If you are following The Plan, you should be starting the Book of 1 Kings  and the Book of 2 Chronicles, as well as reading through some Psalms.

The Books as History

As we begin 1 Kings, we enter the halfway point for the chronology of the Israelite monarchies which began with King Saul.  As a matter of fact, if you look at the table of contents for the Septuagint (which is the oldest Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, dating to 200-300 B.C.), we see that the Books of Samuel and Kings are actually called something different:

So these four books are seen from the earliest translations as a single, historical record of the rise (and fall) if the Kingdom of Israel.  

The books of 1 & 2 Chronicles were originally one book called "Acts of the Days," which got translated to "Chronicles" at some point in the early Christian Church.  The Septuagint (see above) refers to the two books of Chronicles as "Things Omitted," which I think is a much more interesting title.   What's interesting about Chronicles is that they seem to whitewash much of David's story.   No Bathsheba for instance.

So Where Are We?

David is on his deathbed and who will succeed him is in dispute.  Adonijah thinks he will be King.  Solomon thinks he will be King.  Which, of course, is a problem. 

The Supporting Cast

Let's start with Joab.   If you needed a punch thrown, Joab was just the cowboy to throw it.  He was a nephew to David (the son of his sister) and remained intensely loyal to David. 

We first hear about Joab when David is fighting it out with Ishbosheth (Saul's son) to succeed Saul as King of Israel.  After 24 warriors manage to slaughter each other to no conclusion at the Pool of Gibeon, open warfare breaks out.  Abner (Saul's military man), who is now serving Ishbosheth, manages to kill Joab's brother, Asahel.   Strike One.   Later, Abner switches sides, which is bad news for Ishbosheth, and as it turns out, bad news for Abner.    Joab is no fool, and can see that Abner is setting himself up to supreme military leader for David.  Strike Two.   Not being a man to wait around for strike three, Joab kills Abner in Hebron - protecting his position as commander of the armies and avenging the death of his brother.

David mourns the death of Abner and curses Joab, saying, "these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too harsh for me.  The LORD shall repay the evildoer according to his wickedness.”  So Joab is out of favor with David - until David lays siege to Jerusalem.  Then David makes this offer - "Whoever climbs up by way of the water shaft and defeats the Jebusites (the lame and the blind, who are hated by David’s soul), he shall be chief and captain."  A perfect job for Joab, who leads the assault and is supreme commander once again.

From this point forward, Joab is central to David's military conquests and his "go to" guy in times of trouble.   In Moab, in Syria, against the Ammonites, against the Philistines.  When David asks Joab to put Uriah the Hittite in the front lines at Rabbah - no problem.

Then Absalom rebels.  David flees Jerusalem, and as he gathers his army and prepares for the big battle, he say this to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.”  Of course he's saying this to the wrong group of guys.   When Joab is told that Absalom is caught in a tree and his soldiers are standing around wondering what to do, he says,  "You just saw him! And why did you not strike him there to the ground?"  They hadn't, so he did.  (Note to self: don't burn Joab's fields just to get his attention).

This may have been the end for Absalom, but Israel was still divided in their loyalties.  So David makes a deal with Amasa (Absalom's military commander), saying  "And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you are not commander of the army before me continually in place of Joab.’”  This goes as well for Amasa as it did for Abner.  When Sheba rebels against David, Joab uses it as an opportunity to kill Amasa.   "Then Joab said to Amasa, “Are you in health, my brother?” And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. But Amasa did not notice the sword that was in Joab’s hand. And he struck him with it in the stomach, and his entrails poured out on the ground; and he did not strike him again. Thus he died."

David relied on Joab.  But Joab killed two of his commanders and his son Absalom.  Joab also aligned himself with Adonijah and not Solomon.  Not things you are likely to forget on your deathbed.  When David's provides his  final instructions to Solomon he will say - "let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace."  Translation - kill Joab.

Abishai

Then there is Abishai.  He is the brother of Joab, which should tell you a lot.    When David was looking for volunteers to sneak into Saul's camp one night, it was Abishai who said, "I'll go."  When they got there, it was Abishai who said "Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him (Saul)  to the ground with one thrust of my spear."  When it came time to kill Abner and avenge his brothers death, Abishai was there with Joab.   When David was fleeing Jerusalem and was being cursed by Shimei, it is Abishai that said "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please, let me go over and take off his head!”  When it came time for Joab to deal with Amasa, Abishai was by his side.  When David was about to be killed by a Philistine, it was Abishai that saved the life of David in battle.  He was one of David's "Mighty Men," and we are told he "raised his spear against 300" and "struck down eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt." 

Nathan

Nathan gets to deliver the hard messages to David.   

We first read of Nathan as David is planning to build a temple for the Ark of the Covenant.   David says, "Here I am, living in a palace of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent."  After initially blessing the idea - "Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the LORD is with you" - God reminds Nathan (and David) that he did not ask for a “house of cedar.”  Nice thought, but a tent is fine, thank you very much.

Hard Message number one.

After David sleeps with Bathsheba and arranges to have Uriah killed to cover up his sin, it is Nathan who cleverly chastises David.   "You are the man!" 

Hard Message number two.

When David's son Adonijah assumed the throne for himself, it is Nathan (along with Bathsheba) that tell David.  "Has this thing been done by my lord the king," he asks.

Hard message number three.

Zadok and Abiathar

Zadok and Abiathar are both priests.    Abiathar was descendant of Eli and the sole survivor the day that Saul had Doeg the Edomite slaughter the priests of the Lord at Gibeah.  Zadok and Abiathar were the first High Priests of David's reign in Jerusalem.   When David fled the city during Absolam's rebellion, it was Zadok and Abiathar who packed up the Ark and were ready to follow him.  But David turns them away, saying "Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, He will bring me back and show me both it and His dwelling place."  Zadok and Abiathar also play a part in reconciling David with Amasa and the elders of Judah after Absalom's rebellion.

Things end very differently for these two.  Abiathar sides with Adonijah.  He becomes the ONLY high priest in the Old Testament that is deposed.  Quite a distinctions, considering some of the others that served as High Priest.  Zadok sides with Solomon.  He chose wisely.   This also fulfills an older prophecy - Abiathar was of the house of Eli and the descendants of Eli had a curse upon them.  Zadok is of the house of Eleazar (son of Aaron), and his descendants will remain High Priests for several hundred years.

Adonijah and Solomon

Of course, we can talk about the power struggle without talking about the two main actors.  David had many sons from many wives, but after Amnon and Absalom leave the scene, Adonijah, born to Haggith,  appears to be the heir apparent.  He enlist the support of Abiathar and Joab, but leaves out some fairly important people - like Nathan, Zadok, Solomon, and King David himself.    So when Adonijah pronounced himself King, Nathan and Bathsheba tell David, who promptly declares Solomon King.   Two kings are too many.

Adonijah fears for his life, so he "took hold of the horns of the altar," and made Solomon promise not to kill him.  "If he shows himself to be a worthy man, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground; but if evil is found in him, he will die," was Solomon's reply, which was as good a deal as Adonijah was likely to get.    Solomon seemed ready to spare his life, but then Adonijah asked for Abishag, King David's concubine.  This was enough for Solomon.   Enter Benaiah.

Benaiah

Benaiah was one of King David's "Might Men" and head of his personal body guard.   He sides with Solomon and is appointed head of the armies, but first there is some business to attend to.   Benaiah becomes the trigger man for Solomon  - killing Adonijah and Joab.  

This leaves Solomon as undisputed King of Israel with the support of the people of Jerusalem, the High Priest, and a loyal army commander.     It is interesting that it is the son of David and Bathsheba that inherits the throne, considering how they started.   \

Naturally these books and these stories can be read simply as interesting history.   But they are much more than that.  They are a demonstration of God’s covenant with his people.   David was a man after God’s own heart.  He sought God’s counsel continuously.  He prayed.  He wrote song after song honoring God.  But for all his blessings and all his glory,  he was just a man – and had the same weaknesses that we all do.   And his sin had consequences – his own family rebelled against him.  His closest advisors turned against one another.   Man’s sin is the central theme of these stories.   And no amount of good deeds, glorious conquests, songs of praise, or man made temples can make that sin go away.  It takes something else.  Something extraordinary.  Something like this.  

Blessings.

Keep reading.

Pray.

 

On May 20th we held the last Voters meeting of 2006-2008 Term.  There were two agenda items at our Voters meeting:

I am pleased to announce that Pastor Kevin Austin was called as an Associate Pastor by unanimous vote.   Pastor Kevin has been serving our congregation in the capacity of an Assistant Pastor.   As many of you know, Pastor Mike Brewer is preparing to retire as our Senior Pastor.  In order to ease the transition process, Pastor Mike has been working on a reduced schedule and transitioning many of the responsibilities to Pastor Kevin.  By calling Pastor Kevin as an Associate Pastor we properly aligning his title and job responsibilities with the work he is already doing.

We continue to be blessed with Pastor Kevin's service to the congregation.  It is a well deserved promotion!

The voters also approved the slate of candidates to serve as Church Officers for the 2008-2010 term.  This slate of candidates was approved by unanimous vote.   Here they are:

Chairman
Brad Firle

Vice Chairman
Mike Parrish

Treasurer
Steve Wise

Secretary
Cindi Howard

Care Board Chair
Jeff Miller

Family Board Chair
Diana Holk

Mission Board Chair
Renee Fyfe

Worship Board Chair
Connie Crawford

Board of Elders
John Bredehoft
Barry Clark
Phil Buchiarelli
Mark McReynolds
Mark Phillips
Ralph Poole
Les Schaefer
Mark Vaerini

If you are following The Plan, you should have completed the book of 2 Samuel, several of the Psalms, and have read through 1 Chronicles 25.

God has a plan - a plan to redeem His people, to rescue them from their sin.   In this plan, He chose a group of people who would be the family of Jesus.  This family began with a man named Abraham.   And King David is a central figure in that plan.  We are told that he is a man after God's own heart.  He thinks big, dreams big, prays big.   When blessings come, they come in a big way.  And when trouble comes, it comes BIG.

So where are we?

King David has established his capital in Jerusalem and brought the Ark of the Covenant to rest there.  Things have been going well for King David so far, and David seeks to honor God by building a temple for the Ark, saying  - "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells inside tent curtains.”    David even inquires of the prophet Nathan (this is the first mention of Nathan in the Bible).   The Lord answers, saying "...have I ever spoken a word to anyone from the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’" 

Of course, the answer is no - he hasn't  But it is here that God establishes His covenant with David:

“When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.”

I will be his Father, and he shall be My son.

I will be his Father, and he shall be My son.

I will be his Father, and he shall be My son.

Remember this, and remember the big picture.  This is about the family of Jesus. And Jesus is a direct descendant of David.   Funny how covenants work out. 

Remember this part too - If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men - because that is exactly what happens next.  After defeating more Philistines (yes, again), defeating more Ammonites (yes, again), and showing kindness to Saul's descendant Mephibosheth, David runs into trouble.  

And her name is Bathsheba.

We all know the story - David should be out in the battlefield at Rabbah leading the army, but he is in Jerusalem instead.   He spies Bathsheba bathing, is overcome with desire for her, sleeps with her (knowing she is another mans wife), and gets her pregnant.  David call's Bathsheba's husband home from battle - Uriah the Hittite, one of "the Thirty" - and encourages him to be with his wife. David even gets Uriah drunk.  But apparently you can't reason with a Hittite.  So David conspires with Joab to get Uriah killed in battle.

And the rest, as we say, is downhill....

• Nathan chastises David - “The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.”  Despite David's prayers and fasting, the child dies. 
• David's oldest son Amnon rapes Tamar in what is one of the most brutal stories in the Bible since Gibeah's crimes in the Book of Judges.
• Absalom, Tamar's brother, avenges Tamar's rape by killing Amnon.  Of course, this leaves Absalom as the oldest son of David and heir to the throne, so Amnon had a lot of things working against him.
• Absalom flees to Geshur and stays with the King of Geshur - Talmai (who is Absalom's grandfather, BTW), until King David forgives Absalom and Absalom returns to Jerusalem.
• Absalom returns the favor by conspiring against David, standing at the gate of the city, saying, "Look, your case is good and right; but there is no deputy of the king to hear you.” Moreover Absalom would say, “Oh, that I were made judge in the land, and everyone who has any suit or cause would come to me; then I would give him justice.”
• This kind of talk eventually leads to open rebellion against King David, who flees Jerusalem.
• After some intrigue among Absalom's advisors - Ahithophel and Hushai - a great battle is fought, Absalom's flowing locks get caught in tree and Joab kills him.
• David is grieved by the death of Absalom, when Joab sets him straight:

Today you have disgraced all your servants who today have saved your life, the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives and the lives of your concubines, in that you love your enemies and hate your friends. For you have declared today that you regard neither princes nor servants; for today I perceive that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died today, then it would have pleased you well. Now therefore, arise, go out and speak comfort to your servants. For I swear by the LORD, if you do not go out, not one will stay with you this night. And that will be worse for you than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth until now.”

There is another rebellion, by Sheba, which is suppressed by Joab, some tension between the North (Israel) and South (Judah), which will become very important later, and you can already sense the jockeying for position - who will succeed David?  This will begin in earnest when we pick up the story in 1 Kings..

The end of 2 Samuel has a great prayer - David's prayer of deliverance.  It begins:

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;

The God of my strength, in whom I will trust;
      My shield and the horn of my salvation,
      My stronghold and my refuge;
      My Savior, You save me from violence.

I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised;
      So shall I be saved from my enemies

Blessings.

Keep Reading.

Pray.

If you are following The Plan, you should be reading through sections of 2 Samuel, 1 Chronicles, and numerous Psalms.

Just to set the stage:  David is King.  He has established his capital in Jerusalem. 

David fights the Philistines (again) and defeats them.  This is interesting because this is the first record of David going to battle as King.  David seeks God's guidance before doing so - So David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?”.  David sets the standard here - but as we read through the accounts of subsequent Kings, we will see that not all of them follow this example and we can all guess how things will go for them.

BTW, there is an interesting angle on this battle here - http://www.followtherabbi.com/Brix?pageID=1612&article=2299. 

The principle action in this section is around the Ark of the Covenant and David bringing the Ark to Jerusalem.   A few notes:

• When they first started moving the Ark, they put it on a cart.  This may be OK if you are a Philistine, but God had been pretty specific about the Ark to His people.  So when Uzzah touches it, "the anger of the LORD was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God."
• Then David rethinks things a bit.  He enlists the Levite's, has them sanctify themselves, and Levite's bear the Ark on their shoulders, just like the old days.  Remember that God gave specific instructions for moving the Ark.  From Numbers 4 - "And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, when the camp is set to go, then the sons of Kohath shall come to carry them; but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die."  And David ensures that the priests blow the Trumpets.
• "So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it. Then they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. 2 And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD."

Of course, not everyone is happy about this.  We read about Michal, Saul's daughter, watching David dancing and "whirling" and playing music - "...and she despised him in her heart."  Like father like daughter. 

David responds appropriately - "It was before the LORD, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the LORD's people Israel—I will celebrate before the LORD. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor."

Good messages in this story.  First, God is serious about what is required to be in his presence.   Just ask Uzzah.  He had the best of intentions, no doubt.  But the Israelites forgot God’s commands about the Ark – and remember that the Ark is where God would be present with His people.   Serious stuff.

Luckily for us we have this miraculous event.  But we should all remember this story when we hear the popular claim that there are many paths to God.    Jesus said (to paraphrase), I am the way and the truth and the light, no one comes to my Father except through me.   God is serious about what is required to be in his presence - then and now.   So share the story of His amazing sacrifice and love with someone - today.   Or they may end up as Uzzah.  Good intentioned, but dead nonetheless.

Second, David is not ashamed to be swept up in joy - dancing and making music before the Lord.  We shouldn't be ashamed either. 

Blessings.

Keep Reading.

Pray.

If you are following The Plan, you should be reading through 2 Samuel, 1 Chronicles, and Psalms.

Well, I must admit the past week has had some pretty difficult reading.   The bulk of our readings in 1 Chronicles has been around genealogies and it is sometimes difficult to stay focused when reading these passages.  But we should stay focused, even among these genealogies, or we miss this:

• Numerous times we read of "men of valor"  who are "skillful in war."  God heeds their prayer when they put their trust in Him, but when we read what ultimately becomes of these men of valor and war, the result is always the same.  They are taken into captivity for their unfaithfulness.  Usually by this Tiglath-Pileser fellow.  This also complicates things a bit, because we are reading in Chronicles of events (like the Babylonian and Assyrian captivity) which have not occurred yet in our narrative.
• There are several interesting passages that go unexplained.  Like this one from the genealogy of the tribe of Judah - "The son of Carmi was Acher, the troubler of Israel, who transgressed in the accursed thing."  What was the "accursed thing?"  If you find out - please let me know.
• Note that the Chronicler details the genealogies of 12 tribes, but if you are a fan of Dan or Zebulun I have bad news for you.  Their genealogies are not present.   Instead, the author focuses on the 1/2 tribe of Manasseh and the Levites. There is also a lot of focus on the contrasts between Saul / Gibeon and David / Jerusalem.  I suspect this is because the author is contrasting faithfulness and unfaithfulness and preparing us for what comes next - which is the construction of the temple in Jerusalem. 
• Another interesting (and recently very, very famous) passage is from Ch4.  "...And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, 'Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!'  So God granted him what he requested."  This is the famous Prayer of Jabez, which inspired a best selling book by Bruce Wilkinson, another not-best selling book that says you should "Pray like Jesus, not like Jabez," and a bit of a controversy around what is called the "Prosperity Gospel."

So, as 1 Chronicles established the genealogy of David, we begin 2 Samuel and the ascendancy of David as King of Israel and the establishment of Jerusalem as its capital. 

Saul is killed by an Amelikite, who clearly thought he was being merciful to Saul.  But David thinks otherwise and has him executed - "Your blood is on your own head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, 'I have killed the Lord's anointed.'"  

BTW, There is a similar story when Rechab and Baanah kill Ish-bosheth (who is Saul's son and heir to his throne, thanks to Abner, whose death at Hebron leaves Ish-bosheth without protection).  When they deliver their news to David he says -  "As surely as the LORD lives, who has delivered me out of all trouble, 10 when a man told me, 'Saul is dead,' and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and put him to death in Ziklag. That was the reward I gave him for his news!  How much more—when wicked men have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed—should I not now demand his blood from your hand and rid the earth of you!"  So don't go doing David any favors by killing off his enemies.

David writes a great song as he laments the death of Saul and Jonathan.

Your glory, O Israel, lies slain on your heights.
       How the mighty have fallen!

.......

How the mighty have fallen!
       The weapons of war have perished!"

David is anointed King, fights a protracted war with the House of Saul until Abner and Ish-Bosheth die (see note above),  and Israel begins to rally around David - "Then all of Israel came together to David at Hebron, saying 'Indeed we are your bone and your flesh.'" 

David then moves on Jerusalem, takes the city (thanks Joab) and establishes his rule there.   Thereafter, it becomes known as the "City of David" (funny how that happens) and from this point forward,  instead of being just another backwater town of the  Jebusites,  Jerusalem becomes a very big deal.

One of my favorite passages in the Bible is a short story about Benaiah, David's chief body guard in 1 Chronicles 11.   "He also had gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day."  I like this passage because I read a book about it called (surprisingly), In a pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day.   Great book.  You should read it.

As if that weren't enough - we read through several of the Psalms - and there some great Psalms here. 

In Psalm 102, David is praying and seems to be forshadowing what will come.  Read this (slowly):

This will be written for the generation to come,
         That a people yet to be created may praise the LORD.
1For He looked down from the height of His sanctuary;
         From heaven the LORD viewed the earth,
To hear the groaning of the prisoner,
         To release those appointed to death,
To declare the name of the LORD in Zion,
         And His praise in Jerusalem,
When the peoples are gathered together,
         And the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.

The "groaning of the prisoner,"  "release those appointed to death," "declare the name of the LORD in Zion," ....sound familiar? 

An in Psalm 103 we have one of those famous snippets of Scripture:

"...as far as the east is from the west,
       so far has he removed our transgressions from us."

This is a famous enough verse that it is used in numerous hymns and songs, traditional and contemporary, including this one by the Casting Crowns.

 So here we are - David is King of Israel.  Jerusalem is his capital.   "Then David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the City of David. And David built all around from the Millo and inward. So David went on and became great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him. "

And here is something we haven't read before "...For there was Joy in Israel."

Blessings.

Keep Reading.

Pray.