Monthly Archives: April 2020

Daily Bible Study

April 21, 2020 Bible Study — King Solomon Dedicates the Temple

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 1 Kings 8.

It tells me a lot about this passage when it tells us that all that was in the Ark of the Covenant when King Solomon moved it into the Temple was the two stone tablets.  However, in Exodus 16:34 we are told that a jar of manna was placed in the Ark in front of the stone tablets (Numbers 17:10 is worded in a way which could be interpreted that Aaron’s staff was placed there as well)..  This is one of those points where, if the author was just making it up, one would expect him to either not mention what was in the Ark, or to tell us that the stone tablets and the jar of manna were there (and possibly Aaron’s staff).  So, at some point between the death of Moses and King Solomon dedicating the Temple, the jar of manna and Aaron’ staff had been lost (Aaron’s staff may never have been in the Ark, but it would surely have been mentioned when Solomon later brought the Tabernacle to Jerusalem).

As part of dedicating the Temple, Solomon asked God to hear and honor the prayers of those who pray towards the Temple.  Solomon listed many sorts of situations where people would do so and asked God to bring deliverance and blessings to those who did so.  I believe that in all of the situations which Solomon listed, God will answer the prayers of anyone, and any group of people, who turn to Him in those situations.  Then Solomon turned to the people and invited them to pray with him in requesting that God give each and every one of them the desire to do God’s will and to follow His commands.  Let us join Solomon in praying that prayer and then follow through on the desire God gives us and do His will.

Daily Bible Study

April 20, 2020 Bible Study — King Solomon Builds His Palace

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 1 Kings 7.

This passage describes King Solomon building his palace after completing the Temple and hiring a bronze smith to make the decorations and implements for the Temple.  He spent basically twice as long building his palace as he did building the Temple.  Perhaps this marks the beginning of Solomon’s fall from serving God which led to the division of Israel.  I have said previously that detailed descriptions of buildings and their ornamentation provide me with little spiritual insight.  Nevertheless I read such passages when they come up because I firmly believe that they are in the Bible for a purpose.  If nothing else, doing so provides examples of why re-reading the Bible time after time has value.  Once again today I noticed something I never noticed before.  It is not something of great interest, just a curious detail.  The walls of Solomon’s palace and of the inner courtyard of the Temple were built with a layer of cedar beams between every three layers of stone.

Daily Bible Study

April 19, 2020 Bible Study — King Solomon Has the Temple Built

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 1 Kings 4-6.

The first thing I noticed when reading this was that King Solomon had time to learn about all of the subjects it later says he was knowledgeable about because he set up his government with people in charge of various aspects of it.  This included regional governors.  King Solomon demonstrated the wisdom for which he was famous by delegating his authority to others instead of trying to run everything himself.  Unlike his two predecessors, King Solomon delegated specific areas of responsibility to specific individuals.  King Saul had delegated responsibility sparingly, and only on a task by task basis.  King David had delegated responsibility on a more consistent basis, but did not clearly divide areas of responsibility.

Another item of interest to me was that the Temple of Solomon had what we would consider low ceilings.  The passage tells us that each story of the Temple complex was 7 1/2 feet high.  There was a two-fold reason for this.  Building materials were outrageously expensive, especially those used by Solomon in the Temple.  Also, the Israelites of that time had not developed the more advanced architectural techniques which make high ceilings practical.  This second point is related to the first in that what building materials one uses will impact how advanced one’s architectural techniques need to be to build high ceilings.  I will note it is likely that the impact of the level of architectural skill is more on it not occurring to them to build high ceilings than on them not being able to figure out how to do so.  Now, as I was doing a little research on the design of Solomon’s Temple I came across a reference suggesting that the design of Solomon’s Temple was a copy of the Temple of Melqart in Tyre.  This is certainly possible because King Solomon hired builders from Hiram of Tyre to assist in building the Temple.  However, while we do not know for sure, it seems probable that it was Hiram who built the Temple of Melqart in Tyre.  Which means that he may have copied Solomon’s design rather than the other way around.

 

Daily Bible Study

April 18, 2020 Bible Study — What Really Tells You Who Cares

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 1 Kings 2-3.

I like the insights into the politics of ancient Israel, and really into politics in general, which one gets from the way King Solomon solidified his reign by dealing with those whose loyalty to himself, or to his father, were questionable.  I also like the way in which Solomon acknowledged that no one person could know enough to rule over a numerous population; that the only way he could successfully rule Israel was with God’s guidance.

However, I really love the insight into judging people which his ruling in the dispute between the two women who both claimed to be the mother of the baby.  The woman who wanted the baby to live was the child’s mother, regardless of whether the child came out of her womb or not.  Let us care more for the well-being of others than for our own selfish desires.

Daily Bible Study

April 17, 2020 Bible Study — Passing Our Responsibilities On To The Next Generation

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 1 Kings 1.

I find that the NIV translation of this passage makes it clearer what happened when David’s son Adonijah decided to make himself king.  In the NLT, it seems as if the story about King David and Abishag is a story about David.  In the NIV, you can see that it is included because it explains why Joab and Abiathar thought that Adonijah should take the throne.  What is not clear is why David’s other advisers opposed Adonijah becoming king.  This is not because we cannot read the passage and think of many good reasons for them to do so.  Rather it is because the passage gives us little insight into their reasons.  However, there is one telling point which allows us to believe that their reasons were not selfish.  When Adonijah made his move he invited all of David’s other sons to join him, except Solomon.  This suggests that David had already made it clear that Solomon was his choice as a successor.  The fact that Nathan the prophet pulled the strings to get David to have Solomon crowned suggests that Solomon was God’s choice as well.

I started out thinking that this story had little to give us a lesson today.  Yet, when I finished writing the previous paragraph I realized that was not true.  This situation arose because David failed to turn over authority to a chosen successor when he became unable to truly exercise that authority himself.  If David had appointed Solomon as his successor sooner, Adonijah would never have tried to seize the throne.  We need to recognize when it is time to pass our responsibilities on to someone else.  This is the flip side of the lesson we learn from the story of Caleb in the Book of Joshua.  That lesson was that we are never too old to do the tasks to which God has called us.  This lesson is that sometimes those tasks are to hand our life’s missions on to the next generation.

Daily Bible Study

April 16, 2020 Bible Study

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 2 Samuel 23-24.

The compiler of this book had a few more stories about David and his mighty men which did not fit into the narrative thread along with the other stories.  I suspect that the stories about the mighty warriors who followed David included here did not have any information which would allow the writer to say, “Oh, that happened in this battle.”  So, instead of sticking them in throughout his narrative and making it appear that they occurred at a different time than they actually did, he put them here at the end.  Something similar is likely true about the story of David’s census and the plague.  The story about the census was included because it explains why David built an altar on the location where the Temple was later built.  Knowing human nature, this story was considered important to counter other stories which were probably going around that the Temple was built upon the temple of some other god, or some other story which made the Temple more holy than God.

Daily Bible Study

April 15, 2020 Bible Study — The Faithful Will Learn That God Is Faithful, the Deceitful Will Discover That God Is Shrewd

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 2 Samuel 20-22.

After defeating Absalom, David gave the post of commander of the army to Amasa in order to get Amasa to convince the elders of Judah to make David their king once more.  Amasa had been Absalom’s commander of the army, while Joab had been David’s.  Like Joab, Amasa was a nephew to David.  Despite the fact that Amasa was his cousin, Joab killed him at the first opportunity.  After that. one of Joab’s men made clear to the army of Judah that their choice was to follow Joab, or rebel against David a second time (this time without a leader).  The story ends by showing us another time that Joab was a skilled political operative.  When Joab and the army of Judah managed to corner Sheba, Joab made it clear that he, and by implication David, would hold only Sheba responsible for the rebellion.

The rest of 2 Samuel following the account of Sheba’s rebellion contains stories about King David which the compiler wanted to relate but could not easily fit into the timeline up to that point.  I struggle with understanding what to make of the story about the Gibeonites.  On the other hand, I have always loved the images in the song which David composed when he was rescued from King Saul.  I suspect that he originally composed this song after the time where King Saul had to return to fight the Philistines when he had been on the verge of catching David and his men.  David used amazing imagery to portray the power which God has to rescue us.  David’s imagery lets us know that even if we are far from any apparent source of rescue, God can reach us even there.  Those who are faithful will discover God’s faithfulness. Those with integrity will discover God’s integrity.  Those who are pure will learn that God is pure.  But those who are crooked and deceitful will discover that God is shrewd.

Daily Bible Study

April 14, 2020 Bible Study — Sometimes Our Desire to Mourn Does Harm

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 2 Samuel 18-19.

I mentioned yesterday that the biblical account tells us that King David had some hostility towards Joab and his brother, Abishai.  The writers of those accounts seem to suggest that David’s animosity towards his nephews was justified, but do not really explain it.  However, today I noticed something I never really thought about that likely plays a role in David’s animosity towards Joab.  When one of his men reported that they had found Absalom hanging by his hair, but still alive, Joab asked why they had not killed him.  Joab said that he would have rewarded him well for doing so.  To which he replied that everyone had heard the king’s order to go easy on Absalom and he would not be willing to face the king’s wrath.  The important point made is that this man said that Joab would be among the first to abandon him when the king found out who killed his son.  So, it appears that Joab had a reputation for encouraging people to stand up for David, but, if they angered David by doing so, he would be among the first to take action against them.  If David was aware of this, and he likely was, he would likely consider it the worst sort of betrayal.

Having said that about Joab, we have the example later in this passage of Joab confronting David about his mourning the death of Absalom while his men wished to celebrate their victory.  So, we see that despite the ill will which David had for Joab, Joab looked out for what he perceived to be David’s best interest.  In this case, Joab was right.  David had selfishly put his mourning the loss of his son ahead of the needs of his men and his nation.  We can sympathize with David’s desire to mourn, but we need to recognize that by doing so he was doing more harm to himself than good.

Daily Bible Study

April 13, 2020 Bible Study

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 2 Samuel 16-17.

The biblical accounts contain several stories which demonstrate the rift between David and his nephews, Joab and Abishai.  Yet, none of them seem to explain why David had such strong feelings against them.  This account is the first time we are told about Abishai earning David’s ire.  Joab, on the other hand, has done two things which might merit David’s ire.  The first is clear.  When David had attempted to end the civil war with Saul’s house by offering to make Abner commander of his army in place of Joab, Joab had killed Abner (Joab used the pretext that Abner had killed his brother).  The second is my supposition.  It appears that Joab had championed David making Absalom his successor, and now Absalom had openly rebelled trying to claim the throne.  David may have held Joab’s earlier championing of Absalom against him at this point.  Yet, Joab had not joined Absalom, but instead was leading the forces defending David as he fled.

Later in the passage we see David’s strategy of sending Hushai back to Jerusalem to give Absalom bad advice paid dividends.  However, if one reads closely one realizes that the strategy worked because of Absalom’s conceit and insecurity.  Ahithophel gave Absalom two pieces of advice when Absalom arrived in Jerusalem.  Absalom eagerly took the first piece of advice which was to humiliate his father by sleeping with those of David’s concubines who David had left in Jerusalem to maintain the palace.  However, instead of taking the second piece of advice, which was to send Ahithophel with a large troop of soldiers to pursue David immediately, Absalom chose to ask a second opinion of Hushai.  Hushai played on Absalom’s insecurity and arrogance.  First, Hushai played up David’s reputation as both a warrior and a general (a reputation which David had earned, but which he was probably no longer able to live up to) by suggesting that David would be able to defeat the force sent after him.  Second, Hushai played to Absalom’s arrogance by suggesting that if Absalom led an overwhelming army to defeat David, Absalom would gain the reputation of being the general who defeated David.

As a side note I want to point out that Ahithophel’s actions after his advice about pursuing David was not followed suggests that his involvement with Absalom’s rebellion was more complicated than anything mentioned in the biblical passages.  The following morning Ahithophel left Jerusalem, returned to his home, set his affairs in order, and killed himself.  Was this because, by not taking his advice, Absalom had shown that he would not be Ahithophel’s puppet?  We have no other evidence that Ahithophel expected otherwise.  Or, was it because Ahithophel knew that Absalom was such a poor general that he would lose the war with David’s men?  Or, some other reason?

Daily Bible Study

April 12, 2020 Bible Study — David Flees From Absalom

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 2 Samuel 14-15.

This passage contains elements which have always confused me.  In particular, Joab works to get David to bring Absalom back, but then does not join Absalom in Absalom’s attempt to seize the throne.  Yet some years later, Joab joined with the attempt by Absalom’s brother to do the same thing.  I have a theory that Joab recognized that David was getting older and wanted to ensure an orderly succession by bringing Absalom back as heir to the throne.  However, Joab did not support a violent overthrow of King David.  Later, when King David was no longer able to rule, but had refused to name an heir, Joab supported David’s oldest living son taking the throne.

That being said the rest of this passage shows us why David was a successful king.  First, we have the men from Gath who want to join David in going into exile.  David tries to convince them to stay out of this dynastic dispute, but they insist, out of loyalty to David, on joining him (it would be interesting to know why these Philistines became so loyal to David).  So, we have the loyalty which David inspired in others.  Second, we have the plans which David made to keep himself informed of Absalom’s actions and to sow disruption among his advisers.  David sent the priests who chose to join him back to spy on Absalom’s councils with instructions on how they could get word to him of Absalom’s plans without anyone noticing.  Then, when one of his civilian advisers came to join him, David sent him back to offer his services to Absalom in order to give Absalom bad advice.  So, we see that King David inspired loyalty in others and knew how to use the abilities of his supporters to undermine the success of his enemies.