruction, and before honor comes humility.” and that merely because someone speaks with confidence does not mean that they are correct “The tongue of the wise treats knowledge correctly, but the mouth of the fool spouts out folly.”
Solomon warned that there is no where to hide from the Lord God and that He knows who are good and evil “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on those who are evil and those who are good.”
He observed that poor choices aren’t obvious to the one who rejects wisdom “Folly is a joy to one who lacks sense, but one who has understanding follows an upright course.”
Solomon explained that ones heart-condition when praying impacts how one is received in the throne-room of the Lord God “The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.”
It has long been known that foolish people, even when confronted with their foolishness, will deny it as they are blind to truth and wisdom.
Why can spending time in the company of “a foolish person” get in the way of ones recognition of “wise counsel”?
Solomon’s warning is important – as an earnest speaker is not necessarily an honest speaker – in business, politics, or religion.
When have you observed a person so convinced that there is no greater wisdom than their pursuit of momentary pleasure that they were unable to recognize obvious truth?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where envy sometimes interferes with the blessing of a tranquil heart that the Lord God desires for you.
Today I will confess and repent, seek and receive the Lord’s forgiveness, and cease from any envy so that I might rest in the tranquility of knowing that in all things that matter - He is sufficient.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
16:1 The intentions of the heart belong to a man, but the answer of the tongue comes from the Lord.
16:2 All a person’s ways seem right in his own opinion, but the Lord evaluates the motives.
16:3 Commit your works to the Lord, and your plans will be established.
16:4 The Lord works everything for its own ends – even the wicked for the day of disaster.
16:5 The Lord abhors every arrogant person; rest assured that they will not go unpunished.
16:6 Through loyal love and truth iniquity is appeased; through fearing the Lord one avoids evil.
16:7 When a person’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, he even reconciles his enemies to himself.
16:8 Better to have a little with righteousness than to have abundant income without justice.
16:9 A person plans his course, but the Lord directs his steps.
16:10 The divine verdict is in the words of the king, his pronouncements must not act treacherously against justice.
16:11 Honest scales and balances are from the Lord; all the weights in the bag are his handiwork.
16:12 Doing wickedness is an abomination to kings, because a throne is established in righteousness.
16:13 The delight of kings is righteous counsel, and they love the one who speaks uprightly.
16:14 A king’s wrath is like a messenger of death, but a wise person appeases it.
16:15 In the light of the king’s face there is life, and his favor is like the clouds of the spring rain.
16:16 How much better it is to acquire wisdom than gold; to acquire understanding is more desirable than silver.
16:17 The highway of the upright is to turn away from evil; the one who guards his way safeguards his life.
16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
16:19 It is better to be lowly in spirit with the afflicted than to share the spoils with the proud.
16:20 The one who deals wisely in a matter will find success, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.
16:21 The one who is wise in heart is called discerning, and kind speech increases persuasiveness.
16:22 Insight is like a life-giving fountain to the one who possesses it, but folly leads to the discipline of fools.
16:23 A wise person’s heart makes his speech wise and it adds persuasiveness to his words.
16:24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
16:25 There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way that leads to death.
16:26 A laborer’s appetite works on his behalf, for his hunger urges him to work.
16:27 A wicked scoundrel digs up evil, and his slander is like a scorching fire.
16:28 A perverse person spreads dissension, and a gossip separates the closest friends.
16:29 A violent person entices his neighbor, and leads him down a path that is terrible.
16:30 The one who winks his eyes devises perverse things, and one who compresses his lips brings about evil.
16:31 Gray hair is like a crown of glory; it is attained in the path of righteousness.
16:32 Better to be slow to anger than to be a mighty warrior, and one who controls his temper is better than one who captures a city.
16:33 The dice are thrown into the lap, but their every decision is from the Lord.
Lord, You are in control, You are the standard for good and evil, right and wrong, wise and unwise, righteous and unrighteous. When I need answers may You always be the first place I go.
Solomon returned to his theme that when a person is apart from the Lord and His wisdom “All a person’s ways seem right in his own opinion, but the Lord evaluates the motives.” and that one must choose to “Commit your works to the Lord, and your plans will be established.”
He observed that for the one who belongs to the Lord God “A person plans his course, but the Lord directs his steps.”
Solomon declared the standard of earthly ethics and justice, and the certain justice of eternity, to be of the Lord “Honest scales and balances are from the Lord; all the weights in the bag are his handiwork.”
He warned again that choices have consequences “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”, a haughty spirit being arrogant and unteachable.
Solomon noted the linkage between the essential physical needs, not optional lusts, of the body and positive motivation “A laborer’s appetite works on his behalf, for his hunger urges him to work.”
He returned to his warning as to the influence of those with whom associates “A wicked scoundrel digs up evil, and his slander is like a scorching fire.”
Solomon warned again of the trouble caused by gossip “A perverse person spreads dissension, and a gossip separates the closest friends. A violent person entices his neighbor, and leads him down a path that is terrible.”
He observed that, among those who obey the Lord God, wisdom is gathered over time “Gray hair is like a crown of glory; it is attained in the path of righteousness.”
Solomon returned to the outward expression of an inward peace “Better to be slow to anger than to be a mighty warrior, and one who controls his temper is better than one who captures a city.”
And he concluded Chapter Sixteen with a return to the observation that the events of life for one who belongs to the Lord are not random “The dice are thrown into the lap, but their every decision is from the Lord.”
The life of one who truly belongs to the Lord is not random, unlike most of what happens in the life of the one who lives without the Lord.
Why would an emphasis on the Lord God's justice and His involvement in the life of a believer be so important to emphasize? Could it be part of his strategy to keep people from arrogance?
Solomon repeatedly warned about the bad consequences of bad company and living without the wise counsel of the Lord God.
When have you experienced or observed the destructive impact of gossip?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your walk where He has “guided your steps”, of which you had not previously been aware.
Today I will give thanks for the Lord God’s loving care and His blessed intervention in my life when I needed it.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
17:1 Better is a dry crust of bread where there is quietness than a house full of feasting with strife.
17:2 A servant who acts wisely will rule over an heir who behaves shamefully, and will share the inheritance along with the relatives.
17:3 The crucible is for refining silver and the furnace is for gold, likewise the Lord tests hearts.
17:4 One who acts wickedly pays attention to evil counsel; a liar listens to a malicious tongue.
17:5 The one who mocks the poor insults his Creator; whoever rejoices over disaster will not go unpunished.
17:6 Grandchildren are like a crown to the elderly, and the glory of children is their parents.
17:7 Excessive speech is not becoming for a fool; how much less are lies for a ruler!
17:8 A bribe works like a charm for the one who offers it; in whatever he does he succeeds.
17:9 The one who forgives an offense seeks love, but whoever repeats a matter separates close friends.
17:10 A rebuke makes a greater impression on a discerning person than a hundred blows on a fool.
17:11 An evil person seeks only rebellion, and so a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
17:12 It is better for a person to meet a mother bear being robbed of her cubs, than to encounter a fool in his folly.
17:13 As for the one who repays evil for good, evil will not leave his house.
17:14 Starting a quarrel is like letting out water; stop it before strife breaks out!
17:15 The one who acquits the guilty and the one who condemns the innocent – both of them are an abomination to the Lord.
17:16 Of what use is money in the hand of a fool, since he has no intention of acquiring wisdom?
17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a relative is born to help in adversity.
17:18 The one who lacks wisdom strikes hands in pledge, and puts up financial security for his neighbor.
17:19 The one who loves a quarrel loves transgression; whoever builds his gate high seeks destruction.
17:20 The one who has a perverse heart does not find good, and the one who is deceitful in speech falls into trouble.
17:21 Whoever brings a fool into the world does so to his grief, and the father of a fool has no joy.
17:22 A cheerful heart brings good healing, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
17:23 A wicked person receives a bribe secretly to pervert the ways of justice.
17:24 Wisdom is directly in front of the discerning person, but the eyes of a fool run to the ends of the earth.
17:25 A foolish child is a grief to his father, and bitterness to the mother who bore him.
17:26 It is terrible to punish a righteous person, and to flog honorable men is wrong.
17:27 The truly wise person restrains his words, and the one who stays calm is discerning.
17:28 Even a fool who remains silent is considered wise, and the one who holds his tongue is deemed discerning.
Lord, You are with those who are truly Yours at all times, and some of those times are difficult because we have made it necessary for You to teach us the hard way. May I never doubt Your love or Your presence and may I always seek-out what it is I may learn from You in every circumstance.
Solomon reinforced the message that the Lord God uses challenges in our lives to mature us “The crucible is for refining silver and the furnace is for gold, likewise the Lord tests hearts.”
He also reinforced the message that a wise person is teachable and an unwise one is not “A rebuke makes a greater impression on a discerning person than a hundred blows on a fool.”
He reinforced the message of consequences for choices “As for the one who repays evil for good, evil will not leave his house. Starting a quarrel is like letting out water; stop it before strife breaks out! The one who acquits the guilty and the one who condemns the innocent – both of them are an abomination to the Lord …. A cheerful heart brings good healing, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”
Solomon taught that true friendship is a significantly more valuable relationship than a casual acquaintance and that a fellow family member (among people of common-faith) is dependable “A friend loves at all times, and a relative is born to help in adversity.”
He returned to the theme of justice “It is terrible to punish a righteous person, and to flog honorable men is wrong.”
Solomon concluded with a reminder that there are outward symbols of a wise person which are also true of a not-yet-wise person who is available to receive wisdom “The truly wise person restrains his words, and the one who stays calm is discerning. Even a fool who remains silent is considered wise, and the one who holds his tongue is deemed discerning.”
There is a cause and effect relationship between choosing wisdom and playing the fool.
How dark must the spiritual condition of a person be to “... punish a righteous person, and to flog honorable men ...”?
Investing in one true friendship is far more valuable than selling-out for momentary pleasure or recognition and is more valuable than dozens of casual acquaintances.
When have you observed one person learning from an appropriate rebuke and another repeating the same error despite bad result over and over again?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a person into whom He wants you to invest for a true friendship. This person will be a fellow believer, will not be a romantic interest, will not be someone whose resources you seek for personal benefit, and will be one who will gratefully return the friendship-investment equally.
Today I will humbly accept the leading of the Holy Spirit and I will begin a conversation about building a deeper friendship. If it is of the Lord they will have received the same directive from the Holy Spirit and it will have been confirmed by at least one other believer.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
18:1 One who has isolated himself seeks his own desires; he rejects all sound judgment.
18:2 A fool takes no pleasure in understanding but only in disclosing what is on his mind.
18:3 When a wicked person arrives, contempt shows up with him, and with shame comes a reproach.
18:4 The words of a person’s mouth are like deep waters, and the fountain of wisdom is like a flowing brook.
18:5 It is terrible to show partiality to the wicked, by depriving a righteous man of justice.
18:6 The lips of a fool enter into strife, and his mouth invites a flogging.
18:7 The mouth of a fool is his ruin, and his lips are a snare for his life.
18:8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down into the person’s innermost being.
18:9 The one who is slack in his work is a brother to one who destroys.
18:10 The name of the Lord is like a strong tower; the righteous person runs to it and is set safely on high.
18:11 The wealth of a rich person is like a strong city, and it is like a high wall in his imagination.
18:12 Before destruction the heart of a person is proud, but humility comes before honor.
18:13 The one who gives an answer before he listens – that is his folly and his shame.
18:14 A person’s spirit sustains him through sickness – but who can bear a crushed spirit?
18:15 The discerning person acquires knowledge, and the wise person seeks knowledge.
18:16 A person’s gift makes room for him, and leads him before important people.
18:17 The first to state his case seems right, until his opponent begins to cross-examine him.
18:18 A toss of a coin ends disputes, and settles the issue between strong opponents.
18:19 A relative offended is harder to reach than a strong city, and disputes are like the barred gates of a fortified citadel.
18:20 From the fruit of a person’s mouth his stomach is satisfied, with the product of his lips is he satisfied.
18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love its use will eat its fruit.
18:22 The one who finds a wife finds what is enjoyable, and receives a pleasurable gift from the Lord.
18:23 A poor person makes supplications, but a rich man answers harshly.
18:24 A person who has friends may be harmed by them, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
19:1 Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is perverse in his speech and is a fool.
19:2 It is dangerous to have zeal without knowledge, and the one who acts hastily makes poor choices.
19:3 A person’s folly subverts his way, and his heart rages against the Lord.
19:4 Wealth adds many friends, but a poor person is separated from his friend.
19:5 A false witness will not go unpunished, and the one who spouts out lies will not escape punishment.
19:6 Many people entreat the favor of a generous person, and everyone is the friend of the person who gives gifts.
19:7 All the relatives of a poor person hate him; how much more do his friends avoid him – he pursues them with words, but they do not respond.
19:8 The one who acquires wisdom loves himself; the one who preserves understanding will prosper.
19:9 A false witness will not go unpunished, and the one who spouts out lies will perish.
19:10 Luxury is not appropriate for a fool; how much less for a servant to rule over princes!
19:11 A person’s wisdom makes him slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
19:12 A king’s wrath is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.
19:13 A foolish child is the ruin of his father, and a contentious wife is like a constant dripping.
19:14 A house and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.
19:15 Laziness brings on a deep sleep, and the idle person will go hungry.
19:16 The one who obeys commandments guards his life; the one who despises his ways will die.
19:17 The one who is gracious to the poor lends to the Lord, and the Lord will repay him for his good deed.
19:18 Discipline your child, for there is hope, but do not set your heart on causing his death.
19:19 A person with great anger bears the penalty, but if you deliver him from it once, you will have to do it again.
19:20 Listen to advice and receive discipline, that you may become wise by the end of your life.
19:21 There are many plans in a person’s mind, but it is the counsel of the Lord which will stand.
19:22 What is desirable for a person is to show loyal love, and a poor person is better than a liar.
19:23 Fearing the Lord leads to life, and one who does so will live satisfied; he will not be afflicted by calamity.
19:24 The sluggard plunges his hand in the dish, and he will not even bring it back to his mouth!
19:25 Flog a scorner, and as a result the simpleton will learn prudence; correct a discerning person, and as a result he will understand knowledge.
19:26 The one who robs his father and chases away his mother is a son who brings shame and disgrace.
19:27 If you stop listening to instruction, my child, you will stray from the words of knowledge.
19:28 A crooked witness scorns justice, and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.
19:29 Judgments are prepared for scorners, and floggings for the backs of fools.
Lord, You make Your wisdom available, but we must choose to acquire it and to apply it. May I always respond to Your leading to seek out and apply Your gifts of wisdom to me.
Solomon returned to his theme of choices and consequences “One who has isolated himself seeks his own desires; he rejects all sound judgment … The name of the Lord is like a strong tower; the righteous person runs to it and is set safely on high … The one who gives an answer before he listens – that is his folly and his shame ... A foolish child is the ruin of his father, and a contentious wife is like a constant dripping … The one who is gracious to the poor lends to the Lord, and the Lord will repay him for his good deed … Listen to advice and receive discipline, that you may become wise by the end of your life … If you stop listening to instruction, my child, you will stray from the words of knowledge … A relative offended is harder to reach than a strong city, and disputes are like the barred gates of a fortified citadel.”
He again warned that many will speak without knowledge “A fool takes no pleasure in understanding but only in disclosing what is on his mind.”
Justice is important to the Lord God “It is terrible to show partiality to the wicked, by depriving a righteous man of justice.”
The Lord God expects everyone one to honor their contracts and to give their best-effort “The one who is slack in his work is a brother to one who destroys.”
Money can be isolating from the realities of daily life and may falsely persuade the wealthy that they are safer than others “The wealth of a rich person is like a strong city, and it is like a high wall in his imagination.”
We need encouragement in fellowship so that we may remain strong “A person’s spirit sustains him through sickness – but who can bear a crushed spirit?”
The value of a choice to listen and learn is amplified when one listens intentionally for additional wisdom “The discerning person acquires knowledge, and the wise person seeks knowledge.”
Solomon revisited the importance of the wife that is from the Lord and centered upon the Lord “The one who finds a wife finds what is enjoyable, and receives a pleasurable gift from the Lord … A house and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.”
The vulnerability that is required in the overall investment to build and maintain true friendships means that they can hurt one more-deeply than a casual acquaintance or a stranger, but even so, a true friend remains true in spite of some hurts “A person who has friends may be harmed by them, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
A wise person makes different choices for different reasons than an unwise person “A person’s wisdom makes him slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.”
While a firm hand is necessary in parenting, excessive violence is not “Discipline your child, for there is hope, but do not set your heart on causing his death.”
We need to allow people to receive some of the consequences of their destructive behavior else they will fail to learn “A person with great anger bears the penalty, but if you deliver him from it once, you will have to do it again.”
Humankind has always had notions, from the Garden until the present, but in the end the sovereign big-picture plan of the Lord God is irresistible “There are many plans in a person’s mind, but it is the counsel of the Lord which will stand.”
An intentionally-wise person benefits not only him or herself but also others.
Why is history so replete with people in power “showing partiality to the wicked” when that same history demonstrates irrefutably that then end of such choices is disaster?
Wisdom brings discernment of where balance lies, be it in the discipline of a child, allowing violent people to learn from consequences, choosing to overlook an offense, choosing to seek more wisdom, and/or choosing to sacrifice for one more-needy.
When have you observed a person excused from consequences for destructive choices – only to repeat the error?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you might acquire greater wisdom if you make the effort to seek it out, beyond merely listening to teaching.
Today I will intentionally follow where the Holy Spirit leads, beginning each day in search of greater wisdom behind knowledge – where understanding and application will take me. I will share the blessing of that obedient experience with a fellow believer.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
20:1 Wine is a mocker and strong drink is a brawler; whoever goes astray by them is not wise.
20:2 The king’s terrifying anger is like the roar of a lion; whoever provokes him sins against himself.
20:3 It is an honor for a person to cease from strife, but every fool quarrels.
20:4 The sluggard will not plow during the planting season, so at harvest time he looks for the crop but has nothing.
20:5 Counsel in a person’s heart is like deep water, but an understanding person draws it out.
20:6 Many people profess their loyalty, but a faithful person – who can find?
20:7 The righteous person behaves in integrity; blessed are his children after him.
20:8 A king sitting on the throne to judge separates out all evil with his eyes.
20:9 Who can say, “I have kept my heart clean; I am pure from my sin”?
20:10 Diverse weights and diverse measures – the Lord abhors both of them.
20:11 Even a young man is known by his actions, whether his activity is pure and whether it is right.
20:12 The ear that hears and the eye that sees – the Lord has made them both.
20:13 Do not love sleep, lest you become impoverished; open your eyes so that you might be satisfied with food.
20:14 “It’s worthless! It’s worthless!” says the buyer, but when he goes on his way, he boasts.
20:15 There is gold, and an abundance of rubies, but words of knowledge are like a precious jewel.
20:16 Take a man’s garment when he has given security for a stranger, and when he gives surety for strangers, hold him in pledge.
20:17 Bread gained by deceit tastes sweet to a person, but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.
20:18 Plans are established by counsel, so make war with guidance.
20:19 The one who goes about gossiping reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with someone who is always opening his mouth.
20:20 The one who curses his father and his mother, his lamp will be extinguished in the blackest darkness.
20:21 An inheritance gained easily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end.
20:22 Do not say, “I will pay back evil!” Wait for the Lord, so that he may vindicate you.
20:23 The Lord abhors differing weights, and dishonest scales are wicked.
20:24 The steps of a person are ordained by the Lord – so how can anyone understand his own way?
20:25 It is a snare for a person to rashly cry, “Holy!” and only afterward to consider what he has vowed.
20:26 A wise king separates out the wicked; he turns the threshing wheel over them.
20:27 The human spirit is like the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts.
20:28 Loyal love and truth preserve a king, and his throne is upheld by loyal love.
20:29 The glory of young men is their strength, and the splendor of old men is gray hair.
20:30 Beatings and wounds cleanse away evil, and floggings cleanse the innermost being.
21:1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord like channels of water; he turns it wherever he wants.
21:2 All of a person’s ways seem right in his own opinion, but the Lord evaluates the motives.
21:3 To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
21:4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart – the agricultural product of the wicked is sin.
21:5 The plans of the diligent lead only to plenty, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.
21:6 Making a fortune by a lying tongue is like a vapor driven back and forth; they seek death.
21:7 The violence done by the wicked will drag them away because they refuse to do what is right.
21:8 The way of the guilty person is devious, but as for the pure, his way is upright.
21:9 It is better to live on a corner of the housetop than in a house in company with a quarrelsome wife.
21:10 The appetite of the wicked desires evil; his neighbor is shown no favor in his eyes.
21:11 When a scorner is punished, the naive becomes wise; when a wise person is instructed, he gains knowledge.
21:12 The Righteous One considers the house of the wicked; he overthrows the wicked to their ruin.
21:13 The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and will not be answered.
21:14 A gift given in secret subdues anger, and a bribe given secretly subdues strong wrath.
21:15 Doing justice brings joy to the righteous and terror to those who do evil.
21:16 The one who wanders from the way of wisdom will end up in the company of the departed.
21:17 The one who loves pleasure will be a poor person; whoever loves wine and anointing oil will not be rich.
21:18 The wicked become a ransom for the righteous, and the faithless are taken in the place of the upright.
21:19 It is better to live in a desert land than with a quarrelsome and easily-provoked woman.
21:20 There is desirable treasure and olive oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish person devours all he has.
21:21 The one who pursues righteousness and love finds life, bounty, and honor.
21:22 The wise person can scale the city of the mighty and bring down the stronghold in which they trust.
21:23 The one who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps his life from troubles.
21:24 A proud and arrogant person, whose name is “Scoffer,” acts with overbearing pride.
21:25 What the sluggard desires will kill him, for his hands refuse to work.
21:26 All day long he craves greedily, but the righteous gives and does not hold back.
21:27 The wicked person’s sacrifice is an abomination; how much more when he brings it with evil intent!
21:28 A lying witness will perish, but the one who reports accurately speaks forever.
21:29 A wicked person shows boldness with his face, but as for the upright, he discerns his ways.
21:30 There is no wisdom and there is no understanding, and there is no counsel against the Lord.
21:31 A horse is prepared for the day of battle, but the victory is from the Lord.
22:1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great wealth, good favor more than silver or gold.
22:2 The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the creator of them both.
22:3 A shrewd person sees danger and hides himself, but the naive keep right on going and suffer for it.
22:4 The reward for humility and fearing the Lord is riches and honor and life.
22:5 Thorns and snares are in the path of the perverse, but the one who guards himself keeps far from them.
22:6 Train a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
22:7 The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
22:8 The one who sows iniquity will reap trouble, and the rod of his fury will end.
22:9 A generous person will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor.
22:10 Drive out the scorner and contention will leave; strife and insults will cease.
22:11 The one who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious – the king will be his friend.
22:12 The eyes of the Lord guard knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the faithless person.
22:13 The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside! I will be killed in the middle of the streets!”
22:14 The mouth of an adulteress is like a deep pit; the one against whom the Lord is angry will fall into it.
22:15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.
22:16 The one who oppresses the poor to increase his own gain and the one who gives to the rich – both end up only in poverty.
Lord, You remind us over and over that we have choices and are rewarded according to our choices. May I choose the path of Your wisdom.
Solomon cautioned against drunkenness, not against all alcohol consumption “Wine is a mocker and strong drink is a brawler; whoever goes astray by them is not wise.”
He observed that it is very difficult to discern the motives in a person’s heart “Counsel in a person’s heart is like deep water, but an understanding person draws it out … but that such discernment is necessary when seeking trusted advisors and confidants “Many people profess their loyalty, but a faithful person – who can find?”
He warned again against gossip “The one who goes about gossiping reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with someone who is always opening his mouth.”
He returned to his prior warning to children “The one who curses his father and his mother, his lamp will be extinguished in the blackest darkness.”
Solomon warned that receiving ‘easy money’ at a young age may have a troublesome impact on the perspectives and priorities of a person “An inheritance gained easily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end.”
He rephrased “Vengeance is Mine says the Lord” as “Do not say, “I will pay back evil!” Wait for the Lord, so that he may vindicate you.”
Solomon observed that for those who belong to the Lord – He is actively involved in their lives and it is not always apparent what is His long-term goal or path – we must be faithful in the moment and not imagine we know it all “The steps of a person are ordained by the Lord – so how can anyone understand his own way? All of a person’s ways seem right in his own opinion, but the Lord evaluates the motives.”
He warned against an emotional rush to “swear commitment” to a course of action “It is a snare for a person to rashly cry, “Holy!” and only afterward to consider what he has vowed.”
Speaking to wise people and not fools, Solomon encourages them to view difficulties – even physical trauma – as opportunities to learn and to grow “Beatings and wounds cleanse away evil, and floggings cleanse the innermost being.”
Solomon returned again to the choices (both of action and of attitude) and consequences teaching “To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice ... Doing justice brings joy to the righteous and terror to those who do evil ... Haughty eyes and a proud heart – the agricultural product of the wicked is sin … There is desirable treasure and olive oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish person devours all he has … The one who pursues righteousness and love finds life, bounty, and honor … The one who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps his life from troubles … A shrewd person sees danger and hides himself, but the naive keep right on going and suffer for it.”
He warned again that one should be very careful in choosing a spouse “It is better to live on a corner of the housetop than in a house in company with a quarrelsome wife … It is better to live in a desert land than with a quarrelsome and easily-provoked woman.”
Solomon reminded that selfishness in the face of obvious need – that one can meet with a little sacrifice – is seen by the Lord “The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and will not be answered … The one who oppresses the poor to increase his own gain and the one who gives to the rich – both end up only in poverty … A generous person will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor.”
Solomon counseled that ones integrity-earned reputation is a major priority “A good name is to be chosen rather than great wealth, good favor more than silver or gold.”
He noted that it is not wealth that determines true value, but rather ones relationship with the Lord “The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the creator of them both.”
Solomon returned to his wisdom about raising children “Train a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it … Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.”
He warned that those who belong to the Lord God must set boundaries in their fellowships, and that will include sometimes ‘dis-inviting’ those who oppose Him “Drive out the scorner and contention will leave; strife and insults will cease.”
Solomon warned that one who has made the Lord God angry, likely due to chronic and unrepentant sin, rebellion, and a “haughty”/unteachable spirit will be give the world-without-God that they have demanded and earned “The mouth of an adulteress is like a deep pit; the one against whom the Lord is angry will fall into it.”
There are no places of significance in our lives into which the Word of God does not speak.
Why would Solomon emphasize the importance of extra care in choosing a spouse?
Blessings come to those who are faithful, be it to the Lord God’s call to care for the truly poor, His call that we be people of integrity, in the raising of children, and/or in the pursuit of righteousness.
When have you observed someone, perhaps a celebrity or politician, whose birth into great wealth and/or celebrity appears to have caused them to lack wisdom?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you an opportunity to assist someone who is genuinely poor, perhaps only briefly-poor, or perhaps chronically poor.
Today I will sacrificially assist the one whom the Lord has revealed, and it will be both in the form of physical assistance and of prayer.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Sayings of the Wise
22:17 Incline your ear and listen to the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my instruction.
22:18 For it is pleasing if you keep these sayings within you, and they are ready on your lips.
22:19 So that your confidence may be in the Lord, I am making them known to you today – even you.
22:20 Have I not written thirty sayings for you, sayings of counsel and knowledge,
22:21 to show you true and reliable words, so that you may give accurate answers to those who sent you?
22:22 Do not exploit a poor person because he is poor and do not crush the needy in court,
22:23 for the Lord will plead their case and will rob those who are robbing them.
22:24 Do not make friends with an angry person, and do not associate with a wrathful person,
22:25 lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.
22:26 Do not be one who strikes hands in pledge or who puts up security for debts.
22:27 If you do not have enough to pay, your bed will be taken right out from under you!
22:28 Do not move an ancient boundary stone which was put in place by your ancestors.
22:29 Do you see a person skilled in his work? He will take his position before kings; he will not take his position before obscure people.
23:1 When you sit down to eat with a ruler, consider carefully what is before you,
23:2 and put a knife to your throat if you possess a large appetite.
23:3 Do not crave that ruler’s delicacies, for that food is deceptive.
23:4 Do not wear yourself out to become rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself.
23:5 When you gaze upon riches, they are gone, for they surely make wings for themselves, and fly off into the sky like an eagle!
23:6 Do not eat the food of a stingy person, do not crave his delicacies;
23:7 for he is like someone calculating the cost in his mind. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you;
23:8 you will vomit up the little bit you have eaten, and will have wasted your pleasant words.
23:9 Do not speak in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
23:10 Do not move an ancient boundary stone, or take over the fields of the fatherless,
23:11 for their Protector is strong; he will plead their case against you.
23:12 Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to the words of knowledge.
23:13 Do not withhold discipline from a child; even if you strike him with the rod, he will not die.
23:14 If you strike him with the rod, you will deliver him from death.
23:15 My child, if your heart is wise, then my heart also will be glad;
23:16 my soul will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
23:17 Do not let your heart envy sinners, but rather be zealous in fearing the Lord all the time.
23:18 For surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.
23:19 Listen, my child, and be wise, and guide your heart on the right way.
23:20 Do not spend time among drunkards, among those who eat too much meat,
23:21 because drunkards and gluttons become impoverished, and drowsiness clothes them with rags.
23:22 Listen to your father who begot you, and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23:23 Acquire truth and do not sell it – wisdom, and discipline, and understanding.
23:24 The father of a righteous person will rejoice greatly; whoever fathers a wise child will have joy in him.
23:25 May your father and your mother have joy; may she who bore you rejoice.
23:26 Give me your heart, my son, and let your eyes observe my ways;
23:27 for a prostitute is like a deep pit; a harlot is like a narrow well.
23:28 Indeed, she lies in wait like a robber, and increases the unfaithful among men.
23:29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has contentions? Who has complaints?
Who has wounds without cause? Who has dullness of the eyes?
23:30 Those who linger over wine, those who go looking for mixed wine.
23:31 Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly.
23:32 Afterward it bites like a snake, and stings like a viper.
23:33 Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will speak perverse things.
23:34 And you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, and like one who lies down on the top of the rigging.
23:35 You will say, “They have struck me, but I am not harmed!
They beat me, but I did not know it!
When will I awake? I will look for another drink.”
24:1 Do not envy evil people, do not desire to be with them;
24:2 for their hearts contemplate violence, and their lips speak harm.
24:3 By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established;
24:4 by knowledge its rooms are filled with all kinds of precious and pleasing treasures.
24:5 A wise warrior is strong, and a man of knowledge makes his strength stronger;
24:6 for with guidance you wage your war, and with numerous advisers there is victory.
24:7 Wisdom is unattainable for a fool; in court he does not open his mouth.
24:8 The one who plans to do evil will be called a scheming person.
24:9 A foolish scheme is sin, and the scorner is an abomination to people.
24:10 If you faint in the day of trouble, your strength is small!
24:11 Deliver those being taken away to death, and hold back those slipping to the slaughter.
24:12 If you say, “But we did not know about this,” does not the one who evaluates hearts consider?
Does not the one who guards your life know?
Will he not repay each person according to his deeds?
24:13 Eat honey, my child, for it is good, and honey from the honeycomb is sweet to your taste.
24:14 Likewise, know that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, you will have a future, and your hope will not be cut off.
24:15 Do not lie in wait like the wicked against the place where the righteous live; do not assault his home.
24:16 Although a righteous person may fall seven times, he gets up again, but the wicked will be brought down by calamity.
24:17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and when he stumbles do not let your heart rejoice,
24:18 lest the Lord see it, and be displeased, and turn his wrath away from him.
24:19 Do not fret because of evil people or be envious of wicked people,
24:20 for the evil person has no future, and the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.
24:21 Fear the Lord, my child, as well as the king, and do not associate with rebels,
24:22 for suddenly their destruction will overtake them, and who knows the ruinous judgment both the Lord and the king can bring?
Further Sayings of the Wise
24:23 These sayings also are from the wise: To show partiality in judgment is terrible:
24:24 The one who says to the guilty, “You are innocent,” peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him.
24:25 But there will be delight for those who convict the guilty, and a pleasing blessing will come on them.
24:26 Like a kiss on the lips is the one who gives an honest answer.
24:27 Establish your work outside and get your fields ready; afterward build your house.
24:28 Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your words.
24:29 Do not say, “I will do to him just as he has done to me; I will pay him back according to what he has done.”
24:30 I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of one who lacks wisdom.
24:31 I saw that thorns had grown up all over it, the ground was covered with weeds, and its stone wall was broken down.
24:32 When I saw this, I gave careful consideration to it; I received instruction from what I saw:
24:33 “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to relax,
24:34 and your poverty will come like a bandit, and your need like an armed robber.”
Lord, Your wisdom applies to every part of our lives, and You have made it plainly know in Your Book. May I read and trust and obey.
Solomon again pleaded with his readers to intentionally receive wisdom “Incline your ear and listen to the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my instruction. For it is pleasing if you keep these sayings within you, and they are ready on your lips … Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to the words of knowledge … By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; by knowledge its rooms are filled with all kinds of precious and pleasing treasures.”
He cautioned that against the love of money “Do not wear yourself out to become rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself.”
Solomon addressed the raising of children “Do not withhold discipline from a child; even if you strike him with the rod, he will not die. If you strike him with the rod, you will deliver him from death.” and the responsibilities of children My child, if your heart is wise, then my heart also will be glad; my soul will rejoice when your lips speak what is right … Listen, my child, and be wise, and guide your heart on the right way … Listen to your father who begot you, and do not despise your mother when she is old.”
He observed that the true power of genuine and maturing-faith shows under stress “If you faint in the day of trouble, your strength is small! Although a righteous person may fall seven times, he gets up again, but the wicked will be brought down by calamity.”
Solomon warned that we must keep our hearts right, desiring faith and blessing for others, even our enemies “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and when he stumbles do not let your heart rejoice, lest the Lord see it, and be displeased, and turn his wrath away from him.” and that we must leave vengeance to the Lord “Do not say, “I will do to him just as he has done to me; I will pay him back according to what he has done.”“
We must be constantly-seeking wisdom, even thought it may be inconvenient to acquire and equally inconvenient to apply.
What is the down-side to celebrating the troubles of your enemy?
A deep faith-walk with the Lord God brings confidence and power – and it will show under stress.
When have you observed someone “wear [themselves] out to become rich” because of a lack of self-restraint?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you an opportunity in your life to “Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to the words of knowledge.”
Today I will prayerfully follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit and will share the experience with a fellow believer as an encouragement to them.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 36
Solomon Gathers Building Materials for the Temple
5:1 (5:15) King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to Solomon when he heard that he had been anointed king in his father’s place. (Hiram had always been an ally of David.) 5:2 Solomon then sent this message to Hiram: 5:3 “You know that my father David was unable to build a temple to honor the Lord his God, for he was busy fighting battles on all fronts while the Lord subdued his enemies. 5:4 But now the Lord my God has made me secure on all fronts; there is no adversary or dangerous threat. 5:5 So I have decided to build a temple to honor the Lord my God, as the Lord instructed my father David, ‘Your son, whom I will put on your throne in your place, is the one who will build a temple to honor me.’ 5:6 So now order some cedars of Lebanon to be cut for me. My servants will work with your servants. I will pay your servants whatever you say is appropriate, for you know that we have no one among us who knows how to cut down trees like the Sidonians.”
5:7 When Hiram heard Solomon’s message, he was very happy. He said, “The Lord is worthy of praise today because he has given David a wise son to rule over this great nation.” 5:8 Hiram then sent this message to Solomon: “I received the message you sent to me. I will give you all the cedars and evergreens you need. 5:9 My servants will bring the timber down from Lebanon to the sea. I will send it by sea in raft-like bundles to the place you designate. There I will separate the logs and you can carry them away. In exchange you will supply the food I need for my royal court.”
5:10 So Hiram supplied the cedars and evergreens Solomon needed, 5:11 and Solomon supplied Hiram annually with 20,000 cors of wheat as provision for his royal court, as well as 20,000 baths of pure olive oil. 5:12 So the Lord gave Solomon wisdom, as he had promised him. And Hiram and Solomon were at peace and made a treaty.
5:13 King Solomon conscripted work crews from throughout Israel, 30,000 men in all. 5:14 He sent them to Lebanon in shifts of 10,000 men per month. They worked in Lebanon for one month, and then spent two months at home. Adoniram was supervisor of the work crews. 5:15 Solomon also had 70,000 common laborers and 80,000 stonecutters in the hills, 5:16 besides 3,300 officials who supervised the workers. 5:17 By royal order they supplied large valuable stones in order to build the temple’s foundation with chiseled stone. 5:18 Solomon’s and Hiram’s construction workers, along with men from Byblos, did the chiseling and prepared the wood and stones for the building of the temple.
The Building of the Temple
6:1 In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites left Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, during the month Ziv (the second month), he began building the Lord’s temple. 6:2 The temple King Solomon built for the Lord was 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high. 6:3 The porch in front of the main hall of the temple was 30 feet long, corresponding to the width of the temple. It was 15 feet wide, extending out from the front of the temple. 6:4 He made framed windows for the temple. 6:5 He built an extension all around the walls of the temple’s main hall and holy place and constructed side rooms in it. 6:6 The bottom floor of the extension was seven and a half feet wide, the middle floor nine feet wide, and the third floor ten and a half feet wide. He made ledges on the temple’s outer walls so the beams would not have to be inserted into the walls. 6:7 As the temple was being built, only stones shaped at the quarry were used; the sound of hammers, pickaxes, or any other iron tool was not heard at the temple while it was being built. 6:8 The entrance to the bottom level of side rooms was on the south side of the temple; stairs went up to the middle floor and then on up to the third floor. 6:9 He finished building the temple and covered it with rafters and boards made of cedar. 6:10 He built an extension all around the temple; it was seven and a half feet high and it was attached to the temple by cedar beams.
6:11 The Lord said to Solomon: 6:12 “As for this temple you are building, if you follow my rules, observe my regulations, and obey all my commandments, I will fulfill through you the promise I made to your father David. 6:13 I will live among the Israelites and will not abandon my people Israel.”
6:14 So Solomon finished building the temple. 6:15 He constructed the walls inside the temple with cedar planks; he paneled the inside with wood from the floor of the temple to the rafters of the ceiling. He covered the temple floor with boards made from the wood of evergreens. 6:16 He built a wall 30 feet in from the rear of the temple as a partition for an inner sanctuary that would be the most holy place. He paneled the wall with cedar planks from the floor to the rafters. 6:17 The main hall in front of the inner sanctuary was 60 feet long. 6:18 The inside of the temple was all cedar and was adorned with carvings of round ornaments and of flowers in bloom. Everything was cedar; no stones were visible.
6:19 He prepared the inner sanctuary inside the temple so that the ark of the covenant of the Lord could be placed there. 6:20 The inner sanctuary was 30 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 30 feet high. He plated it with gold, as well as the cedar altar. 6:21 Solomon plated the inside of the temple with gold. He hung golden chains in front of the inner sanctuary and plated the inner sanctuary with gold. 6:22 He plated the entire inside of the temple with gold, as well as the altar inside the inner sanctuary.
6:23 In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubs of olive wood; each stood 15 feet high. 6:24 Each of the first cherub’s wings was seven and a half feet long; its entire wingspan was 15 feet. 6:25 The second cherub also had a wingspan of 15 feet; it was identical to the first in measurements and shape. 6:26 Each cherub stood 15 feet high. 6:27 He put the cherubs in the inner sanctuary of the temple. Their wings were spread out. One of the first cherub’s wings touched one wall and one of the other cherub’s wings touched the opposite wall. The first cherub’s other wing touched the second cherub’s other wing in the middle of the room. 6:28 He plated the cherubs with gold.
6:29 On all the walls around the temple, inside and out, he carved cherubs, palm trees, and flowers in bloom. 6:30 He plated the floor of the temple with gold, inside and out. 6:31 He made doors of olive wood at the entrance to the inner sanctuary; the pillar on each doorpost was five-sided. 6:32 On the two doors made of olive wood he carved cherubs, palm trees, and flowers in bloom, and he plated them with gold. He plated the cherubs and the palm trees with hammered gold. 6:33 In the same way he made doorposts of olive wood for the entrance to the main hall, only with four-sided pillars. 6:34 He also made two doors out of wood from evergreens; each door had two folding leaves. 6:35 He carved cherubs, palm trees, and flowers in bloom and plated them with gold, leveled out over the carvings. 6:36 He built the inner courtyard with three rows of chiseled stones and a row of cedar beams.
6:37 In the month Ziv of the fourth year of Solomon’s reign the foundation was laid for the Lord’s temple. 6:38 In the eleventh year, in the month Bul (the eighth month) the temple was completed in accordance with all its specifications and blueprints. It took seven years to build.
Solomon Dedicates the Temple
7:1 When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the Lord’s splendor filled the temple. 7:2 The priests were unable to enter the Lord’s temple because the Lord’s splendor filled the Lord’s temple. 7:3 When all the Israelites saw the fire come down and the Lord’s splendor over the temple, they got on their knees with their faces downward toward the pavement. They worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, “Certainly he is good; certainly his loyal love endures!”
7:4 The king and all the people were presenting sacrifices to the Lord. 7:5 King Solomon sacrificed 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep. Then the king and all the people dedicated God’s temple. 7:6 The priests stood in their assigned spots, along with the Levites who had the musical instruments used for praising the Lord. (These were the ones King David made for giving thanks to the Lord and which were used by David when he offered praise, saying, “Certainly his loyal love endures.”) Opposite the Levites, the priests were blowing the trumpets, while all Israel stood there. 7:7 Solomon consecrated the middle of the courtyard that is in front of the Lord’s temple. He offered burnt sacrifices, grain offerings, and the fat from the peace offerings there, because the bronze altar that Solomon had made was too small to hold all these offerings. 7:8 At that time Solomon and all Israel with him celebrated a festival for seven days. This great assembly included people from Lebo Hamath in the north to the Brook of Egypt in the south. 7:9 On the eighth day they held an assembly, for they had dedicated the altar for seven days and celebrated the festival for seven more days. 7:10 On the twenty-third day of the seventh month, Solomon sent the people home. They left happy and contented because of the good the Lord had done for David, Solomon, and his people Israel.
Lord, the building of a great temple focused the eyes of the people whom You had blessed with peace and plenty upon You. You have said that I am the temple of the Holy Spirit, may I also keep my efforts and the eyes of my heart focused on You.
Solomon and King Hiram of Tyre reached an amicable barter of wood for the temple in exchange for food for his royal court. Solomon also conscripted tens of thousands of men from the kingdom to work in shifts processing wood and stone for the temple.
Four hundred and eighty years after the Israelites left Egypt Solomon began the construction of the temple and it took seven years to build.
Hiram of Tyre’s father was a craftsman in bronze who make massive and small sculptures and tools then Solomon made the articles gold to which he added the holy items passed on to him from David.
The Lord God instructed Solomon that He approved of the construction of the temple and if he followed His rules, observed His regulations, and obeyed all of His commandments He would continue to bless Israel.
Solomon built the Temple then the Levites and Solomon led a massive service of praise, sacrifice, and worship.
Four hundred and eighty years covered the travels with Moses and the taking of the Promised Land with Joshua, the troubles with pagan religions, rebellions, the Ten Commandments (twice), the demand for and struggles with a human king – Saul – and then the equally trying times of David. Now, at last, the people had the peace and prosperity they longed for.
Can you imagine the sense of relief as the Lord God consumed the offering and filled the new Temple with His presence?
The temple was a dream come true for the Israelites, as was their standing as the greatest among the nations around them.
When have you observed a faith-based organization as it reached a long-sought goal and paused to celebrate and give the Lord all of the glory.
Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of blessings from the Lord God.
Today I will celebrate with others the blessings the Lord God has brought into my life. I will also prayerfully reflect on how I am using those blessings build-up His presence in my heart, the temple of the Holy Spirit, and that I am bringing glory to Him in any way that I can.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
The Building of the Royal Palace
7:1 Solomon took thirteen years to build his palace. 7:2 He named it “The Palace of the Lebanon Forest”; it was 150 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. It had four rows of cedar pillars and cedar beams above the pillars. 7:3 The roof above the beams supported by the pillars was also made of cedar; there were forty-five beams, fifteen per row. 7:4 There were three rows of windows arranged in sets of three. 7:5 All of the entrances were rectangular in shape and they were arranged in sets of three. 7:6 He made a colonnade 75 feet long and 45 feet wide. There was a porch in front of this and pillars and a roof in front of the porch. 7:7 He also made a throne room, called “The Hall of Judgment,” where he made judicial decisions. It was paneled with cedar from the floor to the rafters. 7:8 The palace where he lived was constructed in a similar way. He also constructed a palace like this hall for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom he had married. 7:9 All of these were built with the best stones, chiseled to the right size and cut with a saw on all sides, from the foundation to the edge of the roof and from the outside to the great courtyard. 7:10 The foundation was made of large valuable stones, measuring either 15 feet or 12 feet. 7:11 Above the foundation the best stones, chiseled to the right size, were used along with cedar. 7:12 Around the great courtyard were three rows of chiseled stones and one row of cedar beams, like the inner courtyard of the Lord’s temple and the hall of the palace.
Solomon Commissions Hiram to Supply the Temple
7:13 King Solomon sent for Hiram of Tyre. 7:14 He was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a craftsman in bronze from Tyre. He had the skill and knowledge to make all kinds of works of bronze. He reported to King Solomon and did all the work he was assigned.
7:15 He fashioned two bronze pillars; each pillar was 27 feet high and 18 feet in circumference. 7:16 He made two bronze tops for the pillars; each was seven-and-a-half feet high. 7:17 The latticework on the tops of the pillars was adorned with ornamental wreaths and chains; the top of each pillar had seven groupings of ornaments. 7:18 When he made the pillars, there were two rows of pomegranate-shaped ornaments around the latticework covering the top of each pillar. 7:19 The tops of the two pillars in the porch were shaped like lilies and were six feet high. 7:20 On the top of each pillar, right above the bulge beside the latticework, there were two hundred pomegranate-shaped ornaments arranged in rows all the way around. 7:21 He set up the pillars on the porch in front of the main hall. He erected one pillar on the right side and called it Jakin; he erected the other pillar on the left side and called it Boaz. 7:22 The tops of the pillars were shaped like lilies. So the construction of the pillars was completed.
7:23 He also made the large bronze basin called “The Sea.” It measured 15 feet from rim to rim, was circular in shape, and stood seven-and-a-half feet high. Its circumference was 45 feet. 7:24 Under the rim all the way around it were round ornaments arranged in settings 15 feet long. The ornaments were in two rows and had been cast with “The Sea.” 7:25 “The Sea” stood on top of twelve bulls. Three faced northward, three westward, three southward, and three eastward. “The Sea” was placed on top of them, and they all faced outward. 7:26 It was four fingers thick and its rim was like that of a cup shaped like a lily blossom. It could hold about 12,000 gallons.
7:27 He also made ten bronze movable stands. Each stand was six feet long, six feet wide, and four-and-a-half feet high. 7:28 The stands were constructed with frames between the joints. 7:29 On these frames and joints were ornamental lions, bulls, and cherubs. Under the lions and bulls were decorative wreaths. 7:30 Each stand had four bronze wheels with bronze axles and four supports. Under the basin the supports were fashioned on each side with wreaths. 7:31 Inside the stand was a round opening that was a foot-and-a-half deep; it had a support that was two and one-quarter feet long. On the edge of the opening were carvings in square frames. 7:32 The four wheels were under the frames and the crossbars of the axles were connected to the stand. Each wheel was two and one-quarter feet high. 7:33 The wheels were constructed like chariot wheels; their crossbars, rims, spokes, and hubs were made of cast metal. 7:34 Each stand had four supports, one per side projecting out from the stand. 7:35 On top of each stand was a round opening three-quarters of a foot deep; there were also supports and frames on top of the stands. 7:36 He engraved ornamental cherubs, lions, and palm trees on the plates of the supports and frames wherever there was room, with wreaths all around. 7:37 He made the ten stands in this way. All of them were cast in one mold and were identical in measurements and shape.
7:38 He also made ten bronze basins, each of which could hold about 240 gallons. Each basin was six feet in diameter; there was one basin for each stand. 7:39 He put five basins on the south side of the temple and five on the north side. He put “The Sea” on the south side, in the southeast corner.
7:40 Hiram also made basins, shovels, and bowls. He finished all the work on the Lord’s temple he had been assigned by King Solomon. 7:41 He made the two pillars, the two bowl-shaped tops of the pillars, the latticework for the bowl-shaped tops of the two pillars, 7:42 the four hundred pomegranate-shaped ornaments for the latticework of the two pillars (each latticework had two rows of these ornaments at the bowl-shaped top of the pillar), 7:43 the ten movable stands with their ten basins, 7:44 the big bronze basin called “The Sea” with its twelve bulls underneath, 7:45 and the pots, shovels, and bowls. All these items King Solomon assigned Hiram to make for the Lord’s temple were made from polished bronze. 7:46 The king had them cast in earth foundries in the region of the Jordan between Succoth and Zarethan. 7:47 Solomon left all these items unweighed; there were so many of them they did not weigh the bronze.
7:48 Solomon also made all these items for the Lord’s temple: the gold altar, the gold table on which was kept the Bread of the Presence, 7:49 the pure gold lampstands at the entrance to the inner sanctuary (five on the right and five on the left), the gold flower-shaped ornaments, lamps, and tongs, 7:50 the pure gold bowls, trimming shears, basins, pans, and censers, and the gold door sockets for the inner sanctuary (the most holy place) and for the doors of the main hall of the temple. 7:51 When King Solomon finished constructing the Lord’s temple, he put the holy items that belonged to his father David (the silver, gold, and other articles) in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple.
Solomon Moves the Ark into the Temple
8:1 Then Solomon convened in Jerusalem Israel’s elders, all the leaders of the Israelite tribes and families, so they could witness the transferal of the ark of the Lord’s covenant from the city of David (that is, Zion). 8:2 All the men of Israel assembled before King Solomon during the festival in the month Ethanim (the seventh month). 8:3 When all Israel’s elders had arrived, the priests lifted the ark. 8:4 The priests and Levites carried the ark of the Lord, the tent of meeting, and all the holy items in the tent. 8:5 Now King Solomon and all the Israelites who had assembled with him went on ahead of the ark and sacrificed more sheep and cattle than could be counted or numbered.
8:6 The priests brought the ark of the Lord’s covenant to its assigned place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, in the most holy place, under the wings of the cherubs. 8:7 The cherubs’ wings extended over the place where the ark sat; the cherubs overshadowed the ark and its poles. 8:8 The poles were so long their ends were visible from the holy place in front of the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen from beyond that point. They have remained there to this very day. 8:9 There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets Moses had placed there in Horeb. It was there that the Lord made an agreement with the Israelites after he brought them out of the land of Egypt. 8:10 Once the priests left the holy place, a cloud filled the Lord’s temple. 8:11 The priests could not carry out their duties because of the cloud; the Lord’s glory filled his temple.
8:12 Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he lives in thick darkness. 8:13 O Lord, truly I have built a lofty temple for you, a place where you can live permanently.” 8:14 Then the king turned around and pronounced a blessing over the whole Israelite assembly as they stood there. 8:15 He said, “The Lord God of Israel is worthy of praise because he has fulfilled what he promised my father David. 8:16 He told David, ‘Since the day I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from all the tribes of Israel to build a temple in which to live. But I have chosen David to lead my people Israel.’ 8:17 Now my father David had a strong desire to build a temple to honor the Lord God of Israel. 8:18 The Lord told my father David, ‘It is right for you to have a strong desire to build a temple to honor me. 8:19 But you will not build the temple; your very own son will build the temple for my honor.’ 8:20 The Lord has kept the promise he made. I have taken my father David’s place and have occupied the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised. I have built this temple for the honor of the Lord God of Israel 8:21 and set up in it a place for the ark containing the covenant the Lord made with our ancestors when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.”
Solomon Prays for Israel
8:22 Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward the sky. 8:23 He prayed: “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven above or on earth below! You maintain covenantal loyalty to your servants who obey you with sincerity. 8:24 You have kept your word to your servant, my father David; this very day you have fulfilled what you promised. 8:25 Now, O Lord, God of Israel, keep the promise you made to your servant, my father David, when you said, ‘You will never fail to have a successor ruling before me on the throne of Israel, provided that your descendants watch their step and serve me as you have done.’ 8:26 Now, O God of Israel, may the promise you made to your servant, my father David, be realized.
8:27 “God does not really live on the earth! Look, if the sky and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this temple I have built! 8:28 But respond favorably to your servant’s prayer and his request for help, O Lord my God. Answer the desperate prayer your servant is presenting to you today. 8:29 Night and day may you watch over this temple, the place where you promised you would live. May you answer your servant’s prayer for this place. 8:30 Respond to the request of your servant and your people Israel for this place. Hear from inside your heavenly dwelling place and respond favorably.
8:31 “When someone is accused of sinning against his neighbor and the latter pronounces a curse on the alleged offender before your altar in this temple, be willing to forgive the accused if the accusation is false. 8:32 Listen from heaven and make a just decision about your servants’ claims. Condemn the guilty party, declare the other innocent, and give both of them what they deserve.
8:33 “The time will come when your people Israel are defeated by an enemy because they sinned against you. If they come back to you, renew their allegiance to you, and pray for your help in this temple, 8:34 then listen from heaven, forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them back to the land you gave to their ancestors.
8:35 “The time will come when the skies are shut up tightly and no rain falls because your people sinned against you. When they direct their prayers toward this place, renew their allegiance to you, and turn away from their sin because you punish them, 8:36 then listen from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Certainly you will then teach them the right way to live and send rain on your land that you have given your people to possess.
8:37 “The time will come when the land suffers from a famine, a plague, blight and disease, or a locust invasion, or when their enemy lays siege to the cities of the land, or when some other type of plague or epidemic occurs. 8:38 When all your people Israel pray and ask for help, as they acknowledge their pain and spread out their hands toward this temple, 8:39 then listen from your heavenly dwelling place, forgive their sin, and act favorably toward each one based on your evaluation of his motives. (Indeed you are the only one who can correctly evaluate the motives of all people.) 8:40 Then they will obey you throughout their lifetimes as they live on the land you gave to our ancestors.
8:41 “Foreigners, who do not belong to your people Israel, will come from a distant land because of your reputation. 8:42 When they hear about your great reputation and your ability to accomplish mighty deeds, they will come and direct their prayers toward this temple. 8:43 Then listen from your heavenly dwelling place and answer all the prayers of the foreigners. Then all the nations of the earth will acknowledge your reputation, obey you like your people Israel do, and recognize that this temple I built belongs to you.
8:44 “When you direct your people to march out and fight their enemies, and they direct their prayers to the Lord toward his chosen city and this temple I built for your honor, 8:45 then listen from heaven to their prayers for help and vindicate them.
8:46 “The time will come when your people will sin against you (for there is no one who is sinless!) and you will be angry with them and deliver them over to their enemies, who will take them as prisoners to their own land, whether far away or close by. 8:47 When your people come to their senses in the land where they are held prisoner, they will repent and beg for your mercy in the land of their imprisonment, admitting, ‘We have sinned and gone astray; we have done evil.’ 8:48 When they return to you with all their heart and being in the land where they are held prisoner, and direct their prayers to you toward the land you gave to their ancestors, your chosen city, and the temple I built for your honor, 8:49 then listen from your heavenly dwelling place to their prayers for help and vindicate them. 8:50 Forgive all the rebellious acts of your sinful people and cause their captors to have mercy on them. 8:51 After all, they are your people and your special possession whom you brought out of Egypt, from the middle of the iron-smelting furnace.
8:52 “May you be attentive to your servant’s and your people Israel’s requests for help and may you respond to all their prayers to you. 8:53 After all, you picked them out of all the nations of the earth to be your special possession, just as you, O sovereign Lord, announced through your servant Moses when you brought our ancestors out of Egypt.”
8:54 When Solomon finished presenting all these prayers and requests to the Lord, he got up from before the altar of the Lord where he had kneeled and spread out his hands toward the sky. 8:55 When he stood up, he pronounced a blessing over the entire assembly of Israel, saying in a loud voice: 8:56 “The Lord is worthy of praise because he has made Israel his people secure just as he promised! Not one of all the faithful promises he made through his servant Moses is left unfulfilled! 8:57 May the Lord our God be with us, as he was with our ancestors. May he not abandon us or leave us. 8:58 May he make us submissive, so we can follow all his instructions and obey the commandments, rules, and regulations he commanded our ancestors. 8:59 May the Lord our God be constantly aware of these requests of mine I have presented to him, so that he might vindicate his servant and his people Israel as the need arises. 8:60 Then all the nations of the earth will recognize that the Lord is the only genuine God. 8:61 May you demonstrate wholehearted devotion to the Lord our God by following his rules and obeying his commandments, as you are presently doing.”
Solomon Dedicates the Temple
8:62 The king and all Israel with him were presenting sacrifices to the Lord. 8:63 Solomon offered as peace offerings to the Lord 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep. Then the king and all the Israelites dedicated the Lord’s temple. 8:64 That day the king consecrated the middle of the courtyard that is in front of the Lord’s temple. He offered there burnt sacrifices, grain offerings, and the fat from the peace offerings, because the bronze altar that stood before the Lord was too small to hold all these offerings. 8:65 At that time Solomon and all Israel with him celebrated a festival before the Lord our God for two entire weeks. This great assembly included people from all over the land, from Lebo Hamath in the north to the Brook of Egypt in the south. 8:66 On the fifteenth day after the festival started, he dismissed the people. They asked God to empower the king and then went to their homes, happy and content because of all the good the Lord had done for his servant David and his people Israel.
Lord, You flexibly and patiently worked Your greater plan around and through the foolishness and rebellion of Israel, and finally brought the Law to it’s fullest visible splendor. May Your work in my life be equally flexible and patient as You overwhelm my imperfections for Your greater purpose in and through me.
Solomon brought the Ark of God into the temple preceded by massive sacrifices from the plenty that the Lord God had given to Israel.
Solomon then prayed before the Ark, reciting the history of God’s faithfulness, then recognizing the inevitability that Israel would make bad choices in the future implored the Lord God to forgive and restore them after a time of suffering.
Concluding the dedication of the Temple was a massive peace offering to the Lord which helped to feed the mass of people gathered for the 15 day event.
Solomon took thirteen years to build his palace. It was 150 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high (11,250sf) dwarfing the Temple which was 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high (2,700sf).
Solomon followed David’s practice the second time he moved the Ark of God and offered many sacrifices, perhaps out of an abundance of caution, perhaps out of a genuine sense of gratitude and honor.
Given the long history of God’s forgiveness and restoration of Israel, following her transgressions, why would Solomon feel it was necessary to appeal to Him for that in the future? The text does not include any instructions from the Lord God for Solomon to build himself a palace, one already existed from David’s time. Is there cause to wonder what was to come next when Solomon invested almost twice as many years in building his palace than he did in the temple and that his palace was four times as large as the temple?
The Lord God's continued blessing was, as always, conditional – based on obedience. Solomon appeared to serve, at least momentarily, in dual roles of king and priest.
When have you appealed to the Lord God in prayer for mercy as you looked ahead and worried about the quality of your walk and your relationship with Him? When have you observed an individual or organization that was very blessed but who/which seemed to lose sight of the purpose of that blessing and drift into self-focused excess?
Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to something you can sacrifice to Him.
Today I will prayerfully discern something in my life that is more about the world than God, something that may be less-than-spiritually-edifying or less-than-physically-healthy, and I will sacrifice that to the Lord God. It may be entertainment that I enjoy but which contains content that appeals to the flesh, food I eat that is not the healthiest, company I keep that draws me away from holiness, etc. I will share the experience with a fellow believer.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Lord Gives Solomon a Promise and a Warning
9:1 After Solomon finished building the Lord’s temple, the royal palace, and all the other construction projects he had planned, 9:2 the Lord appeared to Solomon a second time, in the same way he had appeared to him at Gibeon. 9:3 The Lord said to him, “I have answered your prayer and your request for help that you made to me. I have consecrated this temple you built by making it my permanent home; I will be constantly present there. 9:4 You must serve me with integrity and sincerity, just as your father David did. Do everything I commanded and obey my rules and regulations. 9:5 Then I will allow your dynasty to rule over Israel permanently, just as I promised your father David, ‘You will not fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’
9:6 “But if you or your sons ever turn away from me, fail to obey the regulations and rules I instructed you to keep, and decide to serve and worship other gods, 9:7 then I will remove Israel from the land I have given them, I will abandon this temple I have consecrated with my presence, and Israel will be mocked and ridiculed among all the nations. 9:8 This temple will become a heap of ruins; everyone who passes by it will be shocked and will hiss out their scorn, saying, ‘Why did the Lord do this to this land and this temple?’ 9:9 Others will then answer, ‘Because they abandoned the Lord their God, who led their ancestors out of Egypt. They embraced other gods whom they worshiped and served. That is why the Lord has brought all this disaster down on them.’”
Foreign Affairs and Building Projects
9:10 After twenty years, during which Solomon built the Lord’s temple and the royal palace, 9:11 King Solomon gave King Hiram of Tyre twenty cities in the region of Galilee, because Hiram had supplied Solomon with cedars, evergreens, and all the gold he wanted. 9:12 When Hiram went out from Tyre to inspect the cities Solomon had given him, he was not pleased with them. 9:13 Hiram asked, “Why did you give me these cities, my friend?” He called that area the region of Cabul, a name which it has retained to this day. 9:14 Hiram had sent to the king one hundred twenty talents of gold.
9:15 Here are the details concerning the work crews King Solomon conscripted to build the Lord’s temple, his palace, the terrace, the wall of Jerusalem, and the cities of Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer. 9:16 (Pharaoh, king of Egypt, had attacked and captured Gezer. He burned it and killed the Canaanites who lived in the city. He gave it as a wedding present to his daughter, who had married Solomon.) 9:17 Solomon built up Gezer, lower Beth Horon, 9:18 Baalath, Tadmor in the wilderness, 9:19 all the storage cities that belonged to him, and the cities where chariots and horses were kept. He built whatever he wanted in Jerusalem, Lebanon, and throughout his entire kingdom. 9:20 Now several non-Israelite peoples were left in the land after the conquest of Joshua, including the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 9:21 Their descendants remained in the land (the Israelites were unable to wipe them out completely). Solomon conscripted them for his work crews, and they continue in that role to this very day. 9:22 Solomon did not assign Israelites to these work crews; the Israelites served as his soldiers, attendants, officers, charioteers, and commanders of his chariot forces. 9:23 These men were also in charge of Solomon’s work projects; there were a total of 550 men who supervised the workers. 9:24 Solomon built the terrace as soon as Pharaoh’s daughter moved up from the city of David to the palace Solomon built for her.
9:25 Three times a year Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar he had built for the Lord, burning incense along with them before the Lord. He made the temple his official worship place.
9:26 King Solomon also built ships in Ezion Geber, which is located near Elat in the land of Edom, on the shore of the Red Sea. 9:27 Hiram sent his fleet and some of his sailors, who were well acquainted with the sea, to serve with Solomon’s men. 9:28 They sailed to Ophir, took from there four hundred twenty talents of gold, and then brought them to King Solomon.
The Lord Gives Solomon a Promise and a Warning
7:11 After Solomon finished building the Lord’s temple and the royal palace, and accomplished all his plans for the Lord’s temple and his royal palace, 7:12 the Lord appeared to Solomon at night and said to him: “I have answered your prayer and chosen this place to be my temple where sacrifices are to be made. 7:13 When I close up the sky so that it doesn’t rain, or command locusts to devour the land’s vegetation, or send a plague among my people, 7:14 if my people, who belong to me, humble themselves, pray, seek to please me, and repudiate their sinful practices, then I will respond from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land. 7:15 Now I will be attentive and responsive to the prayers offered in this place. 7:16 Now I have chosen and consecrated this temple by making it my permanent home; I will be constantly present there. 7:17 You must serve me as your father David did. Do everything I commanded and obey my rules and regulations. 7:18 Then I will establish your dynasty, just as I promised your father David, ‘You will not fail to have a successor ruling over Israel.’
7:19 “But if you people ever turn away from me, fail to obey the regulations and rules I instructed you to keep, and decide to serve and worship other gods, 7:20 then I will remove you from my land I have given you, I will abandon this temple I have consecrated with my presence, and I will make you an object of mockery and ridicule among all the nations. 7:21 As for this temple, which was once majestic, everyone who passes by it will be shocked and say, ‘Why did the Lord do this to this land and this temple?’ 7:22 Others will then answer, ‘Because they abandoned the Lord God of their ancestors, who led them out of Egypt. They embraced other gods whom they worshiped and served. That is why he brought all this disaster down on them.’”
Building Projects and Commercial Efforts
8:1 After twenty years, during which Solomon built the Lord’s temple and his royal palace, 8:2 Solomon rebuilt the cities that Huram had given him and settled Israelites there. 8:3 Solomon went to Hamath Zobah and seized it. 8:4 He built up Tadmor in the wilderness and all the storage cities he had built in Hamath. 8:5 He made upper Beth Horon and lower Beth Horon fortified cities with walls and barred gates, 8:6 and built up Baalath, all the storage cities that belonged to him, and all the cities where chariots and horses were kept. He built whatever he wanted in Jerusalem, Lebanon, and throughout his entire kingdom.
8:7 Now several non-Israelite peoples were left in the land after the conquest of Joshua, including the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 8:8 Their descendants remained in the land (the Israelites were unable to wipe them out). Solomon conscripted them for his work crews and they continue in that role to this very day. 8:9 Solomon did not assign Israelites to these work crews; the Israelites served as his soldiers, officers, charioteers, and commanders of his chariot forces. 8:10 These men worked for Solomon as supervisors; there were a total of 250 of them who were in charge of the people.
8:11 Solomon moved Pharaoh’s daughter up from the City of David to the palace he had built for her, for he said, “My wife must not live in the palace of King David of Israel, for the places where the ark of the Lord has entered are holy.”
8:12 Then Solomon offered burnt sacrifices to the Lord on the altar of the Lord which he had built in front of the temple’s porch. 8:13 He observed the daily requirements for sacrifices that Moses had specified for Sabbaths, new moon festivals, and the three annual celebrations – the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Temporary Shelters. 8:14 As his father David had decreed, Solomon appointed the divisions of the priests to do their assigned tasks, the Levitical orders to lead worship and help the priests with their daily tasks, and the divisions of the gatekeepers to serve at their assigned gates. This was what David the man of God had ordered. 8:15 They did not neglect any detail of the king’s orders pertaining to the priests, Levites, and treasuries.
8:16 All the work ordered by Solomon was completed, from the day the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid until it was finished; the Lord’s temple was completed.
8:17 Then Solomon went to Ezion Geber and to Elat on the coast in the land of Edom. 8:18 Huram sent him ships and some of his sailors, men who were well acquainted with the sea. They sailed with Solomon’s men to Ophir, and took from there 450 talents of gold, which they brought back to King Solomon.
Lord, in the midst of all of Your blessings you brought Solomon back to Your purpose, faithfulness to You. May I remember in the good times, as well as the bad, that You are the source of all blessings and that I belong to You.
The Lord God warned Solomon to not commit the error of Saul but to follow David, who though he sinned morally, never violated His sacred laws or turned to false gods. He promised blessings to Solomon and his descendants for faithfulness and misery for rebellion.
In return for his assistance and generosity Solomon gave to King Hiram of Tyre the Galilee region of twenty cities. When Hiram inspected them he found them disagreeable and attached the derisive term “Cabul” to them. The text is unclear as to what, specifically, troubled him about them and what was the precise meaning of his pejorative. It may be that the King of a somewhat sophisticated island and seacoast region found the more primitive agriculture-based cities of Galilee unfamiliar. It is worth recalling that Tyre traded with Solomon - lumber for food.
Solomon conscripted the remaining non-Jews, who had never been driven out of the Promised Land, to do the heaviest and least desirable labor – placing 550 Jews in supervision over them – as he continued his perpetual Pharaoh-like construction projects. He also build ships and Hiram of Tyre sent experienced sailors to train the Jews.
Solomon faithfully offered burnt and peace offerings to the Lord three times each year.
Solomon seemed obsessed with bigger and more, perhaps it was a way to give purpose to the people in the midst of God's outpouring of blessing, and perhaps it was an expression of his own sense of need to express creativity and power. The Lord God's priority was faithfulness.
With his gift of wisdom why would Solomon give to King Hiram of Tyre a region of cities that he should have known would not be well-received? Might it have occurred to Solomon that there may be a future problem when one of his wives could not live in David's palace because holy objects had been there?
Just as the Egyptians forced the foreigners to do their heavy-lifting so the Jews now did to foreigners in the Promised Land, did Solomon pause to wonder if he might be creating future conflict?
When have you given a gift and been surprised that the recipient did not like it?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you one area where you have been faithful and one where you need to improve.
Today I will celebrate the work of the Holy Spirit in leading me to faithfulness and prayerfully consider how I might improve where I am weak.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
Psalm 138
138:1 By David.
I will give you thanks with all my heart; before the heavenly assembly I will sing praises to you.
138:2 I will bow down toward your holy temple, and give thanks to your name, because of your loyal love and faithfulness, for you have exalted your promise above the entire sky.
138:3 When I cried out for help, you answered me. You made me bold and energized me.
138:4 Let all the kings of the earth give thanks to you, O Lord, when they hear the words you speak.
138:5 Let them sing about the Lord’s deeds, for the Lord’s splendor is magnificent.
138:6 Though the Lord is exalted, he takes note of the lowly, and recognizes the proud from far away.
138:7 Even when I must walk in the midst of danger, you revive me. You oppose my angry enemies, and your right hand delivers me.
138:8 The Lord avenges me. O Lord, your loyal love endures.
Do not abandon those whom you have made!
Psalm 134
134:1 A song of ascents.
Attention! Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who serve in the Lord’s temple during the night.
134:2 Lift your hands toward the sanctuary and praise the Lord!
134:3 May the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth, bless you from Zion!
Psalm 146
146:1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
146:2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live!
I will sing praises to my God as long as I exist!
146:3 Do not trust in princes, or in human beings, who cannot deliver!
146:4 Their life’s breath departs, they return to the ground; on that day their plans die.
146:5 How blessed is the one whose helper is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God,
146:6 the one who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who remains forever faithful,
146:7 vindicates the oppressed, and gives food to the hungry. The Lord releases the imprisoned.
146:8 The Lord gives sight to the blind. The Lord lifts up all who are bent over. The Lord loves the godly.
146:9 The Lord protects those residing outside their native land; he lifts up the fatherless and the widow, but he opposes the wicked.
146:10 The Lord rules forever, your God, O Zion, throughout the generations to come!
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 147
147:1 Praise the Lord, for it is good to sing praises to our God!
Yes, praise is pleasant and appropriate!
147:2 The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem, and gathers the exiles of Israel.
147:3 He heals the brokenhearted, and bandages their wounds.
147:4 He counts the number of the stars; he names all of them.
147:5 Our Lord is great and has awesome power; there is no limit to his wisdom.
147:6 The Lord lifts up the oppressed, but knocks the wicked to the ground.
147:7 Offer to the Lord a song of thanks!
Sing praises to our God to the accompaniment of a harp!
147:8 He covers the sky with clouds, provides the earth with rain, and causes grass to grow on the hillsides.
147:9 He gives food to the animals, and to the young ravens when they chirp.
147:10 He is not enamored with the strength of a horse, nor is he impressed by the warrior’s strong legs.
147:11 The Lord takes delight in his faithful followers, and in those who wait for his loyal love.
147:12 Extol the Lord, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
147:13 For he makes the bars of your gates strong. He blesses your children within you.
147:14 He brings peace to your territory. He abundantly provides for you the best grain.
147:15 He sends his command through the earth; swiftly his order reaches its destination.
147:16 He sends the snow that is white like wool; he spreads the frost that is white like ashes.
147:17 He throws his hailstones like crumbs.
Who can withstand the cold wind he sends?
147:18 He then orders it all to melt; he breathes on it, and the water flows.
147:19 He proclaims his word to Jacob, his statutes and regulations to Israel.
147:20 He has not done so with any other nation; they are not aware of his regulations.
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 148
148:1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the sky!
Praise him in the heavens!
148:2 Praise him, all his angels!
Praise him, all his heavenly assembly!
148:3 Praise him, O sun and moon!
Praise him, all you shiny stars!
148:4 Praise him, O highest heaven, and you waters above the sky!
148:5 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he gave the command and they came into existence.
148:6 He established them so they would endure; he issued a decree that will not be revoked.
148:7 Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea creatures and all you ocean depths,
148:8 O fire and hail, snow and clouds, O stormy wind that carries out his orders,
148:9 you mountains and all you hills, you fruit trees and all you cedars,
148:10 you animals and all you cattle, you creeping things and birds,
148:11 you kings of the earth and all you nations, you princes and all you leaders on the earth,
148:12 you young men and young women, you elderly, along with you children!
148:13 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty extends over the earth and sky.
148:14 He has made his people victorious, and given all his loyal followers reason to praise – the Israelites, the people who are close to him.
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 149
149:1 Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song!
Praise him in the assembly of the godly!
149:2 Let Israel rejoice in their Creator!
Let the people of Zion delight in their king!
149:3 Let them praise his name with dancing!
Let them sing praises to him to the accompaniment of the tambourine and harp!
149:4 For the Lord takes delight in his people; he exalts the oppressed by delivering them.
149:5 Let the godly rejoice because of their vindication!
Let them shout for joy upon their beds!
149:6 May they praise God while they hold a two-edged sword in their hand,
149:7 in order to take revenge on the nations, and punish foreigners.
149:8 They bind their kings in chains, and their nobles in iron shackles,
149:9 and execute the judgment to which their enemies have been sentenced. All his loyal followers will be vindicated.
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 150
150:1 Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary!
Praise him in the sky, which testifies to his strength!
150:2 Praise him for his mighty acts!
Praise him for his surpassing greatness!
150:3 Praise him with the blast of the horn!
Praise him with the lyre and the harp!
150:4 Praise him with the tambourine and with dancing!
Praise him with stringed instruments and the flute!
150:5 Praise him with loud cymbals!
Praise him with clanging cymbals!
150:6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
Lord, You are unique, powerful, and omni-present. May I never imagine that I may keep anything from You, may I rather be mindful that You know and see all things, and be more intentional every day to live rightly before You. Lord, when we praise You we draw nearer to Your perfection. May I praise you ceaselessly.
Psalm 138 began as a praise and concluded with a petition “When I cried out for help, you answered me. You made me bold and energized me … Do not abandon those whom you have made!” The author was David.
Psalm 134 “Attention! Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who serve in the Lord’s temple during the night. Lift your hands toward the sanctuary and praise the Lord! May the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth, bless you from Zion!”
Psalm 146 by David was praise “I will praise the Lord as long as I live! I will sing praises to my God as long as I exist!” with wisdom “Do not trust in princes, or in human beings, who cannot deliver!”
Psalm 147 was praise with wisdom “Our Lord is great and has awesome power; there is no limit to his wisdom. The Lord lifts up the oppressed, but knocks the wicked to the ground ... The Lord takes delight in his faithful followers, and in those who wait for his loyal love.” The author was not identified in the text.
Psalm 148 was praise “Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty extends over the earth and sky.” The author was not identified in the text.
Psalm 149 was praise “Let them sing praises to him to the accompaniment of the tambourine and harp!” with wisdom “For the Lord takes delight in his people; he exalts the oppressed by delivering them. May they praise God while they hold a two-edged sword in their hand ...”
Psalm 150 was praise “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!”
The Lord is to be praised because He keeps every promise, He acts perfectly at all times, and He is all-powerful.
Would it be because of the pattern of Israel making idols of mere men that David wrote “Do not trust in princes, or in human beings, who cannot deliver!”?
“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!” - all of Creation testifies to the Creator and therefore gives Him praise – despite the Fall. He Created perfection, we broke it, and He will cleanse and restore in the end.
When have you experienced or observed the idolatry of mere man?
Ask the Holy Spirit to encourage you to invite Him to examine you for any tendencies to idolatry and to purge it from your life. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a way that you could become more sincere in your communication with the Lord God.
Today I will prayerfully and reflectively make a list of things in my life that distract me from the Lord God. I will surrender all of them to the Lord and ask Him to only return those things that will not function as idols, even in the smallest way, and to remove my desire for anything that will. Today I will prayerfully reflect upon my communications with the Lord God, carefully listening for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as to how I might better prepare my heart for special time along with Him (perhaps fasting, music, and/or reading the Word).
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Proverbs of Solomon Collected by Hezekiah
25:1 These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of King Hezekiah of Judah copied:
25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, and it is the glory of a king to search out a matter.
25:3 As the heaven is high and the earth is deep so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.
25:4 Remove the dross from the silver, and material for the silversmith will emerge;
25:5 remove the wicked from before the king, and his throne will be established in righteousness.
25:6 Do not honor yourself before the king, and do not stand in the place of great men;
25:7 for it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,” than to put you lower before a prince, whom your eyes have seen.
25:8 Do not go out hastily to litigation, or what will you do afterward when your neighbor puts you to shame?
25:9 When you argue a case with your neighbor, do not reveal the secret of another person,
25:10 lest the one who hears it put you to shame and your infamy will never go away.
25:11 Like apples of gold in settings of silver, so is a word skillfully spoken.
25:12 Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover to the ear of the one who listens.
25:13 Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to those who send him, for he refreshes the heart of his masters.
25:14 Like cloudy skies and wind that produce no rain, so is the one who boasts of a gift not given.
25:15 Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a soft tongue can break a bone.
25:16 When you find honey, eat only what is sufficient for you, lest you become stuffed with it and vomit it up.
25:17 Don’t set foot too frequently in your neighbor’s house, lest he become weary of you and hate you.
25:18 Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow, so is the one who testifies against his neighbor as a false witness.
25:19 Like a bad tooth or a foot out of joint, so is confidence in an unfaithful person at the time of trouble.
25:20 Like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar poured on soda, so is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
25:21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,
25:22 for you will heap coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will reward you.
25:23 The north wind brings forth rain, and a gossiping tongue brings forth an angry look.
25:24 It is better to live on a corner of the housetop than in a house in company with a quarrelsome wife.
25:25 Like cold water to a weary person, so is good news from a distant land.
25:26 Like a muddied spring and a polluted well, so is a righteous person who gives way before the wicked.
25:27 It is not good to eat too much honey, nor is it honorable for people to seek their own glory.
25:28 Like a city that is broken down and without a wall, so is a person who cannot control his temper.
Lord, a life walked with You (in accord with Your wisdom) looks different than that of a person without You (or that of a believer who does not pursue and apply Your wisdom). May my life be useful to You because I am willing, teachable, and obedient.
As noted in the Chapter heading, these are “Proverbs of Solomon Collected by Hezekiah”, and so there is some considerable overlap with the message/text of other Proverbs.
Solomon remarked that the Lord God did not choose to make all things obvious because He knows that some matters are only valued and understood after one has worked-through the full context of them. For one whom He calls to leadership “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, and it is the glory of a king to search out a matter …” This is why “As the heaven is high and the earth is deep so the hearts of kings are unsearchable ...” because their hearts (on the occasions that they are obedient) belong to Him. It is in this process that the Lord does “Remove the dross from the silver, and material for the silversmith will emerge; remove the wicked from before the king, and his throne will be established in righteousness.”
He warned “Do not go out hastily to litigation, or what will you do afterward when your neighbor puts you to shame? When you argue a case with your neighbor, do not reveal the secret of another person, lest the one who hears it put you to shame and your infamy will never go away.”
He encouraged “Like apples of gold in settings of silver, so is a word skillfully spoken. Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover to the ear of the one who listens.” Once again he called attention to the prerequisite that a wise person must be teachable.
Solomon counseled that choosing those whom we trust is important “Like a bad tooth or a foot out of joint, so is confidence in an unfaithful person at the time of trouble.”
He also shared this wisdom with those who would counsel and encourage the hurting “Like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar poured on soda, so is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.”
Solomon combined two images in one verse “If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will reward you.”, the first is that in showing your right-heart in contrast to the evil-heart of your enemy you shine light into their darkness, then he referenced the practice of giving hot coals to a guest to warm them on the way home and with which they’d then start their fire at home (the head-part referenced the head gear which held the coals without burning the wearer yet still passed some heat to the head).
He warned that it was a terrible thing when a righteous person allowed themselves to be drawn into the value-system of a wicked person “Like a muddied spring and a polluted well, so is a righteous person who gives way before the wicked.”
Solomon warned against gluttony, of food or of fame “It is not good to eat too much honey, nor is it honorable for people to seek their own glory.”
He returned to his counsel that choices have consequences, in this case one who is out of control becomes vulnerable and weak “Like a city that is broken down and without a wall, so is a person who cannot control his temper.”
Proverbs 25:26 Solomon warned that it was a terrible thing when a righteous person allowed him/her-self to be drawn into the value-system of a wicked person “Like a muddied spring and a polluted well, so is a righteous person who gives way before the wicked.” Think of all of the excuses we hear for selling-out to the world!
How does a person who fails to control his/her anger become more vulnerable?
Choosing those whom we trust is very important, whether it is a spouse (if the Lord God calls us out of undistracted single-service to Him), a business associate, a leadership adviser, or in any other venue.
When have you observed someone bringing an accusation against another, and they even dragged third-parties into the debate, only to be shown a fool – losing both friendships and honor?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where you are allowing yourself to be drawn into the value-system of an unrighteous person, or that of a group of people, or a worldly philosophy.
Today I will repent of the error which the Holy Spirit has revealed to me and I will act intentionally to break the unrighteous influence in my life. I will refuse to sell-out to anything that is not of-God and which does not draw me nearer to righteousness rather than nearer to the fire of sin.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
26:1 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.
26:2 Like a fluttering bird or like a flying swallow, so a curse without cause does not come to rest.
26:3 A whip for the horse and a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools!
26:4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you yourself also be like him.
26:5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own estimation.
26:6 Like cutting off the feet or drinking violence, so is sending a message by the hand of a fool.
26:7 Like legs that hang limp from the lame, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
26:8 Like tying a stone in a sling, so is giving honor to a fool.
26:9 Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard, so is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
26:10 Like an archer who wounds at random, so is the one who hires a fool or hires any passer-by.
26:11 Like a dog that returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.
26:12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
26:13 The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! A lion in the streets!”
26:14 Like a door that turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed.
26:15 The sluggard plunges his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
26:16 The sluggard is wiser in his own estimation than seven people who respond with good sense.
26:17 Like one who grabs a wild dog by the ears, so is the person passing by who becomes furious over a quarrel not his own.
26:18 Like a madman who shoots firebrands and deadly arrows,
26:19 so is a person who deceives his neighbor, and says, “Was I not only joking?”
26:20 Where there is no wood, a fire goes out, and where there is no gossip, contention ceases.
26:21 Like charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire, so is a contentious person to kindle strife.
26:22 The words of a gossip are like delicious morsels; they go down into a person’s innermost being.
26:23 Like a coating of glaze over earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart.
26:24 The one who hates others disguises it with his lips, but he stores up deceit within him.
26:25 When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for there are seven abominations within him.
26:26 Though his hatred may be concealed by deceit, his evil will be uncovered in the assembly.
26:27 The one who digs a pit will fall into it; the one who rolls a stone – it will come back on him.
26:28 A lying tongue hates those crushed by it, and a flattering mouth works ruin.
27:1 Do not boast about tomorrow; for you do not know what a day may bring forth.
27:2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips.
27:3 A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, but vexation by a fool is more burdensome than the two of them.
27:4 Wrath is cruel and anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?
27:5 Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are excessive.
27:7 The one whose appetite is satisfied loathes honey, but to the hungry mouth every bitter thing is sweet.
27:8 Like a bird that wanders from its nest, so is a person who wanders from his home.
27:9 Ointment and incense make the heart rejoice, likewise the sweetness of one’s friend from sincere counsel.
27:10 Do not forsake your friend and your father’s friend, and do not enter your brother’s house in the day of your disaster; a neighbor nearby is better than a brother far away.
27:11 Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad, so that I may answer anyone who taunts me.
27:12 A shrewd person sees danger and hides himself, but the naive keep right on going and suffer for it.
27:13 Take a man’s garment when he has given security for a stranger, and when he gives surety for a stranger, hold him in pledge.
27:14 If someone blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be counted as a curse to him.
27:15 A continual dripping on a rainy day and a contentious wife are alike.
27:16 Whoever hides her hides the wind or grasps oil with his right hand.
27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so a person sharpens his friend.
27:18 The one who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and whoever takes care of his master will be honored.
27:19 As in water the face is reflected as a face, so a person’s heart reflects the person.
27:20 As Death and Destruction are never satisfied, so the eyes of a person are never satisfied.
27:21 As the crucible is for silver and the furnace is for gold, so a person is proved by the praise he receives.
27:22 If you should pound the fool in the mortar among the grain with the pestle, his foolishness would not depart from him.
27:23 Pay careful attention to the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds,
27:24 for riches do not last forever, nor does a crown last from generation to generation.
27:25 When the hay is removed and new grass appears, and the grass from the hills is gathered in,
27:26 the lambs will be for your clothing, and the goats will be for the price of a field.
27:27 And there will be enough goat’s milk for your food, for the food of your household, and for the sustenance of your servant girls.
Lord, the world is filled with fools, those who choose to live without You – or those who belong to You but who choose to frequently ignore Your wisdom. May I study Your Word, learn about Your wisdom, and choose not to be counted among the fools.
This collection of Solomon’s proverbs began with several specific to fools “Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.”
He observed that a curse uttered by a fool was without the Lord God’s approval because it lacked a cause, was meaningless “Like a fluttering bird or like a flying swallow, so a curse without cause does not come to rest.”
Solomon juxtaposed two cases where a fool said something and the wise person had to choose if and how they would respond. [The NET Translator’s notes postulate that in the first case one is dealing with something not even worthy of a reply, and in the second a matter demanding a correcting-reply so that in something important the fool is not left believing himself to be correct “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you yourself also be like him. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own estimation.”]
He observed that a fool does not learn from his/her mistakes “Like a dog that returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.”
He taught that an arrogant and prideful man who gives no credit for wisdom to the Lord God is less teachable than a fool “Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.”
Solomon often warned against gossip “Where there is no wood, a fire goes out, and where there is no gossip, contention ceases.”
He warned against presuming upon the circumstances of a day not yet lived “Do not boast about tomorrow; for you do not know what a day may bring forth.”
Solomon warned against boasting “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips.”
He observed that jealousy poisoned relationships whereas wrath and anger tended to be events with consequences, but also with clear beginnings and endings “Wrath is cruel and anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?”
Solomon contrasted the hurt that may come from a friend’s words and the false praise of an enemy “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are excessive.”
He presented a three-part wisdom; first that one needs to stay close to friends, second that one should not either bring trouble into their brother’s home or only go to him when in trouble, and third that one should develop nearby friends for support when existing family and friends are at a distance “Do not forsake your friend and your father’s friend, and do not enter your brother’s house in the day of your disaster; a neighbor nearby is better than a brother far away.”
Solomon observed that bellowing blessings at someone early in the morning is unlikely to be received well “If someone blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be counted as a curse to him.”
He repeats his warning to choose a spouse wisely “A continual dripping on a rainy day and a contentious wife are alike … and he warned that trying to keep such a woman from being an embarrassment is like trying to hide the wind or to hold wind in your bare hand “Whoever hides her hides the wind or grasps oil with his right hand.”
Solomon encouraged believers to discuss important matters with an eye toward wisdom “As iron sharpens iron, so a person sharpens his friend.”
He noted that ones heart drives ones attitude and behavior and thereby displays the essence of a person “As in water the face is reflected as a face, so a person’s heart reflects the person.”
Solomon concluded that the lust of the eyes are an endless source of worldly desire “As Death and Destruction are never satisfied, so the eyes of a person are never satisfied.”
One does not always have to respond to every foolish thing that people say, but wisdom helps one to know when a wrong statement made about serious matter requires a correction.
Why might Solomon place such a high value on friendship?
Jealousy is toxic to relationships, among co-workers, neighbors, associates of other types, and romantic relationships.
When have you experienced the frustration of dealing with a fool?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you an opportunity in a relationship with a fellow believer where an “iron sharpening iron” discussion of important matters would lead to more maturity through shared wisdom.
Today I will prayerfully begin seeking a Christian person, and a time and a plan, for an “iron sharpening iron” peer-discipleship fellowship.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
28:1 The wicked person flees when there is no one pursuing, but the righteous person is as confident as a lion.
28:2 When a country is rebellious it has many princes, but by someone who is discerning and knowledgeable order is maintained.
28:3 A poor person who oppresses the weak is like a driving rain without food.
28:4 Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law contend with them.
28:5 Evil people do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it all.
28:6 A poor person who walks in his integrity is better than one who is perverse in his ways even though he is rich.
28:7 The one who keeps the law is a discerning child, but a companion of gluttons brings shame to his parents.
28:8 The one who increases his wealth by increasing interest gathers it for someone who is gracious to the needy.
28:9 The one who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.
28:10 The one who leads the upright astray in an evil way will himself fall into his own pit, but the blameless will inherit what is good.
28:11 A rich person is wise in his own eyes, but a discerning poor person can evaluate him properly.
28:12 When the righteous rejoice, great is the glory, but when the wicked rise to power, people are sought out.
28:13 The one who covers his transgressions will not prosper, but whoever confesses them and forsakes them will find mercy.
28:14 Blessed is the one who is always cautious, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into evil.
28:15 Like a roaring lion or a roving bear, so is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
28:16 The prince who is a great oppressor lacks wisdom, but the one who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.
28:17 The one who is tormented by the murder of another will flee to the pit; let no one support him.
28:18 The one who walks blamelessly will be delivered, but whoever is perverse in his ways will fall at once.
28:19 The one who works his land will be satisfied with food, but whoever chases daydreams will have his fill of poverty.
28:20 A faithful person will have an abundance of blessings, but the one who hastens to gain riches will not go unpunished.
28:21 To show partiality is terrible, for a person will transgress over the smallest piece of bread.
28:22 The stingy person hastens after riches and does not know that poverty will overtake him.
28:23 The one who reproves another will in the end find more favor than the one who flatters with the tongue.
28:24 The one who robs his father and mother and says, “There is no transgression,” is a companion to the one who destroys.
28:25 The greedy person stirs up dissension, but the one who trusts in the Lord will prosper.
28:26 The one who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but the one who walks in wisdom will escape.
28:27 The one who gives to the poor will not lack, but whoever shuts his eyes to them will receive many curses.
28:28 When the wicked gain control, people hide themselves, but when they perish, the righteous increase.
29:1 The one who stiffens his neck after numerous rebukes will suddenly be destroyed without remedy.
29:2 When the righteous become numerous, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan.
29:3 The man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but whoever associates with prostitutes wastes his wealth.
29:4 A king brings stability to a land by justice, but one who exacts tribute tears it down.
29:5 The one who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his steps.
29:6 In the transgression of an evil person there is a snare, but a righteous person can sing and rejoice.
29:7 The righteous person cares for the legal rights of the poor; the wicked does not understand such knowledge.
29:8 Scornful people inflame a city, but those who are wise turn away wrath.
29:9 If a wise person goes to court with a foolish person, there is no peace whether he is angry or laughs.
29:10 Bloodthirsty people hate someone with integrity; as for the upright, they seek his life.
29:11 A fool lets fly with all his temper, but a wise person keeps it back.
29:12 If a ruler listens to lies, all his ministers will be wicked.
29:13 The poor person and the oppressor have this in common: the Lord gives light to the eyes of them both.
29:14 If a king judges the poor in truth, his throne will be established forever.
29:15 A rod and reproof impart wisdom, but a child who is unrestrained brings shame to his mother.
29:16 When the wicked increase, transgression increases, but the righteous will see their downfall.
29:17 Discipline your child, and he will give you rest; he will bring you happiness.
29:18 When there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but the one who keeps the law, blessed is he!
29:19 A servant cannot be corrected by words, for although he understands, there is no answer.
29:20 Do you see someone who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
29:21 If someone pampers his servant from youth, he will be a weakling in the end.
29:22 An angry person stirs up dissension, and a wrathful person is abounding in transgression.
29:23 A person’s pride will bring him low, but one who has a lowly spirit will gain honor.
29:24 Whoever shares with a thief is his own enemy; he hears the oath to testify, but does not talk.
Lord, You teach us about choices and consequences and how the condition of our hearts – and those of our leaders – has a major impact upon the way we think and act. May I take the time to assess what is my heart-condition before I speak and before I act.
Solomon challenged leaders to be wise and warned of the consequences of the wrong people in power “When a country is rebellious it has many princes, but by someone who is discerning and knowledgeable order is maintained … When the righteous rejoice, great is the glory, but when the wicked rise to power, people are sought out … When the wicked gain control, people hide themselves, but when they perish, the righteous increase … When the righteous become numerous, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan … Like a roaring lion or a roving bear, so is a wicked ruler over a poor people ... The prince who is a great oppressor lacks wisdom, but the one who hates unjust gain will prolong his days … If a ruler listens to lies, all his ministers will be wicked.”
He explained that those with few resources who abuse those with little power are foolish “A poor person who oppresses the weak is like a driving rain without food.”
Solomon repeated his teaching that “The one who gives to the poor will not lack, but whoever shuts his eyes to them will receive many curses. And that how one treats matters of justice involving the poor speaks of the condition of their heart “The righteous person cares for the legal rights of the poor; the wicked does not understand such knowledge … Evil people do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it all.”
He returned to his theme of choices and consequences “A poor person who walks in his integrity is better than one who is perverse in his ways even though he is rich … The one who keeps the law is a discerning child, but a companion of gluttons brings shame to his parents … The one who leads the upright astray in an evil way will himself fall into his own pit, but the blameless will inherit what is good … The one who covers his transgressions will not prosper, but whoever confesses them and forsakes them will find mercy … Blessed is the one who is always cautious, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into evil … The one who works his land will be satisfied with food, but whoever chases daydreams will have his fill of poverty … The one who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but the one who walks in wisdom will escape … A person’s pride will bring him low, but one who has a lowly spirit will gain honor.”
Solomon described the prison of nitpicking and sin that comes from one who lacks a sense of wisdom-informed justice “To show partiality is terrible, for a person will transgress over the smallest piece of bread.”
He called upon the wise to refuse to get involved with those who cause trouble “Scornful people inflame a city, but those who are wise turn away wrath.”
Solomon explained why true Christians are often targets in the secular world “Bloodthirsty people hate someone with integrity; as for the upright, they seek his life.” [Bloodthirsty might be taken to refer to those who serve the enemy.]
He challenged leaders of the faithful to proclaim the Word of God “When there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but the one who keeps the law, blessed is he!”
“When a country is rebellious it has many princes, but by someone who is discerning and knowledgeable order is maintained.” Proverbs 28:2
The Lord God allows nations to be fragmented, though that is not His preference, He rarely/selectively micromanages, for if He did there would be no free will, and absent free will there is no true relationship. What the Lord seeks is a restoration of relationship with His Creation, one heart at a time.
Why do true Christians always become targets of sinners?
The failure of leaders of believers to teach the Word is one reason that so many Christians are so weak and confused.
When have you observed the Lord God blessing someone who cares for the poor?
Ask the Holy Spirit to identify a leader, or a leadership selection process, that requires your prayer – because the nature of a leader will be reflected in the way he treats the people.
Today I will pray in earnest for the leader or leadership selection process which the Holy Spirit has pointed out to me. I will invite others to pray in-agreement with me.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 37
Title
1:1 The words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:
Introduction: Utter Futility
1:2 “Futile! Futile!” laments the Teacher, “Absolutely futile! Everything is futile!”
Futility Illustrated from Nature
1:3 What benefit do people get from all the effort which they expend on earth?
1:4 A generation comes and a generation goes, but the earth remains the same through the ages.
1:5 The sun rises and the sun sets; it hurries away to a place from which it rises again.
1:6 The wind goes to the south and circles around to the north; round and round the wind goes and on its rounds it returns.
1:7 All the streams flow into the sea, but the sea is not full, and to the place where the streams flow, there they will flow again.
1:8 All this monotony is tiresome; no one can bear to describe it: The eye is never satisfied with seeing, nor is the ear ever content with hearing.
1:9 What exists now is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing truly new on earth.
1:10 Is there anything about which someone can say, “Look at this! It is new!”? It was already done long ago, before our time.
1:11 No one remembers the former events, nor will anyone remember the events that are yet to happen; they will not be remembered by the future generations.
Futility of Secular Accomplishment
1:12 I, the Teacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
1:13 I decided to carefully and thoroughly examine all that has been accomplished on earth.
I concluded: God has given people a burdensome task that keeps them occupied.
1:14 I reflected on everything that is accomplished by man on earth, and I concluded: Everything he has accomplished is futile – like chasing the wind!
1:15 What is bent cannot be straightened, and what is missing cannot be supplied.
Futility of Secular Wisdom
1:16 I thought to myself, “I have become much wiser than any of my predecessors who ruled over Jerusalem; I have acquired much wisdom and knowledge.”
1:17 So I decided to discern the benefit of wisdom and knowledge over foolish behavior and ideas; however, I concluded that even this endeavor is like trying to chase the wind!
1:18 For with great wisdom comes great frustration; whoever increases his knowledge merely increases his heartache.
Futility of Self-Indulgent Pleasure
2:1 I thought to myself, “Come now, I will try self-indulgent pleasure to see if it is worthwhile.”
But I found that it also is futile.
2:2 I said of partying, “It is folly,” and of self-indulgent pleasure, “It accomplishes nothing!”
2:3 I thought deeply about the effects of indulging myself with wine (all the while my mind was guiding me with wisdom) and the effects of behaving foolishly, so that I might discover what is profitable for people to do on earth during the few days of their lives.
Futility of Materialism
2:4 I increased my possessions: I built houses for myself; I planted vineyards for myself.
2:5 I designed royal gardens and parks for myself, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them.
2:6 I constructed pools of water for myself, to irrigate my grove of flourishing trees.
2:7 I purchased male and female slaves, and I owned slaves who were born in my house; I also possessed more livestock – both herds and flocks – than any of my predecessors in Jerusalem.
2:8 I also amassed silver and gold for myself, as well as valuable treasures taken from kingdoms and provinces. I acquired male singers and female singers for myself, and what gives a man sensual delight – a harem of beautiful concubines!
2:9 So I was far wealthier than all my predecessors in Jerusalem, yet I maintained my objectivity:
2:10 I did not restrain myself from getting whatever I wanted; I did not deny myself anything that would bring me pleasure. So all my accomplishments gave me joy; this was my reward for all my effort.
2:11 Yet when I reflected on everything I had accomplished and on all the effort that I had expended to accomplish it, I concluded: “All these achievements and possessions are ultimately profitless – like chasing the wind! There is nothing gained from them on earth.”
Wisdom is Better than Folly
2:12 Next, I decided to consider wisdom, as well as foolish behavior and ideas. For what more can the king’s successor do than what the king has already done?
2:13 I realized that wisdom is preferable to folly, just as light is preferable to darkness:
2:14 The wise man can see where he is going, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also realized that the same fate happens to them both.
2:15 So I thought to myself, “The fate of the fool will happen even to me!
Then what did I gain by becoming so excessively wise?”
So I lamented to myself, “The benefits of wisdom are ultimately meaningless!”
2:16 For the wise man, like the fool, will not be remembered for very long, because in the days to come, both will already have been forgotten. Alas, the wise man dies – just like the fool!
2:17 So I loathed life because what happens on earth seems awful to me; for all the benefits of wisdom are futile – like chasing the wind.
Futility of Being a Workaholic
2:18 So I loathed all the fruit of my effort, for which I worked so hard on earth, because I must leave it behind in the hands of my successor.
2:19 Who knows if he will be a wise man or a fool?
Yet he will be master over all the fruit of my labor for which I worked so wisely on earth! This also is futile!
2:20 So I began to despair about all the fruit of my labor for which I worked so hard on earth.
2:21 For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; however, he must hand over the fruit of his labor as an inheritance to someone else who did not work for it. This also is futile, and an awful injustice!
Painful Days and Restless Nights
2:22 What does a man acquire from all his labor and from the anxiety that accompanies his toil on earth?
2:23 For all day long his work produces pain and frustration, and even at night his mind cannot relax! This also is futile!
Enjoy Work and its Benefits
2:24 There is nothing better for people than to eat and drink, and to find enjoyment in their work. I also perceived that this ability to find enjoyment comes from God.
2:25 For no one can eat and drink or experience joy apart from him.
2:26 For to the one who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner, he gives the task of amassing wealth – only to give it to the one who pleases God. This task of the wicked is futile – like chasing the wind!
A Time for All Events in Life
3:1 For everything there is an appointed time, and an appropriate time for every activity on earth:
3:2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot what was planted;
3:3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
3:5 A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
3:6 A time to search, and a time to give something up as lost; a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
3:7 A time to rip, and a time to sew; a time to keep silent, and a time to speak.
3:8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
Man is Ignorant of God’s Timing
3:9 What benefit can a worker gain from his toil?
3:10 I have observed the burden that God has given to people to keep them occupied.
3:11 God has made everything fit beautifully in its appropriate time, but he has also placed ignorance in the human heart so that people cannot discover what God has ordained, from the beginning to the end of their lives.
Enjoy Life in the Present
3:12 I have concluded that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to enjoy themselves as long as they live,
3:13 and also that everyone should eat and drink, and find enjoyment in all his toil, for these things are a gift from God.
God’s Sovereignty
3:14 I also know that whatever God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken away from it. God has made it this way, so that men will fear him.
3:15 Whatever exists now has already been, and whatever will be has already been; for God will seek to do again what has occurred in the past.
The Problem of Injustice and Oppression
3:16 I saw something else on earth: In the place of justice, there was wickedness, and in the place of fairness, there was wickedness.
3:17 I thought to myself, “God will judge both the righteous and the wicked; for there is an appropriate time for every activity, and there is a time of judgment for every deed.
3:18 I also thought to myself, “It is for the sake of people, so God can clearly show them that they are like animals.
3:19 For the fate of humans and the fate of animals are the same: As one dies, so dies the other; both have the same breath. There is no advantage for humans over animals, for both are fleeting.
3:20 Both go to the same place, both come from the dust, and to dust both return.
3:21 Who really knows if the human spirit ascends upward, and the animal’s spirit descends into the earth?
3:22 So I perceived there is nothing better than for people to enjoy their work, because that is their reward; for who can show them what the future holds?
Lord, You are the source of appropriate pleasure and of wisdom. May I always look to You, rather than the world, so that my pleasures are blessed by You and my choices flow from Your wisdom. You have decided that You will allow humankind a free will in matters that are not reserved for Your sovereign will and therefore many of the activities of man are directed by man. May I be in constant communication with the Holy Spirit so that I will recognize the difference between Your moral will and Your sovereign will and give You the glory in both.
Solomon began the lament of Ecclesiastes with a sweeping declaration ““Futile! Futile!” laments the Teacher, “Absolutely futile! Everything is futile!”“
He then stepped through a series of contexts where his thesis is supported:
“Futility Illustrated from Nature”
“Futility of Secular Accomplishment”
“Futility of Secular Wisdom”
“Futility of Self-Indulgent Pleasure”
“Futility of Materialism”
He paused to contrast wisdom with folly and found wisdom the better:
“Wisdom is Better than Folly”
Then he returned to his litany of futility:
“Futility of Being a Workaholic”
“Painful Days and Restless Nights”
And finally, at the conclusion of his first two chapters, he completed his summary with the discovery that the Lord God is the One Who gives meaning to appropriate pleasure.
“Enjoy Work and its Benefits”
Solomon declared that the Lord God allows for order – but that He has delegated much of that to humankind “For everything there is an appointed time, and an appropriate time for every activity on earth:”
He then provided a list of examples:
“A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot what was planted;”
“A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;”
“A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.”
“A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;”
“A time to search, and a time to give something up as lost; a time to keep, and a time to throw away;”
“A time to rip, and a time to sew; a time to keep silent, and a time to speak.”
“A time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.”
Solomon then observed that the Lord God has a perfect plan for each of us, but that he allows us to make our own choices, and therefore we are unaware of His big-picture plan, rather we wrestle with His moral preferences at every decision-point.
He repeated, from the Psalms, that humankind is expected to work hard and to reap benefits from their labors, and not to postpone all enjoyment for Heaven “... everyone should eat and drink, and find enjoyment in all his toil, for these things are a gift from God”
Solomon then contrasted God’s Sovereignty with his just-described moral will.
He concluded the chapter in a pessimistic mood, wondering when he found injustice in the courts, and observing that both animal and man return to dust; then wondering if the human spirit rose toward heaven at death whereas those of animals descended.
Solomon’s use of the phrase “like chasing the wind” is very similar to a phrase in the Book of Proverbs “grasping oil in your right hand”. Both are impossible endeavors. His puzzled question re. The relative eternal destiny of animals versus humans is, of course, a wrong-headed postulate as animals have no eternal spirit and humans-alone will be divided between Heaven and Hell.
Why would Solomon, with all of his God-gifted wisdom, need to go through so much effort to discern that “There is nothing better for people than to eat and drink, and to find enjoyment in their work. I also perceived that this ability to find enjoyment comes from God.”? Also, is it possible to have a genuine two-way relationship if all of the meaningful decisions made by both parties to it are imposed by One?
People in the secular world rise in the morning knowing that in the eyes of their peers, and apart from the Lord God, they have no inherent value, thus they spend their day trying to earn value in the eyes of others who also awoke feeling equally-empty and valueless. It is important to ponder the NET Translator's Notes explanation that the Lord God directs some activities but allows humankind to determine the “appointed time”.
When have you experienced futility in the pursuit of worldly priorities? When have you experienced or observed the truth that enjoying the fruits of your honest labor proved a blessing of the Lord God?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where you are striving toward worldly values rather than the Lord God's priorities, even in some small and unaware way, and also to reveal to you an activity about which timing you were troubled only to discover that it was all in the Lord God's perfect timing as He worked through humankind to guide the events.
Today I will confess and repent, seek and receive the Lord God's forgiveness, and then act to alter the priorities of my life; great or small. It may be about my appearance, car, finances, home, power, prestige, or some other area. I will ask a fellow believer to assist me with accountability and prayers in-agreement. I will reflect and marvel, - then give thanks and praise to the Lord God.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Evil Oppression on Earth
4:1 So I again considered all the oppression that continually occurs on earth.
This is what I saw:
The oppressed were in tears, but no one was comforting them; no one delivers them from the power of their oppressors.
4:2 So I considered those who are dead and gone more fortunate than those who are still alive.
4:3 But better than both is the one who has not been born and has not seen the evil things that are done on earth.
Labor Motivated by Envy
4:4 Then I considered all the skillful work that is done: Surely it is nothing more than competition between one person and another. This also is profitless – like chasing the wind.
4:5 The fool folds his hands and does no work, so he has nothing to eat but his own flesh.
4:6 Better is one handful with some rest than two hands full of toil and chasing the wind.
Labor Motivated by Greed
4:7 So I again considered another futile thing on earth:
4:8 A man who is all alone with no companion, he has no children nor siblings; yet there is no end to all his toil, and he is never satisfied with riches. He laments, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is futile and a burdensome task!
Labor is Beneficial When Its Rewards Are Shared
4:9 Two people are better than one, because they can reap more benefit from their labor.
4:10 For if they fall, one will help his companion up, but pity the person who falls down and has no one to help him up.
4:11 Furthermore, if two lie down together, they can keep each other warm, but how can one person keep warm by himself?
4:12 Although an assailant may overpower one person, two can withstand him. Moreover, a three-stranded cord is not quickly broken.
Labor Motivated by Prestige-Seeking
4:13 A poor but wise youth is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive advice.
4:14 For he came out of prison to become king, even though he had been born poor in what would become his kingdom.
4:15 I considered all the living who walk on earth, as well as the successor who would arise in his place.
4:16 There is no end to all the people nor to the past generations, yet future generations will not rejoice in him. This also is profitless and like chasing the wind.
Rash Vows
5:1 Be careful what you do when you go to the temple of God; draw near to listen rather than to offer a sacrifice like fools, for they do not realize that they are doing wrong.
5:2 Do not be rash with your mouth or hasty in your heart to bring up a matter before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth! Therefore, let your words be few.
5:3 Just as dreams come when there are many cares, so the rash vow of a fool occurs when there are many words.
5:4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay in paying it. For God takes no pleasure in fools: Pay what you vow!
5:5 It is better for you not to vow than to vow and not pay it.
5:6 Do not let your mouth cause you to sin, and do not tell the priest, “It was a mistake!” Why make God angry at you so that he would destroy the work of your hands?”
5:7 Just as there is futility in many dreams, so also in many words. Therefore, fear God!
Government Corruption
5:8 If you see the extortion of the poor, or the perversion of justice and fairness in the government, do not be astonished by the matter. For the high official is watched by a higher official, and there are higher ones over them!
5:9 The produce of the land is seized by all of them, even the king is served by the fields.
Covetousness
5:10 The one who loves money will never be satisfied with money, he who loves wealth will never be satisfied with his income. This also is futile.
5:11 When someone’s prosperity increases, those who consume it also increase; so what does its owner gain, except that he gets to see it with his eyes?
5:12 The sleep of the laborer is pleasant – whether he eats little or much – but the wealth of the rich will not allow him to sleep.
Materialism Thwarts Enjoyment of Life
5:13 Here is a misfortune on earth that I have seen: Wealth hoarded by its owner to his own misery.
5:14 Then that wealth was lost through bad luck; although he fathered a son, he has nothing left to give him.
5:15 Just as he came forth from his mother’s womb, naked will he return as he came, and he will take nothing in his hand that he may carry away from his toil.
5:16 This is another misfortune: Just as he came, so will he go. What did he gain from toiling for the wind?
5:17 Surely, he ate in darkness every day of his life, and he suffered greatly with sickness and anger.
Enjoy the Fruit of Your Labor
5:18 I have seen personally what is the only beneficial and appropriate course of action for people: to eat and drink, and find enjoyment in all their hard work on earth during the few days of their life which God has given them, for this is their reward.
5:19 To every man whom God has given wealth, and possessions, he has also given him the ability to eat from them, to receive his reward and to find enjoyment in his toil; these things are the gift of God.
5:20 For he does not think much about the fleeting days of his life because God keeps him preoccupied with the joy he derives from his activity.
Lord, You teach us to be in balance, to enjoy every moment of life as a gift from You, and to share what we have as Your blessing through us to others. May I be generous, never envious of others, never coveting wealth for its own sake, and participate fully in each day – as tomorrow in this world is promised to no one.
Solomon decided to “… again consider(ed) all the oppression that continually occurs on earth.” and in his flesh decided that due to the lack of compassion those who died were better-off than those who continued to live, and those who had never been born the most-blessed.
He considered the matter of balance in how one engaged in skilled work, observing that some acted from a heart of pride – competing against others – while others didn’t develop their skills at all. He concluded that a balance was necessary.
He considered a person who worked and lived alone, with no children or sibling(s), yet worked hard and then wondered to what purpose – for lack of someone to bless and to share. He then observed that two were likely to be more productive working in harmony, could help one-another when ill or injured, and could defend themselves better than if alone. He illustrated using the physics of a woven rope where two cords were stronger than one and three even stronger.
Solomon observed that an old king who had become unteachable, because he still longed for more-prestige, was less-valuable than a younger king with some humility.
He warned that one who rushed into the presence of God to make promises had best be careful that they are ones he can fulfill, otherwise he may anger the Lord God.
Solomon people to not be surprised by government corruption as foolishness and greed would lead them to confiscate the produce of fields whose produce was already theirs. He further observed that there may be some accountability found in levels of government.
He warned that when one coveted money it would always be spent as quickly as it was earned and would keep one awake worrying about the acquisition of more. This he contrasted with the peace of the one who worked to pay bills but who was not obsessed with greater and greater wealth.
Solomon observed that one who hoarded money for the sake of amassing wealth would find himself constantly-troubled by fear of its loss, and when lost through misfortune, discover an empty life was all that remained.
He concluded that one should enjoy what the Lord God has provided in each moment as a gift and not worry about the future.
When Solomon said that one should enjoy what the Lord God has provided in each moment as a gift and not worry about the future, he was not teaching carelessness and a failure to prepare, but rather was speaking about enjoying moments that would pass and never return.
Why would Solomon make such a big deal about money?
In each illustration of Solomon is not the heart-condition of the person the primary determiner of wisdom versus foolishness?
When have you experienced or observed an obsession with competing with others, out or envy and pride, leading to an empty and troubled life?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you have become so worried about money that you’ve missed what is truly important and once-passed, irretrievable.
Today I will confess and repent of my obsession or worries about money, ask and receive the Lord’s forgiveness, then partner with a fellow-believer as I restructure my priorities based on trust in the Lord versus money.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Not Everyone Enjoys Life
6:1 Here is another misfortune that I have seen on earth, and it weighs heavily on people:
6:2 God gives a man riches, property, and wealth so that he lacks nothing that his heart desires, yet God does not enable him to enjoy the fruit of his labor – instead, someone else enjoys it! This is fruitless and a grave misfortune.
6:3 Even if a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years – even if he lives a long, long time, but cannot enjoy his prosperity – even if he were to live forever – I would say, “A stillborn child is better off than he is!”
6:4 Though the stillborn child came into the world for no reason and departed into darkness, though its name is shrouded in darkness,
6:5 though it never saw the light of day nor knew anything, yet it has more rest than that man –
6:6 if he should live a thousand years twice, yet does not enjoy his prosperity. For both of them die!
6:7 All of man’s labor is for nothing more than to fill his stomach – yet his appetite is never satisfied!
6:8 So what advantage does a wise man have over a fool?
And what advantage does a pauper gain by knowing how to survive?
6:9 It is better to be content with what the eyes can see than for one’s heart always to crave more.
This continual longing is futile – like chasing the wind.
The Futile Way Life Works
6:10 Whatever has happened was foreordained, and what happens to a person was also foreknown. It is useless for him to argue with God about his fate because God is more powerful than he is.
6:11 The more one argues with words, the less he accomplishes. How does that benefit him?
6:12 For no one knows what is best for a person during his life – during the few days of his fleeting life – for they pass away like a shadow. Nor can anyone tell him what the future will hold for him on earth.
Life is Brief and Death is Certain!
7:1 A good reputation is better than precious perfume; likewise, the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.
7:2 It is better to go to a funeral than a feast. For death is the destiny of every person, and the living should take this to heart.
7:3 Sorrow is better than laughter, because sober reflection is good for the heart.
7:4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of merrymaking.
Frivolous Living Versus Wisdom
7:5 It is better for a person to receive a rebuke from those who are wise than to listen to the song of fools.
7:6 For like the crackling of quick-burning thorns under a cooking pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This kind of folly also is useless.
Human Wisdom Overturned by Adversity
7:7 Surely oppression can turn a wise person into a fool; likewise, a bribe corrupts the heart.
7:8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning; likewise, patience is better than pride.
7:9 Do not let yourself be quickly provoked, for anger resides in the lap of fools.
7:10 Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these days?” for it is not wise to ask that.
Wisdom Can Lengthen One’s Life
7:11 Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing; it benefits those who see the light of day.
7:12 For wisdom provides protection, just as money provides protection. But the advantage of knowledge is this:
Wisdom preserves the life of its owner.
Wisdom Acknowledges God’s Orchestration of Life
7:13 Consider the work of God: For who can make straight what he has bent?
7:14 In times of prosperity be joyful, but in times of adversity consider this: God has made one as well as the other, so that no one can discover what the future holds.
Lord, Your message is consistent and simple – if we look toward Your perfect will for our lives and live through the wisdom that You provide we may expect a better result than if we disobey and foolishly disregard Your perfect wisdom. May my heart be submitted to You, no matter what.
Solomon argued that a man may be given, by the Lord God, everything that his heart desires but may not find joy in it. The things of his hearts-desires may bring him little joy, and at his passing be given to others who do find joy. Under these circumstances his life is worse than one never born. [The text does not clearly explain but it seems that the man was irresponsible and/or ungrateful with what he had been given. The text following suggests that the problem was an absence of being content with that he had and therefore obsessed with the constant acquisition of more.]
He then argued that it was pointless for the man to argue with the Lord God about his fate because everything was “... foreordained, and what happens to a person was also foreknown.” This sounds like fatalism but really represents covenant-related outcomes based upon choices. If the man is ungrateful and obsessed with the endless pursuit of wealth then he has no expectation of the Lord God’s blessing. If the man is grateful and content with has been given him by the Lord then he will be blessed. The consequences of his choices have foreordained consequences and God’s knowledge is not time-bound.
Solomon taught that “A good reputation is better than precious perfume;”, which means that an morals-based ethical lifestyle was very important, and “...likewise, the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.”, because one no longer had to strive to keep a good reputation.
He declared “It is better to go to a funeral than a feast. For death is the destiny of every person, and the living should take this to heart ...Sorrow is better than laughter, because sober reflection is good for the heart. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of merrymaking.” because the ones left behind could find value in the study of the life of the recently deceased. The mourners could also recognize that they would not live forever and should bring closure to things they had left undone and/or unsaid and/or unreconciled.
Solomon returned to a theme of Proverbs, warning that one who lived a shallow and meaningless life will have wasted his or her life.
He then warned that one who appeared wise, based on mere human knowledge and philosophy, would abandon their prideful-certainty in times of trouble. He also warned that looking back upon human achievements and worldly history and declaring the “old days” better than today was foolish.
Solomon taught that wisdom preserved life, because it protected one from foolish choices, and wisdom also acknowledged God’s involvement in life based upon man’s heart-centered choices to obey or disobey – and the consequences of those choices.
He concluded that one must at all times be joyful that one belongs to the Lord God, be those times good or difficult, because one cannot know what things lie ahead nor why, and one often cannot change them, so one must trust the Lord to make it through.
Accepting that the Lord God has the big-picture under control, and that He does all things for His perfectly-good purpose, makes dealing with worldly imperfections more bearable.
Why did Solomon repeat the phrase that death was often better than life?
As is the consistent teaching throughout the Bible, the Lord God knows our hearts, so He knows why we do what we do. It does not matter to Him if we manage to create the appearance of wisdom or foolishness in the eyes of fellow human beings.
When have you observed someone with many blessings from the Lord God still waste their life in striving because they were never satisfied?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you an opportunity to celebrate the promise of Heaven, and the many gifts of the Lord God, even in the midst of difficulty.
Today I will take the time to remember all that the Lord God has done for me and I will praise Him. I will also seek what I may learn from any present difficulty and praise Him for maturing me. Finally, I will allow Him to be my comfort and strength and I will praise Him for that.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
Exceptions to the Law of Retribution
7:15 During the days of my fleeting life I have seen both of these things: Sometimes a righteous person dies prematurely in spite of his righteousness, and sometimes a wicked person lives long in spite of his evil deeds.
7:16 So do not be excessively righteous or excessively wise; otherwise you might be disappointed.
7:17 Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool; otherwise you might die before your time.
7:18 It is best to take hold of one warning without letting go of the other warning; for the one who fears God will follow both warnings.
Wisdom Needed Because No One is Truly Righteous
7:19 Wisdom gives a wise person more protection than ten rulers in a city.
7:20 For there is not one truly righteous person on the earth who continually does good and never sins.
7:21 Also, do not pay attention to everything that people say; otherwise, you might even hear your servant cursing you.
7:22 For you know in your own heart that you also have cursed others many times.
Human Wisdom is Limited
7:23 I have examined all this by wisdom; I said, “I am determined to comprehend this” – but it was beyond my grasp.
7:24 Whatever has happened is beyond human understanding; it is far deeper than anyone can fathom.
True Righteousness and Wisdom are Virtually Nonexistent
7:25 I tried to understand, examine, and comprehend the role of wisdom in the scheme of things, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the insanity of folly.
7:26 I discovered this: More bitter than death is the kind of woman who is like a hunter’s snare; her heart is like a hunter’s net and her hands are like prison chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is captured by her.
7:27 The Teacher says: I discovered this while trying to discover the scheme of things, item by item.
7:28 What I have continually sought, I have not found; I have found only one upright man among a thousand, but I have not found one upright woman among all of them.
7:29 This alone have I discovered: God made humankind upright, but they have sought many evil schemes.
Human Government Demonstrates Limitations of Wisdom
8:1 Who is a wise person? Who knows the solution to a problem?
A person’s wisdom brightens his appearance, and softens his harsh countenance.
8:2 Obey the king’s command, because you took an oath before God to be loyal to him.
8:3 Do not rush out of the king’s presence in haste – do not delay when the matter is unpleasant, for he can do whatever he pleases.
8:4 Surely the king’s authority is absolute; no one can say to him, “What are you doing?”
8:5 Whoever obeys his command will not experience harm, and a wise person knows the proper time and procedure.
8:6 For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, for the oppression of the king is severe upon his victim.
8:7 Surely no one knows the future, and no one can tell another person what will happen.
8:8 Just as no one has power over the wind to restrain it, so no one has power over the day of his death. Just as no one can be discharged during the battle, so wickedness cannot rescue the wicked.
8:9 While applying my mind to everything that happens in this world, I have seen all this: Sometimes one person dominates other people to their harm.
Contradictions to the Law of Retribution
8:10 Not only that, but I have seen the wicked approaching and entering the temple, and as they left the holy temple, they boasted in the city that they had done so. This also is an enigma.
8:11 When a sentence is not executed at once against a crime, the human heart is encouraged to do evil.
8:12 Even though a sinner might commit a hundred crimes and still live a long time, yet I know that it will go well with God-fearing people – for they stand in fear before him.
8:13 But it will not go well with the wicked, nor will they prolong their days like a shadow, because they do not stand in fear before God.
8:14 Here is another enigma that occurs on earth: Sometimes there are righteous people who get what the wicked deserve, and sometimes there are wicked people who get what the righteous deserve. I said, “This also is an enigma.”
Enjoy Life In Spite of Its Injustices
8:15 So I recommend the enjoyment of life, for there is nothing better on earth for a person to do except to eat, drink, and enjoy life. So joy will accompany him in his toil during the days of his life which God gives him on earth.
Limitations of Human Wisdom
8:16 When I tried to gain wisdom and to observe the activity on earth – even though it prevents anyone from sleeping day or night –
8:17 then I discerned all that God has done: No one really comprehends what happens on earth. Despite all human efforts to discover it, no one can ever grasp it. Even if a wise person claimed that he understood, he would not really comprehend it.
Lord, You see endless details that we fail to notice, let alone understand. May I simply trust You and not try to understand everything about You with my limited human capacity.
Solomon warned that attempting, in the flesh, to be at an extreme of righteousness or unrighteousness would likely have a bad outcome; in the first case a lack of joy and a disappointing ending, in the second foolishness that could lead to an early demise after a pointless and destructive existence.
He observed that none go without sinning therefore wisdom is necessary to restore them to right-thinking and acting. He also warned that the compliments of other people might lead one to a distorted self-image.
Solomon confessed that he tried to understand the dilemma of too-righteous versus too-unrighteous, having declared “I am determined to comprehend this”, only to discover “... it was beyond my grasp. Whatever has happened is beyond human understanding; it is far deeper than anyone can fathom … This alone have I discovered: God made humankind upright, but they have sought many evil schemes.”
He taught that one way to discern a “wise person” who may know “the solution to a problem” one might observe that a “... person’s wisdom brightens his appearance, and softens his harsh countenance.”
He further instructed “Obey the king’s command, because you took an oath before God to be loyal to him.” with the qualifier that while the king did no know the future, he had power over your immediate future – so obey and stay out of trouble with him – disobey and risk great trouble.
In the context of kings [and others with authority] Solomon shared the warning “Sometimes one person dominates other people to their harm.”
He struggled with what he called “the law of retribution”, which he had believed to mean that evil was always punished “... I have seen the wicked approaching and entering the temple, and as they left the holy temple, they boasted in the city that they had done so. This also is an enigma.”
Solomon warned “When a sentence is not executed at once against a crime, the human heart is encouraged to do evil.”
He recognized the power of forgiveness as part of the Lord God’s grace toward those who surrender to Him “Even though a sinner might commit a hundred crimes and still live a long time, yet I know that it will go well with God-fearing people – for they stand in fear before him.”
He also recognized that the unrepentant would face an angry God “But it will not go well with the wicked, nor will they prolong their days like a shadow, because they do not stand in fear before God.”
Solomon was puzzled because he could not see as the Lord God sees and thus it appeared to him that “Sometimes there are righteous people who get what the wicked deserve, and sometimes there are wicked people who get what the righteous deserve.”
He taught “So I recommend the enjoyment of life, for there is nothing better on earth for a person to do except to eat, drink, and enjoy life. So joy will accompany him in his toil during the days of his life which God gives him on earth.”
Solomon concluded that trying “... to gain wisdom and to observe the activity on earth … would prevent one “... from sleeping day or night”, because “... all that God has done” is beyond “... all human efforts to discover it, no one can ever grasp it. Even if a wise person claimed that he understood, he would not really comprehend it.”
One has to stuff the Lord God into a man-sized box in order to comprehend Him, all that He has done, and the reasons why. He simply does not fit into our boxes nor are we capable of fully perceiving either God or His absolute knowledge..
Where might Solomon have come up with the notion of “the law of retribution”?
If Solomon, with the gift of extraordinary wisdom, could not comprehend all of the Lord God how could any other person imagine they could do so better? “7:29 This alone have I discovered: God made humankind upright, but they have sought many evil schemes.” The Fall poisoned all – no one can point to anything in this world that is the same as the original Creation – not a single thing. As someone quipped “God don’t make junk.”
When have you experienced or observed the forgiveness and grace of the Lord God that overcame a long history of sin?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you may not be enjoying the gifts of the Lord God fully because you are too troubled with attempting to understand all of the details.
Today I will pause to enjoy the gifts of the Lord God and I will give thanks.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Everyone Will Die
9:1 So I reflected on all this, attempting to clear it all up.
I concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their works, are in the hand of God; whether a person will be loved or hated – no one knows what lies ahead.
9:2 Everyone shares the same fate – the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the ceremonially clean and unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not.
What happens to the good person, also happens to the sinner; what happens to those who make vows, also happens to those who are afraid to make vows.
9:3 This is the unfortunate fact about everything that happens on earth: the same fate awaits everyone.
In addition to this, the hearts of all people are full of evil, and there is folly in their hearts during their lives – then they die.
Better to Be Poor but Alive than Rich but Dead
9:4 But whoever is among the living has hope; a live dog is better than a dead lion.
9:5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead do not know anything; they have no further reward – and even the memory of them disappears.
9:6 What they loved, as well as what they hated and envied, perished long ago, and they no longer have a part in anything that happens on earth.
Life is Brief, so Cherish its Joys
9:7 Go, eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, because God has already approved your works.
9:8 Let your clothes always be white, and do not spare precious ointment on your head.
9:9 Enjoy life with your beloved wife during all the days of your fleeting life that God has given you on earth during all your fleeting days; for that is your reward in life and in your burdensome work on earth.
9:10 Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, because there is neither work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave, the place where you will eventually go.
Wisdom Cannot Protect against Seemingly Chance Events
9:11 Again, I observed this on the earth: the race is not always won by the swiftest, the battle is not always won by the strongest; prosperity does not always belong to those who are the wisest, wealth does not always belong to those who are the most discerning, nor does success always come to those with the most knowledge – for time and chance may overcome them all.
9:12 Surely, no one knows his appointed time!
Like fish that are caught in a deadly net, and like birds that are caught in a snare – just like them, all people are ensnared at an unfortunate time that falls upon them suddenly.
Most People Are Not Receptive to Wise Counsel
9:13 This is what I also observed about wisdom on earth, and it is a great burden to me:
9:14 There was once a small city with a few men in it, and a mighty king attacked it, besieging it and building strong siege works against it.
9:15 However, a poor but wise man lived in the city, and he could have delivered the city by his wisdom, but no one listened to that poor man.
9:16 So I concluded that wisdom is better than might, but a poor man’s wisdom is despised; no one ever listens to his advice.
Wisdom versus Fools, Sin, and Folly
9:17 The words of the wise are heard in quiet, more than the shouting of a ruler is heard among fools.
9:18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much that is good.
10:1 One dead fly makes the perfumer’s ointment give off a rancid stench, so a little folly can outweigh much wisdom.
Wisdom Can Be Nullified By the Caprice of Rulers
10:2 A wise person’s good sense protects him, but a fool’s lack of sense leaves him vulnerable.
10:3 Even when a fool walks along the road he lacks sense, and shows everyone what a fool he is.
10:4 If the anger of the ruler flares up against you, do not resign from your position, for a calm response can undo great offenses.
10:5 I have seen another misfortune on the earth: It is an error a ruler makes.
10:6 Fools are placed in many positions of authority, while wealthy men sit in lowly positions.
10:7 I have seen slaves on horseback and princes walking on foot like slaves.
Wisdom is Needed to Avert Dangers in Everyday Life
10:8 One who digs a pit may fall into it, and one who breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.
10:9 One who quarries stones may be injured by them; one who splits logs may be endangered by them.
10:10 If an iron axhead is blunt and a workman does not sharpen its edge, he must exert a great deal of effort; so wisdom has the advantage of giving success.
10:11 If the snake should bite before it is charmed, the snake charmer is in trouble.
Words and Works of Wise Men and Fools
10:12 The words of a wise person win him favor, but the words of a fool are self-destructive.
10:13 At the beginning his words are foolish and at the end his talk is wicked madness,
10:14 yet a fool keeps on babbling. No one knows what will happen; who can tell him what will happen in the future?
10:15 The toil of a stupid fool wears him out, because he does not even know the way to the city.
The Problem with Foolish Rulers
10:16 Woe to you, O land, when your king is childish, and your princes feast in the morning!
10:17 Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobility, and your princes feast at the proper time – with self-control and not in drunkenness.
10:18 Because of laziness the roof caves in, and because of idle hands the house leaks.
10:19 Feasts are made for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything.
10:20 Do not curse a king even in your thoughts, and do not curse the rich while in your bedroom; for a bird might report what you are thinking, or some winged creature might repeat your words.
Ignorance of the Future Demands Diligence in the Present
11:1 Send your grain overseas, for after many days you will get a return.
11:2 Divide your merchandise among seven or even eight investments, for you do not know what calamity may happen on earth.
11:3 If the clouds are full of rain, they will empty themselves on the earth, and whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, the tree will lie wherever it falls.
11:4 He who watches the wind will not sow, and he who observes the clouds will not reap.
11:5 Just as you do not know the path of the wind, or how the bones form in the womb of a pregnant woman, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.
11:6 Sow your seed in the morning, and do not stop working until the evening; for you do not know which activity will succeed – whether this one or that one, or whether both will prosper equally.
Life Should Be Enjoyed Because Death is Inevitable
11:7 Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for a person to see the sun.
11:8 So, if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all, but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many – all that is about to come is obscure.
Enjoy Life to the Fullest under the Fear of God
11:9 Rejoice, young man, while you are young, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth.
Follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes, but know that God will judge your motives and actions.
11:10 Banish emotional stress from your mind. and put away pain from your body; for youth and the prime of life are fleeting.
Fear God Now Because Old Age and Death Come Quickly
12:1 So remember your Creator in the days of your youth – before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”;
12:2 before the sun and the light of the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds disappear after the rain;
12:3 when those who keep watch over the house begin to tremble, and the virile men begin to stoop over, and the grinders begin to cease because they grow few, and those who look through the windows grow dim,
12:4 and the doors along the street are shut; when the sound of the grinding mill grows low, and one is awakened by the sound of a bird, and all their songs grow faint,
12:5 and they are afraid of heights and the dangers in the street; the almond blossoms grow white, and the grasshopper drags itself along, and the caper berry shrivels up – because man goes to his eternal home, and the mourners go about in the streets –
12:6 before the silver cord is removed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the well, or the water wheel is broken at the cistern –
12:7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the life’s breath returns to God who gave it.
Concluding Refrain: Qoheleth Restates His Thesis
12:8 “Absolutely futile!” laments the Teacher, “All of these things are futile!”
Concluding Epilogue: Qoheleth’s Advice is Wise
12:9 Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also taught knowledge to the people; he carefully evaluated and arranged many proverbs.
12:10 The Teacher sought to find delightful words, and to write accurately truthful sayings.
12:11 The words of the sages are like prods, and the collected sayings are like firmly fixed nails; they are given by one shepherd.
Concluding Exhortation: Fear God and Obey His Commands!
12:12 Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. There is no end to the making of many books, and much study is exhausting to the body.
12:13 Having heard everything, I have reached this conclusion: Fear God and keep his commandments, because this is the whole duty of man.
12:14 For God will evaluate every deed, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.
Lord, everyone will one day die, and so what is in this world will one day pass away. May I remember that this time is brief and temporary compared to eternity with You my Lord. You desire that we enjoy the gifts You give us in this life, but in the context of what is honoring to You – and you want us to know that You see everything. May I be constantly aware of Your presence, so that when I enjoy Your gifts, I do not lose perspective and dishonor You in my flesh.
Solomon acknowledged; drawing upon all of his God-gifted wisdom, and after all of his flesh-driven research, that everyone dies. He further qualified this “... the hearts of all people are full of evil, and there is folly in their hearts during their lives, then they die.”
He then observed, from a flesh-based perspective, that once-dead a person has no value in this world – so from a flesh-based perspective any living being has more value than any dead one. He encouraged the living to enjoy the positive things of this life fully as they are gone at death.
Solomon reported his observation that neither the wise or the foolish can control their future, either may dies in a sudden event.
He observed that wisdom is superior to might but “... a poor man’s wisdom is despised; no one ever listens to his advice.”, so those who will not listen – based only on the external appearance – become fools, absent the wisdom they missed.
Solomon taught that one foolish person in the wrong position of authority can overwhelm the wisdom of the wise and that those in power should be very careful whom they choose.
Likewise, he taught that in everyday life wisdom can protect us from trouble; e.g. falling in the hole we are digging, working around places where there may be snakes, avoiding injury from stones and logs in the workplace.
Solomon contrasted the positive reputation of the wise person with the worthless words and deeds of a fool. He also observed that leaders needed to be wise for if they are foolish they will also be worthless to themselves and the people.
Solomon shared his learning that one must invest in diverse enterprises as one cannot be certain that any single investment will prosper, he further shared that one should start work early on a good weather day and continue throughout as one could not know what tomorrow might bring.
He advised “Follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes, but know that God will judge your motives and actions.” because life is short, and also to avoid emotional stress and physical pain [presumably via the application of wisdom].
Solomon counseled “So remember your Creator in the days of your youth – before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them” … and the dust [from which you came] returns to the earth as it was, and the life’s breath returns to God who gave it.”
There is some scholarly debate as to the meaning of the phrase “Qoheleth’s Advice is Wise”, especially as to the identity of Qoheleth. The most-common thought is that it referred to Solomon but the phraseology that follows implies more than one person is intended as the source of the wisdom writings. “Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also taught knowledge to the people; he carefully evaluated and arranged many proverbs. The Teacher sought to find delightful words, and to write accurately truthful sayings. The words of the sages are like prods, and the collected sayings are like firmly fixed nails; they are given by one shepherd.” [Clearly the “one shepherd” is the Lord God.]
He concluded with the stern advice to not accept anything external to the wisdom teaching as equivalent because such would cause endless “... study” which would be “... exhausting to the body.” He also advised “Fear God and keep his commandments, because this is the whole duty of man. For God will evaluate every deed, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.”
The death that comes to all proves that the things of this earth are not to be considered nearly as important as the things of the Lord God. Diversification of investments has become a modern practice but Solomon recommended it long ago.
Why might it have been so difficult for Solomon to see the truth that death is ‘the great equalizer’? Does it not seem that Pharisees and Saducees ignored Solomon’s warning to avoid adding to the wisdom teaching, because the additions would become burdensome, which is precisely what happened?
When leaders unwisely choose the unwise as advisers it goes badly for everyone. The balance between following “... the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes” while remaining constantly aware (and therefore guided by the knowledge) that “... God will judge your motives and actions.” remains a challenging one.
When have you experienced, or observed, an unwise leader surround himself with fools? When have you struggled with the balance between following “... the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes” and living righteously before the Lord God?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you someone from whom you would not usually seek wisdom but who has some for you and to reveal to you a place where you have become out of balance in your walk; following “... the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes” too far from the path of righteousness.
Today I will humbly seek-out the one whom the Holy Spirit designates and ask them to share what the Lord God has gifted them to share. I will confess and repent of my flesh-driven drift from righteousness, seek and accept forgiveness from the Lord God, and adjust my walk in the direction of righteousness and away from the things of the flesh.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
1 Kings
Solomon Entertains a Queen
10:1 When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon, she came to challenge him with difficult questions. 10:2 She arrived in Jerusalem with a great display of pomp, bringing with her camels carrying spices, a very large quantity of gold, and precious gems. She visited Solomon and discussed with him everything that was on her mind. 10:3 Solomon answered all her questions; there was no question too complex for the king. 10:4 When the queen of Sheba saw for herself Solomon’s extensive wisdom, the palace he had built, 10:5 the food in his banquet hall, his servants and attendants, their robes, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings which he presented in the Lord’s temple, she was amazed. 10:6 She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your wise sayings and insight was true! 10:7 I did not believe these things until I came and saw them with my own eyes. Indeed, I didn’t hear even half the story! Your wisdom and wealth surpass what was reported to me. 10:8 Your attendants, who stand before you at all times and hear your wise sayings, are truly happy! 10:9 May the Lord your God be praised because he favored you by placing you on the throne of Israel! Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he made you king so you could make just and right decisions.” 10:10 She gave the king 120 talents of gold, a very large quantity of spices, and precious gems. The quantity of spices the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon has never been matched. 10:11 (Hiram’s fleet, which carried gold from Ophir, also brought from Ophir a very large quantity of fine timber and precious gems. 10:12 With the timber the king made supports for the Lord’s temple and for the royal palace and stringed instruments for the musicians. No one has seen so much of this fine timber to this very day.) 10:13 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she requested, besides what he had freely offered her. Then she left and returned to her homeland with her attendants.
Solomon’s Wealth
10:14 Solomon received 666 talents of gold per year, 10:15 besides what he collected from the merchants, traders, Arabian kings, and governors of the land. 10:16 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; 600 measures of gold were used for each shield. 10:17 He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; three minas of gold were used for each of these shields. The king placed them in the Palace of the Lebanon Forest.
10:18 The king made a large throne decorated with ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. 10:19 There were six steps leading up to the throne, and the back of it was rounded on top. The throne had two armrests with a statue of a lion standing on each side. 10:20 There were twelve statues of lions on the six steps, one lion at each end of each step. There was nothing like it in any other kingdom.
10:21 All of King Solomon’s cups were made of gold, and all the household items in the Palace of the Lebanon Forest were made of pure gold. There were no silver items, for silver was not considered very valuable in Solomon’s time. 10:22 Along with Hiram’s fleet, the king had a fleet of large merchant ships that sailed the sea. Once every three years the fleet came into port with cargoes of gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
10:23 King Solomon was wealthier and wiser than any of the kings of the earth. 10:24 Everyone in the world wanted to visit Solomon to see him display his God-given wisdom. 10:25 Year after year visitors brought their gifts, which included items of silver, items of gold, clothes, perfume, spices, horses, and mules.
10:26 Solomon accumulated chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He kept them in assigned cities and in Jerusalem. 10:27 The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones; cedar was as plentiful as sycamore fig trees are in the lowlands. 10:28 Solomon acquired his horses from Egypt and from Que; the king’s traders purchased them from Que. 10:29 They paid 600 silver pieces for each chariot from Egypt and 150 silver pieces for each horse. They also sold chariots and horses to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Syria.
The Lord Punishes Solomon for Idolatry
11:1 King Solomon fell in love with many foreign women (besides Pharaoh’s daughter), including Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites. 11:2 They came from nations about which the Lord had warned the Israelites, “You must not establish friendly relations with them! If you do, they will surely shift your allegiance to their gods.” But Solomon was irresistibly attracted to them.
11:3 He had 700 royal wives and 300 concubines; his wives had a powerful influence over him. 11:4 When Solomon became old, his wives shifted his allegiance to other gods; he was not wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord his God, as his father David had been. 11:5 Solomon worshiped the Sidonian goddess Astarte and the detestable Ammonite god Milcom. 11:6 Solomon did evil in the Lord’s sight; he did not remain loyal to the Lord, like his father David had. 11:7 Furthermore, on the hill east of Jerusalem Solomon built a high place for the detestable Moabite god Chemosh and for the detestable Ammonite god Milcom. 11:8 He built high places for all his foreign wives so they could burn incense and make sacrifices to their gods.
11:9 The Lord was angry with Solomon because he had shifted his allegiance away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him on two occasions 11:10 and had warned him about this very thing, so that he would not follow other gods. But he did not obey the Lord’s command. 11:11 So the Lord said to Solomon, “Because you insist on doing these things and have not kept the covenantal rules I gave you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. 11:12 However, for your father David’s sake I will not do this while you are alive. I will tear it away from your son’s hand instead. 11:13 But I will not tear away the entire kingdom; I will leave your son one tribe for my servant David’s sake and for the sake of my chosen city Jerusalem.”
11:14 The Lord brought against Solomon an enemy, Hadad the Edomite, a descendant of the Edomite king. 11:15 During David’s campaign against Edom, Joab, the commander of the army, while on a mission to bury the dead, killed every male in Edom. 11:16 For six months Joab and the entire Israelite army stayed there until they had exterminated every male in Edom. 11:17 Hadad, who was only a small boy at the time, escaped with some of his father’s Edomite servants and headed for Egypt. 11:18 They went from Midian to Paran; they took some men from Paran and went to Egypt. Pharaoh, king of Egypt, supplied him with a house and food and even assigned him some land. 11:19 Pharaoh liked Hadad so well he gave him his sister-in-law (Queen Tahpenes’ sister) as a wife. 11:20 Tahpenes’ sister gave birth to his son, named Genubath. Tahpenes raised him in Pharaoh’s palace; Genubath grew up in Pharaoh’s palace among Pharaoh’s sons. 11:21 While in Egypt Hadad heard that David had passed away and that Joab, the commander of the army, was dead. So Hadad asked Pharaoh, “Give me permission to leave so I can return to my homeland.” 11:22 Pharaoh said to him, “What do you lack here that makes you want to go to your homeland?” Hadad replied, “Nothing, but please give me permission to leave.”
11:23 God also brought against Solomon another enemy, Rezon son of Eliada who had run away from his master, King Hadadezer of Zobah. 11:24 He gathered some men and organized a raiding band. When David tried to kill them, they went to Damascus, where they settled down and gained control of the city. 11:25 He was Israel’s enemy throughout Solomon’s reign and, like Hadad, caused trouble. He loathed Israel and ruled over Syria.
11:26 Jeroboam son of Nebat, one of Solomon’s servants, rebelled against the king. He was an Ephraimite from Zeredah whose mother was a widow named Zeruah. 11:27 This is what prompted him to rebel against the king: Solomon built a terrace and he closed up a gap in the wall of the city of his father David. 11:28 Jeroboam was a talented man; when Solomon saw that the young man was an accomplished worker, he made him the leader of the work crew from the tribe of Joseph. 11:29 At that time, when Jeroboam had left Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite met him on the road; the two of them were alone in the open country. Ahijah was wearing a brand new robe, 11:30 and he grabbed the robe and tore it into twelve pieces. 11:31 Then he told Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces, for this is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘Look, I am about to tear the kingdom from Solomon’s hand and I will give ten tribes to you. 11:32 He will retain one tribe, for my servant David’s sake and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel. 11:33 I am taking the kingdom from him because they have abandoned me and worshiped the Sidonian goddess Astarte, the Moabite god Chemosh, and the Ammonite god Milcom. They have not followed my instructions by doing what I approve and obeying my rules and regulations, like Solomon’s father David did. 11:34 I will not take the whole kingdom from his hand. I will allow him to be ruler for the rest of his life for the sake of my chosen servant David who kept my commandments and rules. 11:35 I will take the kingdom from the hand of his son and give ten tribes to you. 11:36 I will leave his son one tribe so my servant David’s dynasty may continue to serve me in Jerusalem, the city I have chosen as my home. 11:37 I will select you; you will rule over all you desire to have and you will be king over Israel. 11:38 You must obey all I command you to do, follow my instructions, do what I approve, and keep my rules and commandments, like my servant David did. Then I will be with you and establish for you a lasting dynasty, as I did for David; I will give you Israel. 11:39 I will humiliate David’s descendants because of this, but not forever.” 11:40 Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam escaped to Egypt and found refuge with King Shishak of Egypt. He stayed in Egypt until Solomon died.
Solomon’s Reign Ends
11:41 The rest of the events of Solomon’s reign, including all his accomplishments and his wise decisions, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of Solomon. 11:42 Solomon ruled over all Israel from Jerusalem for forty years. 11:43 Then Solomon passed away and was buried in the city of his father David. His son Rehoboam replaced him as king.
2 Chronicles
Solomon Entertains a Queen
9:1 When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon, she came to challenge him with difficult questions. She arrived in Jerusalem with a great display of pomp, bringing with her camels carrying spices, a very large quantity of gold, and precious gems. She visited Solomon and discussed with him everything that was on her mind. 9:2 Solomon answered all her questions; there was no question too complex for the king. 9:3 When the queen of Sheba saw for herself Solomon’s extensive wisdom, the palace he had built, 9:4 the food in his banquet hall, his servants and attendants in their robes, his cupbearers in their robes, and his burnt sacrifices which he presented in the Lord’s temple, she was amazed. 9:5 She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your wise sayings and insight was true! 9:6 I did not believe these things until I came and saw them with my own eyes. Indeed, I didn’t hear even half the story! Your wisdom surpasses what was reported to me. 9:7 Your attendants, who stand before you at all times and hear your wise sayings, are truly happy! 9:8 May the Lord your God be praised because he favored you by placing you on his throne as the one ruling on his behalf! Because of your God’s love for Israel and his lasting commitment to them, he made you king over them so you could make just and right decisions.” 9:9 She gave the king 120 talents of gold and a very large quantity of spices and precious gems. The quantity of spices the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon has never been matched. 9:10 (Huram’s servants, aided by Solomon’s servants, brought gold from Ophir, as well as fine timber and precious gems. 9:11 With the timber the king made steps for the Lord’s temple and royal palace as well as stringed instruments for the musicians. No one had seen anything like them in the land of Judah prior to that.) 9:12 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she requested, more than what she had brought him. Then she left and returned to her homeland with her attendants.
Solomon’s Wealth
9:13 Solomon received 666 talents of gold per year, 9:14 besides what he collected from the merchants and traders. All the Arabian kings and the governors of the land also brought gold and silver to Solomon. 9:15 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; 600 measures of hammered gold were used for each shield. 9:16 He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; 300 measures of gold were used for each of those shields. The king placed them in the Palace of the Lebanon Forest.
9:17 The king made a large throne decorated with ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. 9:18 There were six steps leading up to the throne, and a gold footstool was attached to the throne. The throne had two armrests with a statue of a lion standing on each side. 9:19 There were twelve statues of lions on the six steps, one lion at each end of each step. There was nothing like it in any other kingdom.
9:20 All of King Solomon’s cups were made of gold, and all the household items in the Palace of the Lebanon Forest were made of pure gold. There were no silver items, for silver was not considered very valuable in Solomon’s time. 9:21 The king had a fleet of large merchant ships manned by Huram’s men that sailed the sea. Once every three years the fleet came into port with cargoes of gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
9:22 King Solomon was wealthier and wiser than any of the kings of the earth. 9:23 All the kings of the earth wanted to visit Solomon to see him display his God-given wisdom. 9:24 Year after year visitors brought their gifts, which included items of silver, items of gold, clothes, perfume, spices, horses, and mules.
9:25 Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his chariot horses and 12,000 horses. He kept them in assigned cities and in Jerusalem. 9:26 He ruled all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines as far as the border of Egypt. 9:27 The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones; cedar was as plentiful as sycamore fig trees are in the lowlands. 9:28 Solomon acquired horses from Egypt and from all the lands.
Solomon’s Reign Ends
9:29 The rest of the events of Solomon’s reign, from start to finish, are recorded in the Annals of Nathan the Prophet, the Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and the Vision of Iddo the Seer pertaining to Jeroboam son of Nebat. 9:30 Solomon ruled over all Israel from Jerusalem for forty years. 9:31 Then Solomon passed away and was buried in the city of his father David. His son Rehoboam replaced him as king.
Lord, the blessings of Israel through Solomon were amazing, a testament to Your fulfillment of Your promise. May I remind people of this time in Biblical history whenever doubt is raised as to Your faithfulness. You have made it clear since the Garden of Eden that rebellion is forbidden, and the consequences are severe. May I have accountability and prayer-partners to help me to avoid drifting into even the smallest area of rebellion.
The queen of Sheba had heard stories about Israel under the leadership of king Solomon and how the Lord God had blessed him with extraordinary wisdom, and the nation with wealth, so she traveled to see for herself.
The queen was amazed both by the degree to which Solomon’s wisdom extended across her many questions and the level of wealth. She shared massive gifts of spices from her home country as well as gold and jewels.
King Hiram of Tyre apparently arrived during her visit bring exotic wood and more gold, the wood was added to the interior of the Temple and palace and some used to make stringed instruments for the musicians. The gold was added to the treasury.
Solomon had so much gold that he covered everything with it, even his throne, and meanwhile he spread silver around to the people, along with great quantities of cedar.
Visitors were arriving constantly to hear Solomon’s wisdom and to view the great display of wealth and artistic creativity. Traders used silver to acquire horses and chariots and ships brought home more treasures.
Solomon’s appetite for the pleasures of the flesh extended to women whom he found attractive, without regard to their national or religious affiliation, and too often this was in direct disobedience to the clear commandment of the Lord God.
As an old man he sought to please these foreign women by building places for them to worship their false gods and then by worshiping them himself.
God informed Solomon that due to his rebellion He would remove all but one tribe from his son, and that only to preserve Jerusalem, and that the peace the kingdom had enjoyed would be lost immediately.
Hadad the Edomite, the only male (then a very young child) who escaped David and Joab’s effort to exterminate the Edomites, returned from exile in Egypt with a small force of fighters. Also, Rezon son of Eliada, who had run away to Damascus and eventually took control of Syria began raids on Israel.
Jeroboam, son of Nebat and and Ephramite from the tribe of Joseph was informed by the prophet Ahijah that he was to become king over nine of the tribes, and so he rebelled against Solomon and when Solomon tried to kill him he escaped to Egypt until Solomon’s death.
After a forty year reign King Solomon died and his son Rehoboam took the throne.
The story of Solomon’s kingship begins to have a circus-like feeling to it, people traveling to hear his wisdom in-person, and to view all of the gathered riches. Despite the gift of great wisdom Solomon’s flesh overwhelmed his wisdom and he foolishly turned away from the Lord God because of it.
Should Solomon have worried that such a extravagant display of wealth might encourage invasion or rebellion from jealous men? Were not the warning signs of Solomon’s imbalanced priorities present somewhat early in his reign as he built his personal palace larger than God’s Temple, when he covered everything in sight with gold, and he built lavishly like the pagan Pharaohs of Egypt?
Solomon appeared to share the wealth with the people through the distribution of cedar and silver, spreading the Lord God’s blessing, and building loyalty.
When have you observed someone with a unique gift or great wealth become a celebrity, with that attention and those resources becoming an unhealthy influence on them after a while? When have you observed someone who seemed to have it all make such foolish choices that they lost most or all of it?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the wealth of resources and wisdom (knowledge + understanding) He has given to you and to reveal to you a place in your life where you are allowing the lust of the flesh to draw you away from Him.
Today I will praise the Lord God for His good gifts and seek a practical way to share them. I will gratefully accept the chastising and instruction of the Holy Spirit so that now matter how small I may extinguish the seed of rebellion in my life. I will ask a fellow believer to be my accountability and to pray in-agreement as I walk through the process of repentance and restoration to a personal revival.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Words of Agur
30:1 The words of Agur, the son of Jakeh; an oracle:
This man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and to Ukal:
30:2 Surely I am more brutish than any other human being, and I do not have human understanding;
30:3 I have not learned wisdom, nor do I have knowledge of the Holy One.
30:4 Who has ascended into heaven, and then descended?
Who has gathered up the winds in his fists?
Who has bound up the waters in his cloak?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is his name, and what is his son’s name? – if you know!
30:5 Every word of God is purified; he is like a shield for those who take refuge in him.
30:6 Do not add to his words, lest he reprove you, and prove you to be a liar.
30:7 Two things I ask from you; do not refuse me before I die:
30:8 Remove falsehood and lies far from me; do not give me poverty or riches, feed me with my allotted portion of bread,
30:9 lest I become satisfied and act deceptively and say, “Who is the Lord?”
Or lest I become poor and steal and demean the name of my God.
30:10 Do not slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you are found guilty.
30:11 There is a generation who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
30:12 There is a generation who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not washed from their filthiness.
30:13 There is a generation whose eyes are so lofty, and whose eyelids are lifted up disdainfully.
30:14 There is a generation whose teeth are like swords and whose molars are like knives to devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among the human race.
30:15 The leech has two daughters: “Give! Give!”
There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, “Enough” –
30:16 the grave, the barren womb, land that is not satisfied with water, and fire that never says, “Enough!”
30:17 The eye that mocks at a father and despises obeying a mother – the ravens of the valley will peck it out and the young vultures will eat it.
30:18 There are three things that are too wonderful for me, four that I do not understand:
30:19 the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship in the sea, and the way of a man with a woman.
30:20 This is the way of an adulterous woman: she eats and wipes her mouth and says, “I have not done wrong.”
30:21 Under three things the earth trembles, and under four things it cannot bear up:
30:22 under a servant who becomes king, under a fool who is stuffed with food,
30:23 under an unloved woman who is married, and under a female servant who dispossesses her mistress.
30:24 There are four things on earth that are small, but they are exceedingly wise:
30:25 ants are creatures with little strength, but they prepare their food in the summer;
30:26 rock badgers are creatures with little power, but they make their homes in the crags;
30:27 locusts have no king, but they all go forward by ranks;
30:28 a lizard you can catch with the hand, but it gets into the palaces of the king.
30:29 There are three things that are magnificent in their step, four things that move about magnificently:
30:30 a lion, mightiest of the beasts, who does not retreat from anything;
30:31 a strutting rooster, a male goat, and a king with his army around him.
30:32 If you have done foolishly by exalting yourself or if you have planned evil, put your hand over your mouth!
30:33 For as the churning of milk produces butter and as punching the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife.
The Words of Lemuel
31:1 The words of King Lemuel, an oracle that his mother taught him:
31:2 O my son, O son of my womb, O son of my vows,
31:3 Do not give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which ruins kings.
31:4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to crave strong drink,
31:5 lest they drink and forget what is decreed, and remove from all the poor their legal rights.
31:6 Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those who are bitterly distressed;
31:7 let them drink and forget their poverty, and remember their misery no more.
31:8 Open your mouth on behalf of those unable to speak, for the legal rights of all the dying.
31:9 Open your mouth, judge in righteousness, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
The Wife of Noble Character
31:10 Who can find a wife of noble character? For her value is far more than rubies.
31:11 The heart of her husband has confidence in her, and he has no lack of gain.
31:12 She brings him good and not evil all the days of her life.
31:13 She obtains wool and flax, and she is pleased to work with her hands.
31:14 She is like the merchant ships; she brings her food from afar.
31:15 She also gets up while it is still night, and provides food for her household and a portion to her female servants.
31:16 She considers a field and buys it; from her own income she plants a vineyard.
31:17 She begins her work vigorously, and she strengthens her arms.
31:18 She knows that her merchandise is good, and her lamp does not go out in the night.
31:19 Her hands take hold of the distaff, and her hands grasp the spindle.
31:20 She extends her hand to the poor, and reaches out her hand to the needy.
31:21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all of her household are clothed with scarlet.
31:22 She makes for herself coverlets; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
31:23 Her husband is well-known in the city gate when he sits with the elders of the land.
31:24 She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.
31:25 She is clothed with strength and honor, and she can laugh at the time to come.
31:26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and loving instruction is on her tongue.
31:27 She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.
31:28 Her children rise up and call her blessed, her husband also praises her:
31:29 “Many daughters have done valiantly, but you surpass them all!”
31:30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised.
31:31 Give her credit for what she has accomplished, and let her works praise her in the city gates.
Lord, You cause us to learn from the past and you tell us of things that are important to our present and our future, and all the while You remind us of Jesus. May I take heed of Your Word and center my life upon it! You lead a mother to counsel her son with wisdom that applies to all sons, and which elevates the status and value of women who belong to You to the level of value You desire for them. May I see women through Your eyes and respect them as You have instructed.
There is much scholarly debate as to the authorship of the Thirtieth Proverb. There is no reference to Agur, or his father Jakeh, elsewhere in the Word of God. Some have speculated that the name Agur was an assumed name used by Solomon for some reason, others that it was indeed another person, just as some of the Psalms were not of David. The Book was included in the Biblical canon at the prompting of Holy Spirit – so it matters not who was the human scribe.
Proverbs Thirty begins with a parable of a sort “This man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and to Ukal: Surely I am more brutish than any other human being, and I do not have human understanding; I have not learned wisdom, nor do I have knowledge of the Holy One.” It then continues with a litany of the things about the Lord God which “This man” does not understand.
[Note: This was written a very long time before the birth of Jesus.]
“Who has ascended into heaven, and then descended?
Who has gathered up the winds in his fists?
Who has bound up the waters in his cloak?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is his name, and what is his son’s name? – if you know!”
The sanctity of the Word of God was emphasized: “Every word of God is purified; he is like a shield for those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he reprove you, and prove you to be a liar.”
The NET Translator’s Notes explain that one should understand the term “generation” in the following texts to refer to a subpopulation in the society and time of the author “There is a generation who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers. There is a generation who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not washed from their filthiness. There is a generation whose eyes are so lofty, and whose eyelids are lifted up disdainfully. There is a generation whose teeth are like swords and whose molars are like knives to devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among the human race.”
It was common in ancient times, from Biblical and extra-Biblical writings, to use an incremental phrase which began with one number for a list and to then expand it “There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, “Enough” – the grave, the barren womb, land that is not satisfied with water, and fire that never says, “Enough!” … There are three things that are too wonderful for me, four that I do not understand: the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship in the sea, and the way of a man with a woman ... Under three things the earth trembles, and under four things it cannot bear up: under a servant who becomes king, under a fool who is stuffed with food, under an unloved woman who is married, and under a female servant who dispossesses her mistress ... There are four things on earth that are small, but they are exceedingly wise: ants are creatures with little strength, but they prepare their food in the summer; rock badgers are creatures with little power, but they make their homes in the crags; locusts have no king, but they all go forward by ranks; a lizard you can catch with the hand, but it gets into the palaces of the king ... There are three things that are magnificent in their step, four things that move about magnificently: a lion, mightiest of the beasts, who does not retreat from anything; a strutting rooster, a male goat, and a king with his army around him.”
The warning of Solomon to recognize that choices have consequences was continued here: “If you have done foolishly by exalting yourself or if you have planned evil, put your hand over your mouth! For as the churning of milk produces butter and as punching the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife.”
There is considerable scholarly debate as to the authorship of this Proverb. Some insist that Lemuel is a forgotten synonym for Solomon; making the “mother” Bathsheba. Some insist that it is the name of a non-Jewish king of a non-Jewish nation whose writing was believed to have been prompted by the Lord God. And some insist that it is a latter king, and again, Lemuel would be a forgotten synonym for their Biblically-recorded name.
There is one other possibility, it could be Solomon, and he could have been using synonyms for all kings (“my son”) and for wisdom (“mother”) which had previously been characterized or humanized as “she” [e.g. Prov. 1:20].
What all of these speculations have in common is that the object of the mother’s writing is a son whom she anticipates will become king, and who at the time of his written recollections of her teaching, is indeed a king (literally or rhetorically).
An additional perspective, as one reads the text, is that the context of the man in relationship with his lifestyle choices and his wife is therefore initially that of a king-in-waiting, and then the context of the king with a wife. The lingering question is, therefore, to what degree may the instructions of the text be extrapolated to non-royalty?
Prior to his marriage, and perhaps even his kingship, the son is warned to be cautious about his choices “Do not give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which ruins kings. It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to crave strong drink, lest they drink and forget what is decreed, and remove from all the poor their legal rights.”
Once he has become king the son is to be an advocate for justice “Open your mouth on behalf of those unable to speak, for the legal rights of all the dying. Open your mouth, judge in righteousness, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.”
If a man is to marry then there are some characteristics of a wife which wisdom defines and in this fallen world ones which are exceptional “Who can find a wife of noble character? For her value is far more than rubies. The heart of her husband has confidence in her, and he has no lack of gain. She brings him good and not evil all the days of her life.”
The characteristics of the women were further detailed; she is competent in the acquisition of resources and not afraid of hard and humble labor “She obtains wool and flax, and she is pleased to work with her hands.”
She has servants, yet she chooses to rise early to see that they and the rest of her household has food (thought it does not say that she prepares it – she “provides” it) “She also gets up while it is still night, and provides food for her household and a portion to her female servants.”
She is an entrepreneur who is allowed to engage in commerce “She considers a field and buys it; from her own income she plants a vineyard.”
The clothing she makes, or perhaps causes to be made, bear the colors of royalty and of wealth “She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all of her household are clothed with scarlet. She makes for herself coverlets; her clothing is fine linen and purple.”
One did not sit with the “elders of the land” at the “city gate” unless one has standing in the community and, as the NET Translator’s Notes explains, they were there to judge the people and he would have been a peer – a judge – as well “Her husband is well-known in the city gate when he sits with the elders of the land.”
She is a woman of confidence, of integrity, and of substance “She is clothed with strength and honor, and she can laugh at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and loving instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.”
She has earned the respect of her children and of her husband “Her children rise up and call her blessed, her husband also praises her: “Many daughters have done valiantly, but you surpass them all!”“
Because she belongs to, and obeys, the Lord God she is found worthy of approval by the judges at the “city gates” - it is the “works” that flow from her faithfulness that they judge – and they find nothing in her ‘resume’ to hold against her “Charm is deceitful and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised. Give her credit for what she has accomplished, and let her works praise her in the city gates.”
Whether written by Solomon, at the behest of the Lord God, or by another these Proverbs bring great wisdom. It would be a considerable stretch to make of Proverbs 31 a pure riddle, within which one must find alternative meanings for every detail, but some have done so. It seems more probable that the descriptions are intended to be more generic, describing the practical living-out of wisdom in the life of the man (the son and later the husband), and of the wife.
How could anyone observe these examples in Creation, despite the ravages of the Fall, and not see the Hand of the Lord God? “... ants are creatures with little strength, but they prepare their food in the summer; rock badgers are creatures with little power, but they make their homes in the crags; locusts have no king, but they all go forward by ranks; a lizard you can catch with the hand, but it gets into the palaces of the king”? If one accepts the high-value and huge-freedom granted to the woman, with the praise of the judges at the city gates, how is it that religious leaders later chose to make of women something much less?
The problem of the subpopulation of rebellious people in the author’s time remains a problem in ours as well. Also, would the author’s son have been worthy of marriage to this remarkable woman had he failed to live in the wisdom of his mother?
When have you closely-observed the activities of ants and marveled at Creation? When have you experienced or observed the wisdom of the Lord God poured-out through a mother? [Consider the mother and aunt of Paul’s NT protege Timothy.]
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you something that is “... so wonderful in your eyes” that it causes you to look to the Lord God in awe, and also to reveal to you a young person with whom you might share this Proverb.
Today I will take the time to pause and study Creation all-around me. I will then give praise to the Lord God for His mighty works. I will share Proverbs 31 with the one whom the Holy Spirit has directed. My purpose will be to focus them on the working-out of wisdom that may occur in their lives and the positive fruit of that wisdom.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 38
1 Kings
Rehoboam Loses His Kingdom
12:1 Rehoboam traveled to Shechem, for all Israel had gathered in Shechem to make Rehoboam king. 12:2 When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard the news, he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon and had been living ever since. 12:3 They sent for him, and Jeroboam and the whole Israelite assembly came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, 12:4 “Your father made us work too hard. Now if you lighten the demands he made and don’t make us work as hard, we will serve you.” 12:5 He said to them, “Go away for three days, then return to me.” So the people went away.
12:6 King Rehoboam consulted with the older advisers who had served his father Solomon when he had been alive. He asked them, “How do you advise me to answer these people?” 12:7 They said to him, “Today if you show a willingness to help these people and grant their request, they will be your servants from this time forward.” 12:8 But Rehoboam rejected their advice and consulted the young advisers who served him, with whom he had grown up. 12:9 He asked them, “How do you advise me to respond to these people who said to me, ‘Lessen the demands your father placed on us’?” 12:10 The young advisers with whom Rehoboam had grown up said to him, “Say this to these people who have said to you, ‘Your father made us work hard, but now lighten our burden.’ Say this to them: ‘I am a lot harsher than my father! 12:11 My father imposed heavy demands on you; I will make them even heavier. My father punished you with ordinary whips; I will punish you with whips that really sting your flesh.’”
12:12 Jeroboam and all the people reported to Rehoboam on the third day, just as the king had ordered when he said, “Return to me on the third day.” 12:13 The king responded to the people harshly. He rejected the advice of the older men 12:14 and followed the advice of the younger ones. He said, “My father imposed heavy demands on you; I will make them even heavier. My father punished you with ordinary whips; I will punish you with whips that really sting your flesh.” 12:15 The king refused to listen to the people, because the Lord was instigating this turn of events so that he might bring to pass the prophetic announcement he had made through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.
12:16 When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, the people answered the king, “We have no portion in David, no share in the son of Jesse! Return to your homes, O Israel! Now, look after your own dynasty, O David!” So Israel returned to their homes. 12:17 (Rehoboam continued to rule over the Israelites who lived in the cities of Judah.) 12:18 King Rehoboam sent Adoniram, the supervisor of the work crews, out after them, but all Israel stoned him to death. King Rehoboam managed to jump into his chariot and escape to Jerusalem. 12:19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the Davidic dynasty to this very day. 12:20 When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they summoned him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. No one except the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the Davidic dynasty.
12:21 When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he summoned 180,000 skilled warriors from all of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin to attack Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon. 12:22 But God told Shemaiah the prophet, 12:23 “Say this to King Rehoboam son of Solomon of Judah, and to all Judah and Benjamin, as well as the rest of the people, 12:24 ‘The Lord says this: “Do not attack and make war with your brothers, the Israelites. Each of you go home, for I have caused this to happen.”‘“ They obeyed the Lord and went home as the Lord had ordered them to do.
2 Chronicles
The Northern Tribes Rebel
10:1 Rehoboam traveled to Shechem, for all Israel had gathered in Shechem to make Rehoboam king. 10:2 When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard the news, he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon. Jeroboam returned from Egypt. 10:3 They sent for him and Jeroboam and all Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, 10:4 “Your father made us work too hard! Now if you lighten the demands he made and don’t make us work as hard, we will serve you.” 10:5 He said to them, “Go away for three days, then return to me.” So the people went away.
10:6 King Rehoboam consulted with the older advisers who had served his father Solomon when he had been alive. He asked them, “How do you advise me to answer these people?” 10:7 They said to him, “If you are fair to these people, grant their request, and are cordial to them, they will be your servants from this time forward.” 10:8 But Rehoboam rejected their advice and consulted the young advisers who served him, with whom he had grown up. 10:9 He asked them, “How do you advise me to respond to these people who said to me, ‘Lessen the demands your father placed on us’?” 10:10 The young advisers with whom Rehoboam had grown up said to him, “Say this to these people who have said to you, ‘Your father made us work hard, but now lighten our burden’ – say this to them: ‘I am a lot harsher than my father! 10:11 My father imposed heavy demands on you; I will make them even heavier. My father punished you with ordinary whips; I will punish you with whips that really sting your flesh.’”
10:12 Jeroboam and all the people reported to Rehoboam on the third day, just as the king had ordered when he said, “Return to me on the third day.” 10:13 The king responded to the people harshly. He rejected the advice of the older men 10:14 and followed the advice of the younger ones. He said, “My father imposed heavy demands on you; I will make them even heavier. My father punished you with ordinary whips; I will punish you with whips that really sting your flesh.” 10:15 The king refused to listen to the people, because God was instigating this turn of events so that he might bring to pass the prophetic announcement he had made through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.
10:16 When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, the people answered the king, “We have no portion in David – no share in the son of Jesse! Return to your homes, O Israel! Now, look after your own dynasty, O David!” So all Israel returned to their homes. 10:17 (Rehoboam continued to rule over the Israelites who lived in the cities of Judah.) 10:18 King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, the supervisor of the work crews, out after them, but the Israelites stoned him to death. King Rehoboam managed to jump into his chariot and escape to Jerusalem. 10:19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the Davidic dynasty to this very day.
11:1 When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he summoned 180,000 skilled warriors from Judah and Benjamin to attack Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam. 11:2 But the Lord told Shemaiah the prophet, 11:3 “Say this to King Rehoboam son of Solomon of Judah and to all the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin, 11:4 ‘The Lord says this: “Do not attack and make war with your brothers. Each of you go home, for I have caused this to happen.”‘“ They obeyed the Lord and called off the attack against Jeroboam.
Lord, when You bless you do so in response to obedience, and when You withdraw Your blessing it is always a challenging time. May I keep You first in all things so that I never have to experience a loss of Your blessing.
After a forty year reign King Solomon died and his son Rehoboam took the throne. When the people gathered to crown Rehoboam representatives of the tribes called for Jeroboam to return from Egypt to challenge him to make changes to some of Solomon’s practices.
Rehoboam was immediately challenged to reduce the heavy burdens Solomon had imposed to support his massive building projects and his luxurious lifestyle and 1,000 concubines and wives.
Rehoboam asked the older advisors from Solomon’s days if he should lighten the load of the people and they recommended that he curry favor with the people by lightening their burden
He did not want to lose the resources they provided so he asked his young friends and they advised him to be even rougher to prove he was in charge and he liked the sound of that, and so he did.
The Lord God further hardened Rehoboam’s arrogant and hard heart in order to expedite the fulfillment of His prophetic judgment. The Lord had decided to punish the people for their drift into the worship of false Gods, and other sin.
All of the tribes, other than Judah and Benjamin, rebelled. Jereboam became the leader of Israel – less Judah and Benjamin – and Rehoboam the leader of the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin.
Rehoboam gathered his army to attack but the Lord God stopped him through the prophet Shemiah, saying that He had caused the division of Israel, and Lord told the people not to participate and so they went home.
The arrogance of youth, combined with the inheritance of the costly-opulence of a disobedient Solomon, created a test for Rehoboam – which he turned into a temptation then to unwise leadership of his own.
Why would the people think that Rehoboam might be persuaded by Jeroboam to lighten their burdens?
Depriving the nation of unity, and the exceptional resources of His blessing, created a less-stable environment where the leaders had a reason to reflect and to make better choices.
When have you observed a person, family, fellowship, business, or political entity with tremendous blessings behave foolishly and squander them?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you may be taking Him for granted, drifting into a careless lifestyle and/or creating places of conflict.
I will confess, repent, seek and accept the forgiveness of the Lord, then reassess and prioritize my life with the Lord first in all things.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Jeroboam Makes Golden Calves
12:25 Jeroboam built up Shechem in the Ephraimite hill country and lived there. From there he went out and built up Penuel. 12:26 Jeroboam then thought to himself: “Now the Davidic dynasty could regain the kingdom. 12:27 If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem, their loyalty could shift to their former master, King Rehoboam of Judah. They might kill me and return to King Rehoboam of Judah.” 12:28 After the king had consulted with his advisers, he made two golden calves. Then he said to the people, “It is too much trouble for you to go up to Jerusalem. Look, Israel, here are your gods who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” 12:29 He put one in Bethel and the other in Dan. 12:30 This caused Israel to sin; the people went to Bethel and Dan to worship the calves.
12:31 He built temples on the high places and appointed as priests people who were not Levites. 12:32 Jeroboam inaugurated a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the festival celebrated in Judah. On the altar in Bethel he offered sacrifices to the calves he had made. In Bethel he also appointed priests for the high places he had made.
A Prophet from Judah Visits Bethel
12:33 On the fifteenth day of the eighth month (a date he had arbitrarily chosen) Jeroboam offered sacrifices on the altar he had made in Bethel. He inaugurated a festival for the Israelites and went up to the altar to offer sacrifices.
13:1 Just then a prophet from Judah, sent by the Lord, arrived in Bethel, as Jeroboam was standing near the altar ready to offer a sacrifice. 13:2 With the authority of the Lord he cried out against the altar, “O altar, altar! This is what the Lord says, ‘Look, a son named Josiah will be born to the Davidic dynasty. He will sacrifice on you the priests of the high places who offer sacrifices on you. Human bones will be burned on you.’” 13:3 That day he also announced a sign, “This is the sign the Lord has predetermined: The altar will be split open and the ashes on it will fall to the ground.” 13:4 When the king heard what the prophet cried out against the altar in Bethel, Jeroboam, standing at the altar, extended his hand and ordered, “Seize him!” The hand he had extended shriveled up and he could not pull it back. 13:5 The altar split open and the ashes fell from the altar to the ground, in fulfillment of the sign the prophet had announced with the Lord’s authority. 13:6 The king pled with the prophet, “Seek the favor of the Lord your God and pray for me, so that my hand may be restored.” So the prophet sought the Lord’s favor and the king’s hand was restored to its former condition. 13:7 The king then said to the prophet, “Come home with me and have something to eat. I’d like to give a present.” 13:8 But the prophet said to the king, “Even if you were to give me half your possessions, I could not go with you and eat and drink in this place. 13:9 For the Lord gave me strict orders, ‘Do not eat or drink there and do not go home the way you came.’” 13:10 So he started back on another road; he did not travel back on the same road he had taken to Bethel.
13:11 Now there was an old prophet living in Bethel. When his sons came home, they told their father everything the prophet had done in Bethel that day and all the words he had spoken to the king. 13:12 Their father asked them, “Which road did he take?” His sons showed him the road the prophet from Judah had taken. 13:13 He then told his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” When they had saddled the donkey for him, he mounted it 13:14 and took off after the prophet, whom he found sitting under an oak tree. He asked him, “Are you the prophet from Judah?” He answered, “Yes, I am.” 13:15 He then said to him, “Come home with me and eat something.” 13:16 But he replied, “I can’t go back with you or eat and drink with you in this place. 13:17 For the Lord gave me strict orders, ‘Do not eat or drink there; do not go back the way you came.’” 13:18 The old prophet then said, “I too am a prophet like you. An angel told me with the Lord’s authority, ‘Bring him back with you to your house so he can eat and drink.’” But he was lying to him. 13:19 So the prophet went back with him and ate and drank in his house.
13:20 While they were sitting at the table, the Lord spoke through the old prophet 13:21 and he cried out to the prophet from Judah, “This is what the Lord says, ‘You have rebelled against the Lord and have not obeyed the command the Lord your God gave you. 13:22 You went back and ate and drank in this place, even though he said to you, “Do not eat or drink there.” Therefore your corpse will not be buried in your ancestral tomb.’”
13:23 When the prophet from Judah finished his meal, the old prophet saddled his visitor’s donkey for him. 13:24 As the prophet from Judah was traveling, a lion attacked him on the road and killed him. His corpse was lying on the road, and the donkey and the lion just stood there beside it. 13:25 Some men came by and saw the corpse lying in the road with the lion standing beside it. They went and reported what they had seen in the city where the old prophet lived. 13:26 When the old prophet who had invited him to his house heard the news, he said, “It is the prophet who rebelled against the Lord. The Lord delivered him over to the lion and it ripped him up and killed him, just as the Lord warned him.” 13:27 He told his sons, “Saddle my donkey,” and they did so. 13:28 He went and found the corpse lying in the road with the donkey and the lion standing beside it; the lion had neither eaten the corpse nor attacked the donkey. 13:29 The old prophet picked up the corpse of the prophet, put it on the donkey, and brought it back. The old prophet then entered the city to mourn him and to bury him. 13:30 He put the corpse into his own tomb, and they mourned over him, saying, “Ah, my brother!” 13:31 After he buried him, he said to his sons, “When I die, bury me in the tomb where the prophet is buried; put my bones right beside his bones, 13:32 for the prophecy he announced with the Lord’s authority against the altar in Bethel and against all the temples on the high places in the cities of the north will certainly be fulfilled.”
Lord, You have high expectations of those who lead in Your name, and are righteously offended when they betray Your trust. May I be careful to listen closely to Your Holy Spirit so that I do not wander.
Jeroboam feared allowing the people to worship in Jerusalem, worrying that they might return to Rehoboam, so he made two golden calves and told them to worship them instead. This was a rebellion against the Lord God similar to that of Solomon at the end of his reign.
Jeroboam invented his own location and schedule for sacrifices but was challenged by a young prophet of the Lord God who announced that the priests themselves would be sacrificed on their altar of rebellion – indeed that the altar itself would be broken in half.
Jeroboam reached out his hand in anger against the prophet, commanding his guards to seize him, but the Lord God caused Jeroboam’s hand to shrivel. Jeroboam begged the prophet to ask God to restore his hand, which he did, and the Lord did so.
Jeroboam invited the prophet home but God had warned His prophet to neither eat or drink nor visit anywhere.
An old prophet met the young prophet and lied to him saying that an angel of God said it was OK to come home with him, and the young prophet failed to consult God, which resulted in his own death for disobedience.
Jeroboam seemed unable to learn from the experience of others or from warnings from God.
Why would the young prophet have not sensed the lie of the older prophet, or at least paused long enough to check with the Lord God, when a clear and direct command of God was being brought into question?
Jeroboam knew what was right but continued to act in ways that he should have known would anger the Lord God, perhaps it was the impact of sudden power, or perhaps it was the evil influence of the false gods his father Solomon had allowed into Israel.
When have you experienced a time, or observed it in others, where what was obviously wrong before the Lord God was rationalized and rebellion flourished for a moment or longer?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you someone in leadership who needs prayer as they appear to be making poor choices and are not responding to efforts to cause them to correct them.
Today I will pray for someone in business, educational, political, or religious leadership. I will make no judgment as to their salvation nor even my certainty that the Lord God objects to the path they are taking. Like Judas, and others, they may be serving a purpose in His great plan – albeit negative from a worldly perspective. I will, however, pray for their salvation and that they will hear rightly from the Lord and will fully obey.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
A Prophet Announces the End of Jeroboam’s Dynasty
13:33 After this happened, Jeroboam still did not change his evil ways; he continued to appoint common people as priests at the high places. Anyone who wanted the job he consecrated as a priest. 13:34 This sin caused Jeroboam’s dynasty to come to an end and to be destroyed from the face of the earth.
14:1 At that time Jeroboam’s son Abijah became sick. 14:2 Jeroboam told his wife, “Disguise yourself so that people cannot recognize you are Jeroboam’s wife. Then go to Shiloh; Ahijah the prophet, who told me I would rule over this nation, lives there. 14:3 Take ten loaves of bread, some small cakes, and a container of honey and visit him. He will tell you what will happen to the boy.”
14:4 Jeroboam’s wife did as she was told. She went to Shiloh and visited Ahijah. Now Ahijah could not see; he had lost his eyesight in his old age. 14:5 But the Lord had told Ahijah, “Look, Jeroboam’s wife is coming to find out from you what will happen to her son, for he is sick. Tell her so-and-so. When she comes, she will be in a disguise.” 14:6 When Ahijah heard the sound of her footsteps as she came through the door, he said, “Come on in, wife of Jeroboam! Why are you pretending to be someone else? I have been commissioned to give you bad news. 14:7 Go, tell Jeroboam, ‘This is what the Lord God of Israel says: “I raised you up from among the people and made you ruler over my people Israel. 14:8 I tore the kingdom away from the Davidic dynasty and gave it to you. But you are not like my servant David, who kept my commandments and followed me wholeheartedly by doing only what I approve. 14:9 You have sinned more than all who came before you. You went and angered me by making other gods, formed out of metal; you have completely disregarded me. 14:10 So I am ready to bring disaster on the dynasty of Jeroboam. I will cut off every last male belonging to Jeroboam in Israel, including even the weak and incapacitated. I will burn up the dynasty of Jeroboam, just as one burns manure until it is completely consumed. 14:11 Dogs will eat the members of your family who die in the city, and the birds of the sky will eat the ones who die in the country.”‘ Indeed, the Lord has announced it!
14:12 “As for you, get up and go home. When you set foot in the city, the boy will die. 14:13 All Israel will mourn him and bury him. He is the only one in Jeroboam’s family who will receive a decent burial, for he is the only one in whom the Lord God of Israel found anything good. 14:14 The Lord will raise up a king over Israel who will cut off Jeroboam’s dynasty. It is ready to happen! 14:15 The Lord will attack Israel, making it like a reed that sways in the water. He will remove Israel from this good land he gave to their ancestors and scatter them beyond the Euphrates River, because they angered the Lord by making Asherah poles. 14:16 He will hand Israel over to their enemies because of the sins which Jeroboam committed and which he made Israel commit.”
14:17 So Jeroboam’s wife got up and went back to Tirzah. As she crossed the threshold of the house, the boy died. 14:18 All Israel buried him and mourned for him, just as the Lord had predicted through his servant the prophet Ahijah.
Jeroboam’s Reign Ends
14:19 The rest of the events of Jeroboam’s reign, including the details of his battles and rule, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 14:20 Jeroboam ruled for twenty-two years; then he passed away. His son Nadab replaced him as king.
Lord, You have told us what You expect – loyalty and respect toward You. May I be careful to compare my deeds to Your Word and my heart-condition to Your expectation of growing holiness.
Jeroboam failed to learn from the warning of the young prophet and continued to sin.
His son fell ill so he sent his wife in disguise to the blind prophet who had first told him he’d inherit the kingdom. The Lord God warned the prophet to expect her and he pronounced the disastrous end to Jeroboam’s rebellious kingship.
Jeroboam had received a great gift and had responded with more disobedience than any king before him. His son died.
After Jeroboam died one of his remaining sons, Nadab, became king.
Jeroboam seemed unable to learn from the experience of others or from warnings from God.
Why would Jeroboam behave so foolishly?
Jeroboam knew what was right but continued to act in ways that he should have known would anger the Lord God; perhaps it was the impact of sudden power, or perhaps it was the evil influence of the false gods his father Solomon had allowed into Israel.
When have you experienced a time, or observed it in others, where what was obviously wrong before the Lord God was rationalized and rebellion flourished for a moment or longer?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you someone in leadership who needs prayer as they appear to be making poor choices and are not responding to efforts to cause them to correct them.
Today I will confess, repent, seek and receive the forgiveness of the Lord for my rebellion. I will then take meaningful steps to change direction and establish meaningful accountability so that I do not drift back into rebellion.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
2 Chronicles
Rehoboam’s Reign
11:5 Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem; he built up these fortified cities throughout Judah: 11:6 Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, 11:7 Beth Zur, Soco, Adullam, 11:8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, 11:9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, 11:10 Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron. These were the fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin. 11:11 He fortified these cities and placed officers in them, as well as storehouses of food, olive oil, and wine. 11:12 In each city there were shields and spears; he strongly fortified them. Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.
11:13 The priests and Levites who lived throughout Israel supported him, no matter where they resided. 11:14 The Levites even left their pasturelands and their property behind and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons prohibited them from serving as the Lord’s priests. 11:15 Jeroboam appointed his own priests to serve at the worship centers and to lead in the worship of the goat idols and calf idols he had made. 11:16 Those among all the Israelite tribes who were determined to worship the Lord God of Israel followed them to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord God of their ancestors. 11:17 They supported the kingdom of Judah and were loyal to Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years; they followed the edicts of David and Solomon for three years.
11:18 Rehoboam married Mahalath the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Jesse’s son Eliab. 11:19 She bore him sons named Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham. 11:20 He later married Maacah the daughter of Absalom. She bore to him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. 11:21 Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than his other wives and concubines. He had eighteen wives and sixty concubines; he fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.
11:22 Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as the leader over his brothers, for he intended to name him his successor. 11:23 He wisely placed some of his many sons throughout the regions of Judah and Benjamin in the various fortified cities. He supplied them with abundant provisions and acquired many wives for them.
12:1 After Rehoboam’s rule was established and solidified, he and all Israel rejected the law of the Lord. 12:2 Because they were unfaithful to the Lord, in King Rehoboam’s fifth year, King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem. 12:3 He had 1,200 chariots, 60,000 horsemen, and an innumerable number of soldiers who accompanied him from Egypt, including Libyans, Sukkites, and Cushites. 12:4 He captured the fortified cities of Judah and marched against Jerusalem.
12:5 Shemaiah the prophet visited Rehoboam and the leaders of Judah who were assembled in Jerusalem because of Shishak. He said to them, “This is what the Lord says: ‘You have rejected me, so I have rejected you and will hand you over to Shishak.’” 12:6 The leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, “The Lord is just.” 12:7 When the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, he gave this message to Shemaiah: “They have humbled themselves, so I will not destroy them. I will deliver them soon. My anger will not be unleashed against Jerusalem through Shishak. 12:8 Yet they will become his subjects, so they can experience how serving me differs from serving the surrounding nations.”
12:9 King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem and took away the treasures of the Lord’s temple and of the royal palace; he took everything, including the gold shields that Solomon had made. 12:10 King Rehoboam made bronze shields to replace them and assigned them to the officers of the royal guard who protected the entrance to the royal palace. 12:11 Whenever the king visited the Lord’s temple, the royal guards carried them and then brought them back to the guardroom.
12:12 So when Rehoboam humbled himself, the Lord relented from his anger and did not annihilate him; Judah experienced some good things. 12:13 King Rehoboam solidified his rule in Jerusalem; he was forty-one years old when he became king and he ruled for seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the Lord chose from all the tribes of Israel to be his home. Rehoboam’s mother was an Ammonite named Naamah. 12:14 He did evil because he was not determined to follow the Lord.
12:15 The events of Rehoboam’s reign, from start to finish, are recorded in the Annals of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer that include genealogical records. 12:16 Then Rehoboam passed away and was buried in the City of David. His son Abijah replaced him as king.
1 Kings
Rehoboam’s Reign over Judah
14:21 Now Rehoboam son of Solomon ruled in Judah. He was forty-one years old when he became king and he ruled for seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the Lord chose from all the tribes of Israel to be his home. His mother was an Ammonite woman named Naamah.
14:22 Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord. They made him more jealous by their sins than their ancestors had done. 14:23 They even built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. 14:24 There were also male cultic prostitutes in the land. They committed the same horrible sins as the nations that the Lord had driven out from before the Israelites.
14:25 In King Rehoboam’s fifth year, King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem. 14:26 He took away the treasures of the Lord’s temple and of the royal palace; he took everything, including all the golden shields that Solomon had made. 14:27 King Rehoboam made bronze shields to replace them and assigned them to the officers of the royal guard who protected the entrance to the royal palace. 14:28 Whenever the king visited the Lord’s temple, the royal guard carried them and then brought them back to the guardroom.
14:29 The rest of the events of Rehoboam’s reign, including his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 14:30 Rehoboam and Jeroboam were continually at war with each other. 14:31 Rehoboam passed away and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David. His mother was an Ammonite named Naamah. His son Abijah replaced him as king.
Lord, You have Your perfect plan and even the rebellion of kings will not deter You. May I be more attentive to Your plans than my own, may I never fear man more than You, and may I actively seek to more nearly follow You in all that I say, think, and do.
Rehoboam heavily fortified Judah and Benjamin and solidified his rule as king.
Those who desired to continue to follow the Lord gathered in Judah and Benjamin and left Israel, but as soon as Rehoboam felt secure in his power he turned away from the Lord God and, like his father Solomon began to worship the false gods of his concubines and wives.
Rehoboam behaved in just as disrespectful a way toward the Lord God in Jerusalem, capital of the single-tribe nation of Judah, as Jeroboam was behaving as leader of the other nine tribes of Israel. The countryside was littered with altars and idols and shrines to false gods.
The Lord God allowed King Shishak of Egypt to attack and capture the fortified cities of Judah and to take treasures from Jerusalem, including the massive gold shields, so Rehoboam had them replaced with brass and locked them in the guardroom when not in use.
He left behind a humbled Rehoboam as a subject-king.
Rehoboam and Jeroboam warred with each other continually.
Rehoboam died and was replaced by his son Abijah.
The Egyptians figured out that Judah was vulnerable and that Israel would not help them, so they were an easy target for attack, and Solomon had foolishly showed-off all of their riches to everyone.
Given the contrast between the great blessings of Solomon, while he was faithful to the Lord God, and the troubled times when there was rebellion why would Rehoboam not have figured out the cause of the troubles?
The Lord God often allowed the natural flesh-based impulses of pagans to function as His tools of judgment upon Israel.
When have you observed a new leader follow a failed leader and copy their destructive choices, despite the clear evidence that they would suffer the same outcome?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where you are tolerating evil.
Today I will humbly accept the chastising of the Holy Spirit and I will immediately remove from my life the “altars”, “idols”, and “shrines” to the world that are polluting my spiritual life. They may be obsessions with money, power, and/or sex, the abuse of alcohol and/or drugs, experimentation with the occult, the idolatry of celebrities, or some other worldly obsession which interferes with the pursuit of a more righteous walk.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
1 Kings
Abijah’s Reign over Judah
15:1 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijah became king over Judah. 15:2 He ruled for three years in Jerusalem. His mother was Maacah, the daughter of Abishalom. 15:3 He followed all the sinful practices of his father before him. He was not wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord his God, as his ancestor David had been. 15:4 Nevertheless for David’s sake the Lord his God maintained his dynasty in Jerusalem by giving him a son to succeed him and by protecting Jerusalem. 15:5 He did this because David had done what he approved and had not disregarded any of his commandments his entire lifetime, except for the incident involving Uriah the Hittite. 15:6 Rehoboam and Jeroboam were continually at war with each other throughout Abijah’s lifetime. 15:7 The rest of the events of Abijah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. Abijah and Jeroboam had been at war with each other. 15:8 Abijah passed away and was buried in the city of David. His son Asa replaced him as king.
Asa’s Reign over Judah
15:9 In the twentieth year of Jeroboam’s reign over Israel, Asa became the king of Judah. 15:10 He ruled for forty-one years in Jerusalem. His grandmother was Maacah daughter of Abishalom. 15:11 Asa did what the Lord approved like his ancestor David had done. 15:12 He removed the male cultic prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the disgusting idols his ancestors had made. 15:13 He also removed Maacah his grandmother from her position as queen because she had made a loathsome Asherah pole. Asa cut down her Asherah pole and burned it in the Kidron Valley. 15:14 The high places were not eliminated, yet Asa was wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord throughout his lifetime. 15:15 He brought the holy items that he and his father had made into the Lord’s temple, including the silver, gold, and other articles.
15:16 Now Asa and King Baasha of Israel were continually at war with each other. 15:17 King Baasha of Israel attacked Judah and established Ramah as a military outpost to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the land of King Asa of Judah. 15:18 Asa took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and of the royal palace and handed it to his servants. He then told them to deliver it to Ben Hadad son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, ruler in Damascus, along with this message: 15:19 “I want to make a treaty with you, like the one our fathers made. See, I have sent you silver and gold as a present. Break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel, so he will retreat from my land.” 15:20 Ben Hadad accepted King Asa’s offer and ordered his army commanders to attack the cities of Israel. They conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maacah, and all the territory of Naphtali, including the region of Kinnereth. 15:21 When Baasha heard the news, he stopped fortifying Ramah and settled down in Tirzah. 15:22 King Asa ordered all the men of Judah (no exemptions were granted) to carry away the stones and wood that Baasha had used to build Ramah. King Asa used the materials to build up Geba (in Benjamin) and Mizpah.
15:23 The rest of the events of Asa’s reign, including all his successes and accomplishments, as well as a record of the cities he built, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. Yet when he was very old he developed a foot disease. 15:24 Asa passed away and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his ancestor David. His son Jehoshaphat replaced him as king.
2 Chronicles
Abijah’s Reign
13:1 In the eighteenth year of the reign of King Jeroboam, Abijah became king over Judah. 13:2 He ruled for three years in Jerusalem. His mother was Michaiah, the daughter of Uriel from Gibeah.
There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 13:3 Abijah launched the attack with 400,000 well-trained warriors, while Jeroboam deployed against him 800,000 well-trained warriors.
13:4 Abijah ascended Mount Zemaraim, in the Ephraimite hill country, and said: “Listen to me, Jeroboam and all Israel! 13:5 Don’t you realize that the Lord God of Israel has given David and his dynasty lasting dominion over Israel by a formal agreement? 13:6 Jeroboam son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon son of David, rose up and rebelled against his master. 13:7 Lawless good-for-nothing men gathered around him and conspired against Rehoboam son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was an inexperienced young man and could not resist them. 13:8 Now you are declaring that you will resist the Lord’s rule through the Davidic dynasty. You have a huge army, and bring with you the gold calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods. 13:9 But you banished the Lord’s priests, Aaron’s descendants, and the Levites, and appointed your own priests just as the surrounding nations do! Anyone who comes to consecrate himself with a young bull or seven rams becomes a priest of these fake gods! 13:10 But as for us, the Lord is our God and we have not rejected him. Aaron’s descendants serve as the Lord’s priests and the Levites assist them with the work. 13:11 They offer burnt sacrifices to the Lord every morning and every evening, along with fragrant incense. They arrange the Bread of the Presence on a ritually clean table and light the lamps on the gold lampstand every evening. Certainly we are observing the Lord our God’s regulations, but you have rejected him. 13:12 Now look, God is with us as our leader. His priests are ready to blow the trumpets to signal the attack against you. You Israelites, don’t fight against the Lord God of your ancestors, for you will not win!”
13:13 Now Jeroboam had sent some men to ambush the Judahite army from behind. The main army was in front of the Judahite army; the ambushers were behind it. 13:14 The men of Judah turned around and realized they were being attacked from the front and the rear. So they cried out for help to the Lord. The priests blew their trumpets, 13:15 and the men of Judah gave the battle cry. As the men of Judah gave the battle cry, the Lord struck down Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 13:16 The Israelites fled from before the Judahite army, and God handed them over to the men of Judah. 13:17 Abijah and his army thoroughly defeated them; 500,000 well-trained Israelite men fell dead. 13:18 That day the Israelites were defeated; the men of Judah prevailed because they relied on the Lord God of their ancestors.
13:19 Abijah chased Jeroboam; he seized from him these cities: Bethel and its surrounding towns, Jeshanah and its surrounding towns, and Ephron and its surrounding towns. 13:20 Jeroboam did not regain power during the reign of Abijah. The Lord struck him down and he died. 13:21 Abijah’s power grew; he had fourteen wives and fathered twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.
13:22 The rest of the events of Abijah’s reign, including his deeds and sayings, are recorded in the writings of the prophet Iddo.
14:1 Abijah passed away and was buried in the City of David. His son Asa replaced him as king. During his reign the land had rest for ten years.
Asa’s Religious and Military Accomplishments
14:2 Asa did what the Lord his God desired and approved. 14:3 He removed the pagan altars and the high places, smashed the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. 14:4 He ordered Judah to seek the Lord God of their ancestors and to observe his law and commands. 14:5 He removed the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah. The kingdom had rest under his rule.
14:6 He built fortified cities throughout Judah, for the land was at rest and there was no war during those years; the Lord gave him peace. 14:7 He said to the people of Judah: “Let’s build these cities and fortify them with walls, towers, and barred gates. The land remains ours because we have followed the Lord our God and he has made us secure on all sides.” So they built the cities and prospered.
14:8 Asa had an army of 300,000 men from Judah, equipped with large shields and spears. He also had 280,000 men from Benjamin who carried small shields and were adept archers; they were all skilled warriors. 14:9 Zerah the Cushite marched against them with an army of 1,000,000 men and 300 chariots. He arrived at Mareshah, 14:10 and Asa went out to oppose him. They deployed for battle in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah.
14:11 Asa prayed to the Lord his God: “O Lord, there is no one but you who can help the weak when they are vastly outnumbered. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you and have marched on your behalf against this huge army. O Lord our God, don’t let men prevail against you!” 14:12 The Lord struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah. The Cushites fled, 14:13 and Asa and his army chased them as far as Gerar. The Cushites were wiped out; they were shattered before the Lord and his army. The men of Judah carried off a huge amount of plunder. 14:14 They defeated all the cities surrounding Gerar, for the Lord caused them to panic. The men of Judah looted all the cities, for they contained a huge amount of goods. 14:15 They also attacked the tents of the herdsmen in charge of the livestock. They carried off many sheep and camels and then returned to Jerusalem.
15:1 God’s Spirit came upon Azariah son of Oded. 15:2 He met Asa and told him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin! The Lord is with you when you are loyal to him. If you seek him, he will respond to you, but if you reject him, he will reject you. 15:3 For a long time Israel had no true God, or priest to instruct them, or law. 15:4 Because of their distress, they turned back to the Lord God of Israel. They sought him and he responded to them. 15:5 In those days no one could travel safely, for total chaos had overtaken all the people of the surrounding lands. 15:6 One nation was crushed by another, and one city by another, for God caused them to be in great turmoil. 15:7 But as for you, be strong and don’t get discouraged, for your work will be rewarded.”
15:8 When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he was encouraged. He removed the detestable idols from the entire land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities he had seized in the Ephraimite hill country. He repaired the altar of the Lord in front of the porch of the Lord’s temple.
15:9 He assembled all Judah and Benjamin, as well as the settlers from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had come to live with them. Many people from Israel had come there to live when they saw that the Lord his God was with him. 15:10 They assembled in Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign. 15:11 At that time they sacrificed to the Lord some of the plunder they had brought back, including 700 head of cattle and 7,000 sheep. 15:12 They solemnly agreed to seek the Lord God of their ancestors with their whole heart and being. 15:13 Anyone who would not seek the Lord God of Israel would be executed, whether they were young or old, male or female. 15:14 They swore their allegiance to the Lord, shouting their approval loudly and sounding trumpets and horns. 15:15 All Judah was happy about the oath, because they made the vow with their whole heart. They willingly sought the Lord and he responded to them. He made them secure on every side.
15:16 King Asa also removed Maacah his grandmother from her position as queen mother because she had made a loathsome Asherah pole. Asa cut down her Asherah pole and crushed and burned it in the Kidron Valley. 15:17 The high places were not eliminated from Israel, yet Asa was wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord throughout his lifetime. 15:18 He brought the holy items that his father and he had made into God’s temple, including the silver, gold, and other articles.
Asa’s Failures
15:19 There was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign.
16:1 In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign, King Baasha of Israel attacked Judah, and he established Ramah as a military outpost to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the land of King Asa of Judah. 16:2 Asa took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and of the royal palace and sent it to King Ben Hadad of Syria, ruler in Damascus, along with this message: 16:3 “I want to make a treaty with you, like the one our fathers made. See, I have sent you silver and gold. Break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel, so he will retreat from my land.” 16:4 Ben Hadad accepted King Asa’s offer and ordered his army commanders to attack the cities of Israel. They conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim, and all the storage cities of Naphtali. 16:5 When Baasha heard the news, he stopped fortifying Ramah and abandoned the project. 16:6 King Asa ordered all the men of Judah to carry away the stones and wood that Baasha had used to build Ramah. He used the materials to build up Geba and Mizpah.
16:7 At that time Hanani the prophet visited King Asa of Judah and said to him: “Because you relied on the king of Syria and did not rely on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand. 16:8 Did not the Cushites and Libyans have a huge army with chariots and a very large number of horsemen? But when you relied on the Lord, he handed them over to you! 16:9 Certainly the Lord watches the whole earth carefully and is ready to strengthen those who are devoted to him. You have acted foolishly in this matter; from now on you will have war. 16:10 Asa was so angry at the prophet, he put him in jail. Asa also oppressed some of the people at that time.
Asa’s Reign Ends
16:11 The events of Asa’s reign, from start to finish, are recorded in the Scroll of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 16:12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa developed a foot disease. Though his disease was severe, he did not seek the Lord, but only the doctors. 16:13 Asa passed away in the forty-first year of his reign. 16:14 He was buried in the tomb he had carved out in the City of David. They laid him to rest on a bier covered with spices and assorted mixtures of ointments. They made a huge bonfire to honor him.
Lord, You bless the faithful and allow calamity to come to the unfaithful. May I remember that blessing is conditioned upon my choice to be faithful – You are a holy God Who does not reward rebellion.
Rehoboam died and was replaced by his son Abijah.
Abijah attacked Israel in an effort to reunite the kingdom. His army was out-numbered 800,000 to 400,000 but he trusted in the Lord and Jeroboam was delivered to him. 500,000 Israelite solders who followed Jereboam in worshiping false gods were killed, as was Jeroboam, and several cities taken.
Abijah emulated the rebellious practices of his father and lived only three years as king. He also warred with Jeroboam. He died and Asa replaced him as king.
Asa used the stone and wood from the abandoned fortified city to build up cities in Judah.
Asa purged Judah of most of the pagan places of worship, except for the high places Solomon had built.
He removed the Ashera poles and male cultic prostitutes, restored David’s articles of worship to the Temple, and otherwise obeyed the Lord God. He failed to destroy the altars and shrines to false gods in the high places.
He was attacked by the Cushites, out-numbered – as Abijah had been – this time 1,000,000 to 580,000. he cried out to the Lord and the Lord destroyed the Cushites. Asa’s army captured several cities and gather huge amounts of plunder – offering large sacrifices of plunder to the Lord.
Asa was continually at war with King Baasha of Israel.
Baasha attacked Judah and began building a fortified base from which to control access and egress to Jerusalem. Asa used the remaining gold and silver in the treasury to hire the king of Syria to attack Israel, which he did, causing Baasha to withdraw from Jerusalem.
The prophet informed Asa that because he had chosen Syria as his rescuer rather than the Lord God that he would spend his remaining days at war. Asa had the prophet jailed and abused the people. He was stricken with a foot disease but refused to ask the Lord God for healing, only the mere human doctors, and so he died.
He was replaced by Jehoshaphat.
Chronicles brings a stark reminder of the simple relationship between obedience and blessing and disobedience and trouble.
Why would Asa have turned away from the Lord God after experiencing God’s mighty hand in the battle with the Cushites?
Abijah was twice the fool having seen the consequences of both Solomon’s and his Rehoboam’s rebellion result in disaster he did not turn back to the Lord God. Despite all of the blessings of the Lord God Solomon left a destructive legacy; pagan worship and an obsession with Pharaoh-like construction projects.
When have you observed a new leader follow a failed leader and copy their destructive choices, despite the clear evidence that they would suffer the same outcome?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where you are tolerating evil and to reveal to you a place in your life where priorities are out of God’s-order.
Today I will humbly submit to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and renew my trust in the Lord first rather than the people and things of the world.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Nadab’s Reign over Israel
15:25 In the second year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Jeroboam’s son Nadab became the king of Israel; he ruled Israel for two years. 15:26 He did evil in the sight of the Lord. He followed in his father’s footsteps and encouraged Israel to sin.
15:27 Baasha son of Ahijah, from the tribe of Issachar, conspired against Nadab and assassinated him in Gibbethon, which was in Philistine territory. This happened while Nadab and all the Israelite army were besieging Gibbethon. 15:28 Baasha killed him in the third year of Asa’s reign over Judah and replaced him as king. 15:29 When he became king, he executed Jeroboam’s entire family. He wiped out everyone who breathed, just as the Lord had predicted through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite. 15:30 This happened because of the sins which Jeroboam committed and which he made Israel commit. These sins angered the Lord God of Israel.
15:31 The rest of the events of Nadab’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 15:32 Asa and King Nadab of Israel were continually at war with each other.
Baasha’s Reign over Israel
15:33 In the third year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Baasha son of Ahijah became king over all Israel in Tirzah; he ruled for twenty-four years. 15:34 He did evil in the sight of the Lord; he followed in Jeroboam’s footsteps and encouraged Israel to sin.
16:1 Jehu son of Hanani received from the Lord this message predicting Baasha’s downfall: 16:2 “I raised you up from the dust and made you ruler over my people Israel. Yet you followed in Jeroboam’s footsteps and encouraged my people Israel to sin; their sins have made me angry. 16:3 So I am ready to burn up Baasha and his family, and make your family like the family of Jeroboam son of Nebat. 16:4 Dogs will eat the members of Baasha’s family who die in the city, and the birds of the sky will eat the ones who die in the country.”
16:5 The rest of the events of Baasha’s reign, including his accomplishments and successes, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 16:6 Baasha passed away and was buried in Tirzah. His son Elah replaced him as king. 16:7 The prophet Jehu son of Hanani received from the Lord the message predicting the downfall of Baasha and his family because of all the evil Baasha had done in the sight of the Lord. His actions angered the Lord (including the way he had destroyed Jeroboam’s dynasty), so that his family ended up like Jeroboam’s.
Elah’s Reign over Israel
16:8 In the twenty-sixth year of King Asa’s reign over Judah, Baasha’s son Elah became king over Israel; he ruled in Tirzah for two years. 16:9 His servant Zimri, a commander of half of his chariot force, conspired against him. While Elah was drinking heavily at the house of Arza, who supervised the palace in Tirzah, 16:10 Zimri came in and struck him dead. (This happened in the twenty-seventh year of Asa’s reign over Judah.) Zimri replaced Elah as king. 16:11 When he became king and occupied the throne, he killed Baasha’s entire family. He did not spare any male belonging to him; he killed his relatives and his friends. 16:12 Zimri destroyed Baasha’s entire family, just as the Lord had predicted to Baasha through Jehu the prophet. 16:13 This happened because of all the sins which Baasha and his son Elah committed and which they made Israel commit. They angered the Lord God of Israel with their worthless idols.
16:14 The rest of the events of Elah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.
Zimri’s Reign over Israel
16:15 In the twenty-seventh year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Zimri became king over Israel; he ruled for seven days in Tirzah. Zimri’s revolt took place while the army was deployed in Gibbethon, which was in Philistine territory. 16:16 While deployed there, the army received this report: “Zimri has conspired against the king and assassinated him.” So all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that very day in the camp. 16:17 Omri and all Israel went up from Gibbethon and besieged Tirzah. 16:18 When Zimri saw that the city was captured, he went into the fortified area of the royal palace. He set the palace on fire and died in the flames. 16:19 This happened because of the sins he committed. He did evil in the sight of the Lord and followed in Jeroboam’s footsteps and encouraged Israel to continue sinning.
16:20 The rest of the events of Zimri’s reign, including the details of his revolt, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.
Omri’s Reign over Israel
16:21 At that time the people of Israel were divided in their loyalties. Half the people supported Tibni son of Ginath and wanted to make him king; the other half supported Omri. 16:22 Omri’s supporters were stronger than those who supported Tibni son of Ginath. Tibni died; Omri became king.
16:23 In the thirty-first year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Omri became king over Israel. He ruled for twelve years, six of them in Tirzah. 16:24 He purchased the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver. He launched a construction project there and named the city he built after Shemer, the former owner of the hill of Samaria. 16:25 Omri did more evil in the sight of the Lord than all who were before him. 16:26 He followed in the footsteps of Jeroboam son of Nebat and encouraged Israel to sin; they angered the Lord God of Israel with their worthless idols.
16:27 The rest of the events of Omri’s reign, including his accomplishments and successes, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 16:28 Omri passed away and was buried in Samaria. His son Ahab replaced him as king.
Ahab Promotes Idolatry
16:29 In the thirty-eighth year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Omri’s son Ahab became king over Israel. Ahab son of Omri ruled over Israel for twenty-two years in Samaria. 16:30 Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the sight of the Lord than all who were before him. 16:31 As if following in the sinful footsteps of Jeroboam son of Nebat were not bad enough, he married Jezebel the daughter of King Ethbaal of the Sidonians. Then he worshiped and bowed to Baal. 16:32 He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal he had built in Samaria. 16:33 Ahab also made an Asherah pole; he did more to anger the Lord God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him.
16:34 During Ahab’s reign, Hiel the Bethelite rebuilt Jericho. Abiram, his firstborn son, died when he laid the foundation; Segub, his youngest son, died when he erected its gates, just as the Lord had warned through Joshua son of Nun.
Lord, the path of rebellion is common to fallen man, and the negative consequences are predictable. May I act upon the wisdom of the Holy Spirit and refrain from offending You.
Jeroboam’s son Nadab emulated his father in sin so the Lord God allowed Baasha to seize control of Israel after only two years. Baasha fulfilled the prophesy that Jeroboam’s family would be obliterated.
Baasha was no better than Jeroboam or Nadab but was allowed to rule for twenty-four years. Because of his sin as king his family also was doomed to destruction.
Baasha’s son Elah followed him for only two years when Zimri killed him and seized power. The army and tribal leaders immediately rebelled and chose Omri instead and when he attacked the palace Zimri set it ablaze and died in the fire. Omri ruled Israel for twelve years.
Omni was even more evil before the Lord than those who came before, he died after twelve years and his son Ahab followed. Ahab was no better but led Israel for twenty-two years.
Baasha was the tool through which the prophesied destruction of Jeroboam’s family was accomplished. Because he obliterated them for selfish reasons (eliminating competition), rather than to purge the evil in Israel, Baasha’s family received the same punishment.
Knowing the prophesy against Jeroboam for his sin why would Nadab have continued it when he became king, rather than turning toward the Lord God with some hope for mercy?
Solomon opened the door to evil and most of those who followed him seemed unable to bring themselves to purge it from the land.
When have you observed a leader of a fellowship who allowed sin to linger unchallenged among their leaders and/or flock? What was the result?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you have tolerated the influence of evil.
Today I will purge the evil where I have the authority to do so. It may be as a community leader, an educator, a ministry leader, a parent, a peer-leader, or some other role (including choices I make that appear to only impact me). It may be dishonest practices, unhealthy influences, the failure to enforce Biblical directives for accountability and discipline, wrong doctrine, disrespect toward “elders” or peers, self-destructive behaviors, etc.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Jehoshaphat Becomes King
17:1 His son Jehoshaphat replaced him as king and solidified his rule over Israel. 17:2 He placed troops in all of Judah’s fortified cities and posted garrisons throughout the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had seized.
17:3 The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed in his ancestor David’s footsteps at the beginning of his reign. He did not seek the Baals, 17:4 but instead sought the God of his ancestors and obeyed his commands, unlike the Israelites. 17:5 The Lord made his kingdom secure; all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he became very wealthy and greatly respected. 17:6 He was committed to following the Lord; he even removed the high places and Asherah poles from Judah.
17:7 In the third year of his reign he sent his officials Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah to teach in the cities of Judah. 17:8 They were accompanied by the Levites Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-Adonijah, and by the priests Elishama and Jehoram. 17:9 They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the scroll of the law of the Lord. They traveled to all the cities of Judah and taught the people.
17:10 The Lord put fear into all the kingdoms surrounding Judah; they did not make war with Jehoshaphat. 17:11 Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat tribute, including a load of silver. The Arabs brought him 7,700 rams and 7,700 goats from their flocks.
17:12 Jehoshaphat’s power kept increasing. He built fortresses and storage cities throughout Judah. 17:13 He had many supplies stored in the cities of Judah and an army of skilled warriors stationed in Jerusalem. 17:14 These were their divisions by families:
There were a thousand officers from Judah. Adnah the commander led 300,000 skilled warriors, 17:15 Jehochanan the commander led 280,000, 17:16 and Amasiah son of Zikri, who volunteered to serve the Lord, led 200,000 skilled warriors.
17:17 From Benjamin, Eliada, a skilled warrior, led 200,000 men who were equipped with bows and shields, 17:18 and Jehozabad led 180,000 trained warriors.
17:19 These were the ones who served the king, besides those whom the king placed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.
Lord, we often begin well, and You bless us in our faithfulness. May I endeavor to begin well every day so that You may bless others through me.
The Lord was initially “with” Jehoshaphat, as king of Judah, because he followed the faithful elements of David’s reign as king.
Jehoshaphat removed the high places of worship to false gods that Solomon had built.
He sent priests throughout the kingdom to teach about the worship of the Lord God.
The Lord God caused the nations around Israel to be in fear and even some Philistines paid tribute, including silver, and Arabs brought rams and goats. [The Hebrew translation reference suggests that “Arab” refers to the “Bedouins”, a nomadic people, likely at least partially descendants of Ishmael.]
He fortified Israel and build food storage facilities.
He built-up the military and equipped them well.
The Lord blessed him with victory in battle, great wealth, and respect.
Jehoshaphat made a wise choice to obey the Lord God, and wiser still to teach the people to do the same.
How fearful of the obvious blessing and presence of the Lord must the Philistines have been to bring tribute to their sworn enemies?
God’s purpose in blessing is always clear, always purposeful, and never random.
When have you observed individuals or groups providing resources to a Christian-based organization? (e.g. the Salvation Army.)
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you might remove pagan influences and increase Biblical ones.
I will humbly and energetically act, within my authority, to excise influences which offend the Lord and replace them with those which encourage righteousness.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 39
Jehoshaphat Allies with Ahab
18:1 Jehoshaphat was very wealthy and greatly respected. He made an alliance by marriage with Ahab, 18:2 and after several years went down to visit Ahab in Samaria. Ahab slaughtered many sheep and cattle to honor Jehoshaphat and those who came with him. He persuaded him to join in an attack against Ramoth Gilead. 18:3 King Ahab of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to attack Ramoth Gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I will support you; my army is at your disposal and will support you in battle.” 18:4 Then Jehoshaphat added, “First seek an oracle from the Lord.” 18:5 So the king of Israel assembled 400 prophets and asked them, “Should we attack Ramoth Gilead or not?” They said, “Attack! God will hand it over to the king.” 18:6 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not a prophet of the Lord still here, that we may ask him?” 18:7 The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man through whom we can seek the Lord’s will. But I despise him because he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but always disaster. His name is Micaiah son of Imlah. Jehoshaphat said, “The king should not say such things!” 18:8 The king of Israel summoned an officer and said, “Quickly bring Micaiah son of Imlah.”
18:9 Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were sitting on their respective thrones, dressed in their royal robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria. All the prophets were prophesying before them. 18:10 Zedekiah son of Kenaanah made iron horns and said, “This is what the Lord says, ‘With these you will gore Syria until they are destroyed!’” 18:11 All the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, “Attack Ramoth Gilead! You will succeed; the Lord will hand it over to the king!” 18:12 Now the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the prophets are in complete agreement that the king will succeed. Your words must agree with theirs; you must predict success!” 18:13 But Micaiah said, “As certainly as the Lord lives, I will say what my God tells me to say!”
18:14 Micaiah came before the king and the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we attack Ramoth Gilead or not?” He answered him, “Attack! You will succeed; they will be handed over to you.” 18:15 The king said to him, “How many times must I make you solemnly promise in the name of the Lord to tell me only the truth?” 18:16 Micaiah replied, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep that have no shepherd. Then the Lord said, ‘They have no master. They should go home in peace.’” 18:17 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster?” 18:18 Micaiah said, “That being the case, hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, with all the heavenly assembly standing on his right and on his left. 18:19 The Lord said, ‘Who will deceive King Ahab of Israel, so he will attack Ramoth Gilead and die there?’ One said this and another that. 18:20 Then a spirit stepped forward and stood before the Lord. He said, ‘I will deceive him.’ The Lord asked him, ‘How?’ 18:21 He replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ The Lord said, ‘Deceive and overpower him. Go out and do as you have proposed.’ 18:22 So now, look, the Lord has placed a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours; but the Lord has decreed disaster for you.” 18:23 Zedekiah son of Kenaanah approached, hit Micaiah on the jaw, and said, “Which way did the Lord’s spirit go when he went from me to speak to you?” 18:24 Micaiah replied, “Look, you will see in the day when you go into an inner room to hide.” 18:25 Then the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the city official and Joash the king’s son. 18:26 Say, ‘This is what the king says: “Put this man in prison. Give him only a little bread and water until I return safely.”‘” 18:27 Micaiah said, “If you really do return safely, then the Lord has not spoken through me!” Then he added, “Take note, all you people.”
18:28 The king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah attacked Ramoth Gilead. 18:29 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and then enter the battle; but you wear your royal attire.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and they entered the battle. 18:30 Now the king of Syria had ordered his chariot commanders, “Do not fight common soldiers or high ranking officers; fight only the king of Israel!” 18:31 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “He must be the king of Israel!” So they turned and attacked him, but Jehoshaphat cried out. The Lord helped him; God lured them away from him. 18:32 When the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, they turned away from him. 18:33 Now an archer shot an arrow at random and it struck the king of Israel between the plates of his armor. The king ordered his charioteer, “Turn around and take me from the battle line, for I am wounded.” 18:34 While the battle raged throughout the day, the king stood propped up in his chariot opposite the Syrians. He died in the evening as the sun was setting.
19:1 When King Jehoshaphat of Judah returned home safely to Jerusalem, 19:2 the prophet Jehu son of Hanani confronted him; he said to King Jehoshaphat, “Is it right to help the wicked and be an ally of those who oppose the Lord? Because you have done this the Lord is angry with you! 19:3 Nevertheless you have done some good things; you removed the Asherah poles from the land and you were determined to follow the Lord.”
Jehoshaphat Appoints Judges
19:4 Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem. He went out among the people from Beer Sheba to the hill country of Ephraim and encouraged them to follow the Lord God of their ancestors. 19:5 He appointed judges throughout the land and in each of the fortified cities of Judah. 19:6 He told the judges, “Be careful what you do, for you are not judging for men, but for the Lord, who will be with you when you make judicial decisions. 19:7 Respect the Lord and make careful decisions, for the Lord our God disapproves of injustice, partiality, and bribery.”
19:8 In Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed some Levites, priests, and Israelite family leaders to judge on behalf of the Lord and to settle disputes among the residents of Jerusalem. 19:9 He commanded them: “Carry out your duties with respect for the Lord, with honesty, and with pure motives. 19:10 Whenever your countrymen who live in the cities bring a case before you (whether it involves a violent crime or other matters related to the law, commandments, rules, and regulations), warn them that they must not sin against the Lord. If you fail to do so, God will be angry with you and your colleagues; but if you obey, you will be free of guilt. 19:11 You will report to Amariah the chief priest in all matters pertaining to the Lord’s law, and to Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the leader of the family of Judah, in all matters pertaining to the king. The Levites will serve as officials before you. Confidently carry out your duties! May the Lord be with those who do well!”
The Lord Gives Jehoshaphat Military Success
20:1 Later the Moabites and Ammonites, along with some of the Meunites, attacked Jehoshaphat. 20:2 Messengers arrived and reported to Jehoshaphat, “A huge army is attacking you from the other side of the Dead Sea, from the direction of Edom. Look, they are in Hazezon Tamar (that is, En Gedi).” 20:3 Jehoshaphat was afraid, so he decided to seek the Lord’s advice. He decreed that all Judah should observe a fast. 20:4 The people of Judah assembled to ask for the Lord’s help; they came from all the cities of Judah to ask for the Lord’s help.
20:5 Jehoshaphat stood before the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the Lord’s temple, in front of the new courtyard. 20:6 He prayed: “O Lord God of our ancestors, you are the God who lives in heaven and rules over all the kingdoms of the nations. You possess strength and power; no one can stand against you. 20:7 Our God, you drove out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and gave it as a permanent possession to the descendants of your friend Abraham. 20:8 They settled down in it and built in it a temple to honor you, saying, 20:9 ‘If disaster comes on us in the form of military attack, judgment, plague, or famine, we will stand in front of this temple before you, for you are present in this temple. We will cry out to you for help in our distress, so that you will hear and deliver us.’ 20:10 Now the Ammonites, Moabites, and men from Mount Seir are coming! When Israel came from the land of Egypt, you did not allow them to invade these lands. They bypassed them and did not destroy them. 20:11 Look how they are repaying us! They come to drive us out of our allotted land which you assigned to us! 20:12 Our God, will you not judge them? For we are powerless against this huge army that attacks us! We don’t know what we should do; we look to you for help.”
20:13 All the men of Judah were standing before the Lord, along with their infants, wives, and children. 20:14 Then in the midst of the assembly, the Lord’s Spirit came upon Jachaziel son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph. 20:15 He said: “Pay attention, all you people of Judah, residents of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Don’t be afraid and don’t panic because of this huge army! For the battle is not yours, but God’s. 20:16 Tomorrow march down against them as they come up the Ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the ravine in front of the Desert of Jeruel. 20:17 You will not fight in this battle. Take your positions, stand, and watch the Lord deliver you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Don’t be afraid and don’t panic! Tomorrow march out toward them; the Lord is with you!’”
20:18 Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face toward the ground, and all the people of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord and worshiped him. 20:19 Then some Levites, from the Kohathites and Korahites, got up and loudly praised the Lord God of Israel.
20:20 Early the next morning they marched out to the Desert of Tekoa. When they were ready to march, Jehoshaphat stood up and said: “Listen to me, you people of Judah and residents of Jerusalem! Trust in the Lord your God and you will be safe! Trust in the message of his prophets and you will win.” 20:21 He met with the people and appointed musicians to play before the Lord and praise his majestic splendor. As they marched ahead of the warriors they said: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his loyal love endures.”
20:22 When they began to shout and praise, the Lord suddenly attacked the Ammonites, Moabites, and men from Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. 20:23 The Ammonites and Moabites attacked the men from Mount Seir and annihilated them. When they had finished off the men of Seir, they attacked and destroyed one another. 20:24 When the men of Judah arrived at the observation post overlooking the desert and looked at the huge army, they saw dead bodies on the ground; there were no survivors! 20:25 Jehoshaphat and his men went to gather the plunder; they found a huge amount of supplies, clothing and valuable items. They carried away everything they could. There was so much plunder, it took them three days to haul it off.
20:26 On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berachah, where they praised the Lord. So that place is called the Valley of Berachah to this very day. 20:27 Then all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem with Jehoshaphat leading them; the Lord had given them reason to rejoice over their enemies. 20:28 They entered Jerusalem to the sound of stringed instruments and trumpets and proceeded to the temple of the Lord. 20:29 All the kingdoms of the surrounding lands were afraid of God when they heard how the Lord had fought against Israel’s enemies. 20:30 Jehoshaphat’s kingdom enjoyed peace; his God made him secure on every side.
Jehoshaphat’s Reign Ends
20:31 Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king and he reigned for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi. 20:32 He followed in his father Asa’s footsteps and was careful to do what the Lord approved. 20:33 However, the high places were not eliminated; the people were still not devoted to the God of their ancestors.
20:34 The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, from start to finish, are recorded in the Annals of Jehu son of Hanani which are included in Scroll of the Kings of Israel.
20:35 Later King Jehoshaphat of Judah made an alliance with King Ahaziah of Israel, who did evil. 20:36 They agreed to make large seagoing merchant ships; they built the ships in Ezion Geber. 20:37 Eliezer son of Dodavahu from Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, “Because you made an alliance with Ahaziah, the Lord will shatter what you have made.” The ships were wrecked and unable to go to sea.
21:1 Jehoshaphat passed away and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. His son Jehoram replaced him as king.
Jehoram’s Reign
21:2 His brothers, Jehoshaphat’s sons, were Azariah, Jechiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael, and Shephatiah. All of these were sons of King Jehoshaphat of Israel. 21:3 Their father gave them many presents, including silver, gold, and other precious items, along with fortified cities in Judah. But he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn.
21:4 Jehoram took control of his father’s kingdom and became powerful. Then he killed all his brothers, as well as some of the officials of Israel. 21:5 Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king and he reigned for eight years in Jerusalem. 21:6 He followed in the footsteps of the kings of Israel, just as Ahab’s dynasty had done, for he married Ahab’s daughter. He did evil in the sight of the Lord. 21:7 But the Lord was unwilling to destroy David’s dynasty because of the promise he had made to give David a perpetual dynasty.
21:8 During Jehoram’s reign Edom freed themselves from Judah’s control and set up their own king. 21:9 Jehoram crossed over to Zair with his officers and all his chariots. The Edomites, who had surrounded him, attacked at night and defeated him and his chariot officers. 21:10 So Edom has remained free from Judah’s control to this very day. At that same time Libnah also rebelled and freed themselves from Judah’s control because Jehoram rejected the Lord God of his ancestors. 21:11 He also built high places on the hills of Judah; he encouraged the residents of Jerusalem to be unfaithful to the Lord and led Judah away from the Lord.
21:12 Jehoram received this letter from Elijah the prophet: “This is what the Lord God of your ancestor David says: ‘You have not followed in the footsteps of your father Jehoshaphat and of King Asa of Judah, 21:13 but have instead followed in the footsteps of the kings of Israel. You encouraged the people of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem to be unfaithful to the Lord, just as the family of Ahab does in Israel. You also killed your brothers, members of your father’s family, who were better than you. 21:14 So look, the Lord is about to severely afflict your people, your sons, your wives, and all you own. 21:15 And you will get a serious, chronic intestinal disease which will cause your intestines to come out.”
21:16 The Lord stirred up against Jehoram the Philistines and the Arabs who lived beside the Cushites. 21:17 They attacked Judah and swept through it. They carried off everything they found in the royal palace, including his sons and wives. None of his sons was left, except for his youngest, Ahaziah. 21:18 After all this happened, the Lord afflicted him with an incurable intestinal disease. 21:19 After about two years his intestines came out because of the disease, so that he died a very painful death. His people did not make a bonfire to honor him, as they had done for his ancestors.
21:20 Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. No one regretted his death; he was buried in the City of David, but not in the royal tombs.
Ahaziah’s Reign
22:1 The residents of Jerusalem made his youngest son Ahaziah king in his place, for the raiding party that invaded the city with the Arabs had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah son of Jehoram became king of Judah. 22:2 Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king and he reigned for one year in Jerusalem. His mother was Athaliah, the granddaughter of Omri. 22:3 He followed in the footsteps of Ahab’s dynasty, for his mother gave him evil advice. 22:4 He did evil in the sight of the Lord like Ahab’s dynasty because, after his father’s death, they gave him advice that led to his destruction. 22:5 He followed their advice and joined Ahab’s son King Joram of Israel in a battle against King Hazael of Syria at Ramoth Gilead in which the Syrians defeated Joram. 22:6 Joram returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he received from the Syrians in Ramah when he fought against King Hazael of Syria. Ahaziah son of King Jehoram of Judah went down to visit Joram son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he had been wounded.
22:7 God brought about Ahaziah’s downfall through his visit to Joram. When Ahaziah arrived, he went out with Joram to meet Jehu son of Nimshi, whom the Lord had commissioned to wipe out Ahab’s family. 22:8 While Jehu was dishing out punishment to Ahab’s family, he discovered the officials of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s relatives who were serving Ahaziah and killed them. 22:9 He looked for Ahaziah, who was captured while hiding in Samaria. They brought him to Jehu and then executed him. They did give him a burial, for they reasoned, “He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the Lord with his whole heart.” There was no one in Ahaziah’s family strong enough to rule in his place.
Athaliah is Eliminated
22:10 When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she was determined to destroy the entire royal line of Judah. 22:11 So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram, took Ahaziah’s son Joash and sneaked him away from the rest of the royal descendants who were to be executed. She hid him and his nurse in the room where the bed covers were stored. So Jehoshabeath the daughter of King Jehoram, wife of Jehoiada the priest and sister of Ahaziah, hid him from Athaliah so she could not execute him. 22:12 He remained in hiding in God’s temple for six years, while Athaliah was ruling over the land.
23:1 In the seventh year Jehoiada made a bold move. He made a pact with the officers of the units of hundreds: Azariah son of Jehoram, Ishmael son of Jehochanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zikri. 23:2 They traveled throughout Judah and assembled the Levites from all the cities of Judah, as well as the Israelite family leaders.
They came to Jerusalem, 23:3 and the whole assembly made a covenant with the king in the temple of God. Jehoiada said to them, “The king’s son will rule, just as the Lord promised David’s descendants. 23:4 This is what you must do. One third of you priests and Levites who are on duty during the Sabbath will guard the doors. 23:5 Another third of you will be stationed at the royal palace and still another third at the Foundation Gate. All the others will stand in the courtyards of the Lord’s temple. 23:6 No one must enter the Lord’s temple except the priests and Levites who are on duty. They may enter because they are ceremonially pure. All the others should carry out their assigned service to the Lord. 23:7 The Levites must surround the king. Each of you must hold his weapon in his hand. Whoever tries to enter the temple must be killed. You must accompany the king wherever he goes.”
23:8 The Levites and all the men of Judah did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each of them took his men, those who were on duty during the Sabbath as well as those who were off duty on the Sabbath. Jehoiada the priest did not release his divisions from their duties. 23:9 Jehoiada the priest gave to the officers of the units of hundreds King David’s spears and shields that were kept in God’s temple. 23:10 He placed the men at their posts, each holding his weapon in his hand. They lined up from the south side of the temple to the north side and stood near the altar and the temple, surrounding the king. 23:11 Jehoiada and his sons led out the king’s son and placed on him the crown and the royal insignia. They proclaimed him king and poured olive oil on his head. They declared, “Long live the king!”
23:12 When Athaliah heard the royal guard shouting and praising the king, she joined the crowd at the Lord’s temple. 23:13 Then she saw the king standing by his pillar at the entrance. The officers and trumpeters stood beside the king and all the people of the land were celebrating and blowing trumpets, and the musicians with various instruments were leading the celebration. Athaliah tore her clothes and yelled, “Treason! Treason!” 23:14 Jehoiada the priest sent out the officers of the units of hundreds, who were in charge of the army, and ordered them, “Bring her outside the temple to the guards. Put the sword to anyone who follows her.” The priest gave this order because he had decided she should not be executed in the Lord’s temple. 23:15 They seized her and took her into the precincts of the royal palace through the horses’ entrance. There they executed her.
23:16 Jehoiada then drew up a covenant stipulating that he, all the people, and the king should be loyal to the Lord. 23:17 All the people went and demolished the temple of Baal. They smashed its altars and idols. They killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars. 23:18 Jehoiada then assigned the duties of the Lord’s temple to the priests, the Levites whom David had assigned to the Lord’s temple. They were responsible for offering burnt sacrifices to the Lord with joy and music, according to the law of Moses and the edict of David. 23:19 He posted guards at the gates of the Lord’s temple, so no one who was ceremonially unclean in any way could enter. 23:20 He summoned the officers of the units of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people, and all the people of land, and he then led the king down from the Lord’s temple. They entered the royal palace through the Upper Gate and seated the king on the royal throne. 23:21 All the people of the land celebrated, for the city had rest now that they had killed Athaliah.
Lord, You pattern is consistent, when mankind chooses to follow You they are blessed and when they rebel you withdraw Your blessings and allow the natural fallen state of evil to have its way. May I not forget that it is You-alone Who holds-back the evil from my doorstep.
Jehoshaphat, as king of Judah, followed the Lord and even removed the high places, he sent priests throughout the kingdom to teach about the worship of the Lord God, and God blessed him with victory in battle, great wealth, and respect.
Ahab, as king of Israel, was not faithful to the Lord God and surrounded himself with 400 false prophets and had an adversarial relationship with the only remaining prophet of God in Israel, Micaiah.
Ahab asked Jehoshaphat to join him in a battle and Jehoshaphat agreed, but requested an oracle from God. Ahab consulted his false prophets but Jehoshaphat asked for a true prophet.
Ahab complained that Micaiah always prophesied trouble but Jehoshaphat insisted. Micaiah arrived and after toying with Ahab a bit prophesied his death in battle.
Ahab and Jehoshaphat ignored him and went ahead, while the Lord God protected Jehoshaphat when he cried-out (because Jehoshaphat had been faithful as king), but Ahab was killed as was prophesied.
When Jehoshaphat returned home he was confronted with the Lord God’s displeasure through the prophet Jehu who challenged him “Is it right to help the wicked and be an ally of those who oppose the Lord?”
Jehoshaphat continued to teach the people to serve the Lord and he appointed judges, separating decisions related to worship and obedience of the Lord God from matters related to the governance of the kingdom. “You will report to Amariah the chief priest in all matters pertaining to the Lord’s law, and to Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the leader of the family of Judah, in all matters pertaining to the king.”
Judah was threatened with attack and Jehoshaphat appealed to the Lord who told him not to fear, that He would fight for him. Jehoshaphat trusted the Lord and gathered the people to tell them to come and see what the Lord would do. As they approached the battle they sang praises to the Lord and He caused the enemy to fight one-another until they were all dead.
The people took three days to gather the plunder and they praised and worshiped the Lord.
Late in his reign Jehoshaphat of Judah made an alliance with the evil King Ahaziah of Israel to build ships. The Lord God sent his prophet Eliezer to inform Jehoshaphat that he had once-again allied himself with an evil leader and then God caused the ships to be destroyed.
Jehoram was an evil king who killed all of his brothers, and many of his father’s advisers, and consolidated power. He returned to the ways of previous evil kings.
Elijah prophesied his downfall, the destruction of his family, and great harm to Judah. When he died he was not mourned and was not buried in the royal tombs.
Ahaziah was rebellious like his father and was killed by Jehu while he visited Joram of Israel who had been injured. Jehu was in the process of destroying Ahab’s entire family.
Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah tried to murder his family line but one child was hidden from her. Then Jehoiada, the priest, coordinated with the military leaders and the Levites to protect the child while they arranged to crown him. When Athaliah heard she rushed to challenge him and was executed.
Jehoshaphat made a wise choice to obey the Lord God, and wiser still to teach the people to do the same. The pattern of blessed loyalty to the Lord God versus troubles for rebellion continued for the kings and the people of Israel and Judah.
Why would Jehoshaphat have twice made alliances with the evil kings of Israel when it was clear that the Lord God disapproved? Why would the kings, sons of blessed kings, choose the path of rebellion and trouble rather than that of faithfulness and blessing?
God's purpose in blessing is always clear, always purposeful, and never random. The prophets had a tough time of things, sometimes kings and other leaders listened, and sometimes they were ignored – and even killed – in their service to the Lord.
When have you experienced or observed and otherwise faithful leader choosing to ally with other leaders whose faithfulness to the Lord is questionable? When have you experienced or observed someone speaking-up for the truth of God, only to be ignored, and/or punished by those who claimed to be followers of Christ?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a source of teaching or other association where your walk with the Lord may be compromised either by bad teaching or by your contribution to the cause of someone (or some organization) not aligned with the will of God. Also ask Him to reveal to you someone who is being faithful to the Lord and who faces challenges as a result.
Today I will seek one who meets the Biblical qualifications of an “elder” and agree to pray and search the Word and to listen for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as I discern and repent of any alliance or association which is objectionable to Him. I will diligently pray for, and as is appropriate, otherwise assist the one to whom the Lord God directs my attention. They may be domestic or foreign missionaries, leaders or members in a local fellowship, or activists within the larger community of faith.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Elijah Visits a Widow in Sidonian Territory
17:1 Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As certainly as the Lord God of Israel lives (whom I serve), there will be no dew or rain in the years ahead unless I give the command.” 17:2 The Lord told him: 17:3 “Leave here and travel eastward. Hide out in the Kerith Valley near the Jordan. 17:4 Drink from the stream; I have already told the ravens to bring you food there.” 17:5 So he did as the Lord told him; he went and lived in the Kerith Valley near the Jordan. 17:6 The ravens would bring him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he would drink from the stream.
17:7 After a while, the stream dried up because there had been no rain in the land. 17:8 The Lord told him, 17:9 “Get up, go to Zarephath in Sidonian territory, and live there. I have already told a widow who lives there to provide for you.” 17:10 So he got up and went to Zarephath. When he went through the city gate, there was a widow gathering wood. He called out to her, “Please give me a cup of water, so I can take a drink.” 17:11 As she went to get it, he called out to her, “Please bring me a piece of bread.” 17:12 She said, “As certainly as the Lord your God lives, I have no food, except for a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. Right now I am gathering a couple of sticks for a fire. Then I’m going home to make one final meal for my son and myself. After we have eaten that, we will die of starvation.” 17:13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go and do as you planned. But first make a small cake for me and bring it to me; then make something for yourself and your son. 17:14 For this is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘The jar of flour will not be empty and the jug of oil will not run out until the day the Lord makes it rain on the surface of the ground.’” 17:15 She went and did as Elijah told her; there was always enough food for Elijah and for her and her family. 17:16 The jar of flour was never empty and the jug of oil never ran out, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah.
17:17 After this the son of the woman who owned the house got sick. His illness was so severe he could no longer breathe. 17:18 She asked Elijah, “Why, prophet, have you come to me to confront me with my sin and kill my son?” 17:19 He said to her, “Hand me your son.” He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him down on his bed. 17:20 Then he called out to the Lord, “O Lord, my God, are you also bringing disaster on this widow I am staying with by killing her son?” 17:21 He stretched out over the boy three times and called out to the Lord, “O Lord, my God, please let this boy’s breath return to him.” 17:22 The Lord answered Elijah’s prayer; the boy’s breath returned to him and he lived. 17:23 Elijah took the boy, brought him down from the upper room to the house, and handed him to his mother. Elijah then said, “See, your son is alive!” 17:24 The woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a prophet and that the Lord really does speak through you.”
Lord, when You call you empower. May I be alert to where You are moving so that I may be a useful instrument.
Elijah was given a tough task early in the record of his ministry as a prophet – to tell a king that disaster was to come upon the land due to their sin – which flowed in part from his poor leadership.
The Lord provided for his immediate needs then relocated him and used a widow as His instrument of miraculous provision.
Elijah appeared to have a weakness of faith as the Lord saw fit to challenge him via the mortal illness of her son. He prayerfully questioned the Lord’s motives then asked for healing, which the Lord granted.
His faith, and his credentials as a prophet in the eyes of the widow, were enhanced as a result.
Give the past violence of kings toward prophets one would anticipate some fear as Elijah brought bad news.
Why would Elijah have been so upset at God for allowing, or causing, the illness of the window’s son?
Witnessing the healing of her son via Elijah affirmed his credentials with her.
When have you doubted someone in Christian leadership then had their ‘credentials’ affirmed because the Lord God used them as His instrument in an obvious way?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place when you, like Elijah, may harbor confusion as to the Lord’s action – or inaction.
Today I will confess, repent, seek and receive forgiveness from the Lord for doubting His perfect wisdom. I will then give Him praise.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Elijah Meets the King’s Servant
18:1 Some time later, in the third year of the famine, the Lord told Elijah, “Go, make an appearance before Ahab, so I may send rain on the surface of the ground.” 18:2 So Elijah went to make an appearance before Ahab.
Now the famine was severe in Samaria. 18:3 So Ahab summoned Obadiah, who supervised the palace. (Now Obadiah was a very loyal follower of the Lord. 18:4 When Jezebel was killing the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah took one hundred prophets and hid them in two caves in two groups of fifty. He also brought them food and water.) 18:5 Ahab told Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grazing areas so we can keep the horses and mules alive and not have to kill some of the animals.” 18:6 They divided up the land between them; Ahab went one way and Obadiah went the other.
18:7 As Obadiah was traveling along, Elijah met him. When he recognized him, he fell facedown to the ground and said, “Is it really you, my master, Elijah?” 18:8 He replied, “Yes, go and say to your master, ‘Elijah is back.’” 18:9 Obadiah said, “What sin have I committed that you are ready to hand your servant over to Ahab for execution? 18:10 As certainly as the Lord your God lives, my master has sent to every nation and kingdom in an effort to find you. When they say, ‘He’s not here,’ he makes them swear an oath that they could not find you. 18:11 Now you say, ‘Go and say to your master, “Elijah is back.”‘ 18:12 But when I leave you, the Lord’s spirit will carry you away so I can’t find you. If I go tell Ahab I’ve seen you, he won’t be able to find you and he will kill me. That would not be fair, because your servant has been a loyal follower of the Lord from my youth. 18:13 Certainly my master is aware of what I did when Jezebel was killing the Lord’s prophets. I hid one hundred of the Lord’s prophets in two caves in two groups of fifty and I brought them food and water. 18:14 Now you say, ‘Go and say to your master, “Elijah is back,”‘ but he will kill me.” 18:15 But Elijah said, “As certainly as the Lord who rules over all lives (whom I serve), I will make an appearance before him today.”
Elijah Confronts Baal’s Prophets
18:16 When Obadiah went and informed Ahab, the king went to meet Elijah. 18:17 When Ahab saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is it really you, the one who brings disaster on Israel?” 18:18 Elijah replied, “I have not brought disaster on Israel. But you and your father’s dynasty have, by abandoning the Lord’s commandments and following the Baals. 18:19 Now send out messengers and assemble all Israel before me at Mount Carmel, as well as the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah whom Jezebel supports.
18:20 Ahab sent messengers to all the Israelites and had the prophets assemble at Mount Carmel. 18:21 Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long are you going to be paralyzed by indecision? If the Lord is the true God, then follow him, but if Baal is, follow him!” But the people did not say a word. 18:22 Elijah said to them: “I am the only prophet of the Lord who is left, but there are 450 prophets of Baal. 18:23 Let them bring us two bulls. Let them choose one of the bulls for themselves, cut it up into pieces, and place it on the wood. But they must not set it on fire. I will do the same to the other bull and place it on the wood. But I will not set it on fire. 18:24 Then you will invoke the name of your god, and I will invoke the name of the Lord. The god who responds with fire will demonstrate that he is the true God.” All the people responded, “This will be a fair test.”
18:25 Elijah told the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls for yourselves and go first, for you are the majority. Invoke the name of your god, but do not light a fire.” 18:26 So they took a bull, as he had suggested, and prepared it. They invoked the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “Baal, answer us.” But there was no sound and no answer. They jumped around on the altar they had made. 18:27 At noon Elijah mocked them, “Yell louder! After all, he is a god; he may be deep in thought, or perhaps he stepped out for a moment or has taken a trip. Perhaps he is sleeping and needs to be awakened.” 18:28 So they yelled louder and, in accordance with their prescribed ritual, mutilated themselves with swords and spears until their bodies were covered with blood. 18:29 Throughout the afternoon they were in an ecstatic frenzy, but there was no sound, no answer, and no response.
18:30 Elijah then told all the people, “Approach me.” So all the people approached him. He repaired the altar of the Lord that had been torn down. 18:31 Then Elijah took twelve stones, corresponding to the number of tribes that descended from Jacob, to whom the Lord had said, “Israel will be your new name.” 18:32 With the stones he constructed an altar for the Lord. Around the altar he made a trench large enough to contain two seahs of seed. 18:33 He arranged the wood, cut up the bull, and placed it on the wood. 18:34 Then he said, “Fill four water jars and pour the water on the offering and the wood.” When they had done so, he said, “Do it again.” So they did it again. Then he said, “Do it a third time.” So they did it a third time. 18:35 The water flowed down all sides of the altar and filled the trench. 18:36 When it was time for the evening offering, Elijah the prophet approached the altar and prayed: “O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 18:37 Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, O Lord, are the true God and that you are winning back their allegiance.” 18:38 Then fire from the Lord fell from the sky. It consumed the offering, the wood, the stones, and the dirt, and licked up the water in the trench. 18:39 When all the people saw this, they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground and said, “The Lord is the true God! The Lord is the true God!” 18:40 Elijah told them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Don’t let even one of them escape!” So they seized them, and Elijah led them down to the Kishon Valley and executed them there.
18:41 Then Elijah told Ahab, “Go on up and eat and drink, for the sound of a heavy rainstorm can be heard.” 18:42 So Ahab went on up to eat and drink, while Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel. He bent down toward the ground and put his face between his knees. 18:43 He told his servant, “Go on up and look in the direction of the sea.” So he went on up, looked, and reported, “There is nothing.” Seven times Elijah sent him to look. 18:44 The seventh time the servant said, “Look, a small cloud, the size of the palm of a man’s hand, is rising up from the sea.” Elijah then said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up the chariots and go down, so that the rain won’t overtake you.’” 18:45 Meanwhile the sky was covered with dark clouds, the wind blew, and there was a heavy rainstorm. Ahab rode toward Jezreel. 18:46 Now the Lord energized Elijah with power; he tucked his robe into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
Lord, at the end of all of the demonic fraud and noise there is only one true God and that is You. May I be bold to declare You truth and to stand against the lies of the enemies of truth.
Obadiah, a loyal servant of the Lord who had (unbeknownst to her) hidden 100 prophets from the murderous intentions of Jezebel, was summoned by Ahab to assist him as they each searched half of the kingdom for a source of water. As he traveled he met Elijah who had come out of God-assisted hiding from Ahab.
Elijah told him to bring him to Ahab but Obadiah was afraid Ahab would kill him and though Elijah’s request was unfair given his loyalty to the Lord God. Eljah insisted and Obadiah obeyed.
Elijah instructed Ahab to gather all of the false prophets at Mt Carmel, together with the people, then once-gathered he challenged them to build an altar with a sacrificial bull and to call upon their “god” to set it ablaze.
They did so and Elijah taunted them when there was no response, to which they responded by cutting themselves and dancing more furiously until they collapsed in the wasted effort.
Elijah then presented his offering, having people flood it with water, and when he prayed the Lord God not only consumed the offering He also consumed the water and the rocks with fire from Heaven.
Elijah had the people seize all of the false prophets and took them to the Kidron Valley where they were executed. He then prophesied the coming of rain to break the drought. As Ahab and Elijah’s servant traveled back to Jezreel using chariots the Lord God empowered Elijah to run fast enough to overtake and precede them there.
The drought caused Ahab to become desperate enough to respond to Elijah's challenge to a duel with the false prophets.
Why would Ahab think that he could harm the prophet whom God had empowered to deliver drought to the land?
Romans 6:23 says “The wages of sin are death ...” so denying the Lord God and promoting a false god, as the false prophets had, is the worse sort of sin.
When have you experienced or observed a person of strong faith overcome challenges that appeared to be overwhelming?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a time when He protected you from evil.
Today I will offer praise and thanks to the Lord God for His faithfulness in keeping me from the harm He revealed to me. I humbly agree to fearlessly stand for and with the Lord God in the face of false teaching, trusting Him to give me courage and wisdom.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
Elijah Runs for His Life
19:1 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, including a detailed account of how he killed all the prophets with the sword. 19:2 Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah with this warning, “May the gods judge me severely if by this time tomorrow I do not take your life as you did theirs!”
19:3 Elijah was afraid, so he got up and fled for his life to Beer Sheba in Judah. He left his servant there, 19:4 while he went a day’s journey into the desert. He went and sat down under a shrub and asked the Lord to take his life: “I’ve had enough! Now, O Lord, take my life. After all, I’m no better than my ancestors.” 19:5 He stretched out and fell asleep under the shrub. All of a sudden an angelic messenger touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 19:6 He looked and right there by his head was a cake baking on hot coals and a jug of water. He ate and drank and then slept some more. 19:7 The Lord’s angelic messenger came back again, touched him, and said, “Get up and eat, for otherwise you won’t be able to make the journey.” 19:8 So he got up and ate and drank. That meal gave him the strength to travel forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.
19:9 He went into a cave there and spent the night. All of a sudden the Lord spoke to him, “Why are you here, Elijah?” 19:10 He answered, “I have been absolutely loyal to the Lord, the sovereign God, even though the Israelites have abandoned the agreement they made with you, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life.” 19:11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord. Look, the Lord is ready to pass by.”
A very powerful wind went before the Lord, digging into the mountain and causing landslides, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the windstorm there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 19:12 After the earthquake, there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a soft whisper. 19:13 When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his robe and went out and stood at the entrance to the cave. All of a sudden a voice asked him, “Why are you here, Elijah?” 19:14 He answered, “I have been absolutely loyal to the Lord, the sovereign God, even though the Israelites have abandoned the agreement they made with you, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life.” 19:15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came and then head for the Desert of Damascus. Go and anoint Hazael king over Syria. 19:16 You must anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to take your place as prophet. 19:17 Jehu will kill anyone who escapes Hazael’s sword, and Elisha will kill anyone who escapes Jehu’s sword. 19:18 I still have left in Israel seven thousand followers who have not bowed their knees to Baal or kissed the images of him.”
19:19 Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen; he was near the twelfth pair. Elijah passed by him and threw his robe over him. 19:20 He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, then I will follow you.” Elijah said to him, “Go back! Indeed, what have I done to you?” 19:21 Elisha went back and took his pair of oxen and slaughtered them. He cooked the meat over a fire that he made by burning the harness and yoke. He gave the people meat and they ate. Then he got up and followed Elijah and became his assistant.
Lord, when we are obedient to You, the omnipotent God, we have nothing to fear from mere humans no matter their earthly power nor the fierceness of their rage. May I never shrink from Your service, nor fear for my well-being, due to threats from mere humans.
Jezebel was furious when she heard what Elijah had done and sent word that she intended to seem him dead.
Elijah was fearful, in his flesh, and fled to the desert to hide. There the Lord God provided for him food and water.
When He asked why Elijah was there he replied that despite his faithfulness his life was at-risk – so he wanted God to take him home.
The Lord God ignored Elijah’s request and instructed him to go to the mountain where He revealed Himself to him, demonstrating His omnipotence, then He gave Elijah new instructions.
Elijah was to anoint Hazael king over Syria, Jehu king over Israel, and Elisha as his successor. Elijah set out to do as instructed.
All three would be the Lord’s instruments of judgment for rebellious Israel as only 7,000 had remained obedient to the Law.
May Elijah become a little too arrogant in his flesh during his interaction with the false prophets and so when threatened in the flesh he panicked?
The Lord God answered his prayer to obliterate the water-soaked altar and offering, empowered him to kill the 450 false prophets, and invigorated him to out-run the chariots – so why would Elijah fear a threat from a mere human, Jezebel?
The Lord God ignored Elijah’s whining-in-the-flesh, demonstrated His power, then sent him on a new mission. Elijah, to his credit, immediately ceased whining and again stepped out in faith.
When have you felt threatened and forgotten that you serve an omnipotent God?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where fear is interfering with your confidence to serve.
Today I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement with me as I partner with the Holy Spirit to see the Lord God clearly where then enemy has tricked me into taking my eyes off of Him. I will confidently receive His new, or reiterated, instructions; then I will boldly set out in obedient faith.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Ben Hadad Invades Israel
20:1 Now King Ben Hadad of Syria assembled all his army, along with thirty-two other kings with their horses and chariots. He marched against Samaria and besieged and attacked it. 20:2 He sent messengers to King Ahab of Israel, who was in the city. 20:3 He said to him, “This is what Ben Hadad says, ‘Your silver and your gold are mine, as well as the best of your wives and sons.’” 20:4 The king of Israel replied, “It is just as you say, my master, O king. I and all I own belong to you.”
20:5 The messengers came again and said, “This is what Ben Hadad says, ‘I sent this message to you, “You must give me your silver, gold, wives, and sons.” 20:6 But now at this time tomorrow I will send my servants to you and they will search through your palace and your servants’ houses. They will carry away all your valuables.” 20:7 The king of Israel summoned all the leaders of the land and said, “Notice how this man is looking for trouble. Indeed, he demanded my wives, sons, silver, and gold, and I did not resist him.” 20:8 All the leaders and people said to him, “Do not give in or agree to his demands.” 20:9 So he said to the messengers of Ben Hadad, “Say this to my master, the king, ‘I will give you everything you demanded at first from your servant, but I am unable to agree to this latest demand.’” So the messengers went back and gave their report.
20:10 Ben Hadad sent another message to him, “May the gods judge me severely if there is enough dirt left in Samaria for my soldiers to scoop up in their hands.” 20:11 The king of Israel replied, “Tell him the one who puts on his battle gear should not boast like one who is taking it off.” 20:12 When Ben Hadad received this reply, he and the other kings were drinking in their quarters. He ordered his servants, “Get ready to attack!” So they got ready to attack the city.
The Lord Delivers Israel
20:13 Now a prophet visited King Ahab of Israel and said, “This is what the Lord says, ‘Do you see this huge army? Look, I am going to hand it over to you this very day. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’” 20:14 Ahab asked, “By whom will this be accomplished?” He answered, “This is what the Lord says, ‘By the servants of the district governors.’” Ahab asked, “Who will launch the attack?” He answered, “You will.”
20:15 So Ahab assembled the 232 servants of the district governors. After that he assembled all the Israelite army, numbering 7,000. 20:16 They marched out at noon, while Ben Hadad and the thirty-two kings allied with him were drinking heavily in their quarters. 20:17 The servants of the district governors led the march. When Ben Hadad sent messengers, they reported back to him, “Men are marching out of Samaria.” 20:18 He ordered, “Whether they come in peace or to do battle, take them alive.” 20:19 They marched out of the city with the servants of the district governors in the lead and the army behind them. 20:20 Each one struck down an enemy soldier; the Syrians fled and Israel chased them. King Ben Hadad of Syria escaped on horseback with some horsemen. 20:21 Then the king of Israel marched out and struck down the horses and chariots; he thoroughly defeated Syria.
The Lord Gives Israel Another Victory
20:22 The prophet visited the king of Israel and instructed him, “Go, fortify your defenses. Determine what you must do, for in the spring the king of Syria will attack you.” 20:23 Now the advisers of the king of Syria said to him: “Their God is a god of the mountains. That’s why they overpowered us. But if we fight them in the plains, we will certainly overpower them. 20:24 So do this: Dismiss the kings from their command, and replace them with military commanders. 20:25 Muster an army like the one you lost, with the same number of horses and chariots. Then we will fight them in the plains; we will certainly overpower them.” He approved their plan and did as they advised.
20:26 In the spring Ben Hadad mustered the Syrian army and marched to Aphek to fight Israel. 20:27 When the Israelites had mustered and had received their supplies, they marched out to face them in battle. When the Israelites deployed opposite them, they were like two small flocks of goats, but the Syrians filled the land. 20:28 The prophet visited the king of Israel and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Because the Syrians said, “The Lord is a god of the mountains and not a god of the valleys,” I will hand over to you this entire huge army. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
20:29 The armies were deployed opposite each other for seven days. On the seventh day the battle began, and the Israelites killed 100,000 Syrian foot soldiers in one day. 20:30 The remaining 27,000 ran to Aphek and went into the city, but the wall fell on them. Now Ben Hadad ran into the city and hid in an inner room. 20:31 His advisers said to him, “Look, we have heard that the kings of the Israelite dynasty are kind. Allow us to put sackcloth around our waists and ropes on our heads and surrender to the king of Israel. Maybe he will spare our lives.” 20:32 So they put sackcloth around their waists and ropes on their heads and went to the king of Israel. They said, “Your servant Ben Hadad says, ‘Please let me live!’” Ahab replied, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.” 20:33 The men took this as a good omen and quickly accepted his offer, saying, “Ben Hadad is your brother.” Ahab then said, “Go, get him.” So Ben Hadad came out to him, and Ahab pulled him up into his chariot. 20:34 Ben Hadad said, “I will return the cities my father took from your father. You may set up markets in Damascus, just as my father did in Samaria.” Ahab then said, “I want to make a treaty with you before I dismiss you.” So he made a treaty with him and then dismissed him.
A Prophet Denounces Ahab’s Actions
20:35 One of the members of the prophetic guild, speaking with divine authority, ordered his companion, “Wound me!” But the man refused to wound him. 20:36 So the prophet said to him, “Because you have disobeyed the Lord, as soon as you leave me a lion will kill you.” When he left him, a lion attacked and killed him. 20:37 He found another man and said, “Wound me!” So the man wounded him severely. 20:38 The prophet then went and stood by the road, waiting for the king. He also disguised himself by putting a bandage down over his eyes. 20:39 When the king passed by, he called out to the king, “Your servant went out into the heat of the battle, and then a man turned aside and brought me a prisoner. He told me, ‘Guard this prisoner. If he ends up missing for any reason, you will pay with your life or with a talent of silver.’ 20:40 Well, it just so happened that while your servant was doing this and that, he disappeared.” The king of Israel said to him, “Your punishment is already determined by your own testimony.” 20:41 The prophet quickly removed the bandage from his eyes and the king of Israel recognized he was one of the prophets. 20:42 The prophet then said to him, “This is what the Lord says, ‘Because you released a man I had determined should die, you will pay with your life and your people will suffer instead of his people.’” 20:43 The king of Israel went home to Samaria bitter and angry.
Ahab Murders Naboth
21:1 After this the following episode took place. Naboth the Jezreelite owned a vineyard in Jezreel adjacent to the palace of King Ahab of Samaria. 21:2 Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard so I can make a vegetable garden out of it, for it is adjacent to my palace. I will give you an even better vineyard in its place, or if you prefer, I will pay you silver for it.” 21:3 But Naboth replied to Ahab, “The Lord forbid that I should sell you my ancestral inheritance.”
21:4 So Ahab went into his palace, bitter and angry that Naboth the Jezreelite had said, “I will not sell to you my ancestral inheritance.” He lay down on his bed, pouted, and would not eat. 21:5 Then his wife Jezebel came in and said to him, “Why do you have a bitter attitude and refuse to eat?” 21:6 He answered her, “While I was talking to Naboth the Jezreelite, I said to him, ‘Sell me your vineyard for silver, or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I will not sell you my vineyard.’” 21:7 His wife Jezebel said to him, “You are the king of Israel! Get up, eat some food, and have a good time. I will get the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite for you.”
21:8 She wrote out orders, signed Ahab’s name to them, and sealed them with his seal. She then sent the orders to the leaders and to the nobles who lived in Naboth’s city. 21:9 This is what she wrote: “Observe a time of fasting and seat Naboth in front of the people. 21:10 Also seat two villains opposite him and have them testify, ‘You cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.”
21:11 The men of the city, the leaders and the nobles who lived there, followed the written orders Jezebel had sent them. 21:12 They observed a time of fasting and put Naboth in front of the people. 21:13 The two villains arrived and sat opposite him. Then the villains testified against Naboth right before the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king.” So they dragged him outside the city and stoned him to death. 21:14 Then they reported to Jezebel, “Naboth has been stoned to death.”
21:15 When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up, take possession of the vineyard Naboth the Jezreelite refused to sell you for silver, for Naboth is no longer alive; he’s dead.” 21:16 When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.
21:17 The Lord told Elijah the Tishbite: 21:18 “Get up, go down and meet King Ahab of Israel who lives in Samaria. He is at the vineyard of Naboth; he has gone down there to take possession of it. 21:19 Say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Haven’t you committed murder and taken possession of the property of the deceased?”’ Then say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “In the spot where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood they will also lick up your blood – yes, yours!”’”
21:20 When Elijah arrived, Ahab said to him, “So, you have found me, my enemy!” Elijah replied, “I have found you, because you are committed to doing evil in the sight of the Lord. 21:21 The Lord says, ‘Look, I am ready to bring disaster on you. I will destroy you and cut off every last male belonging to Ahab in Israel, including even the weak and incapacitated. 21:22 I will make your dynasty like those of Jeroboam son of Nebat and Baasha son of Ahijah because you angered me and made Israel sin.’ 21:23 The Lord says this about Jezebel, ‘Dogs will devour Jezebel by the outer wall of Jezreel.’ 21:24 As for Ahab’s family, dogs will eat the ones who die in the city, and the birds of the sky will eat the ones who die in the country.” 21:25 (There had never been anyone like Ahab, who was firmly committed to doing evil in the sight of the Lord, urged on by his wife Jezebel. 21:26 He was so wicked he worshiped the disgusting idols, just like the Amorites whom the Lord had driven out from before the Israelites.)
21:27 When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He slept in sackcloth and walked around dejected. 21:28 The Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, 21:29 “Have you noticed how Ahab shows remorse before me? Because he shows remorse before me, I will not bring disaster on his dynasty during his lifetime, but during the reign of his son.”
Ahab Dies in Battle
22:1 There was no war between Syria and Israel for three years. 22:2 In the third year King Jehoshaphat of Judah came down to visit the king of Israel. 22:3 The king of Israel said to his servants, “Surely you recognize that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us, though we are hesitant to reclaim it from the king of Syria.” 22:4 Then he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to attack Ramoth Gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I will support you; my army and horses are at your disposal.” 22:5 Then Jehoshaphat added, “First seek an oracle from the Lord.” 22:6 So the king of Israel assembled about four hundred prophets and asked them, “Should I attack Ramoth Gilead or not?” They said, “Attack! The sovereign one will hand it over to the king.” 22:7 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not a prophet of the Lord still here, that we may ask him?” 22:8 The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man through whom we can seek the Lord’s will. But I despise him because he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster. His name is Micaiah son of Imlah. Jehoshaphat said, “The king should not say such things.” 22:9 The king of Israel summoned an official and said, “Quickly bring Micaiah son of Imlah.”
22:10 Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were sitting on their respective thrones, dressed in their robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria. All the prophets were prophesying before them. 22:11 Zedekiah son of Kenaanah made iron horns and said, “This is what the Lord says, ‘With these you will gore Syria until they are destroyed.’” 22:12 All the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, “Attack Ramoth Gilead! You will succeed; the Lord will hand it over to the king.” 22:13 Now the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the prophets are in complete agreement that the king will succeed. Your words must agree with theirs; you must predict success.” 22:14 But Micaiah said, “As certainly as the Lord lives, I will say what the Lord tells me to say.”
22:15 When he came before the king, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we attack Ramoth Gilead or not?” He answered him, “Attack! You will succeed; the Lord will hand it over to the king.” 22:16 The king said to him, “How many times must I make you solemnly promise in the name of the Lord to tell me only the truth?” 22:17 Micaiah said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep that have no shepherd. Then the Lord said, ‘They have no master. They should go home in peace.’” 22:18 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster?” 22:19 Micaiah said, “That being the case, hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, with all the heavenly assembly standing on his right and on his left. 22:20 The Lord said, ‘Who will deceive Ahab, so he will attack Ramoth Gilead and die there?’ One said this and another that. 22:21 Then a spirit stepped forward and stood before the Lord. He said, ‘I will deceive him.’ The Lord asked him, ‘How?’ 22:22 He replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ The Lord said, ‘Deceive and overpower him. Go out and do as you have proposed.’ 22:23 So now, look, the Lord has placed a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours; but the Lord has decreed disaster for you.” 22:24 Zedekiah son of Kenaanah approached, hit Micaiah on the jaw, and said, “Which way did the Lord’s spirit go when he went from me to speak to you?” 22:25 Micaiah replied, “Look, you will see in the day when you go into an inner room to hide.” 22:26 Then the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the city official and Joash the king’s son. 22:27 Say, ‘This is what the king says, “Put this man in prison. Give him only a little bread and water until I safely return.”‘” 22:28 Micaiah said, “If you really do safely return, then the Lord has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Take note, all you people.”
22:29 The king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah attacked Ramoth Gilead. 22:30 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and then enter into the battle; but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and then entered into the battle. 22:31 Now the king of Syria had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders, “Do not fight common soldiers or high-ranking officers; fight only the king of Israel.” 22:32 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “He must be the king of Israel.” So they turned and attacked him, but Jehoshaphat cried out. 22:33 When the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, they turned away from him. 22:34 Now an archer shot an arrow at random, and it struck the king of Israel between the plates of his armor. The king ordered his charioteer, “Turn around and take me from the battle line, because I’m wounded.” 22:35 While the battle raged throughout the day, the king stood propped up in his chariot opposite the Syrians. He died in the evening; the blood from the wound ran down into the bottom of the chariot. 22:36 As the sun was setting, a cry went through the camp, “Each one should return to his city and to his homeland.” 22:37 So the king died and was taken to Samaria, where they buried him. 22:38 They washed off the chariot at the pool of Samaria (this was where the prostitutes bathed); dogs licked his blood, just as the Lord had said would happen.
22:39 The rest of the events of Ahab’s reign, including a record of his accomplishments and how he built a luxurious palace and various cities, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 22:40 Ahab passed away. His son Ahaziah replaced him as king.
Jehoshaphat’s Reign over Judah
22:41 In the fourth year of King Ahab’s reign over Israel, Asa’s son Jehoshaphat became king over Judah. 22:42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king and he reigned for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi. 22:43 He followed in his father Asa’s footsteps and was careful to do what the Lord approved. (22:44) However, the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places. 22:44 (22:45) Jehoshaphat was also at peace with the king of Israel.
22:45 The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, including his successes and military exploits, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 22:46 He removed from the land any male cultic prostitutes who had managed to survive the reign of his father Asa. 22:47 There was no king in Edom at this time; a governor ruled. 22:48 Jehoshaphat built a fleet of large merchant ships to travel to Ophir for gold, but they never made the voyage because they were shipwrecked in Ezion Geber. 22:49 Then Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my sailors join yours in the fleet,” but Jehoshaphat refused.
22:50 Jehoshaphat passed away and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his ancestor David. His son Jehoram replaced him as king.
Ahaziah’s Reign over Israel
22:51 In the seventeenth year of King Jehoshaphat’s reign over Judah, Ahab’s son Ahaziah became king over Israel in Samaria. He ruled for two years over Israel. 22:52 He did evil in the sight of the Lord and followed in the footsteps of his father and mother; like Jeroboam son of Nebat, he encouraged Israel to sin. 22:53 He worshiped and bowed down to Baal, angering the Lord God of Israel just as his father had done.
Lord, those who fail to follow Your teaching and who fail to listen to Your voice of correction are doomed to disaster. May I be always-accountable to You, through faithful fellow believers who prayerfully hold me to Your Word, and may I be obedient in my choices.
Ben Hadad, still king of Syria, gathered thirty-two other kings and attacked Israel on the mountain, but the Lord God protected them. They gathered again and attacked in the plain, and again the Lord God delivered Israel. But instead of killing Hadad as the Lord had instructed Ahab made a treaty – which disobedience brought judgment upon Ahab and the people.
Ahab wanted the land of Naboth and offered to buy it or trade better land for it but Naboth refused to sell land that had been in his family for generations. When Queen Jezebel heard of it she schemed to have Naboth falsely accused and stoned to death on Ahab’s behalf.
When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead he went to take the land but the Lord God sent Elijah to confront him with a terrible prophesy of punishment for the murder of Naboth and for Ahab’s persistent rebellion.
When Ahab responded with a repentant heart the Lord God postponed the punishment, the obliteration of Ahab’s entire family, until after his son took the throne.
Ahab of Israel and Jehosophat of Judah joined forces to attack the Syrians who occupied Ramoth Gilead. The consulted the 400 false prophets who encouraged them but Jehosophat insisted that they consult a true prophet. Ahab resisted because he did not like bad news and as expected the true prophet, Micaiah (after first mocking Ahab and the false prophets a bit) prophesied disaster.
Ahab and Jehosophat ignored the prophet of God and attacked and were defeated and Ahab was mortally wounded, his blood licked up by the dogs, just as Elijah had prophesied.
Jehosophat ruled Judah for twenty-five years and continued the mostly-faithful example of his father Asa, removing all male cultic prostitutes who had escaped Asa’s purge. He did fail to remove the pagan places of worship on the high places. His son Jehoram followed him as king.
In Israel Ahaziah followed Ahab as king and was as evil and rebellious as his father and mother.
Ahab knew that when his evil wife Jezebel said she’d take care of things with Naboth she would have him murdered, and he said nothing, which is why God held him responsible for the murder.
Since Micaiah, like Elijah, had a history of speaking truth why would Ahab and Jehosophat ignore him at risk of disaster?
Jehosophat incrementally improved things in Judah by removing the last of the male cultic prostitutes, and he continued his personal obedience to the Lord God, but he inexplicably failed to remove the pagan places of sacrifice which continued to ensnare many of the people in deception.
When have you observed a leader who tried to live faithfully, and who made small efforts to deal with bad doctrine within the fellowship which they led, but still seemed blind to or unconcerned about obvious evidences of sin?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you have been dealing decisively with a place of sin in your life, or business, or family, or fellowship, or other association, and one to which you have been blind.
Today I will celebrate with a fellow believer what the Holy Spirit has done in and through me to the glory of the Lord God. I will ask that same believer to pray in-agreement that I will have the courage to respond decisively to repent (turn away from) the unaddressed sin which He has revealed to me.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Elijah Confronts the King and His Commanders
1:1 After Ahab died, Moab rebelled against Israel. 1:2 Ahaziah fell through a window lattice in his upper chamber in Samaria and was injured. He sent messengers with these orders, “Go, ask Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron, if I will survive this injury.”
1:3 But the Lord’s angelic messenger told Elijah the Tishbite, “Get up, go to meet the messengers from the king of Samaria. Say this to them: ‘You must think there is no God in Israel! That explains why you are on your way to seek an oracle from Baal Zebub the god of Ekron. 1:4 Therefore this is what the Lord says, “You will not leave the bed you lie on, for you will certainly die!”‘” So Elijah went on his way.
1:5 When the messengers returned to the king, he asked them, “Why have you returned?” 1:6 They replied, “A man came up to meet us. He told us, “Go back to the king who sent you and tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “You must think there is no God in Israel! That explains why you are sending for an oracle from Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron. Therefore you will not leave the bed you lie on, for you will certainly die.”‘” 1:7 The king asked them, “Describe the appearance of this man who came up to meet you and told you these things.” 1:8 They replied, “He was a hairy man and had a leather belt tied around his waist.” The king said, “He is Elijah the Tishbite.”
1:9 The king sent a captain and his fifty soldiers to retrieve Elijah. The captain went up to him, while he was sitting on the top of a hill. He told him, “Prophet, the king says, ‘Come down!’” 1:10 Elijah replied to the captain, “If I am indeed a prophet, may fire come down from the sky and consume you and your fifty soldiers!” Fire then came down from the sky and consumed him and his fifty soldiers.
1:11 The king sent another captain and his fifty soldiers to retrieve Elijah. He went up and told him, “Prophet, this is what the king says, ‘Come down at once!’” 1:12 Elijah replied to them, “If I am indeed a prophet, may fire come down from the sky and consume you and your fifty soldiers!” Fire from God came down from the sky and consumed him and his fifty soldiers.
1:13 The king sent a third captain and his fifty soldiers. This third captain went up and fell on his knees before Elijah. He begged for mercy, “Prophet, please have respect for my life and for the lives of these fifty servants of yours. 1:14 Indeed, fire came down from the sky and consumed the two captains who came before me, along with their men. So now, please have respect for my life.” 1:15 The Lord’s angelic messenger said to Elijah, “Go down with him. Don’t be afraid of him.” So he got up and went down with him to the king.
1:16 Elijah said to the king, “This is what the Lord says, ‘You sent messengers to seek an oracle from Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron. You must think there is no God in Israel from whom you can seek an oracle! Therefore you will not leave the bed you lie on, for you will certainly die.’”
1:17 He died just as the Lord had prophesied through Elijah. In the second year of the reign of King Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat over Judah, Ahaziah’s brother Jehoram replaced him as king of Israel, because he had no son. 1:18 The rest of the events of Ahaziah’s reign, including his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.
Elijah Makes a Swift Departure
2:1 Just before the Lord took Elijah up to heaven in a windstorm, Elijah and Elisha were traveling from Gilgal. 2:2 Elijah told Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As certainly as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 2:3 Some members of the prophetic guild in Bethel came out to Elisha and said, “Do you know that today the Lord is going to take your master from you?” He answered, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”
2:4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” But he replied, “As certainly as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho. 2:5 Some members of the prophetic guild in Jericho approached Elisha and said, “Do you know that today the Lord is going to take your master from you?” He answered, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”
2:6 Elijah said to him, “Stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But he replied, “As certainly as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they traveled on together. 2:7 The fifty members of the prophetic guild went and stood opposite them at a distance, while Elijah and Elisha stood by the Jordan. 2:8 Elijah took his cloak, folded it up, and hit the water with it. The water divided, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
2:9 When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “What can I do for you, before I am taken away from you?” Elisha answered, “May I receive a double portion of the prophetic spirit that energizes you.” 2:10 Elijah replied, “That’s a difficult request! If you see me taken from you, may it be so, but if you don’t, it will not happen.”
2:11 As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a fiery chariot pulled by fiery horses appeared. They went between Elijah and Elisha, and Elijah went up to heaven in a windstorm. 2:12 While Elisha was watching, he was crying out, “My father, my father! The chariot and horsemen of Israel!” Then he could no longer see him. He grabbed his clothes and tore them in two. 2:13 He picked up Elijah’s cloak, which had fallen off him, and went back and stood on the shore of the Jordan. 2:14 He took the cloak that had fallen off Elijah, hit the water with it, and said, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” When he hit the water, it divided and Elisha crossed over.
2:15 When the members of the prophetic guild in Jericho, who were standing at a distance, saw him do this, they said, “The spirit that energized Elijah rests upon Elisha.” They went to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him. 2:16 They said to him, “Look, there are fifty capable men with your servants. Let them go and look for your master, for the wind sent from the Lord may have carried him away and dropped him on one of the hills or in one of the valleys.” But Elisha replied, “Don’t send them out.” 2:17 But they were so insistent, he became embarrassed. So he said, “Send them out.” They sent the fifty men out and they looked for three days, but could not find Elijah. 2:18 When they came back, Elisha was staying in Jericho. He said to them, “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t go’?”
Lord, when we look for truth from any spiritual source but You Lord we are in rebellion and in trouble. May I never consult anything but Your Word and Your Holy Spirit for spiritual truth. Lord, Elijah had been an exceptional mentor to Elisha, so when his time was done Elisha was ready to do all that he had done and more. May I mentor one or more people so that they will be equipped to serve You in much greater ways than I have.
Moab rebelled against the rule of Israel and then King Ahaziah of Israel was badly injured falling through lattice on the upper floor of the castle.
Instead of consulting a prophet of Israel Ahaziah sent for an oracle from the false god of Baal.
The Lord God informed Elijah who intercepted Ahaziah’s messengers and sent them back with the word from God that because he had done so Ahaziah would die where he laid in his bed.
Ahaziah sent soldiers to get Elijah three times, the first two Elijah called down fire from heaven to consume them, the third time the captain begged for mercy and God instructed Elijah to go to Ahaziah.
Elijah delivered his prophesy in person and Ahaziah died. His brother Jehoram followed him as king because Ahziah had no son. Elisha, knowing in his Spirit that the Lord God was to take Elijah – his mentor – away refused to part from him and instructed prophets in the three towns they visited to be quiet when they prophesied Elijah’s imminent departure.
When it was time Elijah asked Elisha what gift he wanted, he asked for twice Elijah’s prophetic gift, to which Elijah replied that it was a lot to ask but would be granted if Elisha witnessed Elijah’s departure. He did.
When first crossing the Jordan Elijah struck the water with his cloak and it parted for them, on his return trip without Elijah, Elisha did the same and the watching guild of local prophets bowed in respect to Elisha’s gift from God.
Those same prophets noted that the water was poor, affecting health and crops, so Elisha blessed it and made if abundant and clean.
When Ahaziah sent for word from Baal he was consulting Satan. Elijah made that clear when he declared “You must think there is no God in Israel!”
Might Elijah have wanted Elisha to see how he was taken-up by the Lord God so that Elisha would not only receive a double-portion of prophetic power but also be visually reminded Who it was he would be serving?
The obliteration of the first two groups of soldiers demonstrated that Elijah did not answer to a mere human king but to the Lord God. Elisha’s parting of the Jordan was a visual evidence of his linkage to the very same omnipotent God of the Exodus.
When have you observed a Christian consulting instruments of evil for spiritual guidance, such as a “Magic 8-Ball”, Tarot cards, Ouija board, horoscopes, fortune tellers, etc.? When have you observed a leader who mentored his successor? When there was a transfer of responsibility was it obvious that the one mentored had been well-prepared?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where you may engage in a superstitious or otherwise non-Biblical means of dealing with an unclear situation, and to reveal to you someone He wants you to mentor.
Today I will confess and repent of any place that the Holy Spirit has revealed as seeking guidance from a non-Biblical source. It may be as obvious as a “Magic 8-Ball”, Tarot cards, Ouija board, horoscopes, fortune tellers, or the like, or some other “throw salt over your shoulder”, avoidance of a hotel room numbered “13”, astrology-numerology, etc. I will also make myself available as His instrument of mentoring to the one whom He has designated.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
God’s Judgment on Edom|Edom’s Approaching Destruction
1:1 The vision that Obadiah saw.
The Lord God says this concerning Edom:
God’s Judgment on Edom|Edom’s Approaching Destruction
We have heard a report from the Lord. An envoy was sent among the nations, saying, “Arise! Let us make war against Edom!”
1:2 The Lord says, “Look! I will make you a weak nation; you will be greatly despised!
1:3 Your presumptuous heart has deceived you – you who reside in the safety of the rocky cliffs, whose home is high in the mountains. You think to yourself, ‘No one can bring me down to the ground!’
1:4 Even if you were to soar high like an eagle, even if you were to make your nest among the stars, I can bring you down even from there!” says the Lord.
1:5 “If thieves came to rob you during the night, they would steal only as much as they wanted! If grape pickers came to harvest your vineyards, they would leave some behind for the poor! But you will be totally destroyed!
1:6 How the people of Esau will be thoroughly plundered! Their hidden valuables will be ransacked!
1:7 All your allies will force you from your homeland! Your treaty partners will deceive you and overpower you. Your trusted friends will set an ambush for you that will take you by surprise!
1:8 At that time,” the Lord says, “I will destroy the wise sages of Edom! the advisers from Esau’s mountain!
1:9 Your warriors will be shattered, O Teman, so that everyone will be destroyed from Esau’s mountain!
Edom’s Treachery Against Judah
1:10 “Because you violently slaughtered your relatives, the people of Jacob, shame will cover you, and you will be destroyed forever.
1:11 You stood aloof while strangers took his army captive, and foreigners advanced to his gates. When they cast lots over Jerusalem, you behaved as though you were in league with them.
1:12 You should not have gloated when your relatives suffered calamity. You should not have rejoiced over the people of Judah when they were destroyed. You should not have boasted when they suffered adversity.
1:13 You should not have entered the city of my people when they experienced distress. You should not have joined in gloating over their misfortune when they suffered distress. You should not have looted their wealth when they endured distress.
1:14 You should not have stood at the fork in the road to slaughter those trying to escape. You should not have captured their refugees when they suffered adversity.
The Coming Day of the Lord
1:15 “For the day of the Lord is approaching for all the nations! Just as you have done, so it will be done to you. You will get exactly what your deeds deserve.
1:16 For just as you have drunk on my holy mountain, so all the nations will drink continually. They will drink, and they will gulp down; they will be as though they had never been.
1:17 But on Mount Zion there will be a remnant of those who escape, and it will be a holy place once again. The descendants of Jacob will conquer those who had conquered them.
1:18 The descendants of Jacob will be a fire, and the descendants of Joseph a flame. The descendants of Esau will be like stubble. They will burn them up and devour them. There will not be a single survivor of the descendants of Esau!” Indeed, the Lord has spoken it.
1:19 The people of the Negev will take possession of Esau’s mountain, and the people of the Shephelah will take possession of the land of the Philistines. They will also take possession of the territory of Ephraim and the territory of Samaria, and the people of Benjamin will take possession of Gilead.
1:20 The exiles of this fortress of the people of Israel will take possession of what belongs to the people of Canaan, as far as Zarephath, and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad will take possession of the towns of the Negev.
1:21 Those who have been delivered will go up on Mount Zion in order to rule over Esau’s mountain.
Then the Lord will reign as King!
Psalm 82
82:1 A psalm of Asaph.
God stands in the assembly of El; in the midst of the gods he renders judgment.
82:2 He says, “How long will you make unjust legal decisions and show favoritism to the wicked? (Selah)
82:3 Defend the cause of the poor and the fatherless!
Vindicate the oppressed and suffering!
82:4 Rescue the poor and needy!
Deliver them from the power of the wicked!
82:5 They neither know nor understand.
They stumble around in the dark, while all the foundations of the earth crumble.
82:6 I thought, ‘You are gods; all of you are sons of the Most High.’
82:7 Yet you will die like mortals; you will fall like all the other rulers.”
82:8 Rise up, O God, and execute judgment on the earth!
For you own all the nations.
Psalm 83
83:1 A song, a psalm of Asaph.
O God, do not be silent!
Do not ignore us! Do not be inactive, O God!
83:2 For look, your enemies are making a commotion; those who hate you are hostile.
83:3 They carefully plot against your people, and make plans to harm the ones you cherish.
83:4 They say, “Come on, let’s annihilate them so they are no longer a nation!
Then the name of Israel will be remembered no more.”
83:5 Yes, they devise a unified strategy; they form an alliance against you.
83:6 It includes the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites,
83:7 Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek, Philistia and the inhabitants of Tyre.
83:8 Even Assyria has allied with them, lending its strength to the descendants of Lot. (Selah)
83:9 Do to them as you did to Midian – as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River!
83:10 They were destroyed at Endor; their corpses were like manure on the ground.
83:11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, and all their rulers like Zebah and Zalmunna,
83:12 who said, “Let’s take over the pastures of God!”
83:13 O my God, make them like dead thistles, like dead weeds blown away by the wind!
83:14 Like the fire that burns down the forest, or the flames that consume the mountainsides,
83:15 chase them with your gale winds, and terrify them with your windstorm.
83:16 Cover their faces with shame, so they might seek you, O Lord.
83:17 May they be humiliated and continually terrified!
May they die in shame!
83:18 Then they will know that you alone are the Lord, the sovereign king over all the earth.
Lord, Esau made choice after choice, most of them poor ones. The Lord God knew His heart and therefore his future, thus Esau was “hated” for the purpose of the future as he was an unfit instrument. Obadiah delivered the inevitable prophesy. May I recognize that each decision, piled on top of those which came before it, has a cumulative effect. Before I drift into an Esau-heart may the Holy Spirit find enough teachability in me to lead me to repent and return to a right-place before the Lord God.
Obadiah was the Lord God’s prophet to “... the people of Esau”, Edom. Esau had done the forbidden, married a Canaanite woman, actually three of them. There is no Biblical evidence what he was effectively discipled by his father, either due to his father’s neglect, or his refusal to learn. Esau later failed to demonstrate any serious interest in a relationship with the Lord God. The people who followed, with a few notable exceptions, continued in the same way and became increasingly hostile to the children of God.
Obadiah recited the list of their offenses, especially those against Israel and Kudah, and then warned them “For the day of the Lord is approaching for all the nations! Just as you have done, so it will be done to you. You will get exactly what your deeds deserve.”
Obadiah compared the tribes and nations “The descendants of Jacob will be a fire, and the descendants of Joseph a flame. The descendants of Esau will be like stubble. They will burn them up and devour them. There will not be a single survivor of the descendants of Esau! Indeed, the Lord has spoken it.”
He described how their lands would be redistributed “The people of the Negev will take possession of Esau’s mountain, and the people of the Shephelah will take possession of the land of the Philistines. They will also take possession of the territory of Ephraim and the territory of Samaria, and the people of Benjamin will take possession of Gilead. The exiles of this fortress of the people of Israel will take possession of what belongs to the people of Canaan, as far as Zarephath, and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad will take possession of the towns of the Negev. Those who have been delivered will go up on Mount Zion in order to rule over Esau’s mountain.”
Obadiah concluded “Then the Lord will reign as King!”
Asaph’s Psalm, numbered eighty-two, was a wisdom-song with an imprecatory prayer where he asked the Lord God to judge and punish the Cannanites and their false religion.
Asaph’s Psalm, numbered eighty-three, returns to the petition-song theme for the Lord God’s rescue and also contained an imprecatory prayer for the destruction of their enemies.
Esau was in trouble from the womb as the omniscient-Lord God knew his heart and He knew from the beginning through the end. He is the Creator of time and therefore not limited to temporary linear time. He always kept His part of every covenant.
The entire Word of God teaches that in the end all of ones striving and acquisition of worldly things, such as Esau’s descendants, will be worthless without a saving relationship with the Lord? Why would Asaph expect the Lord God to relent from His judgment of the nation of Israel after the long history of chronic rebellion?
Asaph seemed to see mostly the consequences rather than the cause of Israel’s troubles. While the children of God suffered, mostly due to their own poor choices, in the end a repentant and faithful remnant will be preserved.
When have you observed someone, though they be filled with arrogance toward the Lord God, do well in the world’s eyes - only to end their life empty and sad? When have you had troubles - and later realized that if you had focused on the cause rather than the symptoms of the trouble you would have found relief sooner?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you have been resisting His leading and as a result have built-up a wall between you and the Lord, and to reveal to you a list of times when He has protected and/or provided for you.
Today I will confess and repent, seek and receive the Lord God’s forgiveness, and I will listen more-closely to the Holy Spirit so that I will not drift into an Esau-heart condition.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 40
Elisha Heals a Syrian General
5:1 Now Naaman, the commander of the king of Syria’s army, was esteemed and respected by his master, for through him the Lord had given Syria military victories. But this great warrior had a skin disease. 5:2 Raiding parties went out from Syria and took captive from the land of Israel a young girl, who became a servant to Naaman’s wife. 5:3 She told her mistress, “If only my master were in the presence of the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his skin disease.”
5:4 Naaman went and told his master what the girl from the land of Israel had said. 5:5 The king of Syria said, “Go! I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten suits of clothes. 5:6 He brought the letter to king of Israel. It read: “This is a letter of introduction for my servant Naaman, whom I have sent to be cured of his skin disease.” 5:7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God? Can I kill or restore life? Why does he ask me to cure a man of his skin disease? Certainly you must see that he is looking for an excuse to fight me!”
5:8 When Elisha the prophet heard that the king had torn his clothes, he sent this message to the king, “Why did you tear your clothes? Send him to me so he may know there is a prophet in Israel.” 5:9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood in the doorway of Elisha’s house. 5:10 Elisha sent out a messenger who told him, “Go and wash seven times in the Jordan; your skin will be restored and you will be healed.” 5:11 Naaman went away angry. He said, “Look, I thought for sure he would come out, stand there, invoke the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the area, and cure the skin disease. 5:12 The rivers of Damascus, the Abana and Pharpar, are better than any of the waters of Israel! Could I not wash in them and be healed?” So he turned around and went away angry. 5:13 His servants approached and said to him, “O master, if the prophet had told you to do some difficult task, you would have been willing to do it. It seems you should be happy that he simply said, “Wash and you will be healed.” 5:14 So he went down and dipped in the Jordan seven times, as the prophet had instructed. His skin became as smooth as a young child’s and he was healed.
5:15 He and his entire entourage returned to the prophet. Naaman came and stood before him. He said, “For sure I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel! Now, please accept a gift from your servant.” 5:16 But Elisha replied, “As certainly as the Lord lives (whom I serve), I will take nothing from you.” Naaman insisted that he take it, but he refused. 5:17 Naaman said, “If not, then please give your servant a load of dirt, enough for a pair of mules to carry, for your servant will never again offer a burnt offering or sacrifice to a god other than the Lord. 5:18 May the Lord forgive your servant for this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to worship, and he leans on my arm and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant for this.” 5:19 Elisha said to him, “Go in peace.”
When he had gone a short distance, 5:20 Gehazi, the prophet Elisha’s servant, thought, “Look, my master did not accept what this Syrian Naaman offered him. As certainly as the Lord lives, I will run after him and accept something from him.” 5:21 So Gehazi ran after Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from his chariot to meet him and asked, “Is everything all right?” 5:22 He answered, “Everything is fine. My master sent me with this message, ‘Look, two servants of the prophets just arrived from the Ephraimite hill country. Please give them a talent of silver and two suits of clothes.’” 5:23 Naaman said, “Please accept two talents of silver. He insisted, and tied up two talents of silver in two bags, along with two suits of clothes. He gave them to two of his servants and they carried them for Gehazi. 5:24 When he arrived at the hill, he took them from the servants and put them in the house. Then he sent the men on their way.
5:25 When he came and stood before his master, Elisha asked him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” He answered, “Your servant hasn’t been anywhere.” 5:26 Elisha replied, “I was there in spirit when a man turned and got down from his chariot to meet you. This is not the proper time to accept silver or to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, sheep, cattle, and male and female servants. 5:27 Therefore Naaman’s skin disease will afflict you and your descendants forever!” When Gehazi went out from his presence, his skin was as white as snow.
Elisha Makes an Ax Head Float
6:1 Some of the prophets said to Elisha, “Look, the place where we meet with you is too cramped for us. 6:2 Let’s go to the Jordan. Each of us will get a log from there and we will build a meeting place for ourselves there.” He said, “Go.” 6:3 One of them said, “Please come along with your servants.” He replied, “All right, I’ll come.” 6:4 So he went with them. When they arrived at the Jordan, they started cutting down trees. 6:5 As one of them was felling a log, the ax head dropped into the water. He shouted, “Oh no, my master! It was borrowed!” 6:6 The prophet asked, “Where did it drop in?” When he showed him the spot, Elisha cut off a branch, threw it in at that spot, and made the ax head float. 6:7 He said, “Lift it out.” So he reached out his hand and grabbed it.
Elisha Defeats an Army
6:8 Now the king of Syria was at war with Israel. He consulted his advisers, who said, “Invade at such and such a place.” 6:9 But the prophet sent this message to the king of Israel, “Make sure you don’t pass through this place because Syria is invading there.” 6:10 So the king of Israel sent a message to the place the prophet had pointed out, warning it to be on its guard. This happened on several occasions. 6:11 This made the king of Syria upset. So he summoned his advisers and said to them, “One of us must be helping the king of Israel.” 6:12 One of his advisers said, “No, my master, O king. The prophet Elisha who lives in Israel keeps telling the king of Israel the things you say in your bedroom.” 6:13 The king ordered, “Go, find out where he is, so I can send some men to capture him.” The king was told, “He is in Dothan.” 6:14 So he sent horses and chariots there, along with a good-sized army. They arrived during the night and surrounded the city.
6:15 The prophet’s attendant got up early in the morning. When he went outside there was an army surrounding the city, along with horses and chariots. He said to Elisha, “Oh no, my master! What will we do?” 6:16 He replied, “Don’t be afraid, for our side outnumbers them.” 6:17 Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so he can see.” The Lord opened the servant’s eyes and he saw that the hill was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 6:18 As they approached him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike these people with blindness.” The Lord struck them with blindness as Elisha requested. 6:19 Then Elisha said to them, “This is not the right road or city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you’re looking for.” He led them to Samaria.
6:20 When they had entered Samaria, Elisha said, “O Lord, open their eyes, so they can see.” The Lord opened their eyes and they saw that they were in the middle of Samaria. 6:21 When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Should I strike them down, my master?” 6:22 He replied, “Do not strike them down! You did not capture them with your sword or bow, so what gives you the right to strike them down? Give them some food and water, so they can eat and drink and then go back to their master.” 6:23 So he threw a big banquet for them and they ate and drank. Then he sent them back to their master. After that no Syrian raiding parties again invaded the land of Israel.
The Lord Saves Samaria
6:24 Later King Ben Hadad of Syria assembled his entire army and attacked and besieged Samaria. 6:25 Samaria’s food supply ran out. They laid siege to it so long that a donkey’s head was selling for eighty shekels of silver and a quarter of a kab of dove’s droppings for five shekels of silver.
6:26 While the king of Israel was passing by on the city wall, a woman shouted to him, “Help us, my master, O king!” 6:27 He replied, “No, let the Lord help you. How can I help you? The threshing floor and winepress are empty.” 6:28 Then the king asked her, “What’s your problem?” She answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Hand over your son; we’ll eat him today and then eat my son tomorrow.’ 6:29 So we boiled my son and ate him. Then I said to her the next day, ‘Hand over your son and we’ll eat him.’ But she hid her son!” 6:30 When the king heard what the woman said, he tore his clothes. As he was passing by on the wall, the people could see he was wearing sackcloth under his clothes. 6:31 Then he said, “May God judge me severely if Elisha son of Shaphat still has his head by the end of the day!”
6:32 Now Elisha was sitting in his house with the community leaders. The king sent a messenger on ahead, but before he arrived, Elisha said to the leaders, “Do you realize this assassin intends to cut off my head?” Look, when the messenger arrives, shut the door and lean against it. His master will certainly be right behind him.” 6:33 He was still talking to them when the messenger approached and said, “Look, the Lord is responsible for this disaster! Why should I continue to wait for the Lord to help?”
7:1 Elisha replied, “Hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Lord says, ‘About this time tomorrow a seah of finely milled flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria.’” 7:2 An officer who was the king’s right-hand man responded to the prophet, “Look, even if the Lord made it rain by opening holes in the sky, could this happen so soon?” Elisha said, “Look, you will see it happen with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of the food!”
7:3 Now four men with a skin disease were sitting at the entrance of the city gate. They said to one another, “Why are we just sitting here waiting to die? 7:4 If we go into the city, we’ll die of starvation, and if we stay here we’ll die! So come on, let’s defect to the Syrian camp! If they spare us, we’ll live; if they kill us – well, we were going to die anyway.” 7:5 So they started toward the Syrian camp at dusk. When they reached the edge of the Syrian camp, there was no one there. 7:6 The Lord had caused the Syrian camp to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a large army. Then they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel has paid the kings of the Hittites and Egypt to attack us!” 7:7 So they got up and fled at dusk, leaving behind their tents, horses, and donkeys. They left the camp as it was and ran for their lives. 7:8 When the men with a skin disease reached the edge of the camp, they entered a tent and had a meal. They also took some silver, gold, and clothes and went and hid it all. Then they went back and entered another tent. They looted it and went and hid what they had taken. 7:9 Then they said to one another, “It’s not right what we’re doing! This is a day to celebrate, but we haven’t told anyone. If we wait until dawn, we’ll be punished. So come on, let’s go and inform the royal palace.” 7:10 So they went and called out to the gatekeepers of the city. They told them, “We entered the Syrian camp and there was no one there. We didn’t even hear a man’s voice. But the horses and donkeys are still tied up, and the tents remain up.” 7:11 The gatekeepers relayed the news to the royal palace.
7:12 The king got up in the night and said to his advisers, “I will tell you what the Syrians have done to us. They know we are starving, so they left the camp and hid in the field, thinking, ‘When they come out of the city, we will capture them alive and enter the city.’” 7:13 One of his advisers replied, “Pick some men and have them take five of the horses that are left in the city. (Even if they are killed, their fate will be no different than that of all the Israelite people – we’re all going to die!) Let’s send them out so we can know for sure what’s going on.” 7:14 So they picked two horsemen and the king sent them out to track the Syrian army. He ordered them, “Go and find out what’s going on.” 7:15 So they tracked them as far as the Jordan. The road was filled with clothes and equipment that the Syrians had discarded in their haste. The scouts went back and told the king. 7:16 Then the people went out and looted the Syrian camp. A seah of finely milled flour sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, just as the Lord had said they would.
7:17 Now the king had placed the officer who was his right-hand man at the city gate. When the people rushed out, they trampled him to death in the gate. This fulfilled the prophet’s word which he had spoken when the king tried to arrest him. 7:18 The prophet told the king, “Two seahs of barley will sell for a shekel, and a seah of finely milled flour for a shekel; this will happen about this time tomorrow in the gate of Samaria.” 7:19 But the officer replied to the prophet, “Look, even if the Lord made it rain by opening holes in the sky, could this happen so soon?” Elisha said, “Look, you will see it happen with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of the food!” 7:20 This is exactly what happened to him. The people trampled him to death in the city gate.
Elisha Again Helps the Shunammite Woman
8:1 Now Elisha advised the woman whose son he had brought back to life, “You and your family should go and live somewhere else for a while, for the Lord has decreed that a famine will overtake the land for seven years.” 8:2 So the woman did as the prophet said. She and her family went and lived in the land of the Philistines for seven years. 8:3 After seven years the woman returned from the land of the Philistines and went to ask the king to give her back her house and field. 8:4 Now the king was talking to Gehazi, the prophet’s servant, and said, “Tell me all the great things which Elisha has done.” 8:5 While Gehazi was telling the king how Elisha had brought the dead back to life, the woman whose son he had brought back to life came to ask the king for her house and field. Gehazi said, “My master, O king, this is the very woman and this is her son whom Elisha brought back to life!” 8:6 The king asked the woman about it, and she gave him the details. The king assigned a eunuch to take care of her request and ordered him, “Give her back everything she owns, as well as the amount of crops her field produced from the day she left the land until now.”
Elisha Meets with Hazael
8:7 Elisha traveled to Damascus while King Ben Hadad of Syria was sick. The king was told, “The prophet has come here.” 8:8 So the king told Hazael, “Take a gift and go visit the prophet. Request from him an oracle from the Lord. Ask him, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’” 8:9 So Hazael went to visit Elisha. He took along a gift, as well as forty camel loads of all the fine things of Damascus. When he arrived, he stood before him and said, “Your son, King Ben Hadad of Syria, has sent me to you with this question, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’” 8:10 Elisha said to him, “Go and tell him, ‘You will surely recover,’ but the Lord has revealed to me that he will surely die.” 8:11 Elisha just stared at him until Hazael became uncomfortable. Then the prophet started crying. 8:12 Hazael asked, “Why are you crying, my master?” He replied, “Because I know the trouble you will cause the Israelites. You will set fire to their fortresses, kill their young men with the sword, smash their children to bits, and rip open their pregnant women.” 8:13 Hazael said, “How could your servant, who is as insignificant as a dog, accomplish this great military victory?” Elisha answered, “The Lord has revealed to me that you will be the king of Syria.” 8:14 He left Elisha and went to his master. Ben Hadad asked him, “What did Elisha tell you?” Hazael replied, “He told me you would surely recover.” 8:15 The next day Hazael took a piece of cloth, dipped it in water, and spread it over Ben Hadad’s face until he died. Then Hazael replaced him as king.
Jehoram’s Reign over Judah
8:16 In the fifth year of the reign of Israel’s King Joram, son of Ahab, Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram became king over Judah. 8:17 He was thirty-two years old when he became king and he reigned for eight years in Jerusalem. 8:18 He followed in the footsteps of the kings of Israel, just as Ahab’s dynasty had done, for he married Ahab’s daughter. He did evil in the sight of the Lord. 8:19 But the Lord was unwilling to destroy Judah. He preserved Judah for the sake of his servant David to whom he had promised a perpetual dynasty.
8:20 During his reign Edom freed themselves from Judah’s control and set up their own king. 8:21 Joram crossed over to Zair with all his chariots. The Edomites, who had surrounded him, attacked at night and defeated him and his chariot officers. The Israelite army retreated to their homeland. 8:22 So Edom has remained free from Judah’s control to this very day. At that same time Libnah also rebelled.
8:23 The rest of the events of Joram’s reign, including a record of his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 8:24 Joram passed away and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David. His son Ahaziah replaced him as king.
Ahaziah Takes the Throne of Judah
8:25 In the twelfth year of the reign of Israel’s King Joram, son of Ahab, Jehoram’s son Ahaziah became king over Judah. 8:26 Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king and he reigned for one year in Jerusalem. His mother was Athaliah, the granddaughter of King Omri of Israel. 8:27 He followed in the footsteps of Ahab’s dynasty and did evil in the sight of the Lord, like Ahab’s dynasty, for he was related to Ahab’s family.
8:28 He joined Ahab’s son Joram in a battle against King Hazael of Syria at Ramoth Gilead in which the Syrians defeated Joram. 8:29 King Joram returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he received from the Syrians in Ramah when he fought against King Hazael of Syria. King Ahaziah son of Jehoram of Judah went down to visit Joram son of Ahab in Jezreel, for he was ill.
Lord, You grant blessings on Your terms and in Your time, and You often do so through Your human servants. May I never be confused that Your gifts, poured out through me, are for my direct or indirect (financial or other) benefit. Being used as Your instrument of blessing is more than enough. Your power is greater that that of armies, and those who refuse to trust You are doomed to miss out on Your blessings. May I never doubt that You are the omnipotent God and never question anything that You say. Your knowledge is perfect, and though You know the evil men plan in their hearts, Your perfecting timing means that sometimes You respond and sometimes not. May I never question Your perfect knowledge and wisdom even when I do not like or understand what is happening.
Naaman, a Syrian general, had a skin disease and a captured Israelite servant girl told his wife that he could be healed by a prophet who lived in Samaria.
Naaman told the king who wrote a letter to the king of Israel and Naaman headed off along with valuable gifts. When he presented the simple letter to the king of Israel, which only said here is Naaman for you to cure of his skin disease, the king tore his clothes in the expectation that Syria was picking a fight.
Elisha heard that the king of Israel was in mourning over the letter and sent word to have Naaman sent to him. When Naaman arrived, expecting a formal and official welcome, Elisha sent a messenger to him to dip in the Jordan River seven times and he’d be cured.
Naaman was angered at the apparent disrespect and dismissed the instructions but when he turned away in anger to return home his servants persuaded him to reconsider. They argued that if the prophet had challenged him to a more onerous process he’d have complied so why not give it a try? Naaman did so and was healed.
When Naaman returned to the prophet’s home, testifying that there was no God but the God of Israel, and he offered the gifts he had brought but Elisha refused them. Naaman asked to take a load of dirt home so he could only make offerings to the God of Israel. He also asked for forgiveness that the king of Syria would require his company when he went to worship their false god and Elisha told him to go in peace.
One of Elisha’s students was upset that Elisha refused the gifts and snuck out to catch Naaman to lie and say that Elisha had changed his mind. Naaman gladly consented, giving him more than he requested, but when Elisha confronted him the skin disease of Naaman became the punishment for Gehazi’s offense.
The student prophets asked to build a larger meeting place and Elisha agreed. When they began felling trees one of the ax heads fell into the water. The prophet informed Elisha that it was a borrowed tool and pointed to where it fell. Elisha tossed a branch in that location and the ax head floated to the surface where it was retrieved.
Syria was at war with Israel but every time they planned a place of ambush or attack Elisha warned the king of Israel. At first the Syrians thought they had a traitor but their spies explained that it was Elisha. The Syrians sent an army to capture him but the Lord God provided an army of horses and chariots of fire to protect Elisha then blinded the Syrians at Elisha’s request. He then led them, unknown to them, to Samaria where the King of Israel waited.
The King of Israel wanted to kill them but Elisha reminded him that he had nothing to do their capture so he had nothing to say about their treatment. Elisha instead instructed that they be given water and a feast and sent home. They did so and after they returned to Syria no raiding parties were sent for a long time.
King Ben Hadad of Syria some time later laid siege to Samaria for so long that the people were so desperate for food that some actually killed and ate a child. The king was angry and blamed Elisha and set out to kill him.
When the king’s messenger arrived Elisha informed him that the people would be feasting the next day, but a military man who overheard expressed his doubt because there were no crops to grow nor animals to slaughter – so Elisha repeated the prophesy but added that the doubting soldier would not participate in the feast.
Four men who were ceremonially unclean from a skin disease were starving outside the city gates and decided to defect to the Syrians in hopes of food – they knew they would die of starvation so if the Syrians killed them they’d be no worse off.
When they arrived in the Syrian camp they found it abandoned. The Lord God had caused them to hear the sound of chariots and they thought the Samarians had hired Egyptians and Hittites to attack them. There was food enough for an army, so they ate, then decided to tell the others.
The king sent two horsemen to check on the Syrians and they found nothing but discarded supplies as the Syrians fled in terror. The people stormed out of through the city gate, trampling to death the soldier who had doubted Elisha, thus fulfilling the prophesy of abundant food and nothing for him.
Elisha warned the Shunnamite woman to take her son to another region as a famine was coming. She went to the land of the Philistines and when she returned she petitioned the king for the return of her property. Elisha’s assistant, Gehazi, was just-then telling the king of Elisha’s expressions of God’s power – including the story of bringing the Shunnamite woman’s son back to life – so the king inquired then hearing her story returned her property and all that her property had produced while she was gone.
Elisha traveled to Damascus, in Syria, when the king was ill. The king requested an oracle from a prophet and his assistant found Elisha. Hazael learned that the king would survive the illness but would still die.
Elisha stared at Hazael then cried as the Lord God revealed to him the horrors he would visit upon the Israeli people, Hazael didn’t understand until Elisha told him he would be come king.Hazael gave the king the news of his recovery then smothered him to death in his sick bed and took over as king of Syria.
Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram became king over Judah but he married Ahab’s daughter and did evil like Ahab and the other kings of Judah. The Edomites rebelled and when Joram, king of Israel, went to challenge them he was overwhelmingly defeated.
Jehoram’s son Ahaziah became king of Judah but was a descendant of Ahab and sinned against God. He joined Joram in attacking King Hazael of Syria but things went badly and Joram was injured, so Jehoram went to see him in Jezreel.
Naaman was apparently an intelligent, teachable, man. He listened to his wife’s servant girl, then to his other servants. Rather than consult Elisha, and ask for the Lord God’s intervention, the king of Samaria doubted God and blamed Elisha. The Lord God continued to use Elisha to bless the faithfulness of the Shunnamite widow and her son.
Why would Elisha’s student have imagined Elisha would not uncover his foolish actions? Why would the kings have attacked Syria without first consulting Elisha?
The Lord God used many people to teach Naaman and the enemy tried to interfere, via the king of Syria's careless letter, and Elisha's selfish student. The Syrians, who worshiped false gods, were used by the Lord God to provide for the Samarians. Elisha, through God, knew what Hazael would do but he was not empowered by God to stop him as the people of Israel and Judah were constantly rebellious.
When have you been blessed because you were teachable? When have you experienced or observed a situation where the Lord God was either not consulted or doubted and then blamed for bad circumstances? When have you experienced or observed the Lord God returning to bless again someone whom He had previously blessed?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where you have resisted His leading, to reveal to you a place in your life where He has blessed you through someone whose intent was to be your enemy, or where He is in the process of doing so, and/or to reveal to you a place where you have set-off on a course of action without pausing to consult and patiently wait on God's leadership.
Today I will accept the challenge of the Holy Spirit to trust Him and be led to where He desires to bless me with healing. I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement that I will hear rightly, obey completely, and not turn back until the Lord’s work in me is complete. I will praise the Lord for His amazing provision, be it past or present, and I will testify to His faithfulness to a fellow believer as an encouragement to them. I will stop what I am doing and consult the Lord God via prayer and searching His Word. I will also ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement that I recognize the leadership of the Lord for my life.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Jehu Becomes King
9:1 Now Elisha the prophet summoned a member of the prophetic guild and told him, “Tuck your robes into your belt, take this container of olive oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth Gilead. 9:2 When you arrive there, look for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat son of Nimshi and take him aside into an inner room. 9:3 Take the container of olive oil, pour it over his head, and say, ‘This is what the Lord says, “I have designated you as king over Israel.”‘ Then open the door and run away quickly!”
9:4 So the young prophet went to Ramoth Gilead. 9:5 When he arrived, the officers of the army were sitting there. So he said, “I have a message for you, O officer.” Jehu asked, “For which one of us?” He replied, “For you, O officer.” 9:6 So Jehu got up and went inside. Then the prophet poured the olive oil on his head and said to him, “This is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘I have designated you as king over the Lord’s people Israel. 9:7 You will destroy the family of your master Ahab. I will get revenge against Jezebel for the shed blood of my servants the prophets and for the shed blood of all the Lord’s servants. 9:8 Ahab’s entire family will die. I will cut off every last male belonging to Ahab in Israel, including even the weak and incapacitated. 9:9 I will make Ahab’s dynasty like those of Jeroboam son of Nebat and Baasha son of Ahijah. 9:10 Dogs will devour Jezebel on the plot of ground in Jezreel; she will not be buried.’” Then he opened the door and ran away.
9:11 When Jehu rejoined his master’s servants, they asked him, “Is everything all right? Why did this madman visit you?” He replied, “Ah, it’s not important. You know what kind of man he is and the kinds of things he says.” 9:12 But they said, “You’re lying! Tell us what he said.” So he told them what he had said. He also related how he had said, “This is what the Lord says, ‘I have designated you as king over Israel.’” 9:13 Each of them quickly took off his cloak and they spread them out at Jehu’s feet on the steps. The trumpet was blown and they shouted, “Jehu is king!” 9:14 Then Jehu son of Jehoshaphat son of Nimshi conspired against Joram.
Jehu the Assassin
Now Joram had been in Ramoth Gilead with the whole Israelite army, guarding against an invasion by King Hazael of Syria. 9:15 But King Joram had returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he received from the Syrians when he fought against King Hazael of Syria. Jehu told his supporters, “If you really want me to be king, then don’t let anyone escape from the city to go and warn Jezreel.” 9:16 Jehu drove his chariot to Jezreel, for Joram was recuperating there. (Now King Ahaziah of Judah had come down to visit Joram.)
9:17 Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel and saw Jehu’s troops approaching. He said, “I see troops!” Jehoram ordered, “Send a rider out to meet them and have him ask, ‘Is everything all right?’” 9:18 So the horseman went to meet him and said, “This is what the king says, ‘Is everything all right?’” Jehu replied, “None of your business! Follow me.” The watchman reported, “The messenger reached them, but hasn’t started back.” 9:19 So he sent a second horseman out to them and he said, “This is what the king says, ‘Is everything all right?’” Jehu replied, “None of your business! Follow me.” 9:20 The watchman reported, “He reached them, but hasn’t started back. The one who drives the lead chariot drives like Jehu son of Nimshi; he drives recklessly.” 9:21 Jehoram ordered, “Hitch up my chariot.” When his chariot had been hitched up, King Jehoram of Israel and King Ahaziah of Judah went out in their respective chariots to meet Jehu. They met up with him in the plot of land that had once belonged to Naboth of Jezreel.
9:22 When Jehoram saw Jehu, he asked, “Is everything all right, Jehu?” He replied, “How can everything be all right as long as your mother Jezebel promotes idolatry and pagan practices?” 9:23 Jehoram turned his chariot around and took off. He said to Ahaziah, “It’s a trap, Ahaziah!” 9:24 Jehu aimed his bow and shot an arrow right between Jehoram’s shoulders. The arrow went through his heart and he fell to his knees in his chariot. 9:25 Jehu ordered his officer Bidkar, “Pick him up and throw him into the part of the field that once belonged to Naboth of Jezreel. Remember, you and I were riding together behind his father Ahab, when the Lord pronounced this judgment on him, 9:26 ‘“Know for sure that I saw the shed blood of Naboth and his sons yesterday,” says the Lord, “and that I will give you what you deserve right here in this plot of land,” says the Lord.’ So now pick him up and throw him into this plot of land, just as the Lord said.”
9:27 When King Ahaziah of Judah saw what happened, he took off up the road to Beth Haggan. Jehu chased him and ordered, “Shoot him too.” They shot him while he was driving his chariot up the ascent of Gur near Ibleam. He fled to Megiddo and died there. 9:28 His servants took his body back to Jerusalem and buried him in his tomb with his ancestors in the city of David. 9:29 Ahaziah had become king over Judah in the eleventh year of Joram son of Ahab.
9:30 Jehu approached Jezreel. When Jezebel heard the news, she put on some eye liner, fixed up her hair, and leaned out the window. 9:31 When Jehu came through the gate, she said, “Is everything all right, Zimri, murderer of his master?” 9:32 He looked up at the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” Two or three eunuchs looked down at him. 9:33 He said, “Throw her down!” So they threw her down, and when she hit the ground, her blood splattered against the wall and the horses, and Jehu drove his chariot over her. 9:34 He went inside and had a meal. Then he said, “Dispose of this accursed woman’s corpse. Bury her, for after all, she was a king’s daughter.” 9:35 But when they went to bury her, they found nothing left but the skull, feet, and palms of the hands. 9:36 When they went back and told him, he said, “The Lord’s word through his servant, Elijah the Tishbite, has come to pass. He warned, ‘In the plot of land at Jezreel, dogs will devour Jezebel’s flesh. 9:37 Jezebel’s corpse will be like manure on the surface of the ground in the plot of land at Jezreel. People will not be able to even recognize her.’”
Jehu Wipes Out Ahab’s Family
10:1 Ahab had seventy sons living in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria to the leading officials of Jezreel and to the guardians of Ahab’s dynasty. This is what the letters said, 10:2 “You have with you the sons of your master, chariots and horses, a fortified city, and weapons. So when this letter arrives, 10:3 pick the best and most capable of your master’s sons, place him on his father’s throne, and defend your master’s dynasty.”
10:4 They were absolutely terrified and said, “Look, two kings could not stop him! How can we?” 10:5 So the palace supervisor, the city commissioner, the leaders, and the guardians sent this message to Jehu, “We are your subjects! Whatever you say, we will do. We will not make anyone king. Do what you consider proper.”
10:6 He wrote them a second letter, saying, “If you are really on my side and are willing to obey me, then take the heads of your master’s sons and come to me in Jezreel at this time tomorrow.” Now the king had seventy sons, and the prominent men of the city were raising them. 10:7 When they received the letter, they seized the king’s sons and executed all seventy of them. They put their heads in baskets and sent them to him in Jezreel. 10:8 The messenger came and told Jehu, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.” Jehu said, “Stack them in two piles at the entrance of the city gate until morning.” 10:9 In the morning he went out and stood there. Then he said to all the people, “You are innocent. I conspired against my master and killed him. But who struck down all of these men? 10:10 Therefore take note that not one of the judgments the Lord announced against Ahab’s dynasty has failed to materialize. The Lord had done what he announced through his servant Elijah.” 10:11 Then Jehu killed all who were left of Ahab’s family in Jezreel, and all his nobles, close friends, and priests. He left no survivors.
10:12 Jehu then left there and set out for Samaria. While he was traveling through Beth Eked of the Shepherds, 10:13 Jehu encountered the relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah. He asked, “Who are you?” They replied, “We are Ahaziah’s relatives. We have come down to see how the king’s sons and the queen mother’s sons are doing.” 10:14 He said, “Capture them alive!” So they captured them alive and then executed all forty-two of them in the cistern at Beth Eked. He left no survivors.
10:15 When he left there, he met Jehonadab, son of Rekab, who had been looking for him. Jehu greeted him and asked, “Are you as committed to me as I am to you?” Jehonadab answered, “I am!” Jehu replied, “If so, give me your hand.” So he offered his hand and Jehu pulled him up into the chariot. 10:16 Jehu said, “Come with me and see how zealous I am for the Lord’s cause.” So he took him along in his chariot. 10:17 He went to Samaria and exterminated all the members of Ahab’s family who were still alive in Samaria, just as the Lord had announced to Elijah.
Jehu Executes the Prophets and Priests of Baal
10:18 Jehu assembled all the people and said to them, “Ahab worshiped Baal a little; Jehu will worship him with great devotion. 10:19 So now, bring to me all the prophets of Baal, as well as all his servants and priests. None of them must be absent, for I am offering a great sacrifice to Baal. Any of them who fail to appear will lose their lives.” But Jehu was tricking them so he could destroy the servants of Baal. 10:20 Then Jehu ordered, “Make arrangements for a celebration for Baal.” So they announced it. 10:21 Jehu sent invitations throughout Israel, and all the servants of Baal came; not one was absent. They arrived at the temple of Baal and filled it up from end to end. 10:22 Jehu ordered the one who was in charge of the wardrobe, “Bring out robes for all the servants of Baal.” So he brought out robes for them. 10:23 Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rekab went to the temple of Baal. Jehu said to the servants of Baal, “Make sure there are no servants of the Lord here with you; there must be only servants of Baal.” 10:24 They went inside to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed eighty men outside. He had told them, “If any of the men inside get away, you will pay with your lives!”
10:25 When he finished offering the burnt sacrifice, Jehu ordered the royal guard and officers, “Come in and strike them down! Don’t let any escape!” So the royal guard and officers struck them down with the sword and left their bodies lying there. Then they entered the inner sanctuary of the temple of Baal. 10:26 They hauled out the sacred pillar of the temple of Baal and burned it. 10:27 They demolished the sacred pillar of Baal and the temple of Baal; it is used as a latrine to this very day. 10:28 So Jehu eradicated Baal worship from Israel.
A Summary of Jehu’s Reign
10:29 However, Jehu did not repudiate the sins which Jeroboam son of Nebat had encouraged Israel to commit; the golden calves remained in Bethel and Dan. 10:30 The Lord said to Jehu, “You have done well. You have accomplished my will and carried out my wishes with regard to Ahab’s dynasty. Therefore four generations of your descendants will rule over Israel.” 10:31 But Jehu did not carefully and wholeheartedly obey the law of the Lord God of Israel. He did not repudiate the sins which Jeroboam had encouraged Israel to commit.
10:32 In those days the Lord began to reduce the size of Israel’s territory. Hazael attacked their eastern border. 10:33 He conquered all the land of Gilead, including the territory of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh, extending all the way from the Aroer in the Arnon Valley through Gilead to Bashan.
10:34 The rest of the events of Jehu’s reign, including all his accomplishments and successes, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 10:35 Jehu passed away and was buried in Samaria. His son Jehoahaz replaced him as king. 10:36 Jehu reigned over Israel for twenty-eight years in Samaria.
Athaliah is Eliminated
11:1 When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she was determined to destroy the entire royal line. 11:2 So Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram and sister of Ahaziah, took Ahaziah’s son Joash and sneaked him away from the rest of the royal descendants who were to be executed. She hid him and his nurse in the room where the bed covers were stored. So he was hidden from Athaliah and escaped execution. 11:3 He hid out with his nurse in the Lord’s temple for six years, while Athaliah was ruling over the land.
11:4 In the seventh year Jehoiada summoned the officers of the units of hundreds of the Carians and the royal bodyguard. He met with them in the Lord’s temple. He made an agreement with them and made them swear an oath of allegiance in the Lord’s temple. Then he showed them the king’s son. 11:5 He ordered them, “This is what you must do. One third of the unit that is on duty during the Sabbath will guard the royal palace. 11:6 Another third of you will be stationed at the Foundation Gate. Still another third of you will be stationed at the gate behind the royal guard. You will take turns guarding the palace. 11:7 The two units who are off duty on the Sabbath will guard the Lord’s temple and protect the king. 11:8 You must surround the king. Each of you must hold his weapon in his hand. Whoever approaches your ranks must be killed. You must accompany the king wherever he goes.”
11:9 The officers of the units of hundreds did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each of them took his men, those who were on duty during the Sabbath as well as those who were off duty on the Sabbath, and reported to Jehoiada the priest. 11:10 The priest gave to the officers of the units of hundreds King David’s spears and the shields that were kept in the Lord’s temple. 11:11 The royal bodyguard took their stations, each holding his weapon in his hand. They lined up from the south side of the temple to the north side and stood near the altar and the temple, surrounding the king. 11:12 Jehoiada led out the king’s son and placed on him the crown and the royal insignia. They proclaimed him king and poured olive oil on his head. They clapped their hands and cried out, “Long live the king!”
11:13 When Athaliah heard the royal guard shout, she joined the crowd at the Lord’s temple. 11:14 Then she saw the king standing by the pillar, according to custom. The officers stood beside the king with their trumpets and all the people of the land were celebrating and blowing trumpets. Athaliah tore her clothes and screamed, “Treason, treason!” 11:15 Jehoiada the priest ordered the officers of the units of hundreds, who were in charge of the army, “Bring her outside the temple to the guards. Put the sword to anyone who follows her.” The priest gave this order because he had decided she should not be executed in the Lord’s temple. 11:16 They seized her and took her into the precincts of the royal palace through the horses’ entrance. There she was executed.
11:17 Jehoiada then drew up a covenant between the Lord and the king and people, stipulating that they should be loyal to the Lord. 11:18 All the people of the land went and demolished the temple of Baal. They smashed its altars and idols to bits. They killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altar. Jehoiada the priest then placed guards at the Lord’s temple. 11:19 He took the officers of the units of hundreds, the Carians, the royal bodyguard, and all the people of land, and together they led the king down from the Lord’s temple. They entered the royal palace through the Gate of the Royal Bodyguard, and the king sat down on the royal throne. 11:20 All the people of the land celebrated, for the city had rest now that they had killed Athaliah with the sword in the royal palace.
Joash’s Reign over Judah
11:21 (12:1) Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign.
12:1 (12:2) In Jehu’s seventh year Jehoash became king; he reigned for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother was Zibiah, who was from Beer Sheba. 12:2 Throughout his lifetime Jehoash did what the Lord approved, just as Jehoiada the priest taught him. 12:3 But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places.
12:4 Jehoash said to the priests, “I place at your disposal all the consecrated silver that has been brought to the Lord’s temple, including the silver collected from the census tax, the silver received from those who have made vows, and all the silver that people have voluntarily contributed to the Lord’s temple. 12:5 The priests should receive the silver they need from the treasurers and repair any damage to the temple they discover.”
12:6 By the twenty-third year of King Jehoash’s reign the priests had still not repaired the damage to the temple. 12:7 So King Jehoash summoned Jehoiada the priest along with the other priests, and said to them, “Why have you not repaired the damage to the temple? Now, take no more silver from your treasurers unless you intend to use it to repair the damage.” 12:8 The priests agreed not to collect silver from the people and relieved themselves of personal responsibility for the temple repairs.
12:9 Jehoiada the priest took a chest and drilled a hole in its lid. He placed it on the right side of the altar near the entrance of the Lord’s temple. The priests who guarded the entrance would put into it all the silver brought to the Lord’s temple. 12:10 When they saw the chest was full of silver, the royal secretary and the high priest counted the silver that had been brought to the Lord’s temple and bagged it up. 12:11 They would then hand over the silver that had been weighed to the construction foremen assigned to the Lord’s temple. They hired carpenters and builders to work on the Lord’s temple, 12:12 as well as masons and stonecutters. They bought wood and chiseled stone to repair the damage to the Lord’s temple and also paid for all the other expenses. 12:13 The silver brought to the Lord’s temple was not used for silver bowls, trimming shears, basins, trumpets, or any kind of gold or silver implements. 12:14 It was handed over to the foremen who used it to repair the Lord’s temple. 12:15 They did not audit the treasurers who disbursed the funds to the foremen, for they were honest. 12:16 (The silver collected in conjunction with reparation offerings and sin offerings was not brought to the Lord’s temple; it belonged to the priests.)
12:17 At that time King Hazael of Syria attacked Gath and captured it. Hazael then decided to attack Jerusalem. 12:18 King Jehoash of Judah collected all the sacred items that his ancestors Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah, kings of Judah, had consecrated, as well as his own sacred items and all the gold that could be found in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and the royal palace. He sent it all to King Hazael of Syria, who then withdrew from Jerusalem.
12:19 The rest of the events of Joash’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 12:20 His servants conspired against him and murdered Joash at Beth-Millo, on the road that goes down to Silla. 12:21 His servants Jozabad son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer murdered him. He was buried with his ancestors in the city of David. His son Amaziah replaced him as king.
Jehoahaz’s Reign over Israel
13:1 In the twenty-third year of the reign of Judah’s King Joash son of Ahaziah, Jehu’s son Jehoahaz became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria for seventeen years. 13:2 He did evil in the sight of the Lord. He continued in the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who had encouraged Israel to sin; he did not repudiate those sins. 13:3 The Lord was furious with Israel and handed them over to King Hazael of Syria and to Hazael’s son Ben Hadad for many years.
13:4 Jehoahaz asked for the Lord’s mercy and the Lord responded favorably, for he saw that Israel was oppressed by the king of Syria. 13:5 The Lord provided a deliverer for Israel and they were freed from Syria’s power. The Israelites once more lived in security. 13:6 But they did not repudiate the sinful ways of the family of Jeroboam, who encouraged Israel to sin; they continued in those sins. There was even an Asherah pole standing in Samaria. 13:7 Jehoahaz had no army left except for fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and 10,000 foot soldiers. The king of Syria had destroyed his troops and trampled on them like dust.
13:8 The rest of the events of Jehoahaz’s reign, including all his accomplishments and successes, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 13:9 Jehoahaz passed away and was buried in Samaria. His son Joash replaced him as king.
Jehoash’s Reign over Israel
13:10 In the thirty-seventh year of King Joash’s reign over Judah, Jehoahaz’s son Jehoash became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria for sixteen years. 13:11 He did evil in the sight of the Lord. He did not repudiate the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin; he continued in those sins. 13:12 The rest of the events of Joash’s reign, including all his accomplishments and his successful war with King Amaziah of Judah, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 13:13 Joash passed away and Jeroboam succeeded him on the throne. Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
Elisha Makes One Final Prophecy
13:14 Now Elisha had a terminal illness. King Joash of Israel went down to visit him. He wept before him and said, “My father, my father! The chariot and horsemen of Israel!” 13:15 Elisha told him, “Take a bow and some arrows,” and he did so. 13:16 Then Elisha told the king of Israel, “Aim the bow.” He did so, and Elisha placed his hands on the king’s hands. 13:17 Elisha said, “Open the east window,” and he did so. Elisha said, “Shoot!” and
he did so. Elisha said, “This arrow symbolizes the victory the Lord will give you over Syria. You will annihilate Syria in Aphek!” 13:18 Then Elisha said, “Take the arrows,” and he did so. He told the king of Israel, “Strike the ground!” He struck the ground three times and stopped. 13:19 The prophet got angry at him and said, “If you had struck the ground five or six times, you would have annihilated Syria! But now, you will defeat Syria only three times.”
13:20 Elisha died and was buried. Moabite raiding parties invaded the land at the beginning of the year. 13:21 One day some men were burying a man when they spotted a raiding party. So they threw the dead man into Elisha’s tomb. When the body touched Elisha’s bones, the dead man came to life and stood on his feet.
13:22 Now King Hazael of Syria oppressed Israel throughout Jehoahaz’s reign. 13:23 But the Lord had mercy on them and felt pity for them. He extended his favor to them because of the promise he had made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He has been unwilling to destroy them or remove them from his presence to this very day. 13:24 When King Hazael of Syria died, his son Ben Hadad replaced him as king. 13:25 Jehoahaz’s son Jehoash took back from Ben Hadad son of Hazael the cities that he had taken from his father Jehoahaz in war. Joash defeated him three times and recovered the Israelite cities.
Lord, Your prophesies always come true, even though fallen man makes things messier than they need to be. May I trust You and not try to rush things that You have ordained. You use the available tools to fulfill Your prophesy and the occasional willing leader to purge the land of evil. May I be more than available, and more than occasionally willing, but rather strive to be always-available and always-willing. Partial faithfulness to You results in partial blessings from You. May I mature day by day so that I draw ever closer and more obedient to You.
Elisha sent one of his young student prophets to Jehu with instructions to privately anoint him with oil and inform him that he would become king of Israel in place of Joram, a descendant of Ahab.
The young prophet did as he was told. He is recorded in the text as having delivered a much more detailed message than that recorded in Elisha’s instructions to him.
Jehu tried to pretend with his nearby friends that the young prophet said nothing worth repeating but they chided him until he shared and then they laid down their jackets and celebrated as if he was already king. Jehu immediately began a conspiracy to kill Joram.
Jehu marched to Jezreel where king Joram of Israel was recovering from his battle injuries and king Ahaziah of Judah was visiting him. When Jehu refused to reply to the two messengers he sent, and they were informed that the chariot driver drove wildly in the style of Jehu, Joram and Ahaziah rode out to meet him.
Jehu murdered Joram and then chased and murdered Ahaziah as well. As he was chasing Ahaziah he encouraged his men by quoting the prophesy of God’s vengeance against the families of both kings.
Jehu then went into Jezreel and was challenged by Jezebel. He challenged her eunuchs to prove their loyalty to him as their new king and they threw her out the window. She died and was devoured by dogs as had been prophesied.
Jehu convinced the frightened leaders in the home town of Ahab to kill his sons, then he killed the rest of his family and associates. He also killed forty-two of the relatives of Ahaziah.
Jehu then tricked the priest of Baal into their temple and had them all killed, he destroyed their temple, and their idols and altars.
Jehu did not destroy the sacred cows and therefore was only partially obedient to the Lord God. He was promised only four generations of descendants as kings.
Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah conspired to destroy the rest of the family line after his death, but his sister hid his son Joash. The priest Jehoiada gathered warriors to protect Joash and then crowned him king of Judah.
They executed Athaliah, and Mattan the priest of Baal, and destroyed the temples and artifacts of the worship of the false god of Baal.
Joash/Jeh’oash became king at seven years old and generally followed the Lord God, other than failing to abolish the high places of improper worship.
He commanded that the temple silver be used to repair the temple but the priests failed to get the job done and some time later he challenged Jehoiada the high priest to get the job done, so they hired contractors and the work was immediately begun.
King Hazael marched on Jerusalem so Joash/Jeh’oash sent all of the gold and gold articles he could find and Hazael was satisfied to turn away from his attack.
In the same year that Joash/Jeh’oash caused the repairs to the temple in Judah to finally begin Jehu’s son Jehoahaz became king over Israel. Jehoahaz was disobedient to the Lord God so the Syrians were allowed to destroy their army and oppress them for a time. Jehoahaz cried out to the Lord and He broke the hold of the Syrians.
Jehoahaz’s son Jehoash became king over Israel but continued his father’s evil ways.
King Joash/Jeh’oash of Judah was murdered by some evil servants and his son Jeroboam became king.
The names Joram and Jeho’ram are, inexplicably, used interchangeably in the text. Easton’s Bible Dictionary asserts that both are acceptable renderings of the name from the original text. There is no explanation given as to why each translation would not choose one or the other in order to avoid confusion. Jehu used clever strategy to fulfill part of the prophesy of the Lord God, to purge the land of the descendants of disobedient kings, and to purge the places of worship of Baal. It was a form of warfare, just as was the original taking of the Promised Land, which made the strategy and violence acceptable before the Lord. King Joash/Jeh’oash was enthroned by the Lord God to accomplish more but he, inexplicably, failed to remove the high places of worship.
Does it not seem that the arrogance of Jezebel contributed to her death? Rather than welcome Jehu and attempt an alliance she insulted him. Why would Jehu not get rid of the golden calves at the same time he was getting rid of the Baal worship? Why would the priests have failed to make repairs to the temple? The text doesn’t say that they were stealing the silver, perhaps they lacked the skills?
The prophet had not instructed Jehu to kill either of the kings, though when He sent the prophesy to Jehu via the prophet the Lord God surely knew that he was not a mature or patient man. The Lord God used the aunt of young Joash to keep him alive, then the priest and many soldiers to protect him as they elevated him to king of Judah. This was a pattern of God, choosing to work through several faithful and willing people. Joash/Jeh’oash was wise enough to bribe the Syrians to not attack Jerusalem in Judah, Jehoahaz was so rebellious before the Lord God that the Syrians were allowed to overrun Israel for a time.
When have you experienced or observed someone who believed they were receiving a promotion and either tried to rush the process or began to act as if they had already been promoted? When have you observed leaders dealing with one obvious problem but leaving another equally-obvious problem unaddressed? When have you experienced or observed a situation where the resources to do a good work were available but were hoarded rather than used for the intended purpose?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place he plans to increase your authority and your responsibilities, to reveal to you a place in your life where an idol, great or small, still needs to be removed, and/or to reveal to you a place here you may be failing to act out of fear of failure or neglect even though the Lord God has otherwise provided the necessary resources.
Today I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement, and be my accountability-partner so that I do not get out ahead of the Lord and that I am careful to use my new authority to meet my responsibilities with wisdom from Him. I will celebrate the work of the Holy Spirit in my life, in removing one idol, and I will partner with Him to remove the one that I previously ignored, missed, or have tolerated. (It may be too much attention focused on a mere human celebrity, displacing the Lord God. It may a hobby, or money, a worry or an obsession, it may be something from the past or the present which I don’t allow the Lord to heal, it may be a lust for a pleasure in this world or a retreat from the world to where I am useless for evangelistic-missions.)
Be Specific _____________________________________________
2 Chronicles
Joash’s Reign
24:1 Joash was seven years old when he began to reign. He reigned for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother was Zibiah, who was from Beer Sheba. 24:2 Joash did what the Lord approved throughout the lifetime of Jehoiada the priest. 24:3 Jehoiada chose two wives for him who gave him sons and daughters.
24:4 Joash was determined to repair the Lord’s temple. 24:5 He assembled the priests and Levites and ordered them, “Go out to the cities of Judah and collect the annual quota of silver from all Israel for repairs on the temple of your God. Be quick about it!” But the Levites delayed.
24:6 So the king summoned Jehoiada the chief priest, and said to him, “Why have you not made the Levites collect from Judah and Jerusalem the tax authorized by Moses the Lord’s servant and by the assembly of Israel at the tent containing the tablets of the law?” 24:7 (Wicked Athaliah and her sons had broken into God’s temple and used all the holy items of the Lord’s temple in their worship of the Baals.) 24:8 The king ordered a chest to be made and placed outside the gate of the Lord’s temple. 24:9 An edict was sent throughout Judah and Jerusalem requiring the people to bring to the Lord the tax that Moses, God’s servant, imposed on Israel in the wilderness. 24:10 All the officials and all the people gladly brought their silver and threw it into the chest until it was full. 24:11 Whenever the Levites brought the chest to the royal accountant and they saw there was a lot of silver, the royal scribe and the accountant of the high priest emptied the chest and then took it back to its place. They went through this routine every day and collected a large amount of silver.
24:12 The king and Jehoiada gave it to the construction foremen assigned to the Lord’s temple. They hired carpenters and craftsmen to repair the Lord’s temple, as well as those skilled in working with iron and bronze to restore the Lord’s temple. 24:13 They worked hard and made the repairs. They followed the measurements specified for God’s temple and restored it. 24:14 When they were finished, they brought the rest of the silver to the king and Jehoiada. They used it to make items for the Lord’s temple, including items used in the temple service and for burnt sacrifices, pans, and various other gold and silver items. Throughout Jehoiada’s lifetime, burnt sacrifices were offered regularly in the Lord’s temple.
24:15 Jehoiada grew old and died at the age of 130. 24:16 He was buried in the City of David with the kings, because he had accomplished good in Israel and for God and his temple.
24:17 After Jehoiada died, the officials of Judah visited the king and declared their loyalty to him. The king listened to their advice. 24:18 They abandoned the temple of the Lord God of their ancestors, and worshiped the Asherah poles and idols. Because of this sinful activity, God was angry with Judah and Jerusalem. 24:19 The Lord sent prophets among them to lead them back to him. They warned the people, but they would not pay attention. 24:20 God’s Spirit energized Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood up before the people and said to them, “This is what God says: ‘Why are you violating the commands of the Lord? You will not be prosperous! Because you have rejected the Lord, he has rejected you!’” 24:21 They plotted against him and by royal decree stoned him to death in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple. 24:22 King Joash disregarded the loyalty his father Jehoiada had shown him and killed Jehoiada’s son. As Zechariah was dying, he said, “May the Lord take notice and seek vengeance!”
24:23 At the beginning of the year the Syrian army attacked Joash and invaded Judah and Jerusalem. They wiped out all the leaders of the people and sent all the plunder they gathered to the king of Damascus. 24:24 Even though the invading Syrian army was relatively weak, the Lord handed over to them Judah’s very large army, for the people of Judah had abandoned the Lord God of their ancestors. The Syrians gave Joash what he deserved. 24:25 When they withdrew, they left Joash badly wounded. His servants plotted against him because of what he had done to the son of Jehoiada the priest. They murdered him on his bed. Thus he died and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings. 24:26 The conspirators were Zabad son of Shimeath (an Ammonite woman) and Jehozabad son of Shimrith (a Moabite woman).
24:27 The list of Joash’s sons, the many prophetic oracles pertaining to him, and the account of his building project on God’s temple are included in the record of the Scroll of the Kings. His son Amaziah replaced him as king.
2 Kings
Amaziah’s Reign over Judah
14:1 In the second year of the reign of Israel’s King Joash son of Joahaz, Joash’s son Amaziah became king over Judah. 14:2 He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother was Jehoaddan, who was from Jerusalem. 14:3 He did what the Lord approved, but not like David his father. He followed the example of his father Joash. 14:4 But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places.
14:5 When he had secured control of the kingdom, he executed the servants who had assassinated his father. 14:6 But he did not execute the sons of the assassins. He obeyed the Lord’s commandment as recorded in the law scroll of Moses, “Fathers must not be put to death for what their sons do, and sons must not be put to death for what their fathers do. A man must be put to death only for his own sin.”
14:7 He defeated 10,000 Edomites in the Salt Valley; he captured Sela in battle and renamed it Joktheel, a name it has retained to this very day. 14:8 Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel. He said, “Come, let’s meet face to face.” 14:9 King Jehoash of Israel sent this message back to King Amaziah of Judah, “A thornbush in Lebanon sent this message to a cedar in Lebanon, ‘Give your daughter to my son as a wife.’ Then a wild animal of Lebanon came by and trampled down the thorn. 14:10 You thoroughly defeated Edom and it has gone to your head! Gloat over your success, but stay in your palace. Why bring calamity on yourself? Why bring down yourself and Judah along with you?” 14:11 But Amaziah would not heed the warning, so King Jehoash of Israel attacked. He and King Amaziah of Judah met face to face in Beth Shemesh of Judah. 14:12 Judah was defeated by Israel, and each man ran back home. 14:13 King Jehoash of Israel captured King Amaziah of Judah, son of Jehoash son of Ahaziah, in Beth Shemesh. He attacked Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate – a distance of about six hundred feet. 14:14 He took away all the gold and silver, all the items found in the Lord’s temple and in the treasuries of the royal palace, and some hostages. Then he went back to Samaria.
( 14:15 The rest of the events of Jehoash’s reign, including all his accomplishments and his successful war with King Amaziah of Judah, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 14:16 Jehoash passed away and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. His son Jeroboam replaced him as king.)
14:17 King Amaziah son of Joash of Judah lived for fifteen years after the death of King Jehoash son of Jehoahaz of Israel. 14:18 The rest of the events of Amaziah’s reign are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 14:19 Conspirators plotted against him in Jerusalem, so he fled to Lachish. But they sent assassins after him and they killed him there. 14:20 His body was carried back by horses and he was buried in Jerusalem with his ancestors in the city of David. 14:21 All the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in his father Amaziah’s place. 14:22 Azariah built up Elat and restored it to Judah after the king had passed away.
2 Chronicles
25:1 Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother was Jehoaddan, who was from Jerusalem. 25:2 He did what the Lord approved, but not with wholehearted devotion.
25:3 When he had secured control of the kingdom, he executed the servants who had assassinated his father. 25:4 However, he did not execute their sons. He obeyed the Lord’s commandment as recorded in the law scroll of Moses, “Fathers must not be executed for what their sons do, and sons must not be executed for what their fathers do. A man must be executed only for his own sin.”
25:5 Amaziah assembled the people of Judah and assigned them by families to the commanders of units of a thousand and the commanders of units of a hundred for all Judah and Benjamin. He counted those twenty years old and up and discovered there were 300,000 young men of fighting age equipped with spears and shields. 25:6 He hired 100,000 Israelite warriors for a hundred talents of silver.
25:7 But a prophet visited him and said: “O king, the Israelite troops must not go with you, for the Lord is not with Israel or any of the Ephraimites. 25:8 Even if you go and fight bravely in battle, God will defeat you before the enemy. God is capable of helping or defeating.” 25:9 Amaziah asked the prophet: “But what should I do about the hundred talents of silver I paid the Israelite troops?” The prophet replied, “The Lord is capable of giving you more than that.” 25:10 So Amaziah dismissed the troops that had come to him from Ephraim and sent them home. They were very angry at Judah and returned home incensed. 25:11 Amaziah boldly led his army to the Valley of Salt, where he defeated 10,000 Edomites. 25:12 The men of Judah captured 10,000 men alive. They took them to the top of a cliff and threw them over. All the captives fell to their death. 25:13 Now the troops Amaziah had dismissed and had not allowed to fight in the battle raided the cities of Judah from Samaria to Beth Horon. They killed 3,000 people and carried off a large amount of plunder.
25:14 When Amaziah returned from defeating the Edomites, he brought back the gods of the people of Seir and made them his personal gods. He bowed down before them and offered them sacrifices. 25:15 The Lord was angry at Amaziah and sent a prophet to him, who said, “Why are you following these gods that could not deliver their own people from your power?” 25:16 While he was speaking, Amaziah said to him, “Did we appoint you to be a royal counselor? Stop prophesying or else you will be killed!” So the prophet stopped, but added, “I know that the Lord has decided to destroy you, because you have done this thing and refused to listen to my advice.”
25:17 After King Amaziah of Judah consulted with his advisers, he sent this message to the king of Israel, Joash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, “Come, face me on the battlefield.” 25:18 King Joash of Israel sent this message back to King Amaziah of Judah, “A thorn bush in Lebanon sent this message to a cedar in Lebanon, ‘Give your daughter to my son as a wife.’ Then a wild animal of Lebanon came by and trampled down the thorn bush. 25:19 You defeated Edom and it has gone to your head. Gloat over your success, but stay in your palace. Why bring calamity on yourself? Why bring down yourself and Judah along with you?”
25:20 But Amaziah did not heed the warning, for God wanted to hand them over to Joash because they followed the gods of Edom. 25:21 So King Joash of Israel attacked. He and King Amaziah of Judah faced each other on the battlefield in Beth Shemesh of Judah. 25:22 Judah was defeated by Israel, and each man ran back home. 25:23 King Joash of Israel captured King Amaziah of Judah, son of Joash son of Jehoahaz, in Beth Shemesh and brought him to Jerusalem. He broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate – a distance of about six hundred feet. 25:24 He took away all the gold and silver, all the items found in God’s temple that were in the care of Obed-Edom, the riches in the royal palace, and some hostages. Then he went back to Samaria.
25:25 King Amaziah son of Joash of Judah lived for fifteen years after the death of King Joash son of Jehoahaz of Israel. 25:26 The rest of the events of Amaziah’s reign, from start to finish, are recorded in the Scroll of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 25:27 From the time Amaziah turned from following the Lord, conspirators plotted against him in Jerusalem, so he fled to Lachish. But they sent assassins after him and they killed him there. 25:28 His body was carried back by horses, and he was buried in Jerusalem with his ancestors in the City of David.
Lord, given the clear history of failure from rebellion king after king still chose rebellion against You and brought trouble to the people. May I take care not to drift into rebellion.
Joash was only seven years old so Jehoiada assisted him greatly in purging the land of false idols. When Jehoiada died Joash listened to the bad counsel of members of his court and turned-away from the Lord God.
Zechariah, son of Jehoiada, delivered the Lord’s challenge to him and Joash had Zechariah stoned to death. As he died Zechariah asked the Lord God to take notice and punish Joash. God empowered the weaker Syrians to overwhelm the army of Judah and Joash was badly injured. Joash was murdered in his bed for killing Zechariah. He was not buried in the royal tombs.
Amaziah began his time as king in loyalty to the Lord God but after the Lord gave him victory over the Edomites he brought home their false idols and worshiped them. When a prophet of God challenged him he was threatened with execution, so the prophet did not trouble him further, other than to inform him that God had decided to end his reign and his life badly.
Amaziah became king of Judah and led a very successful battle against the Edomites and then he challenged King Joash of Israel. Joash warned him to not be too bold after only one victory but Amaziah continued to threaten them so Israel attacked and defeated Judah.
He was captured, and the walls of Jerusalem were destroyed. He was in captivity many years and then assassinated.
The pattern of blessed loyalty to the Lord God versus troubles for rebellion continued for the kings and the people of Israel and Judah.
Why would the kings, sons of blessed kings, choose the path of rebellion and trouble rather than that of faithfulness and blessing?
The prophets had a tough time of things, sometimes kings and other leaders listened, and sometimes they were ignored – and even killed – in their service to the Lord.
When have you experienced or observed someone speaking-up for the truth of God, only to be ignored, and/or punished by those who claimed to be followers of Christ?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you someone who is being faithful to the Lord and who faces challenges as a result.
Today I will diligently pray for, and as is appropriate, otherwise assist the one to whom the Lord God directs my attention. They may be domestic or foreign missionaries, leaders or members in a local fellowship, or activists within the larger community of faith.
Jonah Tries to Run from the Lord
1:1 The Lord said to Jonah son of Amittai, 1:2 “Go immediately to Nineveh, that large capital city, and announce judgment against its people because their wickedness has come to my attention.”
1:3 Instead, Jonah immediately headed off to Tarshish to escape from the commission of the Lord. He traveled to Joppa and found a merchant ship heading to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went aboard it to go with them to Tarshish far away from the Lord.
1:4 But the Lord hurled a powerful wind on the sea. Such a violent tempest arose on the sea that the ship threatened to break up! 1:5 The sailors were so afraid that each cried out to his own god and they flung the ship’s cargo overboard to make the ship lighter. Jonah, meanwhile, had gone down into the hold below deck, had lain down, and was sound asleep. 1:6 The ship’s captain approached him and said, “What are you doing asleep? Get up! Cry out to your god! Perhaps your god might take notice of us so that we might not die!” 1:7 The sailors said to one another, “Come on, let’s cast lots to find out whose fault it is that this disaster has overtaken us.” So they cast lots, and Jonah was singled out. 1:8 They said to him, “Tell us, whose fault is it that this disaster has overtaken us? What’s your occupation? Where do you come from? What’s your country? And who are your people?”
1:9 He said to them, “I am a Hebrew! And I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”
1:10 Hearing this, the men became even more afraid and said to him, “What have you done?” (The men said this because they knew that he was trying to escape from the Lord, because he had previously told them.) 1:11 Because the storm was growing worse and worse, they said to him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?” 1:12 He said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea to make the sea quiet down, because I know it’s my fault you are in this severe storm.” 1:13 Instead, they tried to row back to land, but they were not able to do so because the storm kept growing worse and worse.
1:14 So they cried out to the Lord, “Oh, please, Lord, don’t let us die on account of this man! Don’t hold us guilty of shedding innocent blood. After all, you, Lord, have done just as you pleased.” 1:15 So they picked Jonah up and threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped raging. 1:16 The men feared the Lord greatly, and earnestly vowed to offer lavish sacrifices to the Lord.
Jonah Prays
1:17 The Lord sent a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights.
2:1 Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the stomach of the fish 2:2 and said, “I called out to the Lord from my distress, and he answered me; from the belly of Sheol I cried out for help, and you heard my prayer.
2:3 You threw me into the deep waters, into the middle of the sea; the ocean current engulfed me; all the mighty waves you sent swept over me.
2:4 I thought I had been banished from your sight, that I would never again see your holy temple!
2:5 Water engulfed me up to my neck; the deep ocean surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head.
2:6 I went down to the very bottoms of the mountains; the gates of the netherworld barred me in forever; but you brought me up from the Pit, O Lord, my God.
2:7 When my life was ebbing away, I called out to the Lord, and my prayer came to your holy temple.
2:8 Those who worship worthless idols forfeit the mercy that could be theirs.
2:9 But as for me, I promise to offer a sacrifice to you with a public declaration of praise; I will surely do what I have promised.
Salvation belongs to the Lord!”
2:10 Then the Lord commanded the fish and it disgorged Jonah on dry land.
The People of Nineveh Respond to Jonah’s Warning
3:1 The Lord said to Jonah a second time, 3:2 “Go immediately to Nineveh, that large city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.” 3:3 So Jonah went immediately to Nineveh, as the Lord had said. (Now Nineveh was an enormous city – it required three days to walk through it!) 3:4 When Jonah began to enter the city one day’s walk, he announced, “At the end of forty days, Nineveh will be overthrown!”
3:5 The people of Nineveh believed in God, and they declared a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. 3:6 When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne, took off his royal robe, put on sackcloth, and sat on ashes. 3:7 He issued a proclamation and said, “In Nineveh, by the decree of the king and his nobles: No human or animal, cattle or sheep, is to taste anything; they must not eat and they must not drink water. 3:8 Every person and animal must put on sackcloth and must cry earnestly to God, and everyone must turn from their evil way of living and from the violence that they do. 3:9 Who knows? Perhaps God might be willing to change his mind and relent and turn from his fierce anger so that we might not die.” 3:10 When God saw their actions – they turned from their evil way of living! – God relented concerning the judgment he had threatened them with and he did not destroy them.
Jonah Responds to God’s Kindness
4:1 This displeased Jonah terribly and he became very angry. 4:2 He prayed to the Lord and said, “Oh, Lord, this is just what I thought would happen when I was in my own country. This is what I tried to prevent by attempting to escape to Tarshish! – because I knew that you are gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in mercy, and one who relents concerning threatened judgment. 4:3 So now, Lord, kill me instead, because I would rather die than live!” 4:4 The Lord said, “Are you really so very angry?”
4:5 Jonah left the city and sat down east of it. He made a shelter for himself there and sat down under it in the shade to see what would happen to the city. 4:6 The Lord God appointed a little plant and caused it to grow up over Jonah to be a shade over his head to rescue him from his misery. Now Jonah was very delighted about the little plant.
4:7 So God sent a worm at dawn the next day, and it attacked the little plant so that it dried up. 4:8 When the sun began to shine, God sent a hot east wind. So the sun beat down on Jonah’s head, and he grew faint. So he despaired of life, and said, “I would rather die than live!” 4:9 God said to Jonah, “Are you really so very angry about the little plant?” And he said, “I am as angry as I could possibly be!” 4:10 The Lord said, “You were upset about this little plant, something for which you have not worked nor did you do anything to make it grow. It grew up overnight and died the next day. 4:11 Should I not be even more concerned about Nineveh, this enormous city? There are more than one hundred twenty thousand people in it who do not know right from wrong, as well as many animals!”
Lord, Your desire to bring hope to wretches like us, as well as to the historically-brutal Ninevites, is consistent with Your character as a loving God of grace and of mercy. May I praise You for Your patient and persistent love for me. You brought Jonah where he could recognize and repent of his sin, then You rescued him. May I not make it necessary for You to get my attention in such a profound way. Jonah tried to foil Your plan to offer mercy to the enemies of his people, but You overcame his resistance. May I be a willing instrument of Your mercy no matter to whom You may choose to offer it.
The Lord said go and Jonah said no.
The beneficiaries of the prophetic ministry assigned to Jonah were the people of Ninevah. Jonah and his people despised them because of their exceptionally brutal conduct during war and their vicious treatment of captive people.
Jonah discovered that what David had written was true – there is nowhere one may go to escape the presence of the Lord God.
Because of his rebellion Jonah placed many others, the Ninevites and the sailors (and fellow passengers) in jeopardy.
When confronted Jonah finally acknowledged his responsibility for the trouble and accepted that he had to sacrifice himself to save the others, despite their resistance he finally persuaded them to throw him overboard, which they reluctantly did.
The men promised to sacrifice to the Lord to cover their fear of punishment.
Jonah was rescued by the Lord God Who sent a great fish to swallow him, keeping him from drowning.
While inside the fish Jonah prayed and reflected – confessed his sin and his fear that his separation from the Lord God could be permanent - then he repented.
Jonah observed that just as he thought he would die the Lord God reached-out and saved him. He also observed that those who worshiped false idols would miss that mercy.
The Lord caused the fish to swim to a beach near the city of Ninevah and to spit-out Jonah there.
Jonah obeyed the Lord God, went to Ninevah, and walked a third of the way across the city (one-days walk) then proclaimed the message he had been given “At the end of forty days, Nineveh will be overthrown!”
From the people to the king they were terrified and responded with repentance and by fasting and they even turned “... from their evil way of living and from ... violence”.
The Lord God was impressed by their repentance and relented from His angry judgment.
Jonah, who despised the Ninevites for their violence against his people, was angry – for the Lord had done as he feared – shown mercy, and He had used him as His agent to make that possible. He declared that he would rather die than see the Ninevites forgiven and that he had fled from his mission from the Lord God because he wanted to prevent them from being forgiven.
The Lord God questioned him if he was really that angry and watched as Jonah left the city, made himself a shelter from the sun, and watched in hope that the city would not succeed in avoiding destruction.
The Lord God caused a small plant to grow very large and to provide Jonah with a great deal more shade than his little shelter and so Jonah was quite pleased with the plant. In the morning the Lord caused the plant to die and a hot wind to overcome Jonah – who complained again that he’d be better-off dead.
The Lord questioned him about his anger at the death of the plant, which he had neither planted nor fed, but not the greatly-populated city of Ninevah “... more than one hundred twenty thousand people in it who do not know right from wrong, as well as many animals!”
Jonah placed national/tribal emotions ahead of the calling of the Lord. The Lord God said that the Ninevites “... do not know right from wrong”, which means that they had never been taught about Him. Jonah must have been preaching the entire first day’s walk into the city before declaring the impending judgment of the Lord.
Why would Jonah have thought he could disobey and then hide from the Lord God? Why would the Lord God have confronted Jonah rather than discarding him and replacing him? Why would Jonah have continued to watch the city in expectation of destruction when the Lord God had already told him that He had decided to withhold it?
The sailors were placed in a terrible predicament, to die in a storm that was caused by a prophet of the Lord God, or to throw that prophet into the sea to die and maybe survive the storm – then be punished by the Lord God. While needing the mercy of the Lord, in the way that Jonah did, is something we’d rather avoid – it is encouraging to know that it is available – and sad that the unsaved have no such access. Jonah’s petulant disregard for the Lord’s sovereign decision to give mercy to those whom he, a mere human, thought unworthy was hypocritical since he had only just experienced mercy – both before and after his ministry to the city.
When have you been trapped between emotional desires of the world and what you know to be different expectations of the Lord? When have you benefited from the mercy of the Lord? When have you experienced or observed someone challenging the Lord God’s decision(s)?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you are placing your human emotional response ahead of His heavenly spiritual perspective, to reveal to you a place where you have been resisting the Lord God’s call to a ministry project and He may have to get your attention because you are allowing some flesh-based attitude to block the way, and to reveal to you a place where you have, in the past, questioned a decision of the Lord – but learned and come to appreciate His perfect wisdom.
Today I will give praise and thanks to the Lord God for His patience with me. I will confess and repent of that place in my life where I have been allowing anger, bitterness, greed, laziness, lust, revenge, selfishness, or some other emotion to hold first-place instead of the fruits of Your Holy Spirit Who lives in me. I will confess and repent, seek and receive the Lord God’s forgiveness, and then overcome my flesh-based resistance and in-faith with His power complete the task He has assigned to me. It may be confronting a brother or sister in sin, it may be sharing the Word with someone who is considering-Christ, it may be confessing your own sin, it may be seeking forgiveness from someone you find difficult to deal with, or something else. I will humbly and prayerfully ask that I be shown another place where I may be doubting the mercy, or some other redemptive action, of the Lord - so that I may again learn to trust His grace and wisdom even more.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
1:1 Here is the message about Judah and Jerusalem that was revealed to Isaiah son of Amoz during the time when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah reigned over Judah.
Obedience, not Sacrifice
1:2 Listen, O heavens, pay attention, O earth!
For the Lord speaks: “I raised children, I brought them up, but they have rebelled against me!
1:3 An ox recognizes its owner, a donkey recognizes where its owner puts its food; but Israel does not recognize me, my people do not understand.”
1:4
The sinful nation is as good as dead, the people weighed down by evil deeds.
They are offspring who do wrong, children who do wicked things. They have abandoned the Lord, and rejected the Holy One of Israel. They are alienated from him.
1:5 Why do you insist on being battered? Why do you continue to rebel? Your head has a massive wound, your whole body is weak.
1:6 From the soles of your feet to your head, there is no spot that is unharmed. There are only bruises, cuts, and open wounds. They have not been cleansed or bandaged, nor have they been treated with olive oil.
1:7 Your land is devastated, your cities burned with fire. Right before your eyes your crops are being destroyed by foreign invaders. They leave behind devastation and destruction.
1:8 Daughter Zion is left isolated, like a hut in a vineyard, or a shelter in a cucumber field; she is a besieged city.
1:9 If the Lord who commands armies had not left us a few survivors, we would have quickly become like Sodom, we would have become like Gomorrah.
1:10 Listen to the Lord’s word, you leaders of Sodom! Pay attention to our God’s rebuke, people of Gomorrah!
1:11 “Of what importance to me are your many sacrifices?” says the Lord. “I am stuffed with burnt sacrifices of rams and the fat from steers. The blood of bulls, lambs, and goats I do not want.
1:12 When you enter my presence, do you actually think I want this – animals trampling on my courtyards?
1:13 Do not bring any more meaningless offerings; I consider your incense detestable!
You observe new moon festivals, Sabbaths, and convocations, but I cannot tolerate sin-stained celebrations!
1:14 I hate your new moon festivals and assemblies; they are a burden that I am tired of carrying.
1:15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I look the other way; when you offer your many prayers, I do not listen, because your hands are covered with blood.
1:16 Wash! Cleanse yourselves! Remove your sinful deeds from my sight. Stop sinning!
1:17 Learn to do what is right! Promote justice! Give the oppressed reason to celebrate! Take up the cause of the orphan! Defend the rights of the widow!
1:18 Come, let’s consider your options,” says the Lord. “Though your sins have stained you like the color red, you can become white like snow; though they are as easy to see as the color scarlet, you can become white like wool.
1:19 If you have a willing attitude and obey, then you will again eat the good crops of the land.
1:20 But if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” Know for certain that the Lord has spoken.
Purifying Judgment
1:21 How tragic that the once-faithful city has become a prostitute! She was once a center of justice, fairness resided in her, but now only murderers.
1:22 Your silver has become scum, your beer is diluted with water.
1:23 Your officials are rebels, they associate with thieves. All of them love bribery, and look for payoffs. They do not take up the cause of the orphan, or defend the rights of the widow.
1:24 Therefore, the sovereign Lord who commands armies, the powerful ruler of Israel, says this: “Ah, I will seek vengeance against my adversaries, I will take revenge against my enemies.
1:25 I will attack you; I will purify your metal with flux. I will remove all your slag.
1:26 I will reestablish honest judges as in former times, wise advisers as in earlier days. Then you will be called, ‘The Just City, Faithful Town.’”
1:27 Zion will be freed by justice, and her returnees by righteousness.
1:28 All rebellious sinners will be shattered, those who abandon the Lord will perish.
1:29 Indeed, they will be ashamed of the sacred trees you find so desirable; you will be embarrassed because of the sacred orchards where you choose to worship.
1:30 For you will be like a tree whose leaves wither,like an orchard that is unwatered.
1:31 The powerful will be like a thread of yarn, their deeds like a spark;both will burn together, and no one will put out the fire.
The Future Glory of Jerusalem
2:1 Here is the message about Judah and Jerusalem that was revealed to Isaiah son of Amoz.
2:2 In the future the mountain of the Lord’s temple will endure as the most important of mountains, and will be the most prominent of hills. All the nations will stream to it,
2:3 many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the Lord’s mountain, to the temple of the God of Jacob, so he can teach us his requirements, and we can follow his standards.” For Zion will be the center for moral instruction; the Lord will issue edicts from Jerusalem.
2:4 He will judge disputes between nations; he will settle cases for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nations will not take up the sword against other nations, and they will no longer train for war.
2:5 O descendants of Jacob, come, let us walk in the Lord’s guiding light.
The Lord’s Day of Judgment
2:6 Indeed, O Lord, you have abandoned your people, the descendants of Jacob. For diviners from the east are everywhere; they consult omen readers like the Philistines do.
Plenty of foreigners are around.
2:7 Their land is full of gold and silver; there is no end to their wealth. Their land is full of horses; there is no end to their chariots.
2:8 Their land is full of worthless idols; they worship the product of their own hands, what their own fingers have fashioned.
2:9 Men bow down to them in homage, they lie flat on the ground in worship. Don’t spare them!
2:10 Go up into the rocky cliffs, hide in the ground. Get away from the dreadful judgment of the Lord, from his royal splendor!
2:11 Proud men will be brought low, arrogant men will be humiliated; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.
2:12 Indeed, the Lord who commands armies has planned a day of judgment, for all the high and mighty, for all who are proud – they will be humiliated;
2:13 for all the cedars of Lebanon, that are so high and mighty, for all the oaks of Bashan;
2:14 for all the tall mountains, for all the high hills,
2:15 for every high tower, for every fortified wall,
2:16 for all the large ships, for all the impressive ships.
2:17 Proud men will be humiliated, arrogant men will be brought low; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.
2:18 The worthless idols will be completely eliminated.
2:19 They will go into caves in the rocky cliffs and into holes in the ground, trying to escape the dreadful judgment of the Lord and his royal splendor, when he rises up to terrify the earth.
2:20 At that time men will throw their silver and gold idols, which they made for themselves to worship, into the caves where rodents and bats live,
2:21 so they themselves can go into the crevices of the rocky cliffs and the openings under the rocky overhangs, trying to escape the dreadful judgment of the Lord and his royal splendor, when he rises up to terrify the earth.
2:22 Stop trusting in human beings, whose life’s breath is in their nostrils. For why should they be given special consideration?
A Coming Leadership Crisis
3:1 Look, the sovereign Lord who commands armies is about to remove from Jerusalem and Judah every source of security, including all the food and water,
3:2 the mighty men and warriors, judges and prophets, omen readers and leaders,
3:3 captains of groups of fifty, the respected citizens, advisers and those skilled in magical arts, and those who know incantations.
3:4 The Lord says, “I will make youths their officials; malicious young men will rule over them.
3:5 The people will treat each other harshly; men will oppose each other; neighbors will fight. Youths will proudly defy the elderly and riffraff will challenge those who were once respected.
3:6 Indeed, a man will grab his brother right in his father’s house and say, ‘You own a coat – you be our leader! This heap of ruins will be under your control.’
3:7 At that time the brother will shout, ‘I am no doctor, I have no food or coat in my house; don’t make me a leader of the people!’”
3:8 Jerusalem certainly stumbles, Judah falls, for their words and their actions offend the Lord; they rebel against his royal authority.
3:9 The look on their faces testifies to their guilt; like the people of Sodom they openly boast of their sin. Too bad for them! For they bring disaster on themselves.
3:10 Tell the innocent it will go well with them, for they will be rewarded for what they have done.
3:11 Too bad for the wicked sinners! For they will get exactly what they deserve.
3:12 Oppressors treat my people cruelly; creditors rule over them. My people’s leaders mislead them; they give you confusing directions.
3:13 The Lord takes his position to judge; he stands up to pass sentence on his people.
3:14 The Lord comes to pronounce judgment on the leaders of his people and their officials. He says, “It is you who have ruined the vineyard! You have stashed in your houses what you have stolen from the poor.
3:15 Why do you crush my people and grind the faces of the poor?” The sovereign Lord who commands armies has spoken.
Washing Away Impurity
3:16 The Lord says, “The women of Zion are proud. They walk with their heads high and flirt with their eyes. They skip along and the jewelry on their ankles jingles.
3:17 So the sovereign master will afflict the foreheads of Zion’s women with skin diseases, the Lord will make the front of their heads bald.”
3:18 At that time the sovereign master will remove their beautiful ankle jewelry, neck ornaments, crescent shaped ornaments, 3:19 earrings, bracelets, veils, 3:20 headdresses, ankle ornaments, sashes, sachets, amulets, 3:21 rings, nose rings, 3:22 festive dresses, robes, shawls, purses, 3:23 garments, vests, head coverings, and gowns.
3:24 A putrid stench will replace the smell of spices, a rope will replace a belt, baldness will replace braided locks of hair, a sackcloth garment will replace a fine robe, and a prisoner’s brand will replace beauty.
3:25 Your men will fall by the sword, your strong men will die in battle.
3:26 Her gates will mourn and lament; deprived of her people, she will sit on the ground.
4:1 Seven women will grab hold of one man at that time. They will say, “We will provide our own food, we will provide our own clothes; but let us belong to you – take away our shame!”
The Branch of the Lord
4:2 At that time the crops given by the Lord will bring admiration and honor; the produce of the land will be a source of pride and delight to those who remain in Israel.
4:3 Those remaining in Zion, those left in Jerusalem, will be called “holy,” all in Jerusalem who are destined to live.
4:4 At that time the sovereign master will wash the excrement from Zion’s women, he will rinse the bloodstains from Jerusalem’s midst, as he comes to judge and to bring devastation.
4:5 Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion and over its convocations a cloud and smoke by day and a bright flame of fire by night; indeed a canopy will accompany the Lord’s glorious presence.
4:6 By day it will be a shelter to provide shade from the heat, as well as safety and protection from the heavy downpour.
A Love Song Gone Sour
5:1 I will sing to my love – a song to my lover about his vineyard. My love had a vineyard on a fertile hill.
5:2 He built a hedge around it, removed its stones, and planted a vine. He built a tower in the middle of it, and constructed a winepress. He waited for it to produce edible grapes, but it produced sour ones instead.
5:3 So now, residents of Jerusalem, people of Judah, you decide between me and my vineyard!
5:4 What more can I do for my vineyard beyond what I have already done? When I waited for it to produce edible grapes, why did it produce sour ones instead?
5:5 Now I will inform you what I am about to do to my vineyard: I will remove its hedge and turn it into pasture, I will break its wall and allow animals to graze there.
5:6 I will make it a wasteland; no one will prune its vines or hoe its ground, and thorns and briers will grow there. I will order the clouds not to drop any rain on it.
5:7 Indeed Israel is the vineyard of the Lord who commands armies, the people of Judah are the cultivated place in which he took delight. He waited for justice, but look what he got – disobedience! He waited for fairness, but look what he got – cries for help!
Disaster is Coming
5:8 Those who accumulate houses are as good as dead, those who also accumulate landed property until there is no land left, and you are the only landowners remaining within the land.
5:9 The Lord who commands armies told me this: “Many houses will certainly become desolate, large, impressive houses will have no one living in them.
5:10 Indeed, a large vineyard will produce just a few gallons, and enough seed to yield several bushels will produce less than a bushel.”
5:11 Those who get up early to drink beer are as good as dead, those who keep drinking long after dark until they are intoxicated with wine.
5:12 They have stringed instruments, tambourines, flutes, and wine at their parties. So they do not recognize what the Lord is doing, they do not perceive what he is bringing about.
5:13 Therefore my people will be deported because of their lack of understanding. Their leaders will have nothing to eat, their masses will have nothing to drink.
5:14 So Death will open up its throat, and open wide its mouth; Zion’s dignitaries and masses will descend into it, including those who revel and celebrate within her.
5:15 Men will be humiliated, they will be brought low; the proud will be brought low.
5:16 The Lord who commands armies will be exalted when he punishes, the sovereign God’s authority will be recognized when he judges.
5:17 Lambs will graze as if in their pastures, amid the ruins the rich sojourners will graze.
5:18 Those who pull evil along using cords of emptiness are as good as dead, who pull sin as with cart ropes.
5:19 They say, “Let him hurry, let him act quickly, so we can see; let the plan of the Holy One of Israel take shape and come to pass, then we will know it!”
5:20 Those who call evil good and good evil are as good as dead, who turn darkness into light and light into darkness, who turn bitter into sweet and sweet into bitter.
5:21 Those who think they are wise are as good as dead, those who think they possess understanding.
5:22 Those who are champions at drinking wine are as good as dead, who display great courage when mixing strong drinks.
5:23 They pronounce the guilty innocent for a payoff, they ignore the just cause of the innocent.
5:24 Therefore, as flaming fire devours straw, and dry grass disintegrates in the flames, so their root will rot, and their flower will blow away like dust. For they have rejected the law of the Lord who commands armies, they have spurned the commands of the Holy One of Israel.
5:25 So the Lord is furious with his people; he lifts his hand and strikes them. The mountains shake, and corpses lie like manure in the middle of the streets. Despite all this, his anger does not subside, and his hand is ready to strike again.
5:26 He lifts a signal flag for a distant nation, he whistles for it to come from the far regions of the earth. Look, they come quickly and swiftly.
5:27 None tire or stumble, they don’t stop to nap or sleep. They don’t loosen their belts, or unstrap their sandals to rest.
5:28 Their arrows are sharpened, and all their bows are prepared. The hooves of their horses are hard as flint, and their chariot wheels are like a windstorm.
5:29 Their roar is like a lion’s; they roar like young lions. They growl and seize their prey; they drag it away and no one can come to the rescue.
5:30 At that time they will growl over their prey, it will sound like sea waves crashing against rocks. One will look out over the land and see the darkness of disaster, clouds will turn the light into darkness.
Lord, You are holy and righteous and in return for your grace, protection, and provision You require that we respond in obedience and righteousness. May I be increasingly grateful and therefore increasingly faithful in seeking after righteousness through surrender to the working of the Holy Spirit in and through me. You love the people whom You created, and Your desire is to bless them. You ask for integrity, in our relationship with You, and with fellow humankind. May I be attentive to what it is that You want, rather than what the world values, and so become a conduit of Your blessing and truth to others.
Isaiah was a prophet to Israel a little over 200 years after the reign of King Solomon. His service to the Lord spanned the times of kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah.
Isaiah delivered the message of the Lord God which compared the people of Israel to an ox and a donkey and found the people wanting because of their foolish rebellion.
The Lord observed that they are beaten and bruised, suffering and over-run by their enemies, yet they persisted in their rebellion.
He further observed that it was only the Lord God who preserved a few survivors, otherwise they would have been utterly destroyed as were the people in Sodom and Gomorrah.
The Lord God said, through Isaiah, that He did not want their sacrifices while they were in active rebellion, and that He would not listen to their prayers either.
He told them that they must “Learn to do what is right! Promote justice! Give the oppressed reason to celebrate! Take up the cause of the orphan! Defend the rights of the widow!”
He then reminded them of His grace “Though your sins have stained you like the color red, you can become white like snow”, but warned that they had been warned and were without excuse were they to fail to repent of their sinful ways in rebellion.
His final word of the first chapter is that He would purify them by fire, all who rebelled – regardless of their station in life – would be destroyed. Only righteousness could result in a reconciliation and restoration of their relationship with the Lord God – and the blessings that would flow from that.
Isaiah began with what Constable’s Notes explains was a preference of the Lord God for Israel, followed by what was and what was coming as a result, and then a return to His preference. [The middle part is more of a prophesy whereas the rest represents a conditional offer from the Lord Who wants to bless His people for obedience.] Through Isaiah the Lord challenged the people to repent of the worship of mere men and other elements of temporary fallen Creation and to return to Him.
Isaiah announced the Lord’s discipline, that He would remove from them the leaders – kings and others – so that they no longer had the excuse to blame them and so that they would individually and corporately reap the consequences of their rebellion.
He continued to detail the consequences, beginning with facial sores on the women whose pride and abuse of their sexuality was offensive to Him, then make the fronts of their heads bald, followed by destitution and slavery.
He would also cause the strong young men to die in battle so that there would be seven women begging one man to marry them so that they would no longer be without husbands.
The desire of the Lord God would be to make the crops of those who remained in Jerusalem, those whom He had found to be obedient, to be exceptional and He would wipe clean the shame of the women.
The Lord God declared that He had created a “vineyard” of opportunity for relationship and for blessing but the people had rebelled and made the “grapes ... sour”, so He was about to destroy it all.
Despite all of the losses they had experienced, and the reprieves they had received when they were momentarily repentant, the people continued their rebellious ways. When the people of Israel first demanded of the Lord God a mere human king “like the nations around them” they were warned via God’s prophet that these kings would bring them trouble, He reminded them that He was the only King they needed, yet they insisted – and He gave them their demand and along with it - the inevitable consequences.
Why would the people have bothered to pray and to make sacrifices when they refused to obey the Lord God? Why was it so difficult for the people to see that the Lord God wanted to bless them and that all of their rebellion was getting them nowhere?
Despite their persistent rebellion the Lord God stood ready and willing to forgive and restore them. The evidence of true repentance that the Lord God sought was “... justice, but look what he got – disobedience! He waited for fairness, but look what he got – cries for help!”
When have you experienced or observed a person going through the motions of ‘religion’ while living a pagan lifestyle, then expressing frustration that things went badly for them? When have you experienced or observed that a leader who practiced justice and created a healthier environment rather than one that was arbitrary and selfish?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your journey where you have been ‘talking the talk’ but not ‘walking the walk’ because you have preferred the values of the world over those of the Lord God.
Today I will confess and repent, seek and receive forgiveness from the Lord God, and make the necessary changes to better align my words with my deeds and to surrender more completely to the Lordship of Christ in my life. (It may be in a gray area of financial dealings, integrity in academics, truth-telling in social relationships, or in some other area.)
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Isaiah’s Commission
6:1 In the year of King Uzziah’s death, I saw the sovereign master seated on a high, elevated throne. The hem of his robe filled the temple. 6:2 Seraphs stood over him; each one had six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and they used the remaining two to fly. 6:3 They called out to one another, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord who commands armies! His majestic splendor fills the entire earth!” 6:4 The sound of their voices shook the door frames, and the temple was filled with smoke.
6:5 I said, “Too bad for me! I am destroyed, for my lips are contaminated by sin, and I live among people whose lips are contaminated by sin. My eyes have seen the king, the Lord who commands armies.” 6:6 But then one of the seraphs flew toward me. In his hand was a hot coal he had taken from the altar with tongs. 6:7 He touched my mouth with it and said, “Look, this coal has touched your lips. Your evil is removed; your sin is forgiven.” 6:8 I heard the voice of the sovereign master say, “Whom will I send? Who will go on our behalf?” I answered, “Here I am, send me!” 6:9 He said, “Go and tell these people:
‘Listen continually, but don’t understand!
Look continually, but don’t perceive!’
6:10 Make the hearts of these people calloused; make their ears deaf and their eyes blind!
Otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, their hearts might understand and they might repent and be healed.”
6:11 I replied, “How long, sovereign master?” He said, “Until cities are in ruins and unpopulated, and houses are uninhabited, and the land is ruined and devastated,
6:12 and the Lord has sent the people off to a distant place, and the very heart of the land is completely abandoned.
6:13 Even if only a tenth of the people remain in the land, it will again be destroyed, like one of the large sacred trees or an Asherah pole, when a sacred pillar on a high place is thrown down. That sacred pillar symbolizes the special chosen family.”
Ahaz Receives a Sign
7:1 During the reign of Ahaz son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel marched up to Jerusalem to do battle, but they were unable to prevail against it.
7:2 It was reported to the family of David, “Syria has allied with Ephraim.” They and their people were emotionally shaken, just as the trees of the forest shake before the wind. 7:3 So the Lord told Isaiah, “Go out with your son Shear-jashub and meet Ahaz at the end of the conduit of the upper pool which is located on the road to the field where they wash and dry cloth. 7:4 Tell him, ‘Make sure you stay calm! Don’t be afraid! Don’t be intimidated by these two stubs of smoking logs, or by the raging anger of Rezin, Syria, and the son of Remaliah. 7:5 Syria has plotted with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah to bring about your demise. 7:6 They say, “Let’s attack Judah, terrorize it, and conquer it. Then we’ll set up the son of Tabeel as its king.” 7:7 For this reason the sovereign master, the Lord, says: “It will not take place; it will not happen.
7:8 For Syria’s leader is Damascus, and the leader of Damascus is Rezin. Within sixty-five years Ephraim will no longer exist as a nation.
7:9 Ephraim’s leader is Samaria, and Samaria’s leader is the son of Remaliah. If your faith does not remain firm, then you will not remain secure.”
7:10 The Lord again spoke to Ahaz: 7:11 “Ask for a confirming sign from the Lord your God. You can even ask for something miraculous.” 7:12 But Ahaz responded, “I don’t want to ask; I don’t want to put the Lord to a test.” 7:13 So Isaiah replied, “Pay attention, family of David. Do you consider it too insignificant to try the patience of men? Is that why you are also trying the patience of my God? 7:14 For this reason the sovereign master himself will give you a confirming sign. Look, this young woman is about to conceive and will give birth to a son. You, young woman, will name him Immanuel. 7:15 He will eat sour milk and honey, which will help him know how to reject evil and choose what is right. 7:16 Here is why this will be so: Before the child knows how to reject evil and choose what is right, the land whose two kings you fear will be desolate. 7:17 The Lord will bring on you, your people, and your father’s family a time unlike any since Ephraim departed from Judah – the king of Assyria!”
7:18 At that time the Lord will whistle for flies from the distant streams of Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria. 7:19 All of them will come and make their home in the ravines between the cliffs, and in the crevices of the cliffs, in all the thorn bushes, and in all the watering holes. 7:20 At that time the sovereign master will use a razor hired from the banks of the Euphrates River, the king of Assyria, to shave the head and the pubic hair; it will also shave off the beard. 7:21 At that time a man will keep alive a young cow from the herd and a couple of goats. 7:22 From the abundance of milk they produce, he will have sour milk for his meals. Indeed, everyone left in the heart of the land will eat sour milk and honey. 7:23 At that time every place where there had been a thousand vines worth a thousand shekels will be overrun with thorns and briers. 7:24 With bow and arrow men will hunt there, for the whole land will be covered with thorns and briers. 7:25 They will stay away from all the hills that were cultivated, for fear of the thorns and briers. Cattle will graze there and sheep will trample on them.
A Sign-Child is Born
8:1 The Lord told me, “Take a large tablet and inscribe these words on it with an ordinary stylus: ‘Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.’ 8:2 Then I will summon as my reliable witnesses Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah.” 8:3 I then had sexual relations with the prophetess; she conceived and gave birth to a son. The Lord told me, “Name him Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz, 8:4 for before the child knows how to cry out, ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off by the king of Assyria.”
8:5 The Lord spoke to me again: 8:6 “These people have rejected the gently flowing waters of Shiloah and melt in fear over Rezin and the son of Remaliah. 8:7 So look, the sovereign master is bringing up against them the turbulent and mighty waters of the Euphrates River – the king of Assyria and all his majestic power. It will reach flood stage and overflow its banks. 8:8 It will spill into Judah, flooding and engulfing, as it reaches to the necks of its victims. He will spread his wings out over your entire land, O Immanuel.”
8:9 You will be broken, O nations; you will be shattered! Pay attention, all you distant lands of the earth! Get ready for battle, and you will be shattered! Get ready for battle, and you will be shattered!
8:10 Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted! Issue your orders, but they will not be executed! For God is with us!
The Lord Encourages Isaiah
8:11 Indeed this is what the Lord told me. He took hold of me firmly and warned me not to act like these people:
8:12 “Do not say, ‘Conspiracy,’ every time these people say the word. Don’t be afraid of what scares them; don’t be terrified.
8:13 You must recognize the authority of the Lord who commands armies. He is the one you must respect; he is the one you must fear.
8:14 He will become a sanctuary, but a stone that makes a person trip, and a rock that makes one stumble – to the two houses of Israel. He will become a trap and a snare to the residents of Jerusalem.
8:15 Many will stumble over the stone and the rock, and will fall and be seriously injured, and will be ensnared and captured.”
8:16 Tie up the scroll as legal evidence, seal the official record of God’s instructions and give it to my followers.
8:17 I will wait patiently for the Lord, who has rejected the family of Jacob; I will wait for him.
8:18 Look, I and the sons whom the Lord has given me are reminders and object lessons in Israel, sent from the Lord who commands armies, who lives on Mount Zion.
Darkness Turns to Light as an Ideal King Arrives
8:19 They will say to you, “Seek oracles at the pits used to conjure up underworld spirits, from the magicians who chirp and mutter incantations. Should people not seek oracles from their gods, by asking the dead about the destiny of the living?” 8:20 Then you must recall the Lord’s instructions and the prophetic testimony of what would happen. Certainly they say such things because their minds are spiritually darkened. 8:21 They will pass through the land destitute and starving. Their hunger will make them angry, and they will curse their king and their God as they look upward. 8:22 When one looks out over the land, he sees distress and darkness, gloom and anxiety, darkness and people forced from the land.
Lord, You are holy, we are not. May I be as aware of Your holiness as was Isaiah. You rule over all armies and nations, therefore You may choose which will fail and which will have victory – especially where it impacts Your people. May I never fear (as a child of God) that in the battles of life anything of significance, in the eyes of the Lord, will go other than the way that You decide. You loved the people and they rejected You, and after generations of grace Your discipline fell upon them. May I remember to respond appropriately and obediently to Your love and not give you a reason to discipline me.
Isaiah explained the experience of his calling to the prophetic ministry “I saw the sovereign master seated on a high, elevated throne ...” and He was surrounded by angelic beings who celebrated “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord ...”
He was frightened “Too bad for me! I am destroyed, for my lips are contaminated by sin, and I live among people whose lips are contaminated by sin. My eyes have seen the king, the Lord ...” because his (and that of the people around him) imperfection could not survive the presence of the Lord God. He was correct.
Isaiah then reported “But then one of the seraphs flew toward me. In his hand was a hot coal he had taken from the altar with tongs. He touched my mouth with it and said, “Look, this coal has touched your lips. Your evil is removed; your sin is forgiven.”“
It was at that moment that Isaiah’s heard the call “I heard the voice of the sovereign master say, “Whom will I send? Who will go on our behalf?”“ … and he answered ... “Here I am, send me!”
The Lord God then defined Isaiah’s prophetic ministry “Go and tell these people ...” who “Listen continually, but don’t understand! Look continually, but don’t perceive!’”
The Lord God then declared that He would “Make the hearts of these people calloused; make their ears deaf and their eyes blind! Otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, their hearts might understand and they might repent and be healed.”“
Isaiah asked the Lord how long would this punishment last, to which He replied “Until cities are in ruins and unpopulated, and houses are uninhabited, and the land is ruined and devastated, and the Lord has sent the people off to a distant place, and the very heart of the land is completely abandoned.”
The Lord concluded His edict of complete national obliteration within the land “Even if only a tenth of the people remain in the land, it will again be destroyed, like one of the large sacred trees or an Asherah pole, when a sacred pillar on a high place is thrown down. That sacred pillar symbolizes the special chosen family.”
The news had come the king of Judah (of the former nation of Israel, since divided into Israel and Judah) that King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah of Israel and the nation of Ephraim (which had splintered off from Judah) were about to attack, and they were terrified because they were unable to resist such a combined military force.
The Lord God directed Isaiah “Go out with your son Shear-jashub and meet Ahaz … Tell him ... Don’t be afraid! Don’t be intimidated by these two stubs of smoking logs … It will not take place; it will not happen.”
The Lord God, through Isaiah, challenged Ahaz to test His promise by asking for a sign or even a miracle, but Ahaz refused, fearful of testing the Lord, so He declared that Ephraim and Syria would soon be desolate, saying “Look, this young woman is about to conceive and will give birth to a son. You, young woman, will name him Immanuel.” but before he reached the age of accountability “... the land whose two kings you fear will be desolate.”
Isaiah was instructed by the Lord God to write a name that meant something similar to “come quickly” and for that name to be witnessed on the tablet by others.
Isaiah then went to his wife, labeled as a “prophetess” as was the custom for the wife of a prophet, and they had a child – whom they obediently named as instructed. Before he was of the age of accountability the king of Assyria was to plunder Ephraim and Syria as prophesied. [Note: There is scholarly debate as to the possible rhetorical vs literal meaning of Isaiah’s son as a foreshadowing of Jesus, but the text fails to support that, and such is unnecessary to the later 7:14 text in which Jesus is prophesied.]
The Lord then prophesied that after obliterating Ephraim and Syria the Assyrians would over-run Israel and Judah and all of the nations around them. [Note: The term “Immanuel” (God with us) is used to describe the nations of Israel, as they were the earthly expression of the Lord God, were also a vague shadow compared to Jesus the Christ – The Immanuel” (God literally with/among us - in the flesh.)
The Lord God warned Isaiah to take care not to follow the actions and thinking of the people:
“Do not say, ‘Conspiracy,’ every time these people say the word. Don’t be afraid of what scares them; don’t be terrified.”
“... recognize the authority of the Lord who commands armies. He is the one you must respect; he is the one you must fear.”
“He will become a sanctuary, but [also] a stone that makes a person trip, and a rock that makes one stumble – to the two houses of Israel. He will become a trap and a snare to the residents of Jerusalem. Many will stumble over the stone and the rock, and will fall and be seriously injured, and will be ensnared and captured.”
“Tie up the scroll as legal evidence, seal the official record of God’s instructions and give it to my followers.”
Isaiah then said “I will wait patiently for the Lord, who has rejected the family of Jacob; I will wait for him. Look, I and the sons whom the Lord has given me are reminders and object lessons in Israel, sent from the Lord who commands armies, who lives on Mount Zion.”
Isaiah was warned further that the people, filled with spiritual darkness in their rebellion, would ask him to call upon demons and ghosts and witches in the hope that the dead might tell them of the future of the living. It would be yet another act of foolishness and of rebellion; he was to ignore them as their due punishment descended upon them.
The celebration of the holiness of the Lord God in Heaven is an amazing thing to imagine. The people of Judah saw things only through their human eyes, and so they were terrified, but the Lord God saw their enemies as already defeated; indeed, destroyed. The Lord God would protect Isaiah, and others, who honored their relationship with Him but would bring trouble to rebels and create challenges for others who denied His presence.
Would you have the presence of mind, like Isaiah, to cry out “Here I am, send me!” to the Lord? Why might Ahaz have been so fearful of asking the Lord God for a sign or a miracle? Why would the Lord God cause Isaiah to write ‘Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.’ (come quickly) on a tablet for others to see?
Isaiah’s very challenging ministry was to people who “Listen continually, but don’t understand! Look continually, but don’t perceive!’” He was to tell them that terrible trouble, beyond what they had already experienced, awaited them. At one moment the people of Judah were terrified and in the next they learned that their fearful enemies were soon to be wiped from the map, by the Lord God. Just as Saul turned to witchcraft so also did the people of Isaiah’s time.
When have you experienced or observed a moment in praise and worship, or in prayerful and intense study of the Word of God, where a sense of His unique holiness overwhelmed you? When have you been fearful of a person or situation only to have your prayers answered and the entire threat disappear? When have you observed people acting and thinking in pagan ways in hopes of a God-less magical solution to their problems?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your journey where you “Listen continually, but don’t understand! Look continually, but don’t perceive!’”, to reveal to you today something of which you are afraid, with legitimate cause, but which He intends to remove from your life, and a place in your life where you think ‘magically’, hoping for a solution to a problem, rather than taking it to the Lord God in faithful and trusting prayer and then leaving it with Him.
Today I will confess and repent, ask forgiveness and receive it from the Lord, and then surrender to the Holy Spirit as He leads me to listen with His ears, understand with His wisdom, see with His filter (so that I notice what He says is important), and perceive with His perspective of eternity. I will raise grateful prayers of praise and thanks to the Lord God. I will begin a daily discipline to bring everything to the Lord in prayer.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Amos
Introduction
1:1 The following is a record of what Amos prophesied. He was one of the herdsmen from Tekoa. These prophecies about Israel were revealed to him during the time of King Uzziah of Judah and King Jeroboam son of Joash of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
God Will Judge the Surrounding Nations
1:2 Amos said: “The Lord comes roaring out of Zion; from Jerusalem he comes bellowing! The shepherds’ pastures wilt; the summit of Carmel withers.”
1:3 This is what the Lord says: “Because Damascus has committed three crimes – make that four! – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. They ripped through Gilead like threshing sledges with iron teeth.
1:4 So I will set Hazael’s house on fire; fire will consume Ben Hadad’s fortresses.
1:5 I will break the bar on the gate of Damascus. I will remove the ruler from Wicked Valley, the one who holds the royal scepter from Beth Eden. The people of Aram will be deported to Kir.” The Lord has spoken!
1:6 This is what the Lord says: “Because Gaza has committed three crimes – make that four! – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. They deported a whole community and sold them to Edom.
1:7 So I will set Gaza’s city wall on fire; fire will consume her fortresses.
1:8 I will remove the ruler from Ashdod, the one who holds the royal scepter from Ashkelon. I will strike Ekron with my hand; the rest of the Philistines will also die.” The sovereign Lord has spoken!
1:9 This is what the Lord says: “Because Tyre has committed three crimes – make that four! – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. They sold a whole community to Edom; they failed to observe a treaty of brotherhood.
1:10 So I will set fire to Tyre’s city wall; fire will consume her fortresses.”
1:11 This is what the Lord says: “Because Edom has committed three crimes – make that four! – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. He chased his brother with a sword; he wiped out his allies. In his anger he tore them apart without stopping to rest; in his fury he relentlessly attacked them.
1:12 So I will set Teman on fire; fire will consume Bozrah’s fortresses.”
1:13 This is what the Lord says: “Because the Ammonites have committed three crimes – make that four! – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. They ripped open Gilead’s pregnant women so they could expand their territory.
1:14 So I will set fire to Rabbah’s city wall; fire will consume her fortresses. War cries will be heard on the day of battle; a strong gale will blow on the day of the windstorm.
1:15 Ammon’s king will be deported; he and his officials will be carried off together.” The Lord has spoken!
2:1 This is what the Lord says: “Because Moab has committed three crimes – make that four! – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. They burned the bones of Edom’s king into lime.
2:2 So I will set Moab on fire, and it will consume Kerioth’s fortresses. Moab will perish in the heat of battle amid war cries and the blaring of the ram’s horn.
2:3 I will remove Moab’s leader; I will kill all Moab’s officials with him.” The Lord has spoken!
2:4 This is what the Lord says: “Because Judah has committed three covenant transgressions – make that four! – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. They rejected the Lord’s law; they did not obey his commands. Their false gods, to which their fathers were loyal, led them astray.
2:5 So I will set Judah on fire, and it will consume Jerusalem’s fortresses.”
God Will Judge Israel
2:6 This is what the Lord says: “Because Israel has committed three covenant transgressions – make that four! – I will not revoke my decree of judgment. They sold the innocent for silver, the needy for a pair of sandals.
2:7 They trample on the dirt-covered heads of the poor; they push the destitute away. A man and his father go to the same girl; in this way they show disrespect for my moral purity.
2:8 They stretch out on clothing seized as collateral; they do so right beside every altar! They drink wine bought with the fines they have levied; they do so right in the temple of their God!
2:9 For Israel’s sake I destroyed the Amorites. They were as tall as cedars and as strong as oaks, but I destroyed the fruit on their branches and their roots in the ground.
2:10 I brought you up from the land of Egypt; I led you through the wilderness for forty years so you could take the Amorites’ land as your own.
2:11 I made some of your sons prophets and some of your young men Nazirites. Is this not true, you Israelites?” The Lord is speaking!
2:12 “But you made the Nazirites drink wine; you commanded the prophets, ‘Do not prophesy!’
2:13 Look! I will press you down, like a cart loaded down with grain presses down.
2:14 Fast runners will find no place to hide; strong men will have no strength left; warriors will not be able to save their lives.
2:15 Archers will not hold their ground; fast runners will not save their lives, nor will those who ride horses.
2:16 Bravehearted warriors will run away naked in that day.” The Lord is speaking!
Every Effect has its Cause
3:1 Listen, you Israelites, to this message which the Lord is proclaiming against you! This message is for the entire clan I brought up from the land of Egypt: 3:2 “I have chosen you alone from all the clans of the earth. Therefore I will punish you for all your sins.”
3:3 Do two walk together without having met?
3:4 Does a lion roar in the woods if he has not cornered his prey? Does a young lion bellow from his den if he has not caught something?
3:5 Does a bird swoop down into a trap on the ground if there is no bait? Does a trap spring up from the ground unless it has surely caught something?
3:6 If an alarm sounds in a city, do people not fear? If disaster overtakes a city, is the Lord not responsible?
3:7 Certainly the sovereign Lord does nothing without first revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.
3:8 A lion has roared! Who is not afraid? The sovereign Lord has spoken! Who can refuse to prophesy?
Samaria Will Fall
3:9 Make this announcement in the fortresses of Ashdod and in the fortresses in the land of Egypt. Say this: “Gather on the hills around Samaria! Observe the many acts of violence taking place within the city, the oppressive deeds occurring in it.”
3:10 “They do not know how to do what is right.” (The Lord is speaking.) “They store up the spoils of destructive violence in their fortresses.
3:11 Therefore,” says the sovereign Lord, “an enemy will encircle the land. He will take away your power; your fortresses will be looted.”
3:12 This is what the Lord says: “Just as a shepherd salvages from the lion’s mouth a couple of leg bones or a piece of an ear, so the Israelites who live in Samaria will be salvaged. They will be left with just a corner of a bed, and a part of a couch.”
3:13 Listen and warn the family of Jacob! The sovereign Lord, the God who commands armies, is speaking!
3:14 “Certainly when I punish Israel for their covenant transgressions, I will destroy Bethel’s altars. The horns of the altar will be cut off and fall to the ground.
3:15 I will destroy both the winter and summer houses. The houses filled with ivory will be ruined, the great houses will be swept away.” The Lord is speaking!
4:1 Listen to this message, you cows of Bashan who live on Mount Samaria! You oppress the poor; you crush the needy. You say to your husbands, “Bring us more to drink!”
4:2 The sovereign Lord confirms this oath by his own holy character: “Certainly the time is approaching when you will be carried away in baskets, every last one of you in fishermen’s pots.
4:3 Each of you will go straight through the gaps in the walls; you will be thrown out toward Harmon.” The Lord is speaking!
Israel has an Appointment with God
4:4 “Go to Bethel and rebel! At Gilgal rebel some more! Bring your sacrifices in the morning, your tithes on the third day!
4:5 Burn a thank offering of bread made with yeast! Make a public display of your voluntary offerings! For you love to do this, you Israelites.” The sovereign Lord is speaking!
4:6 “But surely I gave you no food to eat in any of your cities; you lacked food everywhere you live. Still you did not come back to me.” The Lord is speaking!
4:7 “I withheld rain from you three months before the harvest. I gave rain to one city, but not to another. One field would get rain, but the field that received no rain dried up.
4:8 People from two or three cities staggered into one city to get water, but remained thirsty. Still you did not come back to me.” The Lord is speaking!
4:9 “I destroyed your crops with blight and disease. Locusts kept devouring your orchards, vineyards, fig trees, and olive trees. Still you did not come back to me.” The Lord is speaking!
4:10 “I sent against you a plague like one of the Egyptian plagues. I killed your young men with the sword, along with the horses you had captured. I made the stench from the corpses rise up into your nostrils. Still you did not come back to me.” The Lord is speaking!
4:11 “I overthrew some of you the way God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. You were like a burning stick snatched from the flames. Still you did not come back to me.” The Lord is speaking!
4:12 “Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel. Because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, Israel!
4:13 For here he is! He formed the mountains and created the wind. He reveals his plans to men. He turns the dawn into darkness and marches on the heights of the earth. The Lord, the God who commands armies, is his name!”
Death is Imminent
5:1 Listen to this funeral song I am ready to sing about you, family of Israel:
5:2 “The virgin Israel has fallen down and will not get up again. She is abandoned on her own land with no one to help her get up.”
5:3 The sovereign Lord says this: “The city that marches out with a thousand soldiers will have only a hundred left; the town that marches out with a hundred soldiers will have only ten left for the family of Israel.”
5:4 The Lord says this to the family of Israel: “Seek me so you can live!
5:5 Do not seek Bethel! Do not visit Gilgal! Do not journey down to Beer Sheba! For the people of Gilgal will certainly be carried into exile; and Bethel will become a place where disaster abounds.”
5:6 Seek the Lord so you can live! Otherwise he will break out like fire against Joseph’s family; the fire will consume and no one will be able to quench it and save Bethel.
5:7 The Israelites turn justice into bitterness; they throw what is fair and right to the ground.
5:8 (But there is one who made the constellations Pleiades and Orion; he can turn the darkness into morning and daylight into night. He summons the water of the seas and pours it out on the earth’s surface. The Lord is his name!
5:9 He flashes destruction down upon the strong so that destruction overwhelms the fortified places.)
5:10 The Israelites hate anyone who arbitrates at the city gate; they despise anyone who speaks honestly.
5:11 Therefore, because you make the poor pay taxes on their crops and exact a grain tax from them, you will not live in the houses you built with chiseled stone, nor will you drink the wine from the fine vineyards you planted.
5:12 Certainly I am aware of your many rebellious acts and your numerous sins. You torment the innocent, you take bribes, and you deny justice to the needy at the city gate.
5:13 For this reason whoever is smart keeps quiet in such a time, for it is an evil time.
5:14 Seek good and not evil so you can live! Then the Lord, the God who commands armies, just might be with you, as you claim he is.
5:15 Hate what is wrong, love what is right! Promote justice at the city gate! Maybe the Lord, the God who commands armies, will have mercy on those who are left from Joseph.
5:16 Because of Israel’s sins this is what the Lord, the God who commands armies, the sovereign One, says: “In all the squares there will be wailing, in all the streets they will mourn the dead. They will tell the field workers to lament and the professional mourners to wail.
5:17 In all the vineyards there will be wailing, for I will pass through your midst,” says the Lord.
The Lord Demands Justice
5:18 Woe to those who wish for the day of the Lord! Why do you want the Lord’s day of judgment to come? It will bring darkness, not light.
5:19 Disaster will be inescapable, as if a man ran from a lion only to meet a bear, then escaped into a house, leaned his hand against the wall, and was bitten by a poisonous snake.
5:20 Don’t you realize the Lord’s day of judgment will bring darkness, not light – gloomy blackness, not bright light?
5:21 “I absolutely despise your festivals! I get no pleasure from your religious assemblies!
5:22 Even if you offer me burnt and grain offerings, I will not be satisfied; I will not look with favor on your peace offerings of fattened calves.
5:23 Take away from me your noisy songs; I don’t want to hear the music of your stringed instruments.
5:24 Justice must flow like torrents of water, righteous actions like a stream that never dries up.
5:25 You did not bring me sacrifices and grain offerings during the forty years you spent in the wilderness, family of Israel.
5:26 You will pick up your images of Sikkuth, your king, and Kiyyun, your star god, which you made for yourselves,
5:27 and I will drive you into exile beyond Damascus,” says the Lord. He is called the God who commands armies!
The Party is over for the Rich
6:1 Woe to those who live in ease in Zion, to those who feel secure on Mount Samaria. They think of themselves as the elite class of the best nation. The family of Israel looks to them for leadership.
6:2 They say to the people: “Journey over to Calneh and look at it! Then go from there to Hamath-Rabbah! Then go down to Gath of the Philistines! Are they superior to our two kingdoms? Is their territory larger than yours?”
6:3 You refuse to believe a day of disaster will come, but you establish a reign of violence.
6:4 They lie around on beds decorated with ivory, and sprawl out on their couches. They eat lambs from the flock, and calves from the middle of the pen.
6:5 They sing to the tune of stringed instruments; like David they invent musical instruments.
6:6 They drink wine from sacrificial bowls, and pour the very best oils on themselves. Yet they are not concerned over the ruin of Joseph.
6:7 Therefore they will now be the first to go into exile, and the religious banquets where they sprawl on couches will end.
6:8 The sovereign Lord confirms this oath by his very own life. The Lord, the God who commands armies, is speaking: “I despise Jacob’s arrogance; I hate their fortresses. I will hand over to their enemies the city of Samaria and everything in it.”
6:9 If ten men are left in one house, they too will die. 6:10 When their close relatives, the ones who will burn the corpses, pick up their bodies to remove the bones from the house, they will say to anyone who is in the inner rooms of the house, “Is anyone else with you?” He will respond, “Be quiet! Don’t invoke the Lord’s name!”
6:11 Indeed, look! The Lord is giving the command. He will smash the large house to bits, and the small house into little pieces.
6:12 Can horses run on rocky cliffs? Can one plow the sea with oxen? Yet you have turned justice into a poisonous plant, and the fruit of righteous actions into a bitter plant.
6:13 You are happy because you conquered Lo-Debar. You say, “Did we not conquer Karnaim by our own power?”
6:14 “Look! I am about to bring a nation against you, family of Israel.” The Lord, the God who commands armies, is speaking. “They will oppress you all the way from Lebo-Hamath to the Stream of the Arabah.”
Symbolic Visions of Judgment
7:1 The sovereign Lord showed me this: I saw him making locusts just as the crops planted late were beginning to sprout. (The crops planted late sprout after the royal harvest.) 7:2 When they had completely consumed the earth’s vegetation, I said, “Sovereign Lord, forgive Israel! How can Jacob survive? He is too weak!”
7:3 The Lord decided not to do this. “It will not happen,” the Lord said.
7:4 The sovereign Lord showed me this: I saw the sovereign Lord summoning a shower of fire. It consumed the great deep and devoured the fields.
7:5 I said, “Sovereign Lord, stop! How can Jacob survive? He is too weak!”
7:6 The Lord decided not to do this. The sovereign Lord said, “This will not happen either.”
7:7 He showed me this: I saw the sovereign One standing by a tin wall holding tin in his hand. 7:8 The Lord said to me, “What do you see, Amos?” I said, “Tin.” The sovereign One then said, “Look, I am about to place tin among my people Israel. I will no longer overlook their sin.
7:9 Isaac’s centers of worship will become desolate; Israel’s holy places will be in ruins. I will attack Jeroboam’s dynasty with the sword.”
Amos Confronts a Priest
7:10 Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent this message to King Jeroboam of Israel: “Amos is conspiring against you in the very heart of the kingdom of Israel! The land cannot endure all his prophecies. 7:11 As a matter of fact, Amos is saying this: ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword and Israel will certainly be carried into exile away from its land.’”
7:12 Amaziah then said to Amos, “Leave, you visionary! Run away to the land of Judah! Earn your living and prophesy there! 7:13 Don’t prophesy at Bethel any longer, for a royal temple and palace are here!”
7:14 Amos replied to Amaziah, “I was not a prophet by profession. No, I was a herdsman who also took care of sycamore fig trees. 7:15 Then the Lord took me from tending flocks and gave me this commission, ‘Go! Prophesy to my people Israel!’ 7:16 So now listen to the Lord’s message! You say, ‘Don’t prophesy against Israel! Don’t preach against the family of Isaac!’
7:17 “Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘Your wife will become a prostitute in the streets and your sons and daughters will die violently. Your land will be given to others and you will die in a foreign land. Israel will certainly be carried into exile away from its land.’”
More Visions and Messages of Judgment
8:1 The sovereign Lord showed me this: I saw a basket of summer fruit.
8:2 He said, “What do you see, Amos?” I replied, “A basket of summer fruit.” Then the Lord said to me, “The end has come for my people Israel! I will no longer overlook their sins.
8:3 The women singing in the temple will wail in that day.” The sovereign Lord is speaking. “There will be many corpses littered everywhere! Be quiet!”
8:4 Listen to this, you who trample the needy, and do away with the destitute in the land.
8:5 You say, “When will the new moon festival be over, so we can sell grain? When will the Sabbath end, so we can open up the grain bins? We’re eager to sell less for a higher price, and to cheat the buyer with rigged scales!
8:6 We’re eager to trade silver for the poor, a pair of sandals for the needy! We want to mix in some chaff with the grain!”
8:7 The Lord confirms this oath by the arrogance of Jacob: “I swear I will never forget all you have done!
8:8 Because of this the earth will quake, and all who live in it will mourn. The whole earth will rise like the River Nile, it will surge upward and then grow calm, like the Nile in Egypt.
8:9 In that day,” says the sovereign Lord, “I will make the sun set at noon, and make the earth dark in the middle of the day.
8:10 I will turn your festivals into funerals, and all your songs into funeral dirges. I will make everyone wear funeral clothes and cause every head to be shaved bald. I will make you mourn as if you had lost your only son; when it ends it will indeed have been a bitter day.
8:11 Be certain of this, the time is coming,” says the sovereign Lord, “when I will send a famine through the land – not a shortage of food or water but an end to divine revelation!
8:12 People will stagger from sea to sea, and from the north around to the east. They will wander about looking for a revelation from the Lord, but they will not find any.
8:13 In that day your beautiful young women and your young men will faint from thirst. 8:14 These are the ones who now take oaths in the name of the sinful idol goddess of Samaria. They vow, ‘As surely as your god lives, O Dan,’ or ‘As surely as your beloved one lives, O Beer Sheba!’ But they will fall down and not get up again.”
9:1 I saw the sovereign One standing by the altar and he said, “Strike the tops of the support pillars, so the thresholds shake! Knock them down on the heads of all the people, and I will kill the survivors with the sword. No one will be able to run away; no one will be able to escape.
9:2 Even if they could dig down into the netherworld, my hand would pull them up from there. Even if they could climb up to heaven, I would drag them down from there.
9:3 Even if they were to hide on the top of Mount Carmel, I would hunt them down and take them from there. Even if they tried to hide from me at the bottom of the sea, from there I would command the Sea Serpent to bite them.
9:4 Even when their enemies drive them into captivity, from there I will command the sword to kill them. I will not let them out of my sight; they will experience disaster, not prosperity.”
9:5 The sovereign Lord who commands armies will do this. He touches the earth and it dissolves; all who live on it mourn. The whole earth rises like the River Nile, and then grows calm like the Nile in Egypt.
9:6 He builds the upper rooms of his palace in heaven and sets its foundation supports on the earth. He summons the water of the sea and pours it out on the earth’s surface. The Lord is his name.
9:7 “You Israelites are just like the Ethiopians in my sight,” says the Lord. “Certainly I brought Israel up from the land of Egypt, but I also brought the Philistines from Caphtor and the Arameans from Kir.
9:8 Look, the sovereign Lord is watching the sinful nation, and I will destroy it from the face of the earth. But I will not completely destroy the family of Jacob,” says the Lord.
9:9 “For look, I am giving a command and I will shake the family of Israel together with all the nations. It will resemble a sieve being shaken, when not even a pebble falls to the ground.
9:10 All the sinners among my people will die by the sword – the ones who say, ‘Disaster will not come near, it will not confront us.’
The Restoration of the Davidic Dynasty
9:11 “In that day I will rebuild the collapsing hut of David. I will seal its gaps, repair its ruins, and restore it to what it was like in days gone by.
9:12 As a result they will conquer those left in Edom and all the nations subject to my rule.” The Lord, who is about to do this, is speaking!
9:13 “Be sure of this, the time is coming,” says the Lord, “when the plowman will catch up to the reaper and the one who stomps the grapes will overtake the planter. Juice will run down the slopes, it will flow down all the hillsides.
9:14 I will bring back my people, Israel; they will rebuild the cities lying in rubble and settle down. They will plant vineyards and drink the wine they produce; they will grow orchards and eat the fruit they produce.
9:15 I will plant them on their land and they will never again be uprooted from the land I have given them,” says the Lord your God.
2 Kings
Jeroboam II’s Reign over Israel
14:23 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Judah’s King Amaziah, son of Joash, Jeroboam son of Joash became king over Israel. He reigned for forty-one years in Samaria. 14:24 He did evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not repudiate the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 14:25 He restored the border of Israel from Lebo Hamath in the north to the sea of the Arabah in the south, in accordance with the word of the Lord God of Israel announced through his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath Hepher. 14:26 The Lord saw Israel’s intense suffering; everyone was weak and incapacitated and Israel had no deliverer. 14:27 The Lord had not decreed that he would blot out Israel’s memory from under heaven, so he delivered them through Jeroboam son of Joash.
14:28 The rest of the events of Jeroboam’s reign, including all his accomplishments, his military success in restoring Israelite control over Damascus and Hamath, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 14:29 Jeroboam passed away and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. His son Zechariah replaced him as king.
Azariah’s Reign over Judah
15:1 In the twenty-seventh year of King Jeroboam’s reign over Israel, Amaziah’s son Azariah became king over Judah. 15:2 He was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecholiah, who was from Jerusalem. 15:3 He did what the Lord approved, just as his father Amaziah had done. 15:4 But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places. 15:5 The Lord afflicted the king with an illness; he suffered from a skin disease until the day he died. He lived in separate quarters, while his son Jotham was in charge of the palace and ruled over the people of the land.
15:6 The rest of the events of Azariah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 15:7 Azariah passed away and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David. His son Jotham replaced him as king.
Zechariah’s Reign over Israel
15:8 In the thirty-eighth year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Jeroboam’s son Zechariah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria for six months. 15:9 He did evil in the sight of the Lord, as his ancestors had done. He did not repudiate the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 15:10 Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against him; he assassinated him in Ibleam and took his place as king. 15:11 The rest of the events of Zechariah’s reign are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 15:12 His assassination brought to fulfillment the Lord’s word to Jehu, “Four generations of your descendants will rule over Israel.” That is exactly what happened.
15:13 Shallum son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year of King Uzziah’s reign over Judah. He reigned for one month in Samaria. 15:14 Menahem son of Gadi went up from Tirzah to Samaria and attacked Shallum son of Jabesh. He killed him and took his place as king. 15:15 The rest of the events of Shallum’s reign, including the conspiracy he organized, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 15:16 At that time Menahem came from Tirzah and attacked Tiphsah. He struck down all who lived in the city and the surrounding territory, because they would not surrender. He even ripped open the pregnant women.
Menahem’s Reign over Israel
15:17 In the thirty-ninth year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Menahem son of Gadi became king over Israel. He reigned for twelve years in Samaria. 15:18 He did evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not repudiate the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin.
During his reign, 15:19 Pul king of Assyria invaded the land, and Menahem paid him a thousand talents of silver to gain his support and to solidify his control of the kingdom. 15:20 Menahem got this silver by taxing all the wealthy men in Israel; he took fifty shekels of silver from each one of them and paid it to the king of Assyria. Then the king of Assyria left; he did not stay there in the land.
15:21 The rest of the events of Menahem’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 15:22 Menahem passed away and his son Pekahiah replaced him as king.
Pekahiah’s Reign over Israel
15:23 In the fiftieth year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Menahem’s son Pekahiah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria for two years. 15:24 He did evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not repudiate the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 15:25 His officer Pekah son of Remaliah conspired against him. He and fifty Gileadites assassinated Pekahiah, as well as Argob and Arieh, in Samaria in the fortress of the royal palace. Pekah then took his place as king.
15:26 The rest of the events of Pekahiah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.
Pekah’s Reign over Israel
15:27 In the fifty-second year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Pekah son of Remaliah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria for twenty years. 15:28 He did evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not repudiate the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 15:29 During Pekah’s reign over Israel, King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, including all the territory of Naphtali. He deported the people to Assyria. 15:30 Hoshea son of Elah conspired against Pekah son of Remaliah. He assassinated him and took his place as king, in the twentieth year of the reign of Jotham son of Uzziah.
15:31 The rest of the events of Pekah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.
Jotham’s Reign over Judah
15:32 In the second year of the reign of Israel’s King Pekah son of Remaliah, Uzziah’s son Jotham became king over Judah. 15:33 He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok. 15:34 He did what the Lord approved, just as his father Uzziah had done. 15:35 But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places. He built the Upper Gate to the Lord’s temple.
15:36 The rest of the events of Jotham’s reign, including his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 15:37 In those days the Lord prompted King Rezin of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah to attack Judah. 15:38 Jotham passed away and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his ancestor David. His son Ahaz replaced him as king.
2 Chronicles
Uzziah’s Reign
26:1 All the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in his father Amaziah’s place. 26:2 Uzziah built up Elat and restored it to Judah after King Amaziah had passed away.
26:3 Uzziah was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecholiah, who was from Jerusalem. 26:4 He did what the Lord approved, just as his father Amaziah had done. 26:5 He followed God during the lifetime of Zechariah, who taught him how to honor God. As long as he followed the Lord, God caused him to succeed.
26:6 Uzziah attacked the Philistines and broke down the walls of Gath, Jabneh, and Ashdod. He built cities in the region of Ashdod and throughout Philistine territory. 26:7 God helped him in his campaigns against the Philistines, the Arabs living in Gur Baal, and the Meunites. 26:8 The Ammonites paid tribute to Uzziah and his fame reached the border of Egypt, for he grew in power.
26:9 Uzziah built and fortified towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, Valley Gate, and at the Angle. 26:10 He built towers in the desert and dug many cisterns, for he owned many herds in the lowlands and on the plain. He had workers in the fields and vineyards in the hills and in Carmel, for he loved agriculture.
26:11 Uzziah had an army of skilled warriors trained for battle. They were organized by divisions according to the muster rolls made by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the officer under the authority of Hananiah, a royal official. 26:12 The total number of family leaders who led warriors was 2,600. 26:13 They commanded an army of 307,500 skilled and able warriors who were ready to defend the king against his enemies. 26:14 Uzziah supplied shields, spears, helmets, breastplates, bows, and slingstones for the entire army. 26:15 In Jerusalem he made war machines carefully designed to shoot arrows and large stones from the towers and corners of the walls. He became very famous, for he received tremendous support and became powerful.
26:16 But once he became powerful, his pride destroyed him. He disobeyed the Lord his God. He entered the Lord’s temple to offer incense on the incense altar. 26:17 Azariah the priest and eighty other brave priests of the Lord followed him in. 26:18 They confronted King Uzziah and said to him, “It is not proper for you, Uzziah, to offer incense to the Lord. That is the responsibility of the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who are consecrated to offer incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have disobeyed and the Lord God will not honor you!” 26:19 Uzziah, who had an incense censer in his hand, became angry. While he was ranting and raving at the priests, a skin disease appeared on his forehead right there in front of the priests in the Lord’s temple near the incense altar. 26:20 When Azariah the high priest and the other priests looked at him, there was a skin disease on his forehead. They hurried him out of there; even the king himself wanted to leave quickly because the Lord had afflicted him. 26:21 King Uzziah suffered from a skin disease until the day he died. He lived in separate quarters, afflicted by a skin disease and banned from the Lord’s temple. His son Jotham was in charge of the palace and ruled over the people of the land.
26:22 The rest of the events of Uzziah’s reign, from start to finish, were recorded by the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz. 26:23 Uzziah passed away and was buried near his ancestors in a cemetery belonging to the kings. (This was because he had a skin disease.) His son Jotham replaced him as king.
Lord, when leaders compromise with Your great and perfect plan everyone around them suffers. May I take care to do things Your way and not make excuses for exceptions which are really rebellion.
Amos delivered his prophesies “Listen, you Israelites, to this message which the Lord is proclaiming against you! This message is for the entire clan I brought up from the land of Egypt: “I have chosen you alone from all the clans of the earth. Therefore I will punish you for all your sins.” Do two walk together without having met? If an alarm sounds in a city, do people not fear? If disaster overtakes a city, is the Lord not responsible? Certainly the sovereign Lord does nothing without first revealing his plan to his servants the prophets. A lion has roared! Who is not afraid? The sovereign Lord has spoken! Who can refuse to prophesy?”
He warned them that judgment was coming for all of the nations and all of the tribes who had rebelled and who had committed terrible sins – and who remained unrepentant. While the Lord God continued to plead with them to return to Him there was to be no escape from a terrible judgment in their immediate future.
Amos was primarily delivering his prophesy of judgment to Israel, the Northern region of the divided people of God.
He recorded an exchange with the Lord God where three symbolic visions were presented, the first two were of the destruction of Israel, Kudah, and Jerusalem, to which he responded with the plea that Judah could not bear it, the third was against Israel alone.
The high priest of Israel, Amaziah, challenged Amos to cease prophesy in Israel and to relocate to Judah. Amos replied that the Lord God had called him into his prophetic ministry and that he would continue as instructed – and, since Amaziah had disrespected him, terrible things would happen to his family and he would be exiled.
Amos concluded with a prophesy of hope, that one day the Lord God would restore all of His people to a land made-new.
Joash tore down part of the wall around Jerusalem and sacked the temple and royal palace for gold and silver, then took Amaziah and several others captive.
Joash died and his son Jeroboam replaced him as king of Israel. Amaziah also died and his son Azariah became king of Judah. Although he failed to discourage false gods Jeroboam was successful in restoring Israelite control of border regions.
Azariah became king over Judah at the age of 16 but failed to remove the high places – after a time the Lord God visited him with a skin disease so his son Jotham functioned as the public ruler while he was hidden away in his private quarters.
Jeroboam’s son Zechariah became king over Israel for six months, he was an evil king who promoted the worship of false gods, Shallum son of Jabesh murdered him and became king for one month until Menahem son of Gadi killed him and took his place as king.
Menahem was so evil that during one attack he even cut open pregnant women. Pul, king of Assyria, invaded Israel so Menahem paid him a thousand talents of silver (taken from wealthy citizens) to buy Pul’s support and solidify his own power.
Menahem’s son Pekahiah became king over Israel for two years, he was evil like his predecessors and was murdered by his officer Pekah, who then reigned for twenty-two years. Pekah was also evil and King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria captured several regions of Israel, deporting many of the people to Assyria as slaves.
Jotham became king over Judah for sixteen years, he was generally obedient to the Lord God but did not remove the high places. At the Lord’s prompting King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah of Israel attacked Judah. During his reign Jotham built the Upper Gate to the Lord’s Temple. After his death Jotham’s son Ahaz became king.
Jereboam possessed military skills and God desired to restore much of the coastline which Israel had lost, so despite his failure to purge evil from Israel the Lord God used him.
Uzziah, as king of Judah, followed God while Zechariah was king of Israel – then he turned away. His pride led him to charge into the Temple to offer incense and as Azariah (the priest, not the former king) warned him the Lord struck him with a disease on his face and he remained isolated the rest of his life, his son Jotham served as king in his stead.
The prophets of the Lord God, despite their reluctance to deliver a prophesy of judgment, felt compelled to do so once He gave that prophesy to them. The arrogance of the Israelites to imagine that the Lord God would not fulfill His prophesies and that they would not suffer consequences for the worship of false idols and for unrepentant sin is incredible. Jereboam possessed military skills and God desired to restore much of the coastline which Israel had lost, so despite his failure to purge evil from Israel the Lord God used him. Menahem was evil but clever, he tolerated the domination of Pul of Assyria – rather than fight and probably lose - paying Pul with wealth taken from the wealthy, so he could remain as king.
Do you find it encouraging that so great was the love of the Lord was that even as He was initiating the judgment of Israel He was still seeking those who would repent and return to Him so that they might be His instruments to preserve a remnant in the exile? Why would the priest think that he could get away with disrespecting God’s prophet? Why would Amaziah of Judah threaten Joash of Israel? Given the history of troubles why did none of these kings figure out that ignoring God’s expectation that they remove the high places was a major reason for the absence of blessing?
Israel, Damascus, Moab, and others were judged first but Judah and Jerusalem were placed on-notice that unless they ceased from their rebellion what they were about to observe would be their fate as well. The Lord’s love for His Creation, despite the Fall, is amazing. Had Joash listened closely to Elisha and obeyed fully he would have been empowered to obliterate Syria as an enemy. Tolerance of the evil “high places” created an evil environment where king after king was murdered and replaced by their murderers.
When have you experienced or observed the delivery of some sort of punishment – deserved - yet the one delivering it held-out hope for a future reconciliation? When have you drifted into sin and resisted efforts to encourage you to repent – and suffered some consequences you should have known were coming? When have you experienced or observed the Lord God blessing someone either in spite of their limited obedience and not as completely as He might have because of their limited obedience? When have you experienced or observed troubles that flowed from disobedience yet the disobedience continued?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a warning that He wants you to share with someone who is making choices that are harming their relationship with Him and his children, to reveal to you a place in your life where you are at risk of trouble because of continuing sin, to reveal to you a place where you are not listening closely and not obeying fully, and/or to reveal to you a place in your life where you have made excuses for something that you know to be offensive to the Lord God.
Today I will humbly and prayerfully deliver the Lord’s warning. I will share my own experience with His chastising, I will share my own struggle to remain faithful in all things, and I will ask them to pray for me as well. I will confess and repent, seek and receive the Lord God’s forgiveness, and I will listen more-closely to the Holy Spirit so that I will have the strength and wisdom to live rightly. I will pause and pray and listen closely to the Lord God for what He has been trying to tell me. I will do so several times during the day and make time to reflect upon what I believe He is saying and to consult my Bible. As appropriate I will ask a fellow believer to listen to my reflections, to pray in-agreement for wisdom, and to share anything the Lord may reveal to them. I will begin the process of purging that which offends the Lord God from my life. I will ask a fellow believer to be my accountability partner and to pray in-agreement for my complete and continued freedom.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 41
2 Chronicles
Jotham’s Reign
27:1 Jotham was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok. 27:2 He did what the Lord approved, just as his father Uzziah had done. (He did not, however, have the audacity to enter the temple.) Yet the people were still sinning.
27:3 He built the Upper Gate to the Lord’s temple and did a lot of work on the wall in the area known as Ophel. 27:4 He built cities in the hill country of Judah and fortresses and towers in the forests.
27:5 He launched a military campaign against the king of the Ammonites and defeated them. That year the Ammonites paid him 100 talents of silver, 10,000 kors of wheat, and 10,000 kors of barley. The Ammonites also paid this same amount of annual tribute the next two years.
27:6 Jotham grew powerful because he was determined to please the Lord his God. 27:7 The rest of the events of Jotham’s reign, including all his military campaigns and his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll of the kings of Israel and Judah. 27:8 He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. 27:9 Jotham passed away and was buried in the City of David. His son Ahaz replaced him as king.
Isaiah
9:1 The gloom will be dispelled for those who were anxious. In earlier times he humiliated the land of Zebulun, and the land of Naphtali; but now he brings honor to the way of the sea, the region beyond the Jordan, and Galilee of the nations.
9:2 The people walking in darkness see a bright light; light shines on those who live in a land of deep darkness.
9:3 You have enlarged the nation; you give them great joy. They rejoice in your presence as harvesters rejoice; as warriors celebrate when they divide up the plunder.
9:4 For their oppressive yoke and the club that strikes their shoulders, the cudgel the oppressor uses on them, you have shattered, as in the day of Midian’s defeat.
9:5 Indeed every boot that marches and shakes the earth and every garment dragged through blood is used as fuel for the fire.
9:6 For a child has been born to us, a son has been given to us. He shoulders responsibility and is called:
Extraordinary Strategist,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.
9:7 His dominion will be vast and he will bring immeasurable prosperity. He will rule on David’s throne and over David’s kingdom, establishing it and strengthening it by promoting justice and fairness, from this time forward and forevermore. The Lord’s intense devotion to his people will accomplish this.
9:8 God’s Judgment Intensifies The sovereign master decreed judgment on Jacob, and it fell on Israel.
9:9 All the people were aware of it, the people of Ephraim and those living in Samaria. Yet with pride and an arrogant attitude, they said,
9:10 “The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with chiseled stone; the sycamore fig trees have been cut down, but we will replace them with cedars.”
9:11 Then the Lord provoked their adversaries to attack them, he stirred up their enemies –
9:12 Syria from the east, and the Philistines from the west, they gobbled up Israelite territory. Despite all this, his anger does not subside, and his hand is ready to strike again.
9:13 The people did not return to the one who struck them, they did not seek reconciliation with the Lord who commands armies.
9:14 So the Lord cut off Israel’s head and tail, both the shoots and stalk in one day.
9:15 The leaders and the highly respected people are the head, the prophets who teach lies are the tail.
9:16 The leaders of this nation were misleading people, and the people being led were destroyed.
9:17 So the sovereign master was not pleased with their young men, he took no pity on their orphans and widows; for the whole nation was godless and did wicked things, every mouth was speaking disgraceful words. Despite all this, his anger does not subside, and his hand is ready to strike again.
9:18 For evil burned like a fire, it consumed thorns and briers; it burned up the thickets of the forest, and they went up in smoke.
9:19 Because of the anger of the Lord who commands armies, the land was scorched, and the people became fuel for the fire. People had no compassion on one another.
9:20 They devoured on the right, but were still hungry, they ate on the left, but were not satisfied. People even ate the flesh of their own arm!
9:21 Manasseh fought against Ephraim, and Ephraim against Manasseh; together they fought against Judah. Despite all this, his anger does not subside, and his hand is ready to strike again.
10:1 Those who enact unjust policies are as good as dead, those who are always instituting unfair regulations,
10:2 to keep the poor from getting fair treatment, and to deprive the oppressed among my people of justice, so they can steal what widows own, and loot what belongs to orphans.
10:3 What will you do on judgment day, when destruction arrives from a distant place? To whom will you run for help? Where will you leave your wealth?
10:4 You will have no place to go, except to kneel with the prisoners, or to fall among those who have been killed. Despite all this, his anger does not subside, and his hand is ready to strike again.
The Lord Turns on Arrogant Assyria
10:5 Assyria, the club I use to vent my anger, is as good as dead, a cudgel with which I angrily punish.
10:6 I sent him against a godless nation, I ordered him to attack the people with whom I was angry, to take plunder and to carry away loot, to trample them down like dirt in the streets.
10:7 But he does not agree with this, his mind does not reason this way, for his goal is to destroy, and to eliminate many nations.
10:8 Indeed, he says: “Are not my officials all kings?
10:9 Is not Calneh like Carchemish? Hamath like Arpad? Samaria like Damascus?
10:10 I overpowered kingdoms ruled by idols, whose carved images were more impressive than Jerusalem’s or Samaria’s.
10:11 As I have done to Samaria and its idols, so I will do to Jerusalem and its idols.”
10:12 But when the sovereign master finishes judging Mount Zion and Jerusalem, then I will punish the king of Assyria for what he has proudly planned and for the arrogant attitude he displays. 10:13 For he says: “By my strong hand I have accomplished this, by my strategy that I devised. I invaded the territory of nations, and looted their storehouses. Like a mighty conqueror, I brought down rulers.
10:14 My hand discovered the wealth of the nations, as if it were in a nest, as one gathers up abandoned eggs, I gathered up the whole earth. There was no wing flapping, or open mouth chirping.”
10:15 Does an ax exalt itself over the one who wields it, or a saw magnify itself over the one who cuts with it? As if a scepter should brandish the one who raises it, or a staff should lift up what is not made of wood!
10:16 For this reason the sovereign master, the Lord who commands armies, will make his healthy ones emaciated. His majestic glory will go up in smoke.
10:17 The light of Israel will become a fire, their Holy One will become a flame; it will burn and consume the Assyrian king’s briers and his thorns in one day.
10:18 The splendor of his forest and his orchard will be completely destroyed, as when a sick man’s life ebbs away.
10:19 There will be so few trees left in his forest, a child will be able to count them.
10:20 At that time those left in Israel, those who remain of the family of Jacob, will no longer rely on a foreign leader that abuses them. Instead they will truly rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. 10:21 A remnant will come back, a remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God. 10:22 For though your people, Israel, are as numerous as the sand on the seashore, only a remnant will come back. Destruction has been decreed; just punishment is about to engulf you.
10:23 The sovereign master, the Lord who commands armies, is certainly ready to carry out the decreed destruction throughout the land.
10:24 So here is what the sovereign master, the Lord who commands armies, says: “My people who live in Zion, do not be afraid of Assyria, even though they beat you with a club and lift their cudgel against you as Egypt did. 10:25 For very soon my fury will subside, and my anger will be directed toward their destruction.” 10:26 The Lord who commands armies is about to beat them with a whip, similar to the way he struck down Midian at the rock of Oreb. He will use his staff against the sea, lifting it up as he did in Egypt.
10:27 At that time the Lord will remove their burden from your shoulders, and their yoke from your neck; the yoke will be taken off because your neck will be too large.
10:28 They attacked Aiath, moved through Migron, depositing their supplies at Micmash.
10:29 They went through the pass, spent the night at Geba. Ramah trembled, Gibeah of Saul ran away.
10:30 Shout out, daughter of Gallim! Pay attention, Laishah! Answer her, Anathoth!
10:31 Madmenah flees, the residents of Gebim have hidden.
10:32 This very day, standing in Nob, they shake their fist at Daughter Zion’s mountain – at the hill of Jerusalem.
10:33 Look, the sovereign master, the Lord who commands armies, is ready to cut off the branches with terrifying power. The tallest trees will be cut down, the loftiest ones will be brought low.
10:34 The thickets of the forest will be chopped down with an ax, and mighty Lebanon will fall.
An Ideal King Establishes a Kingdom of Peace
11:1 A shoot will grow out of Jesse’s root stock, a bud will sprout from his roots.
11:2 The Lord’s spirit will rest on him – a spirit that gives extraordinary wisdom, a spirit that provides the ability to execute plans, a spirit that produces absolute loyalty to the Lord.
11:3 He will take delight in obeying the Lord. He will not judge by mere appearances, or make decisions on the basis of hearsay.
11:4 He will treat the poor fairly, and make right decisions for the downtrodden of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and order the wicked to be executed.
11:5 Justice will be like a belt around his waist, integrity will be like a belt around his hips.
11:6 A wolf will reside with a lamb, and a leopard will lie down with a young goat; an ox and a young lion will graze together, as a small child leads them along.
11:7 A cow and a bear will graze together, their young will lie down together. A lion, like an ox, will eat straw.
11:8 A baby will play over the hole of a snake; over the nest of a serpent an infant will put his hand.
11:9 They will no longer injure or destroy on my entire royal mountain. For there will be universal submission to the Lord’s sovereignty, just as the waters completely cover the sea.
Israel is Reclaimed and Reunited
11:10 At that time a root from Jesse will stand like a signal flag for the nations. Nations will look to him for guidance, and his residence will be majestic. 11:11 At that time the sovereign master will again lift his hand to reclaim the remnant of his people from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and the seacoasts.
11:12 He will lift a signal flag for the nations; he will gather Israel’s dispersed people and assemble Judah’s scattered people from the four corners of the earth.
11:13 Ephraim’s jealousy will end, and Judah’s hostility will be eliminated. Ephraim will no longer be jealous of Judah, and Judah will no longer be hostile toward Ephraim.
11:14 They will swoop down on the Philistine hills to the west; together they will loot the people of the east. They will take over Edom and Moab, and the Ammonites will be their subjects.
11:15 The Lord will divide the gulf of the Egyptian Sea; he will wave his hand over the Euphrates River and send a strong wind, he will turn it into seven dried-up streams, and enable them to walk across in their sandals.
11:16 There will be a highway leading out of Assyria for the remnant of his people, just as there was for Israel, when they went up from the land of Egypt.
12:1 At that time you will say: “I praise you, O Lord, for even though you were angry with me, your anger subsided, and you consoled me.
12:2 Look, God is my deliverer! I will trust in him and not fear. For the Lord gives me strength and protects me; he has become my deliverer.”
12:3 Joyfully you will draw water from the springs of deliverance.
12:4 At that time you will say: “Praise the Lord! Ask him for help! Publicize his mighty acts among the nations! Make it known that he is unique!
12:5 Sing to the Lord, for he has done magnificent things, let this be known throughout the earth!
12:6 Cry out and shout for joy, O citizens of Zion, for the Holy One of Israel acts mightily among you!”
Lord, humankind had an intimate relationship with You in Eden and chose to rebel, Israel has You as their King yet rebelliously-demanded a mere human king, and now that it had been proved that no king or prophet could lead them back to You – You promised a Savior. May I always remember that there is no such thing as works-righteousness, because the entire history of humankind since the Fall proved it impossible; there is only the gift of Jesus the Christ. When You return – in the form of a glorified Jesus the Christ – it will be to restore the earth and all that is on and in and above it to essentially that which was the pre-Fall Edenic condition.
Isaiah brought to a hopeless people a promise of hope from the Lord God, that a Child was to come Who would bring an eternity of freedom and peace, that that Child would be of the same ‘kind’ as the Lord God – not a mere man – fulfilling perfectly the promise of the perfected ‘Davidic king’ - which no mere fallen man could ever fill.
Meanwhile, the anger of the Lord God against the rebellious Israelites would continue, making their punishment complete.
The “arrogant” and “godless” Assyrians, and their demonically-insane barbarism, would be punished as well. The Lord God would bring them low, taking away everything that they had not earned as a result of Him using them as His divine “cudgel”, therefore leaving nothing. The burdensome domination of Israeli territory would be lifted.
In the end of this era of history the Lord God would bring back only a remnant of the huge diaspora (displaced population) of Israelites.
The prophesy of the Lord God, as delivered through Isaiah, elaborated upon the coming Messiah, describing the pre-Fall Edenic peace that would come to all people and to every creature because “... there will be universal submission to the Lord’s sovereignty, just as the waters completely cover the sea.
He promised to gather-in all of the dispersed people of Israel, indeed to even dry-up the Euphrates so that the path of their travel home would be eased.
Praise and thanks and worship would flow like a river “At that time you will say: “I praise you, O Lord, for even though you were angry with me, your anger subsided, and you consoled me.”
“Look, God is my deliverer! I will trust in him and not fear. For the Lord gives me strength and protects me; he has become my deliverer.”
“Joyfully you will draw water from the springs of deliverance.
“At that time you will say: “Praise the Lord! Ask him for help! Publicize his mighty acts among the nations! Make it known that he is unique!
“Sing to the Lord, for he has done magnificent things, let this be known throughout the earth!
“Cry out and shout for joy, O citizens of Zion, for the Holy One of Israel acts mightily among you!”“
Jotham was generally loyal to the Lord God, though the people were not, and the Lord God gave him military victory and otherwise blessed his reign.
God declared that His patience with the chronically-rebellious Israel had come to an end – so the prophesy through Isaiah merely spelled-out how the consequences would play-out. No room is left in this prophesy of the coming Messiah that He is anything short of a member of the unique trinitarian-God, as it is written “At that time a root from Jesse will stand like a signal flag for the nations. Nations will look to him for guidance, and his residence will be majestic. At that time the sovereign master will again lift his hand to reclaim the remnant of his people ...” The Messiah, Jesus the Christ, is also “The Sovereign Master”.
Why would the Lord God only restore a remnant, rather than the millions of Israelites who had been scattered far and wide? Is there any doubt that this section of text describes the return of Jesus “... universal submission to the Lord’s sovereignty ...”, since such a submission has never before occurred?
While the people of his time did not really comprehend the enormity of the prophesied Savior, Whom the Lord God was announcing through Isaiah, it did establish a baseline for recognizing the One and only Messiah. The natural response of a freed people is praise and thanks.
When have you observed someone in business, politics, or sports boasting about a success which they clearly did not earn all on their own? Have you ever imagined what the ‘restored Eden’ might be and look like?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where something has been accomplished for which you have not yet given the Lord God full credit and to give you a renewed desire to be absolutely surrendered to the Lordship of Christ in your life.
Today I will humbly acknowledge the blessing of the Lord God which provided for me a success that I have pridefully imagined to be my accomplishment alone. I will prayerfully contemplate then submit to partner with the Holy Spirit one more part of my life, one which I have withheld from Him. While keeping that one under His Lordship, I will then add another and another … continuing until my temporary days on this temporary earth have ended.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Introduction
1:1 This is the prophetic message that the Lord gave to Micah of Moresheth. He delivered this message during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. The prophecies pertain to Samaria and Jerusalem.
The Judge is Coming
1:2 Listen, all you nations! Pay attention, all inhabitants of earth! The sovereign Lord will testify against you; the Lord will accuse you from his majestic palace.
1:3 Look, the Lord is coming out of his dwelling place! He will descend and march on the earth’s mountaintops!
1:4 The mountains will disintegrate beneath him, and the valleys will be split in two. The mountains will melt like wax in a fire, the rocks will slide down like water cascading down a steep slope.
1:5 All this is because of Jacob’s rebellion and the sins of the nation of Israel. How has Jacob rebelled, you ask? Samaria epitomizes their rebellion! Where are Judah’s pagan worship centers, you ask? They are right in Jerusalem!
1:6 “I will turn Samaria into a heap of ruins in an open field – vineyards will be planted there! I will tumble the rubble of her stone walls down into the valley, and tear down her fortifications to their foundations.
1:7 All her carved idols will be smashed to pieces; all her metal cult statues will be destroyed by fire. I will make a waste heap of all her images. Since she gathered the metal as a prostitute collects her wages, the idols will become a prostitute’s wages again.”
1:8 For this reason I will mourn and wail; I will walk around barefoot and without my outer garments. I will howl like a wild dog, and screech like an owl.
1:9 For Samaria’s disease is incurable. It has infected Judah; it has spread to the leadership of my people and has even contaminated Jerusalem!
1:10 Don’t spread the news in Gath! Don’t shed even a single tear! In Beth Leaphrah sit in the dust!
1:11 Residents of Shaphir, pass by in nakedness and humiliation! The residents of Zaanan can’t leave their city. Beth Ezel mourns, “He takes from you what he desires.”
1:12 Indeed, the residents of Maroth hope for something good to happen, though the Lord has sent disaster against the city of Jerusalem.
1:13 Residents of Lachish, hitch the horses to the chariots! You influenced Daughter Zion to sin, for Israel’s rebellious deeds can be traced back to you!
1:14 Therefore you will have to say farewell to Moresheth Gath. The residents of Achzib will be as disappointing as a dried up well to the kings of Israel.
1:15 Residents of Mareshah, a conqueror will attack you, the leaders of Israel shall flee to Adullam.
1:16 Shave your heads bald as you mourn for the children you love; shave your foreheads as bald as an eagle, for they are taken from you into exile.
Land Robbers Will Lose their Land
2:1 Those who devise sinful plans are as good as dead, those who dream about doing evil as they lie in bed. As soon as morning dawns they carry out their plans, because they have the power to do so.
2:2 They confiscate the fields they desire, and seize the houses they want. They defraud people of their homes, and deprive people of the land they have inherited.
2:3 Therefore the Lord says this: “Look, I am devising disaster for this nation! It will be like a yoke from which you cannot free your neck. You will no longer walk proudly, for it will be a time of catastrophe.
2:4 In that day people will sing this taunt song to you – they will mock you with this lament: ‘We are completely destroyed; they sell off the property of my people. How they remove it from me! They assign our fields to the conqueror.’
2:5 Therefore no one will assign you land in the Lord’s community.
2:6 ‘Don’t preach with such impassioned rhetoric,’ they say excitedly. ‘These prophets should not preach of such things; we will not be overtaken by humiliation.’
2:7 Does the family of Jacob say, ‘The Lord’s patience can’t be exhausted – he would never do such things’? To be sure, my commands bring a reward for those who obey them,
2:8 but you rise up as an enemy against my people. You steal a robe from a friend, from those who pass by peacefully as if returning from a war.
2:9 You wrongly evict widows among my people from their cherished homes. You defraud their children of their prized inheritance.
2:10 But you are the ones who will be forced to leave! For this land is not secure! Sin will thoroughly destroy it!
2:11 If a lying windbag should come and say, ‘I’ll promise you blessings of wine and beer,’ he would be just the right preacher for these people!
The Lord Will Restore His People
2:12 I will certainly gather all of you, O Jacob, I will certainly assemble those Israelites who remain. I will bring them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in the middle of a pasture; they will be so numerous that they will make a lot of noise.
2:13 The one who can break through barriers will lead them out they will break out, pass through the gate, and leave. Their king will advance before them, The Lord himself will lead them.
God Will Judge Judah’s Sinful Leaders
3:1 I said, “Listen, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the nation of Israel! You ought to know what is just,
3:2 yet you hate what is good, and love what is evil. You flay my people’s skin and rip the flesh from their bones.
3:3 You devour my people’s flesh, strip off their skin, and crush their bones. You chop them up like flesh in a pot – like meat in a kettle.
3:4 Someday these sinners will cry to the Lord for help, but he will not answer them. He will hide his face from them at that time, because they have done such wicked deeds.”
3:5 This is what the Lord says: “The prophets who mislead my people are as good as dead. If someone gives them enough to eat, they offer an oracle of peace. But if someone does not give them food, they are ready to declare war on him.
3:6 Therefore night will fall, and you will receive no visions; it will grow dark, and you will no longer be able to read the omens. The sun will set on these prophets, and the daylight will turn to darkness over their heads.
3:7 The prophets will be ashamed; the omen readers will be humiliated. All of them will cover their mouths, for they will receive no divine oracles.”
3:8 But I am full of the courage that the Lord’s Spirit gives, and have a strong commitment to justice. This enables me to confront Jacob with its rebellion, and Israel with its sin.
3:9 Listen to this, you leaders of the family of Jacob, you rulers of the nation of Israel! You hate justice and pervert all that is right.
3:10 You build Zion through bloody crimes, Jerusalem through unjust violence.
3:11 Her leaders take bribes when they decide legal cases, her priests proclaim rulings for profit, and her prophets read omens for pay. Yet they claim to trust the Lord and say, “The Lord is among us. Disaster will not overtake us!”
3:12 Therefore, because of you, Zion will be plowed up like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins, and the Temple Mount will become a hill overgrown with brush!
Better Days Ahead for Jerusalem
4:1 In the future the Lord’s Temple Mount will be the most important mountain of all; it will be more prominent than other hills. People will stream to it.
4:2 Many nations will come, saying, “Come on! Let’s go up to the Lord’s mountain, to the temple of Jacob’s God, so he can teach us his commands and we can live by his laws.” For Zion will be the source of instruction; the Lord’s teachings will proceed from Jerusalem.
4:3 He will arbitrate between many peoples and settle disputes between many distant nations. They will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nations will not use weapons against other nations, and they will no longer train for war.
4:4 Each will sit under his own grapevine or under his own fig tree without any fear. The Lord who commands armies has decreed it.
4:5 Though all the nations follow their respective gods, we will follow the Lord our God forever.
Restoration Will Follow Crisis
4:6 “In that day,” says the Lord, “I will gather the lame, and assemble the outcasts whom I injured.
4:7 I will transform the lame into the nucleus of a new nation, and those far off into a mighty nation. The Lord will reign over them on Mount Zion, from that day forward and forevermore.”
4:8 As for you, watchtower for the flock, fortress of Daughter Zion – your former dominion will be restored, the sovereignty that belongs to Daughter Jerusalem.
4:9 Jerusalem, why are you now shouting so loudly? Has your king disappeared? Has your wise leader been destroyed? Is this why pain grips you as if you were a woman in labor?
4:10 Twist and strain, Daughter Zion, as if you were in labor! For you will leave the city and live in the open field. You will go to Babylon, but there you will be rescued. There the Lord will deliver you from the power of your enemies.
4:11 Many nations have now assembled against you. They say, “Jerusalem must be desecrated, so we can gloat over Zion!”
4:12 But they do not know what the Lord is planning; they do not understand his strategy. He has gathered them like stalks of grain to be threshed at the threshing floor.
4:13 “Get up and thresh, Daughter Zion! For I will give you iron horns; I will give you bronze hooves, and you will crush many nations.” You will devote to the Lord the spoils you take from them, and dedicate their wealth to the sovereign Ruler of the whole earth.
5:1 But now slash yourself, daughter surrounded by soldiers! We are besieged! With a scepter they strike Israel’s ruler on the side of his face.
A King Will Come and a Remnant Will Prosper
5:2 As for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, seemingly insignificant among the clans of Judah – from you a king will emerge who will rule over Israel on my behalf, one whose origins are in the distant past.
5:3 So the Lord will hand the people of Israel over to their enemies until the time when the woman in labor gives birth. Then the rest of the king’s countrymen will return to be reunited with the people of Israel.
5:4 He will assume his post and shepherd the people by the Lord’s strength, by the sovereign authority of the Lord his God. They will live securely, for at that time he will be honored even in the distant regions of the earth.
5:5 He will give us peace. Should the Assyrians try to invade our land and attempt to set foot in our fortresses, we will send against them seven shepherd-rulers, make that eight commanders.
5:6 They will rule the land of Assyria with the sword, the land of Nimrod with a drawn sword. Our king will rescue us from the Assyrians should they attempt to invade our land and try to set foot in our territory.
5:7 Those survivors from Jacob will live in the midst of many nations. They will be like the dew the Lord sends, like the rain on the grass, that does not hope for men to come or wait around for humans to arrive.
5:8 Those survivors from Jacob will live among the nations, in the midst of many peoples. They will be like a lion among the animals of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep, which attacks when it passes through; it rips its prey and there is no one to stop it.
5:9 Lift your hand triumphantly against your adversaries; may all your enemies be destroyed!
The Lord Will Purify His People
5:10 “In that day,” says the Lord, “I will destroy your horses from your midst, and smash your chariots.
5:11 I will destroy the cities of your land, and tear down all your fortresses.
5:12 I will remove the sorcery that you practice, and you will no longer have omen readers living among you.
5:13 I will remove your idols and sacred pillars from your midst; you will no longer worship what your own hands made.
5:14 I will uproot your images of Asherah from your midst, and destroy your idols.
5:15 I will angrily seek vengeance on the nations that do not obey me.”
The Lord Demands Justice, not Ritual
6:1 Listen to what the Lord says: “Get up! Defend yourself before the mountains! Present your case before the hills!”
6:2 Hear the Lord’s accusation, you mountains, you enduring foundations of the earth! For the Lord has a case against his people; he has a dispute with Israel!
6:3 “My people, how have I wronged you? How have I wearied you? Answer me!
6:4 In fact, I brought you up from the land of Egypt, I delivered you from that place of slavery. I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to lead you.
6:5 My people, recall how King Balak of Moab planned to harm you, how Balaam son of Beor responded to him. Recall how you journeyed from Shittim to Gilgal, so you might acknowledge that the Lord has treated you fairly.”
6:6 With what should I enter the Lord’s presence? With what should I bow before the sovereign God? Should I enter his presence with burnt offerings, with year-old calves?
6:7 Will the Lord accept a thousand rams, or ten thousand streams of olive oil? Should I give him my firstborn child as payment for my rebellion, my offspring – my own flesh and blood – for my sin?
6:8 He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the Lord really wants from you: He wants you to promote justice, to be faithful, and to live obediently before your God.
6:9 Listen! The Lord is calling to the city! It is wise to respect your authority, O Lord! Listen, O nation, and those assembled in the city!
6:10 “I will not overlook, O sinful house, the dishonest gain you have hoarded away, or the smaller-than-standard measure I hate so much.
6:11 I do not condone the use of rigged scales, or a bag of deceptive weights.
6:12 The city’s rich men think nothing of resorting to violence; her inhabitants lie, their tongues speak deceptive words.
6:13 I will strike you brutally and destroy you because of your sin.
6:14 You will eat, but not be satisfied. Even if you have the strength to overtake some prey, you will not be able to carry it away; if you do happen to carry away something, I will deliver it over to the sword.
6:15 You will plant crops, but will not harvest them; you will squeeze oil from the olives, but you will have no oil to rub on your bodies; you will squeeze juice from the grapes, but you will have no wine to drink.
6:16 You implement the regulations of Omri, and all the practices of Ahab’s dynasty; you follow their policies. Therefore I will make you an appalling sight, the city’s inhabitants will be taunted derisively, and nations will mock all of you.”
Micah Laments Judah’s Sin
7:1 I am depressed! Indeed, it is as if the summer fruit has been gathered, and the grapes have been harvested. There is no grape cluster to eat, no fresh figs that I crave so much.
7:2 Faithful men have disappeared from the land; there are no godly men left. They all wait in ambush so they can shed blood; they hunt their own brother with a net.
7:3 They are determined to be experts at doing evil; government officials and judges take bribes, prominent men make demands, and they all do what is necessary to satisfy them.
7:4 The best of them is like a thorn; the most godly among them are more dangerous than a row of thorn bushes. The day you try to avoid by posting watchmen – your appointed time of punishment – is on the way, and then you will experience confusion.
7:5 Do not rely on a friend; do not trust a companion! Don’t even share secrets with the one who lies in your arms!
7:6 For a son thinks his father is a fool, a daughter challenges her mother, and a daughter-in-law her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are his own servants.
7:7 But I will keep watching for the Lord; I will wait for the God who delivers me. My God will hear my lament.
Jerusalem Will Be Vindicated
7:8 My enemies, do not gloat over me! Though I have fallen, I will get up. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.
7:9 I must endure the Lord’s anger, for I have sinned against him. But then he will defend my cause, and accomplish justice on my behalf. He will lead me out into the light; I will experience firsthand his deliverance.
7:10 When my enemies see this, they will be covered with shame. They say to me, “Where is the Lord your God?” I will gloat over them. Then they will be trampled down like mud in the streets.
7:11 It will be a day for rebuilding your walls; in that day your boundary will be extended.
A Closing Prayer
7:12 In that day people will come to you from Assyria as far as Egypt, from Egypt as far as the Euphrates River, from the seacoasts and the mountains.
7:13 The earth will become desolate because of what its inhabitants have done.
7:14 Shepherd your people with your shepherd’s rod, the flock that belongs to you, the one that lives alone in a thicket, in the midst of a pastureland. Allow them to graze in Bashan and Gilead, as they did in the old days.
7:15 “As in the days when you departed from the land of Egypt, I will show you miraculous deeds.”
7:16 Nations will see this and be disappointed by all their strength, they will put their hands over their mouths, and act as if they were deaf.
7:17 They will lick the dust like a snake, like serpents crawling on the ground. They will come trembling from their strongholds to the Lord our God; they will be terrified of you.
7:18 There is no other God like you! You forgive sin and pardon the rebellion of those who remain among your people. You do not remain angry forever, but delight in showing loyal love.
7:19 You will once again have mercy on us; you will conquer our evil deeds; you will hurl our sins into the depths of the sea.
7:20 You will be loyal to Jacob and extend your loyal love to Abraham, which you promised on oath to our ancestors in ancient times.
Lord, Your consistent message was of teaching, encouraging, and facilitating, followed by warning when the people drifted, followed by judgment when they were unrepentant, but then You always held-out the possibility of redemption. May I know Your heart so that when I stumble I return to You with a repentant heart – knowing that You love to restore.
Micah was the Lord God’s prophet of warning and of judgment primarily to Samaria, and also to Jerusalem and Judah.
He delivered the Lord’s list of charges against Samaria for their worship of false idols and for spreading that to Jerusalem.
Micah challenged the people that their hearts had become so corrupted that they only wanted to hear what they wanted to hear instead of the Lord God’s truth “If a lying windbag should come and say, ‘I’ll promise you blessings of wine and beer,’ he would be just the right preacher for these people!”
He spoke of hope in the future “In that day,” says the Lord, “I will gather the lame, and assemble the outcasts whom I injured.”
Micah warned that those who gloated as they attacked Jerusalem would themselves suffer later “But they do not know what the Lord is planning; they do not understand his strategy. He has gathered them like stalks of grain to be threshed at the threshing floor.”
He warned Judah that the corruption was so complete “Do not rely on a friend; do not trust a companion! Don’t even share secrets with the one who lies in your arms! For a son thinks his father is a fool, a daughter challenges her mother, and a daughter-in-law her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are his own servants.” Then he contrasted their condition with his own “But I will keep watching for the Lord; I will wait for the God who delivers me. My God will hear my lament.”
Micah concluded with a word of hope “There is no other God like you! You forgive sin and pardon the rebellion of those who remain among your people. You do not remain angry forever, but delight in showing loyal love. You will once again have mercy on us; you will conquer our evil deeds; you will hurl our sins into the depths of the sea. You will be loyal to Jacob and extend your loyal love to Abraham, which you promised on oath to our ancestors in ancient times.”
The corrupting impact of false idols and a deadened heart toward the Lord God makes people vulnerable to easy deception by false teachers.
Given the apparent utter-depravity of the people why would Micah pray with assurance that the Lord God would restore them?
The corruption was so bad that one could not even trust ones wife or other relatives or servants.
When have you experienced or observed a social environment where the people were so depraved that none of them could reasonably trust one-another?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you someone, or some Christian organization, that is under attack and needs hope that the Lord God will sustain and restore them - and that the attackers will be repelled by the Lord and given their just-reward.
Today I will pray for the person or organization You have designated and, as-appropriate, I will make some kind of contact to share a word of encouragement and of hope.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
2 Chronicles
Ahaz’s Reign
28:1 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what pleased the Lord, in contrast to his ancestor David. 28:2 He followed in the footsteps of the kings of Israel; he also made images of the Baals. 28:3 He offered sacrifices in the Valley of Ben-Hinnom and passed his sons through the fire, a horrible sin practiced by the nations whom the Lord drove out before the Israelites. 28:4 He offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.
28:5 The Lord his God handed him over to the king of Syria. The Syrians defeated him and deported many captives to Damascus. He was also handed over to the king of Israel, who thoroughly defeated him. 28:6 In one day King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel killed 120,000 warriors in Judah, because they had abandoned the Lord God of their ancestors. 28:7 Zikri, an Ephraimite warrior, killed the king’s son Maaseiah, Azrikam, the supervisor of the palace, and Elkanah, the king’s second-in-command. 28:8 The Israelites seized from their brothers 200,000 wives, sons, and daughters. They also carried off a huge amount of plunder and took it back to Samaria.
28:9 Oded, a prophet of the Lord, was there. He went to meet the army as they arrived in Samaria and said to them: “Look, because the Lord God of your ancestors was angry with Judah he handed them over to you. You have killed them so mercilessly that God has taken notice. 28:10 And now you are planning to enslave the people of Judah and Jerusalem. Yet are you not also guilty before the Lord your God? 28:11 Now listen to me! Send back those you have seized from your brothers, for the Lord is very angry at you!” 28:12 So some of the Ephraimite family leaders, Azariah son of Jehochanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jechizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai confronted those returning from the battle. 28:13 They said to them, “Don’t bring those captives here! Are you planning on making us even more sinful and guilty before the Lord? Our guilt is already great and the Lord is very angry at Israel.” 28:14 So the soldiers released the captives and the plunder before the officials and the entire assembly. 28:15 Men were assigned to take the prisoners and find clothes among the plunder for those who were naked. So they clothed them, supplied them with sandals, gave them food and drink, and provided them with oil to rub on their skin. They put the ones who couldn’t walk on donkeys. They brought them back to their brothers at Jericho, the city of the date palm trees, and then returned to Samaria.
28:16 At that time King Ahaz asked the king of Assyria for help. 28:17 The Edomites had again invaded and defeated Judah and carried off captives. 28:18 The Philistines had raided the cities of Judah in the lowlands and the Negev. They captured and settled in Beth Shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco and its surrounding villages, Timnah and its surrounding villages, and Gimzo and its surrounding villages. 28:19 The Lord humiliated Judah because of King Ahaz of Israel, for he encouraged Judah to sin and was very unfaithful to the Lord. 28:20 King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria came, but he gave him more trouble than support. 28:21 Ahaz gathered riches from the Lord’s temple, the royal palace, and the officials and gave them to the king of Assyria, but that did not help.
28:22 During his time of trouble King Ahaz was even more unfaithful to the Lord. 28:23 He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus whom he thought had defeated him. He reasoned, “Since the gods of the kings of Damascus helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me.” But they caused him and all Israel to stumble. 28:24 Ahaz gathered the items in God’s temple and removed them. He shut the doors of the Lord’s temple and erected altars on every street corner in Jerusalem. 28:25 In every city throughout Judah he set up high places to offer sacrifices to other gods. He angered the Lord God of his ancestors.
28:26 The rest of the events of Ahaz’s reign, including his accomplishments from start to finish, are recorded in the Scroll of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 28:27 Ahaz passed away and was buried in the City of David; they did not bring him to the tombs of the kings of Israel. His son Hezekiah replaced him as king.
2 Kings
Ahaz’s Reign over Judah
16:1 In the seventeenth year of the reign of Pekah son of Remaliah, Jotham’s son Ahaz became king over Judah. 16:2 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what pleased the Lord his God, in contrast to his ancestor David. 16:3 He followed in the footsteps of the kings of Israel. He passed his son through the fire, a horrible sin practiced by the nations whom the Lord drove out from before the Israelites. 16:4 He offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.
16:5 At that time King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel attacked Jerusalem. They besieged Ahaz, but were unable to conquer him. 16:6 (At that time King Rezin of Syria recovered Elat for Syria; he drove the Judahites from there. Syrians arrived in Elat and live there to this very day.) 16:7 Ahaz sent messengers to King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your dependent. March up and rescue me from the power of the king of Syria and the king of Israel, who have attacked me.” 16:8 Then Ahaz took the silver and gold that were in the Lord’s temple and in the treasuries of the royal palace and sent it as tribute to the king of Assyria. 16:9 The king of Assyria responded favorably to his request; he attacked Damascus and captured it. He deported the people to Kir and executed Rezin.
16:10 When King Ahaz went to meet with King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria in Damascus, he saw the altar there. King Ahaz sent to Uriah the priest a drawing of the altar and a blueprint for its design. 16:11 Uriah the priest built an altar in conformity to the plans King Ahaz had sent from Damascus. Uriah the priest finished it before King Ahaz arrived back from Damascus. 16:12 When the king arrived back from Damascus and saw the altar, he approached it and offered a sacrifice on it. 16:13 He offered his burnt sacrifice and his grain offering. He poured out his libation and sprinkled the blood from his peace offerings on the altar. 16:14 He moved the bronze altar that stood in the Lord’s presence from the front of the temple (between the altar and the Lord’s temple) and put it on the north side of the new altar. 16:15 King Ahaz ordered Uriah the priest, “On the large altar offer the morning burnt sacrifice, the evening grain offering, the royal burnt sacrifices and grain offering, the burnt sacrifice for all the people of Israel, their grain offering, and their libations. Sprinkle all the blood of the burnt sacrifice and other sacrifices on it. The bronze altar will be for my personal use.” 16:16 So Uriah the priest did exactly as King Ahaz ordered.
16:17 King Ahaz took off the frames of the movable stands, and removed the basins from them. He took “The Sea” down from the bronze bulls that supported it and put it on the pavement. 16:18 He also removed the Sabbath awning that had been built in the temple and the king’s outer entranceway, on account of the king of Assyria.
16:19 The rest of the events of Ahaz’s reign, including his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 16:20 Ahaz passed away and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David. His son Hezekiah replaced him as king.
Hoshea’s Reign over Israel
17:1 In the twelfth year of King Ahaz’s reign over Judah, Hoshea son of Elah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria for nine years. 17:2 He did evil in the sight of the Lord, but not to the same degree as the Israelite kings who preceded him. 17:3 King Shalmaneser of Assyria threatened him; Hoshea became his subject and paid him tribute. 17:4 The king of Assyria discovered that Hoshea was planning a revolt. Hoshea had sent messengers to King So of Egypt and had not sent his annual tribute to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria arrested him and imprisoned him. 17:5 The king of Assyria marched through the whole land. He attacked Samaria and besieged it for three years. 17:6 In the ninth year of Hoshea’s reign, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the people of Israel to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, along the Habor (the river of Gozan), and in the cities of the Medes.
A Summary of Israel’s Sinful History
17:7 This happened because the Israelites sinned against the Lord their God, who brought them up from the land of Egypt and freed them from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshiped other gods; 17:8 they observed the practices of the nations whom the Lord had driven out from before Israel, and followed the example of the kings of Israel. 17:9 The Israelites said things about the Lord their God that were not right. They built high places in all their cities, from the watchtower to the fortress. 17:10 They set up sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. 17:11 They burned incense on all the high places just like the nations whom the Lord had driven away from before them. Their evil practices made the Lord angry. 17:12 They worshiped the disgusting idols in blatant disregard of the Lord’s command.
17:13 The Lord solemnly warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and all the seers, “Turn back from your evil ways; obey my commandments and rules that are recorded in the law. I ordered your ancestors to keep this law and sent my servants the prophets to remind you of its demands.” 17:14 But they did not pay attention and were as stubborn as their ancestors, who had not trusted the Lord their God. 17:15 They rejected his rules, the covenant he had made with their ancestors, and the laws he had commanded them to obey. They paid allegiance to worthless idols, and so became worthless to the Lord. They copied the practices of the surrounding nations in blatant disregard of the Lord’s command. 17:16 They abandoned all the commandments of the Lord their God; they made two metal calves and an Asherah pole, bowed down to all the stars in the sky, and worshiped Baal. 17:17 They passed their sons and daughters through the fire, and practiced divination and omen reading. They committed themselves to doing evil in the sight of the Lord and made him angry.
17:18 So the Lord was furious with Israel and rejected them; only the tribe of Judah was left. 17:19 Judah also failed to keep the commandments of the Lord their God; they followed Israel’s example. 17:20 So the Lord rejected all of Israel’s descendants; he humiliated them and handed them over to robbers, until he had thrown them from his presence. 17:21 He tore Israel away from David’s dynasty, and Jeroboam son of Nebat became their king. Jeroboam drove Israel away from the Lord and encouraged them to commit a serious sin. 17:22 The Israelites followed in the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat and did not repudiate them. 17:23 Finally the Lord rejected Israel just as he had warned he would do through all his servants the prophets. Israel was deported from its land to Assyria and remains there to this very day.
The King of Assyria Populates Israel with Foreigners
17:24 The king of Assyria brought foreigners from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in the cities of Samaria in place of the Israelites. They took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities. 17:25 When they first moved in, they did not worship the Lord. So the Lord sent lions among them and the lions were killing them. 17:26 The king of Assyria was told, “The nations whom you deported and settled in the cities of Samaria do not know the requirements of the God of the land, so he has sent lions among them. They are killing the people because they do not know the requirements of the God of the land.” 17:27 So the king of Assyria ordered, “Take back one of the priests whom you deported from there. He must settle there and teach them the requirements of the God of the land.” 17:28 So one of the priests whom they had deported from Samaria went back and settled in Bethel. He taught them how to worship the Lord.
17:29 But each of these nations made its own gods and put them in the shrines on the high places that the people of Samaria had made. Each nation did this in the cities where they lived. 17:30 The people from Babylon made Succoth Benoth, the people from Cuth made Nergal, the people from Hamath made Ashima, 17:31 the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their sons in the fire as an offering to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. 17:32 At the same time they worshiped the Lord. They appointed some of their own people to serve as priests in the shrines on the high places. 17:33 They were worshiping the Lord and at the same time serving their own gods in accordance with the practices of the nations from which they had been deported.
17:34 To this very day they observe their earlier practices. They do not worship the Lord; they do not obey the rules, regulations, law, and commandments that the Lord gave the descendants of Jacob, whom he renamed Israel. 17:35 The Lord made an agreement with them and instructed them, “You must not worship other gods. Do not bow down to them, serve them, or offer sacrifices to them. 17:36 Instead you must worship the Lord, who brought you up from the land of Egypt by his great power and military ability; bow down to him and offer sacrifices to him. 17:37 You must carefully obey at all times the rules, regulations, law, and commandments he wrote down for you. You must not worship other gods. 17:38 You must never forget the agreement I made with you, and you must not worship other gods. 17:39 Instead you must worship the Lord your God; then he will rescue you from the power of all your enemies.” 17:40 But they pay no attention; instead they observe their earlier practices. 17:41 These nations are worshiping the Lord and at the same time serving their idols; their sons and grandsons do just as their fathers have done, to this very day.
Lord, the chronic disobedience of the king, and of the people, led to terrible trouble, yet You patiently defended the essence of Israel and Judah. May I remember that my choices have consequences; upon the blessings you wish to bestow for obedience, and upon the troubles that will come from disobedience. Your ancient people of Israel refused to learn and to obey and thus squandered the blessing of the Promised Land and surrendered the gift of freedom You had given them. May I learn to be more obedient so that I do not become again a servant of the sin of this fallen world.
Ahaz was king of Judah for sixteen years, he was an evil king who even passed his son through the fire. King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah of Israel attacked so Ahaz appealed to King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria – sending him all the silver and gold in the temple and royal residence and offering to become his dependent were he to rescue him.
The Assyrians agreed and attacked Damascus, deporting the people, and killing king Rezin.
Ahaz traveled to Assyria to see the king and while there he saw the altar. He drew diagrams then sent word to Uriah the priest to duplicate them, which he did. Upon Ahaz’s return he initiated new schedules for regular sacrifices and otherwise rearranged things in the temple.
Ahaz was unfaithful to the Lord God as king of Judah so he was handed over to his enemies in Israel, who took his wealth and many captives, Israel also took 200,000 wives and others but the prophet challenged the leaders of Israel who challenged the army who then released them. Ahaz multiplied false worship throughout Judah but when he died he was not buried in the royal tombs.
Hoshea was king of Israel for nine years and while he was not as evil as many who came before him he still failed to follow the Lord fully. King Shalmaneser of Assyria threatened to invade Israel so Hoshea submitted Israel and paid tribute.
Hoshea then decided to ask Egypt for assistance in a rebellion against Assyria and Shalmaneser discovered the plan, arrested Hoshea and laid seige against Israel for three years, finally overwhelming it and deporting the people.
The Lord God rescued Israel from slavery in Egypt, brought them to the promised land, and then caused them to be removed from the Promised Land due to their chronic disobedience.
Assyria repopulated the Promised Land with foreigners who again filled it with pagan worship of false gods.
The Lord God sent lions among the foreigners and many were killed so that the Assyrians brought back priests from the deported Israelites to teach them how to worship what they superstitiously understood as “the god of the land”. They added those Israelite worship rituals to their pagan rituals.
Despite generations of evidence that obedience brought blessings to the king and the people alike Ahaz followed his foolish predecessors and disrespected the Lord God.
When Israel saw Assyria deport so many from Judah why would they not desperately seek a way to please the Lord God so that they would be protected from the same fate?
Assyria became the major power in the region, obliterating Damascus and essentially controlling both Israel and Judah. The Promised Land reverted to its Fallen and cursed condition despite all that the Lord God did to make it a wonderful home for Israel.
When have you experienced a terrible experience, causing you to return your attention to the Lord? When have you experienced or observed poor decisions made over and over despite the clear evidence that they would lead to bad results?
Ask the Holy Spirit to drive a wedge between anything in the world which distracts you from the priority of your relationship with the Lord God and to reveal to you a place in your life where you are being disobedient.
Today I will listen to the Holy Spirit and obey. I will turn away from the idols and obsessions of this temporary world and rather give my attention and worship to the eternal things of God. I will repent (confess and turn away from) my rebellion. It may be a failure to pray, a failure to fellowship, a failure to serve, a failure to witness, a failure to resist or to flee sin. I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement for my surrender of this place in my life and to be my accountability partner as I cooperate with the Holy Spirit in never returning to that sin.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
The Lord Will Judge Babylon
13:1 This is a message about Babylon that God revealed to Isaiah son of Amoz:
13:2 On a bare hill raise a signal flag, shout to them, wave your hand, so they might enter the gates of the princes!
13:3 I have given orders to my chosen soldiers; I have summoned the warriors through whom I will vent my anger, my boasting, arrogant ones.
13:4 There is a loud noise on the mountains – it sounds like a large army! There is great commotion among the kingdoms – nations are being assembled! The Lord who commands armies is mustering forces for battle.
13:5 They come from a distant land, from the horizon. It is the Lord with his instruments of judgment, coming to destroy the whole earth.
13:6 Wail, for the Lord’s day of judgment is near; it comes with all the destructive power of the sovereign judge.
13:7 For this reason all hands hang limp, every human heart loses its courage.
13:8 They panic – cramps and pain seize hold of them like those of a woman who is straining to give birth. They look at one another in astonishment; their faces are flushed red.
13:9 Look, the Lord’s day of judgment is coming; it is a day of cruelty and savage, raging anger, destroying the earth and annihilating its sinners.
13:10 Indeed the stars in the sky and their constellations no longer give out their light; the sun is darkened as soon as it rises, and the moon does not shine.
13:11 I will punish the world for its evil, and wicked people for their sin. I will put an end to the pride of the insolent, I will bring down the arrogance of tyrants.
13:12 I will make human beings more scarce than pure gold, and people more scarce than gold from Ophir.
13:13 So I will shake the heavens, and the earth will shake loose from its foundation, because of the fury of the Lord who commands armies, in the day he vents his raging anger.
13:14 Like a frightened gazelle or a sheep with no shepherd, each will turn toward home, each will run to his homeland.
13:15 Everyone who is caught will be stabbed; everyone who is seized will die by the sword.
13:16 Their children will be smashed to pieces before their very eyes; their houses will be looted and their wives raped.
13:17 Look, I am stirring up the Medes to attack them; they are not concerned about silver, nor are they interested in gold.
13:18 Their arrows will cut young men to ribbons; they have no compassion on a person’s offspring, they will not look with pity on children.
13:19 Babylon, the most admired of kingdoms, the Chaldeans’ source of honor and pride, will be destroyed by God just as Sodom and Gomorrah were.
13:20 No one will live there again; no one will ever reside there again. No bedouin will camp there, no shepherds will rest their flocks there.
13:21 Wild animals will rest there, the ruined houses will be full of hyenas. Ostriches will live there, wild goats will skip among the ruins.
13:22 Wild dogs will yip in her ruined fortresses, jackals will yelp in the once-splendid palaces. Her time is almost up, her days will not be prolonged.
14:1 The Lord will certainly have compassion on Jacob; he will again choose Israel as his special people and restore them to their land. Resident foreigners will join them and unite with the family of Jacob. 14:2 Nations will take them and bring them back to their own place. Then the family of Jacob will make foreigners their servants as they settle in the Lord’s land. They will make their captors captives and rule over the ones who oppressed them. 14:3 When the Lord gives you relief from your suffering and anxiety, and from the hard labor which you were made to perform, 14:4 you will taunt the king of Babylon with these words: “Look how the oppressor has met his end! Hostility has ceased!
14:5 The Lord has broken the club of the wicked, the scepter of rulers.
14:6 It furiously struck down nations with unceasing blows. It angrily ruled over nations, oppressing them without restraint.
14:7 The whole earth rests and is quiet; they break into song.
14:8 The evergreens also rejoice over your demise, as do the cedars of Lebanon, singing, ‘Since you fell asleep, no woodsman comes up to chop us down!’
14:9 Sheol below is stirred up about you, ready to meet you when you arrive. It rouses the spirits of the dead for you, all the former leaders of the earth; it makes all the former kings of the nations rise from their thrones.
14:10 All of them respond to you, saying: ‘You too have become weak like us! You have become just like us!
14:11 Your splendor has been brought down to Sheol, as well as the sound of your stringed instruments. You lie on a bed of maggots, with a blanket of worms over you.
14:12 Look how you have fallen from the sky, O shining one, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the ground, O conqueror of the nations!
14:13 You said to yourself, “I will climb up to the sky. Above the stars of El I will set up my throne. I will rule on the mountain of assembly on the remote slopes of Zaphon.
14:14 I will climb up to the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High!”
14:15 But you were brought down to Sheol, to the remote slopes of the pit.
14:16 Those who see you stare at you, they look at you carefully, thinking: “Is this the man who shook the earth, the one who made kingdoms tremble?
14:17 Is this the one who made the world like a desert, who ruined its cities, and refused to free his prisoners so they could return home?”‘
14:18 As for all the kings of the nations, all of them lie down in splendor, each in his own tomb.
14:19 But you have been thrown out of your grave like a shoot that is thrown away. You lie among the slain, among those who have been slashed by the sword, among those headed for the stones of the pit, as if you were a mangled corpse.
14:20 You will not be buried with them, because you destroyed your land and killed your people. The offspring of the wicked will never be mentioned again.
14:21 Prepare to execute his sons for the sins their ancestors have committed. They must not rise up and take possession of the earth, or fill the surface of the world with cities.”
14:22 “I will rise up against them,” says the Lord who commands armies. “I will blot out all remembrance of Babylon and destroy all her people, including the offspring she produces,” says the Lord.
14:23 “I will turn her into a place that is overrun with wild animals and covered with pools of stagnant water. I will get rid of her, just as one sweeps away dirt with a broom,” says the Lord who commands armies.
14:24 The Lord who commands armies makes this solemn vow: “Be sure of this: Just as I have intended, so it will be; just as I have planned, it will happen.
14:25 I will break Assyria in my land, I will trample them underfoot on my hills. Their yoke will be removed from my people, the burden will be lifted from their shoulders.
14:26 This is the plan I have devised for the whole earth; my hand is ready to strike all the nations.”
14:27 Indeed, the Lord who commands armies has a plan, and who can possibly frustrate it? His hand is ready to strike, and who can possibly stop it?
The Lord Will Judge the Philistines
14:28 In the year King Ahaz died, this message was revealed:
14:29 Don’t be so happy, all you Philistines, just because the club that beat you has been broken! For a viper will grow out of the serpent’s root, and its fruit will be a darting adder.
14:30 The poor will graze in my pastures; the needy will rest securely. But I will kill your root by famine; it will put to death all your survivors.
14:31 Wail, O city gate! Cry out, O city! Melt with fear, all you Philistines! For out of the north comes a cloud of smoke, and there are no stragglers in its ranks.
14:32 How will they respond to the messengers of this nation? Indeed, the Lord has made Zion secure; the oppressed among his people will find safety in her.
The Lord Will Judge Moab
15:1 Here is a message about Moab: Indeed, in a night it is devastated, Ar of Moab is destroyed! Indeed, in a night it is devastated, Kir of Moab is destroyed!
15:2 They went up to the temple, the people of Dibon went up to the high places to lament. Because of what happened to Nebo and Medeba, Moab wails. Every head is shaved bare, every beard is trimmed off.
15:3 In their streets they wear sackcloth; on their roofs and in their town squares all of them wail, they fall down weeping.
15:4 The people of Heshbon and Elealeh cry out, their voices are heard as far away as Jahaz. For this reason Moab’s soldiers shout in distress; their courage wavers.
15:5 My heart cries out because of Moab’s plight, and for the fugitives stretched out as far as Zoar and Eglath Shelishiyah. For they weep as they make their way up the ascent of Luhith; they loudly lament their demise on the road to Horonaim.
15:6 For the waters of Nimrim are gone; the grass is dried up, the vegetation has disappeared, and there are no plants.
15:7 For this reason what they have made and stored up, they carry over the Stream of the Poplars.
15:8 Indeed, the cries of distress echo throughout Moabite territory; their wailing can be heard in Eglaim and Beer Elim.
15:9 Indeed, the waters of Dimon are full of blood! Indeed, I will heap even more trouble on Dimon. A lion will attack the Moabite fugitives and the people left in the land.
16:1 Send rams as tribute to the ruler of the land, from Sela in the desert to the hill of Daughter Zion.
16:2 At the fords of the Arnon the Moabite women are like a bird that flies about when forced from its nest.
16:3 “Bring a plan, make a decision! Provide some shade in the middle of the day! Hide the fugitives! Do not betray the one who tries to escape!
16:4 Please let the Moabite fugitives live among you. Hide them from the destroyer!” Certainly the one who applies pressure will cease, the destroyer will come to an end, those who trample will disappear from the earth.
16:5 Then a trustworthy king will be established; he will rule in a reliable manner, this one from David’s family. He will be sure to make just decisions and will be experienced in executing justice.
16:6 We have heard about Moab’s pride, their great arrogance, their boasting, pride, and excess. But their boastful claims are empty!
16:7 So Moab wails over its demise – they all wail! Completely devastated, they moan about what has happened to the raisin cakes of Kir Hareseth.
16:8 For the fields of Heshbon are dried up, as well as the vines of Sibmah. The rulers of the nations trample all over its vines, which reach Jazer and spread to the desert; their shoots spread out and cross the sea.
16:9 So I weep along with Jazer over the vines of Sibmah. I will saturate you with my tears, Heshbon and Elealeh, for the conquering invaders shout triumphantly over your fruit and crops.
16:10 Joy and happiness disappear from the orchards, and in the vineyards no one rejoices or shouts; no one treads out juice in the wine vats – I have brought the joyful shouts to an end.
16:11 So my heart constantly sighs for Moab, like the strumming of a harp, my inner being sighs for Kir Hareseth.
16:12 When the Moabites plead with all their might at their high places, and enter their temples to pray, their prayers will be ineffective!
16:13 This is the message the Lord previously announced about Moab. 16:14 Now the Lord makes this announcement: “Within exactly three years Moab’s splendor will disappear, along with all her many people; there will be just a few, insignificant survivors left.”
The Lord Will Judge Damascus
17:1 Here is a message about Damascus: “Look, Damascus is no longer a city, it is a heap of ruins!
17:2 The cities of Aroer are abandoned. They will be used for herds, which will lie down there in peace.
17:3 Fortified cities will disappear from Ephraim, and Damascus will lose its kingdom. The survivors in Syria will end up like the splendor of the Israelites,” says the Lord who commands armies.
17:4 “At that time Jacob’s splendor will be greatly diminished, and he will become skin and bones.
17:5 It will be as when one gathers the grain harvest, and his hand gleans the ear of grain. It will be like one gathering the ears of grain in the Valley of Rephaim.
17:6 There will be some left behind, like when an olive tree is beaten – two or three ripe olives remain toward the very top, four or five on its fruitful branches,” says the Lord God of Israel.
17:7 At that time men will trust in their creator; they will depend on the Holy One of Israel.
17:8 They will no longer trust in the altars their hands made, or depend on the Asherah poles and incense altars their fingers made.
17:9 At that time their fortified cities will be like the abandoned summits of the Amorites, which they abandoned because of the Israelites; there will be desolation.
17:10 For you ignore the God who rescues you; you pay no attention to your strong protector. So this is what happens: You cultivate beautiful plants and plant exotic vines.
17:11 The day you begin cultivating, you do what you can to make it grow; the morning you begin planting, you do what you can to make it sprout. Yet the harvest will disappear in the day of disease and incurable pain.
17:12 The many nations massing together are as good as dead, those who make a commotion as loud as the roaring of the sea’s waves. The people making such an uproar are as good as dead, those who make an uproar as loud as the roaring of powerful waves.
17:13 Though these people make an uproar as loud as the roaring of powerful waves, when he shouts at them, they will flee to a distant land, driven before the wind like dead weeds on the hills, or like dead thistles before a strong gale.
17:14 In the evening there is sudden terror; by morning they vanish. This is the fate of those who try to plunder us, the destiny of those who try to loot us!
The Lord Will Judge a Distant Land in the South
18:1 The land of buzzing wings is as good as dead, the one beyond the rivers of Cush,
18:2 that sends messengers by sea, who glide over the water’s surface in boats made of papyrus. Go, you swift messengers, to a nation of tall, smooth-skinned people, to a people that are feared far and wide, to a nation strong and victorious, whose land rivers divide.
18:3 All you who live in the world, who reside on the earth, you will see a signal flag raised on the mountains; you will hear a trumpet being blown.
18:4 For this is what the Lord has told me: “I will wait and watch from my place, like scorching heat produced by the sunlight, like a cloud of mist in the heat of harvest.”
18:5 For before the harvest, when the bud has sprouted, and the ripening fruit appears, he will cut off the unproductive shoots with pruning knives; he will prune the tendrils.
18:6 They will all be left for the birds of the hills and the wild animals; the birds will eat them during the summer, and all the wild animals will eat them during the winter.
18:7 At that time tribute will be brought to the Lord who commands armies, by a people that are tall and smooth-skinned, a people that are feared far and wide, a nation strong and victorious, whose land rivers divide. The tribute will be brought to the place where the Lord who commands armies has chosen to reside, on Mount Zion.
The Lord Will Judge Egypt
19:1 Here is a message about Egypt: Look, the Lord rides on a swift-moving cloud and approaches Egypt. The idols of Egypt tremble before him; the Egyptians lose their courage.
19:2 “I will provoke civil strife in Egypt, brothers will fight with each other, as will neighbors, cities, and kingdoms.
19:3 The Egyptians will panic, and I will confuse their strategy. They will seek guidance from the idols and from the spirits of the dead, from the pits used to conjure up underworld spirits, and from the magicians.
19:4 I will hand Egypt over to a harsh master; a powerful king will rule over them,” says the sovereign master, the Lord who commands armies.
19:5 The water of the sea will be dried up, and the river will dry up and be empty.
19:6 The canals will stink; the streams of Egypt will trickle and then dry up; the bulrushes and reeds will decay,
19:7 along with the plants by the mouth of the river. All the cultivated land near the river will turn to dust and be blown away.
19:8 The fishermen will mourn and lament, all those who cast a fishhook into the river, and those who spread out a net on the water’s surface will grieve.
19:9 Those who make clothes from combed flax will be embarrassed; those who weave will turn pale.
19:10 Those who make cloth will be demoralized; all the hired workers will be depressed.
19:11 The officials of Zoan are nothing but fools; Pharaoh’s wise advisers give stupid advice. How dare you say to Pharaoh, “I am one of the sages, one well-versed in the writings of the ancient kings?”
19:12 But where, oh where, are your wise men? Let them tell you, let them find out what the Lord who commands armies has planned for Egypt.
19:13 The officials of Zoan are fools, the officials of Memphis are misled; the rulers of her tribes lead Egypt astray.
19:14 The Lord has made them undiscerning; they lead Egypt astray in all she does, so that she is like a drunk sliding around in his own vomit.
19:15 Egypt will not be able to do a thing, head or tail, shoots and stalk.
19:16 At that time the Egyptians will be like women. They will tremble and fear because the Lord who commands armies brandishes his fist against them. 19:17 The land of Judah will humiliate Egypt. Everyone who hears about Judah will be afraid because of what the Lord who commands armies is planning to do to them.
19:18 At that time five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the Lord who commands armies. One will be called the City of the Sun. 19:19 At that time there will be an altar for the Lord in the middle of the land of Egypt, as well as a sacred pillar dedicated to the Lord at its border. 19:20 It will become a visual reminder in the land of Egypt of the Lord who commands armies. When they cry out to the Lord because of oppressors, he will send them a deliverer and defender who will rescue them. 19:21 The Lord will reveal himself to the Egyptians, and they will acknowledge the Lord’s authority at that time. They will present sacrifices and offerings; they will make vows to the Lord and fulfill them. 19:22 The Lord will strike Egypt, striking and then healing them. They will turn to the Lord and he will listen to their prayers and heal them.
19:23 At that time there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will visit Egypt, and the Egyptians will visit Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together. 19:24 At that time Israel will be the third member of the group, along with Egypt and Assyria, and will be a recipient of blessing in the earth. 19:25 The Lord who commands armies will pronounce a blessing over the earth, saying, “Blessed be my people, Egypt, and the work of my hands, Assyria, and my special possession, Israel!”
20:1 The Lord revealed the following message during the year in which King Sargon of Assyria sent his commanding general to Ashdod, and he fought against it and captured it. 20:2 At that time the Lord announced through Isaiah son of Amoz: “Go, remove the sackcloth from your waist and take your sandals off your feet.” He did as instructed and walked around in undergarments and barefoot. 20:3 Later the Lord explained, “In the same way that my servant Isaiah has walked around in undergarments and barefoot for the past three years, as an object lesson and omen pertaining to Egypt and Cush, 20:4 so the king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Cush, both young and old. They will be in undergarments and barefoot, with the buttocks exposed; the Egyptians will be publicly humiliated. 20:5 Those who put their hope in Cush and took pride in Egypt will be afraid and embarrassed. 20:6 At that time those who live on this coast will say, ‘Look what has happened to our source of hope to whom we fled for help, expecting to be rescued from the king of Assyria! How can we escape now?’”
The Lord Will Judge Babylon
21:1 Here is a message about the Desert by the Sea: Like strong winds blowing in the south, one invades from the desert, from a land that is feared.
21:2 I have received a distressing message: “The deceiver deceives, the destroyer destroys. Attack, you Elamites! Lay siege, you Medes! I will put an end to all the groaning!”
21:3 For this reason my stomach churns; cramps overwhelm me like the contractions of a woman in labor. I am disturbed by what I hear, horrified by what I see.
21:4 My heart palpitates, I shake in fear; the twilight I desired has brought me terror.
21:5 Arrange the table, lay out the carpet, eat and drink! Get up, you officers, smear oil on the shields!
21:6 For this is what the sovereign master has told me: “Go, post a guard! He must report what he sees.
21:7 When he sees chariots, teams of horses, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, he must be alert, very alert.”
21:8 Then the guard cries out: “On the watchtower, O sovereign master, I stand all day long; at my post I am stationed every night.
21:9 Look what’s coming! A charioteer, a team of horses.” When questioned, he replies, “Babylon has fallen, fallen! All the idols of her gods lie shattered on the ground!”
21:10 O my downtrodden people, crushed like stalks on the threshing floor, what I have heard from the Lord who commands armies, the God of Israel, I have reported to you.
Bad News for Seir
21:11 Here is a message about Dumah: Someone calls to me from Seir, “Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?”
21:12 The watchman replies, “Morning is coming, but then night. If you want to ask, ask; come back again.”
The Lord Will Judge Arabia
21:13 Here is a message about Arabia: In the thicket of Arabia you spend the night, you Dedanite caravans.
21:14 Bring out some water for the thirsty. You who live in the land of Tema, bring some food for the fugitives.
21:15 For they flee from the swords – from the drawn sword and from the battle-ready bow and from the severity of the battle.
21:16 For this is what the sovereign master has told me: “Within exactly one year all the splendor of Kedar will come to an end. 21:17 Just a handful of archers, the warriors of Kedar, will be left.” Indeed, the Lord God of Israel has spoken.
The Lord Will Judge Jerusalem
22:1 Here is a message about the Valley of Vision: What is the reason that all of you go up to the rooftops?
22:2 The noisy city is full of raucous sounds; the town is filled with revelry. Your slain were not cut down by the sword; they did not die in battle.
22:3 All your leaders ran away together – they fled to a distant place; all your refugees were captured together – they were captured without a single arrow being shot.
22:4 So I say: “Don’t look at me! I am weeping bitterly. Don’t try to console me concerning the destruction of my defenseless people.”
22:5 For the sovereign master, the Lord who commands armies, has planned a day of panic, defeat, and confusion. In the Valley of Vision people shout and cry out to the hill.
22:6 The Elamites picked up the quiver, and came with chariots and horsemen; the men of Kir prepared the shield.
22:7 Your very best valleys were full of chariots; horsemen confidently took their positions at the gate.
22:8 They removed the defenses of Judah. At that time you looked for the weapons in the House of the Forest.
22:9 You saw the many breaks in the walls of the city of David; you stored up water in the lower pool.
22:10 You counted the houses in Jerusalem, and demolished houses so you could have material to reinforce the wall.
22:11 You made a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool – but you did not trust in the one who made it; you did not depend on the one who formed it long ago!
22:12 At that time the sovereign master, the Lord who commands armies, called for weeping and mourning, for shaved heads and sackcloth.
22:13 But look, there is outright celebration! You say, “Kill the ox and slaughter the sheep, eat meat and drink wine. Eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”
22:14 The Lord who commands armies told me this: “Certainly this sin will not be forgiven as long as you live,” says the sovereign master, the Lord who commands armies.
22:15 This is what the sovereign master, the Lord who commands armies, says: “Go visit this administrator, Shebna, who supervises the palace, and tell him:
22:16 ‘What right do you have to be here? What relatives do you have buried here? Why do you chisel out a tomb for yourself here? He chisels out his burial site in an elevated place, he carves out his tomb on a cliff.
22:17 Look, the Lord will throw you far away, you mere man! He will wrap you up tightly.
22:18 He will wind you up tightly into a ball and throw you into a wide, open land. There you will die, and there with you will be your impressive chariots, which bring disgrace to the house of your master.
22:19 I will remove you from your office; you will be thrown down from your position.
22:20 “At that time I will summon my servant Eliakim, son of Hilkiah. 22:21 I will put your robe on him, tie your belt around him, and transfer your authority to him. He will become a protector of the residents of Jerusalem and of the people of Judah. 22:22 I will place the key to the house of David on his shoulder. When he opens the door, no one can close it; when he closes the door, no one can open it. 22:23 I will fasten him like a peg into a solid place; he will bring honor and respect to his father’s family. 22:24 His father’s family will gain increasing prominence because of him, including the offspring and the offshoots. All the small containers, including the bowls and all the jars will hang from this peg.’
22:25 “At that time,” says the Lord who commands armies, “the peg fastened into a solid place will come loose. It will be cut off and fall, and the load hanging on it will be cut off.” Indeed, the Lord has spoken.
The Lord Will Judge Tyre
23:1 Here is a message about Tyre: Wail, you large ships, for the port is too devastated to enter! From the land of Cyprus this news is announced to them.
23:2 Lament, you residents of the coast, you merchants of Sidon who travel over the sea, whose agents sail over 23:3 the deep waters! Grain from the Shihor region, crops grown near the Nile she receives; she is the trade center of the nations.
23:4 Be ashamed, O Sidon, for the sea says this, O fortress of the sea: “I have not gone into labor or given birth; I have not raised young men or brought up young women.”
23:5 When the news reaches Egypt, they will be shaken by what has happened to Tyre.
23:6 Travel to Tarshish! Wail, you residents of the coast!
23:7 Is this really your boisterous city whose origins are in the distant past, and whose feet led her to a distant land to reside?
23:8 Who planned this for royal Tyre, whose merchants are princes, whose traders are the dignitaries of the earth?
23:9 The Lord who commands armies planned it – to dishonor the pride that comes from all her beauty, to humiliate all the dignitaries of the earth.
23:10 Daughter Tarshish, travel back to your land, as one crosses the Nile; there is no longer any marketplace in Tyre.
23:11 The Lord stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook kingdoms; he gave the order to destroy Canaan’s fortresses.
23:12 He said, “You will no longer celebrate, oppressed virgin daughter Sidon! Get up, travel to Cyprus, but you will find no relief there.”
23:13 Look at the land of the Chaldeans, these people who have lost their identity! The Assyrians have made it a home for wild animals. They erected their siege towers, demolished its fortresses, and turned it into a heap of ruins.
23:14 Wail, you large ships, for your fortress is destroyed!
23:15 At that time Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, the typical life span of a king. At the end of seventy years Tyre will try to attract attention again, like the prostitute in the popular song:
23:16 “Take the harp, go through the city, forgotten prostitute! Play it well, play lots of songs, so you’ll be noticed!”
23:17 At the end of seventy years the Lord will revive Tyre. She will start making money again by selling her services to all the earth’s kingdoms. 23:18 Her profits and earnings will be set apart for the Lord. They will not be stored up or accumulated, for her profits will be given to those who live in the Lord’s presence and will be used to purchase large quantities of food and beautiful clothes.
The Lord Will Judge the Earth
24:1 Look, the Lord is ready to devastate the earth and leave it in ruins; he will mar its surface and scatter its inhabitants.
24:2 Everyone will suffer – the priest as well as the people, the master as well as the servant, the elegant lady as well as the female attendant, the seller as well as the buyer, the borrower as well as the lender, the creditor as well as the debtor.
24:3 The earth will be completely devastated and thoroughly ransacked. For the Lord has decreed this judgment.
24:4 The earth dries up and withers, the world shrivels up and withers; the prominent people of the earth fade away.
24:5 The earth is defiled by its inhabitants, for they have violated laws, disregarded the regulation, and broken the permanent treaty.
24:6 So a treaty curse devours the earth; its inhabitants pay for their guilt. This is why the inhabitants of the earth disappear, and are reduced to just a handful of people.
24:7 The new wine dries up, the vines shrivel up, all those who like to celebrate groan.
24:8 The happy sound of the tambourines stops, the revelry of those who celebrate comes to a halt, the happy sound of the harp ceases.
24:9 They no longer sing and drink wine; the beer tastes bitter to those who drink it.
24:10 The ruined town is shattered; all of the houses are shut up tight.
24:11 They howl in the streets because of what happened to the wine; all joy turns to sorrow; celebrations disappear from the earth.
24:12 The city is left in ruins; the gate is reduced to rubble.
24:13 This is what will happen throughout the earth, among the nations. It will be like when they beat an olive tree, and just a few olives are left at the end of the harvest.
24:14 They lift their voices and shout joyfully; they praise the majesty of the Lord in the west.
24:15 So in the east extol the Lord, along the seacoasts extol the fame of the Lord God of Israel.
24:16 From the ends of the earth we hear songs – the Just One is majestic. But I say, “I’m wasting away! I’m wasting away! I’m doomed! Deceivers deceive, deceivers thoroughly deceive!”
24:17 Terror, pit, and snare are ready to overtake you inhabitants of the earth!
24:18 The one who runs away from the sound of the terror will fall into the pit; the one who climbs out of the pit, will be trapped by the snare. For the floodgates of the heavens are opened up and the foundations of the earth shake.
24:19 The earth is broken in pieces, the earth is ripped to shreds, the earth shakes violently.
24:20 The earth will stagger around like a drunk; it will sway back and forth like a hut in a windstorm. Its sin will weigh it down, and it will fall and never get up again.
The Lord Will Become King
24:21 At that time the Lord will punish the heavenly forces in the heavens and the earthly kings on the earth.
24:22 They will be imprisoned in a pit, locked up in a prison, and after staying there for a long time, they will be punished.
24:23 The full moon will be covered up, the bright sun will be darkened; for the Lord who commands armies will rule on Mount Zion in Jerusalem in the presence of his assembly, in majestic splendor.
25:1 O Lord, you are my God!
I will exalt you in praise, I will extol your fame. For you have done extraordinary things, and executed plans made long ago exactly as you decreed.
25:2 Indeed, you have made the city into a heap of rubble, the fortified town into a heap of ruins; the fortress of foreigners is no longer a city, it will never be rebuilt.
25:3 So a strong nation will extol you; the towns of powerful nations will fear you.
25:4 For you are a protector for the poor, a protector for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the rainstorm, a shade from the heat. Though the breath of tyrants is like a winter rainstorm,
25:5 like heat in a dry land, you humble the boasting foreigners. Just as the shadow of a cloud causes the heat to subside, so he causes the song of tyrants to cease.
25:6 The Lord who commands armies will hold a banquet for all the nations on this mountain. At this banquet there will be plenty of meat and aged wine – tender meat and choicest wine.
25:7 On this mountain he will swallow up the shroud that is over all the peoples, the woven covering that is over all the nations;
25:8 he will swallow up death permanently. The sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from every face, and remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. Indeed, the Lord has announced it!
25:9 At that time they will say, “Look, here is our God! We waited for him and he delivered us. Here is the Lord! We waited for him. Let’s rejoice and celebrate his deliverance!”
25:10 For the Lord’s power will make this mountain secure. Moab will be trampled down where it stands, as a heap of straw is trampled down in a manure pile.
25:11 Moab will spread out its hands in the middle of it, just as a swimmer spreads his hands to swim; the Lord will bring down Moab’s pride as it spreads its hands.
25:12 The fortified city (along with the very tops of your walls) he will knock down, he will bring it down, he will throw it down to the dusty ground.
Judah Will Celebrate
26:1 At that time this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city! The Lord’s deliverance, like walls and a rampart, makes it secure.
26:2 Open the gates so a righteous nation can enter – one that remains trustworthy.
26:3 You keep completely safe the people who maintain their faith, for they trust in you.
26:4 Trust in the Lord from this time forward, even in Yah, the Lord, an enduring protector!
26:5 Indeed, the Lord knocks down those who live in a high place, he brings down an elevated town; he brings it down to the ground, he throws it down to the dust.
26:6 It is trampled underfoot by the feet of the oppressed, by the soles of the poor.”
God’s People Anticipate Vindication
26:7 The way of the righteous is level, the path of the righteous that you make is straight.
26:8 Yes, as your judgments unfold, O Lord, we wait for you. We desire your fame and reputation to grow.
26:9 I look for you during the night, my spirit within me seeks you at dawn, for when your judgments come upon the earth, those who live in the world learn about justice.
26:10 If the wicked are shown mercy, they do not learn about justice. Even in a land where right is rewarded, they act unjustly; they do not see the Lord’s majesty revealed.
26:11 O Lord, you are ready to act, but they don’t even notice. They will see and be put to shame by your angry judgment against humankind, yes, fire will consume your enemies.
26:12 O Lord, you make us secure, for even all we have accomplished, you have done for us.
26:13 O Lord, our God, masters other than you have ruled us, but we praise your name alone.
26:14 The dead do not come back to life, the spirits of the dead do not rise. That is because you came in judgment and destroyed them, you wiped out all memory of them.
26:15 You have made the nation larger, O Lord, you have made the nation larger and revealed your splendor, you have extended all the borders of the land.
26:16 O Lord, in distress they looked for you; they uttered incantations because of your discipline.
26:17 As when a pregnant woman gets ready t o deliver and strains and cries out because of her labor pains, so were we because of you, O Lord.
26:18 We were pregnant, we strained, we gave birth, as it were, to wind. We cannot produce deliverance on the earth; people to populate the world are not born.
26:19 Your dead will come back to life; your corpses will rise up. Wake up and shout joyfully, you who live in the ground! For you will grow like plants drenched with the morning dew, and the earth will bring forth its dead spirits.
26:20 Go, my people! Enter your inner rooms! Close your doors behind you! Hide for a little while, until his angry judgment is over!
26:21 For look, the Lord is coming out of the place where he lives, to punish the sin of those who live on the earth. The earth will display the blood shed on it; it will no longer cover up its slain.
27:1 At that time the Lord will punish with his destructive, great, and powerful sword Leviathan the fast-moving serpent, Leviathan the squirming serpent; he will kill the sea monster.
27:2 When that time comes, sing about a delightful vineyard!
27:3 I, the Lord, protect it; I water it regularly. I guard it night and day, so no one can harm it.
27:4 I am not angry. I wish I could confront some thorns and briers! Then I would march against them for battle; I would set them all on fire,
27:5 unless they became my subjects and made peace with me; let them make peace with me.
27:6 The time is coming when Jacob will take root; Israel will blossom and grow branches. The produce will fill the surface of the world.
27:7 Has the Lord struck down Israel like he did their oppressors? Has Israel been killed like their enemies?
27:8 When you summon her for divorce, you prosecute her; he drives her away with his strong wind in the day of the east wind.
27:9 So in this way Jacob’s sin will be forgiven, and this is how they will show they are finished sinning: They will make all the stones of the altars like crushed limestone, and the Asherah poles and the incense altars will no longer stand.
27:10 For the fortified city is left alone; it is a deserted settlement and abandoned like the desert. Calves graze there; they lie down there and eat its branches bare.
27:11 When its branches get brittle, they break; women come and use them for kindling. For these people lack understanding, therefore the one who made them has no compassion on them; the one who formed them has no mercy on them.
27:12 At that time the Lord will shake the tree, from the Euphrates River to the Stream of Egypt. Then you will be gathered up one by one, O Israelites. 27:13 At that time a large trumpet will be blown, and the ones lost in the land of Assyria will come, as well as the refugees in the land of Egypt. They will worship the Lord on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.
Lord, You declared Your sovereign intent to punish the Israelite rebels and also the pagans who far-over-stepped their reasonable purpose in punishing Israel; not only bragging that they and their false pagan gods accomplished their empire-building alone, but also blaspheming You. From these chapters of Your judgment may I remember that every choice has a consequence, sometimes not immediately obvious, and sometimes terrible. You will judge those who are Your enemies and bring deliverance to those who belong to You. May I pray “Come soon Lord!”
Isaiah recorded the detailed proclamation of the Lord God’s judgment of the nations, Israel and her enemies alike, and for each it was to be terrible.
The detailed nature of the actions of the pagan nations whom the Lord God allowed to serve as His bludgeon against Israel is representative of their free will and of their heart-condition apart from Him. He neither desired nor did He cause them to choose to murder babies nor rape women but because Israel had insisted upon driving Him away He chose to stand by and allow the hellish-consequences of a fallen world without His presence to be their experience.
As he addressed each Isaiah presented the Lord God’s charges against each nation and then His judgment against them.
As He deemed appropriate the Lord God led Isaiah to share a message of hope for some of the nations, e.g. Tyre, though their renewal was in the context of service to Him rather than themselves.
Isaiah continued the last days of the end times prophesy of the Lord God, describing the imprisonment of the enemies of the Lord God from both the spiritual and physical world where they would be held in the darkness they have chosen, eventually to be released – but into a world that is equally dark – while those with the Lord God would bask in the light of His presence.
He then launched into praise “O Lord, you are my God! I will exalt you in praise, I will extol your fame. For you have done extraordinary things, and executed plans made long ago exactly as you decreed … [He] … will swallow up death permanently. The sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from every face, and remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. Indeed, the Lord has announced it! At that time they will say, “Look, here is our God! We waited for him and he delivered us. Here is the Lord! We waited for him. Let’s rejoice and celebrate his deliverance!”
Isaiah declared the character of the Lord God “The way of the righteous is level, the path of the righteous that you make is straight.”
He shared some wisdom “If the wicked are shown mercy, they do not learn about justice. Even in a land where right is rewarded, they act unjustly; they do not see the Lord’s majesty revealed.”
He noted the propensity of the rebels to turn to witchcraft “O Lord, in distress they looked for you; they uttered incantations because of your discipline.”
Isaiah explained the powerlessness of Israel to alter the condition of things in this fallen world and to cause deliverance through human action “As when a pregnant woman gets ready to deliver and strains and cries out because of her labor pains, so were we because of you, O Lord. We were pregnant, we strained, we gave birth, as it were, to wind. We cannot produce deliverance on the earth; people to populate the world are not born.”
He then explained that it will be the Lord God Who will deliver the world by populating the world with His people “Your dead will come back to life; your corpses will rise up. Wake up and shout joyfully, you who live in the ground! For you will grow like plants drenched with the morning dew, and the earth will bring forth its dead spirits.
Isaiah’s report of the Lord God’s prophesy continued with the symbolic imagery of “Leviathan”, a mythological creature known from ancient texts to represent chaos, especially the often unpredictable and devastating power of the sea. In this case the Lord God was to bring peace, illustrated by the “vineyard” that He would “water”, and the peace He would offer to those who had been His enemies.
Isaiah observed that while the Lord God destroyed the enemies of Israel He functionally-divorced Israel.
He explained what the Lord God expected of those who wished to reconcile “They will make all the stones of the altars like crushed limestone, and the Asherah poles and the incense altars will no longer stand.” Then He will gather-up those Who are His from wherever they were dispersed.
The magnitude of the devastation was to be massive, yet the process may remind one of the Great White Throne Judgment wherein which each individual will be called to account, charges laid against them, and Judgment (or freedom via Christ) meted out. Those who push away the light of truth of the Lord God will get what they demand – an existence without the Lord – and it will be darker than anything they could imagine. The Lord God used imagery with which His ‘audience’ would be familiar. In the ancient times of Isaiah’s ministry the mythological stories of Leviathan, and others, would have been useful for illustration.
Why might the Lord God have chosen to treat Tyre as He did? Why would the Lord God have bothered to preserve and seek to restore the chronically-rebellious Israelites? Might “Israel” in this context have been as symbolic as “Leviathan”?
The heart-attitude that brought the nations into conflict with the Lord God is much the same as that which plagues people even today; arrogance, lust, spiritual rebellion, and violence. After the long history of disaster, why would people still turn to witchcraft?
When have you experienced or observed a process of justice where charges were brought, considered, and then a decision and consequences rendered? When have you experienced or observed “If the wicked are shown mercy, they do not learn about justice. Even in a land where right is rewarded, they act unjustly; they do not see the Lord’s majesty revealed.”
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you something that the Lord God holds against you as unreconcilable with the “fruits of the Spirit” and therefore not appropriate to a Biblical Christian, a place in your life where He desires to make “The way of the righteous is level, the path of the righteous that you make is straight.”
Today I will confess and repent, ask and accept forgiveness from the Lord, and make the necessary changes to assure that I will not drift backwards into that sin. As appropriate, which is very likely, I will ask at least one fellow believer to pray in-agreement with me and at least one to be an accountability-partner. I will prayerfully submit my life to the leadership of the Holy Spirit so that the Lord God may make “The way of the righteous is level, the path of the righteous that you make is straight.”
Be Specific ________________________________________________
2 Kings
Hezekiah Becomes King of Judah
18:1 In the third year of the reign of Israel’s King Hoshea son of Elah, Ahaz’s son Hezekiah became king over Judah. 18:2 He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother was Abi, the daughter of Zechariah. 18:3 He did what the Lord approved, just as his ancestor David had done. 18:4 He eliminated the high places, smashed the sacred pillars to bits, and cut down the Asherah pole. He also demolished the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been offering incense to it; it was called Nehushtan. 18:5 He trusted in the Lord God of Israel; in this regard there was none like him among the kings of Judah either before or after. 18:6 He was loyal to the Lord and did not abandon him. He obeyed the commandments which the Lord had given to Moses. 18:7 The Lord was with him; he succeeded in all his endeavors. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and refused to submit to him. 18:8 He defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza and its territory, from the watchtower to the city fortress.
2 Chronicles
Hezekiah Consecrates the Temple
29:1 Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. 29:2 He did what the Lord approved, just as his ancestor David had done.
29:3 In the first month of the first year of his reign, he opened the doors of the Lord’s temple and repaired them. 29:4 He brought in the priests and Levites and assembled them in the square on the east side. 29:5 He said to them: “Listen to me, you Levites! Now consecrate yourselves, so you can consecrate the temple of the Lord God of your ancestors! Remove from the sanctuary what is ceremonially unclean! 29:6 For our fathers were unfaithful; they did what is evil in the sight of the Lord our God and abandoned him! They turned away from the Lord’s dwelling place and rejected him. 29:7 They closed the doors of the temple porch and put out the lamps; they did not offer incense or burnt sacrifices in the sanctuary of the God of Israel. 29:8 The Lord was angry at Judah and Jerusalem and made them an appalling object of horror at which people hiss out their scorn, as you can see with your own eyes. 29:9 Look, our fathers died violently and our sons, daughters, and wives were carried off because of this. 29:10 Now I intend to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, so that he may relent from his raging anger. 29:11 My sons, do not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to serve in his presence and offer sacrifices.”
29:12 The following Levites prepared to carry out the king’s orders:
From the Kohathites: Mahath son of Amasai and Joel son of Azariah;
from the Merarites: Kish son of Abdi and Azariah son of Jehallelel;
from the Gershonites: Joah son of Zimmah and Eden son of Joah;
29:13 from the descendants of Elizaphan: Shimri and Jeiel;
from the descendants of Asaph: Zechariah and Mattaniah;
29:14 from the descendants of Heman: Jehiel and Shimei;
from the descendants of Jeduthun: Shemaiah and Uzziel.
29:15 They assembled their brothers and consecrated themselves. Then they went in to purify the Lord’s temple, just as the king had ordered, in accordance with the word of the Lord. 29:16 The priests then entered the Lord’s temple to purify it; they brought out to the courtyard of the Lord’s temple every ceremonially unclean thing they discovered inside. The Levites took them out to the Kidron Valley. 29:17 On the first day of the first month they began consecrating; by the eighth day of the month they reached the porch of the Lord’s temple. For eight more days they consecrated the Lord’s temple. On the sixteenth day of the first month they were finished. 29:18 They went to King Hezekiah and said: “We have purified the entire temple of the Lord, including the altar of burnt sacrifice and all its equipment, and the table for the Bread of the Presence and all its equipment. 29:19 We have prepared and consecrated all the items that King Ahaz removed during his reign when he acted unfaithfully. They are in front of the altar of the Lord.”
29:20 Early the next morning King Hezekiah assembled the city officials and went up to the Lord’s temple. 29:21 They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven goats as a sin offering for the kingdom, the sanctuary, and Judah. The king told the priests, the descendants of Aaron, to offer burnt sacrifices on the altar of the Lord. 29:22 They slaughtered the bulls, and the priests took the blood and splashed it on the altar. Then they slaughtered the rams and splashed the blood on the altar; next they slaughtered the lambs and splashed the blood on the altar. 29:23 Finally they brought the goats for the sin offering before the king and the assembly, and they placed their hands on them. 29:24 Then the priests slaughtered them. They offered their blood as a sin offering on the altar to make atonement for all Israel, because the king had decreed that the burnt sacrifice and sin offering were for all Israel.
29:25 King Hezekiah stationed the Levites in the Lord’s temple with cymbals and stringed instruments, just as David, Gad the king’s prophet, and Nathan the prophet had ordered. (The Lord had actually given these orders through his prophets.) 29:26 The Levites had David’s musical instruments and the priests had trumpets. 29:27 Hezekiah ordered the burnt sacrifice to be offered on the altar. As they began to offer the sacrifice, they also began to sing to the Lord, accompanied by the trumpets and the musical instruments of King David of Israel. 29:28 The entire assembly worshiped, as the singers sang and the trumpeters played. They continued until the burnt sacrifice was completed.
29:29 When the sacrifices were completed, the king and all who were with him bowed down and worshiped. 29:30 King Hezekiah and the officials told the Levites to praise the Lord, using the psalms of David and Asaph the prophet. So they joyfully offered praise and bowed down and worshiped. 29:31 Hezekiah said, “Now you have consecrated yourselves to the Lord. Come and bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the Lord’s temple.” So the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and whoever desired to do so brought burnt sacrifices.
29:32 The assembly brought a total of 70 bulls, 100 rams, and 200 lambs as burnt sacrifices to the Lord, 29:33 and 600 bulls and 3,000 sheep were consecrated. 29:34 But there were not enough priests to skin all the animals, so their brothers, the Levites, helped them until the work was finished and the priests could consecrate themselves. (The Levites had been more conscientious about consecrating themselves than the priests.) 29:35 There was a large number of burnt sacrifices, as well as fat from the peace offerings and drink offerings that accompanied the burnt sacrifices. So the service of the Lord’s temple was reinstituted. 29:36 Hezekiah and all the people were happy about what God had done for them, for it had been done quickly.
Hezekiah Observes the Passover
30:1 Hezekiah sent messages throughout Israel and Judah; he even wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, summoning them to come to the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem and observe a Passover celebration for the Lord God of Israel. 30:2 The king, his officials, and the entire assembly in Jerusalem decided to observe the Passover in the second month. 30:3 They were unable to observe it at the regular time because not enough priests had consecrated themselves and the people had not assembled in Jerusalem. 30:4 The proposal seemed appropriate to the king and the entire assembly. 30:5 So they sent an edict throughout Israel from Beer Sheba to Dan, summoning the people to come and observe a Passover for the Lord God of Israel in Jerusalem, for they had not observed it on a nationwide scale as prescribed in the law. 30:6 Messengers delivered the letters from the king and his officials throughout Israel and Judah.
This royal edict read: “O Israelites, return to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so he may return to you who have been spared from the kings of Assyria. 30:7 Don’t be like your fathers and brothers who were unfaithful to the Lord God of their ancestors, provoking him to destroy them, as you can see. 30:8 Now, don’t be stubborn like your fathers! Submit to the Lord and come to his sanctuary which he has permanently consecrated. Serve the Lord your God so that he might relent from his raging anger. 30:9 For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and sons will be shown mercy by their captors and return to this land. The Lord your God is merciful and compassionate; he will not reject you if you return to him.”
30:10 The messengers journeyed from city to city through the land of Ephraim and Manasseh as far as Zebulun, but people mocked and ridiculed them. 30:11 But some men from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 30:12 In Judah God moved the people to unite and carry out the edict the king and the officers had issued at the Lord’s command. 30:13 A huge crowd assembled in Jerusalem to observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month. 30:14 They removed the altars in Jerusalem; they also removed all the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley.
30:15 They slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and Levites were ashamed, so they consecrated themselves and brought burnt sacrifices to the Lord’s temple. 30:16 They stood at their posts according to the regulations outlined in the law of Moses, the man of God. The priests were splashing the blood as the Levites handed it to them. 30:17 Because many in the assembly had not consecrated themselves, the Levites slaughtered the Passover lambs of all who were ceremonially unclean and could not consecrate their sacrifice to the Lord. 30:18 The majority of the many people from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun were ceremonially unclean, yet they ate the Passover in violation of what is prescribed in the law. For Hezekiah prayed for them, saying: “May the Lord, who is good, forgive 30:19 everyone who has determined to follow God, the Lord God of his ancestors, even if he is not ceremonially clean according to the standards of the temple.” 30:20 The Lord responded favorably to Hezekiah and forgave the people.
30:21 The Israelites who were in Jerusalem observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy. The Levites and priests were praising the Lord every day with all their might. 30:22 Hezekiah expressed his appreciation to all the Levites, who demonstrated great skill in serving the Lord. They feasted for the seven days of the festival, and were making peace offerings and giving thanks to the Lord God of their ancestors.
30:23 The entire assembly then decided to celebrate for seven more days; so they joyfully celebrated for seven more days. 30:24 King Hezekiah of Judah supplied 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep for the assembly, while the officials supplied them with 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep. Many priests consecrated themselves. 30:25 The celebration included the entire assembly of Judah, the priests, the Levites, the entire assembly of those who came from Israel, the resident foreigners who came from the land of Israel, and the residents of Judah. 30:26 There was a great celebration in Jerusalem, unlike anything that had occurred in Jerusalem since the time of King Solomon son of David of Israel. 30:27 The priests and Levites got up and pronounced blessings on the people. The Lord responded favorably to them as their prayers reached his holy dwelling place in heaven.
31:1 When all this was over, the Israelites who were in the cities of Judah went out and smashed the sacred pillars, cut down the Asherah poles, and demolished all the high places and altars throughout Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh. Then all the Israelites returned to their own homes in their cities.
The People Contribute to the Temple
31:2 Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and Levites to do their assigned tasks – to offer burnt sacrifices and present offerings and to serve, give thanks, and offer praise in the gates of the Lord’s sanctuary.
31:3 The king contributed some of what he owned for burnt sacrifices, including the morning and evening burnt sacrifices and the burnt sacrifices made on Sabbaths, new moon festivals, and at other appointed times prescribed in the law of the Lord. 31:4 He ordered the people living in Jerusalem to contribute the portion prescribed for the priests and Levites so they might be obedient to the law of the Lord. 31:5 When the edict was issued, the Israelites freely contributed the initial portion of their grain, wine, olive oil, honey, and all the produce of their fields. They brought a tenth of everything, which added up to a huge amount. 31:6 The Israelites and people of Judah who lived in the cities of Judah also contributed a tenth of their cattle and sheep, as well as a tenth of the holy items consecrated to the Lord their God. They brought them and placed them in many heaps. 31:7 In the third month they began piling their contributions in heaps and finished in the seventh month. 31:8 When Hezekiah and the officials came and saw the heaps, they praised the Lord and pronounced blessings on his people Israel.
31:9 When Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the heaps, 31:10 Azariah, the head priest from the family of Zadok, said to him, “Since the contributions began arriving in the Lord’s temple, we have had plenty to eat and have a large quantity left over. For the Lord has blessed his people, and this large amount remains.” 31:11 Hezekiah ordered that storerooms be prepared in the Lord’s temple. When this was done, 31:12 they brought in the contributions, tithes, and consecrated items that had been offered. Konaniah, a Levite, was in charge of all this, assisted by his brother Shimei. 31:13 Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismakiah, Mahath, and Benaiah worked under the supervision of Konaniah and his brother Shimei, as directed by King Hezekiah and Azariah, the supervisor of God’s temple.
31:14 Kore son of Imnah, a Levite and the guard on the east side, was in charge of the voluntary offerings made to God and disbursed the contributions made to the Lord and the consecrated items. 31:15 In the cities of the priests, Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah faithfully assisted him in making disbursements to their fellow priests according to their divisions, regardless of age. 31:16 They made disbursements to all the males three years old and up who were listed in the genealogical records – to all who would enter the Lord’s temple to serve on a daily basis and fulfill their duties as assigned to their divisions. 31:17 They made disbursements to the priests listed in the genealogical records by their families, and to the Levites twenty years old and up, according to their duties as assigned to their divisions, 31:18 and to all the infants, wives, sons, and daughters of the entire assembly listed in the genealogical records, for they faithfully consecrated themselves. 31:19 As for the descendants of Aaron, the priests who lived in the outskirts of all their cities, men were assigned to disburse portions to every male among the priests and to every Levite listed in the genealogical records.
31:20 This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah. He did what the Lord his God considered good and right and faithful. 31:21 He wholeheartedly and successfully reinstituted service in God’s temple and obedience to the law, in order to follow his God.
Psalm 48
48:1 A song, a psalm by the Korahites.
The Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise in the city of our God, his holy hill.
48:2 It is lofty and pleasing to look at, a source of joy to the whole earth.
Mount Zion resembles the peaks of Zaphon; it is the city of the great king.
48:3 God is in its fortresses; he reveals himself as its defender.
48:4 For look, the kings assemble; they advance together.
48:5 As soon as they see, they are shocked; they are terrified, they quickly retreat.
48:6 Look at them shake uncontrollably, like a woman writhing in childbirth.
48:7 With an east wind you shatter the large ships.
48:8 We heard about God’s mighty deeds, now we have seen them, in the city of the Lord, the invincible Warrior, in the city of our God.
God makes it permanently secure. (Selah)
48:9 We reflect on your loyal love, O God, within your temple.
48:10 The praise you receive as far away as the ends of the earth is worthy of your reputation, O God.
You execute justice!
48:11 Mount Zion rejoices; the towns of Judah are happy, because of your acts of judgment.
48:12 Walk around Zion! Encircle it!
Count its towers!
48:13 Consider its defenses!
Walk through its fortresses, so you can tell the next generation about it!
48:14 For God, our God, is our defender forever!
He guides us!
Lord, it was always obvious what every king before him should have done, but only Hezekiah was obedient and teachable enough to do the right thing before You. May I look to Hezekiah as my role model – to do the right thing rather than the convenient or the ordinary.
Hezekiah was king of Judah for twenty-nine years. He was the only king, before or after, who fully-obeyed the Lord God. He not only led the people to obey by doing so himself, he removed the high places, he removed the Asherah pole, and he removed the bronze serpent which Moses had made and they had been misusing as a tool of false worship.
Hezekiah cleansed the temple and offered great national worship. He removed many of the altars to false gods and celebrated Passover – but later than scheduled as not enough Levites were ceremonially clean to lead. He also asked, and received the Lord God’s forgiveness for many who chose to celebrate, even though they were ceremonially unclean – God mercifully allow it as their hearts were inclined toward Him.
The forty-eighth Psalm recited the power and justice and praiseworthy glory of the Lord God.
Hezekiah was the greatest and most-true king of God’s children because he fully obeyed.
Why could Hezekiah do the right thing but not the others before, and after, him?
The Lord God demonstrated great flexibility and mercy in forgiving those celebrated the Passover despite their technical lack of “ceremonial cleanliness” - because He knew their hearts and that was more important than the details of the regulations.
When have you observed a leader doing the right thing, often the hard thing, because he was desperate to be faithful to the Lord?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where the Lord desires you to be extraordinary in your faithful walk.
I will do whatever it takes to pursue the path set before me by the Lord.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Superscription
1:1 This is the word of the Lord which was revealed to Hosea son of Beeri during the time when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah ruled Judah, and during the time when Jeroboam son of Joash ruled Israel.
Symbols of Sin and Judgment: The Prostitute and Her Children
1:2 When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, he said to him, “Go marry a prostitute who will bear illegitimate children conceived through prostitution, because the nation continually commits spiritual prostitution by turning away from the Lord.” 1:3 So Hosea married Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim. Then she conceived and gave birth to a son for him. 1:4 Then the Lord said to Hosea, “Name him ‘Jezreel,’ because in a little while I will punish the dynasty of Jehu on account of the bloodshed in the valley of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel. 1:5 At that time, I will destroy the military power of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.”
1:6 She conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. Then the Lord said to him, “Name her ‘No Pity’ (Lo-Ruhamah) because I will no longer have pity on the nation of Israel. For I will certainly not forgive their guilt. 1:7 But I will have pity on the nation of Judah. I will deliver them by the Lord their God; I will not deliver them by the warrior’s bow, by sword, by military victory, by chariot horses, or by chariots.”
1:8 When she had weaned ‘No Pity’ (Lo-Ruhamah) she conceived again and gave birth to another son. 1:9 Then the Lord said: “Name him ‘Not My People’ (Lo-Ammi), because you are not my people and I am not your God.”
The Restoration of Israel
1:10 However, in the future the number of the people of Israel will be like the sand of the sea which can be neither measured nor numbered. Although it was said to them, “You are not my people,” it will be said to them, “You are children of the living God!” 1:11 Then the people of Judah and the people of Israel will be gathered together. They will appoint for themselves one leader, and will flourish in the land. Certainly, the day of Jezreel will be great!
2:1 Then you will call your brother, “My People” (Ammi)! You will call your sister, “Pity” (Ruhamah)! Idolatrous Israel Will Be Punished Like a Prostitute
2:2 Plead earnestly with your mother (for she is not my wife, and I am not her husband), so that she might put an end to her adulterous lifestyle, and turn away from her sexually immoral behavior.
2:3 Otherwise, I will strip her naked, and expose her like she was when she was born. I will turn her land into a wilderness and make her country a parched land, so that I might kill her with thirst.
2:4 I will have no pity on her children, because they are children conceived in adultery.
2:5 For their mother has committed adultery; she who conceived them has acted shamefully. For she said, “I will seek out my lovers; they are the ones who give me my bread and my water, my wool, my flax, my olive oil, and my wine.
The Lord’s Discipline Will Bring Israel Back
2:6 Therefore, I will soon fence her in with thorns; I will wall her in so that she cannot find her way.
2:7 Then she will pursue her lovers, but she will not catch them; she will seek them, but she will not find them. Then she will say, “I will go back to my husband, because I was better off then than I am now.”
Agricultural Fertility Withdrawn from Israel
2:8 Yet until now she has refused to acknowledge that I was the one who gave her the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil; and that it was I who lavished on her the silver and gold – which they used in worshiping Baal!
2:9 Therefore, I will take back my grain during the harvest time and my new wine when it ripens; I will take away my wool and my flax which I had provided in order to clothe her.
2:10 Soon I will expose her lewd nakedness in front of her lovers, and no one will be able to rescue her from me!
2:11 I will put an end to all her celebration: her annual religious festivals, monthly new moon celebrations, and weekly Sabbath festivities – all her appointed festivals.
2:12 I will destroy her vines and fig trees, about which she said, “These are my wages for prostitution that my lovers gave to me!” I will turn her cultivated vines and fig trees into an uncultivated thicket, so that wild animals will devour them.
2:13 “I will punish her for the festival days when she burned incense to the Baal idols; she adorned herself with earrings and jewelry, and went after her lovers, but she forgot me!” says the Lord.
Future Repentance and Restoration of Israel
2:14 However, in the future I will allure her; I will lead her back into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her.
2:15 From there I will give back her vineyards to her, and turn the “Valley of Trouble” into an “Opportunity for Hope.” There she will sing as she did when she was young, when she came up from the land of Egypt.
2:16 “At that time,” declares the Lord, “you will call, ‘My husband’; you will never again call me, ‘My master.’
2:17 For I will remove the names of the Baal idols from your lips, so that you will never again utter their names!”
New Covenant Relationship with Repentant Israel
2:18 “At that time I will make a covenant for them with the wild animals, the birds of the air, and the creatures that crawl on the ground. I will abolish the warrior’s bow and sword – that is, every weapon of warfare – from the land, and I will allow them to live securely.”
2:19 I will commit myself to you forever; I will commit myself to you in righteousness and justice, in steadfast love and tender compassion.
2:20 I will commit myself to you in faithfulness; then you will acknowledge the Lord.”
Agricultural Fertility Restored to the Repentant Nation
2:21 “At that time, I will willingly respond,” declares the Lord. “I will respond to the sky, and the sky will respond to the ground;
2:22 then the ground will respond to the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil; and they will respond to ‘God Plants’ (Jezreel)!
2:23 Then I will plant her as my own in the land. I will have pity on ‘No Pity’ (Lo-Ruhamah). I will say to ‘Not My People’ (Lo-Ammi), ‘You are my people!’ And he will say, ‘You are my God!’”
An Illustration of God’s Love for Idolatrous Israel
3:1 The Lord said to me, “Go, show love to your wife again, even though she loves another man and continually commits adultery. Likewise, the Lord loves the Israelites although they turn to other gods and love to offer raisin cakes to idols.” 3:2 So I paid fifteen shekels of silver and about seven bushels of barley to purchase her. 3:3 Then I told her, “You must live with me many days; you must not commit adultery or have sexual intercourse with another man, and I also will wait for you.” 3:4 For the Israelites must live many days without a king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred fertility pillar, without ephod or idols. 3:5 Afterward, the Israelites will turn and seek the Lord their God and their Davidic king. Then they will submit to the Lord in fear and receive his blessings in the future.
The Lord’s Covenant Lawsuit against the Nation Israel
4:1 Hear the word of the Lord, you Israelites! For the Lord has a covenant lawsuit against the people of Israel. For there is neither faithfulness nor loyalty in the land, nor do they acknowledge God.
4:2 There is only cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and adultery. They resort to violence and bloodshed.
4:3 Therefore the land will mourn, and all its inhabitants will perish. The wild animals, the birds of the sky, and even the fish in the sea will perish.
The Lord’s Dispute against the Sinful Priesthood
4:4 Do not let anyone accuse or contend against anyone else: for my case is against you priests!
4:5 You stumble day and night, and the false prophets stumble with you; You have destroyed your own people!
4:6 You have destroyed my people by failing to acknowledge me! Because you refuse to acknowledge me, I will reject you as my priests. Because you reject the law of your God, I will reject your descendants.
4:7 The more the priests increased in numbers, the more they rebelled against me. They have turned their glorious calling into a shameful disgrace!
4:8 They feed on the sin offerings of my people; their appetites long for their iniquity!
4:9 I will deal with the people and priests together: I will punish them both for their ways, and I will repay them for their deeds.
4:10 They will eat, but not be satisfied; they will engage in prostitution, but not increase in numbers; because they have abandoned the Lord by pursuing other gods.
Judgment of Pagan Idolatry and Cultic Prostitution
4:11 Old and new wine take away the understanding of my people.
4:12 They consult their wooden idols, and their diviner’s staff answers with an oracle. The wind of prostitution blows them astray; they commit spiritual adultery against their God.
4:13 They sacrifice on the mountaintops, and burn offerings on the hills; they sacrifice under oak, poplar, and terebinth, because their shade is so pleasant. As a result, your daughters have become cult prostitutes, and your daughters-in-law commit adultery!
4:14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit prostitution, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery. For the men consort with harlots, they sacrifice with temple prostitutes. It is true: “A people that lacks understanding will come to ruin!”
Warning to Judah: Do Not Join in Israel’s Apostasy!
4:15 Although you, O Israel, commit adultery, do not let Judah become guilty! Do not journey to Gilgal! Do not go up to Beth Aven! Do not swear, “As surely as the Lord lives!”
4:16 Israel has rebelled like a stubborn heifer! Soon the Lord will put them out to pasture like a lamb in a broad field!
4:17 Ephraim has attached himself to idols; Do not go near him!
The Shameful Sinners Will Be Brought to Shame
4:18 They consume their alcohol, then engage in cult prostitution; they dearly love their shameful behavior.
4:19 A whirlwind has wrapped them in its wings; they will be brought to shame because of their idolatrous worship.
Announcement of Sin and Judgment
5:1 Hear this, you priests! Pay attention, you Israelites! Listen closely, O king! For judgment is about to overtake you! For you were like a trap to Mizpah, like a net spread out to catch Tabor.
5:2 Those who revolt are knee-deep in slaughter, but I will discipline them all.
5:3 I know Ephraim all too well; the evil of Israel is not hidden from me. For you have engaged in prostitution, O Ephraim; Israel has defiled itself.
5:4 Their wicked deeds do not allow them to return to their God; because a spirit of idolatry controls their heart, and they do not acknowledge the Lord.
5:5 The arrogance of Israel testifies against it; Israel and Ephraim will be overthrown because of their iniquity. Even Judah will be brought down with them.
The Futility of Sacrificial Ritual without Moral Obedience
5:6 Although they bring their flocks and herds to seek the favor of the Lord, They will not find him – he has withdrawn himself from them!
5:7 They have committed treason against the Lord, because they bore illegitimate children. Soon the new moon festival will devour them and their fields.
The Prophet’s Declaration of Judgment
5:8 Blow the ram’s horn in Gibeah! Sound the trumpet in Ramah! Sound the alarm in Beth Aven! Tremble in fear, O Benjamin!
5:9 Ephraim will be ruined in the day of judgment! What I am declaring to the tribes of Israel will certainly take place!
The Oppressors of the Helpless Will Be Oppressed
5:10 The princes of Judah are like those who move boundary markers. I will pour out my rage on them like a torrential flood!
5:11 Ephraim will be oppressed, crushed under judgment, because he was determined to pursue worthless idols.
The Curse of the Incurable Wound
5:12 I will be like a moth to Ephraim, like wood rot to the house of Judah.
5:13 When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah saw his wound, then Ephraim turned to Assyria, and begged its great king for help. But he will not be able to heal you! He cannot cure your wound!
The Lion Will Carry Israel Off Into Exile
5:14 I will be like a lion to Ephraim, like a young lion to the house of Judah. I myself will tear them to pieces, then I will carry them off, and no one will be able to rescue them!
5:15 Then I will return again to my lair until they have suffered their punishment. Then they will seek me; in their distress they will earnestly seek me.
Superficial Repentance Breeds False Assurance of God’s Forgivene
6:1 “Come on! Let’s return to the Lord! He himself has torn us to pieces, but he will heal us! He has injured us, but he will bandage our wounds!
6:2 He will restore us in a very short time; he will heal us in a little while, so that we may live in his presence.
6:3 So let us acknowledge him! Let us seek to acknowledge the Lord! He will come to our rescue as certainly as the appearance of the dawn, as certainly as the winter rain comes, as certainly as the spring rain that waters the land.”
Transitory Faithfulness and Imminent Judgment
6:4 What am I going to do with you, O Ephraim? What am I going to do with you, O Judah? For your faithfulness is as fleeting as the morning mist; it disappears as quickly as dawn’s dew!
6:5 Therefore, I will certainly cut you into pieces at the hands of the prophets; I will certainly kill you in fulfillment of my oracles of judgment; for my judgment will come forth like the light of the dawn.
6:6 For I delight in faithfulness, not simply in sacrifice; I delight in acknowledging God, not simply in whole burnt offerings.
Indictments Against the Cities of Israel and Judah
6:7 At Adam they broke the covenant; Oh how they were unfaithful to me!
6:8 Gilead is a city full of evildoers; its streets are stained with bloody footprints!
6:9 The company of priests is like a gang of robbers, lying in ambush to pounce on a victim. They commit murder on the road to Shechem; they have done heinous crimes!
6:10 I have seen a disgusting thing in the temple of Israel: there Ephraim practices temple prostitution and Judah defiles itself.
6:11 I have appointed a time to reap judgment for you also, O Judah! If Israel Would Repent of Sin, God Would Relent of Judgment Whenever I want to restore the fortunes of my people,
7:1 whenever I want to heal Israel, the sin of Ephraim is revealed, and the evil deeds of Samaria are exposed. For they do what is wrong; thieves break into houses, and gangs rob people out in the streets.
7:2 They do not realize that I remember all of their wicked deeds. Their evil deeds have now surrounded them; their sinful deeds are always before me.
Political Intrigue and Conspiracy in the Palace
7:3 The royal advisers delight the king with their evil schemes, the princes make him glad with their lies.
7:4 They are all like bakers, they are like a smoldering oven; they are like a baker who does not stoke the fire until the kneaded dough is ready for baking.
7:5 At the celebration of their king, his princes become inflamed with wine; they conspire with evildoers.
7:6 They approach him, all the while plotting against him. Their hearts are like an oven; their anger smolders all night long, but in the morning it bursts into a flaming fire.
7:7 All of them are blazing like an oven; they devour their rulers. All of their kings fall – and none of them call on me!
Israel Lacks Discernment and Refuses to Repent
7:8 Ephraim has mixed itself like flour among the nations; Ephraim is like a ruined cake of bread that is scorched on one side.
7:9 Foreigners are consuming what his strenuous labor produced, but he does not recognize it! His head is filled with gray hair, but he does not realize it!
7:10 The arrogance of Israel testifies against him, yet they refuse to return to the Lord their God! In spite of all this they refuse to seek him!
Israel Turns to Assyria and Egypt for Help
7:11 Ephraim has been like a dove, easily deceived and lacking discernment. They called to Egypt for help; they turned to Assyria for protection.
7:12 I will throw my bird net over them while they are flying, I will bring them down like birds in the sky; I will discipline them when I hear them flocking together.
Israel Has Turned Away from the Lord
7:13 Woe to them! For they have fled from me! Destruction to them! For they have rebelled against me! I want to deliver them, but they have lied to me.
7:14 They do not pray to me, but howl in distress on their beds; They slash themselves for grain and new wine, but turn away from me.
7:15 Although I trained and strengthened them, they plot evil against me!
7:16 They turn to Baal; they are like an unreliable bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword because their prayers to Baal have made me angry. So people will disdain them in the land of Egypt.
God Will Raise Up the Assyrians to Attack Israel
8:1 Sound the alarm! An eagle looms over the temple of the Lord! For they have broken their covenant with me, and have rebelled against my law.
8:2 Israel cries out to me, “My God, we acknowledge you!”
8:3 But Israel has rejected what is morally good; so an enemy will pursue him.
The Political and Cultic Sin of Israel
8:4 They enthroned kings without my consent! They appointed princes without my approval! They made idols out of their silver and gold, but they will be destroyed!
8:5 O Samaria, he has rejected your calf idol! My anger burns against them! They will not survive much longer without being punished, even though they are Israelites!
8:6 That idol was made by a workman – it is not God! The calf idol of Samaria will be broken to bits.
The Fertility Cultists Will Become Infertile
8:7 They sow the wind, and so they will reap the whirlwind! The stalk does not have any standing grain; it will not produce any flour. Even if it were to yield grain, foreigners would swallow it all up.
8:8 Israel will be swallowed up among the nations; they will be like a worthless piece of pottery.
The Willful Donkey and the Wanton Harlot
8:9 They have gone up to Assyria, like a wild donkey that wanders off. Ephraim has hired prostitutes as lovers.
8:10 Even though they have hired lovers among the nations, I will soon gather them together for judgment. Then they will begin to waste away under the oppression of a mighty king.
Sacrifices Ineffective without Moral Obedience
8:11 Although Ephraim has built many altars for sin offerings, these have become altars for sinning!
8:12 I spelled out my law for him in great detail, but they regard it as something totally unknown to them!
8:13 They offer up sacrificial gifts to me, and eat the meat, but the Lord does not accept their sacrifices. Soon he will remember their wrongdoing, he will punish their sins, and they will return to Egypt.
8:14 Israel has forgotten his Maker and built royal palaces, and Judah has built many fortified cities. But I will send fire on their cities; it will consume their royal citadels.
Fertility Cult Festivals Have Intoxicated Israel
9:1 O Israel, do not rejoice jubilantly like the nations, for you are unfaithful to your God. You love to receive a prostitute’s wages on all the floors where you thresh your grain.
9:2 Threshing floors and wine vats will not feed the people, and new wine only deceives them.
Assyrian Exile Will Reverse the Egyptian Exodus
9:3 They will not remain in the Lord’s land. Ephraim will return to Egypt; they will eat ritually unclean food in Assyria.
9:4 They will not pour out drink offerings of wine to the Lord; they will not please him with their sacrifices. Their sacrifices will be like bread eaten while in mourning; all those who eat them will make themselves ritually unclean. For their bread will be only to satisfy their appetite; it will not come into the temple of the Lord.
9:5 So what will you do on the festival day, on the festival days of the Lord?
No Escape for the Israelites This Time!
9:6 Look! Even if they flee from the destruction, Egypt will take hold of them, and Memphis will bury them. The weeds will inherit the silver they treasure – thorn bushes will occupy their homes.
9:7 The time of judgment is about to arrive! The time of retribution is imminent! Let Israel know!
Israel Rejects Hosea’s Prophetic Exhortations
The prophet is considered a fool – the inspired man is viewed as a madman – because of the multitude of your sins and your intense animosity.
9:8 The prophet is a watchman over Ephraim on behalf of God, yet traps are laid for him along all of his paths; animosity rages against him in the land of his God.
The Best of Times, the Worst of Times
9:9 They have sunk deep into corruption as in the days of Gibeah. He will remember their wrongdoing. He will repay them for their sins.
9:10 When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the wilderness. I viewed your ancestors like an early fig on a fig tree in its first season. Then they came to Baal-Peor and they dedicated themselves to shame – they became as detestable as what they loved.
The Fertility Worshipers Will Become Infertile
9:11 Ephraim will be like a bird; what they value will fly away. They will not bear children – they will not enjoy pregnancy – they will not even conceive!
9:12 Even if they raise their children, I will take away every last one of them. Woe to them! For I will turn away from them.
9:13 Just as lion cubs are born predators, so Ephraim will bear his sons for slaughter.
9:14 Give them, O Lord – what will you give them? Give them wombs that miscarry, and breasts that cannot nurse!
9:15 Because of all their evil in Gilgal, I hate them there. On account of their evil deeds, I will drive them out of my land. I will no longer love them; all their rulers are rebels.
9:16 Ephraim will be struck down – their root will be dried up; they will not yield any fruit. Even if they do bear children, I will kill their precious offspring.
9:17 My God will reject them, for they have not obeyed him; so they will be fugitives among the nations.
Israel is Guilty of Fertility Cult Worship
10:1 Israel was a fertile vine that yielded fruit. As his fruit multiplied, he multiplied altars to Baal. As his land prospered, they adorned the fertility pillars.
10:2 Their heart is slipping; soon they will be punished for their guilt. The Lord will break their altars; he will completely destroy their fertility pillars.
The Lord Will Punish Israel by Removing Its Kings
10:3 Very soon they will say, “We have no king since we did not fear the Lord. But what can a king do for us anyway?”
10:4 They utter empty words, taking false oaths and making empty agreements. Therefore legal disputes sprout up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a plowed field.
The Calf Idol and Idolaters of Samaria Will Be Exiled
10:5 The inhabitants of Samaria will lament over the calf idol of Beth Aven. Its people will mourn over it; its idolatrous priests will wail over it, because its splendor will be taken from them into exile.
10:6 Even the calf idol will be carried to Assyria, as tribute for the great king. Ephraim will be disgraced; Israel will be put to shame because of its wooden idol.
10:7 Samaria and its king will be carried off like a twig on the surface of the waters.
10:8 The high places of the “House of Wickedness” will be destroyed; it is the place where Israel sins. Thorns and thistles will grow up over its altars. Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!” and to the hills, “Fall on us!”
Failure to Learn from the Sin and Judgment of Gibeah
10:9 O Israel, you have sinned since the time of Gibeah, and there you have remained. Did not war overtake the evildoers in Gibeah?
10:10 When I please, I will discipline them; I will gather nations together to attack them, to bind them in chains for their two sins.
Fertility Imagery: Plowing, Sowing, and Reaping
10:11 Ephraim was a well-trained heifer who loved to thresh grain; I myself put a fine yoke on her neck. I will harness Ephraim. Let Judah plow! Let Jacob break up the unplowed ground for himself!
10:12 Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap unfailing love. Break up the unplowed ground for yourselves, for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers deliverance on you.
10:13 But you have plowed wickedness; you have reaped injustice; you have eaten the fruit of deception. Because you have depended on your chariots; you have relied on your many warriors.
Bethel Will Be Destroyed Like Beth Arbel
10:14 The roar of battle will rise against your people; all your fortresses will be devastated, just as Shalman devastated Beth Arbel on the day of battle, when mothers were dashed to the ground with their children.
10:15 So will it happen to you, O Bethel, because of your great wickedness! When that day dawns, the king of Israel will be destroyed.
Reversal of the Exodus: Return to Egypt and Exile in Assyria
11:1 When Israel was a young man, I loved him like a son, and I summoned my son out of Egypt.
11:2 But the more I summoned them, the farther they departed from me. They sacrificed to the Baal idols and burned incense to images.
11:3 Yet it was I who led Ephraim, I took them by the arm; but they did not acknowledge that I had healed them.
11:4 I led them with leather cords, with leather ropes; I lifted the yoke from their neck, and gently fed them.
11:5 They will return to Egypt! Assyria will rule over them because they refuse to repent!
11:6 A sword will flash in their cities, it will destroy the bars of their city gates, and will devour them in their fortresses.
11:7 My people are obsessed with turning away from me; they call to Baal, but he will never exalt them!
The Divine Dilemma: Judgment or Mercy?
11:8 How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I surrender you, O Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? I have had a change of heart! All my tender compassions are aroused!
11:9 I cannot carry out my fierce anger! I cannot totally destroy Ephraim! Because I am God, and not man – the Holy One among you – I will not come in wrath!
God Will Restore the Exiles to Israel
11:10 He will roar like a lion, and they will follow the Lord; when he roars, his children will come trembling from the west.
11:11 They will return in fear and trembling like birds from Egypt, like doves from Assyria, and I will settle them in their homes,” declares the Lord.
God’s Lawsuit against Israel: Breach of Covenant
11:12 Ephraim has surrounded me with lies; the house of Israel has surrounded me with deceit. But Judah still roams about with God; he remains faithful to the Holy One.
12:1 Ephraim continually feeds on the wind; he chases the east wind all day; he multiplies lies and violence. They make treaties with Assyria, and send olive oil as tribute to Egypt.
12:2 The Lord also has a covenant lawsuit against Judah; he will punish Jacob according to his ways and repay him according to his deeds.
Israel Must Return to the God of Jacob
12:3 In the womb he attacked his brother; in his manly vigor he struggled with God.
12:4 He struggled with an angel and prevailed; he wept and begged for his favor. He found God at Bethel, and there he spoke with him!
12:5 As for the Lord God Almighty, the Lord is the name by which he is remembered!
12:6 But you must return to your God, by maintaining love and justice, and by waiting for your God to return to you.
The Lord Refutes Israel’s False Claim of Innocence
12:7 The businessmen love to cheat; they use dishonest scales.
12:8 Ephraim boasts, “I am very rich! I have become wealthy! In all that I have done to gain my wealth, no one can accuse me of any offense that is actually sinful.”
12:9 “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt; I will make you live in tents again as in the days of old.
12:10 I spoke to the prophets; I myself revealed many visions; I spoke in parables through the prophets.”
12:11 Is there idolatry in Gilead? Certainly its inhabitants will come to nothing! Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal? Surely their altars will be like stones heaped up on a plowed field!
Jacob in Aram, Israel in Egypt, and Ephraim in Trouble
12:12 Jacob fled to the country of Aram, then Israel worked to acquire a wife; he tended sheep to pay for her.
12:13 The Lord brought Israel out of Egypt by a prophet, and due to a prophet Israel was preserved alive.
12:14 But Ephraim bitterly provoked him to anger; so he will hold him accountable for the blood he has shed, his Lord will repay him for the contempt he has shown.
Baal Worshipers and Calf Worshipers to be Destroyed
13:1 When Ephraim spoke, there was terror; he was exalted in Israel, but he became guilty by worshiping Baal and died.
13:2 Even now they persist in sin! They make metal images for themselves, idols that they skillfully fashion from their own silver; all of them are nothing but the work of craftsmen! There is a saying about them: “Those who sacrifice to the calf idol are calf kissers!”
13:3 Therefore they will disappear like the morning mist, like early morning dew that evaporates, like chaff that is blown away from a threshing floor, like smoke that disappears through an open window.
Well-Fed Israel Will Be Fed to Wild Animals
13:4 But I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt. Therefore, you must not acknowledge any God but me; except me there is no Savior.
13:5 I cared for you in the wilderness, in the dry desert where no water was.
13:6 When they were fed, they became satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; as a result, they forgot me!
13:7 So I will pounce on them like a lion; like a leopard I will lurk by the path.
13:8 I will attack them like a bear robbed of her cubs – I will rip open their chests. I will devour them there like a lion – like a wild animal would tear them apart.
Israel’s King Unable to Deliver the Nation
13:9 I will destroy you, O Israel! Who is there to help you?
13:10 Where then is your king, that he may save you in all your cities? Where are your rulers for whom you asked, saying, “Give me a king and princes”?
13:11 I granted you a king in my anger, and I will take him away in my wrath!
Israel’s Punishment Will Not Be Withheld Much Longer
13:12 The punishment of Ephraim has been decreed; his punishment is being stored up for the future.
13:13 The labor pains of a woman will overtake him, but the baby will lack wisdom; when the time arrives, he will not come out of the womb!
The Lord Will Not Relent from the Threatened Judgment
13:14 Will I deliver them from the power of Sheol? No, I will not! Will I redeem them from death? No, I will not! O Death, bring on your plagues! O Sheol, bring on your destruction! My eyes will not show any compassion!
The Capital of the Northern Empire Will Be Destroyed
13:15 Even though he flourishes like a reed plant, a scorching east wind will come, a wind from the Lord rising up from the desert. As a result, his spring will dry up; his well will become dry. That wind will spoil all his delightful foods in the containers in his storehouse.
13:16 Samaria will be held guilty, because she rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword, their infants will be dashed to the ground – their pregnant women will be ripped open.
Prophetic Call to Genuine Repentance
14:1 Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for your sin has been your downfall!
14:2 Return to the Lord and repent! Say to him: “Completely forgive our iniquity; accept our penitential prayer, that we may offer the praise of our lips as sacrificial bulls.
14:3 Assyria cannot save us; we will not ride warhorses. We will never again say, ‘Our gods’ to what our own hands have made. For only you will show compassion to Orphan Israel!”
Divine Promise to Relent from Judgment and to Restore Blessings
14:4 “I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger will turn away from them.
14:5 I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like a lily, he will send down his roots like a cedar of Lebanon.
14:6 His young shoots will grow; his splendor will be like an olive tree, his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon.
14:7 People will reside again in his shade; they will plant and harvest grain in abundance. They will blossom like a vine, and his fame will be like the wine from Lebanon.
14:8 O Ephraim, I do not want to have anything to do with idols anymore! I will answer him and care for him. I am like a luxuriant cypress tree; your fruitfulness comes from me!
Concluding Exhortation
14:9 Who is wise? Let him discern these things! Who is discerning? Let him understand them! For the ways of the Lord are right; the godly walk in them, but in them the rebellious stumble.
Lord, Your mercy is great, You love the unlovable fallen-humankind – yet You do not tolerate rebellion – and so we must return to You in Your time and in Your way. There is only one path to reconciliation and restoration with You. May I live and teach Your truth, rejecting the lies of the world, and be Your instrument of evangelism and discipleship as long as You may find me useful. You were incredibly patient with Israel and Judah, but their unrepentant rebellion could not continue forever. May I not make it necessary for You to discipline me. You have always kept Your part of the covenants You made, humankind has been unfaithful to theirs. You have consistently provided for, encouraged, taught, implored, and facilitated the path of genuine repentance to reconciliation and restoration. May I accept Your Words of divine wisdom and remember that “... the ways of the Lord are right; the godly walk in them, but in them the rebellious stumble.”
Hosea recorded his experiences across the kingships of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah over Judah, “... and during the time when Jeroboam son of Joash ruled Israel.”
The Lord God instructed Hosea to marry the prostitute Gomer, warning him that she would be unfaithful, including having children with the partners of her adultery.
Just as other prophets had been instructed to bear humiliation and trouble, in order to serve as illustrations of His teaching to His people, so was Hosea. He named his children according to the lesson the Lord planned, and he did not divorce his wife even as she sold herself into sexual slavery.
The lessons to follow included:
“The Lord’s Discipline Will Bring Israel Back”
Hosea was told that a time would come when Gomer would return to him just as Israel would turn back to the Lord God (the rhetorical “husband” of Israel) “Then she will say, “I will go back to my husband, because I was better off then than I am now.”“
“Agricultural Fertility Withdrawn from Israel”
Just as Gomer forgot the value of her husband, Hosea, so Israel had forgotten the Lord. So, just as Gomer surrendered herself to the false-affections and unpredictable provision of her adulterous partners the Lord God withdrew provision from Israel because they had turned away to false gods.
“Future Repentance and Restoration of Israel”
At the perfect time the Lord God would speak to His people and they would repent and be restored.
“New Covenant Relationship with Repentant Israel”
The new relationship would be as husband and wife rather than as servant and master. The peace of pre-Fall Eden, between the rest of Creation and humankind, would be restored.
“Agricultural Fertility Restored to the Repentant Nation
The land would again become productive and the rejected people restored to His family.
Then finally:
“An Illustration of God’s Love for Idolatrous Israel”
Hosea again served the Lord God as His living-illustration “The Lord said to me, “Go, show love to your wife again, even though she loves another man and continually commits adultery. Likewise, the Lord loves the Israelites although they turn to other gods and love to offer raisin cakes to idols.” So I paid fifteen shekels of silver and about seven bushels of barley to purchase her. Then I told her, “You must live with me many days; you must not commit adultery or have sexual intercourse with another man, and I also will wait for you.” For the Israelites must live many days without a king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred fertility pillar, without ephod or idols. Afterward, the Israelites will turn and seek the Lord their God and their Davidic king. Then they will submit to the Lord in fear and receive his blessings in the future.”
Hosea delivered a prophesy to Israel for her unrepentant and chronic rebellion “... the land will mourn, and all its inhabitants will perish. The wild animals, the birds of the sky, and even the fish in the sea will perish.”
He continued a terrible prophesy against the apostate prophets, the disobedient kings, those who consorted with cultic prostitutes, those who worshiped false idols, those who abused and neglected the poor, and those who turned to foreign nations instead of to the Lord God.
Hosea warned Judah to not follow in the rebellious footsteps of Israel.
He concluded with a prophesy of a reverse-Exodus; Israel would return to bondage in Egypt and also to exile in Assyria.
Hosea told of the Lord God’s appearance of a dilemna, reconciling His grace with the law. While the law dictated that He destroy them all, as had been the case way back in the Garden of Eden, His grace sought a path to reconciliation and restoration.
Because Jacob/Israel had striven with an angel and cried out to the Lord God a covenant had been made on behalf of humankind (Jacob/Israel’s descendants and others who had been adopted-into that covenant family) with the Lord which He would not break.
The covenant required punishment of the people but not the wrath of God – that was reserved for those people, things, and institutions that were outside of the covenant.
Hosea’s prophesy reminded the people that the Lord God had given them a human king in anger, due to their unrepentant demandingness for “a king like the nations around us”, and now in His righteous wrath He intended to remove the role of king from them.
He shared the Lord’s call for genuine repentance and told of the Lord’s promise to bless and to restore them.
Hosea concluded with a word of wisdom from the Lord “Who is wise? Let him discern these things! Who is discerning? Let him understand them! For the ways of the Lord are right; the godly walk in them, but in them the rebellious stumble.”
Hosea surrendered his life in a remarkable way, marrying a woman that no faithful Israelite would have even wanted to allow near to him, and bearing the shame of her adultery. When Lord God cleanses the sinful place that the lands of Israel had become He really cleansed it “... all its inhabitants will perish. The wild animals, the birds of the sky, and even the fish in the sea will perish.” The pattern of humankind from Adam and Eve on has been rebellion against the Lord God, yet He has been equally persistent in seeking the restoration of relationship; that is Love.
Why would the illustration of the adulterous wife, the illustration of the stripping-naked of rhetorical Israel, the loss of fertility (land and people), and promise of an Exodus-like reconciliation and restoration have been necessary to get the peoples’ attention? Watching what had happened to Gibbea and then Israel why would Judah even need to be warned? What might be the value-added of removing the role of human king from the people?
All of what was prophesied was conditional – the people had to listen to the Lord God “... speak tenderly” and respond with repentant hearts. The reverse-Exodus had to be heartbreaking, for God and man. Genuine repentance was the consistent expectation of the Lord God throughout history.
When have you been trapped in a relationship with an unfaithful friend or co-worker or other person who made promises but then selfishly broke them? When have you discovered something wrong in your own walk with the Lord as you observed someone else struggling? When have you experienced or observed the making of a celebrity, political, or religious person a type of king who stood between people and the Lord God?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a time in your life where you have been unfaithful to Him, and how He reached down to “... speak tenderly” to you, and because you responded with a repentant heart He forgave and reconciled with you, to reveal to you a place in your walk where you need to make a change so that you do not risk discipline from Him, and to reveal to you a person who has or who is like a king in your life – one whose approval, opinion, and/or words have (or do) are sometimes more powerful than those of the Lord God.
Today I will give praise and thanks to the Lord God for His love and mercy! I will confess and repent, seek and receive the Lord God’s forgiveness, and place Him first in all things rather than try to live apart from Him in some things. I will confess and repent, seek and receive the Lord God’s forgiveness, and place Him first – removing any mere human from anything that bears the slightest resemblance of a “throne” in my life.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Isaiah
The Lord Will Judge Samaria
28:1 The splendid crown of Ephraim’s drunkards is doomed, the withering flower, its beautiful splendor, situated at the head of a rich valley, the crown of those overcome with wine.
28:2 Look, the sovereign master sends a strong, powerful one. With the force of a hailstorm or a destructive windstorm, with the might of a driving, torrential rainstorm, he will knock that crown to the ground with his hand.
28:3 The splendid crown of Ephraim’s drunkards will be trampled underfoot.
28:4 The withering flower, its beautiful splendor, situated at the head of a rich valley, will be like an early fig before harvest – as soon as someone notices it, he grabs it and swallows it.
28:5 At that time the Lord who commands armies will become a beautiful crown and a splendid diadem for the remnant of his people.
28:6 He will give discernment to the one who makes judicial decisions, and strength to those who defend the city from attackers.
28:7 Even these men stagger because of wine, they stumble around because of beer – priests and prophets stagger because of beer, they are confused because of wine, they stumble around because of beer; they stagger while seeing prophetic visions, they totter while making legal decisions.
28:8 Indeed, all the tables are covered with vomit; no place is untouched.
28:9 Who is the Lord trying to teach? To whom is he explaining a message? Those just weaned from milk! Those just taken from their mother’s breast!
28:10 Indeed, they will hear meaningless gibberish, senseless babbling, a syllable here, a syllable there.
28:11 For with mocking lips and a foreign tongue he will speak to these people.
28:12 In the past he said to them, “This is where security can be found. Provide security for the one who is exhausted! This is where rest can be found.” But they refused to listen.
28:13 So the Lord’s word to them will sound like meaningless gibberish, senseless babbling, a syllable here, a syllable there. As a result, they will fall on their backsides when they try to walk, and be injured, ensnared, and captured.
The Lord Will Judge Jerusalem
28:14 Therefore, listen to the Lord’s word, you who mock, you rulers of these people who reside in Jerusalem!
28:15 For you say, “We have made a treaty with death, with Sheol we have made an agreement. When the overwhelming judgment sweeps by it will not reach us. For we have made a lie our refuge, we have hidden ourselves in a deceitful word.”
28:16 Therefore, this is what the sovereign master, the Lord, says: “Look, I am laying a stone in Zion, an approved stone, set in place as a precious cornerstone for the foundation. The one who maintains his faith will not panic.
28:17 I will make justice the measuring line, fairness the plumb line; hail will sweep away the unreliable refuge, the floodwaters will overwhelm the hiding place.
28:18 Your treaty with death will be dissolved; your agreement with Sheol will not last. When the overwhelming judgment sweeps by, you will be overrun by it.
28:19 Whenever it sweeps by, it will overtake you; indeed, every morning it will sweep by, it will come through during the day and the night.” When this announcement is understood, it will cause nothing but terror.
28:20 For the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the blanket is too narrow to wrap around oneself.
28:21 For the Lord will rise up, as he did at Mount Perazim, he will rouse himself, as he did in the Valley of Gibeon, to accomplish his work, his peculiar work, to perform his task, his strange task.
28:22 So now, do not mock, or your chains will become heavier! For I have heard a message about decreed destruction, from the sovereign master, the Lord who commands armies, against the entire land.
28:23 Pay attention and listen to my message! Be attentive and listen to what I have to say!
28:24 Does a farmer just keep on plowing at planting time? Does he keep breaking up and harrowing his ground?
28:25 Once he has leveled its surface, does he not scatter the seed of the caraway plant, sow the seed of the cumin plant, and plant the wheat, barley, and grain in their designated places?
28:26 His God instructs him; he teaches him the principles of agriculture.
28:27 Certainly caraway seed is not threshed with a sledge, nor is the wheel of a cart rolled over cumin seed. Certainly caraway seed is beaten with a stick, and cumin seed with a flail.
28:28 Grain is crushed, though one certainly does not thresh it forever. The wheel of one’s wagon rolls over it, but his horses do not crush it.
28:29 This also comes from the Lord who commands armies, who gives supernatural guidance and imparts great wisdom.
Ariel is Besieged
29:1 Ariel is as good as dead – Ariel, the town David besieged! Keep observing your annual rituals, celebrate your festivals on schedule.
29:2 I will threaten Ariel, and she will mourn intensely and become like an altar hearth before me.
29:3 I will lay siege to you on all sides; I will besiege you with troops; I will raise siege works against you.
29:4 You will fall; while lying on the ground you will speak; from the dust where you lie, your words will be heard. Your voice will sound like a spirit speaking from the underworld; from the dust you will chirp as if muttering an incantation.
29:5 But the horde of invaders will be like fine dust, the horde of tyrants like chaff that is blown away. It will happen suddenly, in a flash.
29:6 Judgment will come from the Lord who commands armies, accompanied by thunder, earthquake, and a loud noise, by a strong gale, a windstorm, and a consuming flame of fire.
29:7 It will be like a dream, a night vision. There will be a horde from all the nations that fight against Ariel, those who attack her and her stronghold and besiege her.
29:8 It will be like a hungry man dreaming that he is eating, only to awaken and find that his stomach is empty. It will be like a thirsty man dreaming that he is drinking, only to awaken and find that he is still weak and his thirst unquenched. So it will be for the horde from all the nations that fight against Mount Zion.
God’s People are Spiritually Insensitive
29:9 You will be shocked and amazed! You are totally blind! They are drunk, but not because of wine; they stagger, but not because of beer.
29:10 For the Lord has poured out on you a strong urge to sleep deeply. He has shut your eyes (the prophets), and covered your heads (the seers).
29:11 To you this entire prophetic revelation is like words in a sealed scroll. When they hand it to one who can read and say, “Read this,” he responds, “I can’t, because it is sealed.” 29:12 Or when they hand the scroll to one who can’t read and say, “Read this,” he says, “I can’t read.”
29:13 The sovereign master says, “These people say they are loyal to me; they say wonderful things about me, but they are not really loyal to me. Their worship consists of nothing but man-made ritual.
29:14 Therefore I will again do an amazing thing for these people – an absolutely extraordinary deed. Wise men will have nothing to say, the sages will have no explanations.”
29:15 Those who try to hide their plans from the Lord are as good as dead, who do their work in secret and boast, “Who sees us? Who knows what we’re doing?”
29:16 Your thinking is perverse! Should the potter be regarded as clay? Should the thing made say about its maker, “He didn’t make me”? Or should the pottery say about the potter, “He doesn’t understand”?
Changes are Coming
29:17 In just a very short time Lebanon will turn into an orchard, and the orchard will be considered a forest.
29:18 At that time the deaf will be able to hear words read from a scroll, and the eyes of the blind will be able to see through deep darkness.
29:19 The downtrodden will again rejoice in the Lord; the poor among humankind will take delight in the Holy One of Israel.
29:20 For tyrants will disappear, those who taunt will vanish, and all those who love to do wrong will be eliminated –
29:21 those who bear false testimony against a person, who entrap the one who arbitrates at the city gate and deprive the innocent of justice by making false charges.
29:22 So this is what the Lord, the one who delivered Abraham, says to the family of Jacob: “Jacob will no longer be ashamed; their faces will no longer show their embarrassment.
29:23 For when they see their children, whom I will produce among them, they will honor my name. They will honor the Holy One of Jacob; they will respect the God of Israel.
29:24 Those who stray morally will gain understanding; those who complain will acquire insight.
Egypt Will Prove Unreliable
30:1 “The rebellious children are as good as dead,” says the Lord,
“those who make plans without consulting me,
who form alliances without consulting my Spirit,
and thereby compound their sin.
30:2 They travel down to Egypt
without seeking my will,
seeking Pharaoh’s protection, and looking for safety in Egypt’s protective shade.
30:3 But Pharaoh’s protection will bring you nothing but shame,
and the safety of Egypt’s protective shade nothing but humiliation.
30:4 Though his officials are in Zoan
and his messengers arrive at Hanes,
30:5 all will be put to shame
because of a nation that cannot help them,
who cannot give them aid or help,
but only shame and disgrace.”
30:6 This is a message about the animals in the Negev:
Through a land of distress and danger,
inhabited by lionesses and roaring lions,
by snakes and darting adders,
they transport their wealth on the backs of donkeys,
their riches on the humps of camels,
to a nation that cannot help them.
30:7 Egypt is totally incapable of helping.
For this reason I call her
‘Proud one who is silenced.’”
30:8 Now go, write it down on a tablet in their presence,
inscribe it on a scroll,
so that it might be preserved for a future time
as an enduring witness.
30:9 For these are rebellious people –
they are lying children,
children unwilling to obey the Lord’s law.
30:10 They say to the visionaries, “See no more visions!”
and to the seers, “Don’t relate messages to us about what is right!
Tell us nice things,
relate deceptive messages.
30:11 Turn aside from the way,
stray off the path.
Remove from our presence the Holy One of Israel.”
30:12 For this reason this is what the Holy One of Israel says:
“You have rejected this message;
you trust instead in your ability to oppress and trick,
and rely on that kind of behavior.
30:13 So this sin will become your downfall.
You will be like a high wall
that bulges and cracks and is ready to collapse;
it crumbles suddenly, in a flash.
30:14 It shatters in pieces like a clay jar,
so shattered to bits that none of it can be salvaged.
Among its fragments one cannot find a shard large enough
to scoop a hot coal from a fire
or to skim off water from a cistern.”
30:15 For this is what the master, the Lord, the Holy One of Israel says:
“If you repented and patiently waited for me, you would be delivered;
if you calmly trusted in me you would find strength,
but you are unwilling.
30:16 You say, ‘No, we will flee on horses,’
so you will indeed flee.
You say, ‘We will ride on fast horses,’
so your pursuers will be fast.
30:17 One thousand will scurry at the battle cry of one enemy soldier;
at the battle cry of five enemy soldiers you will all run away,
until the remaining few are as isolated
as a flagpole on a mountaintop
or a signal flag on a hill.”
The Lord Will Not Abandon His People
30:18 For this reason the Lord is ready to show you mercy;
he sits on his throne, ready to have compassion on you.
Indeed, the Lord is a just God;
all who wait for him in faith will be blessed.
30:19 For people will live in Zion;
in Jerusalem you will weep no more.
When he hears your cry of despair, he will indeed show you mercy;
when he hears it, he will respond to you.
30:20 The sovereign master will give you distress to eat
and suffering to drink;
but your teachers will no longer be hidden;
your eyes will see them.
30:21 You will hear a word spoken behind you, saying,
“This is the correct way, walk in it,”
whether you are heading to the right or the left.
30:22 You will desecrate your silver-plated idols
and your gold-plated images.
You will throw them away as if they were a menstrual rag,
saying to them, “Get out!”
30:23 He will water the seed you plant in the ground,
and the ground will produce crops in abundance.
At that time your cattle will graze in wide pastures.
30:24 The oxen and donkeys used in plowing
will eat seasoned feed winnowed with a shovel and pitchfork.
30:25 On every high mountain
and every high hill
there will be streams flowing with water,
at the time of great slaughter when the fortified towers collapse.
30:26 The light of the full moon will be like the sun’s glare
and the sun’s glare will be seven times brighter,
like the light of seven days,
when the Lord binds up his people’s fractured bones
and heals their severe wound.
30:27 Look, the name of the Lord comes from a distant place
in raging anger and awesome splendor.
He speaks angrily
and his word is like destructive fire.
30:28 His battle cry overwhelms like a flooding river
that reaches one’s neck.
He shakes the nations in a sieve that isolates the chaff;
he puts a bit into the mouth of the nations and leads them to destruction.
30:29 You will sing
as you do in the evening when you are celebrating a festival.
You will be happy like one who plays a flute
as he goes to the mountain of the Lord, the Rock who shelters Israel.
30:30 The Lord will give a mighty shout
and intervene in power,
with furious anger and flaming, destructive fire,
with a driving rainstorm and hailstones.
30:31 Indeed, the Lord’s shout will shatter Assyria;
he will beat them with a club.
30:32 Every blow from his punishing cudgel,
with which the Lord will beat them,
will be accompanied by music from the tambourine and harp,
and he will attack them with his weapons.
30:33 For the burial place is already prepared;
it has been made deep and wide for the king.
The firewood is piled high on it.
The Lord’s breath, like a stream flowing with brimstone,
will ignite it.
Egypt Will Disappoint
31:1 Those who go down to Egypt for help are as good as dead,
those who rely on war horses,
and trust in Egypt’s many chariots
and in their many, many horsemen.
But they do not rely on the Holy One of Israel
and do not seek help from the Lord.
31:2 Yet he too is wise and he will bring disaster;
he does not retract his decree.
He will attack the wicked nation,
and the nation that helps those who commit sin.
31:3 The Egyptians are mere humans, not God;
their horses are made of flesh, not spirit.
The Lord will strike with his hand;
the one who helps will stumble
and the one being helped will fall.
Together they will perish.
The Lord Will Defend Zion
31:4 Indeed, this is what the Lord says to me:
“The Lord will be like a growling lion,
like a young lion growling over its prey.
Though a whole group of shepherds gathers against it,
it is not afraid of their shouts
or intimidated by their yelling.
In this same way the Lord who commands armies will descend
to do battle on Mount Zion and on its hill.
31:5 Just as birds hover over a nest,
so the Lord who commands armies will protect Jerusalem.
He will protect and deliver it;
as he passes over he will rescue it.
31:6 You Israelites! Return to the one against whom you have so blatantly rebelled!
31:7 For at that time everyone will get rid of the silver and gold idols your hands sinfully made.
31:8 Assyria will fall by a sword, but not one human-made;
a sword not made by humankind will destroy them.
They will run away from this sword
and their young men will be forced to do hard labor.
31:9 They will surrender their stronghold because of fear;
their officers will be afraid of the Lord’s battle flag.”
This is what the Lord says –
the one whose fire is in Zion,
whose firepot is in Jerusalem.
Justice and Wisdom Will Prevail
32:1 Look, a king will promote fairness; officials will promote justice.
32:2 Each of them will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from a rainstorm; like streams of water in a dry region and like the shade of a large cliff in a parched land.
32:3 Eyes will no longer be blind and ears will be attentive.
32:4 The mind that acts rashly will possess discernment and the tongue that stutters will speak with ease and clarity.
32:5 A fool will no longer be called honorable; a deceiver will no longer be called principled.
32:6 For a fool speaks disgraceful things; his mind plans out sinful deeds. He commits godless deeds and says misleading things about the Lord; he gives the hungry nothing to satisfy their appetite and gives the thirsty nothing to drink.
32:7 A deceiver’s methods are evil; he dreams up evil plans to ruin the poor with lies, even when the needy are in the right.
32:8 An honorable man makes honorable plans; his honorable character gives him security.
The Lord Will Give True Security
32:9 You complacent women, get up and listen to me! You carefree daughters, pay attention to what I say!
32:10 In a year’s time you carefree ones will shake with fear, for the grape harvest will fail, and the fruit harvest will not arrive.
32:11 Tremble, you complacent ones! Shake with fear, you carefree ones! Strip off your clothes and expose yourselves – put sackcloth on your waist!
32:12 Mourn over the field, over the delightful fields and the fruitful vine!
32:13 Mourn over the land of my people, which is overgrown with thorns and briers, and over all the once-happy houses in the city filled with revelry.
32:14 For the fortress is neglected; the once-crowded city is abandoned. Hill and watchtower are permanently uninhabited. Wild donkeys love to go there, and flocks graze there.
32:15 This desolation will continue until new life is poured out on us from heaven. Then the desert will become an orchard and the orchard will be considered a forest.
32:16 Justice will settle down in the desert and fairness will live in the orchard.
32:17 Fairness will produce peace and result in lasting security.
32:18 My people will live in peaceful settlements, in secure homes, and in safe, quiet places.
32:19 Even if the forest is destroyed and the city is annihilated,
32:20 you will be blessed, you who plant seed by all the banks of the streams, you who let your ox and donkey graze.
The Lord Will Restore Zion
33:1 The destroyer is as good as dead, you who have not been destroyed! The deceitful one is as good as dead, the one whom others have not deceived! When you are through destroying, you will be destroyed; when you finish deceiving, others will deceive you!
33:2 Lord, be merciful to us! We wait for you. Give us strength each morning! Deliver us when distress comes.
33:3 The nations run away when they hear a loud noise; the nations scatter when you spring into action!
33:4 Your plunder disappears as if locusts were eating it; they swarm over it like locusts!
33:5 The Lord is exalted, indeed, he lives in heaven; he fills Zion with justice and fairness.
33:6 He is your constant source of stability; he abundantly provides safety and great wisdom; he gives all this to those who fear him.
33:7 Look, ambassadors cry out in the streets; messengers sent to make peace weep bitterly.
33:8 Highways are empty, there are no travelers. Treaties are broken, witnesses are despised, human life is treated with disrespect.
33:9 The land dries up and withers away; the forest of Lebanon shrivels up and decays. Sharon is like the desert; Bashan and Carmel are parched.
33:10 “Now I will rise up,” says the Lord. “Now I will exalt myself; now I will magnify myself.
33:11 You conceive straw, you give birth to chaff; your breath is a fire that destroys you.
33:12 The nations will be burned to ashes; like thorn bushes that have been cut down, they will be set on fire.
33:13 You who are far away, listen to what I have done! You who are close by, recognize my strength!”
33:14 Sinners are afraid in Zion; panic grips the godless. They say, ‘Who among us can coexist with destructive fire? Who among us can coexist with unquenchable fire?’
33:15 The one who lives uprightly and speaks honestly; the one who refuses to profit from oppressive measures and rejects a bribe; the one who does not plot violent crimes and does not seek to harm others –
33:16 This is the person who will live in a secure place; he will find safety in the rocky, mountain strongholds; he will have food and a constant supply of water.
33:17 You will see a king in his splendor; you will see a wide land.
33:18 Your mind will recall the terror you experienced, and you will ask yourselves, “Where is the scribe? Where is the one who weighs the money? Where is the one who counts the towers?”
33:19 You will no longer see a defiant people whose language you do not comprehend, whose derisive speech you do not understand.
33:20 Look at Zion, the city where we hold religious festivals! You will see Jerusalem, a peaceful settlement, a tent that stays put; its stakes will never be pulled up; none of its ropes will snap in two.
33:21 Instead the Lord will rule there as our mighty king. Rivers and wide streams will flow through it; no war galley will enter; no large ships will sail through.
33:22 For the Lord, our ruler, the Lord, our commander, the Lord, our king – he will deliver us.
33:23 Though at this time your ropes are slack, the mast is not secured, and the sail is not unfurled, at that time you will divide up a great quantity of loot; even the lame will drag off plunder.
33:24 No resident of Zion will say, “I am ill”; the people who live there will have their sin forgiven.
The Lord Will Judge Edom
34:1 Come near, you nations, and listen! Pay attention, you people! The earth and everything it contains must listen, the world and everything that lives in it.
34:2 For the Lord is angry at all the nations and furious with all their armies. He will annihilate them and slaughter them.
34:3 Their slain will be left unburied, their corpses will stink; the hills will soak up their blood.
34:4 All the stars in the sky will fade away, the sky will roll up like a scroll; all its stars will wither, like a leaf withers and falls from a vine or a fig withers and falls from a tree.
34:5 He says, “Indeed, my sword has slaughtered heavenly powers. Look, it now descends on Edom, on the people I will annihilate in judgment.”
34:6 The Lord’s sword is dripping with blood, it is covered with fat; it drips with the blood of young rams and goats and is covered with the fat of rams’ kidneys. For the Lord is holding a sacrifice in Bozrah, a bloody slaughter in the land of Edom.
34:7 Wild oxen will be slaughtered along with them, as well as strong bulls. Their land is drenched with blood, their soil is covered with fat.
34:8 For the Lord has planned a day of revenge, a time when he will repay Edom for her hostility toward Zion.
34:9 Edom’s streams will be turned into pitch and her soil into brimstone; her land will become burning pitch.
34:10 Night and day it will burn; its smoke will ascend continually. Generation after generation it will be a wasteland and no one will ever pass through it again.
34:11 Owls and wild animals will live there, all kinds of wild birds will settle in it. The Lord will stretch out over her the measuring line of ruin and the plumb line of destruction.
34:12 Her nobles will have nothing left to call a kingdom and all her officials will disappear.
34:13 Her fortresses will be overgrown with thorns; thickets and weeds will grow in her fortified cities. Jackals will settle there; ostriches will live there.
34:14 Wild animals and wild dogs will congregate there; wild goats will bleat to one another. Yes, nocturnal animals will rest there and make for themselves a nest.
34:15 Owls will make nests and lay eggs there; they will hatch them and protect them. Yes, hawks will gather there, each with its mate.
34:16 Carefully read the scroll of the Lord! Not one of these creatures will be missing, none will lack a mate. For the Lord has issued the decree, and his own spirit gathers them.
34:17 He assigns them their allotment; he measures out their assigned place. They will live there permanently; they will settle in it through successive generations.
The Land and Its People Are Transformed
35:1 Let the desert and dry region be happy; let the wilderness rejoice and bloom like a lily!
35:2 Let it richly bloom; let it rejoice and shout with delight! It is given the grandeur of Lebanon, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon. They will see the grandeur of the Lord, the splendor of our God.
35:3 Strengthen the hands that have gone limp, steady the knees that shake!
35:4 Tell those who panic, “Be strong! Do not fear! Look, your God comes to avenge! With divine retribution he comes to deliver you.”
35:5 Then blind eyes will open, deaf ears will hear.
35:6 Then the lame will leap like a deer, the mute tongue will shout for joy; for water will flow in the desert, streams in the wilderness.
35:7 The dry soil will become a pool of water, the parched ground springs of water. Where jackals once lived and sprawled out, grass, reeds, and papyrus will grow.
35:8 A thoroughfare will be there – it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not travel on it; it is reserved for those authorized to use it – fools will not stray into it.
35:9 No lions will be there, no ferocious wild animals will be on it – they will not be found there. Those delivered from bondage will travel on it,
35:10 those whom the Lord has ransomed will return that way. They will enter Zion with a happy shout. Unending joy will crown them, happiness and joy will overwhelm them; grief and suffering will disappear.
Sennacherib Invades Judah
36:1 In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s reign, King Sennacherib of Assyria marched up against all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them. 36:2 The king of Assyria sent his chief adviser from Lachish to King Hezekiah in Jerusalem, along with a large army. The chief adviser stood at the conduit of the upper pool which is located on the road to the field where they wash and dry cloth. 36:3 Eliakim son of Hilkiah, the palace supervisor, accompanied by Shebna the scribe and Joah son of Asaph, the secretary, went out to meet him.
36:4 The chief adviser said to them, “Tell Hezekiah: ‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: “What is your source of confidence? 36:5 Your claim to have a strategy and military strength is just empty talk. In whom are you trusting, that you would dare to rebel against me? 36:6 Look, you must be trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed staff. If someone leans on it for support, it punctures his hand and wounds him. That is what Pharaoh king of Egypt does to all who trust in him! 36:7 Perhaps you will tell me, ‘We are trusting in the Lord our God.’ But Hezekiah is the one who eliminated his high places and altars and then told the people of Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship at this altar.’ 36:8 Now make a deal with my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, provided you can find enough riders for them. 36:9 Certainly you will not refuse one of my master’s minor officials and trust in Egypt for chariots and horsemen. 36:10 Furthermore it was by the command of the Lord that I marched up against this land to destroy it. The Lord told me, ‘March up against this land and destroy it!’”’”
36:11 Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to the chief adviser, “Speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it. Don’t speak with us in the Judahite dialect in the hearing of the people who are on the wall.” 36:12 But the chief adviser said, “My master did not send me to speak these words only to your master and to you. His message is also for the men who sit on the wall, for they will eat their own excrement and drink their own urine along with you!”
36:13 The chief adviser then stood there and called out loudly in the Judahite dialect, “Listen to the message of the great king, the king of Assyria. 36:14 This is what the king says: ‘Don’t let Hezekiah mislead you, for he is not able to rescue you! 36:15 Don’t let Hezekiah talk you into trusting in the Lord by saying, “The Lord will certainly rescue us; this city will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.” 36:16 Don’t listen to Hezekiah!’ For this is what the king of Assyria says, ‘Send me a token of your submission and surrender to me. Then each of you may eat from his own vine and fig tree and drink water from his own cistern, 36:17 until I come and take you to a land just like your own – a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards. 36:18 Hezekiah is misleading you when he says, “The Lord will rescue us.” Has any of the gods of the nations rescued his land from the power of the king of Assyria? 36:19 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Indeed, did any gods rescue Samaria from my power? 36:20 Who among all the gods of these lands have rescued their lands from my power? So how can the Lord rescue Jerusalem from my power?’” 36:21 They were silent and did not respond, for the king had ordered, “Don’t respond to him.”
36:22 Eliakim son of Hilkiah, the palace supervisor, accompanied by Shebna the scribe and Joah son of Asaph, the secretary, went to Hezekiah with their clothes torn in grief and reported to him what the chief adviser had said.
37:1 When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and went to the Lord’s temple. 37:2 Eliakim the palace supervisor, Shebna the scribe, and the leading priests, clothed in sackcloth, sent this message to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz: 37:3 “This is what Hezekiah says: ‘This is a day of distress, insults, and humiliation, as when a baby is ready to leave the birth canal, but the mother lacks the strength to push it through. 37:4 Perhaps the Lord your God will hear all these things the chief adviser has spoken on behalf of his master, the king of Assyria, who sent him to taunt the living God. When the Lord your God hears, perhaps he will punish him for the things he has said. So pray for this remnant that remains.’”
37:5 When King Hezekiah’s servants came to Isaiah, 37:6 Isaiah said to them, “Tell your master this: ‘This is what the Lord says: “Don’t be afraid because of the things you have heard – these insults the king of Assyria’s servants have hurled against me. 37:7 Look, I will take control of his mind; he will receive a report and return to his own land. I will cut him down with a sword in his own land.”’”
37:8 When the chief adviser heard the king of Assyria had departed from Lachish, he left and went to Libnah, where the king was campaigning. 37:9 The king heard that King Tirhakah of Ethiopia was marching out to fight him. He again sent messengers to Hezekiah, ordering them: 37:10 “Tell King Hezekiah of Judah this: ‘Don’t let your God in whom you trust mislead you when he says, “Jerusalem will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.” 37:11 Certainly you have heard how the kings of Assyria have annihilated all lands. Do you really think you will be rescued? 37:12 Were the nations whom my predecessors destroyed – the nations of Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden in Telassar – rescued by their gods? 37:13 Where are the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, and the kings of Lair, Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?’”
37:14 Hezekiah took the letter from the messengers and read it. Then Hezekiah went up to the Lord’s temple and spread it out before the Lord. 37:15 Hezekiah prayed before the Lord: 37:16 “O Lord who commands armies, O God of Israel, who is enthroned on the cherubim! You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the sky and the earth. 37:17 Pay attention, Lord, and hear! Open your eyes, Lord, and observe! Listen to this entire message Sennacherib sent and how he taunts the living God! 37:18 It is true, Lord, that the kings of Assyria have destroyed all the nations and their lands. 37:19 They have burned the gods of the nations, for they are not really gods, but only the product of human hands manufactured from wood and stone. That is why the Assyrians could destroy them. 37:20 Now, O Lord our God, rescue us from his power, so all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the Lord.”
37:21 Isaiah son of Amoz sent this message to Hezekiah: “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘Because you prayed to me concerning King Sennacherib of Assyria, 37:22 this is what the Lord says about him:
“The virgin daughter Zion despises you – she makes fun of you; daughter Jerusalem shakes her head after you.
37:23 Whom have you taunted and hurled insults at? At whom have you shouted and looked so arrogantly? At the Holy One of Israel!
37:24 Through your messengers you taunted the sovereign master, ‘With my many chariots I climbed up the high mountains, the slopes of Lebanon. I cut down its tall cedars and its best evergreens. I invaded its most remote regions, its thickest woods.
37:25 I dug wells and drank water. With the soles of my feet I dried up all the rivers of Egypt.’
37:26 Certainly you must have heard! Long ago I worked it out, in ancient times I planned it, and now I am bringing it to pass. The plan is this: Fortified cities will crash into heaps of ruins.
37:27 Their residents are powerless; they are terrified and ashamed. They are as short-lived as plants in the field or green vegetation. They are as short-lived as grass on the rooftops when it is scorched by the east wind.
37:28 I know where you live and everything you do and how you rage against me.
37:29 Because you rage against me and the uproar you create has reached my ears, I will put my hook in your nose, and my bridle between your lips, and I will lead you back the way you came.”
37:30 “This will be your reminder that I have spoken the truth: This year you will eat what grows wild, and next year what grows on its own. But the year after that you will plant seed and harvest crops; you will plant vines and consume their produce. 37:31 Those who remain in Judah will take root in the ground and bear fruit.
37:32 “For a remnant will leave Jerusalem; survivors will come out of Mount Zion. The intense devotion of the Lord who commands armies will accomplish this. 37:33 So this is what the Lord says about the king of Assyria: ‘He will not enter this city, nor will he shoot an arrow here. He will not attack it with his shielded warriors, nor will he build siege works against it.
37:34 He will go back the way he came – he will not enter this city,’ says the Lord.
37:35 I will shield this city and rescue it for the sake of my reputation and because of my promise to David my servant.”‘”
37:36 The Lord’s messenger went out and killed 185,000 troops in the Assyrian camp. When they got up early the next morning, there were all the corpses! 37:37 So King Sennacherib of Assyria broke camp and went on his way. He went home and stayed in Nineveh. 37:38 One day, as he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him down with the sword. They ran away to the land of Ararat; his son Esarhaddon replaced him as king.
The Lord Hears Hezekiah’s Prayer
38:1 In those days Hezekiah was stricken with a terminal illness. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz visited him and told him, “This is what the Lord says, ‘Give instructions to your household, for you are about to die; you will not get well.’” 38:2 Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 38:3 “Please, Lord. Remember how I have served you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion, and how I have carried out your will.” Then Hezekiah wept bitterly.
38:4 The Lord told Isaiah, 38:5 “Go and tell Hezekiah: ‘This is what the Lord God of your ancestor David says: “I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Look, I will add fifteen years to your life, 38:6 and rescue you and this city from the king of Assyria. I will shield this city.”‘” 38:7 Isaiah replied, “This is your sign from the Lord confirming that the Lord will do what he has said: 38:8 Look, I will make the shadow go back ten steps on the stairs of Ahaz.” And then the shadow went back ten steps.
Hezekiah’s Song of Thanks
38:9 This is the prayer of King Hezekiah of Judah when he was sick and then recovered from his illness:
38:10 “I thought, ‘In the middle of my life I must walk through the gates of Sheol, I am deprived of the rest of my years.’
38:11 “I thought, ‘I will no longer see the Lord in the land of the living, I will no longer look on humankind with the inhabitants of the world.
38:12 My dwelling place is removed and taken away from me like a shepherd’s tent. I rolled up my life like a weaver rolls cloth; from the loom he cuts me off. You turn day into night and end my life.
38:13 I cry out until morning; like a lion he shatters all my bones; you turn day into night and end my life.
38:14 Like a swallow or a thrush I chirp, I coo like a dove; my eyes grow tired from looking up to the sky. O sovereign master, I am oppressed; help me!
38:15 What can I say? He has decreed and acted. I will walk slowly all my years because I am overcome with grief.
38:16 O sovereign master, your decrees can give men life; may years of life be restored to me. Restore my health and preserve my life.’
38:17 “Look, the grief I experienced was for my benefit. You delivered me from the pit of oblivion. For you removed all my sins from your sight.
38:18 Indeed Sheol does not give you thanks; death does not praise you. Those who descend into the pit do not anticipate your faithfulness.
38:19 The living person, the living person, he gives you thanks, as I do today.
A father tells his sons about your faithfulness.
38:20 The Lord is about to deliver me, and we will celebrate with music for the rest of our lives in the Lord’s temple.”
38:21 Isaiah ordered, “Let them take a fig cake and apply it to the ulcerated sore and he will get well.” 38:22 Hezekiah said, “What is the confirming sign that I will go up to the Lord’s temple?”
Messengers from Babylon Visit Hezekiah
39:1 At that time Merodach-Baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been ill and had recovered. 39:2 Hezekiah welcomed them and showed them his storehouse with its silver, gold, spices, and high-quality olive oil, as well as his whole armory and everything in his treasuries. Hezekiah showed them everything in his palace and in his whole kingdom. 39:3 Isaiah the prophet visited King Hezekiah and asked him, “What did these men say? Where do they come from?” Hezekiah replied, “They come from the distant land of Babylon.” 39:4 Isaiah asked, “What have they seen in your palace?” Hezekiah replied, “They have seen everything in my palace. I showed them everything in my treasuries.” 39:5 Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Listen to the word of the Lord who commands armies: 39:6 ‘Look, a time is coming when everything in your palace and the things your ancestors have accumulated to this day will be carried away to Babylon; nothing will be left,’ says the Lord. 39:7 ‘Some of your very own descendants whom you father will be taken away and will be made eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’” 39:8 Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The Lord’s word which you have announced is appropriate.” Then he thought, “For there will be peace and stability during my lifetime.”
Psalms
Psalm 76
76:1 For the music director; to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a psalm of Asaph, a song.
God has revealed himself in Judah; in Israel his reputation is great.
76:2 He lives in Salem; he dwells in Zion.
76:3 There he shattered the arrows, the shield, the sword, and the rest of the weapons of war. (Selah)
76:4 You shine brightly and reveal your majesty, as you descend from the hills where you killed your prey.
76:5 The bravehearted were plundered; they “fell asleep.” All the warriors were helpless.
76:6 At the sound of your battle cry, O God of Jacob, both rider and horse “fell asleep.”
76:7 You are awesome! Yes, you!
Who can withstand your intense anger?
76:8 From heaven you announced what their punishment would be. The earth was afraid and silent
76:9 when God arose to execute judgment, and to deliver all the oppressed of the earth. (Selah)
76:10 Certainly your angry judgment upon men will bring you praise; you reveal your anger in full measure.
76:11 Make vows to the Lord your God and repay them!
Let all those who surround him bring tribute to the awesome one!
76:12 He humbles princes; the kings of the earth regard him as awesome.
Lord, even though You ended the earthly kingdom of Israel, You still loved them and remained at the line of reconciliation. May I never forget that You love all who have surrendered to the Lordship of Christ and that You will welcome us home should we go astray for a time. Hope in You is grounded in Jesus the Christ, our Messiah. May I always look to Jesus as the fulfillment of Your promise and then cling to Him as my only hope. You have always been clear that choices have consequences; whether the choices of Adam and Eve, or the choices of the billions of rebels who have followed them. May I take care to hold my choices up to the scrutiny of Your preferences so that they may be blessed by the Holy Spirit’s perfect wisdom-driven discernment. May I remember that You have decided that those who are in Your eternal family will be preserved - despite the efforts of the enemy – and that I need not fear anything the world can do. When You return to restore Your Creation You will remove all who have refused to surrender to You and will bless those who have. May I be certain of my eternally-right standing in relationship with You. You decide who will be the instrument of Your discipline, and if they over-step Your boundaries You will punish them, You will not be mocked. May I trust You for perfect justice and when You discipline me I will be certain of lovingly-perfect proportion to the need. Sometimes we squander Your gifts, yet in the big picture your grace and justice are always in perfect balance. May I be intentional in using Your gifts for Your intended purposes.
Isaiah’s report of the Lord God’s prophesy continued with the symbolic imagery of “Leviathan”, a mythological creature known from ancient texts to represent chaos, especially the often unpredictable and devastating power of the sea. In this case the Lord God was to bring peace, illustrated by the “vineyard” that He would “water”, and the peace He would offer to those who had been His enemies.
Isaiah observed that while the Lord God destroyed the enemies of Israel He functionally-divorced Israel.
In the final verses of Chapter Twenty-Nine Isaiah brought the prophesy of the healing and enlightening ministry of Jesus the Christ – the Messiah – Whose ministry would bring a new covenant, the sending of the indwelling Holy Spirit upon His children, and would bring an end to the power of the slavery and eternal destruction of sin.
He pronounced the Lord God’s judgment upon the religious and political leaders who rejected Him and His law and instead turned to the pagan Egypt for help – that no help would come from them – and that they would find themselves condemned for this final act of rebellion.
Isaiah reported the promise of the Lord’s active presence and guiding hand, through the indwelling Holy Spirit to come, in the lives of His children “You will hear a word spoken behind you, saying,
“This is the correct way, walk in it,”
whether you are heading to the right or the left.”
He also encouraged them to know that the Lord God would obliterate their enemies [ultimately, the Enemy, Satan – who would be vanquished].
He encouraged the remnant of Israel to return to Him.
Isaiah delivered the Lord God’s prophesy to the foreign rulers of Jerusalem that their arrogant assertion that their deal with the devil would protect them will be nullified by Him and that they would be swept from power and even from life itself.
He delivered a prophesy of hope, the hope of the coming Messiah, to believers “... the Lord, says: “Look, I am laying a stone in Zion, an approved stone, set in place as a precious cornerstone for the foundation. The one who maintains his faith will not panic.”
He also used agriculture illustrations in which plowing, planting, harvesting, and threshing are synonyms for the Lord God’s planned-process to redeem His people.
The synonym “Ariel” was used [according to the NET Translator’s Notes] to describe Israel/Jerusalem as Isaiah described the conquering a devastation of Jerusalem and the surrounding area. The people were described as “blind” to the Lord and their worship belittled because it “... consists of nothing but man-made ritual.”
He announced that He would do something that the sages and the wise men could not explain and that it would cause them to cease from doubting Him.
Isaiah continued “Look, a king will promote fairness; officials will promote justice.” He elaborated as to the way that people of integrity would be set free from the affects of the Fall and deceit and foolishness (and those who practiced them) would be no more.
He then jumped back from the future to the present, warning the complacent people to be aware that calamity was about to fall upon them.
Isaiah returned to the future to assure them that those who belonged to the Lord God would know peace and security. Isaiah prophesied the end of the era of deceivers and destroyers as he and his people cried out to the Lord for protection and strength as they endured severe oppression.
In contrast He proclaimed “The Lord is exalted, indeed, he lives in heaven; he fills Zion with justice and fairness. He is your constant source of stability; he abundantly provides safety and great wisdom; he gives all this to those who fear him … For the Lord, our ruler, the Lord, our commander, the Lord, our king – he will deliver us.”
Isaiah offered with a prophesy of the destruction of Edom, a symbolic representation of the nations who have opposed Israel [which in a pure sense includes the physical nations of Judah and Israel since they have been in rebellion against His preferential-state of Israel for most of their existence] “Come near, you nations, and listen! Pay attention, you people! The earth and everything it contains must listen, the world and everything that lives in it. For the Lord is angry at all the nations and furious with all their armies. He will annihilate them and slaughter them.”
Isaiah delivered the prophesy of the Lord God’s restoration of both the land and the people to what is described alike a pre-Fall Edenic condition.
Although the Lord allowed the enemies of Israel to over-run and displace them, it was because their predisposition to invade and conquer was useful to Him, not because He was at all fond of them – indeed He despised their pagan and vile ways – and now Isaiah prophesied their destruction as the Lord God redeemed those who belonged to him.
He described “A thoroughfare ... it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not travel on it; it is reserved for those authorized to use it – fools will not stray into it … Those delivered from bondage will travel on it, those whom the Lord has ransomed will return that way. They will enter Zion with a happy shout. Unending joy will crown them, happiness and joy will overwhelm them; grief and suffering will disappear.” Fools who reject the Lord God’s wisdom, and therefore the Messiah, will not be allowed there – only those who have received the indwelling Holy Spirit Who enables them to walk rightly.
The Assyrians came against King Hezekiah with a challenge to surrender. They doubted the source of their confidence since they had no meaningful army and had destroyed all of the other (pagan) altars and focused only on the altar of the Lord God – which the Assyrians viewed as the same as the rest. The Assyrians also claimed that God had told them to come against Jerusalem.
The Chief Advisor to the Assyrian king challenged Hezekiah to the people as a mis-leader who did not understand that no other nation’s ‘gods’ had saved them from Assyria and that surely Egypt would be unable to save them either.
He offered to reward them for surrendering with local peace and provision – until he returned to take them to another place – which he assured them was just as nice. He challenged them to reject the Lord God and king Hezekiah but according to Hezekiah’s instructions the people remained silent.
Hezekiah’s representatives returned to him with a report of what had happened and together they cried out to the Lord God through Isaiah. The Lord’s reply was to not fear the Assyrian king for his insults to God would result in his own death – after he was tricked into returning home by a false story of an attack from the king of Ethiopia.
The Lord declared “‘He will not enter this city, nor will he shoot an arrow here. He will not attack it with his shielded warriors, nor will he build siege works against it. He will go back the way he came – he will not enter this city,’ says the Lord. I will shield this city and rescue it for the sake of my reputation and because of my promise to David my servant.”‘”
The Lord sent out an angel to kill 185,000 troops in the Assyrian camp as they slept and so in the morning they discovered their dead and fled Jerusalem. When the king returned home his sons murdered him.
Hezekiah was mortally ill and Isaiah rold him to prepare for death. He cried-out to the Lord, asking for more time, appealing for ‘credit’ for his faithfulness as king.
The Lord God told Isaiah to tell Hezekiah that He heard his cries and would grant him an additional 15 years of life, that He would protect the city from attackers, and that He would affirm His promise by causing the shadow on the step to reverse itself ten steps.
Hezekiah recited his angst at an early death and then his exuberant praise and thanks to the Lord for granting him another 15 years and protection from enemies.
Hezekiah then welcomed the visit of the king of Babylon, who had sent a message and gift when he recovered, and pridefully showed-off all of his treasuries and other fine things and palaces. Isaiah prophesied the Lord God’s judgment, withheld due to Hezekiah’s prior faithfulness, that after he died the kingdom would fall – even some of his immediate descendants would be carried-off and made enuchs in the service of Babylon.
Hezekiah acknowledged that the Lord’s judgment was fair and then, again self-focused, noted with satisfaction that he would not experience or see the judgment in his lifetime.
Asaph’s Psalm, numbered seventy-six, was a praise song that recited some of the deeds of the Lord God on behalf of Israel.
The Lord God used imagery with which His ‘audience’ would be familiar. In the ancient times of Isaiah’s ministry the mythological stories of Leviatian, and others, would have been useful for illustration. There was no hope in the law, only in the promised Messiah. Any covenant or deal in which the Lord God was not a participant is not binding upon Him. The term “fairness” in the Bible is not the emotional and selfish concept of mere humans but the perfectly just and righteous concept of the Lord God. The Lord God’s anger is perfectly just and His revenge perfectly righteous – unlike that of man. The Lord God has not forgotten His original plan, sabotaged by the foolish Adam and Eve, and He intends to restore things to their righteously-rightful condition. The Lord God had sent the Assyrians, but when they mocked Him they made themselves the object of His wrath. Hezekiah was blessed by the Lord God for his faithfulness, because he asked, yet he was careless with the gift – and due to his position – brought immediate tragedy to those who followed.
Why would the Lord God have bothered to preserve and seek to restore the chronically-rebellious Israelites? Or could “Israel” in this context have been as symbolic as “Leviathan”? Why would the people be indulging in “worship” that was, in the eyes of God, “... nothing but man-made ritual.”? How much like the modern nation of Israel, surrounded by enemies, must have been ancient Israel? Why did the people trust Hezekiah? Why would Hezekiah think it was wise to show a foreign king all of the riches of Israel?
The arrogant leaders of Ephraim should have known better than to thumb their noses at the Lord God. The coming Messiah would be so extraordinary that the “sages” and “wise men” would be speechless. Way back in the time of Isaiah the role of the Holy Spirit was prophesied. When the Messiah returns He will no longer tolerate the sin that He bore for us on the Cross. How many times had Israel rejected the Lord God and still He desired to preserve a thread of their existence – for the sake of His promises to their more-faithful forefathers. Imagine walking that “Way of Holiness” with so many others – freed of sin – blessed with the presence of the Lord God. The Assyrians could not discern the difference between the false gods and the one true Lord God – and they paid for their foolishness with lives and lost power. Hezekiah was astoundingly self-focused when informed of the terrible consequences coming to his immediate descendants. He seems to have be puffed-up from God’s blessings that he lost a sense of love for others.
When have you experienced or observed a situation where a wrong choice was likely to lead to trouble but was pursued anyhow? When have you experienced or observed empty worship that was “... nothing but man-made ritual.”? When have you experienced of observed individuals or leaders turning for help to sources that are certain to fail them? When have you experienced or observed complacency in the face of obvious danger? When have you felt surrounded by those who disapproved of you, yet sensed a big-picture comfort and safety because of your relationship with the Lord God? When have you transitioned from ‘dry time’ in your relationship with the Lord into a rich one? When have you observed what appeared to be an individual or group with overwhelming power become mired in their own arrogance and pride and fall? When have you experienced or observed someone turning a blessing into a curse?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you have feared the future but where He has for you an assurance of peace and security, a place in your life where you are more-anxious than you should be, a small sample of the pure joy that will be yours when you walk the “Way of Holiness”, a place in your life where you fear a false enemy, one that mocks the Lord, more than you trust the Lord God, and a place where you have been faithful, for which He has already, or is about to bless you.
Today I will prayerfully welcome the Holy Spirit into a more powerful place in my life – to listen and watch for His working – and to respond “Yes Lord” when He chastises or encourages, directs or redirects. I will praise the Lord for the certainty I have of an eternity of peace and security with Him. I will give Him thanks and rest in His assurance of loving-care. I will praise the Lord God for His love and will prayerfully partner with the Holy Spirit to be more teachable and more surrendered to His leadership of my life. I will confess and repent of my fear of a false enemy, seek and receive His forgiveness, and trust the Lord God completely. (My fear may be about a lack of money, and absence of approval of worldly peers, potential threats to my physical appearance from age, or may be a fear of unemployment, theoretical health problems, violence in the world, etc.). I will prayerfully seek the counsel of the Holy Spirit as to how I might turn His gift into a blessing for others and how I might continue, and grow, my walk of faithfulness before Him.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 42
2 Kings
18:9 In the fourth year of King Hezekiah’s reign (it was the seventh year of the reign of Israel’s King Hoshea, son of Elah), King Shalmaneser of Assyria marched up against Samaria and besieged it. 18:10 After three years he captured it (in the sixth year of Hezekiah’s reign); in the ninth year of King Hoshea’s reign over Israel Samaria was captured. 18:11 The king of Assyria deported the people of Israel to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, along the Habor (the river of Gozan), and in the cities of the Medes. 18:12 This happened because they did not obey the Lord their God and broke his agreement with them. They did not pay attention to and obey all that Moses, the Lord’s servant, had commanded.
Sennacherib Invades Judah
18:13 In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s reign, King Sennacherib of Assyria marched up against all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them. 18:14 King Hezekiah of Judah sent this message to the king of Assyria, who was at Lachish, “I have violated our treaty. If you leave, I will do whatever you demand.” So the king of Assyria demanded that King Hezekiah of Judah pay three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. 18:15 Hezekiah gave him all the silver in the Lord’s temple and in the treasuries of the royal palace. 18:16 At that time King Hezekiah of Judah stripped the metal overlays from the doors of the Lord’s temple and from the posts which he had plated and gave them to the king of Assyria.
18:17 The king of Assyria sent his commanding general, the chief eunuch, and the chief adviser from Lachish to King Hezekiah in Jerusalem, along with a large army. They went up and arrived at Jerusalem. They went and stood at the conduit of the upper pool which is located on the road to the field where they wash and dry cloth. 18:18 They summoned the king, so Eliakim son of Hilkiah, the palace supervisor, accompanied by Shebna the scribe and Joah son of Asaph, the secretary, went out to meet them.
18:19 The chief adviser said to them, “Tell Hezekiah: ‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: “What is your source of confidence? 18:20 Your claim to have a strategy and military strength is just empty talk. In whom are you trusting that you would dare to rebel against me? 18:21 Now look, you must be trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed staff. If a man leans for support on it, it punctures his hand and wounds him. That is what Pharaoh king of Egypt does to all who trust in him. 18:22 Perhaps you will tell me, ‘We are trusting in the Lord our God.’ But Hezekiah is the one who eliminated his high places and altars and then told the people of Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship at this altar in Jerusalem.’ 18:23 Now make a deal with my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, provided you can find enough riders for them. 18:24 Certainly you will not refuse one of my master’s minor officials and trust in Egypt for chariots and horsemen. 18:25 Furthermore it was by the command of the Lord that I marched up against this place to destroy it. The Lord told me, ‘March up against this land and destroy it.’”’”
18:26 Eliakim son of Hilkiah, Shebna, and Joah said to the chief adviser, “Speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it. Don’t speak with us in the Judahite dialect in the hearing of the people who are on the wall.” 18:27 But the chief adviser said to them, “My master did not send me to speak these words only to your master and to you. His message is also for the men who sit on the wall, for they will eat their own excrement and drink their own urine along with you.”
18:28 The chief adviser then stood there and called out loudly in the Judahite dialect, “Listen to the message of the great king, the king of Assyria. 18:29 This is what the king says: ‘Don’t let Hezekiah mislead you, for he is not able to rescue you from my hand! 18:30 Don’t let Hezekiah talk you into trusting in the Lord when he says, “The Lord will certainly rescue us; this city will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.” 18:31 Don’t listen to Hezekiah!’ For this is what the king of Assyria says, ‘Send me a token of your submission and surrender to me. Then each of you may eat from his own vine and fig tree and drink water from his own cistern, 18:32 until I come and take you to a land just like your own – a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and honey. Then you will live and not die. Don’t listen to Hezekiah, for he is misleading you when he says, “The Lord will rescue us.” 18:33 Have any of the gods of the nations actually rescued his land from the power of the king of Assyria? 18:34 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Indeed, did any gods rescue Samaria from my power? 18:35 Who among all the gods of the lands has rescued their lands from my power? So how can the Lord rescue Jerusalem from my power?’” 18:36 The people were silent and did not respond, for the king had ordered, “Don’t respond to him.”
18:37 Eliakim son of Hilkiah, the palace supervisor, accompanied by Shebna the scribe and Joah son of Asaph, the secretary, went to Hezekiah with their clothes torn and reported to him what the chief adviser had said.
2 Chronicles
Sennacherib Invades Judah
32:1 After these faithful deeds were accomplished, King Sennacherib of Assyria invaded Judah. He besieged the fortified cities, intending to seize them. 32:2 When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had invaded and intended to attack Jerusalem, 32:3 he consulted with his advisers and military officers about stopping up the springs outside the city, and they supported him. 32:4 A large number of people gathered together and stopped up all the springs and the stream that flowed through the district. They reasoned, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find plenty of water?” 32:5 Hezekiah energetically rebuilt every broken wall. He erected towers and an outer wall, and fortified the terrace of the City of David. He made many weapons and shields.
32:6 He appointed military officers over the army and assembled them in the square at the city gate. He encouraged them, saying, 32:7 “Be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic because of the king of Assyria and this huge army that is with him! We have with us one who is stronger than those who are with him. 32:8 He has with him mere human strength, but the Lord our God is with us to help us and fight our battles!” The army was encouraged by the words of King Hezekiah of Judah.
32:9 Afterward King Sennacherib of Assyria, while attacking Lachish with all his military might, sent his messengers to Jerusalem. The message was for King Hezekiah of Judah and all the people of Judah who were in Jerusalem. It read: 32:10 “This is what King Sennacherib of Assyria says: ‘Why are you so confident that you remain in Jerusalem while it is under siege? 32:11 Hezekiah says, “The Lord our God will rescue us from the power of the king of Assyria.” But he is misleading you and you will die of hunger and thirst! 32:12 Hezekiah is the one who eliminated the Lord’s high places and altars and then told Judah and Jerusalem, “At one altar you must worship and offer sacrifices.” 32:13 Are you not aware of what I and my predecessors have done to all the nations of the surrounding lands? Have the gods of the surrounding lands actually been able to rescue their lands from my power? 32:14 Who among all the gods of these nations whom my predecessors annihilated was able to rescue his people from my power? 32:15 Now don’t let Hezekiah deceive you or mislead you like this. Don’t believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to rescue his people from my power or the power of my predecessors. So how can your gods rescue you from my power?’”
32:16 Sennacherib’s servants further insulted the Lord God and his servant Hezekiah. 32:17 He wrote letters mocking the Lord God of Israel and insulting him with these words: “The gods of the surrounding nations could not rescue their people from my power. Neither can Hezekiah’s god rescue his people from my power.” 32:18 They called out loudly in the Judahite dialect to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, trying to scare and terrify them so they could seize the city. 32:19 They talked about the God of Jerusalem as if he were one of the man-made gods of the nations of the earth.
32:20 King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz prayed about this and cried out to heaven. 32:21 The Lord sent a messenger and he wiped out all the soldiers, princes, and officers in the army of the king of Assyria. So Sennacherib returned home humiliated. When he entered the temple of his god, some of his own sons struck him down with the sword. 32:22 The Lord delivered Hezekiah and the residents of Jerusalem from the power of King Sennacherib of Assyria and from all the other nations. He made them secure on every side. 32:23 Many were bringing presents to the Lord in Jerusalem and precious gifts to King Hezekiah of Judah. From that time on he was respected by all the nations.
Hezekiah’s Shortcomings and Accomplishments
32:24 In those days Hezekiah was stricken with a terminal illness. He prayed to the Lord, who answered him and gave him a sign confirming that he would be healed. 32:25 But Hezekiah was ungrateful; he had a proud attitude, provoking God to be angry at him, as well as Judah and Jerusalem. 32:26 But then Hezekiah and the residents of Jerusalem humbled themselves and abandoned their pride, and the Lord was not angry with them for the rest of Hezekiah’s reign.
32:27 Hezekiah was very wealthy and greatly respected. He made storehouses for his silver, gold, precious stones, spices, and all his other valuable possessions. 32:28 He made storerooms for the harvest of grain, wine, and olive oil, and stalls for all his various kinds of livestock and his flocks. 32:29 He built royal cities and owned a large number of sheep and cattle, for God gave him a huge amount of possessions.
32:30 Hezekiah dammed up the source of the waters of the Upper Gihon and directed them down to the west side of the City of David. Hezekiah succeeded in all that he did. 32:31 So when the envoys arrived from the Babylonian officials to visit him and inquire about the sign that occurred in the land, God left him alone to test him, in order to know his true motives.
32:32 The rest of the events of Hezekiah’s reign, including his faithful deeds, are recorded in the vision of the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz, included in the Scroll of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 32:33 Hezekiah passed away and was buried on the ascent of the tombs of the descendants of David. All the people of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem buried him with great honor. His son Manasseh replaced him as king.
19:1 When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and went to the Lord’s temple. 19:2 He sent Eliakim the palace supervisor, Shebna the scribe, and the leading priests, clothed in sackcloth, with this message to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz: 19:3 “This is what Hezekiah says: ‘This is a day of distress, insults, and humiliation, as when a baby is ready to leave the birth canal, but the mother lacks the strength to push it through. 19:4 Perhaps the Lord your God will hear all these things the chief adviser has spoken on behalf of his master, the king of Assyria, who sent him to taunt the living God. When the Lord your God hears, perhaps he will punish him for the things he has said. So pray for this remnant that remains.’”
19:5 When King Hezekiah’s servants came to Isaiah, 19:6 Isaiah said to them, “Tell your master this: ‘This is what the Lord says: “Don’t be afraid because of the things you have heard – these insults the king of Assyria’s servants have hurled against me. 19:7 Look, I will take control of his mind; he will receive a report and return to his own land. I will cut him down with a sword in his own land.”’”
19:8 When the chief adviser heard the king of Assyria had departed from Lachish, he left and went to Libnah, where the king was campaigning. 19:9 The king heard that King Tirhakah of Ethiopia was marching out to fight him. He again sent messengers to Hezekiah, ordering them: 19:10 “Tell King Hezekiah of Judah this: ‘Don’t let your God in whom you trust mislead you when he says, “Jerusalem will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.” 19:11 Certainly you have heard how the kings of Assyria have annihilated all lands. Do you really think you will be rescued? 19:12 Were the nations whom my ancestors destroyed – the nations of Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden in Telassar – rescued by their gods? 19:13 Where are the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, and the king of Lair, Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?’”
19:14 Hezekiah took the letter from the messengers and read it. Then Hezekiah went up to the Lord’s temple and spread it out before the Lord. 19:15 Hezekiah prayed before the Lord: “Lord God of Israel, who is enthroned on the cherubs! You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the sky and the earth. 19:16 Pay attention, Lord, and hear! Open your eyes, Lord, and observe! Listen to the message Sennacherib sent and how he taunts the living God! 19:17 It is true, Lord, that the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands. 19:18 They have burned the gods of the nations, for they are not really gods, but only the product of human hands manufactured from wood and stone. That is why the Assyrians could destroy them. 19:19 Now, O Lord our God, rescue us from his power, so that all the kingdoms of the earth will know that you, Lord, are the only God.”
19:20 Isaiah son of Amoz sent this message to Hezekiah: “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I have heard your prayer concerning King Sennacherib of Assyria. 19:21 This is what the Lord says about him:
“The virgin daughter Zion
despises you, she makes fun of you;
Daughter Jerusalem
shakes her head after you.
19:22 Whom have you taunted and hurled insults at?
At whom have you shouted,
and looked so arrogantly?
At the Holy One of Israel!
19:23 Through your messengers you taunted the sovereign master,
‘With my many chariots
I climbed up the high mountains,
the slopes of Lebanon.
I cut down its tall cedars,
and its best evergreens.
I invaded its most remote regions,
its thickest woods.
19:24 I dug wells and drank
water in foreign lands.
With the soles of my feet I dried up
all the rivers of Egypt.’
19:25 Certainly you must have heard!
Long ago I worked it out,
In ancient times I planned it;
and now I am bringing it to pass.
The plan is this:
Fortified cities will crash
into heaps of ruins.
19:26 Their residents are powerless,
they are terrified and ashamed.
They are as short-lived as plants in the field,
or green vegetation.
They are as short-lived as grass on the rooftops
when it is scorched by the east wind.
19:27 I know where you live,
and everything you do.
19:28 Because you rage against me,
and the uproar you create has reached my ears;
I will put my hook in your nose,
and my bridle between your lips,
and I will lead you back the way
you came.”
19:29 This will be your confirmation that I have spoken the truth: This year you will eat what grows wild, and next year what grows on its own from that. But in the third year you will plant seed and harvest crops; you will plant vines and consume their produce. 19:30 Those who remain in Judah will take root in the ground and bear fruit.
19:31 For a remnant will leave Jerusalem;
survivors will come out of Mount Zion.
The intense devotion of the sovereign Lord to his people will accomplish this.
19:32 So this is what the Lord says about the king of Assyria:
“He will not enter this city,
nor will he shoot an arrow here.
He will not attack it with his shield-carrying warriors,
nor will he build siege works against it.
19:33 He will go back the way he came.
He will not enter this city,” says the Lord.
19:34 I will shield this city and rescue it for the sake of my reputation and because of my promise to David my servant.’”
19:35 That very night the Lord’s messenger went out and killed 185,000 men in the Assyrian camp. When they got up early the next morning, there were all the corpses. 19:36 So King Sennacherib of Assyria broke camp and went on his way. He went home and stayed in Nineveh. 19:37 One day, as he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him down with the sword. They escaped to the land of Ararat; his son Esarhaddon replaced him as king.
Lord, it was always obvious what every king before him should have done, but only Hezekiah was obedient and teachable enough to do the right thing before You. May I look to Hezekiah as my role model – to do the right thing rather than the convenient or the ordinary. It is a dangerous thing indeed for a mere human king or his associates to mock the living an all-powerful God, Your patience with man is not without boundaries. May I be careful with my own words, and advise others to do so as well, because You deserve our respect.
Hezekiah was king of Judah for twenty-nine years. He was the only king, before or after, who fully-obeyed the Lord God. He not only led the people to obey by doing so himself, he removed the high places, he removed the Asherah pole, and he removed the bronze serpent which Moses had made and they had been misusing as a tool of false worship.
Israel had been decimated by the king of Assyria because they had refused to be faithful to the Lord God. The king of Assyria then threatened Jerusalem and the rest of what was left of Judah and Hezekiah attempted to placate him with silver and gold.
The Assyrians arrived with a huge army and challenged the people to rebel against Hezekiah, to recognize that they were helpless before them, and to surrender rather than resist and die. The priests and leaders whom Hezekiah had sent out to meet the Chief Advisor to the king of the Assyrians heard him insult the Lord God and they tore their clothes and reported back to Hezekiah. The people heard what he said but did not respond as Hezekiah has instructed them not to respond.
Hezekiah asked the prophet Isaiah to appeal to the Lord God for help and he replied that the Lord God intended to deal with the king of Assyria.
News came to the chief adviser to the king of Assyria that they were under attack from the king of Ethiopia and as he departed to support the king’s forces he sent additional insults and threats and ultimatums to Hezekiah.
Hezekiah brought his messages to the altar and asked the Lord God to defend them. Isaiah replied with a detailed message from the Lord which reminded Hezekiah of what He had done before and that He would now deal harshly with the Assyrians.
The angel of the Lord struck down 185,000 of King Sennacherib of Assyria’s troops as they slept and shortly after he returned home two of his sons murdered him as he offered sacrifices to a false god, then fled, and a third son took his place as king.
Hezekiah cleansed the temple and offered great national worship. He removed many of the altars to false gods and celebrated Passover – but later than scheduled as not enough Levites were ceremonially clean to lead. He also asked, and received the Lord God’s forgiveness for many who chose to celebrate, even though they were ceremonially unclean – God mercifully allow it as their hearts were inclined toward Him.
Hezekiah was the greatest and most-true king of God’s children because he fully obeyed. Hezekiah was wise, he not only did not respond to the insults he instructed the people to not do so either.
Hezekiah had offered tribute in order to keep the Assyrians from invading and trying to destroy Judah, deporting and enslaving the people, as they had Israel. Why would the Assyrians challenge the God of Hezekiah and demand their complete surrender when they could have received service and tribute from Judah as a subject-state?
Not only had the people engaged in the idolatry of false gods, they had turned symbols of the One True God from Moses (the bronze serpent, originally a tool of healing) into a tool of their false worship. Hezekiah recognized the threat but seemed equally upset about the insult to the Lord God as he was about the impending battle.
When have you experienced or observed things that were originally of God misused in empty ritual and/or superstitious ways? When have you felt threatened and appealed to the Lord God for protection?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you something in your faith tradition that has become more of an empty ritual and/or a superstitious ritual rather than a genuine expression of worship and to reveal to you a time in your life where you responded to a fearful situation by trusting Him and He responded to your faith with an effective intervention.
Today I will prayerfully examine my exercise of faith in praise and worship for things that have become less-genuine. It may be a prayer that has become more of a thoughtless chant than a genuine communication with the Lord God, it may be a worship style that appeals to my flesh more than lifting my spirit (extremes of the cultural comfort of ancient hymns, the exuberance of gospel songs, or the emotional energy of modern praise), it may be works that get in the way of worship, it may be an idolatry of religious celebrity or of a man-made denomination, it may be a cycle of confess – sin – confess - sin where repentance (turning away) never occurs, or some other place there the enemy has tricked me into an empty and false and powerless “religion”. I will share with a fellow believer, asking them for prayers in-agreement, and I will partner with the Holy Spirit to get right before the Lord God. I will share the story of God's mercy and protection with a fellow believer as an encouragement to them. We will share praise and worship together.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Psalm 135
135:1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord!
Offer praise, you servants of the Lord,
135:2 who serve in the Lord’s temple, in the courts of the temple of our God.
135:3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good!
Sing praises to his name, for it is pleasant!
135:4 Indeed, the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel to be his special possession.
135:5 Yes, I know the Lord is great, and our Lord is superior to all gods.
135:6 He does whatever he pleases in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all the ocean depths.
135:7 He causes the clouds to arise from the end of the earth, makes lightning bolts accompany the rain, and brings the wind out of his storehouses.
135:8 He struck down the firstborn of Egypt, including both men and animals.
135:9 He performed awesome deeds and acts of judgment in your midst, O Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants.
135:10 He defeated many nations, and killed mighty kings –
135:11 Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan.
135:12 He gave their land as an inheritance, as an inheritance to Israel his people.
135:13 O Lord, your name endures, your reputation, O Lord, lasts.
135:14 For the Lord vindicates his people, and has compassion on his servants.
135:15 The nations’ idols are made of silver and gold, they are man-made.
135:16 They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see,
135:17 and ears, but cannot hear. Indeed, they cannot breathe.
135:18 Those who make them will end up like them, as will everyone who trusts in them.
135:19 O family of Israel, praise the Lord!
O family of Aaron, praise the Lord!
135:20 O family of Levi, praise the Lord!
You loyal followers of the Lord, praise the Lord!
135:21 The Lord deserves praise in Zion – he who dwells in Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 46
46:1 For the music director; by the Korahites; according to the alamoth style; a song.
God is our strong refuge; he is truly our helper in times of trouble.
46:2 For this reason we do not fear when the earth shakes, and the mountains tumble into the depths of the sea,
46:3 when its waves crash and foam, and the mountains shake before the surging sea. (Selah)
46:4 The river’s channels bring joy to the city of God, the special, holy dwelling place of the sovereign One.
46:5 God lives within it, it cannot be moved. God rescues it at the break of dawn.
46:6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms are overthrown. God gives a shout, the earth dissolves.
46:7 The Lord who commands armies is on our side!
The God of Jacob is our protector! (Selah)
46:8 Come! Witness the exploits of the Lord, who brings devastation to the earth!
46:9 He brings an end to wars throughout the earth; he shatters the bow and breaks the spear; he burns the shields with fire.
46:10 He says, “Stop your striving and recognize that I am God!
I will be exalted over the nations! I will be exalted over the earth!”
46:11 The Lord who commands armies is on our side!
The God of Jacob is our protector! (Selah)
2 Kings
Hezekiah is Healed
20:1 In those days Hezekiah was stricken with a terminal illness. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz visited him and told him, “This is what the Lord says, ‘Give your household instructions, for you are about to die; you will not get well.’” 20:2 He turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 20:3 “Please, Lord. Remember how I have served you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion, and how I have carried out your will.” Then Hezekiah wept bitterly.
20:4 Isaiah was still in the middle courtyard when the Lord told him, 20:5 “Go back and tell Hezekiah, the leader of my people: ‘This is what the Lord God of your ancestor David says: “I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Look, I will heal you. The day after tomorrow you will go up to the Lord’s temple. 20:6 I will add fifteen years to your life and rescue you and this city from the king of Assyria. I will shield this city for the sake of my reputation and because of my promise to David my servant.”‘” 20:7 Isaiah ordered, “Get a fig cake.” So they did as he ordered and placed it on the ulcerated sore, and he recovered.
20:8 Hezekiah had said to Isaiah, “What is the confirming sign that the Lord will heal me and that I will go up to the Lord’s temple the day after tomorrow?” 20:9 Isaiah replied, “This is your sign from the Lord confirming that the Lord will do what he has said. Do you want the shadow to move ahead ten steps or to go back ten steps?” 20:10 Hezekiah answered, “It is easy for the shadow to lengthen ten steps, but not for it to go back ten steps.” 20:11 Isaiah the prophet called out to the Lord, and the Lord made the shadow go back ten steps on the stairs of Ahaz.
Messengers from Babylon Visit Hezekiah
20:12 At that time Merodach-Baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah, for he had heard that Hezekiah was ill. 20:13 Hezekiah welcomed them and showed them his whole storehouse, with its silver, gold, spices, and high quality olive oil, as well as his armory and everything in his treasuries. Hezekiah showed them everything in his palace and in his whole kingdom. 20:14 Isaiah the prophet visited King Hezekiah and asked him, “What did these men say? Where do they come from?” Hezekiah replied, “They come from the distant land of Babylon.” 20:15 Isaiah asked, “What have they seen in your palace?” Hezekiah replied, “They have seen everything in my palace. I showed them everything in my treasuries.” 20:16 Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Listen to the word of the Lord, 20:17 ‘Look, a time is coming when everything in your palace and the things your ancestors have accumulated to this day will be carried away to Babylon; nothing will be left,’ says the Lord. 20:18 ‘Some of your very own descendants whom you father will be taken away and will be made eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’” 20:19 Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The Lord’s word which you have announced is appropriate.” Then he added, “At least there will be peace and stability during my lifetime.”
20:20 The rest of the events of Hezekiah’s reign and all his accomplishments, including how he built a pool and conduit to bring water into the city, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 20:21 Hezekiah passed away and his son Manasseh replaced him as king.
2 Kings
Manasseh’s Reign over Judah
21:1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned for fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother was Hephzibah. 21:2 He did evil in the sight of the Lord and committed the same horrible sins practiced by the nations whom the Lord drove out from before the Israelites. 21:3 He rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he set up altars for Baal and made an Asherah pole just like King Ahab of Israel had done. He bowed down to all the stars in the sky and worshiped them. 21:4 He built altars in the Lord’s temple, about which the Lord had said, “Jerusalem will be my home.” 21:5 In the two courtyards of the Lord’s temple he built altars for all the stars in the sky. 21:6 He passed his son through the fire and practiced divination and omen reading. He set up a ritual pit to conjure up underworld spirits, and appointed magicians to supervise it. He did a great amount of evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger. 21:7 He put an idol of Asherah he had made in the temple, about which the Lord had said to David and to his son Solomon, “This temple in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, will be my permanent home. 21:8 I will not make Israel again leave the land I gave to their ancestors, provided that they carefully obey all I commanded them, the whole law my servant Moses ordered them to obey.” 21:9 But they did not obey, and Manasseh misled them so that they sinned more than the nations whom the Lord had destroyed from before the Israelites.
21:10 So the Lord announced through his servants the prophets: 21:11 “King Manasseh of Judah has committed horrible sins. He has sinned more than the Amorites before him and has encouraged Judah to sin by worshiping his disgusting idols. 21:12 So this is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘I am about to bring disaster on Jerusalem and Judah. The news will reverberate in the ears of those who hear about it. 21:13 I will destroy Jerusalem the same way I did Samaria and the dynasty of Ahab. I will wipe Jerusalem clean, just as one wipes a plate on both sides. 21:14 I will abandon this last remaining tribe among my people and hand them over to their enemies; they will be plundered and robbed by all their enemies, 21:15 because they have done evil in my sight and have angered me from the time their ancestors left Egypt right up to this very day!’”
21:16 Furthermore Manasseh killed so many innocent people, he stained Jerusalem with their blood from end to end, in addition to encouraging Judah to sin by doing evil in the sight of the Lord.
21:17 The rest of the events of Manasseh’s reign and all his accomplishments, as well as the sinful acts he committed, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 21:18 Manasseh passed away and was buried in his palace garden, the garden of Uzzah, and his son Amon replaced him as king.
Amon’s Reign over Judah
21:19 Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned for two years in Jerusalem. His mother was Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz, from Jotbah. 21:20 He did evil in the sight of the Lord, just like his father Manasseh had done. 21:21 He followed in the footsteps of his father and worshiped and bowed down to the disgusting idols which his father had worshiped. 21:22 He abandoned the Lord God of his ancestors and did not follow the Lord’s instructions. 21:23 Amon’s servants conspired against him and killed the king in his palace. 21:24 The people of the land executed all those who had conspired against King Amon, and they made his son Josiah king in his place.
21:25 The rest of Amon’s accomplishments are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 21:26 He was buried in his tomb in the garden of Uzzah, and his son Josiah replaced him as king.
2 Chronicles
Manasseh’s Reign
33:1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned for fifty-five years in Jerusalem. 33:2 He did evil in the sight of the Lord and committed the same horrible sins practiced by the nations whom the Lord drove out ahead of the Israelites. 33:3 He rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he set up altars for the Baals and made Asherah poles. He bowed down to all the stars in the sky and worshiped them. 33:4 He built altars in the Lord’s temple, about which the Lord had said, “Jerusalem will be my permanent home.” 33:5 In the two courtyards of the Lord’s temple he built altars for all the stars in the sky. 33:6 He passed his sons through the fire in the Valley of Ben-Hinnom and practiced divination, omen reading, and sorcery. He set up a ritual pit to conjure up underworld spirits and appointed magicians to supervise it. He did a great amount of evil in the sight of the Lord and angered him. 33:7 He put an idolatrous image he had made in God’s temple, about which God had said to David and to his son Solomon, “This temple in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, will be my permanent home. 33:8 I will not make Israel again leave the land I gave to their ancestors, provided that they carefully obey all I commanded them, the whole law, the rules and regulations given to Moses.” 33:9 But Manasseh misled the people of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem so that they sinned more than the nations whom the Lord had destroyed ahead of the Israelites.
33:10 The Lord confronted Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. 33:11 So the Lord brought against them the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria. They seized Manasseh, put hooks in his nose, bound him with bronze chains, and carried him away to Babylon. 33:12 In his pain Manasseh asked the Lord his God for mercy and truly humbled himself before the God of his ancestors. 33:13 When he prayed to the Lord, the Lord responded to him and answered favorably his cry for mercy. The Lord brought him back to Jerusalem to his kingdom. Then Manasseh realized that the Lord is the true God.
33:14 After this Manasseh built up the outer wall of the City of David on the west side of the Gihon in the valley to the entrance of the Fish Gate and all around the terrace; he made it much higher. He placed army officers in all the fortified cities in Judah.
33:15 He removed the foreign gods and images from the Lord’s temple and all the altars he had built on the hill of the Lord’s temple and in Jerusalem; he threw them outside the city. 33:16 He erected the altar of the Lord and offered on it peace offerings and thank offerings. He told the people of Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel. 33:17 The people continued to offer sacrifices at the high places, but only to the Lord their God.
33:18 The rest of the events of Manasseh’s reign, including his prayer to his God and the words the prophets spoke to him in the name of the Lord God of Israel, are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 33:19 The Annals of the Prophets include his prayer, give an account of how the Lord responded to it, record all his sins and unfaithful acts, and identify the sites where he built high places and erected Asherah poles and idols before he humbled himself. 33:20 Manasseh passed away and was buried in his palace. His son Amon replaced him as king.
Amon’s Reign
33:21 Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned for two years in Jerusalem. 33:22 He did evil in the sight of the Lord, just like his father Manasseh had done. He offered sacrifices to all the idols his father Manasseh had made, and worshiped them. 33:23 He did not humble himself before the Lord as his father Manasseh had done. Amon was guilty of great sin. 33:24 His servants conspired against him and killed him in his palace. 33:25 The people of the land executed all who had conspired against King Amon, and they made his son Josiah king in his place.
Psalms 80
80:1 For the music director; according to the shushan-eduth style; a psalm of Asaph.
O shepherd of Israel, pay attention, you who lead Joseph like a flock of sheep!
You who sit enthroned above the winged angels, reveal your splendor!
80:2 In the sight of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh reveal your power!
Come and deliver us!
80:3 O God, restore us!
Smile on us! Then we will be delivered!
80:4 O Lord God, invincible warrior!
How long will you remain angry at your people while they pray to you?
80:5 You have given them tears as food; you have made them drink tears by the measure.
80:6 You have made our neighbors dislike us, and our enemies insult us.
80:7 O God, invincible warrior, restore us!
Smile on us! Then we will be delivered!
80:8 You uprooted a vine from Egypt; you drove out nations and transplanted it.
80:9 You cleared the ground for it; it took root, and filled the land.
80:10 The mountains were covered by its shadow, the highest cedars by its branches.
80:11 Its branches reached the Mediterranean Sea, and its shoots the Euphrates River.
80:12 Why did you break down its walls, so that all who pass by pluck its fruit?
80:13 The wild boars of the forest ruin it; the insects of the field feed on it.
80:14 O God, invincible warrior, come back!
Look down from heaven and take notice!
Take care of this vine,
80:15 the root your right hand planted, the shoot you made to grow!
80:16 It is burned and cut down. They die because you are displeased with them.
80:17 May you give support to the one you have chosen, to the one whom you raised up for yourself!
80:18 Then we will not turn away from you.
Revive us and we will pray to you!
80:19 O Lord God, invincible warrior, restore us!
Smile on us! Then we will be delivered!
Lord, sometimes when we cling to the things of this world You allow us to have them, but the consequences are often bad. May I cling only to the things which You give, and invest every day I have in this world to serve You.
Psalm 135 was praise with wisdom “The nations’ idols are made of silver and gold, they are man-made. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see, and ears, but cannot hear. Indeed, they cannot breathe. Those who make them will end up like them, as will everyone who trusts in them.” The author was not identified in the text.
The forty-sixth Psalm is a wisdom-song which reviewed the protection and provision of the Lord God.
Hezekiah was dying from a disease and cried out to the Lord for healing because he had been a very faithful king.
Isaiah informed him that the Lord would give him fifteen more years and had him apply a fig cake to his ulcerated sore as the means of healing.
Visitors came from Babylon with gifts as they had heard he was ill. He showed them all of the riches of his kingdom.
Isaiah confronted him, asking who visited and what he showed them, when informed what the king had arrogantly and foolishly done, he prophesied that all he had shown the foreigners would be taken away by them along with his descendants.
Hezekiah agreed that the prophesy was a righteous consequence of his actions but expressed thanks that the Lord would not cause him to live to see it implemented.
Manasseh ruled Judah for fifty-five years and reversed all of the good that his father Hezekiah had done. He restored all of the prior places and rituals and symbols of the false gods and added more.
The Lord God declared “I will wipe Jerusalem clean … I will abandon this last remaining tribe among my people … they ... have angered me from the time their ancestors left Egypt right up to this very day!”
Manasseh died and his son Amnon followed in his evil ways for two years until he was murdered. His killers were executed and his son Josiah became king.
Asaph’s Psalm, numbered eighty, petitioned the Lord God as the “invincible warrior”.
While Hezekiah had been the most faithful king in the history of the Israelites, unlike the prophets, he valued his earthly existence too greatly. There is an implicit principle, beyond the power of the king's bad choices to bring harm upon the nation, that the people are culpable for that (because they demanded a human king “like the nations around them”), and because they did not refuse to participate in his urging of them to do evil before the Lord God.
Why would Hezekiah have been so foolish as to show all of the riches of the kingdom to strangers from another nation? Why would Manasseh behave so irrationally and venally given the blessings of God for his father's early faithfulness?
The foolishness of Hezekiah, flowing from his obsession with the false value of worldly things, resulted in tragedy for his people. Had Hezekiah set his son and grandson up to fail because of his foolishness? They were, of course, responsible for their own choices – the Lord God had shown a willingness to withdrawn plans to punish when presented with a faithful and repentant person.
When have you observed a Christian clinging to life as if they didn’t really trust the Lord God for their eternity?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you may be boasting about, or otherwise sharing, information about yourself or others, or that which involves others, which you should no and/or a place where choices you are making may be creating problems for others.
Today I will humbly accept the chastising of the Holy Spirit and intentionally refrain from boasting or inappropriately disclosing personal and/or private information to those who have no legitimate need to know. If I have a need to share I will do so with those whom the Lord God has brought into my intimate circle of Christian friends. If I lack such friends I will pray and seek to develop them – because a Christian is not expected to walk through this world alone. I will prayerfully listen closely for the prompting of the Holy Spirit. When I discover how I may be a poor witness and/or somehow creating an environment of compromise I will confess, accept forgiveness, repent, and be restored by the Lord God. It may be a poor role model to a child, friend, or other associate, or it may be choices I am making to tolerate something I should not which allows evil to enter or flourish when it need not have been – but whatever it is I will purge it – both for the sake of my right-standing before the Lord and for the sake of others.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Lord Returns to Jerusalem
40:1 “Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God.
40:2 “Speak kindly to Jerusalem, and tell her that her time of warfare is over, that her punishment is completed. For the Lord has made her pay double for all her sins.”
40:3 A voice cries out, “In the wilderness clear a way for the Lord; construct in the desert a road for our God.
40:4 Every valley must be elevated, and every mountain and hill leveled. The rough terrain will become a level plain, the rugged landscape a wide valley.
40:5 The splendor of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it at the same time. For the Lord has decreed it.”
40:6 A voice says, “Cry out!” Another asks, “What should I cry out?” The first voice responds: “All people are like grass, and all their promises are like the flowers in the field.
40:7 The grass dries up, the flowers wither, when the wind sent by the Lord blows on them. Surely humanity is like grass.
40:8 The grass dries up, the flowers wither, but the decree of our God is forever reliable.”
40:9 Go up on a high mountain, O herald Zion! Shout out loudly, O herald Jerusalem! Shout, don’t be afraid! Say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!”
40:10 Look, the sovereign Lord comes as a victorious warrior; his military power establishes his rule. Look, his reward is with him; his prize goes before him.
40:11 Like a shepherd he tends his flock; he gathers up the lambs with his arm; he carries them close to his heart; he leads the ewes along.
The Lord is Incomparable
40:12 Who has measured out the waters in the hollow of his hand, or carefully measured the sky, or carefully weighed the soil of the earth, or weighed the mountains in a balance, or the hills on scales?
40:13 Who comprehends the mind of the Lord, or gives him instruction as his counselor?
40:14 From whom does he receive directions? Who teaches him the correct way to do things, or imparts knowledge to him, or instructs him in skillful design?
40:15 Look, the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales. He lifts the coastlands as if they were dust.
40:16 Not even Lebanon could supply enough firewood for a sacrifice; its wild animals would not provide enough burnt offerings.
40:17 All the nations are insignificant before him; they are regarded as absolutely nothing.
40:18 To whom can you compare God? To what image can you liken him?
40:19 A craftsman casts an idol; a metalsmith overlays it with gold and forges silver chains for it.
40:20 To make a contribution one selects wood that will not rot; he then seeks a skilled craftsman to make an idol that will not fall over.
40:21 Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told to you since the very beginning? Have you not understood from the time the earth’s foundations were made?
40:22 He is the one who sits on the earth’s horizon; its inhabitants are like grasshoppers before him. He is the one who stretches out the sky like a thin curtain, and spreads it out like a pitched tent.
40:23 He is the one who reduces rulers to nothing; he makes the earth’s leaders insignificant.
40:24 Indeed, they are barely planted; yes, they are barely sown; yes, they barely take root in the earth, and then he blows on them, causing them to dry up, and the wind carries them away like straw.
40:25 “To whom can you compare me? Whom do I resemble?” says the Holy One.
40:26 Look up at the sky! Who created all these heavenly lights? He is the one who leads out their ranks; he calls them all by name. Because of his absolute power and awesome strength, not one of them is missing.
40:27 Why do you say, Jacob, Why do you say, Israel, “The Lord is not aware of what is happening to me, My God is not concerned with my vindication”?
40:28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is an eternal God, the creator of the whole earth. He does not get tired or weary; there is no limit to his wisdom.
40:29 He gives strength to those who are tired; to the ones who lack power, he gives renewed energy.
40:30 Even youths get tired and weary; even strong young men clumsily stumble.
40:31 But those who wait for the Lord’s help find renewed strength; they rise up as if they had eagles’ wings, they run without growing weary, they walk without getting tired.
The Lord Challenges the Nations
41:1 “Listen to me in silence, you coastlands! Let the nations find renewed strength! Let them approach and then speak; let us come together for debate!
41:2 Who stirs up this one from the east? Who officially commissions him for service? He hands nations over to him, and enables him to subdue kings. He makes them like dust with his sword, like windblown straw with his bow.
41:3 He pursues them and passes by unharmed; he advances with great speed.
41:4 Who acts and carries out decrees? Who summons the successive generations from the beginning? I, the Lord, am present at the very beginning, and at the very end – I am the one.
41:5 The coastlands see and are afraid; the whole earth trembles; they approach and come.
41:6 They help one another; one says to the other, ‘Be strong!’
41:7 The craftsman encourages the metalsmith, the one who wields the hammer encourages the one who pounds on the anvil. He approves the quality of the welding, and nails it down so it won’t fall over.”
The Lord Encourages His People
41:8 “You, my servant Israel, Jacob whom I have chosen, offspring of Abraham my friend,
41:9 you whom I am bringing back from the earth’s extremities, and have summoned from the remote regions – I told you, “You are my servant.” I have chosen you and not rejected you.
41:10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you! Don’t be frightened, for I am your God! I strengthen you – yes, I help you – yes, I uphold you with my saving right hand!
41:11 Look, all who were angry at you will be ashamed and humiliated; your adversaries will be reduced to nothing and perish.
41:12 When you will look for your opponents, you will not find them; your enemies will be reduced to absolutely nothing.
41:13 For I am the Lord your God, the one who takes hold of your right hand, who says to you, ‘Don’t be afraid, I am helping you.’
41:14 Don’t be afraid, despised insignificant Jacob, men of Israel. I am helping you,” says the Lord, your protector, the Holy One of Israel.
41:15 “Look, I am making you like a sharp threshing sledge, new and double-edged. You will thresh the mountains and crush them; you will make the hills like straw.
41:16 You will winnow them and the wind will blow them away; the wind will scatter them. You will rejoice in the Lord; you will boast in the Holy One of Israel.
41:17 The oppressed and the poor look for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched from thirst. I, the Lord, will respond to their prayers; I, the God of Israel, will not abandon them.
41:18 I will make streams flow down the slopes and produce springs in the middle of the valleys. I will turn the desert into a pool of water and the arid land into springs.
41:19 I will make cedars, acacias, myrtles, and olive trees grow in the wilderness; I will make evergreens, firs, and cypresses grow together in the desert.
41:20 I will do this so people will observe and recognize, so they will pay attention and understand that the Lord’s power has accomplished this, and that the Holy One of Israel has brought it into being.”
The Lord Challenges the Pagan Gods
41:21 “Present your argument,” says the Lord. “Produce your evidence,” says Jacob’s king.
41:22 “Let them produce evidence! Let them tell us what will happen! Tell us about your earlier predictive oracles, so we may examine them and see how they were fulfilled. Or decree for us some future events!
41:23 Predict how future events will turn out, so we might know you are gods. Yes, do something good or bad, so we might be frightened and in awe.
41:24 Look, you are nothing, and your accomplishments are nonexistent; the one who chooses to worship you is disgusting.
41:25 I have stirred up one out of the north and he advances, one from the eastern horizon who prays in my name. He steps on rulers as if they were clay, like a potter treading the clay.
41:26 Who decreed this from the beginning, so we could know? Who announced it ahead of time, so we could say, ‘He’s correct’? Indeed, none of them decreed it! Indeed, none of them announced it! Indeed, no one heard you say anything!
41:27 I first decreed to Zion, ‘Look, here’s what will happen!’ I sent a herald to Jerusalem.
41:28 I look, but there is no one, among them there is no one who serves as an adviser, that I might ask questions and receive answers.
41:29 Look, all of them are nothing, their accomplishments are nonexistent; their metal images lack any real substance.
Lord, You assure us that You will one day return and make things right. May I praise You daily and rest in the certainty that my eternity is safe in Your hands. You are omnipotent and holy, and You are perfectly and righteously disgusted with false gods and those who follow them – as they are the inventions of Satan. May I be careful to avoid anything like an idol or a superstition or that otherwise displaces You in my life.
Isaiah continued the prophesy of the final return of the Lord as He redeems those who are His.
He used the phrase “Look, the sovereign Lord comes as a victorious warrior; his military power establishes his rule ...” which may have been what some religious leaders later misunderstood as defining the nature of the Messiah.
Isaiah shared a series of declarations about the exceptional characteristics of the Lord God, summarizing “To whom can you compare God? To what image can you liken him?”
He observed the foolish thinking even of the fathers of the faith “Why do you say, Jacob, Why do you say, Israel, “The Lord is not aware of what is happening to me, My God is not concerned with my vindication”?”
Isaiah lifted praise for the mercy and provision of the Lord God to His children “But those who wait for the Lord’s help find renewed strength; they rise up as if they had eagles’ wings, they run without growing weary, they walk without getting tired.”
Isaiah shared the Lord God’s challenge to the nations to recognize that it was He who allowed, and even summoned, them to rise and fall “Who acts and carries out decrees? Who summons the successive generations from the beginning? I, the Lord, am present at the very beginning, and at the very end – I am the one.”
He then shared what the Lord God said about how He would gather His people together, empower them to remove all of their enemies, and provide for them all that they needed. And again, it would draw people’s attention to Him “I will do this so people will observe and recognize, so they will pay attention and understand that the Lord’s power has accomplished this, and that the Holy One of Israel has brought it into being.”
Isaiah, continuing His service to the Lord, then rhetorically-challenged the false gods to display their histories of accurate fore-telling prophesy, or to make some new one right then and there. Then summarizing, said “Look, you are nothing, and your accomplishments are nonexistent; the one who chooses to worship you is disgusting.”
There is no doubt whatsoever that the Lord God will one day return and restore the earth to pre-Fall conditions, but without any possibility for sin ever again. The nations, even rebellious Israel, often forgot the all-powerful Lord God and pridefully imagined that they were purely the makers of their own destiny – when it had often been obvious that the hand of God was upon history.
Why would Jacob or Israel (speaking rhetorically of them and their descendants) not have known better than to doubt the presence and caring-awareness of the Lord God? What is the value of causing people to recognize both the nature and involvement of the Lord God?
When one reviews the amazing characteristics of the Lord God one is struck with awe. Ridiculing the false gods, and those who followed them, was a powerful way to illustrate their powerlessness and absence of positive value.
When have you been exhausted emotionally and/or spiritually and the Lord God breathed new strength into you? When have you experienced an event which caused you to pause and to recognize the Lord’s hand in things?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where He has, or He is, or He is going to bless you with “... renewed strength … to run without growing weary ... walk without getting tired.” and to reveal to you someone He wants you to pray for, and perhaps to evangelize/disciple, who is looking to a false idol instead of the One True Lord God.
Today I will praise the Lord and share my awe and love and trust with a fellow believer. I will faithfully pray, and as He leads, personally-connect with the one to whom He has led me. As is appropriate I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement with me.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
42:1 The Lord Commissions His Special Servant
“Here is my servant whom I support, my chosen one in whom I take pleasure. I have placed my spirit on him; he will make just decrees for the nations.
42:2 He will not cry out or shout; he will not publicize himself in the streets.
42:3 A crushed reed he will not break, a dim wick he will not extinguish; he will faithfully make just decrees.
42:4 He will not grow dim or be crushed before establishing justice on the earth; the coastlands will wait in anticipation for his decrees.”
42:5 This is what the true God, the Lord, says – the one who created the sky and stretched it out, the one who fashioned the earth and everything that lives on it, the one who gives breath to the people on it, and life to those who live on it:
42:6 “I, the Lord, officially commission you; I take hold of your hand. I protect you and make you a covenant mediator for people, and a light to the nations,
42:7 to open blind eyes, to release prisoners from dungeons, those who live in darkness from prisons.
The Lord Intervenes
42:8 I am the Lord! That is my name! I will not share my glory with anyone else, or the praise due me with idols.
42:9 Look, my earlier predictive oracles have come to pass; now I announce new events. Before they begin to occur, I reveal them to you.”
42:10 Sing to the Lord a brand new song! Praise him from the horizon of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and everything that lives in it, you coastlands and those who live there!
42:11 Let the desert and its cities shout out, the towns where the nomads of Kedar live! Let the residents of Sela shout joyfully; let them shout loudly from the mountaintops.
42:12 Let them give the Lord the honor he deserves; let them praise his deeds in the coastlands.
42:13 The Lord emerges like a hero, like a warrior he inspires himself for battle; he shouts, yes, he yells, he shows his enemies his power.
42:14 “I have been inactive for a long time; I kept quiet and held back. Like a woman in labor I groan; I pant and gasp.
42:15 I will make the trees on the mountains and hills wither up; I will dry up all their vegetation. I will turn streams into islands, and dry up pools of water.
42:16 I will lead the blind along an unfamiliar way; I will guide them down paths they have never traveled. I will turn the darkness in front of them into light, and level out the rough ground. This is what I will do for them. I will not abandon them.
42:17 Those who trust in idols will turn back and be utterly humiliated, those who say to metal images, ‘You are our gods.’”
The Lord Reasons with His People
42:18 “Listen, you deaf ones! Take notice, you blind ones!
42:19 My servant is truly blind, my messenger is truly deaf. My covenant partner, the servant of the Lord, is truly blind.
42:20 You see many things, but don’t comprehend; their ears are open, but do not hear.”
42:21 The Lord wanted to exhibit his justice by magnifying his law and displaying it.
42:22 But these people are looted and plundered; all of them are trapped in pits and held captive in prisons. They were carried away as loot with no one to rescue them; they were carried away as plunder, and no one says, “Bring that back!”
42:23 Who among you will pay attention to this? Who will listen attentively in the future?
42:24 Who handed Jacob over to the robber? Who handed Israel over to the looters? Was it not the Lord, against whom we sinned? They refused to follow his commands; they disobeyed his law.
42:25 So he poured out his fierce anger on them, along with the devastation of war. Its flames encircled them, but they did not realize it; it burned against them, but they did notice.
The Lord Will Rescue His People
43:1 Now, this is what the Lord says, the one who created you, O Jacob, and formed you, O Israel: “Don’t be afraid, for I will protect you. I call you by name, you are mine.
43:2 When you pass through the waters, I am with you; when you pass through the streams, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not harm you.
43:3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your deliverer. I have handed over Egypt as a ransom price, Ethiopia and Seba in place of you.
43:4 Since you are precious and special in my sight, and I love you, I will hand over people in place of you, nations in place of your life.
43:5 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. From the east I will bring your descendants; from the west I will gather you.
43:6 I will say to the north, ‘Hand them over!’ and to the south, ‘Don’t hold any back!’ Bring my sons from distant lands, and my daughters from the remote regions of the earth,
43:7 everyone who belongs to me, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed – yes, whom I made!
The Lord Declares His Sovereignty
43:8 Bring out the people who are blind, even though they have eyes, those who are deaf, even though they have ears!
43:9 All nations gather together, the peoples assemble. Who among them announced this? Who predicted earlier events for us? Let them produce their witnesses to testify they were right; let them listen and affirm, ‘It is true.’
43:10 You are my witnesses,” says the Lord, “my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may consider and believe in me, and understand that I am he. No god was formed before me, and none will outlive me.
43:11 I, I am the Lord, and there is no deliverer besides me.
43:12 I decreed and delivered and proclaimed, and there was no other god among you. You are my witnesses,” says the Lord, “that I am God.
43:13 From this day forward I am he; no one can deliver from my power; I will act, and who can prevent it?”
The Lord Will Do Something New
43:14 This is what the Lord says, your protector, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sake I send to Babylon and make them all fugitives, turning the Babylonians’ joyful shouts into mourning songs.
43:15 I am the Lord, your Holy One, the one who created Israel, your king.”
43:16 This is what the Lord says, the one who made a road through the sea, a pathway through the surging waters,
43:17 the one who led chariots and horses to destruction, together with a mighty army. They fell down, never to rise again; they were extinguished, put out like a burning wick:
43:18 “Don’t remember these earlier events; don’t recall these former events.
43:19 “Look, I am about to do something new. Now it begins to happen! Do you not recognize it? Yes, I will make a road in the desert and paths in the wilderness.
43:20 The wild animals of the desert honor me, the jackals and ostriches, because I put water in the desert and streams in the wilderness, to quench the thirst of my chosen people,
43:21 the people whom I formed for myself, so they might praise me.”
The Lord Rebukes His People
43:22 “But you did not call for me, O Jacob; you did not long for me, O Israel.
43:23 You did not bring me lambs for your burnt offerings; you did not honor me with your sacrifices. I did not burden you with offerings; I did not make you weary by demanding incense.
43:24 You did not buy me aromatic reeds; you did not present to me the fat of your sacrifices. Yet you burdened me with your sins; you made me weary with your evil deeds.
43:25 I, I am the one who blots out your rebellious deeds for my sake; your sins I do not remember.
43:26 Remind me of what happened! Let’s debate! You, prove to me that you are right!
43:27 The father of your nation sinned; your spokesmen rebelled against me.
43:28 So I defiled your holy princes, and handed Jacob over to destruction, and subjected Israel to humiliating abuse.”
The Lord Will Renew Israel
44:1 “Now, listen, Jacob my servant, Israel whom I have chosen!”
44:2 This is what the Lord, the one who made you, says – the one who formed you in the womb and helps you: “Don’t be afraid, my servant Jacob, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen!
44:3 For I will pour water on the parched ground and cause streams to flow on the dry land. I will pour my spirit on your offspring and my blessing on your children.
44:4 They will sprout up like a tree in the grass, like poplars beside channels of water.
44:5 One will say, ‘I belong to the Lord,’ and another will use the name ‘Jacob.’ One will write on his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’ and use the name ‘Israel.’”
The Absurdity of Idolatry
44:6 This is what the Lord, Israel’s king, says, their protector, the Lord who commands armies: “I am the first and I am the last, there is no God but me.
44:7 Who is like me? Let him make his claim! Let him announce it and explain it to me – since I established an ancient people – let them announce future events!
44:8 Don’t panic! Don’t be afraid! Did I not tell you beforehand and decree it? You are my witnesses! Is there any God but me? There is no other sheltering rock; I know of none.
44:9 All who form idols are nothing; the things in which they delight are worthless. Their witnesses cannot see; they recognize nothing, so they are put to shame.
44:10 Who forms a god and casts an idol that will prove worthless?
44:11 Look, all his associates will be put to shame; the craftsmen are mere humans. Let them all assemble and take their stand! They will panic and be put to shame.
44:12 A blacksmith works with his tool and forges metal over the coals. He forms it with hammers; he makes it with his strong arm. He gets hungry and loses his energy; he drinks no water and gets tired.
44:13 A carpenter takes measurements; he marks out an outline of its form; he scrapes it with chisels, and marks it with a compass. He patterns it after the human form, like a well-built human being, and puts it in a shrine.
44:14 He cuts down cedars and acquires a cypress or an oak. He gets trees from the forest; he plants a cedar and the rain makes it grow.
44:15 A man uses it to make a fire; he takes some of it and warms himself. Yes, he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Then he makes a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it.
44:16 Half of it he burns in the fire – over that half he cooks meat; he roasts a meal and fills himself. Yes, he warms himself and says, ‘Ah! I am warm as I look at the fire.’
44:17 With the rest of it he makes a god, his idol; he bows down to it and worships it. He prays to it, saying, ‘Rescue me, for you are my god!’
44:18 They do not comprehend or understand, for their eyes are blind and cannot see; their minds do not discern.
44:19 No one thinks to himself, nor do they comprehend or understand and say to themselves: ‘I burned half of it in the fire – yes, I baked bread over the coals; I roasted meat and ate it. With the rest of it should I make a disgusting idol? Should I bow down to dry wood?’
44:20 He feeds on ashes; his deceived mind misleads him. He cannot rescue himself, nor does he say, ‘Is this not a false god I hold in my right hand?’
44:21 Remember these things, O Jacob, O Israel, for you are my servant. I formed you to be my servant; O Israel, I will not forget you!
44:22 I remove the guilt of your rebellious deeds as if they were a cloud, the guilt of your sins as if they were a cloud. Come back to me, for I protect you.”
44:23 Shout for joy, O sky, for the Lord intervenes; shout out, you subterranean regions of the earth. O mountains, give a joyful shout; you too, O forest and all your trees! For the Lord protects Jacob; he reveals his splendor through Israel.
The Lord Empowers Cyrus
44:24 This is what the Lord, your protector, says, the one who formed you in the womb: “I am the Lord, who made everything, who alone stretched out the sky, who fashioned the earth all by myself,
44:25 who frustrates the omens of the empty talkers and humiliates the omen readers, who overturns the counsel of the wise men and makes their advice seem foolish,
44:26 who fulfills the oracles of his prophetic servants and brings to pass the announcements of his messengers, who says about Jerusalem, ‘She will be inhabited,’ and about the towns of Judah, ‘They will be rebuilt, her ruins I will raise up,’
44:27 who says to the deep sea, ‘Be dry! I will dry up your sea currents,’
44:28 who commissions Cyrus, the one I appointed as shepherd to carry out all my wishes and to decree concerning Jerusalem, ‘She will be rebuilt,’ and concerning the temple, ‘It will be reconstructed.’”
45:1 This is what the Lord says to his chosen one, to Cyrus, whose right hand I hold in order to subdue nations before him, and disarm kings, to open doors before him, so gates remain unclosed:
45:2 “I will go before you and level mountains. Bronze doors I will shatter and iron bars I will hack through.
45:3 I will give you hidden treasures, riches stashed away in secret places, so you may recognize that I am the Lord, the one who calls you by name, the God of Israel.
45:4 For the sake of my servant Jacob, Israel, my chosen one, I call you by name and give you a title of respect, even though you do not recognize me.
45:5 I am the Lord, I have no peer, there is no God but me. I arm you for battle, even though you do not recognize me.
45:6 I do this so people will recognize from east to west that there is no God but me; I am the Lord, I have no peer.
45:7 I am the one who forms light and creates darkness; the one who brings about peace and creates calamity. I am the Lord, who accomplishes all these things.
45:8 O sky, rain down from above! Let the clouds send down showers of deliverance! Let the earth absorb it so salvation may grow, and deliverance may sprout up along with it. I, the Lord, create it.
The Lord Gives a Warning
45:9 One who argues with his creator is in grave danger, one who is like a mere shard among the other shards on the ground! The clay should not say to the potter, “What in the world are you doing? Your work lacks skill!”
45:10 Danger awaits one who says to his father, “What in the world are you fathering?” and to his mother, “What in the world are you bringing forth?”
45:11 This is what the Lord says, the Holy One of Israel, the one who formed him, concerning things to come: “How dare you question me about my children! How dare you tell me what to do with the work of my own hands!
45:12 I made the earth, I created the people who live on it. It was me – my hands stretched out the sky, I give orders to all the heavenly lights.
45:13 It is me – I stir him up and commission him; I will make all his ways level. He will rebuild my city; he will send my exiled people home, but not for a price or a bribe,” says the Lord who commands armies.
The Lord is the Nations’ Only Hope
45:14 This is what the Lord says: “The profit of Egypt and the revenue of Ethiopia, along with the Sabeans, those tall men, will be brought to you and become yours. They will walk behind you, coming along in chains. They will bow down to you and pray to you: ‘Truly God is with you; he has no peer; there is no other God!’”
45:15 Yes, you are a God who keeps hidden, O God of Israel, deliverer!
45:16 They will all be ashamed and embarrassed; those who fashion idols will all be humiliated.
45:17 Israel will be delivered once and for all by t he Lord; you will never again be ashamed or humiliated.
45:18 For this is what the Lord says, the one who created the sky – he is the true God, the one who formed the earth and made it; he established it, he did not create it without order, he formed it to be inhabited – “I am the Lord, I have no peer.
45:19 I have not spoken in secret, in some hidden place. I did not tell Jacob’s descendants, ‘Seek me in vain!’ I am the Lord, the one who speaks honestly, who makes reliable announcements.
45:20 Gather together and come! Approach together, you refugees from the nations! Those who carry wooden idols know nothing, those who pray to a god that cannot deliver.
45:21 Tell me! Present the evidence! Let them consult with one another! Who predicted this in the past? Who announced it beforehand? Was it not I, the Lord? I have no peer, there is no God but me, a God who vindicates and delivers; there is none but me.
45:22 Turn to me so you can be delivered, all you who live in the earth’s remote regions! For I am God, and I have no peer.
45:23 I solemnly make this oath – what I say is true and reliable: ‘Surely every knee will bow to me, every tongue will solemnly affirm;
45:24 they will say about me, “Yes, the Lord is a powerful deliverer.”‘” All who are angry at him will cower before him.
45:25 All the descendants of Israel will be vindicated by the Lord and will boast in him.
The Lord Carries His People
46:1 Bel kneels down, Nebo bends low. Their images weigh down animals and beasts. Your heavy images are burdensome to tired animals.
46:2 Together they bend low and kneel down; they are unable to rescue the images; they themselves head off into captivity.
46:3 “Listen to me, O family of Jacob, all you who are left from the family of Israel, you who have been carried from birth, you who have been supported from the time you left the womb.
46:4 Even when you are old, I will take care of you, even when you have gray hair, I will carry you. I made you and I will support you; I will carry you and rescue you.
46:5 To whom can you compare and liken me? Tell me whom you think I resemble, so we can be compared!
46:6 Those who empty out gold from a purse and weigh out silver on the scale hire a metalsmith, who makes it into a god. They then bow down and worship it.
46:7 They put it on their shoulder and carry it; they put it in its place and it just stands there; it does not move from its place. Even when someone cries out to it, it does not reply; it does not deliver him from his distress.
46:8 Remember this, so you can be brave! Think about it, you rebels!
46:9 Remember what I accomplished in antiquity! Truly I am God, I have no peer; I am God, and there is none like me,
46:10 who announces the end from the beginning and reveals beforehand what has not yet occurred, who says, ‘My plan will be realized, I will accomplish what I desire,’
46:11 who summons an eagle from the east, from a distant land, one who carries out my plan. Yes, I have decreed, yes, I will bring it to pass; I have formulated a plan, yes, I will carry it out.
46:12 Listen to me, you stubborn people, you who distance yourself from doing what is right.
46:13 I am bringing my deliverance near, it is not far away; I am bringing my salvation near, it does not wait. I will save Zion; I will adorn Israel with my splendor.”
Babylon Will Fall
47:1 “Fall down! Sit in the dirt, O virgin daughter Babylon! Sit on the ground, not on a throne, O daughter of the Babylonians! Indeed, you will no longer be called delicate and pampered.
47:2 Pick up millstones and grind flour! Remove your veil, strip off your skirt, expose your legs, cross the streams!
47:3 Let your private parts be exposed! Your genitals will be on display! I will get revenge; I will not have pity on anyone,”
47:4 says our protector – the Lord who commands armies is his name, the Holy One of Israel.
47:5 “Sit silently! Go to a hiding place, O daughter of the Babylonians! Indeed, you will no longer be called ‘Queen of kingdoms.’
47:6 I was angry at my people; I defiled my special possession and handed them over to you. You showed them no mercy; you even placed a very heavy burden on old people.
47:7 You said, ‘I will rule forever as permanent queen!’ You did not think about these things; you did not consider how it would turn out.
47:8 So now, listen to this, O one who lives so lavishly, who lives securely, who says to herself, ‘I am unique! No one can compare to me! I will never have to live as a widow; I will never lose my children.’
47:9 Both of these will come upon you suddenly, in one day! You will lose your children and be widowed. You will be overwhelmed by these tragedies, despite your many incantations and your numerous amulets.
47:10 You were complacent in your evil deeds; you thought, ‘No one sees me.’ Your self-professed wisdom and knowledge lead you astray, when you say, ‘I am unique! No one can compare to me!’
47:11 Disaster will overtake you; you will not know how to charm it away. Destruction will fall on you; you will not be able to appease it. Calamity will strike you suddenly, before you recognize it.
47:12 Persist in trusting your amulets and your many incantations, which you have faithfully recited since your youth! Maybe you will be successful – maybe you will scare away disaster.
47:13 You are tired out from listening to so much advice. Let them take their stand – the ones who see omens in the sky, who gaze at the stars, who make monthly predictions – let them rescue you from the disaster that is about to overtake you!
47:14 Look, they are like straw, which the fire burns up; they cannot rescue themselves from the heat of the flames. There are no coals to warm them, no firelight to enjoy.
47:15 They will disappoint you, those you have so faithfully dealt with since your youth. Each strays off in his own direction, leaving no one to rescue you.”
The Lord Appeals to the Exiles
48:1 Listen to this, O family of Jacob, you who are called by the name ‘Israel,’ and are descended from Judah, who take oaths in the name of the Lord, and invoke the God of Israel – but not in an honest and just manner.
48:2 Indeed, they live in the holy city; they trust in the God of Israel, whose name is the Lord who commands armies.
48:3 “I announced events beforehand, I issued the decrees and made the predictions; suddenly I acted and they came to pass.
48:4 I did this because I know how stubborn you are. Your neck muscles are like iron and your forehead like bronze.
48:5 I announced them to you beforehand; before they happened, I predicted them for you, so you could never say, ‘My image did these things, my idol, my cast image, decreed them.’
48:6 You have heard; now look at all the evidence! Will you not admit that what I say is true? From this point on I am announcing to you new events that are previously unrevealed and you do not know about.
48:7 Now they come into being, not in the past; before today you did not hear about them, so you could not say, ‘Yes, I know about them.’
48:8 You did not hear, you do not know, you were not told beforehand. For I know that you are very deceitful; you were labeled a rebel from birth.
48:9 For the sake of my reputation I hold back my anger; for the sake of my prestige I restrain myself from destroying you.
48:10 Look, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have purified you in the furnace of misery.
48:11 For my sake alone I will act, for how can I allow my name to be defiled? I will not share my glory with anyone else!
48:12 Listen to me, O Jacob, Israel, whom I summoned! I am the one; I am present at the very beginning and at the very end.
48:13 Yes, my hand founded the earth; my right hand spread out the sky. I summon them; they stand together.
48:14 All of you, gather together and listen! Who among them announced these things? The Lord’s ally will carry out his desire against Babylon; he will exert his power against the Babylonians.
48:15 I, I have spoken – yes, I have summoned him; I lead him and he will succeed.
48:16 Approach me! Listen to this! From the very first I have not spoken in secret; when it happens, I am there.” So now, the sovereign Lord has sent me, accompanied by his spirit.
48:17 This is what the Lord, your protector, says, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you how to succeed, who leads you in the way you should go.
48:18 If only you had obeyed my commandments, prosperity would have flowed to you like a river, deliverance would have come to you like the waves of the sea.
48:19 Your descendants would have been as numerous as sand, and your children like its granules. Their name would not have been cut off and eliminated from my presence.
48:20 Leave Babylon! Flee from the Babylonians! Announce it with a shout of joy! Make this known! Proclaim it throughout the earth! Say, ‘The Lord protects his servant Jacob.
48:21 They do not thirst as he leads them through dry regions; he makes water flow out of a rock for them; he splits open a rock and water flows out.’
48:22 There will be no prosperity for the wicked,” says the Lord.
Lord, You love Your children but You do not tolerate disobedience and rebellion. You are so faithful even as we are unfaithful. May I recognize and honor Your grace through a humble heart that repents of sin and cries-out for Your reconciliation and restoration of my relationship with You. You alone are God, there is no other. May I praise You for Your lovingkindness, Your unchanging justice, and Your promise of eternity to Your children. You decide whom You will rescue and whom You will punish; Your justice is perfect and your power irresistible. You require of us that we repent, be reconciled to You, and then our relationship restored to pre-Fall purity. May I praise You for Your enduring love.
Isaiah delivered the Lord God’s prophesy of commissioning an ideal king [to become the Lord Jesus, because no other could meet the standard].
He delivered the proclamation of the Lord God that He would one day return and would make things right again on earth “I am the Lord! That is my name! I will not share my glory with anyone else, or the praise due me with idols.”
Isaiah proclaimed the Lord’s observation that His people had become unable to hear of see Him due to their chronic rebellion and status of punishment-exile “My covenant partner, the servant of the Lord, is truly blind.”
Isaiah delivered the Lord God’s promise that He would recall His people from bondage and to displace those who reject Him to those nations-of-bondage “Since you are precious and special in my sight, and I love you, I will hand over people in place of you, nations in place of your life.”
The Lord God proclaimed through Isaiah that He would restore Himself as their king, then He instructed them that what was to come was completely separate from the past and that none of those time and place-specific miracles were relevant to what He was about to do “Don’t remember these earlier events; don’t recall these former events. “Look, I am about to do something new. Now it begins to happen! Do you not recognize it?”
He then challenged them, much as He previously challenged Job, to show how they were right and He was wrong “Remind me of what happened! Let’s debate! You, prove to me that you are right!” and that His desire is repentance, reconciliation, and restoration “I, I am the one who blots out your rebellious deeds for my sake; your sins I do not remember.”
Once again, via Isaiah, the Lord God affirmed that He intended to one day restore Israel – not the rebellious Israel – but the Israel He had always desired. He addresses Israel as like a child “This is what the Lord, the one who made you, says – the one who formed you in the womb and helps you: “Don’t be afraid, my servant Jacob, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen!”
Isaiah introduced the challenge of the Lord God to the absurdity of idolatry “This is what the Lord, Israel’s king, says, their protector, the Lord who commands armies: “I am the first and I am the last, there is no God but me.”
He described the process of creating a physical image of a false idol, explaining how the tree is cut down then part of the wood used to carve the idol and the rest used as firewood to good a meal, explaining that the wood remained as powerless as when it was a tree or firewood, nor were their mere human ‘creators’ capable of adding spiritual value to them “All who form idols are nothing; the things in which they delight are worthless. Their witnesses cannot see; they recognize nothing, so they are put to shame.”
The Lord God calls to Israel “I remove the guilt of your rebellious deeds as if they were a cloud, the guilt of your sins as if they were a cloud. Come back to me, for I protect you ...” and encourages them to recognize Him “Shout for joy, O sky, for the Lord intervenes; shout out, you subterranean regions of the earth. O mountains, give a joyful shout; you too, O forest and all your trees! For the Lord protects Jacob; he reveals his splendor through Israel.”
Isaiah concluded with the Lord’s declaration of the commissioning of Cyrus “... the one I appointed as shepherd to carry out all my wishes and to decree concerning Jerusalem, ‘She will be rebuilt,’ and concerning the temple, ‘It will be reconstructed.’”
Isaiah reported the Lord God’s calling and equipping of Persian king Cyrus, neither an Israelite nor a gentile believer in Him “For the sake of my servant Jacob, Israel, my chosen one, I call you by name and give you a title of respect, even though you do not recognize me.”
He announced the Lord’s warning against anyone who would question His sovereign commissioning of Cyrus. He then described how He would give riches and success to Cyrus to assure him success in liberating Israel.
Isaiah declared the Lord’s solitary power to accomplish the liberation of Israel and His intention to do so despite any mere human resistance. He prophesied the fall of the Babylonian empire.
He then appealed to the Israelites to repent of their rebellion and to turn to Him, their only redeemer and renewed His promise to redeem “Zion”.
The phrase in these texts “I formed you in the womb” is interesting since it describes both the nation of Israel and Cyrus the man, therefore it is not a literal but a figurative illustration. It does not mean that the Lord God is not involved in the formation of a human life, that is made clear elsewhere; He breathes a human soul into the otherwise non-human ‘blob of protoplasm’, thereby making conception a miraculous event, every time it occurs. “Israel” and “Zion” became Biblical-metaphors for those who have a saving relationship through the Messiah. The ideal perfect king for Israel could not be anyone lesser than the perfect Redeemer, the Messiah, Jesus the Christ.
Why would anyone have even considered doubting the Lord God’s right- representation of history or their need to repent and to be reconciled and restored? How could a man use the same wood to carve an idol, which he then worships, and then use the leftovers as firewood – and not be aware of the absurdity? Why would people later confuse Cyrus with the Messiah, given Isaiah’s clear description of the nature of the unique missions of the two? Why would it be important for the Lord God to clear the field of all alternative false gods and idols?
How amazing is the grace of the Lord God that He continues to desire our repentance so that He may reconcile and restore us? Is the deception around idols not clearly of the same kind of deception of Adam and Eve in the Garden? Cyrus would not come to liberate Israel for 250 years after Isaiah’s prophesy, he would be misunderstood by some to be the Messiah, and neither he nor the people would rise to the desired state of righteousness required of the Lord’s proclamation. Much more time would pass prior to the arrival of the Messiah and even more until His second coming. Despite the terrible conduct of His chosen people the Lord God desired a way to redeem them, even if only a remnant.
When have you discovered that some worldly thing was a distraction from your relationship with the Lord God? When have you been ‘rescued’ by an unlikely person, someone clearly sent by the Lord, but not a fellow believer?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a new clarity as to His new relationship and His new era in His unfolding plan for all of His creation, to reveal to you something that remains an idol in your life; overvalued by you, and interfering with your relationship with Him, and a place in your life where He wants you to surrender and then partner with Him to move towards righteousness – in anticipation of the return of Jesus.
Today I will pause and pray in praise and thanksgiving for a loving God whose great desire is to reconcile and restore all who will repent of their rebellion against His Lordship of their lives – and most specifically of my life. I will joyfully surrender that place in my life that is not right before the Lord. I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement, and to be my accountability partner, and I walk with the Holy Spirit to greater maturity.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Ideal Israel Delivers the Exiles
49:1 Listen to me, you coastlands! Pay attention, you people who live far away! The Lord summoned me from birth; he commissioned me when my mother brought me into the world.
49:2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword, he hid me in the hollow of his hand; he made me like a sharpened arrow, he hid me in his quiver.
49:3 He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, through whom I will reveal my splendor.”
49:4 But I thought, “I have worked in vain; I have expended my energy for absolutely nothing.” But the Lord will vindicate me; my God will reward me.
49:5 So now the Lord says, the one who formed me from birth to be his servant – he did this to restore Jacob to himself, so that Israel might be gathered to him; and I will be honored in the Lord’s sight, for my God is my source of strength –
49:6 he says, “Is it too insignificant a task for you to be my servant, to reestablish the tribes of Jacob, and restore the remnant of Israel? I will make you a light to the nations, so you can bring my deliverance to the remote regions of the earth.”
49:7 This is what the Lord, the protector of Israel, their Holy One, says to the one who is despised and rejected by nations, a servant of rulers: “Kings will see and rise in respect, princes will bow down, because of the faithful Lord, the Holy One of Israel who has chosen you.”
49:8 This is what the Lord says: “At the time I decide to show my favor, I will respond to you; in the day of deliverance I will help you; I will protect you and make you a covenant mediator for people, to rebuild the land and to reassign the desolate property.
49:9 You will say to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’ and to those who are in dark dungeons, ‘Emerge.’ They will graze beside the roads; on all the slopes they will find pasture.
49:10 They will not be hungry or thirsty; the sun’s oppressive heat will not beat down on them, for one who has compassion on them will guide them; he will lead them to springs of water.
49:11 I will make all my mountains into a road; I will construct my roadways.”
49:12 Look, they come from far away! Look, some come from the north and west, and others from the land of Sinim!
49:13 Shout for joy, O sky! Rejoice, O earth! Let the mountains give a joyful shout! For the Lord consoles his people and shows compassion to the oppressed.
The Lord Remembers Zion
49:14 “Zion said, ‘The Lord has abandoned me, the sovereign master has forgotten me.’
49:15 Can a woman forget her baby who nurses at her breast? Can she withhold compassion from the child she has borne? Even if mothers were to forget, I could never forget you!
49:16 Look, I have inscribed your name on my palms; your walls are constantly before me.
49:17 Your children hurry back, while those who destroyed and devastated you depart.
49:18 Look all around you! All of them gather to you. As surely as I live,” says the Lord, “you will certainly wear all of them like jewelry; you will put them on as if you were a bride.
49:19 Yes, your land lies in ruins; it is desolate and devastated. But now you will be too small to hold your residents, and those who devoured you will be far away.
49:20 Yet the children born during your time of bereavement will say within your hearing, ‘This place is too cramped for us, make room for us so we can live here.’
49:21 Then you will think to yourself, ‘Who bore these children for me? I was bereaved and barren, dismissed and divorced. Who raised these children? Look, I was left all alone; where did these children come from?’”
49:22 This is what the sovereign Lord says: “Look I will raise my hand to the nations; I will raise my signal flag to the peoples. They will bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their shoulders.
49:23 Kings will be your children’s guardians; their princesses will nurse your children. With their faces to the ground they will bow down to you and they will lick the dirt on your feet. Then you will recognize that I am the Lord; those who wait patiently for me are not put to shame.
49:24 Can spoils be taken from a warrior, or captives be rescued from a conqueror?
49:25 Indeed,” says the Lord, “captives will be taken from a warrior; spoils will be rescued from a conqueror. I will oppose your adversary and I will rescue your children.
49:26 I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh; they will get drunk on their own blood, as if it were wine. Then all humankind will recognize that I am the Lord, your deliverer, your protector, the powerful ruler of Jacob.”
50:1 This is what the Lord says: “Where is your mother’s divorce certificate by which I divorced her? Or to which of my creditors did I sell you? Look, you were sold because of your sins; because of your rebellious acts I divorced your mother.
50:2 Why does no one challenge me when I come? Why does no one respond when I call? Is my hand too weak to deliver you? Do I lack the power to rescue you? Look, with a mere shout I can dry up the sea; I can turn streams into a desert, so the fish rot away and die from lack of water.
50:3 I can clothe the sky in darkness; I can cover it with sackcloth.”
The Servant Perseveres
50:4 The sovereign Lord has given me the capacity to be his spokesman, so that I know how to help the weary. He wakes me up every morning; he makes me alert so I can listen attentively as disciples do.
50:5 The sovereign Lord has spoken to me clearly; I have not rebelled, I have not turned back.
50:6 I offered my back to those who attacked, my jaws to those who tore out my beard; I did not hide my face from insults and spitting.
50:7 But the sovereign Lord helps me, so I am not humiliated. For that reason I am steadfastly resolved; I know I will not be put to shame.
50:8 The one who vindicates me is close by. Who dares to argue with me? Let us confront each other! Who is my accuser? Let him challenge me!
50:9 Look, the sovereign Lord helps me. Who dares to condemn me? Look, all of them will wear out like clothes; a moth will eat away at them.
50:10 Who among you fears the Lord? Who obeys his servant? Whoever walks in deep darkness, without light, should trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.
50:11 Look, all of you who start a fire and who equip yourselves with flaming arrows, walk in the light of the fire you started and among the flaming arrows you ignited! This is what you will receive from me: you will lie down in a place of pain.
There is Hope for the Future
51:1 “Listen to me, you who pursue godliness, who seek the Lord! Look at the rock from which you were chiseled, at the quarry from which you were dug!
51:2 Look at Abraham, your father, and Sarah, who gave you birth. When I summoned him, he was a lone individual, but I blessed him and gave him numerous descendants.
51:3 Certainly the Lord will console Zion; he will console all her ruins. He will make her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the Garden of the Lord. Happiness and joy will be restored to her, thanksgiving and the sound of music.
51:4 Pay attention to me, my people! Listen to me, my people! For I will issue a decree, I will make my justice a light to the nations.
51:5 I am ready to vindicate, I am ready to deliver, I will establish justice among the nations. The coastlands wait patiently for me; they wait in anticipation for the revelation of my power.
51:6 Look up at the sky! Look at the earth below! For the sky will dissipate like smoke, and the earth will wear out like clothes; its residents will die like gnats. But the deliverance I give is permanent; the vindication I provide will not disappear.
51:7 Listen to me, you who know what is right, you people who are aware of my law! Don’t be afraid of the insults of men; don’t be discouraged because of their abuse!
51:8 For a moth will eat away at them like clothes; a clothes moth will devour them like wool. But the vindication I provide will be permanent; the deliverance I give will last.”
51:9 Wake up! Wake up! Clothe yourself with strength, O arm of the Lord! Wake up as in former times, as in antiquity! Did you not smash the Proud One? Did you not wound the sea monster?
51:10 Did you not dry up the sea, the waters of the great deep? Did you not make a path through the depths of the sea, so those delivered from bondage could cross over?
51:11 Those whom the Lord has ransomed will return; they will enter Zion with a happy shout. Unending joy will crown them, happiness and joy will overwhelm them; grief and suffering will disappear.
51:12 “I, I am the one who consoles you. Why are you afraid of mortal men, of mere human beings who are as short-lived as grass?
51:13 Why do you forget the Lord, who made you, who stretched out the sky and founded the earth? Why do you constantly tremble all day long at the anger of the oppressor, when he makes plans to destroy? Where is the anger of the oppressor?
51:14 The one who suffers will soon be released; he will not die in prison, he will not go hungry.
51:15 I am the Lord your God, who churns up the sea so that its waves surge. The Lord who commands armies is his name!
Zion’s Time to Celebrate
51:16 I commission you as my spokesman; I cover you with the palm of my hand, to establish the sky and to found the earth, to say to Zion, ‘You are my people.’”
51:17 Wake up! Wake up! Get up, O Jerusalem! You drank from the cup the Lord passed to you, which was full of his anger! You drained dry the goblet full of intoxicating wine.
51:18 There was no one to lead her among all the children she bore; there was no one to take her by the hand among all the children she raised.
51:19 These double disasters confronted you. But who feels sorry for you? Destruction and devastation, famine and sword. But who consoles you?
51:20 Your children faint; they lie at the head of every street like an antelope in a snare. They are left in a stupor by the Lord’s anger, by the battle cry of your God.
51:21 So listen to this, oppressed one, who is drunk, but not from wine!
51:22 This is what your sovereign master, the Lord your God, says: “Look, I have removed from your hand the cup of intoxicating wine, the goblet full of my anger. You will no longer have to drink it.
51:23 I will put it into the hand of your tormentors who said to you, ‘Lie down, so we can walk over you.’ You made your back like the ground, and like the street for those who walked over you.”
52:1 Wake up! Wake up!
Clothe yourself with strength, O Zion! Put on your beautiful clothes, O Jerusalem, holy city! For uncircumcised and unclean pagans will no longer invade you.
52:2 Shake off the dirt! Get up, captive Jerusalem! Take off the iron chains around your neck, O captive daughter Zion!
52:3 For this is what the Lord says: “You were sold for nothing, and you will not be redeemed for money.”
52:4 For this is what the sovereign Lord says: “In the beginning my people went to live temporarily in Egypt; Assyria oppressed them for no good reason.
52:5 And now, what do we have here?” says the Lord. “Indeed my people have been carried away for nothing, those who rule over them taunt,” says the Lord, “and my name is constantly slandered all day long.
52:6 For this reason my people will know my name, for this reason they will know at that time that I am the one who says, ‘Here I am.’”
52:7 How delightful it is to see approaching over the mountains the feet of a messenger who announces peace, a messenger who brings good news, who announces deliverance, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
52:8 Listen, your watchmen shout; in unison they shout for joy, for they see with their very own eyes the Lord’s return to Zion.
52:9 In unison give a joyful shout, O ruins of Jerusalem! For the Lord consoles his people; he protects Jerusalem.
52:10 The Lord reveals his royal power in the sight of all the nations; the entire earth sees our God deliver.
52:11 Leave! Leave! Get out of there! Don’t touch anything unclean! Get out of it! Stay pure, you who carry the Lord’s holy items!
52:12 Yet do not depart quickly or leave in a panic. For the Lord goes before you; the God of Israel is your rear guard.
The Lord Will Vindicate His Servant
52:13 “Look, my servant will succeed! He will be elevated, lifted high, and greatly exalted –
52:14 (just as many were horrified by the sight of you) he was so disfigured he no longer looked like a man;
52:15 his form was so marred he no longer looked human – so now he will startle many nations. Kings will be shocked by his exaltation, for they will witness something unannounced to them, and they will understand something they had not heard about.
53:1 Who would have believed what we just heard? When was the Lord’s power revealed through him?
53:2 He sprouted up like a twig before God, like a root out of parched soil; he had no stately form or majesty that might catch our attention, no special appearance that we should want to follow him.
53:3 He was despised and rejected by people, one who experienced pain and was acquainted with illness; people hid their faces from him; he was despised, and we considered him insignificant.
53:4 But he lifted up our illnesses, he carried our pain; even though we thought he was being punished, attacked by God, and afflicted for something he had done.
53:5 He was wounded because of our rebellious deeds, crushed because of our sins; he endured punishment that made us well; because of his wounds we have been healed.
53:6 All of us had wandered off like sheep; each of us had strayed off on his own path, but the Lord caused the sin of all of us to attack him.
53:7 He was treated harshly and afflicted, but he did not even open his mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughtering block, like a sheep silent before her shearers, he did not even open his mouth.
53:8 He was led away after an unjust trial – but who even cared? Indeed, he was cut off from the land of the living; because of the rebellion of his own people he was wounded.
53:9 They intended to bury him with criminals, but he ended up in a rich man’s tomb, because he had committed no violent deeds, nor had he spoken deceitfully.
53:10 Though the Lord desired to crush him and make him ill, once restitution is made, he will see descendants and enjoy long life, and the Lord’s purpose will be accomplished through him.
53:11 Having suffered, he will reflect on his work, he will be satisfied when he understands what he has done. “My servant will acquit many, for he carried their sins.
53:12 So I will assign him a portion with the multitudes, he will divide the spoils of victory with the powerful, because he willingly submitted to death and was numbered with the rebels, when he lifted up the sin of many and intervened on behalf of the rebels.”
Zion Will Be Secure
54:1 “Shout for joy, O barren one who has not given birth! Give a joyful shout and cry out, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate one are more numerous than the children of the married woman,” says the Lord.
54:2 Make your tent larger, stretch your tent curtains farther out! Spare no effort, lengthen your ropes, and pound your stakes deep.
54:3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your children will conquer nations and will resettle desolate cities.
54:4 Don’t be afraid, for you will not be put to shame! Don’t be intimidated, for you will not be humiliated! You will forget about the shame you experienced in your youth; you will no longer remember the disgrace of your abandonment.
54:5 For your husband is the one who made you – the Lord who commands armies is his name. He is your protector, the Holy One of Israel. He is called “God of the entire earth.”
54:6 “Indeed, the Lord will call you back like a wife who has been abandoned and suffers from depression, like a young wife when she has been rejected,” says your God.
54:7 “For a short time I abandoned you, but with great compassion I will gather you.
54:8 In a burst of anger I rejected you momentarily, but with lasting devotion I will have compassion on you,” says your protector, the Lord.
54:9 “As far as I am concerned, this is like in Noah’s time, when I vowed that the waters of Noah’s flood would never again cover the earth. In the same way I have vowed that I will not be angry at you or shout at you.
54:10 Even if the mountains are removed and the hills displaced, my devotion will not be removed from you, nor will my covenant of friendship be displaced,” says the Lord, the one who has compassion on you.
54:11 “O afflicted one, driven away, and unconsoled! Look, I am about to set your stones in antimony and I lay your foundation with lapis-lazuli.
54:12 I will make your pinnacles out of gems, your gates out of beryl, and your outer wall out of beautiful stones.
54:13 All your children will be followers of the Lord, and your children will enjoy great prosperity.
54:14 You will be reestablished when I vindicate you. You will not experience oppression; indeed, you will not be afraid. You will not be terrified, for nothing frightening will come near you.
54:15 If anyone dares to challenge you, it will not be my doing! Whoever tries to challenge you will be defeated.
54:16 Look, I create the craftsman, who fans the coals into a fire and forges a weapon. I create the destroyer so he might devastate.
54:17 No weapon forged to be used against you will succeed; you will refute everyone who tries to accuse you. This is what the Lord will do for his servants – I will vindicate them,” says the Lord.
Lord, when we act against You, we harm our relationship with you. May I nurture my relationship with You through honor given to Your holiness and obedience to Your teaching. You desire reconciliation and restoration but we must come to You with genuine repentance.
Isaiah had reported the Lord God’s calling and equipping of Persian king Cyrus, neither an Israelite nor a gentile believer in Him “For the sake of my servant Jacob, Israel, my chosen one, I call you by name and give you a title of respect, even though you do not recognize me.”
He announced the Lord’s warning against anyone who would question His sovereign commissioning of Cyrus. He then described how He would give riches and success to Cyrus to assure him success in liberating Israel.
Isaiah declared the Lord’s solitary power to accomplish the liberation of Israel and His intention to do so despite any mere human resistance. He prophesied the fall of the Babylonian empire.
He then appealed to the Israelites to repent of their rebellion and to turn to Him, their only redeemer and renewed His promise to redeem “Zion”.
The Lord God, continuing to speak through Isaiah, questioned the lack of understanding of the Israelites. Speaking rhetorically He asked them to what creditor sold them or in what worldly divorce certificate was His divorce of their mother [the prior generation] recorded. He then answered His question “... you were sold because of your sins; because of your rebellious acts I divorced your mother.”
Isaiah presented a defense of himself to those who attacked and ridiculed him “The sovereign Lord has given me the capacity to be his spokesman, so that I know how to help the weary. He wakes me up every morning; he makes me alert so I can listen attentively as disciples do. The sovereign Lord has spoken to me clearly; I have not rebelled, I have not turned back. I offered my back to those who attacked, my jaws to those who tore out my beard; I did not hide my face from insults and spitting. But the sovereign Lord helps me, so I am not humiliated. For that reason I am steadfastly resolved; I know I will not be put to shame.”
The he warned them “Look, all of you who start a fire and who equip yourselves with flaming arrows, walk in the light of the fire you started and among the flaming arrows you ignited! This is what you will receive from me: you will lie down in a place of pain.”
Isaiah delivered the Lord God’s reminder “Listen to me, you who pursue godliness, who seek the Lord! Look at the rock from which you were chiseled, at the quarry from which you were dug! Look at Abraham, your father, and Sarah, who gave you birth. When I summoned him, he was a lone individual, but I blessed him and gave him numerous descendants.”
He then shared His promise “Certainly the Lord will console Zion; he will console all her ruins. He will make her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the Garden of the Lord. Happiness and joy will be restored to her, thanksgiving and the sound of music.”
Isaiah concluded with the message that Israel should celebrate and then act without fear to return home “The Lord reveals his royal power in the sight of all the nations; the entire earth sees our God deliver. Leave! Leave! Get out of there! Don’t touch anything unclean! Get out of it! Stay pure, you who carry the Lord’s holy items! Yet do not depart quickly or leave in a panic. For the Lord goes before you; the God of Israel is your rear guard.”
Jesus is prophesied, first in the moments following His false trial, conviction, and abuse “... his form was so marred he no longer looked human ...” And then, upon His return … so now he will startle many nations … Kings will be shocked by his exaltation, for they will witness something unannounced to them, and they will understand something they had not heard about.”
Isaiah proclaimed the ministry of propitiation of Jesus, beginning with the origins of His human form “He sprouted up like a twig before God, like a root out of parched soil; he had no stately form or majesty that might catch our attention, no special appearance that we should want to follow him.” Then the nature of His ministry which challenged religious traditions and worldly expectations “He was despised and rejected by people, one who experienced pain and was acquainted with illness; people hid their faces from him; he was despised, and we considered him insignificant.” The His assumption of our sin on to Himself, One Who had lived without any sin of His own “But he lifted up our illnesses, he carried our pain; even though we thought he was being punished, attacked by God, and afflicted for something he had done. He was wounded because of our rebellious deeds, crushed because of our sins; he endured punishment that made us well; because of his wounds we have been healed. All of us had wandered off like sheep; each of us had strayed off on his own path, but the Lord caused the sin of all of us to attack him.”
He continued the prophesy of His final moments prior to the Cross “He was treated harshly and afflicted, but he did not even open his mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughtering block, like a sheep silent before her shearers, he did not even open his mouth. He was led away after an unjust trial – but who even cared?” Then on to the consequence of assuming our sin “Indeed, he was cut off from the land of the living; because of the rebellion of his own people he was wounded.”
Isaiah prophesied the post-Cross expectations of those who failed to understand “They intended to bury him with criminals, but he ended up in a rich man’s tomb, because he had committed no violent deeds, nor had he spoken deceitfully.”
He described the demands of perfect justice “Though the Lord desired to crush him and make him ill, once restitution is made, he will see descendants and enjoy long life, and the Lord’s purpose will be accomplished through him.” And the consequence of Him meeting the demands of justice in our place “Having suffered, he will reflect on his work, he will be satisfied when he understands what he has done. “My servant will acquit many, for he carried their sins.” And finally His exalted standing among the multitudes and powerful “So I will assign him a portion with the multitudes, he will divide the spoils of victory with the powerful, because he willingly submitted to death and was numbered with the rebels, when he lifted up the sin of many and intervened on behalf of the rebels.”
The redemption made possible by Jesus was likened to a temporarily fractured marriage “... your husband is the one who made you – the Lord who commands armies is his name. He is your protector, the Holy One of Israel. He is called “God of the entire earth.” “Indeed, the Lord will call you back like a wife who has been abandoned and suffers from depression, like a young wife when she has been rejected,” says your God. “For a short time I abandoned you, but with great compassion I will gather you. In a burst of anger I rejected you momentarily, but with lasting devotion I will have compassion on you,” says your protector, the Lord.”
Isaiah concluded this section of text with the Lord God’s reminder that His reconciliation and restoration was conditional – based upon their genuine repentance “Seek the Lord while he makes himself available; call to him while he is nearby! The wicked need to abandon their lifestyle and sinful people their plans. They should return to the Lord, and he will show mercy to them, and to their God, for he will freely forgive them.”
“Israel” and “Zion” became Biblical-metaphors for those who have a saving relationship through the Messiah. The Israelites were confused as to why the Lord God had allowed them into captivity. Jesus, God in a temporary glory-free human form, came to be our sacrifice – because no fallen human – however imperfectly righteous, could meet the demand of justice for a perfectly sin-free substitute.
Why would people later confuse Cyrus with the Messiah, given Isaiah’s clear description of the nature of the unique missions of the two? Why would Israelites have attacked and ridiculed Isaiah? Why was it important the Jesus in human form be lacking the sort of “Saul” or “David” physically-attractive appearance?
Cyrus would not come to liberate Israel for 250 years after Isaiah’s prophesy, he would be misunderstood by some to be the Messiah, and neither he nor the people would rise to the desired state of righteousness required of the Lord’s proclamation – therefore much more time would come prior to the arrival of the Messiah and even more until His second coming. The Lord God promised Israel redemption, but they were to be righteous along the way. The Lord God saw His covenant with Israel like a marriage where the wife strayed and the husband chose a temporary separation as she was punished. He remained ready to reconcile and restore, and He created a process by which the relationship could be restored, then invited “her” to join Him when she was ready to repent and to surrender again to the covenant.
When have you been ‘rescued’ by an unlikely person, someone clearly sent by the Lord, but not a fellow believer? When have you been puzzled as to why you were struggling and only later realized that it was because you had broken-fellowship with the Lord? When have you experienced or observed a Christian leader whose physically-attractive appearance became an impediment to focus on Jesus?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where He wants you to surrender and then partner with Him to move towards righteousness – in anticipation of the return of Jesus, to reveal to you an opportunity He is creating to draw you nearer to Him, and to remind you of something in your life, a distraction from your relational intimacy with Him, which He has overcome in order to improve your relationship.
Today I will joyfully surrender that place in my life that is not right before the Lord. I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement, and to be my accountability partner, and I walk with the Holy Spirit to greater maturity. I will joyfully celebrate the opportunity to draw nearer to the Lord God and will follow where He leads me in prayer and study, praise and service. I will give Him all the praise and will prayerfully seek-out other areas where I may partner with the Holy Spirit to continue the process of improving my relationship with the Lord God.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Lord Gives an Invitation
55:1 “Hey, all who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come! Buy and eat! Come! Buy wine and milk without money and without cost!
55:2 Why pay money for something that will not nourish you? Why spend your hard-earned money on something that will not satisfy? Listen carefully to me and eat what is nourishing! Enjoy fine food!
55:3 Pay attention and come to me! Listen, so you can live! Then I will make an unconditional covenantal promise to you, just like the reliable covenantal promises I made to David.
55:4 Look, I made him a witness to nations, a ruler and commander of nations.”
55:5 Look, you will summon nations you did not previously know; nations that did not previously know you will run to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he bestows honor on you.
55:6 Seek the Lord while he makes himself available; call to him while he is nearby! 55:7 The wicked need to abandon their lifestyle and sinful people their plans. They should return to the Lord, and he will show mercy to them, and to their God, for he will freely forgive them.
55:8 “Indeed, my plans are not like your plans, and my deeds are not like your deeds,
55:9 for just as the sky is higher than the earth, so my deeds are superior to your deeds and my plans superior to your plans.
55:10 The rain and snow fall from the sky and do not return, but instead water the earth and make it produce and yield crops, and provide seed for the planter and food for those who must eat.
55:11 In the same way, the promise that I make does not return to me, having accomplished nothing. No, it is realized as I desire and is fulfilled as I intend.”
55:12 Indeed you will go out with joy; you will be led along in peace; the mountains and hills will give a joyful shout before you, and all the trees in the field will clap their hands.
55:13 Evergreens will grow in place of thorn bushes, firs will grow in place of nettles; they will be a monument to the Lord, a permanent reminder that will remain.
The Lord Invites Outsiders to Enter
56:1 This is what the Lord says, “Promote justice! Do what is right! For I am ready to deliver you; I am ready to vindicate you openly.
56:2 The people who do this will be blessed, the people who commit themselves to obedience, who observe the Sabbath and do not defile it, who refrain from doing anything that is wrong.
56:3 No foreigner who becomes a follower of the Lord should say, ‘The Lord will certainly exclude me from his people.’ The eunuch should not say, ‘Look, I am like a dried-up tree.’”
56:4 For this is what the Lord says: “For the eunuchs who observe my Sabbaths and choose what pleases me and are faithful to my covenant,
56:5 I will set up within my temple and my walls a monument that will be better than sons and daughters. I will set up a permanent monument for them that will remain.
56:6 As for foreigners who become followers of the Lord and serve him, who love the name of the Lord and want to be his servants – all who observe the Sabbath and do not defile it, and who are faithful to my covenant –
56:7 I will bring them to my holy mountain; I will make them happy in the temple where people pray to me. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar, for my temple will be known as a temple where all nations may pray.”
56:8 The sovereign Lord says this, the one who gathers the dispersed of Israel: “I will still gather them up.”
The Lord Denounces Israel’s Paganism
56:9 All you wild animals in the fields, come and devour, all you wild animals in the forest!
56:10 All their watchmen are blind, they are unaware. All of them are like mute dogs, unable to bark. They pant, lie down, and love to snooze.
56:11 The dogs have big appetites; they are never full. They are shepherds who have no understanding; they all go their own way, each one looking for monetary gain.
56:12 Each one says, ‘Come on, I’ll get some wine! Let’s guzzle some beer! Tomorrow will be just like today! We’ll have everything we want!’
57:1 The godly perish, but no one cares. Honest people disappear, when no one minds that the godly disappear because of evil.
57:2 Those who live uprightly enter a place of peace; they rest on their beds.
57:3 But approach, you sons of omen readers, you offspring of adulteresses and prostitutes!
57:4 At whom are you laughing? At whom are you opening your mouth and sticking out your tongue? You are the children of rebels, the offspring of liars,
57:5 you who practice ritual sex under the oaks and every green tree, who slaughter children near the streams under the rocky overhangs.
57:6 Among the smooth stones of the stream are the idols you love; they, they are the object of your devotion. You pour out liquid offerings to them, you make an offering. Because of these things I will seek vengeance.
57:7 On every high, elevated hill you prepare your bed; you go up there to offer sacrifices.
57:8 Behind the door and doorpost you put your symbols. Indeed, you depart from me and go up and invite them into bed with you. You purchase favors from them, you love their bed, and gaze longingly on their genitals.
57:9 You take olive oil as tribute to your king, along with many perfumes. You send your messengers to a distant place; you go all the way to Sheol.
57:10 Because of the long distance you must travel, you get tired, but you do not say, ‘I give up.’ You get renewed energy, so you don’t collapse.
57:11 Whom are you worried about? Whom do you fear, that you would act so deceitfully and not remember me or think about me? Because I have been silent for so long, you are not afraid of me.
57:12 I will denounce your so-called righteousness and your deeds, but they will not help you.
57:13 When you cry out for help, let your idols help you! The wind blows them all away, a breeze carries them away. But the one who looks to me for help will inherit the land and will have access to my holy mountain.”
57:14 He says, “Build it! Build it! Clear a way! Remove all the obstacles out of the way of my people!”
57:15 For this is what the high and exalted one says, the one who rules forever, whose name is holy: “I dwell in an exalted and holy place, but also with the discouraged and humiliated, in order to cheer up the humiliated and to encourage the discouraged.
57:16 For I will not be hostile forever or perpetually angry, for then man’s spirit would grow faint before me, the life-giving breath I created.
57:17 I was angry because of their sinful greed; I attacked them and angrily rejected them, yet they remained disobedient and stubborn.
57:18 I have seen their behavior, but I will heal them and give them rest, and I will once again console those who mourn.
57:19 I am the one who gives them reason to celebrate. Complete prosperity is available both to those who are far away and those who are nearby,” says the Lord, “and I will heal them.
57:20 But the wicked are like a surging sea that is unable to be quiet; its waves toss up mud and sand.
57:21 There will be no prosperity,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
The Lord Desires Genuine Devotion
58:1 “Shout loudly! Don’t be quiet! Yell as loud as a trumpet! Confront my people with their rebellious deeds; confront Jacob’s family with their sin!
58:2 They seek me day after day; they want to know my requirements, like a nation that does what is right and does not reject the law of their God. They ask me for just decrees; they want to be near God.
58:3 They lament, ‘Why don’t you notice when we fast? Why don’t you pay attention when we humble ourselves?’ Look, at the same time you fast, you satisfy your selfish desires, you oppress your workers.
58:4 Look, your fasting is accompanied by arguments, brawls, and fistfights. Do not fast as you do today, trying to make your voice heard in heaven.
58:5 Is this really the kind of fasting I want? Do I want a day when people merely humble themselves, bowing their heads like a reed and stretching out on sackcloth and ashes? Is this really what you call a fast, a day that is pleasing to the Lord?
58:6 No, this is the kind of fast I want. I want you to remove the sinful chains, to tear away the ropes of the burdensome yoke, to set free the oppressed, and to break every burdensome yoke.
58:7 I want you to share your food with the hungry and to provide shelter for homeless, oppressed people. When you see someone naked, clothe him! Don’t turn your back on your own flesh and blood!
58:8 Then your light will shine like the sunrise; your restoration will quickly arrive; your godly behavior will go before you, and the Lord’s splendor will be your rear guard.
58:9 Then you will call out, and the Lord will respond; you will cry out, and he will reply, ‘Here I am.’ You must remove the burdensome yoke from among you and stop pointing fingers and speaking sinfully.
58:10 You must actively help the hungry and feed the oppressed. Then your light will dispel the darkness, and your darkness will be transformed into noonday.
58:11 The Lord will continually lead you; he will feed you even in parched regions. He will give you renewed strength, and you will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring that continually produces water.
58:12 Your perpetual ruins will be rebuilt; you will reestablish the ancient foundations. You will be called, ‘The one who repairs broken walls, the one who makes the streets inhabitable again.’
58:13 You must observe the Sabbath rather than doing anything you please on my holy day. You must look forward to the Sabbath and treat the Lord’s holy day with respect. You must treat it with respect by refraining from your normal activities, and by refraining from your selfish pursuits and from making business deals.
58:14 Then you will find joy in your relationship to the Lord, and I will give you great prosperity, and cause crops to grow on the land I gave to your ancestor Jacob.” Know for certain that the Lord has spoken.
Injustice Brings Alienation from God
59:1 Look, the Lord’s hand is not too weak to deliver you; his ear is not too deaf to hear you.
59:2 But your sinful acts have alienated you from your God; your sins have caused him to reject you and not listen to your prayers.
59:3 For your hands are stained with blood and your fingers with sin; your lips speak lies, your tongue utters malicious words.
59:4 No one is concerned about justice; no one sets forth his case truthfully. They depend on false words and tell lies; they conceive of oppression and give birth to sin.
59:5 They hatch the eggs of a poisonous snake and spin a spider’s web. Whoever eats their eggs will die, a poisonous snake is hatched.
59:6 Their webs cannot be used for clothing; they cannot cover themselves with what they make. Their deeds are sinful; they commit violent crimes.
59:7 They are eager to do evil, quick to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are sinful; they crush and destroy.
59:8 They are unfamiliar with peace; their deeds are unjust. They use deceitful methods, and whoever deals with them is unfamiliar with peace.
Israel Confesses its Sin
59:9 For this reason deliverance is far from us and salvation does not reach us. We wait for light, but see only darkness; we wait for a bright light, but live in deep darkness.
59:10 We grope along the wall like the blind, we grope like those who cannot see; we stumble at noontime as if it were evening. Though others are strong, we are like dead men.
59:11 We all growl like bears, we coo mournfully like doves; we wait for deliverance, but there is none, for salvation, but it is far from us.
59:12 For you are aware of our many rebellious deeds, and our sins testify against us; indeed, we are aware of our rebellious deeds; we know our sins all too well.
59:13 We have rebelled and tried to deceive the Lord; we turned back from following our God. We stir up oppression and rebellion; we tell lies we concocted in our minds.
59:14 Justice is driven back; godliness stands far off. Indeed, honesty stumbles in the city square and morality is not even able to enter.
59:15 Honesty has disappeared; the one who tries to avoid evil is robbed. The Lord watches and is displeased, for there is no justice.
The Lord Intervenes
59:16 He sees there is no advocate; he is shocked that no one intervenes. So he takes matters into his own hands; his desire for justice drives him on.
59:17 He wears his desire for justice like body armor, and his desire to deliver is like a helmet on his head. He puts on the garments of vengeance and wears zeal like a robe.
59:18 He repays them for what they have done, dispensing angry judgment to his adversaries and punishing his enemies. He repays the coastlands.
59:19 In the west, people respect the Lord’s reputation; in the east they recognize his splendor. For he comes like a rushing stream driven on by wind sent from the Lord.
59:20 “A protector comes to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their rebellious deeds,” says the Lord.
59:21 “As for me, this is my promise to them,” says the Lord. “My spirit, who is upon you, and my words, which I have placed in your mouth, will not depart from your mouth or from the mouths of your children and descendants from this time forward,” says the Lord.
Lord, May I never believe nor tolerate the belief that there is anything remotely like a “cheap and easy grace”. There is no eternal grace absent genuine repentance; an honest confession, turning away from sin/rebellion, requesting and receiving forgiveness, and surrendering everything to the Lordship of Christ. You are our hope and our accountability; our relationship with You is on Your terms and not ours. May I learn to know you better so that I may live rightly before You. You hold us accountable and expect us to hold one-another accountable. You want a real relationship with us, and You want us to have real relationships with one-another, relationships characterized by love and not legalistic rituals and selfish expectations. May I reflect daily on my progress toward maturity in a life that is lived as You would have it, not as the world teaches.
Jesus was prophesied via Isaiah; this may be seen in the moments following His false trial, conviction, and abuse “... his form was so marred he no longer looked human ...” And then, upon His return … so now he will startle many nations … Kings will be shocked by his exaltation, for they will witness something unannounced to them, and they will understand something they had not heard about.”
Isaiah proclaimed the ministry of propitiation of Jesus, beginning with the origins of His human form “He sprouted up like a twig before God, like a root out of parched soil; he had no stately form or majesty that might catch our attention, no special appearance that we should want to follow him.” Then the nature of His ministry which challenged religious traditions and worldly expectations “He was despised and rejected by people, one who experienced pain and was acquainted with illness; people hid their faces from him; he was despised, and we considered him insignificant.” The His assumption of our sin on to Himself, One Who had lived without any sin of His own “But he lifted up our illnesses, he carried our pain; even though we thought he was being punished, attacked by God, and afflicted for something he had done. He was wounded because of our rebellious deeds, crushed because of our sins; he endured punishment that made us well; because of his wounds we have been healed. All of us had wandered off like sheep; each of us had strayed off on his own path, but the Lord caused the sin of all of us to attack him.”
He continued the prophesy of His final moments prior to the Cross “He was treated harshly and afflicted, but he did not even open his mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughtering block, like a sheep silent before her shearers, he did not even open his mouth. He was led away after an unjust trial – but who even cared?” Then on to the consequence of assuming our sin “Indeed, he was cut off from the land of the living; because of the rebellion of his own people he was wounded.”
Isaiah prophesied the post-Cross expectations of those who failed to understand “They intended to bury him with criminals, but he ended up in a rich man’s tomb, because he had committed no violent deeds, nor had he spoken deceitfully.”
He described the demands of perfect justice “Though the Lord desired to crush him and make him ill, once restitution is made, he will see descendants and enjoy long life, and the Lord’s purpose will be accomplished through him.” And the consequence of Him meeting the demands of justice in our place “Having suffered, he will reflect on his work, he will be satisfied when he understands what he has done. “My servant will acquit many, for he carried their sins.” And finally His exalted standing among the multitudes and powerful “So I will assign him a portion with the multitudes, he will divide the spoils of victory with the powerful, because he willingly submitted to death and was numbered with the rebels, when he lifted up the sin of many and intervened on behalf of the rebels.”
The redemption made possible by Jesus was likened to a temporarily fractured marriage “... your husband is the one who made you – the Lord who commands armies is his name. He is your protector, the Holy One of Israel. He is called “God of the entire earth.” “Indeed, the Lord will call you back like a wife who has been abandoned and suffers from depression, like a young wife when she has been rejected,” says your God. “For a short time I abandoned you, but with great compassion I will gather you. In a burst of anger I rejected you momentarily, but with lasting devotion I will have compassion on you,” says your protector, the Lord.”
Isaiah delivered the Lord God’s reminder that His reconciliation and restoration was conditional – based upon their genuine repentance “Seek the Lord while he makes himself available; call to him while he is nearby! The wicked need to abandon their lifestyle and sinful people their plans. They should return to the Lord, and he will show mercy to them, and to their God, for he will freely forgive them.”
Isaiah continued the proclamation of the Lord God, beginning with a reminder that His offer of reconciliation and restoration was conditioned on repentant-obedience “Promote justice! Do what is right! For I am ready to deliver you; I am ready to vindicate you openly.”
He then addressed the non-Jew among the Israelites who surrendered themselves to the Lord God, making it clear that they had equal standing before Him, and that He would honor the faith of the eunuch (generically, a single and/or childless person) as well.
Isaiah delivered the challenge of the Lord God against those who worshiped idols “Whom are you worried about? Whom do you fear, that you would act so deceitfully and not remember me or think about me? Because I have been silent for so long, you are not afraid of me. I will denounce your so-called righteousness and your deeds, but they will not help you. When you cry out for help, let your idols help you! The wind blows them all away, a breeze carries them away. But the one who looks to me for help will inherit the land and will have access to my holy mountain.”“
He declared the hope that came from the Lord God “I dwell in an exalted and holy place, but also with the discouraged and humiliated, in order to cheer up the humiliated and to encourage the discouraged. For I will not be hostile forever or perpetually angry, for then man’s spirit would grow faint before me, the life-giving breath I created.”
He concluded with the consequences to those who remain rebellious “... the wicked are like a surging sea that is unable to be quiet; its waves toss up mud and sand. There will be no prosperity,” says my God, “for the wicked.”“
Isaiah began with the Lord God’s call for accountability “Shout loudly! Don’t be quiet! Yell as loud as a trumpet! Confront my people with their rebellious deeds; confront Jacob’s family with their sin!”
He then declared God’s disgust with the hypocrisy of people who complained the He did not respond to their cries for help but who fasted, argued, and fought all at the same time. Even a peaceful ritual was not acceptable “Do I want a day when people merely humble themselves, bowing their heads like a reed and stretching out on sackcloth and ashes? Is this really what you call a fast, a day that is pleasing to the Lord?”
Isaiah then described what the Lord God wanted “... this is the kind of fast I want. I want you to remove the sinful chains, to tear away the ropes of the burdensome yoke, to set free the oppressed, and to break every burdensome yoke. I want you to share your food with the hungry and to provide shelter for homeless, oppressed people. When you see someone naked, clothe him! Don’t turn your back on your own flesh and blood!”
The result of obedient behavior from hearts inclined toward the Lord God would be “Then your light will shine like the sunrise; your restoration will quickly arrive; your godly behavior will go before you, and the Lord’s splendor will be your rear guard. Then you will call out, and the Lord will respond ...”
Isaiah delivered the wisdom teaching “... your sinful acts have alienated you from your God; your sins have caused him to reject you and not listen to your prayers … They are unfamiliar with peace; their deeds are unjust. They use deceitful methods, and whoever deals with them is unfamiliar with peace.”
Distance from the Lord God is always our fault, He stands ready and willing to reconcile and to restore, but “For this reason deliverance is far from us and salvation does not reach us. We wait for light, but see only darkness; we wait for a bright light, but live in deep darkness.”
The consequence of rebellion is always apparent in the form of a troubled civilization “We stir up oppression and rebellion; we tell lies we concocted in our minds. Justice is driven back; godliness stands far off. Indeed, honesty stumbles in the city square and morality is not even able to enter. Honesty has disappeared; the one who tries to avoid evil is robbed. The Lord watches and is displeased, for there is no justice.”
Jesus, God in a temporary glory-free human form, came to be our sacrifice – because no fallen human – however imperfectly righteous, could meet the demand of justice for a perfectly sin-free substitute. The Lord God loves singles and the childless and even in Isaiah’s time made a special effort to affirm and to honor them - in the face of a culture that was obsessed with marriage and children. In the NT the apostle Paul re-affirmed the Lord God’s love for those who are single and/or childless. Unloving legalism and heartless rituals are not Biblically acceptable. The Lord God does not move away from us, though our choice to push Him away, to build walls, and/or to engage in reprehensible conduct repels Him in His perfect holiness.
Why was it important the Jesus in human form be lacking the sort of “Saul” or “David” physically-attractive appearance? Why would people think that they could pretend to honor the Lord God and still continue their disgusting practices in the temples to false pagan idols? How could the people have drifted so far that they imagined such vile behavior during their fasts and other gatherings, and their improper behavior on the Sabbath, could be acceptable to the Lord God? When the consequence of rebellion against the Lord God is so obviously negative why is humankind so quick to offend Him in the pursuit of temporary fleshly lusts?
The Lord God saw His covenant with Israel like a marriage where the wife strayed and the husband chose a temporary separation as she was punished. He remained ready to reconcile and restore, and He created a process by which the relationship could be restored, then invited “her” to join Him when she was ready to repent and to surrender again to the covenant. Reconciliation and restoration are possible when we repent and surrender. Caring for “the least of these” has been a long-standing expectation of the Lord God. Notice that He is speaking of believers, He is specific in the use of the phrase “Don’t turn your back on your own flesh and blood!”
When have you experienced or observed a Christian leader whose physically-attractive appearance became an impediment to focus on Jesus? When have you experienced or observed the double-mindedness of claiming to be a true child of God through Jesus while still living in many worldly ways? When have you discovered that you were at one extreme or another in your practice of the religious elements of your faith, either imbalanced on the emotional side, or imbalanced on the intellectual/legalistic side? When have you been in an environment suffering from many troubles and discovered that those who were at the heart of the troubles were estranged from the Lord God? When have you experienced or observed an individual with an opportunity to be blessed but who threw it all away because they refused to repent of their poor life choices?
Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of something in your life, a distraction from your relational intimacy with Him, which He has overcome in order to improve your relationship, to reveal to you a place in your life where you are still living outside of His moral will for your righteousness; essentially making that thing which He finds disgusting an idol – separating you and Him, and/or an opportunity to “... share your food with the hungry and to provide shelter for homeless, oppressed people. When you see someone naked, clothe him! Don’t turn your back on your own flesh and blood!”
Today I will give Him all the praise and will prayerfully seek-out other areas where I may partner with the Holy Spirit to continue the process of improving my relationship with the Lord God. I will repent, seek and receive His forgiveness, and surrender to the Holy Spirit as He leads me to a more-righteous walk with Him. I will obey the prompting of the Holy Spirit and either join with others in the efforts of an existing ministry, or else I will start my own, perhaps serving the person who sits next to me in Sunday fellowship or another fellow Christian of whose need I am made aware.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
Zion’s Future Splendor
60:1 “Arise! Shine! For your light arrives! The splendor of the Lord shines on you!
60:2 For, look, darkness covers the earth and deep darkness covers the nations, but the Lord shines on you; his splendor appears over you.
60:3 Nations come to your light, kings to your bright light.
60:4 Look all around you! They all gather and come to you – your sons come from far away and your daughters are escorted by guardians.
60:5 Then you will look and smile, you will be excited and your heart will swell with pride. For the riches of distant lands will belong to you and the wealth of nations will come to you.
60:6 Camel caravans will cover your roads, young camels from Midian and Ephah. All the merchants of Sheba will come, bringing gold and incense and singing praises to the Lord.
60:7 All the sheep of Kedar will be gathered to you; the rams of Nebaioth will be available to you as sacrifices. They will go up on my altar acceptably, and I will bestow honor on my majestic temple.
60:8 Who are these who float along like a cloud, who fly like doves to their shelters?
60:9 Indeed, the coastlands look eagerly for me, the large ships are in the lead, bringing your sons from far away, along with their silver and gold, to honor the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has bestowed honor on you.
60:10 Foreigners will rebuild your walls; their kings will serve you. Even though I struck you down in my anger, I will restore my favor and have compassion on you.
60:11 Your gates will remain open at all times; they will not be shut during the day or at night, so that the wealth of nations may be delivered, with their kings leading the way.
60:12 Indeed, nations or kingdoms that do not serve you will perish; such nations will be totally destroyed.
60:13 The splendor of Lebanon will come to you, its evergreens, firs, and cypresses together, to beautify my palace; I will bestow honor on my throne room.
60:14 The children of your oppressors will come bowing to you; all who treated you with disrespect will bow down at your feet. They will call you, ‘The City of the Lord, Zion of the Holy One of Israel.’
60:15 You were once abandoned and despised, with no one passing through, but I will make you a permanent source of pride and joy to coming generations.
60:16 You will drink the milk of nations; you will nurse at the breasts of kings. Then you will recognize that I, the Lord, am your deliverer, your protector, the powerful ruler of Jacob.
60:17 Instead of bronze, I will bring you gold, instead of iron, I will bring you silver, instead of wood, I will bring you bronze, instead of stones, I will bring you iron. I will make prosperity your overseer, and vindication your sovereign ruler.
60:18 Sounds of violence will no longer be heard in your land, or the sounds of destruction and devastation within your borders. You will name your walls, ‘Deliverance,’ and your gates, ‘Praise.’
60:19 The sun will no longer supply light for you by day, nor will the moon’s brightness shine on you; the Lord will be your permanent source of light – the splendor of your God will shine upon you.
60:20 Your sun will no longer set; your moon will not disappear; the Lord will be your permanent source of light; your time of sorrow will be over.
60:21 All of your people will be godly; they will possess the land permanently. I will plant them like a shoot; they will be the product of my labor, through whom I reveal my splendor.
60:22 The least of you will multiply into a thousand; the smallest of you will become a large nation. When the right time comes, I the Lord will quickly do this!”
The Lord Will Rejuvenate His People
61:1 The spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has chosen me. He has commissioned me to encourage the poor, to help the brokenhearted, to decree the release of captives, and the freeing of prisoners,
61:2 to announce the year when the Lord will show his favor, the day when our God will seek vengeance, to console all who mourn,
61:3 to strengthen those who mourn in Zion, by giving them a turban, instead of ashes, oil symbolizing joy, instead of mourning, a garment symbolizing praise, instead of discouragement. They will be called oaks of righteousness, trees planted by the Lord to reveal his splendor.
61:4 They will rebuild the perpetual ruins and restore the places that were desolate; they will reestablish the ruined cities, the places that have been desolate since ancient times.
61:5 “Foreigners will take care of your sheep; foreigners will work in your fields and vineyards.
61:6 You will be called, ‘the Lord’s priests, servants of our God.’ You will enjoy the wealth of nations and boast about the riches you receive from them.
61:7 Instead of shame, you will get a double portion; instead of humiliation, they will rejoice over the land they receive. Yes, they will possess a double portion in their land and experience lasting joy.
61:8 For I, the Lord, love justice and hate robbery and sin. I will repay them because of my faithfulness; I will make a permanent covenant with them.
61:9 Their descendants will be known among the nations, their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will recognize that the Lord has blessed them.”
61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; I will be overjoyed because of my God. For he clothes me in garments of deliverance; he puts on me a robe symbolizing vindication. I look like a bridegroom when he wears a turban as a priest would; I look like a bride when she puts on her jewelry.
61:11 For just as the ground produces its crops and a garden yields its produce, so the sovereign Lord will cause deliverance to grow, and give his people reason to praise him in the sight of all the nations.
The Lord Takes Delight in Zion
62:1 “For the sake of Zion I will not be silent; for the sake of Jerusalem I will not be quiet, until her vindication shines brightly and her deliverance burns like a torch.”
62:2 Nations will see your vindication, and all kings your splendor. You will be called by a new name that the Lord himself will give you.
62:3 You will be a majestic crown in the hand of the Lord, a royal turban in the hand of your God.
62:4 You will no longer be called, “Abandoned,” and your land will no longer be called “Desolate.” Indeed, you will be called “My Delight is in Her,” and your land “Married.” For the Lord will take delight in you, and your land will be married to him.
62:5 As a young man marries a young woman, so your sons will marry you. As a bridegroom rejoices over a bride, so your God will rejoice over you.
62:6 I post watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they should keep praying all day and all night. You who pray to the Lord, don’t be silent!
62:7 Don’t allow him to rest until he reestablishes Jerusalem, until he makes Jerusalem the pride of the earth.
62:8 The Lord swears an oath by his right hand, by his strong arm: “I will never again give your grain to your enemies as food, and foreigners will not drink your wine, which you worked hard to produce.
62:9 But those who harvest the grain will eat it, and will praise the Lord. Those who pick the grapes will drink the wine in the courts of my holy sanctuary.”
62:10 Come through! Come through the gates! Prepare the way for the people! Build it! Build the roadway! Remove the stones! Lift a signal flag for the nations!
62:11 Look, the Lord announces to the entire earth: “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘Look, your deliverer comes! Look, his reward is with him and his reward goes before him!’”
62:12 They will be called, “The Holy People, the Ones Protected by the Lord.” You will be called, “Sought After, City Not Abandoned.”
The Victorious Divine Warrior
63:1 Who is this who comes from Edom, dressed in bright red, coming from Bozrah? Who is this one wearing royal attire, who marches confidently because of his great strength? “It is I, the one who announces vindication, and who is able to deliver!”
63:2 Why are your clothes red? Why do you look like someone who has stomped on grapes in a vat?
63:3 “I have stomped grapes in the winepress all by myself; no one from the nations joined me. I stomped on them in my anger; I trampled them down in my rage. Their juice splashed on my garments, and stained all my clothes.
63:4 For I looked forward to the day of vengeance, and then payback time arrived.
63:5 I looked, but there was no one to help; I was shocked because there was no one offering support. So my right arm accomplished deliverance; my raging anger drove me on.
63:6 I trampled nations in my anger, I made them drunk in my rage, I splashed their blood on the ground.”
A Prayer for Divine Intervention
63:7 I will tell of the faithful acts of the Lord, of the Lord’s praiseworthy deeds. I will tell about all the Lord did for us, the many good things he did for the family of Israel, because of his compassion and great faithfulness.
63:8 He said, “Certainly they will be my people, children who are not disloyal.” He became their deliverer.
63:9 Through all that they suffered, he suffered too. The messenger sent from his very presence delivered them. In his love and mercy he protected them; he lifted them up and carried them throughout ancient times.
63:10 But they rebelled and offended his holy Spirit, so he turned into an enemy and fought against them.
63:11 His people remembered the ancient times. Where is the one who brought them up out of the sea, along with the shepherd of his flock? Where is the one who placed his holy Spirit among them,
63:12 the one who made his majestic power available to Moses, who divided the water before them, gaining for himself a lasting reputation,
63:13 who led them through the deep water? Like a horse running on flat land they did not stumble.
63:14 Like an animal that goes down into a valley to graze, so the Spirit of the Lord granted them rest. In this way you guided your people, gaining for yourself an honored reputation.
63:15 Look down from heaven and take notice, from your holy, majestic palace! Where are your zeal and power? Do not hold back your tender compassion!
63:16 For you are our father, though Abraham does not know us and Israel does not recognize us. You, Lord, are our father; you have been called our protector from ancient times.
63:17 Why, Lord, do you make us stray from your ways, and make our minds stubborn so that we do not obey you? Return for the sake of your servants, the tribes of your inheritance!
63:18 For a short time your special nation possessed a land, but then our adversaries knocked down your holy sanctuary.
63:19 We existed from ancient times, but you did not rule over them, they were not your subjects.
64:1 If only you would tear apart the sky and come down! The mountains would tremble before you!
64:2 As when fire ignites dry wood, or fire makes water boil, let your adversaries know who you are, and may the nations shake at your presence!
64:3 When you performed awesome deeds that took us by surprise, you came down, and the mountains trembled before you.
64:4 Since ancient times no one has heard or perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who intervenes for those who wait for him.
64:5 You assist those who delight in doing what is right, who observe your commandments. Look, you were angry because we violated them continually. How then can we be saved?
64:6 We are all like one who is unclean, all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in your sight. We all wither like a leaf; our sins carry us away like the wind.
64:7 No one invokes your name, or makes an effort to take hold of you. For you have rejected us and handed us over to our own sins.
64:8 Yet, Lord, you are our father. We are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the product of your labor.
64:9 Lord, do not be too angry! Do not hold our sins against us continually! Take a good look at your people, at all of us!
64:10 Your chosen cities have become a desert; Zion has become a desert, Jerusalem is a desolate ruin.
64:11 Our holy temple, our pride and joy, the place where our ancestors praised you, has been burned with fire; all our prized possessions have been destroyed.
64:12 In light of all this, how can you still hold back, Lord? How can you be silent and continue to humiliate us?
The Lord Will Distinguish Between Sinners and the Godly
65:1 “I made myself available to those who did not ask for me; I appeared to those who did not look for me. I said, ‘Here I am! Here I am!’ to a nation that did not invoke my name.
65:2 I spread out my hands all day long to my rebellious people, who lived in a way that is morally unacceptable, and who did what they desired.
65:3 These people continually and blatantly offend me as they sacrifice in their sacred orchards and burn incense on brick altars.
65:4 They sit among the tombs and keep watch all night long. They eat pork, and broth from unclean sacrificial meat is in their pans.
65:5 They say, ‘Keep to yourself! Don’t get near me, for I am holier than you!’ These people are like smoke in my nostrils, like a fire that keeps burning all day long.
65:6 Look, I have decreed: I will not keep silent, but will pay them back; I will pay them back exactly what they deserve,
65:7 for your sins and your ancestors’ sins,” says the Lord. “Because they burned incense on the mountains and offended me on the hills, I will punish them in full measure.”
65:8 This is what the Lord says: “When juice is discovered in a cluster of grapes, someone says, ‘Don’t destroy it, for it contains juice.’ So I will do for the sake of my servants – I will not destroy everyone.
65:9 I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah people to take possession of my mountains. My chosen ones will take possession of the land; my servants will live there.
65:10 Sharon will become a pasture for sheep, and the Valley of Achor a place where cattle graze; they will belong to my people, who seek me.
65:11 But as for you who abandon the Lord and forget about worshiping at my holy mountain, who prepare a feast for the god called ‘Fortune,’ and fill up wine jugs for the god called ‘Destiny’ –
65:12 I predestine you to die by the sword, all of you will kneel down at the slaughtering block, because I called to you, and you did not respond, I spoke and you did not listen. You did evil before me; you chose to do what displeases me.”
65:13 So this is what the sovereign Lord says: “Look, my servants will eat, but you will be hungry! Look, my servants will drink, but you will be thirsty! Look, my servants will rejoice, but you will be humiliated!
65:14 Look, my servants will shout for joy as happiness fills their hearts! But you will cry out as sorrow fills your hearts; you will wail because your spirits will be crushed.
65:15 Your names will live on in the curse formulas of my chosen ones. The sovereign Lord will kill you, but he will give his servants another name.
65:16 Whoever pronounces a blessing in the earth will do so in the name of the faithful God; whoever makes an oath in the earth will do so in the name of the faithful God. For past problems will be forgotten; I will no longer think about them.
65:17 For look, I am ready to create new heavens and a new earth! The former ones will not be remembered; no one will think about them anymore.
65:18 But be happy and rejoice forevermore over what I am about to create! For look, I am ready to create Jerusalem to be a source of joy, and her people to be a source of happiness.
65:19 Jerusalem will bring me joy, and my people will bring me happiness. The sound of weeping or cries of sorrow will never be heard in her again.
65:20 Never again will one of her infants live just a few days or an old man die before his time. Indeed, no one will die before the age of a hundred, anyone who fails to reach the age of a hundred will be considered cursed.
65:21 They will build houses and live in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
65:22 No longer will they build a house only to have another live in it, or plant a vineyard only to have another eat its fruit, for my people will live as long as trees, and my chosen ones will enjoy to the fullest what they have produced.
65:23 They will not work in vain, or give birth to children that will experience disaster. For the Lord will bless their children and their descendants.
65:24 Before they even call out, I will respond; while they are still speaking, I will hear.
65:25 A wolf and a lamb will graze together; a lion, like an ox, will eat straw, and a snake’s food will be dirt. They will no longer injure or destroy on my entire royal mountain,” says the Lord.
66:1 This is what the Lord says: “The heavens are my throne and the earth is my footstool. Where then is the house you will build for me? Where is the place where I will rest?
66:2 My hand made them; that is how they came to be,” says the Lord. I show special favor to the humble and contrite, who respect what I have to say.
66:3 The one who slaughters a bull also strikes down a man; the one who sacrifices a lamb also breaks a dog’s neck; the one who presents an offering includes pig’s blood with it; the one who offers incense also praises an idol. They have decided to behave this way; they enjoy these disgusting practices.
66:4 So I will choose severe punishment for them; I will bring on them what they dread, because I called, and no one responded, I spoke and they did not listen. They did evil before me; they chose to do what displeases me.”
66:5 Hear the word of the Lord, you who respect what he has to say! Your countrymen, who hate you and exclude you, supposedly for the sake of my name, say, “May the Lord be glorified, then we will witness your joy.” But they will be put to shame.
66:6 The sound of battle comes from the city; the sound comes from the temple! It is the sound of the Lord paying back his enemies.
66:7 Before she goes into labor, she gives birth! Before her contractions begin, she delivers a boy!
66:8 Who has ever heard of such a thing? Who has ever seen this? Can a country be brought forth in one day? Can a nation be born in a single moment? Yet as soon as Zion goes into labor she gives birth to sons!
66:9 “Do I bring a baby to the birth opening and then not deliver it?” asks the Lord. “Or do I bring a baby to the point of delivery and then hold it back?” asks your God.
66:10 Be happy for Jerusalem and rejoice with her, all you who love her! Share in her great joy, all you who have mourned over her!
66:11 For you will nurse from her satisfying breasts and be nourished; you will feed with joy from her milk-filled breasts.
66:12 For this is what the Lord says: “Look, I am ready to extend to her prosperity that will flow like a river, the riches of nations will flow into her like a stream that floods its banks. You will nurse from her breast and be carried at her side; you will play on her knees.
66:13 As a mother consoles a child, so I will console you, and you will be consoled over Jerusalem.”
66:14 When you see this, you will be happy, and you will be revived. The Lord will reveal his power to his servants and his anger to his enemies.
66:15 For look, the Lord comes with fire, his chariots come like a windstorm, to reveal his raging anger, his battle cry, and his flaming arrows.
66:16 For the Lord judges all humanity with fire and his sword; the Lord will kill many.
66:17 “As for those who consecrate and ritually purify themselves so they can follow their leader and worship in the sacred orchards, those who eat the flesh of pigs and other disgusting creatures, like mice – they will all be destroyed together,” says the Lord. 66:18 “I hate their deeds and thoughts! So I am coming to gather all the nations and ethnic groups; they will come and witness my splendor. 66:19 I will perform a mighty act among them and then send some of those who remain to the nations – to Tarshish, Pul, Lud (known for its archers), Tubal, Javan, and to the distant coastlands that have not heard about me or seen my splendor. They will tell the nations of my splendor. 66:20 They will bring back all your countrymen from all the nations as an offering to the Lord. They will bring them on horses, in chariots, in wagons, on mules, and on camels to my holy hill Jerusalem,” says the Lord, “just as the Israelites bring offerings to the Lord’s temple in ritually pure containers. 66:21 And I will choose some of them as priests and Levites,” says the Lord. 66:22 “For just as the new heavens and the new earth I am about to make will remain standing before me,” says the Lord, “so your descendants and your name will remain. 66:23 From one month to the next and from one Sabbath to the next, all people will come to worship me,” says the Lord. 66:24 “They will go out and observe the corpses of those who rebelled against me, for the maggots that eat them will not die, and the fire that consumes them will not die out. All people will find the sight abhorrent.”
Lord, when humankind could not provide a champion to meet the demands of Your perfect and holy justice, You came down from Heaven and provided Your way for us. Although it is impossible for me to ever properly thank You, may my heart be broken with gratitude every time Your Holy Spirit reminds me of what You have done. You exist as a Trinity of persons, yet are One. Mere humankind cannot fully understand this, just as humankind cannot comprehend other things about God. You desire to make the willing whole and to then welcome us to dwell with You. May I grow in a spiritual sense of Your vision for my future, and that of Your other children, that I may be strengthened for service.
Isaiah prophesied the coming of the Messiah and His later return to purge evils and to restore an Edenic-like environment for His children “He sees there is no advocate; he is shocked that no one intervenes. So he takes matters into his own hands; his desire for justice drives him on … “A protector comes to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their rebellious deeds,” says the Lord. “As for me, this is my promise to them,” says the Lord. “My spirit, who is upon you, and my words, which I have placed in your mouth, will not depart from your mouth or from the mouths of your children and descendants from this time forward,” says the Lord.”
Isaiah encouraged his listeners to see themselves in a promised but not yet actualized state of presence with the Lord God “... look, darkness covers the earth and deep darkness covers the nations, but the Lord shines on you; his splendor appears over you.”
He spoke of the coming Messiah and His later return, and in his phraseology he bonded his current reference to the Messiah (“my”) and the prior reference to the Lord God (“he”) together as an essential unity (the Son and the Father and the Holy Spirit are One) “They will go up on my altar acceptably, and I will bestow honor on my majestic temple … the coastlands look eagerly for me, the large ships are in the lead, bringing your sons from far away, along with their silver and gold, to honor the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has bestowed honor on you.”
Isaiah’s prophesy “The sun will no longer supply light for you by day, nor will the moon’s brightness shine on you; the Lord will be your permanent source of light – the splendor of your God will shine upon you.” was later echoed in John’s Revelation as Heaven was described.
The promised redemption, in a perfect state “All of your people will be godly; they will possess the land permanently. I will plant them like a shoot; they will be the product of my labor, through whom I reveal my splendor. The least of you will multiply into a thousand; the smallest of you will become a large nation. When the right time comes, I the Lord will quickly do this!”
Isaiah appeared to revisit the process and purpose of his calling as a prophet “The spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has chosen me.”
He described the idyllic outcome of a repentent Israel should they meet their part of the Lord God’s offered reconciliation and restoration “They will rebuild the perpetual ruins and restore the places that were desolate; they will reestablish the ruined cities, the places that have been desolate since ancient times.”
Isaiah declared the Lord God’s promise should His offered covenant be honored by Israel “For I, the Lord, love justice and hate robbery and sin. I will repay them because of my faithfulness; I will make a permanent covenant with them.”
He summarized his reaction should the covenant be realized “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; I will be overjoyed because of my God. For he clothes me in garments of deliverance; he puts on me a robe symbolizing vindication. I look like a bridegroom when he wears a turban as a priest would; I look like a bride when she puts on her jewelry. For just as the ground produces its crops and a garden yields its produce, so the sovereign Lord will cause deliverance to grow, and give his people reason to praise him in the sight of all the nations.”
Isaiah declared the Lord God’s intention to advocate for a repentant Israel “For the sake of Zion I will not be silent; for the sake of Jerusalem I will not be quiet, until her vindication shines brightly and her deliverance burns like a torch.”
The term “Israel” had been moving from literal to figurative in the Lord God’s communication through His prophets for many decades and here it shifts completely to the figurative “You will no longer be called, “Abandoned,” and your land will no longer be called “Desolate.” Indeed, you will be called “My Delight is in Her,” and your land “Married.” For the Lord will take delight in you, and your land will be married to him. As a young man marries a young woman, so your sons will marry you. As a bridegroom rejoices over a bride, so your God will rejoice over you.”
Well before the Messiah descents to earth in human form Isaiah uses the symbolism of agriculture for a spiritual purpose “The Lord swears an oath by his right hand, by his strong arm: “I will never again give your grain to your enemies as food, and foreigners will not drink your wine, which you worked hard to produce. But those who harvest the grain will eat it, and will praise the Lord. Those who pick the grapes will drink the wine in the courts of my holy sanctuary.”
He continued with additional symbolism “Come through! Come through the gates! Prepare the way for the people! Build it! Build the roadway! Remove the stones! Lift a signal flag for the nations!”
And finally, the fore-telling prophesy of the Messiah “Look, the Lord announces to the entire earth: “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘Look, your deliverer comes! Look, his reward is with him and his reward goes before him!’” They will be called, “The Holy People, the Ones Protected by the Lord.”“
Isaiah began with a description of the Messiah, drenched in blood from absorbing the sin of the world. [According to the NET Translator’s Notes he used Edom as “... an archetype for the Lord’s enemies. See verse 34:5.] Sin is our mortal enemy.
He then revisited the relationship of the Lord God to His people “I will tell of the faithful acts of the Lord, of the Lord’s praiseworthy deeds. I will tell about all the Lord did for us, the many good things he did for the family of Israel, because of his compassion and great faithfulness. He said, “Certainly they will be my people, children who are not disloyal.” He became their deliverer. Through all that they suffered, he suffered too. The messenger sent from his very presence delivered them. In his love and mercy he protected them; he lifted them up and carried them throughout ancient times. But they rebelled and offended his holy Spirit, so he turned into an enemy and fought against them.”
Isaiah then raised a plea on behalf of the people “Look down from heaven and take notice, from your holy, majestic palace! Where are your zeal and power? Do not hold back your tender compassion! For you are our father, though Abraham does not know us and Israel does not recognize us. You, Lord, are our father; you have been called our protector from ancient times.”
He concluded with an odd divergence from clarity and perspective, suggesting that the sinful lifestyle and spiritual rebellion of Israel was somehow the fault of the Lord God “Why, Lord, do you make us stray from your ways, and make our minds stubborn so that we do not obey you? Return for the sake of your servants, the tribes of your inheritance! For a short time your special nation possessed a land, but then our adversaries knocked down your holy sanctuary. We existed from ancient times, but you did not rule over them, they were not your subjects.”
Isaiah continued to plead for the intervention of the Lord God.
He testified to the exceptionalism of the Lord God “Since ancient times no one has heard or perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who intervenes for those who wait for him.”
Isaiah confessed that there was nothing the people could do to cause their own salvation “You assist those who delight in doing what is right, who observe your commandments. Look, you were angry because we violated them continually. How then can we be saved?”
He lamented that the Lord God had allowed the people to dwell in the consequences of their rebellion such that “No one invokes your name, or makes an effort to take hold of you. For you have rejected us and handed us over to our own sins.”
Isaiah leaned upon the identity of Israel as defined by their relationship with the Lord God “Yet, Lord, you are our father. We are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the product of your labor. Lord, do not be too angry! Do not hold our sins against us continually! Take a good look at your people, at all of us!”
He then concluded with a plea “In light of all this, how can you still hold back, Lord? How can you be silent and continue to humiliate us?”
Isaiah reported the challenge of the Lord God “I made myself available to those who did not ask for me; I appeared to those who did not look for me. I said, ‘Here I am! Here I am!’ to a nation that did not invoke my name. I spread out my hands all day long to my rebellious people, who lived in a way that is morally unacceptable, and who did what they desired.”
He then continued with a report of the arrogance of the people toward the Lord God “They say, ‘Keep to yourself! Don’t get near me, for I am holier than you!’ These people are like smoke in my nostrils, like a fire that keeps burning all day long. Look, I have decreed: I will not keep silent, but will pay them back; I will pay them back exactly what they deserve ...”
Isaiah shared the grace of the Lord God toward a remnant of His people “This is what the Lord says: “When juice is discovered in a cluster of grapes, someone says, ‘Don’t destroy it, for it contains juice.’ So I will do for the sake of my servants – I will not destroy everyone. I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah people to take possession of my mountains. My chosen ones will take possession of the land; my servants will live there.”
He observed that the Lord God would “choose” those who responded to Him and would reject those who rejected Him “But as for you who abandon the Lord and forget about worshiping at my holy mountain, who prepare a feast for the god called ‘Fortune,’ and fill up wine jugs for the god called ‘Destiny’ – I predestine you to die by the sword, all of you will kneel down at the slaughtering block, because I called to you, and you did not respond, I spoke and you did not listen. You did evil before me; you chose to do what displeases me.”
Isaiah then brought the Lord God’s vision of His restored Creation “Whoever pronounces a blessing in the earth will do so in the name of the faithful God; whoever makes an oath in the earth will do so in the name of the faithful God. For past problems will be forgotten; I will no longer think about them. For look, I am ready to create new heavens and a new earth! The former ones will not be remembered; no one will think about them anymore. But be happy and rejoice forevermore over what I am about to create! For look, I am ready to create Jerusalem to be a source of joy, and her people to be a source of happiness. Jerusalem will bring me joy, and my people will bring me happiness. The sound of weeping or cries of sorrow will never be heard in her again.”
He concluded his symbolic representation, using concepts and images that would be understood in his time “Before they even call out, I will respond; while they are still speaking, I will hear. A wolf and a lamb will graze together; a lion, like an ox, will eat straw, and a snake’s food will be dirt. They will no longer injure or destroy on my entire royal mountain,” says the Lord.”
Isaiah began with the Lord God’s challenge to the people to recognize His uniqueness as God “This is what the Lord says: “The heavens are my throne and the earth is my footstool. Where then is the house you will build for me? Where is the place where I will rest?” … and their required heart-condition if they are to receive His blessing ... “My hand made them; that is how they came to be,” says the Lord. I show special favor to the humble and contrite, who respect what I have to say.”
He then repeated the condemnation that the rebellious have brought upon themselves “I will bring on them what they dread, because I called, and no one responded, I spoke and they did not listen. They did evil before me; they chose to do what displeases me.”
Isaiah continues to use illustrations and word-pictures that were faniliar to the people to explain how the Lord God intended to complete what He started “Do I bring a baby to the birth opening and then not deliver it?” asks the Lord. “Or do I bring a baby to the point of delivery and then hold it back?” asks your God.”
He brought the reminder that the Lord God will cleanse His creation “For look, the Lord comes with fire, his chariots come like a windstorm, to reveal his raging anger, his battle cry, and his flaming arrows. For the Lord judges all humanity with fire and his sword; the Lord will kill many.”
Isaiah announced the prophesy “So I am coming to gather all the nations and ethnic groups; they will come and witness my splendor. I will perform a mighty act among them and then send some of those who remain to the nations – to Tarshish, Pul, Lud (known for its archers), Tubal, Javan, and to the distant coastlands that have not heard about me or seen my splendor. They will tell the nations of my splendor. They will bring back all your countrymen from all the nations as an offering to the Lord … For just as the new heavens and the new earth I am about to make will remain standing before me,” says the Lord, “so your descendants and your name will remain. From one month to the next and from one Sabbath to the next, all people will come to worship me,” says the Lord.”
Israel was never going to repent and therefore national reconciliation and restoration was impossible; it was rather an individual relationship of any member of humankind and their Lord God which would define spiritual “Israel”. The Messiah came to rescue us from our mortal enemy, sin, and did so in a spiritual battle which was played-out on the battlefield of His temporarily-assumed human body – apart from His eternal heavenly glory. Israel remained in exile from the Promised Land, they remained trapped in their lifestyles of sin and their attitude of rebellion, and Isaiah was heartsick. The Lord God reaches out to everyone but “... because I called to you, and you did not respond” those who refuse Him miss out on the eternal blessings He has ready for them. The need for a choice is repeated, those who persist in rebellion will be destroyed, those who come “... humble and contrite, who respect what I [the Lord God] have to say.” will be blessed.
Why was it important to give the people of Israel and believing Gentiles, new names or titles e.g. “My Delight is in Her,” and your land “Married.”?
The Lord God is unwilling to allow those whose hearts are inclined toward Him to perish eternally. The Lord God desired to pour-out blessings on “... children who are not disloyal.” - but He would not have that opportunity until the return of Christ and the great purge. The Lord “predestined” those who made a choice to ignore His call, He did not cause them to reject Him. The missionary work of the New Testament was described by Isaiah way back then.
When have you pondered the consistency of the Lord God in His promise of a Messiah from the moments following the Fall of Adam and Eve through the entirety of OT history? When have you pondered “... new heavens and a new earth” where “The former ones will not be remembered; no one will think about them anymore.” and “The sound of weeping or cries of sorrow will never be heard in her [rhetorical Israel] again.”?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you ways that He would like you to “Prepare the way for the people! Build it! Build the roadway! Remove the stones! Lift a signal flag for the nations!”, a renewed understanding of the battle that Jesus waged on your behalf, one which was fought upon his human form, a dream about the “... new heavens and a new earth” where “A wolf and a lamb will graze together; a lion, like an ox, will eat straw, and a snake’s food will be dirt. They will no longer injure or destroy on my entire royal mountain,” says the Lord.”, and what He has planned for you in His plan to “... tell the nations of my splendor.”
Today I will pause to give thanks, then throughout the day I will seek an opportunities to share Him with others, and to again give thanks. I will tell His story, encourage the unsaved to consider-Christ, remove legalism and traditionalism and other sociological impediments to those considering-Christ, walk honorably before the Lord God and partner with the Holy Spirit to make my life a light in the darkness. I will gratefully receive the calling of the Lord God and will prayerfully consider how He has already prepared me, and the path, to that end. It may be the children next door in an unsaved family, someone where I study or work, someone I reach through electronic communications, someone I reach through art or music of explaining science from the Lord God’s perspective, or maybe it will literally be to travel a great distance.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study –“Genesis 3. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 43
Introduction
1:1 The oracle against Nineveh; the book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite:
God Takes Vengeance against His Enemies
1:2 The Lord is a zealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and very angry. The Lord takes vengeance against his foes; he sustains his rage against his enemies.
1:3 The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will certainly not allow the wicked to go unpunished.
The Divine Warrior Destroys His Enemies but Protects His People
He marches out in the whirlwind and the raging storm; dark storm clouds billow like dust under his feet.
1:4 He shouts a battle cry against the sea and makes it dry up; he makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither; the blossom of Lebanon withers.
1:5 The mountains tremble before him, the hills convulse; the earth is laid waste before him, the world and all its inhabitants are laid waste.
1:6 No one can withstand his indignation! No one can resist his fierce anger! His wrath is poured out like volcanic fire, boulders are broken up as he approaches.
1:7 The Lord is good – indeed, he is a fortress in time of distress, and he protects those who seek refuge in him.
1:8 But with an overwhelming flood he will make a complete end of Nineveh; he will drive his enemies into darkness.
Denunciation and Destruction of Nineveh
1:9 Whatever you plot against the Lord, he will completely destroy! Distress will not arise a second time.
1:10 Surely they will be totally consumed like entangled thorn bushes, like the drink of drunkards, like very dry stubble.
1:11 From you, O Nineveh, one has marched forth who plots evil against the Lord, a wicked military strategist.
Oracle of Deliverance to Judah
1:12 This is what the Lord says: “Even though they are powerful – and what is more, even though their army is numerous – nevertheless, they will be destroyed and trickle away! Although I afflicted you, I will afflict you no more.
1:13 And now, I will break Assyria’s yoke bar from your neck; I will tear apart the shackles that are on you.”
Oracle of Judgment against the King of Nineveh
1:14 The Lord has issued a decree against you: “Your dynasty will come to an end. I will destroy the idols and images in the temples of your gods. I will desecrate your grave – because you are accursed!”
Proclamation of the Deliverance of Judah
1:15 Look! A herald is running on the mountains! A messenger is proclaiming deliverance: “Celebrate your sacred festivals, O Judah! Fulfill your sacred vows to praise God! For never again will the wicked Assyrians invade you, they have been completely destroyed.”
Proclamation of the Destruction of Nineveh
2:1 The watchmen of Nineveh shout: “An enemy who will scatter you is marching out to attack you!” “Guard the rampart! Watch the road! Prepare yourselves for battle! Muster your mighty strength!”
2:2 For the Lord will restore the majesty of Jacob, as well as the majesty of Israel, though their enemies have plundered them and have destroyed their fields.
Prophetic Vision of the Fall of Nineveh
2:3 The shields of his warriors are dyed red; the mighty soldiers are dressed in scarlet garments. The metal fittings of the chariots shine like fire on the day of battle; the soldiers brandish their spears.
2:4 The chariots race madly through the streets, they rush back and forth in the broad plazas; they look like lightning bolts, they dash here and there like flashes of lightning.
2:5 The commander orders his officers; they stumble as they advance; they rush to the city wall and they set up the covered siege tower.
2:6 The sluice gates are opened; the royal palace is deluged and dissolves.
2:7 Nineveh is taken into exile and is led away; her slave girls moan like doves while they beat their breasts.
2:8 Nineveh was like a pool of water throughout her days, but now her people are running away; she cries out: “Stop! Stop!” – but no one turns back.
2:9 Her conquerors cry out: “Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold!” There is no end to the treasure; riches of every kind of precious thing.
2:10 Destruction, devastation, and desolation! Their hearts faint, their knees tremble, each stomach churns, each face turns pale!
Taunt against the Once-Mighty Lion
2:11 Where now is the den of the lions, the feeding place of the young lions, where the lion, lioness, and lion cub once prowled and no one disturbed them?
2:12 The lion tore apart as much prey as his cubs needed and strangled prey to provide food for his lionesses; he filled his lairs with prey and his dens with torn flesh.
Battle Cry of the Divine Warrior
2:13 “I am against you!” declares the Lord who commands armies: “I will burn your chariots with fire; the sword will devour your young lions; you will no longer prey upon the land; the voices of your messengers will no longer be heard.”
Reason for Judgment: Sins of Nineveh
3:1 Woe to the city guilty of bloodshed! She is full of lies; she is filled with plunder; she has hoarded her spoil!
Portrayal of the Destruction of Nineveh
3:2 The chariot drivers will crack their whips; the chariot wheels will shake the ground; the chariot horses will gallop; the war chariots will bolt forward!
3:3 The charioteers will charge ahead; their swords will flash and their spears will glimmer! There will be many people slain; there will be piles of the dead, and countless casualties – so many that people will stumble over the corpses.
Taunt against the Harlot City
3:4 “Because you have acted like a wanton prostitute – a seductive mistress who practices sorcery, who enslaves nations by her harlotry, and entices peoples by her sorcery –
3:5 I am against you,” declares the Lord who commands armies. “I will strip off your clothes! I will show your nakedness to the nations and your shame to the kingdoms;
3:6 I will pelt you with filth; I will treat you with contempt; I will make you a public spectacle.
3:7 Everyone who sees you will turn away from you in disgust; they will say, ‘Nineveh has been devastated! Who will lament for her?’ There will be no one to comfort you!”
Nineveh Will Suffer the Same Fate as Thebes
3:8 You are no more secure than Thebes – she was located on the banks of the Nile; the waters surrounded her, her rampart was the sea, the water was her wall.
3:9 Cush and Egypt had limitless strength; Put and the Libyans were among her allies.
3:10 Yet she went into captivity as an exile; even her infants were smashed to pieces at the head of every street. They cast lots for her nobility; all her dignitaries were bound with chains.
3:11 You too will act like drunkards; you will go into hiding; you too will seek refuge from the enemy.
The Assyrian Defenses Will Fail
3:12 All your fortifications will be like fig trees with first-ripe fruit: If they are shaken, their figs will fall into the mouth of the eater!
3:13 Your warriors will be like women in your midst; the gates of your land will be wide open to your enemies; fire will consume the bars of your gates.
3:14 Draw yourselves water for a siege! Strengthen your fortifications! Trample the mud and tread the clay! Make mud bricks to strengthen your walls!
3:15 There the fire will consume you; the sword will cut you down; it will devour you like the young locust would.
The Assyrian Defenders Will Flee
Multiply yourself like the young locust; multiply yourself like the flying locust!
3:16 Increase your merchants more than the stars of heaven! They are like the young locust which sheds its skin and flies away.
3:17 Your courtiers are like locusts, your officials are like a swarm of locusts! They encamp in the walls on a cold day, yet when the sun rises, they fly away; and no one knows where they are.
Concluding Dirge
3:18 Your shepherds are sleeping, O king of Assyria! Your officers are slumbering! Your people are scattered like sheep on the mountains and there is no one to regather them!
3:19 Your destruction is like an incurable wound; your demise is like a fatal injury! All who hear what has happened to you will clap their hands for joy, for no one ever escaped your endless cruelty!
Lord, You offered Ninevah mercy through Jonah but they had forgotten You and returned to their evil ways, thus You judged them. May I be careful not to backslide.
Nahum prophesied to Ninevah about a century after Jonah’s visit. They had apparently drifted back into their pre-Jonah evil ways.
He described Ninevah’s great power to destroy other nations, the Lord’s permission for them to destroy Israel and Judah as judgment, then stated that they faced even worse punishment for worse sin than those they conquered.
Nahum declared “The Lord is good – indeed, he is a fortress in time of distress, and he protects those who seek refuge in him. But with an overwhelming flood he will make a complete end of Nineveh; he will drive his enemies into darkness.”
Ninevah had a wonderful opportunity to start-over and to receive blessings from the Lord God, but they instead returned to their pagan and violent ways of the past.
Why would the Ninevites have drifted backward?
Despite their massive numbers and massive captured wealth the Ninevites could not stand before a God of judgment.
When have you experienced or observed the giving of a second chance that was squandered due to a return to bad behavior?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you are backsliding some.
Today I will confess and repent, seek and receive the Lord God's forgiveness, and then make the necessary adjustments to resist backsliding – including inviting a fellow believer to hold me accountable and to pray in-agreement with me.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
2 Kings
Josiah Repents
22:1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother was Jedidah, daughter of Adaiah, from Bozkath. 22:2 He did what the Lord approved and followed in his ancestor David’s footsteps; he did not deviate to the right or the left.
22:3 In the eighteenth year of King Josiah’s reign, the king sent the scribe Shaphan son of Azaliah, son of Meshullam, to the Lord’s temple with these orders: 22:4 “Go up to Hilkiah the high priest and have him melt down the silver that has been brought by the people to the Lord’s temple and has been collected by the guards at the door. 22:5 Have them hand it over to the construction foremen assigned to the Lord’s temple. They in turn should pay the temple workers to repair it, 22:6 including craftsmen, builders, and masons, and should buy wood and chiseled stone for the repair work. 22:7 Do not audit the foremen who disburse the silver, for they are honest.”
22:8 Hilkiah the high priest informed Shaphan the scribe, “I found the law scroll in the Lord’s temple.” Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan and he read it. 22:9 Shaphan the scribe went to the king and reported, “Your servants melted down the silver in the temple and handed it over to the construction foremen assigned to the Lord’s temple.” 22:10 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a scroll.” Shaphan read it out loud before the king. 22:11 When the king heard the words of the law scroll, he tore his clothes. 22:12 The king ordered Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant, 22:13 “Go, seek an oracle from the Lord for me and the people – for all Judah. Find out about the words of this scroll that has been discovered. For the Lord’s fury has been ignited against us, because our ancestors have not obeyed the words of this scroll by doing all that it instructs us to do.”
22:14 So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Acbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shullam son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, the supervisor of the wardrobe. (She lived in Jerusalem in the Mishneh district.) They stated their business, 22:15 and she said to them: “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘Say this to the man who sent you to me: 22:16 “This is what the Lord says: ‘I am about to bring disaster on this place and its residents, the details of which are recorded in the scroll which the king of Judah has read. 22:17 This will happen because they have abandoned me and offered sacrifices to other gods, angering me with all the idols they have made. My anger will ignite against this place and will not be extinguished!’” 22:18 Say this to the king of Judah, who sent you to seek an oracle from the Lord: “This is what the Lord God of Israel says concerning the words you have heard: 22:19 ‘You displayed a sensitive spirit and humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard how I intended to make this place and its residents into an appalling example of an accursed people. You tore your clothes and wept before me, and I have heard you,’ says the Lord. 22:20 ‘Therefore I will allow you to die and be buried in peace. You will not have to witness all the disaster I will bring on this place.’”‘” Then they reported back to the king.
The King Institutes Religious Reform
23:1 The king summoned all the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem. 23:2 The king went up to the Lord’s temple, accompanied by all the people of Judah, all the residents of Jerusalem, the priests, and the prophets. All the people were there, from the youngest to the oldest. He read aloud all the words of the scroll of the covenant that had been discovered in the Lord’s temple. 23:3 The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant before the Lord, agreeing to follow the Lord and to obey his commandments, laws, and rules with all his heart and being, by carrying out the terms of this covenant recorded on this scroll. All the people agreed to keep the covenant.
23:4 The king ordered Hilkiah the high priest, the high-ranking priests, and the guards to bring out of the Lord’s temple all the items that were used in the worship of Baal, Asherah, and all the stars of the sky. The king burned them outside of Jerusalem in the terraces of Kidron, and carried their ashes to Bethel. 23:5 He eliminated the pagan priests whom the kings of Judah had appointed to offer sacrifices on the high places in the cities of Judah and in the area right around Jerusalem. (They offered sacrifices to Baal, the sun god, the moon god, the constellations, and all the stars in the sky.) 23:6 He removed the Asherah pole from the Lord’s temple and took it outside Jerusalem to the Kidron Valley, where he burned it. He smashed it to dust and then threw the dust in the public graveyard. 23:7 He tore down the quarters of the male cultic prostitutes in the Lord’s temple, where women were weaving shrines for Asherah.
23:8 He brought all the priests from the cities of Judah and ruined the high places where the priests had offered sacrifices, from Geba to Beer Sheba. He tore down the high place of the goat idols situated at the entrance of the gate of Joshua, the city official, on the left side of the city gate. 23:9 (Now the priests of the high places did not go up to the altar of the Lord in Jerusalem, but they did eat unleavened cakes among their fellow priests.) 23:10 The king ruined Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom so that no one could pass his son or his daughter through the fire to Molech. 23:11 He removed from the entrance to the Lord’s temple the statues of horses that the kings of Judah had placed there in honor of the sun god. (They were kept near the room of Nathan Melech the eunuch, which was situated among the courtyards.) He burned up the chariots devoted to the sun god. 23:12 The king tore down the altars the kings of Judah had set up on the roof of Ahaz’s upper room, as well as the altars Manasseh had set up in the two courtyards of the Lord’s temple. He crushed them up and threw the dust in the Kidron Valley. 23:13 The king ruined the high places east of Jerusalem, south of the Mount of Destruction, that King Solomon of Israel had built for the detestable Sidonian goddess Astarte, the detestable Moabite god Chemosh, and the horrible Ammonite god Milcom. 23:14 He smashed the sacred pillars to bits, cut down the Asherah pole, and filled those shrines with human bones.
23:15 He also tore down the altar in Bethel at the high place made by Jeroboam son of Nebat, who encouraged Israel to sin. He burned all the combustible items at that high place and crushed them to dust; including the Asherah pole. 23:16 When Josiah turned around, he saw the tombs there on the hill. So he ordered the bones from the tombs to be brought; he burned them on the altar and defiled it. This fulfilled the Lord’s announcement made by the prophet while Jeroboam stood by the altar during a festival. King Josiah turned and saw the grave of the prophet who had foretold this. 23:17 He asked, “What is this grave marker I see?” The men from the city replied, “It’s the grave of the prophet who came from Judah and foretold these very things you have done to the altar of Bethel.” 23:18 The king said, “Leave it alone! No one must touch his bones.” So they left his bones undisturbed, as well as the bones of the Israelite prophet buried beside him.
23:19 Josiah also removed all the shrines on the high places in the cities of Samaria. The kings of Israel had made them and angered the Lord. He did to them what he had done to the high place in Bethel. 23:20 He sacrificed all the priests of the high places on the altars located there, and burned human bones on them. Then he returned to Jerusalem.
23:21 The king ordered all the people, “Observe the Passover of the Lord your God, as prescribed in this scroll of the covenant.” 23:22 He issued this edict because a Passover like this had not been observed since the days of the judges; it was neglected for the entire period of the kings of Israel and Judah. 23:23 But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah’s reign, such a Passover of the Lord was observed in Jerusalem.
23:24 Josiah also got rid of the ritual pits used to conjure up spirits, the magicians, personal idols, disgusting images, and all the detestable idols that had appeared in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem. In this way he carried out the terms of the law recorded on the scroll that Hilkiah the priest had discovered in the Lord’s temple. 23:25 No king before or after repented before the Lord as he did, with his whole heart, soul, and being in accordance with the whole law of Moses.
23:26 Yet the Lord’s great anger against Judah did not subside; he was still infuriated by all the things Manasseh had done. 23:27 The Lord announced, “I will also spurn Judah, just as I spurned Israel. I will reject this city that I chose – both Jerusalem and the temple, about which I said, “I will live there.”
23:28 The rest of the events of Josiah’s reign and all his accomplishments are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 23:29 During Josiah’s reign Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt marched toward the Euphrates River to help the king of Assyria. King Josiah marched out to fight him, but Necho killed him at Megiddo when he saw him. 23:30 His servants transported his dead body from Megiddo in a chariot and brought it to Jerusalem, where they buried him in his tomb. The people of the land took Josiah’s son Jehoahaz, poured olive oil on his head, and made him king in his father’s place.
Jehoahaz’s Reign over Judah
23:31 Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah, from Libnah. 23:32 He did evil in the sight of the Lord as his ancestors had done. 23:33 Pharaoh Necho imprisoned him in Riblah in the land of Hamath and prevented him from ruling in Jerusalem. He imposed on the land a special tax of one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. 23:34 Pharaoh Necho made Josiah’s son Eliakim king in Josiah’s place, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. He took Jehoahaz to Egypt, where he died. 23:35 Jehoiakim paid Pharaoh the required amount of silver and gold, but to meet Pharaoh’s demands Jehoiakim had to tax the land. He collected an assessed amount from each man among the people of the land in order to pay Pharaoh Necho.
Jehoiakim’s Reign over Judah
23:36 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother was Zebidah the daughter of Pedaiah, from Rumah. 23:37 He did evil in the sight of the Lord as his ancestors had done.
2 Chronicles
Josiah Institutes Religious Reforms
34:1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. 34:2 He did what the Lord approved and followed in his ancestor David’s footsteps; he did not deviate to the right or the left.
34:3 In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his ancestor David. In his twelfth year he began ridding Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, Asherah poles, idols, and images. 34:4 He ordered the altars of the Baals to be torn down, and broke the incense altars that were above them. He smashed the Asherah poles, idols and images, crushed them up and sprinkled the dust over the tombs of those who had sacrificed to them. 34:5 He burned the bones of the pagan priests on their altars; he purified Judah and Jerusalem. 34:6 In the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, as far as Naphtali, and in the ruins around them, 34:7 he tore down the altars and Asherah poles, demolished the idols, and smashed all the incense altars throughout the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.
34:8 In the eighteenth year of his reign, he continued his policy of purifying the land and the temple. He sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the city official, and Joah son of Joahaz the secretary to repair the temple of the Lord his God. 34:9 They went to Hilkiah the high priest and gave him the silver that had been brought to God’s temple. The Levites who guarded the door had collected it from the people of Manasseh and Ephraim and from all who were left in Israel, as well as from all the people of Judah and Benjamin and the residents of Jerusalem. 34:10 They handed it over to the construction foremen assigned to the Lord’s temple. They in turn paid the temple workers to restore and repair it. 34:11 They gave money to the craftsmen and builders to buy chiseled stone and wood for the braces and rafters of the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to fall into disrepair. 34:12 The men worked faithfully. Their supervisors were Jahath and Obadiah (Levites descended from Merari), as well as Zechariah and Meshullam (descendants of Kohath). The Levites, all of whom were skilled musicians, 34:13 supervised the laborers and all the foremen on their various jobs. Some of the Levites were scribes, officials, and guards.
34:14 When they took out the silver that had been brought to the Lord’s temple, Hilkiah the priest found the law scroll the Lord had given to Moses. 34:15 Hilkiah informed Shaphan the scribe, “I found the law scroll in the Lord’s temple.” Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan. 34:16 Shaphan brought the scroll to the king and reported, “Your servants are doing everything assigned to them. 34:17 They melted down the silver in the Lord’s temple and handed it over to the supervisors of the construction foremen.” 34:18 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a scroll.” Shaphan read it out loud before the king. 34:19 When the king heard the words of the law scroll, he tore his clothes. 34:20 The king ordered Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant, 34:21 “Go, seek an oracle from the Lord for me and those who remain in Israel and Judah. Find out about the words of this scroll that has been discovered. For the Lord’s fury has been ignited against us, because our ancestors have not obeyed the word of the Lord by doing all that this scroll instructs!”
34:22 So Hilkiah and the others sent by the king went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, the supervisor of the wardrobe. (She lived in Jerusalem in the Mishneh district.) They stated their business, 34:23 and she said to them: “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘Say this to the man who sent you to me: 34:24 “This is what the Lord says: ‘I am about to bring disaster on this place and its residents, the details of which are recorded in the scroll which they read before the king of Judah. 34:25 This will happen because they have abandoned me and offered sacrifices to other gods, angering me with all the idols they have made. My anger will ignite against this place and will not be extinguished!’” 34:26 Say this to the king of Judah, who sent you to seek an oracle from the Lord: “This is what the Lord God of Israel says concerning the words you have heard: 34:27 ‘You displayed a sensitive spirit and humbled yourself before God when you heard his words concerning this place and its residents. You humbled yourself before me, tore your clothes and wept before me, and I have heard you,’ says the Lord. 34:28 ‘Therefore I will allow you to die and be buried in peace. You will not have to witness all the disaster I will bring on this place and its residents.’”‘” Then they reported back to the king.
34:29 The king summoned all the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem. 34:30 The king went up to the Lord’s temple, accompanied by all the people of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, the priests, and the Levites. All the people were there, from the oldest to the youngest. He read aloud all the words of the scroll of the covenant that had been discovered in the Lord’s temple. 34:31 The king stood by his pillar and renewed the covenant before the Lord, agreeing to follow the Lord and to obey his commandments, laws, and rules with all his heart and being, by carrying out the terms of this covenant recorded on this scroll. 34:32 He made all who were in Jerusalem and Benjamin agree to it. The residents of Jerusalem acted in accordance with the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors. 34:33 Josiah removed all the detestable idols from all the areas belonging to the Israelites and encouraged all who were in Israel to worship the Lord their God. Throughout the rest of his reign they did not turn aside from following the Lord God of their ancestors.
Josiah Observes the Passover
35:1 Josiah observed a Passover festival for the Lord in Jerusalem. They slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of the first month. 35:2 He appointed the priests to fulfill their duties and encouraged them to carry out their service in the Lord’s temple. 35:3 He told the Levites, who instructed all Israel about things consecrated to the Lord, “Place the holy ark in the temple which King Solomon son of David of Israel built. Don’t carry it on your shoulders. Now serve the Lord your God and his people Israel! 35:4 Prepare yourselves by your families according to your divisions, as instructed by King David of Israel and his son Solomon. 35:5 Stand in the sanctuary and, together with the Levites, represent the family divisions of your countrymen. 35:6 Slaughter the Passover lambs, consecrate yourselves, and make preparations for your countrymen to do what the Lord commanded through Moses.”
35:7 From his own royal flocks and herds, Josiah supplied the people with 30,000 lambs and goats for the Passover sacrifice, as well as 3,000 cattle. 35:8 His officials also willingly contributed to the people, priests, and Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, the leaders of God’s temple, supplied 2,600 Passover sacrifices and 300 cattle. 35:9 Konaniah and his brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel, along with Hashabiah, Jeiel, and Jozabad, the officials of the Levites, supplied the Levites with 5,000 Passover sacrifices and 500 cattle. 35:10 Preparations were made, and the priests stood at their posts and the Levites in their divisions as prescribed by the king. 35:11 They slaughtered the Passover lambs and the priests splashed the blood, while the Levites skinned the animals. 35:12 They reserved the burnt offerings and the cattle for the family divisions of the people to present to the Lord, as prescribed in the scroll of Moses. 35:13 They cooked the Passover sacrifices over the open fire as prescribed and cooked the consecrated offerings in pots, kettles, and pans. They quickly served them to all the people. 35:14 Afterward they made preparations for themselves and for the priests, because the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were offering burnt sacrifices and fat portions until evening. The Levites made preparations for themselves and for the priests, the descendants of Aaron. 35:15 The musicians, the descendants of Asaph, manned their posts, as prescribed by David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s prophet. The guards at the various gates did not need to leave their posts, for their fellow Levites made preparations for them. 35:16 So all the preparations for the Lord’s service were made that day, as the Passover was observed and the burnt sacrifices were offered on the altar of the Lord, as prescribed by King Josiah. 35:17 So the Israelites who were present observed the Passover at that time, as well as the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days. 35:18 A Passover like this had not been observed in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet. None of the kings of Israel had observed a Passover like the one celebrated by Josiah, the priests, the Levites, all the people of Judah and Israel who were there, and the residents of Jerusalem. 35:19 This Passover was observed in the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign.
Josiah’s Reign Ends
35:20 After Josiah had done all this for the temple, King Necho of Egypt marched up to do battle at Carchemish on the Euphrates River. Josiah marched out to oppose him. 35:21 Necho sent messengers to him, saying, “Why are you opposing me, O king of Judah? I am not attacking you today, but the kingdom with which I am at war. God told me to hurry. Stop opposing God, who is with me, or else he will destroy you.” 35:22 But Josiah did not turn back from him; he disguised himself for battle. He did not take seriously the words of Necho which he had received from God; he went to fight him in the Plain of Megiddo. 35:23 Archers shot King Josiah; the king ordered his servants, “Take me out of this chariot, for I am seriously wounded.” 35:24 So his servants took him out of the chariot, put him in another chariot that he owned, and brought him to Jerusalem, where he died. He was buried in the tombs of his ancestors; all the people of Judah and Jerusalem mourned Josiah. 35:25 Jeremiah composed laments for Josiah which all the male and female singers use to mourn Josiah to this very day. It has become customary in Israel to sing these; they are recorded in the Book of Laments.
35:26 The rest of the events of Josiah’s reign, including the faithful acts he did in obedience to what is written in the law of the Lord 35:27 and his accomplishments, from start to finish, are recorded in the Scroll of the Kings of Israel and Judah.
Lord, You know the hearts of every person among even a huge nation of people, so even the right heart of a single king cannot redeem a people bent upon rebellion. May I constantly check my heart-condition with Your Holy Spirit so that I never drift into a rebellious mind-set. You allow us to choose to repent – turn away – and to return to You, and You bless us when we do. May I be faithful to respond with humble repentance every time your Holy Spirit shows me where I have had any part in disobedience.
Josiah became king at the age of eight. By the time he was sixteen he was inquiring about the expectations of the Lord God and therefore went throughout the land to remove the altars to the false gods.
During his thirty-one years as king Josiah restored the faithful leadership of his grandfather, Hezekiah, following the rebellious leadership of his father Manassah.
Josiah destroyed every evil thing that Manassah had built and located and destroyed that which even his grandfather had missed.
Josiah instructed that the Temple be repaired. He instructed the priests to gather and melt silver for the repair of the temple and as the construction progressed and the silver was being transferred they discovered a scroll.
When the scroll was read aloud to Josiah he discovered that the Lord God was angry with Israel and Judah for rebellion. Josiah was heart-sick and tore his clothes and wept, then instructed the priests to get an oracle from the Lord via a prophet(ess) of God.
He commanded the people to gather to renew their vow of obedience before the Lord God. He also restored the Passover celebration which had been neglected during the entire period of the kings.
The prophesy contained in the scrolls was that the Lord God did intend to bring complete disaster upon the people for their rebellion but because Josiah responded righteously to the contents of the scroll he would not see that terrible day.
In his thirty-first year as king Josiah led his forces against the kings of Assyria and Egypt and was killed in battle.
King Necho of Egypt marched to help the king of Assyria (at the urging of God) and Josiah, without consulting the Lord God, went out to oppose him. Necho tried to explain but Josiah refused to listen and was struck by the arrows of the archers. He returned to Jerusalem where he died. The prophet Jeremiah celebrated his God-honoring leadership as king with songs that were sung for a long time after his death.
Josiah’s son Jehoahaz was made king by the people.
Jehoahaz was king for three months and did evil – so Pharoah Necho imprisoned him, levied a heavy tribute on the people, and installed Josiah’s son Eliakim king in Josiah’s place, and changed his name to Jehoiakim – he ruled for eleven years.
Josiah was zealous for the Lord even before he read the scrolls. Between the age of eight and sixteen someone must have discipled Josiah so that he knew at age sixteen the right things to do.
What might have prompted Josiah to choose the path of his grandfather rather than that of his father? Why would Josiah have neglected to consult the Lord God before challenging Necho?
The scrolls provided Josiah the information he needed to fully restore the practices of the Israelites, and he did so; David and Solomon (and possibly other kings) had access to them – why would those practices have been abandoned? God chose to use the Egyptians to punish the remnants of Israel and Judah.
When have you discovered something about the Lord, that you had not been taught in discipleship, and have then tried to live it out? When have you experienced or observed an otherwise faithful Christian making a choice or choices and setting out upon a path that proved, upon reflection, to be against God’s will – all because they did not pause to ask Him first?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you something from the Word about which you have had either a wrong understanding or no awareness and to reveal to you a place where you think that you are making the right choices but are wrong because you failed to consult Him first.
Today I will celebrate what the Holy Spirit has illuminated in my mind from the Word. I will be jealous in searching the Word for the most-complete Holy Spirit-inspired understanding and will be equally zealous in applying the combined knowledge and understanding to my life as transforming-wisdom from the Lord God. I will also repent of the choices I have made, and/or am making, without first consulting the Lord God. I will humbly pray and redirect my way.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Introduction
1:1 This is the prophetic message that the Lord gave to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah. Zephaniah delivered this message during the reign of King Josiah son of Amon of Judah:
The Lord’s Day of Judgment is Approaching
1:2 “I will destroy everything from the face of the earth,” says the Lord.
1:3 “I will destroy people and animals; I will destroy the birds in the sky and the fish in the sea. (The idolatrous images of these creatures will be destroyed along with evil people.)
I will remove humanity from the face of the earth,” says the Lord.
1:4 “I will attack Judah and all who live in Jerusalem. I will remove from this place every trace of Baal worship, as well as the very memory of the pagan priests.
1:5 I will remove those who worship the stars in the sky from their rooftops, those who swear allegiance to the Lord while taking oaths in the name of their ‘king,’
1:6 and those who turn their backs on the Lord and do not want the Lord’s help or guidance.”
1:7 Be silent before the Lord God, for the Lord’s day of judgment is almost here. The Lord has prepared a sacrificial meal; he has ritually purified his guests.
1:8 “On the day of the Lord’s sacrificial meal, I will punish the princes and the king’s sons, and all who wear foreign styles of clothing.
1:9 On that day I will punish all who leap over the threshold, who fill the house of their master with wealth taken by violence and deceit.
1:10 On that day,” says the Lord, “a loud cry will go up from the Fish Gate, wailing from the city’s newer district, and a loud crash from the hills.
1:11 Wail, you who live in the market district, for all the merchants will disappear and those who count money will be removed.
1:12 At that time I will search through Jerusalem with lamps. I will punish the people who are entrenched in their sin, those who think to themselves, ‘The Lord neither rewards nor punishes.’
1:13 Their wealth will be stolen and their houses ruined! They will not live in the houses they have built, nor will they drink the wine from the vineyards they have planted.
1:14 The Lord’s great day of judgment is almost here; it is approaching very rapidly! There will be a bitter sound on the Lord’s day of judgment; at that time warriors will cry out in battle.
1:15 That day will be a day of God’s anger, a day of distress and hardship, a day of devastation and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and dark skies,
1:16 a day of trumpet blasts and battle cries. Judgment will fall on the fortified cities and the high corner towers.
1:17 I will bring distress on the people and they will stumble like blind men, for they have sinned against the Lord. Their blood will be poured out like dirt; their flesh will be scattered like manure.
1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord’s angry judgment. The whole earth will be consumed by his fiery wrath. Indeed, he will bring terrifying destruction on all who live on the earth.”
The Prophet Warns the People
2:1 Bunch yourselves together like straw, you undesirable nation,
2:2 before God’s decree becomes reality and the day of opportunity disappears like windblown chaff, before the Lord’s raging anger overtakes you – before the day of the Lord’s angry judgment overtakes you!
2:3 Seek the Lord’s favor, all you humble people of the land who have obeyed his commands! Strive to do what is right! Strive to be humble! Maybe you will be protected on the day of the Lord’s angry judgment.
Judgment on Surrounding Nations
2:4 Indeed, Gaza will be deserted and Ashkelon will become a heap of ruins. Invaders will drive away the people of Ashdod by noon, and Ekron will be overthrown.
2:5 Those who live by the sea, the people who came from Crete, are as good as dead. The Lord has decreed your downfall, Canaan, land of the Philistines: “I will destroy everyone who lives there!”
2:6 The seacoast will be used as pasture lands by the shepherds and as pens for their flocks.
2:7 Those who are left from the kingdom of Judah will take possession of it. By the sea they will graze, in the houses of Ashkelon they will lie down in the evening, for the Lord their God will intervene for them and restore their prosperity.
2:8 “I have heard Moab’s taunts and the Ammonites’ insults. They taunted my people and verbally harassed those living in Judah.
2:9 Therefore, as surely as I live,” says the Lord who commands armies, the God of Israel, “be certain that Moab will become like Sodom and the Ammonites like Gomorrah. They will be overrun by weeds, filled with salt pits, and permanently desolate. Those of my people who are left will plunder their belongings; those who are left in Judah will take possession of their land.”
2:10 This is how they will be repaid for their arrogance, for they taunted and verbally harassed the people of the Lord who commands armies.
2:11 The Lord will terrify them, for he will weaken all the gods of the earth. All the distant nations will worship the Lord in their own lands.
2:12 “You Ethiopians will also die by my sword!”
2:13 The Lord will attack the north and destroy Assyria. He will make Nineveh a heap of ruins; it will be as barren as the desert.
2:14 Flocks and herds will lie down in the middle of it, as well as every kind of wild animal. Owls will sleep in the tops of its support pillars; they will hoot through the windows. Rubble will cover the thresholds; even the cedar work will be exposed to the elements.
2:15 This is how the once-proud city will end up – the city that was so secure. She thought to herself, “I am unique! No one can compare to me!” What a heap of ruins she has become, a place where wild animals live! Everyone who passes by her taunts her and shakes his fist.
Jerusalem is Corrupt
3:1 The filthy, stained city is as good as dead; the city filled with oppressors is finished!
3:2 She is disobedient; she refuses correction. She does not trust the Lord; she does not seek the advice of her God.
3:3 Her princes are as fierce as roaring lions; her rulers are as hungry as wolves in the desert, who completely devour their prey by morning.
3:4 Her prophets are proud; they are deceitful men. Her priests defile what is holy; they break God’s laws.
3:5 The just Lord resides within her; he commits no unjust acts. Every morning he reveals his justice. At dawn he appears without fail. Yet the unjust know no shame.
The Lord’s Judgment will Purify
3:6 “I destroyed nations; their walled cities are in ruins. I turned their streets into ruins; no one passes through them. Their cities are desolate; no one lives there.
3:7 I thought, ‘Certainly you will respect me! Now you will accept correction!’ If she had done so, her home would not be destroyed by all the punishments I have threatened. But they eagerly sinned in everything they did.
3:8 Therefore you must wait patiently for me,” says the Lord, “for the day when I attack and take plunder. I have decided to gather nations together and assemble kingdoms, so I can pour out my fury on them – all my raging anger. For the whole earth will be consumed by my fiery anger.
3:9 Know for sure that I will then enable the nations to give me acceptable praise. All of them will invoke the Lord’s name when they pray, and will worship him in unison.
3:10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, those who pray to me will bring me tribute.
3:11 In that day you will not be ashamed of all your rebelliousness against me, for then I will remove from your midst those who proudly boast, and you will never again be arrogant on my holy hill.
3:12 I will leave in your midst a humble and meek group of people, and they will find safety in the Lord’s presence.
3:13 The Israelites who remain will not act deceitfully. They will not lie, and a deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouth. Indeed, they will graze peacefully like sheep and lie down; no one will terrify them.”
3:14 Shout for joy, Daughter Zion! Shout out, Israel! Be happy and boast with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem!
3:15 The Lord has removed the judgment against you; he has turned back your enemy. Israel’s king, the Lord, is in your midst! You no longer need to fear disaster.
3:16 On that day they will say to Jerusalem, “Don’t be afraid, Zion! Your hands must not be paralyzed from panic!
3:17 The Lord your God is in your midst; he is a warrior who can deliver. He takes great delight in you; he renews you by his love; he shouts for joy over you.”
3:18 “As for those who grieve because they cannot attend the festivals – I took them away from you; they became tribute and were a source of shame to you.
3:19 Look, at that time I will deal with those who mistreated you. I will rescue the lame sheep and gather together the scattered sheep. I will take away their humiliation and make the whole earth admire and respect them.
3:20 At that time I will lead you – at the time I gather you together. Be sure of this! I will make all the nations of the earth respect and admire you when you see me restore you,” says the Lord.
Lord, You always offer hope, even as you punish as Your ultimate purpose is to purify the willing and to purge the unwilling. May I be teachable so that You will not need to take extreme measures to purify me.
Zephaniah served at about the same time as Nahum, approximately between 650 and 600 BC. He prophesied to all of Israel and in some ways to all people.
He explained why the Lord God was angry and warned that the day of judgment was coming soon.
Zephaniah proclaimed the justice and mercy of the Lord “Seek the Lord’s favor, all you humble people of the land who have obeyed his commands! Strive to do what is right! Strive to be humble! Maybe you will be protected on the day of the Lord’s angry judgment.”
He challenged the people of Jerusalem with their chosen circumstance “The just Lord resides within her; he commits no unjust acts. Every morning he reveals his justice. At dawn he appears without fail. Yet the unjust know no shame.”
Zephaniah concluded with hope “... will rescue the lame sheep and gather together the scattered sheep. I will take away their humiliation and make the whole earth admire and respect them. At that time I will lead you – at the time I gather you together. Be sure of this! I will make all the nations of the earth respect and admire you when you see me restore you,” says the Lord.”
The judgment of the Lord God would come against every nation, first in judgment-to-purify Israel, then in judgment to punish the pagan nations.
How is it that “The just Lord resides within her ...”, Jerusalem, could they have fallen into such sin?
The entire time that He caused prophesies of judgment the Lord also caused prophesies of hope.
When have you experienced or observed sin even in the high-level presence of the Lord?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you His presence through the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Today I will celebrate and give praise for the indwelling Holy Spirit and I will commit myself for a more intentional walk so as to not offend Him.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
The Superscription
1:1 The following is a record of what Jeremiah son of Hilkiah prophesied. He was one of the priests who lived at Anathoth in the territory of the tribe of Benjamin. 1:2 The Lord began to speak to him in the thirteenth year that Josiah son of Amon ruled over Judah. 1:3 The Lord also spoke to him when Jehoiakim son of Josiah ruled over Judah, and he continued to speak to him until the fifth month of the eleventh year that Zedekiah son of Josiah ruled over Judah. That was when the people of Jerusalem were taken into exile.
Jeremiah’s Call and Commission
1:4 The Lord said to me,
1:5 “Before I formed you in your mother’s womb I chose you. Before you were born I set you apart. I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.”
1:6 I answered, “Oh, Lord God, I really do not know how to speak well enough for that, for I am too young.” 1:7 The Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ But go to whomever I send you and say whatever I tell you. 1:8 Do not be afraid of those to whom I send you, for I will be with you to protect you,” says the Lord. 1:9 Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I will most assuredly give you the words you are to speak for me. 1:10 Know for certain that I hereby give you the authority to announce to nations and kingdoms that they will be uprooted and torn down, destroyed and demolished, rebuilt and firmly planted.”
Visions Confirming Jeremiah’s Call and Commission
1:11 Later the Lord asked me, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” I answered, “I see a branch of an almond tree.” 1:12 Then the Lord said, “You have observed correctly. This means I am watching to make sure my threats are carried out.”
1:13 The Lord again asked me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a pot of boiling water; it is tipped toward us from the north.” 1:14 Then the Lord said, “This means destruction will break out from the north on all who live in the land. 1:15 For I will soon summon all the peoples of the kingdoms of the north,” says the Lord. “They will come and their kings will set up their thrones near the entrances of the gates of Jerusalem. They will attack all the walls surrounding it, and all the towns in Judah. 1:16 In this way I will pass sentence on the people of Jerusalem and Judah because of all their wickedness. For they rejected me and offered sacrifices to other gods, worshiping what they made with their own hands.”
1:17 “But you, Jeremiah, get yourself ready! Go and tell these people everything I instruct you to say. Do not be terrified of them, or I will give you good reason to be terrified of them. 1:18 I, the Lord, hereby promise to make you as strong as a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall. You will be able to stand up against all who live in the land, including the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and all the people of the land. 1:19 They will attack you but they will not be able to overcome you, for I will be with you to rescue you,” says the Lord.
The Lord Recalls Israel’s Earlier Faithfulness
2:1 The Lord spoke to me. He said: 2:2 “Go and declare in the hearing of the people of Jerusalem: ‘This is what the Lord says: “I have fond memories of you, how devoted you were to me in your early years. I remember how you loved me like a new bride; you followed me through the wilderness, through a land that had never been planted. 2:3 Israel was set apart to the Lord; they were like the first fruits of a harvest to him. All who tried to devour them were punished; disaster came upon them,” says the Lord.’”
The Lord Reminds Them of the Unfaithfulness of Their Ancestors
2:4 Now listen to what the Lord has to say, you descendants of Jacob, all you family groups from the nation of Israel.
2:5 This is what the Lord says: “What fault could your ancestors have possibly found in me that they strayed so far from me? They paid allegiance to worthless idols, and so became worthless to me.
2:6 They did not ask: ‘Where is the Lord who delivered us out of Egypt, who brought us through the wilderness, through a land of desert sands and rift valleys, through a land of drought and deep darkness, through a land in which no one travels, and where no one lives?’
2:7 I brought you into a fertile land so you could enjoy its fruits and its rich bounty. But when you entered my land, you defiled it; you made the land I call my own loathsome to me.
2:8 Your priests did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord?’ Those responsible for teaching my law did not really know me. Your rulers rebelled against me. Your prophets prophesied in the name of the god Baal. They all worshiped idols that could not help them.
The Lord Charges Contemporary Israel with Spiritual Adultery
2:9 “So, once more I will state my case against you,” says the Lord. “I will also state it against your children and grandchildren.
2:10 Go west across the sea to the coasts of Cyprus and see. Send someone east to Kedar and have them look carefully. See if such a thing as this has ever happened:
2:11 Has a nation ever changed its gods (even though they are not really gods at all)? But my people have exchanged me, their glorious God, for a god that cannot help them at all!
2:12 Be amazed at this, O heavens! Be shocked and utterly dumbfounded,” says the Lord.
2:13 “Do so because my people have committed a double wrong: they have rejected me, the fountain of life-giving water, and they have dug cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns which cannot even hold water.”
Israel’s Reliance on Foreign Alliances (not on God)
2:14 “Israel is not a slave, is he? He was not born into slavery, was he? If not, why then is he being carried off?
2:15 Like lions his enemies roar victoriously over him; they raise their voices in triumph. They have laid his land waste; his cities have been burned down and deserted.
2:16 Even the soldiers from Memphis and Tahpanhes have cracked your skulls, people of Israel.
2:17 You have brought all this on yourself, Israel, by deserting the Lord your God when he was leading you along the right path.
2:18 What good will it do you then to go down to Egypt to seek help from the Egyptians? What good will it do you to go over to Assyria to seek help from the Assyrians?
2:19 Your own wickedness will bring about your punishment. Your unfaithful acts will bring down discipline on you. Know, then, and realize how utterly harmful it was for you to reject me, the Lord your God, to show no respect for me,” says the Lord God who rules over all.
The Lord Expresses His Exasperation at Judah’s Persistent Idolat
2:20 “Indeed, long ago you threw off my authority and refused to be subject to me. You said, ‘I will not serve you.’ Instead, you gave yourself to other gods on every high hill and under every green tree, like a prostitute sprawls out before her lovers.
2:21 I planted you in the land like a special vine of the very best stock. Why in the world have you turned into something like a wild vine that produces rotten, foul-smelling grapes?
2:22 You can try to wash away your guilt with a strong detergent. You can use as much soap as you want.
But the stain of your guilt is still there for me to see,” says the Lord God.
2:23 “How can you say, ‘I have not made myself unclean. I have not paid allegiance to the gods called Baal.’ Just look at the way you have behaved in the Valley of Hinnom! Think about the things you have done there! You are like a flighty, young female camel that rushes here and there, crisscrossing its path.
2:24 You are like a wild female donkey brought up in the wilderness. In her lust she sniffs the wind to get the scent of a male. No one can hold her back when she is in heat. None of the males need wear themselves out chasing after her. At mating time she is easy to find.
2:25 Do not chase after other gods until your shoes wear out and your throats become dry. But you say, ‘It is useless for you to try and stop me because I love those foreign gods and want to pursue them!’
2:26 Just as a thief has to suffer dishonor when he is caught, so the people of Israel will suffer dishonor for what they have done. So will their kings and officials, their priests and their prophets.
2:27 They say to a wooden idol, ‘You are my father.’ They say to a stone image, ‘You gave birth to me.’ Yes, they have turned away from me instead of turning to me. Yet when they are in trouble, they say, ‘Come and save us!’
2:28 But where are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them save you when you are in trouble. The sad fact is that you have as many gods as you have towns, Judah.
2:29 “Why do you try to refute me? All of you have rebelled against me,” says the Lord.
2:30 “It did no good for me to punish your people. They did not respond to such correction. You slaughtered your prophets like a voracious lion.”
2:31 You people of this generation, listen to what the Lord says. “Have I been like a wilderness to you, Israel? Have I been like a dark and dangerous land to you? Why then do you say, ‘We are free to wander. We will not come to you any more?’
2:32 Does a young woman forget to put on her jewels? Does a bride forget to put on her bridal attire? But my people have forgotten me for more days than can even be counted.
2:33 “My, how good you have become at chasing after your lovers! Why, you could even teach prostitutes a thing or two!
2:34 Even your clothes are stained with the lifeblood of the poor who had not done anything wrong; you did not catch them breaking into your homes. Yet, in spite of all these things you have done,
2:35 you say, ‘I have not done anything wrong, so the Lord cannot really be angry with me any more.’ But, watch out! I will bring down judgment on you because you say, ‘I have not committed any sin.’
2:36 Why do you constantly go about changing your political allegiances? You will get no help from Egypt just as you got no help from Assyria.
2:37 Moreover, you will come away from Egypt with your hands covering your faces in sorrow and shame because the Lord will not allow your reliance on them to be successful and you will not gain any help from them.
3:1 “If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him and becomes another man’s wife, he may not take her back again. Doing that would utterly defile the land. But you, Israel, have given yourself as a prostitute to many gods. So what makes you think you can return to me?” says the Lord.
3:2 “Look up at the hilltops and consider this. You have had sex with other gods on every one of them. You waited for those gods like a thief lying in wait in the desert. You defiled the land by your wicked prostitution to other gods.
3:3 That is why the rains have been withheld, and the spring rains have not come. Yet in spite of this you are obstinate as a prostitute. You refuse to be ashamed of what you have done.
3:4 Even now you say to me, ‘You are my father! You have been my faithful companion ever since I was young.
3:5 You will not always be angry with me, will you? You will not be mad at me forever, will you?’ That is what you say, but you continually do all the evil that you can.”
3:6 When Josiah was king of Judah, the Lord said to me, “Jeremiah, you have no doubt seen what wayward Israel has done. You have seen how she went up to every high hill and under every green tree to give herself like a prostitute to other gods. 3:7 Yet even after she had done all that, I thought that she might come back to me. But she did not. Her sister, unfaithful Judah, saw what she did. 3:8 She also saw that I gave wayward Israel her divorce papers and sent her away because of her adulterous worship of other gods. Even after her unfaithful sister Judah had seen this, she still was not afraid, and she too went and gave herself like a prostitute to other gods. 3:9 Because she took her prostitution so lightly, she defiled the land through her adulterous worship of gods made of wood and stone. 3:10 In spite of all this, Israel’s sister, unfaithful Judah, has not turned back to me with any sincerity; she has only pretended to do so,” says the Lord. 3:11 Then the Lord said to me, “Under the circumstances, wayward Israel could even be considered less guilty than unfaithful Judah.
The Lord Calls on Israel and Judah to Repent
3:12 “Go and shout this message to my people in the countries in the north. Tell them, ‘Come back to me, wayward Israel,’ says the Lord. ‘I will not continue to look on you with displeasure. For I am merciful,’ says the Lord. ‘I will not be angry with you forever.
3:13 However, you must confess that you have done wrong, and that you have rebelled against the Lord your God. You must confess that you have given yourself to foreign gods under every green tree, and have not obeyed my commands,’ says the Lord.
3:14 “Come back to me, my wayward sons,” says the Lord, “for I am your true master. If you do, I will take one of you from each town and two of you from each family group, and I will bring you back to Zion. 3:15 I will give you leaders who will be faithful to me. They will lead you with knowledge and insight. 3:16 In those days, your population will greatly increase in the land. At that time,” says the Lord, “people will no longer talk about having the ark that contains the Lord’s covenant with us. They will not call it to mind, remember it, or miss it. No, that will not be done any more! 3:17 At that time the city of Jerusalem will be called the Lord’s throne. All nations will gather there in Jerusalem to honor the Lord’s name. They will no longer follow the stubborn inclinations of their own evil hearts. 3:18 At that time the nation of Judah and the nation of Israel will be reunited. Together they will come back from a land in the north to the land that I gave to your ancestors as a permanent possession. “
3:19 “I thought to myself, ‘Oh what a joy it would be for me to treat you like a son! What a joy it would be for me to give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful piece of property there is in all the world!’ I thought you would call me, ‘Father’ and would never cease being loyal to me.
3:20 But, you have been unfaithful to me, nation of Israel, like an unfaithful wife who has left her husband,” says the Lord.
3:21 “A noise is heard on the hilltops. It is the sound of the people of Israel crying and pleading to their gods. Indeed they have followed sinful ways; they have forgotten to be true to the Lord their God.
3:22 Come back to me, you wayward people. I want to cure your waywardness. Say, ‘Here we are. We come to you because you are the Lord our God.
3:23 We know our noisy worship of false gods on the hills and mountains did not help us. We know that the Lord our God is the only one who can deliver Israel.
3:24 From earliest times our worship of that shameful god, Baal, has taken away all that our ancestors worked for. It has taken away our flocks and our herds, and even our sons and daughters.
3:25 Let us acknowledge our shame. Let us bear the disgrace that we deserve. For we have sinned against the Lord our God, both we and our ancestors. From earliest times to this very day we have not obeyed the Lord our God.’
4:1 “If you, Israel, want to come back,” says the Lord, “if you want to come back to me you must get those disgusting idols out of my sight and must no longer go astray.
4:2 You must be truthful, honest and upright when you take an oath saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives!’ If you do, the nations will pray to be as blessed by him as you are and will make him the object of their boasting.”
4:3 Yes, the Lord has this to say to the people of Judah and Jerusalem: “Like a farmer breaking up hard unplowed ground, you must break your rebellious will and make a new beginning; just as a farmer must clear away thorns lest the seed is wasted, you must get rid of the sin that is ruining your lives.
4:4 Just as ritual circumcision cuts away the foreskin as an external symbol of dedicated covenant commitment, you must genuinely dedicate yourselves to the Lord and get rid of everything that hinders your commitment to me, people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. If you do not, my anger will blaze up like a flaming fire against you that no one will be able to extinguish. That will happen because of the evil you have done.”
Warning of Coming Judgment
4:5 The Lord said, “Announce this in Judah and proclaim it in Jerusalem: ‘Sound the trumpet throughout the land!’ Shout out loudly, ‘Gather together! Let us flee into the fortified cities!’
4:6 Raise a signal flag that tells people to go to Zion. Run for safety! Do not delay! For I am about to bring disaster out of the north. It will bring great destruction.
4:7 Like a lion that has come up from its lair the one who destroys nations has set out from his home base. He is coming out to lay your land waste. Your cities will become ruins and lie uninhabited.
4:8 So put on sackcloth! Mourn and wail, saying, ‘The fierce anger of the Lord has not turned away from us!’”
4:9 “When this happens,” says the Lord, “the king and his officials will lose their courage. The priests will be struck with horror, and the prophets will be speechless in astonishment.”
4:10 In response to all this I said, “Ah, Lord God, you have surely allowed the people of Judah and Jerusalem to be deceived by those who say, ‘You will be safe!’ But in fact a sword is already at our throats.”
4:11 “At that time the people of Judah and Jerusalem will be told, ‘A scorching wind will sweep down from the hilltops in the desert on my dear people. It will not be a gentle breeze for winnowing the grain and blowing away the chaff.
4:12 No, a wind too strong for that will come at my bidding. Yes, even now I, myself, am calling down judgment on them.’
4:13 Look! The enemy is approaching like gathering clouds. The roar of his chariots is like that of a whirlwind. His horses move more swiftly than eagles.” I cry out, “We are doomed, for we will be destroyed!”
4:14 “Oh people of Jerusalem, purify your hearts from evil so that you may yet be delivered. How long will you continue to harbor up wicked schemes within you?
4:15 For messengers are coming, heralding disaster, from the city of Dan and from the hills of Ephraim.
4:16 They are saying, ‘Announce to the surrounding nations, “The enemy is coming!” Proclaim this message to Jerusalem: “Those who besiege cities are coming from a distant land. They are ready to raise the battle cry against the towns in Judah.”‘
4:17 They will surround Jerusalem like men guarding a field because they have rebelled against me,” says the Lord.
4:18 “The way you have lived and the things you have done will bring this on you. This is the punishment you deserve, and it will be painful indeed. The pain will be so bad it will pierce your heart.”
4:19 I said, “Oh, the feeling in the pit of my stomach! I writhe in anguish. Oh, the pain in my heart! My heart pounds within me. I cannot keep silent. For I hear the sound of the trumpet; the sound of the battle cry pierces my soul!
4:20 I see one destruction after another taking place, so that the whole land lies in ruins. I see our tents suddenly destroyed, their curtains torn down in a mere instant.
4:21 “How long must I see the enemy’s battle flags and hear the military signals of their bugles?”
4:22 The Lord answered, “This will happen because my people are foolish. They do not know me. They are like children who have no sense. They have no understanding. They are skilled at doing evil. They do not know how to do good.”
4:23 “I looked at the land and saw that it was an empty wasteland. I looked up at the sky, and its light had vanished.
4:24 I looked at the mountains and saw that they were shaking. All the hills were swaying back and forth!
4:25 I looked and saw that there were no more people, and that all the birds in the sky had flown away.
4:26 I looked and saw that the fruitful land had become a desert and that all of the cities had been laid in ruins. The Lord had brought this all about because of his blazing anger.
4:27 All this will happen because the Lord said, “The whole land will be desolate; however, I will not completely destroy it.
4:28 Because of this the land will mourn and the sky above will grow black. For I have made my purpose known and I will not relent or turn back from carrying it out.”
4:29 At the sound of the approaching horsemen and archers the people of every town will flee. Some of them will hide in the thickets. Others will climb up among the rocks. All the cities will be deserted. No one will remain in them.
4:30 And you, Zion, city doomed to destruction, you accomplish nothing by wearing a beautiful dress, decking yourself out in jewels of gold, and putting on eye shadow! You are making yourself beautiful for nothing. Your lovers spurn you. They want to kill you.
4:31 In fact, I hear a cry like that of a woman in labor, a cry of anguish like that of a woman giving birth to her first baby. It is the cry of Daughter Zion gasping for breath, reaching out for help, saying, “I am done in! My life is ebbing away before these murderers!”
Judah is Justly Deserving of Coming Judgment
5:1 The Lord said, “Go up and down through the streets of Jerusalem. Look around and see for yourselves. Search through its public squares. See if any of you can find a single person who deals honestly and tries to be truthful. If you can, then I will not punish this city.
5:2 These people make promises in the name of the Lord. But the fact is, what they swear to is really a lie.”
5:3 Lord, I know you look for faithfulness. But even when you punish these people, they feel no remorse. Even when you nearly destroy them, they refuse to be corrected. They have become as hardheaded as a rock. They refuse to change their ways.
5:4 I thought, “Surely it is only the ignorant poor who act this way. They act like fools because they do not know what the Lord demands. They do not know what their God requires of them.
5:5 I will go to the leaders and speak with them. Surely they know what the Lord demands. Surely they know what their God requires of them.” Yet all of them, too, have rejected his authority and refuse to submit to him.
5:6 So like a lion from the thicket their enemies will kill them. Like a wolf from the desert they will destroy them. Like a leopard they will lie in wait outside their cities and totally destroy anyone who ventures out. For they have rebelled so much and done so many unfaithful things.
5:7 The Lord asked, “How can I leave you unpunished, Jerusalem? Your people have rejected me and have worshiped gods that are not gods at all. Even though I supplied all their needs, they were like an unfaithful wife to me. They went flocking to the houses of prostitutes.
5:8 They are like lusty, well-fed stallions. Each of them lusts after his neighbor’s wife.
5:9 I will surely punish them for doing such things!” says the Lord. “I will surely bring retribution on such a nation as this!”
5:10 The Lord commanded the enemy, “March through the vineyards of Israel and Judah and ruin them. But do not destroy them completely. Strip off their branches for these people do not belong to the Lord.
5:11 For the nations of Israel and Judah have been very unfaithful to me,” says the Lord.
5:12 “These people have denied what the Lord says. They have said, ‘That is not so! No harm will come to us. We will not experience war and famine.
5:13 The prophets will prove to be full of wind. The Lord has not spoken through them. So, let what they say happen to them.’”
5:14 Because of that, the Lord, the God who rules over all, said to me, “Because these people have spoken like this, I will make the words that I put in your mouth like fire. And I will make this people like wood which the fiery judgments you speak will burn up.”
5:15 The Lord says, “Listen, nation of Israel! I am about to bring a nation from far away to attack you. It will be a nation that was founded long ago and has lasted for a long time. It will be a nation whose language you will not know. Its people will speak words that you will not be able to understand.
5:16 All of its soldiers are strong and mighty. Their arrows will send you to your grave.
5:17 They will eat up your crops and your food. They will kill off your sons and your daughters. They will eat up your sheep and your cattle. They will destroy your vines and your fig trees. Their weapons will batter down the fortified cities you trust in.
5:18 Yet even then I will not completely destroy you,” says the Lord. 5:19 “So then, Jeremiah, when your people ask, ‘Why has the Lord our God done all this to us?’ tell them, ‘It is because you rejected me and served foreign gods in your own land. So you must serve foreigners in a land that does not belong to you.’
5:20 “Proclaim this message among the descendants of Jacob. Make it known throughout Judah.
5:21 Tell them: ‘Hear this, you foolish people who have no understanding, who have eyes but do not discern, who have ears but do not perceive:
5:22 “You should fear me!” says the Lord. “You should tremble in awe before me! I made the sand to be a boundary for the sea, a permanent barrier that it can never cross. Its waves may roll, but they can never prevail. They may roar, but they can never cross beyond that boundary.”
5:23 But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts. They have turned aside and gone their own way.
5:24 They do not say to themselves, “Let us revere the Lord our God. It is he who gives us the autumn rains and the spring rains at the proper time. It is he who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.”
5:25 Your misdeeds have stopped these things from coming. Your sins have deprived you of my bounty.’
5:26 “Indeed, there are wicked scoundrels among my people. They lie in wait like bird catchers hiding in ambush. They set deadly traps to catch people.
5:27 Like a cage filled with the birds that have been caught, their houses are filled with the gains of their fraud and deceit. That is how they have gotten so rich and powerful.
5:28 That is how they have grown fat and sleek. There is no limit to the evil things they do. They do not plead the cause of the fatherless in such a way as to win it. They do not defend the rights of the poor.
5:29 I will certainly punish them for doing such things!” says the Lord. “I will certainly bring retribution on such a nation as this!
5:30 “Something horrible and shocking is going on in the land of Judah:
5:31 The prophets prophesy lies. The priests exercise power by their own authority. And my people love to have it this way. But they will not be able to help you when the time of judgment comes!
The Destruction of Jerusalem Depicted
6:1 “Run for safety, people of Benjamin! Get out of Jerusalem! Sound the trumpet in Tekoa! Light the signal fires at Beth Hakkerem! For disaster lurks out of the north; it will bring great destruction.
6:2 I will destroy Daughter Zion, who is as delicate and defenseless as a young maiden.
6:3 Kings will come against it with their armies. They will encamp in siege all around it. Each of them will devastate the portion assigned to him.
6:4 They will say, ‘Prepare to do battle against it! Come on! Let’s attack it at noon!’ But later they will say, ‘Oh, oh! Too bad! The day is almost over and the shadows of evening are getting long.
6:5 So come on, let’s go ahead and attack it by night and destroy all its fortified buildings.’
6:6 All of this is because the Lord who rules over all has said: ‘Cut down the trees around Jerusalem and build up a siege ramp against its walls. This is the city which is to be punished. Nothing but oppression happens in it.
6:7 As a well continually pours out fresh water so it continually pours out wicked deeds. Sounds of violence and destruction echo throughout it. All I see are sick and wounded people.’
6:8 So take warning, Jerusalem, or I will abandon you in disgust and make you desolate, a place where no one can live.”
6:9 This is what the Lord who rules over all said to me: “Those who remain in Israel will be like the grapes thoroughly gleaned from a vine. So go over them again, as though you were a grape harvester passing your hand over the branches one last time.”
6:10 I answered, “Who would listen if I spoke to them and warned them? Their ears are so closed that they cannot hear! Indeed, what the Lord says is offensive to them. They do not like it at all.
6:11 I am as full of anger as you are, Lord, I am tired of trying to hold it in.” The Lord answered, “Vent it, then, on the children who play in the street and on the young men who are gathered together. Husbands and wives are to be included, as well as the old and those who are advanced in years.
6:12 Their houses will be turned over to others as will their fields and their wives. For I will unleash my power against those who live in this land,” says the Lord.
6:13 “That is because, from the least important to the most important of them, all of them are greedy for dishonest gain. Prophets and priests alike, all of them practice deceit.
6:14 They offer only superficial help for the harm my people have suffered. They say, ‘Everything will be all right!’ But everything is not all right!
6:15 Are they ashamed because they have done such shameful things? No, they are not at all ashamed. They do not even know how to blush! So they will die, just like others have died. They will be brought to ruin when I punish them,” says the Lord.
6:16 The Lord said to his people: “You are standing at the crossroads. So consider your path. Ask where the old, reliable paths are. Ask where the path is that leads to blessing and follow it. If you do, you will find rest for your souls.” But they said, “We will not follow it!”
6:17 The Lord said, “I appointed prophets as watchmen to warn you, saying: ‘Pay attention to the warning sound of the trumpet!’” But they said, “We will not pay attention!”
6:18 So the Lord said, “Hear, you nations! Be witnesses and take note of what will happen to these people.
6:19 Hear this, you peoples of the earth: ‘Take note! I am about to bring disaster on these people. It will come as punishment for their scheming. For they have paid no attention to what I have said, and they have rejected my law.
6:20 I take no delight when they offer up to me frankincense that comes from Sheba or sweet-smelling cane imported from a faraway land. I cannot accept the burnt offerings they bring me. I get no pleasure from the sacrifices they offer to me.’
6:21 So, this is what the Lord says: ‘I will assuredly make these people stumble to their doom. Parents and children will stumble and fall to their destruction. Friends and neighbors will die.’
6:22 “This is what the Lord says: ‘Beware! An army is coming from a land in the north. A mighty nation is stirring into action in faraway parts of the earth.
6:23 Its soldiers are armed with bows and spears. They are cruel and show no mercy. They sound like the roaring sea as they ride forth on their horses. Lined up in formation like men going into battle to attack you, Daughter Zion.’”
6:24 The people cry out, “We have heard reports about them! We have become helpless with fear! Anguish grips us, agony like that of a woman giving birth to a baby!
6:25 Do not go out into the countryside. Do not travel on the roads. For the enemy is there with sword in hand. They are spreading terror everywhere.”
6:26 So I said, “Oh, my dear people, put on sackcloth and roll in ashes. Mourn with painful sobs as though you had lost your only child. For any moment now that destructive army will come against us.”
6:27 The Lord said to me, “I have made you like a metal assayer to test my people like ore. You are to observe them and evaluate how they behave.”
6:28 I reported, “All of them are the most stubborn of rebels! They are as hard as bronze or iron. They go about telling lies. They all deal corruptly.
6:29 The fiery bellows of judgment burn fiercely. But there is too much dross to be removed. The process of refining them has proved useless. The wicked have not been purged.
6:30 They are regarded as ‘rejected silver’ because the Lord rejects them.”
Faulty Religion and Unethical Behavior Will Lead to Judgment
7:1 The Lord said to Jeremiah: 7:2 “Stand in the gate of the Lord’s temple and proclaim this message: ‘Listen, all you people of Judah who have passed through these gates to worship the Lord. Hear what the Lord has to say. 7:3 The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says: Change the way you have been living and do what is right. If you do, I will allow you to continue to live in this land. 7:4 Stop putting your confidence in the false belief that says, “We are safe! The temple of the Lord is here! The temple of the Lord is here! The temple of the Lord is here!” 7:5 You must change the way you have been living and do what is right. You must treat one another fairly. 7:6 Stop oppressing foreigners who live in your land, children who have lost their fathers, and women who have lost their husbands. Stop killing innocent people in this land. Stop paying allegiance to other gods. That will only bring about your ruin. 7:7 If you stop doing these things, I will allow you to continue to live in this land which I gave to your ancestors as a lasting possession.
7:8 “‘But just look at you! You are putting your confidence in a false belief that will not deliver you. 7:9 You steal. You murder. You commit adultery. You lie when you swear on oath. You sacrifice to the god Baal. You pay allegiance to other gods whom you have not previously known. 7:10 Then you come and stand in my presence in this temple I have claimed as my own and say, “We are safe!” You think you are so safe that you go on doing all those hateful sins! 7:11 Do you think this temple I have claimed as my own is to be a hideout for robbers? You had better take note! I have seen for myself what you have done! says the Lord. 7:12 So, go to the place in Shiloh where I allowed myself to be worshiped in the early days. See what I did to it because of the wicked things my people Israel did. 7:13 You also have done all these things, says the Lord, and I have spoken to you over and over again. But you have not listened! You have refused to respond when I called you to repent! 7:14 So I will destroy this temple which I have claimed as my own, this temple that you are trusting to protect you. I will destroy this place that I gave to you and your ancestors, just like I destroyed Shiloh. 7:15 And I will drive you out of my sight just like I drove out your relatives, the people of Israel.’”
7:16 Then the Lord said, “As for you, Jeremiah, do not pray for these people! Do not cry out to me or petition me on their behalf! Do not plead with me to save them, because I will not listen to you. 7:17 Do you see what they are doing in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 7:18 Children are gathering firewood, fathers are building fires with it, and women are mixing dough to bake cakes to offer to the goddess they call the Queen of Heaven. They are also pouring out drink offerings to other gods. They seem to do all this just to trouble me. 7:19 But I am not really the one being troubled!” says the Lord. “Rather they are bringing trouble on themselves to their own shame! 7:20 So,” the Lord God says, “my raging fury will be poured out on this land. It will be poured out on human beings and animals, on trees and crops. And it will burn like a fire which cannot be extinguished.”
7:21 The Lord said to the people of Judah, “The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says: ‘You might as well go ahead and add the meat of your burnt offerings to that of the other sacrifices and eat it, too! 7:22 Consider this: When I spoke to your ancestors after I brought them out of Egypt, I did not merely give them commands about burnt offerings and sacrifices. 7:23 I also explicitly commanded them: “Obey me. If you do, I will be your God and you will be my people. Live exactly the way I tell you and things will go well with you.” 7:24 But they did not listen to me or pay any attention to me. They followed the stubborn inclinations of their own wicked hearts. They acted worse and worse instead of better. 7:25 From the time your ancestors departed the land of Egypt until now, I sent my servants the prophets to you again and again, day after day. 7:26 But your ancestors did not listen to me nor pay attention to me. They became obstinate and were more wicked than even their own forefathers.’”
7:27 Then the Lord said to me, “When you tell them all this, they will not listen to you. When you call out to them, they will not respond to you. 7:28 So tell them: ‘This is a nation that has not obeyed the Lord their God and has not accepted correction. Faithfulness is nowhere to be found in it. These people do not even profess it anymore. 7:29 So, mourn, you people of this nation. Cut off your hair and throw it away. Sing a song of mourning on the hilltops. For the Lord has decided to reject and forsake this generation that has provoked his wrath!’”
7:30 The Lord says, “I have rejected them because the people of Judah have done what I consider evil. They have set up their disgusting idols in the temple which I have claimed for my own and have defiled it. 7:31 They have also built places of worship in a place called Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom so that they can sacrifice their sons and daughters by fire. That is something I never commanded them to do! Indeed, it never even entered my mind to command such a thing! 7:32 So, watch out!” says the Lord. “The time will soon come when people will no longer call those places Topheth or the Valley of Ben Hinnom. But they will call that valley the Valley of Slaughter and they will bury so many people in Topheth they will run out of room. 7:33 Then the dead bodies of these people will be left on the ground for the birds and wild animals to eat. There will not be any survivors to scare them away. 7:34 I will put an end to the sounds of joy and gladness, or the glad celebration of brides and grooms throughout the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem. For the whole land will become a desolate wasteland.”
8:1 The Lord says, “When that time comes, the bones of the kings of Judah and its leaders, the bones of the priests and prophets and of all the other people who lived in Jerusalem will be dug up from their graves. 8:2 They will be spread out and exposed to the sun, the moon and the stars. These are things they adored and served, things to which they paid allegiance, from which they sought guidance, and worshiped. The bones of these people will never be regathered and reburied. They will be like manure used to fertilize the ground. 8:3 However, I will leave some of these wicked people alive and banish them to other places. But wherever these people who survive may go, they will wish they had died rather than lived,” says the Lord who rules over all.
Willful Disregard of God Will Lead to Destruction
8:4 The Lord said to me, “Tell them, ‘The Lord says, Do people not get back up when they fall down? Do they not turn around when they go the wrong way?
8:5 Why, then, do these people of Jerusalem continually turn away from me in apostasy? They hold fast to their deception. They refuse to turn back to me.
8:6 I have listened to them very carefully, but they do not speak honestly. None of them regrets the evil he has done. None of them says, “I have done wrong!” All of them persist in their own wayward course like a horse charging recklessly into battle.
8:7 Even the stork knows when it is time to move on. The turtledove, swallow, and crane recognize the normal times for their migration. But my people pay no attention to what I, the Lord, require of them.
8:8 How can you say, “We are wise! We have the law of the Lord”? The truth is, those who teach it have used their writings to make it say what it does not really mean.
8:9 Your wise men will be put to shame. They will be dumbfounded and be brought to judgment. Since they have rejected the word of the Lord, what wisdom do they really have?
8:10 So I will give their wives to other men and their fields to new owners. For from the least important to the most important of them, all of them are greedy for dishonest gain. Prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit.
8:11 They offer only superficial help for the hurt my dear people have suffered. They say, “Everything will be all right!” But everything is not all right!
8:12 Are they ashamed because they have done such disgusting things? No, they are not at all ashamed! They do not even know how to blush! So they will die just like others have died. They will be brought to ruin when I punish them, says the Lord.
8:13 I will take away their harvests, says the Lord. There will be no grapes on their vines. There will be no figs on their fig trees. Even the leaves on their trees will wither. The crops that I gave them will be taken away.’”
Jeremiah Laments over the Coming Destruction
8:14 The people say, “Why are we just sitting here? Let us gather together inside the fortified cities. Let us at least die there fighting, since the Lord our God has condemned us to die. He has condemned us to drink the poison waters of judgment because we have sinned against him.
8:15 We hoped for good fortune, but nothing good has come of it. We hoped for a time of relief, but instead we experience terror.
8:16 The snorting of the enemy’s horses is already being heard in the city of Dan. The sound of the neighing of their stallions causes the whole land to tremble with fear. They are coming to destroy the land and everything in it! They are coming to destroy the cities and everyone who lives in them!”
8:17 The Lord says, “Yes indeed, I am sending an enemy against you that will be like poisonous snakes which cannot be charmed away. And they will inflict fatal wounds on you.”
8:18 Then I said, “There is no cure for my grief! I am sick at heart!
8:19 I hear my dear people crying out throughout the length and breadth of the land. They are crying, ‘Is the Lord no longer in Zion? Is her divine King no longer there?’” The Lord answers, “Why then do they provoke me to anger with their images, with their worthless foreign idols?”
8:20 “They cry, ‘Harvest time has come and gone, and the summer is over, and still we have not been delivered.’
8:21 My heart is crushed because my dear people are being crushed. I go about crying and grieving. I am overwhelmed with dismay.
8:22 There is still medicinal ointment available in Gilead! There is still a physician there! Why then have my dear people not been restored to health?
9:1 I wish that my head were a well full of water and my eyes were a fountain full of tears! If they were, I could cry day and night for those of my dear people who have been killed.
9:2 I wish I had a lodging place in the desert where I could spend some time like a weary traveler. Then I would desert my people and walk away from them because they are all unfaithful to God, a congregation of people that has been disloyal to him.
The Lord Laments That He Has No Choice But to Judge Them
9:3 The Lord says, “These people are like soldiers who have readied their bows. Their tongues are always ready to shoot out lies. They have become powerful in the land, but they have not done so by honest means. Indeed, they do one evil thing after another and do not pay attention to me.
9:4 Everyone must be on his guard around his friends. He must not even trust any of his relatives. For every one of them will find some way to cheat him. And all of his friends will tell lies about him.
9:5 One friend deceives another and no one tells the truth. These people have trained themselves to tell lies. They do wrong and are unable to repent.
9:6 They do one act of violence after another, and one deceitful thing after another. They refuse to pay attention to me,” says the Lord.
9:7 Therefore the Lord who rules over all says, “I will now purify them in the fires of affliction and test them. The wickedness of my dear people has left me no choice. What else can I do?
9:8 Their tongues are like deadly arrows. They are always telling lies. Friendly words for their neighbors come from their mouths. But their minds are thinking up ways to trap them.
9:9 I will certainly punish them for doing such things!” says the Lord. “I will certainly bring retribution on such a nation as this!”
The Coming Destruction Calls For Mourning
9:10 I said, “I will weep and mourn for the grasslands on the mountains, I will sing a mournful song for the pastures in the wilderness because they are so scorched no one travels through them. The sound of livestock is no longer heard there. Even the birds in the sky and the wild animals in the fields have fled and are gone.”
9:11 The Lord said, “I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins. Jackals will make their home there. I will destroy the towns of Judah so that no one will be able to live in them.”
9:12 I said, “Who is wise enough to understand why this has happened? Who has a word from the Lord that can explain it? Why does the land lie in ruins? Why is it as scorched as a desert through which no one travels?”
9:13 The Lord answered, “This has happened because these people have rejected my laws which I gave them. They have not obeyed me or followed those laws. 9:14 Instead they have followed the stubborn inclinations of their own hearts. They have paid allegiance to the gods called Baal, as their fathers taught them to do. 9:15 So then, listen to what I, the Lord God of Israel who rules over all, say. ‘I will make these people eat the bitter food of suffering and drink the poison water of judgment. 9:16 I will scatter them among nations that neither they nor their ancestors have known anything about. I will send people chasing after them with swords until I have destroyed them.’”
9:17 The Lord who rules over all told me to say to this people, “Take note of what I say. Call for the women who mourn for the dead! Summon those who are the most skilled at it!”
9:18 I said, “Indeed, let them come quickly and sing a song of mourning for us. Let them wail loudly until tears stream from our own eyes and our eyelids overflow with water.
9:19 For the sound of wailing is soon to be heard in Zion. They will wail, ‘We are utterly ruined! We are completely disgraced! For our houses have been torn down and we must leave our land.’”
9:20 I said, “So now, you wailing women, hear what the Lord says. Open your ears to the words from his mouth. Teach your daughters this mournful song, and each of you teach your neighbor this lament.
9:21 ‘Death has climbed in through our windows. It has entered into our fortified houses. It has taken away our children who play in the streets. It has taken away our young men who gather in the city squares.’
9:22 Tell your daughters and neighbors, ‘The Lord says, “The dead bodies of people will lie scattered everywhere like manure scattered on a field. They will lie scattered on the ground like grain that has been cut down but has not been gathered.”‘”
9:23 The Lord says, “Wise people should not boast that they are wise. Powerful people should not boast that they are powerful. Rich people should not boast that they are rich.
9:24 If people want to boast, they should boast about this: They should boast that they understand and know me. They should boast that they know and understand that I, the Lord, act out of faithfulness, fairness, and justice in the earth and that I desire people to do these things,” says the Lord.
9:25 The Lord says, “Watch out! The time is soon coming when I will punish all those who are circumcised only in the flesh. 9:26 That is, I will punish the Egyptians, the Judeans, the Edomites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, and all the desert people who cut their hair short at the temples. I will do so because none of the people of those nations are really circumcised in the Lord’s sight. Moreover, none of the people of Israel are circumcised when it comes to their hearts.”
The Lord, not Idols, is the Only Worthy Object of Worship
10:1 You people of Israel, listen to what the Lord has to say to you.
10:2 The Lord says, “Do not start following pagan religious practices. Do not be in awe of signs that occur in the sky even though the nations hold them in awe.
10:3 For the religion of these people is worthless. They cut down a tree in the forest, and a craftsman makes it into an idol with his tools.
10:4 He decorates it with overlays of silver and gold. He uses hammer and nails to fasten it together so that it will not fall over.
10:5 Such idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field. They cannot talk. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them because they cannot hurt you. And they do not have any power to help you.”
10:6 I said, “There is no one like you, Lord. You are great. And you are renowned for your power.
10:7 Everyone should revere you, O King of all nations, because you deserve to be revered. For there is no one like you among any of the wise people of the nations nor among any of their kings.
10:8 The people of those nations are both stupid and foolish. Instruction from a wooden idol is worthless!
10:9 Hammered-out silver is brought from Tarshish and gold is brought from Uphaz to cover those idols. They are the handiwork of carpenters and goldsmiths. They are clothed in blue and purple clothes. They are all made by skillful workers.
10:10 The Lord is the only true God. He is the living God and the everlasting King. When he shows his anger the earth shakes. None of the nations can stand up to his fury.
10:11 You people of Israel should tell those nations this: ‘These gods did not make heaven and earth. They will disappear from the earth and from under the heavens.’
10:12 The Lord is the one who by his power made the earth. He is the one who by his wisdom established the world. And by his understanding he spread out the skies.
10:13 When his voice thunders, the heavenly ocean roars. He makes the clouds rise from the far-off horizons. He makes the lightning flash out in the midst of the rain. He unleashes the wind from the places where he stores it.
10:14 All these idolaters will prove to be stupid and ignorant. Every goldsmith will be disgraced by the idol he made. For the image he forges is merely a sham. There is no breath in any of those idols.
10:15 They are worthless, mere objects to be mocked. When the time comes to punish them, they will be destroyed.
10:16 The Lord, who is the inheritance of Jacob’s descendants, is not like them. He is the one who created everything. And the people of Israel are those he claims as his own. He is known as the Lord who rules over all.”
Jeremiah Laments for and Prays for the Soon-to-be-Judged People
10:17 Gather your belongings together and prepare to leave the land, you people of Jerusalem who are being besieged.
10:18 For the Lord says, “I will now throw out those who live in this land. I will bring so much trouble on them that they will actually feel it.”
10:19 And I cried out, “We are doomed! Our wound is severe! We once thought, ‘This is only an illness. And we will be able to bear it!’
10:20 But our tents have been destroyed. The ropes that held them in place have been ripped apart. Our children are gone and are not coming back. There is no survivor to put our tents back up, no one left to hang their tent curtains in place.
10:21 For our leaders are stupid. They have not sought the Lord’s advice. So they do not act wisely, and the people they are responsible for have all been scattered.
10:22 Listen! News is coming even now. The rumble of a great army is heard approaching from a land in the north. It is coming to turn the towns of Judah into rubble, places where only jackals live.
10:23 Lord, we know that people do not control their own destiny. It is not in their power to determine what will happen to them.
10:24 Correct us, Lord, but only in due measure. Do not punish us in anger or you will reduce us to nothing.
10:25 Vent your anger on the nations that do not acknowledge you. Vent it on the peoples who do not worship you. For they have destroyed the people of Jacob. They have completely destroyed them and left their homeland in utter ruin.
The People Have Violated Their Covenant with God
11:1 The Lord said to Jeremiah: 11:2 “Hear the terms of the covenant I made with Israel and pass them on to the people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem. 11:3 Tell them that the Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘Anyone who does not keep the terms of the covenant will be under a curse. 11:4 Those are the terms that I charged your ancestors to keep when I brought them out of Egypt, that place which was like an iron-smelting furnace. I said at that time, “Obey me and carry out the terms of the agreement exactly as I commanded you. If you do, you will be my people and I will be your God. 11:5 Then I will keep the promise I swore on oath to your ancestors to give them a land flowing with milk and honey.” That is the very land that you still live in today.’” And I responded, “Amen! Let it be so, Lord!”
11:6 The Lord said to me, “Announce all the following words in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem: ‘Listen to the terms of my covenant with you and carry them out! 11:7 For I solemnly warned your ancestors to obey me. I warned them again and again, ever since I delivered them out of Egypt until this very day. 11:8 But they did not listen to me or pay any attention to me! Each one of them followed the stubborn inclinations of his own wicked heart. So I brought on them all the punishments threatened in the covenant because they did not carry out its terms as I commanded them to do.’”
11:9 The Lord said to me, “The people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem have plotted rebellion against me! 11:10 They have gone back to the evil ways of their ancestors of old who refused to obey what I told them. They, too, have paid allegiance to other gods and worshiped them. Both the nation of Israel and the nation of Judah have violated the covenant I made with their ancestors. 11:11 So I, the Lord, say this: ‘I will soon bring disaster on them which they will not be able to escape! When they cry out to me for help, I will not listen to them. 11:12 Then those living in the towns of Judah and in Jerusalem will go and cry out for help to the gods to whom they have been sacrificing. However, those gods will by no means be able to save them when disaster strikes them. 11:13 This is in spite of the fact that the people of Judah have as many gods as they have towns and the citizens of Jerusalem have set up as many altars to sacrifice to that disgusting god, Baal, as they have streets in the city!’ 11:14 So, Jeremiah, do not pray for these people. Do not cry out to me or petition me on their behalf. Do not plead with me to save them. For I will not listen to them when they call out to me for help when disaster strikes them.”
11:15 The Lord says to the people of Judah, “What right do you have to be in my temple, my beloved people? Many of you have done wicked things. Can your acts of treachery be so easily canceled by sacred offerings that you take joy in doing evil even while you make them?
11:16 I, the Lord, once called you a thriving olive tree, one that produced beautiful fruit. But I will set you on fire, fire that will blaze with a mighty roar. Then all your branches will be good for nothing.
11:17 For though I, the Lord who rules over all, planted you in the land, I now decree that disaster will come on you because the nations of Israel and Judah have done evil and have made me angry by offering sacrifices to the god Baal.”
Lord, when You called Jeremiah You made it clear that he was to be fearless in his work for You. May I also, with Your indwelling presence through the Holy Spirit, also be fearless. The foolish idolatry of false gods breaks the covenant of intimacy with You. May I learn from the past and be careful to place nothing between You and me.
Jeremiah was called to the prophetic ministry by the Lord God about 600BC. According to the text he was young, though no specific age was given, and was encouraged (as Paul later encouraged Timothy) to not to allow his age to be an impediment to ministry.
His calling was a powerful one “... get yourself ready! Go and tell these people everything I instruct you to say. Do not be terrified of them, or I will give you good reason to be terrified of them. I, the Lord, hereby promise to make you as strong as a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall. You will be able to stand up against all who live in the land, including the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and all the people of the land. They will attack you but they will not be able to overcome you, for I will be with you to rescue you,” says the Lord.
Jeremiah was instructed to remind the people of their early faithfulness, followed by unfaithfulness, then what the Lord God described as “spiritual adultery”.
He proclaimed the Lord God’s challenge for seeking protection from pagan foreign governments and His ridicule for trusting pagan idols “They say to a wooden idol, ‘You are my father.’ They say to a stone image, ‘You gave birth to me.’ Yes, they have turned away from me instead of turning to me. Yet when they are in trouble, they say, ‘Come and save us!’
Jeremiah shared the frustration of the Lord God with their arrogant presumption “Even now you say to me, ‘You are my father! You have been my faithful companion ever since I was young. You will not always be angry with me, will you? You will not be mad at me forever, will you?’ That is what you say, but you continually do all the evil that you can.”
He chastised Judah for their foolishness, which was bring them the Lord God’s condemnation “... wayward Israel could even be considered less guilty than unfaithful Judah.” because they had seen that had happened to Israel yet they followed the same path and merely pretended to be faithful.
Jeremiah delivered the Lord God’s plea to Israel to repent of their sinful rebellion so that he might forgive, reconcile, and restore them – even reuniting them with Judah.
He delivered the Lord God’s warning of impending disastrous-judgment.
Jeremiah was challenged by the Lord God to seek out even one person of integrity in Jerusalem, an even lesser-standard than that which would have triggered His willingness to withhold destruction from Sodom and Gomorrah, but he could not find one.
He was sure that it was only the ‘ignorant’ who rebelled and went to those who were supposed to be the ‘elders’ but they also were in rebellion – and very-intentionally so. The Lord God declared a terrible judgment, but not annihilation.
He was assigned to deliver a tribulation and then to observe their response, he said “All of them are the most stubborn of rebels! They are as hard as bronze or iron. They go about telling lies. They all deal corruptly. The fiery bellows of judgment burn fiercely. But there is too much dross to be removed. The process of refining them has proved useless. The wicked have not been purged. They are regarded as ‘rejected silver’ because the Lord rejects them.”
Jeremiah was heartsick.
Jeremiah delivered a wisdom that the apostle Paul later paraphrased “If people want to boast, they should boast about this: They should boast that they understand and know me. They should boast that they know and understand that I, the Lord, act out of faithfulness, fairness, and justice in the earth and that I desire people to do these things,” says the Lord.”
Jeremiah had been warned by the Lord God to not pray for his people to be pardoned from their punishment but he did lament, as he instructed them to prepare to be dispersed “Gather your belongings together and prepare to leave the land, you people of Jerusalem who are being besieged. For the Lord says, “I will now throw out those who live in this land. I will bring so much trouble on them that they will actually feel it.” And I cried out, “We are doomed! Our wound is severe! We once thought, ‘This is only an illness. And we will be able to bear it!’”
He lamented that the very human leaders they had demanded, rather than the Lord God-alone as their king, had predictably failed them “For our leaders are stupid. They have not sought the Lord’s advice. So they do not act wisely, and the people they are responsible for have all been scattered.”
He acknowledged that their corporate covenant with the Lord meant that He chose their fate “Lord, we know that people do not control their own destiny. It is not in their power to determine what will happen to them. Correct us, Lord, but only in due measure. Do not punish us in anger or you will reduce us to nothing.”
Jeremiah received a ‘no fear’ commission from the Lord God. Despite all of their sinful rebellion the Lord God still longed for them to make a new and right-choice to repent and to return home to Him.
Why would the people of Judah have copied Israel when they saw the horrible things that happened to Israel as a result? How isolated must Jeremiah have felt, knowing that his fellow citizens were about to be destroyed, yet finding no one who would listen to his warnings?
The Lord God wanted Israel, and then Judah, to choose Him but they refused.
When have you observed a group of people, whose poor choices had resulted in trouble, reject the counsel of the wise to change their ways?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a mission He has for you and to reveal to you a place in your walk where you are forgetting to consult the Lord God first.
Today I will gratefully and humbly accept the mission of the Lord God and prayerfully search-out the details He has provided as to how I should proceed. I will be a “good Berean”, consulting the Word, and will ask fellow believers to pray in-agreement for clarity and courage. Today I will repent and seek and receive the Lord’s forgiveness, then I will follow the Holy Spirit along the path of healing and restoration as I surrender that part of my life to His Lordship.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
A Plot Against Jeremiah is Revealed and He Complains of Injustice
11:18 The Lord gave me knowledge, that I might have understanding. Then he showed me what the people were doing.
11:19 Before this I had been like a docile lamb ready to be led to the slaughter. I did not know they were making plans to kill me. I did not know they were saying, “Let’s destroy the tree along with its fruit! Let’s remove Jeremiah from the world of the living so people will not even be reminded of him any more.”
11:20 So I said to the Lord, “O Lord who rules over all, you are a just judge! You examine people’s hearts and minds. I want to see you pay them back for what they have done because I trust you to vindicate my cause.”
11:21 Then the Lord told me about some men from Anathoth who were threatening to kill me. They had threatened, “Stop prophesying in the name of the Lord or we will kill you!” 11:22 So the Lord who rules over all said, “I will surely punish them! Their young men will be killed in battle. Their sons and daughters will die of starvation. 11:23 Not one of them will survive. I will bring disaster on those men from Anathoth who threatened you. A day of reckoning is coming for them.”
12:1 Lord, you have always been fair whenever I have complained to you. However, I would like to speak with you about the disposition of justice. Why are wicked people successful? Why do all dishonest people have such easy lives?
12:2 You plant them like trees and they put down their roots. They grow prosperous and are very fruitful. They always talk about you, but they really care nothing about you.
12:3 But you, Lord, know all about me. You watch me and test my devotion to you. Drag these wicked men away like sheep to be slaughtered! Appoint a time when they will be killed!
12:4 How long must the land be parched and the grass in every field be withered? How long must the animals and the birds die because of the wickedness of the people who live in this land? For these people boast, “God will not see what happens to us.”
12:5 The Lord answered, “If you have raced on foot against men and they have worn you out, how will you be able to compete with horses? And if you feel secure only in safe and open country, how will you manage in the thick undergrowth along the Jordan River?
12:6 As a matter of fact, even your own brothers and the members of your own family have betrayed you too. Even they have plotted to do away with you. So do not trust them even when they say kind things to you.
12:7 “I will abandon my nation. I will forsake the people I call my own. I will turn my beloved people over to the power of their enemies.
12:8 The people I call my own have turned on me like a lion in the forest. They have roared defiantly at me. So I will treat them as though I hate them.
12:9 The people I call my own attack me like birds of prey or like hyenas. But other birds of prey are all around them. Let all the nations gather together like wild beasts. Let them come and destroy these people I call my own.
12:10 Many foreign rulers will ruin the land where I planted my people. They will trample all over my chosen land. They will turn my beautiful land into a desolate wasteland.
12:11 They will lay it waste. It will lie parched and empty before me. The whole land will be laid waste. But no one living in it will pay any heed.
12:12 A destructive army will come marching over the hilltops in the desert. For the Lord will use them as his destructive weapon against everyone from one end of the land to the other. No one will be safe.
12:13 My people will sow wheat, but will harvest weeds. They will work until they are exhausted, but will get nothing from it. They will be disappointed in their harvests because the Lord will take them away in his fierce anger.
12:14 “I, the Lord, also have something to say concerning the wicked nations who surround my land and have attacked and plundered the land that I gave to my people as a permanent possession. I say: ‘I will uproot the people of those nations from their lands and I will free the people of Judah who have been taken there. 12:15 But after I have uprooted the people of those nations, I will relent and have pity on them. I will restore the people of each of those nations to their own lands and to their own country. 12:16 But they must make sure you learn to follow the religious practices of my people. Once they taught my people to swear their oaths using the name of the god Baal. But then, they must swear oaths using my name, saying, “As surely as the Lord lives, I swear.” If they do these things, then they will be included among the people I call my own. 12:17 But I will completely uproot and destroy any of those nations that will not pay heed,’” says the Lord.
An Object Lesson from Ruined Linen Shorts
13:1 The Lord said to me, “Go and buy some linen shorts and put them on. Do not put them in water.” 13:2 So I bought the shorts as the Lord had told me to do and put them on. 13:3 Then the Lord spoke to me again and said, 13:4 “Take the shorts that you bought and are wearing and go at once to Perath. Bury the shorts there in a crack in the rocks.” 13:5 So I went and buried them at Perath as the Lord had ordered me to do. 13:6 Many days later the Lord said to me, “Go at once to Perath and get the shorts I ordered you to bury there.” 13:7 So I went to Perath and dug up the shorts from the place where I had buried them. I found that they were ruined; they were good for nothing.
13:8 Then the Lord said to me, 13:9 “I, the Lord, say: ‘This shows how I will ruin the highly exalted position in which Judah and Jerusalem take pride. 13:10 These wicked people refuse to obey what I have said. They follow the stubborn inclinations of their own hearts and pay allegiance to other gods by worshiping and serving them. So they will become just like these linen shorts which are good for nothing. 13:11 For,’ I say, ‘just as shorts cling tightly to a person’s body, so I bound the whole nation of Israel and the whole nation of Judah tightly to me.’ I intended for them to be my special people and to bring me fame, honor, and praise. But they would not obey me.
13:12 “So tell them, ‘The Lord, the God of Israel, says, “Every wine jar is made to be filled with wine.”‘ And they will probably say to you, ‘Do you not think we know that every wine jar is supposed to be filled with wine?’ 13:13 Then tell them, ‘The Lord says, “I will soon fill all the people who live in this land with stupor. I will also fill the kings from David’s dynasty, the priests, the prophets, and the citizens of Jerusalem with stupor. 13:14 And I will smash them like wine bottles against one another, children and parents alike. I will not show any pity, mercy, or compassion. Nothing will keep me from destroying them,’ says the Lord.”
13:15 Then I said to the people of Judah, “Listen and pay attention! Do not be arrogant! For the Lord has spoken.
13:16 Show the Lord your God the respect that is due him. Do it before he brings the darkness of disaster. Do it before you stumble into distress like a traveler on the mountains at twilight. Do it before he turns the light of deliverance you hope for into the darkness and gloom of exile.
13:17 But if you will not pay attention to this warning, I will weep alone because of your arrogant pride. I will weep bitterly and my eyes will overflow with tears because you, the Lord’s flock, will be carried into exile.”
13:18 The Lord told me, “Tell the king and the queen mother, ‘Surrender your thrones, for your glorious crowns will be removed from your heads.
13:19 The gates of the towns in southern Judah will be shut tight. No one will be able to go in or out of them. All Judah will be carried off into exile. They will be completely carried off into exile.’”
13:20 Then I said, “Look up, Jerusalem, and see the enemy that is coming from the north. Where now is the flock of people that were entrusted to your care? Where now are the ‘sheep’ that you take such pride in?
13:21 What will you say when the Lord appoints as rulers over you those allies that you, yourself, had actually prepared as such? Then anguish and agony will grip you like that of a woman giving birth to a baby.
13:22 You will probably ask yourself, ‘Why have these things happened to me? Why have I been treated like a disgraced adulteress whose skirt has been torn off and her limbs exposed?’ It is because you have sinned so much.
13:23 But there is little hope for you ever doing good, you who are so accustomed to doing evil. Can an Ethiopian change the color of his skin? Can a leopard remove its spots?
13:24 “The Lord says, ‘That is why I will scatter your people like chaff that is blown away by a desert wind.
13:25 This is your fate, the destiny to which I have appointed you, because you have forgotten me and have trusted in false gods.
13:26 So I will pull your skirt up over your face and expose you to shame like a disgraced adulteress!
13:27 People of Jerusalem, I have seen your adulterous worship, your shameless prostitution to, and your lustful pursuit of, other gods. I have seen your disgusting acts of worship on the hills throughout the countryside. You are doomed to destruction! How long will you continue to be unclean?’”
A Lament over the Ravages of Drought
14:1 The Lord spoke to Jeremiah about the drought.
14:2 “The people of Judah are in mourning. The people in her cities are pining away. They lie on the ground expressing their sorrow. Cries of distress come up to me from Jerusalem.
14:3 The leading men of the cities send their servants for water. They go to the cisterns, but they do not find any water there. They return with their containers empty. Disappointed and dismayed, they bury their faces in their hands.
14:4 They are dismayed because the ground is cracked because there has been no rain in the land. The farmers, too, are dismayed and bury their faces in their hands.
14:5 Even the doe abandons her newborn fawn in the field because there is no grass.
14:6 Wild donkeys stand on the hilltops and pant for breath like jackals. Their eyes are strained looking for food, because there is none to be found.”
14:7 Then I said, “O Lord, intervene for the honor of your name even though our sins speak out against us. Indeed, we have turned away from you many times. We have sinned against you.
14:8 You have been the object of Israel’s hopes. You have saved them when they were in trouble. Why have you become like a resident foreigner in the land? Why have you become like a traveler who only stops in to spend the night?
14:9 Why should you be like someone who is helpless, like a champion who cannot save anyone? You are indeed with us, and we belong to you. Do not abandon us!”
14:10 Then the Lord spoke about these people. “They truly love to go astray. They cannot keep from running away from me. So I am not pleased with them. I will now call to mind the wrongs they have done and punish them for their sins.”
Judgment for Believing the Misleading Lies of the False Prophets
14:11 Then the Lord said to me, “Do not pray for good to come to these people! 14:12 Even if they fast, I will not hear their cries for help. Even if they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will kill them through wars, famines, and plagues.”
14:13 Then I said, “Oh, Lord God, look! The prophets are telling them that you said, ‘You will not experience war or suffer famine. I will give you lasting peace and prosperity in this land.’”
14:14 Then the Lord said to me, “Those prophets are prophesying lies while claiming my authority! I did not send them. I did not commission them. I did not speak to them. They are prophesying to these people false visions, worthless predictions, and the delusions of their own mind. 14:15 I did not send those prophets, though they claim to be prophesying in my name. They may be saying, ‘No war or famine will happen in this land.’ But I, the Lord, say this about them: ‘War and starvation will kill those prophets.’ 14:16 The people to whom they are prophesying will die through war and famine. Their bodies will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem and there will be no one to bury them. This will happen to the men and their wives, their sons, and their daughters. For I will pour out on them the destruction they deserve.”
Lament over Present Destruction and Threat of More to Come
14:17 “Tell these people this, Jeremiah: ‘My eyes overflow with tears day and night without ceasing. For my people, my dear children, have suffered a crushing blow. They have suffered a serious wound.
14:18 If I go out into the countryside, I see those who have been killed in battle. If I go into the city, I see those who are sick because of starvation. For both prophet and priest go about their own business in the land without having any real understanding.’”
14:19 Then I said, “Lord, have you completely rejected the nation of Judah? Do you despise the city of Zion? Why have you struck us with such force that we are beyond recovery? We hope for peace, but nothing good has come of it. We hope for a time of relief from our troubles, but experience terror.
14:20 Lord, we confess that we have been wicked. We confess that our ancestors have done wrong. We have indeed sinned against you.
14:21 For the honor of your name, do not treat Jerusalem with contempt. Do not treat with disdain the place where your glorious throne sits. Be mindful of your covenant with us. Do not break it!
14:22 Do any of the worthless idols of the nations cause rain to fall? Do the skies themselves send showers? Is it not you, O Lord our God, who does this? So we put our hopes in you because you alone do all this.”
15:1 Then the Lord said to me, “Even if Moses and Samuel stood before me pleading for these people, I would not feel pity for them! Get them away from me! Tell them to go away! 15:2 If they ask you, ‘Where should we go?’ tell them the Lord says this: “Those who are destined to die of disease will go to death by disease. Those who are destined to die in war will go to death in war. Those who are destined to die of starvation will go to death by starvation. Those who are destined to go into exile will go into exile.”
15:3 “I will punish them in four different ways: I will have war kill them. I will have dogs drag off their dead bodies. I will have birds and wild beasts devour and destroy their corpses. 15:4 I will make all the people in all the kingdoms of the world horrified at what has happened to them because of what Hezekiah’s son Manasseh, king of Judah, did in Jerusalem.”
15:5 The Lord cried out, “Who in the world will have pity on you, Jerusalem? Who will grieve over you? Who will stop long enough to inquire about how you are doing?
15:6 I, the Lord, say: ‘You people have deserted me! You keep turning your back on me.’ So I have unleashed my power against you and have begun to destroy you. I have grown tired of feeling sorry for you!”
15:7 The Lord continued, “In every town in the land I will purge them like straw blown away by the wind. I will destroy my people. I will kill off their children. I will do so because they did not change their behavior.
15:8 Their widows will become in my sight more numerous than the grains of sand on the seashores. At noontime I will bring a destroyer against the mothers of their young men. I will cause anguish and terror to fall suddenly upon them.
15:9 The mother who had seven children will grow faint. All the breath will go out of her. Her pride and joy will be taken from her in the prime of their life. It will seem as if the sun had set while it was still day. She will suffer shame and humiliation. I will cause any of them who are still left alive to be killed in war by the onslaughts of their enemies,” says the Lord.
Jeremiah Complains about His Lot and The Lord Responds
15:10 I said, “Oh, mother, how I regret that you ever gave birth to me! I am always starting arguments and quarrels with the people of this land. I have not lent money to anyone and I have not borrowed from anyone. Yet all of these people are treating me with contempt.”
15:11 The Lord said, “Jerusalem, I will surely send you away for your own good. I will surely bring the enemy upon you in a time of trouble and distress.
15:12 Can you people who are like iron and bronze break that iron fist from the north?
15:13 I will give away your wealth and your treasures as plunder. I will give it away free of charge for the sins you have committed throughout your land.
15:14 I will make you serve your enemies in a land that you know nothing about. For my anger is like a fire that will burn against you.”
15:15 I said, “Lord, you know how I suffer. Take thought of me and care for me. Pay back for me those who have been persecuting me. Do not be so patient with them that you allow them to kill me. Be mindful of how I have put up with their insults for your sake.
15:16 As your words came to me I drank them in, and they filled my heart with joy and happiness because I belong to you.
15:17 I did not spend my time in the company of other people, laughing and having a good time. I stayed to myself because I felt obligated to you and because I was filled with anger at what they had done.
15:18 Why must I continually suffer such painful anguish? Why must I endure the sting of their insults like an incurable wound? Will you let me down when I need you like a brook one goes to for water, but that cannot be relied on?”
15:19 Because of this, the Lord said, “You must repent of such words and thoughts! If you do, I will restore you to the privilege of serving me. If you say what is worthwhile instead of what is worthless, I will again allow you to be my spokesman. They must become as you have been. You must not become like them.
15:20 I will make you as strong as a wall to these people, a fortified wall of bronze. They will attack you, but they will not be able to overcome you. For I will be with you to rescue you and deliver you,” says the Lord.
15:21 “I will deliver you from the power of the wicked. I will free you from the clutches of violent people.”
Jeremiah Forbidden to Marry, to Mourn, or to Feast
16:1 The Lord said to me, 16:2 “Do not get married and do not have children here in this land. 16:3 For I, the Lord, tell you what will happen to the children who are born here in this land and to the men and women who are their mothers and fathers. 16:4 They will die of deadly diseases. No one will mourn for them. They will not be buried. Their dead bodies will lie like manure spread on the ground. They will be killed in war or die of starvation. Their corpses will be food for the birds and wild animals.
16:5 “Moreover I, the Lord, tell you: ‘Do not go into a house where they are having a funeral meal. Do not go there to mourn and express your sorrow for them. For I have stopped showing them my good favor, my love, and my compassion. I, the Lord, so affirm it! 16:6 Rich and poor alike will die in this land. They will not be buried or mourned. People will not cut their bodies or shave off their hair to show their grief for them. 16:7 No one will take any food to those who mourn for the dead to comfort them. No one will give them any wine to drink to console them for the loss of their father or mother.
16:8 “‘Do not go to a house where people are feasting and sit down to eat and drink with them either. 16:9 For I, the Lord God of Israel who rules over all, tell you what will happen. I will put an end to the sounds of joy and gladness, to the glad celebration of brides and grooms in this land. You and the rest of the people will live to see this happen.’”
The Lord Promises Exile (But Also Restoration)
16:10 “When you tell these people about all this, they will undoubtedly ask you, ‘Why has the Lord threatened us with such great disaster? What wrong have we done? What sin have we done to offend the Lord our God?’ 16:11 Then tell them that the Lord says, ‘It is because your ancestors rejected me and paid allegiance to other gods. They have served them and worshiped them. But they have rejected me and not obeyed my law. 16:12 And you have acted even more wickedly than your ancestors! Each one of you has followed the stubborn inclinations of your own wicked heart and not obeyed me. 16:13 So I will throw you out of this land into a land that neither you nor your ancestors have ever known. There you must worship other gods day and night, for I will show you no mercy.’”
16:14 Yet I, the Lord, say: “A new time will certainly come. People now affirm their oaths with ‘I swear as surely as the Lord lives who delivered the people of Israel out of Egypt.’ 16:15 But in that time they will affirm them with ‘I swear as surely as the Lord lives who delivered the people of Israel from the land of the north and from all the other lands where he had banished them.’ At that time I will bring them back to the land I gave their ancestors.”
16:16 But for now I, the Lord, say: “I will send many enemies who will catch these people like fishermen. After that I will send others who will hunt them out like hunters from all the mountains, all the hills, and the crevices in the rocks. 16:17 For I see everything they do. Their wicked ways are not hidden from me. Their sin is not hidden away where I cannot see it. 16:18 Before I restore them I will punish them in full for their sins and the wrongs they have done. For they have polluted my land with the lifeless statues of their disgusting idols. They have filled the land I have claimed as my own with their detestable idols.”
16:19 Then I said, “Lord, you give me strength and protect me. You are the one I can run to for safety when I am in trouble. Nations from all over the earth will come to you and say, ‘Our ancestors had nothing but false gods – worthless idols that could not help them at all.
16:20 Can people make their own gods? No, what they make are not gods at all.”
16:21 The Lord said, “So I will now let this wicked people know – I will let them know my mighty power in judgment. Then they will know that my name is the Lord.”
17:1 The sin of Judah is engraved with an iron chisel on their stone-hard hearts. It is inscribed with a diamond point on the horns of their altars.
17:2 Their children are always thinking about their altars and their sacred poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah, set up beside the green trees on the high hills
17:3 and on the mountains and in the fields. I will give your wealth and all your treasures away as plunder. I will give it away as the price for the sins you have committed throughout your land.
17:4 You will lose your hold on the land which I gave to you as a permanent possession. I will make you serve your enemies in a land that you know nothing about. For you have made my anger burn like a fire that will never be put out.”
Individuals Are Challenged to Put Their Trust in the Lord
17:5 The Lord says, “I will put a curse on people who trust in mere human beings, who depend on mere flesh and blood for their strength, and whose hearts have turned away from the Lord.
17:6 They will be like a shrub in the desert. They will not experience good things even when they happen. It will be as though they were growing in the desert, in a salt land where no one can live.
17:7 My blessing is on those people who trust in me, who put their confidence in me.
17:8 They will be like a tree planted near a stream whose roots spread out toward the water. It has nothing to fear when the heat comes. Its leaves are always green. It has no need to be concerned in a year of drought. It does not stop bearing fruit.
17:9 The human mind is more deceitful than anything else. It is incurably bad. Who can understand it?
17:10 I, the Lord, probe into people’s minds. I examine people’s hearts. I deal with each person according to how he has behaved. I give them what they deserve based on what they have done.
17:11 The person who gathers wealth by unjust means is like the partridge that broods over eggs but does not hatch them. Before his life is half over he will lose his ill-gotten gains. At the end of his life it will be clear he was a fool.”
Jeremiah Appeals to the Lord for Vindication
17:12 Then I said, “Lord, from the very beginning you have been seated on your glorious throne on high. You are the place where we can find refuge.
17:13 You are the one in whom Israel may find hope. All who leave you will suffer shame. Those who turn away from you will be consigned to the nether world. For they have rejected you, the Lord, the fountain of life.
17:14 Lord, grant me relief from my suffering so that I may have some relief. Rescue me from those who persecute me so that I may be rescued.
17:15 Listen to what they are saying to me. They are saying, “Where are the things the Lord threatens us with? Come on! Let’s see them happen!”
17:16 But I have not pestered you to bring disaster. I have not desired the time of irreparable devastation. You know that. You are fully aware of every word that I have spoken.
17:17 Do not cause me dismay! You are my source of safety in times of trouble.
17:18 May those who persecute me be disgraced. Do not let me be disgraced. May they be dismayed. Do not let me be dismayed. Bring days of disaster on them. Bring on them the destruction they deserve.”
Observance of the Sabbath Day Is a Key to the Future
17:19 The Lord told me, “Go and stand in the People’s Gate through which the kings of Judah enter and leave the city. Then go and stand in all the other gates of the city of Jerusalem. 17:20 As you stand in those places announce, ‘Listen, all you people who pass through these gates. Listen, all you kings of Judah, all you people of Judah and all you citizens of Jerusalem. Listen to what the Lord says. 17:21 The Lord says, ‘Be very careful if you value your lives! Do not carry any loads in through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. 17:22 Do not carry any loads out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath day. But observe the Sabbath day as a day set apart to the Lord, as I commanded your ancestors. 17:23 Your ancestors, however, did not listen to me or pay any attention to me. They stubbornly refused to pay attention or to respond to any discipline.’ 17:24 The Lord says, ‘You must make sure to obey me. You must not bring any loads through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day. You must set the Sabbath day apart to me. You must not do any work on that day. 17:25 If you do this, then the kings and princes who follow in David’s succession and ride in chariots or on horses will continue to enter through these gates, as well as their officials and the people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem. This city will always be filled with people. 17:26 Then people will come here from the towns in Judah, from the villages surrounding Jerusalem, from the territory of Benjamin, from the western foothills, from the southern hill country, and from the southern part of Judah. They will come bringing offerings to the temple of the Lord: burnt offerings, sacrifices, grain offerings, and incense along with their thank offerings. 17:27 But you must obey me and set the Sabbath day apart to me. You must not carry any loads in through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. If you disobey, I will set the gates of Jerusalem on fire. It will burn down all the fortified dwellings in Jerusalem and no one will be able to put it out.’”
An Object Lesson from the Making of Pottery
18:1 The Lord said to Jeremiah: 18:2 “Go down at once to the potter’s house. I will speak to you further there.” 18:3 So I went down to the potter’s house and found him working at his wheel. 18:4 Now and then there would be something wrong with the pot he was molding from the clay with his hands. So he would rework the clay into another kind of pot as he saw fit.
18:5 Then the Lord said to me, 18:6 “I, the Lord, say: ‘O nation of Israel, can I not deal with you as this potter deals with the clay? In my hands, you, O nation of Israel, are just like the clay in this potter’s hand.’ 18:7 There are times, Jeremiah, when I threaten to uproot, tear down, and destroy a nation or kingdom. 18:8 But if that nation I threatened stops doing wrong, I will cancel the destruction I intended to do to it. 18:9 And there are times when I promise to build up and establish a nation or kingdom. 18:10 But if that nation does what displeases me and does not obey me, then I will cancel the good I promised to do to it. 18:11 So now, tell the people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem this: The Lord says, ‘I am preparing to bring disaster on you! I am making plans to punish you. So, every one of you, stop the evil things you have been doing. Correct the way you have been living and do what is right.’ 18:12 But they just keep saying, ‘We do not care what you say! We will do whatever we want to do! We will continue to behave wickedly and stubbornly!’”
18:13 Therefore, the Lord says, “Ask the people of other nations whether they have heard of anything like this. Israel should have been like a virgin. But she has done something utterly revolting!
18:14 Does the snow ever completely vanish from the rocky slopes of Lebanon? Do the cool waters from those distant mountains ever cease to flow?
18:15 Yet my people have forgotten me and offered sacrifices to worthless idols! This makes them stumble along in the way they live and leave the old reliable path of their fathers. They have left them to walk in bypaths, in roads that are not smooth and level.
18:16 So their land will become an object of horror. People will forever hiss out their scorn over it. All who pass that way will be filled with horror and will shake their heads in derision.
18:17 I will scatter them before their enemies like dust blowing in front of a burning east wind. I will turn my back on them and not look favorably on them when disaster strikes them.”
Jeremiah Petitions the Lord to Punish Those Who Attack Him
18:18 Then some people said, “Come on! Let us consider how to deal with Jeremiah! There will still be priests to instruct us, wise men to give us advice, and prophets to declare God’s word. Come on! Let’s bring charges against him and get rid of him! Then we will not need to pay attention to anything he says.”
18:19 Then I said, “Lord, pay attention to me. Listen to what my enemies are saying.
18:20 Should good be paid back with evil? Yet they are virtually digging a pit to kill me. Just remember how I stood before you pleading on their behalf to keep you from venting your anger on them.
18:21 So let their children die of starvation. Let them be cut down by the sword. Let their wives lose their husbands and children. Let the older men die of disease and the younger men die by the sword in battle.
18:22 Let cries of terror be heard in their houses when you send bands of raiders unexpectedly to plunder them. For they have virtually dug a pit to capture me and have hidden traps for me to step into.
18:23 But you, Lord, know all their plots to kill me. Do not pardon their crimes! Do not ignore their sins as though you had erased them! Let them be brought down in defeat before you! Deal with them while you are still angry!
An Object Lesson from a Broken Clay Jar
19:1 The Lord told Jeremiah, “Go and buy a clay jar from a potter. Take with you some of the leaders of the people and some of the leaders of the priests. 19:2 Go out to the part of the Hinnom Valley which is near the entrance of the Potsherd Gate. Announce there what I tell you. 19:3 Say, ‘Listen to what the Lord says, you kings of Judah and citizens of Jerusalem! The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, “I will bring a disaster on this place that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it ring! 19:4 I will do so because these people have rejected me and have defiled this place. They have offered sacrifices in it to other gods which neither they nor their ancestors nor the kings of Judah knew anything about. They have filled it with the blood of innocent children. 19:5 They have built places here for worship of the god Baal so that they could sacrifice their children as burnt offerings to him in the fire. Such sacrifices are something I never commanded them to make! They are something I never told them to do! Indeed, such a thing never even entered my mind! 19:6 So I, the Lord, say: “The time will soon come that people will no longer call this place Topheth or the Hinnom Valley. But they will call this valley the Valley of Slaughter! 19:7 In this place I will thwart the plans of the people of Judah and Jerusalem. I will deliver them over to the power of their enemies who are seeking to kill them. They will die by the sword at the hands of their enemies. I will make their dead bodies food for the birds and wild beasts to eat. 19:8 I will make this city an object of horror, a thing to be hissed at. All who pass by it will be filled with horror and will hiss out their scorn because of all the disasters that have happened to it. 19:9 I will reduce the people of this city to desperate straits during the siege imposed on it by their enemies who are seeking to kill them. I will make them so desperate that they will eat the flesh of their own sons and daughters and the flesh of one another.”‘”
19:10 The Lord continued, “Now break the jar in front of those who have come here with you. 19:11 Tell them the Lord who rules over all says, ‘I will do just as Jeremiah has done. I will smash this nation and this city as though it were a potter’s vessel which is broken beyond repair. The dead will be buried here in Topheth until there is no more room to bury them.’ 19:12 I, the Lord, say: ‘That is how I will deal with this city and its citizens. I will make it like Topheth. 19:13 The houses in Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah will be defiled by dead bodies just like this place, Topheth. For they offered sacrifice to the stars and poured out drink offerings to other gods on the roofs of those houses.’”
19:14 Then Jeremiah left Topheth where the Lord had sent him to give that prophecy. He went to the Lord’s temple and stood in its courtyard and called out to all the people. 19:15 “The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, ‘I will soon bring on this city and all the towns surrounding it all the disaster I threatened to do to it. I will do so because they have stubbornly refused to pay any attention to what I have said!’”
Jeremiah is Flogged and Put in A Cell
20:1 Now Pashhur son of Immer heard Jeremiah prophesy these things. He was the priest who was chief of security in the Lord’s temple. 20:2 When he heard Jeremiah’s prophecy, he had the prophet flogged. Then he put him in the stocks which were at the Upper Gate of Benjamin in the Lord’s temple. 20:3 But the next day Pashhur released Jeremiah from the stocks. When he did, Jeremiah said to him, “The Lord’s name for you is not ‘Pashhur’ but ‘Terror is Everywhere.’ 20:4 For the Lord says, ‘I will make both you and your friends terrified of what will happen to you. You will see all of them die by the swords of their enemies. I will hand all the people of Judah over to the king of Babylon. He will carry some of them away into exile in Babylon and he will kill others of them with the sword. 20:5 I will hand over all the wealth of this city to their enemies. I will hand over to them all the fruits of the labor of the people of this city and all their prized possessions, as well as all the treasures of the kings of Judah. Their enemies will seize it all as plunder and carry it off to Babylon. 20:6 You, Pashhur, and all your household will go into exile in Babylon. You will die there and you will be buried there. The same thing will happen to all your friends to whom you have prophesied lies.’”
Jeremiah Complains about the Reaction to His Ministry
20:7 Lord, you coerced me into being a prophet, and I allowed you to do it. You overcame my resistance and prevailed over me. Now I have become a constant laughingstock. Everyone ridicules me.
20:8 For whenever I prophesy, I must cry out, “Violence and destruction are coming!” This message from the Lord has made me an object of continual insults and derision.
20:9 Sometimes I think, “I will make no mention of his message. I will not speak as his messenger any more.” But then his message becomes like a fire locked up inside of me, burning in my heart and soul. I grow weary of trying to hold it in; I cannot contain it.
20:10 I hear many whispering words of intrigue against me. Those who would cause me terror are everywhere! They are saying, “Come on, let’s publicly denounce him!” All my so-called friends are just watching for something that would lead to my downfall. They say, “Perhaps he can be enticed into slipping up, so we can prevail over him and get our revenge on him.
20:11 But the Lord is with me to help me like an awe-inspiring warrior. Therefore those who persecute me will fail and will not prevail over me. They will be thoroughly disgraced because they did not succeed. Their disgrace will never be forgotten.
20:12 O Lord who rules over all, you test and prove the righteous. You see into people’s hearts and minds. Pay them back for what they have done because I trust you to vindicate my cause.
20:13 Sing to the Lord! Praise the Lord! For he rescues the oppressed from the clutches of evildoers.
20:14 Cursed be the day I was born! May that day not be blessed when my mother gave birth to me.
20:15 Cursed be the man who made my father very glad when he brought him the news that a baby boy had been born to him!
20:16 May that man be like the cities that the Lord destroyed without showing any mercy. May he hear a cry of distress in the morning and a battle cry at noon.
20:17 For he did not kill me before I came from the womb, making my pregnant mother’s womb my grave forever.
20:18 Why did I ever come forth from my mother’s womb? All I experience is trouble and grief, and I spend my days in shame.
The Lord Will Hand Jerusalem over to Enemies
21:1 The Lord spoke to Jeremiah when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur son of Malkijah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah. Zedekiah sent them to Jeremiah to ask, 21:2 “Please ask the Lord to come and help us, because King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon is attacking us. Maybe the Lord will perform one of his miracles as in times past and make him stop attacking us and leave.” 21:3 Jeremiah answered them, “Tell Zedekiah 21:4 that the Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘The forces at your disposal are now outside the walls fighting against King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and the Babylonians who have you under siege. I will gather those forces back inside the city. 21:5 In anger, in fury, and in wrath I myself will fight against you with my mighty power and great strength! 21:6 I will kill everything living in Jerusalem, people and animals alike! They will die from terrible diseases. 21:7 Then I, the Lord, promise that I will hand over King Zedekiah of Judah, his officials, and any of the people who survive the war, starvation, and disease. I will hand them over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and to their enemies who want to kill them. He will slaughter them with the sword. He will not show them any mercy, compassion, or pity.’
21:8 “But tell the people of Jerusalem that the Lord says, ‘I will give you a choice between two courses of action. One will result in life; the other will result in death. 21:9 Those who stay in this city will die in battle or of starvation or disease. Those who leave the city and surrender to the Babylonians who are besieging it will live. They will escape with their lives. 21:10 For I, the Lord, say that I am determined not to deliver this city but to bring disaster on it. It will be handed over to the king of Babylon and he will destroy it with fire.’”
Warnings to the Royal Court
21:11 The Lord told me to say to the royal court of Judah, “Listen to what the Lord says,
21:12 O royal family descended from David. The Lord says: ‘See to it that people each day are judged fairly. Deliver those who have been robbed from those who oppress them. Otherwise, my wrath will blaze out against you. It will burn like a fire that cannot be put out because of the evil that you have done.
21:13 Listen, you who sit enthroned above the valley on a rocky plateau. I am opposed to you,’ says the Lord. ‘You boast, “No one can swoop down on us. No one can penetrate into our places of refuge.”
21:14 But I will punish you as your deeds deserve,’ says the Lord. ‘I will set fire to your palace; it will burn up everything around it.’”
22:1 The Lord told me, “Go down to the palace of the king of Judah. Give him a message from me there. 22:2 Say: ‘Listen, O king of Judah who follows in David’s succession. You, your officials, and your subjects who pass through the gates of this palace must listen to what the Lord says. 22:3 The Lord says, “Do what is just and right. Deliver those who have been robbed from those who oppress them. Do not exploit or mistreat foreigners who live in your land, children who have no fathers, or widows. Do not kill innocent people in this land. 22:4 If you are careful to obey these commands, then the kings who follow in David’s succession and ride in chariots or on horses will continue to come through the gates of this palace, as will their officials and their subjects. 22:5 But, if you do not obey these commands, I solemnly swear that this palace will become a pile of rubble. I, the Lord, affirm it!”
22:6 “‘For the Lord says concerning the palace of the king of Judah, “This place looks like a veritable forest of Gilead to me. It is like the wooded heights of Lebanon in my eyes. But I swear that I will make it like a wilderness whose towns have all been deserted.
22:7 I will send men against it to destroy it with their axes and hatchets. They will hack up its fine cedar panels and columns and throw them into the fire.
22:8 “‘People from other nations will pass by this city. They will ask one another, “Why has the Lord done such a thing to this great city?” 22:9 The answer will come back, “It is because they broke their covenant with the Lord their God and worshiped and served other gods.”
Judgment on Jehoahaz
22:10 “‘Do not weep for the king who was killed. Do not grieve for him. But weep mournfully for the king who has gone into exile. For he will never return to see his native land again.
22:11 “‘For the Lord has spoken about Shallum son of Josiah, who succeeded his father as king of Judah but was carried off into exile. He has said, “He will never return to this land. 22:12 For he will die in the country where they took him as a captive. He will never see this land again.”
Judgment on Jehoiakim
22:13 “‘Sure to be judged is the king who builds his palace using injustice and treats people unfairly while adding its upper rooms. He makes his countrymen work for him for nothing. He does not pay them for their labor.
22:14 He says, “I will build myself a large palace with spacious upper rooms.” He cuts windows in its walls, panels it with cedar, and paints its rooms red.
22:15 Does it make you any more of a king that you outstrip everyone else in building with cedar? Just think about your father. He was content that he had food and drink. He did what was just and right. So things went well with him.
22:16 He upheld the cause of the poor and needy. So things went well for Judah.’ The Lord says, ‘That is a good example of what it means to know me.’
22:17 But you are always thinking and looking for ways to increase your wealth by dishonest means. Your eyes and your heart are set on killing some innocent person and committing fraud and oppression.
22:18 So the Lord has this to say about Josiah’s son, King Jehoiakim of Judah: People will not mourn for him, saying, “This makes me sad, my brother! This makes me sad, my sister!” They will not mourn for him, saying, “Poor, poor lord! Poor, poor majesty!”
22:19 He will be left unburied just like a dead donkey. His body will be dragged off and thrown outside the gates of Jerusalem.’”
Warning to Jerusalem
22:20 People of Jerusalem, go up to Lebanon and cry out in mourning. Go to the land of Bashan and cry out loudly. Cry out in mourning from the mountains of Moab. For your allies have all been defeated.
22:21 While you were feeling secure I gave you warning. But you said, “I refuse to listen to you.” That is the way you have acted from your earliest history onward. Indeed, you have never paid attention to me.
22:22 My judgment will carry off all your leaders like a storm wind! Your allies will go into captivity. Then you will certainly be disgraced and put to shame because of all the wickedness you have done.
22:23 You may feel as secure as a bird nesting in the cedars of Lebanon. But oh how you will groan when the pains of judgment come on you. They will be like those of a woman giving birth to a baby.
Jeconiah Will Be Permanently Exiled
22:24 The Lord says, “As surely as I am the living God, you, Jeconiah, king of Judah, son of Jehoiakim, will not be the earthly representative of my authority. Indeed, I will take that right away from you. 22:25 I will hand you over to those who want to take your life and of whom you are afraid. I will hand you over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and his Babylonian soldiers. 22:26 I will force you and your mother who gave you birth into exile. You will be exiled to a country where neither of you were born, and you will both die there. 22:27 You will never come back to this land to which you will long to return!”
22:28 This man, Jeconiah, will be like a broken pot someone threw away. He will be like a clay vessel that no one wants. Why will he and his children be forced into exile? Why will they be thrown out into a country they know nothing about?
22:29 O land of Judah, land of Judah, land of Judah! Listen to what the Lord has to say!
22:30 The Lord says, “Enroll this man in the register as though he were childless. Enroll him as a man who will not enjoy success during his lifetime. For none of his sons will succeed in occupying the throne of David or ever succeed in ruling over Judah.”
Lord, the responsibility for the destiny of the people was upon them, You had given them generations of grace and now temporal justice and law had to be satisfied (present-day before You, not Your eternal Final White Throne Judgment). May I recognize that You still balance grace and justice and that there is a difference between Your present-day chastising and hard-knocks teaching and Your perfect and final eternal judgment.
Jeremiah asked the Lord for a wisdom-teaching “Lord, you have always been fair whenever I have complained to you. However, I would like to speak with you about the disposition of justice. Why are wicked people successful? Why do all dishonest people have such easy lives? … The Lord answered, “If you have raced on foot against men and they have worn you out, how will you be able to compete with horses? And if you feel secure only in safe and open country, how will you manage in the thick undergrowth along the Jordan River?” - essentially, he was reminded that it was not in his strength or wisdom that he would complete the ministry of the Lord God.
Jeremiah was told that when the people feign ignorance of the reason for their terrible punishment “Why has the Lord threatened us with such great disaster? What wrong have we done? What sin have we done to offend the Lord our God?’” he was to “… tell them that the Lord says, ‘It is because your ancestors rejected me and paid allegiance to other gods. They have served them and worshiped them. But they have rejected me and not obeyed my law. And you have acted even more wickedly than your ancestors! Each one of you has followed the stubborn inclinations of your own wicked heart and not obeyed me.”
He was also given a word of hope from the Lord God “A new time will certainly come. People now affirm their oaths with ‘I swear as surely as the Lord lives who delivered the people of Israel out of Egypt.’ But in that time they will affirm them with ‘I swear as surely as the Lord lives who delivered the people of Israel from the land of the north and from all the other lands where he had banished them.’ At that time I will bring them back to the land I gave their ancestors.”“
Jeremiah was reminded that there was no chance of relief from this punishment The sin of Judah is engraved with an iron chisel on their stone-hard hearts. It is inscribed with a diamond point on the horns of their altars … You will lose your hold on the land which I gave to you as a permanent possession. I will make you serve your enemies in a land that you know nothing about. For you have made my anger burn like a fire that will never be put out.”“
Jeremiah confronted the people with the Lord God’s summary of choices and consequences.
He was indignant that the very people for whom he sought mercy from the Lord God now attacked and threatened him “So let their children die of starvation. Let them be cut down by the sword. Let their wives lose their husbands and children. Let the older men die of disease and the younger men die by the sword in battle.”
Jeremiah concluded with the Lord God’s declaration of imminent destruction.
Jeremiah shared the description of the Lord God as to the terrible end for Jerusalem and Judah.
He then described the flogging and time in the stocks at the order of the priest who was responsible for Temple security and that when released he announced the Lord’s specific curse upon that priest, his family and his friends.
Jeremiah informed the people that they were not to mourn the king who had been killed, the king who was to be killed, and the king who was to be deported and forgotten – none to follow him into royalty from his descendants – all because of their reckless and rebellious leadership.
The Lord God promised to have Jeremiah’s back – and He demonstrated it to Jeremiah – first making him aware of a secret plot against him, then describing the terrible consequences for the plotters. The blessing and suffering experienced by the people was always linked to their obedience.
Is it possible that the Lord God allowed the flogging of Jeremiah to jog him loose from his reluctance to pronounce condemnation upon the rebellious people? After all of his prophesies, and his mistreatment at the hands of leaders and the people, why would king Zedekiah imagine that Jeremiah would even want to intervene for him with the Lord God – let alone imagine that the Lord might save them?
When the term “destined” was used it did not imply fatalistic-predestination but merely the Lord God’s perfect awareness of where their choices and circumstances would lead. Just as the fire of hell is described as “never going out”, so it was written here “... you have made my anger burn like a fire that will never be put out.”, but it isn’t intended eternally. Jeremiah reached the same point of frustration as David and in an ‘imprecatory prayer’ asked the Lord God to take terrible vengeance upon the people. The phrase “... he did not kill me before I came from the womb, making my pregnant mother’s womb my grave forever.” creates a painful word picture for the mother of an aborted or miscarried child. The kings had failed the people as God warned them that they would.
When have you experienced of observed someone pleading for a person who had spoiled so many ‘second chances’ as to have destroyed any possibility of yet another. When have you observed someone expecting help when they ignored multiple previous efforts to assist them when it could have made a difference?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you knowledge, to then be followed by understanding – said understanding to come from His perspective, and ultimately leading to wisdom. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where fear has caused you to resist telling the Lord’s story and testifying to His truth.
Today I will humbly and joyfully receive the teaching the Holy Spirit has for me. I will partner with Him as He transforms my thinking to that of the Lord rather than that of the world. And I will praise Him! I will confess and repent, seek and accept the forgiveness of the Lord God, and then I will accept His courage to speak what He has been pressing me to speak.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
New Leaders over a Regathered Remnant
23:1 The Lord says, “The leaders of my people are sure to be judged. They were supposed to watch over my people like shepherds watch over their sheep. But they are causing my people to be destroyed and scattered. 23:2 So the Lord God of Israel has this to say about the leaders who are ruling over his people: “You have caused my people to be dispersed and driven into exile. You have not taken care of them. So I will punish you for the evil that you have done. I, the Lord, affirm it! 23:3 Then I myself will regather those of my people who are still alive from all the countries where I have driven them. I will bring them back to their homeland. They will greatly increase in number. 23:4 I will install rulers over them who will care for them. Then they will no longer need to fear or be terrified. None of them will turn up missing. I, the Lord, promise it!
23:5 “I, the Lord, promise that a new time will certainly come when I will raise up for them a righteous branch, a descendant of David. He will rule over them with wisdom and understanding and will do what is just and right in the land.
23:6 Under his rule Judah will enjoy safety and Israel will live in security. This is the name he will go by: ‘The Lord has provided us with justice.’
23:7 “So I, the Lord, say: ‘A new time will certainly come. People now affirm their oaths with “I swear as surely as the Lord lives who delivered the people of Israel out of Egypt.” 23:8 But at that time they will affirm them with “I swear as surely as the Lord lives who delivered the descendants of the former nation of Israel from the land of the north and from all the other lands where he had banished them.” At that time they will live in their own land.’”
Oracles Against the False Prophets
23:9 Here is what the Lord says concerning the false prophets: My heart and my mind are deeply disturbed. I tremble all over. I am like a drunk person, like a person who has had too much wine, because of the way the Lord and his holy word are being mistreated.
23:10 For the land is full of people unfaithful to him. They live wicked lives and they misuse their power. So the land is dried up because it is under his curse. The pastures in the wilderness are withered.
23:11 Moreover, the Lord says, “Both the prophets and priests are godless. I have even found them doing evil in my temple!
23:12 So the paths they follow will be dark and slippery. They will stumble and fall headlong. For I will bring disaster on them. A day of reckoning is coming for them.” The Lord affirms it!
23:13 The Lord says, “I saw the prophets of Samaria doing something that was disgusting. They prophesied in the name of the god Baal and led my people Israel astray.
23:14 But I see the prophets of Jerusalem doing something just as shocking. They are unfaithful to me and continually prophesy lies. So they give encouragement to people who are doing evil, with the result that they do not stop their evildoing. I consider all of them as bad as the people of Sodom, and the citizens of Jerusalem as bad as the people of Gomorrah.
23:15 So then I, the Lord who rules over all, have something to say concerning the prophets of Jerusalem: ‘I will make these prophets eat the bitter food of suffering and drink the poison water of judgment. For the prophets of Jerusalem are the reason that ungodliness has spread throughout the land.’”
23:16 The Lord who rules over all says to the people of Jerusalem: “Do not listen to what those prophets are saying to you. They are filling you with false hopes. They are reporting visions of their own imaginations, not something the Lord has given them to say.
23:17 They continually say to those who reject what the Lord has said, ‘Things will go well for you!’ They say to all those who follow the stubborn inclinations of their own hearts, ‘Nothing bad will happen to you!’
23:18 Yet which of them has ever stood in the Lord’s inner circle so they could see and hear what he has to say? Which of them have ever paid attention or listened to what he has said?
23:19 But just watch! The wrath of the Lord will come like a storm! Like a raging storm it will rage down on the heads of those who are wicked.
23:20 The anger of the Lord will not turn back until he has fully carried out his intended purposes. In days to come you people will come to understand this clearly.
23:21 I did not send those prophets. Yet they were in a hurry to give their message. I did not tell them anything. Yet they prophesied anyway.
23:22 But if they had stood in my inner circle, they would have proclaimed my message to my people. They would have caused my people to turn from their wicked ways and stop doing the evil things they are doing.
23:23 Do you people think that I am some local deity and not the transcendent God?” the Lord asks.
23:24 “Do you really think anyone can hide himself where I cannot see him?” the Lord asks. “Do you not know that I am everywhere?” the Lord asks.
23:25 The Lord says, “I have heard what those prophets who are prophesying lies in my name are saying. They are saying, ‘I have had a dream! I have had a dream!’ 23:26 Those prophets are just prophesying lies. They are prophesying the delusions of their own minds. 23:27 How long will they go on plotting to make my people forget who I am through the dreams they tell one another? That is just as bad as what their ancestors did when they forgot who I am by worshiping the god Baal. 23:28 Let the prophet who has had a dream go ahead and tell his dream. Let the person who has received my message report that message faithfully. What is like straw cannot compare to what is like grain! I, the Lord, affirm it! 23:29 My message is like a fire that purges dross! It is like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces! I, the Lord, so affirm it! 23:30 So I, the Lord, affirm that I am opposed to those prophets who steal messages from one another that they claim are from me. 23:31 I, the Lord, affirm that I am opposed to those prophets who are using their own tongues to declare, ‘The Lord declares….’ 23:32 I, the Lord, affirm that I am opposed to those prophets who dream up lies and report them. They are misleading my people with their reckless lies. I did not send them. I did not commission them. They are not helping these people at all. I, the Lord, affirm it!”
23:33 The Lord said to me, “Jeremiah, when one of these people, or a prophet, or a priest asks you, ‘What burdensome message do you have from the Lord?’ Tell them, ‘You are the burden, and I will cast you away. I, the Lord, affirm it! 23:34 I will punish any prophet, priest, or other person who says “The Lord’s message is burdensome.” I will punish both that person and his whole family.’”
23:35 So I, Jeremiah, tell you, “Each of you people should say to his friend or his relative, ‘How did the Lord answer? Or what did the Lord say?’ 23:36 You must no longer say that the Lord’s message is burdensome. For what is ‘burdensome’ really pertains to what a person himself says. You are misrepresenting the words of our God, the living God, the Lord who rules over all. 23:37 Each of you should merely ask the prophet, ‘What answer did the Lord give you? Or what did the Lord say?’ 23:38 But just suppose you continue to say, ‘The message of the Lord is burdensome.’ Here is what the Lord says will happen: ‘I sent word to you that you must not say, “The Lord’s message is burdensome.” But you used the words “The Lord’s message is burdensome” anyway. 23:39 So I will carry you far off and throw you away. I will send both you and the city I gave to you and to your ancestors out of my sight. 23:40 I will bring on you lasting shame and lasting disgrace which will never be forgotten!’”
Good Figs and Bad Figs
24:1 The Lord showed me two baskets of figs sitting before his temple. This happened after King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon deported Jehoiakim’s son, King Jeconiah of Judah. He deported him and the leaders of Judah, along with the craftsmen and metal workers, and took them to Babylon. 24:2 One basket had very good-looking figs in it. They looked like those that had ripened early. The other basket had very bad-looking figs in it, so bad they could not be eaten. 24:3 The Lord said to me, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” I answered, “I see figs. The good ones look very good. But the bad ones look very bad, so bad that they cannot be eaten.”
24:4 The Lord said to me, 24:5 “I, the Lord, the God of Israel, say: ‘The exiles whom I sent away from here to the land of Babylon are like those good figs. I consider them to be good. 24:6 I will look after their welfare and will restore them to this land. There I will build them up and will not tear them down. I will plant them firmly in the land and will not uproot them. 24:7 I will give them the desire to acknowledge that I am the Lord. I will be their God and they will be my people. For they will wholeheartedly return to me.’
24:8 “I, the Lord, also solemnly assert: ‘King Zedekiah of Judah, his officials, and the people who remain in Jerusalem or who have gone to live in Egypt are like those bad figs. I consider them to be just like those bad figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten. 24:9 I will bring such disaster on them that all the kingdoms of the earth will be horrified. I will make them an object of reproach, a proverbial example of disaster. I will make them an object of ridicule, an example to be used in curses. That is how they will be remembered wherever I banish them. 24:10 I will bring war, starvation, and disease on them until they are completely destroyed from the land I gave them and their ancestors.’”
Seventy Years of Servitude for Failure to Give Heed
25:1 In the fourth year that Jehoiakim son of Josiah was king of Judah, the Lord spoke to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah. (That was the same as the first year that Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon.) 25:2 So the prophet Jeremiah spoke to all the people of Judah and to all the people who were living in Jerusalem. 25:3 “For the last twenty-three years, from the thirteenth year that Josiah son of Amon was ruling in Judah until now, the Lord has been speaking to me. I told you over and over again what he said. But you would not listen. 25:4 Over and over again the Lord has sent his servants the prophets to you. But you have not listened or paid attention. 25:5 He said through them, ‘Each of you must turn from your wicked ways and stop doing the evil things you are doing. If you do, I will allow you to continue to live here in the land that I gave to you and your ancestors as a lasting possession. 25:6 Do not pay allegiance to other gods and worship and serve them. Do not make me angry by the things that you do. Then I will not cause you any harm.’ 25:7 So, now the Lord says, ‘You have not listened to me. But you have made me angry by the things that you have done. Thus you have brought harm on yourselves.’
25:8 “Therefore, the Lord who rules over all says, ‘You have not listened to what I said. 25:9 So I, the Lord, affirm that I will send for all the peoples of the north and my servant, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants and all the nations that surround it. I will utterly destroy this land, its inhabitants, and all the nations that surround it and make them everlasting ruins. I will make them objects of horror and hissing scorn. 25:10 I will put an end to the sounds of joy and gladness, to the glad celebration of brides and grooms in these lands. I will put an end to the sound of people grinding meal. I will put an end to lamps shining in their houses. 25:11 This whole area will become a desolate wasteland. These nations will be subject to the king of Babylon for seventy years.’
25:12 “‘But when the seventy years are over, I will punish the king of Babylon and his nation for their sins. I will make the land of Babylon an everlasting ruin. I, the Lord, affirm it! 25:13 I will bring on that land everything that I said I would. I will bring on it everything that is written in this book. I will bring on it everything that Jeremiah has prophesied against all the nations. 25:14 For many nations and great kings will make slaves of the king of Babylon and his nation too. I will repay them for all they have done!’”
Judah and the Nations Will Experience God’s Wrath
25:15 So the Lord, the God of Israel, spoke to me in a vision. “Take this cup from my hand. It is filled with the wine of my wrath. Take it and make the nations to whom I send you drink it. 25:16 When they have drunk it, they will stagger to and fro and act insane. For I will send wars sweeping through them.”
25:17 So I took the cup from the Lord’s hand. I made all the nations to whom he sent me drink the wine of his wrath. 25:18 I made Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, its kings and its officials drink it. I did it so Judah would become a ruin. I did it so Judah, its kings, and its officials would become an object of horror and of hissing scorn, an example used in curses. Such is already becoming the case! 25:19 I made all of these other people drink it: Pharaoh, king of Egypt; his attendants, his officials, his people, 25:20 the foreigners living in Egypt; all the kings of the land of Uz; all the kings of the land of the Philistines, the people of Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, the people who had been left alive from Ashdod; 25:21 all the people of Edom, Moab, Ammon; 25:22 all the kings of Tyre, all the kings of Sidon; all the kings of the coastlands along the sea; 25:23 the people of Dedan, Tema, Buz, all the desert people who cut their hair short at the temples; 25:24 all the kings of Arabia who live in the desert; 25:25 all the kings of Zimri; all the kings of Elam; all the kings of Media; 25:26 all the kings of the north, whether near or far from one another; and all the other kingdoms which are on the face of the earth. After all of them have drunk the wine of the Lord’s wrath, the king of Babylon must drink it.
25:27 Then the Lord said to me, “Tell them that the Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, ‘Drink this cup until you get drunk and vomit. Drink until you fall down and can’t get up. For I will send wars sweeping through you.’ 25:28 If they refuse to take the cup from your hand and drink it, tell them that the Lord who rules over all says ‘You most certainly must drink it! 25:29 For take note, I am already beginning to bring disaster on the city that I call my own. So how can you possibly avoid being punished? You will not go unpunished! For I am proclaiming war against all who live on the earth. I, the Lord who rules over all, affirm it!’
25:30 “Then, Jeremiah, make the following prophecy against them: ‘Like a lion about to attack, the Lord will roar from the heights of heaven; from his holy dwelling on high he will roar loudly. He will roar mightily against his land. He will shout in triumph like those stomping juice from the grapes against all those who live on the earth.
25:31 The sounds of battle will resound to the ends of the earth. For the Lord will bring charges against the nations. He will pass judgment on all humankind and will hand the wicked over to be killed in war.’ The Lord so affirms it!
25:32 The Lord who rules over all says, ‘Disaster will soon come on one nation after another. A mighty storm of military destruction is rising up from the distant parts of the earth.’
25:33 Those who have been killed by the Lord at that time will be scattered from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be mourned over, gathered up, or buried. Their dead bodies will lie scattered over the ground like manure.
25:34 Wail and cry out in anguish, you rulers! Roll in the dust, you who shepherd flocks of people! The time for you to be slaughtered has come. You will lie scattered and fallen like broken pieces of fine pottery.
25:35 The leaders will not be able to run away and hide. The shepherds of the flocks will not be able to escape.
25:36 Listen to the cries of anguish of the leaders. Listen to the wails of the shepherds of the flocks. They are wailing because the Lord is about to destroy their lands.
25:37 Their peaceful dwelling places will be laid waste by the fierce anger of the Lord.
25:38 The Lord is like a lion who has left his lair. So their lands will certainly be laid waste by the warfare of the oppressive nation and by the fierce anger of the Lord.”
Jeremiah Is Put on Trial as a False Prophet
26:1 The Lord spoke to Jeremiah at the beginning of the reign of Josiah’s son, King Jehoiakim of Judah. 26:2 The Lord said, “Go stand in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple. Speak out to all the people who are coming from the towns of Judah to worship in the Lord’s temple. Tell them everything I command you to tell them. Do not leave out a single word! 26:3 Maybe they will pay attention and each of them will stop living the evil way they do. If they do that, then I will forgo destroying them as I had intended to do because of the wicked things they have been doing. 26:4 Tell them that the Lord says, ‘You must obey me! You must live according to the way I have instructed you in my laws. 26:5 You must pay attention to the exhortations of my servants the prophets. I have sent them to you over and over again. But you have not paid any attention to them. 26:6 If you do not obey me, then I will do to this temple what I did to Shiloh. And I will make this city an example to be used in curses by people from all the nations on the earth.’”
26:7 The priests, the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah say these things in the Lord’s temple. 26:8 Jeremiah had just barely finished saying all the Lord had commanded him to say to all the people. All at once some of the priests, the prophets, and the people grabbed him and shouted, “You deserve to die! 26:9 How dare you claim the Lord’s authority to prophesy such things! How dare you claim his authority to prophesy that this temple will become like Shiloh and that this city will become an uninhabited ruin!” Then all the people crowded around Jeremiah.
26:10 However, some of the officials of Judah heard about what was happening and they rushed up to the Lord’s temple from the royal palace. They set up court at the entrance of the New Gate of the Lord’s temple. 26:11 Then the priests and the prophets made their charges before the officials and all the people. They said, “This man should be condemned to die because he prophesied against this city. You have heard him do so with your own ears.”
26:12 Then Jeremiah made his defense before all the officials and all the people. “The Lord sent me to prophesy everything you have heard me say against this temple and against this city. 26:13 But correct the way you have been living and do what is right. Obey the Lord your God. If you do, the Lord will forgo destroying you as he threatened he would. 26:14 As to my case, I am in your power. Do to me what you deem fair and proper. 26:15 But you should take careful note of this: If you put me to death, you will bring on yourselves and this city and those who live in it the guilt of murdering an innocent man. For the Lord has sent me to speak all this where you can hear it. That is the truth!”
26:16 Then the officials and all the people rendered their verdict to the priests and the prophets. They said, “This man should not be condemned to die. For he has spoken to us under the authority of the Lord our God.” 26:17 Then some of the elders of Judah stepped forward and spoke to all the people gathered there. They said, 26:18 “Micah from Moresheth prophesied during the time Hezekiah was king of Judah. He told all the people of Judah, ‘The Lord who rules over all says, “Zion will become a plowed field. Jerusalem will become a pile of rubble. The temple mount will become a mere wooded ridge.”‘
26:19 King Hezekiah and all the people of Judah did not put him to death, did they? Did not Hezekiah show reverence for the Lord and seek the Lord’s favor? Did not the Lord forgo destroying them as he threatened he would? But we are on the verge of bringing great disaster on ourselves.”
26:20 Now there was another man who prophesied as the Lord’s representative against this city and this land just as Jeremiah did. His name was Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath Jearim. 26:21 When the king and all his bodyguards and officials heard what he was prophesying, the king sought to have him executed. But Uriah found out about it and fled to Egypt out of fear. 26:22 However, King Jehoiakim sent some men to Egypt, including Elnathan son of Achbor, 26:23 and they brought Uriah back from there. They took him to King Jehoiakim, who had him executed and had his body thrown into the burial place of the common people.
26:24 However, Ahikam son of Shaphan used his influence to keep Jeremiah from being handed over and executed by the people.
Jeremiah Counsels Submission to Babylon
27:1 The Lord spoke to Jeremiah early in the reign of Josiah’s son, King Zedekiah of Judah. 27:2 The Lord told me, “Make a yoke out of leather straps and wooden crossbars and put it on your neck. 27:3 Use it to send messages to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon. Send them through the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to King Zedekiah of Judah. 27:4 Charge them to give their masters a message from me. Tell them, ‘The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says to give your masters this message. 27:5 “I made the earth and the people and animals on it by my mighty power and great strength, and I give it to whomever I see fit. 27:6 I have at this time placed all these nations of yours under the power of my servant, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. I have even made all the wild animals subject to him. 27:7 All nations must serve him and his son and grandson until the time comes for his own nation to fall. Then many nations and great kings will in turn subjugate Babylon. 27:8 But suppose a nation or a kingdom will not be subject to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Suppose it will not submit to the yoke of servitude to him. I, the Lord, affirm that I will punish that nation. I will use the king of Babylon to punish it with war, starvation, and disease until I have destroyed it. 27:9 So do not listen to your prophets or to those who claim to predict the future by divination, by dreams, by consulting the dead, or by practicing magic. They keep telling you, ‘You do not need to be subject to the king of Babylon.’ 27:10 Do not listen to them, because their prophecies are lies. Listening to them will only cause you to be taken far away from your native land. I will drive you out of your country and you will die in exile. 27:11 Things will go better for the nation that submits to the yoke of servitude to the king of Babylon and is subject to him. I will leave that nation in its native land. Its people can continue to farm it and live in it. I, the Lord, affirm it!”‘”
27:12 I told King Zedekiah of Judah the same thing. I said, “Submit to the yoke of servitude to the king of Babylon. Be subject to him and his people. Then you will continue to live. 27:13 There is no reason why you and your people should die in war or from starvation or disease! That’s what the Lord says will happen to any nation that will not be subject to the king of Babylon. 27:14 Do not listen to the prophets who are telling you that you do not need to serve the king of Babylon. For they are prophesying lies to you. 27:15 For I, the Lord, affirm that I did not send them. They are prophesying lies to you. If you listen to them, I will drive you and the prophets who are prophesying lies out of the land and you will all die in exile.”
27:16 I also told the priests and all the people, “The Lord says, ‘Do not listen to what your prophets are saying. They are prophesying to you that the valuable articles taken from the Lord’s temple will be brought back from Babylon very soon. But they are prophesying a lie to you. 27:17 Do not listen to them. Be subject to the king of Babylon. Then you will continue to live. Why should this city be made a pile of rubble?’” 27:18 I also told them, “If they are really prophets and the Lord is speaking to them, let them pray earnestly to the Lord who rules over all. Let them plead with him not to let the valuable articles that are still left in the Lord’s temple, in the royal palace, and in Jerusalem be taken away to Babylon. 27:19 For the Lord who rules over all has already spoken about the two bronze pillars, the large bronze basin called ‘The Sea,’ and the movable bronze stands. He has already spoken about the rest of the valuable articles that are left in this city. 27:20 He has already spoken about these things that King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon did not take away when he carried Jehoiakim’s son King Jeconiah of Judah and the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem away as captives. 27:21 Indeed, the Lord God of Israel who rules over all has already spoken about the valuable articles that are left in the Lord’s temple, in the royal palace of Judah, and in Jerusalem. 27:22 He has said, ‘They will be carried off to Babylon. They will remain there until it is time for me to show consideration for them again. Then I will bring them back and restore them to this place.’ I, the Lord, affirm this!”
Jeremiah Confronted by a False Prophet
28:1 The following events occurred in that same year, early in the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah. To be more precise, it was the fifth month of the fourth year of his reign. The prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, who was from Gibeon, spoke to Jeremiah in the Lord’s temple in the presence of the priests and all the people. 28:2 “The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, ‘I will break the yoke of servitude to the king of Babylon. 28:3 Before two years are over, I will bring back to this place everything that King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took from it and carried away to Babylon. 28:4 I will also bring back to this place Jehoiakim’s son King Jeconiah of Judah and all the exiles who were taken to Babylon.’ Indeed, the Lord affirms, ‘I will break the yoke of servitude to the king of Babylon.’”
28:5 Then the prophet Jeremiah responded to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the Lord’s temple. 28:6 The prophet Jeremiah said, “Amen! May the Lord do all this! May the Lord make your prophecy come true! May he bring back to this place from Babylon all the valuable articles taken from the Lord’s temple and the people who were carried into exile. 28:7 But listen to what I say to you and to all these people. 28:8 From earliest times, the prophets who preceded you and me invariably prophesied war, disaster, and plagues against many countries and great kingdoms. 28:9 So if a prophet prophesied peace and prosperity, it was only known that the Lord truly sent him when what he prophesied came true.”
28:10 The prophet Hananiah then took the yoke off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck and broke it. 28:11 Then he spoke up in the presence of all the people. “The Lord says, ‘In the same way I will break the yoke of servitude of all the nations to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon before two years are over.’” After he heard this, the prophet Jeremiah departed and went on his way.
28:12 But shortly after the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck, the Lord spoke to Jeremiah. 28:13 “Go and tell Hananiah that the Lord says, ‘You have indeed broken the wooden yoke. But you have only succeeded in replacing it with an iron one! 28:14 For the Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, “I have put an irresistible yoke of servitude on all these nations so they will serve King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. And they will indeed serve him. I have even given him control over the wild animals.”‘” 28:15 Then the prophet Jeremiah told the prophet Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah! The Lord did not send you! You are making these people trust in a lie! 28:16 So the Lord says, ‘I will most assuredly remove you from the face of the earth. You will die this very year because you have counseled rebellion against the Lord.’”
28:17 In the seventh month of that very same year the prophet Hananiah died.
Jeremiah’s Letter to the Exiles
29:1 The prophet Jeremiah sent a letter to the exiles Nebuchadnezzar had carried off from Jerusalem to Babylon. It was addressed to the elders who were left among the exiles, to the priests, to the prophets, and to all the other people who were exiled in Babylon. 29:2 He sent it after King Jeconiah, the queen mother, the palace officials, the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metal workers had been exiled from Jerusalem. 29:3 He sent it with Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah. King Zedekiah of Judah had sent these men to Babylon to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. The letter said:
29:4 “The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says to all those he sent into exile to Babylon from Jerusalem, 29:5 ‘Build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat what they produce. 29:6 Marry and have sons and daughters. Find wives for your sons and allow your daughters get married so that they too can have sons and daughters. Grow in number; do not dwindle away. 29:7 Work to see that the city where I sent you as exiles enjoys peace and prosperity. Pray to the Lord for it. For as it prospers you will prosper.’
29:8 “For the Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, ‘Do not let the prophets or those among you who claim to be able to predict the future by divination deceive you. And do not pay any attention to the dreams that you are encouraging them to dream. 29:9 They are prophesying lies to you and claiming my authority to do so. But I did not send them. I, the Lord, affirm it!’
29:10 “For the Lord says, ‘Only when the seventy years of Babylonian rule are over will I again take up consideration for you. Then I will fulfill my gracious promise to you and restore you to your homeland. 29:11 For I know what I have planned for you,’ says the Lord. ‘I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope. 29:12 When you call out to me and come to me in prayer, I will hear your prayers. 29:13 When you seek me in prayer and worship, you will find me available to you. If you seek me with all your heart and soul, 29:14 I will make myself available to you,’ says the Lord. ‘Then I will reverse your plight and will regather you from all the nations and all the places where I have exiled you,’ says the Lord. ‘I will bring you back to the place from which I exiled you.’
29:15 “You say, ‘The Lord has raised up prophets of good news for us here in Babylon.’ 29:16 But just listen to what the Lord has to say about the king who occupies David’s throne and all your fellow countrymen who are still living in this city of Jerusalem and were not carried off into exile with you. 29:17 The Lord who rules over all says, ‘I will bring war, starvation, and disease on them. I will treat them like figs that are so rotten they cannot be eaten. 29:18 I will chase after them with war, starvation, and disease. I will make all the kingdoms of the earth horrified at what happens to them. I will make them examples of those who are cursed, objects of horror, hissing scorn, and ridicule among all the nations where I exile them. 29:19 For they have not paid attention to what I said to them through my servants the prophets whom I sent to them over and over again,’ says the Lord. ‘And you exiles have not paid any attention to them either,’ says the Lord. 29:20 ‘So pay attention to what I, the Lord, have said, all you exiles whom I have sent to Babylon from Jerusalem.’
29:21 “The Lord God of Israel who rules over all also has something to say about Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying lies to you and claiming my authority to do so. ‘I will hand them over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and he will execute them before your very eyes. 29:22 And all the exiles of Judah who are in Babylon will use them as examples when they put a curse on anyone. They will say, “May the Lord treat you like Zedekiah and Ahab whom the king of Babylon roasted to death in the fire!” 29:23 This will happen to them because they have done what is shameful in Israel. They have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives and have spoken lies while claiming my authority. They have spoken words that I did not command them to speak. I know what they have done. I have been a witness to it,’ says the Lord.”
A Response to the Letter and a Subsequent Letter
29:24 The Lord told Jeremiah, “Tell Shemaiah the Nehelamite 29:25 that the Lord God of Israel who rules over all has a message for him. Tell him, ‘On your own initiative you sent a letter to the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah and to all the other priests and to all the people in Jerusalem. In your letter you said to Zephaniah, 29:26 “The Lord has made you priest in place of Jehoiada. He has put you in charge in the Lord’s temple of controlling any lunatic who pretends to be a prophet. And it is your duty to put any such person in the stocks with an iron collar around his neck. 29:27 You should have reprimanded Jeremiah from Anathoth who is pretending to be a prophet among you! 29:28 For he has even sent a message to us here in Babylon. He wrote and told us, “You will be there a long time. Build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat what they produce.”‘”
29:29 Zephaniah the priest read that letter to the prophet Jeremiah. 29:30 Then the Lord spoke to Jeremiah. 29:31 “Send a message to all the exiles in Babylon. Tell them, ‘The Lord has spoken about Shemaiah the Nehelamite. “Shemaiah has spoken to you as a prophet even though I did not send him. He is making you trust in a lie. 29:32 Because he has done this,” the Lord says, “I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his whole family. There will not be any of them left to experience the good things that I will do for my people. I, the Lord, affirm it! For he counseled rebellion against the Lord.”‘”
Introduction to the Book of Consolation
30:1 The Lord spoke to Jeremiah. 30:2 “The Lord God of Israel says, ‘Write everything that I am about to tell you in a scroll. 30:3 For I, the Lord, affirm that the time will come when I will reverse the plight of my people, Israel and Judah,’ says the Lord. ‘I will bring them back to the land I gave their ancestors and they will take possession of it once again.’”
Israel and Judah Will Be Delivered after a Time of Deep Distress
30:4 So here is what the Lord has to say about Israel and Judah.
30:5 Yes, here is what he says: “You hear cries of panic and of terror; there is no peace in sight.
30:6 Ask yourselves this and consider it carefully: Have you ever seen a man give birth to a baby? Why then do I see all these strong men grabbing their stomachs in pain like a woman giving birth? And why do their faces turn so deathly pale?
30:7 Alas, what a terrible time of trouble it is! There has never been any like it. It is a time of trouble for the descendants of Jacob, but some of them will be rescued out of it.
30:8 When the time for them to be rescued comes,” says the Lord who rules over all, “I will rescue you from foreign subjugation. I will deliver you from captivity. Foreigners will then no longer subjugate them.
30:9 But they will be subject to the Lord their God and to the Davidic ruler whom I will raise up as king over them.
30:10 So I, the Lord, tell you not to be afraid, you descendants of Jacob, my servants. Do not be terrified, people of Israel. For I will rescue you and your descendants from a faraway land where you are captives. The descendants of Jacob will return to their land and enjoy peace. They will be secure and no one will terrify them.
30:11 For I, the Lord, affirm that I will be with you and will rescue you. I will completely destroy all the nations where I scattered you. But I will not completely destroy you. I will indeed discipline you, but only in due measure. I will not allow you to go entirely unpunished.”
The Lord Will Heal the Wounds of Judah
30:12 Moreover, the Lord says to the people of Zion, “Your injuries are incurable; your wounds are severe.
30:13 There is no one to plead your cause. There are no remedies for your wounds. There is no healing for you.
30:14 All your allies have abandoned you. They no longer have any concern for you. For I have attacked you like an enemy would. I have chastened you cruelly. For your wickedness is so great and your sin is so much.
30:15 Why do you complain about your injuries, that your pain is incurable? I have done all this to you because your wickedness is so great and your sin is so much.
30:16 But all who destroyed you will be destroyed. All your enemies will go into exile. Those who plundered you will be plundered. I will cause those who pillaged you to be pillaged.
30:17 Yes, I will restore you to health. I will heal your wounds. I, the Lord, affirm it! For you have been called an outcast, Zion, whom no one cares for.”
The Lord Will Restore Israel and Judah
30:18 The Lord says, “I will restore the ruined houses of the descendants of Jacob. I will show compassion on their ruined homes. Every city will be rebuilt on its former ruins. Every fortified dwelling will occupy its traditional site.
30:19 Out of those places you will hear songs of thanksgiving and the sounds of laughter and merriment. I will increase their number and they will not dwindle away. I will bring them honor and they will no longer be despised.
30:20 The descendants of Jacob will enjoy their former privileges. Their community will be reestablished in my favor and I will punish all who try to oppress them.
30:21 One of their own people will be their leader. Their ruler will come from their own number. I will invite him to approach me, and he will do so. For no one would dare approach me on his own. I, the Lord, affirm it!
30:22 Then you will again be my people and I will be your God.
30:23 Just watch! The wrath of the Lord will come like a storm. Like a raging storm it will rage down on the heads of those who are wicked.
30:24 The anger of the Lord will not turn back until he has fully carried out his intended purposes. In days to come you will come to understand this.
31:1 At that time I will be the God of all the clans of Israel and they will be my people. I, the Lord, affirm it!”
Israel Will Be Restored and Join Judah in Worship
31:2 The Lord says, “The people of Israel who survived death at the hands of the enemy will find favor in the wilderness as they journey to find rest for themselves.
31:3 In a far-off land the Lord will manifest himself to them. He will say to them, ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love. That is why I have continued to be faithful to you.
31:4 I will rebuild you, my dear children Israel, so that you will once again be built up. Once again you will take up the tambourine and join in the happy throng of dancers.
31:5 Once again you will plant vineyards on the hills of Samaria. Those who plant them will once again enjoy their fruit.
31:6 Yes, a time is coming when watchmen will call out on the mountains of Ephraim, “Come! Let us go to Zion to worship the Lord our God!”‘”
31:7 Moreover, the Lord says, “Sing for joy for the descendants of Jacob. Utter glad shouts for that foremost of the nations. Make your praises heard. Then say, ‘Lord, rescue your people. Deliver those of Israel who remain alive.’
31:8 Then I will reply, ‘I will bring them back from the land of the north. I will gather them in from the distant parts of the earth. Blind and lame people will come with them, so will pregnant women and women about to give birth. A vast throng of people will come back here.
31:9 They will come back shedding tears of contrition. I will bring them back praying prayers of repentance. I will lead them besides streams of water, along smooth paths where they will never stumble. I will do this because I am Israel’s father; Ephraim is my firstborn son.’”
31:10 Hear what the Lord has to say, O nations. Proclaim it in the faraway lands along the sea. Say, “The one who scattered Israel will regather them. He will watch over his people like a shepherd watches over his flock.”
31:11 For the Lord will rescue the descendants of Jacob. He will secure their release from those who had overpowered them.
31:12 They will come and shout for joy on Mount Zion. They will be radiant with joy over the good things the Lord provides, the grain, the fresh wine, the olive oil, the young sheep and calves he has given to them. They will be like a well-watered garden and will not grow faint or weary any more.
31:13 The Lord says, “At that time young women will dance and be glad. Young men and old men will rejoice. I will turn their grief into gladness. I will give them comfort and joy in place of their sorrow.
31:14 I will provide the priests with abundant provisions. My people will be filled to the full with the good things I provide.”
31:15 The Lord says, “A sound is heard in Ramah, a sound of crying in bitter grief. It is the sound of Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because her children are gone.”
31:16 The Lord says to her, “Stop crying! Do not shed any more tears! For your heartfelt repentance will be rewarded. Your children will return from the land of the enemy. I, the Lord, affirm it!
31:17 Indeed, there is hope for your posterity. Your children will return to their own territory. I, the Lord, affirm it!
31:18 I have indeed heard the people of Israel say mournfully, ‘We were like a calf untrained to the yoke. You disciplined us and we learned from it. Let us come back to you and we will do so, for you are the Lord our God.
31:19 For after we turned away from you we repented. After we came to our senses we beat our breasts in sorrow. We are ashamed and humiliated because of the disgraceful things we did previously.’
31:20 Indeed, the people of Israel are my dear children. They are the children I take delight in. For even though I must often rebuke them, I still remember them with fondness. So I am deeply moved with pity for them and will surely have compassion on them. I, the Lord, affirm it!
31:21 I will say, ‘My dear children of Israel, keep in mind the road you took when you were carried off. Mark off in your minds the landmarks. Make a mental note of telltale signs marking the way back. Return, my dear children of Israel. Return to these cities of yours.
31:22 How long will you vacillate, you who were once like an unfaithful daughter? For I, the Lord, promise to bring about something new on the earth, something as unique as a woman protecting a man!’”
Judah Will Be Restored
31:23 The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, “I will restore the people of Judah to their land and to their towns. When I do, they will again say of Jerusalem, ‘May the Lord bless you, you holy mountain, the place where righteousness dwells.’
31:24 The land of Judah will be inhabited by people who live in its towns as well as by farmers and shepherds with their flocks.
31:25 I will fully satisfy the needs of those who are weary and fully refresh the souls of those who are faint.
31:26 Then they will say, ‘Under these conditions I can enjoy sweet sleep when I wake up and look around.’”
Israel and Judah Will Be Repopulated
31:27 “Indeed, a time is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will cause people and animals to sprout up in the lands of Israel and Judah. 31:28 In the past I saw to it that they were uprooted and torn down, that they were destroyed and demolished. But now I will see to it that they are built up and firmly planted. I, the Lord, affirm it!”
The Lord Will Make a New Covenant with Israel and Judah
31:29 “When that time comes, people will no longer say, ‘The parents have eaten sour grapes, but the children’s teeth have grown numb.’ 31:30 Rather, each person will die for his own sins. The teeth of the person who eats the sour grapes will themselves grow numb.
31:31 “Indeed, a time is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. 31:32 It will not be like the old covenant that I made with their ancestors when I delivered them from Egypt. For they violated that covenant, even though I was like a faithful husband to them,” says the Lord. 31:33 “But I will make a new covenant with the whole nation of Israel after I plant them back in the land,” says the Lord. “I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts and minds. I will be their God and they will be my people.
31:34 “People will no longer need to teach their neighbors and relatives to know me. For all of them, from the least important to the most important, will know me,” says the Lord. “For I will forgive their sin and will no longer call to mind the wrong they have done.”
The Lord Guarantees Israel’s Continuance
31:35 The Lord has made a promise to Israel. He promises it as the one who fixed the sun to give light by day and the moon and stars to give light by night. He promises it as the one who stirs up the sea so that its waves roll. He promises it as the one who is known as the Lord who rules over all.
31:36 The Lord affirms, “The descendants of Israel will not cease forever to be a nation in my sight. That could only happen if the fixed ordering of the heavenly lights were to cease to operate before me.”
31:37 The Lord says, “I will not reject all the descendants of Israel because of all that they have done. That could only happen if the heavens above could be measured or the foundations of the earth below could all be explored,” says the Lord.
Jerusalem Will Be Enlarged
31:38 “Indeed a time is coming,” says the Lord, “when the city of Jerusalem will be rebuilt as my special city. It will be built from the Tower of Hananel westward to the Corner Gate. 31:39 The boundary line will extend beyond that, straight west from there to the Hill of Gareb and then turn southward to Goah. 31:40 The whole valley where dead bodies and sacrificial ashes are thrown and all the terraced fields out to the Kidron Valley on the east as far north as the Horse Gate will be included within this city that is sacred to the Lord. The city will never again be torn down or destroyed.”
Jeremiah Buys a Field
32:1 In the tenth year that Zedekiah was ruling over Judah the Lord spoke to Jeremiah. That was the same as the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar.
32:2 Now at that time, the armies of the king of Babylon were besieging Jerusalem. The prophet Jeremiah was confined in the courtyard of the guardhouse attached to the royal palace of Judah. 32:3 For King Zedekiah had confined Jeremiah there after he had reproved him for prophesying as he did. He had asked Jeremiah, “Why do you keep prophesying these things? Why do you keep saying that the Lord says, ‘I will hand this city over to the king of Babylon? I will let him capture it. 32:4 King Zedekiah of Judah will not escape from the Babylonians. He will certainly be handed over to the king of Babylon. He must answer personally to the king of Babylon and confront him face to face. 32:5 Zedekiah will be carried off to Babylon and will remain there until I have fully dealt with him. I, the Lord, affirm it! Even if you continue to fight against the Babylonians, you cannot win.’”
32:6 So now, Jeremiah said, “The Lord told me, 32:7 ‘Hanamel, the son of your uncle Shallum, will come to you soon. He will say to you, “Buy my field at Anathoth because you are entitled as my closest relative to buy it.”‘ 32:8 Now it happened just as the Lord had said! My cousin Hanamel came to me in the courtyard of the guardhouse. He said to me, ‘Buy my field which is at Anathoth in the territory of the tribe of Benjamin. Buy it for yourself since you are entitled as my closest relative to take possession of it for yourself.’ When this happened, I recognized that the Lord had indeed spoken to me. 32:9 So I bought the field at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel. I weighed out seven ounces of silver and gave it to him to pay for it. 32:10 I signed the deed of purchase, sealed it, and had some men serve as witnesses to the purchase. I weighed out the silver for him on a scale. 32:11 There were two copies of the deed of purchase. One was sealed and contained the order of transfer and the conditions of purchase. The other was left unsealed. 32:12 I took both copies of the deed of purchase and gave them to Baruch son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah. I gave them to him in the presence of my cousin Hanamel, the witnesses who had signed the deed of purchase, and all the Judeans who were housed in the courtyard of the guardhouse. 32:13 In the presence of all these people I instructed Baruch, 32:14 ‘The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, “Take these documents, both the sealed copy of the deed of purchase and the unsealed copy. Put them in a clay jar so that they may be preserved for a long time to come.”‘ 32:15 For the Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, “Houses, fields, and vineyards will again be bought in this land.”‘
Jeremiah’s Prayer of Praise and Bewilderment
32:16 “After I had given the copies of the deed of purchase to Baruch son of Neriah, I prayed to the Lord, 32:17 ‘Oh, Lord God, you did indeed make heaven and earth by your mighty power and great strength. Nothing is too hard for you! 32:18 You show unfailing love to thousands. But you also punish children for the sins of their parents. You are the great and powerful God who is known as the Lord who rules over all. 32:19 You plan great things and you do mighty deeds. You see everything people do. You reward each of them for the way they live and for the things they do. 32:20 You did miracles and amazing deeds in the land of Egypt which have had lasting effect. By this means you gained both in Israel and among humankind a renown that lasts to this day. 32:21 You used your mighty power and your great strength to perform miracles and amazing deeds and to bring great terror on the Egyptians. By this means you brought your people Israel out of the land of Egypt. 32:22 You kept the promise that you swore on oath to their ancestors. You gave them a land flowing with milk and honey. 32:23 But when they came in and took possession of it, they did not obey you or live as you had instructed them. They did not do anything that you commanded them to do. So you brought all this disaster on them. 32:24 Even now siege ramps have been built up around the city in order to capture it. War, starvation, and disease are sure to make the city fall into the hands of the Babylonians who are attacking it. Lord, you threatened that this would happen. Now you can see that it is already taking place. 32:25 The city is sure to fall into the hands of the Babylonians. Yet, in spite of this, you, Lord God, have said to me, “Buy that field with silver and have the transaction legally witnessed.”‘”
The Lord Answers Jeremiah’s Prayer
32:26 The Lord answered Jeremiah. 32:27 “I am the Lord, the God of all humankind. There is, indeed, nothing too difficult for me. 32:28 Therefore I, the Lord, say: ‘I will indeed hand this city over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and the Babylonian army. They will capture it. 32:29 The Babylonian soldiers that are attacking this city will break into it and set it on fire. They will burn it down along with the houses where people have made me angry by offering sacrifices to the god Baal and by pouring out drink offerings to other gods on their rooftops. 32:30 This will happen because the people of Israel and Judah have repeatedly done what displeases me from their earliest history until now and because they have repeatedly made me angry by the things they have done. I, the Lord, affirm it! 32:31 This will happen because the people of this city have aroused my anger and my wrath since the time they built it until now. They have made me so angry that I am determined to remove it from my sight. 32:32 I am determined to do so because the people of Israel and Judah have made me angry with all their wickedness – they, their kings, their officials, their priests, their prophets, and especially the people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem have done this wickedness. 32:33 They have turned away from me instead of turning to me. I tried over and over again to instruct them, but they did not listen and respond to correction. 32:34 They set up their disgusting idols in the temple which I have claimed for my own and defiled it. 32:35 They built places of worship for the god Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom so that they could sacrifice their sons and daughters to the god Molech. Such a disgusting practice was not something I commanded them to do! It never even entered my mind to command them to do such a thing! So Judah is certainly liable for punishment.’
32:36 “You and your people are right in saying, ‘War, starvation, and disease are sure to make this city fall into the hands of the king of Babylon.’ But now I, the Lord God of Israel, have something further to say about this city: 32:37 ‘I will certainly regather my people from all the countries where I will have exiled them in my anger, fury, and great wrath. I will bring them back to this place and allow them to live here in safety. 32:38 They will be my people, and I will be their God. 32:39 I will give them a single-minded purpose to live in a way that always shows respect for me. They will want to do that for their own good and the good of the children who descend from them. 32:40 I will make a lasting covenant with them that I will never stop doing good to them. I will fill their hearts and minds with respect for me so that they will never again turn away from me. 32:41 I will take delight in doing good to them. I will faithfully and wholeheartedly plant them firmly in the land.’
32:42 “For I, the Lord, say: ‘I will surely bring on these people all the good fortune that I am hereby promising them. I will be just as sure to do that as I have been in bringing all this great disaster on them. 32:43 You and your people are saying that this land will become desolate, uninhabited by either people or animals. You are saying that it will be handed over to the Babylonians. But fields will again be bought in this land. 32:44 Fields will again be bought with silver, and deeds of purchase signed, sealed, and witnessed. This will happen in the territory of Benjamin, the villages surrounding Jerusalem, the towns in Judah, the southern hill country, the western foothills, and southern Judah. For I will restore them to their land. I, the Lord, affirm it!’”
The Lord Promises a Second Time to Restore Israel and Judah
33:1 The Lord spoke to Jeremiah a second time while he was still confined in the courtyard of the guardhouse. 33:2 “I, the Lord, do these things. I, the Lord, form the plan to bring them about. I am known as the Lord. I say to you, 33:3 ‘Call on me in prayer and I will answer you. I will show you great and mysterious things which you still do not know about.’ 33:4 For I, the Lord God of Israel, have something more to say about the houses in this city and the royal buildings which have been torn down for defenses against the siege ramps and military incursions of the Babylonians: 33:5 ‘The defenders of the city will go out and fight with the Babylonians. But they will only fill those houses and buildings with the dead bodies of the people that I will kill in my anger and my wrath. That will happen because I have decided to turn my back on this city on account of the wicked things they have done. 33:6 But I will most surely heal the wounds of this city and restore it and its people to health. I will show them abundant peace and security. 33:7 I will restore Judah and Israel and will rebuild them as they were in days of old. 33:8 I will purify them from all the sin that they committed against me. I will forgive all their sins which they committed in rebelling against me. 33:9 All the nations will hear about all the good things which I will do to them. This city will bring me fame, honor, and praise before them for the joy that I bring it. The nations will tremble in awe at all the peace and prosperity that I will provide for it.’
33:10 “I, the Lord, say: ‘You and your people are saying about this place, “It lies in ruins. There are no people or animals in it.” That is true. The towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem will soon be desolate, uninhabited either by people or by animals. But happy sounds will again be heard in these places. 33:11 Once again there will be sounds of joy and gladness and the glad celebrations of brides and grooms. Once again people will bring their thank offerings to the temple of the Lord and will say, “Give thanks to the Lord who rules over all. For the Lord is good and his unfailing love lasts forever.” For I, the Lord, affirm that I will restore the land to what it was in days of old.’
33:12 “I, the Lord who rules over all, say: ‘This place will indeed lie in ruins. There will be no people or animals in it. But there will again be in it and in its towns sheepfolds where shepherds can rest their sheep. 33:13 I, the Lord, say that shepherds will once again count their sheep as they pass into the fold. They will do this in all the towns in the southern hill country, the western foothills, the southern hill country, the territory of Benjamin, the villages surrounding Jerusalem, and the towns of Judah.’
The Lord Reaffirms His Covenant with David, Israel, and Levi
33:14 “I, the Lord, affirm: ‘The time will certainly come when I will fulfill my gracious promise concerning the nations of Israel and Judah. 33:15 In those days and at that time I will raise up for them a righteous descendant of David.
“‘He will do what is just and right in the land. 33:16 Under his rule Judah will enjoy safety and Jerusalem will live in security. At that time Jerusalem will be called “The Lord has provided us with justice.” 33:17 For I, the Lord, promise: “David will never lack a successor to occupy the throne over the nation of Israel. 33:18 Nor will the Levitical priests ever lack someone to stand before me and continually offer up burnt offerings, sacrifice cereal offerings, and offer the other sacrifices.”‘”
33:19 The Lord spoke further to Jeremiah. 33:20 “I, Lord, make the following promise: ‘I have made a covenant with the day and with the night that they will always come at their proper times. Only if you people could break that covenant 33:21 could my covenant with my servant David and my covenant with the Levites ever be broken. So David will by all means always have a descendant to occupy his throne as king and the Levites will by all means always have priests who will minister before me. 33:22 I will make the children who follow one another in the line of my servant David very numerous. I will also make the Levites who minister before me very numerous. I will make them all as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sands which are on the seashore.’”
33:23 The Lord spoke still further to Jeremiah. 33:24 “You have surely noticed what these people are saying, haven’t you? They are saying, ‘The Lord has rejected the two families of Israel and Judah that he chose.’ So they have little regard that my people will ever again be a nation. 33:25 But I, the Lord, make the following promise: I have made a covenant governing the coming of day and night. I have established the fixed laws governing heaven and earth. 33:26 Just as surely as I have done this, so surely will I never reject the descendants of Jacob. Nor will I ever refuse to choose one of my servant David’s descendants to rule over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Indeed, I will restore them and show mercy to them.”
Lord, Your great plan included a purge and punishment of Israel and Judah and a desire to rescue and restore those whose hearts had turned toward You. May I be careful to keep my eyes and heart on You so that I do not require Your discipline.
Jeremiah delivered the angry observation of the Lord God that the religious leaders were failing His people “They were supposed to watch over my people like shepherds watch over their sheep. But they are causing my people to be destroyed and scattered.”
Jeremiah was challenged by the false prophets but he challenged them right back in the authority of the Lord God.
He prophesied that the Lord God would also rescue the people of Israel, and that He would destroy any who troubled them.
He prophesied that there would be a new covenant where “... each person will die for his own sins.” and knowledge of the Lord God would be individualized “I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts and minds. I will be their God and they will be my people.” and all of them, from the least important to the most important, will know me,” says the Lord. “For I will forgive their sin and will no longer call to mind the wrong they have done.”
Rebellious religious leaders generally represent a rebellious people and that is why the people were not innocent when the Lord God condemned the apostate leaders. In the midst of chronic rebellion the Lord God still sought a reason for hope among the exiles in Babylon. The Lord God would rescue a contrite and repentant people.
Why would the false prophet have imagined that he could get away with lying about the Lord God, especially in the presence of Jeremiah? Given their propensity to trust false gods was it not necessary for the Lord God to remind the people that their situation was impossible for any but the One True God to alter?
The people could make it possible to be returned from exile, if they turned back to the Lord God; otherwise, they would have to wait for the Messiah “This is the name he will go by: ‘The Lord has provided us with justice.’” The time of family or fellowship or national or tribal righteousness-to-salvation was soon to be over “... each person will die for his own sins.”
When have you been in a difficult situation and realized that the only way out was to turn fully away from your heart-condition (repent) and to surrender to the Lordship of Christ? When have you been faced with a lengthy wait to accomplish or to be liberated and found yourself tempted by potential short-cuts? When have you been troubled and it was only the Lord’s promise of Heaven that could bring you certain joy? When have you discovered that a contrite and repentant heart before God brought blessing?
Ask the Holy Spirit to a place where you need to become more closely aligned with the desires of the Lord God rather than merely responding to the demands of the world and a place in your life where a contrite and repentant heart would open the door to His blessing.
Today I will prayerfully reflect in order to hear clearly where I need to make changes. The changes may be in my parenting, dealing with family and friends, in the classroom or the workplace, or in some other context. I will consider all things in the light of the Lord’s perfect and constant awareness and His desire and encouragement for me to choose rightly. I will confess and repent, seek and receive forgiveness from the Lord God, then I will invest myself in an “Ultrafidian” (beyond-faith) commitment to surrender everything to Him.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Lord Makes an Ominous Promise to Zedekiah
34:1 The Lord spoke to Jeremiah while King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon was attacking Jerusalem and the towns around it with a large army. This army consisted of troops from his own army and from the kingdoms and peoples of the lands under his dominion. 34:2 The Lord God of Israel told Jeremiah to go and give King Zedekiah of Judah a message. He told Jeremiah to tell him, “The Lord says, ‘I am going to hand this city over to the king of Babylon and he will burn it down. 34:3 You yourself will not escape his clutches, but will certainly be captured and handed over to him. You must confront the king of Babylon face to face and answer to him personally. Then you must go to Babylon. 34:4 However, listen to what I, the Lord, promise you, King Zedekiah of Judah. I, the Lord, promise that you will not die in battle or be executed. 34:5 You will die a peaceful death. They will burn incense at your burial just as they did at the burial of your ancestors, the former kings who preceded you. They will mourn for you, saying, “Poor, poor master!” Indeed, you have my own word on this. I, the Lord, affirm it!’”
34:6 The prophet Jeremiah told all this to King Zedekiah of Judah in Jerusalem. 34:7 He did this while the army of the king of Babylon was attacking Jerusalem and the cities of Lachish and Azekah. He was attacking these cities because they were the only fortified cities of Judah which were still holding out.
The Lord Threatens to Destroy Those Who Wronged Their Slaves
34:8 The Lord spoke to Jeremiah after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem to grant their slaves their freedom. 34:9 Everyone was supposed to free their male and female Hebrew slaves. No one was supposed to keep a fellow Judean enslaved. 34:10 All the people and their leaders had agreed to this. They had agreed to free their male and female slaves and not keep them enslaved any longer. They originally complied with the covenant and freed them. 34:11 But later they had changed their minds. They had taken back their male and female slaves that they had freed and forced them to be slaves again. 34:12 That was when the Lord spoke to Jeremiah, 34:13 “The Lord God of Israel has a message for you. ‘I made a covenant with your ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt where they had been slaves. It stipulated, 34:14 “Every seven years each of you must free any fellow Hebrews who have sold themselves to you. After they have served you for six years, you shall set them free.” But your ancestors did not obey me or pay any attention to me. 34:15 Recently, however, you yourselves showed a change of heart and did what is pleasing to me. You granted your fellow countrymen their freedom and you made a covenant to that effect in my presence in the house that I have claimed for my own. 34:16 But then you turned right around and showed that you did not honor me. Each of you took back your male and female slaves whom you had freed as they desired, and you forced them to be your slaves again. 34:17 So I, the Lord, say: “You have not really obeyed me and granted freedom to your neighbor and fellow countryman. Therefore, I will grant you freedom, the freedom to die in war, or by starvation or disease. I, the Lord, affirm it! I will make all the kingdoms of the earth horrified at what happens to you. 34:18 I will punish those people who have violated their covenant with me. I will make them like the calf they cut in two and passed between its pieces. I will do so because they did not keep the terms of the covenant they made in my presence. 34:19 I will punish the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the court officials, the priests, and all the other people of the land who passed between the pieces of the calf. 34:20 I will hand them over to their enemies who want to kill them. Their dead bodies will become food for the birds and the wild animals. 34:21 I will also hand King Zedekiah of Judah and his officials over to their enemies who want to kill them. I will hand them over to the army of the king of Babylon, even though they have temporarily withdrawn from attacking you. 34:22 For I, the Lord, affirm that I will soon give the order and bring them back to this city. They will fight against it and capture it and burn it down. I will also make the towns of Judah desolate so that there will be no one living in them.”‘”
Judah’s Unfaithfulness Contrasted with the Rechabites’ Fai
35:1 The Lord spoke to Jeremiah when Jehoiakim son of Josiah was ruling over Judah. 35:2 “Go to the Rechabite community. Invite them to come into one of the side rooms of the Lord’s temple and offer them some wine to drink.” 35:3 So I went and got Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah the grandson of Habazziniah, his brothers, all his sons, and all the rest of the Rechabite community. 35:4 I took them to the Lord’s temple. I took them into the room where the disciples of the prophet Hanan son of Igdaliah stayed. That room was next to the one where the temple officers stayed and above the room where Maaseiah son of Shallum, one of the doorkeepers of the temple, stayed. 35:5 Then I set cups and pitchers full of wine in front of the members of the Rechabite community and said to them, “Have some wine.” 35:6 But they answered, “We do not drink wine because our ancestor Jonadab son of Rechab commanded us not to. He told us, ‘You and your children must never drink wine. 35:7 Do not build houses. Do not plant crops. Do not plant a vineyard or own one. Live in tents all your lives. If you do these things you will live a long time in the land that you wander about on.’ 35:8 We and our wives and our sons and daughters have obeyed everything our ancestor Jonadab commanded us. We have never drunk wine. 35:9 We have not built any houses to live in. We do not own any vineyards, fields, or crops. 35:10 We have lived in tents. We have obeyed our ancestor Jonadab and done exactly as he commanded us. 35:11 But when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon invaded the land we said, ‘Let’s get up and go to Jerusalem to get away from the Babylonian and Aramean armies.’ That is why we are staying here in Jerusalem.”
35:12 Then the Lord spoke to Jeremiah. 35:13 The Lord God of Israel who rules over all told him, “Go and speak to the people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem. Tell them, ‘I, the Lord, say: “You must learn a lesson from this about obeying what I say! 35:14 Jonadab son of Rechab ordered his descendants not to drink wine. His orders have been carried out. To this day his descendants have drunk no wine because they have obeyed what their ancestor commanded them. But I have spoken to you over and over again, but you have not obeyed me! 35:15 I sent all my servants the prophets to warn you over and over again. They said, “Every one of you, stop doing the evil things you have been doing and do what is right. Do not pay allegiance to other gods and worship them. Then you can continue to live in this land that I gave to you and your ancestors.” But you did not pay any attention or listen to me. 35:16 Yes, the descendants of Jonadab son of Rechab have carried out the orders that their ancestor gave them. But you people have not obeyed me! 35:17 So I, the Lord, the God who rules over all, the God of Israel, say: “I will soon bring on Judah and all the citizens of Jerusalem all the disaster that I threatened to bring on them. I will do this because I spoke to them but they did not listen. I called out to them but they did not answer.”‘”
35:18 Then Jeremiah spoke to the Rechabite community, “The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, ‘You have obeyed the orders of your ancestor Jonadab. You have followed all his instructions. You have done exactly as he commanded you.’ 35:19 So the Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, ‘Jonadab son of Rechab will never lack a male descendant to serve me.’”
Jehoiakim Burns the Scroll Containing the Lord’s Messages
36:1 The Lord spoke to Jeremiah in the fourth year that Jehoiakim son of Josiah was ruling over Judah. 36:2 “Get a scroll. Write on it everything I have told you to say about Israel, Judah, and all the other nations since I began to speak to you in the reign of Josiah until now. 36:3 Perhaps when the people of Judah hear about all the disaster I intend to bring on them, they will all stop doing the evil things they have been doing. If they do, I will forgive their sins and the wicked things they have done.”
36:4 So Jeremiah summoned Baruch son of Neriah. Then Jeremiah dictated to Baruch everything the Lord had told him to say and Baruch wrote it all down in a scroll. 36:5 Then Jeremiah told Baruch, “I am no longer allowed to go into the Lord’s temple. 36:6 So you go there the next time all the people of Judah come in from their towns to fast in the Lord’s temple. Read out loud where all of them can hear you what I told you the Lord said, which you wrote in the scroll. 36:7 Perhaps then they will ask the Lord for mercy and will all stop doing the evil things they have been doing. For the Lord has threatened to bring great anger and wrath against these people.”
36:8 So Baruch son of Neriah did exactly what the prophet Jeremiah had told him to do. He read what the Lord had said from the scroll in the temple of the Lord. 36:9 All the people living in Jerusalem and all the people who came into Jerusalem from the towns of Judah came to observe a fast before the Lord. The fast took place in the ninth month of the fifth year that Jehoiakim son of Josiah was ruling over Judah. 36:10 At that time Baruch went into the temple of the Lord. He stood in the entrance of the room of Gemariah the son of Shaphan who had been the royal secretary. That room was in the upper court near the entrance of the New Gate. There, where all the people could hear him, he read from the scroll what Jeremiah had said.
36:11 Micaiah, who was the son of Gemariah and the grandson of Shaphan, heard Baruch read from the scroll everything the Lord had said. 36:12 He went down to the chamber of the royal secretary in the king’s palace and found all the court officials in session there. Elishama the royal secretary, Delaiah son of Shemaiah, Elnathan son of Achbor, Gemariah son of Shaphan, Zedekiah son of Hananiah, and all the other officials were seated there. 36:13 Micaiah told them everything he had heard Baruch read from the scroll in the hearing of the people. 36:14 All the officials sent Jehudi, who was the son of Nethaniah and the grandson of Cushi, to Baruch. They ordered him to tell Baruch, “Come here and bring with you the scroll you read in the hearing of the people.” So Baruch son of Neriah went to them, carrying the scroll in his hand. 36:15 They said to him, “Please sit down and read it to us.” So Baruch sat down and read it to them. 36:16 When they had heard it all, they expressed their alarm to one another. Then they said to Baruch, “We must certainly give the king a report about everything you have read!” 36:17 Then they asked Baruch, “How did you come to write all these words? Do they actually come from Jeremiah’s mouth?” 36:18 Baruch answered, “Yes, they came from his own mouth. He dictated all these words to me and I wrote them down in ink on this scroll.” 36:19 Then the officials said to Baruch, “You and Jeremiah must go and hide. You must not let anyone know where you are.”
36:20 The officials put the scroll in the room of Elishama, the royal secretary, for safekeeping. Then they went to the court and reported everything to the king. 36:21 The king sent Jehudi to get the scroll. He went and got it from the room of Elishama, the royal secretary. Then he himself read it to the king and all the officials who were standing around him. 36:22 Since it was the ninth month of the year, the king was sitting in his winter quarters. A fire was burning in the firepot in front of him. 36:23 As soon as Jehudi had read three or four columns of the scroll, the king would cut them off with a penknife and throw them on the fire in the firepot. He kept doing so until the whole scroll was burned up in the fire. 36:24 Neither he nor any of his attendants showed any alarm when they heard all that had been read. Nor did they tear their clothes to show any grief or sorrow. 36:25 The king did not even listen to Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah, who had urged him not to burn the scroll. 36:26 He also ordered Jerahmeel, who was one of the royal princes, Seraiah son of Azriel, and Shelemiah son of Abdeel to arrest the scribe Baruch and the prophet Jeremiah. However, the Lord hid them.
Baruch and Jeremiah Write Another Scroll
36:27 The Lord spoke to Jeremiah after Jehoiakim had burned the scroll containing what Jeremiah had spoken and Baruch had written down. 36:28 “Get another scroll and write on it everything that was written on the original scroll that King Jehoiakim of Judah burned. 36:29 Tell King Jehoiakim of Judah, ‘The Lord says, “You burned the scroll. You asked Jeremiah, ‘How dare you write in this scroll that the king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land and wipe out all the people and animals on it?’” 36:30 So the Lord says concerning King Jehoiakim of Judah, “None of his line will occupy the throne of David. His dead body will be thrown out to be exposed to scorching heat by day and frost by night. 36:31 I will punish him and his descendants and the officials who serve him for the wicked things they have done. I will bring on them, the citizens of Jerusalem, and the people of Judah all the disaster that I threatened to do to them. I will punish them because I threatened them but they still paid no heed.”‘” 36:32 Then Jeremiah got another scroll and gave it to the scribe Baruch son of Neriah. As Jeremiah dictated, Baruch wrote on this scroll everything that had been on the scroll that King Jehoiakim of Judah burned in the fire. They also added on this scroll several other messages of the same kind.
Introduction to Incidents During the Reign of Zedekiah
37:1 Zedekiah son of Josiah succeeded Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim as king. He was elevated to the throne of the land of Judah by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. 37:2 Neither he nor the officials who served him nor the people of Judah paid any attention to what the Lord said through the prophet Jeremiah.
The Lord Responds to Zedekiah’s Hope for Help
37:3 King Zedekiah sent Jehucal son of Shelemiah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah to the prophet Jeremiah. He told them to say, “Please pray to the Lord our God on our behalf.” 37:4 (Now Jeremiah had not yet been put in prison. So he was still free to come and go among the people as he pleased. 37:5 At that time the Babylonian forces had temporarily given up their siege against Jerusalem. They had had it under siege, but withdrew when they heard that the army of Pharaoh had set out from Egypt.) 37:6 The Lord gave the prophet Jeremiah a message for them. He told him to tell them, 37:7 “The Lord God of Israel says, ‘Give a message to the king of Judah who sent you to ask me to help him. Tell him, “The army of Pharaoh that was on its way to help you will go back home to Egypt. 37:8 Then the Babylonian forces will return. They will attack the city and will capture it and burn it down. 37:9 Moreover, I, the Lord, warn you not to deceive yourselves into thinking that the Babylonian forces will go away and leave you alone. For they will not go away. 37:10 For even if you were to defeat all the Babylonian forces fighting against you so badly that only wounded men were left lying in their tents, they would get up and burn this city down.”‘”
Jeremiah is Charged with Deserting, Arrested, and Imprisoned
37:11 The following events also occurred while the Babylonian forces had temporarily withdrawn from Jerusalem because the army of Pharaoh was coming. 37:12 Jeremiah started to leave Jerusalem to go to the territory of Benjamin. He wanted to make sure he got his share of the property that was being divided up among his family there. 37:13 But he only got as far as the Benjamin Gate. There an officer in charge of the guards named Irijah, who was the son of Shelemiah and the grandson of Hananiah, stopped him. He seized Jeremiah and said, “You are deserting to the Babylonians!” 37:14 Jeremiah answered, “That’s a lie! I am not deserting to the Babylonians.” But Irijah would not listen to him. Irijah put Jeremiah under arrest and took him to the officials. 37:15 The officials were very angry at Jeremiah. They had him flogged and put in prison in the house of Jonathan, the royal secretary, which they had converted into a place for confining prisoners.
37:16 So Jeremiah was put in prison in a cell in the dungeon in Jonathan’s house. He was kept there for a long time. 37:17 Then King Zedekiah had him brought to the palace. There he questioned him privately and asked him, “Is there any message from the Lord?” Jeremiah answered, “Yes, there is.” Then he announced, “You will be handed over to the king of Babylon.” 37:18 Then Jeremiah asked King Zedekiah, “What crime have I committed against you, or the officials who serve you, or the people of Judah? What have I done to make you people throw me into prison? 37:19 Where now are the prophets who prophesied to you that the king of Babylon would not attack you or this land? 37:20 But now please listen, your royal Majesty, and grant my plea for mercy. Do not send me back to the house of Jonathan, the royal secretary. If you do, I will die there.” 37:21 Then King Zedekiah ordered that Jeremiah be committed to the courtyard of the guardhouse. He also ordered that a loaf of bread be given to him every day from the baker’s street until all the bread in the city was gone. So Jeremiah was kept in the courtyard of the guardhouse.
Jeremiah Is Charged with Treason and Put in a Cistern to Die
38:1 Now Shephatiah son of Mattan, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, Jehucal son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malkijah had heard the things that Jeremiah had been telling the people. They had heard him say, 38:2 “The Lord says, ‘Those who stay in this city will die in battle or of starvation or disease. Those who leave the city and surrender to the Babylonians will live. They will escape with their lives.’” 38:3 They had also heard him say, “The Lord says, ‘This city will certainly be handed over to the army of the king of Babylon. They will capture it.’” 38:4 So these officials said to the king, “This man must be put to death. For he is demoralizing the soldiers who are left in the city as well as all the other people there by these things he is saying. This man is not seeking to help these people but is trying to harm them.” 38:5 King Zedekiah said to them, “Very well, you can do what you want with him. For I cannot do anything to stop you.” 38:6 So the officials took Jeremiah and put him in the cistern of Malkijah, one of the royal princes, that was in the courtyard of the guardhouse. There was no water in the cistern, only mud. So when they lowered Jeremiah into the cistern with ropes he sank in the mud.
An Ethiopian Official Rescues Jeremiah from the Cistern
38:7 An Ethiopian, Ebed Melech, a court official in the royal palace, heard that Jeremiah had been put in the cistern. While the king was holding court at the Benjamin Gate, 38:8 Ebed Melech departed the palace and went to speak to the king. He said to him, 38:9 “Your royal Majesty, those men have been very wicked in all that they have done to the prophet Jeremiah. They have thrown him into a cistern and he is sure to die of starvation there because there is no food left in the city. 38:10 Then the king gave Ebed Melech the Ethiopian the following order: “Take thirty men with you from here and go pull the prophet Jeremiah out of the cistern before he dies.” 38:11 So Ebed Melech took the men with him and went to a room under the treasure room in the palace. He got some worn-out clothes and old rags from there and let them down by ropes to Jeremiah in the cistern. 38:12 Ebed Melech called down to Jeremiah, “Put these rags and worn-out clothes under your armpits to pad the ropes. Jeremiah did as Ebed Melech instructed. 38:13 So they pulled Jeremiah up from the cistern with ropes. Jeremiah, however, still remained confined to the courtyard of the guardhouse.
Jeremiah Responds to Zedekiah’s Request for Secret Advice
38:14 Some time later Zedekiah sent and had Jeremiah brought to him at the third entrance of the Lord’s temple. The king said to Jeremiah, “I would like to ask you a question. Do not hide anything from me when you answer.” 38:15 Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “If I answer you, you will certainly kill me. If I give you advice, you will not listen to me.” 38:16 So King Zedekiah made a secret promise to Jeremiah and sealed it with an oath. He promised, “As surely as the Lord lives who has given us life and breath, I promise you this: I will not kill you or hand you over to those men who want to kill you.”
38:17 Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “The Lord, the God who rules over all, the God of Israel, says, ‘You must surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon. If you do, your life will be spared and this city will not be burned down. Indeed, you and your whole family will be spared. 38:18 But if you do not surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, this city will be handed over to the Babylonians and they will burn it down. You yourself will not escape from them.’” 38:19 Then King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Judeans who have deserted to the Babylonians. The Babylonians might hand me over to them and they will torture me.” 38:20 Then Jeremiah answered, “You will not be handed over to them. Please obey the Lord by doing what I have been telling you. Then all will go well with you and your life will be spared. 38:21 But if you refuse to surrender, the Lord has shown me a vision of what will happen. Here is what I saw: 38:22 All the women who are left in the royal palace of Judah will be led out to the officers of the king of Babylon. They will taunt you saying,
‘Your trusted friends misled you; they have gotten the best of you. Now that your feet are stuck in the mud, they have turned their backs on you.’
38:23 “All your wives and your children will be turned over to the Babylonians. You yourself will not escape from them but will be captured by the king of Babylon. This city will be burned down.”
38:24 Then Zedekiah told Jeremiah, “Do not let anyone know about the conversation we have had. If you do, you will die. 38:25 The officials may hear that I have talked with you. They may come to you and say, ‘Tell us what you said to the king and what the king said to you. Do not hide anything from us. If you do, we will kill you.’ 38:26 If they do this, tell them, ‘I was pleading with the king not to send me back to die in the dungeon of Jonathan’s house.’” 38:27 All the officials did indeed come and question Jeremiah. He told them exactly what the king had instructed him to say. They stopped questioning him any further because no one had actually heard their conversation. 38:28 So Jeremiah remained confined in the courtyard of the guardhouse until the day Jerusalem was captured.
38:28b The Fall of Jerusalem and Its Aftermath
The following events occurred when Jerusalem was captured.
39:1 King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came against Jerusalem with his whole army and laid siege to it. The siege began in the tenth month of the ninth year that Zedekiah ruled over Judah. 39:2 It lasted until the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year. On that day they broke through the city walls. 39:3 Then Nergal-Sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-Sarsekim, who was a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer, who was a high official, and all the other officers of the king of Babylon came and set up quarters in the Middle Gate. 39:4 When King Zedekiah of Judah and all his soldiers saw them, they tried to escape. They departed from the city during the night. They took a path through the king’s garden and passed out through the gate between the two walls. Then they headed for the Jordan Valley. 39:5 But the Babylonian army chased after them. They caught up with Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho and captured him. They took him to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon at Riblah in the territory of Hamath and Nebuchadnezzar passed sentence on him there. 39:6 There at Riblah the king of Babylon had Zedekiah’s sons put to death while Zedekiah was forced to watch. The king of Babylon also had all the nobles of Judah put to death. 39:7 Then he had Zedekiah’s eyes put out and had him bound in chains to be led off to Babylon. 39:8 The Babylonians burned down the royal palace, the temple of the Lord, and the people’s homes, and they tore down the wall of Jerusalem. 39:9 Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the royal guard, took captive the rest of the people who were left in the city. He carried them off to Babylon along with the people who had deserted to him. 39:10 But he left behind in the land of Judah some of the poor people who owned nothing. He gave them fields and vineyards at that time.
39:11 Now King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had issued orders concerning Jeremiah. He had passed them on through Nebuzaradan, the captain of his royal guard, 39:12 “Find Jeremiah and look out for him. Do not do anything to harm him, but do with him whatever he tells you.” 39:13 So Nebuzaradan, the captain of the royal guard, Nebushazban, who was a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer, who was a high official, and all the other officers of the king of Babylon 39:14 sent and had Jeremiah brought from the courtyard of the guardhouse. They turned him over to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam and the grandson of Shaphan, to take him home with him. But Jeremiah stayed among the people.
Ebed Melech Is Promised Deliverance because of His Faith
39:15 Now the Lord had spoken to Jeremiah while he was still confined in the courtyard of the guardhouse, 39:16 “Go and tell Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, ‘The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, “I will carry out against this city what I promised. It will mean disaster and not good fortune for it. When that disaster happens, you will be there to see it. 39:17 But I will rescue you when it happens. I, the Lord, affirm it! You will not be handed over to those whom you fear. 39:18 I will certainly save you. You will not fall victim to violence. You will escape with your life because you trust in me. I, the Lord, affirm it!”‘”
Jeremiah Is Set Free A Second Time
40:1 The Lord spoke to Jeremiah after Nebuzaradan the captain of the royal guard had set him free at Ramah. He had taken him there in chains along with all the people from Jerusalem and Judah who were being carried off to exile to Babylon. 40:2 The captain of the royal guard took Jeremiah aside and said to him, “The Lord your God threatened this place with this disaster. 40:3 Now he has brought it about. The Lord has done just as he threatened to do. This disaster has happened because you people sinned against the Lord and did not obey him. 40:4 But now, Jeremiah, today I will set you free from the chains on your wrists. If you would like to come to Babylon with me, come along and I will take care of you. But if you prefer not to come to Babylon with me, you are not required to do so. You are free to go anywhere in the land you want to go. Go wherever you choose.” 40:5 Before Jeremiah could turn to leave, the captain of the guard added, “Go back to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon appointed to govern the towns of Judah. Go back and live with him among the people. Or go wherever else you choose.” Then the captain of the guard gave Jeremiah some food and a present and let him go. 40:6 So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah and lived there with him. He stayed there to live among the people who had been left in the land of Judah.
A Small Judean Province is Established at Mizpah
40:7 Now some of the officers of the Judean army and their troops had been hiding in the countryside. They heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam to govern the country. They also heard that he had been put in charge over the men, women, and children from the poorer classes of the land who had not been carried off into exile in Babylon. 40:8 So all these officers and their troops came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. The officers who came were Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah son of the Maacathite. 40:9 Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, took an oath so as to give them and their troops some assurance of safety. “Do not be afraid to submit to the Babylonians. Settle down in the land and submit to the king of Babylon. Then things will go well for you. 40:10 I for my part will stay at Mizpah to represent you before the Babylonians whenever they come to us. You for your part go ahead and harvest the wine, the dates, the figs, and the olive oil, and store them in jars. Go ahead and settle down in the towns that you have taken over.” 40:11 Moreover, all the Judeans who were in Moab, Ammon, Edom, and all the other countries heard what had happened. They heard that the king of Babylon had allowed some people to stay in Judah and that he had appointed Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, to govern them. 40:12 So all these Judeans returned to the land of Judah from the places where they had been scattered. They came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. Thus they harvested a large amount of wine and dates and figs.
Ishmael Murders Gedaliah and Carries the Judeans at Mizpah off as Capt
40:13 Johanan and all the officers of the troops that had been hiding in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. 40:14 They said to him, “Are you at all aware that King Baalis of Ammon has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to kill you?” But Gedaliah son of Ahikam would not believe them. 40:15 Then Johanan son of Kareah spoke privately to Gedaliah there at Mizpah, “Let me go and kill Ishmael the son of Nethaniah before anyone knows about it. Otherwise he will kill you and all the Judeans who have rallied around you will be scattered. Then what remains of Judah will disappear.” 40:16 But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan son of Kareah, “Do not do that because what you are saying about Ishmael is not true.”
Lord, You had to send a foreigner to rescue Jeremiah because none of his people were listening to you. May I be watchful as Your blessing may come from an unexpected source.
Jeremiah delivered the Lord’s judgment because as king Zedekiah, his court, and the people of Judah ignored the Lord God “... even if you were to defeat all the Babylonian forces fighting against you so badly that only wounded men were left lying in their tents, they would get up and burn this city down.”
He was falsely accused of intent to deserting to the Babylonians, flogged and imprisoned. When the king summoned him and asked if there was word from the Lord he told him what he had before, that the Babylonians would destroy the city and take him prisoner. He asked not to be left in prison and was moved to the courtyard and given a loaf of bread a day until all of the bread in the city was gone – due to the siege.
Jeremiah was falsely charged with treason and lowered into a muddy cistern [a shallow well] and left to die. The king was aware of the plan but said he could not prevent it. An Ethiopian official received the king’s permission to rescue him from the cistern but not the courtyard.
He was secretly summoned to the king where he repeated the requirement that he surrender or he and the city would be destroyed. He was instructed by the king to tell no one of his conversation. He remain imprisoned in the courtyard.
Just as Jeremiah had warned, the failure of the king to surrender to the Babylonians resulted in terrible consequences; no only was Jerusalem destroyed and the people taken away to Babylon “There at Riblah the king of Babylon had Zedekiah’s sons put to death while Zedekiah was forced to watch. The king of Babylon also had all the nobles of Judah put to death. 39:7 Then he had Zedekiah’s eyes put out and had him bound in chains to be led off to Babylon.”
Jeremiah was protected by the orders of the Babylonian king and allowed to remain among the people. Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian was also protected for acting from faith in rescuing Jeremiah.
Gedaliah was appointed by the Babylonians to oversee the remnant people and a community rose at Mizpah. Some soldiers who had been hiding, as well as civilians who also managed to hide from the Babylonian army, joined them. “Thus they harvested a large amount of wine and dates and figs.”
The Rechabites proved that it was possible to keep ones word across many generations. King Zedekiah was so confused that even as he deliberately ignored the Lord God and mistreated His prophet he still asked him for help and information from the Lord. The Lord God kept providing opportunities for the people to choose faithful-obedience to Him and they persisted in rebellion.
Why would the people have imagined that they could renege on the covenant promise to free their fellow Israelite slaves and suffer no consequences? Why would the Ethiopian official have responded to Jeremiah’s need but no one else? Isn’t it amazing that the Lord God caused the king of Babylon to preserve Jeremiah and the Ethiopian in the midst of the battle and the deportations?
The arrogance of King Jehoiakim cost he and his family and friends dearly. The Lord God allowed the people extra time to make a choice to obey but they refused. Even in the sad times following the destruction of Jerusalem and the deportation of the people Ishmael attacked and tried to force the remnant into slavery under the Ammonites.
When have you observed a family or a fellowship keeping a sacrificial promise across generations? When have you experienced or observed help coming from a source other than expected? When have you had your own pity-party because things were going badly all around you?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you have read the Word of the Lord God but have chosen to ignore it, even in a small way, a way that He blessed you from an unexpected source of which you have been unaware, and a place where you are too obsessed with your own stuff to notice what the Lord is doing all around you.
Today I will confess and repent, seek and receive the Lord’s forgiveness, and intentionally begin looking at the world through His eyes.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study –“Genesis 3. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 44
24:1 During Jehoiakim’s reign, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked. Jehoiakim was his subject for three years, but then he rebelled against him. 24:2 The Lord sent against him Babylonian, Syrian, Moabite, and Ammonite raiding bands; he sent them to destroy Judah, as he had warned he would do through his servants the prophets. 24:3 Just as the Lord had announced, he rejected Judah because of all the sins which Manasseh had committed. 24:4 Because he killed innocent people and stained Jerusalem with their blood, the Lord was unwilling to forgive them.
24:5 The rest of the events of Jehoiakim’s reign and all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 24:6 He passed away and his son Jehoiachin replaced him as king. 24:7 The king of Egypt did not march out from his land again, for the king of Babylon conquered all the territory that the king of Egypt had formerly controlled between the Brook of Egypt and the Euphrates River.
Jehoiachin’s Reign over Judah
24:8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother was Nehushta the daughter of Elnathan, from Jerusalem. 24:9 He did evil in the sight of the Lord as his ancestors had done.
24:10 At that time the generals of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon marched to Jerusalem and besieged the city. 24:11 King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to the city while his generals were besieging it. 24:12 King Jehoiachin of Judah, along with his mother, his servants, his officials, and his eunuchs surrendered to the king of Babylon. The king of Babylon, in the eighth year of his reign, took Jehoiachin prisoner. 24:13 Nebuchadnezzar took from there all the riches in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and of the royal palace. He removed all the gold items which King Solomon of Israel had made for the Lord’s temple, just as the Lord had warned. 24:14 He deported all the residents of Jerusalem, including all the officials and all the soldiers (10,000 people in all). This included all the craftsmen and those who worked with metal. No one was left except for the poorest among the people of the land. 24:15 He deported Jehoiachin from Jerusalem to Babylon, along with the king’s mother and wives, his eunuchs, and the high-ranking officials of the land. 24:16 The king of Babylon deported to Babylon all the soldiers (there were 7,000), as well as 1,000 craftsmen and metal workers. This included all the best warriors. 24:17 The king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in Jehoiachin’s place. He renamed him Zedekiah.
Zedekiah’s Reign over Judah
24:18 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he ruled for eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah, from Libnah. 24:19 He did evil in the sight of the Lord, as Jehoiakim had done.
24:20 What follows is a record of what happened to Jerusalem and Judah because of the Lord’s anger; he finally threw them out of his presence. Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
25:1 So King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came against Jerusalem with his whole army and set up camp outside it. They built siege ramps all around it. He arrived on the tenth day of the tenth month in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign. 25:2 The city remained under siege until King Zedekiah’s eleventh year. 25:3 By the ninth day of the fourth month the famine in the city was so severe the residents had no food. 25:4 The enemy broke through the city walls, and all the soldiers tried to escape. They left the city during the night. They went through the gate between the two walls that is near the king’s garden. (The Babylonians were all around the city.) Then they headed for the Jordan Valley. 25:5 But the Babylonian army chased after the king. They caught up with him in the plains of Jericho, and his entire army deserted him. 25:6 They captured the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, where he passed sentence on him. 25:7 Zedekiah’s sons were executed while Zedekiah was forced to watch. The king of Babylon then had Zedekiah’s eyes put out, bound him in bronze chains, and carried him off to Babylon.
Nebuchadnezzar Destroys Jerusalem
25:8 On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, Nebuzaradan, the captain of the royal guard who served the king of Babylon, arrived in Jerusalem. 25:9 He burned down the Lord’s temple, the royal palace, and all the houses in Jerusalem, including every large house. 25:10 The whole Babylonian army that came with the captain of the royal guard tore down the walls that surrounded Jerusalem. 25:11 Nebuzaradan, the captain of the royal guard, deported the rest of the people who were left in the city, those who had deserted to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the craftsmen. 25:12 But he left behind some of the poor of the land and gave them fields and vineyards.
25:13 The Babylonians broke the two bronze pillars in the Lord’s temple, as well as the movable stands and the big bronze basin called the “The Sea.” They took the bronze to Babylon. 25:14 They also took the pots, shovels, trimming shears, pans, and all the bronze utensils used by the priests. 25:15 The captain of the royal guard took the golden and silver censers and basins. 25:16 The bronze of the items that King Solomon made for the Lord’s temple – including the two pillars, the big bronze basin called “The Sea,” the twelve bronze bulls under “The Sea,” and the movable stands – was too heavy to be weighed. 25:17 Each of the pillars was about twenty-seven feet high. The bronze top of one pillar was about four and a half feet high and had bronze latticework and pomegranate shaped ornaments all around it. The second pillar with its latticework was like it.
25:18 The captain of the royal guard took Seraiah the chief priest and Zephaniah, the priest who was second in rank, and the three doorkeepers. 25:19 From the city he took a eunuch who was in charge of the soldiers, five of the king’s advisers who were discovered in the city, an official army secretary who drafted citizens for military service, and sixty citizens from the people of the land who were discovered in the city. 25:20 Nebuzaradan, captain of the royal guard, took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 25:21 The king of Babylon ordered them to be executed at Riblah in the territory of Hamath. So Judah was deported from its land.
Gedaliah Appointed Governor
25:22 Now King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, as governor over the people whom he allowed to remain in the land of Judah. 25:23 All of the officers of the Judahite army and their troops heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah to govern. So they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. The officers who came were Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah son of the Maacathite. 25:24 Gedaliah took an oath so as to give them and their troops some assurance of safety. He said, “You don’t need to be afraid to submit to the Babylonian officials. Settle down in the land and submit to the king of Babylon. Then things will go well for you.” 25:25 But in the seventh month Ishmael son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, who was a member of the royal family, came with ten of his men and murdered Gedaliah, as well as the Judeans and Babylonians who were with him at Mizpah. 25:26 Then all the people, from the youngest to the oldest, as well as the army officers, left for Egypt, because they were afraid of what the Babylonians might do.
Jehoiachin in Babylon
25:27 In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of King Jehoiachin of Judah, on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month, King Evil-Merodach of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, pardoned King Jehoiachin of Judah and released him from prison. 25:28 He spoke kindly to him and gave him a more prestigious position than the other kings who were with him in Babylon. 25:29 Jehoiachin took off his prison clothes and ate daily in the king’s presence for the rest of his life. 25:30 He was given daily provisions by the king for the rest of his life until the day he died.
Lord, You place boundaries on Your patience, rebellion is not tolerated endlessly. May I remember to not presume upon Your patience with repeated sin. Your sovereign will is sometimes administered by non-believers who are unaware that they serve Your purpose. May I be watchful for Your action in this world, always remembering that your means to an end are always the most-perfect possible.
Jehoahaz was king for three months and did evil – so Pharoah Necho imprisoned him, levied a heavy tribute on the people, and installed Josiah’s son Eliakim king in Josiah’s place, and changed his name to Jehoiakim – he ruled for eleven years.
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked and made Jehoiakim his subject for three years.
Jehoiakim rebelled, so the Lord sent Babylonian, Syrian, Moabite, and Ammonite raiding bands to destroy Judah for generations of rebellion - highlighted by Manassah's extreme evil.
Jehoiachin ruled for three months and did evil.
The Lord God allowed King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to besiege the city and take the king and his royal court and ten thousand people prisoner, installing Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in his place. He stripped the palace and temple of valuables and renamed Mattaniah to Zedekiah.
Zedekiah ruled for eleven years when, following his rebellion against them, the Babylonians breached the city walls and destroyed the siege-impoverished city. They killed Zedekiah's sons as he watched, gouged-out his eyes, then took him away in chains.
Nebuchadnezzar sent his forces to destroy everything of significance in Jerusalem, including the temple, the royal palace, all of the larger houses, and the protective city walls. The remaining members of the kings court were found and executed and everyone but the poor were deported.
Gedaliah was appointed governor of the remaining people and invited the remnant military in hiding to join him now that things were safe and to submit to the Babylonians. A few months later they returned and killed him, then the remaining people fled to Egypt for fear of the Babylonian's revenge.
King Evil-Merodach of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, pardoned King Jehoiachin of Judah and allowed him to join with him at the royal table for the remainder of his life.
Each of the kings who followed Hezekiah and Manassah had the choice as to which they would copy, all but Josiah followed Manassah's evil pattern – leading their people into disaster. Nebuchadnezzar wanted to remove any remaining national symbols from Judah.
Knowing the trouble that flowed from Hezekiah's late-in-life foolishness, followed by the curse that flowed from Manassah's evil, why would other kings follow the worst of the kings rather than Josiah and Hezekiah – the best of them? Might it have been the Lord God Who had some mercy on Jehoiachin and prompted the king of Babylon to be kind to him?
As Judah followed Israel into oblivion, because of their rebellion against the Lord God, nations all around them rose and fell – Egypt, then Assyria, and then Babylon. Gedaliah misjudged the remnant military when he thought they'd willingly accept the dominance of Babylon and serve them.
When have you experienced or observed someone in leadership choosing to follow the path of a failed leader, despite the obvious high-probability that they also would fail? When have you experienced or observed unexpected kindness from an enemy toward a weaker person?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you something that you are copying from a parent or other source of influence that is destructive and reveal to you someone over whom you have power and to whom you may offer a small measure of grace.
Today I will ask at least one fellow believer to be my accountability and prayer partner as I turn away from that which the Holy Spirit has shown me is destructive in my life. I will be an agent of the Lord God's grace and do an unexpected kindness in His name to someone who least expects it.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Jehoahaz’s Reign
36:1 The people of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah and made him king in his father’s place in Jerusalem. 36:2 Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. 36:3 The king of Egypt prevented him from ruling in Jerusalem and imposed on the land a special tax of one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. 36:4 The king of Egypt made Jehoahaz’s brother Eliakim king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. Necho seized his brother Jehoahaz and took him to Egypt.
Jehoiakim’s Reign
36:5 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem. He did evil in the sight of the Lord his God. 36:6 King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked him, bound him with bronze chains, and carried him away to Babylon. 36:7 Nebuchadnezzar took some of the items in the Lord’s temple to Babylon and put them in his palace there.
36:8 The rest of the events of Jehoiakim’s reign, including the horrible sins he committed and his shortcomings, are recorded in the Scroll of the Kings of Israel and Judah. His son Jehoiachin replaced him as king.
Jehoiachin’s Reign
36:9 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem. He did evil in the sight of the Lord. 36:10 At the beginning of the year King Nebuchadnezzar ordered him to be brought to Babylon, along with the valuable items in the Lord’s temple. In his place he made his relative Zedekiah king over Judah and Jerusalem.
Zedekiah’s Reign
36:11 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he ruled for eleven years in Jerusalem. 36:12 He did evil in the sight of the Lord his God. He did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, the Lord’s spokesman. 36:13 He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him vow allegiance in the name of God. He was stubborn and obstinate, and refused to return to the Lord God of Israel. 36:14 All the leaders of the priests and people became more unfaithful and committed the same horrible sins practiced by the nations. They defiled the Lord’s temple which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.
The Babylonians Destroy Jerusalem
36:15 The Lord God of their ancestors continually warned them through his messengers, for he felt compassion for his people and his dwelling place. 36:16 But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his warnings, and ridiculed his prophets. Finally the Lord got very angry at his people and there was no one who could prevent his judgment. 36:17 He brought against them the king of the Babylonians, who slaughtered their young men in their temple. He did not spare young men or women, or even the old and aging. God handed everyone over to him. 36:18 He carried away to Babylon all the items in God’s temple, whether large or small, as well as what was in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and in the treasuries of the king and his officials. 36:19 They burned down the Lord’s temple and tore down the wall of Jerusalem. They burned all its fortified buildings and destroyed all its valuable items. 36:20 He deported to Babylon all who escaped the sword. They served him and his sons until the Persian kingdom rose to power. 36:21 This took place to fulfill the Lord’s message delivered through Jeremiah. The land experienced its sabbatical years; it remained desolate for seventy years, as prophesied.
Lord, You have been perfectly consistent in fulfilling your prophesies, blessings for obedience and troubles for rebellion. You have used both the faithful and the pagans as instruments of Your sovereign plan. May I never forget that everything belongs to You, that You permit humankind great liberty to make choices, but in the great scheme of things Your sovereign will shall be done – with or without my agreement or my willing participation – but may I be inclined to make myself Your instrument of blessing.
Jehoahaz son of Josiah became king but only for a few months “... the king of Egypt prevented him from ruling in Jerusalem.”
The king of Egypt then made his brother Eliakim king instead and changed his name to Jehoiakim. King Necho took Jehoahaz away to Egypt
Jehoiakim was king for eleven years but was evil before the Lord so Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, took him captive along with some of the items from the temple.
His son Jehoiachin was king for three months and four days, he was also evil, and Nebuchadnezzar took him and more items from the temple to Babylon.
Zedekiah was king for eleven years during which even the priests did evil, defiling the temple, Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and the temple – taking the remaining treasures and those who were not killed as servants in Babylon – fulfilling the prophesy given through the prophet Jeremiah.
The foolish experiment with human kings, which the people of Israel had demanded of the Lord God, began and ended badly – just as He had warned.
Why would Jehoiakim act in rebellion against the Lord God knowing the likely consequences?
The Persian people are Elamites, descendants of Elam, the first born son of Shem, one of the sons of Noah.
When have you experienced or observed someone entrusted with spiritual leadership choosing to do evil?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you have struggled to hear from and/or to obey the Lord God – and that you may find encouragement and a role model in an unexpected place.
Today I will humbly accept the chastising and teaching of the Holy Spirit and I will repent of my failure to listen and/or my failure to obey. I will gratefully receive the direct or indirect mentoring of a person or perhaps a 'publication' (electronic or print) which comes from an unexpected source as it faithfully leads me to truth (without presuming that anything else from that same source is necessarily correct).
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Habakkuk Complains to the Lord
1:1 The following is the message which God revealed to Habakkuk the prophet:
1:2 How long, Lord, must I cry for help? But you do not listen! I call out to you, “Violence!” But you do not intervene!
1:3 Why do you force me to witness injustice? Why do you put up with wrongdoing? Destruction and violence confront me; conflict is present and one must endure strife.
1:4 For this reason the law lacks power, and justice is never carried out. Indeed, the wicked intimidate the innocent. For this reason justice is perverted.
The Lord Reveals Some Startling News
1:5 “Look at the nations and pay attention! You will be shocked and amazed! For I will do something in your lifetime that you will not believe even though you are forewarned.
1:6 Look, I am about to empower the Babylonians, that ruthless and greedy nation. They sweep across the surface of the earth, seizing dwelling places that do not belong to them.
1:7 They are frightening and terrifying; they decide for themselves what is right.
1:8 Their horses are faster than leopards and more alert than wolves in the desert. Their horses gallop, their horses come a great distance; like a vulture they swoop down quickly to devour their prey.
1:9 All of them intend to do violence; every face is determined. They take prisoners as easily as one scoops up sand.
1:10 They mock kings and laugh at rulers. They laugh at every fortified city; they build siege ramps and capture them.
1:11 They sweep by like the wind and pass on. But the one who considers himself a god will be held guilty.”
Habakkuk Voices Some Concerns
1:12 Lord, you have been active from ancient times; my sovereign God, you are immortal. Lord, you have made them your instrument of judgment. Protector, you have appointed them as your instrument of punishment.
1:13 You are too just to tolerate evil; you are unable to condone wrongdoing. So why do you put up with such treacherous people? Why do you say nothing when the wicked devour those more righteous than they are?
1:14 You made people like fish in the sea, like animals in the sea that have no ruler.
1:15 The Babylonian tyrant pulls them all up with a fishhook; he hauls them in with his throw net. When he catches them in his dragnet, he is very happy.
1:16 Because of his success he offers sacrifices to his throw net and burns incense to his dragnet; for because of them he has plenty of food, and more than enough to eat.
1:17 Will he then continue to fill and empty his throw net? Will he always destroy nations and spare none?
2:1 I will stand at my watch post; I will remain stationed on the city wall. I will keep watching, so I can see what he says to me and can know how I should answer when he counters my argument.
The Lord Assures Habakkuk
2:2 The Lord responded: “Write down this message! Record it legibly on tablets, so the one who announces it may read it easily.
2:3 For the message is a witness to what is decreed; it gives reliable testimony about how matters will turn out. Even if the message is not fulfilled right away, wait patiently; for it will certainly come to pass – it will not arrive late.
2:4 Look, the one whose desires are not upright will faint from exhaustion, but the person of integrity will live because of his faithfulness.
2:5 Indeed, wine will betray the proud, restless man! His appetite is as big as Sheol’s; like death, he is never satisfied. He gathers all the nations; he seizes all peoples.
The Proud Babylonians are as Good as Dead
2:6 “But all these nations will someday taunt him and ridicule him with proverbial sayings: ‘The one who accumulates what does not belong to him is as good as dead (How long will this go on?) – he who gets rich by extortion!’
2:7 Your creditors will suddenly attack; those who terrify you will spring into action, and they will rob you.
2:8 Because you robbed many countries, all who are left among the nations will rob you. You have shed human blood and committed violent acts against lands, cities, and those who live in them.
2:9 The one who builds his house by unjust gain is as good as dead. He does this so he can build his nest way up high and escape the clutches of disaster.
2:10 Your schemes will bring shame to your house. Because you destroyed many nations, you will self-destruct.
2:11 For the stones in the walls will cry out, and the wooden rafters will answer back.
2:12 The one who builds a city by bloodshed is as good as dead – he who starts a town by unjust deeds.
2:13 Be sure of this! The Lord who commands armies has decreed: The nations’ efforts will go up in smoke; their exhausting work will be for nothing.
2:14 For recognition of the Lord’s sovereign majesty will fill the earth just as the waters fill up the sea.
2:15 “You who force your neighbor to drink wine are as good as dead – you who make others intoxicated by forcing them to drink from the bowl of your furious anger, so you can look at their genitals.
2:16 But you will become drunk with shame, not majesty. Now it is your turn to drink and expose your uncircumcised foreskin! The cup of wine in the Lord’s right hand is coming to you, and disgrace will replace your majestic glory!
2:17 For you will pay in full for your violent acts against Lebanon; terrifying judgment will come upon you because of the way you destroyed the wild animals living there. You have shed human blood and committed violent acts against lands, cities, and those who live in them.
2:18 What good is an idol? Why would a craftsman make it? What good is a metal image that gives misleading oracles? Why would its creator place his trust in it and make such mute, worthless things?
2:19 The one who says to wood, ‘Wake up!’ is as good as dead – he who says to speechless stone, ‘Awake!’ Can it give reliable guidance? It is overlaid with gold and silver; it has no life’s breath inside it.
2:20 But the Lord is in his majestic palace. The whole earth is speechless in his presence!”
Habakkuk’s Vision of the Divine Warrior
3:1 This is a prayer of Habakkuk the prophet:
3:2 Lord, I have heard the report of what you did; I am awed, Lord, by what you accomplished. In our time repeat those deeds; in our time reveal them again. But when you cause turmoil, remember to show us mercy!
3:3 God comes from Teman, the sovereign one from Mount Paran. Selah. His splendor covers the skies, his glory fills the earth.
3:4 He is as bright as lightning; a two-pronged lightning bolt flashes from his hand. This is the outward display of his power.
3:5 Plague goes before him; pestilence marches right behind him.
3:6 He takes his battle position and shakes the earth; with a mere look he frightens the nations. The ancient mountains disintegrate; the primeval hills are flattened. He travels on the ancient roads.
3:7 I see the tents of Cushan overwhelmed by trouble; the tent curtains of the land of Midian are shaking.
3:8 Is the Lord mad at the rivers? Are you angry with the rivers? Are you enraged at the sea? Is this why you climb into your horse-drawn chariots, your victorious chariots?
3:9 Your bow is ready for action; you commission your arrows. Selah. You cause flash floods on the earth’s surface.
3:10 When the mountains see you, they shake. The torrential downpour sweeps through. The great deep shouts out; it lifts its hands high.
3:11 The sun and moon stand still in their courses; the flash of your arrows drives them away, the bright light of your lightning-quick spear.
3:12 You furiously stomp on the earth, you angrily trample down the nations.
3:13 You march out to deliver your people, to deliver your special servant. You strike the leader of the wicked nation, laying him open from the lower body to the neck. Selah.
3:14 You pierce the heads of his warriors with a spear. They storm forward to scatter us; they shout with joy as if they were plundering the poor with no opposition.
3:15 But you trample on the sea with your horses, on the surging, raging waters.
Habakkuk Declares His Confidence
3:16 I listened and my stomach churned; the sound made my lips quiver. My frame went limp, as if my bones were decaying, and I shook as I tried to walk. I long for the day of distress to come upon the people who attack us.
3:17 When the fig tree does not bud, and there are no grapes on the vines; when the olive trees do not produce, and the fields yield no crops; when the sheep disappear from the pen, and there are no cattle in the stalls,
3:18 I will rejoice because of the Lord; I will be happy because of the God who delivers me!
3:19 The sovereign Lord is my source of strength. He gives me the agility of a deer; he enables me to negotiate the rugged terrain. (This prayer is for the song leader. It is to be accompanied by stringed instruments.)
Lord, You punish the wicked, chastise the sinner, but “... the person of integrity will live because of his faithfulness.” May I grow to become more and more a person of integrity so that I may be one of Your instruments of redemption in this world.
Habakkuk is estimated to have been written variously around 600 to 650 BC. He prophesied the destruction of the Chaldeans just prior to the fall of Jerusalem.
He pleaded with the Lord God to explain why the law was not causing sin to end. He would allow the Babylonians to His instrument of punishment but then they, because they would imagine themselves to be gods, would also be punished.
Habakkuk was given a word of hope “Look, the one whose desires are not upright will faint from exhaustion, but the person of integrity will live because of his faithfulness.”
Habakkuk reviewed recent events in history and the Lord God's promises, followed by an instruction to a song leader to accompany the prayer with stringed instruments, with these his final recorded words “I will rejoice because of the Lord; I will be happy because of the God who delivers me! The sovereign Lord is my source of strength. He gives me the agility of a deer; he enables me to negotiate the rugged terrain.”
Habakkuk was frustrated and offended by the unrepentant sin of his people and of the nations around him.
Why would Habakkuk have failed to understand that the purpose of the law was to convict and not to make-perfect?
Habakkuk trusted the Lord God to protect and to guide him.
When have you been frustrated with sin and cried-out to the Lord God?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where the Lord God is applying the law to show you where and how you need Him.
Today I will humbly submit to the teaching of the Lord, repent of my sin, request and receive His forgiveness, then step out in greater faith to serve Him.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
41:1 But in the seventh month Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah and grandson of Elishama who was a member of the royal family and had been one of Zedekiah’s chief officers, came with ten of his men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah. While they were eating a meal together with him there at Mizpah, 41:2 Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the ten men who were with him stood up, pulled out their swords, and killed Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan. Thus Ishmael killed the man that the king of Babylon had appointed to govern the country. 41:3 Ishmael also killed all the Judeans who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah and the Babylonian soldiers who happened to be there.
41:4 On the day after Gedaliah had been murdered, before anyone even knew about it, 41:5 eighty men arrived from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria. They had shaved off their beards, torn their clothes, and cut themselves to show they were mourning. They were carrying grain offerings and incense to present at the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. 41:6 Ishmael son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them. He was pretending to cry as he walked along. When he met them, he said to them, “Come with me to meet Gedaliah son of Ahikam.” 41:7 But as soon as they were inside the city, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the men who were with him slaughtered them and threw their bodies in a cistern. 41:8 But there were ten men among them who said to Ishmael, “Do not kill us. For we will give you the stores of wheat, barley, olive oil, and honey we have hidden in a field. So he spared their lives and did not kill them along with the rest. 41:9 Now the cistern where Ishmael threw all the dead bodies of those he had killed was a large one that King Asa had constructed as part of his defenses against King Baasha of Israel. Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled it with dead bodies. 41:10 Then Ishmael took captive all the people who were still left alive in Mizpah. This included the royal princesses and all the rest of the people in Mizpah that Nebuzaradan, the captain of the royal guard, had put under the authority of Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Ishmael son of Nethaniah took all these people captive and set out to cross over to the Ammonites.
Johanan Rescues the People Ishmael Had Carried Off
41:11 Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers who were with him heard about all the atrocities that Ishmael son of Nethaniah had committed. 41:12 So they took all their troops and went to fight against Ishmael son of Nethaniah. They caught up with him near the large pool at Gibeon. 41:13 When all the people that Ishmael had taken captive saw Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers with him, they were glad. 41:14 All those people that Ishmael had taken captive from Mizpah turned and went over to Johanan son of Kareah. 41:15 But Ishmael son of Nethaniah managed to escape from Johanan along with eight of his men, and he went on over to Ammon.
41:16 Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers who were with him led off all the people who had been left alive at Mizpah. They had rescued them from Ishmael son of Nethaniah after he killed Gedaliah son of Ahikam. They led off the men, women, children, soldiers, and court officials whom they had brought away from Gibeon. 41:17 They set out to go to Egypt to get away from the Babylonians, but stopped at Geruth Kimham near Bethlehem. 41:18 They were afraid of what the Babylonians might do because Ishmael son of Nethaniah had killed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed to govern the country.
The Survivors Ask the Lord for Advice but Refuse to Follow It
42:1 Then all the army officers, including Johanan son of Kareah and Jezaniah son of Hoshaiah and all the people of every class, went to the prophet Jeremiah. 42:2 They said to him, “Please grant our request and pray to the Lord your God for all those of us who are still left alive here. For, as you yourself can see, there are only a few of us left out of the many there were before. 42:3 Pray that the Lord your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do.” 42:4 The prophet Jeremiah answered them, “Agreed! I will indeed pray to the Lord your God as you have asked. I will tell you everything the Lord replies in response to you. I will not keep anything back from you.” 42:5 They answered Jeremiah, “May the Lord be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not do just as the Lord sends you to tell us to do. 42:6 We will obey what the Lord our God to whom we are sending you tells us to do. It does not matter whether we like what he tells us or not. We will obey what he tells us to do so that things will go well for us.”
42:7 Ten days later the Lord spoke to Jeremiah. 42:8 So Jeremiah summoned Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers who were with him and all the people of every class. 42:9 Then Jeremiah said to them, “You sent me to the Lord God of Israel to make your request known to him. Here is what he says to you: 42:10 ‘If you will just stay in this land, I will build you up. I will not tear you down. I will firmly plant you. I will not uproot you. For I am filled with sorrow because of the disaster that I have brought on you. 42:11 Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon whom you now fear. Do not be afraid of him because I will be with you to save you and to rescue you from his power. I, the Lord, affirm it! 42:12 I will have compassion on you so that he in turn will have mercy on you and allow you to return to your land.’
42:13 “You must not disobey the Lord your God by saying, ‘We will not stay in this land.’ 42:14 You must not say, ‘No, we will not stay. Instead we will go and live in the land of Egypt where we will not face war, or hear the enemy’s trumpet calls, or starve for lack of food.’ 42:15 If you people who remain in Judah do that, then listen to what the Lord says. The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, ‘If you are so determined to go to Egypt that you go and settle there, 42:16 the wars you fear will catch up with you there in the land of Egypt. The starvation you are worried about will follow you there to Egypt. You will die there. 42:17 All the people who are determined to go and settle in Egypt will die from war, starvation, or disease. No one will survive or escape the disaster I will bring on them.’ 42:18 For the Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, ‘If you go to Egypt, I will pour out my wrath on you just as I poured out my anger and wrath on the citizens of Jerusalem. You will become an object of horror and ridicule, an example of those who have been cursed and that people use in pronouncing a curse. You will never see this place again.’
42:19 “The Lord has told you people who remain in Judah, ‘Do not go to Egypt.’ Be very sure of this: I warn you here and now. 42:20 You are making a fatal mistake. For you sent me to the Lord your God and asked me, ‘Pray to the Lord our God for us. Tell us what the Lord our God says and we will do it.’ 42:21 This day I have told you what he said. But you do not want to obey the Lord by doing what he sent me to tell you. 42:22 So now be very sure of this: You will die from war, starvation, or disease in the place where you want to go and live.”
43:1 Jeremiah finished telling all the people all these things the Lord their God had sent him to tell them. 43:2 Then Azariah son of Hoshaiah, Johanan son of Kareah, and other arrogant men said to Jeremiah, “You are telling a lie! The Lord our God did not send you to tell us, ‘You must not go to Egypt and settle there.’ 43:3 But Baruch son of Neriah is stirring you up against us. He wants to hand us over to the Babylonians so that they will kill us or carry us off into exile in Babylon.” 43:4 So Johanan son of Kareah, all the army officers, and all the rest of the people did not obey the Lord’s command to stay in the land. 43:5 Instead Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers led off all the Judean remnant who had come back to live in the land of Judah from all the nations where they had been scattered. 43:6 They also led off all the men, women, children, and royal princesses that Nebuzaradan, the captain of the royal guard, had left with Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan. This included the prophet Jeremiah and Baruch son of Neriah. 43:7 They went on to Egypt because they refused to obey the Lord, and came to Tahpanhes.
Jeremiah Predicts that Nebuchadnezzar Will Plunder Egypt and Its Gods
43:8 At Tahpanhes the Lord spoke to Jeremiah. 43:9 “Take some large stones and bury them in the mortar of the clay pavement at the entrance of Pharaoh’s residence here in Tahpanhes. Do it while the people of Judah present there are watching. 43:10 Then tell them, ‘The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, “I will bring my servant King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. I will set his throne over these stones which I have buried. He will pitch his royal tent over them. 43:11 He will come and attack Egypt. Those who are destined to die of disease will die of disease. Those who are destined to be carried off into exile will be carried off into exile. Those who are destined to die in war will die in war. 43:12 He will set fire to the temples of the gods of Egypt. He will burn their gods or carry them off as captives. He will pick Egypt clean like a shepherd picks the lice from his clothing. He will leave there unharmed. 43:13 He will demolish the sacred pillars in the temple of the sun in Egypt and will burn down the temples of the gods of Egypt.”’”
The Lord Will Punish the Judean Exiles in Egypt for Their Idolatry
44:1 The Lord spoke to Jeremiah concerning all the Judeans who were living in the land of Egypt, those in Migdol, Tahpanhes, Memphis, and in the region of southern Egypt. 44:2 “The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, ‘You have seen all the disaster I brought on Jerusalem and all the towns of Judah. Indeed, they now lie in ruins and are deserted. 44:3 This happened because of the wickedness the people living there did. They made me angry by worshiping and offering sacrifice to other gods whom neither they nor you nor your ancestors previously knew. 44:4 I sent my servants the prophets to you people over and over again warning you not to do this disgusting thing I hate. 44:5 But the people of Jerusalem and Judah would not listen or pay any attention. They would not stop the wickedness they were doing nor quit sacrificing to other gods. 44:6 So my anger and my wrath were poured out and burned like a fire through the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem. That is why they have become the desolate ruins that they are today.’
44:7 “So now the Lord, the God who rules over all, the God of Israel, asks, ‘Why will you do such great harm to yourselves? Why should every man, woman, child, and baby of yours be destroyed from the midst of Judah? Why should you leave yourselves without a remnant? 44:8 That is what will result from your making me angry by what you are doing. You are making me angry by sacrificing to other gods here in the land of Egypt where you live. You will be destroyed for doing that! You will become an example used in curses and an object of ridicule among all the nations of the earth. 44:9 Have you forgotten all the wicked things that have been done in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem by your ancestors, by the kings of Judah and their wives, by you and your wives? 44:10 To this day your people have shown no contrition! They have not revered me nor followed the laws and statutes I commanded you and your ancestors.’
44:11 “Because of this, the Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, ‘I am determined to bring disaster on you, even to the point of destroying all the Judeans here. 44:12 I will see to it that all the Judean remnant that was determined to go and live in the land of Egypt will be destroyed. Here in the land of Egypt they will fall in battle or perish from starvation. People of every class will die in war or from starvation. They will become an object of horror and ridicule, an example of those who have been cursed and that people use in pronouncing a curse. 44:13 I will punish those who live in the land of Egypt with war, starvation, and disease just as I punished Jerusalem. 44:14 None of the Judean remnant who have come to live in the land of Egypt will escape or survive to return to the land of Judah. Though they long to return and live there, none of them shall return except a few fugitives.’”
44:15 Then all the men who were aware that their wives were sacrificing to other gods, as well as all their wives, answered Jeremiah. There was a great crowd of them representing all the people who lived in northern and southern Egypt. They answered, 44:16 “We will not listen to what you claim the Lord has spoken to us! 44:17 Instead we will do everything we vowed we would do. We will sacrifice and pour out drink offerings to the goddess called the Queen of Heaven just as we and our ancestors, our kings, and our leaders previously did in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. For then we had plenty of food, were well-off, and had no troubles. 44:18 But ever since we stopped sacrificing and pouring out drink offerings to the Queen of Heaven, we have been in great need. Our people have died in wars or of starvation.” 44:19 The women added, “We did indeed sacrifice and pour out drink offerings to the Queen of Heaven. But it was with the full knowledge and approval of our husbands that we made cakes in her image and poured out drink offerings to her.”
44:20 Then Jeremiah replied to all the people, both men and women, who responded to him in this way. 44:21 “The Lord did indeed remember and call to mind what you did! He remembered the sacrifices you and your ancestors, your kings, your leaders, and all the rest of the people of the land offered to other gods in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. 44:22 Finally the Lord could no longer endure your wicked deeds and the disgusting things you did. That is why your land has become the desolate, uninhabited ruin that it is today. That is why it has become a proverbial example used in curses. 44:23 You have sacrificed to other gods! You have sinned against the Lord! You have not obeyed the Lord! You have not followed his laws, his statutes, and his decrees! That is why this disaster that is evident to this day has happened to you.”
44:24 Then Jeremiah spoke to all the people, particularly to all the women. “Listen to what the Lord has to say all you people of Judah who are in Egypt. 44:25 The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, ‘You women have confirmed by your actions what you vowed with your lips! You said, “We will certainly carry out our vows to sacrifice and pour out drink offerings to the Queen of Heaven.” Well, then fulfill your vows! Carry them out!’ 44:26 But listen to what the Lord has to say, all you people of Judah who are living in the land of Egypt. The Lord says, ‘I hereby swear by my own great name that none of the people of Judah who are living anywhere in Egypt will ever again invoke my name in their oaths! Never again will any of them use it in an oath saying, “As surely as the Lord God lives….” 44:27 I will indeed see to it that disaster, not prosperity, happens to them. All the people of Judah who are in the land of Egypt will die in war or from starvation until not one of them is left. 44:28 Some who survive in battle will return to the land of Judah from the land of Egypt. But they will be very few indeed! Then the Judean remnant who have come to live in the land of Egypt will know whose word proves true, mine or theirs.’ 44:29 Moreover the Lord says, ‘I will make something happen to prove that I will punish you in this place. I will do it so that you will know that my threats to bring disaster on you will prove true. 44:30 I, the Lord, promise that I will hand Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt over to his enemies who are seeking to kill him. I will do that just as surely as I handed King Zedekiah of Judah over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, his enemy who was seeking to kill him.’”
Baruch is Rebuked but also Comforted
45:1 The prophet Jeremiah spoke to Baruch son of Neriah while he was writing down in a scroll the words that Jeremiah spoke to him. This happened in the fourth year that Jehoiakim son of Josiah was ruling over Judah. 45:2 “The Lord God of Israel has a message for you, Baruch. 45:3 ‘You have said, “I feel so hopeless! For the Lord has added sorrow to my suffering. I am worn out from groaning. I can’t find any rest.”’”
45:4 The Lord told Jeremiah, “Tell Baruch, ‘The Lord says, “I am about to tear down what I have built and to uproot what I have planted. I will do this throughout the whole earth. 45:5 Are you looking for great things for yourself? Do not look for such things. For I, the Lord, affirm that I am about to bring disaster on all humanity. But I will allow you to escape with your life wherever you go.”’”
Prophecies Against Foreign Nations
46:1 The Lord spoke to Jeremiah about the nations.
The Prophecy about Egypt’s Defeat at Carchemish
46:2 He spoke about Egypt and the army of Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt which was encamped along the Euphrates River at Carchemish. Now this was the army that King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon defeated in the fourth year that Jehoiakim son of Josiah was ruling over Judah.
46:3 “Fall into ranks with your shields ready! Prepare to march into battle!
46:4 Harness the horses to the chariots! Mount your horses! Put on your helmets and take your positions! Sharpen you spears! Put on your armor!
46:5 What do I see?” says the Lord. “The soldiers are terrified. They are retreating. They have been defeated. They are overcome with terror; they desert quickly without looking back.
46:6 But even the swiftest cannot get away. Even the strongest cannot escape. There in the north by the Euphrates River they stumble and fall in defeat.
46:7 “Who is this that rises like the Nile, like its streams turbulent at flood stage?
46:8 Egypt rises like the Nile, like its streams turbulent at flood stage. Egypt says, ‘I will arise and cover the earth. I will destroy cities and the people who inhabit them.’
46:9 Go ahead and charge into battle, you horsemen! Drive furiously, you charioteers! Let the soldiers march out into battle, those from Ethiopia and Libya who carry shields, and those from Lydia who are armed with the bow.
46:10 But that day belongs to the Lord God who rules over all. It is the day when he will pay back his enemies. His sword will devour them until its appetite is satisfied! It will drink their blood until it is full! For the Lord God who rules over all will offer them up as a sacrifice in the land of the north by the Euphrates River.
46:11 Go up to Gilead and get medicinal ointment, you dear poor people of Egypt. But it will prove useless no matter how much medicine you use; there will be no healing for you.
46:12 The nations will hear of your devastating defeat. your cries of distress will echo throughout the earth. In the panic of their flight one soldier will trip over another and both of them will fall down defeated.”
The Lord Predicts that Nebuchadnezzar Will Attack and Plunder Egypt
46:13 The Lord spoke to the prophet Jeremiah about Nebuchadnezzar coming to attack the land of Egypt.
46:14 “Make an announcement throughout Egypt. Proclaim it in Migdol, Memphis, and Tahpanhes. ‘Take your positions and prepare to do battle. For the enemy army is destroying all the nations around you.’
46:15 Why will your soldiers be defeated? They will not stand because I, the Lord, will thrust them down.
46:16 I will make many stumble. They will fall over one another in their hurry to flee. They will say, ‘Get up! Let’s go back to our own people. Let’s go back to our homelands because the enemy is coming to destroy us.’
46:17 There at home they will say, ‘Pharaoh king of Egypt is just a big noise! He has let the most opportune moment pass by.’
46:18 I the King, whose name is the Lord who rules over all, swear this: I swear as surely as I live that a conqueror is coming. He will be as imposing as Mount Tabor is among the mountains, as Mount Carmel is against the backdrop of the sea.
46:19 Pack your bags for exile, you inhabitants of poor dear Egypt. For Memphis will be laid waste. It will lie in ruins and be uninhabited.
46:20 Egypt is like a beautiful young cow. But northern armies will attack her like swarms of stinging flies.
46:21 Even her mercenaries will prove to be like pampered, well-fed calves. For they too will turn and run away. They will not stand their ground when the time for them to be destroyed comes, the time for them to be punished.
46:22 Egypt will run away, hissing like a snake, as the enemy comes marching up in force. They will come against her with axes as if they were woodsmen chopping down trees.
46:23 The population of Egypt is like a vast, impenetrable forest. But I, the Lord, affirm that the enemy will cut them down. For those who chop them down will be more numerous than locusts. They will be too numerous to count.
46:24 Poor dear Egypt will be put to shame. She will be handed over to the people from the north.”
46:25 The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, “I will punish Amon, the god of Thebes. I will punish Egypt, its gods, and its kings. I will punish Pharaoh and all who trust in him. 46:26 I will hand them over to Nebuchadnezzar and his troops, who want to kill them. But later on, people will live in Egypt again as they did in former times. I, the Lord, affirm it!”
A Promise of Hope for Israel
46:27 “You descendants of Jacob, my servants, do not be afraid; do not be terrified, people of Israel. For I will rescue you and your descendants from the faraway lands where you are captives. The descendants of Jacob will return to their land and enjoy peace. They will be secure and no one will terrify them.
46:28 I, the Lord, tell you not to be afraid, you descendants of Jacob, my servant, for I am with you. Though I completely destroy all the nations where I scatter you, I will not completely destroy you. I will indeed discipline you but only in due measure. I will not allow you to go entirely unpunished.”
Lord, the persistent arrogance and rebellion of the people angered You, yet you retained a remnant so that You could keep Your covenant with Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. May I rest in the certainty that Your every sovereign promise will always be kept.
Just as Jeremiah had warned, the failure of the king to surrender to the Babylonians resulted in terrible consequences; no only was Jerusalem destroyed and the people taken away to Babylon “There at Riblah the king of Babylon had Zedekiah’s sons put to death while Zedekiah was forced to watch. The king of Babylon also had all the nobles of Judah put to death. 39:7 Then he had Zedekiah’s eyes put out and had him bound in chains to be led off to Babylon.”
Jeremiah was protected by the orders of the Babylonian king and allowed to remain among the people. Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian was also protected for acting from faith in rescuing Jeremiah.
Gedaliah was appointed by the Babylonians to oversee the remnant people and a community rose at Mizpah. Some soldiers who had been hiding, as well as civilians who also managed to hide from the Babylonian army, joined them. “Thus they harvested a large amount of wine and dates and figs.”
Ishmael (son of Nethaniah) and his small army murdered Gedaliah and many others and then took the rest of these people captive then marched them away to the Ammonites. Johanan son of Kareah and his small army heard what had happened and rescued the people, but Ishmael escaped with a few men to the Ammonites.
Johanan wanted to go to Egypt but feared the Babylonians would catch them so they asked Jeremiah to consult the Lord God. He prophesied that they should stay and not flee to Egypt but arrogant members of leadership called him a liar and insisted that they flee to Egypt, despite the warning from the Lord that they would be worse off there.
Jeremiah was taken to Egypt with the people and there prophesied doom for Egypt, and the rebels from Judah, at the hands of the Babylonians who would destroy Egypt.
Baruch, Jeremiah's scribe, was having a pity-party for himself and the Lord said to him “I am about to tear down what I have built and to uproot what I have planted. I will do this throughout the whole earth. 45:5 Are you looking for great things for yourself? Do not look for such things. For I, the Lord, affirm that I am about to bring disaster on all humanity. But I will allow you to escape with your life wherever you go.”
Jeremiah's prophesy concluded with immediate disaster for Egypt and eventually for Babylon and that a remnant would be preserved even as those nations were destroyed around them.
The Lord God kept providing opportunities for the people to choose faithful-obedience to Him and they persisted in rebellion.
Isn't it amazing that the Lord God caused the king of Babylon to preserve Jeremiah and the Ethiopian in the midst of the battle and the deportations?
Even in the sad times following the destruction of Jerusalem and the deportation of the people Ishmael attacked and tried to force the remnant into slavery under the Ammonites.
When have you had your own pity-party because things were going badly all around you?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you are too obsessed with your own stuff to notice what the Lord is doing al around you.
Today I will confess and repent, seek and receive the Lord's forgiveness, and intentionally begin looking at the world through His eyes.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Judgment on the Philistine Cities
47:1 The Lord spoke to the prophet Jeremiah about the Philistines before Pharaoh attacked Gaza.
47:2 “Look! Enemies are gathering in the north like water rising in a river. They will be like an overflowing stream. They will overwhelm the whole country and everything in it like a flood. They will overwhelm the cities and their inhabitants. People will cry out in alarm. Everyone living in the country will cry out in pain.
47:3 Fathers will hear the hoofbeats of the enemies’ horses, the clatter of their chariots and the rumbling of their wheels. They will not turn back to save their children because they will be paralyzed with fear.
47:4 For the time has come to destroy all the Philistines. The time has come to destroy all the help that remains for Tyre and Sidon. For I, the Lord, will destroy the Philistines, that remnant that came from the island of Crete.
47:5 The people of Gaza will shave their heads in mourning. The people of Ashkelon will be struck dumb. How long will you gash yourselves to show your sorrow, you who remain of Philistia’s power?
47:6 How long will you cry out, ‘Oh, sword of the Lord, how long will it be before you stop killing? Go back into your sheath! Stay there and rest!’
47:7 But how can it rest when I, the Lord, have given it orders? I have ordered it to attack the people of Ashkelon and the seacoast.
Judgment Against Moab
48:1 The Lord God of Israel who rules over all spoke about Moab. “Sure to be judged is Nebo! Indeed, it will be destroyed! Kiriathaim will suffer disgrace. It will be captured! Its fortress will suffer disgrace. It will be torn down!
48:2 People will not praise Moab any more. The enemy will capture Heshbon and plot how to destroy Moab, saying, ‘Come, let’s put an end to that nation!’ City of Madmen, you will also be destroyed. A destructive army will march against you.
48:3 Cries of anguish will arise in Horonaim, ‘Oh, the ruin and great destruction!’
48:4 “Moab will be crushed. Her children will cry out in distress.
48:5 Indeed they will climb the slopes of Luhith, weeping continually as they go. For on the road down to Horonaim they will hear the cries of distress over the destruction.
48:6 They will hear, ‘Run! Save yourselves! Even if you must be like a lonely shrub in the desert!’
48:7 “Moab, you trust in the things you do and in your riches. So you too will be conquered. Your god Chemosh will go into exile along with his priests and his officials.
48:8 The destroyer will come against every town. Not one town will escape. The towns in the valley will be destroyed. The cities on the high plain will be laid waste. I, the Lord, have spoken!
48:9 Set up a gravestone for Moab, for it will certainly be laid in ruins! Its cities will be laid waste and become uninhabited.”
48:10 A curse on anyone who is lax in doing the Lord’s work! A curse on anyone who keeps from carrying out his destruction!
48:11 “From its earliest days Moab has lived undisturbed. It has never been taken into exile. Its people are like wine allowed to settle undisturbed on its dregs, never poured out from one jar to another. They are like wine which tastes like it always did, whose aroma has remained unchanged.
48:12 But the time is coming when I will send men against Moab who will empty it out. They will empty the towns of their people, then will lay those towns in ruins. I, the Lord, affirm it!
48:13 The people of Moab will be disappointed by their god Chemosh. They will be as disappointed as the people of Israel were when they put their trust in the calf god at Bethel.
48:14 How can you men of Moab say, ‘We are heroes, men who are mighty in battle?’
48:15 Moab will be destroyed. Its towns will be invaded. Its finest young men will be slaughtered. I, the King, the Lord who rules over all, affirm it!
48:16 Moab’s destruction is at hand. Disaster will come on it quickly.
48:17 Mourn for that nation, all you nations living around it, all of you nations that know of its fame. Mourn and say, ‘Alas, its powerful influence has been broken! Its glory and power have been done away!’
48:18 Come down from your place of honor; sit on the dry ground, you who live in Dibon. For the one who will destroy Moab will attack you; he will destroy your fortifications.
48:19 You who live in Aroer, stand by the road and watch. Question the man who is fleeing and the woman who is escaping. Ask them, ‘What has happened?’
48:20 They will answer, ‘Moab is disgraced, for it has fallen! Wail and cry out in mourning! Announce along the Arnon River that Moab has been destroyed.’
48:21 “Judgment will come on the cities on the high plain: on Holon, Jahzah, and Mephaath, 48:22 on Dibon, Nebo, and Beth Diblathaim, 48:23 on Kiriathaim, Beth Gamul, and Beth Meon, 48:24 on Kerioth and Bozrah. It will come on all the towns of Moab, both far and near. 48:25 Moab’s might will be crushed. Its power will be broken. I, the Lord, affirm it!
48:26 “Moab has vaunted itself against me. So make him drunk with the wine of my wrath until he splashes around in his own vomit, until others treat him as a laughingstock.
48:27 For did not you people of Moab laugh at the people of Israel? Did you think that they were nothing but thieves, that you shook your head in contempt every time you talked about them?
48:28 Leave your towns, you inhabitants of Moab. Go and live in the cliffs. Be like a dove that makes its nest high on the sides of a ravine.
48:29 I have heard how proud the people of Moab are, I know how haughty they are. I have heard how arrogant, proud, and haughty they are, what a high opinion they have of themselves.
48:30 I, the Lord, affirm that I know how arrogant they are. But their pride is ill-founded. Their boastings will prove to be false.
48:31 So I will weep with sorrow for Moab. I will cry out in sadness for all of Moab. I will moan for the people of Kir Heres.
48:32 I will weep for the grapevines of Sibmah just like the town of Jazer weeps over them. Their branches once spread as far as the Dead Sea. They reached as far as the town of Jazer. The destroyer will ravage her fig, date, and grape crops.
48:33 Joy and gladness will disappear from the fruitful land of Moab. I will stop the flow of wine from the winepresses. No one will stomp on the grapes there and shout for joy. The shouts there will be shouts of soldiers, not the shouts of those making wine.
48:34 Cries of anguish raised from Heshbon and Elealeh will be sounded as far as Jahaz. They will be sounded from Zoar as far as Horonaim and Eglath Shelishiyah. For even the waters of Nimrim will be dried up.
48:35 I will put an end in Moab to those who make offerings at her places of worship. I will put an end to those who sacrifice to other gods. I, the Lord, affirm it!
48:36 So my heart moans for Moab like a flute playing a funeral song. Yes, like a flute playing a funeral song, my heart moans for the people of Kir Heres. For the wealth they have gained will perish.
48:37 For all of them will shave their heads in mourning. They will all cut off their beards to show their sorrow. They will all make gashes in their hands. They will all put on sackcloth.
48:38 On all the housetops in Moab and in all its public squares there will be nothing but mourning. For I will break Moab like an unwanted jar. I, the Lord, affirm it!
48:39 Oh, how shattered Moab will be! Oh, how her people will wail! Oh, how she will turn away in shame! Moab will become an object of ridicule, a terrifying sight to all the nations that surround her.”
48:40 For the Lord says, “Look! Like an eagle with outspread wings a nation will swoop down on Moab.
48:41 Her towns will be captured. Her fortresses will be taken. At that time the soldiers of Moab will be frightened like a woman in labor.
48:42 Moab will be destroyed and no longer be a nation, because she has vaunted herself against the Lord.
48:43 Terror, pits, and traps are in store for the people who live in Moab. I, the Lord, affirm it!
48:44 Anyone who flees at the sound of terror will fall into a pit. Anyone who climbs out of the pit will be caught in a trap. For the time is coming when I will punish the people of Moab. I, the Lord, affirm it!
48:45 In the shadows of the walls of Heshbon those trying to escape will stand helpless. For a fire will burst forth from Heshbon. Flames will shoot out from the former territory of Sihon. They will burn the foreheads of the people of Moab, the skulls of those war-loving people.
48:46 Moab, you are doomed! You people who worship Chemosh will be destroyed. Your sons will be taken away captive. Your daughters will be carried away into exile.
48:47 Yet in days to come I will reverse Moab’s ill fortune.” says the Lord. The judgment against Moab ends here.
Judgment Against Ammon
49:1 The Lord spoke about the Ammonites. “Do you think there are not any people of the nation of Israel remaining? Do you think there are not any of them remaining to reinherit their land? Is that why you people who worship the god Milcom have taken possession of the territory of Gad and live in his cities?
49:2 Because you did that, I, the Lord, affirm that a time is coming when I will make Rabbah, the capital city of Ammon, hear the sound of the battle cry. It will become a mound covered with ruins. Its villages will be burned to the ground. Then Israel will take back its land from those who took their land from them. I, the Lord, affirm it!
49:3 Wail, you people in Heshbon, because Ai in Ammon is destroyed. Cry out in anguish, you people in the villages surrounding Rabbah. Put on sackcloth and cry out in mourning. Run about covered with gashes. For your god Milcom will go into exile along with his priests and officials.
49:4 Why do you brag about your great power? Your power is ebbing away, you rebellious people of Ammon, who trust in your riches and say, ‘Who would dare to attack us?’
49:5 I will bring terror on you from every side,” says the Lord God who rules over all. “You will be scattered in every direction. No one will gather the fugitives back together.
49:6 Yet in days to come I will reverse Ammon’s ill fortune.” says the Lord.
Judgment Against Edom
49:7 The Lord who rules over all spoke about Edom. “Is wisdom no longer to be found in Teman? Can Edom’s counselors not give her any good advice? Has all of their wisdom turned bad? 49:8 Turn and flee! Take up refuge in remote places, you people who live in Dedan. For I will bring disaster on the descendants of Esau. I have decided it is time for me to punish them.
49:9 If grape pickers came to pick your grapes, would they not leave a few grapes behind? If robbers came at night, would they not pillage only what they needed?
49:10 But I will strip everything away from Esau’s descendants. I will uncover their hiding places so they cannot hide. Their children, relatives, and neighbors will all be destroyed. Not one of them will be left!
49:11 Leave your orphans behind and I will keep them alive. Your widows too can depend on me.”
49:12 For the Lord says, “If even those who did not deserve to drink from the cup of my wrath must drink from it, do you think you will go unpunished? You will not go unpunished, but must certainly drink from the cup of my wrath. 49:13 For I solemnly swear,” says the Lord, “that Bozrah will become a pile of ruins. It will become an object of horror and ridicule, an example to be used in curses. All the towns around it will lie in ruins forever.”
49:14 I said, “I have heard a message from the Lord. A messenger has been sent among the nations to say, ‘Gather your armies and march out against her! Prepare to do battle with her!’”
49:15 The Lord says to Edom, “I will certainly make you small among nations. I will make you despised by all humankind.
49:16 The terror you inspire in others and the arrogance of your heart have deceived you. You may make your home in the clefts of the rocks; you may occupy the highest places in the hills. But even if you made your home where the eagles nest, I would bring you down from there,” says the Lord.
49:17 “Edom will become an object of horror. All who pass by it will be filled with horror; they will hiss out their scorn because of all the disasters that have happened to it.
49:18 Edom will be destroyed like Sodom and Gomorrah and the towns that were around them. No one will live there. No human being will settle in it,” says the Lord.
49:19 “A lion coming up from the thick undergrowth along the Jordan scatters the sheep in the pastureland around it. So too I will chase the Edomites off their land. Then I will appoint over it whomever I choose. For there is no one like me, and there is no one who can call me to account. There is no ruler who can stand up against me.
49:20 So listen to what I, the Lord, have planned against Edom, what I intend to do to the people who live in Teman. Their little ones will be dragged off. I will completely destroy their land because of what they have done.
49:21 The people of the earth will quake when they hear of their downfall. Their cries of anguish will be heard all the way to the Gulf of Aqaba.
49:22 Look! Like an eagle with outspread wings, a nation will soar up and swoop down on Bozrah. At that time the soldiers of Edom will be as fearful as a woman in labor.”
Judgment Against Damascus
49:23 The Lord spoke about Damascus. “The people of Hamath and Arpad will be dismayed because they have heard bad news. Their courage will melt away because of worry. Their hearts will not be able to rest.
49:24 The people of Damascus will lose heart and turn to flee. Panic will grip them. Pain and anguish will seize them like a woman in labor.
49:25 How deserted will that once-famous city be, that city that was once filled with joy!
49:26 For her young men will fall in her city squares. All her soldiers will be destroyed at that time,” says the Lord who rules over all.
49:27 “I will set fire to the walls of Damascus; it will burn up the palaces of Ben Hadad.”
Judgment Against Kedar and Hazor
49:28 The Lord spoke about Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor that King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquered. “Army of Babylon, go and attack Kedar. Lay waste those who live in the eastern desert.
49:29 Their tents and their flocks will be taken away. Their tent curtains, equipment, and camels will be carried off. People will shout to them, ‘Terror is all around you!’”
49:30 The Lord says, “Flee quickly, you who live in Hazor. Take up refuge in remote places. For King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon has laid out plans to attack you. He has formed his strategy on how to defeat you.”
49:31 The Lord says, “Army of Babylon, go and attack a nation that lives in peace and security. They have no gates or walls to protect them. They live all alone.
49:32 Their camels will be taken as plunder. Their vast herds will be taken as spoil. I will scatter to the four winds those desert peoples who cut their hair short at the temples. I will bring disaster against them from every direction,” says the Lord.
49:33 “Hazor will become a permanent wasteland, a place where only jackals live. No one will live there. No human being will settle in it.”
Judgment Against Elam
49:34 Early in the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah, the Lord spoke to the prophet Jeremiah about Elam.
49:35 The Lord who rules over all said, “I will kill all the archers of Elam, who are the chief source of her military might.
49:36 I will cause enemies to blow through Elam from every direction like the winds blowing in from the four quarters of heaven. I will scatter the people of Elam to the four winds. There will not be any nation where the refugees of Elam will not go.
49:37 I will make the people of Elam terrified of their enemies, who are seeking to kill them. I will vent my fierce anger and bring disaster upon them,” says the Lord. “I will send armies chasing after them until I have completely destroyed them.
49:38 I will establish my sovereignty over Elam. I will destroy their king and their leaders,” says the Lord.
49:39 “Yet in days to come I will reverse Elam’s ill fortune.” says the Lord.
Judgment Against Babylon
50:1 The Lord spoke concerning Babylon and the land of Babylonia through the prophet Jeremiah.
50:2 “Announce the news among the nations! Proclaim it! Signal for people to pay attention! Declare the news! Do not hide it! Say: ‘Babylon will be captured. Bel will be put to shame. Marduk will be dismayed. Babylon’s idols will be put to shame. Her disgusting images will be dismayed.
50:3 For a nation from the north will attack Babylon. It will lay her land waste. People and animals will flee out of it. No one will inhabit it.’
50:4 “When that time comes,” says the Lord, “the people of Israel and Judah will return to the land together. They will come back with tears of repentance as they seek the Lord their God.
50:5 They will ask the way to Zion; they will turn their faces toward it. They will come and bind themselves to the Lord in a lasting covenant that will never be forgotten.
50:6 “My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have allow them to go astray. They have wandered around in the mountains. They have roamed from one mountain and hill to another. They have forgotten their resting place.
50:7 All who encountered them devoured them. Their enemies who did this said, ‘We are not liable for punishment! For those people have sinned against the Lord, their true pasture. They have sinned against the Lord in whom their ancestors trusted.’
50:8 “People of Judah, get out of Babylon quickly! Leave the land of Babylonia! Be the first to depart! Be like the male goats that lead the herd.
50:9 For I will rouse into action and bring against Babylon a host of mighty nations from the land of the north. They will set up their battle lines against her. They will come from the north and capture her. Their arrows will be like a skilled soldier who does not return from the battle empty-handed.
50:10 Babylonia will be plundered. Those who plunder it will take all they want,” says the Lord.
50:11 “People of Babylonia, you plundered my people. That made you happy and glad. You frolic about like calves in a pasture. Your joyous sounds are like the neighs of a stallion.
50:12 But Babylonia will be put to great shame. The land where you were born will be disgraced. Indeed, Babylonia will become the least important of all nations. It will become a dry and barren desert.
50:13 After I vent my wrath on it Babylon will be uninhabited. It will be totally desolate. All who pass by will be filled with horror and will hiss out their scorn because of all the disasters that have happened to it.
50:14 “Take up your battle positions all around Babylon, all you soldiers who are armed with bows. Shoot all your arrows at her! Do not hold any back! For she has sinned against the Lord.
50:15 Shout the battle cry from all around the city. She will throw up her hands in surrender. Her towers will fall. Her walls will be torn down. Because I, the Lord, am wreaking revenge, take out your vengeance on her! Do to her as she has done!
50:16 Kill all the farmers who sow the seed in the land of Babylon. Kill all those who wield the sickle at harvest time. Let all the foreigners return to their own people. Let them hurry back to their own lands to escape destruction by that enemy army.
50:17 “The people of Israel are like scattered sheep which lions have chased away. First the king of Assyria devoured them. Now last of all King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon has gnawed their bones.
50:18 So I, the Lord God of Israel who rules over all, say: ‘I will punish the king of Babylon and his land just as I punished the king of Assyria.
50:19 But I will restore the flock of Israel to their own pasture. They will graze on Mount Carmel and the land of Bashan. They will eat until they are full on the hills of Ephraim and the land of Gilead.
50:20 When that time comes, no guilt will be found in Israel. No sin will be found in Judah. For I will forgive those of them I have allowed to survive. I, the Lord, affirm it!’”
50:21 The Lord says, “Attack the land of Merathaim and the people who live in Pekod! Pursue, kill, and completely destroy them! Do just as I have commanded you!
50:22 The noise of battle can be heard in the land of Babylonia. There is the sound of great destruction.
50:23 Babylon hammered the whole world to pieces. But see how that ‘hammer’ has been broken and shattered! See what an object of horror Babylon has become among the nations!
50:24 I set a trap for you, Babylon; you were caught before you knew it. You fought against me. So you were found and captured.
50:25 I have opened up the place where my weapons are stored. I have brought out the weapons for carrying out my wrath. For I, the Lord God who rules over all, have work to carry out in the land of Babylonia.
50:26 Come from far away and attack Babylonia! Open up the places where she stores her grain! Pile her up in ruins! Destroy her completely! Do not leave anyone alive!
50:27 Kill all her soldiers! Let them be slaughtered! They are doomed, for their day of reckoning has come, the time for them to be punished.”
50:28 Listen! Fugitives and refugees are coming from the land of Babylon. They are coming to Zion to declare there how the Lord our God is getting revenge, getting revenge for what they have done to his temple.
50:29 “Call for archers to come against Babylon! Summon against her all who draw the bow! Set up camp all around the city! Do not allow anyone to escape! Pay her back for what she has done. Do to her what she has done to others. For she has proudly defied me, the Holy One of Israel.
50:30 So her young men will fall in her city squares. All her soldiers will be destroyed at that time,” says the Lord.
50:31 “Listen! I am opposed to you, you proud city,” says the Lord God who rules over all. “Indeed, your day of reckoning has come, the time when I will punish you.
50:32 You will stumble and fall, you proud city; no one will help you get up. I will set fire to your towns; it will burn up everything that surrounds you.”
50:33 The Lord who rules over all says, “The people of Israel are oppressed. So too are the people of Judah. All those who took them captive are holding them prisoners. They refuse to set them free.
50:34 But the one who will rescue them is strong. He is known as the Lord who rules over all. He will strongly champion their cause. As a result he will bring peace and rest to the earth, but trouble and turmoil to the people who inhabit Babylonia.
50:35 “Destructive forces will come against the Babylonians,” says the Lord. “They will come against the people who inhabit Babylonia, against her leaders and her men of wisdom.
50:36 Destructive forces will come against her false prophets; they will be shown to be fools! Destructive forces will come against her soldiers; they will be filled with terror!
50:37 Destructive forces will come against her horses and her chariots. Destructive forces will come against all the foreign troops within her; they will be as frightened as women! Destructive forces will come against her treasures; they will be taken away as plunder!
50:38 A drought will come upon her land; her rivers and canals will be dried up. All of this will happen because her land is filled with idols. Her people act like madmen because of those idols they fear.
50:39 Therefore desert creatures and jackals will live there. Ostriches will dwell in it too. But no people will ever live there again. No one will dwell there for all time to come.
50:40 I will destroy Babylonia just like I did Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighboring towns. No one will live there. No human being will settle in it,” says the Lord.
50:41 “Look! An army is about to come from the north. A mighty nation and many kings are stirring into action in faraway parts of the earth.
50:42 Its soldiers are armed with bows and spears. They are cruel and show no mercy. They sound like the roaring sea as they ride forth on their horses. Lined up in formation like men going into battle, they are coming against you, fair Babylon!
50:43 The king of Babylon will become paralyzed with fear when he hears news of their coming. Anguish will grip him, agony like that of a woman giving birth to a baby.
50:44 “A lion coming up from the thick undergrowth along the Jordan scatters the sheep in the pastureland around it. So too I will chase the Babylonians off of their land. Then I will appoint over it whomever I choose. For there is no one like me. There is no one who can call me to account. There is no ruler that can stand up against me.
50:45 So listen to what I, the Lord, have planned against Babylon, what I intend to do to the people who inhabit the land of Babylonia. Their little ones will be dragged off. I will completely destroy their land because of what they have done.
50:46 The people of the earth will quake when they hear Babylon has been captured. Her cries of anguish will be heard by the other nations.”
51:1 The Lord says, “I will cause a destructive wind to blow against Babylon and the people who inhabit Babylonia.
51:2 I will send people to winnow Babylonia like a wind blowing away chaff. They will winnow her and strip her land bare. This will happen when they come against her from every direction, when it is time to destroy her.
51:3 Do not give her archers time to string their bows or to put on their coats of armor. Do not spare any of her young men. Completely destroy her whole army.
51:4 Let them fall slain in the land of Babylonia, mortally wounded in the streets of her cities.
51:5 “For Israel and Judah will not be forsaken by their God, the Lord who rules over all. For the land of Babylonia is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel.
51:6 Get out of Babylonia quickly, you foreign people. Flee to save your lives. Do not let yourselves be killed because of her sins. For it is time for the Lord to wreak his revenge. He will pay Babylonia back for what she has done.
51:7 Babylonia had been a gold cup in the Lord’s hand. She had made the whole world drunk. The nations had drunk from the wine of her wrath. So they have all gone mad.
51:8 But suddenly Babylonia will fall and be destroyed. Cry out in mourning over it! Get medicine for her wounds! Perhaps she can be healed!
51:9 Foreigners living there will say, ‘We tried to heal her, but she could not be healed. Let’s leave Babylonia and each go back to his own country. For judgment on her will be vast in its proportions. It will be like it is piled up to heaven, stacked up into the clouds.’
51:10 The exiles from Judah will say, ‘The Lord has brought about a great deliverance for us! Come on, let’s go and proclaim in Zion what the Lord our God has done!’
51:11 “Sharpen your arrows! Fill your quivers! The Lord will arouse a spirit of hostility in the kings of Media. For he intends to destroy Babylonia. For that is how the Lord will get his revenge – how he will get his revenge for the Babylonians’ destruction of his temple.
51:12 Give the signal to attack Babylon’s wall! Bring more guards! Post them all around the city! Put men in ambush! For the Lord will do what he has planned. He will do what he said he would do to the people of Babylon.
51:13 “You who live along the rivers of Babylon, the time of your end has come. You who are rich in plundered treasure, it is time for your lives to be cut off.
51:14 The Lord who rules over all has solemnly sworn, ‘I will fill your land with enemy soldiers. They will swarm over it like locusts. They will raise up shouts of victory over it.’
51:15 He is the one who by his power made the earth. He is the one who by his wisdom fixed the world in place, by his understanding he spread out the heavens.
51:16 When his voice thunders, the waters in the heavens roar. He makes the clouds rise from the far-off horizons. He makes the lightning flash out in the midst of the rain. He unleashes the wind from the places where he stores it.
51:17 All idolaters will prove to be stupid and ignorant. Every goldsmith will be disgraced by the idol he made.
For the image he forges is merely a sham. There is no breath in any of those idols.
51:18 They are worthless, objects to be ridiculed. When the time comes to punish them, they will be destroyed.
51:19 The Lord, who is the portion of the descendants of Jacob, is not like them. For he is the one who created everything, including the people of Israel whom he claims as his own. He is known as the Lord who rules over all.
51:20 “Babylon, you are my war club, my weapon for battle. I used you to smash nations. I used you to destroy kingdoms.
51:21 I used you to smash horses and their riders. I used you to smash chariots and their drivers.
51:22 I used you to smash men and women. I used you to smash old men and young men. I used you to smash young men and young women.
51:23 I used you to smash shepherds and their flocks. I used you to smash farmers and their teams of oxen. I used you to smash governors and leaders.”
51:24 “But I will repay Babylon and all who live in Babylonia for all the wicked things they did in Zion right before the eyes of you Judeans,” says the Lord.
51:25 The Lord says, “Beware! I am opposed to you, Babylon! You are like a destructive mountain that destroys all the earth. I will unleash my power against you; I will roll you off the cliffs and make you like a burned-out mountain.
51:26 No one will use any of your stones as a cornerstone. No one will use any of them in the foundation of his house. For you will lie desolate forever,” says the Lord.
51:27 “Raise up battle flags throughout the lands. Sound the trumpets calling the nations to do battle. Prepare the nations to do battle against Babylonia. Call for these kingdoms to attack her: Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz. Appoint a commander to lead the attack. Send horses against her like a swarm of locusts.
51:28 Prepare the nations to do battle against her. Prepare the kings of the Medes. Prepare their governors and all their leaders. Prepare all the countries they rule to do battle against her.
51:29 The earth will tremble and writhe in agony. For the Lord will carry out his plan. He plans to make the land of Babylonia a wasteland where no one lives.
51:30 The soldiers of Babylonia will stop fighting. They will remain in their fortified cities. They will lose their strength to do battle. They will be as frightened as women. The houses in her cities will be set on fire. The gates of her cities will be broken down.
51:31 One runner after another will come to the king of Babylon. One messenger after another will come bringing news. They will bring news to the king of Babylon that his whole city has been captured.
51:32 They will report that the fords have been captured, the reed marshes have been burned, the soldiers are terrified.
51:33 For the Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, ‘Fair Babylon will be like a threshing floor which has been trampled flat for harvest. The time for her to be cut down and harvested will come very soon.’
51:34 “King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon devoured me and drove my people out. Like a monster from the deep he swallowed me. He filled his belly with my riches. He made me an empty dish. He completely cleaned me out.”
51:35 The person who lives in Zion says, “May Babylon pay for the violence done to me and to my relatives.”
Jerusalem says, “May those living in Babylonia pay for the bloodshed of my people.”
51:36 Therefore the Lord says, “I will stand up for your cause. I will pay the Babylonians back for what they have done to you. I will dry up their sea. I will make their springs run dry.
51:37 Babylon will become a heap of ruins. Jackals will make their home there. It will become an object of horror and of hissing scorn, a place where no one lives.
51:38 The Babylonians are all like lions roaring for prey. They are like lion cubs growling for something to eat.
51:39 When their appetites are all stirred up, I will set out a banquet for them. I will make them drunk so that they will pass out, they will fall asleep forever, they will never wake up,” says the Lord.
51:40 “I will lead them off to be slaughtered like lambs, rams, and male goats.”
51:41 “See how Babylon has been captured! See how the pride of the whole earth has been taken! See what an object of horror Babylon has become among the nations!
51:42 The sea has swept over Babylon. She has been covered by a multitude of its waves.
51:43 The towns of Babylonia have become heaps of ruins. She has become a dry and barren desert. No one lives in those towns any more. No one even passes through them.
51:44 I will punish the god Bel in Babylon. I will make him spit out what he has swallowed. The nations will not come streaming to him any longer. Indeed, the walls of Babylon will fall.”
51:45 “Get out of Babylon, my people! Flee to save your lives from the fierce anger of the Lord!
51:46 Do not lose your courage or become afraid because of the reports that are heard in the land. For a report will come in one year. Another report will follow it in the next. There will be violence in the land with ruler fighting against ruler.”
51:47 “So the time will certainly come when I will punish the idols of Babylon. Her whole land will be put to shame. All her mortally wounded will collapse in her midst.
51:48 Then heaven and earth and all that is in them will sing for joy over Babylon. For destroyers from the north will attack it,” says the Lord.
51:49 “Babylon must fall because of the Israelites she has killed, just as the earth’s mortally wounded fell because of Babylon.
51:50 You who have escaped the sword, go, do not delay. Remember the Lord in a faraway land. Think about Jerusalem.
51:51 ‘We are ashamed because we have been insulted. Our faces show our disgrace. For foreigners have invaded the holy rooms in the Lord’s temple.’
51:52 Yes, but the time will certainly come,” says the Lord, “when I will punish her idols. Throughout her land the mortally wounded will groan.
51:53 Even if Babylon climbs high into the sky and fortifies her elevated stronghold, I will send destroyers against her,” says the Lord.
51:54 Cries of anguish will come from Babylon, the sound of great destruction from the land of the Babylonians.
51:55 For the Lord is ready to destroy Babylon, and put an end to her loud noise. Their waves will roar like turbulent waters. They will make a deafening noise.
51:56 For a destroyer is attacking Babylon. Her warriors will be captured; their bows will be broken. For the Lord is a God who punishes; he pays back in full.
51:57 “I will make her officials and wise men drunk, along with her governors, leaders, and warriors. They will fall asleep forever and never wake up,” says the King whose name is the Lord who rules over all.
51:58 This is what the Lord who rules over all says, “Babylon’s thick wall will be completely demolished. Her high gates will be set on fire. The peoples strive for what does not satisfy. The nations grow weary trying to get what will be destroyed.”
51:59 This is the order Jeremiah the prophet gave to Seraiah son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, when he went to King Zedekiah of Judah in Babylon during the fourth year of his reign. (Seraiah was a quartermaster.) 51:60 Jeremiah recorded on one scroll all the judgments that would come upon Babylon – all these prophecies written about Babylon. 51:61 Then Jeremiah said to Seraiah, “When you arrive in Babylon, make sure you read aloud all these prophecies. 51:62 Then say, ‘O Lord, you have announced that you will destroy this place so that no people or animals live in it any longer. Certainly it will lie desolate forever!’ 51:63 When you finish reading this scroll aloud, tie a stone to it and throw it into the middle of the Euphrates River. 51:64 Then say, ‘In the same way Babylon will sink and never rise again because of the judgments I am ready to bring upon her; they will grow faint.’”
The prophecies of Jeremiah end here.
Lord, You allowed evil nations to serve as Your tools of discipline, but they were not allowed to prosper endlessly. May I trust that Your perfect justice will come to those who mistreat Christians and Jews today.
Jeremiah pronounced the Lord God's prophesy against the foreign nations; Philistia “For the time has come to destroy all the Philistines.” and Moab was to be punished terribly as well, but Moab had hope “Yet in days to come I will reverse Moab’s ill fortune.” says the Lord. The judgment against Moab ends here.”
He prophesied for Amnon “You will be scattered in every direction. No one will gather the fugitives back together. Yet in days to come I will reverse Amnon’s ill fortune.” says the Lord.” and for Edom “I will completely destroy their land because of what they have done.”
Jeremiah prophesied for Damascus ““I will set fire to the walls of Damascus; it will burn up the palaces of Ben Hadad.”
He spoke judgment against Kedar “Lay waste those who live in the eastern desert.” and Hazor “Hazor will become a permanent wasteland, a place where only jackals live. No one will live there. No human being will settle in it.”
Jeremiah's prophesy against Elam was “I will establish my sovereignty over Elam. I will destroy their king and their leaders, Yet in days to come I will reverse Elam’s ill fortune.” says the Lord.
He declared a lengthy prophesy against Babylon, also the nation had been useful as the Lord's ”war club” it remained loyal to a false god and indulged in brutality as well as living in comfort from stolen goods “Babylon’s idols will be put to shame. Her disgusting images will be dismayed. For a nation from the north will attack Babylon. It will lay her land waste. People and animals will flee out of it. No one will inhabit it.’ “When that time comes,” says the Lord, “the people of Israel and Judah will return to the land together. They will come back with tears of repentance as they seek the Lord their God.”
Those who worshiped false gods and who hated God's people eventually suffered for both.
Why might the Lord God have promised to “reverse the fortunes” of the Philistines and the Elamites after punishing them?
Babylon went from the greatest power on earth to nothing.
When have you experienced or observed someone or some organization which appeared to be overwhelmingly power suddenly fall from power?
Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of a time in your life where a time of trouble, which seemed endless, came to an end due to an external intervention.
I will give thanks to the Lord for sending help to rescue me from trouble.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Fall of Jerusalem
52:1 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he ruled in Jerusalem for eleven years. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah, from Libnah. 52:2 He did what displeased the Lord just as Jehoiakim had done.
52:3 What follows is a record of what happened to Jerusalem and Judah because of the Lord’s anger when he drove them out of his sight. Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. 52:4 King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came against Jerusalem with his whole army and set up camp outside it. They built siege ramps all around it. He arrived on the tenth day of the tenth month in the ninth year that Zedekiah ruled over Judah. 52:5 The city remained under siege until Zedekiah’s eleventh year. 52:6 By the ninth day of the fourth month the famine in the city was so severe the residents had no food. 52:7 They broke through the city walls, and all the soldiers tried to escape. They left the city during the night. They went through the gate between the two walls that is near the king’s garden. (The Babylonians had the city surrounded.) Then they headed for the Jordan Valley. 52:8 But the Babylonian army chased after the king. They caught up with Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho, and his entire army deserted him. 52:9 They captured him and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the territory of Hamath and he passed sentence on him there. 52:10 The king of Babylon had Zedekiah’s sons put to death while Zedekiah was forced to watch. He also had all the nobles of Judah put to death there at Riblah. 52:11 He had Zedekiah’s eyes put out and had him bound in chains. Then the king of Babylon had him led off to Babylon and he was imprisoned there until the day he died.
52:12 On the tenth day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, Nebuzaradan, the captain of the royal guard who served the king of Babylon, arrived in Jerusalem. 52:13 He burned down the Lord’s temple, the royal palace, and all the houses in Jerusalem, including every large house. 52:14 The whole Babylonian army that came with the captain of the royal guard tore down the walls that surrounded Jerusalem. 52:15 Nebuzaradan, the captain of the royal guard, took into exile some of the poor, the rest of the people who remained in the city, those who had deserted to him, and the rest of the craftsmen. 52:16 But he left behind some of the poor and gave them fields and vineyards.
52:17 The Babylonians broke the two bronze pillars in the temple of the Lord, as well as the movable stands and the large bronze basin called the “The Sea.” They took all the bronze to Babylon. 52:18 They also took the pots, shovels, trimming shears, basins, pans, and all the bronze utensils used by the priests. 52:19 The captain of the royal guard took the gold and silver bowls, censers, basins, pots, lampstands, pans, and vessels. 52:20 The bronze of the items that King Solomon made for the Lord’s temple (including the two pillars, the large bronze basin called “The Sea,” the twelve bronze bulls under “The Sea,” and the movable stands) was too heavy to be weighed. 52:21 Each of the pillars was about 27 feet high, about 18 feet in circumference, three inches thick, and hollow. 52:22 The bronze top of one pillar was about seven and one-half feet high and had bronze latticework and pomegranate-shaped ornaments all around it. The second pillar with its pomegranate-shaped ornaments was like it. 52:23 There were ninety-six pomegranate-shaped ornaments on the sides; in all there were one hundred pomegranate-shaped ornaments over the latticework that went around it.
52:24 The captain of the royal guard took Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest who was second in rank, and the three doorkeepers. 52:25 From the city he took an official who was in charge of the soldiers, seven of the king’s advisers who were discovered in the city, an official army secretary who drafted citizens for military service, and sixty citizens who were discovered in the middle of the city. 52:26 Nebuzaradan, the captain of the royal guard, took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 52:27 The king of Babylon ordered them to be executed at Riblah in the territory of Hamath.
So Judah was taken into exile away from its land. 52:28 Here is the official record of the number of people Nebuchadnezzar carried into exile: In the seventh year, 3,023 Jews; 52:29 in Nebuchadnezzar’s eighteenth year, 832 people from Jerusalem; 52:30 in Nebuchadnezzar’s twenty-third year, Nebuzaradan, the captain of the royal guard, carried into exile 745 Judeans. In all 4,600 people went into exile.
Jehoiachin in Exile
52:31 In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of King Jehoiachin of Judah, on the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month, Evil-Merodach, in the first year of his reign, pardoned King Jehoiachin of Judah and released him from prison. 52:32 He spoke kindly to him and gave him a more prestigious position than the other kings who were with him in Babylon. 52:33 Jehoiachin took off his prison clothes and ate daily in the king’s presence for the rest of his life. 52:34 He was given daily provisions by the king of Babylon for the rest of his life until the day he died.
Lord, You warned Your people many more times than any mere humans would have warned them, yet they continued to rebel and finally You allowed Jerusalem to fall.
The previously-studied text of 2 Corinthians 36:9=10 taught that “Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem. He did evil in the sight of the Lord. At the beginning of the year King Nebuchadnezzar ordered him to be brought to Babylon, along with the valuable items in the Lord’s temple. In his place he made his relative Zedekiah king over Judah and Jerusalem.”
Under Zedekiah the rebellion of the people of Judah, first against the Lord God and then against Babylon, led to the utter destruction of Jerusalem, the execution of most of the leaders, and the eventual deportation of 4,600.
Jeremiah reported that former king Jehoiachin was later pardoned by Nebuchadnezzar's successor, and for the rest of his life was given daily provisions at the king's table, while the blinded Zedekiah remained in prison.
Jehoiachin served only three months as king when he was removed to Babylon. While he offended the Lord God during that time there is no record of rebellion against Babylon, thus no cause given for his deportation and replacement.
Why would Zedekiah have chosen rebellion against Babylon given the impossible odds and his poor relationship with the Lord God?
The Lord God took treasures from the pagans around them and used them in His Temple and elsewhere but then allowed them to be removed by the Babylonians since rebellious Judah had mocked their holy purpose.
When have you observed the blessings of freedom, health, and/or resources removed from a group, nation, or a person as a result of their rebellion?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a choice or choices that you are making which place you in opposition to the will of the Lord and which may lead to unhappy consequences.
Today I will confess and repent, seek and receive the forgiveness of the Lord, then act to remove the offensive things from my life.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Prophet Speaks:
1:1 א (Alef)
Alas! The city once full of people now sits all alone! The prominent lady among the nations has become a widow! The princess who once ruled the provinces has become a forced laborer!
1:2 ב (Bet)
She weeps bitterly at night; tears stream down her cheeks. She has no one to comfort her among all her lovers. All her friends have betrayed her; they have become her enemies.
1:3 ג (Gimel)
Judah has departed into exile under affliction and harsh oppression. She lives among the nations; she has found no resting place. All who pursued her overtook her in narrow straits.
1:4 ד (Dalet)
The roads to Zion mourn because no one travels to the festivals. All her city gates are deserted; her priests groan. Her virgins grieve; she is in bitter anguish!
1:5 ה (He)
Her foes subjugated her; her enemies are at ease. For the Lord afflicted her because of her many acts of rebellion. Her children went away captive before the enemy.
1:6 ו (Vav)
All of Daughter Zion’s splendor has departed. Her leaders became like deer; they found no pasture, so they were too exhausted to escape from the hunter.
1:7 ז (Zayin)
Jerusalem remembers, when she became a poor homeless person, all her treasures that she owned in days of old. When her people fell into an enemy’s grip, none of her allies came to her rescue. Her enemies gloated over her; they sneered at her downfall.
1:8 ח (Khet)
Jerusalem committed terrible sin; therefore she became an object of scorn. All who admired her have despised her because they have seen her nakedness. She groans aloud and turns away in shame.
1:9 ט (Tet)
Her menstrual flow has soiled her clothing; she did not consider the consequences of her sin. Her demise was astonishing, and there was no one to comfort her. She cried, “Look, O Lord, on my affliction because my enemy boasts!”
1:10 י (Yod)
An enemy grabbed all her valuables. Indeed she watched in horror as Gentiles invaded her holy temple – those whom you had commanded: “They must not enter your assembly place.”
1:11 כ (Kaf)
All her people groaned as they searched for a morsel of bread. They exchanged their valuables for just enough food to stay alive.
Jerusalem Speaks:
“Look, O Lord! Consider that I have become worthless!”
1:12 ל (Lamed)
Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by on the road? Look and see! Is there any pain like mine? The Lord has afflicted me, he has inflicted it on me when he burned with anger.
1:13 מ (Mem)
He sent down fire into my bones, and it overcame them. He spread out a trapper’s net for my feet; he made me turn back. He has made me desolate; I am faint all day long.
1:14 נ (Nun)
My sins are bound around my neck like a yoke; they are fastened together by his hand. He has placed his yoke on my neck; he has sapped my strength. The Lord has handed me over to those whom I cannot resist.
1:15 ס (Samek)
He rounded up all my mighty ones; The Lord did this in my midst. He summoned an assembly against me to shatter my young men. The Lord has stomped like grapes the virgin daughter, Judah.
1:16 ע (Ayin)
I weep because of these things; my eyes flow with tears. For there is no one in sight who can comfort me or encourage me. My children are desolated because an enemy has prevailed.
The Prophet Speaks:
1:17 פ (Pe)
Zion spread out her hands, but there is no one to comfort her. The Lord has issued a decree against Jacob; his neighbors have become his enemies. Jerusalem has become like filthy garbage in their midst.
Jerusalem Speaks:
1:18 צ (Tsade)
The Lord is right to judge me! Yes, I rebelled against his commands. Please listen, all you nations, and look at my suffering! My young women and men have gone into exile.
1:19 ק (Qof)
I called for my lovers, but they had deceived me. My priests and my elders perished in the city. Truly they had searched for food to keep themselves alive.
1:20 ר (Resh)
Look, O Lord! I am distressed; my stomach is in knots! My heart is pounding inside me. Yes, I was terribly rebellious! Out in the street the sword bereaves a mother of her children; Inside the house death is present.
1:21 ש (Sin/Shin)
They have heard that I groan, yet there is no one to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that you have brought it about. Bring about the day of judgment that you promised so that they may end up like me!
1:22 ת (Tav)
Let all their wickedness come before you; afflict them just as you have afflicted me because of all my acts of rebellion. For my groans are many, and my heart is sick with sorrow.
The Prophet Speaks:
2:1 א (Alef)
Alas! The Lord has covered Daughter Zion with his anger. He has thrown down the splendor of Israel from heaven to earth; he did not protect his temple when he displayed his anger.
2:2 ב (Bet)
The Lord destroyed mercilessly all the homes of Jacob’s descendants. In his anger he tore down the fortified cities of Daughter Judah. He knocked to the ground and humiliated the kingdom and its rulers.
2:3 ג (Gimel)
In fierce anger he destroyed the whole army of Israel. He withdrew his right hand as the enemy attacked. He was like a raging fire in the land of Jacob; it consumed everything around it.
2:4 ד (Dalet)
He prepared his bow like an enemy; his right hand was ready to shoot. Like a foe he killed everyone, even our strong young men; he has poured out his anger like fire on the tent of Daughter Zion.
2:5 ה (He)
The Lord, like an enemy, destroyed Israel. He destroyed all her palaces; he ruined her fortified cities. He made everyone in Daughter Judah mourn and lament.
2:6 ו (Vav)
He destroyed his temple as if it were a vineyard; he destroyed his appointed meeting place. The Lord has made those in Zion forget both the festivals and the Sabbaths. In his fierce anger he has spurned both king and priest.
2:7 ז (Zayin)
The Lord rejected his altar and abhorred his temple. He handed over to the enemy her palace walls; the enemy shouted in the Lord’s temple as if it were a feast day.
2:8 ח (Khet)
The Lord was determined to tear down Daughter Zion’s wall. He prepared to knock it down; he did not withdraw his hand from destroying. He made the ramparts and fortified walls lament; together they mourned their ruin.
2:9 ט (Tet)
Her city gates have fallen to the ground; he smashed to bits the bars that lock her gates. Her king and princes were taken into exile; there is no more guidance available. As for her prophets, they no longer receive a vision from the Lord.
2:10 י (Yod)
The elders of Daughter Zion sit on the ground in silence. They have thrown dirt on their heads; They have dressed in sackcloth. Jerusalem’s young women stare down at the ground.
2:11 כ (Kaf)
My eyes are worn out from weeping; my stomach is in knots. My heart is poured out on the ground due to the destruction of my helpless people; children and infants faint in the town squares.
2:12 ל (Lamed)
Children say to their mothers, “Where are food and drink?” They faint like a wounded warrior in the city squares. They die slowly in their mothers’ arms.
2:13 מ (Mem)
With what can I equate you? To what can I compare you, O Daughter Jerusalem? To what can I liken you so that I might comfort you, O Virgin Daughter Zion? Your wound is as deep as the sea. Who can heal you?
2:14 נ (Nun)
Your prophets saw visions for you that were worthless lies. They failed to expose your sin so as to restore your fortunes. They saw oracles for you that were worthless lies.
2:15 ס (Samek)
All who passed by on the road clapped their hands to mock you. They sneered and shook their heads at Daughter Jerusalem. “Ha! Is this the city they called ‘The perfection of beauty, the source of joy of the whole earth!’?”
2:16 פ (Pe)
All your enemies gloated over you. They sneered and gnashed their teeth; they said, “We have destroyed her! Ha! We have waited a long time for this day. We have lived to see it!”
2:17 ע (Ayin)
The Lord has done what he planned; he has fulfilled his promise that he threatened long ago: He has overthrown you without mercy and has enabled the enemy to gloat over you; he has exalted your adversaries’ power.
2:18 צ (Tsade)
Cry out from your heart to the Lord, O wall of Daughter Zion! Make your tears flow like a river all day and all night long! Do not rest; do not let your tears stop!
2:19 ק (Qof)
Get up! Cry out in the night when the night watches start! Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord! Lift up your hands to him for your children’s lives; they are fainting at every street corner.
Jerusalem Speaks:
2:20 ר (Resh)
Look, O Lord! Consider! Whom have you ever afflicted like this? Should women eat their offspring, their healthy infants? Should priest and prophet be killed in the Lord’s sanctuary?
2:21 ש (Sin/Shin)
The young boys and old men lie dead on the ground in the streets. My young women and my young men have fallen by the sword. You killed them when you were angry; you slaughtered them without mercy.
2:22 ת (Tav)
As if it were a feast day, you call enemies to terrify me on every side. On the day of the Lord’s anger no one escaped or survived. My enemy has finished off those healthy infants whom I bore and raised.
The Prophet Speaks:
3:1 א (Alef)
I am the man who has experienced affliction from the rod of his wrath.
3:2 He drove me into captivity and made me walk in darkness and not light.
3:3 He repeatedly attacks me, he turns his hand against me all day long.
3:4 ב (Bet)
He has made my mortal skin waste away; he has broken my bones.
3:5 He has besieged and surrounded me with bitter hardship.
3:6 He has made me reside in deepest darkness like those who died long ago.
3:7 ג (Gimel)
He has walled me in so that I cannot get out; he has weighted me down with heavy prison chains.
3:8 Also, when I cry out desperately for help, he has shut out my prayer.
3:9 He has blocked every road I take with a wall of hewn stones; he has made every path impassable.
3:10 ד (Dalet)
To me he is like a bear lying in ambush, like a hidden lion stalking its prey.
3:11 He has obstructed my paths and torn me to pieces; he has made me desolate.
3:12 He drew his bow and made me the target for his arrow.
3:13 ה (He)
He shot his arrows into my heart.
3:14 I have become the laughingstock of all people, their mocking song all day long.
3:15 He has given me my fill of bitter herbs and made me drunk with bitterness.
3:16 ו (Vav)
He ground my teeth in gravel; he trampled me in the dust.
3:17 I am deprived of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is.
3:18 So I said, “My endurance has expired; I have lost all hope of deliverance from the Lord.”
3:19 ז (Zayin)
Remember my impoverished and homeless condition, which is a bitter poison.
3:20 I continually think about this, and I am depressed.
3:21 But this I call to mind; therefore I have hope:
3:22 ח (Khet)
The Lord’s loyal kindness never ceases; his compassions never end.
3:23 They are fresh every morning; your faithfulness is abundant!
3:24 “My portion is the Lord,” I have said to myself, so I will put my hope in him.
3:25 ט (Tet)
The Lord is good to those who trust in him, to the one who seeks him.
3:26 It is good to wait patiently for deliverance from the Lord.
3:27 It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young.
3:28 י (Yod)
Let a person sit alone in silence, when the Lord is disciplining him.
3:29 Let him bury his face in the dust; perhaps there is hope.
3:30 Let him offer his cheek to the one who hits him; let him have his fill of insults.
3:31 כ (Kaf)
For the Lord will not reject us forever.
3:32 Though he causes us grief, he then has compassion on us according to the abundance of his loyal kindness.
3:33 For he is not predisposed to afflict or to grieve people.
3:34 ל (Lamed)
To crush underfoot all the earth’s prisoners,
3:35 to deprive a person of his rights in the presence of the Most High,
3:36 to defraud a person in a lawsuit – the Lord does not approve of such things!
3:37 מ (Mem)
Whose command was ever fulfilled unless the Lord decreed it?
3:38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that everything comes – both calamity and blessing?
3:39 Why should any living person complain when punished for his sins?
3:40 נ (Nun)
Let us carefully examine our ways, and let us return to the Lord.
3:41 Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven:
3:42 “We have blatantly rebelled; you have not forgiven.”
3:43 ס (Samek)
You shrouded yourself with anger and then pursued us; you killed without mercy.
3:44 You shrouded yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can get through.
3:45 You make us like filthy scum in the estimation of the nations.
3:46 פ (Pe)
All our enemies have gloated over us;
3:47 Panic and pitfall have come upon us, devastation and destruction.
3:48 Streams of tears flow from my eyes because my people are destroyed.
3:49 ע (Ayin)
Tears flow from my eyes and will not stop; there will be no break
3:50 until the Lord looks down from heaven and sees what has happened.
3:51 What my eyes see grieves me – all the suffering of the daughters in my city.
3:52 צ (Tsade)
For no good reason my enemies hunted me down like a bird.
3:53 They shut me up in a pit and threw stones at me.
3:54 The waters closed over my head; I thought I was about to die.
3:55 ק (Qof)
I have called on your name, O Lord, from the deepest pit.
3:56 You heard my plea: “Do not close your ears to my cry for relief!”
3:57 You came near on the day I called to you; you said, “Do not fear!”
3:58 ר (Resh)
O Lord, you championed my cause, you redeemed my life.
3:59 You have seen the wrong done to me, O Lord; pronounce judgment on my behalf!
3:60 You have seen all their vengeance, all their plots against me.
3:61 ש (Sin/Shin)
You have heard their taunts, O Lord, all their plots against me.
3:62 My assailants revile and conspire against me all day long.
3:63 Watch them from morning to evening; I am the object of their mocking songs.
3:64 ת (Tav)
Pay them back what they deserve, O Lord, according to what they have done.
3:65 Give them a distraught heart; may your curse be on them!
3:66 Pursue them in anger and eradicate them from under the Lord’s heaven.
The Prophet Speaks:
4:1 א (Alef)
Alas! Gold has lost its luster; pure gold loses value. Jewels are scattered on every street corner.
4:2 ב (Bet)
The precious sons of Zion were worth their weight in gold – Alas! – but now they are treated like broken clay pots, made by a potter.
4:3 ג (Gimel)
Even the jackals nurse their young at their breast, but my people are cruel, like ostriches in the desert.
4:4 ד (Dalet)
The infant’s tongue sticks to the roof of its mouth due to thirst; little children beg for bread, but no one gives them even a morsel.
4:5 ה (He)
Those who once feasted on delicacies are now starving to death in the streets. Those who grew up wearing expensive clothes are now dying amid garbage.
4:6 ו (Vav)
The punishment of my people exceeded that of of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment with no one to help her.
4:7 ז (Zayin)
Her consecrated ones were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies more ruddy than corals, their hair like lapis lazuli.
4:8 ח (Khet)
Now their appearance is darker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones; it is dried up, like tree bark.
4:9 ט (Tet)
Those who died by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, those who waste away, struck down from lack of food.
4:10 י (Yod)
The hands of tenderhearted women cooked their own children, who became their food, when my people were destroyed.
4:11 כ (Kaf)
The Lord fully vented his wrath; he poured out his fierce anger. He started a fire in Zion; it consumed her foundations.
4:12 ל (Lamed)
Neither the kings of the earth nor the people of the lands ever thought that enemy or foe would enter the gates of Jerusalem.
4:13 מ (Mem)
But it happened due to the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who poured out in her midst the blood of the righteous.
4:14 נ (Nun)
They wander blindly through the streets, defiled by the blood they shed, while no one dares to touch their garments.
4:15 ס (Samek)
People cry to them, “Turn away! You are unclean! Turn away! Turn away! Don’t touch us!” So they have fled and wander about; but the nations say, “They may not stay here any longer.”
4:16 פ (Pe)
The Lord himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. They did not honor the priests; they did not show favor to the elders.
The People of Jerusalem Lament:
4:17 ע (Ayin)
Our eyes continually failed us as we looked in vain for help. From our watchtowers we watched for a nation that could not rescue us.
4:18 צ (Tsade)
Our enemies hunted us down at every step so that we could not walk about in our streets. Our end drew near, our days were numbered, for our end had come!
4:19 ק (Qof)
Those who pursued us were swifter than eagles in the sky. They chased us over the mountains; they ambushed us in the wilderness.
4:20 ר (Resh)
Our very life breath – the Lord’s anointed king – was caught in their traps, of whom we thought, “Under his protection we will survive among the nations.”
The Prophet Speaks:
4:21 ש (Sin/Shin)
Rejoice and be glad for now, O people of Edom, who reside in the land of Uz. But the cup of judgment will pass to you also; you will get drunk and take off your clothes.
4:22 ת (Tav)
O people of Zion, your punishment will come to an end; he will not prolong your exile. But, O people of Edom, he will punish your sin and reveal your offenses!
The People of Jerusalem Pray:
5:1 O Lord, reflect on what has happened to us; consider and look at our disgrace.
5:2 Our inheritance is turned over to strangers; foreigners now occupy our homes.
5:3 We have become fatherless orphans; our mothers have become widows.
5:4 We must pay money for our own water; we must buy our own wood at a steep price.
5:5 We are pursued – they are breathing down our necks; we are weary and have no rest.
5:6 We have submitted to Egypt and Assyria in order to buy food to eat.
5:7 Our forefathers sinned and are dead, but we suffer their punishment.
5:8 Slaves rule over us; there is no one to rescue us from their power.
5:9 At the risk of our lives we get our food because robbers lurk in the countryside.
5:10 Our skin is hot as an oven due to a fever from hunger.
5:11 They raped women in Zion, virgins in the towns of Judah.
5:12 Princes were hung by their hands; elders were mistreated.
5:13 The young men perform menial labor; boys stagger from their labor.
5:14 The elders are gone from the city gate; the young men have stopped playing their music.
5:15 Our hearts no longer have any joy; our dancing is turned to mourning.
5:16 The crown has fallen from our head; woe to us, for we have sinned!
5:17 Because of this, our hearts are sick; because of these things, we can hardly see through our tears.
5:18 For wild animals are prowling over Mount Zion, which lies desolate.
5:19 But you, O Lord, reign forever; your throne endures from generation to generation.
5:20 Why do you keep on forgetting us? Why do you forsake us so long?
5:21 Bring us back to yourself, O Lord, so that we may return to you; renew our life as in days before,
5:22 unless you have utterly rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure.
Lord, after the fact Your people lament but while You called them to faithfulness they could only disrespect and rebel. May I choose faithful-obedience so that I am not left with endless laments later.
Jeremiah used a rhetorical conversation between himself “The Prophet Speaks” as he described the circumstances and the response of the people “Jerusalem Speaks” as in “Look, O Lord! Consider that I have become worthless!”
The NET translator's notes explain that he used a pattern which utilized an acrostic of the Hebrew alphabet across chapters 1, 2, and 4 then in chapter 3 he used all 66 letters by themselves. In chapter 5 he did not use the acrostic.
Jeremiah, in chapter 5, switched to “The People of Jerusalem Pray:” where they appeal to the Lord God for rescue “Bring us back to yourself, O Lord, so that we may return to you; renew our life as in days before, unless you have utterly rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure.”
Jeremiah was heartsick over what has happened.
The Lord God told the people they would be in exile for 70 years, so why would they be whining and asking why He was taking so long to rescue them?
Jeremiah suffered alongside of his people, even though he had delivered the Lord God's repeated warnings and had pleaded with them to repent.
When have you received punishment which you knew that you deserved and you knew was coming, and still cried-out for a short-cut out of it?
Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of a place in your life where you have not been fully-faithful and obedient and from which bad consequences may come to you if you don't repent.
Today I will confess and repent, request and receive forgiveness from the Lord God, and then get right with Him in the area(s) which He has brought to my awareness.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study –“Genesis 3. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 45
A Vision of God’s Glory
1:1 In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles at the Kebar River, the heavens opened and I saw a divine vision. 1:2 (On the fifth day of the month – it was the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s exile – 1:3 the word of the Lord came to the priest Ezekiel the son of Buzi, at the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians. The hand of the Lord came on him there).
1:4 As I watched, I noticed a windstorm coming from the north – an enormous cloud, with lightning flashing, such that bright light rimmed it and came from it like glowing amber from the middle of a fire. 1:5 In the fire were what looked like four living beings. In their appearance they had human form, 1:6 but each had four faces and four wings. 1:7 Their legs were straight, but the soles of their feet were like calves’ feet. They gleamed like polished bronze. 1:8 They had human hands under their wings on their four sides. As for the faces and wings of the four of them, 1:9 their wings touched each other; they did not turn as they moved, but went straight ahead.
1:10 Their faces had this appearance: Each of the four had the face of a man, with the face of a lion on the right, the face of an ox on the left and also the face of an eagle. 1:11 Their wings were spread out above them; each had two wings touching the wings of one of the other beings on either side and two wings covering their bodies. 1:12 Each moved straight ahead – wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went. 1:13 In the middle of the living beings was something like burning coals of fire or like torches. It moved back and forth among the living beings. It was bright, and lightning was flashing out of the fire. 1:14 The living beings moved backward and forward as quickly as flashes of lightning.
1:15 Then I looked, and I saw one wheel on the ground beside each of the four beings. 1:16 The appearance of the wheels and their construction was like gleaming jasper, and all four wheels looked alike. Their structure was like a wheel within a wheel. 1:17 When they moved they would go in any of the four directions they faced without turning as they moved. 1:18 Their rims were high and awesome, and the rims of all four wheels were full of eyes all around.
1:19 When the living beings moved, the wheels beside them moved; when the living beings rose up from the ground, the wheels rose up too. 1:20 Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise up beside them because the spirit of the living being was in the wheel. 1:21 When the living beings moved, the wheels moved, and when they stopped moving, the wheels stopped. When they rose up from the ground, the wheels rose up from the ground; the wheels rose up beside them because the spirit of the living being was in the wheel.
1:22 Over the heads of the living beings was something like a platform, glittering awesomely like ice, stretched out over their heads. 1:23 Under the platform their wings were stretched out, each toward the other. Each of the beings also had two wings covering its body. 1:24 When they moved, I heard the sound of their wings – it was like the sound of rushing waters, or the voice of the Almighty, or the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings.
1:25 Then there was a voice from above the platform over their heads when they stood still. 1:26 Above the platform over their heads was something like a sapphire shaped like a throne. High above on the throne was a form that appeared to be a man. 1:27 I saw an amber glow like a fire enclosed all around from his waist up. From his waist down I saw something that looked like fire. There was a brilliant light around it, 1:28 like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds after the rain. This was the appearance of the surrounding brilliant light; it looked like the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I threw myself face down, and I heard a voice speaking.
Lord, even the smallest shadow of Your presence is overwhelming to a mere human, and Your Word must be shared even if those hearing choose to reject it. May I be humble in Your presence.
Ezekiel experienced an extraordinary event “In the thirtieth year ...” where a symbolic manifestation of the glory of the Lord God was manifested before him.
[There have been various efforts to explain “thirtieth” in this context; my view is that it may refer to the third decade of the Lord's punishment of His people for their chronic rebellion, beginning with Israel and the final stage concluding with the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of Judah.]
Ezekiel was confronted with a vision the Lord God in an unmistakable manner.
How does the description of the creatures and the vision of the Lord God compare to other such descriptions elsewhere in the Bible?
Ezekiel responded to the vision of the Lord God as had others “I threw myself face down ...”
When have you been in a time of praise and worship, prayer and testimony, reading and reflecting on the Word and sensed the powerful presence of the Lord?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal His presence to you in a uniquely powerful way.
Today I will spend some time in prayer and worship, undistracted in the Lord's presence, gratefully celebrating His presence in my life through His indwelling Holy Spirit and His Word.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Ezekiel’s Commission
2:1 He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet and I will speak with you.” 2:2 As he spoke to me, a wind came into me and stood me on my feet, and I heard the one speaking to me.
2:3 He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to the house of Israel, to rebellious nations who have rebelled against me; both they and their fathers have revolted against me to this very day. 2:4 The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and hard-hearted, and you must say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says.’ 2:5 And as for them, whether they listen or not – for they are a rebellious house – they will know that a prophet has been among them. 2:6 But you, son of man, do not fear them, and do not fear their words – even though briers and thorns surround you and you live among scorpions – do not fear their words and do not be terrified of the looks they give you, for they are a rebellious house! 2:7 You must speak my words to them whether they listen or not, for they are rebellious. 2:8 As for you, son of man, listen to what I am saying to you: Do not rebel like that rebellious house! Open your mouth and eat what I am giving you.”
2:9 Then I looked and realized a hand was stretched out to me, and in it was a written scroll. 2:10 He unrolled it before me, and it had writing on the front and back; written on it were laments, mourning, and woe.
3:1 He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you see in front of you – eat this scroll – and then go and speak to the house of Israel.” 3:2 So I opened my mouth and he fed me the scroll.
3:3 He said to me, “Son of man, feed your stomach and fill your belly with this scroll I am giving to you.” So I ate it, and it was sweet like honey in my mouth.
3:4 He said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak my words to them. 3:5 For you are not being sent to a people of unintelligible speech and difficult language, but to the house of Israel – 3:6 not to many peoples of unintelligible speech and difficult language, whose words you cannot understand – surely if I had sent you to them, they would listen to you! 3:7 But the house of Israel is unwilling to listen to you, because they are not willing to listen to me, for the whole house of Israel is hard-headed and hard-hearted.
3:8 “I have made your face adamant to match their faces, and your forehead hard to match their foreheads. 3:9 I have made your forehead harder than flint – like diamond! Do not fear them or be terrified of the looks they give you, for they are a rebellious house.”
3:10 And he said to me, “Son of man, take all my words that I speak to you to heart and listen carefully. 3:11 Go to the exiles, to your fellow countrymen, and speak to them – say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says,’ whether they pay attention or not.”
Lord, You call and You send, for Your purposes. May I listen for Your call so that I may be a useful instrument in Your great plan.
Ezekiel’s Commission began with a great wind from the Lord, together with the display of His glory, which combined had caused him to fall to the ground in humility – a voice called to him “He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet and I will speak with you.” As he spoke to me, a wind came into me and stood me on my feet, and I heard the one speaking to me.”
A “hand” gave him a scroll of “ laments, mourning, and woe” which he was to “eat” and then speak without fear. The Lord made him hardened and strong to withstand the abuse and rejection he would experience.
He was then told “Son of man, I am sending you to the house of Israel, to rebellious nations who have rebelled against me ... You must speak my words to them whether they listen or not ...”
What would it be like to be swept to your feet after having fallen on your face in the presence of the Holy One?
What are the similarities and distinctions between Ezekiel and Jesus, both referred to as “son of man”?
The Lord God persisted in explaining the why of rebellion and punishment, even to people He knew would mostly refuse to listen (hear with comprehension and respond with repentance).
When have you observed the truth being presented and people refusing to accept and act on it, despite obvious and dire consequences?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where you are resisting a hard teaching.
Today I will submit to the Biblically-sound chastising of the Lord, repent and receive forgiveness, and make the necessary changes in my life as He directs.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Ezekiel Before the Exiles
3:12 Then a wind lifted me up and I heard a great rumbling sound behind me as the glory of the Lord rose from its place, 3:13 and the sound of the living beings’ wings brushing against each other, and the sound of the wheels alongside them, a great rumbling sound. 3:14 A wind lifted me up and carried me away. I went bitterly, my spirit full of fury, and the hand of the Lord rested powerfully on me. 3:15 I came to the exiles at Tel Abib, who lived by the Kebar River. I sat dumbfounded among them there, where they were living, for seven days.
3:16 At the end of seven days the word of the Lord came to me: 3:17 “Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you must give them a warning from me. 3:18 When I say to the wicked, “You will certainly die,” and you do not warn him – you do not speak out to warn the wicked to turn from his wicked deed and wicked lifestyle so that he may live – that wicked person will die for his iniquity, but I will hold you accountable for his death. 3:19 But as for you, if you warn the wicked and he does not turn from his wicked deed and from his wicked lifestyle, he will die for his iniquity but you will have saved your own life.
3:20 “When a righteous person turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I set an obstacle before him, he will die. If you have not warned him, he will die for his sin. The righteous deeds he performed will not be considered, but I will hold you accountable for his death. 3:21 However, if you warn the righteous person not to sin, and he does not sin, he will certainly live because he was warned, and you will have saved your own life.”
Isolated and Silenced
3:22 The hand of the Lord rested on me there, and he said to me, “Get up, go out to the valley, and I will speak with you there.” 3:23 So I got up and went out to the valley, and the glory of the Lord was standing there, just like the glory I had seen by the Kebar River, and I threw myself face down.
3:24 Then a wind came into me and stood me on my feet. The Lord spoke to me and said, “Go shut yourself in your house. 3:25 As for you, son of man, they will put ropes on you and tie you up with them, so you cannot go out among them. 3:26 I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you will be silent and unable to reprove them, for they are a rebellious house. 3:27 But when I speak with you, I will loosen your tongue and you must say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says.’ Those who listen will listen, but the indifferent will refuse, for they are a rebellious house.
Ominous Object Lessons
4:1 “And you, son of man, take a brick and set it in front of you. Inscribe a city on it – Jerusalem. 4:2 Lay siege to it! Build siege works against it. Erect a siege ramp against it! Post soldiers outside it and station battering rams around it. 4:3 Then for your part take an iron frying pan and set it up as an iron wall between you and the city. Set your face toward it. It is to be under siege; you are to besiege it. This is a sign for the house of Israel.
4:4 “Also for your part lie on your left side and place the iniquity of the house of Israel on it. For the number of days you lie on your side you will bear their iniquity. 4:5 I have determined that the number of the years of their iniquity are to be the number of days for you – 390 days. So bear the iniquity of the house of Israel.
4:6 “When you have completed these days, then lie down a second time, but on your right side, and bear the iniquity of the house of Judah 40 days – I have assigned one day for each year. 4:7 You must turn your face toward the siege of Jerusalem with your arm bared and prophesy against it. 4:8 Look here, I will tie you up with ropes, so you cannot turn from one side to the other until you complete the days of your siege.
4:9 “As for you, take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt, put them in a single container, and make food from them for yourself. For the same number of days that you lie on your side – 390 days – you will eat it. 4:10 The food you eat will be eight ounces a day by weight; you must eat it at fixed times. 4:11 And you must drink water by measure, a pint and a half; you must drink it at fixed times. 4:12 And you must eat the food like you would a barley cake. You must bake it in front of them over a fire made with dried human excrement.” 4:13 And the Lord said, “This is how the people of Israel will eat their unclean food among the nations where I will banish them.”
4:14 And I said, “Ah, sovereign Lord, I have never been ceremonially defiled before. I have never eaten a carcass or an animal torn by wild beasts; from my youth up, unclean meat has never entered my mouth.”
4:15 So he said to me, “All right then, I will substitute cow’s manure instead of human excrement. You will cook your food over it.”
4:16 Then he said to me, “Son of man, I am about to remove the bread supply in Jerusalem. They will eat their bread ration anxiously, and they will drink their water ration in terror 4:17 because they will lack bread and water. Each one will be terrified, and they will rot for their iniquity.
5:1 “As for you, son of man, take a sharp sword and use it as a barber’s razor. Shave off some of the hair from your head and your beard. Then take scales and divide up the hair you cut off. 5:2 Burn a third of it in the fire inside the city when the days of your siege are completed. Take a third and slash it with a sword all around the city. Scatter a third to the wind, and I will unleash a sword behind them. 5:3 But take a few strands of hair from those and tie them in the ends of your garment. 5:4 Again, take more of them and throw them into the fire, and burn them up. From there a fire will spread to all the house of Israel.
5:5 “This is what the sovereign Lord says: This is Jerusalem; I placed her in the center of the nations with countries all around her. 5:6 Then she defied my regulations and my statutes, becoming more wicked than the nations and the countries around her. Indeed, they have rejected my regulations, and they do not follow my statutes.
5:7 “Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: Because you are more arrogant than the nations around you, you have not followed my statutes and have not carried out my regulations. You have not even carried out the regulations of the nations around you!
5:8 “Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: I – even I – am against you, and I will execute judgment among you while the nations watch. 5:9 I will do to you what I have never done before and will never do again because of all your abominable practices. 5:10 Therefore fathers will eat their sons within you, Jerusalem, and sons will eat their fathers. I will execute judgments on you, and I will scatter any survivors to the winds.
5:11 “Therefore, as surely as I live, says the sovereign Lord, because you defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable idols and with all your abominable practices, I will withdraw; my eye will not pity you, nor will I spare you. 5:12 A third of your people will die of plague or be overcome by the famine within you. A third of your people will fall by the sword surrounding you, and a third I will scatter to the winds. I will unleash a sword behind them. 5:13 Then my anger will be fully vented; I will exhaust my rage on them, and I will be appeased. Then they will know that I, the Lord, have spoken in my jealousy when I have fully vented my rage against them.
5:14 “I will make you desolate and an object of scorn among the nations around you, in the sight of everyone who passes by. 5:15 You will be an object of scorn and taunting, a prime example of destruction among the nations around you when I execute judgments against you in anger and raging fury. I, the Lord, have spoken! 5:16 I will shoot against them deadly, destructive arrows of famine, which I will shoot to destroy you. I will prolong a famine on you and will remove the bread supply. 5:17 I will send famine and wild beasts against you and they will take your children from you. Plague and bloodshed will overwhelm you, and I will bring a sword against you. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
Judgment on the Mountains of Israel
6:1 The word of the Lord came to me: 6:2 “Son of man, turn toward the mountains of Israel and prophesy against them: 6:3 Say, ‘Mountains of Israel, Hear the word of the sovereign Lord! This is what the sovereign Lord says to the mountains and the hills, to the ravines and the valleys: I am bringing a sword against you, and I will destroy your high places. 6:4 Your altars will be ruined and your incense altars will be broken. I will throw down your slain in front of your idols. 6:5 I will place the corpses of the people of Israel in front of their idols, and I will scatter your bones around your altars. 6:6 In all your dwellings, the cities will be laid waste and the high places ruined so that your altars will be laid waste and ruined, your idols will be shattered and demolished, your incense altars will be broken down, and your works wiped out. 6:7 The slain will fall among you and then you will know that I am the Lord.
6:8 “‘But I will spare some of you. Some will escape the sword when you are scattered in foreign lands. 6:9 Then your survivors will remember me among the nations where they are exiled. They will realize how I was crushed by their unfaithful heart which turned from me and by their eyes which lusted after their idols. They will loathe themselves because of the evil they have done and because of all their abominable practices. 6:10 They will know that I am the Lord; my threats to bring this catastrophe on them were not empty.’
6:11 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Clap your hands, stamp your feet, and say, “Ah!” because of all the evil, abominable practices of the house of Israel, for they will fall by the sword, famine, and pestilence. 6:12 The one far away will die by pestilence, the one close by will fall by the sword, and whoever is left and has escaped these will die by famine. I will fully vent my rage against them. 6:13 Then you will know that I am the Lord – when their dead lie among their idols around their altars, on every high hill and all the mountaintops, under every green tree and every leafy oak, the places where they have offered fragrant incense to all their idols. 6:14 I will stretch out my hand against them and make the land a desolate waste from the wilderness to Riblah, in all the places where they live. Then they will know that I am the Lord!”
Lord, You continued to offer Your people an opportunity to repent, even as you detailed Your planned punishment. May I never forget that forgiveness is Your joy to grant when I come to You with a heart of repentance – confessing my sin and my desire to turn away from it.
Ezekiel was commissioned by the Lord God to be the “... watchman for the house of Israel”. In that role he was to warn the wicked and imperfectly-righteous alike of their sin. If he warned them and they ignored him their consequences were on them, if he failed to warn them then he would share in their consequences.
He was sent to Jerusalem to be a symbolic gesture of the Lord to the people there “... they will put ropes on you and tie you up with them, so you cannot go out among them. I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you will be silent and unable to reprove them, for they are a rebellious house. But when I speak with you, I will loosen your tongue and you must say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says.’ Those who listen will listen, but the indifferent will refuse, for they are a rebellious house … take a brick and set it in front of you. Inscribe a city on it – Jerusalem. Lay siege to it … This is a sign for the house of Israel … lie on your left side … the number of the years of their iniquity are to be the number of days for you – 390 days ...then lie down a second time, but on your right side, and bear the iniquity of the house of Judah 40 days ... Look here, I will tie you up with ropes, so you cannot turn from one side to the other until you complete the days of your siege.”
Ezekiel then presented the prophesy of the Lord that He would destroy one-third of the people due to disease and famine during the siege of the Babylonians, one-third would be killed by them, and the final third would be exiled. He reported to them that they had been more arrogant in their rebellion even than the pagan nations around them.
He also declared the Lord prophesy against those who worshiped false gods in the mountains of Israel “I am bringing a sword against you, and I will destroy your high places. Your altars will be ruined and your incense altars will be broken. I will throw down your slain in front of your idols. I will place the corpses of the people of Israel in front of their idols, and I will scatter your bones around your altars.”
The Lord God continued to offer a means by which His children would be warned and thus have an opportunity to repent.
Is it possible that Ezekiel may not have wanted to warn everyone and thus the Lord provided for consequences should he fail and they then fall?
Those who worshiped idols would not only see them destroyed they would also see their peers, and those who facilitated the idol-worship, perish alongside the powerless symbols of rebellion.
When have you observed a situation where someone insisted upon making the Lord second-place in priority to a worldly value and bad things happened to both that functional-idol and to that idol-worshiper?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where the He says you have made the Lord a second-place priority.
Today I will confess and repent, seek and receive the Lord God's forgiveness, and I will remove the “idol” from my life. It may be the pursuit of money or prestige, it may be sloth or works-righteousness (legalism or perfectionism), it may be trusting a mere human more than the Word of God, etc.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
The End Arrives
7:1 The word of the Lord came to me: 7:2 “You, son of man – this is what the sovereign Lord says to the land of Israel: An end! The end is coming on the four corners of the land! 7:3 The end is now upon you, and I will release my anger against you; I will judge you according to your behavior, I will hold you accountable for all your abominable practices. 7:4 My eye will not pity you; I will not spare you. For I will hold you responsible for your behavior, and you will suffer the consequences of your abominable practices. Then you will know that I am the Lord!
7:5 “This is what the sovereign Lord says: A disaster – a one-of-a-kind disaster – is coming! 7:6 An end comes – the end comes! It has awakened against you – the end is upon you! Look, it is coming! 7:7 Doom is coming upon you who live in the land! The time is coming, the day is near. There are sounds of tumult, not shouts of joy, on the mountains. 7:8 Soon now I will pour out my rage on you; I will fully vent my anger against you. I will judge you according to your behavior. I will hold you accountable for all your abominable practices. 7:9 My eye will not pity you; I will not spare you. For your behavior I will hold you accountable, and you will suffer the consequences of your abominable practices. Then you will know that it is I, the Lord, who is striking you.
7:10 “Look, the day! Look, it is coming! Doom has gone out! The staff has budded, pride has blossomed! 7:11 Violence has grown into a staff that supports wickedness. Not one of them will be left – not from their crowd, not from their wealth, not from their prominence. 7:12 The time has come; the day has struck! The customer should not rejoice, nor the seller mourn; for divine wrath comes against their whole crowd. 7:13 The customer will no longer pay the seller while both parties are alive, for the vision against their whole crowd will not be revoked. Each person, for his iniquity, will fail to preserve his life.
7:14 “They have blown the trumpet and everyone is ready, but no one goes to battle, because my anger is against their whole crowd. 7:15 The sword is outside; pestilence and famine are inside the house. Whoever is in the open field will die by the sword, and famine and pestilence will consume everyone in the city. 7:16 Their survivors will escape to the mountains and become like doves of the valleys; all of them will moan – each one for his iniquity. 7:17 All of their hands will hang limp; their knees will be wet with urine. 7:18 They will wear sackcloth, terror will cover them; shame will be on all their faces, and all of their heads will be shaved bald. 7:19 They will discard their silver in the streets, and their gold will be treated like filth. Their silver and gold will not be able to deliver them on the day of the Lord’s fury. They will not satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs because their wealth was the obstacle leading to their iniquity. 7:20 They rendered the beauty of his ornaments into pride, and with it they made their abominable images – their detestable idols. Therefore I will render it filthy to them. 7:21 I will give it to foreigners as loot, to the world’s wicked ones as plunder, and they will desecrate it. 7:22 I will turn my face away from them and they will desecrate my treasured place. Vandals will enter it and desecrate it. 7:23 (Make the chain, because the land is full of murder and the city is full of violence.) 7:24 I will bring the most wicked of the nations and they will take possession of their houses. I will put an end to the arrogance of the strong, and their sanctuaries will be desecrated. 7:25 Terror is coming! They will seek peace, but find none. 7:26 Disaster after disaster will come, and one rumor after another. They will seek a vision from a prophet; priestly instruction will disappear, along with counsel from the elders. 7:27 The king will mourn and the prince will be clothed with shuddering; the hands of the people of the land will tremble. Based on their behavior I will deal with them, and by their standard of justice I will judge them. Then they will know that I am the Lord!”
A Desecrated Temple
8:1 In the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth of the month, as I was sitting in my house with the elders of Judah sitting in front of me, the hand of the sovereign Lord seized me. 8:2 As I watched, I noticed a form that appeared to be a man. From his waist downward was something like fire, and from his waist upward something like a brightness, like an amber glow. 8:3 He stretched out the form of a hand and grabbed me by a lock of hair on my head. Then a wind lifted me up between the earth and sky and brought me to Jerusalem by means of divine visions, to the door of the inner gate which faces north where the statue which provokes to jealousy was located. 8:4 Then I perceived that the glory of the God of Israel was there, as in the vision I had seen earlier in the valley.
8:5 He said to me, “Son of man, look up toward the north.” So I looked up toward the north, and I noticed to the north of the altar gate was this statue of jealousy at the entrance.
8:6 He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing – the great abominations that the people of Israel are practicing here, to drive me far from my sanctuary? But you will see greater abominations than these!”
8:7 He brought me to the entrance of the court, and as I watched, I noticed a hole in the wall. 8:8 He said to me, “Son of man, dig into the wall.” So I dug into the wall and discovered a doorway.
8:9 He said to me, “Go in and see the evil abominations they are practicing here.” 8:10 So I went in and looked. I noticed every figure of creeping thing and beast – detestable images – and every idol of the house of Israel, engraved on the wall all around. 8:11 Seventy men from the elders of the house of Israel (with Jaazaniah son of Shaphan standing among them) were standing in front of them, each with a censer in his hand, and fragrant vapors from a cloud of incense were swirling upward.
8:12 He said to me, “Do you see, son of man, what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark, each in the chamber of his idolatrous images? For they think, ‘The Lord does not see us! The Lord has abandoned the land!’” 8:13 He said to me, “You will see them practicing even greater abominations!”
8:14 Then he brought me to the entrance of the north gate of the Lord’s house. I noticed women sitting there weeping for Tammuz. 8:15 He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? You will see even greater abominations than these!”
8:16 Then he brought me to the inner court of the Lord’s house. Right there at the entrance to the Lord’s temple, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs to the Lord’s temple, facing east – they were worshiping the sun toward the east!
8:17 He said to me, “Do you see, son of man? Is it a trivial thing that the house of Judah commits these abominations they are practicing here? For they have filled the land with violence and provoked me to anger still further. Look, they are putting the branch to their nose! 8:18 Therefore I will act with fury! My eye will not pity them nor will I spare them. When they have shouted in my ears, I will not listen to them.”
The Execution of Idolaters
9:1 Then he shouted in my ears, “Approach, you who are to visit destruction on the city, each with his destructive weapon in his hand!” 9:2 Next, I noticed six men coming from the direction of the upper gate which faces north, each with his war club in his hand. Among them was a man dressed in linen with a writing kit at his side. They came and stood beside the bronze altar.
9:3 Then the glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub where it had rested to the threshold of the temple. He called to the man dressed in linen who had the writing kit at his side. 9:4 The Lord said to him, “Go through the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of the people who moan and groan over all the abominations practiced in it.”
9:5 While I listened, he said to the others, “Go through the city after him and strike people down; do no let your eye pity nor spare anyone! 9:6 Old men, young men, young women, little children, and women – wipe them out! But do not touch anyone who has the mark. Begin at my sanctuary!” So they began with the elders who were at the front of the temple.
9:7 He said to them, “Defile the temple and fill the courtyards with corpses. Go!” So they went out and struck people down throughout the city. 9:8 While they were striking them down, I was left alone, and I threw myself face down and cried out, “Ah, sovereign Lord! Will you destroy the entire remnant of Israel when you pour out your fury on Jerusalem?”
9:9 He said to me, “The sin of the house of Israel and Judah is extremely great; the land is full of murder, and the city is full of corruption, for they say, ‘The Lord has abandoned the land, and the Lord does not see!’ 9:10 But as for me, my eye will not pity them nor will I spare them; I hereby repay them for what they have done.”
9:11 Next I noticed the man dressed in linen with the writing kit at his side bringing back word: “I have done just as you commanded me.”
God’s Glory Leaves the Temple
10:1 As I watched, I saw on the platform above the top of the cherubim something like a sapphire, resembling the shape of a throne, appearing above them. 10:2 The Lord said to the man dressed in linen, “Go between the wheelwork underneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with burning coals from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city.” He went as I watched.
10:3 (The cherubim were standing on the south side of the temple when the man went in, and a cloud filled the inner court.) 10:4 Then the glory of the Lord arose from the cherub and moved to the threshold of the temple. The temple was filled with the cloud while the court was filled with the brightness of the Lord’s glory. 10:5 The sound of the wings of the cherubim could be heard from the outer court, like the sound of the sovereign God when he speaks.
10:6 When the Lord commanded the man dressed in linen, “Take fire from within the wheelwork, from among the cherubim,” the man went in and stood by one of the wheels. 10:7 Then one of the cherubim stretched out his hand toward the fire which was among the cherubim. He took some and put it into the hands of the man dressed in linen, who took it and left. 10:8 (The cherubim appeared to have the form of human hands under their wings.)
10:9 As I watched, I noticed four wheels by the cherubim, one wheel beside each cherub; the wheels gleamed like jasper. 10:10 As for their appearance, all four of them looked the same, something like a wheel within a wheel. 10:11 When they moved, they would go in any of the four directions they faced without turning as they moved; in the direction the head would turn they would follow without turning as they moved, 10:12 along with their entire bodies, their backs, their hands, and their wings. The wheels of the four of them were full of eyes all around. 10:13 As for their wheels, they were called “the wheelwork” as I listened. 10:14 Each of the cherubim had four faces: The first was the face of a cherub, the second that of a man, the third that of a lion, and the fourth that of an eagle.
10:15 The cherubim rose up; these were the living beings I saw at the Kebar River. 10:16 When the cherubim moved, the wheels moved beside them; when the cherubim spread their wings to rise from the ground, the wheels did not move from their side. 10:17 When the cherubim stood still, the wheels stood still, and when they rose up, the wheels rose up with them, for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.
10:18 Then the glory of the Lord moved away from the threshold of the temple and stopped above the cherubim. 10:19 The cherubim spread their wings, and they rose up from the earth while I watched (when they went the wheels went alongside them). They stopped at the entrance to the east gate of the Lord’s temple as the glory of the God of Israel hovered above them.
10:20 These were the living creatures which I saw at the Kebar River underneath the God of Israel; I knew that they were cherubim. 10:21 Each had four faces; each had four wings and the form of human hands under the wings. 10:22 As for the form of their faces, they were the faces whose appearance I had seen at the Kebar River. Each one moved straight ahead.
The Fall of Jerusalem
11:1 A wind lifted me up and brought me to the east gate of the Lord’s temple that faces the east. There, at the entrance of the gate, I noticed twenty-five men. Among them I saw Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, officials of the people. 11:2 The Lord said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who plot evil and give wicked advice in this city. 11:3 They say, ‘The time is not near to build houses; the city is a cooking pot and we are the meat in it.’ 11:4 Therefore, prophesy against them! Prophesy, son of man!”
11:5 Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon me and said to me, “Say: This is what the Lord says: ‘This is what you are thinking, O house of Israel; I know what goes through your minds. 11:6 You have killed many people in this city; you have filled its streets with corpses.’ 11:7 Therefore, this is what the sovereign Lord says: ‘The corpses you have dumped in the midst of the city are the meat, and this city is the cooking pot, but I will take you out of it. 11:8 You fear the sword, so the sword I will bring against you,’ declares the sovereign Lord. 11:9 ‘But I will take you out of the city. And I will hand you over to foreigners. I will execute judgments on you. 11:10 You will die by the sword; I will judge you at the border of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 11:11 This city will not be a cooking pot for you, and you will not be meat within it; I will judge you at the border of Israel. 11:12 Then you will know that I am the Lord, whose statutes you have not followed and whose regulations you have not carried out. Instead you have behaved according to the regulations of the nations around you!’”
11:13 Now, while I was prophesying, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. Then I threw myself face down and cried out with a loud voice, “Alas, sovereign Lord! You are completely wiping out the remnant of Israel!”
11:14 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 11:15 “Son of man, your brothers, your relatives, and the whole house of Israel, all of them are those to whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, ‘They have gone far away from the Lord; to us this land has been given as a possession.’
11:16 “Therefore say: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Although I have removed them far away among the nations and have dispersed them among the countries, I have been a little sanctuary for them among the lands where they have gone.’
11:17 “Therefore say: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: When I regather you from the peoples and assemble you from the lands where you have been dispersed, I will give you back the country of Israel.’
11:18 “When they return to it, they will remove from it all its detestable things and all its abominations. 11:19 I will give them one heart and I will put a new spirit within them; I will remove the hearts of stone from their bodies and I will give them tender hearts, 11:20 so that they may follow my statutes and observe my regulations and carry them out. Then they will be my people, and I will be their God. 11:21 But those whose hearts are devoted to detestable things and abominations, I hereby repay them for what they have done, says the sovereign Lord.”
11:22 Then the cherubim spread their wings with their wheels alongside them while the glory of the God of Israel hovered above them. 11:23 The glory of the Lord rose up from within the city and stopped over the mountain east of it. 11:24 Then a wind lifted me up and carried me to the exiles in Babylonia, in the vision given to me by the Spirit of God.
Then the vision I had seen went up from me. 11:25 So I told the exiles everything the Lord had shown me.
Lord, You explained clearly Your reasons to Ezekiel, and You also made clear that there was both individual and tribal responsibility for the punishment to come. While there is no longer any tribal relationship I will be constantly aware that I am individually responsible to the Lord for my choices.
Ezekiel delivered the terrible declaration of judgment of the Lord God, and it was as much personal as it was tribal “My eye will not pity you; I will not spare you. For your behavior I will hold you accountable, and you will suffer the consequences of your abominable practices. Then you will know that it is I, the Lord, who is striking you ... Each person, for his iniquity, will fail to preserve his life.”
Ezekiel described the Lord God coming upon him “... as I was sitting in my house with the elders of Judah sitting in front of me, the hand of the sovereign Lord seized me.”
He then shared the vision of the Lord as to His reason to soon-withdraw from the Temple “Son of man, do you see what they are doing – the great abominations that the people of Israel are practicing here, to drive me far from my sanctuary?”
Ezekiel described what happened next “Then the glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub where it had rested to the threshold of the temple. He called to the man dressed in linen who had the writing kit at his side. The Lord said to him, “Go through the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of the people who moan and groan over all the abominations practiced in it.” While I listened, he said to the others, “Go through the city after him and strike people down; do no let your eye pity nor spare anyone! Old men, young men, young women, little children, and women – wipe them out! But do not touch anyone who has the mark. Begin at my sanctuary!” He said to them, “Defile the temple and fill the courtyards with corpses. Go!””
He then described, as best one may describe Heavenly beings, the process by which the Lord removed His presence from the Temple – concluding with “Then the glory of the Lord moved away from the threshold of the temple and stopped above the cherubim … Then the cherubim spread their wings with their wheels alongside them while the glory of the God of Israel hovered above them. The glory of the Lord rose up from within the city and stopped over the mountain east of it.”
Ezekiel pleaded with the Lord God for fear that He might completely obliterate the people and received this assurance “When I regather you from the peoples and assemble you from the lands where you have been dispersed, I will give you back the country of Israel.’ “When they return to it, they will remove from it all its detestable things and all its abominations. I will give them one heart and I will put a new spirit within them; I will remove the hearts of stone from their bodies and I will give them tender hearts, so that they may follow my statutes and observe my regulations and carry them out. Then they will be my people, and I will be their God.”
He concluded this part of his record of the events “Then a wind lifted me up and carried me to the exiles in Babylonia, in the vision given to me by the Spirit of God. Then the vision I had seen went up from me. So I told the exiles everything the Lord had shown me.”
Each individual was responsible for their choices and was protected or punished, in the midst of the punishment of the tribe, as was appropriate. There was also an interesting parallel to the Passover events as some were marked and protected while others were not.
Why would the lord God take the time and trouble to explain and to visualize His reasons, to Ezekiel for punishing the people and for departing from the Temple?
Ezekiel shared with the exiles what the Lord God had shown him.
When have you been confused about something and needed both words and visuals to truly comprehend it?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a time when He protected you as He chastised and/or punished others around you.
Today I will praise the Lord for His perfect justice and amazing grace.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Previewing the Exile
12:1 The word of the Lord came to me: 12:2 “Son of man, you are living in the midst of a rebellious house. They have eyes to see, but do not see, and ears to hear, but do not hear, because they are a rebellious house.
12:3 “Therefore, son of man, pack up your belongings as if for exile. During the day, while they are watching, pretend to go into exile. Go from where you live to another place. Perhaps they will understand, although they are a rebellious house. 12:4 Bring out your belongings packed for exile during the day while they are watching. And go out at evening, while they are watching, as if for exile. 12:5 While they are watching, dig a hole in the wall and carry your belongings out through it. 12:6 While they are watching, raise your baggage onto your shoulder and carry it out in the dark. You must cover your face so that you cannot see the ground because I have made you an object lesson to the house of Israel.”
12:7 So I did just as I was commanded. I carried out my belongings packed for exile during the day, and at evening I dug myself a hole through the wall with my hands. I went out in the darkness, carrying my baggage on my shoulder while they watched.
12:8 The word of the Lord came to me in the morning: 12:9 “Son of man, has not the house of Israel, that rebellious house, said to you, ‘What are you doing?’ 12:10 Say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: The prince will raise this burden in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel within it.’ 12:11 Say, ‘I am an object lesson for you. Just as I have done, it will be done to them; they will go into exile and captivity.’
12:12 “The prince who is among them will raise his belongings onto his shoulder in darkness, and will go out. He will dig a hole in the wall to leave through. He will cover his face so that he cannot see the land with his eyes. 12:13 But I will throw my net over him, and he will be caught in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans (but he will not see it), and there he will die. 12:14 All his retinue – his attendants and his troops – I will scatter to every wind; I will unleash a sword behind them.
12:15 “Then they will know that I am the Lord when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them among foreign countries. 12:16 But I will let a small number of them survive the sword, famine, and pestilence, so that they can confess all their abominable practices to the nations where they go. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
12:17 The word of the Lord came to me: 12:18 “Son of man, eat your bread with trembling, and drink your water with anxious shaking. 12:19 Then say to the people of the land, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says about the inhabitants of Jerusalem and of the land of Israel: They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water in fright, for their land will be stripped bare of all it contains because of the violence of all who live in it. 12:20 The inhabited towns will be left in ruins and the land will be devastated. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
12:21 The word of the Lord came to me: 12:22 “Son of man, what is this proverb you have in the land of Israel, ‘The days pass slowly, and every vision fails’? 12:23 Therefore tell them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: I hereby end this proverb; they will not recite it in Israel any longer.’ But say to them, ‘The days are at hand when every vision will be fulfilled. 12:24 For there will no longer be any false visions or flattering omens amidst the house of Israel. 12:25 For I, the Lord, will speak. Whatever word I speak will be accomplished. It will not be delayed any longer. Indeed in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak the word and accomplish it, declares the sovereign Lord.’”
12:26 The word of the Lord came to me: 12:27 “Take note, son of man, the house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that he sees is for distant days; he is prophesying about the far future.’ 12:28 Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: None of my words will be delayed any longer! The word I speak will come to pass, declares the sovereign Lord.’”
False Prophets Denounced
13:1 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 13:2 “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to the prophets who prophesy from their imagination: ‘Hear the word of the Lord! 13:3 This is what the sovereign Lord says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit but have seen nothing! 13:4 Your prophets have become like jackals among the ruins, O Israel. 13:5 You have not gone up in the breaks in the wall, nor repaired a wall for the house of Israel that it would stand strong in the battle on the day of the Lord. 13:6 They see delusion and their omens are a lie. They say, “the Lord declares,” though the Lord has not sent them; yet they expect their word to be confirmed. 13:7 Have you not seen a false vision and announced a lying omen when you say, “the Lord declares,” although I myself never spoke?
13:8 “‘Therefore, this is what the sovereign Lord says: Because you have spoken false words and forecast delusion, look, I am against you, declares the sovereign Lord. 13:9 My hand will be against the prophets who see delusion and announce lying omens. They will not be included in the council of my people, nor be written in the registry of the house of Israel, nor enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the sovereign Lord.
13:10 “‘This is because they have led my people astray saying, “All is well,” when things are not well. When anyone builds a wall without mortar, they coat it with whitewash. 13:11 Tell the ones who coat it with whitewash that it will fall. When there is a deluge of rain, hailstones will fall and a violent wind will break out. 13:12 When the wall has collapsed, people will ask you, “Where is the whitewash you coated it with?”
13:13 “‘Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: In my rage I will make a violent wind break out. In my anger there will be a deluge of rain and hailstones in destructive fury. 13:14 I will break down the wall you coated with whitewash and knock it to the ground so that its foundation is exposed. When it falls you will be destroyed beneath it, and you will know that I am the Lord. 13:15 I will vent my rage against the wall, and against those who coated it with whitewash. Then I will say to you, “The wall is no more and those who whitewashed it are no more – 13:16 those prophets of Israel who would prophesy about Jerusalem and would see visions of peace for it, when there was no peace,” declares the sovereign Lord.’
13:17 “As for you, son of man, turn toward the daughters of your people who are prophesying from their imagination. Prophesy against them 13:18 and say ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Woe to those who sew bands on all their wrists and make headbands for heads of every size to entrap people’s lives! Will you entrap my people’s lives, yet preserve your own lives? 13:19 You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. You have put to death people who should not die and kept alive those who should not live by your lies to my people, who listen to lies!
13:20 “‘Therefore, this is what the sovereign Lord says: Take note that I am against your wristbands with which you entrap people’s lives like birds. I will tear them from your arms and will release the people’s lives, which you hunt like birds. 13:21 I will tear off your headbands and rescue my people from your power; they will no longer be prey in your hands. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 13:22 This is because you have disheartened the righteous person with lies (although I have not grieved him), and because you have encouraged the wicked person not to turn from his evil conduct and preserve his life. 13:23 Therefore you will no longer see false visions and practice divination. I will rescue my people from your power, and you will know that I am the Lord.’”
Well-Deserved Judgment
14:1 Then some men from Israel’s elders came to me and sat down in front of me. 14:2 The word of the Lord came to me: 14:3 “Son of man, these men have erected their idols in their hearts and placed the obstacle leading to their iniquity right before their faces. Should I really allow them to seek me? 14:4 Therefore speak to them and say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: When any one from the house of Israel erects his idols in his heart and sets the obstacle leading to his iniquity before his face, and then consults a prophet, I the Lord am determined to answer him personally according to the enormity of his idolatry. 14:5 I will do this in order to capture the hearts of the house of Israel, who have alienated themselves from me on account of all their idols.’
14:6 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Return! Turn from your idols, and turn your faces away from your abominations. 14:7 For when anyone from the house of Israel, or the foreigner who lives in Israel, separates himself from me and erects his idols in his heart and sets the obstacle leading to his iniquity before his face, and then consults a prophet to seek something from me, I the Lord am determined to answer him personally. 14:8 I will set my face against that person and will make him an object lesson and a byword and will cut him off from among my people. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
14:9 “‘As for the prophet, if he is made a fool by being deceived into speaking a prophetic word – I, the Lord, have made a fool of that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him and destroy him from among my people Israel. 14:10 They will bear their punishment; the punishment of the one who sought an oracle will be the same as the punishment of the prophet who gave it 14:11 so that the house of Israel will no longer go astray from me, nor continue to defile themselves by all their sins. They will be my people and I will be their God, declares the sovereign Lord.’”
14:12 The word of the Lord came to me: 14:13 “Son of man, suppose a country sins against me by being unfaithful, and I stretch out my hand against it, cut off its bread supply, cause famine to come on it, and kill both people and animals. 14:14 Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would save only their own lives by their righteousness, declares the sovereign Lord.
14:15 “Suppose I were to send wild animals through the land and kill its children, leaving it desolate, without travelers due to the wild animals. 14:16 Even if these three men were in it, as surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, they could not save their own sons or daughters; they would save only their own lives, and the land would become desolate.
14:17 “Or suppose I were to bring a sword against that land and say, ‘Let a sword pass through the land,’ and I were to kill both people and animals. 14:18 Even if these three men were in it, as surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, they could not save their own sons or daughters – they would save only their own lives.
14:19 “Or suppose I were to send a plague into that land, and pour out my rage on it with bloodshed, killing both people and animals. 14:20 Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, they could not save their own son or daughter; they would save only their own lives by their righteousness.
14:21 “For this is what the sovereign Lord says: How much worse will it be when I send my four terrible judgments – sword, famine, wild animals, and plague – to Jerusalem to kill both people and animals! 14:22 Yet some survivors will be left in it, sons and daughters who will be brought out. They will come out to you, and when you see their behavior and their deeds, you will be consoled about the catastrophe I have brought on Jerusalem – for everything I brought on it. 14:23 They will console you when you see their behavior and their deeds, because you will know that it was not without reason that I have done everything which I have done in it, declares the sovereign Lord.”
Burning a Useless Vine
15:1 The word of the Lord came to me: 15:2 “Son of man, of all the woody branches among the trees of the forest, what happens to the wood of the vine? 15:3 Can wood be taken from it to make anything useful? Or can anyone make a peg from it to hang things on? 15:4 No! It is thrown in the fire for fuel; when the fire has burned up both ends of it and it is charred in the middle, will it be useful for anything? 15:5 Indeed! If it was not made into anything useful when it was whole, how much less can it be made into anything when the fire has burned it up and it is charred?
15:6 “Therefore, this is what the sovereign Lord says: Like the wood of the vine is among the trees of the forest which I have provided as fuel for the fire – so I will provide the residents of Jerusalem as fuel. 15:7 I will set my face against them – although they have escaped from the fire, the fire will still consume them! Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I set my face against them. 15:8 I will make the land desolate because they have acted unfaithfully, declares the sovereign Lord.”
Lord, You continued to make clear to the people what was to come, and You also continued to show them a way to avoid destruction. May I remember Your consistency well into the New Testament where You in taught 1 Corinthians 10:13 that You would continue to provide “... a way out” in overwhelming [spiritual] circumstances.
Ezekiel was instructed by the Lord God “Bring out your belongings packed for exile during the day while they are watching. And go out at evening, while they are watching, as if for exile. While they are watching, dig a hole in the wall and carry your belongings out through it. While they are watching, raise your baggage onto your shoulder and carry it out in the dark. You must cover your face so that you cannot see the ground because I have made you an object lesson to the house of Israel.”
He then was told “I will let a small number of them survive the sword, famine, and pestilence, so that they can confess all their abominable practices to the nations where they go. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
Ezekiel was given a second instruction, as an object lesson to the people “Son of man, eat your bread with trembling, and drink your water with anxious shaking. Then say to the people of the land, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says about the inhabitants of Jerusalem and of the land of Israel: They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water in fright, for their land will be stripped bare of all it contains because of the violence of all who live in it. The inhabited towns will be left in ruins and the land will be devastated. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
He then was told that the expectation of old age and unchanging routines was over so that the saying ‘The days pass slowly, and every vision fails’? Would be ended as a local proverb, rather “The days are at hand when every vision will be fulfilled. For there will no longer be any false visions or flattering omens amidst the house of Israel. For I, the Lord, will speak. Whatever word I speak will be accomplished.” Things were about to change radically.
Ezekiel was told by the Lord that anyone who worshiped idols who then came to a prophet for wisdom would be punished, that any prophet who spoke unwisely to such men – because they deceived him – would be punished, any nation/tribe who worshiped idols would be punished, and that “Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, [present in any place where judgment was to come] they would save only their own lives by their righteousness, declares the sovereign Lord.”
He then was told that the people were like the useless wood of a vine, only good to be burned up in the fire, perhaps useful only for a momentary purpose. He was to understand that the people had also made themselves like that useless wood of the vine and thus they also would be burned up.
Ezekiel was called to role-play a great deal, forgetting about the opinions of man, serving the Lord without question.
What would have been the value of listing Noah, Daniel, and Job as unable to save anyone by their presence or their pleading?
Observe the parallels in visual imagery from the early OT to Ezekiel to the NT using the vine.
When have you either benefited from, or used role-play to the benefit of others in the learning process?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a routine or tradition that He wants to change in your life.
Today I will prayerfully seek clarity as to where the Lord would have me make a change, I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement, and I will begin the process of change.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
God’s Unfaithful Bride
16:1 The word of the Lord came to me: 16:2 “Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her abominable practices 16:3 and say, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says to Jerusalem: Your origin and your birth were in the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. 16:4 As for your birth, on the day you were born your umbilical cord was not cut, nor were you washed in water; you were certainly not rubbed down with salt, nor wrapped with blankets. 16:5 No eye took pity on you to do even one of these things for you to spare you; you were thrown out into the open field because you were detested on the day you were born.
16:6 “‘I passed by you and saw you kicking around helplessly in your blood. I said to you as you lay there in your blood, “Live!” I said to you as you lay there in your blood, “Live!” 16:7 I made you plentiful like sprouts in a field; you grew tall and came of age so that you could wear jewelry. Your breasts had formed and your hair had grown, but you were still naked and bare.
16:8 “‘Then I passed by you and watched you, noticing that you had reached the age for love. I spread my cloak over you and covered your nakedness. I swore a solemn oath to you and entered into a marriage covenant with you, declares the sovereign Lord, and you became mine.
16:9 “‘Then I bathed you in water, washed the blood off you, and anointed you with fragrant oil. 16:10 I dressed you in embroidered clothing and put fine leather sandals on your feet. I wrapped you with fine linen and covered you with silk. 16:11 I adorned you with jewelry. I put bracelets on your hands and a necklace around your neck. 16:12 I put a ring in your nose, earrings on your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head. 16:13 You were adorned with gold and silver, while your clothing was of fine linen, silk, and embroidery. You ate the finest flour, honey, and olive oil. You became extremely beautiful and attained the position of royalty. 16:14 Your fame spread among the nations because of your beauty; your beauty was perfect because of the splendor which I bestowed on you, declares the sovereign Lord.
16:15 “‘But you trusted in your beauty and capitalized on your fame by becoming a prostitute. You offered your sexual favors to every man who passed by so that your beauty became his. 16:16 You took some of your clothing and made for yourself decorated high places; you engaged in prostitution on them. You went to him to become his. 16:17 You also took your beautiful jewelry, made of my gold and my silver I had given to you, and made for yourself male images and engaged in prostitution with them. 16:18 You took your embroidered clothing and used it to cover them; you offered my olive oil and my incense to them. 16:19 As for my food that I gave you – the fine flour, olive oil, and honey I fed you – you placed it before them as a soothing aroma. That is exactly what happened, declares the sovereign Lord.
16:20 “‘You took your sons and your daughters whom you bore to me and you sacrificed them as food for the idols to eat. As if your prostitution not enough, 16:21 you slaughtered my children and sacrificed them to the idols. 16:22 And with all your abominable practices and prostitution you did not remember the days of your youth when you were naked and bare, kicking around in your blood.
16:23 “‘After all of your evil – “Woe! Woe to you!” declares the sovereign Lord – 16:24 you built yourself a chamber and put up a pavilion in every public square. 16:25 At the head of every street you erected your pavilion and you disgraced your beauty when you spread your legs to every passerby and multiplied your promiscuity. 16:26 You engaged in prostitution with the Egyptians, your sexually aroused neighbors, multiplying your promiscuity and provoking me to anger. 16:27 So see here, I have stretched out my hand against you and cut off your rations. I have delivered you into the power of those who hate you, the daughters of the Philistines, who were ashamed by your obscene conduct. 16:28 You engaged in prostitution with the Assyrians because your sexual desires were insatiable; you prostituted yourself with them and yet you were still not satisfied. 16:29 Then you multiplied your promiscuity to the land of merchants, Babylonia, but you were not satisfied there either.
16:30 “‘How sick is your heart, declares the sovereign Lord, when you perform all of these acts, the deeds of a bold prostitute. 16:31 When you built your chamber at the head of every street and put up your pavilion in every public square, you were not like a prostitute, because you scoffed at payment.
16:32 “‘Adulterous wife, who prefers strangers instead of her own husband! 16:33 All prostitutes receive payment, but instead you give gifts to every one of your lovers. You bribe them to come to you from all around for your sexual favors! 16:34 You were different from other prostitutes because no one solicited you. When you gave payment and no payment was given to you, you became the opposite!
16:35 “‘Therefore O prostitute, hear the word of the Lord: 16:36 This is what the sovereign Lord says: Because your lust was poured out and your nakedness was uncovered in your prostitution with your lovers, and because of all your detestable idols, and because of the blood of your children you have given to them, 16:37 therefore, take note: I am about to gather all your lovers whom you enjoyed, both all those you loved and all those you hated. I will gather them against you from all around, and I will expose your nakedness to them, and they will see all your nakedness. 16:38 I will punish you as an adulteress and murderer deserves. I will avenge your bloody deeds with furious rage. 16:39 I will give you into their hands and they will destroy your chambers and tear down your pavilions. They will strip you of your clothing and take your beautiful jewelry and leave you naked and bare. 16:40 They will summon a mob who will stone you and hack you in pieces with their swords. 16:41 They will burn down your houses and execute judgments on you in front of many women. Thus I will put a stop to your prostitution, and you will no longer give gifts to your clients. 16:42 I will exhaust my rage on you, and then my fury will turn from you. I will calm down and no longer be angry.
16:43 “‘Because you did not remember the days of your youth and have enraged me with all these deeds, I hereby repay you for what you have done, declares the sovereign Lord. Have you not engaged in prostitution on top of all your other abominable practices?
16:44 “‘Observe – everyone who quotes proverbs will quote this proverb about you: “Like mother, like daughter.” 16:45 You are the daughter of your mother, who detested her husband and her sons, and you are the sister of your sisters who detested their husbands and their sons. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite. 16:46 Your older sister was Samaria, who lived north of you with her daughters, and your younger sister, who lived south of you, was Sodom with her daughters. 16:47 Have you not copied their behavior and practiced their abominable deeds? In a short time you became even more depraved in all your conduct than they were! 16:48 As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, your sister Sodom and her daughters never behaved as wickedly as you and your daughters have behaved.
16:49 “‘See here – this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters had majesty, abundance of food, and enjoyed carefree ease, but they did not help the poor and needy. 16:50 They were haughty and practiced abominable deeds before me. Therefore when I saw it I removed them. 16:51 Samaria has not committed half the sins you have; you have done more abominable deeds than they did. You have made your sisters appear righteous with all the abominable things you have done. 16:52 So now, bear your disgrace, because you have given your sisters reason to justify their behavior. Because the sins you have committed were more abominable than those of your sisters; they have become more righteous than you. So now, be ashamed and bear the disgrace of making your sisters appear righteous.
16:53 “‘I will restore their fortunes, the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters, and the fortunes of Samaria and her daughters (along with your fortunes among them), 16:54 so that you may bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all you have done in consoling them. 16:55 As for your sisters, Sodom and her daughters will be restored to their former status, Samaria and her daughters will be restored to their former status, and you and your daughters will be restored to your former status. 16:56 In your days of majesty, was not Sodom your sister a byword in your mouth, 16:57 before your evil was exposed? Now you have become an object of scorn to the daughters of Aram and all those around her and to the daughters of the Philistines – those all around you who despise you. 16:58 You must bear your punishment for your obscene conduct and your abominable practices, declares the Lord.
16:59 “‘For this is what the sovereign Lord says: I will deal with you according to what you have done when you despised your oath by breaking your covenant. 16:60 Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish a lasting covenant with you. 16:61 Then you will remember your conduct, and be ashamed when you receive your older and younger sisters. I will give them to you as daughters, but not on account of my covenant with you. 16:62 I will establish my covenant with you, and then you will know that I am the Lord. 16:63 Then you will remember, be ashamed, and remain silent when I make atonement for all you have done, declares the sovereign Lord.’”
A Parable of Two Eagles and a Vine
17:1 The word of the Lord came to me: 17:2 “Son of man, offer a riddle, and tell a parable to the house of Israel. 17:3 Say to them: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: “‘A great eagle with broad wings, long feathers, with full plumage which was multi-hued, came to Lebanon and took the top of the cedar.
17:4 He plucked off its topmost shoot; he brought it to a land of merchants and planted it in a city of traders.
17:5 He took one of the seedlings of the land, placed it in a cultivated plot; a shoot by abundant water, like a willow he planted it.
17:6 It sprouted and became a vine, spreading low to the ground; its branches turning toward him, its roots were under itself. So it became a vine; it produced shoots and sent out branches.
17:7 “‘There was another great eagle with broad wings and thick plumage. Now this vine twisted its roots toward him and sent its branches toward him to be watered from the soil where it was planted.
17:8 In a good field, by abundant waters, it was planted to grow branches, bear fruit, and become a beautiful vine.
17:9 “‘Say to them: This is what the sovereign Lord says: “‘Will it prosper? Will he not rip out its roots and cause its fruit to rot and wither? All its foliage will wither. No strong arm or large army will be needed to pull it out by its roots.
17:10 Consider! It is planted, but will it prosper? Will it not wither completely when the east wind blows on it? Will it not wither in the soil where it sprouted?’”
17:11 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 17:12 “Say to the rebellious house of Israel: ‘Don’t you know what these things mean?’ Say: ‘See here, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and took her king and her officials prisoner and brought them to himself in Babylon. 17:13 He took one from the royal family, made a treaty with him, and put him under oath. He then took the leaders of the land 17:14 so it would be a lowly kingdom which could not rise on its own but must keep its treaty with him in order to stand. 17:15 But this one from Israel’s royal family rebelled against the king of Babylon by sending his emissaries to Egypt to obtain horses and a large army. Will he prosper? Will the one doing these things escape? Can he break the covenant and escape?
17:16 “‘As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, surely in the city of the king who crowned him, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke – in the middle of Babylon he will die! 17:17 Pharaoh with his great army and mighty horde will not help him in battle, when siege ramps are erected and siege-walls are built to kill many people. 17:18 He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. Take note – he gave his promise and did all these things – he will not escape!
17:19 “‘Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: As surely as I live, I will certainly repay him for despising my oath and breaking my covenant! 17:20 I will throw my net over him and he will be caught in my snare; I will bring him to Babylon and judge him there because of the unfaithfulness he committed against me. 17:21 All the choice men among his troops will die by the sword and the survivors will be scattered to every wind. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken!
17:22 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: “‘I will take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and plant it. I will pluck from the top one of its tender twigs; I myself will plant it on a high and lofty mountain.
17:23 I will plant it on a high mountain of Israel, and it will raise branches and produce fruit and become a beautiful cedar. Every bird will live under it; Every winged creature will live in the shade of its branches.
17:24 All the trees of the field will know that I am the Lord. I make the high tree low; I raise up the low tree. I make the green tree wither, and I make the dry tree sprout. I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do it!’”
Lord, You make of each of us what we could not ourselves become, children of God. May I never forget that You provided the way to a saving relationship and that You provide the way to a meaningful life as Your instrument of blessing in a dark and dying world.
Ezekiel was reminded those in Jerusalem originated in “... the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite”.
They were meaningless and without purpose or value in the fallen world and the Lord God gave them both, set them apart, and established a covenant with them as His “bride”.
They sold-out to the false gods of the nations around them and the symbolism continued “Your older sister was Samaria, who lived north of you with her daughters, and your younger sister, who lived south of you, was Sodom with her daughters.”
He was then given “A Parable of Two Eagles and a Vine” where rebellion led to destruction yet He would raise up a remnant from a “sprig”.
God gives Ezekiel provocative language so that the people in rebellion will understand His message.
Why would the Lord even bother to explain Himself at this point?
Ezekiel must have been emotionally-overwhelmed by the powerful imagery.
When have you observed an organization so focused on power or profit or some other worldly priority apart from the Lord simply self-destruct?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you have become too-attached and too-focused on something of which He disapproves or which obsession He identifies as imbalanced.
I agree to repent, seek and accept His forgiveness, then break-away from anything and everything which He shows me as bad for me and offensive to Him.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Individual Retribution
18:1 The word of the Lord came to me: 18:2 “What do you mean by quoting this proverb concerning the land of Israel, “‘The fathers eat sour grapes And the children’s teeth become numb?’
18:3 “As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, you will not quote this proverb in Israel anymore! 18:4 Indeed! All lives are mine – the life of the father as well as the life of the son is mine. The one who sins will die.
18:5 “Suppose a man is righteous. He practices what is just and right, 18:6 does not eat pagan sacrifices on the mountains or pray to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife, does not have sexual relations with a woman during her period, 18:7 does not oppress anyone, but gives the debtor back whatever was given in pledge, does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and clothes the naked, 18:8 does not engage in usury or charge interest, but refrains from wrongdoing, promotes true justice between men, 18:9 and follows my statutes and observes my regulations by carrying them out. That man is righteous; he will certainly live, declares the sovereign Lord.
18:10 “Suppose such a man has a violent son who sheds blood and does any of these things mentioned previously 18:11 (though the father did not do any of them). He eats pagan sacrifices on the mountains, defiles his neighbor’s wife, 18:12 oppresses the poor and the needy, commits robbery, does not give back what was given in pledge, prays to idols, performs abominable acts, 18:13 engages in usury and charges interest. Will he live? He will not! Because he has done all these abominable deeds he will certainly die. He will bear the responsibility for his own death.
18:14 “But suppose he in turn has a son who notices all the sins his father commits, considers them, and does not follow his father’s example. 18:15 He does not eat pagan sacrifices on the mountains, does not pray to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife, 18:16 does not oppress anyone or keep what has been given in pledge, does not commit robbery, gives his food to the hungry, and clothes the naked, 18:17 refrains from wrongdoing, does not engage in usury or charge interest, carries out my regulations and follows my statutes. He will not die for his father’s iniquity; he will surely live. 18:18 As for his father, because he practices extortion, robs his brother, and does what is not good among his people, he will die for his iniquity.
18:19 “Yet you say, ‘Why should the son not suffer for his father’s iniquity?’ When the son does what is just and right, and observes all my statutes and carries them out, he will surely live. 18:20 The person who sins is the one who will die. A son will not suffer for his father’s iniquity, and a father will not suffer for his son’s iniquity; the righteous person will be judged according to his righteousness, and the wicked person according to his wickedness.
18:21 “But if the wicked person turns from all the sin he has committed and observes all my statutes and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. 18:22 None of the sins he has committed will be held against him; because of the righteousness he has done, he will live. 18:23 Do I actually delight in the death of the wicked, declares the sovereign Lord? Do I not prefer that he turn from his wicked conduct and live?
18:24 “But if a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and practices wrongdoing according to all the abominable practices the wicked carry out, will he live? All his righteous acts will not be remembered; because of the unfaithful acts he has done and the sin he has committed, he will die.
18:25 “Yet you say, ‘The Lord’s conduct is unjust!’ Hear, O house of Israel: Is my conduct unjust? Is it not your conduct that is unjust? 18:26 When a righteous person turns back from his righteousness and practices wrongdoing, he will die for it; because of the wrongdoing he has done, he will die. 18:27 When a wicked person turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will preserve his life. 18:28 Because he considered and turned from all the sins he had done, he will surely live; he will not die. 18:29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The Lord’s conduct is unjust!’ Is my conduct unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your conduct that is unjust?
18:30 “Therefore I will judge each person according to his conduct, O house of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord. Repent and turn from all your wickedness; then it will not be an obstacle leading to iniquity. 18:31 Throw away all your sins you have committed and fashion yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why should you die, O house of Israel? 18:32 For I take no delight in the death of anyone, declares the sovereign Lord. Repent and live!
Lament for the Princes of Israel
19:1 “And you, sing a lament for the princes of Israel,
19:2 and say: “‘What a lioness was your mother among the lions! She lay among young lions; she reared her cubs.
19:3 She reared one of her cubs; he became a young lion. He learned to tear prey; he devoured people.
19:4 The nations heard about him; he was trapped in their pit. They brought him with hooks to the land of Egypt.
19:5 “‘When she realized that she waited in vain, her hope was lost. She took another of her cubs and made him a young lion.
19:6 He walked about among the lions; he became a young lion. He learned to tear prey; he devoured people.
19:7 He broke down their strongholds and devastated their cities. The land and everything in it was frightened at the sound of his roaring.
19:8 The nations – the surrounding regions – attacked him. They threw their net over him; he was caught in their pit.
19:9 They put him in a collar with hooks; they brought him to the king of Babylon; they brought him to prison so that his voice would not be heard any longer on the mountains of Israel.
19:10 “‘Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard, planted by water. It was fruitful and full of branches because it was well-watered.
19:11 Its boughs were strong, fit for rulers’ scepters; it reached up into the clouds. It stood out because of its height and its many branches.
19:12 But it was plucked up in anger; it was thrown down to the ground. The east wind dried up its fruit; its strong branches broke off and withered – a fire consumed them.
19:13 Now it is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty land.
19:14 A fire has gone out from its branch; it has consumed its shoot and its fruit. No strong branch was left in it, nor a scepter to rule.’ This is a lament song, and has become a lament song.”
Lord, You use every possible means to communicate Your message to humankind because You desire that we have the wisdom to make right choices, yet we often still choose poorly. May I be intentional about listening closely to You so that I do not require Your discipline.
Ezekiel delivered the Lord God's prophesy using the imagery of the Lord as a husband and Israel as His adulterous wife.
He then shared another parable, this time using a vine and eagles, to describe the broken covenant and Israel's effort to escape the Babylonians by appealing to the Egyptians.
Ezekiel announced the Lord God's new covenant, based upon the choices of every individual, no longer family or tribe or nation-based.
“The person who sins is the one who will die. A son will not suffer for his father’s iniquity, and a father will not suffer for his son’s iniquity; the righteous person will be judged according to his righteousness, and the wicked person according to his wickedness. But if the wicked person turns from all the sin he has committed and observes all my statutes and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. None of the sins he has committed will be held against him; because of the righteousness he has done, he will live. Do I actually delight in the death of the wicked, declares the sovereign Lord? Do I not prefer that he turn from his wicked conduct and live? But if a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and practices wrongdoing according to all the abominable practices the wicked carry out, will he live? All his righteous acts will not be remembered; because of the unfaithful acts he has done and the sin he has committed, he will die.”
He shared the parables of a lion and of a vine to further emphasize why and how judgment was due to Israel.
When they came to Ezekiel for help from the Lord he was commissioned by the Lord God to remind the leaders of their history of rebellion and His punishment.
The Lord God was patient and persistent in trying to teach His people.
Why would the leaders, who were in chronic rebellion, imagine that they'd receive help from the very One against Whom they'd chosen to unrepentantly sin?
God's covenant relationship, for the purpose of blessing or discipline, changed profoundly from family to individual, tribe to individual, and nation to individual.
When have you sought the Lord's blessing or direction in prayer and the Word, only to be convicted that you were acting in rebellion against Him and needed to deal with that first?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where He wants to bless you but that your sin was blocking the way to blessing.
Today I will confess and repent, seek and receive His forgiveness, then return to Him with a clean heart.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study –“Genesis 3. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 46
Israel’s Rebellion
20:1 In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth of the month, some of the elders of Israel came to seek the Lord, and they sat down in front of me. 20:2 The word of the Lord came to me: 20:3 “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and tell them: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Are you coming to seek me? As surely as I live, I will not allow you to seek me, declares the sovereign Lord.’ 20:4 “Are you willing to pronounce judgment? Are you willing to pronounce judgment, son of man? Then confront them with the abominable practices of their fathers, 20:5 and say to them:
“‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: On the day I chose Israel I swore to the descendants of the house of Jacob and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt. I swore to them, “I am the Lord your God.” 20:6 On that day I swore to bring them out of the land of Egypt to a land which I had picked out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands. 20:7 I said to them, “Each of you must get rid of the detestable idols you keep before you, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.” 20:8 But they rebelled against me, and refused to listen to me; no one got rid of their detestable idols, nor did they abandon the idols of Egypt. Then I decided to pour out my rage on them and fully vent my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. 20:9 I acted for the sake of my reputation, so that I would not be profaned before the nations among whom they lived, before whom I revealed myself by bringing them out of the land of Egypt.
20:10 “‘So I brought them out of the land of Egypt and led them to the wilderness. 20:11 I gave them my statutes and revealed my regulations to them. The one who carries them out will live by them! 20:12 I also gave them my Sabbaths as a reminder of our relationship, so that they would know that I, the Lord, sanctify them. 20:13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness; they did not follow my statutes and they rejected my regulations (the one who obeys them will live by them), and they utterly desecrated my Sabbaths. So I decided to pour out my rage on them in the wilderness and destroy them. 20:14 I acted for the sake of my reputation, so that I would not be profaned before the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. 20:15 I also swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them to the land I had given them – a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands. 20:16 I did this because they rejected my regulations, did not follow my statutes, and desecrated my Sabbaths; for their hearts followed their idols. 20:17 Yet I had pity on them and did not destroy them, so I did not make an end of them in the wilderness.
20:18 “‘But I said to their children in the wilderness, “Do not follow the practices of your fathers; do not observe their regulations, nor defile yourselves with their idols. 20:19 I am the Lord your God; follow my statutes, observe my regulations, and carry them out. 20:20 Treat my Sabbaths as holy and they will be a reminder of our relationship, and then you will know that I am the Lord your God.” 20:21 “‘But the children rebelled against me, did not follow my statutes, did not observe my regulations by carrying them out (the one who obeys them will live by them), and desecrated my Sabbaths. I decided to pour out my rage on them and fully vent my anger against them in the wilderness. 20:22 But I refrained from doing so, and acted instead for the sake of my reputation, so that I would not be profaned before the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. 20:23 I also swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them throughout the lands. 20:24 I did this because they did not observe my regulations, they rejected my statutes, they desecrated my Sabbaths, and their eyes were fixed on their fathers’ idols. 20:25 I also gave them decrees which were not good and regulations by which they could not live. 20:26 I declared them to be defiled because of their sacrifices – they caused all their first born to pass through the fire – so that I would devastate them, so that they will know that I am the Lord.’
20:27 “Therefore, speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and tell them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: In this way too your fathers blasphemed me when they were unfaithful to me. 20:28 I brought them to the land which I swore to give them, but whenever they saw any high hill or leafy tree, they offered their sacrifices there and presented the offerings that provoke me to anger. They offered their soothing aroma there and poured out their drink offerings. 20:29 So I said to them, What is this high place you go to?’” (So it is called “High Place” to this day.)
20:30 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Will you defile yourselves like your fathers and engage in prostitution with detestable idols? 20:31 When you present your sacrifices – when you make your sons pass through the fire – you defile yourselves with all your idols to this very day. Will I allow you to seek me, O house of Israel? As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, I will not allow you to seek me!
20:32 “‘What you plan will never happen. You say, “We will be like the nations, like the clans of the lands, who serve gods of wood and stone.” 20:33 As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, with a powerful hand and an outstretched arm, and with an outpouring of rage, I will be king over you. 20:34 I will bring you out from the nations, and will gather you from the lands where you are scattered, with a powerful hand and an outstretched arm and with an outpouring of rage! 20:35 I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face. 20:36 Just as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you, declares the sovereign Lord. 20:37 I will make you pass under the shepherd’s staff, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. 20:38 I will eliminate from among you the rebels and those who revolt against me. I will bring them out from the land where they have been residing, but they will not come to the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
20:39 “‘As for you, O house of Israel, this is what the sovereign Lord says: Each of you go and serve your idols, if you will not listen to me. But my holy name will not be profaned again by your sacrifices and your idols. 20:40 For there on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord, all the house of Israel will serve me, all of them in the land. I will accept them there, and there I will seek your contributions and your choice gifts, with all your holy things. 20:41 When I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the lands where you are scattered, I will accept you along with your soothing aroma. I will display my holiness among you in the sight of the nations. 20:42 Then you will know that I am the Lord when I bring you to the land of Israel, to the land I swore to give to your fathers. 20:43 And there you will remember your conduct and all your deeds by which you defiled yourselves. You will despise yourselves because of all the evil deeds you have done. 20:44 Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for the sake of my reputation and not according to your wicked conduct and corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord.’”
Prophecy Against the South
20:45 The word of the Lord came to me: 20:46 “Son of man, turn toward the south, and speak out against the south. Prophesy against the open scrub land of the Negev, 20:47 and say to the scrub land of the Negev, ‘Hear the word of the Lord: This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look here, I am about to start a fire in you, and it will devour every green tree and every dry tree in you. The flaming fire will not be extinguished, and the whole surface of the ground from the Negev to the north will be scorched by it. 20:48 And everyone will see that I, the Lord, have burned it; it will not be extinguished.’”
20:49 Then I said, “O sovereign Lord! They are saying of me, ‘Does he not simply speak in eloquent figures of speech?’”
Lord, from the Garden of Eden through this day and until Jesus returns humankind has rebelled, choosing the pleasures of the flesh over the joys of eternal relationship. May I pause to consider the meaning and consequences of every choice through Your eyes rather than the dysfunctional eyes of the flesh-centered world.
When the Elders of Israel came to Ezekiel for help from the Lord he was challenged to pronounce the holy judgment of God.
The Lord commissioned him to remind the leaders of their history of rebellion and of His impending punishment upon them.
Ezekiel asked the Lord what he should do because they were accusing him of mere “... eloquent figures of speech”.
The enemies of the truth of God even today declare that the Bible is mere symbolism and without authority, therefore absent absolute truth, and unnecessary to trust or obey.
Why would the leaders, who were in chronic rebellion, imagine that they’d receive help from the very One against Whom they’d chosen to unrepentantly sin?
God was separating from Israel because a continued association meant that He would be seen as endorsing their sinful behavior and/or that He was powerless.
When have you made a choice you knew to be in rebellion against God and discovered a sense that He was not there with you? (The Holy Spirit never leaves a genuinely saved person but He is offended by sin and is not a friendly presence there.)
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you are building walls to intimacy with Him.
Today I will confess and repent, seek and receive His forgiveness, then return to Him with a clean heart.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
The Sword of Judgment
21:1 The word of the Lord came to me: 21:2 “Son of man, turn toward Jerusalem and speak out against the sanctuaries. Prophesy against the land of Israel 21:3 and say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: Look, I am against you. I will draw my sword from its sheath and cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked. 21:4 Because I will cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked, my sword will go out from its sheath against everyone from the south to the north. 21:5 Then everyone will know that I am the Lord, who drew my sword from its sheath – it will not be sheathed again!’
21:6 “And you, son of man, groan with an aching heart and bitterness; groan before their eyes. 21:7 When they ask you, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you will reply, ‘Because of the report that has come. Every heart will melt with fear and every hand will be limp; everyone will faint and every knee will be wet with urine.’ Pay attention – it is coming and it will happen, declares the sovereign Lord.”
21:8 The word of the Lord came to me: 21:9 “Son of man, prophesy and say: ‘This is what the Lord says:
“‘A sword, a sword is sharpened,
and also polished.
21:10 It is sharpened for slaughter,
it is polished to flash like lightning!
“‘Should we rejoice in the scepter of my son? No! The sword despises every tree!
21:11 “‘He gave it to be polished,
to be grasped in the hand –
the sword is sharpened, it is polished –
giving it into the hand of the executioner.
21:12 Cry out and moan, son of man,
for it is wielded against my people;
against all the princes of Israel.
They are delivered up to the sword, along with my people.
Therefore, strike your thigh.
21:13 “‘For testing will come, and what will happen when the scepter, which the sword despises, is no more? declares the sovereign Lord.’
21:14 “And you, son of man, prophesy,
and clap your hands together.
Let the sword strike twice, even three times!
It is a sword for slaughter,
a sword for the great slaughter surrounding them.
21:15 So hearts melt with fear and many stumble.
At all their gates I have stationed the sword for slaughter.
Ah! It is made to flash, it is drawn for slaughter!
21:16 Cut sharply on the right!
Swing to the left,
wherever your edge is appointed to strike.
21:17 I too will clap my hands together,
I will exhaust my rage;
I the Lord have spoken.”
21:18 The word of the Lord came to me: 21:19 “You, son of man, mark out two routes for the king of Babylon’s sword to take; both of them will originate in a single land. Make a signpost and put it at the beginning of the road leading to the city. 21:20 Mark out the routes for the sword to take: “Rabbah of the Ammonites” and “Judah with Jerusalem in it.” 21:21 For the king of Babylon stands at the fork in the road at the head of the two routes. He looks for omens: He shakes arrows, he consults idols, he examines animal livers. 21:22 Into his right hand comes the portent for Jerusalem – to set up battering rams, to give the signal for slaughter, to shout out the battle cry, to set up battering rams against the gates, to erect a siege ramp, to build a siege wall. 21:23 But those in Jerusalem will view it as a false omen. They have sworn solemn oaths, but the king of Babylon will accuse them of violations in order to seize them.
21:24 “Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: ‘Because you have brought up your own guilt by uncovering your transgressions and revealing your sins through all your actions, for this reason you will be taken by force.
21:25 “‘As for you, profane and wicked prince of Israel,
whose day has come, the time of final punishment,
21:26 this is what the sovereign Lord says:
Tear off the turban,
take off the crown!
Things must change!
Exalt the lowly,
bring down the proud!
21:27 A total ruin I will make it!
It will come to an end
when the one arrives to whom I have assigned judgment.’
21:28 “As for you, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says concerning the Ammonites and their coming humiliation; say:
“‘A sword, a sword drawn for slaughter,
polished to consume, to flash like lightning –
21:29 while seeing false visions for you
and reading lying omens for you –
to place that sword on the necks of the profane wicked,
whose day has come,
the time of final punishment.
21:30 Return it to its sheath!
In the place where you were created,
in your native land, I will judge you.
21:31 I will pour out my anger on you;
the fire of my fury I will blow on you.
I will hand you over to brutal men,
who are skilled in destruction.
21:32 You will become fuel for the fire –
your blood will stain the middle of the land;
you will no longer be remembered,
for I, the Lord, have spoken.’”
The Sins of Jerusalem
22:1 The word of the Lord came to me: 22:2 “As for you, son of man, are you willing to pronounce judgment, are you willing to pronounce judgment on the bloody city? Then confront her with all her abominable deeds! 22:3 Then say, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: O city, who spills blood within herself (which brings on her doom), and who makes herself idols (which results in impurity), 22:4 you are guilty because of the blood you shed and defiled by the idols you made. You have hastened the day of your doom; the end of your years has come. Therefore I will make you an object of scorn to the nations, an object to be mocked by all lands. 22:5 Those both near and far from you will mock you, you with your bad reputation, full of turmoil.
22:6 “‘See how each of the princes of Israel living within you has used his authority to shed blood. 22:7 They have treated father and mother with contempt within you; they have oppressed the foreigner among you; they have wronged the orphan and the widow within you. 22:8 You have despised my holy things and desecrated my Sabbaths! 22:9 Slanderous men shed blood within you. Those who live within you eat pagan sacrifices on the mountains; they commit obscene acts among you. 22:10 They have sex with their father’s wife within you; they violate women during their menstrual period within you. 22:11 One commits an abominable act with his neighbor’s wife; another obscenely defiles his daughter-in-law; another violates his sister – his father’s daughter – within you. 22:12 They take bribes within you to shed blood. You engage in usury and charge interest; you extort money from your neighbors. You have forgotten me, declares the sovereign Lord.
22:13 “‘See, I strike my hands together at the dishonest profit you have made, and at the bloodshed they have done among you. 22:14 Can your heart endure, or can your hands be strong when I deal with you? I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do it! 22:15 I will scatter you among the nations and disperse you among various countries; I will remove your impurity from you. 22:16 You will be profaned within yourself in the sight of the nations; then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
22:17 The word of the Lord came to me: 22:18 “Son of man, the house of Israel has become slag to me. All of them are like bronze, tin, iron, and lead in the furnace; they are the worthless slag of silver. 22:19 Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: ‘Because all of you have become slag, look out! – I am about to gather you in the middle of Jerusalem. 22:20 As silver, bronze, iron, lead, and tin are gathered in a furnace so that the fire can melt them, so I will gather you in my anger and in my rage. I will deposit you there and melt you. 22:21 I will gather you and blow on you with the fire of my fury, and you will be melted in it. 22:22 As silver is melted in a furnace, so you will be melted in it, and you will know that I, the Lord, have poured out my anger on you.’”
22:23 The word of the Lord came to me: 22:24 “Son of man, say to her: ‘You are a land that receives no rain or showers in the day of my anger.’ 22:25 Her princes within her are like a roaring lion tearing its prey; they have devoured lives. They take away riches and valuable things; they have made many women widows within it. 22:26 Her priests abuse my law and have desecrated my holy things. They do not distinguish between the holy and the profane, or recognize any distinction between the unclean and the clean. They ignore my Sabbaths and I am profaned in their midst. 22:27 Her officials are like wolves in her midst rending their prey – shedding blood and destroying lives – so they can get dishonest profit. 22:28 Her prophets coat their messages with whitewash. They see false visions and announce lying omens for them, saying, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says,’ when the Lord has not spoken. 22:29 The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery. They have wronged the poor and needy; they have oppressed the foreigner who lives among them and denied them justice.
22:30 “I looked for a man from among them who would repair the wall and stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it, but I found no one. 22:31 So I have poured my anger on them, and destroyed them with the fire of my fury. I hereby repay them for what they have done, declares the sovereign Lord.”
Lord, we have forgotten that as Your children we have been set-apart, we commit the terrible blasphemy of syncretism when we mix Your perfect truth with the partial truths and falsehoods of the world, then treat them as if they have equivalent value. May I be watchful against any drift into the rationalization of moral equivalence.
Ezekiel was instructed to prophesy against Jerusalem and in so-doing he invited the Lord God to initiate a no-turning-back judgment.
He was also instructed to “... groan with an aching heart and bitterness” so that the people would ask why, and he was to reply “Because of the report that has come ...”
Ezekiel was challenged to prophesy against Jerusalem “O city, who spills blood within herself (which brings on her doom), and who makes herself idols (which results in impurity), 22:4 you are guilty because of the blood you shed and defiled by the idols you made. You have hastened the day of your doom ...”
He then announced the initiation of the siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, followed by the prophesies against the nations, and finally the lamentations of the nations.
Because the people has sold-out any shred of integrity before the Lord God the king of Babylon felt free to make excuses to breach his agreements with them as they had breached their covenant with God.
Why would the people have responded so emotionally to Ezekiel’s public groaning?
There is a critical and profound difference between the secular and the sacred Ezekiel 2:26b “They do not distinguish between the holy and the profane, or recognize any distinction between the unclean and the clean.”
When have you observed someone else’s emotional response and been brought to a greater awareness of the depth of significance of an event?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where you’ve made excuses for breaking your word and/or have given equal authority to worldly philosophies and priorities to those of the Lord God.
Today I will confess and repent, seek and receive His forgiveness, then surrender to the Holy Spirit as He leads me to a more-righteous walk before the Lord.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Two Sisters
23:1 The word of the Lord came to me: 23:2 “Son of man, there were two women who were daughters of the same mother. 23:3 They engaged in prostitution in Egypt; in their youth they engaged in prostitution. Their breasts were squeezed there; lovers fondled their virgin nipples there. 23:4 Oholah was the name of the older and Oholibah the name of her younger sister. They became mine, and gave birth to sons and daughters. Oholah is Samaria and Oholibah is Jerusalem.
23:5 “Oholah engaged in prostitution while she was mine. She lusted after her lovers, the Assyrians – warriors 23:6 clothed in blue, governors and officials, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding on horses. 23:7 She bestowed her sexual favors on them; all of them were the choicest young men of Assyria. She defiled herself with all whom she desired – with all their idols. 23:8 She did not abandon the prostitution she had practiced in Egypt; for in her youth men had sex with her, fondled her virgin breasts, and ravished her. 23:9 Therefore I handed her over to her lovers, the Assyrians for whom she lusted. 23:10 They exposed her nakedness, seized her sons and daughters, and killed her with the sword. She became notorious among women, and they executed judgments against her.
23:11 “Her sister Oholibah watched this, but she became more corrupt in her lust than her sister had been, and her acts of prostitution were more numerous than those of her sister. 23:12 She lusted after the Assyrians – governors and officials, warriors in full armor, horsemen riding on horses, all of them desirable young men. 23:13 I saw that she was defiled; both of them followed the same path. 23:14 But she increased her prostitution. She saw men carved on the wall, images of the Chaldeans carved in bright red, 23:15 wearing belts on their waists and flowing turbans on their heads, all of them looking like officers, the image of Babylonians whose native land is Chaldea. 23:16 When she saw them, she lusted after them and sent messengers to them in Chaldea. 23:17 The Babylonians crawled into bed with her. They defiled her with their lust; after she was defiled by them, she became disgusted with them. 23:18 When she lustfully exposed her nakedness, I was disgusted with her, just as I had been disgusted with her sister. 23:19 Yet she increased her prostitution, remembering the days of her youth when she engaged in prostitution in the land of Egypt. 23:20 She lusted after their genitals – as large as those of donkeys, and their seminal emission was as strong as that of stallions. 23:21 This is how you assessed the obscene conduct of your youth, when the Egyptians fondled your nipples and squeezed your young breasts.
23:22 “Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the sovereign Lord says: Look here, I am about to stir up against you the lovers with whom you were disgusted; I will bring them against you from every side: 23:23 the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans, Pekod, Shoa, and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them, desirable young men, all of them governors and officials, officers and nobles, all of them riding on horses. 23:24 They will attack you with weapons, chariots, wagons, and with a huge army; they will array themselves against you on every side with large shields, small shields, and helmets. I will assign them the task of judgment; they will punish you according to their laws. 23:25 I will direct my jealous anger against you, and they will deal with you in rage. They will cut off your nose and your ears, and your survivors will die by the sword. They will seize your sons and daughters, and your survivors will be consumed by fire. 23:26 They will strip your clothes off you and take away your beautiful jewelry. 23:27 So I will put an end to your obscene conduct and your prostitution which you have practiced in the land of Egypt. You will not seek their help or remember Egypt anymore.
23:28 “For this is what the sovereign Lord says: Look here, I am about to deliver you over to those whom you hate, to those with whom you were disgusted. 23:29 They will treat you with hatred, take away all you have labored for, and leave you naked and bare. Your nakedness will be exposed, just as when you engaged in prostitution and obscene conduct. 23:30 I will do these things to you because you engaged in prostitution with the nations, polluting yourself with their idols. 23:31 You have followed the ways of your sister, so I will place her cup of judgment in your hand. 23:32 “This is what the sovereign Lord says: “You will drink your sister’s deep and wide cup; you will be scorned and derided, for it holds a great deal. 23:33 You will be overcome by drunkenness and sorrow. The cup of your sister Samaria is a cup of horror and desolation. 23:34 You will drain it dry, gnaw its pieces, and tear out your breasts, for I have spoken, declares the sovereign Lord.
23:35 “Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: Because you have forgotten me and completely disregarded me, you must bear now the punishment for your obscene conduct and prostitution.”
23:36 The Lord said to me: “Son of man, are you willing to pronounce judgment on Oholah and Oholibah? Then declare to them their abominable deeds! 23:37 For they have committed adultery and blood is on their hands. They have committed adultery with their idols, and their sons, whom they bore to me, they have passed through the fire as food to their idols. 23:38 Moreover, they have done this to me: In the very same day they desecrated my sanctuary and profaned my Sabbaths. 23:39 On the same day they slaughtered their sons for their idols, they came to my sanctuary to desecrate it. This is what they have done in the middle of my house.
23:40 “They even sent for men from far away; when the messenger arrived, those men set out. For them you bathed, painted your eyes, and decorated yourself with jewelry. 23:41 You sat on a magnificent couch, with a table arranged in front of it where you placed my incense and my olive oil. 23:42 The sound of a carefree crowd accompanied her, including all kinds of men; even Sabeans were brought from the desert. The sisters put bracelets on their wrists and beautiful crowns on their heads. 23:43 Then I said about the one worn out by adultery, ‘Now they will commit immoral acts with her.’ 23:44 They had sex with her as one does with a prostitute. In this way they had sex with Oholah and Oholibah, promiscuous women. 23:45 But upright men will punish them appropriately for their adultery and bloodshed, because they are adulteresses and blood is on their hands.
23:46 “For this is what the sovereign Lord says: Bring up an army against them and subject them to terror and plunder. 23:47 That army will pelt them with stones and slash them with their swords; they will kill their sons and daughters and burn their houses. 23:48 I will put an end to the obscene conduct in the land; all the women will learn a lesson from this and not engage in obscene conduct. 23:49 They will repay you for your obscene conduct, and you will be punished for idol worship. Then you will know that I am the sovereign Lord.”
The Boiling Pot
24:1 The word of the Lord came to me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month: 24:2 “Son of man, write down the name of this day, this very day. The king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day. 24:3 Recite a proverb to this rebellious house and say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says:
“‘Set on the pot, set it on,
pour water in it too;
24:4 add the pieces of meat to it,
every good piece,
the thigh and the shoulder;
fill it with choice bones.
24:5 Take the choice bone of the flock,
heap up bones under it;
boil rapidly,
and boil its bones in it.
24:6 “‘Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says:
Woe to the city of bloodshed,
the pot whose rot is in it,
whose rot has not been removed from it!
Empty it piece by piece.
No lot has fallen on it.
24:7 For her blood was in it;
she poured it on an exposed rock;
she did not pour it on the ground to cover it up with dust.
24:8 To arouse anger, to take vengeance,
I have placed her blood on an exposed rock so that it cannot be covered up.
24:9 “‘Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says:
Woe to the city of bloodshed!
I will also make the pile high.
24:10 Pile up the bones, kindle the fire;
cook the meat well, mix in the spices,
let the bones be charred.
24:11 Set the empty pot on the coals,
until it becomes hot and its copper glows,
until its uncleanness melts within it and its rot is consumed.
24:12 It has tried my patience;
yet its thick rot is not removed from it.
Subject its rot to the fire!
24:13 You mix uncleanness with obscene conduct.
I tried to cleanse you, but you are not clean.
You will not be cleansed from your uncleanness
until I have exhausted my anger on you.
24:14 “‘I the Lord have spoken; judgment is coming and I will act! I will not relent, or show pity, or be sorry! I will judge you according to your conduct and your deeds, declares the sovereign Lord.’”
Ezekiel’s Wife Dies
24:15 The word of Lord came to me: 24:16 “Son of man, realize that I am about to take the delight of your eyes away from you with a jolt, but you must not mourn or weep or shed tears. 24:17 Groan in silence for the dead, but do not perform mourning rites. Bind on your turban and put your sandals on your feet. Do not cover your lip and do not eat food brought by others.”
24:18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening. In the morning I acted just as I was commanded. 24:19 Then the people said to me, “Will you not tell us what these things you are doing mean for us?”
24:20 So I said to them: “The word of the Lord came to me: 24:21 Say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Realize I am about to desecrate my sanctuary – the source of your confident pride, the object in which your eyes delight, and your life’s passion. Your very own sons and daughters whom you have left behind will die by the sword. 24:22 Then you will do as I have done: You will not cover your lip or eat food brought by others. 24:23 Your turbans will be on your heads and your sandals on your feet; you will not mourn or weep, but you will rot for your iniquities and groan among yourselves. 24:24 Ezekiel will be an object lesson for you; you will do all that he has done. When it happens, then you will know that I am the sovereign Lord.’
24:25 “And you, son of man, this is what will happen on the day I take from them their stronghold – their beautiful source of joy, the object in which their eyes delight, and the main concern of their lives, as well as their sons and daughters: 24:26 On that day a fugitive will come to you to report the news. 24:27 On that day you will be able to speak again; you will talk with the fugitive and be silent no longer. You will be an object lesson for them, and they will know that I am the Lord.”
Lord, You chose the most powerful and stark terms to define the abhorrence You felt for the sins of Israel, everyone who heard them would have been shocked to be identified as morally-parallel with them. May I be aware that every sin offends You.
Two women, two revolting stories of promiscuity, and two reports of negative consequences. In Ezekiel a reference was made to Sodom, and their punishment, here the same behavior and punishment is in view.
Samaria and Jerusalem were the nations whose rebellion was paralleled with their stories, their judgment was treatment alike that of unclean rotted meat, rejected and cast-aside as worse than worthless, indeed repulsive.
The shocking graphic imagery in Ezekiel is because that was the only way they’d hear Him as they had become so barbaric and rebellious they had to be shocked into awareness.
In His holiness He was that disgusted by them and that was the threshold where He had to terminate the old covenant. Terminating that covenant was no small thing.
We need to understand, in human terms, how revolting our rebellion is to a Holy God.
The Lord took Ezekiel’s wife as an object lesson so that he could then model God’s reaction to the death of rebellious Israel. (The life of a prophet, and those nearest to him, was a traumatic one – the rewards were clearly reserved for Heaven.)
Neither woman in the story had a moment of remorse or repentance for their sin, just as had become apparent of Israel toward the Lord.
Would Ezekiel's knowledge that Israel was about to be obliterated make the Lord's taking of his wife as a teachable moment for Israel less painful?
Despite all of their troubles, clearly due to their rebellion, even the remnant of Israel continued to rebel.
When has something bad happened which became a powerful teaching lesson that in some ways outweighed the tragedy?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a way in which you are making a choice, or choices, which offend Him.
Today I will confess and repent, request and receive forgiveness, then establish a network of accountability so that I do not drift back into that rebellious behavior.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
A Prophecy Against Ammon
25:1 The word of the Lord came to me: 25:2 “Son of man, turn toward the Ammonites and prophesy against them. 25:3 Say to the Ammonites, ‘Hear the word of the sovereign Lord: This is what the sovereign Lord says: You said “Aha!” about my sanctuary when it was desecrated, about the land of Israel when it was made desolate, and about the house of Judah when they went into exile. 25:4 So take note, I am about to make you slaves of the tribes of the east. They will make camps among you and pitch their tents among you. They will eat your fruit and drink your milk. 25:5 I will make Rabbah a pasture for camels and Ammon a resting place for sheep. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 25:6 For this is what the sovereign Lord says: Because you clapped your hands, stamped your feet, and rejoiced with intense scorn over the land of Israel, 25:7 take note, I have stretched out my hand against you, and I will hand you over as plunder to the nations. I will cut you off from the peoples and make you perish from the lands. I will destroy you; then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
A Prophecy Against Moab
25:8 “This is what the sovereign Lord says: ‘Moab and Seir say, “Look, the house of Judah is like all the other nations.” 25:9 So look, I am about to open up Moab’s flank, eliminating the cities, including its frontier cities, the beauty of the land – Beth Jeshimoth, Baal Meon, and Kiriathaim. 25:10 I will hand it over, along with the Ammonites, to the tribes of the east, so that the Ammonites will no longer be remembered among the nations. 25:11 I will execute judgments against Moab. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”
A Prophecy Against Edom
25:12 “This is what the sovereign Lord says: ‘Edom has taken vengeance against the house of Judah; they have made themselves fully culpable by taking vengeance on them. 25:13 So this is what the sovereign Lord says: I will stretch out my hand against Edom, and I will kill the people and animals within her, and I will make her desolate; from Teman to Dedan they will die by the sword. 25:14 I will exact my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel. They will carry out in Edom my anger and rage; they will experience my vengeance, declares the sovereign Lord.’”
A Prophecy Against Philistia
25:15 “This is what the sovereign Lord says: ‘The Philistines have exacted merciless revenge, showing intense scorn in their effort to destroy Judah with unrelenting hostility. 25:16 So this is what the sovereign Lord says: Take note, I am about to stretch out my hand against the Philistines. I will kill the Cherethites and destroy those who remain on the seacoast. 25:17 I will exact great vengeance upon them with angry rebukes. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I exact my vengeance upon them.’”
A Prophecy Against Tyre
26:1 In the eleventh year, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: 26:2 “Son of man, because Tyre has said about Jerusalem, ‘Aha, the gateway of the peoples is broken; it has swung open to me. I will become rich, now that she has been destroyed,’ 26:3 therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am against you, O Tyre! I will bring up many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves. 26:4 They will destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers. I will scrape her soil from her and make her a bare rock. 26:5 She will be a place where fishing nets are spread, surrounded by the sea. For I have spoken, declares the sovereign Lord. She will become plunder for the nations, 26:6 and her daughters who are in the field will be slaughtered by the sword. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
26:7 “For this is what the sovereign Lord says: Take note that I am about to bring King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon, king of kings, against Tyre from the north, with horses, chariots, and horsemen, an army and hordes of people. 26:8 He will kill your daughters in the field with the sword. He will build a siege wall against you, erect a siege ramp against you, and raise a great shield against you. 26:9 He will direct the blows of his battering rams against your walls and tear down your towers with his weapons. 26:10 He will cover you with the dust kicked up by his many horses. Your walls will shake from the noise of the horsemen, wheels, and chariots when he enters your gates like those who invade through a city’s broken walls. 26:11 With his horses’ hoofs he will trample all your streets. He will kill your people with the sword, and your strong pillars will tumble down to the ground. 26:12 They will steal your wealth and loot your merchandise. They will tear down your walls and destroy your luxurious homes. Your stones, your trees, and your soil he will throw into the water. 26:13 I will silence the noise of your songs; the sound of your harps will be heard no more. 26:14 I will make you a bare rock; you will be a place where fishing nets are spread. You will never be built again, for I, the Lord, have spoken, declares the sovereign Lord.
26:15 “This is what the sovereign Lord says to Tyre: Oh, how the coastlands will shake at the sound of your fall, when the wounded groan, at the massive slaughter in your midst! 26:16 All the princes of the sea will vacate their thrones. They will remove their robes and strip off their embroidered clothes; they will clothe themselves with trembling. They will sit on the ground; they will tremble continually and be shocked at what has happened to you. 26:17 They will sing this lament over you:
“‘How you have perished – you have vanished from the seas,
O renowned city, once mighty in the sea,
she and her inhabitants, who spread their terror!
26:18 Now the coastlands will tremble on the day of your fall;
the coastlands by the sea will be terrified by your passing.’
26:19 “For this is what the sovereign Lord says: When I make you desolate like the uninhabited cities, when I bring up the deep over you and the surging waters overwhelm you, 26:20 then I will bring you down to bygone people, to be with those who descend to the pit. I will make you live in the lower parts of the earth, among the primeval ruins, with those who descend to the pit, so that you will not be inhabited or stand in the land of the living. 26:21 I will bring terrors on you, and you will be no more! Though you are sought after, you will never be found again, declares the sovereign Lord.”
A Lament for Tyre
27:1 The word of the Lord came to me: 27:2 “You, son of man, sing a lament for Tyre. 27:3 Say to Tyre, who sits at the entrance of the sea, merchant to the peoples on many coasts, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says:
“‘O Tyre, you have said, “I am perfectly beautiful.”
27:4
Your borders are in the heart of the seas;
your builders have perfected your beauty.
27:5 They crafted all your planks out of fir trees from Senir;
they took a cedar from Lebanon to make your mast.
27:6 They made your oars from oaks of Bashan;
they made your deck with cypresses from the Kittean isles.
27:7 Fine linen from Egypt, woven with patterns, was used for your sail
to serve as your banner;
blue and purple from the coastlands of Elishah was used for your deck’s awning.
27:8 The leaders of Sidon and Arvad were your rowers;
your skilled men, O Tyre, were your captains.
27:9 The elders of Gebal and her skilled men were within you, mending cracks;
all the ships of the sea and their mariners were within you to trade for your merchandise.
27:10 Men of Persia, Lud, and Put were in your army, men of war.
They hung shield and helmet on you; they gave you your splendor.
27:11 The Arvadites joined your army on your walls all around,
and the Gammadites were in your towers.
They hung their quivers on your walls all around;
they perfected your beauty.
27:12 “‘Tarshish was your trade partner because of your abundant wealth; they exchanged silver, iron, tin, and lead for your products. 27:13 Javan, Tubal, and Meshech were your clients; they exchanged slaves and bronze items for your merchandise. 27:14 Beth Togarmah exchanged horses, chargers, and mules for your products. 27:15 The Dedanites were your clients. Many coastlands were your customers; they paid you with ivory tusks and ebony. 27:16 Edom was your trade partner because of the abundance of your goods; they exchanged turquoise, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and rubies for your products. 27:17 Judah and the land of Israel were your clients; they traded wheat from Minnith, millet, honey, olive oil, and balm for your merchandise. 27:18 Damascus was your trade partner because of the abundance of your goods and of all your wealth: wine from Helbon, white wool from Zahar, 27:19 and casks of wine from Izal they exchanged for your products. Wrought iron, cassia, and sweet cane were among your merchandise. 27:20 Dedan was your client in saddlecloths for riding. 27:21 Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your trade partners; for lambs, rams, and goats they traded with you. 27:22 The merchants of Sheba and Raamah engaged in trade with you; they traded the best kinds of spices along with precious stones and gold for your products. 27:23 Haran, Kanneh, Eden, merchants from Sheba, Asshur, and Kilmad were your clients. 27:24 They traded with you choice garments, purple clothes and embroidered work, and multicolored carpets, bound and reinforced with cords; these were among your merchandise. 27:25 The ships of Tarshish were the transports for your merchandise.
“‘So you were filled and weighed down in the heart of the seas.
27:26 Your rowers have brought you into surging waters.
The east wind has wrecked you in the heart of the seas.
27:27 Your wealth, products, and merchandise, your sailors and captains,
your ship’s carpenters, your merchants,
and all your fighting men within you,
along with all your crew who are in you,
will fall into the heart of the seas on the day of your downfall.
27:28 At the sound of your captains’ cry the waves will surge;
27:29 They will descend from their ships – all who handle the oar,
the sailors and all the sea captains – they will stand on the land.
27:30 They will lament loudly over you and cry bitterly.
They will throw dust on their heads and roll in the ashes;
27:31 they will tear out their hair because of you and put on sackcloth,
and they will weep bitterly over you with intense mourning.
27:32 As they wail they will lament over you, chanting:
“Who was like Tyre, like a tower in the midst of the sea?”
27:33 When your products went out from the seas,
you satisfied many peoples;
with the abundance of your wealth and merchandise
you enriched the kings of the earth.
27:34 Now you are wrecked by the seas, in the depths of the waters;
your merchandise and all your company have sunk along with you.
27:35 All the inhabitants of the coastlands are shocked at you,
and their kings are horribly afraid – their faces are troubled.
27:36 The traders among the peoples hiss at you;
you have become a horror, and will be no more.’”
A Prophecy Against the King of Tyre
28:1 The word of the Lord came to me: 28:2 “Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says:
“‘Your heart is proud and you said, “I am a god;
I sit in the seat of gods, in the heart of the seas” –
yet you are a man and not a god,
though you think you are godlike.
28:3 Look, you are wiser than Daniel;
no secret is hidden from you.
28:4 By your wisdom and understanding you have gained wealth for yourself;
you have amassed gold and silver in your treasuries.
28:5 By your great skill in trade you have increased your wealth,
and your heart is proud because of your wealth.
28:6 “‘Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says:
Because you think you are godlike,
28:7 I am about to bring foreigners against you, the most terrifying of nations.
They will draw their swords against the grandeur made by your wisdom,
and they will defile your splendor.
28:8 They will bring you down to the pit, and you will die violently in the heart of the seas.
28:9 Will you still say, “I am a god,” before the one who kills you –
though you are a man and not a god –
when you are in the power of those who wound you?
28:10 You will die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of foreigners;
for I have spoken, declares the sovereign Lord.’”
28:11 The word of the Lord came to me: 28:12 “Son of man, sing a lament for the king of Tyre, and say to him, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says:
“‘You were the sealer of perfection,
full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.
28:13 You were in Eden, the garden of God.
Every precious stone was your covering,
the ruby, topaz, and emerald,
the chrysolite, onyx, and jasper,
the sapphire, turquoise, and beryl;
your settings and mounts were made of gold.
On the day you were created they were prepared.
28:14 I placed you there with an anointed guardian cherub;
you were on the holy mountain of God;
you walked about amidst fiery stones.
28:15 You were blameless in your behavior from the day you were created,
until sin was discovered in you.
28:16 In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned;
so I defiled you and banished you from the mountain of God –
the guardian cherub expelled you from the midst of the stones of fire.
28:17 Your heart was proud because of your beauty;
you corrupted your wisdom on account of your splendor.
I threw you down to the ground;
I placed you before kings, that they might see you.
28:18 By the multitude of your iniquities, through the sinfulness of your trade,
you desecrated your sanctuaries.
So I drew fire out from within you;
it consumed you,
and I turned you to ashes on the earth
before the eyes of all who saw you.
28:19 All who know you among the peoples are shocked at you;
you have become terrified and will be no more.’”
A Prophecy Against Sidon
28:20 The word of the Lord came to me: 28:21 “Son of man, turn toward Sidon and prophesy against it. 28:22 Say, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says:
“‘Look, I am against you, Sidon,
and I will magnify myself in your midst.
Then they will know that I am the Lord
when I execute judgments on her
and reveal my sovereign power in her.
28:23 I will send a plague into the city and bloodshed into its streets;
the slain will fall within it, by the sword that attacks it from every side.
Then they will know that I am the Lord.
28:24 “‘No longer will Israel suffer from the sharp briers or painful thorns of all who surround and scorn them. Then they will know that I am the sovereign Lord.
28:25 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: When I regather the house of Israel from the peoples where they are dispersed, I will reveal my sovereign power over them in the sight of the nations, and they will live in their land that I gave to my servant Jacob. 28:26 They will live securely in it; they will build houses and plant vineyards. They will live securely when I execute my judgments on all those who scorn them and surround them. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.’”
A Prophecy Against Egypt
29:1 In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: 29:2 “Son of man, turn toward Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him and against all Egypt. 29:3 Tell them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says:
“‘Look, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt,
the great monster lying in the midst of its waterways,
who has said, “My Nile is my own, I made it for myself.”
29:4 I will put hooks in your jaws
and stick the fish of your waterways to your scales.
I will haul you up from the midst of your waterways,
and all the fish of your waterways will stick to your scales.
29:5 I will leave you in the wilderness,
you and all the fish of your waterways;
you will fall in the open field and will not be gathered up or collected.
I have given you as food to the beasts of the earth and the birds of the skies.
29:6 Then all those living in Egypt will know that I am the Lord
because they were a reed staff for the house of Israel;
29:7 when they grasped you with their hand, you broke and tore their shoulders,
and when they leaned on you, you splintered and caused their legs to be unsteady.
29:8 “‘Therefore, this is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am about to bring a sword against you, and I will kill every person and every animal. 29:9 The land of Egypt will become a desolate ruin. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
Because he said, “The Nile is mine and I made it,” 29:10 I am against you and your waterways. I will turn the land of Egypt into an utter desolate ruin from Migdol to Syene, as far as the border with Ethiopia. 29:11 No human foot will pass through it, and no animal’s foot will pass through it; it will be uninhabited for forty years. 29:12 I will turn the land of Egypt into a desolation in the midst of desolate lands; for forty years her cities will lie desolate in the midst of ruined cities. I will scatter Egypt among the nations and disperse them among foreign countries.
29:13 “‘For this is what the sovereign Lord says: At the end of forty years I will gather Egypt from the peoples where they were scattered. 29:14 I will restore the fortunes of Egypt, and will bring them back to the land of Pathros, to the land of their origin; there they will be an insignificant kingdom. 29:15 It will be the most insignificant of the kingdoms; it will never again exalt itself over the nations. I will make them so small that they will not rule over the nations. 29:16 It will never again be Israel’s source of confidence, but a reminder of how they sinned by turning to Egypt for help. Then they will know that I am the sovereign Lord.’”
29:17 In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: 29:18 “Son of man, King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon made his army labor hard against Tyre. Every head was rubbed bald and every shoulder rubbed bare; yet he and his army received no wages from Tyre for the work he carried out against it. 29:19 Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am about to give the land of Egypt to King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon. He will carry off her wealth, capture her loot, and seize her plunder; it will be his army’s wages. 29:20 I have given him the land of Egypt as his compensation for attacking Tyre, because they did it for me, declares the sovereign Lord. 29:21 On that day I will make Israel powerful, and I will give you the right to be heard among them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
A Lament Over Egypt
30:1 The word of the Lord came to me: 30:2 “Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says:
“‘Wail, “Alas, the day is here!”
30:3 For the day is near,
the day of the Lord is near;
it will be a day of storm clouds,
it will be a time of judgment for the nations.
30:4 A sword will come against Egypt
and panic will overtake Ethiopia
when the slain fall in Egypt
and they carry away her wealth
and dismantle her foundations.
30:5 Ethiopia, Put, Lud, all the foreigners, Libya, and the people of the covenant land will die by the sword along with them.
30:6 “‘This is what the Lord says:
Egypt’s supporters will fall;
her confident pride will crumble.
From Migdol to Syene they will die by the sword within her,
declares the sovereign Lord.
30:7 They will be desolate among desolate lands,
and their cities will be among ruined cities.
30:8 They will know that I am the Lord
when I ignite a fire in Egypt
and all her allies are defeated.
30:9 On that day messengers will go out from me in ships to frighten overly confident Ethiopia; panic will overtake them on the day of Egypt’s doom; for beware – it is coming!
30:10 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says:
I will put an end to the hordes of Egypt,
by the hand of King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon.
30:11 He and his people with him,
the most terrifying of the nations,
will be brought there to destroy the land.
They will draw their swords against Egypt,
and fill the land with corpses.
30:12 I will dry up the waterways
and hand the land over to evil men.
I will make the land and everything in it desolate by the hand of foreigners.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
30:13 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says:
I will destroy the idols,
and put an end to the gods of Memphis.
There will no longer be a prince from the land of Egypt;
so I will make the land of Egypt fearful.
30:14 I will desolate Pathros,
I will ignite a fire in Zoan,
and I will execute judgments on Thebes.
30:15 I will pour out my anger upon Pelusium,
the stronghold of Egypt;
I will cut off the hordes of Thebes.
30:16 I will ignite a fire in Egypt;
Syene will writhe in agony,
Thebes will be broken down,
and Memphis will face enemies every day.
30:17 The young men of On and of Pi-beseth will die by the sword;
and the cities will go into captivity.
30:18 In Tahpanhes the day will be dark
when I break the yoke of Egypt there.
Her confident pride will cease within her;
a cloud will cover her, and her daughters will go into captivity.
30:19 I will execute judgments on Egypt.
Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”
30:20 In the eleventh year, in the first month, on the seventh day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: 30:21 “Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Look, it has not been bandaged for healing or set with a dressing so that it might become strong enough to grasp a sword. 30:22 Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and I will break his arms, the strong arm and the broken one, and I will make the sword drop from his hand. 30:23 I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse them among foreign countries. 30:24 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and I will place my sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan like the fatally wounded before the king of Babylon. 30:25 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall limp. Then they will know that I am the Lord when I place my sword in the hand of the king of Babylon and he extends it against the land of Egypt. 30:26 I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them among foreign countries. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
Lord, You rightly describe the sin of the nations around Israel, and meted-out perfect justice against them while looking ahead to the day of redemption for a repentant Israel. May I be assured that Your justice is true, Your power omnipotent, and Your timing perfect.
Ezekiel was commissioned to pronounce the terrible judgment of the Lord upon the nations around Israel.
Each nation had offended Israel and the Lord God.
In each case a vision was cast for a future where a repentant Israel would be restored.
The punishment came largely due to the insensitive gloating and selfish lust of the nations at the expense of Israel.
Why the laments for Tyre and Egypt?
It’s one thing to compete with another nation but another thing to gloat over their fall then to make plans to pick through the remnants to become more wealthy.
When have you observed a one-wealthy person or organization fall because they became to crass and greedy?
Ask the Holy Spirit to revel to you a place where you gloat over the ill-fate of another and/or lust after their abandoned valuables.
I agree to repent and confess, seek and receive the Lord’s forgiveness, then engage in prayer and Bible study to purge my heart of wrong attitudes.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
A Cedar in Lebanon
31:1 In the eleventh year, in the third month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: 31:2 “Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and his hordes:
“‘Who are you like in your greatness?
31:3 Consider Assyria, a cedar in Lebanon,
with beautiful branches, like a forest giving shade,
and extremely tall;
its top reached into the clouds.
31:4 The water made it grow;
underground springs made it grow tall.
Rivers flowed all around the place it was planted,
while smaller channels watered all the trees of the field.
31:5 Therefore it grew taller than all the trees of the field;
its boughs grew large and its branches grew long,
because of the plentiful water in its shoots.
31:6 All the birds of the sky nested in its boughs;
under its branches all the beasts of the field gave birth,
in its shade all the great nations lived.
31:7 It was beautiful in its loftiness, in the length of its branches;
for its roots went down deep to plentiful waters.
31:8 The cedars in the garden of God could not eclipse it,
nor could the fir trees match its boughs;
the plane trees were as nothing compared to its branches;
no tree in the garden of God could rival its beauty.
31:9 I made it beautiful with its many branches;
all the trees of Eden, in the garden of God, envied it.
31:10 “‘Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: Because it was tall in stature, and its top reached into the clouds, and it was proud of its height, 31:11 I gave it over to the leader of the nations. He has judged it thoroughly, as its sinfulness deserves. I have thrown it out. 31:12 Foreigners from the most terrifying nations have cut it down and left it to lie there on the mountains. In all the valleys its branches have fallen, and its boughs lie broken in the ravines of the land. All the peoples of the land have departed from its shade and left it. 31:13 On its ruins all the birds of the sky will live, and all the wild animals will walk on its branches. 31:14 For this reason no watered trees will grow so tall; their tops will not reach into the clouds, nor will the well-watered ones grow that high. For all of them have been appointed to die in the lower parts of the earth; they will be among mere mortals, with those who descend to the pit.
31:15 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: On the day it went down to Sheol I caused observers to lament. I covered it with the deep and held back its rivers; its plentiful water was restrained. I clothed Lebanon in black for it, and all the trees of the field wilted because of it. 31:16 I made the nations shake at the sound of its fall, when I threw it down to Sheol, along with those who descend to the pit. Then all the trees of Eden, the choicest and the best of Lebanon, all that were well-watered, were comforted in the earth below. 31:17 Those who lived in its shade, its allies among the nations, also went down with it to Sheol, to those killed by the sword. 31:18 Which of the trees of Eden was like you in majesty and loftiness? You will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the lower parts of the earth; you will lie among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword! This is what will happen to Pharaoh and all his hordes, declares the sovereign Lord.’”
Lamentation over Pharaoh and Egypt
32:1 In the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, on the first of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: 32:2 “Son of man, sing a lament for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say to him:
“‘You were like a lion among the nations,
but you are a monster in the seas;
you thrash about in your streams,
stir up the water with your feet,
and muddy your streams.
32:3 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says:
“‘I will throw my net over you in the assembly of many peoples;
and they will haul you up in my dragnet.
32:4 I will leave you on the ground,
I will fling you on the open field,
I will allow all the birds of the sky to settle on you,
and I will permit all the wild animals to gorge themselves on you.
32:5 I will put your flesh on the mountains,
and fill the valleys with your maggot-infested carcass.
32:6 I will drench the land with the flow
of your blood up to the mountains,
and the ravines will be full of your blood.
32:7 When I extinguish you, I will cover the sky;
I will darken its stars.
I will cover the sun with a cloud,
and the moon will not shine.
32:8 I will darken all the lights in the sky over you,
and I will darken your land,
declares the sovereign Lord.
32:9 I will disturb many peoples,
when I bring about your destruction among the nations,
among countries you do not know.
32:10 I will shock many peoples with you,
and their kings will shiver with horror because of you.
When I brandish my sword before them,
every moment each one will tremble for his life, on the day of your fall.
32:11 “‘For this is what the sovereign Lord says:
“‘The sword of the king of Babylon will attack you.
32:12 By the swords of the mighty warriors I will cause your hordes to fall –
all of them are the most terrifying among the nations.
They will devastate the pride of Egypt,
and all its hordes will be destroyed.
32:13 I will destroy all its cattle beside the plentiful waters;
and no human foot will disturb the waters again,
nor will the hooves of cattle disturb them.
32:14 Then I will make their waters calm,
and will make their streams flow like olive oil, declares the sovereign Lord.
32:15 When I turn the land of Egypt into desolation
and the land is destitute of everything that fills it,
when I strike all those who live in it,
then they will know that I am the Lord.’
32:16 This is a lament; they will chant it.
The daughters of the nations will chant it.
They will chant it over Egypt and over all her hordes,
declares the sovereign Lord.”
32:17 In the twelfth year, on the fifteenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: 32:18 “Son of man, wail over the horde of Egypt. Bring it down; bring her and the daughters of powerful nations down to the lower parts of the earth, along with those who descend to the pit. 32:19 Say to them, ‘Whom do you surpass in beauty? Go down and be laid to rest with the uncircumcised!’ 32:20 They will fall among those killed by the sword. The sword is drawn; they carry her and all her hordes away. 32:21 The bravest of the warriors will speak to him from the midst of Sheol along with his allies, saying: ‘The uncircumcised have come down; they lie still, killed by the sword.’
32:22 “Assyria is there with all her assembly around her grave, all of them struck down by the sword. 32:23 Their graves are located in the remote slopes of the pit. Her assembly is around her grave, all of them struck down by the sword, those who spread terror in the land of the living.
32:24 “Elam is there with all her hordes around her grave; all of them struck down by the sword. They went down uncircumcised to the lower parts of the earth, those who spread terror in the land of the living. Now they will bear their shame with those who descend to the pit. 32:25 Among the dead they have made a bed for her, along with all her hordes around her grave. All of them are uncircumcised, killed by the sword, for their terror had spread in the land of the living. They bear their shame along with those who descend to the pit; they are placed among the dead.
32:26 “Meshech-Tubal is there, along with all her hordes around her grave. All of them are uncircumcised, killed by the sword, for they spread their terror in the land of the living. 32:27 They do not lie with the fallen warriors of ancient times, who went down to Sheol with their weapons of war, having their swords placed under their heads and their shields on their bones, when the terror of these warriors was in the land of the living.
32:28 “But as for you, in the midst of the uncircumcised you will be broken, and you will lie with those killed by the sword.
32:29 “Edom is there with her kings and all her princes. Despite their might they are laid with those killed by the sword; they lie with the uncircumcised and those who descend to the pit.
32:30 “All the leaders of the north are there, along with all the Sidonians; despite their might they have gone down in shameful terror with the dead. They lie uncircumcised with those killed by the sword, and bear their shame with those who descend to the pit.
32:31 “Pharaoh will see them and be consoled over all his hordes who were killed by the sword, Pharaoh and all his army, declares the sovereign Lord. 32:32 Indeed, I terrified him in the land of the living, yet he will lie in the midst of the uncircumcised with those killed by the sword, Pharaoh and all his hordes, declares the sovereign Lord.”
Lord, those who became proud, imagining themselves Your peers, have always been humbled. May I neither imagine myself Your peer not associate myself with anyone or any organization that does.
The Lord gave to Ezekiel an illustration of the pride of great pagan nations around Israel using trees.
For His purpose He poetically-postulated that the trees held human-like qualities of envy and pride and then that the Assyrians were like a cedar tree so great that it might elicit envy from the perfect trees in Eden.
Then He told of the consequences of the pride and violence of several nations and how they had all been sent to “Sheol”.
“Sheol” referred to death and destruction without hope for eternal redemption.
And it all of this Egypt was to understand that their fate was the same.
The Bible elsewhere teaches that “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. [Proverbs 16:18]
Why would the Lord take the time to pronounce the reasons and results of His judgment of these nations?
The nation of Israel was being judged in much the same way, and for much the same reason, as these other nations.
When have you observed a careful effort being made to explain the consistency of a harsh judgment upon all who committed similar acts?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you may harbor a “haughty spirit”.
I will confess and repent, seek and accept the Lord’s forgiveness, and then partner with a fellow believer for accountability as I purge the “haughty spirit” within. It may be in comparing my appearance, position, or possessions to another, an intellectual or social arrogance, or perhaps a works-righteousness arrogance.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Ezekiel Israel’s Watchman
33:1 The word of the Lord came to me: 33:2 “Son of man, speak to your people, and say to them, ‘Suppose I bring a sword against the land, and the people of the land take one man from their borders and make him their watchman. 33:3 He sees the sword coming against the land, blows the trumpet, and warns the people, 33:4 but there is one who hears the sound of the trumpet yet does not heed the warning. Then the sword comes and sweeps him away. He will be responsible for his own death. 33:5 He heard the sound of the trumpet but did not heed the warning, so he is responsible for himself. If he had heeded the warning, he would have saved his life. 33:6 But suppose the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people. Then the sword comes and takes one of their lives. He is swept away for his iniquity, but I will hold the watchman accountable for that person’s death.’
33:7 “As for you, son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you must warn them on my behalf. 33:8 When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you must certainly die,’ and you do not warn the wicked about his behavior, the wicked man will die for his iniquity, but I will hold you accountable for his death. 33:9 But if you warn the wicked man to change his behavior, and he refuses to change, he will die for his iniquity, but you have saved your own life.
33:10 “And you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what you have said: “Our rebellious acts and our sins have caught up with us, and we are wasting away because of them. How then can we live?”‘ 33:11 Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but prefer that the wicked change his behavior and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil deeds! Why should you die, O house of Israel?’
33:12 “And you, son of man, say to your people, ‘The righteousness of the righteous will not deliver him if he rebels. As for the wicked, his wickedness will not make him stumble if he turns from it. The righteous will not be able to live by his righteousness if he sins.’ 33:13 Suppose I tell the righteous that he will certainly live, but he becomes confident in his righteousness and commits iniquity. None of his righteous deeds will be remembered; because of the iniquity he has committed he will die. 33:14 Suppose I say to the wicked, ‘You must certainly die,’ but he turns from his sin and does what is just and right. 33:15 He returns what was taken in pledge, pays back what he has stolen, and follows the statutes that give life, committing no iniquity. He will certainly live – he will not die. 33:16 None of the sins he has committed will be counted against him. He has done what is just and right; he will certainly live.
33:17 “Yet your people say, ‘The behavior of the Lord is not right,’ when it is their behavior that is not right. 33:18 When a righteous man turns from his godliness and commits iniquity, he will die for it. 33:19 When the wicked turns from his sin and does what is just and right, he will live because of it. 33:20 Yet you say, ‘The behavior of the Lord is not right.’ House of Israel, I will judge each of you according to his behavior.”
The Fall of Jerusalem
33:21 In the twelfth year of our exile, in the tenth month, on the fifth of the month, a refugee came to me from Jerusalem saying, “The city has been defeated!” 33:22 Now the hand of the Lord had been on me the evening before the refugee reached me, but the Lord opened my mouth by the time the refugee arrived in the morning; he opened my mouth and I was no longer unable to speak. 33:23 The word of the Lord came to me: 33:24 “Son of man, the ones living in these ruins in the land of Israel are saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he possessed the land, but we are many; surely the land has been given to us for a possession.’ 33:25 Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: You eat the meat with the blood still in it, pray to your idols, and shed blood. Do you really think you will possess the land? 33:26 You rely on your swords and commit abominable deeds; each of you defiles his neighbor’s wife. Will you possess the land?’
33:27 “This is what you must say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: As surely as I live, those living in the ruins will die by the sword, those in the open field I will give to the wild beasts for food, and those who are in the strongholds and caves will die of disease. 33:28 I will turn the land into a desolate ruin; her confident pride will come to an end. The mountains of Israel will be so desolate no one will pass through them. 33:29 Then they will know that I am the Lord when I turn the land into a desolate ruin because of all the abominable deeds they have committed.’
33:30 “But as for you, son of man, your people (who are talking about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses) say to one another, ‘Come hear the word that comes from the Lord.’ 33:31 They come to you in crowds, and they sit in front of you as my people. They hear your words, but do not obey them. For they talk lustfully, and their heart is set on their own advantage. 33:32 Realize that to them you are like a sensual song, a beautiful voice and skilled musician. They hear your words, but they do not obey them. 33:33 When all this comes true – and it certainly will – then they will know that a prophet was among them.”
A Prophecy Against False Shepherds
34:1 The word of the Lord came to me: 34:2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them – to the shepherds: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not shepherds feed the flock? 34:3 You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the choice animals, but you do not feed the sheep! 34:4 You have not strengthened the weak, healed the sick, bandaged the injured, brought back the strays, or sought the lost, but with force and harshness you have ruled over them. 34:5 They were scattered because they had no shepherd, and they became food for every wild beast. 34:6 My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over the entire face of the earth with no one looking or searching for them.
34:7 “‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 34:8 As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, my sheep have become prey and have become food for all the wild beasts. There was no shepherd, and my shepherds did not search for my flock, but fed themselves and did not feed my sheep, 34:9 Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 34:10 This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am against the shepherds, and I will demand my sheep from their hand. I will no longer let them be shepherds; the shepherds will not feed themselves anymore. I will rescue my sheep from their mouth, so that they will no longer be food for them.
34:11 “‘For this is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I myself will search for my sheep and seek them out. 34:12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will seek out my flock. I will rescue them from all the places where they have been scattered on a cloudy, dark day. 34:13 I will bring them out from among the peoples and gather them from foreign countries; I will bring them to their own land. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the streams and all the inhabited places of the land. 34:14 In a good pasture I will feed them; the mountain heights of Israel will be their pasture. There they will lie down in a lush pasture, and they will feed on rich grass on the mountains of Israel. 34:15 I myself will feed my sheep and I myself will make them lie down, declares the sovereign Lord. 34:16 I will seek the lost and bring back the strays; I will bandage the injured and strengthen the sick, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them – with judgment!
34:17 “‘As for you, my sheep, this is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am about to judge between one sheep and another, between rams and goats. 34:18 Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must trample the rest of your pastures with your feet? When you drink clean water, must you muddy the rest of the water by trampling it with your feet? 34:19 As for my sheep, they must eat what you trampled with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet!
34:20 “‘Therefore, this is what the sovereign Lord says to them: Look, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. 34:21 Because you push with your side and your shoulder, and thrust your horns at all the weak sheep until you scatter them abroad, 34:22 I will save my sheep; they will no longer be prey. I will judge between one sheep and another.
34:23 I will set one shepherd over them, and he will feed them – namely, my servant David. He will feed them and will be their shepherd. 34:24 I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them; I, the Lord, have spoken!
34:25 “‘I will make a covenant of peace with them and will rid the land of wild beasts, so that they can live securely in the wilderness and even sleep in the woods. 34:26 I will turn them and the regions around my hill into a blessing. I will make showers come down in their season; they will be showers that bring blessing. 34:27 The trees of the field will yield their fruit and the earth will yield its crops. They will live securely on their land; they will know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from the hand of those who enslaved them. 34:28 They will no longer be prey for the nations and the wild beasts will not devour them. They will live securely and no one will make them afraid. 34:29 I will prepare for them a healthy planting. They will no longer be victims of famine in the land and will no longer bear the insults of the nations. 34:30 Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them, and that they are my people, the house of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord. 34:31 And you, my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, are my people, and I am your God, declares the sovereign Lord.’”
Lord, You challenged Ezekiel to be bold, you punished the spiritual shepherds for their failure to deal honestly and to teach the people, and each person to receive consequences for their own choices. May I be honorable as a leader, careful whom I follow, and faithful before You.
Ezekiel was warned to deliver the Lord’s message accurately and quickly or else the one who failed due to lack of warning would cause him consequences as well.
The spiritual shepherds of the people were judged as failures and thieves for abandoning the people to the world without teaching them and for selfishly taking resources while watching the people fall.
Each individual was placed on notice that God would judge them on their own merits as t their choices and deeds.
And finally, Ezekiel was given the promise that the Lord would be the good shepherd Who gathered the faithful to a safe place, then give them a shepherd like the symbolic David (his faithful persona).
It must have been so difficult for Ezekiel to keep delivering the awful news to his people that the Lord had to warn him sternly to not shirk from his mission.
What might have been he initial reaction of the people when hearing that they’d deal directly with God versus the priests/shepherds?
Ezekiel must have been comforted to hear the promise of God that He would gather the righteous and restore the peace.
When have you observed a neglectful spiritual leader, or a faithful leader whom people enjoyed hearing and which time they treated as a good-luck ritual, but whose teaching they ignored?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a leader or a congregation for whom to pray.
I agree to pray in earnest for a careless shepherd who is merely entertaining or ‘warehousing’ those who are trusting him for spiritual leadership, or for a congregation with a faithful teacher whose presence they seek as a celebrity but whose words they ignore.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Prophecy Against Mount Seir
35:1 The word of the Lord came to me: 35:2 “Son of man, turn toward Mount Seir, and prophesy against it. 35:3 Say to it, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says:
“‘Look, I am against you, Mount Seir; I will stretch out my hand against you and turn you into a desolate ruin.
35:4 I will lay waste your cities; and you will become desolate. Then you will know that I am the Lord!
35:5 “‘You have shown unrelenting hostility and poured the people of Israel onto the blades of a sword at the time of their calamity, at the time of their final punishment. 35:6 Therefore, as surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, I will subject you to bloodshed, and bloodshed will pursue you. Since you did not hate bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you.
35:7 I will turn Mount Seir into a desolate ruin; I will cut off from it the one who passes through or returns. 35:8 I will fill its mountains with its dead; on your hills and in your valleys and in all your ravines, those killed by the sword will fall. 35:9 I will turn you into a perpetual desolation, and your cities will not be inhabited. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
35:10 “‘You said, “These two nations, these two lands will be mine, and we will possess them,” – although the Lord was there – 35:11 therefore, as surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, I will deal with you according to your anger, and according to your envy, by which you acted spitefully against them. I will reveal myself to them when I judge you. 35:12 Then you will know that I, the Lord, have heard all the insults you spoke against the mountains of Israel, saying, “They are desolate, they have been given to us for food.” 35:13 You exalted yourselves against me with your speech and hurled many insults against me – I have heard them all! 35:14 This is what the sovereign Lord says: While the whole earth rejoices, I will turn you into a desolation. 35:15 As you rejoiced over the inheritance of the house of Israel because it was desolate, so will I deal with you – you will be desolate, Mount Seir, and all of Edom – all of it! Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”
Lord, those who speak and act hatefully toward You and Your children will pay a terrible price when the time of judgment comes. May I have the mercy to pray that those who spew anti-God venom and who abuse power to harm those who love God will turn from their sin before it’s eternally too late.
Ezekiel delivered a prophesy against Edom for their constant victimization of His people, especially when they were already troubled.
Edom lusted for the lands and possessions of Israel and was anxious to seize them once they lost the blessing and protection of God.
Why would Edom think that the same God whom they had insulted would allow them to profit from the punishment of Israel?
Edom would receive as they had given, losing what they had because they lusted after that which God had blessed Israel, suffering terribly as they had caused Israel to suffer, hopeless because they had insulted the only One Who could give them hope.
When have you observed a constant-critic or greed-obsessed person or organization suffer just as they had desired that others might suffer so they might benefit?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place or person which requires the Lord’s Word of warning.
Today I will prayerfully discern and accept the mission of the Lord to bring His Word of warning to a ‘back-slidden’ Christian. I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement and to be my accountability throughout the process.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study –“Genesis 3. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 47
Blessings on the Mountains of Israel
36:1 “As for you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say: ‘O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord! 36:2 This is what the sovereign Lord says: The enemy has spoken against you, saying “Aha!” and, “The ancient heights have become our property!”‘ 36:3 So prophesy and say: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Surely because they have made you desolate and crushed you from all directions, so that you have become the property of the rest of the nations, and have become the subject of gossip and slander among the people, 36:4 therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the sovereign Lord: This is what the sovereign Lord says to the mountains and hills, the ravines and valleys, and to the desolate ruins and the abandoned cities that have become prey and an object of derision to the rest of the nations round about – 36:5 therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: Surely I have spoken in the fire of my zeal against the rest of the nations, and against all Edom, who with great joy and utter contempt have made my land their property and prey, because of its pasture.’
36:6 “Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains and hills, the ravines and valleys, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I have spoken in my zeal and in my anger, because you have endured the insults of the nations. 36:7 So this is what the sovereign Lord says: I vow that the nations around you will endure insults as well.
36:8 “‘But you, mountains of Israel, will grow your branches, and bear your fruit for my people Israel; for they will arrive soon. 36:9 For indeed, I am on your side; I will turn to you, and you will be plowed and planted. 36:10 I will multiply your people – the whole house of Israel, all of it. The cities will be populated and the ruins rebuilt. 36:11 I will increase the number of people and animals on you; they will increase and be fruitful. I will cause you to be inhabited as in ancient times, and will do more good for you than at the beginning of your history. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 36:12 I will lead people, my people Israel, across you; they will possess you and you will become their inheritance. No longer will you bereave them of their children.
36:13 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Because they are saying to you, “You are a devourer of men, and bereave your nation of children,” 36:14 therefore you will no longer devour people and no longer bereave your nation of children, declares the sovereign Lord. 36:15 I will no longer subject you to the nations’ insults; no longer will you bear the shame of the peoples, and no longer will you bereave your nation, declares the sovereign Lord.’”
36:16 The word of the Lord came to me: 36:17 “Son of man, when the house of Israel was living on their own land, they defiled it by their behavior and their deeds. In my sight their behavior was like the uncleanness of a woman having her monthly period. 36:18 So I poured my anger on them because of the blood they shed on the land and because of the idols with which they defiled it. 36:19 I scattered them among the nations; they were dispersed throughout foreign countries. In accordance with their behavior and their deeds I judged them. 36:20 But when they arrived in the nations where they went, they profaned my holy name. It was said of them, ‘These are the people of the Lord, yet they have departed from his land.’ 36:21 I was concerned for my holy reputation which the house of Israel profaned among the nations where they went.
36:22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake that I am about to act, O house of Israel, but for the sake of my holy reputation which you profaned among the nations where you went. 36:23 I will magnify my great name that has been profaned among the nations, that you have profaned among them. The nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the sovereign Lord, when I magnify myself among you in their sight.
36:24 “‘I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries; then I will bring you to your land. 36:25 I will sprinkle you with pure water and you will be clean from all your impurities. I will purify you from all your idols. 36:26 I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh. 36:27 I will put my Spirit within you; I will take the initiative and you will obey my statutes and carefully observe my regulations. 36:28 Then you will live in the land I gave to your fathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God. 36:29 I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and multiply it; I will not bring a famine on you. 36:30 I will multiply the fruit of the trees and the produce of the fields, so that you will never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations. 36:31 Then you will remember your evil behavior and your deeds which were not good; you will loathe yourselves on account of your sins and your abominable deeds. 36:32 Understand that it is not for your sake I am about to act, declares the sovereign Lord. Be ashamed and embarrassed by your behavior, O house of Israel.
36:33 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: In the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will populate the cities and the ruins will be rebuilt. 36:34 The desolate land will be plowed, instead of being desolate in the sight of everyone who passes by. 36:35 They will say, “This desolate land has become like the garden of Eden; the ruined, desolate, and destroyed cities are now fortified and inhabited.” 36:36 Then the nations which remain around you will know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruins and replanted what was desolate. I, the Lord, have spoken – and I will do it!’
36:37 “This is what the sovereign Lord says: I will allow the house of Israel to ask me to do this for them: I will multiply their people like sheep. 36:38 Like the sheep for offerings, like the sheep of Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so will the ruined cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
Lord, Your heart has always been inclined toward reconciliation and restoration. May I be found faithful so that the reconciliation that You affirmed in my personal salvation may be worked-out as a continuous incremental restoration of intimacy with You.
Ezekiel was instructed to prophesy “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake that I am about to act, O house of Israel, but for the sake of my holy reputation which you profaned among the nations where you went. I will magnify my great name that has been profaned among the nations, that you have profaned among them. The nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the sovereign Lord, when I magnify myself among you in their sight.
“‘I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries; then I will bring you to your land. I will sprinkle you with pure water and you will be clean from all your impurities. I will purify you from all your idols. I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit within you; I will take the initiative and you will obey my statutes and carefully observe my regulations. Then you will live in the land I gave to your fathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God.”
He continued “The desolate land will be plowed, instead of being desolate in the sight of everyone who passes by. They will say, “This desolate land has become like the garden of Eden; the ruined, desolate, and destroyed cities are now fortified and inhabited.” Then the nations which remain around you will know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruins and replanted what was desolate. I, the Lord, have spoken – and I will do it!’”
Ezekiel concluded chapter 38 with the words of the Lord God “This is what the sovereign Lord says: I will allow the house of Israel to ask me to do this for them: I will multiply their people like sheep. Like the sheep for offerings, like the sheep of Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so will the ruined cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
The Lord God was clear “It is not for your sake that I am about to act ...” that the people had not earned redemption.
Given their history was it not clear that they both needed to be cleansed and they needed a much more intimate presence of the Lord God via His Holy Spirit?
There is an implication that the people needed to humble themselves and willingly return to the Lord God “I will allow the house of Israel to ask me to do this for them ...”, and then “I will put my Spirit within you; I will take the initiative and you will obey my statutes and carefully observe my regulations.”
When have you been the beneficiary of something good, not because you had earned it, but for the sake of someone else (or some organization)?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you something He wants you to invite Him to do in and through you.
Today I will humbly and joyfully partner with and surrender to the Holy Spirit as He does His work in and through me.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
The Valley of Dry Bones
37:1 The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and placed me in the midst of the valley, and it was full of bones. 37:2 He made me walk all around among them. I realized there were a great many bones in the valley and they were very dry. 37:3 He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said to him, “Sovereign Lord, you know.” 37:4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and tell them: ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 37:5 This is what the sovereign Lord says to these bones: Look, I am about to infuse breath into you and you will live. 37:6 I will put tendons on you and muscles over you and will cover you with skin; I will put breath in you and you will live. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
37:7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. There was a sound when I prophesied – I heard a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 37:8 As I watched, I saw tendons on them, then muscles appeared, and skin covered over them from above, but there was no breath in them.
37:9 He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, – prophesy, son of man – and say to the breath: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these corpses so that they may live.’” 37:10 So I prophesied as I was commanded, and the breath came into them; they lived and stood on their feet, an extremely great army.
37:11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are all the house of Israel. Look, they are saying, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope has perished; we are cut off.’ 37:12 Therefore prophesy, and tell them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am about to open your graves and will raise you from your graves, my people. I will bring you to the land of Israel. 37:13 Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and raise you from your graves, my people. 37:14 I will place my breath in you and you will live; I will give you rest in your own land. Then you will know that I am the Lord – I have spoken and I will act, declares the Lord.’”
37:15 The word of the Lord came to me: 37:16 “As for you, son of man, take one branch, and write on it, ‘For Judah, and for the Israelites associated with him.’ Then take another branch and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the branch of Ephraim and all the house of Israel associated with him.’ 37:17 Join them as one stick; they will be as one in your hand. 37:18 When your people say to you, ‘Will you not tell us what these things mean?’ 37:19 tell them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am about to take the branch of Joseph which is in the hand of Ephraim and the tribes of Israel associated with him, and I will place them on the stick of Judah, and make them into one stick – they will be one in my hand.’ 37:20 The sticks you write on will be in your hand in front of them. 37:21 Then tell them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am about to take the Israelites from among the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from round about and bring them to their land. 37:22 I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and one king will rule over them all. They will never again be two nations and never again be divided into two kingdoms. 37:23 They will not defile themselves with their idols, their detestable things, and all their rebellious deeds. I will save them from all their unfaithfulness by which they sinned. I will purify them; they will become my people and I will become their God.
37:24 “‘My servant David will be king over them; there will be one shepherd for all of them. They will follow my regulations and carefully observe my statutes. 37:25 They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, in which your fathers lived; they will live in it – they and their children and their grandchildren forever. David my servant will be prince over them forever. 37:26 I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be a perpetual covenant with them. I will establish them, increase their numbers, and place my sanctuary among them forever. 37:27 My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. 37:28 Then, when my sanctuary is among them forever, the nations will know that I, the Lord, sanctify Israel.’”
Lord, You command life and death and Your desire is that we will live in and through You. May I remember to praise You for Your love and for the gift of eternal life.
Ezekiel was shown a vision and instructed to prophesy as a valley of dead and dry bones was assembled, covered, and animated such as to appear as a great army.
He was told by the Lord “Son of man, these bones are all the house of Israel. Look, they are saying, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope has perished; we are cut off.’ Therefore prophesy, and tell them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am about to open your graves and will raise you from your graves, my people. I will bring you to the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord ...”
Ezekiel was given another symbolic prophesy that Israel would be reassembled from similarly dead and dry bones into a permanently unified people.
Without the Lord God all humankind may as well be dead bones scattered in a valley.
Perhaps the Lord used the word-pictures of the valley of bones and the joined-sticks because the people otherwise dismissed Ezekiel’s prophesies as fancy words?
Ezekiel was humble and did not even try to guess a clever answer to the Lord when quizzed about the bones but rather immediately submitted to the Lord’s perfect knowledge.
When have you discovered that some part of your life had been like dry bones but then the Lord brought life?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you someone who is apart from the Lord’s salvation, much like the symbolic dry bones, for whom He desires you to pray.
Today I will commit the one whom He has directed me to earnest daily prayer for as long as He asks me to do so. I will also ask Him to show me if there is any way I may be His instrument, perhaps by serving the person in a caring way, or in sharing my testimony and/or His word.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
A Prophecy Against Gog
38:1 The word of the Lord came to me: 38:2 “Son of man, turn toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. Prophesy against him 38:3 and say: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. 38:4 I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and bring you out with all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them fully armed, a great company with shields of different types, all of them armed with swords. 38:5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Put are with them, all of them with shields and helmets. 38:6 They are joined by Gomer with all its troops, and by Beth Togarmah from the remote parts of the north with all its troops – many peoples are with you.
38:7 “‘Be ready and stay ready, you and all your companies assembled around you, and be a guard for them. 38:8 After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come to a land restored from the ravages of war, with many peoples gathered on the mountains of Israel that had long been in ruins. Its people were brought out from the peoples, and all of them will be living securely. 38:9 You will advance; you will come like a storm. You will be like a cloud covering the earth, you, all your troops, and the many other peoples with you.
38:10 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: On that day thoughts will come into your mind, and you will devise an evil plan. 38:11 You will say, “I will invade a land of unwalled towns; I will advance against those living quietly in security – all of them living without walls and barred gates – 38:12 to loot and plunder, to attack the inhabited ruins and the people gathered from the nations, who are acquiring cattle and goods, who live at the center of the earth.” 38:13 Sheba and Dedan and the traders of Tarshish with all its young warriors will say to you, “Have you come to loot? Have you assembled your armies to plunder, to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to haul away a great amount of spoils?”‘
38:14 “Therefore, prophesy, son of man, and say to Gog: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: On that day when my people Israel are living securely, you will take notice 38:15 and come from your place, from the remote parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a vast army. 38:16 You will advance against my people Israel like a cloud covering the earth. In the latter days I will bring you against my land so that the nations may acknowledge me, when before their eyes I magnify myself through you, O Gog.
38:17 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Are you the one of whom I spoke in former days by my servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in those days that I would bring you against them? 38:18 On that day, when Gog invades the land of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord, my rage will mount up in my anger. 38:19 In my zeal, in the fire of my fury, I declare that on that day there will be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. 38:20 The fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the wild beasts, all the things that creep on the ground, and all people who live on the face of the earth will shake at my presence. The mountains will topple, the cliffs will fall, and every wall will fall to the ground. 38:21 I will call for a sword to attack Gog on all my mountains, declares the sovereign Lord; every man’s sword will be against his brother. 38:22 I will judge him with plague and bloodshed. I will rain down on him, his troops and the many peoples who are with him a torrential downpour, hailstones, fire, and brimstone. 38:23 I will exalt and magnify myself; I will reveal myself before many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’
39:1 “As for you, son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal! 39:2 I will turn you around and drag you along; I will lead you up from the remotest parts of the north and bring you against the mountains of Israel. 39:3 I will knock your bow out of your left hand and make your arrows fall from your right hand. 39:4 You will fall dead on the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops and the people who are with you. I give you as food to every kind of bird and every wild beast. 39:5 You will fall dead in the open field; for I have spoken, declares the sovereign Lord. 39:6 I will send fire on Magog and those who live securely in the coastlands; then they will know that I am the Lord.
39:7 “‘I will make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; I will not let my holy name be profaned anymore. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. 39:8 Realize that it is coming and it will be done, declares the sovereign Lord. It is the day I have spoken about.
39:9 “‘Then those who live in the cities of Israel will go out and use the weapons for kindling – the shields, bows and arrows, war clubs and spears – they will burn them for seven years. 39:10 They will not need to take wood from the field or cut down trees from the forests, because they will make fires with the weapons. They will take the loot from those who looted them and seize the plunder of those who plundered them, declares the sovereign Lord.
39:11 “‘On that day I will assign Gog a grave in Israel. It will be the valley of those who travel east of the sea; it will block the way of the travelers. There they will bury Gog and all his horde; they will call it the valley of Hamon-Gog. 39:12 For seven months Israel will bury them, in order to cleanse the land. 39:13 All the people of the land will bury them, and it will be a memorial for them on the day I magnify myself, declares the sovereign Lord. 39:14 They will designate men to scout continually through the land, burying those who remain on the surface of the ground, in order to cleanse it. They will search for seven full months. 39:15 When the scouts survey the land and see a human bone, they will place a sign by it, until those assigned to burial duty have buried it in the valley of Hamon-Gog. 39:16 (A city by the name of Hamonah will also be there.) They will cleanse the land.’
39:17 “As for you, son of man, this is what the sovereign Lord says: Tell every kind of bird and every wild beast: ‘Assemble and come! Gather from all around to my slaughter which I am going to make for you, a great slaughter on the mountains of Israel! You will eat flesh and drink blood. 39:18 You will eat the flesh of warriors and drink the blood of the princes of the earth – the rams, lambs, goats, and bulls, all of them fattened animals of Bashan. 39:19 You will eat fat until you are full, and drink blood until you are drunk, at my slaughter which I have made for you. 39:20 You will fill up at my table with horses and charioteers, with warriors and all the soldiers,’ declares the sovereign Lord.
39:21 “I will display my majesty among the nations. All the nations will witness the judgment I have executed, and the power I have exhibited among them. 39:22 Then the house of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God, from that day forward. 39:23 The nations will know that the house of Israel went into exile due to their iniquity, for they were unfaithful to me. So I hid my face from them and handed them over to their enemies; all of them died by the sword. 39:24 According to their uncleanness and rebellion I have dealt with them, and I hid my face from them.
39:25 “Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: Now I will restore the fortunes of Jacob, and I will have mercy on the entire house of Israel. I will be zealous for my holy name. 39:26 They will bear their shame for all their unfaithful acts against me, when they live securely on their land with no one to make them afraid. 39:27 When I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will magnify myself among them in the sight of many nations. 39:28 Then they will know that I am the Lord their God, because I sent them into exile among the nations, and then gathered them into their own land. I will not leave any of them in exile any longer. 39:29 I will no longer hide my face from them, when I pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord.”
Lord, You destroy those who reject You, and you preserve Your children. You my Lord are the one and only true and awesome God.
Ezekiel prophesied an image of the last days of the end times when a massive army marches against “Israel”. At that time those whom the Lord God has gathered are faithful and living in peace, without gates and walls and defenses, trusting Him.
Gog of Magog, along with other pagan kingdoms would be watched as they swept south, only to be turned one against the other by the Lord in a great rout – testifying to the overwhelming power of the Lord God. Their destruction will be His judgment of their rebellion, just as He had judged Israel before them, though He had preserved a remnant of Israel.
He concluded the prophesy from the Lord “I will no longer hide my face from them, when I pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord.”
Israel (Israel and Judah) have been destroyed and exiled, but a remnant preserved and gathered together in a new individual convenant of faith, and then threatened by a pagan horde.
Imagine the powerful witness of the massive army, driven by the ancient sins of greed and pride, smashed to bits before they could obliterate and plunder the Lord's people?
The people will be living in faith and their faith would be justified as the Lord fights for them as He had in the time of the early Old Testament history.
When have you been defenseless but protected in a powerful way?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a threat which He has swept away in the past.
Today I will give praise to the Lord, my God.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
Vision of the New Temple
40:1 In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was struck down, on this very day, the hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me there. 40:2 By means of divine visions he brought me to the land of Israel and placed me on a very high mountain, and on it was a structure like a city, to the south. 40:3 When he brought me there, I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring stick in his hand. He was standing in the gateway. 40:4 The man said to me, “Son of man, watch closely, listen carefully, and pay attention to everything I show you, for you have been brought here so that I can show it to you. Tell the house of Israel everything you see.”
40:5 I saw a wall all around the outside of the temple. In the man’s hand was a measuring stick 10½ feet long. He measured the thickness of the wall as 10½ feet, and its height as 10½ feet. 40:6 Then he went to the gate facing east. He climbed its steps and measured the threshold of the gate as 10½ feet deep. 40:7 The alcoves were 10½ feet long and 10½ feet wide; between the alcoves were 8¾ feet. The threshold of the gate by the porch of the gate facing inward was 10½ feet. 40:8 Then he measured the porch of the gate facing inward as 10½ feet. 40:9 He measured the porch of the gate as 14 feet, and its jambs as 3½ feet; the porch of the gate faced inward. 40:10 There were three alcoves on each side of the east gate; the three had the same measurement, and the jambs on either side had the same measurement. 40:11 He measured the width of the entrance of the gateway as 17½ feet, and the length of the gateway as 22¾ feet. 40:12 There was a barrier in front of the alcoves, 1¾ feet on either side; the alcoves were 10½ feet on either side. 40:13 He measured the gateway from the roof of one alcove to the roof of the other, a width of 43¾ feet from one entrance to the opposite one. 40:14 He measured the porch at 105 feet high; the gateway went all around to the jamb of the courtyard. 40:15 From the front of the entrance gate to the porch of the inner gate was 87½ feet. 40:16 There were closed windows toward the alcoves and toward their jambs within the gate all around, and likewise for the porches. There were windows all around the inside, and on each jamb were decorative palm trees.
40:17 Then he brought me to the outer court. I saw chambers there, and a pavement made for the court all around; thirty chambers faced the pavement. 40:18 The pavement was beside the gates, corresponding to the length of the gates; this was the lower pavement. 40:19 Then he measured the width from before the lower gate to the front of the exterior of the inner court as 175 feet on the east and on the north.
40:20 He measured the length and width of the gate of the outer court which faces north. 40:21 Its alcoves, three on each side, and its jambs and porches had the same measurement as the first gate; 87½ feet long and 43¾ feet wide. 40:22 Its windows, its porches, and its decorative palm trees had the same measurement as the gate which faced east. Seven steps led up to it, and its porch was in front of them. 40:23 Opposite the gate on the north and the east was a gate of the inner court; he measured the distance from gate to gate at 175 feet.
40:24 Then he led me toward the south. I saw a gate on the south. He measured its jambs and its porches; they had the same dimensions as the others. 40:25 There were windows all around it and its porches, like the windows of the others; 87½ feet long and 43¾ feet wide. 40:26 There were seven steps going up to it; its porches were in front of them. It had decorative palm trees on its jambs, one on either side. 40:27 The inner court had a gate toward the south; he measured it from gate to gate toward the south as 175 feet.
40:28 Then he brought me to the inner court by the south gate. He measured the south gate; it had the same dimensions as the others. 40:29 Its alcoves, its jambs, and its porches had the same dimensions as the others, and there were windows all around it and its porches; its length was 87½ feet and its width 43¾ feet. 40:30 There were porches all around, 43¾ feet long and 8¾ feet wide. 40:31 Its porches faced the outer court, and decorative palm trees were on its jambs, and its stairway had eight steps.
40:32 Then he brought me to the inner court on the east side. He measured the gate; it had the same dimensions as the others. 40:33 Its alcoves, its jambs, and its porches had the same dimensions as the others, and there were windows all around it and its porches; its length was 87½ feet and its width 43¾ feet. 40:34 Its porches faced the outer court, it had decorative palm trees on its jambs, and its stairway had eight steps.
40:35 Then he brought me to the north gate, and he measured it; it had the same dimensions as the others – 40:36 its alcoves, its jambs, and its porches. It had windows all around it; its length was 87½ feet and its width 43¾ feet. 40:37 Its jambs faced the outer court, and it had decorative palm trees on its jambs, on either side, and its stairway had eight steps.
40:38 There was a chamber with its door by the porch of the gate; there they washed the burnt offering. 40:39 In the porch of the gate were two tables on either side on which to slaughter the burnt offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering. 40:40 On the outside of the porch as one goes up at the entrance of the north gate were two tables, and on the other side of the porch of the gate were two tables. 40:41 Four tables were on each side of the gate, eight tables on which the sacrifices were to be slaughtered. 40:42 The four tables for the burnt offering were of carved stone, 32 inches long, 32 inches wide, and 21 inches high. They would put the instruments which they used to slaughter the burnt offering and the sacrifice on them. 40:43 There were hooks three inches long, fastened in the house all around, and on the tables was the flesh of the offering.
40:44 On the outside of the inner gate were chambers for the singers of the inner court, one at the side of the north gate facing south, and the other at the side of the south gate facing north. 40:45 He said to me, “This chamber which faces south is for the priests who keep charge of the temple, 40:46 and the chamber which faces north is for the priests who keep charge of the altar. These are the descendants of Zadok, from the descendants of Levi, who may approach the Lord to minister to him.” 40:47 He measured the court as a square 175 feet long and 175 feet wide; the altar was in front of the temple.
40:48 Then he brought me to the porch of the temple and measured the jambs of the porch as 8¾ feet on either side, and the width of the gate was 24½ feet and the sides were 5¼ feet on each side. 40:49 The length of the porch was 35 feet and the width 19¼ feet; steps led up to it, and there were pillars beside the jambs on either side.
The Inner Temple
41:1 Then he brought me to the outer sanctuary, and measured the jambs; the jambs were 10½ feet wide on each side. 41:2 The width of the entrance was 17½ feet, and the sides of the entrance were 8¾ feet on each side. He measured the length of the outer sanctuary as 70 feet, and its width as 35 feet.
41:3 Then he went into the inner sanctuary and measured the jambs of the entrance as 3½ feet, the entrance as 10½ feet, and the width of the entrance as 12¼ feet 41:4 Then he measured its length as 35 feet, and its width as 35 feet, before the outer sanctuary. He said to me, “This is the most holy place.”
41:5 Then he measured the wall of the temple as 10½ feet, and the width of the side chambers as 7 feet, all around the temple. 41:6 The side chambers were in three stories, one above the other, thirty in each story. There were offsets in the wall all around to serve as supports for the side chambers, so that the supports were not in the wall of the temple. 41:7 The side chambers surrounding the temple were wider at each successive story; for the structure surrounding the temple went up story by story all around the temple. For this reason the width of the temple increased as it went up, and one went up from the lowest story to the highest by the way of the middle story.
41:8 I saw that the temple had a raised platform all around; the foundations of the side chambers were a full measuring stick of 10½ feet high. 41:9 The width of the outer wall of the side chambers was 8¾ feet, and the open area between the side chambers of the temple 41:10 and the chambers of the court was 35 feet in width all around the temple on every side. 41:11 There were entrances from the side chambers toward the open area, one entrance toward the north, and another entrance toward the south; the width of the open area was 8¾ feet all around.
41:12 The building that was facing the temple courtyard at the west side was 122½ feet wide; the wall of the building was 8¾ feet all around, and its length 157½ feet.
41:13 Then he measured the temple as 175 feet long, the courtyard of the temple and the building and its walls as 175 feet long, 41:14 and also the width of the front of the temple and the courtyard on the east as 175 feet.
41:15 Then he measured the length of the building facing the courtyard at the rear of the temple, with its galleries on either side as 175 feet.
The interior of the outer sanctuary and the porch of the court, 41:16 as well as the thresholds, narrow windows and galleries all around on three sides facing the threshold were paneled with wood all around, from the ground up to the windows (now the windows were covered), 41:17 to the space above the entrance, to the inner room, and on the outside, and on all the walls in the inner room and outside, by measurement. 41:18 It was made with cherubim and decorative palm trees, with a palm tree between each cherub. Each cherub had two faces: 41:19 a human face toward the palm tree on one side and a lion’s face toward the palm tree on the other side. They were carved on the whole temple all around; 41:20 from the ground to the area above the entrance, cherubim and decorative palm trees were carved on the wall of the outer sanctuary. 41:21 The doorposts of the outer sanctuary were square. In front of the sanctuary one doorpost looked just like the other. 41:22 The altar was of wood, 5¼ feet high, with its length 3½ feet; its corners, its length, and its walls were of wood. He said to me, “This is the table that is before the Lord.” 41:23 The outer sanctuary and the inner sanctuary each had a double door. 41:24 Each of the doors had two leaves, two swinging leaves; two leaves for one door and two leaves for the other. 41:25 On the doors of the outer sanctuary were carved cherubim and palm trees, like those carved on the walls, and there was a canopy of wood on the front of the outside porch. 41:26 There were narrow windows and decorative palm trees on either side of the side walls of the porch; this is what the side chambers of the temple and the canopies were like.
Chambers for the Temple
42:1 Then he led me out to the outer court, toward the north, and brought me to the chamber which was opposite the courtyard and opposite the building on the north. 42:2 Its length was 175 feet on the north side, and its width 87½ feet. 42:3 Opposite the 35 feet that belonged to the inner court, and opposite the pavement which belonged to the outer court, gallery faced gallery in the three stories. 42:4 In front of the chambers was a walkway on the inner side, 17½ feet wide at a distance of 1¾ feet, and their entrances were on the north. 42:5 Now the upper chambers were narrower, because the galleries took more space from them than from the lower and middle chambers of the building. 42:6 For they were in three stories and had no pillars like the pillars of the courts; therefore the upper chambers were set back from the ground more than the lower and upper ones. 42:7 As for the outer wall by the side of the chambers, toward the outer court facing the chambers, it was 87½ feet long. 42:8 For the chambers on the outer court were 87½ feet long, while those facing the temple were 175 feet long. 42:9 Below these chambers was a passage on the east side as one enters from the outer court.
42:10 At the beginning of the wall of the court toward the south, facing the courtyard and the building, were chambers 42:11 with a passage in front of them. They looked like the chambers on the north. Of the same length and width, and all their exits according to their arrangements and entrances 42:12 were the chambers which were toward the south. There was an opening at the head of the passage, the passage in front of the corresponding wall toward the east when one enters.
42:13 Then he said to me, “The north chambers and the south chambers which face the courtyard are holy chambers where the priests who approach the Lord will eat the most holy offerings. There they will place the most holy offerings – the grain offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering, because the place is holy. 42:14 When the priests enter, then they will not go out from the sanctuary to the outer court without taking off their garments in which they minister, for these are holy; they will put on other garments, then they will go near the places where the people are.”
42:15 Now when he had finished measuring the interior of the temple, he led me out by the gate which faces east and measured all around. 42:16 He measured the east side with the measuring stick as 875 feet by the measuring stick. 42:17 He measured the north side as 875 feet by the measuring stick. 42:18 He measured the south side as 875 feet by the measuring stick. 42:19 He turned to the west side and measured 875 feet by the measuring stick. 42:20 He measured it on all four sides. It had a wall around it, 875 feet long and 875 feet wide, to separate the holy and common places.
Lord, You provided Ezekiel – and through him the people – a visual representation of the new temple You desired to create for them. May I rest in the assurance that Your words in Jeremiah 29:11 remain forever-true, “... plans to give you hope and a future ...”
Ezekiel was taken to a mountain, in a vision, and told “Son of man, watch closely, listen carefully, and pay attention to everything I show you, for you have been brought here so that I can show it to you. Tell the house of Israel everything you see.”
Then he was brought into “... the inner sanctuary and … He said to me, “This is the most holy place.”
Ezekiel was shown more “This chamber which faces south is for the priests who keep charge of the temple, and the chamber which faces north is for the priests who keep charge of the altar. These are the descendants of Zadok, from the descendants of Levi, who may approach the Lord to minister to him.”
And more “The north chambers and the south chambers which face the courtyard are holy chambers where the priests who approach the Lord will eat the most holy offerings. There they will place the most holy offerings – the grain offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering, because the place is holy. When the priests enter, then they will not go out from the sanctuary to the outer court without taking off their garments in which they minister, for these are holy; they will put on other garments, then they will go near the places where the people are.”
The level of detail matched that He had given to Moses and to David.
The Levitical priesthood was to be reinstated “... the descendants of Zadok, from the descendants of Levi ...”
Was the description of the priests and sacrifices merely rhetorical, given that the people would never truly repent and surrender to the God as required, and because the Lord had already declared that the time of Him dealing with tribes and nations was over and the new covenant was with each individual?
The reality of a literal restored temple and restored sacrificial system was, of course, conditioned on a right-response from the people; otherwise it was merely symbolic, to later be replaced – through the work of Christ – by the practices of an entirely different covenant.
When have you contemplated the differences in your life between living under the ancient system of literal sacrifice versus under the new covenant of Christ?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you something He has shown you, about Himself, that He now wants you to share with others.
Today I will joyfully, prayerfully, and respectfully seek and share His promise of hope and purpose with the person to whom He leads me. It may be a time of encouragement and edification with a fellow believer or a time of outreach to someone considering-Christ.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
The Glory Returns to the Temple
43:1 Then he brought me to the gate that faced toward the east. 43:2 I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east; the sound was like that of rushing water; and the earth radiated his glory. 43:3 It was like the vision I saw when he came to destroy the city, and the vision I saw by the Kebar River. I threw myself face down. 43:4 The glory of the Lord came into the temple by way of the gate that faces east. 43:5 Then a wind lifted me up and brought me to the inner court; I watched the glory of the Lord filling the temple.
43:6 I heard someone speaking to me from the temple, while the man was standing beside me. 43:7 He said to me: “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place for the soles of my feet, where I will live among the people of Israel forever. The house of Israel will no longer profane my holy name, neither they nor their kings, by their spiritual prostitution or by the pillars of their kings set up when they die. 43:8 When they placed their threshold by my threshold and their doorpost by my doorpost, with only the wall between me and them, they profaned my holy name by the abominable deeds they committed. So I consumed them in my anger. 43:9 Now they must put away their spiritual prostitution and the pillars of their kings far from me, and then I will live among them forever.
43:10 “As for you, son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, so that they will be ashamed of their sins and measure the pattern. 43:11 When they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple, its pattern, its exits and entrances, and its whole design – all its statutes, its entire design, and all its laws; write it all down in their sight, so that they may observe its entire design and all its statutes and do them.
43:12 “This is the law of the temple: The entire area on top of the mountain all around will be most holy. Indeed, this is the law of the temple.
The Altar
43:13 “And these are the measurements of the altar: Its base is 1¾ feet high, and 1¾ feet wide, and its border nine inches on its edge. This is to be the height of the altar. 43:14 From the base of the ground to the lower edge is 3½ feet, and the width 1¾ feet; and from the smaller ledge to the larger edge, 7 feet, and the width 1¾ feet; 43:15 and the altar hearth, 7 feet, and from the altar hearth four horns projecting upward. 43:16 Now the altar hearth is a perfect square, 21 feet long and 21 feet wide. 43:17 The ledge is 24½ feet long and 24½ feet wide on four sides; the border around it is 10½ inches, and its surrounding base 1¾ feet. Its steps face east.”
43:18 Then he said to me: “Son of man, this is what the sovereign Lord says: These are the statutes of the altar: On the day it is built to offer up burnt offerings on it and to sprinkle blood on it, 43:19 you will give a young bull for a sin offering to the Levitical priests who are descended from Zadok, who approach me to minister to me, declares the sovereign Lord. 43:20 You will take some of its blood, and place it on the four horns of the altar, on the four corners of the ledge, and on the border all around; you will cleanse it and make atonement for it. 43:21 You will also take the bull for the sin offering, and it will be burned in the appointed place in the temple, outside the sanctuary.
43:22 “On the second day, you will offer a male goat without blemish for a sin offering. They will purify the altar just as they purified it with the bull. 43:23 When you have finished purifying it, you will offer an unblemished young bull and an unblemished ram from the flock. 43:24 You will present them before the Lord, and the priests will scatter salt on them and offer them up as a burnt offering to the Lord.
43:25 “For seven days you will provide every day a goat for a sin offering; a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without blemish, will be provided. 43:26 For seven days they will make atonement for the altar and cleanse it, so they will consecrate it. 43:27 When the prescribed period is over, on the eighth day and thereafter the priests will offer up on the altar your burnt offerings and your peace offerings; I will accept you, declares the sovereign Lord.”
The Closed Gate
44:1 Then he brought me back by way of the outer gate of the sanctuary which faces east, but it was shut. 44:2 The Lord said to me: “This gate will be shut; it will not be opened, and no one will enter by it. For the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered by it; therefore it will remain shut. 44:3 Only the prince may sit in it to eat a sacrificial meal before the Lord; he will enter by way of the porch of the gate and will go out by the same way.”
44:4 Then he brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple. As I watched, I noticed the glory of the Lord filling the Lord’s temple, and I threw myself face down. 44:5 The Lord said to me: “Son of man, pay attention, watch closely and listen carefully to everything I tell you concerning all the statutes of the Lord’s house and all its laws. Pay attention to the entrances to the temple with all the exits of the sanctuary. 44:6 Say to the rebellious, to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Enough of all your abominable practices, O house of Israel! 44:7 When you bring foreigners, those uncircumcised in heart and in flesh, into my sanctuary, you desecrate it – even my house – when you offer my food, the fat and the blood. You have broken my covenant by all your abominable practices. 44:8 You have not kept charge of my holy things, but you have assigned foreigners to keep charge of my sanctuary for you. 44:9 This is what the sovereign Lord says: No foreigner, who is uncircumcised in heart and flesh among all the foreigners who are among the people of Israel, will enter into my sanctuary.
44:10 “‘But the Levites who went far from me, straying off from me after their idols when Israel went astray, will be responsible for their sin. 44:11 Yet they will be ministers in my sanctuary, having oversight at the gates of the temple, and serving the temple. They will slaughter the burnt offerings and the sacrifices for the people, and they will stand before them to minister to them. 44:12 Because they used to minister to them before their idols, and became a sinful obstacle to the house of Israel, consequently I have made a vow concerning them, declares the sovereign Lord, that they will be responsible for their sin. 44:13 They will not come near me to serve me as priest, nor will they come near any of my holy things, the things which are most sacred. They will bear the shame of the abominable deeds they have committed. 44:14 Yet I will appoint them to keep charge of the temple, all of its service and all that will be done in it.
Lord, You wish to restore Your relationship with humankind, but sins committed by those to whom You entrusted spiritually-important responsibilities in the past leave scars and have consequences. May I remember that my choices have consequences, even though I am forgiven, so the closer I walk with You now the fewer regrets I will have later.
Ezekiel received another vision “I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east; the sound was like that of rushing water; and the earth radiated his glory ... I watched the glory of the Lord filling the temple.”
He was informed “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place for the soles of my feet, where I will live among the people of Israel forever. The house of Israel will no longer profane my holy name, neither they nor their kings, by their spiritual prostitution or by the pillars of their kings set up when they die.”
Ezekiel was to use the temple and its statutes as a tool for the Lord’s chastising and discipling of the people “... describe the temple to the house of Israel, so that they will be ashamed of their sins and measure the pattern. 43:11 When they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple, its pattern, its exits and entrances, and its whole design – all its statutes, its entire design, and all its laws; write it all down in their sight, so that they may observe its entire design and all its statutes and do them.”
He also was told that choices have consequences, and sometimes they limited the fullness of restoration following reconciliation “‘But the Levites who went far from me, straying off from me after their idols when Israel went astray, will be responsible for their sin. 44:11 Yet they will be ministers in my sanctuary, having oversight at the gates of the temple, and serving the temple. They will slaughter the burnt offerings and the sacrifices for the people, and they will stand before them to minister to them. 44:12 Because they used to minister to them before their idols, and became a sinful obstacle to the house of Israel, consequently I have made a vow concerning them, declares the sovereign Lord, that they will be responsible for their sin. 44:13 They will not come near me to serve me as priest, nor will they come near any of my holy things, the things which are most sacred. They will bear the shame of the abominable deeds they have committed. 44:14 Yet I will appoint them to keep charge of the temple, all of its service and all that will be done in it.
The vision of the Lord God filling a new temple was powerful, yet it was an as-yet unfulfilled event because it was conditioned upon a repentant people.
How might the details of the temple have been convicting to the people?
The choice that the Levitical priests made in the past to sacrifice to false gods while in the Lord God’s temple meant that their options were to be limited in the new temple – they would not be allowed near to the “Holy of Holies”.
When have you observed a situation where someone was reconciled but not fully restored as the result of something that they had done which prevented that restoration?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a situation in your life where a test to build you up is, due to your weaknesses, a potential temptation to sin in a way that could create some non-restorable losses for you.
Today I will humbly accept the warning of the Holy Spirit, I will ask a fellow believer to be my accountability and prayer partner, and I will take steps to remove myself as much as possible from the place that I have learned is a danger to my right-living.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Levitical Priests
44:15 “‘But the Levitical priests, the descendants of Zadok who kept the charge of my sanctuary when the people of Israel went astray from me, will approach me to minister to me; they will stand before me to offer me the fat and the blood, declares the sovereign Lord. 44:16 They will enter my sanctuary, and approach my table to minister to me; they will keep my charge.
44:17 “‘When they enter the gates of the inner court, they must wear linen garments; they must not have any wool on them when they minister in the inner gates of the court and in the temple. 44:18 Linen turbans will be on their heads and linen undergarments will be around their waists; they must not bind themselves with anything that causes sweat. 44:19 When they go out to the outer court to the people, they must remove the garments they were ministering in, and place them in the holy chambers; they must put on other garments so that they will not transmit holiness to the people with their garments.
44:20 “‘They must not shave their heads nor let their hair grow long; they must only trim their heads. 44:21 No priest may drink wine when he enters the inner court. 44:22 They must not marry a widow or a divorcee, but they may marry a virgin from the house of Israel or a widow who is a priest’s widow. 44:23 Moreover, they will teach my people the difference between the holy and the common, and show them how to distinguish between the ceremonially unclean and the clean.
44:24 “‘In a controversy they will act as judges; they will judge according to my ordinances. They will keep my laws and my statutes regarding all my appointed festivals and will observe my Sabbaths.
44:25 “‘They must not come near a dead person or they will be defiled; however, for father, mother, son, daughter, brother or sister, they may defile themselves. 44:26 After a priest has become ceremonially clean, they must count off a period of seven days for him. 44:27 On the day he enters the sanctuary, into the inner court to serve in the sanctuary, he must offer his sin offering, declares the sovereign Lord.
44:28 “‘This will be their inheritance: I am their inheritance, and you must give them no property in Israel; I am their property. 44:29 They may eat the grain offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering, and every devoted thing in Israel will be theirs. 44:30 The first of all the first fruits and all contributions of any kind will be for the priests; you will also give to the priest the first portion of your dough, so that a blessing may rest on your house. 44:31 The priests will not eat any bird or animal that has died a natural death or was torn to pieces by a wild animal.
The Lord’s Portion of the Land
45:1 “‘When you allot the land as an inheritance, you will offer an allotment to the Lord, a holy portion from the land; the length will be eight and a quarter miles and the width three and one-third miles. This entire area will be holy. 45:2 Of this area a square 875 feet by 875 feet will be designated for the sanctuary, with 87½ feet set aside for its open space round about. 45:3 From this measured area you will measure a length of eight and a quarter miles and a width of three and one-third miles; in it will be the sanctuary, the most holy place. 45:4 It will be a holy portion of the land; it will be for the priests, the ministers of the sanctuary who approach the Lord to minister to him. It will be a place for their houses and a holy place for the sanctuary. 45:5 An area eight and a quarter miles in length and three and one-third miles in width will be for the Levites, who minister at the temple, as the place for the cities in which they will live.
45:6 “‘Alongside the portion set apart as the holy allotment, you will allot for the city an area one and two-thirds miles wide and eight and a quarter miles long; it will be for the whole house of Israel.
45:7 “‘For the prince there will be land on both sides of the holy allotment and the allotted city, alongside the holy allotment and the allotted city, on the west side and on the east side; it will be comparable in length to one of the portions, from the west border to the east border 45:8 of the land. This will be his property in Israel. My princes will no longer oppress my people, but the land will be allotted to the house of Israel according to their tribes.
45:9 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Enough, you princes of Israel! Put away violence and destruction, and do what is just and right. Put an end to your evictions of my people, declares the sovereign Lord. 45:10 You must use just balances, a just dry measure (an ephah), and a just liquid measure (a bath). 45:11 The dry and liquid measures will be the same, the bath will contain a tenth of a homer, and the ephah a tenth of a homer; the homer will be the standard measure. 45:12 The shekel will be twenty gerahs. Sixty shekels will be a mina for you.
45:13 “‘This is the offering you must offer: a sixth of an ephah from a homer of wheat; a sixth of an ephah from a homer of barley, 45:14 and as the prescribed portion of olive oil, one tenth of a bath from each kor (which is ten baths or a homer, for ten baths make a homer); 45:15 and one sheep from each flock of two hundred, from the watered places of Israel, for a grain offering, burnt offering, and peace offering, to make atonement for them, declares the sovereign Lord. 45:16 All the people of the land will contribute to this offering for the prince of Israel. 45:17 It will be the duty of the prince to provide the burnt offerings, the grain offering, and the drink offering at festivals, on the new moons and Sabbaths, at all the appointed feasts of the house of Israel; he will provide the sin offering, the grain offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offerings to make atonement for the house of Israel.
45:18 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: In the first month, on the first day of the month, you must take an unblemished young bull and purify the sanctuary. 45:19 The priest will take some of the blood of the sin offering and place it on the doorpost of the temple, on the four corners of the ledge of the altar, and on the doorpost of the gate of the inner court. 45:20 This is what you must do on the seventh day of the month for anyone who sins inadvertently or through ignorance; so you will make atonement for the temple.
45:21 “‘In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, you will celebrate the Passover, and for seven days bread made without yeast will be eaten. 45:22 On that day the prince will provide for himself and for all the people of the land a bull for a sin offering. 45:23 And during the seven days of the feast he will provide as a burnt offering to the Lord seven bulls and seven rams, all without blemish, on each of the seven days, and a male goat daily for a sin offering. 45:24 He will provide as a grain offering an ephah for each bull, an ephah for each ram, and a gallon of olive oil for each ephah of grain. 45:25 In the seventh month, on the fifteenth day of the month, at the feast, he will make the same provisions for the sin offering, burnt offering, and grain offering, and for the olive oil, for the seven days.
The Prince’s Offerings
46:1 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: The gate of the inner court that faces east will be closed six working days, but on the Sabbath day it will be opened and on the day of the new moon it will be opened. 46:2 The prince will enter by way of the porch of the gate from the outside, and will stand by the doorpost of the gate. The priests will provide his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he will bow down at the threshold of the gate and then go out. But the gate will not be closed until evening. 46:3 The people of the land will bow down at the entrance of that gate before the Lord on the Sabbaths and on the new moons. 46:4 The burnt offering which the prince will offer to the Lord on the Sabbath day will be six unblemished lambs and one unblemished ram. 46:5 The grain offering will be an ephah with the ram, and the grain offering with the lambs will be as much as he is able to give, and a gallon of olive oil with an ephah. 46:6 On the day of the new moon he will offer an unblemished young bull, and six lambs and a ram, all without blemish. 46:7 He will provide a grain offering: an ephah with the bull and an ephah with the ram, and with the lambs as much as he wishes, and a gallon of olive oil with each ephah of grain. 46:8 When the prince enters, he will come by way of the porch of the gate and will go out the same way.
46:9 “‘When the people of the land come before the Lord at the appointed feasts, whoever enters by way of the north gate to worship will go out by way of the south gate; whoever enters by way of the south gate will go out by way of the north gate. No one will return by way of the gate they entered but will go out straight ahead. 46:10 When they come in, the prince will come in with them, and when they go out, he will go out.
46:11 “‘At the festivals and at the appointed feasts the grain offering will be an ephah with the bull and an ephah with the ram, and with the lambs as much as one is able, and a gallon of olive oil with each ephah of grain. 46:12 When the prince provides a freewill offering, a burnt offering, or peace offerings as a voluntary offering to the Lord, the gate facing east will be opened for him, and he will provide his burnt offering and his peace offerings just as he did on the Sabbath. Then he will go out, and the gate will be closed after he goes out.
46:13 “‘You will provide a lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering daily to the Lord; morning by morning he will provide it. 46:14 And you will provide a grain offering with it morning by morning, a sixth of an ephah, and a third of a gallon of olive oil to moisten the choice flour, as a grain offering to the Lord; this is a perpetual statute. 46:15 Thus they will provide the lamb, the grain offering, and the olive oil morning by morning, as a perpetual burnt offering.
46:16 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: If the prince should give a gift to one of his sons as his inheritance, it will belong to his sons, it is their property by inheritance. 46:17 But if he gives a gift from his inheritance to one of his servants, it will be his until the year of liberty; then it will revert to the prince. His inheritance will only remain with his sons. 46:18 The prince will not take away any of the people’s inheritance by oppressively removing them from their property. He will give his sons an inheritance from his own possessions so that my people will not be scattered, each from his own property.’”
46:19 Then he brought me through the entrance, which was at the side of the gate, into the holy chambers for the priests which faced north. There I saw a place at the extreme western end. 46:20 He said to me, “This is the place where the priests will boil the guilt offering and the sin offering, and where they will bake the grain offering, so that they do not bring them out to the outer court to transmit holiness to the people.”
46:21 Then he brought me out to the outer court and led me past the four corners of the court, and I noticed that in every corner of the court there was a court. 46:22 In the four corners of the court were small courts, 70 feet in length and 52½ feet in width; the four were all the same size. 46:23 There was a row of masonry around each of the four courts, and places for boiling offerings were made under the rows all around. 46:24 Then he said to me, “These are the houses for boiling, where the ministers of the temple boil the sacrifices of the people.”
Lord, Your new order provided for a higher level of boundaries so as to cause priests and leaders and all of the people to rely upon You and to be humble and just before one-another. May I recognize this as Your desire for Your children even today.
Ezekiel delivered the Lord God’s teaching for the care of the Levitical priests “‘This will be their inheritance: I am their inheritance, and you must give them no property in Israel; I am their property. They may eat the grain offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering, and every devoted thing in Israel will be theirs. The first of all the first fruits and all contributions of any kind will be for the priests; you will also give to the priest the first portion of your dough, so that a blessing may rest on your house … “‘When you allot the land as an inheritance, you will offer an allotment to the Lord, a holy portion from the land; the length will be eight and a quarter miles and the width three and one-third miles. This entire area will be holy … you will measure a length of eight and a quarter miles and a width of three and one-third miles; in it will be the sanctuary, the most holy place. It will be a holy portion of the land; it will be for the priests, the ministers of the sanctuary who approach the Lord to minister to him. It will be a place for their houses and a holy place for the sanctuary. An area eight and a quarter miles in length and three and one-third miles in width will be for the Levites, who minister at the temple, as the place for the cities in which they will live.
He then was show the area for the people “‘Alongside the portion set apart as the holy allotment, you will allot for the city an area one and two-thirds miles wide and eight and a quarter miles long; it will be for the whole house of Israel.”
Ezekiel was shown that “the prince” would receive a fixed allotment of land “‘For the prince there will be land on both sides of the holy allotment and the allotted city, alongside the holy allotment and the allotted city, on the west side and on the east side; it will be comparable in length to one of the portions, from the west border to the east border of the land. This will be his property in Israel. My princes will no longer oppress my people, but the land will be allotted to the house of Israel according to their tribes.”
He then was shown that the prince would travel to and from gatherings with the people, all together in one gate and out another, without separation or reversed direction “‘When the people of the land come before the Lord at the appointed feasts, whoever enters by way of the north gate to worship will go out by way of the south gate; whoever enters by way of the south gate will go out by way of the north gate. No one will return by way of the gate they entered but will go out straight ahead. When they come in, the prince will come in with them, and when they go out, he will go out.”
Just as the Levites had a God-ordained and provided inheritance and provision, so did the prince and his family, and it was to be preserved generation to generation “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: If the prince should give a gift to one of his sons as his inheritance, it will belong to his sons, it is their property by inheritance. But if he gives a gift from his inheritance to one of his servants, it will be his until the year of liberty; then it will revert to the prince. His inheritance will only remain with his sons. The prince will not take away any of the people’s inheritance by oppressively removing them from their property. He will give his sons an inheritance from his own possessions so that my people will not be scattered, each from his own property.’”
Because the Levitical priests had, in the past, made greedy and pagan choices the new statutes for them created a much more God-dependent environment.
Why would it be important that a prince be allowed to temporarily share his inheritance with a non-member of his family but that said gift would have to return to the family after a time?
“The prince” received a fixed allotment of land and no more as a way to keep him from greedily taking more and more for himself.
When have you found yourself completely dependent on the Lord God?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a boundary He has created in your life in order to protect both you and others.
Today I will prayerfully discern from the Holy Spirit where He has established a boundary in my life and I will be intentional about honoring it. The boundary may be in incurring debt or risk-taking behavior, it may be listening to secular music or watching certain types of movies, it may be too much concern for the approval by others due to my physical appearance or about my possessions or titles, or it may be an unteachable spirit.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Water from the Temple
47:1 Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple. I noticed that water was flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from under the right side of the temple, from south of the altar. 47:2 He led me out by way of the north gate and brought me around the outside of the outer gate that faces toward the east; I noticed that the water was trickling out from the south side.
47:3 When the man went out toward the east with a measuring line in his hand, he measured 1,750 feet, and then he led me through water, which was ankle deep. 47:4 Again he measured 1,750 feet and led me through the water, which was now knee deep. Once more he measured 1,750 feet and led me through the water, which was waist deep. 47:5 Again he measured 1,750 feet and it was a river I could not cross, for the water had risen; it was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be crossed. 47:6 He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?”
Then he led me back to the bank of the river. 47:7 When I had returned, I noticed a vast number of trees on the banks of the river, on both sides. 47:8 He said to me, “These waters go out toward the eastern region and flow down into the Arabah; when they enter the Dead Sea, where the sea is stagnant, the waters become fresh. 47:9 Every living creature which swarms where the river flows will live; there will be many fish, for these waters flow there. It will become fresh and everything will live where the river flows. 47:10 Fishermen will stand beside it; from Engedi to En-eglaim they will spread nets. They will catch many kinds of fish, like the fish of the Great Sea. 47:11 But its swamps and its marshes will not become fresh; they will remain salty. 47:12 On both sides of the river’s banks, every kind of tree will grow for food. Their leaves will not wither nor will their fruit fail, but they will bear fruit every month, because their water source flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.”
Boundaries for the Land
47:13 This is what the sovereign Lord says: “Here are the borders you will observe as you allot the land to the twelve tribes of Israel. (Joseph will have two portions.) 47:14 You must divide it equally just as I vowed to give it to your forefathers; this land will be assigned as your inheritance.
47:15 “This will be the border of the land: On the north side, from the Great Sea by way of Hethlon to the entrance of Zedad; 47:16 Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath, as far as Hazer-hattikon, which is on the border of Hauran. 47:17 The border will run from the sea to Hazar-enan, at the border of Damascus, and on the north is the border of Hamath. This is the north side. 47:18 On the east side, between Hauran and Damascus, and between Gilead and the land of Israel, will be the Jordan. You will measure from the border to the eastern sea. This is the east side. 47:19 On the south side it will run from Tamar to the waters of Meribath Kadesh, the river, to the Great Sea. This is the south side. 47:20 On the west side the Great Sea will be the boundary to a point opposite Lebo-hamath. This is the west side.
47:21 “This is how you will divide this land for yourselves among the tribes of Israel. 47:22 You must allot it as an inheritance among yourselves and for the foreigners who reside among you, who have fathered sons among you. You must treat them as native-born among the people of Israel; they will be allotted an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. 47:23 In whatever tribe the foreigner resides, there you will give him his inheritance,” declares the sovereign Lord.
The Tribal Portions
48:1 “These are the names of the tribes: From the northern end beside the road of Hethlon to Lebo-hamath, as far as Hazar-enan (which is on the border of Damascus, toward the north beside Hamath), extending from the east side to the west, Dan will have one portion. 48:2 Next to the border of Dan, from the east side to the west, Asher will have one portion. 48:3 Next to the border of Asher from the east side to the west, Naphtali will have one portion. 48:4 Next to the border of Naphtali from the east side to the west, Manasseh will have one portion. 48:5 Next to the border of Manasseh from the east side to the west, Ephraim will have one portion. 48:6 Next to the border of Ephraim from the east side to the west, Reuben will have one portion. 48:7 Next to the border of Reuben from the east side to the west, Judah will have one portion.
48:8 “Next to the border of Judah from the east side to the west will be the allotment you must set apart. It is to be eight and a quarter miles wide, and the same length as one of the tribal portions, from the east side to the west; the sanctuary will be in the middle of it. 48:9 The allotment you set apart to the Lord will be eight and a quarter miles in length and three and one-third miles in width. 48:10 These will be the allotments for the holy portion: for the priests, toward the north eight and a quarter miles in length, toward the west three and one-third miles in width, toward the east three and one-third miles in width, and toward the south eight and a quarter miles in length; the sanctuary of the Lord will be in the middle. 48:11 This will be for the priests who are set apart from the descendants of Zadok who kept my charge and did not go astray when the people of Israel strayed off, like the Levites did. 48:12 It will be their portion from the allotment of the land, a most holy place, next to the border of the Levites.
48:13 “Alongside the border of the priests, the Levites will have an allotment eight and a quarter miles in length and three and one-third miles in width. The whole length will be eight and a quarter miles and the width three and one-third miles. 48:14 They must not sell or exchange any of it; they must not transfer this choice portion of land, for it is set apart to the Lord.
48:15 “The remainder, one and two-thirds miles in width and eight and a quarter miles in length, will be for common use by the city, for houses and for open space. The city will be in the middle of it; 48:16 these will be its measurements: The north side will be one and one-half miles, the south side one and one-half miles, the east side one and one-half miles, and the west side one and one-half miles. 48:17 The city will have open spaces: On the north there will be 437½ feet, on the south 437½ feet, on the east 437½ feet, and on the west 437½ feet. 48:18 The remainder of the length alongside the holy allotment will be three and one-third miles to the east and three and one-third miles toward the west, and it will be beside the holy allotment. Its produce will be for food for the workers of the city. 48:19 The workers of the city from all the tribes of Israel will cultivate it. 48:20 The whole allotment will be eight and a quarter miles square, you must set apart the holy allotment with the possession of the city.
48:21 “The rest, on both sides of the holy allotment and the property of the city, will belong to the prince. Extending from the eight and a quarter miles of the holy allotment to the east border, and westward from the eight and a quarter miles to the west border, alongside the portions, it will belong to the prince. The holy allotment and the sanctuary of the temple will be in the middle of it. 48:22 The property of the Levites and of the city will be in the middle of that which belongs to the prince. The portion between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin will be for the prince.
48:23 “As for the rest of the tribes: From the east side to the west side, Benjamin will have one portion. 48:24 Next to the border of Benjamin, from the east side to the west side, Simeon will have one portion. 48:25 Next to the border of Simeon, from the east side to the west side, Issachar will have one portion. 48:26 Next to the border of Issachar, from the east side to the west side, Zebulun will have one portion. 48:27 Next to the border of Zebulun, from the east side to the west side, Gad will have one portion. 48:28 Next to the border of Gad, at the south side, the border will run from Tamar to the waters of Meribath Kadesh, to the Stream of Egypt and on to the Great Sea. 48:29 This is the land which you will allot to the tribes of Israel, and these are their portions, declares the sovereign Lord.
48:30 “These are the exits of the city: On the north side, one and one-half miles by measure, 48:31 the gates of the city will be named for the tribes of Israel; there will be three gates to the north: one gate for Reuben, one gate for Judah, and one gate for Levi. (48:32) On the east side, one and one-half miles in length, there will be three gates: one gate for Joseph, one gate for Benjamin, and one gate for Dan. (48:33) On the south side, one and one-half miles by measure, there will be three gates: one gate for Simeon, one gate for Issachar, and one gate for Zebulun. 48:34 On the west side, one and one-half miles in length, there will be three gates: one gate for Gad, one gate for Asher, and one gate for Naphtali. 48:35 The circumference of the city will be six miles. The name of the city from that day forward will be: ‘The Lord Is There.’”
Lord, You are the flowing water that brings blessing in this world and eternal life in Heaven, and anything not directly connected to You will not flourish. May I draw near to You and be blessed and nourished every day.
Ezekiel was shown “These waters go out toward the eastern region and flow down into the Arabah; when they enter the Dead Sea, where the sea is stagnant, the waters become fresh ... But its swamps and its marshes will not become fresh; they will remain salty. On both sides of the river’s banks, every kind of tree will grow for food. Their leaves will not wither nor will their fruit fail, but they will bear fruit every month, because their water source flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.”
He heard that this is what the sovereign Lord says: “Here are the borders you will observe as you allot the land to the twelve tribes of Israel. (Joseph will have two portions.) You must divide it equally just as I vowed to give it to your forefathers; this land will be assigned as your inheritance … “This is how you will divide this land for yourselves among the tribes of Israel. You must allot it as an inheritance among yourselves and for the foreigners who reside among you, who have fathered sons among you. You must treat them as native-born among the people of Israel; they will be allotted an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. In whatever tribe the foreigner resides, there you will give him his inheritance,” declares the sovereign Lord.
Ezekiel received this final detail “The circumference of the city will be six miles. The name of the city from that day forward will be: ‘The Lord Is There.’”
The water that was to flow from the new temple would bring life to all that came in immediate contact with it; however, that which was merely close yet not immersed would not benefit.
How amazing would it have been to hear that the planned new city would be called ‘The Lord Is There.”?
A permanent place among Israel would be “foreigners” (gentiles) who had been folded-into their family.
When have you observed someone - just beyond a genuine surrender to the Lordship of Christ - who was suffering and wilted while another who had fully surrendered demonstrated a sense of joy and of a renewed life?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you someone who is close but not yet truly saved.
Today I will pray with special earnest for the one who needs to take that final step, and if the Holy Spirit guides, I will encourage them directly.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study –“Genesis 3. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 48
Introduction
1:1 This is the Lord’s message that was given to Joel the son of Pethuel:
A Locust Plague Foreshadows the Day of the Lord
1:2 Listen to this, you elders; pay attention, all inhabitants of the land. Has anything like this ever happened in your whole life or in the lifetime of your ancestors?
1:3 Tell your children about it, have your children tell their children, and their children the following generation.
1:4 What the gazam-locust left the ‘arbeh-locust consumed, what the ‘arbeh-locust left the yeleq-locust consumed, and what the yeleq-locust left the hasil-locust consumed!
1:5 Wake up, you drunkards, and weep! Wail, all you wine drinkers, because the sweet wine has been taken away from you.
1:6 For a nation has invaded our land. There are so many of them they are too numerous to count. Their teeth are like those of a lion; they tear apart their prey like a lioness.
1:7 They have destroyed our vines; they have turned our fig trees into mere splinters. They have completely stripped off the bark and thrown them aside; the twigs are stripped bare.
A Call to Lament
1:8 Wail like a young virgin clothed in sackcloth, lamenting the death of her husband-to-be.
1:9 No one brings grain offerings or drink offerings to the temple of the Lord anymore. So the priests, those who serve the Lord, are in mourning.
1:10 The crops of the fields have been destroyed. The ground is in mourning because the grain has perished. The fresh wine has dried up; the olive oil languishes.
1:11 Be distressed, farmers; wail, vinedressers, over the wheat and the barley. For the harvest of the field has perished.
1:12 The vine has dried up; the fig tree languishes – the pomegranate, date, and apple as well. In fact, all the trees of the field have dried up. Indeed, the joy of the people has dried up!
1:13 Get dressed and lament, you priests! Wail, you who minister at the altar! Come, spend the night in sackcloth, you servants of my God, because no one brings grain offerings or drink offerings to the temple of your God anymore.
1:14 Announce a holy fast; proclaim a sacred assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the temple of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord.
1:15 How awful that day will be! For the day of the Lord is near; it will come as destruction from the Divine Destroyer.
1:16 Our food has been cut off right before our eyes! There is no longer any joy or gladness in the temple of our God!
1:17 The grains of seed have shriveled beneath their shovels. Storehouses have been decimated and granaries have been torn down, for the grain has dried up.
1:18 Listen to the cattle groan! The herds of livestock wander around in confusion because they have no pasture. Even the flocks of sheep are suffering.
1:19 To you, O Lord, I call out for help, for fire has burned up the grassy pastures, flames have razed all the trees in the fields.
1:20 Even the wild animals cry out to you; for the river beds have dried up; fire has destroyed the grassy pastures.
The Locusts’ Devastation
2:1 Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm signal on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land shake with fear, for the day of the Lord is about to come. Indeed, it is near!
2:2 It will be a day of dreadful darkness, a day of foreboding storm clouds, like blackness spread over the mountains. It is a huge and powerful army – there has never been anything like it ever before, and there will not be anything like it for many generations to come!
2:3 Like fire they devour everything in their path; a flame blazes behind them. The land looks like the Garden of Eden before them, but behind them there is only a desolate wilderness – for nothing escapes them!
2:4 They look like horses; they charge ahead like war horses.
2:5 They sound like chariots rumbling over mountain tops, like the crackling of blazing fire consuming stubble, like the noise of a mighty army being drawn up for battle.
2:6 People writhe in fear when they see them. All of their faces turn pale with fright.
2:7 They charge like warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. Each one proceeds on his course; they do not alter their path.
2:8 They do not jostle one another; each of them marches straight ahead. They burst through the city defenses and do not break ranks.
2:9 They rush into the city; they scale its walls. They climb up into the houses; they go in through the windows like a thief.
2:10 The earth quakes before them; the sky reverberates. The sun and the moon grow dark; the stars refuse to shine.
2:11 The voice of the Lord thunders as he leads his army. Indeed, his warriors are innumerable; Surely his command is carried out! Yes, the day of the Lord is awesome and very terrifying – who can survive it?
An Appeal for Repentance
2:12 “Yet even now,” the Lord says, “return to me with all your heart – with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Tear your hearts, not just your garments!”
2:13 Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and boundless in loyal love – often relenting from calamitous punishment.
2:14 Who knows? Perhaps he will be compassionate and grant a reprieve, and leave blessing in his wake – a meal offering and a drink offering for you to offer to the Lord your God!
2:15 Blow the trumpet in Zion. Announce a holy fast; proclaim a sacred assembly!
2:16 Gather the people; sanctify an assembly! Gather the elders; gather the children and the nursing infants. Let the bridegroom come out from his bedroom and the bride from her private quarters.
2:17 Let the priests, those who serve the Lord, weep from the vestibule all the way back to the altar. Let them say, “Have pity, O Lord, on your people; please do not turn over your inheritance to be mocked, to become a proverb among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, “Where is their God?”
The Lord’s Response
2:18 Then the Lord became zealous for his land; he had compassion on his people.
2:19 The Lord responded to his people, “Look! I am about to restore your grain as well as fresh wine and olive oil. You will be fully satisfied. I will never again make you an object of mockery among the nations.
2:20 I will remove the one from the north far from you. I will drive him out to a dry and desolate place. Those in front will be driven eastward into the Dead Sea, and those in back westward into the Mediterranean Sea. His stench will rise up as a foul smell.” Indeed, the Lord has accomplished great things.
2:21 Do not fear, my land! Rejoice and be glad, because the Lord has accomplished great things!
2:22 Do not fear, wild animals! For the pastures of the wilderness are again green with grass. Indeed, the trees bear their fruit; the fig tree and the vine yield to their fullest.
2:23 Citizens of Zion, rejoice! Be glad because of what the Lord your God has done! For he has given to you the early rains as vindication. He has sent to you the rains – both the early and the late rains as formerly.
2:24 The threshing floors are full of grain; the vats overflow with fresh wine and olive oil.
2:25 I will make up for the years that the ‘arbeh-locust consumed your crops – the yeleq-locust, the hasil-locust, and the gazam-locust – my great army that I sent against you.
2:26 You will have plenty to eat, and your hunger will be fully satisfied; you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has acted wondrously in your behalf. My people will never again be put to shame.
2:27 You will be convinced that I am in the midst of Israel. I am the Lord your God; there is no other. My people will never again be put to shame.
An Outpouring of the Spirit
2:28 After all of this I will pour out my Spirit on all kinds of people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your elderly will have revelatory dreams; your young men will see prophetic visions.
2:29 Even on male and female servants I will pour out my Spirit in those days.
2:30 I will produce portents both in the sky and on the earth – blood, fire, and columns of smoke.
2:31 The sunlight will be turned to darkness and the moon to the color of blood, before the day of the Lord comes – that great and terrible day!
2:32 It will so happen that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be delivered. For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who survive, just as the Lord has promised; the remnant will be those whom the Lord will call.
The Lord Plans to Judge the Nations
3:1 For look! In those days and at that time I will return the exiles to Judah and Jerusalem.
3:2 Then I will gather all the nations, and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. I will enter into judgment against them there concerning my people Israel who are my inheritance, whom they scattered among the nations. They partitioned my land,
3:3 and they cast lots for my people. They traded a boy for a prostitute; they sold a little girl for wine so they could drink.
3:4 Why are you doing these things to me, Tyre and Sidon? Are you trying to get even with me, land of Philistia? I will very quickly repay you for what you have done!
3:5 For you took my silver and my gold and brought my precious valuables to your own palaces.
3:6 You sold Judeans and Jerusalemites to the Greeks, removing them far from their own country.
3:7 Look! I am rousing them from that place to which you sold them. I will repay you for what you have done!
3:8 I will sell your sons and daughters to the people of Judah. They will sell them to the Sabeans, a nation far away. Indeed, the Lord has spoken!
Judgment in the Valley of Jehoshaphat
3:9 Proclaim this among the nations: “Prepare for a holy war! Call out the warriors! Let all these fighting men approach and attack!
3:10 Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears! Let the weak say, ‘I too am a warrior!’
3:11 Lend your aid and come, all you surrounding nations, and gather yourselves to that place.” Bring down, O Lord, your warriors!
3:12 Let the nations be roused and let them go up to the valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit in judgment on all the surrounding nations.
3:13 Rush forth with the sickle, for the harvest is ripe! Come, stomp the grapes, for the winepress is full! The vats overflow. Indeed, their evil is great!
3:14 Crowds, great crowds are in the valley of decision, for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision!
3:15 The sun and moon are darkened; the stars withhold their brightness.
3:16 The Lord roars from Zion; from Jerusalem his voice bellows out. The heavens and the earth shake. But the Lord is a refuge for his people; he is a stronghold for the citizens of Israel.
The Lord’s Presence in Zion
3:17 You will be convinced that I the Lord am your God, dwelling on Zion, my holy mountain. Jerusalem will be holy – conquering armies will no longer pass through it.
3:18 On that day the mountains will drip with sweet wine, and the hills will flow with milk. All the dry stream beds of Judah will flow with water. A spring will flow out from the temple of the Lord, watering the Valley of Acacia Trees.
3:19 Egypt will be desolate and Edom will be a desolate wilderness, because of the violence they did to the people of Judah, in whose land they shed innocent blood.
3:20 But Judah will reside securely forever, and Jerusalem will be secure from one generation to the next.
3:21 I will avenge their blood which I had not previously acquitted. It is the Lord who dwells in Zion!
Lord, all things of importance are tied together in Your great plan, across the old testament and new. May I trust Your prophesy, Your amazing love for Your children, and Your perfect plan.
Joel delivered what appeared to be a dual-event prophesy, one that described an immediate crisis and another of the last days of the End Times. He appeared to be focused more on circumstances impacting Jerusalem and Judah than Israel.
[The NET translator's notes observe that there is an ongoing debate in scholarly circles as to the era in which Joel prophesied, some say it must have been during or prior to approximately 750 BC as the prophet Amos referred to Joel and there is general scholarly agreement to a 750 BC date for Amos (based primarily on an earthquake record). Others have suggested 600-500 BC, and a third group 400-350 BC. Unless the dating of Amos is voided then 750 BC or earlier appears to be the best dating for Joel. The resolution of such is important as current events to which Joel referred would differ significantly.]
[New Testament references to Joel may include Mark 4:29 (Joel 3:13), Acts 2:16-21 (Joel 2:28-31), and Romans 10:13 (Joel 2:31). There are some who suggest parallels between Joel and Revelation but the associations are loose.]
Based on a 750 BC or earlier date for Joel the events swirling about would have included the death of Solomon in 930 BC followed by a division of the kingdom into Northern (Israel) and Southern (Judah) kingdoms. The Northern kingdom ended in 722 BC, after many struggles, when they were exiled by the Assyrians. The Southern kingdom struggled but remained somewhat intact until the Babylonian captivity in 586 BC.
Joel described invading armies much like the hordes of Assyrian king Sennacherib and the destruction of food and other resources is a common strategy of war, both to demoralize and to limit the capacity of the invaded people to resist for long.
In Chapter 2 there was a call to repentance before the Lord God, a repeated theme of the old testament “Perhaps he will be compassionate and grant a reprieve, and leave blessing in his wake – a meal offering and a drink offering for you to offer to the Lord your God! Blow the trumpet in Zion. Announce a holy fast; proclaim a sacred assembly!”
The Lord God did intervene, while allowing the Assyrians to serve as His instrument of judgment upon Israel, he drove Sennacherib away from his attempted conquest of Jerusalem and thus Judah also was spared. [Note: The recorded history of Assyrian king Sennacherib is said to affirm the Biblical account.]
Joel prophesied of a time to come when the Lord God would cause many to “... prophesy. Your elderly will have revelatory dreams; your young men will see prophetic visions” which was in the context of “In those days and at that time I will return the exiles to Judah and Jerusalem.”
The apostle Peter made reference to Joel's prophesy in Acts 2:16-21 as he explained what they were experiencing and observing during the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Peter used the term “last days” - referring to the time between the ascension of Jesus the Christ home to Heaven and the time of His return.
Joel concluded with additional prophesy as to the upcoming events as well as events into the future.
The Lord God allowed the Assyrians to punish Israel but as He sent Joel to call Jerusalem and Judah to repentance He prevented the Assyrians from over-running Jerusalem – driving them back to Assyria.
Could it be that Joel's prophesy was stimulated by the Lord God for the future purpose of Peter's statement to the people during the Pentecost events?
The desire of the Lord was to bless His people but as was consistent He expected repentance.
When have you discovered clarity about a New Testament concept or event from an Old Testament concept or event?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a future purpose ,for which you were being prepared, through something the Lord did in your life in the past.
Today I will prayerfully reflect on what the Lord God has done in my life with an eye toward what He wants to teach me about His constant preparation of me to grow and to serve.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Daniel Finds Favor in Babylon
1:1 In the third year of the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon advanced against Jerusalem and laid it under siege. 1:2 Now the Lord delivered King Jehoiakim of Judah into his power, along with some of the vessels of the temple of God. He brought them to the land of Babylonia to the temple of his god and put the vessels in the treasury of his god.
1:3 The king commanded Ashpenaz, who was in charge of his court officials, to choose some of the Israelites who were of royal and noble descent – 1:4 young men in whom there was no physical defect and who were handsome, well versed in all kinds of wisdom, well educated and having keen insight, and who were capable of entering the king’s royal service – and to teach them the literature and language of the Babylonians. 1:5 So the king assigned them a daily ration from his royal delicacies and from the wine he himself drank. They were to be trained for the next three years. At the end of that time they were to enter the king’s service. 1:6 As it turned out, among these young men were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 1:7 But the overseer of the court officials renamed them. He gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar, Hananiah he named Shadrach, Mishael he named Meshach, and Azariah he named Abednego.
1:8 But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the royal delicacies or the royal wine. He therefore asked the overseer of the court officials for permission not to defile himself. 1:9 Then God made the overseer of the court officials sympathetic to Daniel. 1:10 But he responded to Daniel, “I fear my master the king. He is the one who has decided your food and drink. What would happen if he saw that you looked malnourished in comparison to the other young men your age? If that happened, you would endanger my life with the king!” 1:11 Daniel then spoke to the warden whom the overseer of the court officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 1:12 “Please test your servants for ten days by providing us with some vegetables to eat and water to drink. 1:13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who are eating the royal delicacies; deal with us in light of what you see.” 1:14 So the warden agreed to their proposal and tested them for ten days.
1:15 At the end of the ten days their appearance was better and their bodies were healthier than all the young men who had been eating the royal delicacies. 1:16 So the warden removed the delicacies and the wine from their diet and gave them a diet of vegetables instead. 1:17 Now as for these four young men, God endowed them with knowledge and skill in all sorts of literature and wisdom – and Daniel had insight into all kinds of visions and dreams.
1:18 When the time appointed by the king arrived, the overseer of the court officials brought them into Nebuchadnezzar’s presence. 1:19 When the king spoke with them, he did not find among the entire group anyone like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, or Azariah. So they entered the king’s service. 1:20 In every matter of wisdom and insight the king asked them about, he found them to be ten times better than any of the magicians and astrologers that were in his entire empire. 1:21 Now Daniel lived on until the first year of Cyrus the king.
Nebuchadnezzar Has a Disturbing Dream
2:1 In the second year of his reign Nebuchadnezzar had many dreams. His mind was disturbed and he suffered from insomnia. 2:2 The king issued an order to summon the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and wise men in order to explain his dreams to him. So they came and awaited the king’s instructions.
2:3 The king told them, “I have had a dream, and I am anxious to understand the dream.” 2:4 The wise men replied to the king: [What follows is in Aramaic] “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will disclose its interpretation.” 2:5 The king replied to the wise men, “My decision is firm. If you do not inform me of both the dream and its interpretation, you will be dismembered and your homes reduced to rubble! 2:6 But if you can disclose the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me gifts, a reward, and considerable honor. So disclose to me the dream and its interpretation!” 2:7 They again replied, “Let the king inform us of the dream; then we will disclose its interpretation.” 2:8 The king replied, “I know for sure that you are attempting to gain time, because you see that my decision is firm. 2:9 If you don’t inform me of the dream, there is only one thing that is going to happen to you. For you have agreed among yourselves to report to me something false and deceitful until such time as things might change. So tell me the dream, and I will have confidence that you can disclose its interpretation.”
2:10 The wise men replied to the king, “There is no man on earth who is able to disclose the king’s secret, for no king, regardless of his position and power, has ever requested such a thing from any magician, astrologer, or wise man. 2:11 What the king is asking is too difficult, and no one exists who can disclose it to the king, except for the gods – but they don’t live among mortals!”
2:12 Because of this the king got furiously angry and gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 2:13 So a decree went out, and the wise men were about to be executed. They also sought Daniel and his friends so that they could be executed.
2:14 Then Daniel spoke with prudent counsel to Arioch, who was in charge of the king’s executioners and who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon. 2:15 He inquired of Arioch the king’s deputy, “Why is the decree from the king so urgent?” Then Arioch informed Daniel about the matter. 2:16 So Daniel went in and requested the king to grant him time, that he might disclose the interpretation to the king. 2:17 Then Daniel went to his home and informed his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the matter. 2:18 He asked them to pray for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery so that he and his friends would not be destroyed along with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 2:19 Then in a night vision the mystery was revealed to Daniel. So Daniel praised the God of heaven, 2:20 saying, “Let the name of God be praised forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to him.
2:21 He changes times and seasons, deposing some kings and establishing others. He gives wisdom to the wise; he imparts knowledge to those with understanding;
2:22 he reveals deep and hidden things. He knows what is in the darkness, and light resides with him.
2:23 O God of my fathers, I acknowledge and glorify you, for you have bestowed wisdom and power on me. Now you have enabled me to understand what I requested from you. For you have enabled me to understand the king’s dilemma.”
2:24 Then Daniel went in to see Arioch (whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon). He came and said to him, “Don’t destroy the wise men of Babylon! Escort me to the king, and I will disclose the interpretation to him!”
2:25 So Arioch quickly ushered Daniel into the king’s presence, saying to him, “I have found a man from the captives of Judah who can make known the interpretation to the king.” 2:26 The king then asked Daniel (whose name was also Belteshazzar), “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I saw, as well as its interpretation?” 2:27 Daniel replied to the king, “The mystery that the king is asking about is such that no wise men, astrologers, magicians, or diviners can possibly disclose it to the king. 2:28 However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the times to come. The dream and the visions you had while lying on your bed are as follows.
2:29 “As for you, O king, while you were in your bed your thoughts turned to future things. The revealer of mysteries has made known to you what will take place. 2:30 As for me, this mystery was revealed to me not because I possess more wisdom than any other living person, but so that the king may understand the interpretation and comprehend the thoughts of your mind.
2:31 “You, O king, were watching as a great statue – one of impressive size and extraordinary brightness – was standing before you. Its appearance caused alarm. 2:32 As for that statue, its head was of fine gold, its chest and arms were of silver, its belly and thighs were of bronze. 2:33 Its legs were of iron; its feet were partly of iron and partly of clay. 2:34 You were watching as a stone was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its iron and clay feet, breaking them in pieces. 2:35 Then the iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold were broken in pieces without distinction and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors that the wind carries away. Not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a large mountain that filled the entire earth. 2:36 This was the dream. Now we will set forth before the king its interpretation.
Daniel Interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
2:37 “You, O king, are the king of kings. The God of heaven has granted you sovereignty, power, strength, and honor. 2:38 Wherever human beings, wild animals, and birds of the sky live – he has given them into your power. He has given you authority over them all. You are the head of gold. 2:39 Now after you another kingdom will arise, one inferior to yours. Then a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule in all the earth. 2:40 Then there will be a fourth kingdom, one strong like iron. Just like iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything, and as iron breaks in pieces all of these metals, so it will break in pieces and crush the others. 2:41 In that you were seeing feet and toes partly of wet clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom. Some of the strength of iron will be in it, for you saw iron mixed with wet clay. 2:42 In that the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, the latter stages of this kingdom will be partly strong and partly fragile. 2:43 And in that you saw iron mixed with wet clay, so people will be mixed with one another without adhering to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. 2:44 In the days of those kings the God of heaven will raise up an everlasting kingdom that will not be destroyed and a kingdom that will not be left to another people. It will break in pieces and bring about the demise of all these kingdoms. But it will stand forever. 2:45 You saw that a stone was cut from a mountain, but not by human hands; it smashed the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold into pieces. The great God has made known to the king what will occur in the future. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is reliable.”
2:46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar bowed down with his face to the ground and paid homage to Daniel. He gave orders to offer sacrifice and incense to him. 2:47 The king replied to Daniel, “Certainly your God is a God of gods and Lord of kings and revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery!” 2:48 Then the king elevated Daniel to high position and bestowed on him many marvelous gifts. He granted him authority over the entire province of Babylon and made him the main prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. 2:49 And at Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the administration of the province of Babylon. Daniel himself served in the king’s court.
Daniel’s Friends Are Tested
3:1 King Nebuchadnezzar had a golden statue made. It was ninety feet tall and nine feet wide. He erected it on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 3:2 Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent out a summons to assemble the satraps, prefects, governors, counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the other authorities of the province to attend the dedication of the statue that he had erected. 3:3 So the satraps, prefects, governors, counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the other provincial authorities assembled for the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had erected. They were standing in front of the statue that Nebuchadnezzar had erected.
3:4 Then the herald made a loud proclamation: “To you, O peoples, nations, and language groups, the following command is given: 3:5 When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, trigon, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must bow down and pay homage to the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has erected. 3:6 Whoever does not bow down and pay homage will immediately be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire!” 3:7 Therefore when they all heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, trigon, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations, and language groups began bowing down and paying homage to the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had erected.
3:8 Now at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and brought malicious accusations against the Jews. 3:9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! 3:10 You have issued an edict, O king, that everyone must bow down and pay homage to the golden statue when they hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, trigon, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music. 3:11 And whoever does not bow down and pay homage must be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire. 3:12 But there are Jewish men whom you appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego – and these men have not shown proper respect to you, O king. They don’t serve your gods and they don’t pay homage to the golden statue that you have erected.”
3:13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in a fit of rage demanded that they bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego before him. So they brought them before the king. 3:14 Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you don’t serve my gods and that you don’t pay homage to the golden statue that I erected? 3:15 Now if you are ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, trigon, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must bow down and pay homage to the statue that I had made. If you don’t pay homage to it, you will immediately be thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. Now, who is that god who can rescue you from my power?” 3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to King Nebuchadnezzar, “We do not need to give you a reply concerning this. 3:17 If our God whom we are serving exists, he is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he will rescue us, O king, from your power as well. 3:18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we don’t serve your gods, and we will not pay homage to the golden statue that you have erected.”
3:19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage, and his disposition changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He gave orders to heat the furnace seven times hotter than it was normally heated. 3:20 He ordered strong soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and to throw them into the furnace of blazing fire. 3:21 So those men were tied up while still wearing their cloaks, trousers, turbans, and other clothes, and were thrown into the furnace of blazing fire. 3:22 But since the king’s command was so urgent, and the furnace was so excessively hot, the men who escorted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were killed by the leaping flames. 3:23 But those three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell into the furnace of blazing fire while still securely bound.
God Delivers His Servants
3:24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was startled and quickly got up. He said to his ministers, “Wasn’t it three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?” They replied to the king, “For sure, O king.” 3:25 He answered, “But I see four men, untied and walking around in the midst of the fire! No harm has come to them! And the appearance of the fourth is like that of a god!” 3:26 Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the furnace of blazing fire. He called out, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the most high God, come out! Come here!”
Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego emerged from the fire. 3:27 Once the satraps, prefects, governors, and ministers of the king had gathered around, they saw that those men were physically unharmed by the fire. The hair of their heads was not singed, nor were their trousers damaged. Not even the smell of fire was to be found on them!
3:28 Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “Praised be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent forth his angel and has rescued his servants who trusted in him, ignoring the edict of the king and giving up their bodies rather than serve or pay homage to any god other than their God! 3:29 I hereby decree that any people, nation, or language group that blasphemes the god of Shadrach, Meshach, or Abednego will be dismembered and his home reduced to rubble! For there exists no other god who can deliver in this way.” 3:30 Then Nebuchadnezzar promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
4:1 “King Nebuchadnezzar, to all peoples, nations, and language groups that live in all the land: Peace and prosperity! 4:2 I am delighted to tell you about the signs and wonders that the most high God has done for me.
4:3 “How great are his signs! How mighty are his wonders! His kingdom will last forever, and his authority continues from one generation to the next.”
Lord, You know all things and You share Your perfect knowledge with man as it serves Your perfect plan. May I always look to You first for answers. You intervened in history to deliver an end times prophesy through a pagan king and his faithful captive subject, and You prepared the way for the eventual exile of Judah to Babylon. May I be confident that in the great things of the history of the world that Your hand is greater and more certain than any thing any human, other heavenly being, or all of them combined can do. You used captive people to demonstrate Your sovereign power to a king, leading him to praise Your name. May I never lose my sense of awe for You, confidence that You can and do act anywhere and any time, and may I declare Your greatness.
Daniel was among those captured and deported to Babylon, there the king ordered his court official to “... choose some of the Israelites who were of royal and noble descent – young men in whom there was no physical defect and who were handsome, well versed in all kinds of wisdom, well educated and having keen insight, and who were capable of entering the king’s royal service – and to teach them the literature and language of the Babylonians. So the king assigned them a daily ration from his royal delicacies and from the wine he himself drank. They were to be trained for the next three years. At the end of that time they were to enter the king’s service.”
“Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the royal delicacies or the royal wine. He therefore asked the overseer of the court officials for permission not to defile himself. Then God made the overseer of the court officials sympathetic to Daniel. But he responded to Daniel, “I fear my master the king. He is the one who has decided your food and drink. What would happen if he saw that you looked malnourished in comparison to the other young men your age? If that happened, you would endanger my life with the king!” Daniel then spoke to the warden whom the overseer of the court officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: “Please test your servants for ten days by providing us with some vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who are eating the royal delicacies; deal with us in light of what you see.” So the warden agreed to their proposal and tested them for ten days. At the end of the ten days their appearance was better and their bodies were healthier than all the young men who had been eating the royal delicacies. So the warden removed the delicacies and the wine from their diet and gave them a diet of vegetables instead. Now as for these four young men, God endowed them with knowledge and skill in all sorts of literature and wisdom – and Daniel had insight into all kinds of visions and dreams.”
“When the king spoke with them, he did not find among the entire group anyone like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, or Azariah. So they entered the king’s service. In every matter of wisdom and insight the king asked them about, he found them to be ten times better than any of the magicians and astrologers that were in his entire empire.”
The king had a dream and demanded that his magicians and other frauds and practitioners of witchcraft in his court tell him both the content of his dream and their interpretation. They protested that no king had ever asked such a thing and that no one but “the gods” could know “but they don’t live among mortals!” He gave orders that they all be rounded up, including Daniel and his friends, and killed – and “... their houses reduced to rubble.” Daniel heard of this and asked the king to give him a little time to get him an answer. Daniel and his friends prayed and the Lord God provided the answer. He gave praise “O God of my fathers, I acknowledge and glorify you, for you have bestowed wisdom and power on me. Now you have enabled me to understand what I requested from you. For you have enabled me to understand the king’s dilemma.” and he also quickly asked that none be killed “Then Daniel went in to see Arioch (whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon). He came and said to him, “Don’t destroy the wise men of Babylon! Escort me to the king, and I will disclose the interpretation to him!””
Daniel had requested and received the Lord God's revelation of the king's dream and its meaning, and in grateful-awe had given the Lord great praise and thanks.
When the king asked him if he could meet the challenge Daniel humbly replied that no mere human could do so but “there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the times to come.”
Daniel described the king's dream then the Lord God's interpretation “... In the days of those kings the God of heaven will raise up an everlasting kingdom that will not be destroyed and a kingdom that will not be left to another people. It will break in pieces and bring about the demise of all these kingdoms. But it will stand forever.” [The dream was essentially of a series of ancient kingdoms, which history records were followed by lesser kingdoms – all of which were somehow spin-offs, which we then obliterated upon the second coming of Christ. His first coming ushered-in the spiritual kingdom on earth, His second added the physical kingdom.]
“King Nebuchadnezzar bowed down with his face to the ground and paid homage to Daniel. He gave orders to offer sacrifice and incense to him.” [Note: Daniel was far too faithful and humble to ever ask anyone to worship him, see “... no wise men, astrologers, magicians, or diviners can possibly disclose it to the king. However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries … The great God has made known to the king what will occur in the future. The king replied to Daniel, “Certainly your God is a God of gods and Lord of kings and revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery!””
Note that in Esther 6 Mordecai was honored but not worshiped. Daniel did not have the authority to forbid the king from his pagan sacrifices, nor would a man as respectful of authority have attempted to do so, but there is nothing about Daniel – or in the record – to suggest that he accepted worship. [Had Daniel done so he would not have received the blessings from the Lord that followed.]
“Then the king elevated Daniel to high position and bestowed on him many marvelous gifts. He granted him authority over the entire province of Babylon and made him the main prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. And at Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the administration of the province of Babylon. Daniel himself served in the king’s court.” [Constable's Notes observe that the Lord's arrangement for the elevation of these Jewish men provided sympathetic persons in authority for when Judah was later deported to Babylon.]
Daniel's friends were confronted by a massive statue about which the king declared “... you must bow down and pay homage to the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has erected. Whoever does not bow down and pay homage will immediately be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire!”
“Some Chaldeans … there are Jewish men whom you appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego – and these men have not shown proper respect to you, O king. They don’t serve your gods and they don’t pay homage to the golden statue that you have erected.” Then Nebuchadnezzar in a fit of rage demanded that they bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego before him …” He angrily challenged them agree to to worship the statue and mocked their God, to which they replied “We do not need to give you a reply concerning this. If our God whom we are serving exists, he is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he will rescue us, O king, from your power as well. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we don’t serve your gods, and we will not pay homage to the golden statue that you have erected.”
“He gave orders to heat the furnace seven times hotter than it was normally heated. He ordered strong soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and to throw them into the furnace of blazing fire. So those men were tied up while still wearing their cloaks, trousers, turbans, and other clothes, and were thrown into the furnace of blazing fire. But since the king’s command was so urgent, and the furnace was so excessively hot, the men who escorted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were killed by the leaping flames.”
The king declared “... I see four men, untied and walking around in the midst of the fire! No harm has come to them! And the appearance of the fourth is like that of a god!” … He called out, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the most high God, come out! Come here!” ... the satraps, prefects, governors, and ministers of the king had gathered around ... saw ... Not even the smell of fire was to be found on them!”
“Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “Praised be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent forth his angel and has rescued his servants who trusted in him, ignoring the edict of the king and giving up their bodies rather than serve or pay homage to any god other than their God! I hereby decree that any people, nation, or language group that blasphemes the god of Shadrach, Meshach, or Abednego will be dismembered and his home reduced to rubble! For there exists no other god who can deliver in this way.” ... to all peoples, nations, and language groups that live in all the land: Peace and prosperity! I am delighted to tell you about the signs and wonders that the most high God has done for me. “How great are his signs! How mighty are his wonders! His kingdom will last forever, and his authority continues from one generation to the next.””
The king wanted the best and the brightest of the young men of Israel for his court, both because the court protocol required the most-perfect to serve the king, and because appropriating them to his service sent a message to the captive people. Daniel remained humble throughout the whole process, yet he did not refuse delegated authority from the king. The three friends of Daniel were willing to die a terrible death rather than disobey the Lord God by worshiping a statue.
Why did the king demand that his magical-advisers tell him both the dream and the interpretation, contrary to previous practice? Satan and his demons seek false worship, and their human agents (pagan kings) did so as well, so despite Daniel's repeated credit given to God-alone would it be the confused thinking of the king that caused him to order sacrifice and incense to Daniel? Isn't it amazing how the arrogant and pride-filled king became suddenly-humbled and worshipful by the combination of the faithful men and the miracle of the Lord God?
Daniel risked setting boundaries in order to be clear-headed and healthy, which was good stewardship of his body, so that he could be righteous before the Lord God – despite his captivity. The timing and provision of the Lord created the circumstance where Daniel and his friends would be elevated in Babylon and that meant some safety for the Judean Israelites when they were exiled there. Not only did the king serve as a conduit of blessing to the men he also became a clarion of the message of the One true and all-powerful Lord God.
When have you observed someone standing in faith when challenged to sell-out, only to have the Lord intervene and the one who challenged them turned to a friend of God?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you something He wants you to remove from your life which is unhealthy, emotionally, intellectually, physically, or spiritually, an opportunity to bless someone by sharing the Lord God's truth with them – giving Him all of the credit, and a place here He'd like you to stand in faith.
Today I will give praise and thanks to the Lord God for His perfect wisdom and I will act immediately to obey the direction of the Holy Spirit. If I am uncertain I will ask one who meets the Biblical requirement of “elder”, and perhaps others, to pray in-agreement for clarity. I will boldly and Biblically share His Word and I will pray for His Word to be accepted and acted upon. I will stand in faith, asking others to pray in-agreement with me for protection and strength, and for those who are pressing me to sell-out to recognize and submit to the Lord God.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Nebuchadnezzar Dreams of a Tree Chopped Down
4:4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was relaxing in my home, living luxuriously in my palace. 4:5 I saw a dream that frightened me badly. The things I imagined while lying on my bed – these visions of my mind – were terrifying me. 4:6 So I issued an order for all the wise men of Babylon to be brought before me so that they could make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 4:7 When the magicians, astrologers, wise men, and diviners entered, I recounted the dream for them. But they were unable to make known its interpretation to me. 4:8 Later Daniel entered (whose name is Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom there is a spirit of the holy gods). I recounted the dream for him as well, 4:9 saying, “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, in whom I know there to be a spirit of the holy gods and whom no mystery baffles, consider my dream that I saw and set forth its interpretation! 4:10 Here are the visions of my mind while I was on my bed. While I was watching, there was a tree in the middle of the land. It was enormously tall.
4:11 The tree grew large and strong. Its top reached far into the sky; it could be seen from the borders of all the land.
4:12 Its foliage was attractive and its fruit plentiful; on it there was food enough for all. Under it the wild animals used to seek shade, and in its branches the birds of the sky used to nest. All creatures used to feed themselves from it.
4:13 While I was watching in my mind’s visions on my bed, a holy sentinel came down from heaven.
4:14 He called out loudly as follows: ‘Chop down the tree and lop off its branches! Strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit! Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches!
4:15 But leave its taproot in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it surrounded by the grass of the field. Let it become damp with the dew of the sky, and let it live with the animals in the grass of the land.
4:16 Let his mind be altered from that of a human being, and let an animal’s mind be given to him, and let seven periods of time go by for him.
4:17 This announcement is by the decree of the sentinels; this decision is by the pronouncement of the holy ones, so that those who are alive may understand that the Most High has authority over human kingdoms, and he bestows them on whomever he wishes. He establishes over them even the lowliest of human beings.’
4:18 “This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its interpretation, for none of the wise men in my kingdom are able to make known to me the interpretation. But you can do so, for a spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
Daniel Interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
4:19 Then Daniel (whose name is also Belteshazzar) was upset for a brief time; his thoughts were alarming him. The king said, “Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream and its interpretation alarm you.” But Belteshazzar replied, “Sir, if only the dream were for your enemies and its interpretation applied to your adversaries! 4:20 The tree that you saw that grew large and strong, whose top reached to the sky, and which could be seen in all the land, 4:21 whose foliage was attractive and its fruit plentiful, and from which there was food available for all, under whose branches wild animals used to live, and in whose branches birds of the sky used to nest – 4:22 it is you, O king! For you have become great and strong. Your greatness is such that it reaches to heaven, and your authority to the ends of the earth. 4:23 As for the king seeing a holy sentinel coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its taproot in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it, surrounded by the grass of the field. Let it become damp with the dew of the sky, and let it live with the wild animals, until seven periods of time go by for him’ – 4:24 this is the interpretation, O king! It is the decision of the Most High that this has happened to my lord the king. 4:25 You will be driven from human society, and you will live with the wild animals. You will be fed grass like oxen, and you will become damp with the dew of the sky. Seven periods of time will pass by for you, before you understand that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes. 4:26 They said to leave the taproot of the tree, for your kingdom will be restored to you when you come to understand that heaven rules. 4:27 Therefore, O king, may my advice be pleasing to you. Break away from your sins by doing what is right, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps your prosperity will be prolonged.”
4:28 Now all of this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. 4:29 After twelve months, he happened to be walking around on the battlements of the royal palace of Babylon. 4:30 The king uttered these words: “Is this not the great Babylon that I have built for a royal residence by my own mighty strength and for my majestic honor?” 4:31 While these words were still on the king’s lips, a voice came down from heaven: “It is hereby announced to you, King Nebuchadnezzar, that your kingdom has been removed from you! 4:32 You will be driven from human society, and you will live with the wild animals. You will be fed grass like oxen, and seven periods of time will pass by for you before you understand that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes.”
4:33 Now in that very moment this pronouncement about Nebuchadnezzar came true. He was driven from human society, he ate grass like oxen, and his body became damp with the dew of the sky, until his hair became long like an eagle’s feathers, and his nails like a bird’s claws.
4:34 But at the end of the appointed time I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up toward heaven, and my sanity returned to me. I extolled the Most High, and I praised and glorified the one who lives forever. For his authority is an everlasting authority, and his kingdom extends from one generation to the next.
4:35 All the inhabitants of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he wishes with the army of heaven and with those who inhabit the earth. No one slaps his hand and says to him, ‘What have you done?’
4:36 At that time my sanity returned to me. I was restored to the honor of my kingdom, and my splendor returned to me. My ministers and my nobles were seeking me out, and I was reinstated over my kingdom. I became even greater than before. 4:37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all his deeds are right and his ways are just. He is able to bring down those who live in pride.
Belshazzar Sees Mysterious Handwriting on a Wall
5:1 King Belshazzar prepared a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in front of them all. 5:2 While under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar issued an order to bring in the gold and silver vessels – the ones that Nebuchadnezzar his father had confiscated from the temple in Jerusalem – so that the king and his nobles, together with his wives and his concubines, could drink from them. 5:3 So they brought the gold and silver vessels that had been confiscated from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, together with his wives and concubines, drank from them. 5:4 As they drank wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
5:5 At that very moment the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the royal palace wall, opposite the lampstand. The king was watching the back of the hand that was writing. 5:6 Then all the color drained from the king’s face and he became alarmed. The joints of his hips gave way, and his knees began knocking together. 5:7 The king called out loudly to summon the astrologers, wise men, and diviners. The king proclaimed to the wise men of Babylon that anyone who could read this inscription and disclose its interpretation would be clothed in purple and have a golden collar placed on his neck and be third ruler in the kingdom.
5:8 So all the king’s wise men came in, but they were unable to read the writing or to make known its interpretation to the king. 5:9 Then King Belshazzar was very terrified, and he was visibly shaken. His nobles were completely dumbfounded.
5:10 Due to the noise caused by the king and his nobles, the queen mother then entered the banquet room. She said, “O king, live forever! Don’t be alarmed! Don’t be shaken! 5:11 There is a man in your kingdom who has within him a spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, he proved to have insight, discernment, and wisdom like that of the gods. King Nebuchadnezzar your father appointed him chief of the magicians, astrologers, wise men, and diviners. 5:12 Thus there was found in this man Daniel, whom the king renamed Belteshazzar, an extraordinary spirit, knowledge, and skill to interpret dreams, solve riddles, and decipher knotty problems. Now summon Daniel, and he will disclose the interpretation.”
5:13 So Daniel was brought in before the king. The king said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel who is one of the captives of Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah? 5:14 I have heard about you, how there is a spirit of the gods in you, and how you have insight, discernment, and extraordinary wisdom. 5:15 Now the wise men and astrologers were brought before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation. But they were unable to disclose the interpretation of the message. 5:16 However, I have heard that you are able to provide interpretations and to decipher knotty problems. Now if you are able to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, you will wear purple and have a golden collar around your neck and be third ruler in the kingdom.”
Daniel Interprets the Handwriting on the Wall
5:17 But Daniel replied to the king, “Keep your gifts, and give your rewards to someone else! However, I will read the writing for the king and make known its interpretation. 5:18 As for you, O king, the most high God bestowed on your father Nebuchadnezzar a kingdom, greatness, honor, and majesty. 5:19 Due to the greatness that he bestowed on him, all peoples, nations, and language groups were trembling with fear before him. He killed whom he wished, he spared whom he wished, he exalted whom he wished, and he brought low whom he wished. 5:20 And when his mind became arrogant and his spirit filled with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and his honor was removed from him. 5:21 He was driven from human society, his mind was changed to that of an animal, he lived with the wild donkeys, he was fed grass like oxen, and his body became damp with the dew of the sky, until he came to understand that the most high God rules over human kingdoms, and he appoints over them whomever he wishes.
5:22 “But you, his son Belshazzar, have not humbled yourself, although you knew all this. 5:23 Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. You brought before you the vessels from his temple, and you and your nobles, together with your wives and concubines, drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone – gods that cannot see or hear or comprehend! But you have not glorified the God who has in his control your very breath and all your ways! 5:24 Therefore the palm of a hand was sent from him, and this writing was inscribed.
5:25 “This is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEQEL, and PHARSIN. 5:26 This is the interpretation of the words: As for mene – God has numbered your kingdom’s days and brought it to an end. 5:27 As for teqel – you are weighed on the balances and found to be lacking. 5:28 As for peres – your kingdom is divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.”
5:29 Then, on Belshazzar’s orders, Daniel was clothed in purple, a golden collar was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed third ruler in the kingdom. 5:30 And in that very night Belshazzar, the Babylonian king, was killed. 5:31 So Darius the Mede took control of the kingdom when he was about sixty-two years old.
Lord, no mere human king is Your equal, and pride has always led to their fall. May I take care to humble myself before you so that I may be your instrument of blessing to others.
The king had a dream which Daniel interpreted. Daniel pleaded with the king to humble himself before the Lord God but the king refused. One year later pontificating as to his own greatness the Lord humbled him to graze like an animal.
He remained in that state, as prophesied, until he had humbled himself and gave glory to the Lord God.
Nebuchadnezzar's son, Belshazzar, who knew his father's story chose to ignore it and became so prideful that he used containers (taken from the temple in Jerusalem) at a party – during which they praised false gods – when a heavenly hand wrote on the wall he became frightened and his mother instructed him to call Daniel.
Daniel delivered the prophesy “This is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEQEL, and PHARSIN. This is the interpretation of the words: As for mene – God has numbered your kingdom’s days and brought it to an end. As for teqel – you are weighed on the balances and found to be lacking. As for peres – your kingdom is divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.”
“And in that very night Belshazzar, the Babylonian king, was killed. So Darius the Mede took control of the kingdom when he was about sixty-two years old.”
Nebuchadnezzar made it necessary for the Lord God to humble him, despite his awareness of the power of God when He saved Daniel's friends from the furnace.
Why would Nebuchadnezzar's son, Belshazzar, knowing his father's history have been so foolish as to diss God?
Belshazzar was clearly not listening, or at least was not believing Daniel's prophesy, as he gave him the gifts he had promised – which fit his pattern since he had learned nothing from his father's experience.
When have you experienced or observed someone ignoring obvious wisdom?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you something that you should understand and which should change your behavior.
Today I will humbly acknowledge what the Holy Spirit is teaching me and I will be intentional about changing my behavior accordingly. I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement for courage and strength and to hold me accountable. It may be a tendency toward pride, a self-destructive or selfish habit, carelessness where I should be careful, perfectionism that has become a works-righteousness idol, or some other wrong behavior.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
Daniel is Thrown into a Lions’ Den
6:1 It seemed like a good idea to Darius to appoint over the kingdom 120 satraps who would be in charge of the entire kingdom. 6:2 Over them would be three supervisors, one of whom was Daniel. These satraps were accountable to them, so that the king’s interests might not incur damage. 6:3 Now this Daniel was distinguishing himself above the other supervisors and the satraps, for he had an extraordinary spirit. In fact, the king intended to appoint him over the entire kingdom. 6:4 Consequently the supervisors and satraps were trying to find some pretext against Daniel in connection with administrative matters. But they were unable to find any such damaging evidence, because he was trustworthy and guilty of no negligence or corruption. 6:5 So these men concluded, “We won’t find any pretext against this man Daniel unless it is in connection with the law of his God.”
6:6 So these supervisors and satraps came by collusion to the king and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever! 6:7 To all the supervisors of the kingdom, the prefects, satraps, counselors, and governors it seemed like a good idea for a royal edict to be issued and an interdict to be enforced. For the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human other than you, O king, should be thrown into a den of lions. 6:8 Now let the king issue a written interdict so that it cannot be altered, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed. 6:9 So King Darius issued the written interdict.
6:10 When Daniel realized that a written decree had been issued, he entered his home, where the windows in his upper room opened toward Jerusalem. Three times daily he was kneeling and offering prayers and thanks to his God just as he had been accustomed to do previously. 6:11 Then those officials who had gone to the king came by collusion and found Daniel praying and asking for help before his God. 6:12 So they approached the king and said to him, “Did you not issue an edict to the effect that for the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human other than to you, O king, would be thrown into a den of lions?” The king replied, “That is correct, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed.” 6:13 Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the captives from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the edict that you issued. Three times daily he offers his prayer.”
6:14 When the king heard this, he was very upset and began thinking about how he might rescue Daniel. Until late afternoon he was struggling to find a way to rescue him. 6:15 Then those men came by collusion to the king and said to him, “Recall, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no edict or decree that the king issues can be changed.” 6:16 So the king gave the order, and Daniel was brought and thrown into a den of lions. The king consoled Daniel by saying, “Your God whom you continually serve will rescue you!” 6:17 Then a stone was brought and placed over the opening to the den. The king sealed it with his signet ring and with those of his nobles so that nothing could be changed with regard to Daniel. 6:18 Then the king departed to his palace. But he spent the night without eating, and no diversions were brought to him. He was unable to sleep.
God Rescues Daniel from the Lions
6:19 In the morning, at the earliest sign of daylight, the king got up and rushed to the lions’ den. 6:20 As he approached the den, he called out to Daniel in a worried voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, was your God whom you continually serve able to rescue you from the lions?”
6:21 Then Daniel spoke to the king, “O king, live forever! 6:22 My God sent his angel and closed the lions’ mouths so that they have not harmed me, because I was found to be innocent before him. Nor have I done any harm to you, O king.”
6:23 Then the king was delighted and gave an order to haul Daniel up from the den. So Daniel was hauled up out of the den. He had no injury of any kind, because he had trusted in his God. 6:24 The king gave another order, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the lions’ den – they, their children, and their wives. They did not even reach the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
6:25 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and language groups who were living in all the land: “Peace and prosperity! 6:26 I have issued an edict that throughout all the dominion of my kingdom people are to revere and fear the God of Daniel.
“For he is the living God; he endures forever. His kingdom will not be destroyed; his authority is forever.
6:27 He rescues and delivers and performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions!”
6:28 So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Daniel has a Vision of Four Animals Coming up from the Sea
7:1 In the first year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel had a dream filled with visions while he was lying on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream in summary fashion. 7:2 Daniel explained: “I was watching in my vision during the night as the four winds of the sky were stirring up the great sea. 7:3 Then four large beasts came up from the sea; they were different from one another.
7:4 “The first one was like a lion with eagles’ wings. As I watched, its wings were pulled off and it was lifted up from the ground. It was made to stand on two feet like a human being, and a human mind was given to it.
7:5 “Then a second beast appeared, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and there were three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, ‘Get up and devour much flesh!’
7:6 “After these things, as I was watching, another beast like a leopard appeared, with four bird-like wings on its back. This beast had four heads, and ruling authority was given to it.
7:7 “After these things, as I was watching in the night visions a fourth beast appeared – one dreadful, terrible, and very strong. It had two large rows of iron teeth. It devoured and crushed, and anything that was left it trampled with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that came before it, and it had ten horns.
7:8 “As I was contemplating the horns, another horn – a small one – came up between them, and three of the former horns were torn out by the roots to make room for it. This horn had eyes resembling human eyes and a mouth speaking arrogant things.
7:9 “While I was watching, thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His attire was white like snow; the hair of his head was like lamb’s wool. His throne was ablaze with fire and its wheels were all aflame.
7:10 A river of fire was streaming forth and proceeding from his presence. Many thousands were ministering to him; Many tens of thousands stood ready to serve him. The court convened and the books were opened.
7:11 “Then I kept on watching because of the arrogant words of the horn that was speaking. I was watching until the beast was killed and its body destroyed and thrown into the flaming fire. 7:12 As for the rest of the beasts, their ruling authority had already been removed, though they were permitted to go on living for a time and a season. 7:13 I was watching in the night visions,
“And with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man was approaching. He went up to the Ancient of Days and was escorted before him.
7:14 To him was given ruling authority, honor, and sovereignty. All peoples, nations, and language groups were serving him. His authority is eternal and will not pass away. His kingdom will not be destroyed.
An Angel Interprets Daniel’s Vision
7:15 “As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed, and the visions of my mind were alarming me. 7:16 I approached one of those standing nearby and asked him about the meaning of all this. So he spoke with me and revealed to me the interpretation of the vision: 7:17 ‘These large beasts, which are four in number, represent four kings who will arise from the earth. 7:18 The holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will take possession of the kingdom forever and ever.’
7:19 “Then I wanted to know the meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others. It was very dreadful, with two rows of iron teeth and bronze claws, and it devoured, crushed, and trampled anything that was left with its feet. 7:20 I also wanted to know the meaning of the ten horns on its head, and of that other horn which came up and before which three others fell. This was the horn that had eyes and a mouth speaking arrogant things, whose appearance was more formidable than the others. 7:21 While I was watching, that horn began to wage war against the holy ones and was defeating them, 7:22 until the Ancient of Days arrived and judgment was rendered in favor of the holy ones of the Most High. Then the time came for the holy ones to take possession of the kingdom.
7:23 “This is what he told me: ‘The fourth beast means that there will be a fourth kingdom on earth that will differ from all the other kingdoms. It will devour all the earth and will trample and crush it.
7:24 The ten horns mean that ten kings will arise from that kingdom. Another king will arise after them, but he will be different from the earlier ones. He will humiliate three kings.
7:25 He will speak words against the Most High. He will harass the holy ones of the Most High continually. His intention will be to change times established by law. They will be delivered into his hand For a time, times, and half a time.
7:26 But the court will convene, and his ruling authority will be removed – destroyed and abolished forever!
7:27 Then the kingdom, authority, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be delivered to the people of the holy ones of the Most High. His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; all authorities will serve him and obey him.’
7:28 “This is the conclusion of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts troubled me greatly, and the color drained from my face. But I kept the matter to myself.”
Daniel Has a Vision of a Goat and a Ram
8:1 In the third year of King Belshazzar’s reign, a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after the one that had appeared to me previously. 8:2 In this vision I saw myself in Susa the citadel, which is located in the province of Elam. In the vision I saw myself at the Ulai Canal. 8:3 I looked up and saw a ram with two horns standing at the canal. Its two horns were both long, but one was longer than the other. The longer one was coming up after the shorter one. 8:4 I saw that the ram was butting westward, northward, and southward. No animal was able to stand before it, and there was none who could deliver from its power. It did as it pleased and acted arrogantly.
8:5 While I was contemplating all this, a male goat was coming from the west over the surface of all the land without touching the ground. This goat had a conspicuous horn between its eyes. 8:6 It came to the two-horned ram that I had seen standing beside the canal and rushed against it with raging strength. 8:7 I saw it approaching the ram. It went into a fit of rage against the ram and struck it and broke off its two horns. The ram had no ability to resist it. The goat hurled the ram to the ground and trampled it. No one could deliver the ram from its power. 8:8 The male goat acted even more arrogantly. But no sooner had the large horn become strong than it was broken, and there arose four conspicuous horns in its place, extending toward the four winds of the sky.
8:9 From one of them came a small horn. But it grew to be very big, toward the south and the east and toward the beautiful land. 8:10 It grew so big it reached the army of heaven, and it brought about the fall of some of the army and some of the stars to the ground, where it trampled them. 8:11 It also acted arrogantly against the Prince of the army, from whom the daily sacrifice was removed and whose sanctuary was thrown down. 8:12 The army was given over, along with the daily sacrifice, in the course of his sinful rebellion. It hurled truth to the ground and enjoyed success.
8:13 Then I heard a holy one speaking. Another holy one said to the one who was speaking, “To what period of time does the vision pertain – this vision concerning the daily sacrifice and the destructive act of rebellion and the giving over of both the sanctuary and army to be trampled?” 8:14 He said to me, “To 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be put right again.”
An Angel Interprets Daniel’s Vision
8:15 While I, Daniel, was watching the vision, I sought to understand it. Now one who appeared to be a man was standing before me. 8:16 Then I heard a human voice coming from between the banks of the Ulai. It called out, “Gabriel, enable this person to understand the vision.” 8:17 So he approached the place where I was standing. As he came, I felt terrified and fell flat on the ground. Then he said to me, “Understand, son of man, that the vision pertains to the time of the end.” 8:18 As he spoke with me, I fell into a trance with my face to the ground. But he touched me and stood me upright.
8:19 Then he said, “I am going to inform you about what will happen in the latter time of wrath, for the vision pertains to the appointed time of the end. 8:20 The ram that you saw with the two horns stands for the kings of Media and Persia. 8:21 The male goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn between its eyes is the first king. 8:22 The horn that was broken and in whose place there arose four others stands for four kingdoms that will arise from his nation, though they will not have his strength. 8:23 Toward the end of their rule, when rebellious acts are complete, a rash and deceitful king will arise. 8:24 His power will be great, but it will not be by his strength alone. He will cause terrible destruction. He will be successful in what he undertakes. He will destroy powerful people and the people of the holy ones. 8:25 By his treachery he will succeed through deceit. He will have an arrogant attitude, and he will destroy many who are unaware of his schemes. He will rise up against the Prince of princes, yet he will be broken apart – but not by human agency. 8:26 The vision of the evenings and mornings that was told to you is correct. But you should seal up the vision, for it refers to a time many days from now.”
8:27 I, Daniel, was exhausted and sick for days. Then I got up and again carried out the king’s business. But I was astonished at the vision, and there was no one to explain it.
Lord, evil people have attacked Your servants for generations yet Your plan to redeem a huge remnant from humankind continues. May I keep faith with You in spite of the threats of those who hate You, Lord. You will give to the evil powers (the ones that the rebellion of Adam and Eve, and the continuous rebellion of humankind afterward, had invited into the world) a time to reign, You will end their reign and re-establish Your perfect kingdom for those who are Yours. May I pray and act earnestly for the salvation of many prior to that time. You allow the prince of this world -- and the people who live apart from You -- to live-out their foolish schemes, but Your great plan to separate-out Your enemies and to reconcile with Your children is undeterred by anything man can do. May I be aware of the schemes of men but have confidence in the victory of You, my Lord and my God.
Jealous fellow leaders under king Darius conspired to set Daniel up. They appealed to the king's ego and had him issue an “written interdict” [a royal edict that, according to precedent among the Medes and Persians, could not even be over-ruled by the king himself], which made it mandatory for all to pray only to the king for 30 days. [They knew that Daniel prayed three times daily to the Lord God.]
They made the king aware of Daniel continuing to pray to the Lord God and when the king sought a way out of throwing Daniel in the lion's den they reminded him that his “written interdict” could not be undone, so he gave the order, but told Daniel that his desire was for “Daniel's God” to save him.
The king could not sleep that night and refused any “distractions” [which likely referred to concubines or entertainers and perhaps even alcohol or medications].
In the morning, the king rushed to the lion's den and called to Daniel, who responded “My God sent his angel and closed the lions’ mouths so that they have not harmed me, because I was found to be innocent before him. Nor have I done any harm to you, O king.”
“The king gave another order, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the lions’ den – they, their children, and their wives. They did not even reach the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.”
The joy-filled king issued a new edict about the Lord God “For he is the living God; he endures forever. His kingdom will not be destroyed; his authority is forever. He rescues and delivers and performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions!”
Daniel had another dream-vision, this went “... four large beasts came up from the sea; they were different from one another.”
An angel explained the visions as four nations.
The angel then explained that the Lord God “the Ancient of Days” would also come and one “... like a son of man“ would approach and receive “... ruling authority, honor, and sovereignty. All peoples, nations, and language groups were serving him. His authority is eternal and will not pass away. His kingdom will not be destroyed.” He will be known as “The Most High”.
The fourth beast will destroy the first three then he “... will speak words against the Most High. He will harass the holy ones of the Most High continually. His intention will be to change times established by law. They will be delivered into his hand For a time, times, and half a time. But the court will convene, and his ruling authority will be removed – destroyed and abolished forever!”
“Then the kingdom, authority, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be delivered to the people of the holy ones of the Most High. His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; all authorities will serve him and obey him.’”
Daniel received another prophetic vision.
The archangel Gabriel explained
“The ram that you saw with the two horns stands for the kings of Media and Persia.”
“The male goat is the king of Greece ...”
“... and the large horn between its eyes is the first king.
[The NET translator's notes explain “ the large horn represents Alexander the Great. Alexander’s rapid conquest of the Persians involved three battles of major significance which he won against overwhelming odds: Granicus (334 ), Isus (333 ), and Gaugemela (331 ).]
The horn that was broken and in whose place there arose four others stands for four kingdoms that will arise from his nation, though they will not have his strength.
[The NET translator's notes explain “The four conspicuous horns refer to Alexander’s successors. After his death, Alexander’s empire was divided up among four of his generals: Cassander, who took Macedonia and Greece; Lysimachus, who took Thrace and parts of Asia Minor; Seleucus, who took Syria and territory to its east; and Ptolemy, who took control of Egypt.”]
“Toward the end of their rule, when rebellious acts are complete, a rash and deceitful king [the “small horn”] will arise. His power will be great, but it will not be by his strength alone. He will cause terrible destruction. He will be successful in what he undertakes. He will destroy powerful people and the people of the holy ones. By his treachery he will succeed through deceit. He will have an arrogant attitude, and he will destroy many who are unaware of his schemes. He will rise up against the Prince of princes, yet he will be broken apart – but not by human agency.”
[The NET translator's notes explain “This small horn is Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who controlled the Seleucid kingdom from ca. 175-164 . Antiochus was extremely hostile toward the Jews and persecuted them mercilessly.”] He has been labeled by some “The antichrist of the old testament.”
This text could describe many human "kings" as most have seized and held power illegitimately and used deceit to manipulate. The term "king" may refer to the most politically powerful person in a 'nation', so it could refer to one not locally labeled as a "king".
The question was asked “To what period of time does the vision pertain – this vision concerning the daily sacrifice and the destructive act of rebellion and the giving over of both the sanctuary and army to be trampled?” He said to me, “To 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be put right again.”
“The vision of the evenings and mornings that was told to you is correct. But you should seal up the vision, for it refers to a time many days from now.”
Even the king of a great empire found himself the victim of schemers and of tradition – trapped into an edict he issued – prevented from any authority to exercise discretion. Daniel's dream was a prophetic vision that would conclude in the latter days of the end times. As series of kings, great and lesser, were prophesied. Each would express a different scheme to power, without the Lord God, and each would ultimately fail.
What were Daniel's enemies thinking? Even had they succeeded they would have sealed their fate with the king as evil and untrustworthy. Why would Daniel have become exhausted to the point of sickness from this prophetic vision and angelic interpretation?
What Satan, though Daniel's enemies, intended for evil was turned to an empire-wide proclamation of the Lord God and to blessing for Daniel. The sequence and timing of the events in the prophetic vision have caused many to speculate as to their meaning and to debate if any have already occurred. Power does not always mean blessing or competence “By his treachery he will succeed through deceit. He will have an arrogant attitude, and he will destroy many who are unaware of his schemes.”
When have you been in a difficult situation and rested in the comfort that the Lord God will one day render perfect justice and that enduring and serving in this world is worth His promise of eternity with Him? When have you observed someone who has acquired great power through treachery despite the absence of competence to rightly-manage the authority they received?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a fellow believer who is confused about the world and who could be comforted to be reminded that the Lord God will make all things right in the end and a situation where someone “... will destroy many who are unaware of his schemes”.
Today I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement for clarity and wisdom, courage and humility as I respectfully challenge poor decision-making in a family or organization. The problem of wrong-headed thinking may even include me. I will prayerfully listen to the direction of the Holy Spirit and then gently share these verses with the one to whom He has directed me. I will pray for courage and wisdom to share the truth and to stand for the truth in order to protect believers from being deceived.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Daniel Prays for His People
9:1 In the first year of Darius son of Ahasuerus, who was of Median descent and who had been appointed king over the Babylonian empire – 9:2 in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, came to understand from the sacred books that, according to the word of the LORD disclosed to the prophet Jeremiah, the years for the fulfilling of the desolation of Jerusalem were seventy in number. 9:3 So I turned my attention to the Lord God to implore him by prayer and requests, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. 9:4 I prayed to the LORD my God, confessing in this way:
“O Lord, great and awesome God who is faithful to his covenant with those who love him and keep his commandments, 9:5 we have sinned! We have done what is wrong and wicked; we have rebelled by turning away from your commandments and standards. 9:6 We have not paid attention to your servants the prophets, who spoke by your authority to our kings, our leaders, and our ancestors, and to all the inhabitants of the land as well.
9:7 “You are righteous, O Lord, but we are humiliated this day – the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far away in all the countries in which you have scattered them, because they have behaved unfaithfully toward you. 9:8 O LORD, we have been humiliated – our kings, our leaders, and our ancestors – because we have sinned against you. 9:9 Yet the Lord our God is compassionate and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him. 9:10 We have not obeyed the LORD our God by living according to his laws that he set before us through his servants the prophets.
9:11 “All Israel has broken your law and turned away by not obeying you. Therefore you have poured out on us the judgment solemnly threatened in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against you. 9:12 He has carried out his threats against us and our rulers who were over us by bringing great calamity on us – what has happened to Jerusalem has never been equaled under all heaven! 9:13 Just as it is written in the law of Moses, so all this calamity has come on us. Still we have not tried to pacify the LORD our God by turning back from our sin and by seeking wisdom from your reliable moral standards. 9:14 The LORD was mindful of the calamity, and he brought it on us. For the LORD our God is just in all he has done, and we have not obeyed him.
9:15 “Now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with great power and made a name for yourself that is remembered to this day – we have sinned and behaved wickedly. 9:16 O Lord, according to all your justice, please turn your raging anger away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain. For due to our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors, Jerusalem and your people are mocked by all our neighbors.
9:17 “So now, our God, accept the prayer and requests of your servant, and show favor to your devastated sanctuary for your own sake. 9:18 Listen attentively, my God, and hear! Open your eyes and look on our desolated ruins and the city called by your name. For it is not because of our own righteous deeds that we are praying to you, but because your compassion is abundant. 9:19 O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, pay attention, and act! Don’t delay, for your own sake, O my God! For your city and your people are called by your name.”
Gabriel Gives to Daniel a Prophecy of Seventy Weeks
9:20 While I was still speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and presenting my request before the LORD my God concerning his holy mountain – 9:21 yes, while I was still praying, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen previously in a vision, was approaching me in my state of extreme weariness, around the time of the evening offering. 9:22 He spoke with me, instructing me as follows: “Daniel, I have now come to impart understanding to you.
9:23 At the beginning of your requests a message went out, and I have come to convey it to you, for you are of great value in God’s sight. Therefore consider the message and understand the vision:
9:24 “Seventy weeks have been determined concerning your people and your holy city to put an end to rebellion, to bring sin to completion, to atone for iniquity, to bring in perpetual righteousness, to seal up the prophetic vision, and to anoint a most holy place.
9:25 So know and understand: From the issuing of the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until an anointed one, a prince arrives, there will be a period of seven weeks and sixty-two weeks. It will again be built, with plaza and moat, but in distressful times.
9:26 Now after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one will be cut off and have nothing. As for the city and the sanctuary, the people of the coming prince will destroy them. But his end will come speedily like a flood. Until the end of the war that has been decreed there will be destruction.
9:27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one week. But in the middle of that week he will bring sacrifices and offerings to a halt. On the wing of abominations will come one who destroys, until the decreed end is poured out on the one who destroys.”
Lord, Your servant Daniel recognized that Your judgment was prophesied and earned and that the people had not earned the right to ask You to restore Jerusalem and the temple – but asked that You do so for the sake of Your witness to the nations. May I also recognize that it is Christ in me, and not anything that I do, which justifies my redemption. Your great and sovereign plan will occur, no matter the machinations of humankind. You gave Daniel a vision of the future in order to bring hope and to build the foundation for additional prophesies for the last days of the end times. May I keep my eyes on You and my responsibilities to You and not worry about the details of what You in Your sovereignty do.
Daniel came to study and understand the prophesies of Jeremiah, including the historical reasons for the exile, and the 70 years which the Lord God had established for it.
Daniel was moved to pray a confession of guilt and a profession of repentance on behalf of the people.
He prayed and there were several elements to his prayer:
“... great and awesome God”
“... who is faithful to his covenant with”
“... those who love him”
“... and keep his commandments”
“... we have sinned!”
“All Israel has broken your law and turned away by not obeying you.”
“... you have poured out on us the judgment solemnly threatened in the law of Moses the servant of God”
“Still we have not tried to pacify the LORD our God by turning back from our sin and by seeking wisdom from your reliable moral standards.”
“... accept the prayer and requests of your servant”
“... show favor to your devastated sanctuary for your own sake.”
“For your city and your people are called by your name.”
Daniel 9 is a highly controversial passage, a subject of much debate as to its last days of the end times prophesy, and one which contains some parallel elements to a prophesy of Jeremiah.
[The NET translator's notes read: ““sevens.” Elsewhere the term is used of a literal week (a period of seven days), cf. Gen 29:27-28; Exod 34:22; Lev 12:5; Num 28:26; Deut 16:9-10; 2 Chr 8:13; Jer 5:24; Dan 10:2-3. Gabriel unfolds the future as if it were a calendar of successive weeks. Most understand the reference here as periods of seventy “sevens” of years, or a total of 490 years.”]
One might consider the seventy weeks or years to refer to Daniel's time, into the near-term old testament period, and in a symbolic way also events in the more-distant new testament and last days of the end times period.
One might also consider the future application of the days and wekks and years to be divided into periods during which certain events were to unfold rather than times that continued uninterrupted from Daniel's time.
Jeremiah's ministry finally found someone who was willing to listen and to respond properly – and it was another prophet. The Lord God prophesied periods of change during which elements of His sifting of humankind, elements of His judgment would be completed, and elements of His provision for salvation would be accomplished.
Given their failure to repent, why would Daniel believe that he could pray and persuade the Lord God to restore Jerusalem and the temple? Why would the Lord God have given such a prophesy to Daniel?
Daniel showed humility before the Lord God and believed that a restored Jerusalem and temple would bring glory to Him despite the conduct of his rebellious people. The enemy of the Lord God would have a limited time during which he would be permitted to trouble humankind at an intense level, it would be the Lord's test, and it would be humankind's chance to choose to meet the test or to partner with the enemy in making it a temptation to commit to a permanent condition of unrepentant rebellion.
When have you been faced with a difficult situation and found that acknowledging your role in your circumstances opened the door to the Lord God's blessing? When have you considered the various perspectives of the tribulation and other major new testament events?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a frustrating circumstance where your refusal to acknowledge your own sin has created a barrier for the Lord to bless you.
Today I will confess and repent, seek and accept the Lord's forgiveness, then partner with him to change my life so that it is more in line with His will, rather than my own. I will reflect upon the things in my immediate and constantly-changing short-term future, to which I give great importance and value, and then I will contrast them with the big-picture future plans of the Lord.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
An Angel Appears to Daniel
10:1 In the third year of King Cyrus of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel (who was also called Belteshazzar). This message was true and concerned a great war. He understood the message and gained insight by the vision.
10:2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three whole weeks. 10:3 I ate no choice food; no meat or wine came to my lips, nor did I anoint myself with oil until the end of those three weeks.
10:4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month I was beside the great river, the Tigris. 10:5 I looked up and saw a man clothed in linen; around his waist was a belt made of gold from Upaz. 10:6 His body resembled yellow jasper, and his face had an appearance like lightning. His eyes were like blazing torches; his arms and feet had the gleam of polished bronze. His voice thundered forth like the sound of a large crowd.
10:7 Only I, Daniel, saw the vision; the men who were with me did not see it. On the contrary, they were overcome with fright and ran away to hide. 10:8 I alone was left to see this great vision. My strength drained from me, and my vigor disappeared; I was without energy. 10:9 I listened to his voice, and as I did so I fell into a trance-like sleep with my face to the ground. 10:10 Then a hand touched me and set me on my hands and knees. 10:11 He said to me, “Daniel, you are of great value. Understand the words that I am about to speak to you. So stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” When he said this to me, I stood up shaking. 10:12 Then he said to me, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel, for from the very first day you applied your mind to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard. I have come in response to your words. 10:13 However, the prince of the kingdom of Persia was opposing me for twenty-one days. But Michael, one of the leading princes, came to help me, because I was left there with the kings of Persia. 10:14 Now I have come to help you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision pertains to future days.”
10:15 While he was saying this to me, I was flat on the ground and unable to speak. 10:16 Then one who appeared to be a human being was touching my lips. I opened my mouth and started to speak, saying to the one who was standing before me, “Sir, due to the vision, anxiety has gripped me and I have no strength. 10:17 How, sir, am I able to speak with you? My strength is gone, and I am breathless.” 10:18 Then the one who appeared to be a human being touched me again and strengthened me. 10:19 He said to me, “Don’t be afraid, you who are valued. Peace be to you! Be strong! Be really strong!” When he spoke to me, I was strengthened. I said, “Sir, you may speak now, for you have given me strength.” 10:20 He said, “Do you know why I have come to you? Now I am about to return to engage in battle with the prince of Persia. When I go, the prince of Greece is coming. 10:21 However, I will first tell you what is written in a dependable book. (There is no one who strengthens me against these princes, except Michael your prince.
11:1 And in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood to strengthen him and to provide protection for him.)
11:2 Now I will tell you the truth. The Angel Gives a Message to Daniel
“Three more kings will arise for Persia. Then a fourth king will be unusually rich, more so than all who preceded him. When he has amassed power through his riches, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece.
11:3 Then a powerful king will arise, exercising great authority and doing as he pleases. 11:4 Shortly after his rise to power, his kingdom will be broken up and distributed toward the four winds of the sky – but not to his posterity or with the authority he exercised, for his kingdom will be uprooted and distributed to others besides these.
11:5 “Then the king of the south and one of his subordinates will grow strong. His subordinate will resist him and will rule a kingdom greater than his.
11:6 After some years have passed, they will form an alliance. Then the daughter of the king of the south will come to the king of the north to make an agreement, but she will not retain her power, nor will he continue in his strength. She, together with the one who brought her, her child, and her benefactor will all be delivered over at that time.
11:7 “There will arise in his place one from her family line who will come against their army and will enter the stronghold of the king of the north and will move against them successfully. 11:8 He will also take their gods into captivity to Egypt, along with their cast images and prized utensils of silver and gold. Then he will withdraw for some years from the king of the north.
11:9 Then the king of the north will advance against the empire of the king of the south, but will withdraw to his own land. 11:10 His sons will wage war, mustering a large army which will advance like an overflowing river and carrying the battle all the way to the enemy’s fortress.
11:11 “Then the king of the south will be enraged and will march out to fight against the king of the north, who will also muster a large army, but that army will be delivered into his hand. 11:12 When the army is taken away, the king of the south will become arrogant. He will be responsible for the death of thousands and thousands of people, but he will not continue to prevail.
11:13 For the king of the north will again muster an army, one larger than before. At the end of some years he will advance with a huge army and enormous supplies.
11:14 “In those times many will oppose the king of the south. Those who are violent among your own people will rise up in confirmation of the vision, but they will falter.
11:15 Then the king of the north will advance and will build siege mounds and capture a well-fortified city. The forces of the south will not prevail, not even his finest contingents. They will have no strength to prevail.
11:16 The one advancing against him will do as he pleases, and no one will be able to stand before him. He will prevail in the beautiful land, and its annihilation will be within his power.
11:17 His intention will be to come with the strength of his entire kingdom, and he will form alliances. He will give the king of the south a daughter in marriage in order to destroy the kingdom, but it will not turn out to his advantage.
11:18 Then he will turn his attention to the coastal regions and will capture many of them. But a commander will bring his shameful conduct to a halt; in addition, he will make him pay for his shameful conduct.
11:19 He will then turn his attention to the fortresses of his own land, but he will stumble and fall, not to be found again.
11:20 There will arise after him one who will send out an exactor of tribute to enhance the splendor of the kingdom, but after a few days he will be destroyed, though not in anger or battle.
Lord, You allow spiritual warfare because all of creation is groaning as the consequences of rebellion are experienced, and will until You bring it all to an end. May I be alert to spiritual warfare and confident that You are always in control of the big picture. While the battles for human empire ebb and flow Your great plan continues to unfold, one that is not based on geographic boundaries or on the egos of mere men – but on Your heart's desire to be reconciled and restored in relationship with as many of Your created humankind as possible. May I always remember what is truly important in the big-picture rather than what mere men insist is important in this confused and fallen world.
Daniel was told by a heavenly-being in a vision “... from the very first day you applied your mind to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard. I have come in response to your words.”
The “being” [an angel of the Lord] apologized for being delayed due to spiritual warfare “However, the prince of the kingdom of Persia [the prince of this world is Satan] was opposing me for twenty-one days. But Michael, one of the leading princes [an archangel of the Lord], came to help me, because I was left there with the kings of Persia.” [“kings” refers to the higher-ranking fallen-angels of Satan whereas Satan is sometimes referred to as a “prince” it is a higher rank than the 'kings”, one of the oddities of translation from ancient languages to modern English]
Daniel was prepared for the context of the message he was about to receive “Now I have come to help you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision pertains to future days.”
The being explained “He said, “Do you know why I have come to you? Now I am about to return to engage in battle with the prince of Persia. When I go, the prince of Greece is coming. However, I will first tell you what is written in a dependable book. (There is no one who strengthens me against these princes, except Michael your prince. And in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood to strengthen him and to provide protection for him.)
[Note: The geographic references associated with the “princes” imply the assignment of angelic and demonic beings to nations, people groups, and/or regions.]
Daniel received a prophesy of future events among empires to come.
The NET translator's notes provide the following identities of the personalities and kingdoms:
Perhaps these three more kings are Cambyses (ca. 530-522 B.C.), Pseudo-Smerdis (ca. 522 B.C.), and Darius I Hystaspes (ca. 522-486 B.C.).
This fourth king is Xerxes I (ca. 486-465 B.C.). The following reference to one of his chiefs apparently has in view Seleucus Nicator.
The powerful king mentioned here is Alexander the Great (ca. 336-323 B.C.).
The king of the south is Ptolemy I Soter (ca. 323-285 B.C.). The following reference to one of his subordinates apparently has in view Seleucus I Nicator (ca. 311-280 B.C.). Throughout the remainder of chap. the expressions “king of the south” and “king of the north” repeatedly occur. It is clear, however, that these terms are being used generically to describe the Ptolemaic king (i.e., “of the south”) or the Seleucid king (i.e., “of the north”) who happens to be in power at any particular time. The specific identity of these kings can be established more or less successfully by a comparison of this chapter with the available extra-biblical records that discuss the history of the intertestamental period. In the following notes the generally accepted identifications are briefly mentioned.
“11:6a After some years have passed, they will form an alliance.”
Here they refers to Ptolemy II Philadelphus (ca. 285-246 B.C.) and Antiochus II Theos (ca. 262-246 B.C.).
“11:6b Then the daughter of the king of the south will come to the king of the north to make an agreement, but she will not retain her power, nor will he continue in his strength. She, together with the one who brought her, her child, and her benefactor will all be delivered over at that time.”
The daughter refers to Berenice, who was given in marriage to Antiochus II Theos.
Antiochus II eventually divorced Berenice and remarried his former wife Laodice, who then poisoned her husband, had Berenice put to death, and installed her own son, Seleucus II Callinicus (ca. 246-227 B.C.), as the Seleucid king.
“11:7 “There will arise in his place one from her family line who will come against their army and will enter the stronghold of the king of the north and will move against them successfully.”
The reference is to the king of Egypt.
The reference to one from her family line is probably to Berenice’s brother, Ptolemy III Euergetes (ca. 246-221 B.C.).
“11:10 His sons will wage war, mustering a large army which will advance like an overflowing river and carrying the battle all the way to the enemy’s fortress.”
The sons of Seleucus II Callinicus were Seleucus III Ceraunus (ca. 227-223 B.C.) and Antiochus III the Great (ca. 223-187 B.C.).
The NET translator's notes provide the following identities of the personalities and kingdoms:
This king of the south refers to Ptolemy IV Philopator (ca. 221-204 ).
11:14 “In those times many will oppose the king of the south. Those who are violent among your own people will rise up in confirmation of the vision, but they will falter.
This was Ptolemy V Epiphanes (ca. 203-181 ).
11:15 Then the king of the north will advance and will build siege mounds and capture a well-fortified city. The forces of the south will not prevail, not even his finest contingents. They will have no strength to prevail.
This well-fortified city is apparently Sidon. Its capture from the Ptolemies by Antiochus the Great was a strategic victory for the Seleucid kingdom.
11:17 His intention will be to come with the strength of his entire kingdom, and he will form alliances. He will give the king of the south a daughter in marriage in order to destroy the kingdom, but it will not turn out to his advantage.
The daughter refers to Cleopatra, the daughter of Antiochus, who was given in marriage to Ptolemy V.
11:18 Then he will turn his attention to the coastal regions and will capture many of them. But a commander will bring his shameful conduct to a halt; in addition, he will make him pay for his shameful conduct.
The commander is probably the Roman commander, Lucius Cornelius Scipio.
11:20 There will arise after him one who will send out an exactor of tribute to enhance the splendor of the kingdom, but after a few days he will be destroyed, though not in anger or battle.
The one who will send out an exactor of tribute was Seleucus IV Philopator (ca. 187-176 ).
Perhaps this exactor of tribute was Heliodorus (cf. 2 Maccabees 3).
Daniel was blessed because he made a choice and “applied your mind to understand and to humble yourself before your God”, he received a prophesy which extended through the so-called “inter-testamental period”, that is the period of history between the old and the new testaments. It is worth keeping in mind that the ebb and flow of conquest, e.g. north to south, and back again – meant (and means) little or nothing compared to the spiritual battle that rages unseen for each and every heart.
What thoughts come to mind when you read that an angel was delayed on his mission due to spiritual warfare? Could it be that the purpose of this prophesy is to establish the historical credibility of the Word of God and of fore-telling prophesy? Why would it be important for Daniel to learn, in the midst of the tale of battles to come, that one whose job it was to “... exact tribute to enhance the splendor of the kingdom” would “... be destroyed” - but not “... in anger or in battle”?
The being which spoke to Daniel had been rescued by Michael the archangel and now he was informing Daniel that Michael was watching over him as well. While this prophesy did not initially address events centered upon the Israelites the ebb and flow of empire most assuredly did impact them. In this series of events Daniel learned that his “people” would be involved at one point but nothing was said of a significant negative or positive impact upon them – it appears that they were not to be major players in the era of time being described.
When have you tried to deliver a message of encouragement or to evangelize someone and you found your path blocked in odd ways? When have you discovered a Biblical perspective or recognized a piece of Biblical history while studying an extra-Biblical source such as an archeological discovery or a verified history of a civilization other than that of the Israelites? When have you observed a person intent upon selfish evil suddenly “destroyed” apart from the events, perhaps by an unexpected illness or what appeared to be a freak accident, and you wondered if the Lord had intervened?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you someone for whom you should pray because they are being harassed by spiritual warfare, to reveal to you something He'd like you to understand better about the Word – but from an extra-Biblical source which contains detail that reinforces the Biblical telling, and to reveal to you a place where you are too concerned about worldly events and therefore too distracted from that which the Lord God says is most-important.
Today I will pray diligently for the one whom the Holy Spirit has identified to me, I will humbly study the materials to which the Holy Spirit has led me, I will study it with the filter that the Bible is always the primary authoritative document, and I will prayerfully receive what it is that the Lord wants me to receive. I will share what I have learned with a fellow believer. I will confess and repent, request and receive forgiveness, and I will adjust my priorities to make the things that the Lord says are most-important the things that I make most important.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
11:21 “Then there will arise in his place a despicable person to whom the royal honor has not been rightfully conferred. He will come on the scene in a time of prosperity and will seize the kingdom through deceit. 11:22 Armies will be suddenly swept away in defeat before him; both they and a covenant leader will be destroyed. 11:23 After entering into an alliance with him, he will behave treacherously; he will ascend to power with only a small force.
11:24 In a time of prosperity for the most productive areas of the province he will come and accomplish what neither his fathers nor their fathers accomplished. He will distribute loot, spoils, and property to his followers, and he will devise plans against fortified cities, but not for long. 11:25 He will rouse his strength and enthusiasm against the king of the south with a large army. The king of the south will wage war with a large and very powerful army, but he will not be able to prevail because of the plans devised against him. 11:26 Those who share the king’s fine food will attempt to destroy him, and his army will be swept away; many will be killed in battle.
11:27 These two kings, their minds filled with evil intentions, will trade lies with one another at the same table. But it will not succeed, for there is still an end at the appointed time.
11:28 Then the king of the north will return to his own land with much property. His mind will be set against the holy covenant. He will take action, and then return to his own land.
11:29 At an appointed time he will again invade the south, but this latter visit will not turn out the way the former one did.
11:30 The ships of Kittim will come against him, leaving him disheartened. He will turn back and direct his indignation against the holy covenant. He will return and honor those who forsake the holy covenant. 11:31 His forces will rise up and profane the fortified sanctuary, stopping the daily sacrifice. In its place they will set up the abomination that causes desolation.
11:32 Then with smooth words he will defile those who have rejected the covenant. But the people who are loyal to their God will act valiantly. 11:33 These who are wise among the people will teach the masses. However, they will fall by the sword and by the flame, and they will be imprisoned and plundered for some time.
11:34 When they stumble, they will be granted some help. But many will unite with them deceitfully.
11:35 Even some of the wise will stumble, resulting in their refinement, purification, and cleansing until the time of the end, for it is still for the appointed time.
11:36 “Then the king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every deity and he will utter presumptuous things against the God of gods. He will succeed until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been decreed must occur. 11:37 He will not respect the gods of his fathers – not even the god loved by women. He will not respect any god; he will elevate himself above them all. 11:38 What he will honor is a god of fortresses – a god his fathers did not acknowledge he will honor with gold, silver, valuable stones, and treasured commodities. 11:39 He will attack mighty fortresses, aided by a foreign deity. To those who recognize him he will grant considerable honor. He will place them in authority over many people, and he will parcel out land for a price.
11:40 “At the time of the end the king of the south will attack him. Then the king of the north will storm against him with chariots, horsemen, and a large armada of ships. He will invade lands, passing through them like an overflowing river. 11:41 Then he will enter the beautiful land. Many will fall, but these will escape: Edom, Moab, and the Ammonite leadership.
11:42 He will extend his power against other lands; the land of Egypt will not escape. 11:43 He will have control over the hidden stores of gold and silver, as well as all the treasures of Egypt. Libyans and Ethiopians will submit to him.
11:44 But reports will trouble him from the east and north, and he will set out in a tremendous rage to destroy and wipe out many.
11:45 He will pitch his royal tents between the seas toward the beautiful holy mountain. But he will come to his end, with no one to help him.
12:1 “At that time Michael, the great prince who watches over your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress unlike any other from the nation’s beginning up to that time. But at that time your own people, all those whose names are found written in the book, will escape.
12:2 Many of those who sleep in the dusty ground will awake – some to everlasting life, and others to shame and everlasting abhorrence.
12:3 But the wise will shine like the brightness of the heavenly expanse. And those bringing many to righteousness will be like the stars forever and ever.
12:4 “But you, Daniel, close up these words and seal the book until the time of the end. Many will dash about, and knowledge will increase.”
12:5 I, Daniel, watched as two others stood there, one on each side of the river. 12:6 One said to the man clothed in linen who was above the waters of the river, “When will the end of these wondrous events occur?” 12:7 Then I heard the man clothed in linen who was over the waters of the river as he raised both his right and left hands to the sky and made an oath by the one who lives forever: “It is for a time, times, and half a time. Then, when the power of the one who shatters the holy people has been exhausted, all these things will be finished.”
12:8 I heard, but I did not understand. So I said, “Sir, what will happen after these things?” 12:9 He said, “Go, Daniel. For these matters are closed and sealed until the time of the end. 12:10 Many will be purified, made clean, and refined, but the wicked will go on being wicked. None of the wicked will understand, though the wise will understand. 12:11 From the time that the daily sacrifice is removed and the abomination that causes desolation is set in place, there are 1,290 days. 12:12 Blessed is the one who waits and attains to the 1,335 days. 12:13 But you should go your way until the end. You will rest and then at the end of the days you will arise to receive what you have been allotted.”
Lord, You used the ebb and flow of mere human conflict and conquest as a foundation to then also begin to communicate expectations for the terrible events of the very last days of the end times. May I be mindful that the struggles that humankind, in particular believers, has (have) faced is not as great as what is to come. You have determined the perfectly-just conclusion to history. May I invest my life in growing in my relationship with the One with Whom I will spend eternity.
The NET translator's notes provide the following identities of the personalities, places, and kingdoms:
11:21 “Then there will arise in his place a despicable person to whom the royal honor has not been rightfully conferred.
This despicable person to whom the royal honor has not been rightfully conferred is Antiochus IV Epiphanes (ca. 175-164 ).
11:25 He will rouse his strength and enthusiasm against the king of the south with a large army.
This king of the south was Ptolemy Philometer (ca. 181-145 ).
11:30a The ships of Kittim will come against him ...
The name Kittim has various designations in extra-biblical literature. It can refer to a location on the island of Cyprus, or more generally to the island itself, or it can be an inclusive term to refer to parts of the Mediterranean world that lay west of the Middle East (e.g., Rome). For ships of Kittim the Greek OT (LXX) has “Romans,” an interpretation followed by a few English versions (e.g., TEV). A number of times in the Dead Sea Scrolls the word is used in reference to the Romans. Other English versions are more generic: “[ships] of the western coastlands” (NIV, NLT); “from the west” (NCV, CEV).
11:30b … leaving him disheartened.
This is apparently a reference to the Roman forces, led by Gaius Popilius Laenas, which confronted Antiochus when he came to Egypt and demanded that he withdraw or face the wrath of Rome. Antiochus wisely withdrew from Egypt, albeit in a state of bitter frustration.
11:32 Then with smooth words he will defile those who have rejected the covenant. But the people who are loyal to their God will act valiantly.
This is an allusion to the Maccabean revolt, which struggled to bring about Jewish independence in the second century .
11:36 “Then the king will do as he pleases.
The identity of this king is problematic. If vv. 36-45 continue the description of Antiochus Epiphanes, the account must be viewed as erroneous, since the details do not match what is known of Antiochus’ latter days. Most modern scholars take this view, concluding that this section was written just shortly before the death of Antiochus and that the writer erred on several key points as he tried to predict what would follow the events of his own day. Conservative scholars, however, usually understand the reference to shift at this point to an eschatological figure, viz., the Antichrist. The chronological gap that this would presuppose to be in the narrative is not necessarily a problem, since by all accounts there are many chronological gaps throughout the chapter, as the historical figures intended by such expressions as “king of the north” and “king of the south” repeatedly shift.
11:40a “At the time of the end the king of the south will attack him. Then the king of the north will storm against him ...
The referent of the pronoun [him] is most likely the king of the south, in which case the text describes the king of the north countering the attack of the king of the south.
11:40b He will invade lands ...
This most likely refers to the king of the north who, in response to the aggression of the king of the south, launches an invasion of the southern regions.
11:41 Then he will enter the beautiful land.
The beautiful land is a cryptic reference to the land of Israel.
11:43 He will have control over the hidden stores of gold and silver, as well as all the treasures of Egypt. Libyans and Ethiopians will submit to him.
Or “Nubians” (NIV, NCV); Heb “Cushites.”
“Libyans and Cushites [will be] at his footsteps.”
11:45 He will pitch his royal tents between the seas toward the beautiful holy mountain.
Presumably seas refers to the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea.
The final words of prophesy to Daniel focused entirely on events to come in the distant future during the last days of the end times.
Daniel was told of the tribulation, the Book of Life, the resurrection of the dead, and the final judgment “Many of those who sleep in the dusty ground will awake – some to everlasting life, and others to shame and everlasting abhorrence.”
He learned not only that the prophesy was not for the present but also that show who wanted a peek into the future would be denied it until the Lord God deemed the time suitable “But you, Daniel, close up these words and seal the book until the time of the end. Many will dash about, and knowledge will increase.”
There are a variety of non-canonical books associated with the Word of God. They have been deemed inappropriate to include either because they contain texts that conflict with canonical text, therefore are not of God, or they have been determined not to be peer-texts (they are later writings falsely inserted into the canon).
From the NET translator's notes: The deuterocanonical writings known as the Story of Susanna and Bel and the Dragon appear respectively as chapters 13 and 14 of the book of Daniel in the Greek version of this book. Although these writings are not part of the Hebrew/Aramaic text of Daniel, they were popular among certain early communities who valued traditions about the life of Daniel.
“Antiochus IV Epiphanes (ca. 175-164 )” acquired great power through deceit, and many since then have done so as well. The text of Daniel is considered to be the only one where resurrection and judgment are clearly described in the old testament.
Does it help to know that no matter how powerful the enemy of the Lord God, and His people, that at some point “... he will come to his end, with no one to help him” ?
We are not expected to be perfect, and there is a path for restoration, even in the old testament “Even some of the wise will stumble, resulting in their refinement, purification, and cleansing until the time of the end, for it is still for the appointed time.” Daniel was blessed to learn of the tribulation, the Book of Life, the resurrection of the dead, and the final judgment.
When have you observed a person of power, one who for a time appeared to be invincible, fall suddenly without an obvious cause (from another person or worldly force)?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a failure in your life which has troubled you greatly – one that He wants you to know that He is working in you for “... refinement, purification, and cleansing.” and perhaps also something about the tribulation, the Book of Life, the resurrection of the dead, and the final judgment that you need to understand better than you do.
Today I will humbly acknowledge my failure, what the Lord has done to-date to refine, purify, and clean me, and I will gratefully partner in my continued restoration.
I will prayerfully read my Bible, and as is appropriate, consult with one who is Biblically-qualified to be a spiritual elder – in order to find clarity as to the knowledge which the Holy Spirit desires me to obtain.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study –“Genesis 3. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 49
The Decree of Cyrus
1:1 In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order to fulfill the Lord’s message spoken through Jeremiah, the Lord stirred the mind of King Cyrus of Persia. He disseminated a proclamation throughout his entire kingdom, announcing in a written edict the following:
1:2 “Thus says King Cyrus of Persia:
“‘The Lord God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has instructed me to build a temple for him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 1:3 Anyone from his people among you (may his God be with him!) may go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and may build the temple of the Lord God of Israel – he is the God who is in Jerusalem. 1:4 Anyone who survives in any of those places where he is a resident foreigner must be helped by his neighbors with silver, gold, equipment, and animals, along with voluntary offerings for the temple of God which is in Jerusalem.’”
The Exiles Prepare to Return to Jerusalem
1:5 Then the leaders of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and the Levites – all those whose mind God had stirred – got ready to go up in order to build the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. 1:6 All their neighbors assisted them with silver utensils, gold, equipment, animals, and expensive gifts, not to mention all the voluntary offerings.
1:7 Then King Cyrus brought out the vessels of the Lord’s temple which Nebuchadnezzar had brought from Jerusalem and had displayed in the temple of his gods. 1:8 King Cyrus of Persia entrusted them to Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the leader of the Judahite exiles.
1:9 The inventory of these items was as follows:
30 gold basins, 1,000 silver basins, 29 silver utensils,
1:10 30 gold bowls, 410 other silver bowls, and 1,000 other vessels.
1:11 All these gold and silver vessels totaled 5,400. Sheshbazzar brought them all along when the captives were brought up from Babylon to Jerusalem.
2:1 The Names of the Returning Exiles
These are the people of the province who were going up, from the captives of the exile whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had forced into exile in Babylon. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own city. 2:2 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah.
The number of Israelites was as follows:
2:3 the descendants of Parosh: 2,172;
2:4 the descendants of Shephatiah: 372;
2:5 the descendants of Arah: 775;
2:6 the descendants of Pahath-Moab (from the line of Jeshua and Joab): 2,812;
2:7 the descendants of Elam: 1,254;
2:8 the descendants of Zattu: 945;
2:9 the descendants of Zaccai: 760;
2:10 the descendants of Bani: 642;
2:11 the descendants of Bebai: 623;
2:12 the descendants of Azgad: 1,222;
2:13 the descendants of Adonikam: 666;
2:14 the descendants of Bigvai: 2,056;
2:15 the descendants of Adin: 454;
2:16 the descendants of Ater (through Hezekiah): 98;
2:17 the descendants of Bezai: 323;
2:18 the descendants of Jorah: 112;
2:19 the descendants of Hashum: 223;
2:20 the descendants of Gibbar: 95.
2:21 The men of Bethlehem: 123;
2:22 the men of Netophah: 56;
2:23 the men of Anathoth: 128;
2:24 the men of the family of Azmaveth: 42;
2:25 the men of Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah and Beeroth: 743;
2:26 the men of Ramah and Geba: 621;
2:27 the men of Micmash: 122;
2:28 the men of Bethel and Ai: 223;
2:29 the descendants of Nebo: 52;
2:30 the descendants of Magbish: 156;
2:31 the descendants of the other Elam: 1,254;
2:32 the descendants of Harim: 320;
2:33 the men of Lod, Hadid, and Ono: 725;
2:34 the men of Jericho: 345;
2:35 the descendants of Senaah: 3,630.
2:36 The priests: the descendants of Jedaiah (through the family of Jeshua): 973;
2:37 the descendants of Immer: 1,052;
2:38 the descendants of Pashhur: 1,247;
2:39 the descendants of Harim: 1,017.
2:40 The Levites: the descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel (through the line of Hodaviah): 74.
2:41 The singers: the descendants of Asaph: 128.
2:42 The gatekeepers: the descendants of Shallum, the descendants of Ater, the descendants of Talmon, the descendants of Akkub, the descendants of Hatita, and the descendants of Shobai: 139.
2:43 The temple servants: the descendants of Ziha, the descendants of Hasupha, the descendants of Tabbaoth, 2:44 the descendants of Keros, the descendants of Siaha, the descendants of Padon, 2:45 the descendants of Lebanah, the descendants of Hagabah, the descendants of Akkub, 2:46 the descendants of Hagab, the descendants of Shalmai, the descendants of Hanan, 2:47 the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Gahar, the descendants of Reaiah, 2:48 the descendants of Rezin, the descendants of Nekoda, the descendants of Gazzam, 2:49 the descendants of Uzzah, the descendants of Paseah, the descendants of Besai, 2:50 the descendants of Asnah, the descendants of Meunim, the descendants of Nephussim, 2:51 the descendants of Bakbuk, the descendants of Hakupha, the descendants of Harhur, 2:52 the descendants of Bazluth, the descendants of Mehida, the descendants of Harsha, 2:53 the descendants of Barkos, the descendants of Sisera, the descendants of Temah, 2:54 the descendants of Neziah, and the descendants of Hatipha.
2:55 The descendants of the servants of Solomon: the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Hassophereth, the descendants of Peruda, 2:56 the descendants of Jaala, the descendants of Darkon, the descendants of Giddel, 2:57 the descendants of Shephatiah, the descendants of Hattil, the descendants of Pokereth-Hazzebaim, and the descendants of Ami.
2:58 All the temple servants and the descendants of the servants of Solomon: 392.
2:59 These are the ones that came up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon, and Immer (although they were unable to certify their family connection or their ancestry, as to whether they really were from Israel):
2:60 the descendants of Delaiah, the descendants of Tobiah, and the descendants of Nekoda: 652.
2:61 And from among the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, and the descendants of Barzillai (who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that name). 2:62 They searched for their records in the genealogical materials, but did not find them. They were therefore excluded from the priesthood. 2:63 The governor instructed them not to eat any of the sacred food until there was a priest who could consult the Urim and Thummim.
2:64 The entire group numbered 42,360, 2:65 not counting their male and female servants, who numbered 7,337. They also had 200 male and female singers 2:66 and 736 horses, 245 mules, 2:67 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys. 2:68 When they came to the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem, some of the family leaders offered voluntary offerings for the temple of God in order to rebuild it on its site. 2:69 As they were able, they gave to the treasury for this work 61,000 drachmas of gold, 5,000 minas of silver, and 100 priestly robes.
2:70 The priests, the Levites, some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants lived in their towns, and all the rest of Israel lived in their towns.
The Altar is Rebuilt
3:1 When the seventh month arrived and the Israelites were living in their towns, the people assembled in Jerusalem. 3:2 Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his priestly colleagues and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his colleagues started to build the altar of the God of Israel so they could offer burnt offerings on it as required by the law of Moses the man of God. 3:3 They established the altar on its foundations, even though they were in terror of the local peoples, and they offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and the evening offerings. 3:4 They observed the Festival of Temporary Shelters as required and offered the proper number of daily burnt offerings according to the requirement for each day. 3:5 Afterward they offered the continual burnt offerings and those for the new moons and those for all the holy assemblies of the Lord and all those that were being voluntarily offered to the Lord. 3:6 From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord. However, the Lord’s temple was not at that time established.
Preparations for Rebuilding the Temple
3:7 So they provided money for the masons and carpenters, and food, beverages, and olive oil for the people of Sidon and Tyre, so that they would bring cedar timber from Lebanon to the seaport at Joppa, in accord with the edict of King Cyrus of Persia. 3:8 In the second year after they had come to the temple of God in Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak initiated the work, along with the rest of their associates, the priests and the Levites, and all those who were coming to Jerusalem from the exile. They appointed the Levites who were at least twenty years old to take charge of the work on the Lord’s temple. 3:9 So Jeshua appointed both his sons and his relatives, Kadmiel and his sons (the sons of Yehudah), to take charge of the workers in the temple of God, along with the sons of Henadad, their sons, and their relatives the Levites. 3:10 When the builders established the Lord’s temple, the priests, ceremonially attired and with their clarions, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with their cymbals, stood to praise the Lord according to the instructions left by King David of Israel. 3:11 With antiphonal response they sang, praising and glorifying the Lord:
“For he is good;
his loyal love toward Israel is forever.”
All the people gave a loud shout as they praised the Lord when the temple of the Lord was established. 3:12 Many of the priests, the Levites, and the leaders – older people who had seen with their own eyes the former temple while it was still established – were weeping loudly, and many others raised their voice in a joyous shout. 3:13 People were unable to tell the difference between the sound of joyous shouting and the sound of the people’s weeping, for the people were shouting so loudly that the sound was heard a long way off.
Opposition to the Building Efforts
4:1 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin learned that the former exiles were building a temple for the Lord God of Israel, 4:2 they came to Zerubbabel and the leaders and said to them, “Let us help you build, for like you we seek your God and we have been sacrificing to him from the time of King Esarhaddon of Assyria, who brought us here.” 4:3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the leaders of Israel said to them, “You have no right to help us build the temple of our God. We will build it by ourselves for the Lord God of Israel, just as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, has commanded us.” 4:4 Then the local people began to discourage the people of Judah and to dishearten them from building. 4:5 They were hiring advisers to oppose them, so as to frustrate their plans, throughout the time of King Cyrus of Persia until the reign of King Darius of Persia.
Official Complaints Are Lodged Against the Jews
4:6 At the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus they filed an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. 4:7 And during the reign of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their colleagues wrote to King Artaxerxes of Persia. This letter was first written in Aramaic but then translated.
[Aramaic:]
4:8 Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter concerning Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows: 4:9 From Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues – the judges, the rulers, the officials, the secretaries, the Erechites, the Babylonians, the people of Susa (that is, the Elamites), 4:10 and the rest of nations whom the great and noble Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and other places in Trans-Euphrates. 4:11 (This is a copy of the letter they sent to him:)
“To King Artaxerxes, from your servants in Trans-Euphrates: 4:12 Now let the king be aware that the Jews who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and odious city. They are completing its walls and repairing its foundations. 4:13 Let the king also be aware that if this city is built and its walls are completed, no more tax, custom, or toll will be paid, and the royal treasury will suffer loss. 4:14 In light of the fact that we are loyal to the king, and since it does not seem appropriate to us that the king should sustain damage, we are sending the king this information 4:15 so that he may initiate a search of the records of his predecessors and discover in those records that this city is rebellious and injurious to both kings and provinces, producing internal revolts from long ago. It is for this very reason that this city was destroyed. 4:16 We therefore are informing the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, you will not retain control of this portion of Trans-Euphrates.”
4:17 The king sent the following response:
“To Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues who live in Samaria and other parts of Trans-Euphrates: Greetings! 4:18 The letter you sent to us has been translated and read in my presence. 4:19 So I gave orders, and it was determined that this city from long ago has been engaging in insurrection against kings. It has continually engaged in rebellion and revolt. 4:20 Powerful kings have been over Jerusalem who ruled throughout the entire Trans-Euphrates and who were the beneficiaries of tribute, custom, and toll. 4:21 Now give orders that these men cease their work and that this city not be rebuilt until such time as I so instruct. 4:22 Exercise appropriate caution so that there is no negligence in this matter. Why should danger increase to the point that kings sustain damage?”
4:23 Then, as soon as the copy of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read in the presence of Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their colleagues, they proceeded promptly to the Jews in Jerusalem and stopped them with threat of armed force.
4:24 So the work on the temple of God in Jerusalem came to a halt. It remained halted until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia.
Tattenai Appeals to Darius
5:1 Then the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo prophesied concerning the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel who was over them. 5:2 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak began to rebuild the temple of God in Jerusalem. The prophets of God were with them, supporting them.
5:3 At that time Tattenai governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar-Bozenai, and their colleagues came to them and asked, “Who gave you authority to rebuild this temple and to complete this structure?” 5:4 They also asked them, “What are the names of the men who are building this edifice?” 5:5 But God was watching over the elders of Judah, and they were not stopped until a report could be dispatched to Darius and a letter could be sent back concerning this.
5:6 This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar-Bozenai, and his colleagues who were the officials of Trans-Euphrates sent to King Darius. 5:7 The report they sent to him was written as follows:
“To King Darius: All greetings! 5:8 Let it be known to the king that we have gone to the province of Judah, to the temple of the great God. It is being built with large stones, and timbers are being placed in the walls. This work is being done with all diligence and is prospering in their hands. 5:9 We inquired of those elders, asking them, ‘Who gave you the authority to rebuild this temple and to complete this structure?’ 5:10 We also inquired of their names in order to inform you, so that we might write the names of the men who were their leaders. 5:11 They responded to us in the following way: ‘We are servants of the God of heaven and earth. We are rebuilding the temple which was previously built many years ago. A great king of Israel built it and completed it. 5:12 But after our ancestors angered the God of heaven, he delivered them into the hands of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this temple and exiled the people to Babylon. 5:13 But in the first year of King Cyrus of Babylon, King Cyrus enacted a decree to rebuild this temple of God. 5:14 Even the gold and silver vessels of the temple of God that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem and had brought to the palace of Babylon – even those things King Cyrus brought from the palace of Babylon and presented to a man by the name of Sheshbazzar whom he had appointed as governor. 5:15 He said to him, “Take these vessels and go deposit them in the temple in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt in its proper location.” 5:16 Then this Sheshbazzar went and laid the foundations of the temple of God in Jerusalem. From that time to the present moment it has been in the process of being rebuilt, although it is not yet finished.’
5:17 “Now if the king is so inclined, let a search be conducted in the royal archives there in Babylon in order to determine whether King Cyrus did in fact issue orders for this temple of God to be rebuilt in Jerusalem. Then let the king send us a decision concerning this matter.”
Darius Issues a Decree
6:1 So Darius the king issued orders, and they searched in the archives of the treasury which were deposited there in Babylon. 6:2 A scroll was found in the citadel of Ecbatana which is in the province of Media, and it was inscribed as follows:
“Memorandum: 6:3 In the first year of his reign, King Cyrus gave orders concerning the temple of God in Jerusalem: ‘Let the temple be rebuilt as a place where sacrifices are offered. Let its foundations be set in place. Its height is to be ninety feet and its width ninety feet, 6:4 with three layers of large stones and one layer of timber. The expense is to be subsidized by the royal treasury. 6:5 Furthermore let the gold and silver vessels of the temple of God, which Nebuchadnezzar brought from the temple in Jerusalem and carried to Babylon, be returned and brought to their proper place in the temple in Jerusalem. Let them be deposited in the temple of God.’
6:6 “Now Tattenai governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar Bozenai, and their colleagues, the officials of Trans-Euphrates – all of you stay far away from there! 6:7 Leave the work on this temple of God alone. Let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this temple of God in its proper place.
6:8 “I also hereby issue orders as to what you are to do with those elders of the Jews in order to rebuild this temple of God. From the royal treasury, from the taxes of Trans-Euphrates the complete costs are to be given to these men, so that there may be no interruption of the work. 6:9 Whatever is needed – whether oxen or rams or lambs or burnt offerings for the God of heaven or wheat or salt or wine or oil, as required by the priests who are in Jerusalem – must be given to them daily without any neglect, 6:10 so that they may be offering incense to the God of heaven and may be praying for the good fortune of the king and his family.
6:11 “I hereby give orders that if anyone changes this directive a beam is to be pulled out from his house and he is to be raised up and impaled on it, and his house is to be reduced to a rubbish heap for this indiscretion. 6:12 May God who makes his name to reside there overthrow any king or nation who reaches out to cause such change so as to destroy this temple of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have given orders. Let them be carried out with precision!”
The Temple Is Finally Dedicated
6:13 Then Tattenai governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar-Bozenai, and their colleagues acted accordingly – with precision, just as Darius the king had given instructions. 6:14 The elders of the Jews continued building and prospering, while at the same time Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo continued prophesying. They built and brought it to completion by the command of the God of Israel and by the command of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes king of Persia. 6:15 They finished this temple on the third day of the month Adar, which is the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.
6:16 The people of Israel – the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the exiles – observed the dedication of this temple of God with joy. 6:17 For the dedication of this temple of God they offered one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and twelve male goats for the sin of all Israel, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. 6:18 They appointed the priests by their divisions and the Levites by their divisions over the worship of God at Jerusalem, in accord with the book of Moses. 6:19 The exiles observed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. 6:20 The priests and the Levites had purified themselves, every last one, and they all were ceremonially pure. They sacrificed the Passover lamb for all the exiles, for their colleagues the priests, and for themselves. 6:21 The Israelites who were returning from the exile ate it, along with all those who had joined them in separating themselves from the uncleanness of the nations of the land to seek the Lord God of Israel. 6:22 They observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with joy, for the Lord had given them joy and had changed the opinion of the king of Assyria toward them, so that he assisted them in the work on the temple of God, the God of Israel.
Lord, You decide when to revive drifted and stale believers, and when to bring spiritual awakening to the lost. May I never presume upon Your sovereign plan but rather invest myself in faithful obedience day by day, ready to celebrate Your miracles of revival and spiritual awakening when You bring them. You allow those who are Yours to choose obedience or disobedience, and those who do not know You to cooperate or to refuse to cooperate – and although You are patient Your sovereign will is always fulfilled. May I choose to be obedience and not become frustrated when others are disobedient and the lost temporarily interfere., Your temple was built because You declared that it would be so, and those who tried to resist were swept aside. May I never have a moment's doubt as to Your sovereign power to cause the continued unfolding of Your great plan.
King Cyrus of Persia obediently followed the prompting of the Lord God and granted permission to the Israelites to return and to rebuild their temple in Jerusalem.
Cyrus also instructed their neighbors to provide for the Israelites the resources of food, water, transportation, animals for food and work, silver, gold, and tools.
The valuables from the former temple that Nebuchanezzar had displayed among the other artifacts of his multiple false gods were entrusted to the Israelite treasurer.
The text recorded the families of the various cities and of the Levite priest who returned home.
The Israelites started the reconstruction of the temple with an altar constructed according to the instructions of Moses. Then, despite fears of attack from the non-Israelite population, they offered many traditional sacrifices.
Zerubbabel led the reconstruction of the temple in the second year of the edict of Cyrus and the Levites celebrated with praises as described by King David.
Enemies of Judah and Benjamin, brought to Jerusalem by the Assyrians, reported that they had been sacrificing to the Lord God since their arrival and asked to assist with the construction of the temple.
Zerubbabel refused to allow them to participate and so they began to harass the project in a variety of ways, finally filing a complaint that accused the Israelites of a plan to declare independence with the new king of Persia, King Artaxerxes, who called for a halt to the construction.
Although the reconstruction of the temple had been halted during the time of the Persian king Artaxerxes the prophets Haggai and Zechariah had, at the prompting of the Lord God, motivated the Israelites to begin again once Darius had assumed the throne.
The locals challenged their authority to engage in the reconstruction and Tattenai governor of Trans-Euphrates petitioned Darius for the truth of the Israelite's assertion that Cyrus had granted them authority and provided the resources.
Darius discovered the record from the time of Cyrus and not only did he forbid any interference he ordered that the tax collections of the Trans-Euphrates region be used to provide for every need of those doing the reconstruction. He made the seriousness of his orders exceptionally clear, writing “I hereby give orders that if anyone changes this directive a beam is to be pulled out from his house and he is to be raised up and impaled on it, and his house is to be reduced to a rubbish heap for this indiscretion. May God who makes his name to reside there overthrow any king or nation who reaches out to cause such change so as to destroy this temple of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have given orders. Let them be carried out with precision!”
The temple was completed in the sixth year of the reign of the Persian king Darius and the Israelites celebrated with many sacrifices and joyful praise and worship, including the celebration of the Passover.
The rebellious Israelites, who refused the first opportunity to enter the promised land, spent forty years wandering in the wilderness until all of the adults had died. The rebellious Israelites who were kicked out of the promised land spent seventy years in Babylonian captivity, purging all but the youngest children, before they were allowed to return. The inhabitants of Jerusalem and the region worshiped many false gods and had been taught to include token worship of the Israelite God among them. They did not understand that He was the only true God. The Lord God is patient and flexible, the flow of created time seems like a big deal to mere humans but is nothing in His reality, so across the time of human kings and the span of human generations He guides His great plan of redemption.
Would the Israelites, in captivity to a Persian king who listened to the Lord God, have learned to be themselves keen to listen and obey – unlike their previous generations under Israelite kings – prone to refuse to listen or to obey? Might it have seemed very odd to the people of that region for the Israelites to be permitted to return and to rebuild their temple?
Just as when they left Egypt the host people gave to them many resources. The local inhabitants were being spiteful when they lied about the intentions of the Israelites but Artaxerses was ignoring the Lord God and was listening only to his fear of threats to his power. Since there was little to gain and considerable potential risk to Darius to allow the historically troublesome Israelites to rebuild Jerusalem it seems clear that it was the prompting of the Lord God that would have caused him to endorse, to fund, and to protect their enterprise.
When have you experienced or observed a second chance after a time in discipline? When have you experienced or observed a new leader completely ignoring the commitments of a prior leader, and for apparently selfish reasons? When have you experienced or observed the support of a faith-based work from a highly unexpected source?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you and opportunity He is providing to rebuild His temple in your life, and a task which He has assigned to you – one which includes some risk of criticism from unbelievers (perhaps even immature believers).
Today I will praise the Lord God for His prompting to rebuild his temple in my life. His expression of care and of love is exciting. His Word says that my body, perhaps my soul/spirit is the temple of His Holy Spirit. Rebuilding His temple means to cleanse myself of things that offend Him, fill myself with things that give Him joy, and taking care of my physical body supports those other activities. I will boldly obey the instructions of the Holy Spirit for the ministry to which I have been called and not fear the criticism of unbelievers (or immature believers). I will pause and give praise to the One true and sovereign God Whose great plan is being constantly worked-out and Who has chosen to include me as one small instrument in His work.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Ezra
The Arrival of Ezra
7:1 Now after these things had happened, during the reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia, Ezra came up from Babylon. Ezra was the son of Seraiah, who was the son of Azariah, who was the son of Hilkiah, 7:2 who was the son of Shallum, who was the son of Zadok, who was the son of Ahitub, 7:3 who was the son of Amariah, who was the son of Azariah, who was the son of Meraioth, 7:4 who was the son of Zerahiah, who was the son of Uzzi, who was the son of Bukki, 7:5 who was the son of Abishua, who was the son of Phinehas, who was the son of Eleazar, who was the son of Aaron the chief priest. 7:6 This Ezra is the one who came up from Babylon. He was a scribe who was skilled in the law of Moses which the Lord God of Israel had given. The king supplied him with everything he requested, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him. 7:7 In the seventh year of King Artaxerxes, Ezra brought up to Jerusalem some of the Israelites and some of the priests, the Levites, the attendants, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants. 7:8 He entered Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king. 7:9 On the first day of the first month he had determined to make the ascent from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he arrived at Jerusalem, for the good hand of his God was on him. 7:10 Now Ezra had dedicated himself to the study of the law of the Lord, to its observance, and to teaching its statutes and judgments in Israel.
Artaxerxes Gives Official Endorsement to Ezra’s Mission
7:11 What follows is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priestly scribe. Ezra was a scribe in matters pertaining to the commandments of the Lord and his statutes over Israel:
7:12 “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a scribe of the perfect law of the God of heaven: 7:13 I have now issued a decree that anyone in my kingdom from the people of Israel – even the priests and Levites – who wishes to do so may go up with you to Jerusalem. 7:14 You are authorized by the king and his seven advisers to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of your God which is in your possession, 7:15 and to bring silver and gold which the king and his advisers have freely contributed to the God of Israel, who resides in Jerusalem, 7:16 along with all the silver and gold that you may collect throughout all the province of Babylon and the contributions of the people and the priests for the temple of their God which is in Jerusalem. 7:17 With this money you should be sure to purchase bulls, rams, and lambs, along with the appropriate meal offerings and libations. You should bring them to the altar of the temple of your God which is in Jerusalem. 7:18 You may do whatever seems appropriate to you and your colleagues with the rest of the silver and the gold, in keeping with the will of your God. 7:19 Deliver to the God of Jerusalem the vessels that are given to you for the service of the temple of your God. 7:20 The rest of the needs for the temple of your God that you may have to supply, you may do so from the royal treasury.
7:21 “I, King Artaxerxes, hereby issue orders to all the treasurers of Trans-Euphrates, that you precisely execute all that Ezra the priestly scribe of the law of the God of heaven may request of you – 7:22 up to 100 talents of silver, 100 cors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of olive oil, and unlimited salt. 7:23 Everything that the God of heaven has required should be precisely done for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should there be wrath against the empire of the king and his sons? 7:24 Furthermore, be aware of the fact that you have no authority to impose tax, tribute, or toll on any of the priests, the Levites, the musicians, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, or the attendants at the temple of this God.
7:25 “Now you, Ezra, in keeping with the wisdom of your God which you possess, appoint judges and court officials who can arbitrate cases on behalf of all the people who are in Trans-Euphrates who know the laws of your God. Those who do not know this law should be taught. 7:26 Everyone who does not observe both the law of your God and the law of the king will be completely liable to the appropriate penalty, whether it is death or banishment or confiscation of property or detainment in prison.”
7:27 Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, who so moved in the heart of the king to so honor the temple of the Lord which is in Jerusalem! 7:28 He has also conferred his favor on me before the king, his advisers, and all the influential leaders of the king. I gained strength as the hand of the Lord my God was on me, and I gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.
The Leaders Who Returned with Ezra
8:1 These are the leaders and those enrolled with them by genealogy who were coming up with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes:
8:2 from the descendants of Phinehas, Gershom;
from the descendants of Ithamar, Daniel;
from the descendants of David, Hattush 8:3 the son of Shecaniah;
from the descendants of Parosh, Zechariah, and with him were enrolled by genealogy 150 men;
8:4 from the descendants of Pahath-Moab, Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah, and with him 200 men;
8:5 from the descendants of Zattu, Shecaniah son of Jahaziel, and with him 300 men;
8:6 from the descendants of Adin, Ebed son of Jonathan, and with him 50 men;
8:7 from the descendants of Elam, Jeshaiah son of Athaliah, and with him 70 men;
8:8 from the descendants of Shephatiah, Zebadiah son of Michael, and with him 80 men;
8:9 from the descendants of Joab, Obadiah son of Jehiel, and with him 218 men;
8:10 from the descendants of Bani, Shelomith son of Josiphiah, and with him 160 men;
8:11 from the descendants of Bebai, Zechariah son of Bebai, and with him 28 men;
8:12 from the descendants of Azgad, Johanan son of Hakkatan, and with him 110 men;
8:13 from the descendants of Adonikam there were the latter ones. Their names were Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah, and with them 60 men;
8:14 from the descendants of Bigvai, Uthai, and Zaccur, and with them 70 men.
The Exiles Travel to Jerusalem
8:15 I had them assemble at the canal that flows toward Ahava, and we camped there for three days. I observed that the people and the priests were present, but I found no Levites there. 8:16 So I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, who were leaders, and Joiarib and Elnathan, who were teachers. 8:17 I sent them to Iddo, who was the leader in the place called Casiphia. I told them what to say to Iddo and his relatives, who were the temple servants in Casiphia, so they would bring us attendants for the temple of our God.
8:18 Due to the fact that the good hand of our God was on us, they brought us a skilled man, from the descendants of Mahli the son of Levi son of Israel. This man was Sherebiah, who was accompanied by his sons and brothers, 18 men, 8:19 and Hashabiah, along with Jeshaiah from the descendants of Merari, with his brothers and their sons, 20 men, 8:20 and some of the temple servants that David and his officials had established for the work of the Levites – 220 of them. They were all designated by name.
8:21 I called for a fast there by the Ahava Canal, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and seek from him a safe journey for us, our children, and all our property. 8:22 I was embarrassed to request soldiers and horsemen from the king to protect us from the enemy along the way, because we had said to the king, “The good hand of our God is on everyone who is seeking him, but his great anger is against everyone who forsakes him.” 8:23 So we fasted and prayed to our God about this, and he answered us.
8:24 Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, together with Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers, 8:25 and I weighed out to them the silver, the gold, and the vessels intended for the temple of our God – items that the king, his advisers, his officials, and all Israel who were present had contributed. 8:26 I weighed out to them 650 talents of silver, silver vessels worth 100 talents, 100 talents of gold, 8:27 20 gold bowls worth 1,000 darics, and two exquisite vessels of gleaming bronze, as valuable as gold. 8:28 Then I said to them, “You are holy to the Lord, just as these vessels are holy. The silver and the gold are a voluntary offering to the Lord, the God of your fathers. 8:29 Be careful with them and protect them, until you weigh them out before the leading priests and the Levites and the family leaders of Israel in Jerusalem, in the storerooms of the temple of the Lord.”
8:30 Then the priests and the Levites took charge of the silver, the gold, and the vessels that had been weighed out, to transport them to Jerusalem to the temple of our God.
8:31 On the twelfth day of the first month we began traveling from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from our enemy and from bandits along the way. 8:32 So we came to Jerusalem, and we stayed there for three days. 8:33 On the fourth day we weighed out the silver, the gold, and the vessels in the house of our God into the care of Meremoth son of Uriah, the priest, and Eleazar son of Phinehas, who were accompanied by Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui, who were Levites. 8:34 Everything was verified by number and by weight, and the total weight was written down at that time.
8:35 The exiles who were returning from the captivity offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel – twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven male lambs, along with twelve male goats as a sin offering. All this was a burnt offering to the Lord. 8:36 Then they presented the decrees of the king to the king’s satraps and to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, who gave help to the people and to the temple of God.
A Prayer of Ezra
9:1 Now when these things had been completed, the leaders approached me and said, “The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselves from the local residents who practice detestable things similar to those of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. 9:2 Indeed, they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has become intermingled with the local residents. Worse still, the leaders and the officials have been at the forefront of all of this!”
9:3 When I heard this report, I tore my tunic and my robe and ripped out some of the hair from my head and beard. Then I sat down, quite devastated. 9:4 Everyone who held the words of the God of Israel in awe gathered around me because of the unfaithful acts of the people of the exile. Devastated, I continued to sit there until the evening offering.
9:5 At the time of the evening offering I got up from my self-abasement, with my tunic and robe torn, and then dropped to my knees and spread my hands to the Lord my God. 9:6 I prayed,
“O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift my face to you, my God! For our iniquities have climbed higher than our heads, and our guilt extends to the heavens. 9:7 From the days of our fathers until this very day our guilt has been great. Because of our iniquities we, along with our kings and priests, have been delivered over by the local kings to sword, captivity, plunder, and embarrassment – right up to the present time.
9:8 “But now briefly we have received mercy from the Lord our God, in that he has left us a remnant and has given us a secure position in his holy place. Thus our God has enlightened our eyes and has given us a little relief in our time of servitude. 9:9 Although we are slaves, our God has not abandoned us in our servitude. He has extended kindness to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, in that he has revived us to restore the temple of our God and to raise up its ruins and to give us a protective wall in Judah and Jerusalem.
9:10 “And now what are we able to say after this, our God? For we have forsaken your commandments 9:11 which you commanded us through your servants the prophets with these words: ‘The land that you are entering to possess is a land defiled by the impurities of the local residents! With their abominations they have filled it from one end to the other with their filthiness. 9:12 Therefore do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons, and do not take their daughters in marriage for your sons. Do not ever seek their peace or welfare, so that you may be strong and may eat the good of the land and may leave it as an inheritance for your children forever.’
9:13 “Everything that has happened to us has come about because of our wicked actions and our great guilt. Even so, our God, you have exercised restraint toward our iniquities and have given us a remnant such as this. 9:14 Shall we once again break your commandments and intermarry with these abominable peoples? Would you not be so angered by us that you would wipe us out, with no survivor or remnant? 9:15 O Lord God of Israel, you are righteous, for we are left as a remnant this day. Indeed, we stand before you in our guilt. However, because of this guilt no one can really stand before you.”
The People Confess Their Sins
10:1 While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself to the ground before the temple of God, a very large crowd of Israelites – men, women, and children alike – gathered around him. The people wept loudly. 10:2 Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, from the descendants of Elam, addressed Ezra:
“We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the local peoples. Nonetheless, there is still hope for Israel in this regard. 10:3 Therefore let us enact a covenant with our God to send away all these women and their offspring, in keeping with your counsel, my lord, and that of those who respect the commandments of our God. And let it be done according to the law. 10:4 Get up, for this matter concerns you. We are with you, so be strong and act decisively!”
10:5 So Ezra got up and made the leading priests and Levites and all Israel take an oath to carry out this plan. And they all took a solemn oath. 10:6 Then Ezra got up from in front of the temple of God and went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. While he stayed there, he did not eat food or drink water, for he was in mourning over the infidelity of the exiles.
10:7 A proclamation was circulated throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles were to be assembled in Jerusalem. 10:8 Everyone who did not come within three days would thereby forfeit all his property, in keeping with the counsel of the officials and the elders. Furthermore, he himself would be excluded from the assembly of the exiles.
10:9 All the men of Judah and Benjamin were gathered in Jerusalem within the three days. (It was in the ninth month, on the twentieth day of that month.) All the people sat in the square at the temple of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the rains.
10:10 Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have behaved in an unfaithful manner by taking foreign wives! This has contributed to the guilt of Israel. 10:11 Now give praise to the Lord God of your fathers, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the local residents and from these foreign wives.”
10:12 All the assembly replied in a loud voice: “We will do just as you have said! 10:13 However, the people are numerous and it is the rainy season. We are unable to stand here outside. Furthermore, this business cannot be resolved in a day or two, for we have sinned greatly in this matter. 10:14 Let our leaders take steps on behalf of all the assembly. Let all those in our towns who have married foreign women come at an appointed time, and with them the elders of each town and its judges, until the hot anger of our God is turned away from us in this matter.”
10:15 Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah were against this, assisted by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite. 10:16 So the exiles proceeded accordingly. Ezra the priest separated out by name men who were leaders in their family groups. They sat down to consider this matter on the first day of the tenth month, 10:17 and on the first day of the first month they finished considering all the men who had married foreign wives.
Those Who Had Taken Foreign Wives
10:18 It was determined that from the descendants of the priests, the following had taken foreign wives: from the descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. 10:19 (They gave their word to send away their wives; their guilt offering was a ram from the flock for their guilt.)
10:20 From the descendants of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.
10:21 From the descendants of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.
10:22 From the descendants of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
10:23 From the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also known as Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
10:24 From the singers: Eliashib. From the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
10:25 From the Israelites: from the descendants of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malkijah, and Benaiah.
10:26 From the descendants of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.
10:27 From the descendants of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.
10:28 From the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
10:29 From the descendants of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.
10:30 From the descendants of Pahath-Moab: Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.
10:31 From the descendants of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 10:32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
10:33 From the descendants of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
10:34 From the descendants of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, 10:35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi, 10:36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 10:37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu.
10:38 From the descendants of Binnui: Shimei, 10:39 Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, 10:40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 10:41 Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, 10:42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
10:43 From the descendants of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.
10:44 All these had taken foreign wives, and some of them also had children by these women.
Psalm 137
137:1 By the rivers of Babylon we sit down and weep when we remember Zion.
137:2 On the poplars in her midst we hang our harps,
137:3 for there our captors ask us to compose songs; those who mock us demand that we be happy, saying:
“Sing for us a song about Zion!”
137:4 How can we sing a song to the Lord in a foreign land?
137:5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand be crippled!
137:6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, and do not give Jerusalem priority over whatever gives me the most joy.
137:7 Remember, O Lord, what the Edomites did on the day Jerusalem fell.
They said, “Tear it down, tear it down, right to its very foundation!”
137:8 O daughter Babylon, soon to be devastated!
How blessed will be the one who repays you for what you dished out to us!
137:9 How blessed will be the one who grabs your babies and smashes them on a rock!
Lord, You bring blessing to the hopeless and the powerless as mercy is one of Your many attributes, and Your great plan includes keeping Your people connected to You through praise and worship no matter their worldly circumstances. May I recognize Your blessings in my life and never fail to respond with praise and worship and service. You chose to gather a remnant to rebuild Your temple, because You determined that a remnant was to be preserved. You also forgave them for yet another offense against You, committed even as You had gathered them, and You provided a way of redemption. May I never fear that there is no way back to You from sin – You are the way and You make a way. There seems to be no end to Your mercy, though we know it ends at the Final Judgment – where Justice takes it's final and full measure. May I never presume upon Your mercy but rather live in obedience to Your perfect loving will for my life.
While the Persian king, Artaxerxes, had earlier suspended construction in Jerusalem he was not entirely resistant to the prompting of the Lord God.
The prophet Ezra was called out of Babylon to Jerusalem to promote worship in Jerusalem and to draw other Israelites there.
Artaxerxes issued a decree permitting the travel of Israelites to Jerusalem and the exchange of funds to support the worship. The text does not mention new or renewed construction.
Ezra gathered many of the families of Israel to travel to Jerusalem. When they were gathered he discovered that there were no Levites to serve as priests among them.
When the Levites were located the Lord God blessed them with a family of Levite musicians.
Ezra had assured the king that they would be protected in their travels by the Lord God, so they stopped to fast and pray and ask His protection, rather than solicit the protection of Persian horsemen/soldiers.
The gold and silver was delivered to the priests already there in Jerusalem, weighed-out and distributed in the precise amounts with which they had begun.
The people stopped and gave thanks and presented sacrifices.
Ezra delivered the papers from the king to his local officials who then provided assistance to the Israelites in the reconstruction of the temple.
Ezra was informed by some of the leaders that many of their fellow leaders, and the general population of Israelites, had both intermarried with the local peoples and mixed their pagan religions in with their right-worship of the Lord God. He was shocked and tore his clothes, hair, and beard and then sat silent the rest of the day.
At the time for the evening offering Ezra cried-out to the Lord God his remembrance of all that He had done for Israel, the many offenses of Israel, His recent restoration of Israel to rebuild the temple, and now the latest offense of Israel against Him.
The high priest confessed the sin of the people to Ezra and proposed that they separate from their foreign spouses. All of those of Judah and Benjamin were required to gather within three days or lose fellowship and property. They gathered, trembling in a cold rain, and with an even greater trembling before an offended God.
Their leaders asked for time to make arrangements for their foreign wives and three months later the process had been completed.
Psalm 137 was an imprecatory prayer “O daughter Babylon, soon to be devastated! How blessed will be the one who repays you for what you dished out to us! How blessed will be the one who grabs your babies and smashes them on a rock!” The author was not identified in the text. It was a symbolic cry for vengeance.
The residents in the region surrounding Jerusalem had included the worship of the God of the Israelites in addition to their many false gods, so this would have been an amplification of that worship, rather than something entirely new. Ezra was assembling a representative population from among the dispersed people of Israel. While the Biblical text records that many donated resources in support of the ministry – it was the faithful obedience of Ezra and others which resulted in the work really getting done.
Might Artaxerxes have responded to the prompting of God from a fear-based motivation? Local history would have reported that the early non-Israelite re-settlers of the region surrounding Jerusalem had suffered calamity until they added worship of the God of the Israelites to the worship of their pagan false gods. Artaxerxes had stopped the reconstruction because the locals had appealed to his fear of conflict. Given all that they had experienced why would the Israelites have been so foolish as to mingle with the pagan locals, both with their false religion, and to marry them?
The captive Israelites received favorable treatment from the Persians despite their own powerlessness – due to the irresistible prompting of the Lord God. The text still makes no reference to rebuilding gates or walls or any part of the city of Jerusalem; the emphasis of Ezra at this point was entirely on the temple. The text does not discuss what happened to the spouses, nor the children. It is left to one to presume that the request for more time was to make provision for them.
When have you observed an apparently powerless person or group of persons receiving favor from an unexpected source? When have you sensed that the Lord God was calling you, or a fellowship with which you are/were associated, and you stepped-out with confidence as he provided along the way? When have you experienced or observed someone getting a second chance and still making the same old bad choices? When have you experienced or observed a very difficult choice being mandated to resolve a sin that was discovered in the fellowship of believers?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place and time in your life where He blessed you – when you were feeling hopeless and powerless, a place where you have been given a second chance but where you are repeating some of the errors of the past, and/or something that you need to deal with in your life which will require a painful choice.
Today I will step out in faith, trusting in the Lord's provision, to serve in the ministry to which He has called me. I will give thanks for a second chance and I will confess and repent and receive the Lord God's forgiveness for repeating errors of the past. It may be financial assistance but I am still being careless financially, relationship restoration but I am still being careless relationally, it may be extra-credit to make up missing school work but I am not giving it my best effort, it may be a job when I had been fired or laid-off but I am being late or lazy or otherwise less-than-grateful and responsible to a Biblical standard. Whatever it is I will step-up to a Biblical standard, doing my best and giving my best, to bring glory to God. I will courageously and humbly confront the circumstance in my life where a sinful choice has created an environment which is unacceptable to the Lord God. Within the boundaries of Your Word and the limits of my capacity to do so I will make things right. As is appropriate I will consult one who meets the Biblical qualification of “elder” for prayer and counsel and accountability.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Introduction
1:1 On the first day of the sixth month of King Darius’ second year, the Lord spoke this message through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak:
The Indifference of the People
1:2 The Lord who rules over all says this: “These people have said, ‘The time for rebuilding the Lord’s temple has not yet come.’” 1:3 So the Lord spoke through the prophet Haggai as follows: 1:4 “Is it right for you to live in richly paneled houses while my temple is in ruins? 1:5 Here then is what the Lord who rules over all says: ‘Think carefully about what you are doing. 1:6 You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but are never filled. You drink, but are still thirsty. You put on clothes, but are not warm. Those who earn wages end up with holes in their money bags.’”
The Instruction of the People
1:7 “Moreover, the Lord who rules over all says: ‘Pay close attention to these things also. 1:8 Go up to the hill country and bring back timber to build the temple. Then I will be pleased and honored,’ says the Lord. 1:9 ‘You expected a large harvest, but instead there was little, and when you brought it home it disappeared right away. Why?’ asks the Lord who rules over all. ‘Because my temple remains in ruins, thanks to each of you favoring his own house! 1:10 This is why the sky has held back its dew and the earth its produce. 1:11 Moreover, I have called for a drought that will affect the fields, the hill country, the grain, new wine, fresh olive oil, and everything that grows from the ground; it also will harm people, animals, and everything they produce.’”
The Response of the People
1:12 Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, along with the whole remnant of the people, obeyed the Lord their God. They responded favorably to the message of the prophet Haggai, who spoke just as the Lord their God had instructed him, and the people began to respect the Lord. 1:13 Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, spoke the Lord’s word to the people: “I am with you!” says the Lord. 1:14 So the Lord energized and encouraged Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, and the whole remnant of the people. They came and worked on the temple of their God, the Lord who rules over all. 1:15 This took place on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month of King Darius’ second year.
The Glory to Come
2:1 On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the Lord spoke again through the prophet Haggai: 2:2 “Ask the following questions to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, and the remnant of the people: 2:3 ‘Who among you survivors saw the former splendor of this temple? How does it look to you now? Isn’t it nothing by comparison? 2:4 Even so, take heart, Zerubbabel,’ says the Lord. ‘Take heart, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all you citizens of the land,’ says the Lord, ‘and begin to work. For I am with you,’ says the Lord who rules over all. 2:5 ‘Do not fear, because I made a promise to your ancestors when they left Egypt, and my spirit even now testifies to you.’ 2:6 Moreover, the Lord who rules over all says: ‘In just a little while I will once again shake the sky and the earth, the sea and the dry ground. 2:7 I will also shake up all the nations, and they will offer their treasures; then I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the Lord who rules over all. 2:8 ‘The silver and gold will be mine,’ says the Lord who rules over all. 2:9 ‘The future splendor of this temple will be greater than that of former times,’ the Lord who rules over all declares, ‘and in this place I will give peace.’”
The Promised Blessing
2:10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month of Darius’ second year, the Lord spoke again to the prophet Haggai: 2:11 “The Lord who rules over all says, ‘Ask the priests about the law. 2:12 If someone carries holy meat in a fold of his garment and that fold touches bread, a boiled dish, wine, olive oil, or any other food, will that item become holy?’” The priests answered, “It will not.” 2:13 Then Haggai asked, “If a person who is ritually unclean because of touching a dead body comes in contact with one of these items, will it become unclean?” The priests answered, “It will be unclean.”
2:14 Then Haggai responded, “‘The people of this nation are unclean in my sight,’ says the Lord. ‘And so is all their effort; everything they offer is also unclean. 2:15 Now therefore reflect carefully on the recent past, before one stone was laid on another in the Lord’s temple. 2:16 From that time when one came expecting a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten; when one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty measures from it, there were only twenty. 2:17 I struck all the products of your labor with blight, disease, and hail, and yet you brought nothing to me,’ says the Lord. 2:18 ‘Think carefully about the past: from today, the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, to the day work on the temple of the Lord was resumed, think about it. 2:19 The seed is still in the storehouse, isn’t it? And the vine, fig tree, pomegranate, and olive tree have not produced. Nevertheless, from today on I will bless you.’”
Zerubbabel the Chosen One
2:20 Then the Lord spoke again to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month: 2:21 Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah: ‘I am ready to shake the sky and the earth. 2:22 I will overthrow royal thrones and shatter the might of earthly kingdoms. I will overthrow chariots and those who ride them, and horses and their riders will fall as people kill one another. 2:23 On that day,’ says the Lord who rules over all, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant,’ says the Lord, ‘and I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ says the Lord who rules over all.”
Lord, we easily lose perspective, getting ourselves so focused on the day-to-day struggles that we forget the One who gives it any purpose and us any hope. May we lift our eyes to You frequently so as to never lose sight of Your presence and Your priorities.
The Lord, through the prophet Haggai, challenged the people to recognize that their efforts would be thwarted as long as they refused to honor His priorities for their lives.
Haggai was allowed to bring the message of chastising for their obsession with making their homes look nice while the temple lay in ruins, but to then also deliver the message of hope-in-immediate-obedience, and more hope in the future.
The Lord had repeated the message over and over and here it was again; one's worldly possessions are meaningless and temporary unless one is right with Him, and that includes not allowing the things of the world to interfere with our relationship with Him.
As much as the temple was a symbol of faith and of national pride why would the people have thought it OK to make their homes more luxurious while allowing the temple to remain a mess?
Zerubbabel was as culpable as anyone for the neglect of the temple but because he was repentant and responded rightly and actively was chosen by the Lord to lead in His new plan.
When has it been apparent that the less-important was consuming your life and the more-important was being ignored?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where priorities are out of balance, especially where something worldly has displaced the priorities of the Lord God.
Today I will humble confess, seek and receive forgiveness from the Lord, and repent, then act to restore balance – the Lord God first in all things.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
Introduction
1:1 In the eighth month of Darius’ second year, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah, son of Berechiah son of Iddo, as follows:
1:2 The Lord was very angry with your ancestors. 1:3 Therefore say to the people: The Lord who rules over all says, “Turn to me,” says the Lord who rules over all, “and I will turn to you,” says the Lord who rules over all. 1:4 “Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the former prophets called out, saying, ‘The Lord who rules over all says, “Turn now from your evil wickedness,”’ but they would by no means obey me,” says the Lord. 1:5 “As for your ancestors, where are they? And did the prophets live forever? 1:6 But have my words and statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, not outlived your fathers? Then they paid attention and confessed, ‘The Lord who rules over all has indeed done what he said he would do to us, because of our sinful ways.’”
The Introduction to the Visions
1:7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month Shebat, in Darius’ second year, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah son of Iddo, as follows:
The Content of the First Vision
1:8 I was attentive that night and saw a man seated on a red horse that stood among some myrtle trees in the ravine. Behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses.
The Interpretation of the First Vision
1:9 Then I asked one nearby, “What are these, sir?” The angelic messenger who replied to me said, “I will show you what these are.” 1:10 Then the man standing among the myrtle trees spoke up and said, “These are the ones whom the Lord has sent to walk about on the earth.” 1:11 The riders then agreed with the angel of the Lord, who was standing among the myrtle trees, “We have been walking about on the earth, and now everything is at rest and quiet.” 1:12 The angel of the Lord then asked, “Lord who rules over all, how long before you have compassion on Jerusalem and the other cities of Judah which you have been so angry with for these seventy years?” 1:13 The Lord then addressed good, comforting words to the angelic messenger who was speaking to me. 1:14 Turning to me, the messenger then said, “Cry out that the Lord who rules over all says, ‘I am very much moved for Jerusalem and for Zion. 1:15 But I am greatly displeased with the nations that take my grace for granted. I was a little displeased with them, but they have only made things worse for themselves.
The Oracle of Response
1:16 “‘Therefore,’ says the Lord, ‘I have become compassionate toward Jerusalem and will rebuild my temple in it,’ says the Lord who rules over all. ‘Once more a surveyor’s measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem.’ 1:17 Speak up again with the message of the Lord who rules over all: ‘My cities will once more overflow with prosperity, and once more the Lord will comfort Zion and validate his choice of Jerusalem.’”
Vision Two: The Four Horns
1:18 Once again I looked and this time I saw four horns. 1:19 So I asked the angelic messenger who spoke with me, “What are these?” He replied, “These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.” 1:20 Next the Lord showed me four blacksmiths. 1:21 I asked, “What are these going to do?” He answered, “These horns are the ones that have scattered Judah so that there is no one to be seen. But the blacksmiths have come to terrify Judah’s enemies and cut off the horns of the nations that have thrust themselves against the land of Judah in order to scatter its people.”
Vision Three: The Surveyor
2:1 I looked again, and there was a man with a measuring line in his hand. 2:2 I asked, “Where are you going?” He replied, “To measure Jerusalem in order to determine its width and its length.” 2:3 At this point the angelic messenger who spoke to me went out, and another messenger came to meet him 2:4 and said to him, “Hurry, speak to this young man as follows: ‘Jerusalem will no longer be enclosed by walls because of the multitude of people and animals there. 2:5 But I (the Lord says) will be a wall of fire surrounding Jerusalem and the source of glory in her midst.’”
2:6 “You there! Flee from the northland!” says the Lord, “for like the four winds of heaven I have scattered you,” says the Lord. 2:7 “Escape, Zion, you who live among the Babylonians!” 2:8 For the Lord who rules over all says to me that for his own glory he has sent me to the nations that plundered you – for anyone who touches you touches the pupil of his eye. 2:9 “I am about to punish them in such a way,” he says, “that they will be looted by their own slaves.” Then you will know that the Lord who rules over all has sent me.
2:10 “Sing out and be happy, Zion my daughter! For look, I have come; I will settle in your midst,” says the Lord. 2:11 “Many nations will join themselves to the Lord on the day of salvation, and they will also be my people. Indeed, I will settle in the midst of you all.” Then you will know that the Lord who rules over all has sent me to you. 2:12 The Lord will take possession of Judah as his portion in the holy land and he will choose Jerusalem once again. 2:13 Be silent in the Lord’s presence, all people everywhere, for he is being moved to action in his holy dwelling place.
Vision Four: The Priest
3:1 Next I saw Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, with Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 3:2 The Lord said to Satan, “May the Lord rebuke you, Satan! May the Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Isn’t this man like a burning stick snatched from the fire?” 3:3 Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood there before the angel. 3:4 The angel spoke up to those standing all around, “Remove his filthy clothes.” Then he said to Joshua, “I have freely forgiven your iniquity and will dress you in fine clothing.” 3:5 Then I spoke up, “Let a clean turban be put on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the Lord stood nearby. 3:6 Then the angel of the Lord exhorted Joshua solemnly: 3:7 “The Lord who rules over all says, ‘If you live and work according to my requirements, you will be able to preside over my temple and attend to my courtyards, and I will allow you to come and go among these others who are standing by you. 3:8 Listen now, Joshua the high priest, both you and your colleagues who are sitting before you, all of you are a symbol that I am about to introduce my servant, the Branch. 3:9 As for the stone I have set before Joshua – on the one stone there are seven eyes. I am about to engrave an inscription on it,’ says the Lord who rules over all, ‘to the effect that I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day. 3:10 In that day,’ says the Lord who rules over all, ‘everyone will invite his friend to fellowship under his vine and under his fig tree.’”
Vision Five: The Menorah
4:1 The angelic messenger who had been speaking with me then returned and woke me, as a person is wakened from sleep. 4:2 He asked me, “What do you see?” I replied, “I see a menorah of pure gold with a receptacle at the top and seven lamps, with fourteen pipes going to the lamps. 4:3 There are also two olive trees beside it, one on the right of the receptacle and the other on the left.” 4:4 Then I asked the messenger who spoke with me, “What are these, sir?” 4:5 He replied, “Don’t you know what these are?” So I responded, “No, sir.” 4:6 Therefore he told me, “These signify the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by strength and not by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord who rules over all.”
Oracle of Response
4:7 “What are you, you great mountain? Because of Zerubbabel you will become a level plain! And he will bring forth the temple capstone with shoutings of ‘Grace! Grace!’ because of this.” 4:8 Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me as follows: 4:9 “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundations of this temple, and his hands will complete it.” Then you will know that the Lord who rules over all has sent me to you. 4:10 For who dares make light of small beginnings? These seven eyes will joyfully look on the tin tablet in Zerubbabel’s hand. (These are the eyes of the Lord, which constantly range across the whole earth.)
4:11 Next I asked the messenger, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the menorah?” 4:12 Before he could reply I asked again, “What are these two extensions of the olive trees, which are emptying out the golden oil through the two golden pipes?” 4:13 He replied, “Don’t you know what these are?” And I said, “No, sir.” 4:14 So he said, “These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.”
Vision Six: The Flying Scroll
5:1 Then I turned to look, and there was a flying scroll! 5:2 Someone asked me, “What do you see?” I replied, “I see a flying scroll thirty feet long and fifteen feet wide.” 5:3 The speaker went on to say, “This is a curse traveling across the whole earth. For example, according to the curse whoever steals will be removed from the community; or on the other hand (according to the curse) whoever swears falsely will suffer the same fate.” 5:4 “I will send it out,” says the Lord who rules over all, “and it will enter the house of the thief and of the person who swears falsely in my name. It will land in the middle of his house and destroy both timber and stones.”
Vision Seven: The Ephah
5:5 After this the angelic messenger who had been speaking to me went out and said, “Look, see what is leaving.” 5:6 I asked, “What is it?” And he replied, “It is a basket for measuring grain that is moving away from here.” Moreover, he said, “This is their ‘eye’ throughout all the earth.” 5:7 Then a round lead cover was raised up, revealing a woman sitting inside the basket. 5:8 He then said, “This woman represents wickedness,” and he pushed her down into the basket and placed the lead cover on top. 5:9 Then I looked again and saw two women going forth with the wind in their wings (they had wings like those of a stork) and they lifted up the basket between the earth and the sky. 5:10 I asked the messenger who was speaking to me, “Where are they taking the basket?” 5:11 He replied, “To build a temple for her in the land of Babylonia. When it is finished, she will be placed there in her own residence.”
Vision Eight: The Chariots
6:1 Once more I looked, and this time I saw four chariots emerging from between two mountains of bronze. 6:2 Harnessed to the first chariot were red horses, to the second black horses, 6:3 to the third white horses, and to the fourth spotted horses, all of them strong. 6:4 Then I asked the angelic messenger who was speaking with me, “What are these, sir?” 6:5 The messenger replied, “These are the four spirits of heaven that have been presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth. 6:6 The chariot with the black horses is going to the north country and the white ones are going after them, but the spotted ones are going to the south country. 6:7 All these strong ones are scattering; they have sought permission to go and walk about over the earth.” The Lord had said, “Go! Walk about over the earth!” So they are doing so. 6:8 Then he cried out to me, “Look! The ones going to the northland have brought me peace about the northland.”
A Concluding Oracle
6:9 The word of the Lord came to me as follows: 6:10 “Choose some people from among the exiles, namely, Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, all of whom have come from Babylon, and when you have done so go to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah. 6:11 Then take some silver and gold to make a crown and set it on the head of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. 6:12 Then say to him, ‘The Lord who rules over all says, “Look – here is the man whose name is Branch, who will sprout up from his place and build the temple of the Lord. 6:13 Indeed, he will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed in splendor, sitting as king on his throne. Moreover, there will be a priest with him on his throne and they will see eye to eye on everything. 6:14 The crown will then be turned over to Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen son of Zephaniah as a memorial in the temple of the Lord. 6:15 Then those who are far away will come and build the temple of the Lord so that you may know that the Lord who rules over all has sent me to you. This will all come to pass if you completely obey the voice of the Lord your God.”’”
Lord, Your great plan is a unique new “Jerusalem”, one without physical borders and one which has as its foundation Your truth. May I celebrate with a life dedicated to You what You have promised to those who are Yours. You control the ultimate fate of all, and You will purge Your creation of evil, and of the evil one. May I never doubt that victory belongs to the Lord.
Zechariah was a peer of Haggai, he prophesied about 520 BC, during the reign of Darius in Persia.
He was told to tell the rebellious people “Therefore say to the people: The Lord who rules over all says, “Turn to me,” says the Lord who rules over all, “and I will turn to you,” says the Lord who rules over all.”
Zechariah received several visions, the first was to explain that the prophesied time of seventy years of exile was about to end and Jerusalem was to be restored.
The second vision was to explain that the four nations who had been allowed to serve as the instruments of the Lord God's judgment would now themselves be punished.
The third vision was of the restoration of Jerusalem without walls due to the large numbers of the returning people, and a clarion call for the people to flee Babylon ahead of the Lord's judgment ot it – taking with them great resources.
The fourth vision was of a high priest, Joshua [Jehozadak, identified in Haggai 1:1 and Ezra], who would lead the people in righteous living and worship, he would have a major responsibility, but was to recognize that he was a place-holder for “the Branch” [the Messiah] Who was to come.
The fifth vision was of the Word of the Lord to Zerubbabel that he would be His instrument to build the new Jerusalem: ‘Not by strength and not by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord who rules over all.”
[The NET Translator's Notes explain that the “two anointed ones” would have been Joshua and Zerubbabel as they were descended from king David and the high priest Aaron.]
Zechariah was shown a sixth vision where the law of the Lord God was rhetorically traveling across the earth to destroy all that was in violation; the laws against stealing and swearing falsely in His name were specifically mentioned.
The seventh vision was [from the NET Translator's Notes] of wickedness epitomized by a demonic counterfeit of divine omniscience and power, it was shown as symbolically-contained and relocated to a symbolic Babylon by two agents of the Lord God. The symbolic woman was to be placed in her own home there. A symbolic woman of Babylon appears in last days of end times prophesy.
[From the NET Translator's Notes] the eighth vision was of chariots and horses which at that historic time represented Persia conquering Babylonia bringing a sort of peace to the region and therefore to the exiled Jews there. The “peace” has a parallel imagery in last days of the end times when the Lord God conquers all.
Zechariah was told to create a crown and to temporarily place it on the head of Joshua the high priest as a symbolic representation of the coming “Branch” or Messiah. It was to be given to the four representatives of the people from among the exiles in Babylonia who would place it in the temple. People would come from many places to rebuild the temple, at the behest of Zerubbabel (and later Ezra and Nehemiah) in fulfillment of the prophesy.
The fulfillment of this was conditional “This will all come to pass if you completely obey the voice of the Lord your God.”
The Lord God again calls to the people to choose to turn to Him and then He will bless them. He was defining His omnipotence over all of creation, escalating the confrontation between the law and the law-breakers, isolating the powers of deception, and creating a pathway for redemption.
Why would the religious leaders of the time of Jesus have missed Him given the clear evidence of the path to His identity and purpose?
The religious leaders, who were supposed to serve the people for the Lord, to teach them of the coming messiah (the Branch), and to stand ready to step-aside when He arrived – chose to instead monstrously cling to power and to cause Him to be crucified. As with every prior covenant the fulfillment of this was conditional “This will all come to pass if you completely obey the voice of the Lord your God.”
When have you experienced a success that was clearly ‘Not by strength and not by power, but by my Spirit,’? When have you become profoundly aware of the hard boundaries of the law and that only Jesus saves?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a moment in you life where He blessed you and it was ‘Not by strength and not by power, but by my Spirit’, and a place where you were deceived and now see clearly.
Today I will give praise and thanks to the Lord God for His blessings and I will give Him praise for setting me free from the deception of the world.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
The Hypocrisy of False Fasting
7:1 In King Darius’ fourth year, on the fourth day of Kislev, the ninth month, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah. 7:2 Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-Melech and their companions to seek the Lord’s favor 7:3 by asking both the priests of the temple of the Lord who rules over all and the prophets, “Should we weep in the fifth month, fasting as we have done over the years?” 7:4 The word of the Lord who rules over all then came to me, 7:5 “Speak to all the people and priests of the land as follows: ‘When you fasted and lamented in the fifth and seventh months through all these seventy years, did you truly fast for me – for me, indeed? 7:6 And now when you eat and drink, are you not doing so for yourselves?’” 7:7 Should you not have obeyed the words that the Lord cried out through the former prophets when Jerusalem was peacefully inhabited and her surrounding cities, the Negev, and the Shephelah were also populated?
7:8 Again the word of the Lord came to Zechariah: 7:9 “The Lord who rules over all said, ‘Exercise true judgment and show brotherhood and compassion to each other. 7:10 You must not oppress the widow, the orphan, the foreigner, or the poor, nor should anyone secretly plot evil against his fellow human being.’
7:11 “But they refused to pay attention, turning away stubbornly and stopping their ears so they could not hear. 7:12 Indeed, they made their heart as hard as diamond, so that they could not obey the Torah and the other words the Lord who rules over all had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore, the Lord who rules over all had poured out great wrath.
7:13 “‘It then came about that just as I cried out, but they would not obey, so they will cry out, but I will not listen,’ the Lord Lord who rules over all had said. 7:14 ‘Rather, I will sweep them away in a storm into all the nations they are not familiar with.’ Thus the land had become desolate because of them, with no one crossing through or returning, for they had made the fruitful land a waste.”
The Blessing of True Fasting
8:1 Then the word of the Lord who rules over all came to me as follows: 8:2 “The Lord who rules over all says, ‘I am very much concerned for Zion; indeed, I am so concerned for her that my rage will fall on those who hurt her.’ 8:3 The Lord says, ‘I have returned to Zion and will live within Jerusalem. Now Jerusalem will be called “truthful city,” “mountain of the Lord who rules over all,” “holy mountain.”’ 8:4 Moreover, the Lord who rules over all says, ‘Old men and women will once more live in the plazas of Jerusalem, each one leaning on a cane because of advanced age. 8:5 And the streets of the city will be full of boys and girls playing. 8:6 And,’ says the Lord who rules over all, ‘though such a thing may seem to be difficult in the opinion of the small community of those days, will it also appear difficult to me?’ asks the Lord who rules over all.
8:7 “The Lord who rules over all asserts, ‘I am about to save my people from the lands of the east and the west. 8:8 And I will bring them to settle within Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and righteousness.’
8:9 “The Lord who rules over all also says, ‘Gather strength, you who are listening to these words today from the mouths of the prophets who were there at the founding of the house of the Lord who rules over all, so that the temple might be built. 8:10 Before that time there was no compensation for man or animal, nor was there any relief from adversity for those who came and went, because I had pitted everybody – each one – against everyone else. 8:11 But I will be different now to this remnant of my people from the way I was in those days,’ says the Lord who rules over all, 8:12 ‘for there will be a peaceful time of sowing, the vine will produce its fruit and the ground its yield, and the skies will rain down dew. Then I will allow the remnant of my people to possess all these things. 8:13 And it will come about that just as you (both Judah and Israel) were a curse to the nations, so I will save you and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid! Instead, be strong!’
8:14 “For the Lord who rules over all says, ‘As I had planned to hurt you when your fathers made me angry,’ says the Lord who rules over all, ‘and I was not sorry, 8:15 so, to the contrary, I have planned in these days to do good to Jerusalem and Judah – do not fear! 8:16 These are the things you must do: Speak the truth, each of you, to one another. Practice true and righteous judgment in your courts. 8:17 Do not plan evil in your hearts against one another. Do not favor a false oath – these are all things that I hate,’ says the Lord.”
8:18 The word of the Lord who rules over all came to me as follows: 8:19 “The Lord who rules over all says, ‘The fast of the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months will become joyful and happy, pleasant feasts for the house of Judah, so love truth and peace.’ 8:20 The Lord who rules over all says, ‘It will someday come to pass that people – residents of many cities – will come. 8:21 The inhabitants of one will go to another and say, “Let’s go up at once to ask the favor of the Lord, to seek the Lord who rules over all. Indeed, I’ll go with you.”’ 8:22 Many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord who rules over all and to ask his favor. 8:23 The Lord who rules over all says, ‘In those days ten people from all languages and nations will grasp hold of – indeed, grab – the robe of one Jew and say, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”’”
The Coming of the True King
9:1 An oracle of the word of the Lord concerning the land of Hadrach, with its focus on Damascus:
The eyes of all humanity, especially of the tribes of Israel, are toward the Lord, 9:2 as are those of Hamath also, which adjoins Damascus, and Tyre and Sidon, though they consider themselves to be very wise. 9:3 Tyre built herself a fortification and piled up silver like dust and gold like the mud of the streets! 9:4 Nevertheless the Lord will evict her and shove her fortifications into the sea – she will be consumed by fire. 9:5 Ashkelon will see and be afraid; Gaza will be in great anguish, as will Ekron, for her hope will have been dried up. Gaza will lose her king, and Ashkelon will no longer be inhabited. 9:6 A mongrel people will live in Ashdod, for I will greatly humiliate the Philistines. 9:7 I will take away their abominable religious practices; then those who survive will become a community of believers in our God, like a clan in Judah, and Ekron will be like the Jebusites. 9:8 Then I will surround my temple to protect it like a guard from anyone crossing back and forth; so no one will cross over against them anymore as an oppressor, for now I myself have seen it.
9:9 Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Look! Your king is coming to you: he is legitimate and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey – on a young donkey, the foal of a female donkey.
9:10 I will remove the chariot from Ephraim and the warhorse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be removed. Then he will announce peace to the nations. His dominion will be from sea to sea and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.
9:11 Moreover, as for you, because of our covenant relationship secured with blood, I will release your prisoners from the waterless pit. 9:12 Return to the stronghold, you prisoners, with hope; today I declare that I will return double what was taken from you. 9:13 I will bend Judah as my bow; I will load the bow with Ephraim, my arrow! I will stir up your sons, Zion, against yours, Greece, and I will make you, Zion, like a warrior’s sword.
9:14 Then the Lord will appear above them, and his arrow will shoot forth like lightning; the Lord God will blow the trumpet and will sally forth on the southern storm winds. 9:15 The Lord who rules over all will guard them, and they will prevail and overcome with sling stones. Then they will drink, and will become noisy like drunkards, full like the sacrificial basin or like the corners of the altar. 9:16 On that day the Lord their God will deliver them as the flock of his people, for they are the precious stones of a crown sparkling over his land. 9:17 How precious and fair! Grain will make the young men flourish and new wine the young women.
The Restoration of the True People
10:1 Ask the Lord for rain in the season of the late spring rains – the Lord who causes thunderstorms – and he will give everyone showers of rain and green growth in the field. 10:2 For the household gods have spoken wickedness, the soothsayers have seen a lie, and as for the dreamers, they have disclosed emptiness and give comfort in vain. Therefore the people set out like sheep and become scattered because they have no shepherd. 10:3 I am enraged at the shepherds and will punish the lead-goats.
For the Lord who rules over all has brought blessing to his flock, the house of Judah, and will transform them into his majestic warhorse. 10:4 From him will come the cornerstone, the wall peg, the battle bow, and every ruler. 10:5 And they will be like warriors trampling the mud of the streets in battle. They will fight, for the Lord will be with them, and will defeat the enemy cavalry.
10:6 “I (says the Lord) will strengthen the kingdom of Judah and deliver the people of Joseph and will bring them back because of my compassion for them. They will be as though I had never rejected them, for I am the Lord their God and therefore I will hear them. 10:7 The Ephraimites will be like warriors and will rejoice as if they had drunk wine. Their children will see it and rejoice; they will celebrate in the things of the Lord. 10:8 I will signal for them and gather them, for I have already redeemed them; then they will become as numerous as they were before. 10:9 Though I scatter them among the nations, they will remember in far-off places – they and their children will sprout forth and return. 10:10 I will bring them back from Egypt and gather them from Assyria. I will bring them to the lands of Gilead and Lebanon, for there will not be enough room for them in their own land. 10:11 The Lord will cross the sea of storms and will calm its turbulence. The depths of the Nile will dry up, the pride of Assyria will be humbled, and the domination of Egypt will be no more. 10:12 Thus I will strengthen them by my power, and they will walk about in my name,” says the Lord.
Lord, the faithlessness and hypocrisy of the people continued, but You sought-out the faithful remnant for Your blessing and for the restoration of Your creation. May I grow in the direction of faithfulness rather than empty ritual and double-minded hypocrisy. You punish those who reject You and those who abuse Your people while they worship false gods. The “New Jerusalem” is where there will be no more sin – only perfection in Your presence. May I live with hope and joy in the future of Your promise, serving You today so that more may join me there.
Zechariah responded to the leaders of the people who requested a word from the Lord God as to their religious tradition of weeping and fasting on the fifth month, he challenged their integrity in so-doing for the prior seventy years [since the destruction of Solomon's temple], asking if they had ever truly done so with Him first in their hearts. They had not.
He shared the Lord's challenge to demonstrate their repentance “The Lord who rules over all said, ‘Exercise true judgment and show brotherhood and compassion to each other. You must not oppress the widow, the orphan, the foreigner, or the poor, nor should anyone secretly plot evil against his fellow human being.’” They refused, even covering their ears so that they could not hear His message.
Zechariah was blessed to share in prophesy the encouraging words of the Lord “I am about to save my people from the lands of the east and the west. And I will bring them to settle within Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and righteousness.”
He then prophesied “As I had planned to hurt you when your fathers made me angry,’ says the Lord who rules over all, ‘and I was not sorry, so, to the contrary, I have planned in these days to do good to Jerusalem and Judah – do not fear! These are the things you must do: Speak the truth, each of you, to one another. Practice true and righteous judgment in your courts. Do not plan evil in your hearts against one another. Do not favor a false oath – these are all things that I hate,’ says the Lord.”
Zechariah continued his prophesy of the Lord's plans for the future of His people “‘It will someday come to pass that people – residents of many cities – will come. The inhabitants of one will go to another and say, “Let’s go up at once to ask the favor of the Lord, to seek the Lord who rules over all. Indeed, I’ll go with you.”
Zechariah declared the prophesy of the Lord God, first that the enemies of His people would be swept from their lands as they had exiled the Israelites, even Ashkelon would be populated by “a mongrel people” - those whom the Babylonians would re-locate there - and later in history Greeks, Romans, and Muslims. [The Muslims destroyed the city when the Crusaders arrived.]
He then spoke again of the promise of a distant time when the Lord God would restore peace and righteousness to the land though a king who would arrive on a donkey – the Messiah.
Zechariah continued his prophesy of promise “I will bring them back from Egypt and gather them from Assyria. I will bring them to the lands of Gilead and Lebanon, for there will not be enough room for them in their own land. The Lord will cross the sea of storms and will calm its turbulence. The depths of the Nile will dry up, the pride of Assyria will be humbled, and the domination of Egypt will be no more. Thus I will strengthen them by my power, and they will walk about in my name,” says the Lord.”
For seventy years the people had practiced their empty religious rituals and for all of that time their hearts were not committed to the Lord – so they had suffered exile. Those whose hatred of the Jews, and whose selfish desire for conquest, served as instruments of punishment and sifting were themselves not free from the Lord God's justice.
Were the people asking if they should again practice the ritual because they were hoping to hear that they no longer needed to, or were they really seeking affirmation that it was of value? Isn't it amazing that the Lord God would implant a detail in the ancient prophesy of Zechariah, like that of the Messiah “Your king is coming to you: he is legitimate and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey – on a young donkey, the foal of a female donkey.”?
Once again, consistent with His history, the Lord God required a proper response of the people “These are the things you must do ...” How interesting to note the specific history of Askelon where “a mongrel people” did indeed inhabit their precious city, in fact – to them – many different “mongrel” peoples.
When have you experienced or observed a situation where a religious practice has become a tired and empty ritual and the lives of those engaged in it a terrible hypocrisy?When have you imagined the “New Jerusalem” and your heart was lifted in joy?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you something in your life that has become more of an empty ritual than a meaningful celebration to the Lord.
Today I will prayerfully reassess all that I do, evaluating through a Biblical filter, why I do what I do when I do it the way that I do it – is it from my heart and to the Lord God? I will pause to praise the Lord God for His endless patience and for His powerful action to redeem and to restore His people. I will invite a fellow believer to join me in that.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The History and Future of Judah’s Wicked Kings
11:1 Open your gates, Lebanon, so that the fire may consume your cedars.
11:2 Howl, fir tree, because the cedar has fallen; the majestic trees have been destroyed. Howl, oaks of Bashan, because the impenetrable forest has fallen.
11:3 Listen to the howling of shepherds, because their magnificence has been destroyed. Listen to the roaring of young lions, because the thickets of the Jordan have been devastated.
11:4 The Lord my God says this: “Shepherd the flock set aside for slaughter. 11:5 Those who buy them slaughter them and are not held guilty; those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the Lord, for I am rich.’ Their own shepherds have no compassion for them. 11:6 Indeed, I will no longer have compassion on the people of the land,” says the Lord, “but instead I will turn every last person over to his neighbor and his king. They will devastate the land, and I will not deliver it from them.”
11:7 So I began to shepherd the flock destined for slaughter, the most afflicted of all the flock. Then I took two staffs, calling one “Pleasantness” and the other “Binders,” and I tended the flock. 11:8 Next I eradicated the three shepherds in one month, for I ran out of patience with them and, indeed, they detested me as well. 11:9 I then said, “I will not shepherd you. What is to die, let it die, and what is to be eradicated, let it be eradicated. As for those who survive, let them eat each other’s flesh!”
11:10 Then I took my staff “Pleasantness” and cut it in two to annul my covenant that I had made with all the people. 11:11 So it was annulled that very day, and then the most afflicted of the flock who kept faith with me knew that that was the word of the Lord.
11:12 Then I said to them, “If it seems good to you, pay me my wages, but if not, forget it.” So they weighed out my payment – thirty pieces of silver. 11:13 The Lord then said to me, “Throw to the potter that exorbitant sum at which they valued me!” So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter at the temple of the Lord. 11:14 Then I cut the second staff “Binders” in two in order to annul the covenant of brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
11:15 Again the Lord said to me, “Take up once more the equipment of a foolish shepherd. 11:16 Indeed, I am about to raise up a shepherd in the land who will not take heed to the sheep headed to slaughter, will not seek the scattered, and will not heal the injured. Moreover, he will not nourish the one that is healthy but instead will eat the meat of the fat sheep and tear off their hooves.
11:17 Woe to the worthless shepherd who abandons the flock! May a sword fall on his arm and his right eye! May his arm wither completely away, and his right eye become completely blind!”
The Repentance of Judah
12:1 The revelation of the word of the Lord concerning Israel: The Lord – he who stretches out the heavens and lays the foundations of the earth, who forms the human spirit within a person – says, 12:2 “I am about to make Jerusalem a cup that brings dizziness to all the surrounding nations; indeed, Judah will also be included when Jerusalem is besieged. 12:3 Moreover, on that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy burden for all the nations, and all who try to carry it will be seriously injured; yet all the peoples of the earth will be assembled against it. 12:4 In that day,” says the Lord, “I will strike every horse with confusion and its rider with madness. I will pay close attention to the house of Judah, but will strike all the horses of the nations with blindness. 12:5 Then the leaders of Judah will say to themselves, ‘The inhabitants of Jerusalem are a means of strength to us through their God, the Lord who rules over all.’ 12:6 On that day I will make the leaders of Judah like an igniter among sticks and a burning torch among sheaves, and they will burn up all the surrounding nations right and left. Then the people of Jerusalem will settle once more in their place, the city of Jerusalem. 12:7 The Lord also will deliver the homes of Judah first, so that the splendor of the kingship of David and of the people of Jerusalem may not exceed that of Judah. 12:8 On that day the Lord himself will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the weakest among them will be like mighty David, and the dynasty of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord before them. 12:9 So on that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.”
12:10 “I will pour out on the kingship of David and the population of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication so that they will look to me, the one they have pierced. They will lament for him as one laments for an only son, and there will be a bitter cry for him like the bitter cry for a firstborn. 12:11 On that day the lamentation in Jerusalem will be as great as the lamentation at Hadad-Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. 12:12 The land will mourn, clan by clan – the clan of the royal household of David by itself and their wives by themselves; the clan of the family of Nathan by itself and their wives by themselves; 12:13 the clan of the descendants of Levi by itself and their wives by themselves; and the clan of the Shimeites by itself and their wives by themselves – 12:14 all the clans that remain, each separately with their wives.”
The Refinement of Judah
13:1 “In that day there will be a fountain opened up for the dynasty of David and the people of Jerusalem to cleanse them from sin and impurity. 13:2 And also on that day,” says the Lord who rules over all, “I will remove the names of the idols from the land and they will never again be remembered. Moreover, I will remove the prophets and the unclean spirit from the land. 13:3 Then, if anyone prophesies in spite of this, his father and mother to whom he was born will say to him, ‘You cannot live, for you lie in the name of the Lord.’ Then his father and mother to whom he was born will run him through with a sword when he prophesies.
13:4 “Therefore, on that day each prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies and will no longer wear the hairy garment of a prophet to deceive the people. 13:5 Instead he will say, ‘I am no prophet – indeed, I am a farmer, for a man has made me his indentured servant since my youth.’ 13:6 Then someone will ask him, ‘What are these wounds on your chest?’ and he will answer, ‘Some that I received in the house of my friends.’
13:7 “Awake, sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is my associate,” says the Lord who rules over all. Strike the shepherd that the flock may be scattered; I will turn my hand against the insignificant ones.
13:8 It will happen in all the land, says the Lord, that two-thirds of the people in it will be cut off and die, but one-third will be left in it.
13:9 Then I will bring the remaining third into the fire; I will refine them like silver is refined and will test them like gold is tested. They will call on my name and I will answer; I will say, ‘These are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’”
Lord, You choose for Yourself a remnant of the people who will respond to Your cleansing so that You may restore the planned kingdom of relationship between You and Your creation. May I daily respond to the cleansing work of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Zechariah recorded “The Lord my God says this: “Shepherd the flock set aside for slaughter.”, then he described the step by step process of His symbolic termination of covenants which the people had nullified through their disobedience and rebellion, leading to their punishment.
He then shared the word “The Lord – he who stretches out the heavens and lays the foundations of the earth, who forms the human spirit within a person – says, “I am about to make Jerusalem a cup that brings dizziness to all the surrounding nations ...”, which referred to the terrible judgment from the God of creation upon His rebellious people.
Zechariah then prophesied the last days of the end times when the newly re-assembled people of God would have a leader, in royal lineage from David through Solomon and in physical lineage through Nathan, who would rule with righteousness and without all of the sins of selfishness that He had warned would come when they had demanded a human king “like the nations around us”.
He prophesied further “I will pour out ... a spirit of grace and supplication so that they will look to me, the one they have pierced. They will lament for him as one laments for an only son, and there will be a bitter cry for him like the bitter cry for a firstborn ...”
Zechariah continued “In that day there will be a fountain opened up for the dynasty of David and the people of Jerusalem to cleanse them from sin and impurity. And also on that day,” says the Lord who rules over all, “I will remove the names of the idols from the land and they will never again be remembered. Moreover, I will remove the prophets and the unclean spirit from the land.”
He concluded “It will happen in all the land, says the Lord, that two-thirds of the people in it will be cut off and die, but one-third will be left in it. Then I will bring the remaining third into the fire; I will refine them like silver is refined and will test them like gold is tested. They will call on my name and I will answer; I will say, ‘These are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’”
The Lord God never failed in His part of any covenant, it was always the people.
Isn't it amazing how the Lord God inserted clear descriptions of the coming Messiah – and also clear evidences that they were One and the same “... so that they will look to me, the one they have pierced.”
“They will call on my name and I will answer; I will say, ‘These are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’”
When have you experienced the purifying of the Lord God?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where He is beginning a purifying work.
Today I will humbly submit to the purifying of the Lord, surrendering the things of the world which interfere with His discipleship of me, clinging to the things that move me toward righteousness.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Sovereignty of the Lord
14:1 A day of the Lord is about to come when your possessions will be divided as plunder in your midst. 14:2 For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to wage war; the city will be taken, its houses plundered, and the women raped. Then half of the city will go into exile, but the remainder of the people will not be taken away.
14:3 Then the Lord will go to battle and fight against those nations, just as he fought battles in ancient days. 14:4 On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives which lies to the east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in half from east to west, leaving a great valley. Half the mountain will move northward and the other half southward. 14:5 Then you will escape through my mountain valley, for the mountains will extend to Azal. Indeed, you will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come with all his holy ones with him. 14:6 On that day there will be no light – the sources of light in the heavens will congeal. 14:7 It will happen in one day (a day known to the Lord); not in the day or the night, but in the evening there will be light. 14:8 Moreover, on that day living waters will flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea; it will happen both in summer and in winter.
14:9 The Lord will then be king over all the earth. In that day the Lord will be seen as one with a single name. 14:10 All the land will change and become like the Arabah from Geba to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem; and Jerusalem will be raised up and will stay in its own place from the Benjamin Gate to the site of the First Gate and on to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the royal winepresses. 14:11 And people will settle there, and there will no longer be the threat of divine extermination – Jerusalem will dwell in security.
14:12 But this will be the nature of the plague with which the Lord will strike all the nations that have fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will decay while they stand on their feet, their eyes will rot away in their sockets, and their tongues will dissolve in their mouths. 14:13 On that day there will be great confusion from the Lord among them; they will seize each other and attack one another violently. 14:14 Moreover, Judah will fight at Jerusalem, and the wealth of all the surrounding nations will be gathered up – gold, silver, and clothing in great abundance. 14:15 This is the kind of plague that will devastate horses, mules, camels, donkeys, and all the other animals in those camps.
14:16 Then all who survive from all the nations that came to attack Jerusalem will go up annually to worship the King, the Lord who rules over all, and to observe the Feast of Tabernacles. 14:17 But if any of the nations anywhere on earth refuse to go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord who rules over all, they will get no rain. 14:18 If the Egyptians will not do so, they will get no rain – instead there will be the kind of plague which the Lord inflicts on any nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. 14:19 This will be the punishment of Egypt and of all nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
14:20 On that day the bells of the horses will bear the inscription “Holy to the Lord.” The cooking pots in the Lord’s temple will be as holy as the bowls in front of the altar. 14:21 Every cooking pot in Jerusalem and Judah will become holy in the sight of the Lord who rules over all, so that all who offer sacrifices may come and use some of them to boil their sacrifices in them. On that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the Lord who rules over all.
Lord, the end will come as You have determined and a battle will be joined to begin the final cleansing of humankind, concluding at that stage with Your earthly kingdom in power and all others required to pay homage. May I recognize that now is my time to pay homage, now is my time to recognize that You are already on Your throne, and now is my time to tell Your story that many others will choose rightly for You.
Zechariah prophesied the coming of the last days of the end times battle of Armageddon.
He detailed the purging of Jerusalem and Judah, the subjugation of those nations who had been enemies of them, and the period of domination of the Lord's earthly kingdom.
All will be require to pay homage to the Lord God and any and all will be welcome to come to submit to Him in worship, to surrender to Him in faith, and there will no longer be [as Jesus the Christ would later refine it] “Jew nor Gentile”.
An end is surely coming when the Lord's patience has run out, when His time for the end has arrived, and that is when His final sifting of humankind will begin.
Is it interesting to you that the Lord God would provide a time when unbelievers will be required to pay homage, that those who refuse will be punished with no rain, and that all will be welcome to come as surrendered-believers – regardless of nationality?
The Lord God's covenant shifted from “the chosen people” to “the people who choose”.
When did you experienced the change in yourself from that person who chose rebellion against the Lord God's gift of salvation to the person who then chose to receive His gift?
Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of the moment of your surrender, to stir-up in you a more-profound sense of His presence, and to stimulate in you a desire to share your story about Him.
Today I will joyfully recall my absolute surrender to the Lordship of Christ, I will celebrate anew His presence within me, and I will respectfully but resolutely share His story in my life with the one (or ones) to whom He directs me.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study –“Genesis 3. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 50
The King Throws a Lavish Party
1:1 The following events happened in the days of Ahasuerus. (I am referring to that Ahasuerus who used to rule over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces extending all the way from India to Ethiopia.) 1:2 In those days, as King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in Susa the citadel, 1:3 in the third year of his reign he provided a banquet for all his officials and his servants. The army of Persia and Media was present, as well as the nobles and the officials of the provinces.
1:4 He displayed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor of his majestic greatness for a lengthy period of time – a hundred and eighty days, to be exact! 1:5 When those days were completed, the king then provided a seven-day banquet for all the people who were present in Susa the citadel, for those of highest standing to the most lowly. It was held in the court located in the garden of the royal palace. 1:6 The furnishings included linen and purple curtains hung by cords of the finest linen and purple wool on silver rings, alabaster columns, gold and silver couches displayed on a floor made of valuable stones of alabaster, mother-of-pearl, and mineral stone. 1:7 Drinks were served in golden containers, all of which differed from one another. Royal wine was available in abundance at the king’s expense. 1:8 There were no restrictions on the drinking, for the king had instructed all of his supervisors that they should do as everyone so desired. 1:9 Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in King Ahasuerus’ royal palace.
Queen Vashti is Removed from Her Royal Position
1:10 On the seventh day, as King Ahasuerus was feeling the effects of the wine, he ordered Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who attended him, 1:11 to bring Queen Vashti into the king’s presence wearing her royal high turban. He wanted to show the people and the officials her beauty, for she was very attractive. 1:12 But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s bidding conveyed through the eunuchs. Then the king became extremely angry, and his rage consumed him.
1:13 The king then inquired of the wise men who were discerners of the times – for it was the royal custom to confer with all those who were proficient in laws and legalities. 1:14 Those who were closest to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan. These men were the seven officials of Persia and Media who saw the king on a regular basis and had the most prominent offices in the kingdom. 1:15 The king asked, “By law, what should be done to Queen Vashti in light of the fact that she has not obeyed the instructions of King Ahasuerus conveyed through the eunuchs?”
1:16 Memucan then replied to the king and the officials, “The wrong of Queen Vashti is not against the king alone, but against all the officials and all the people who are throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. 1:17 For the matter concerning the queen will spread to all the women, leading them to treat their husbands with contempt, saying, ‘When King Ahasuerus gave orders to bring Queen Vashti into his presence, she would not come.’ 1:18 And this very day the noble ladies of Persia and Media who have heard the matter concerning the queen will respond in the same way to all the royal officials, and there will be more than enough contempt and anger! 1:19 If the king is so inclined, let a royal edict go forth from him, and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media that cannot be repealed, that Vashti may not come into the presence of King Ahasuerus, and let the king convey her royalty to another who is more deserving than she. 1:20 And let the king’s decision which he will enact be disseminated throughout all his kingdom, vast though it is. Then all the women will give honor to their husbands, from the most prominent to the lowly.”
1:21 The matter seemed appropriate to the king and the officials. So the king acted on the advice of Memucan. 1:22 He sent letters throughout all the royal provinces, to each province according to its own script and to each people according to its own language, that every man should be ruling his family and should be speaking the language of his own people.
Lord, when a government of men has as its highest authority the opinions of mere men, it is doomed to foolishness and failure. May I always remember that the King of kings and Lord of lords is You – and that as a Biblical Christian my ultimate authority is You.
At the height of the worldly-glory of the Medo-Persian empire, then king Ahasuerus, offered a reception for special guests, army officials, and others that lasted a hundred and eighty days. During this time he flaunted his great wealth and possessions. The Queen, Vashti, also hosted a party for the women.
Then for seven days the king, and separately the queen, indulged their guests in a banquet. By the seventh-day the king was drunk and ordered his servants to find the queen and require her to appear before his guests wearing her high-turban; she was to be displayed as yet another of his possessions. She refused his order.
Furious, the king consulted his seven advisers as to what should be done about Vashti, and one recommended that he issue an edict that Vashti be removed as queen and replaced, and to further add that every woman must obey her husband. Such an edict applied from the king on down and could not be waived, even by the king.
The king may well have been rendered less-than-wise by alcohol-poisoning.
Might Vashti have been aware that the king was drunk, and that he’d regret trying to humiliate her, so she did not expect him to react in such an extreme way?
The king's advisers seem to have been manipulating the situation to impose draconian obligations upon every wife in the kingdom – to blindly obey any order, any whim, no matter how drunk or otherwise impaired their husband might be. (These ancient advisers are not alone in their extreme attitude toward married women.)
When have you made a bad decision, or been the victim of one, as the result of the impaired condition of someone with greater authority? Was that person manipulated into an out-of-character and/or an out-of-proportion action by others?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you something in your life where you hold to an extreme standard, not supported by Biblical teaching, and/or an out-of-proportion reaction to circumstances.
Today I will humbly acknowledge the truth of what the Holy Spirit has revealed. I will confess, repent, and accept His forgiveness. I will request the prayers and accountability of a spiritually-mature fellow believer as I restore balance in my life. It may be rigidity in business, family, social, or religious matters, an intentional lack of boundaries in reaction to the rigidity of others, or some other imbalance.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Esther Becomes Queen in Vashti’s Place
2:1 When these things had been accomplished and the rage of King Ahasuerus had diminished, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decided against her. 2:2 The king’s servants who attended him said, “Let a search be conducted in the king’s behalf for attractive young women. 2:3 And let the king appoint officers throughout all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the attractive young women to Susa the citadel, to the harem under the authority of Hegai, the king’s eunuch who oversees the women, and let him provide whatever cosmetics they desire. 2:4 Let the young woman whom the king finds most attractive become queen in place of Vashti.” This seemed like a good idea to the king, so he acted accordingly.
2:5 Now there happened to be a Jewish man in Susa the citadel whose name was Mordecai. He was the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjaminite, 2:6 who had been taken into exile from Jerusalem with the captives who had been carried into exile with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken into exile. 2:7 Now he was acting as the guardian of Hadassah (that is, Esther), the daughter of his uncle, for neither her father nor her mother was alive. This young woman was very attractive and had a beautiful figure. When her father and mother died, Mordecai had raised her as if she were his own daughter.
2:8 It so happened that when the king’s edict and his law became known many young women were taken to Susa the citadel to be placed under the authority of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the royal palace to be under the authority of Hegai, who was overseeing the women. 2:9 This young woman pleased him, and she found favor with him. He quickly provided her with her cosmetics and her rations; he also provided her with the seven specially chosen young women who were from the palace. He then transferred her and her young women to the best quarters in the harem.
2:10 Now Esther had not disclosed her people or her lineage, for Mordecai had instructed her not to do so. 2:11 And day after day Mordecai used to walk back and forth in front of the court of the harem in order to learn how Esther was doing and what might happen to her.
2:12 At the end of the twelve months that were required for the women, when the turn of each young woman arrived to go to King Ahasuerus – for in this way they had to fulfill their time of cosmetic treatment: six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with perfume and various ointments used by women – 2:13 the woman would go to the king in the following way: Whatever she asked for would be provided for her to take with her from the harem to the royal palace. 2:14 In the evening she went, and in the morning she returned to a separate part of the harem, to the authority of Shaashgaz the king’s eunuch who was overseeing the concubines. She would not go back to the king unless the king was pleased with her and she was requested by name.
2:15 When it became the turn of Esther daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai (who had raised her as if she were his own daughter) to go to the king, she did not request anything except what Hegai the king’s eunuch, who was overseer of the women, had recommended. Yet Esther met with the approval of all who saw her. 2:16 Then Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus at his royal residence in the tenth month (that is, the month of Tebeth) in the seventh year of his reign. 2:17 And the king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she met with his loving approval more than all the other young women. So he placed the royal high turban on her head and appointed her queen in place of Vashti. 2:18 Then the king prepared a large banquet for all his officials and his servants – it was actually Esther’s banquet. He also set aside a holiday for the provinces, and he provided for offerings at the king’s expense.
Mordecai Learns of a Plot against the King
2:19 Now when the young women were being gathered again, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. 2:20 Esther was still not divulging her lineage or her people, just as Mordecai had instructed her. Esther continued to do whatever Mordecai said, just as she had done when he was raising her.
2:21 In those days while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who protected the entrance, became angry and plotted to assassinate King Ahasuerus. 2:22 When Mordecai learned of the conspiracy, he informed Queen Esther, and Esther told the king in Mordecai’s behalf. 2:23 The king then had the matter investigated and, finding it to be so, had the two conspirators hanged on a gallows. It was then recorded in the daily chronicles in the king’s presence.
Lord, even in the midst of the inherent-ugliness of a pagan kingdom, You are at work. May I be always mindful and watchful for Your mighty hand despite the foolish machinations of mere humans.
When the king had recovered from his drunken and egotistical rage he remembered his extreme action versus Vashti and his advisers quickly suggested a means to acquire a new queen.
The advisers recommended a search of the kingdom for the most attractive young women, a process of vetting, then his selection – he agreed and Esther was among the candidates. Note: This does not appear to be a volunteer candidacy but rather these young women were pressed into service much like a man into the army.
Esther’s natural beauty, personal humility, and quick learning from the harem-eunuch resulted in the king’s selection of her as his new queen. Esther had not disclosed her Jewish nationality as her adoptive uncle Mordecai had adviser her not to do so.
Mordecai overheard the scheming of two of the eunuchs assigned to the king’s court to murder him, he informed Esther who informed the king, the two men were captured and hanged and the details of their discovery and punishment was recorded in the record of activities in the king’s court.
The king had acted when chemically-impaired and in a fit or ego-driven rage. His advisers had taken advantage of his vulnerability to get rid of the independent Vashti and to impose a form of relational-slavery upon every married woman in the kingdom.
Did the king’s advisers quickly recommend the process of replacing Vashti with a beautiful young woman because they knew that would appeal to his ego and lust, thus distracting him from recognizing how they had manipulated him into dethroning Vashti by edict?
How demeaning must it have been for a young Jewish woman to be pulled from her home into the pagan king’s harem, subjected to a year’s preparation, then subjected to his sexual and social evaluation - with the possibility of being rejected and no longer a virgin available for a Jewish husband – the preferred marriage for a young Jewish woman for which she had certainly been encouraged to dream and to plan.
When have you experienced or observed a young woman whose dreams have been diverted due to an unexpected marriage, or marriage-equivalent intimacy, and which created a high risk of a very bad outcome?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a challenging situation where His plan for you is not yet clear – but always certain to come.
Today I will gratefully receive the assurance of the Lord God that despite my circumstances He has a plan for me. I will humbly submit to His Lordship in my circumstances, I will allow Him to be my strength in difficulties so that I may persevere with excellence (striving toward His standard), and be watchful for His directives to me.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
Haman Conspires to Destroy the Jews
3:1 Some time later King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, exalting him and setting his position above that of all the officials who were with him. 3:2 As a result, all the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate were bowing and paying homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded. However, Mordecai did not bow, nor did he pay him homage.
3:3 Then the servants of the king who were at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why are you violating the king’s commandment?” 3:4 And after they had spoken to him day after day without his paying any attention to them, they informed Haman to see whether this attitude on Mordecai’s part would be permitted. Furthermore, he had disclosed to them that he was a Jew.
3:5 When Haman saw that Mordecai was not bowing or paying homage to him, he was filled with rage. 3:6 But the thought of striking out against Mordecai alone was repugnant to him, for he had been informed of the identity of Mordecai’s people. So Haman sought to destroy all the Jews (that is, the people of Mordecai) who were in all the kingdom of Ahasuerus.
3:7 In the first month (that is, the month of Nisan), in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus’ reign, pur (that is, the lot) was cast before Haman in order to determine a day and a month. It turned out to be the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar).
3:8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a particular people that is dispersed and spread among the inhabitants throughout all the provinces of your kingdom whose laws differ from those of all other peoples. Furthermore, they do not observe the king’s laws. It is not appropriate for the king to provide a haven for them. 3:9 If the king is so inclined, let an edict be issued to destroy them. I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to be conveyed to the king’s treasuries for the officials who carry out this business.”
3:10 So the king removed his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, who was hostile toward the Jews. 3:11 The king replied to Haman, “Keep your money, and do with those people whatever you wish.”
3:12 So the royal scribes were summoned in the first month, on the thirteenth day of the month. Everything Haman commanded was written to the king’s satraps and governors who were in every province and to the officials of every people, province by province according to its script and people by people according to its language. In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written and sealed with the king’s signet ring. 3:13 Letters were sent by the runners to all the king’s provinces stating that they should destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jews, from youth to elderly, both women and children, on a particular day, namely the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar), and to loot and plunder their possessions. 3:14 A copy of this edict was to be presented as law throughout every province; it was to be made known to all the inhabitants, so that they would be prepared for this day. 3:15 The messengers scurried forth with the king’s order. The edict was issued in Susa the citadel. While the king and Haman sat down to drink, the city of Susa was in an uproar!
Lord, the failure of a leader to be obedient and completely-eliminate an enemy (in the OT this was usually a pagan people, in the NT it would refer to a sin or a sin-promoting situation) always resulted in trouble later on. May I remember that there is no such thing as committing a sin, or spending too much time spent in a sin-promoting situation, without eventual negative consequences.
King Ahasuerus promoted Haman to the highest rank in his court and ordered that he be treated as royalty, including the submission of bowing at his passing, and immediate obedience.
Mordecai, Esther’s adoptive uncle, refused to bow to Haman – which infuriated him. Upon discovering that he was a Jew Haman sought to attack all Jews, rather than Mordecai as an isolated individual, as that seemed to be beneath the station of a member of royalty.
Haman took the opportunity of a special moment on the Medo-Persian royal calendar to request a favor of the king. He asked that a foreign people, whose cultural laws kept them from keeping the king’s laws, be destroyed – and he even offered to pay for it. The king told him to keep his money and to make it so – giving him his signet ring as the symbol of authority.
Haman had the scribes write the edit to obliterate the Jews and couriers to deliver it throughout the kingdom. There in Susa, as the king and Haman dined, the city outside was in an uproar.
It is believed that Haman, the Agagite, was a descendant of Agag of the Amalekites. King Saul was supposed to have destroyed them but failed to do so – leaving a remnant to remain as long-term enemies of the Jews.
The text does not say that Haman knew of the relationship between Queen Esther and Mordecai, but if he did, might that help to explain his reluctance to attack Mordecai directly?
King Ahasuerus seemed to be prone to easy manipulation and Haman to carelessness when it came to details – failing to discover ahead of time that the queen was a Jew and was related to Mordecai.
When have you experienced or observed the petty anger of someone who had been entrusted with authority causing trouble for many?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a sin that you have left unaddressed, or a sin-promoting situation in which you linger too long, and which will at some point harm you, and possibly others.
Today I will confess, repent of, and accept the Lord’s forgiveness for a sin which I am committing and/or am tolerating, and I agree to act promptly to deal with it. It may be an unhealthy environment that I could avoid or change, for myself - or those over whom I have authority - or a repeated activity that I could prevent.
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Esther Decides to Risk Everything in order to Help Her People
4:1 Now when Mordecai became aware of all that had been done, he tore his garments and put on sackcloth and ashes. He went out into the city, crying out in a loud and bitter voice. 4:2 But he went no further than the king’s gate, for no one was permitted to enter the king’s gate clothed in sackcloth. 4:3 Throughout each and every province where the king’s edict and law were announced there was considerable mourning among the Jews, along with fasting, weeping, and sorrow. Sackcloth and ashes were characteristic of many. 4:4 When Esther’s female attendants and her eunuchs came and informed her about Mordecai’s behavior, the queen was overcome with anguish. Although she sent garments for Mordecai to put on so that he could remove his sackcloth, he would not accept them. 4:5 So Esther called for Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs who had been placed at her service, and instructed him to find out the cause and reason for Mordecai’s behavior. 4:6 So Hathach went to Mordecai at the plaza of the city in front of the king’s gate. 4:7 Then Mordecai related to him everything that had happened to him, even the specific amount of money that Haman had offered to pay to the king’s treasuries for the Jews to be destroyed. 4:8 He also gave him a written copy of the law that had been disseminated in Susa for their destruction so that he could show it to Esther and talk to her about it. He also gave instructions that she should go to the king to implore him and petition him on behalf of her people. 4:9 So Hathach returned and related Mordecai’s instructions to Esther.
4:10 Then Esther replied to Hathach with instructions for Mordecai: 4:11 “All the servants of the king and the people of the king’s provinces know that there is only one law applicable to any man or woman who comes uninvited to the king in the inner court – that person will be put to death, unless the king extends to him the gold scepter, permitting him to be spared. Now I have not been invited to come to the king for some thirty days!”
4:12 When Esther’s reply was conveyed to Mordecai, 4:13 he said to take back this answer to Esther: 4:14 “Don’t imagine that because you are part of the king’s household you will be the one Jew who will escape. If you keep quiet at this time, liberation and protection for the Jews will appear from another source, while you and your father’s household perish. It may very well be that you have achieved royal status for such a time as this!”
4:15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 4:16 “Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa and fast in my behalf. Don’t eat and don’t drink for three days, night or day. My female attendants and I will also fast in the same way. Afterward I will go to the king, even though it violates the law. If I perish, I perish!”
4:17 So Mordecai set out to do everything that Esther had instructed him.
Esther Appeals to the King for Help
5:1 It so happened that on the third day Esther put on her royal attire and stood in the inner court of the palace, opposite the king’s quarters. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the palace, opposite the entrance. 5:2 When the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she met with his approval. The king extended to Esther the gold scepter that was in his hand, and Esther approached and touched the end of the scepter.
5:3 The king said to her, “What is on your mind, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even as much as half the kingdom will be given to you!”
5:4 Esther replied, “If the king is so inclined, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him.” 5:5 The king replied, “Find Haman quickly so that we can do as Esther requests.”
So the king and Haman went to the banquet that Esther had prepared. 5:6 While at the banquet of wine, the king said to Esther, “What is your request? It shall be given to you. What is your petition? Ask for as much as half the kingdom, and it shall be done!”
5:7 Esther responded, “My request and my petition is this: 5:8 If I have found favor in the king’s sight and if the king is inclined to grant my request and perform my petition, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet that I will prepare for them. At that time I will do as the king wishes.
Haman Expresses His Hatred of Mordecai
5:9 Now Haman went forth that day pleased and very much encouraged. But when Haman saw Mordecai at the king’s gate, and he did not rise nor tremble in his presence, Haman was filled with rage toward Mordecai. 5:10 But Haman restrained himself and went on to his home.
He then sent for his friends to join him, along with his wife Zeresh. 5:11 Haman then recounted to them his fabulous wealth, his many sons, and how the king had magnified him and exalted him over the king’s other officials and servants. 5:12 Haman said, “Furthermore, Queen Esther invited only me to accompany the king to the banquet that she prepared! And also tomorrow I am invited along with the king. 5:13 Yet all of this fails to satisfy me so long as I have to see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”
5:14 Haman’s wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Have a gallows seventy-five feet high built, and in the morning tell the king that Mordecai should be hanged on it. Then go with the king to the banquet contented.”
It seemed like a good idea to Haman, so he had the gallows built.
Lord, You are in our future and where Your great plan is involved You make a way, while still allowing mere men to wander about in their confused rebellion and half-hearted relationship with You. May I be watchful for those moments where You give me a rare opportunity to be your uniquely-prepared instrument – knowing that You will find another way should I fail to step-up.
Mordecai, along with many Jews throughout the kingdom, mourned the evil edict in sackcloth. Esther heard that Mordecai was in sackcloth and sent a servant to inquire as to the reason.
Mordecai sent and explanation, a copy of the edict, and a request that she plead with the king to revoke the edict. Esther responded that she had not been granted permission to appear in the king’s court for thirty days and that the law required death of anyone who appeared there uninvited – unless the king extended his scepter – granting mercy.
Mordecai explained that she, and her whole family may suffer death from the edict and the Lord God would defend His people through another means – but that she may have been placed where she was (as queen) so that she could be His instrument of rescue. Esther acknowledged the truth of his wise counsel, agreed to risk her life and approach the king uninvited, and asked that Mordecai and others fast and pray along with her and her attendants for three days.
After three days Esther went to the king and he granted her favor to approach, though uninvited, and asked her what she wanted – saying that she might have as much as half of his kingdom. She asked he and Haman to join her for a banquet she would prepare.
At the banquet the king again asked what was her desire and she responded that if they would come again to a second banquet at that time she would share her request, and they agreed.
Haman bragged to family and friends of his great possessions, power, and prestige, and to alone have been invited by the queen to join the king at two banquets. Haman also confessed that the refusal of Mordecai to be submissive to him poisoned the well of his happiness.
“Haman’s wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Have a gallows seventy-five feet high built, and in the morning tell the king that Mordecai should be hanged on it. Then go with the king to the banquet contented.”“ Haman did so.
Mordecai was certain that the Lord God would not allow all of His people to be destroyed, but feared a nightmare along the way, and was sorrowful that such a scheme would even exist.
Why would Haman allow the disrespect of one man, in an entire kingdom, to spoil his happiness – given all that he had?
Haman’s scheme to obliterate a nation, due to the offense of a single individual, may reasonably motivate the reader to wonder if he may have been manipulated by a demonic evil (seeking a victory in a generations-old battle with the Lord God) rather than mere dislike of a man.
When have you been confronted with an ethical decision which could cost you a great deal and may or may not have led even to the opportunity to make a difference?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you an opportunity in your life for which He has prepared you uniquely to be His instrument.
Today I will humbly acknowledge and accept the calling of the Lord God to serve Him. I will accept His strength and draw up courage from Him in order to step-out in faith despite the worldly-threats that await. I will ask at least one fellow believer to pray in-agreement with me for courage, protection, and wisdom.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
The Turning Point: The King Honors Mordecai
6:1 Throughout that night the king was unable to sleep, so he asked for the book containing the historical records to be brought. As the records were being read in the king’s presence, 6:2 it was found written that Mordecai had disclosed that Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, had plotted to assassinate King Ahasuerus.
6:3 The king asked, “What great honor was bestowed on Mordecai because of this?” The king’s attendants who served him responded, “Not a thing was done for him.”
6:4 Then the king said, “Who is that in the courtyard?” Now Haman had come to the outer courtyard of the palace to suggest that the king hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had constructed for him. 6:5 The king’s attendants said to him, “It is Haman who is standing in the courtyard.” The king said, “Let him enter.”
6:6 So Haman came in, and the king said to him, “What should be done for the man whom the king wishes to honor?” Haman thought to himself, “Who is it that the king would want to honor more than me?” 6:7 So Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king wishes to honor, 6:8 let them bring royal attire which the king himself has worn and a horse on which the king himself has ridden – one bearing the royal insignia! 6:9 Then let this clothing and this horse be given to one of the king’s noble officials. Let him then clothe the man whom the king wishes to honor, and let him lead him about through the plaza of the city on the horse, calling before him, ‘So shall it be done to the man whom the king wishes to honor!’”
6:10 The king then said to Haman, “Go quickly! Take the clothing and the horse, just as you have described, and do as you just indicated to Mordecai the Jew who sits at the king’s gate. Don’t neglect a single thing of all that you have said.”
6:11 So Haman took the clothing and the horse, and he clothed Mordecai. He led him about on the horse throughout the plaza of the city, calling before him, “So shall it be done to the man whom the king wishes to honor!”
6:12 Then Mordecai again sat at the king’s gate, while Haman hurried away to his home, mournful and with a veil over his head. 6:13 Haman then related to his wife Zeresh and to all his friends everything that had happened to him. These wise men, along with his wife Zeresh, said to him, “If indeed this Mordecai before whom you have begun to fall is Jewish, you will not prevail against him. No, you will surely fall before him!”
6:14 While they were still speaking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived. They quickly brought Haman to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
The King Has Haman Executed
7:1 So the king and Haman came to dine with Queen Esther. 7:2 On the second day of the banquet of wine the king asked Esther, “What is your request, Queen Esther? It shall be granted to you. And what is your petition? Ask up to half the kingdom, and it shall be done!”
7:3 Queen Esther replied, “If I have met with your approval, O king, and if the king is so inclined, grant me my life as my request, and my people as my petition. 7:4 For we have been sold – both I and my people – to destruction and to slaughter and to annihilation! If we had simply been sold as male and female slaves, I would have remained silent, for such distress would not have been sufficient for troubling the king.”
7:5 Then King Ahasuerus responded to Queen Esther, “Who is this individual? Where is this person to be found who is presumptuous enough to act in this way?”
7:6 Esther replied, “The oppressor and enemy is this evil Haman!”
Then Haman became terrified in the presence of the king and queen. 7:7 In rage the king arose from the banquet of wine and withdrew to the palace garden. Meanwhile, Haman stood to beg Queen Esther for his life, for he realized that the king had now determined a catastrophic end for him.
7:8 When the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet of wine, Haman was throwing himself down on the couch where Esther was lying. The king exclaimed, “Will he also attempt to rape the queen while I am still in the building!”
As these words left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. 7:9 Harbona, one of the king’s eunuchs, said, “Indeed, there is the gallows that Haman made for Mordecai, who spoke out in the king’s behalf. It stands near Haman’s home and is seventy-five feet high.”
The king said, “Hang him on it!” 7:10 So they hanged Haman on the very gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. The king’s rage then abated.
Lord, amidst the petty price and insane rage of men with power, You work Your will to preserve Your people. May I never fear those who conspire to block Your path – they will be swept aside.
On the eve of the second banquet with Esther the king’s sleep was troubled so he asked to see the book of events of his royal court. When he came to the story of Mordecai discovering and reporting the assassins he asked what great honor had been given Mordecai as a reward. Discovering that nothing had been done he pondered how to make things right.
Haman, consumed by his hatred of Mordecai had arrived in the courtyard, hoping for an audience with the king where he hoped to persuade him to have Mordecai hanged on the huge gallows he had built.
The king inquired as to who was in the courtyard and when he heard it was Haman he summoned him. The king asked Haman how he should greatly-honor a man and Haman, also consumed by pride, presuming that he was the intended-beneficiary he described a grandiose display.
The king ordered him to personally implement his scheme for Mordecai. Haman did so then covered his face and returned to his family and associates. When he described his terrible humiliation they warned him that if Mordecai was indeed a Jew that he, not Mordecai, would be destroyed should he continue his crusade against him. Just as they spoke the royal eunuchs arrived to escort him to Esther’s banquet.
The king challenged Esther, wanting to know what was her request, and again offering up to half of his kingdom as a gift to her. She asked him for her life, and that of her people, qualifying that had they been sold into slavery she would not have troubled him – but they were to be annihilated.
The king, as before with Vashti, flew into an indignant rage and demanded to know who was responsible – at which time Esther named Haman. The King stormed out onto the patio and while he was out there Haman threw himself upon Esther to plead for mercy – the king returning to the room imagined Haman was sexually-assaulting the queen and his rage escalated.
A nearby eunuch suggested the king hand Haman on the gallows he had built for Mordecai, and the king agreed, only ceasing from his rage once Haman was dead.
The Lord God is neither mocked nor thwarted, yet He has an apparent sense of humor, hoisting those who conspire against His people on their own petard. (Haman was forced to personally deliver to his nemesis, Mordecai, the public display of the king’s affection that he wrongly believed was coming to him.)
How might Haman’s wife and associated have known that Haman faced certain doom – predicated on the new information that Mordecai was a Jew?
The same alcohol-fueled rage of the king which, manipulated by his advisers, led to Vashti’s banishment and the imposition of slave-like regulations upon all of the married women in the kingdom was turned against the evil Haman.
When have you observed a pattern of bad turned to good by the Lord God?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you have felt overwhelmed by a sense of hopelessness
Today I will confess my fears and accept the Lord’s assurance of loving protection.
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The King Acts to Protect the Jews
8:1 On that same day King Ahasuerus gave the estate of Haman, that adversary of the Jews, to Queen Esther. Now Mordecai had come before the king, for Esther had revealed how he was related to her. 8:2 The king then removed his signet ring (the very one he had taken back from Haman) and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther designated Mordecai to be in charge of Haman’s estate.
8:3 Then Esther again spoke with the king, falling at his feet. She wept and begged him for mercy, that he might nullify the evil of Haman the Agagite which he had intended against the Jews. 8:4 When the king extended to Esther the gold scepter, she arose and stood before the king.
8:5 She said, “If the king is so inclined and if I have met with his approval and if the matter is agreeable to the king and if I am attractive to him, let an edict be written rescinding those recorded intentions of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, which he wrote in order to destroy the Jews who are throughout all the king’s provinces. 8:6 For how can I watch the calamity that will befall my people, and how can I watch the destruction of my relatives?”
8:7 King Ahasuerus replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Look, I have already given Haman’s estate to Esther, and he has been hanged on the gallows because he took hostile action against the Jews. 8:8 Now you write in the king’s name whatever in your opinion is appropriate concerning the Jews and seal it with the king’s signet ring. Any decree that is written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet ring cannot be rescinded.
8:9 The king’s scribes were quickly summoned – in the third month (that is, the month of Sivan), on the twenty-third day. They wrote out everything that Mordecai instructed to the Jews and to the satraps and the governors and the officials of the provinces all the way from India to Ethiopia – a hundred and twenty-seven provinces in all – to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, and to the Jews according to their own script and their own language. 8:10 Mordecai wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed it with the king’s signet ring. He then sent letters by couriers on horses, who rode royal horses that were very swift.
8:11 The king thereby allowed the Jews who were in every city to assemble and to stand up for themselves – to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate any army of whatever people or province that should become their adversaries, including their women and children, and to confiscate their property. 8:12 This was to take place on a certain day throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus – namely, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar). 8:13 A copy of the edict was to be presented as law throughout each and every province and made known to all peoples, so that the Jews might be prepared on that day to avenge themselves from their enemies.
8:14 The couriers who were riding the royal horses went forth with the king’s edict without delay. And the law was presented in Susa the citadel as well.
8:15 Now Mordecai went out from the king’s presence in purple and white royal attire, with a large golden crown and a purple linen mantle. The city of Susa shouted with joy. 8:16 For the Jews there was radiant happiness and joyous honor. 8:17 Throughout every province and throughout every city where the king’s edict and his law arrived, the Jews experienced happiness and joy, banquets and holidays. Many of the resident peoples pretended to be Jews, because the fear of the Jews had overcome them.
Lord, it is often not merely enough to stop the sin, You know that the aftereffects continue and they also must be addressed. May I recognize that when sin happens it always has collateral consequences, and those ongoing consequences must not be ignored.
Haman’s extensive estate was given to Esther who appointed Mordecai as executor.
Esther also explained to the king her relationship with Mordecai and then pleaded with him to save her people.
The king explained that he had done what he could but then gave Mordecai his royal signet ring and encouraged Esther and Mordecai to do whatever was necessary.
Mordecai summoned the scribes and had them dispatch the new orders. The new orders were for the Jews to arm themselves for self-defense and to aggressively defend themselves against anyone of any age or any position who threatened them. Many pretended to be Jews out of fear.
Mordecai went into the streets of Susa in royal court attire and there were great celebrations.
Haman had been punished for his attempted genocide, but the monstrous plot he had set in motion was still just that, in motion.
Why could not the king merely issue another proclamation declaring the first one null and void, and be assured that nothing would happen?
The Lord God had turned what Haman, servant of Satan, had intended for terrible evil – against the Jews – to good beyond what anyone may have expected. Not only was Haman stopped, all of those who hated the Jews in the kingdom were themselves in mortal danger from the Jews (by order of the king), and the second and third most powerful people in the kingdom (within which they were captive subjects) were now Jews.
When have you experienced or observed the Lord God turning something that the enemy clearly intended for evil into something that contained blessing and glory to Him?
Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of a blessing He had brought in a place where you only saw the possibility of evil or greater evil.
Today I will share the story of the Lord God’s intervention with at least one fellow believer and together we will praise and worship Him.
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The Jews Prevail over Their Enemies
9:1 In the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar), on its thirteenth day, the edict of the king and his law were to be executed. It was on this day that the enemies of the Jews had supposed that they would gain power over them. But contrary to expectations, the Jews gained power over their enemies. 9:2 The Jews assembled themselves in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to strike out against those who were seeking their harm. No one was able to stand before them, for dread of them fell on all the peoples. 9:3 All the officials of the provinces, the satraps, the governors and those who performed the king’s business were assisting the Jews, for the dread of Mordecai had fallen on them. 9:4 Mordecai was of high rank in the king’s palace, and word about him was spreading throughout all the provinces. His influence continued to become greater and greater.
9:5 The Jews struck all their enemies with the sword, bringing death and destruction, and they did as they pleased with their enemies. 9:6 In Susa the citadel the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men. 9:7 In addition, they also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 9:8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9:9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha, 9:10 the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they did not confiscate their property.
9:11 On that same day the number of those killed in Susa the citadel was brought to the king’s attention. 9:12 Then the king said to Queen Esther, “In Susa the citadel the Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman! What then have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? What is your request? It shall be given to you. What other petition do you have? It shall be done.”
9:13 Esther replied, “If the king is so inclined, let the Jews who are in Susa be permitted to act tomorrow also according to today’s law, and let them hang the ten sons of Haman on the gallows.”
9:14 So the king issued orders for this to be done. A law was passed in Susa, and the ten sons of Haman were hanged. 9:15 The Jews who were in Susa then assembled on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and they killed three hundred men in Susa. But they did not confiscate their property.
9:16 The rest of the Jews who were throughout the provinces of the king assembled in order to stand up for themselves and to have rest from their enemies. They killed seventy-five thousand of their adversaries, but they did not confiscate their property. 9:17 All of this happened on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar. They then rested on the fourteenth day and made it a day for banqueting and happiness.
The Origins of the Feast of Purim
9:18 But the Jews who were in Susa assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth days, and rested on the fifteenth, making it a day for banqueting and happiness. 9:19 This is why the Jews who are in the rural country – those who live in rural cities – set aside the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a holiday for happiness, banqueting, holiday, and sending gifts to one another.
9:20 Mordecai wrote these matters down and sent letters to all the Jews who were throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, 9:21 to have them observe the fourteenth and the fifteenth day of the month of Adar each year 9:22 as the time when the Jews gave themselves rest from their enemies – the month when their trouble was turned to happiness and their mourning to a holiday. These were to be days of banqueting, happiness, sending gifts to one another, and providing for the poor.
9:23 So the Jews committed themselves to continue what they had begun to do and to what Mordecai had written to them. 9:24 For Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised plans against the Jews to destroy them. He had cast pur (that is, the lot) in order to afflict and destroy them. 9:25 But when the matter came to the king’s attention, the king gave written orders that Haman’s evil intentions that he had devised against the Jews should fall on his own head. He and his sons were hanged on the gallows. 9:26 For this reason these days are known as Purim, after the name of pur. 9:27 Therefore, because of the account found in this letter and what they had faced in this regard and what had happened to them, the Jews established as binding on themselves, their descendants, and all who joined their company that they should observe these two days without fail, just as written and at the appropriate time on an annual basis. 9:28 These days were to be remembered and to be celebrated in every generation and in every family, every province, and every city. The Jews were not to fail to observe these days of Purim; the remembrance of them was not to cease among their descendants.
9:29 So Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter about Purim. 9:30 Letters were sent to all the Jews in the hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the empire of Ahasuerus – words of true peace – 9:31 to establish these days of Purim in their proper times, just as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had established, and just as they had established both for themselves and their descendants, matters pertaining to fasting and lamentation. 9:32 Esther’s command established these matters of Purim, and the matter was officially recorded.
Mordecai’s Fame Increases
10:1 King Ahasuerus then imposed forced labor on the land and on the coastlands of the sea. 10:2 Now all the actions carried out under his authority and his great achievements, along with an exact statement concerning the greatness of Mordecai, whom the king promoted, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Media and Persia? 10:3 Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Ahasuerus. He was the highest-ranking Jew, and he was admired by his numerous relatives. He worked enthusiastically for the good of his people and was an advocate for the welfare of all his descendants.
Lord, from time to time You have purged evil people from a land, sometimes by Your own hand and sometimes using mere humans to accomplish Your will. May I be as aggressive in purging evil from my life as You have been in purging it from the land.
The Jews met their enemies throughout the kingdom and killed 75,000 who were allied with the evil genocidal scheme of Haman.
In Susa the ten sons of Haman were hanged on the same gallows as he and three hundred other co-conspirators were killed as well.
The Jews did not take any of the property of those who were killed.
Two days of celebration and remembrance, Purim, were added to the Jewish calendar.
Mordecai continued to serve as the king’s second-in-command and did well by the king and his own people.
Despite the second edict some 75,000 in the kingdom still tried to destroy the Jews.
Was the reason that the Jews did not take any of the property of the enemies - whom they killed – that they wanted it clear that they acted in self-defense, free of any selfish self-interest?
The celebration of Purim was in some ways a shadow of the Passover, celebrating their God-assured survival of another attempt at a man-made purge.
When have you observed someone resisting the temptation to abuse righteous-power for selfish advantage?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a wrong against which He wants you to stand.
Today I will prayerfully discern the mission of the Holy Spirit. I will ask one who meets the Biblical definition of “elder” to pray for confirmation, and to then pray in-agreement for courage and wisdom. It may standing against the invasion of sin into a home or other gathering of believers, it may be standing for integrity in school or the workplace, it may be standing against efforts to misuse the power of government to attack Christians.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 51
The Arrival of Ezra
7:1 Now after these things had happened, during the reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia, Ezra came up from Babylon. Ezra was the son of Seraiah, who was the son of Azariah, who was the son of Hilkiah, 7:2 who was the son of Shallum, who was the son of Zadok, who was the son of Ahitub, 7:3 who was the son of Amariah, who was the son of Azariah, who was the son of Meraioth, 7:4 who was the son of Zerahiah, who was the son of Uzzi, who was the son of Bukki, 7:5 who was the son of Abishua, who was the son of Phinehas, who was the son of Eleazar, who was the son of Aaron the chief priest. 7:6 This Ezra is the one who came up from Babylon. He was a scribe who was skilled in the law of Moses which the Lord God of Israel had given. The king supplied him with everything he requested, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him. 7:7 In the seventh year of King Artaxerxes, Ezra brought up to Jerusalem some of the Israelites and some of the priests, the Levites, the attendants, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants. 7:8 He entered Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king. 7:9 On the first day of the first month he had determined to make the ascent from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he arrived at Jerusalem, for the good hand of his God was on him. 7:10 Now Ezra had dedicated himself to the study of the law of the Lord, to its observance, and to teaching its statutes and judgments in Israel.
Artaxerxes Gives Official Endorsement to Ezra’s Mission
7:11 What follows is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priestly scribe. Ezra was a scribe in matters pertaining to the commandments of the Lord and his statutes over Israel:
7:12 “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a scribe of the perfect law of the God of heaven: 7:13 I have now issued a decree that anyone in my kingdom from the people of Israel – even the priests and Levites – who wishes to do so may go up with you to Jerusalem. 7:14 You are authorized by the king and his seven advisers to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of your God which is in your possession, 7:15 and to bring silver and gold which the king and his advisers have freely contributed to the God of Israel, who resides in Jerusalem, 7:16 along with all the silver and gold that you may collect throughout all the province of Babylon and the contributions of the people and the priests for the temple of their God which is in Jerusalem. 7:17 With this money you should be sure to purchase bulls, rams, and lambs, along with the appropriate meal offerings and libations. You should bring them to the altar of the temple of your God which is in Jerusalem. 7:18 You may do whatever seems appropriate to you and your colleagues with the rest of the silver and the gold, in keeping with the will of your God. 7:19 Deliver to the God of Jerusalem the vessels that are given to you for the service of the temple of your God. 7:20 The rest of the needs for the temple of your God that you may have to supply, you may do so from the royal treasury.
7:21 “I, King Artaxerxes, hereby issue orders to all the treasurers of Trans-Euphrates, that you precisely execute all that Ezra the priestly scribe of the law of the God of heaven may request of you – 7:22 up to 100 talents of silver, 100 cors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of olive oil, and unlimited salt. 7:23 Everything that the God of heaven has required should be precisely done for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should there be wrath against the empire of the king and his sons? 7:24 Furthermore, be aware of the fact that you have no authority to impose tax, tribute, or toll on any of the priests, the Levites, the musicians, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, or the attendants at the temple of this God.
7:25 “Now you, Ezra, in keeping with the wisdom of your God which you possess, appoint judges and court officials who can arbitrate cases on behalf of all the people who are in Trans-Euphrates who know the laws of your God. Those who do not know this law should be taught. 7:26 Everyone who does not observe both the law of your God and the law of the king will be completely liable to the appropriate penalty, whether it is death or banishment or confiscation of property or detainment in prison.”
7:27 Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, who so moved in the heart of the king to so honor the temple of the Lord which is in Jerusalem! 7:28 He has also conferred his favor on me before the king, his advisers, and all the influential leaders of the king. I gained strength as the hand of the Lord my God was on me, and I gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.
The Leaders Who Returned with Ezra
8:1 These are the leaders and those enrolled with them by genealogy who were coming up with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes:
8:2 from the descendants of Phinehas, Gershom;
from the descendants of Ithamar, Daniel;
from the descendants of David, Hattush 8:3 the son of Shecaniah;
from the descendants of Parosh, Zechariah, and with him were enrolled by genealogy 150 men;
8:4 from the descendants of Pahath-Moab, Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah, and with him 200 men;
8:5 from the descendants of Zattu, Shecaniah son of Jahaziel, and with him 300 men;
8:6 from the descendants of Adin, Ebed son of Jonathan, and with him 50 men;
8:7 from the descendants of Elam, Jeshaiah son of Athaliah, and with him 70 men;
8:8 from the descendants of Shephatiah, Zebadiah son of Michael, and with him 80 men;
8:9 from the descendants of Joab, Obadiah son of Jehiel, and with him 218 men;
8:10 from the descendants of Bani, Shelomith son of Josiphiah, and with him 160 men;
8:11 from the descendants of Bebai, Zechariah son of Bebai, and with him 28 men;
8:12 from the descendants of Azgad, Johanan son of Hakkatan, and with him 110 men;
8:13 from the descendants of Adonikam there were the latter ones. Their names were Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah, and with them 60 men;
8:14 from the descendants of Bigvai, Uthai, and Zaccur, and with them 70 men.
The Exiles Travel to Jerusalem
8:15 I had them assemble at the canal that flows toward Ahava, and we camped there for three days. I observed that the people and the priests were present, but I found no Levites there. 8:16 So I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, who were leaders, and Joiarib and Elnathan, who were teachers. 8:17 I sent them to Iddo, who was the leader in the place called Casiphia. I told them what to say to Iddo and his relatives, who were the temple servants in Casiphia, so they would bring us attendants for the temple of our God.
8:18 Due to the fact that the good hand of our God was on us, they brought us a skilled man, from the descendants of Mahli the son of Levi son of Israel. This man was Sherebiah, who was accompanied by his sons and brothers, 18 men, 8:19 and Hashabiah, along with Jeshaiah from the descendants of Merari, with his brothers and their sons, 20 men, 8:20 and some of the temple servants that David and his officials had established for the work of the Levites – 220 of them. They were all designated by name.
8:21 I called for a fast there by the Ahava Canal, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and seek from him a safe journey for us, our children, and all our property. 8:22 I was embarrassed to request soldiers and horsemen from the king to protect us from the enemy along the way, because we had said to the king, “The good hand of our God is on everyone who is seeking him, but his great anger is against everyone who forsakes him.” 8:23 So we fasted and prayed to our God about this, and he answered us.
8:24 Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, together with Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers, 8:25 and I weighed out to them the silver, the gold, and the vessels intended for the temple of our God – items that the king, his advisers, his officials, and all Israel who were present had contributed. 8:26 I weighed out to them 650 talents of silver, silver vessels worth 100 talents, 100 talents of gold, 8:27 20 gold bowls worth 1,000 darics, and two exquisite vessels of gleaming bronze, as valuable as gold. 8:28 Then I said to them, “You are holy to the Lord, just as these vessels are holy. The silver and the gold are a voluntary offering to the Lord, the God of your fathers. 8:29 Be careful with them and protect them, until you weigh them out before the leading priests and the Levites and the family leaders of Israel in Jerusalem, in the storerooms of the temple of the Lord.”
8:30 Then the priests and the Levites took charge of the silver, the gold, and the vessels that had been weighed out, to transport them to Jerusalem to the temple of our God.
8:31 On the twelfth day of the first month we began traveling from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from our enemy and from bandits along the way. 8:32 So we came to Jerusalem, and we stayed there for three days. 8:33 On the fourth day we weighed out the silver, the gold, and the vessels in the house of our God into the care of Meremoth son of Uriah, the priest, and Eleazar son of Phinehas, who were accompanied by Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui, who were Levites. 8:34 Everything was verified by number and by weight, and the total weight was written down at that time.
8:35 The exiles who were returning from the captivity offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel – twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven male lambs, along with twelve male goats as a sin offering. All this was a burnt offering to the Lord. 8:36 Then they presented the decrees of the king to the king’s satraps and to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, who gave help to the people and to the temple of God.
Lord, You bring blessing to the hopeless and powerless because mercy is one of Your many attributes, and because Your great plan includes keeping Your people connected to You through praise and worship no matter their worldly circumstances. May I recognize Your blessings in my life and never fail to respond with praise and worship and service.
While the Persian king, Artaxerxes, had earlier suspended construction in Jerusalem he was not entirely resistant to the prompting of the Lord God.
The prophet Ezra was called out of Babylon to Jerusalem to promote worship in Jerusalem and to draw other Israelites there.
Artaxerxes issued a decree permitting the travel of Israelites to Jerusalem and the exchange of funds to support the worship. The text does not mention new or renewed construction.
Ezra gathered many of the families of Israel to travel to Jerusalem. When they were gathered he discovered that there were no Levites to serve as priests among them.
When the Levites were located the Lord God blessed them with a family of Levite musicians.
Ezra had assured the king that they would be protected in their travels by the Lord God, so they stopped to fast and pray and ask His protection, rather than solicit the protection of Persian horsemen/soldiers.
The gold and silver was delivered to the priests already there in Jerusalem, weighed-out and distributed in the precise amounts with which they had begun.
The people stopped and gave thanks and presented sacrifices.
Ezra delivered the papers from the king to his local officials who then provided assistance to the Israelites in the reconstruction of the temple.
The residents in the region surrounding Jerusalem had included the worship of the God of the Israelites in addition to their many false gods, so this would have been an amplification of that worship, rather than something entirely new. Ezra was assembling a representative population from among the dispersed people of Israel. While the Biblical text records that many gave in support of the ministry – it was the faithful and risky obedience of Ezra and other leaders which resulted in the project's completion.
Might Artaxerxes have responded to the prompting of God from a fear-based motivation? Local history would have reported that the early non-Israelite re-settlers of the region surrounding Jerusalem had suffered calamity until they added worship of the God of the Israelites to the worship of their pagan false gods. Artaxerxes had stopped the reconstruction because the locals had appealed to his fear of conflict. Why would Ezra chosen to not appeal to the king for protection?
The captive Israelites received favorable treatment from the Persians despite their own powerlessness – this due to the prompting of the human king by the Lord God. The text still makes no reference to rebuilding gates or walls or any part of the city of Jerusalem; the emphasis of Ezra at this point was entirely on the temple.
When have you observed an apparently powerless person or group of persons receiving favors from an unexpected source? When have you sensed that the Lord God was calling you, or a fellowship or group with which you are/were associated, and you stepped-out with confidence as He provided along the way?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place and time in your life where He blessed you – when you were feeling hopeless and powerless and also a ministry to which He has called you.
Today I will pause and praise the Lord God for His blessings and I will prayerfully seek the right response – the reason why He has chosen in the past, and is choosing in my present, to bless me. I will step out in faith, trusting in the Lord's provision, to serve in the ministry to which He has called me.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
A Prayer of Ezra
9:1 Now when these things had been completed, the leaders approached me and said, “The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselves from the local residents who practice detestable things similar to those of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. 9:2 Indeed, they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has become intermingled with the local residents. Worse still, the leaders and the officials have been at the forefront of all of this!”
9:3 When I heard this report, I tore my tunic and my robe and ripped out some of the hair from my head and beard. Then I sat down, quite devastated. 9:4 Everyone who held the words of the God of Israel in awe gathered around me because of the unfaithful acts of the people of the exile. Devastated, I continued to sit there until the evening offering.
9:5 At the time of the evening offering I got up from my self-abasement, with my tunic and robe torn, and then dropped to my knees and spread my hands to the Lord my God. 9:6 I prayed,
“O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift my face to you, my God! For our iniquities have climbed higher than our heads, and our guilt extends to the heavens. 9:7 From the days of our fathers until this very day our guilt has been great. Because of our iniquities we, along with our kings and priests, have been delivered over by the local kings to sword, captivity, plunder, and embarrassment – right up to the present time.
9:8 “But now briefly we have received mercy from the Lord our God, in that he has left us a remnant and has given us a secure position in his holy place. Thus our God has enlightened our eyes and has given us a little relief in our time of servitude. 9:9 Although we are slaves, our God has not abandoned us in our servitude. He has extended kindness to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, in that he has revived us to restore the temple of our God and to raise up its ruins and to give us a protective wall in Judah and Jerusalem.
9:10 “And now what are we able to say after this, our God? For we have forsaken your commandments 9:11 which you commanded us through your servants the prophets with these words: ‘The land that you are entering to possess is a land defiled by the impurities of the local residents! With their abominations they have filled it from one end to the other with their filthiness. 9:12 Therefore do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons, and do not take their daughters in marriage for your sons. Do not ever seek their peace or welfare, so that you may be strong and may eat the good of the land and may leave it as an inheritance for your children forever.’
9:13 “Everything that has happened to us has come about because of our wicked actions and our great guilt. Even so, our God, you have exercised restraint toward our iniquities and have given us a remnant such as this. 9:14 Shall we once again break your commandments and intermarry with these abominable peoples? Would you not be so angered by us that you would wipe us out, with no survivor or remnant? 9:15 O Lord God of Israel, you are righteous, for we are left as a remnant this day. Indeed, we stand before you in our guilt. However, because of this guilt no one can really stand before you.”
The People Confess Their Sins
10:1 While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself to the ground before the temple of God, a very large crowd of Israelites – men, women, and children alike – gathered around him. The people wept loudly. 10:2 Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, from the descendants of Elam, addressed Ezra:
“We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the local peoples. Nonetheless, there is still hope for Israel in this regard. 10:3 Therefore let us enact a covenant with our God to send away all these women and their offspring, in keeping with your counsel, my lord, and that of those who respect the commandments of our God. And let it be done according to the law. 10:4 Get up, for this matter concerns you. We are with you, so be strong and act decisively!”
10:5 So Ezra got up and made the leading priests and Levites and all Israel take an oath to carry out this plan. And they all took a solemn oath. 10:6 Then Ezra got up from in front of the temple of God and went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. While he stayed there, he did not eat food or drink water, for he was in mourning over the infidelity of the exiles.
10:7 A proclamation was circulated throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles were to be assembled in Jerusalem. 10:8 Everyone who did not come within three days would thereby forfeit all his property, in keeping with the counsel of the officials and the elders. Furthermore, he himself would be excluded from the assembly of the exiles.
10:9 All the men of Judah and Benjamin were gathered in Jerusalem within the three days. (It was in the ninth month, on the twentieth day of that month.) All the people sat in the square at the temple of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the rains.
10:10 Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have behaved in an unfaithful manner by taking foreign wives! This has contributed to the guilt of Israel. 10:11 Now give praise to the Lord God of your fathers, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the local residents and from these foreign wives.”
10:12 All the assembly replied in a loud voice: “We will do just as you have said! 10:13 However, the people are numerous and it is the rainy season. We are unable to stand here outside. Furthermore, this business cannot be resolved in a day or two, for we have sinned greatly in this matter. 10:14 Let our leaders take steps on behalf of all the assembly. Let all those in our towns who have married foreign women come at an appointed time, and with them the elders of each town and its judges, until the hot anger of our God is turned away from us in this matter.”
10:15 Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah were against this, assisted by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite. 10:16 So the exiles proceeded accordingly. Ezra the priest separated out by name men who were leaders in their family groups. They sat down to consider this matter on the first day of the tenth month, 10:17 and on the first day of the first month they finished considering all the men who had married foreign wives.
Those Who Had Taken Foreign Wives
10:18 It was determined that from the descendants of the priests, the following had taken foreign wives: from the descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. 10:19 (They gave their word to send away their wives; their guilt offering was a ram from the flock for their guilt.)
10:20 From the descendants of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.
10:21 From the descendants of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.
10:22 From the descendants of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
10:23 From the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also known as Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
10:24 From the singers: Eliashib. From the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
10:25 From the Israelites: from the descendants of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malkijah, and Benaiah.
10:26 From the descendants of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.
10:27 From the descendants of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.
10:28 From the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
10:29 From the descendants of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.
10:30 From the descendants of Pahath-Moab: Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.
10:31 From the descendants of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 10:32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
10:33 From the descendants of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
10:34 From the descendants of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, 10:35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi, 10:36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 10:37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu.
10:38 From the descendants of Binnui: Shimei, 10:39 Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, 10:40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 10:41 Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, 10:42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
10:43 From the descendants of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.
10:44 All these had taken foreign wives, and some of them also had children by these women.
Lord, You chose to gather a remnant to rebuild Your temple, because You determined that a remnant was to be preserved. You also forgave them for yet another offense against You, committed even as You had gathered them, and You provided a way of redemption. There seems to be no end to Your mercy, though we know it ends at the Final Judgment – where Justice takes it's final and full measure. May I never fear that there is no way back to You from sin – You are the way and You make a way. May I never presume upon Your mercy but rather live in obedience to Your perfect loving will for my life.
Ezra was informed by some of the leaders that many of their fellow leaders, and the general population of Israelites, had both intermarried with the local peoples and mixed their pagan religions in with their right-worship of the Lord God. He was shocked and tore his clothes, hair, and beard and then sat silent the rest of the day.
At the time for the evening offering Ezra cried-out to the Lord God his remembrance of all that He had done for Israel, the many offenses of Israel, His recent restoration of Israel to rebuild the temple, and now the latest offense of Israel against Him.
The high priest confessed the sin of the people to Ezra and proposed that they separate from their foreign spouses. All of those of Judah and Benjamin were required to gather within three days or lose fellowship and property. They gathered, trembling in a cold rain, and with an even greater trembling before an offended God.
Their leaders asked for time to make arrangements for their foreign wives and three months later the process had been completed.
There were two waves of Israelites who returned to the Jerusalem area for the purpose of rebuilding the temple, those before the time of Ezra, and those whom Ezra gathered. The text does not discuss what happened to the spouses, nor the children of those who had married local pagans. It is left for one to presume that the request for more time was to make provisions for them.
Given all that they had experienced why would the Israelites have been so foolish as to mingle with the pagan locals with their false religion, let alone to marry their women? May Ezra have known that publicly displaying his heartsick grief before the Lord God would cause the Israelites to confess and to repent?
The Lord God's patience is amazing, partly because that is one of His attributes, and partly because He chooses to use fallen humankind in His great plan of redemption.
The text does not say if Jonathan, Jahzeiah, Meshullam, and Shabbethai objected to the delay, the divorce in the families, or to any mercy at all.
When have you experienced or observed someone getting a second chance and still making the same old bad choices? When have you experienced or observed a very difficult choice being mandated to resolve a sin that was discovered in the fellowship of believers?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you have been given a second chance but where you are repeating some of the errors of the past, something that you need to deal with in your life which will require a painful choice.
Today I will give thanks for a second chance and I will confess and repent and receive the Lord God's forgiveness for repeating errors of the past. It may be financial assistance - but I am still being careless financially, relationship restoration - but I am still being careless relationally, it may be extra-credit to make up missing school work - but I am not giving it my best effort, it may be a job when I had been fired or laid-off - but I am still showing up late or acting lazy or otherwise demonstrating a less-than-grateful and “do as if to the Lord” quality of attitude and work. Whatever it is I will step-up to a Biblical standard, doing my best and giving my best, to bring glory to God. I will courageously and humbly confront the circumstance in my life where a sinful choice has created an environment which is unacceptable to the Lord God. Within the boundaries of Your Word and the limits of my capacity to do so I will make things right. As is appropriate I will consult one who meets the Biblical qualification of “elder” for prayer and counsel and accountability.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
A Prayer of Nehemiah
1:1 These are the words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah:
It so happened that in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year, I was in Susa the citadel. 1:2 Hanani, who was one of my relatives, along with some of the men from Judah, came to me, and I asked them about the Jews who had escaped and had survived the exile, and about Jerusalem.
1:3 They said to me, “The remnant that remains from the exile there in the province are experiencing considerable adversity and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem lies breached, and its gates have been burned down!”
1:4 When I heard these things I sat down abruptly, crying and mourning for several days. I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 1:5 Then I said, “Please, O LORD God of heaven, great and awesome God, who keeps his loving covenant with those who love him and obey his commandments, 1:6 may your ear be attentive and your eyes be open to hear the prayer of your servant that I am praying to you today throughout both day and night on behalf of your servants the Israelites. I am confessing the sins of the Israelites that we have committed against you – both I myself and my family have sinned. 1:7 We have behaved corruptly against you, not obeying the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments that you commanded your servant Moses. 1:8 Please recall the word you commanded your servant Moses: ‘If you act unfaithfully, I will scatter you among the nations. 1:9 But if you repent and obey my commandments and do them, then even if your dispersed people are in the most remote location, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen for my name to reside.’ 1:10 They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your mighty strength and by your powerful hand. 1:11 Please, O Lord, listen attentively to the prayer of your servant and to the prayer of your servants who take pleasure in showing respect to your name. Grant your servant success today and show compassion to me in the presence of this man.”
Now I was cupbearer for the king.
Nehemiah Is Permitted to Go to Jerusalem
2:1 Then in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought to me, I took the wine and gave it to the king. Previously I had not been depressed in the king’s presence. 2:2 So the king said to me, “Why do you appear to be depressed when you aren’t sick? What can this be other than sadness of heart?” This made me very fearful.
2:3 I replied to the king, “O king, live forever! Why would I not appear dejected when the city with the graves of my ancestors lies desolate and its gates destroyed by fire?” 2:4 The king responded, “What is it you are seeking?” Then I quickly prayed to the God of heaven 2:5 and said to the king, “If the king is so inclined and if your servant has found favor in your sight, dispatch me to Judah, to the city with the graves of my ancestors, so that I can rebuild it.” 2:6 Then the king, with his consort sitting beside him, replied, “How long would your trip take, and when would you return?” Since the king was amenable to dispatching me, I gave him a time. 2:7 I said to the king, “If the king is so inclined, let him give me letters for the governors of Trans-Euphrates that will enable me to travel safely until I reach Judah, 2:8 and a letter for Asaph the keeper of the king’s nature preserve, so that he will give me timber for beams for the gates of the fortress adjacent to the temple and for the city wall and for the house to which I go.” So the king granted me these requests, for the good hand of my God was on me. 2:9 Then I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, and I presented to them the letters from the king. The king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen. 2:10 When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard all this, they were very displeased that someone had come to seek benefit for the Israelites.
Lord, You can cause even powerful human kings (without a relationship with You) to be kind to those Whom You choose to bless. May I never doubt that when You call You provide.
Nehemiah, cupbearer to the king of Persia, Artaxerxes received word that the exiles were despondent and Jerusalem was in ruins. He fasted and prayed and wept.
When it was time for him to bring wine to the king his depression was obvious and the king inquired as to the cause. Nehemiah was afraid as death, prison, or other punishment could come to anyone who displeased the king.
Nehemiah pleased his case to be permitted to travel to Jerusalem in Judea to repair the gates and walls and temple and the king agreed.
When Nehemiah presented the kings papers the local officials were angry as they opposed any reconstruction of Jerusalem.
As the king's cupbearer, Nehemiah's job was to personally test the quality and the safety of the wine served to the king, and he delivered it himself. It was a position of great risk, as an effort to poison the king would first poison him, and of great privilege and trust – to be in the presence of the king and to bring him his wine.
Why would Artaxerxes care if Nehemiah showed symptoms of depression?
The local officials in Jerusalem were jealous and suspicious.
When have you been the beneficiary of unexpected sensitivity from a superior?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a task He has for you for which you will need permission from an unlikely source.
Today I will boldly, humbly, and prayerfully step out in faith and request permission to embark upon whatever task the Lord has set before me. In school it may be to begin a “gather at the pole” prayer time, in the workplace it may be to offer a small lunchtime Bible study, in a fellowship it may be to offer a new and Biblically-challenging discipleship group.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
Nehemiah Arrives in Jerusalem
2:11 So I came to Jerusalem. When I had been there for three days, 2:12 I got up during the night, along with a few men who were with me. But I did not tell anyone what my God was putting on my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no animals with me, except for the one I was riding. 2:13 I proceeded through the Valley Gate by night, in the direction of the Well of the Dragons and the Dung Gate, inspecting the walls of Jerusalem that had been breached and its gates that had been destroyed by fire. 2:14 I passed on to the Gate of the Well and the King’s Pool, where there was not enough room for my animal to pass with me. 2:15 I continued up the valley during the night, inspecting the wall. Then I turned back and came to the Valley Gate, and so returned. 2:16 The officials did not know where I had gone or what I had been doing, for up to this point I had not told any of the Jews or the priests or the nobles or the officials or the rest of the workers. 2:17 Then I said to them, “You see the problem that we have: Jerusalem is desolate and its gates are burned. Come on! Let’s rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that this reproach will not continue.” 2:18 Then I related to them how the good hand of my God was on me and what the king had said to me. Then they replied, “Let’s begin rebuilding right away!” So they readied themselves for this good project. 2:19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard all this, they derided us and expressed contempt toward us. They said, “What is this you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” 2:20 I responded to them by saying, “The God of heaven will prosper us. We his servants will start the rebuilding. But you have no just or ancient right in Jerusalem.”
The Names of the Builders
3:1 Then Eliashib the high priest and his priestly colleagues arose and built the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and erected its doors, working as far as the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel. 3:2 The men of Jericho built adjacent to it, and Zaccur son of Imri built adjacent to them.
3:3 The sons of Hassenaah rebuilt the Fish Gate. They laid its beams and positioned its doors, its bolts, and its bars. 3:4 Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakoz, worked on the section adjacent to them. Meshullam son of Berechiah the son of Meshezabel worked on the section next to them. And Zadok son of Baana worked on the section adjacent to them. 3:5 The men of Tekoa worked on the section adjacent to them, but their town leaders would not assist with the work of their master.
3:6 Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah worked on the Jeshanah Gate. They laid its beams and positioned its doors, its bolts, and its bars. 3:7 Adjacent to them worked Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite, who were men of Gibeon and Mizpah. These towns were under the jurisdiction of the governor of Trans-Euphrates. 3:8 Uzziel son of Harhaiah, a member of the goldsmiths’ guild, worked on the section adjacent to him. Hananiah, a member of the perfumers’ guild, worked on the section adjacent to him. They plastered the city wall of Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. 3:9 Rephaiah son of Hur, head of a half-district of Jerusalem, worked on the section adjacent to them. 3:10 Jedaiah son of Harumaph worked on the section adjacent to them opposite his house, and Hattush son of Hashabneiah worked on the section adjacent to him. 3:11 Malkijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-Moab worked on another section and the Tower of the Fire Pots. 3:12 Shallum son of Hallohesh, head of a half-district of Jerusalem, worked on the section adjacent to him, assisted by his daughters.
3:13 Hanun and the residents of Zanoah worked on the Valley Gate. They rebuilt it and positioned its doors, its bolts, and its bars, in addition to working on fifteen hundred feet of the wall as far as the Dung Gate.
3:14 Malkijah son of Recab, head of the district of Beth Hakkerem, worked on the Dung Gate. He rebuilt it and positioned its doors, its bolts, and its bars.
3:15 Shallun son of Col-Hozeh, head of the district of Mizpah, worked on the Fountain Gate. He rebuilt it, put on its roof, and positioned its doors, its bolts, and its bars. In addition, he rebuilt the wall of the Pool of Siloam, by the royal garden, as far as the steps that go down from the City of David. 3:16 Nehemiah son of Azbuk, head of a half-district of Beth Zur, worked after him as far as the tombs of David and the artificial pool and the House of the Warriors.
3:17 After him the Levites worked – Rehum son of Bani and after him Hashabiah, head of half the district of Keilah, for his district. 3:18 After him their relatives worked – Binnui son of Henadad, head of a half-district of Keilah. 3:19 Adjacent to him Ezer son of Jeshua, head of Mizpah, worked on another section, opposite the ascent to the armory at the buttress. 3:20 After him Baruch son of Zabbai worked on another section, from the buttress to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest. 3:21 After him Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, worked on another section from the door of Eliashib’s house to the end of it.
3:22 After him the priests worked, men of the nearby district. 3:23 After them Benjamin and Hasshub worked opposite their house. After them Azariah son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, worked near his house. 3:24 After him Binnui son of Henadad worked on another section, from the house of Azariah to the buttress and the corner. 3:25 After him Palal son of Uzai worked opposite the buttress and the tower that protrudes from the upper palace of the court of the guard. After him Pedaiah son of Parosh 3:26 and the temple servants who were living on Ophel worked up to the area opposite the Water Gate toward the east and the protruding tower. 3:27 After them the men of Tekoa worked on another section, from opposite the great protruding tower to the wall of Ophel.
3:28 Above the Horse Gate the priests worked, each in front of his house. 3:29 After them Zadok son of Immer worked opposite his house, and after him Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, guard at the East Gate, worked. 3:30 After him Hananiah son of Shelemiah, and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, worked on another section. After them Meshullam son of Berechiah worked opposite his quarters. 3:31 After him Malkijah, one of the goldsmiths, worked as far as the house of the temple servants and the traders, opposite the Inspection Gate, and up to the room above the corner. 3:32 And between the room above the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and traders worked.
Opposition to the Work Continues
4:1 Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall he became angry and was quite upset. He derided the Jews, 4:2 and in the presence of his colleagues and the army of Samaria he said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they be left to themselves? Will they again offer sacrifice? Will they finish this in a day? Can they bring these burnt stones to life again from piles of dust?”
4:3 Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was close by, said, “If even a fox were to climb up on what they are building, it would break down their wall of stones!”
4:4 Hear, O our God, for we are despised! Return their reproach on their own head! Reduce them to plunder in a land of exile! 4:5 Do not cover their iniquity, and do not wipe out their sin from before them. For they have bitterly offended the builders!
4:6 So we rebuilt the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height. The people were enthusiastic in their work.
4:7 When Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the people of Ashdod heard that the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem had moved ahead and that the breaches had begun to be closed, they were very angry. 4:8 All of them conspired together to move with armed forces against Jerusalem and to create a disturbance in it. 4:9 So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard to protect against them both day and night. 4:10 Then those in Judah said, “The strength of the laborers has failed! The debris is so great that we are unable to rebuild the wall.”
4:11 Our adversaries also boasted, “Before they are aware or anticipate anything, we will come in among them and kill them, and we will bring this work to a halt!”
4:12 So it happened that the Jews who were living near them came and warned us repeatedly about all the schemes they were plotting against us.
4:13 So I stationed people at the lower places behind the wall in the exposed places. I stationed the people by families, with their swords, spears, and bows. 4:14 When I had made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the great and awesome Lord, and fight on behalf of your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your families!”
4:15 It so happened that when our adversaries heard that we were aware of these matters, God frustrated their intentions. Then all of us returned to the wall, each to his own work. 4:16 From that day forward, half of my men were doing the work and half of them were taking up spears, shields, bows, and body armor. Now the officers were behind all the people of Judah 4:17 who were rebuilding the wall. Those who were carrying loads did so by keeping one hand on the work and the other on their weapon. 4:18 The builders to a man had their swords strapped to their sides while they were building. But the trumpeter remained with me.
4:19 I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “The work is demanding and extensive, and we are spread out on the wall, far removed from one another. 4:20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, gather there with us. Our God will fight for us!”
4:21 So we worked on, with half holding spears, from dawn till dusk. 4:22 At that time I instructed the people, “Let every man and his coworker spend the night in Jerusalem and let them be guards for us by night and workers by day. 4:23 We did not change clothes – not I, nor my relatives, nor my workers, nor the watchmen who were with me. Each had his weapon, even when getting a drink of water.
Lord, faith and wisdom are not separate, while we trust You to provide and to protect when You send us – we are expected to behave wisely. Though I trust You I am responsible, so far as is within my power, to not leave doors open, to temptation, or to evil-doers.
Nehemiah secretly surveyed the ruins of Jerusalem and determined that the gates and walls needed to be rebuilt. When his plans became known to the locals they expressed disdain, suggesting that they were in rebellion against the king. Nehemiah informed them that the occupants-of-the-moment had no ancient right to Jerusalem and that the Lord God would prosper the work of reconstruction.
As they continued their work the locals became increasingly angry and in addition to deriding them they attempted to agitate the army of Samaria against them.
Nehemiah prayed to the Lord God for protection, and though he was certain of His protection, he posted guards day and night.
Nehemiah knew that he had to be cautious with the locals, and while they held the power for the moment, He was beginning the reconstruction of the heart of what was once a great and powerful nation.
Why would Nehemiah feel it was important to rebuild the gates and the walls as well as the temple?
It must have been frightening to be exiles surrounded by unfriendly foreigners as they attempted to fulfill the task placed before them.
When have you been asked to accomplish a task despite resistance from many all around you?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where He has, or is, providing and protecting as you complete(d) a task He has (had) given to you.
Today I will give thanks for His past provision and protection and celebrate what He has done. If my ministry is current and future I will boldly step-out in faith to serve without fear, while being wise as I go.
Be Specific ________________________________________________
Nehemiah Intervenes on behalf of the Oppressed
5:1 Then there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews. 5:2 There were those who said, “With our sons and daughters, we are many. We must obtain grain in order to eat and stay alive.” 5:3 There were others who said, “We are putting up our fields, our vineyards, and our houses as collateral in order to obtain grain during the famine.” 5:4 Then there were those who said, “We have borrowed money to pay our taxes to the king on our fields and our vineyards. 5:5 And now, though we share the same flesh and blood as our fellow countrymen, and our children are just like their children, still we have found it necessary to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have been subjected to slavery, while we are powerless to help, since our fields and vineyards now belong to other people.”
5:6 I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these complaints. 5:7 I considered these things carefully and then registered a complaint with the wealthy and the officials. I said to them, “Each one of you is seizing the collateral from your own countrymen!” Because of them I called for a great public assembly. 5:8 I said to them, “To the extent possible we have bought back our fellow Jews who had been sold to the Gentiles. But now you yourselves want to sell your own countrymen, so that we can then buy them back!” They were utterly silent, and could find nothing to say.
5:9 Then I said, “The thing that you are doing is wrong! Should you not conduct yourselves in the fear of our God in order to avoid the reproach of the Gentiles who are our enemies? 5:10 Even I and my relatives and my associates are lending them money and grain. But let us abandon this practice of seizing collateral! 5:11 This very day return to them their fields, their vineyards, their olive trees, and their houses, along with the interest that you are exacting from them on the money, the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil.”
5:12 They replied, “We will return these things, and we will no longer demand anything from them. We will do just as you say.” Then I called the priests and made the wealthy and the officials swear to do what had been promised. 5:13 I also shook out my garment, and I said, “In this way may God shake out from his house and his property every person who does not carry out this matter. In this way may he be shaken out and emptied!” All the assembly replied, “So be it!” and they praised the LORD. Then the people did as they had promised.
5:14 From the day that I was appointed governor in the land of Judah, that is, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes – twelve years in all – neither I nor my relatives ate the food allotted to the governor. 5:15 But the former governors who preceded me had burdened the people and had taken food and wine from them, in addition to forty shekels of silver. Their associates were also domineering over the people. But I did not behave in this way, due to my fear of God. 5:16 I gave myself to the work on this wall, without even purchasing a field. All my associates were gathered there for the work.
5:17 There were 150 Jews and officials who dined with me routinely, in addition to those who came to us from the nations all around us. 5:18 Every day one ox, six select sheep, and some birds were prepared for me, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Despite all this I did not require the food allotted to the governor, for the work was demanding on this people.
5:19 Please remember me for good, O my God, for all that I have done for this people.
Opposition to the Rebuilding Efforts Continues
6:1 When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and no breach remained in it (even though up to that time I had not positioned doors in the gates), 6:2 Sanballat and Geshem sent word to me saying, “Come on! Let’s set up a time to meet together at Kephirim in the plain of Ono.” Now they intended to do me harm.
6:3 So I sent messengers to them saying, “I am engaged in an important work, and I am unable to come down. Why should the work come to a halt when I leave it to come down to you?” 6:4 They contacted me four times in this way, and I responded the same way each time.
6:5 The fifth time that Sanballat sent his assistant to me in this way, he had an open letter in his hand. 6:6 Written in it were the following words:
“Among the nations it is rumored (and Geshem has substantiated this) that you and the Jews have intentions of revolting, and for this reason you are building the wall. Furthermore, according to these rumors you are going to become their king. 6:7 You have also established prophets to announce in Jerusalem on your behalf, ‘We have a king in Judah!’ Now the king is going to hear about these rumors. So come on! Let’s talk about this.”
6:8 I sent word back to him, “We are not engaged in these activities you are describing. All of this is a figment of your imagination.”
6:9 All of them were wanting to scare us, supposing, “Their hands will grow slack from the work, and it won’t get done.”
So now, strengthen my hands!
6:10 Then I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel. He was confined to his home. He said, “Let’s set up a time to meet in the house of God, within the temple. Let’s close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. It will surely be at night that they will come to kill you.”
6:11 But I replied, “Should a man like me run away? Would someone like me flee to the temple in order to save his life? I will not go!” 6:12 I recognized the fact that God had not sent him, for he had spoken the prophecy against me as a hired agent of Tobiah and Sanballat. 6:13 He had been hired to scare me so that I would do this and thereby sin. They would thus bring reproach on me and I would be discredited.
6:14 Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat in light of these actions of theirs – also Noadiah the prophetess and the other prophets who were trying to scare me!
The Rebuilding of the Wall Is Finally Completed
6:15 So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in just fifty-two days. 6:16 When all our enemies heard and all the nations who were around us saw this, they were greatly disheartened. They knew that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.
6:17 In those days the aristocrats of Judah repeatedly sent letters to Tobiah, and responses from Tobiah were repeatedly coming to them. 6:18 For many in Judah had sworn allegiance to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah. His son Jonathan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah. 6:19 They were telling me about his good deeds and then taking back to him the things I said. Tobiah, on the other hand, sent letters in order to scare me.
7:1 When the wall had been rebuilt and I had positioned the doors, and the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed, 7:2 I then put in charge over Jerusalem my brother Hanani and Hananiah the chief of the citadel, for he was a faithful man and feared God more than many do. 7:3 I said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem must not be opened in the early morning, until those who are standing guard close the doors and lock them. Position residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their guard stations and some near their homes.” 7:4 Now the city was spread out and large, and there were not a lot of people in it. At that time houses had not been rebuilt. 7:5 My God placed it on my heart to gather the leaders, the officials, and the ordinary people so they could be enrolled on the basis of genealogy. I found the genealogical records of those who had formerly returned. Here is what I found written in that record:
7:6 These are the people of the province who returned from the captivity of the exiles, whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had forced into exile. They returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, each to his own city. 7:7 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah.
The number of Israelite men was as follows:
7:8 the descendants of Parosh, 2,172;
7:9 the descendants of Shephatiah, 372;
7:10 the descendants of Arah, 652;
7:11 the descendants of Pahath-Moab (from the line of Jeshua and Joab), 2,818;
7:12 the descendants of Elam, 1,254;
7:13 the descendants of Zattu, 845;
7:14 the descendants of Zaccai, 760;
7:15 the descendants of Binnui, 648;
7:16 the descendants of Bebai, 628;
7:17 the descendants of Azgad, 2,322;
7:18 the descendants of Adonikam, 667;
7:19 the descendants of Bigvai, 2,067;
7:20 the descendants of Adin, 655;
7:21 the descendants of Ater (through Hezekiah), 98;
7:22 the descendants of Hashum, 328;
7:23 the descendants of Bezai, 324;
7:24 the descendants of Harif, 112;
7:25 the descendants of Gibeon, 95;
7:26 The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, 188;
7:27 the men of Anathoth, 128;
7:28 the men of the family of Azmaveth, 42;
7:29 the men of Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth, 743;
7:30 the men of Ramah and Geba, 621;
7:31 the men of Micmash, 122;
7:32 the men of Bethel and Ai, 123;
7:33 the men of the other Nebo, 52;
7:34 the descendants of the other Elam, 1,254;
7:35 the descendants of Harim, 320;
7:36 the descendants of Jericho, 345;
7:37 the descendants of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 721;
7:38 the descendants of Senaah, 3,930.
7:39 The priests:
the descendants of Jedaiah (through the family of Jeshua), 973;
7:40 the descendants of Immer, 1,052;
7:41 the descendants of Pashhur, 1,247;
7:42 the descendants of Harim, 1,017.
7:43 The Levites:
the descendants of Jeshua (through Kadmiel, through the line of Hodaviah), 74.
7:44 The singers:
the descendants of Asaph, 148.
7:45 The gatekeepers:
the descendants of Shallum, the descendants of Ater, the descendants of Talmon, the descendants of Akkub, the descendants of Hatita, and the descendants of Shobai, 138.
7:46 The temple servants:
the descendants of Ziha, the descendants of Hasupha, the descendants of Tabbaoth, 7:47 the descendants of Keros, the descendants of Sia, the descendants of Padon, 7:48 the descendants of Lebanah, the descendants of Hagabah, the descendants of Shalmai, 7:49 the descendants of Hanan, the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Gahar, 7:50 the descendants of Reaiah, the descendants of Rezin, the descendants of Nekoda, 7:51 the descendants of Gazzam, the descendants of Uzzah, the descendants of Paseah, 7:52 the descendants of Besai, the descendants of Meunim, the descendants of Nephussim, 7:53 the descendants of Bakbuk, the descendants of Hakupha, the descendants of Harhur, 7:54 the descendants of Bazluth, the descendants of Mehida, the descendants of Harsha, 7:55 the descendants of Barkos, the descendants of Sisera, the descendants of Temah, 7:56 the descendants of Neziah, the descendants of Hatipha.
7:57 The descendants of the servants of Solomon:
the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Sophereth, the descendants of Perida, 7:58 the descendants of Jaala, the descendants of Darkon, the descendants of Giddel, 7:59 the descendants of Shephatiah, the descendants of Hattil, the descendants of Pokereth-Hazzebaim, and the descendants of Amon.
7:60 All the temple servants and the descendants of the servants of Solomon, 392.
7:61 These are the ones who came up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon, and Immer (although they were unable to certify their family connection or their ancestry, as to whether they were really from Israel):
7:62 the descendants of Delaiah, the descendants of Tobiah, and the descendants of Nekoda, 642.
7:63 And from among the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, and the descendants of Barzillai (who had married a woman from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that name). 7:64 They searched for their records in the genealogical materials, but none were found. They were therefore excluded from the priesthood. 7:65 The governor instructed them not to eat any of the sacred food until there was a priest who could consult the Urim and Thummim.
7:66 The entire group numbered 42,360, 7:67 not counting their 7,337 male and female servants. They also had 245 male and female singers. 7:68 They had 736 horses, 245 mules, 7:69 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys. 7:70 Some of the family leaders contributed to the work. The governor contributed to the treasury 1,000 gold drachmas, 50 bowls, and 530 priestly garments. 7:71 Some of the family leaders gave to the project treasury 20,000 gold drachmas and 2,200 silver minas. 7:72 What the rest of the people gave amounted to 20,000 gold drachmas, 2,000 silver minas, and 67 priestly garments.
7:73 The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all the rest of Israel lived in their cities.
Lord, You ask us to be faithful one day at a time and to not worry about the distractions and threats of this world, and when we are faithful we will see that You will have done great things through us. May I strive to serve You faithfully in the little things, day by day, and to stop and celebrate when You choose to show me where Your hand has reached through me – even in some very small way - to make a difference for Your great plan.
By appointment of the king, Nehemiah served as governor of the area around Jerusalem, and was confronted with the abuses of Jews toward fellow Jews.
Wealthy Jewish landowners and officials had been imposing taxes on others, extracting money, and causing them to place their land up as collateral for loans to pay for the taxes.
Nehemiah called them in and chastised them, demanding that they restore what they had taken and release the property-liens, and if not they would face the wrath of God. They did as instructed.
Nehemiah also refused to use monies collected from the Jewish people for the government to pay for his food as a role-model of sacrifice.
Local enemies of Nehemiah send multiple messages to Nehemiah inviting him to a meeting, but he knew it to be an ambush and replied that he was busy about his work, so they hired a false prophet about whom the Lord also gave him discernment.
The work of the gates and walls was finally completed but the aristocrats had allied themselves with Tobiah because of his local political connections, and there were additional threats to the Jews inside of the gates and walls, so Nehemiah assembled a list of the families and assigned responsibility for the guarding of the gates.
The Lord God called a remnant home to rebuild the temple, gates, and walls in order to renew His relationship with them.
Why would the Jewish officials and wealthy take advantage of their fellow Jews knowing all that they had suffered together?
Despite all of the threats the Lord God kept them safe and supplied until the task had been completed.
When have you experienced or observed members of a community taking advantage of other members even while everyone in the community was suffering?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a task that He has for you where there will be opposition but during which you are to trust and obey despite your fears.
Today I will step out in faith, believe the Lord God for His calling and promises, and complete each day's steps toward the completion of His assigned ministry. It may be parenting a difficult child or being a child in a difficult family, it may be sharing Christ with someone whom the Holy Spirit has prepared - but who is likely to respond with wide swings of positive and negative reactions - it may be saying no to a job or to a promotion or to some other opportunity that the world says is important because He has given you a different ministry. As needed, I will access fellow believers for accountability, encouragement, fellowship, and prayer.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The People Respond to the Reading of the Law
When the seventh month arrived and the Israelites were settled in their cities,
8:1 all the people gathered together in the plaza which was in front of the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the LORD had commanded Israel. 8:2 So Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly which included men and women and all those able to understand what they heard. (This happened on the first day of the seventh month.) 8:3 So he read it before the plaza in front of the Water Gate from dawn till noon before the men and women and those children who could understand. All the people were eager to hear the book of the law.
8:4 Ezra the scribe stood on a towering wooden platform constructed for this purpose. Standing near him on his right were Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Masseiah. On his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 8:5 Ezra opened the book in plain view of all the people, for he was elevated above all the people. When he opened the book, all the people stood up. 8:6 Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people replied “Amen! Amen!” as they lifted their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
8:7 Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah – all of whom were Levites – were teaching the people the law, as the people remained standing. 8:8 They read from the book of God’s law, explaining it and imparting insight. Thus the people gained understanding from what was read.
8:9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priestly scribe, and the Levites who were imparting understanding to the people said to all of them, “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping when they heard the words of the law. 8:10 He said to them, “Go and eat delicacies and drink sweet drinks and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared. For this day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
8:11 Then the Levites quieted all the people saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy. Do not grieve.” 8:12 So all the people departed to eat and drink and to share their food with others and to enjoy tremendous joy, for they had gained insight in the matters that had been made known to them.
8:13 On the second day of the month the family leaders met with Ezra the scribe, together with all the people, the priests, and the Levites, to consider the words of the law. 8:14 They discovered written in the law that the LORD had commanded through Moses that the Israelites should live in temporary shelters during the festival of the seventh month, 8:15 and that they should make a proclamation and disseminate this message in all their cities and in Jerusalem: “Go to the hill country and bring back olive branches and branches of wild olive trees, myrtle trees, date palms, and other leafy trees to construct temporary shelters, as it is written.”
8:16 So the people went out and brought these things back and constructed temporary shelters for themselves, each on his roof and in his courtyard and in the courtyards of the temple of God and in the plaza of the Water Gate and the plaza of the Ephraim Gate. 8:17 So all the assembly which had returned from the exile constructed temporary shelters and lived in them. The Israelites had not done so from the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day. Everyone experienced very great joy. 8:18 Ezra read in the book of the law of God day by day, from the first day to the last. They observed the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day they held an assembly as was required.
The People Acknowledge Their Sin before God
9:1 On the twenty-fourth day of this same month the Israelites assembled; they were fasting and wearing sackcloth, their heads covered with dust. 9:2 Those truly of Israelite descent separated from all the foreigners, standing and confessing their sins and the iniquities of their ancestors. 9:3 For one-fourth of the day they stood in their place and read from the book of the law of the LORD their God, and for another fourth they were confessing their sins and worshiping the LORD their God. 9:4 Then the Levites – Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Kenani – stood on the steps and called out loudly to the LORD their God. 9:5 The Levites – Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah – said, “Stand up and bless the LORD your God!”
“May you be blessed, O LORD our God, from age to age. May your glorious name be blessed; may it be lifted up above all blessing and praise. 9:6 You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, along with all their multitude of stars, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You impart life to them all, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.
9:7 “You are the LORD God who chose Abram and brought him forth from Ur of the Chaldeans. You changed his name to Abraham. 9:8 When you perceived that his heart was faithful toward you, you established a covenant with him to give his descendants the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, and the Girgashites. You have fulfilled your promise, for you are righteous.
9:9 “You saw the affliction of our ancestors in Egypt, and you heard their cry at the Red Sea. 9:10 You performed awesome signs against Pharaoh, against his servants, and against all the people of his land, for you knew that the Egyptians had acted presumptuously against them. You made for yourself a name that is celebrated to this day. 9:11 You split the sea before them, and they crossed through the sea on dry ground! But you threw their pursuers into the depths, like a stone into surging waters. 9:12 You guided them with a pillar of cloud by day and with a pillar of fire by night to illumine for them the path they were to travel.
9:13 “You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven. You provided them with just judgments, true laws, and good statutes and commandments. 9:14 You made known to them your holy Sabbath; you issued commandments, statutes, and law to them through Moses your servant. 9:15 You provided bread from heaven for them in their time of hunger, and you brought forth water from the rock for them in their time of thirst. You told them to enter in order to possess the land that you had sworn to give them.
9:16 “But they – our ancestors – behaved presumptuously; they rebelled and did not obey your commandments. 9:17 They refused to obey and did not recall your miracles that you had performed among them. Instead, they rebelled and appointed a leader to return to their bondage in Egypt. But you are a God of forgiveness, merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and unfailing in your loyal love. You did not abandon them, 9:18 even when they made a cast image of a calf for themselves and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up from Egypt,’ or when they committed atrocious blasphemies.
9:19 “Due to your great compassion you did not abandon them in the desert. The pillar of cloud did not stop guiding them in the path by day, nor did the pillar of fire stop illuminating for them by night the path on which they should travel. 9:20 You imparted your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths; you provided water for their thirst. 9:21 For forty years you sustained them. Even in the desert they never lacked anything. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.
9:22 “You gave them kingdoms and peoples, and you allocated them to every corner of the land. They inherited the land of King Sihon of Heshbon and the land of King Og of Bashan. 9:23 You multiplied their descendants like the stars of the sky. You brought them to the land you had told their ancestors to enter in order to possess. 9:24 Their descendants entered and possessed the land. You subdued before them the Canaanites who were the inhabitants of the land. You delivered them into their hand, together with their kings and the peoples of the land, to deal with as they pleased. 9:25 They captured fortified cities and fertile land. They took possession of houses full of all sorts of good things – wells previously dug, vineyards, olive trees, and fruit trees in abundance. They ate until they were full and grew fat. They enjoyed to the full your great goodness.
9:26 “Nonetheless they grew disobedient and rebelled against you; they disregarded your law. They killed your prophets who had solemnly admonished them in order to cause them to return to you. They committed atrocious blasphemies. 9:27 Therefore you delivered them into the hand of their adversaries, who oppressed them. But in the time of their distress they called to you, and you heard from heaven. In your abundant compassion you provided them with deliverers to rescue them from their adversaries.
9:28 “Then, when they were at rest again, they went back to doing evil before you. Then you abandoned them to their enemies, and they gained dominion over them. When they again cried out to you, in your compassion you heard from heaven and rescued them time and again. 9:29 And you solemnly admonished them in order to return them to your law, but they behaved presumptuously and did not obey your commandments. They sinned against your ordinances – those by which an individual, if he obeys them, will live. They boldly turned from you; they rebelled and did not obey. 9:30 You prolonged your kindness with them for many years, and you solemnly admonished them by your Spirit through your prophets. Still they paid no attention, so you delivered them into the hands of the neighboring peoples. 9:31 However, due to your abundant mercy you did not do away with them altogether; you did not abandon them. For you are a merciful and compassionate God.
9:32 “So now, our God – the great, powerful, and awesome God, who keeps covenant fidelity – do not regard as inconsequential all the hardship that has befallen us – our kings, our leaders, our priests, our prophets, our ancestors, and all your people – from the days of the kings of Assyria until this very day! 9:33 You are righteous with regard to all that has happened to us, for you have acted faithfully. It is we who have been in the wrong! 9:34 Our kings, our leaders, our priests, and our ancestors have not kept your law. They have not paid attention to your commandments or your testimonies by which you have solemnly admonished them. 9:35 Even when they were in their kingdom and benefiting from your incredible goodness that you had lavished on them in the spacious and fertile land you had set before them, they did not serve you, nor did they turn from their evil practices.
9:36 “So today we are slaves! In the very land you gave to our ancestors to eat its fruit and to enjoy its good things – we are slaves! 9:37 Its abundant produce goes to the kings you have placed over us due to our sins. They rule over our bodies and our livestock as they see fit, and we are in great distress!
The People Pledge to be Faithful
9:38 “Because of all of this we are entering into a binding covenant in written form; our leaders, our Levites, and our priests have affixed their names on the sealed document.”
10:1 On the sealed documents were the following names:
Nehemiah the governor, son of Hacaliah, along with Zedekiah,
10:2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
10:3 Pashhur, Amariah, Malkijah,
10:4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,
10:5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,
10:6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,
10:7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,
10:8 Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests.
10:9 The Levites were as follows:
Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel.
10:10 Their colleagues were as follows:
Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,
10:11 Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah,
10:12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,
10:13 Hodiah, Bani, and Beninu.
10:14 The leaders of the people were as follows:
Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,
10:15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,
10:16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,
10:17 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,
10:18 Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,
10:19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,
10:20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,
10:21 Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,
10:22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,
10:23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub,
10:24 Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek,
10:25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,
10:26 Ahiah, Hanan, Anan,
10:27 Malluch, Harim, and Baanah.
10:28 “Now the rest of the people – the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple attendants, and all those who have separated themselves from the neighboring peoples because of the law of God, along with their wives, their sons, and their daughters, all of whom are able to understand – 10:29 hereby participate with their colleagues the town leaders and enter into a curse and an oath to adhere to the law of God which was given through Moses the servant of God, and to obey carefully all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, along with his ordinances and his statutes.
10:30 “We will not give our daughters in marriage to the neighboring peoples, and we will not take their daughters in marriage for our sons. 10:31 We will not buy on the Sabbath or on a holy day from the neighboring peoples who bring their wares and all kinds of grain to sell on the Sabbath day. We will let the fields lie fallow every seventh year, and we will cancel every loan. 10:32 We accept responsibility for fulfilling the commands to give one third of a shekel each year for the work of the temple of our God, 10:33 for the loaves of presentation and for the regular grain offerings and regular burnt offerings, for the Sabbaths, for the new moons, for the appointed meetings, for the holy offerings, for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the temple of our God.
10:34 “We – the priests, the Levites, and the people – have cast lots concerning the wood offerings, to bring them to the temple of our God according to our families at the designated times year by year to burn on the altar of the LORD our God, as is written in the law. 10:35 We also accept responsibility for bringing the first fruits of our land and the first fruits of every fruit tree year by year to the temple of the LORD. 10:36 We also accept responsibility, as is written in the law, for bringing the firstborn of our sons and our cattle and the firstborn of our herds and of our flocks to the temple of our God, to the priests who are ministering in the temple of our God. 10:37 We will also bring the first of our coarse meal, of our contributions, of the fruit of every tree, of new wine, and of olive oil to the priests at the storerooms of the temple of our God, along with a tenth of the produce of our land to the Levites, for the Levites are the ones who collect the tithes in all the cities where we work. 10:38 A priest of Aaron’s line will be with the Levites when the Levites collect the tithes, and the Levites will bring up a tenth of the tithes to the temple of our God, to the storerooms of the treasury. 10:39 The Israelites and the Levites will bring the contribution of the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil to the storerooms where the utensils of the sanctuary are kept, and where the priests who minister stay, along with the gatekeepers and the singers. We will not neglect the temple of our God.”
Lord, when we listen You remind us of the contrast between Your faithfulness and our unfaithfulness, and we are brought to our knees in repentance. You are always righteous and always faithful, yet we repeatedly disrespect, disobey, and dishonor You. May I prayerfully reflect daily to be certain that I view my choices through Your holy eyes and not the imperfect perspective of this fallen world and may I remember Your righteousness and faithfulness daily as a reminder of the high and perfect standard You set and my obligation to reach toward that goal.
The people were called to a great assembly and Ezra the scribe read the book of Moses to them. As he did so, Nehemiah and the Levites joined him in explaining the words to them, and the people began to praise the Lord God and to weep.
Ezra and Nehemiah and the Levites instructed them, saying “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” but to instead be joyful and celebrate – and so they did.
The people returned and Ezra read some more during which time they re-discovered the Festival of Shelters and so they gathered resources and created temporary shelters where they lived for seven days as Ezra read and taught some more – then they gathered again in a great assembly.
Those of true Israelite heritage stepped forward and the leaders recited the history of God's relationship with Israel and their many offenses against Him, concluding that their slavery in the Promised Land was a result of their rebellion, and that they now made a covenant of faithfulness – even written down in a Levitical document.
Nehemiah and Ezra led the people in reciting the history of Israel as a confession of rebellion as their priests placed their names on a written covenant of obedience.
They declared the following truths “You are righteous with regard to all that has happened to us, for you have acted faithfully. It is we who have been in the wrong! Our kings, our leaders, our priests, and our ancestors have not kept your law. “
As had been the historical practice the covenant included “... a curse and an oath to adhere to the law of God which was given through Moses the servant of God, and to obey carefully all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, along with his ordinances and his statutes. We will not give our daughters in marriage to the neighboring peoples, and we will not take their daughters in marriage for our sons.” They also agreed to a series of Sabbath practices and other religious celebrations.
Ezra, Nehemiah, and the Levites invested a great deal of time in assisting the people in a clear understanding of the law of Moses. The people were comparing their most-recent offenses to those of historic Israel and were pleading for the Lord God to grant them mercy yet one more time.
Why did the Lord God cause them to read the history until it caused them to weep, then to celebrate, then to begin observance of the Feast of Booths (temporary shelters), then to stand again as their leaders recited the history? Why would the people think - after bringing them back to Jerusalem as a remnant, still in slavery to Assyria - that God would forgive them for the same old disobedience?
The Jews had agreed to covenants with the Lord God before, in the desert and at the mountain. This time, however, there was nothing about a Promised Land – they were captives there – instead it was about their relationship with the Lord God and nothing else. The process of including blessings and curses proclaims the relationship of clear justice for choices, consequences for rebellion, and of blessings for obedience.
When have you experienced or observed a fellowship reciting its history in order to acquire perspective as to their purpose? When have you pleaded for mercy after repeating the same offense multiple times?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a choice or choices you have made, or are making, which has/have placed you in a less-than-optimum position in your relationship with the Lord God – and perhaps also - fellow humans, and a pattern of disobedience in your life.
Today I will confess my poor decisions, acknowledge that the consequences are my responsibility, repent and accept the Lord God's forgiveness, and covenant (contract) with Him to live a walk of faithfulness to Him. I will share this with a fellow believer and ask them to pray in-agreement with me for the strength to stay that course.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
The Population of Jerusalem
11:1 So the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem, while the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten to settle in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the other nine remained in other cities. 11:2 The people gave their blessing on all the men who volunteered to settle in Jerusalem.
11:3 These are the provincial leaders who settled in Jerusalem. (While other Israelites, the priests, the Levites, the temple attendants, and the sons of the servants of Solomon settled in the cities of Judah, each on his own property in their cities, 11:4 some of the descendants of Judah and some of the descendants of Benjamin settled in Jerusalem.)
Of the descendants of Judah:
Athaiah son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, from the descendants of Perez; 11:5 and Maaseiah son of Baruch, the son of Col-Hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, from the descendants of Shelah. 11:6 The sum total of the descendants of Perez who were settling in Jerusalem was 468 exceptional men.
11:7 These are the descendants of Benjamin:
Sallu son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah, 11:8 and his followers, Gabbai and Sallai – 928 in all. 11:9 Joel son of Zicri was the officer in charge of them, and Judah son of Hassenuah was second-in-command over the city.
11:10 From the priests:
Jedaiah son of Joiarib, Jakin, 11:11 Seraiah son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, supervisor in the temple of God, 11:12 and their colleagues who were carrying out work for the temple – 822; and Adaiah son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah, 11:13 and his colleagues who were heads of families – 242; and Amashsai son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer, 11:14 and his colleagues who were exceptional men – 128. The officer over them was Zabdiel the son of Haggedolim.
11:15 From the Levites:
Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni; 11:16 Shabbethai and Jozabad, leaders of the Levites, were in charge of the external work for the temple of God; 11:17 Mattaniah son of Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, the praise leader who led in thanksgiving and prayer; Bakbukiah, second among his colleagues; and Abda son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. 11:18 The sum total of the Levites in the holy city was 284.
11:19 And the gatekeepers:
Akkub, Talmon and their colleagues who were guarding the gates – 172.
11:20 And the rest of the Israelites, with the priests and the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, each on his own property.
11:21 The temple attendants were living on Ophel, and Ziha and Gishpa were over them.
11:22 The overseer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica. He was one of Asaph’s descendants who were the singers responsible for the service of the temple of God. 11:23 For they were under royal orders which determined their activity day by day.
11:24 Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, one of the descendants of Zerah son of Judah, was an adviser to the king in every matter pertaining to the people.
11:25 As for the settlements with their fields, some of the people of Judah settled in Kiriath Arba and its neighboring villages, in Dibon and its villages, in Jekabzeel and its settlements, 11:26 in Jeshua, in Moladah, in Beth Pelet, 11:27 in Hazar Shual, in Beer Sheba and its villages, 11:28 in Ziklag, in Meconah and its villages, 11:29 in En Rimmon, in Zorah, in Jarmuth, 11:30 Zanoah, Adullam and their settlements, in Lachish and its fields, and in Azekah and its villages. So they were encamped from Beer Sheba to the Valley of Hinnom.
11:31 Some of the descendants of Benjamin settled in Geba, Micmash, Aija, Bethel and its villages, 11:32 in Anathoth, Nob, and Ananiah, 11:33 in Hazor, Ramah, and Gittaim, 11:34 in Hadid, Zeboim, and Neballat, 11:35 in Lod, Ono, and the Valley of the Craftsmen. 11:36 Some of the Judean divisions of the Levites settled in Benjamin.
The Priests and the Levites Who Returned to Jerusalem
12:1 These are the priests and Levites who returned with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, 12:2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, 12:3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, 12:4 Iddo, Ginnethon, Abijah, 12:5 Mijamin, Moadiah, Bilgah, 12:6 Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, 12:7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. These were the leaders of the priests and their colleagues in the days of Jeshua.
12:8 And the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who together with his colleagues was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. 12:9 Bakbukiah and Unni, their colleagues, stood opposite them in the services.
12:10 Jeshua was the father of Joiakim, Joiakim was the father of Eliashib, Eliashib was the father of Joiada, 12:11 Joiada was the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan was the father of Jaddua.
12:12 In the days of Joiakim, these were the priests who were leaders of the families: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; 12:13 of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; 12:14 of Malluch, Jonathan; of Shecaniah, Joseph; 12:15 of Harim, Adna; of Meremoth, Helkai; 12:16 of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; 12:17 of Abijah, Zicri; of Miniamin and of Moadiah, Piltai; 12:18 of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; 12:19 of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; 12:20 of Sallu, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; 12:21 of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel.
12:22 As for the Levites, in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan and Jaddua the heads of families were recorded, as were the priests during the reign of Darius the Persian. 12:23 The descendants of Levi were recorded in the Book of the Chronicles as heads of families up to the days of Johanan son of Eliashib. 12:24 And the leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their colleagues, who stood opposite them to offer praise and thanks, one contingent corresponding to the other, as specified by David the man of God.
12:25 Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers who were guarding the storerooms at the gates. 12:26 These all served in the days of Joiakim son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priestly scribe.
The Wall of Jerusalem is Dedicated
12:27 At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, they sought out the Levites from all the places they lived to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication joyfully with songs of thanksgiving and songs accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres. 12:28 The singers were also assembled from the district around Jerusalem and from the settlements of the Netophathites 12:29 and from Beth Gilgal and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built settlements for themselves around Jerusalem. 12:30 When the priests and Levites had purified themselves, they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.
12:31 I brought the leaders of Judah up on top of the wall, and I appointed two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed on the top of the wall southward toward the Dung Gate. 12:32 Going after them were Hoshaiah, half the leaders of Judah, 12:33 Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 12:34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 12:35 some of the priests with trumpets, Zechariah son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph, 12:36 and his colleagues – Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani – with musical instruments of David the man of God. (Ezra the scribe led them.) 12:37 They went over the Fountain Gate and continued directly up the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall. They passed the house of David and continued on to the Water Gate toward the east.
12:38 The second choir was proceeding in the opposite direction. I followed them, along with half the people, on top of the wall, past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, 12:39 over the Ephraim Gate, the Jeshanah Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate. They stopped at the Gate of the Guard.
12:40 Then the two choirs that gave thanks took their stations in the temple of God. I did also, along with half the officials with me, 12:41 and the priests – Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with their trumpets – 12:42 and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam, and Ezer. The choirs sang loudly under the direction of Jezrahiah. 12:43 And on that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced, for God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard from far away.
12:44 On that day men were appointed over the storerooms for the contributions, first fruits, and tithes, to gather into them from the fields of the cities the portions prescribed by the law for the priests and the Levites, for the people of Judah took delight in the priests and Levites who were ministering. 12:45 They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, along with the singers and gatekeepers, according to the commandment of David and his son Solomon. 12:46 For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there had been directors for the singers and for the songs of praise and thanks to God. 12:47 So in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah, all Israel was contributing the portions for the singers and gatekeepers, according to the daily need. They also set aside the portion for the Levites, and the Levites set aside the portion for the descendants of Aaron.
Further Reforms by Nehemiah
13:1 On that day the book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people. They found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite may ever enter the assembly of God, 13:2 for they had not met the Israelites with food and water, but instead had hired Balaam to curse them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into blessing.) 13:3 When they heard the law, they removed from Israel all who were of mixed ancestry.
13:4 But prior to this time, Eliashib the priest, a relative of Tobiah, had been appointed over the storerooms of the temple of our God. 13:5 He made for himself a large storeroom where previously they had been keeping the grain offering, the incense, and the vessels, along with the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil as commanded for the Levites, the singers, the gate keepers, and the offering for the priests.
13:6 During all this time I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes of Babylon, I had gone back to the king. After some time I had requested leave of the king, 13:7 and I returned to Jerusalem. Then I discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah by supplying him with a storeroom in the courts of the temple of God. 13:8 I was very upset, and I threw all of Tobiah’s household possessions out of the storeroom. 13:9 Then I gave instructions that the storerooms should be purified, and I brought back the equipment of the temple of God, along with the grain offering and the incense.
13:10 I also discovered that the grain offerings for the Levites had not been provided, and that as a result the Levites and the singers who performed this work had all gone off to their fields. 13:11 So I registered a complaint with the leaders, asking “Why is the temple of God neglected?” Then I gathered them and reassigned them to their positions.
13:12 Then all of Judah brought the tithe of the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil to the storerooms. 13:13 I gave instructions that Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and a certain Levite named Pedaiah be put in charge of the storerooms, and that Hanan son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah, be their assistant, for they were regarded as trustworthy. It was then their responsibility to oversee the distribution to their colleagues.
13:14 Please remember me for this, O my God, and do not wipe out the kindness that I have done for the temple of my God and for its services!
13:15 In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath, bringing in heaps of grain and loading them onto donkeys, along with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, and bringing them to Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned them on the day that they sold these provisions. 13:16 The people from Tyre who lived there were bringing fish and all kinds of merchandise and were selling it on the Sabbath to the people of Judah – and in Jerusalem, of all places! 13:17 So I registered a complaint with the nobles of Judah, saying to them, “What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day? 13:18 Isn’t this the way your ancestors acted, causing our God to bring on them and on this city all this misfortune? And now you are causing even more wrath on Israel, profaning the Sabbath like this!”
13:19 When the evening shadows began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered the doors to be closed. I further directed that they were not to be opened until after the Sabbath. I positioned some of my young men at the gates so that no load could enter on the Sabbath day. 13:20 The traders and sellers of all kinds of merchandise spent the night outside Jerusalem once or twice. 13:21 But I warned them and said, “Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you repeat this, I will forcibly remove you!” From that time on they did not show up on the Sabbath. 13:22 Then I directed the Levites to purify themselves and come and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy.
For this please remember me, O my God, and have pity on me in keeping with your great love.
13:23 Also in those days I saw the men of Judah who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 13:24 Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod (or the language of one of the other peoples mentioned) and were unable to speak the language of Judah. 13:25 So I entered a complaint with them. I called down a curse on them, and I struck some of the men and pulled out their hair. I had them swear by God saying, “You will not marry off your daughters to their sons, and you will not take any of their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves! 13:26 Was it not because of things like these that King Solomon of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. But the foreign wives made even him sin! 13:27 Should we then in your case hear that you do all this great evil, thereby being unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign wives?”
13:28 Now one of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite. So I banished him from my sight.
13:29 Please remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, the covenant of the priesthood, and the Levites.
13:30 So I purified them of everything foreign, and I assigned specific duties to the priests and the Levites. 13:31 I also provided for the wood offering at the appointed times and also for the first fruits.
Please remember me for good, O my God.
Psalm 126
126:1 A song of ascents.
When the Lord restored the well-being of Zion, we thought we were dreaming.
126:2 At that time we laughed loudly and shouted for joy.
At that time the nations said, “The Lord has accomplished great things for these people.”
126:3 The Lord did indeed accomplish great things for us. We were happy.
126:4 O Lord, restore our well-being, just as the streams in the arid south are replenished.
126:5 Those who shed tears as they plant will shout for joy when they reap the harvest.
126:6 The one who weeps as he walks along, carrying his bag of seed, will certainly come in with a shout of joy, carrying his sheaves of grain.
Lord, when You set apart the remnant and called them to righteousness You stirred their hearts to love one-another, and to worship You. You have regularly sent leaders to purify Your people from their rebellious sin, mercifully patiently allowing them to repent and to be restored. May I be stirred to righteousness every day and give You praise every moment because You accepted me as Your child and may I be careful not to fall into the pattern of sin and repentance when I should be growing and becoming more valuable as Your instrument of truth.
The leaders lived in Jerusalem. Ten percent of the population of the remnant of Israel, who resided in the region, were chosen by lot to also live in Jerusalem. The spirit of God upon the people was such that those who were chosen were blessed by those who were not
There was a great celebration of the completion of the walls. Levites were recruits from the region to come and to lead the praises in two great choirs.
When the law of Moses was read the people discovered the prohibition of Ammonites from fellowship with Israel and immediately removed those of mixed ancestry from Jerusalem.
Nehemiah had returned to the service of king Axertaxes but visited Jerusalem and discovered that Eliashib the priest, a relative of Tobias, had displaced many of God's temple resources (in the storeroom) with those of Tobias. Nehemiah threw those things out and restored God's resources to their rightful place.
The grain and other support due the Levite priest and singers had been withheld so that they had left to return to their homes and fields. Nehemiah called them back and offerings of grain, new wine, and olive oil were gathered from Judah.
Israelites and men from Tyre were doing business in Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Nehemiah filed complaints with the leaders, then closed the gates on the eve of the Sabbath, posting guards there. Sellers waited by the gates for two Sabbaths until Nehemiah threatened to punish them, then they stopped coming on the Sabbath. Nehemiah has the Levites purify themselves and take over responsibility for the guarding of the gates to protect the Sabbath.
Nehemiah challenged all who had married pagans, especially the Levites, even banning the son of the high priest who had done so. Nehemiah even physically-assaulted some of the men who had allowed some of their daughters to marry pagans – demanding that they cease doing so. He aggressively pursued the purification of Israel and instructed that the Levites to adhere to a more strict keeping of the laws.
Psalm 126 “When the Lord restored the well-being of Zion, we thought we were dreaming.”
The Jews were still surrounded by displeased locals who both feared and hated what they were doing in Jerusalem. When Nehemiah purged the families of Israel of foreigners, and of foreign (pagan) influences, many families were divided and networks of commerce interrupted.
Why was Nehemiah the one who had to challenge the people to do the right thing? Could not they and the priests see that what they were doing was wrong?
The Israelites had kept detailed records of the generations of Levites and other families and tribes, despite the battles and deportation. In the past king Solomon was given riches and wisdom, yet he sold-out God because of the influence of pagan women, so Nehemiah's concern was legitimate.
When have you given praise to the Lord despite the disapproval of people around you? When have you discovered that someone in your life represented an influence which drew you away from the Lord God? What did you do?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a way that He has blessed you and a place in your life where you are not moving toward the purity He desires.
Today I will pause to give praise to the Lord God and all that He has done for me. I will confess, repent, and accept the Lord's forgiveness. I will act courageously and immediately to intentionally alter my life so that the things that draw me away from the Lord God are eliminated and are replaced with those which encourage me along the path to righteousness.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study –“Genesis 3. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Chronological Daily Bible Study of the Old Testament
7-Day Sections with a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and a Practical Daily Application
Week 52
Introduction and God’s Election of Israel
1:1 What follows is divine revelation. The word of the Lord came to Israel through Malachi:
1:2 “I have shown love to you,” says the Lord, but you say, “How have you shown love to us?”
“Esau was Jacob’s brother,” the Lord explains, “yet I chose Jacob 1:3 and rejected Esau. I turned Esau’s mountains into a deserted wasteland and gave his territory to the wild jackals.”
1:4 Edom says, “Though we are devastated, we will once again build the ruined places.” So the Lord who rules over all responds, “They indeed may build, but I will overthrow. They will be known as the land of evil, the people with whom the Lord is permanently displeased. 1:5 Your eyes will see it, and then you will say, ‘May the Lord be magnified even beyond the border of Israel!’”
Lord, when You make a sovereign decision nothing in all of Creation may stand against it. May I remember that the blessing of my salvation is a gift from God and that there will never be a time in all of eternity that I may cease from giving thanks.
Malachi prophesied “divine revelation” to Israel [more specifically, the returned-remnant in Jerusalem and surrounding region, following the exile].
He brought the challenge “I have shown love to you,” says the Lord, but you say, “How have you shown love to us?”
The Lord God told Malachi to take them back to an earlier time “Esau was Jacob’s brother, yet I chose Jacob and rejected Esau. I turned Esau’s mountains into a deserted wasteland and gave his territory to the wild jackals.”
Esau was Jacob’s older brother but the Lord allowed their combined choices to result in Jacob’s ascendancy over Esau.
Edom says, “Though we are devastated, we will once again build the ruined places.” So the Lord who rules over all responds, “They indeed may build, but I will overthrow.
Edom was the name of the land and culture spawned by Jacob’s brother Esau.
Esau had carelessly given-away his birthright to succeed his father and to inherit both his leadership and most of his property because he was impetuous and independent with a haughty attitude - and was not a God-fearing man.
The Edomites persisted in resentment toward the descendants of Jacob, making them vulnerable to the manipulation of the enemy, and they constantly sought ways to take advantage of them whenever they saw a weakness.
While the nation identified as Edom was obliterated, as God prophesied, around the 5th Century the people blended with other tribes – bringing their toxic-resentment with them – possibly carried forward and leveraged by Muhammed into modern day radical Islamacist blood-hate.
Malachi encouraged them that they would one day desire that all people know and follow the Lord God “... then you will say, ‘May the Lord be magnified even beyond the border of Israel!’”
God chose Israel, descendants of Jacob – the second born child of Issac, the miracle son of the elderly Abraham and Sarah – over the Edomites, descendants of Esau – the first born of Isaac.
Why would the chronically-rebellious and repeatedly-blessed remnant of Israel need to be reminded of the Lord God’s love through their unique election/selection?
Just as the nation of Israel rose and fell cyclically, so also did the Edomite nation – yet God's curse upon Edom doomed them no matter how hard they struggled against it.
When have you needed to be reminded that your blessing as a Biblical-Christian was far more than a promised eternity and membership in a unique social network?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you an opportunity in your life where you may be His instrument to cause “... the Lord be magnified even beyond the border of Israel!” [“Israel” as a symbolic term - referring to all current believers.]
Today I will gather with one or more believer and share our deepest feelings of gratefulness that the Lord God of Creation has allowed us to be adopted into His eternal and earthly families.
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The Sacrilege of Priestly Service
1:6 “A son naturally honors his father and a slave respects his master. If I am your father, where is my honor? If I am your master, where is my respect? The Lord who rules over all asks you this, you priests who make light of my name! But you reply, ‘How have we made light of your name?’ 1:7 You are offering improper sacrifices on my altar, yet you ask, ‘How have we offended you?’ By treating the table of the Lord as if it is of no importance! 1:8 For when you offer blind animals as a sacrifice, is that not wrong? And when you offer the lame and sick, is that not wrong as well? Indeed, try offering them to your governor! Will he be pleased with you or show you favor?” asks the Lord who rules over all. 1:9 But now plead for God’s favor that he might be gracious to us. “With this kind of offering in your hands, how can he be pleased with you?” asks the Lord who rules over all.
1:10 “I wish that one of you would close the temple doors, so that you no longer would light useless fires on my altar. I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord who rules over all, “and I will no longer accept an offering from you. 1:11 For from the east to the west my name will be great among the nations. Incense and pure offerings will be offered in my name everywhere, for my name will be great among the nations,” says the Lord who rules over all. 1:12 “But you are profaning it by saying that the table of the Lord is common and its offerings despicable. 1:13 You also say, ‘How tiresome it is.’ You turn up your nose at it,” says the Lord who rules over all, “and instead bring what is stolen, lame, or sick. You bring these things for an offering! Should I accept this from you?” asks the Lord. 1:14 “There will be harsh condemnation for the hypocrite who has a valuable male animal in his flock but vows and sacrifices something inferior to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the Lord who rules over all, “and my name is awesome among the nations.”
Lord, from the earliest days of Cain and Abel You taught humankind Your standard for respect, in our hearts and in our actions. May I give the best of my first and last of everything to Your glory and Your good purpose.
The Israelites were giving the flawed versus the flawless animals in sacrifice.
Their attitude, as well as their offerings, were like that of Cain rather than that of Abel.
Malachi shared with the Lord God’s observation that they would not dare present such flawed sacrifices to their political governor yet they carelessly presented them to God.
He informed them that God considered their offerings “worthless” and that the priests, co-conspirators in the “worthless” offings, should simply close the doors of the temple.
Malachi declared the Lord’s intent to find honorable followers who would sacrifice rightly to him and that harsh consequences awaited those who continued the practice of dishonorable sacrifices.
The Israelites called the Lord God “Father” yet they treated him with disrespect which would not have been tolerated in their culture by an earthly father.
Why would anyone continue to imagine that they could diss the Lord God and be blessed in the long-term?
Later on, when many Jews joined with those who sent Jesus to be crucified – even taunted Him along the way – the same disrespectful and haughty attitude pervaded their relationship with God.
When have you experienced or observed religious leaders mis-leading people, resulting in harm to them, and eventually great harm to themselves?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you offer careless “religious ritual” when His requirement is only your first and your best.
Today I will humbly and joyfully accept the Lord God’s challenge to reassess my relationship with Him – in everything that I do – so that I am intentional about doing all things as if for Him, surrendering every decision to Him, and making my life the most perfect sacrifice it can be as a testament and as a tool to His glory and in His service.
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The Sacrilege of the Priestly Message
2:1 “Now, you priests, this commandment is for you. 2:2 If you do not listen and take seriously the need to honor my name,” says the Lord who rules over all, “I will send judgment on you and turn your blessings into curses – indeed, I have already done so because you are not taking it to heart.
2:3 I am about to discipline your children and will spread offal on your faces, the very offal produced at your festivals, and you will be carried away along with it. 2:4 Then you will know that I sent this commandment to you so that my covenant may continue to be with Levi,” says the Lord who rules over all.
2:5 “My covenant with him was designed to bring life and peace. I gave its statutes to him to fill him with awe, and he indeed revered me and stood in awe before me. 2:6 He taught what was true; sinful words were not found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and integrity, and he turned many people away from sin.
2:7 For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge of sacred things, and people should seek instruction from him because he is the messenger of the Lord who rules over all.
2:8 You, however, have turned from the way. You have caused many to violate the law; you have corrupted the covenant with Levi,” says the Lord who rules over all. 2:9 “Therefore, I have caused you to be ignored and belittled before all people to the extent to which you are not following after me and are showing partiality in your instruction.”
The Rebellion of the People
2:10 Do we not all have one father? Did not one God create us? Why do we betray one another, in this way making light of the covenant of our ancestors? 2:11 Judah has become disloyal, and unspeakable sins have been committed in Israel and Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the holy things that the Lord loves and has turned to a foreign god! 2:12 May the Lord cut off from the community of Jacob every last person who does this, as well as the person who presents improper offerings to the Lord who rules over all!
2:13 You also do this: You cover the altar of the Lord with tears as you weep and groan, because he no longer pays any attention to the offering nor accepts it favorably from you. 2:14 Yet you ask, “Why?” The Lord is testifying against you on behalf of the wife you married when you were young, to whom you have become unfaithful even though she is your companion and wife by law. 2:15 No one who has even a small portion of the Spirit in him does this. What did our ancestor do when seeking a child from God? Be attentive, then, to your own spirit, for one should not be disloyal to the wife he took in his youth.
2:16 “I hate divorce,” says the Lord God of Israel, “and the one who is guilty of violence,” says the Lord who rules over all. “Pay attention to your conscience, and do not be unfaithful.”
Lord, You chose Levi for his faithful heart, and You called, entrusted, and equipped Levi and his descendants to lead the people in right-worship – their failure contributed to the failure of the people. May I be careful under whose spiritual leadership I submit myself that I am not also led-astray.
Malachi prophesied the Lord God’s anger at the betrayal of the Levitical priests “For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge of sacred things, and people should seek instruction from him because he is the messenger of the Lord who rules over all. You, however, have turned from the way. You have caused many to violate the law; you have corrupted the covenant with Levi,”
Malachi reminded them of their terrible sin within the family of Israel “... Do we not all have one father? Did not one God create us? Why do we betray one another, in this way making light of the covenant of our ancestors? Judah has become disloyal, and unspeakable sins have been committed in Israel and Jerusalem.”
He prophesied the Lord God’s judgment of disobedience and rebellion “I will come to you in judgment. I will be quick to testify against those who practice divination, those who commit adultery, those who break promises, and those who exploit workers, widows, and orphans, who refuse to help the immigrant and in this way show they do not fear me,” says the Lord who rules over all.”
Malachi encouraged them with the Lord God’s provision of merciful redemption for the repentant “...Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord who rules over all.”
He reminded them of the dissonance between their words and the truth “But you say, ‘How should we return?’ Can a person rob God? You indeed are robbing me, but you say, ‘How are we robbing you?’ In tithes and contributions! You are bound for judgment because you are robbing me – this whole nation is guilty.”
Malachi challenged them in their arrogance “You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God. How have we been helped by keeping his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord who rules over all? So now we consider the arrogant to be happy; indeed, those who practice evil are successful. In fact, those who challenge God escape!’”
He prophesied the Lord God’s planned Great Throne Judgment and the Lamb’s Book of Life “Then those who respected the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord took notice. A scroll was prepared before him in which were recorded the names of those who respected the Lord and honored his name. “They will belong to me,” says the Lord who rules over all, “in the day when I prepare my own special property. I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. Then once more you will see that I make a distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who does not.”
Malachi prophesied the symbolic coming of one to prepare and proclaim the coming Messiah “Look, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord arrives. He will encourage fathers and their children to return to me, so that I will not come and strike the earth with judgment.”“
The priest could never blame the people for their own sin – they were provided for and taught as priests – they could and should have stood their ground on faithfulness to the Lord God.
Why would the Levites cry that the Lord did not receive their offerings when they knew them to be unacceptable?
God generally addressed divorce in the Bible in reference to leaders or potential leaders, and in every case to believers, because there is no authority over non-believers. In this text Malachi was merging illustrations of the unfaithfulness of the Levitical priests to God (through the covenant with Levi) with their unfaithfulness to their literal wives, and with His general displeasure about divorce and violence (including the violence to faith and/or marital covenants that leads to rebellion and divorce.
When have you experienced or observed the confusing influence of religious leaders whose lifestyle contradicted their claim to spiritual maturity and authority?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where you are violating your covenant with God, which makes Him Lord of all things, and thus creating an unfaithfulness in your relationship with Him.
Today I will confess and repent, seek and accept His forgiveness, and make changes in my daily disciplines and peer-accountability which move me toward a closer walk with Him.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
Resistance to the Lord through Self-deceit
2:17 You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” Because you say, “Everyone who does evil is good in the Lord’s opinion, and he delights in them,” or “Where is the God of justice?”
Lord, Your patience is enduring, even as we thoughtlessly misrepresent You and Your working in this Fallen world. May I take special care to think carefully before I suggest that You endorse sin or will fail to administer grace-tempered justice in Your perfect time and in Your perfect way.
In Jeremiah 17:9 the Lord declared the heart of humankind to be “desperately wicked”, here again He prompted Malachi to inform the people that He understood their evil/fleshy capacity for self-deceit.
He warned them that the Lord God had grown tired of their stubborn persistence in speaking about the Lord falsely.
When the people responded that they did not understand what they had said that was wrong and therefore “wearied the Lord” Malachi provided two examples from God:
“Everyone who does evil is good in the Lord’s opinion, and he delights in them,”
“Where is the God of justice?”
In the first case they were accusing the Lord of rewarding sin.
In the second case they were accusing God of ignoring justice, or perhaps of being an absentee judge.
It is not possible to weary God as a human is wearied, He never lacks for any resource, so the term should be understood to refer to a stubbornness in clinging to a false doctrine that frustrates His effort to disciple “how long must I bear this stiff-necked people?” and the like [Exodus 32:9, Numbers 14:27, Isaiah 46:12, Acts 7:51, John 14:9, 1 Corinthians 10:5-6].
Why would the people ever say that the Lord thought evil-doing was good and delighted in those that did so?
Questioning the motives and/or timing of God was an error common to Adam and Eve in the Garden and of Job.
When have you wondered why the evil prosper or why God doesn’t enforce immediate justice?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a circumstance where you tend to question God’s toleration of evil, especially by those who claim His name, yet you forget that your sin is as offensive as theirs.
I agree to pray for both sinners, the other, and myself. I will confess and repent, seek and receive the Lord’s forgiveness, then exercise the discipline of prayer before I am too quick to condemn others. (Note: This does not mean the absence of discernment, as the apostle Paul taught, but merely learning to avoid self-deceit.)
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3:1 “I am about to send my messenger, who will clear the way before me. Indeed, the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his temple, and the messenger of the covenant, whom you long for, is certainly coming,” says the Lord who rules over all.
3:2 Who can endure the day of his coming? Who can keep standing when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire, like a launderer’s soap. 3:3 He will act like a refiner and purifier of silver and will cleanse the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will offer the Lord a proper offering. 3:4 The offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in former times and years past.
3:5 “I will come to you in judgment. I will be quick to testify against those who practice divination, those who commit adultery, those who break promises, and those who exploit workers, widows, and orphans, who refuse to help the immigrant and in this way show they do not fear me,” says the Lord who rules over all.
Lord, You established the proper relationship of humankind with You via multiple covenants, and once-again it became necessary for You to enforce the terms of the most-recent covenant. May I remember to give You honor from my covenant of absolute surrender at the time of my salvation.
Malachi delivered a frightening Word from the Lord – He was sending a messenger of judgment.
He explained the purpose of the messenger was to “clear the way” for God by making clear that one must choose to stand with Him or against Him.
Although all said that they looked forward to the redeemer, the promised One, His coming would not be without challenge and conflict.
There had been moments in the past when the offerings to the Lord God had been as it should, and He declared that it would one day be that way again, though He did not say that it would necessarily look the same.
Malachi listed a number of examples of expectations of, or grievances with, the people; “divination” (witchcraft in any form), adultery (Jesus would define that as mere lust for another, not one’s spouse, in the heart), covenant/promise-breakers, exploiters of workers, widows, or orphans, and those who refused to treat immigrants with kindness (within the context of the law of the land – not facilitating criminal acts).
The key text is that those who did not stand with “the God Who rules over all” lacked respectful-reverence “fear”.
The Lord God made clear His expectations in his instructions to Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, and later through covenants with Abraham, Moses, and again with the remnant returned to Jerusalem. None had any excuse before the covenantal law.
Why would the people be so rebellious yet still say that they longed for a messenger-redeemer?
Even the short list of offenses would have covered most, if not all, of the people then – as it would today.
When have you experienced or observed the desire for a leader yet still persisting in behaviors which would be found unacceptable to that same leader?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you one of the listed offenses he would like you to eliminate from your life.
I will confess and repent, seek and receive forgiveness, then know the greater peace with the Lord through His indwelling Holy Spirit that comes from obedience.
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Resistance to the Lord through Selfishness
3:6 “Since, I, the Lord, do not go back on my promises, you, sons of Jacob, have not perished.
3:7 From the days of your ancestors you have ignored my commandments and have not kept them! Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord who rules over all. “But you say, ‘How should we return?’
3:8 Can a person rob God? You indeed are robbing me, but you say, ‘How are we robbing you?’ In tithes and contributions!
3:9 You are bound for judgment because you are robbing me – this whole nation is guilty.
3:10 “Bring the entire tithe into the storehouse so that there may be food in my temple. Test me in this matter,” says the Lord who rules over all, “to see if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until there is no room for it all.
3:11 Then I will stop the plague from ruining your crops, and the vine will not lose its fruit before harvest,” says the Lord who rules over all.
3:12 “All nations will call you happy, for you indeed will live in a delightful land,” says the Lord who rules over all.
Resistance to the Lord through Self-sufficiency
3:13 “You have criticized me sharply,” says the Lord, “but you ask, ‘How have we criticized you?’
3:14 You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God. How have we been helped by keeping his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord who rules over all?
3:15 So now we consider the arrogant to be happy; indeed, those who practice evil are successful. In fact, those who challenge God escape!’”
3:16 Then those who respected the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord took notice. A scroll was prepared before him in which were recorded the names of those who respected the Lord and honored his name.
3:17 “They will belong to me,” says the Lord who rules over all, “in the day when I prepare my own special property. I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him.
3:18 Then once more you will see that I make a distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who does not.
Lord, You are always faithful and we rarely are, You constantly offer us opportunities to be reconciled and restored, we rarely make good use of the opportunity. May I not miss any opportunity to improve my relationship with You through increased faithfulness.
When the people questioned why God said they were unfaithful He gave them the example of their failure to submit the covenantally-agreed tithes and offerings.
The tithes were intended for the support of the Levite priests and their families.
Part of the meat-offerings were set-aside for the Levite priests and their families.
They also had storehouses for the portion of grain offerings set aside for them.
The Levites were not given lands in which to grow crops or to raise herds, as they were to be undistracted from their priestly responsibilities, so they had no other means of support.
Jewish history records that the lack of God-ordered support caused many of the Levites to take on jobs apart from their priestly duties.
Those who made excuses for their failure of faithfulness used the old argument that the evil were doing better than they – so they may as well selfishly and rebelliously look out for themselves.
The scroll was the list of those that the faithful leaders generated as a result of their review of the faithfulness, or lack thereof, of the remnant in Jerusalem.
The implication of the text is that those on the scroll were justified by their faith, as expressed in their faithfulness, just as was said of Abraham and David (Romans 4:1-8).
The people had agreed to bring offerings for sacrifice to God for their sins, with the understanding that part of the meat-offering would be used to feed the Levites and their families.
Why would the unfaithful think they could get away with blaming God for their selfishness when it was they who blocked God’s blessings which allowed the evil to prosper instead?
There are no longer meat-offerings or a tribe of landless-priests to be supported via tithes. The temple was built and maintained via gifts, not tithes or offerings, each is a unique form of giving with a Biblically-unique purpose. The meaning and purpose of gifts, offerings, and tithes changed in the new covenant of the New Testament.
When have you experienced or observed excuses made which ignored the true source of the problem and rather blamed other people, and God, instead of the guilty party accepting responsibility?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal a place where you are making excuses for your own unfaithfulness.
I agree to confess and repent, seek and receive the Lord’s forgiveness, then act to reconcile my conduct so that I may be restored to a healthier relationship with the Lord and His people.
Be Specific _____________________________________________
4:1 “For indeed the day is coming, burning like a furnace, and all the arrogant evildoers will be chaff. The coming day will burn them up,” says the Lord who rules over all. “It will not leave even a root or branch.
4:2 But for you who respect my name, the sun of vindication will rise with healing wings, and you will skip about like calves released from the stall. 4:3 You will trample on the wicked, for they will be like ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing,” says the Lord who rules over all.
Restoration through the Lord
4:4 “Remember the law of my servant Moses, to whom at Horeb I gave rules and regulations for all Israel to obey.
4:5 Look, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord arrives.
4:6 He will encourage fathers and their children to return to me, so that I will not come and strike the earth with judgment.”
Lord, You explained to Israel over and over the reasons for their troubles, Your hope for their repentance and restoration, and the coming of the Messiah – followed eventually and ultimately by the judgment. May I learn from the mistakes of the past, celebrate Your provision for my salvation, and live as a useful instrument until the Lord returns to take me home.
Malachi delivered the Lord God’s repeated warning that he would eventually bring judgment.
The purpose of the warning was to motivate the people to return to faithful living.
For those who desired to be faithful, but who had suffered due to the unfaithfulness of others, the His holy cleaning of the unfaithful would be liberating.
Just as in Esther the faithful would be His instruments of punishment for their enemies.
Malachi delivered His reminder of the provision of the Law, so often disobeyed, to Moses at Mount Horeb.
He shared the prophesy that a spiritual Elijah would be sent to deliver a final call to repentance to Jews, before the Wrath, and before the Great Judgment.
This is the final canonical and chronological text of the Old Testament. There really was nothing left to be said – a time would pass and then the beginning of the final period of humankind in Fallen Creation would begin as the texts of the New Testament describe.
The final last days of these end times will conclude in His wrath on earth, the removal of every shred of unreconciled evil and imperfection to Hell, then the obliteration of it all forever.
Is it encouraging to see how the Lord God tied key events in His story together as He also prophesied key details of the conclusion to come?
The image of Elijah would be important as he, like the Jewish remnant (and their predecessors) whom Malachi addressed, had seen moments of great blessing and power, as well as a failure of confident-trust – but Elijah had been reinvigorated and sent-out again in God's service. Elijah in Malachi 4:5-6 was a prophetic-symbolic representation of John the Baptizer – as Jesus would so declare in Luke 7:24-28.
When have you experienced or observed a person of great faith suffer from doubt then be restored and used again by God?
Ask the Holy Spirit to give you an opportunity to share these texts with someone trapped in the traditions and troubles of the past and uncertain of hope in the future.
I will respectfully offer to share this text with the one whom the Holy Spirit has prepared and to whom He has sent me. I will be in pray before, during, and after so that I am a clean vessel for His message.
Be Specific _________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study –“Genesis 3. Prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in August of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.