The Transfer of the Kingdom
May 24, 2021 at 3:32 pm | Posted in II Samuel | 5 CommentsTags: 2 Samuel 3, 2 Samuel 4, 2 Samuel 5, Abner, commentary on 2 Samuel, David, King David, Sunday School lessons on 2 Samuel
For a long time there were battles back and forth between the “house of David” and the “house of Saul.” During this time, the Bible portrays Abner as this sort of Machiavellian character who liked scheming better than fighting.
And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul.
II Samuel 3:6
During complex negotiations between David and Abner, David tried to unite the kingdom without too much bloodshed, but the problem was that Joab and Abishai still wanted to kill Abner, and David began marrying multiple wives for political purposes. This complicated his family relations.
The negotiation involved the return of his wife, Michal. Joab and Abishai succeeded in killing Abner, but in a devious way which angered David.
David was a man who searched the Scriptures.
Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father’s house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth on the sword, or that lacketh bread.
II Samuel 3:29
This was from the Covenant in the 28th Chapter of Deuteronomy.
David fasted, and:
And all the people took notice [of it], and it pleased them: as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.
II Samuel 3:36
He made it clear to the people that, although he was now king, he was God’s king, he loved God’s law, and, to the best of his ability, God and God’s Word will be the standard of rule in Israel.
In II Samuel Chapter 4 Ishbosheth was left helpless and powerless like a puppet without his puppetmaster (Abner). In his city, the people were afraid that David would invade and kill him, and deal with them harshly. Two opportunists who did not know David very well decided to curry favor wtih him. They were Baanah and Rechab, and they went about it the wrong way. They went to Ishbosheth’s house and they lied about why they were there, then they sneaked into his room while he was sleeping, killed him, and cut off his head to show David.
And they brought the head of Ishbosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul thine enemy, which sought thy life; and the LORD hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed.
II Samuel 4:8
They blamed their deed on the Lord, but David was consistent. He dealt with them the same way he had dealt with the Amalekite messenger who told him he had killed Saul. After having them killed, he had their hands and feet cut off, and their corpses placarded in public to show the people that he did not condone their type of treachery.
In Chapter 5 David was anointed king for the third time, this time by all the elders of Israel. He established a new capital in Jerusalem by consulting the Lord and instructing Joab on how to drive out the Jebusites. Jerusalem became the most important city in the Bible.
David then began a series of battles to defeat the Philistines and take back what Saul had lost. He consulted the Lord in these battles.
And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and said, The LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim. And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them. And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. And when David enquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees. And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines. And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.
II Samuel 5:20-25
What was the sound in the tops of the mulberry trees? Wind? The Lord? Angels? We can only speculate.
Visible and Audible Reminders and Proofs of God’s Faithfulness
May 19, 2021 at 4:06 pm | Posted in Joshua | 2 CommentsTags: commentary on Joshua, division of Canaan, inheritance in Canaan, Joshua 21, Levite priests, Levites, spiritual leaders, Sunday School lessons on Joshua, tribes of Israel
Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun, and unto the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel; And they spake unto them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, The Lord commanded by the hand of Moses to give us cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for our cattle.
Joshua 21:1-2
This distribution of the tribes’ inheritance in the land of Canaan had been previously emphasized pertaining to Caleb, and to the daughters of Zelophedad.
These were the 12 tribes: Reuben; Simeon; Levi (no land inheritance); Judah; Issachar; Zebulun; Dan; Naphtali; Gad; Asher; Benjamin; Joseph (no land inheritance); Manasseh and Ephraim (two tribes from Joseph’s tribe).
All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israel were forty and eight cities with their suburbs.
Joshua 21:41
Chapter 21 describes the cities of the Levites in great detail, which reminds us of the importance of honoring those in spiritual leadership. Normally, we think we’re really doing something special by recognizing that they have a right to earn a living, but the Bible actually tells us to go beyond that. It tells us to HONOR them and to hold them in esteem.
It was important that the Levites be spread throughout the land, so that they could be an object lesson on seeing the land-inheritance as important, but not the PERMANENT home of the people of God. They would also be available locally to provide specialized instruction in the Word of God beyond even what families would provide to children and spouses, and what individuals would learn on their own.
Chapter 21 ends with one of the main themes in the Book of Joshua: God’s faithfulness in keeping His promises.
And the Lord gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein.
Joshua 21:43
God had promised them the land, and He had been faithful to keep His Word.
And the Lord gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand.
Joshua 21:44
He had promised them victory over their enemies, and He was faithful as they stood victorious.
There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.
Joshua 21:45
He had promised them that He would keep His promises, and every Word He spoke to them in this regard came to pass.
Hold Your Tongue
May 17, 2021 at 4:01 pm | Posted in James | 3 CommentsTags: Christian speech, commentary on James, communication, James 3, Proverbs 10, Psalm 12, Sunday School lessons on James
This may sound overly simplistic, but Christianity involves communicating. In Bible times there was no email or texting, obviously, but the Bible itself, and the narratives, historical accounts, poetry, Gospels, and epistles that make it up are not picture-books. It is full of words. Growing in maturity in Christianity can involve a great deal of talking and written communication: teaching; fellowshipping; defending our faith. The “tongue,” in Bible language, is often a stand-in word for verbal communication.
As Americans (at least until very recently) we like the idea of freedom of speech, but, as Chrstians, we need to be aware that our tongues can be given too much freedom. With our tongues we can praise and worship the Lord. We can pray. We can be used by the Holy Spirit to lead someone to Jesus. We can change a child’s life by telling him we love him. HOWEVER, we can also: trash someone’s reputation; talk someone into destroying his life; or break someone’s heart. Generally speaking, communication is a good thing; manipulation is not (Psalm 12:3). Our tongues can communicate a blessing from Heaven – or spark a fire from hell!
In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.
Proverbs 10:19
For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
James 3:2
The tongue can get the whole body into trouble. Has your mouth ever written a check your body couldn’t cash? Little boys begin squabbling on the playground, and, after exhausting their supply of about three really bad names, there is nowhere to go but fists.
Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
James 3:3-4
Bits and rudders are small, but they steer big things. Our unredeemed flesh is like a wild horse: it wants to buck and kick and be what it thinks of as “free,” when, in reality it is in bondage to our fallen sinful condition apart from Christ. The world is like the waves and wind that affect a ship: they try to blow it off course. Tongues have to be held tight. Only Christ can really control our tongues. They steer us, and they have the power to destroy. A little spark from the tongue can start the human-conflict equivalent of a forest fire.
Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
James 3:6
Hot heads make for hot tongues, and untamed animals are a hazard, whereas tamed animals can be a great help.
Baptism Posture?
May 11, 2021 at 2:35 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | 1 CommentTags: Baptism, baptism choreography, baptism styles, Bible Q&A, Q&A
Question: I’ve been in church a long time, and I’ve seen dozens of baptisms. When the preacher holds one hand under the person’s head, why does he hold the other hand high in the air while he’s talking before bringing it down to cover the person’s face?
Answer: The hand behind the new convert’s head is for support. The hand up in the air is to high-five angels… No, I’m just kidding. Not all preachers hold one hand high in the air, but, for the ones who do, I’m not sure why. It might just be a praise posture for acknowledging the Lord during the baptism, or maybe to make sure the congregation is focused on what’s going on up in the baptistry, or maybe it’s just a traditional thing, where new pastors imitate the preachers they have seen doing it in the past. I don’t think there’s any deep theological significance to it.
Fall in All
May 6, 2021 at 2:38 pm | Posted in II Samuel | 4 CommentsTags: 2 Samuel 1, 2 Samuel 2, commentary on 2 Samuel, death of Saul, fallen, King David, King Saul, Sunday School lessons on 2 Samuel
At the start of II Samuel an Amalekite messenger told David that Saul was dead, but lied and said that he was the one who killed him. David and his men grieved for Saul and Jonathan, and then David had the messenger killed. In the last part of II Samuel Chapter 1 David sang a song of tribute to Saul and Jonathan.
Note the repetition of the word “fallen.”
And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.
II Samuel 1:4
So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.
II Samuel 1:10
And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.
II Samuel 1:12
The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!
II Samuel 1:19
How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places.
I Samuel 1:25
How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!
II Samuel 1:27
Saul, who once was head and shoulders above all the people of Israel, was now fallen – in every sense of the word.
In II Samuel Chapter 2 David and his men moved to Judah, and, more specifcally, to Hebron. He should have now been clearly recognized as the king, but there was still trouble. Abner, the commander of Saul’s army and his nephew, named Saul’s weak son, Ishbosheth, as king. This started a battle between Abner’s army and David’s army, commanded by David’s nephew, Joab. Abner was then chased by another nephew of David’s, Asahel, and they wound up calling a truce, but Joab and his brother, Abishai, plotted to kill Abner.
The Deep End 
Against the Law?
May 26, 2021 at 9:05 am | Posted in Inlaws, Outlaws, and Scofflaws, Uncategorized | 4 CommentsTags: Biblical Q&A, commentary on Galatians, contradictions, Galatians 2, law of noncontradiction, paradox, self-contradictions, Sunday School lessons on Galatians
Question: What is antinomy?
Answer: Antinomy is when a statement or a proposition is self-contradictory. Common examples are when a “postmodernist” says, “There’s no such thing as absolute truth,” which begs the question as to whether that statement itself could even be true! Or, the classic example: “This sentence is false,” which leaves us scratching our heads and going “Huh?!” The Greek prefix anti means “against,” and the Greek word for “law” is nomos, so an “antinomy” is a proposition which is “against the law,” meaning against the logical law of noncontradiction. When used in connection with theology, antinomy has taken on the meaning of two Biblical statements which appear to be so at odds with each other that we can’t make sense of how they could both be right. I prefer the term “paradox” over “antinomy,” because there are no true logical contradictions in the Bible. For example, Galatians 2:20 appears on the surface to be full of contradictions: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” How could Paul be crucified with Christ, yet alive? How could Christ live in him, yet he not be alive himself? How could Christ’s faith sustain Paul if Christ had died? Of course, these turn out to be paradoxical, rather than contradictory, statements when we examine the surrounding verses, Galatians 2:19 and 21, and see that Paul was dead to the demands of the law, but alive by the grace of God to obey the righteousness evidenced by the law.