The Japanese Book of ancient matters (Kojiki) is the oldest chronicle dating from the early 8th century CE .
The Book was compiled and edited by O No Yasumaro (died August 15, 723). The Empress Genmei (707-721) charged him with the duty of writing the Book using the differing clan chronicles, myths, early legends, songs, genealogies, oral traditions and semi-historical accounts concerning the origin of the Japanese archipelago.
The primary purpose of the Book was to erase falsehoods and establish truth furthering in this way the imperial agenda.
The historical narrative in the Book is clearly broken into the Age of Gods and the Age of Human Emperors, wherein the myth of the Gods which gave birth to the land is told and transitioned in a chronological fashion to the reign of the emperors, who descend from these same gods.
The story of the creation of heaven and earth is described first-hand at the beginning of the Book. It says that at the beginning the universe was immerse in a beaten and shapeless kind of matter (chaos), sunk in silence. Later there were sounds indicating the movement of particles. With this movement, the light and the lightest particles rose but the particles were not as fast as the light and could not go higher.
Thus, the light was at the top of the universe, and below it, the particles formed first the clouds and then Heaven, which was to be called "High Plain of Heaven" (Takamagahara). The rest of the particles that had not risen formed a huge mass, dense and dark, to be called Earth.
The Seven Generations of the Age of the Gods is called "Kamiyonanayo" and emerged after the formation of heaven and earth. They were born in the World of Heaven (Takamagahara) and unlike the later gods, these deities were born without any procreation.
The 3 deities that first came into being alone without any procreation, as opposed to those who came into being as male-female pairs, were: -Central Master (Amenominakanushi); -High Creator (Takamimusubi); -Divine Creator (Kamimusubi). Later, 2 more gods came into existence: -Energy (Umashiashikabihikoji); and -Heaven (Amenotoko-tachi).
The next 7 generations of gods born in the world of heaven that followed the previous gods were the Kamiyonanayo, which included the patriarch and matriarch of all other Japanese gods, respectively.
Amaterasu is the Japanese expression of the solar goddess. The name Amaterasu is derived from Amateru and means "shining in heaven" and the meaning of her whole name is "the great august deity who shines in heaven." The Emperors of Japan are considered to be direct descendants of Amaterasu.
The oldest records of Amaterasu (712 CE) presents her as the sister of the god of storms and the sea (Susanoo), and of the god of the moon (Tsukuyomi). Amaterasu painted the Japanese landscape with her siblings while she created ancient Japan. She was said to have been created by the divine couple Izanagi and Izanami, who were themselves created by, or grew from, the originator of the Universe, Amenominakanushi.
The World of the Dead (Yomi) or the World of Darkness is located beneath the earth. Once one has eaten at the heart of Yomi it is impossible to return to the land of the living. In there all the deceased carry on a gloomy shadowy existence.
Saturday, 15 December 2018
Sunday, 9 December 2018
THE WORLD OF THE DEAD.
Do people have any idea of what the world of the dead means? Are they aware of soul's victories and defeats? Death is one of the most misunderstanding subject of today world. For many Death is a mystery and evokes dread, uncertainty, and hopelessness. For others believe the dead are not dead but instead live in other realms. Millions are confused about the relationship between the body, spirit and soul. What you believe about the Dead will have a profound impact on what happens to you in the near future.
The Devil lied to Eve about Death. He said to her that she would not die. This lie is one of the pillars of his treacherous teachings since the beginning of the world. He has worked powerfully using sorcery to trick people and deceive the world about the real meaning of being dead.
1 Thessalonians 4: 13-13 says, "Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in Death so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no Hope." "David ... is both dead and buried and his tomb is with us to this day ... For David did not ascend into the Heavens" (Acts 2: 29, 34)."
Genesis 2:7 says, "The Lord formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of Life; and man became a living soul." Ezekiel 18:20 says, "The soul that sinned, it shall die." Also Ezekiel says in chapter 37:8 "And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no God's breath in them."
Ecclesiastes 12:7 says, "Then the dust will return to the Earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it." James 2: 26 says, "The body without the spirit is dead."
2 Corinthians 5:1 says, "For we know that if the Earthly Tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an Eternal House in Heaven, not built by human hands."5:4-10 "For while we are in this Earthly Tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the One who has fashioned us for this very Purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by Faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at Home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at Home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad."
1 Corinthians 15: 12-22 says, "But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the Dead, how can some of you say that there is no Resurrection of the Dead? If there is no Resurrection of the Dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is the Faith. More than that, we are then found to be False Witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that He raised Christ from the Dead. But He did not raise Him if in fact the Dead are not raised. For if the Dead are not raised, the Faith is futile; and we are still in our sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this Life we have Hope in Christ,we are of all people the most to be pitied. But Christ has indeed been Raised from the Dead, the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since Death came through a man, the resurrection of the Dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive."
Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom."
Job 14: 12, 21 says, "Man lies down and does not rise. Till the Heavens are no more, they will not awake nor be roused from their sleep ... His sons come to honor, and he does not know it; they are brought low, and he does not perceive it."
John 5: 28-29 says, "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His Voice and come out -those who have done what is good will rise to live and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned."
The Scripture in Luke 16: 23 says, "And being in torments in Hades( the rich man) lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom."
Hebrews 12: 1-2 says, "Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also let aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely and let us run with perseverance the race set before us, looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our Faith, who for the sake of the Joy that was set before Him endured the cross, disregarding the shame and has taken His seat at the right of the Throne of God.
Matthew 10: 28 says, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in Hell."
Philippians 3: 20-21 says, "But our citizenship is in Heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the Power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body."
Revelations 20: 11-15 says, "Then I saw a great white Throne and Him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from His presence and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the Throne, and Books were opened. Another Book was opened, which is the Book of Life. The dead were judge according to what they had done as recorded in the Books. The Sea gave up the dead that were in it and Death and Hades gave the dead that were in them
and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the Lake of Fire. The Lake of Fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the Book of Life was thrown into the Lake of Fire."
Remember what Timothy says in chapter 3 :16-17 "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in Righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work." ... "For we walk by Faith and not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7) .
The Devil lied to Eve about Death. He said to her that she would not die. This lie is one of the pillars of his treacherous teachings since the beginning of the world. He has worked powerfully using sorcery to trick people and deceive the world about the real meaning of being dead.
1 Thessalonians 4: 13-13 says, "Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in Death so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no Hope." "David ... is both dead and buried and his tomb is with us to this day ... For David did not ascend into the Heavens" (Acts 2: 29, 34)."
Genesis 2:7 says, "The Lord formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of Life; and man became a living soul." Ezekiel 18:20 says, "The soul that sinned, it shall die." Also Ezekiel says in chapter 37:8 "And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no God's breath in them."
Ecclesiastes 12:7 says, "Then the dust will return to the Earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it." James 2: 26 says, "The body without the spirit is dead."
2 Corinthians 5:1 says, "For we know that if the Earthly Tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an Eternal House in Heaven, not built by human hands."5:4-10 "For while we are in this Earthly Tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the One who has fashioned us for this very Purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by Faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at Home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at Home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad."
1 Corinthians 15: 12-22 says, "But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the Dead, how can some of you say that there is no Resurrection of the Dead? If there is no Resurrection of the Dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is the Faith. More than that, we are then found to be False Witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that He raised Christ from the Dead. But He did not raise Him if in fact the Dead are not raised. For if the Dead are not raised, the Faith is futile; and we are still in our sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this Life we have Hope in Christ,we are of all people the most to be pitied. But Christ has indeed been Raised from the Dead, the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since Death came through a man, the resurrection of the Dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive."
Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom."
Job 14: 12, 21 says, "Man lies down and does not rise. Till the Heavens are no more, they will not awake nor be roused from their sleep ... His sons come to honor, and he does not know it; they are brought low, and he does not perceive it."
John 5: 28-29 says, "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His Voice and come out -those who have done what is good will rise to live and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned."
The Scripture in Luke 16: 23 says, "And being in torments in Hades( the rich man) lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom."
Hebrews 12: 1-2 says, "Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also let aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely and let us run with perseverance the race set before us, looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our Faith, who for the sake of the Joy that was set before Him endured the cross, disregarding the shame and has taken His seat at the right of the Throne of God.
Matthew 10: 28 says, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in Hell."
Philippians 3: 20-21 says, "But our citizenship is in Heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the Power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body."
Revelations 20: 11-15 says, "Then I saw a great white Throne and Him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from His presence and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the Throne, and Books were opened. Another Book was opened, which is the Book of Life. The dead were judge according to what they had done as recorded in the Books. The Sea gave up the dead that were in it and Death and Hades gave the dead that were in them
and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the Lake of Fire. The Lake of Fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the Book of Life was thrown into the Lake of Fire."
Remember what Timothy says in chapter 3 :16-17 "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in Righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work." ... "For we walk by Faith and not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7) .
Saturday, 8 December 2018
INCANTATIONS.
Incantations were belief-rhyme magical formulas recited to prevent or ward off potential harm from evil influences, to cure disease by driving away the demons that caused it or to obtain favors from higher forces -for example, ending the rains or a drought or hastening the return of an absent beloved.
The spoken magical words were considered to activate a force and only qualified individuals were able to understand its powerful language and transfer it on suitable objects. Even meaningless and meaningful words, names, numbers, vowels and certain phrases recited backward have been viewed as a force magically powered.
Magic can be described as the art of influencing the course of events by the use of hidden forces in control of natural phenomena through the application of known oral or written ritual observances.
Deuteronomy 18: 9-12 says, "When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the incantation practices of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you."
Ezekiel 13:18 says, "Thus says the Lord God: 'Woe to the women who sew magic bands upon all wrists, and make veils for the heads of persons of every stature, in the hunt for souls! Will you hunt down souls belonging to My people and keep your own souls alive?' "
Micah 5: 12 says, "And I will cut off incantations from your hand, and you shall have no more tellers of fortunes."
Exodus 7: 10-12 says, "So Moses and Aaron went to the Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron cast down his staff before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts. For each man cast down his staff, and they became serpents. But Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs.
Acts 19: 17-19 says, "And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them, and the Name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices.And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to 50,000 pieces of silver."
1 John 4: 1 says, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world."
Colossians 2:8 says, "See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ."
Colossians 2: 20 says, "If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations."
Acts 8: 9-24 says, "But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the City and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, 'This man is the power of God that is called Great.' And they paid attention to him for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. But when they believed Philip as he preached Good News about the Kingdom of God and the Name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed."
"Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the Word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (for as yet He was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus). Then laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, Simon offered them money, saying, 'Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.' But Peter said unto him, 'Your money perish with you, because you have thought that the Gift of God may be purchased with money. You have neither part nor lot in this matter: for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee, for I perceive that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.' Then Simon answered and said, 'Pray you to the Lord for me, that none of these things which you have spoken come upon me.' "
Many Christian believers are guilty of using the precious power of the Name of Jesus Christ like an incantation or magic spell. They use this power as a means of communication trying to make demands of and direct God as to what He should and should not do. This type of action is incantation. The use of any formula of particular words during a prayer and use it as a spell or verbal charm in order so that it will produce the desired effect is an incantation.
There is a clear evidence in the Scripture that the enemy uses the Word of God and twist its effect to his own purpose. Do not be fooled by him because what he wants is your soul. That is why it is important to look at the entire Word of God, not just a tiny piece of it. When we pray and ask in His Name, we pray as an authorized of and approved soul by Him and directed by the Holy Ghost, then He will listen to it. We are in essence, acting as His agent in this world. We have no authority on our own but He has given us authority to do as he directs our actions according to His plan of action. This not something to be taken lightly. This is very serious!
Sunday, 25 November 2018
THE VALUE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
GENESIS 24 says: Abraham was now very old, and the Lord had blessed him in every way. He said to the senior servant in his household, the one in charge of all that he had, "Put your hand under my thigh. I want you to swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac."
The senior servant asked Abraham,"What if the woman is unwilling to come back with me to this land?
Shall I then take your son back to the country you came from?"
Abraham said, "Make sure that you do not take my son back there. The Lord, the God of heaven, Who brought me out of my father's household and my native land and Who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, 'To your offsprings I will give this land' -He will send His angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there. If the woman is unwilling to come back with you, then you will be released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there."
So the senior servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter. (24: 1-9)
Sometimes we do not understand the importance of obedience, because we truly do not understand the severity of God. We fail to appreciate the enormous value of belonging to the kingdom of God.
MATTHEW 13 says: The kingdom of God is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it grows larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree. The birds of the air can come and make nests in its branches (13:31-32). The kingdom of God is like leaven that a woman took and hid in 3 measures of flour, till it was all leavened (13:33). The kingdom of God is like treasure hidden in a field. A man found it, and he concealed it. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field (13:44). Again, the kingdom of God is like a merchant in search of fine pearls (an already made treasure), who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it (13: 45-46). Again, the kingdom of God is like a net that fisher-folk threw into the sea. The net gathered all sorts of fish. When the net was full, the fisher-folk drew it ashore. They sat down and sorted the good fish into containers but threw away the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and cast the evil into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (13:47-50). Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of God is like a master of a house, who brings out his treasure both what is new and what is old (13: 52).
We won't find the spiritual kingdom of God, far more greater than any of the world empires if we are not seekers of it. God's kingdom has no boundaries and it will be revealed to us only when we seek for it and its value is far superior to all of the riches of the earth. We must secure it in our heart and keep it safe from the devil tricks trying to steal the power of it, because it brings us joy that last forever. Jesus said: "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees" (Matthew 16:6) in regards of how the power of evil can permeate the heart of the believer just as much as the goodness of God can and we are the ones to notice the difference between nurturing our spiritual life or killing it.
MARK 4 says: The kingdom of God is like a man scattering seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows -he knows not how. The earth, by itself, produces first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once man puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come (4: 26-29).
The spiritual nature of the kingdom of God is shown through our hearts. The kingdom is of God, not of man. It is the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our eyes. All we mortals can do is seek for it. As soon as we find it God alone make the seed grows stage by stage until it mature for harvest. We can not offer to anyone a place in heaven, we has nothing to do with that, except to nurture the process in all brothers and sisters in faith and watch it happen with wonder.
MATTHEW 22 says: The kingdom of God is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. Then he sent some more servants and said, "Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner. My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet." But they paid no attention and went off -one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized the king's servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, "The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find." So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes.
"Friend," the king asked, "how did you get in here without wedding clothes?"The man was speechless.
Then the king told the attendants, "Tie him hand and foot and throw him outside into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
Nothing is hidden from God. You cannot serve two masters. Romans 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death.
REVELATION 21 says: And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
And I saw the dead small and great, stand before God; and the Books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Book, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
The senior servant asked Abraham,"What if the woman is unwilling to come back with me to this land?
Shall I then take your son back to the country you came from?"
Abraham said, "Make sure that you do not take my son back there. The Lord, the God of heaven, Who brought me out of my father's household and my native land and Who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, 'To your offsprings I will give this land' -He will send His angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there. If the woman is unwilling to come back with you, then you will be released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there."
So the senior servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter. (24: 1-9)
Sometimes we do not understand the importance of obedience, because we truly do not understand the severity of God. We fail to appreciate the enormous value of belonging to the kingdom of God.
MATTHEW 13 says: The kingdom of God is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it grows larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree. The birds of the air can come and make nests in its branches (13:31-32). The kingdom of God is like leaven that a woman took and hid in 3 measures of flour, till it was all leavened (13:33). The kingdom of God is like treasure hidden in a field. A man found it, and he concealed it. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field (13:44). Again, the kingdom of God is like a merchant in search of fine pearls (an already made treasure), who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it (13: 45-46). Again, the kingdom of God is like a net that fisher-folk threw into the sea. The net gathered all sorts of fish. When the net was full, the fisher-folk drew it ashore. They sat down and sorted the good fish into containers but threw away the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and cast the evil into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (13:47-50). Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of God is like a master of a house, who brings out his treasure both what is new and what is old (13: 52).
We won't find the spiritual kingdom of God, far more greater than any of the world empires if we are not seekers of it. God's kingdom has no boundaries and it will be revealed to us only when we seek for it and its value is far superior to all of the riches of the earth. We must secure it in our heart and keep it safe from the devil tricks trying to steal the power of it, because it brings us joy that last forever. Jesus said: "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees" (Matthew 16:6) in regards of how the power of evil can permeate the heart of the believer just as much as the goodness of God can and we are the ones to notice the difference between nurturing our spiritual life or killing it.
MARK 4 says: The kingdom of God is like a man scattering seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows -he knows not how. The earth, by itself, produces first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once man puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come (4: 26-29).
The spiritual nature of the kingdom of God is shown through our hearts. The kingdom is of God, not of man. It is the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our eyes. All we mortals can do is seek for it. As soon as we find it God alone make the seed grows stage by stage until it mature for harvest. We can not offer to anyone a place in heaven, we has nothing to do with that, except to nurture the process in all brothers and sisters in faith and watch it happen with wonder.
MATTHEW 22 says: The kingdom of God is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. Then he sent some more servants and said, "Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner. My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet." But they paid no attention and went off -one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized the king's servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, "The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find." So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes.
"Friend," the king asked, "how did you get in here without wedding clothes?"The man was speechless.
Then the king told the attendants, "Tie him hand and foot and throw him outside into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
Nothing is hidden from God. You cannot serve two masters. Romans 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death.
REVELATION 21 says: And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
And I saw the dead small and great, stand before God; and the Books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Book, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
Wednesday, 31 October 2018
THE SYMBOLIC ROLE OF THE EGYPTIAN ARMY.
The first evidence of horses in Egypt dates from the 13 dynasty. But they were introduced on a major scale only from the Second Intermediate Period onwards.
Horses were very luxury animals, and only the very wealthy could afford to keep them and treat them according to their worth. they were never used for ploughing and only rarely ridden during the 2nd millennium BC. For war and hunt alike they were harnessed to chariots.
Tutankh'Amen enjoyed not only driving his chariot, but also mounting on horseback. this has been inferred from a riding crop found in his tom bearing the inscription that "he came on his horse like the shining Re."
Ramses II (1278-1237BC), remembered for his military campaigns and his extensive building program,
built a complex of six rows of stables for 460 horses at Per-Ramses on the Southern edge of the Delta, covering 1,700 square meters. They had sloping floors and troughs at the lower end for keeping the floor as dry as possible and catching the horses' urine. The stables contained stone water basins and stone tethers. He, like his father Seti I, pursued a vigorous foreign policy by attacking the Hittites, the chief opponents of the Egyptian empire in the East. The army of Ramses consisted mostly of Egyptians, with a few Nubian contingents and some Sherden mercenaries. The chariots were mannered esclusively by Egyptian noblemen. It is generally assumed that an Egyptian division was comprised of 5,000 foot soldiers. Ramses setting out with 4 dividions of 20,000 seems reasonable.
Pharaohs often supervised personally the treatment their horses were getting. Ramses III frequented his stables and Piye (Pi'Ankhi, son of Kashta, the Golden Age of Nubian domination of Egypt), having conquered the Middle Egyptian Town of Shamumu after a lengthy siege, accused the defeated prince Nam'Lot of not feeding his horses properly. He said: "As I have lived and loved Re and breath is in my nostrils' thus my heart grows heavy seeing how these horses have been starved, which is worse than anything you have done from the evil in your heart."
Egyptian horses became famous throughout the Eastern Mediterranean. The Assyrian conquerors, when extracting tribute, made sure to get as many of them as possible.
The great prophet Isaiah who lived in Jerusalem says : "Those who go to Egypt for help are doomed! They are relying on Egypt's vast military strength -horses, chariots, and soldiers. But they do not rely on the Lord, the holy God of Israel, or ask Him for help. He knows what He is doing! He sends disaster. He carries out His threats to punish evil people and those who protect them. The Egyptians are not gods -they are only mortals. Their horses are not supernatural. When the Lord acts, the strong nation will crumble, and the weak nation helped by the strong nation will fall. Both of them will be destroyed.
(Isaiah 31: 1-3)
Horses were prime material in those ancient days, so multiplying horses indicated territorial aggression and warlike spirit, and most importantly, it showed a lack of Faith in God and too great a faith in the fleshy nature of the armies.
We can notice God's instruction to kings in Deuteronomy 17, which specifically warns against multiplying horses, wives, silver and gold. The king Solomon was blessed with wisdom that no one could gainsay, he was also blessed with wealth and ability no one had ever possessed before. This king, the son of Davis and Bathsheba, a man of peace and learning, was commissioned to build the most beautiful Temple to God in the City of Jerusalem. David and his armies had essentially subjugated all of the world that mattered at that time. King David of Israel, was the head of the nations and faraway kings he did not even know trembled at the mention of his name. As the sole superpower in the region, wealth poured into Israel. When Solomon was made king upon David's death, not a nation on the face on the earth would have considered attacking Israel. So, Solomon ruled the known world and as time progressed, he did not see the need to obey God's Law fully that He had commanded the kings of Israel to do. In his power and wealth, Solomon saw no problem with compromising a little with God's Law.
He failed completely in his old age, but the seeds of that failure were sown early in his reign.
1 King 10 says that Solomon had thousands of horses imported from Egypt. he also imported chariots and sold horses and chariots to other nations. Solomon armed the Hittites and Syria, providing them with the means to attack Israel and Judah in later years (1 Kings 11; 20; II Chronicles 22).
From the action of importing horses, Solomon was an accessory to the sins of idolatry and outright murder, sins that he would never have considered committing at the beginning of his reign. At the end of his life, Solomon himself worshipped Ash'Tor'Eth, Milcom, Chemosh, and Molech.
Horses were very luxury animals, and only the very wealthy could afford to keep them and treat them according to their worth. they were never used for ploughing and only rarely ridden during the 2nd millennium BC. For war and hunt alike they were harnessed to chariots.
Tutankh'Amen enjoyed not only driving his chariot, but also mounting on horseback. this has been inferred from a riding crop found in his tom bearing the inscription that "he came on his horse like the shining Re."
Ramses II (1278-1237BC), remembered for his military campaigns and his extensive building program,
built a complex of six rows of stables for 460 horses at Per-Ramses on the Southern edge of the Delta, covering 1,700 square meters. They had sloping floors and troughs at the lower end for keeping the floor as dry as possible and catching the horses' urine. The stables contained stone water basins and stone tethers. He, like his father Seti I, pursued a vigorous foreign policy by attacking the Hittites, the chief opponents of the Egyptian empire in the East. The army of Ramses consisted mostly of Egyptians, with a few Nubian contingents and some Sherden mercenaries. The chariots were mannered esclusively by Egyptian noblemen. It is generally assumed that an Egyptian division was comprised of 5,000 foot soldiers. Ramses setting out with 4 dividions of 20,000 seems reasonable.
Pharaohs often supervised personally the treatment their horses were getting. Ramses III frequented his stables and Piye (Pi'Ankhi, son of Kashta, the Golden Age of Nubian domination of Egypt), having conquered the Middle Egyptian Town of Shamumu after a lengthy siege, accused the defeated prince Nam'Lot of not feeding his horses properly. He said: "As I have lived and loved Re and breath is in my nostrils' thus my heart grows heavy seeing how these horses have been starved, which is worse than anything you have done from the evil in your heart."
Egyptian horses became famous throughout the Eastern Mediterranean. The Assyrian conquerors, when extracting tribute, made sure to get as many of them as possible.
The great prophet Isaiah who lived in Jerusalem says : "Those who go to Egypt for help are doomed! They are relying on Egypt's vast military strength -horses, chariots, and soldiers. But they do not rely on the Lord, the holy God of Israel, or ask Him for help. He knows what He is doing! He sends disaster. He carries out His threats to punish evil people and those who protect them. The Egyptians are not gods -they are only mortals. Their horses are not supernatural. When the Lord acts, the strong nation will crumble, and the weak nation helped by the strong nation will fall. Both of them will be destroyed.
(Isaiah 31: 1-3)
Horses were prime material in those ancient days, so multiplying horses indicated territorial aggression and warlike spirit, and most importantly, it showed a lack of Faith in God and too great a faith in the fleshy nature of the armies.
We can notice God's instruction to kings in Deuteronomy 17, which specifically warns against multiplying horses, wives, silver and gold. The king Solomon was blessed with wisdom that no one could gainsay, he was also blessed with wealth and ability no one had ever possessed before. This king, the son of Davis and Bathsheba, a man of peace and learning, was commissioned to build the most beautiful Temple to God in the City of Jerusalem. David and his armies had essentially subjugated all of the world that mattered at that time. King David of Israel, was the head of the nations and faraway kings he did not even know trembled at the mention of his name. As the sole superpower in the region, wealth poured into Israel. When Solomon was made king upon David's death, not a nation on the face on the earth would have considered attacking Israel. So, Solomon ruled the known world and as time progressed, he did not see the need to obey God's Law fully that He had commanded the kings of Israel to do. In his power and wealth, Solomon saw no problem with compromising a little with God's Law.
He failed completely in his old age, but the seeds of that failure were sown early in his reign.
1 King 10 says that Solomon had thousands of horses imported from Egypt. he also imported chariots and sold horses and chariots to other nations. Solomon armed the Hittites and Syria, providing them with the means to attack Israel and Judah in later years (1 Kings 11; 20; II Chronicles 22).
From the action of importing horses, Solomon was an accessory to the sins of idolatry and outright murder, sins that he would never have considered committing at the beginning of his reign. At the end of his life, Solomon himself worshipped Ash'Tor'Eth, Milcom, Chemosh, and Molech.
Monday, 29 October 2018
THE MEANING OF INTEGRITY.
The Hebrew terms relating to integrity have the root meaning of that which is "complete" or "whole."
But mainly it describes unswerving devotion to righteousness.
The first human couple were given the opportunity to manifest integrity in the Garden of Eden. The restriction regarding the tree of knowledge put to the test their devotion to righteousness. Under the pressure of temptation from God's adversary and his appeal to selfishness, they gave way to sin. Their shame, their reluctance to face God and their lack of candor in responding to His questions all gave evidence of their lack of Integrity.
When Satan's rebellion occurred, it produced an issue of universal importance -that of the Rightfulness of God's sovereignty over all His creatures, His right to require full obedience of them.
Psalm 119 says: -Determination to Obey the Law of the Lord: "I lie defeated in the dust, revive me, as You have promised. I confessed all I have done, and You answered me; teach me Your Ways. Help me to understand Your Laws and I will meditate on Your wonderful teachings. I am overcome by sorrow; strengthen me, as You have promised. Keep me from going the wrong way, and in Your goodness teach me Your Law. I have chosen to be obedient; I have paid attention to Your Judgments. I have followed Your Instructions, Lord; don't let me be put to shame. I will eagerly obey Your Commands, because You will give me more understanding. (25-32)
Since the issue with Satan was not one of superiority of power but, rather, a moral issue, it could not be settled merely by the exercise of power, as by God's immediately crushing Satan and the human couple out of existence. This fact is an important aid to understanding why Wickedness and its author, Satan, have been allowed to continue so long.
Since God's adversary first drew upon humans for support and endorsement of his rebel course, this made the question of man's integrity to God's sovereign Will an essential part of the overall issue. Proof of this is seen in the case of Job.
Satan's challenging statements in Job's case show he held the position that all persons could be drawn away from God's side, as it occurred in the story of David and Bathsheba, that none served out of a purely unselfish motive.
Proverbs 11 says: 1-The Lord hates people who use dishonest scales. He is happy with honest weights.
3-If you are good, you are guided by Honesty. People who can't be trusted are destroyed by their own dishonesty. 4-Riches will do you no good on the Day you face Death, but Honesty can save your life.
5-Honesty makes a good person's life easier, but the wicked will cause their own downfall. 7-When the wicked die, their hope dies with them. 6-Righteousness rescues those who are honest, but those who can't be trusted are trapped by their own greed. 8-The righteous are protected from trouble; it comes to the wicked instead. 9-You can be ruined by the talk of godless people, but the Wisdom of the righteous can save you. 11-A city becomes great when the righteous give it their blessing; but a city is brought to ruin by the words of the wicked. 13-No one who gossips can be trusted with a secret, but you can put Confidence in someone who is Trustworthy. 12-It is foolish to speak scornfully of others.16-A gracious
woman is respected, but a woman without virtue is a disgrace. 18-Wicked people do not really gain anything, but if you do what is right, you are certain to be rewarded. 19-Anyone who is determined to do right will live, but anyone who insists on doing wrong will die.
Since all men are imperfect and unable to measure up perfectly to God's standards, it is evident that the integrity of man does not mean perfection of action or speech. Rather, the Scripture shows that the spirit of integrity means wholeness or completeness of heart devotion.
David committed several serious wrongs, but he, nevertheless, "walked with integrity of heart," for he accepted reproof and corrected his way (1 King 9). David thereby proved that his heart still retained genuine love for God's ways (Psalms 26). As David later told his son Solomon: "Know the God of your father and serve Him with a complete heart and with a delightful soul; for all hearts God is searching, and every inclination of the thoughts He is discerning."
Integrity is therefore not restricted to any one aspect of human conduct; it does not apply just to matters defined as "religious." To serve God is a way of life in which the individual walks constantly searching to know God's Will (Psalms 119).
One "proves himself faultless" before God over a period of time, as did Noah, Abraham, David and others (Genesis 6; 17; 2 Samuel 22).
Integrity requires uncompromising Loyalty to God and adherence to Righteousness, not merely under favorable conditions or circumstances, but under all conditions and at all time.
But mainly it describes unswerving devotion to righteousness.
The first human couple were given the opportunity to manifest integrity in the Garden of Eden. The restriction regarding the tree of knowledge put to the test their devotion to righteousness. Under the pressure of temptation from God's adversary and his appeal to selfishness, they gave way to sin. Their shame, their reluctance to face God and their lack of candor in responding to His questions all gave evidence of their lack of Integrity.
When Satan's rebellion occurred, it produced an issue of universal importance -that of the Rightfulness of God's sovereignty over all His creatures, His right to require full obedience of them.
Psalm 119 says: -Determination to Obey the Law of the Lord: "I lie defeated in the dust, revive me, as You have promised. I confessed all I have done, and You answered me; teach me Your Ways. Help me to understand Your Laws and I will meditate on Your wonderful teachings. I am overcome by sorrow; strengthen me, as You have promised. Keep me from going the wrong way, and in Your goodness teach me Your Law. I have chosen to be obedient; I have paid attention to Your Judgments. I have followed Your Instructions, Lord; don't let me be put to shame. I will eagerly obey Your Commands, because You will give me more understanding. (25-32)
Since the issue with Satan was not one of superiority of power but, rather, a moral issue, it could not be settled merely by the exercise of power, as by God's immediately crushing Satan and the human couple out of existence. This fact is an important aid to understanding why Wickedness and its author, Satan, have been allowed to continue so long.
Since God's adversary first drew upon humans for support and endorsement of his rebel course, this made the question of man's integrity to God's sovereign Will an essential part of the overall issue. Proof of this is seen in the case of Job.
Satan's challenging statements in Job's case show he held the position that all persons could be drawn away from God's side, as it occurred in the story of David and Bathsheba, that none served out of a purely unselfish motive.
Proverbs 11 says: 1-The Lord hates people who use dishonest scales. He is happy with honest weights.
3-If you are good, you are guided by Honesty. People who can't be trusted are destroyed by their own dishonesty. 4-Riches will do you no good on the Day you face Death, but Honesty can save your life.
5-Honesty makes a good person's life easier, but the wicked will cause their own downfall. 7-When the wicked die, their hope dies with them. 6-Righteousness rescues those who are honest, but those who can't be trusted are trapped by their own greed. 8-The righteous are protected from trouble; it comes to the wicked instead. 9-You can be ruined by the talk of godless people, but the Wisdom of the righteous can save you. 11-A city becomes great when the righteous give it their blessing; but a city is brought to ruin by the words of the wicked. 13-No one who gossips can be trusted with a secret, but you can put Confidence in someone who is Trustworthy. 12-It is foolish to speak scornfully of others.16-A gracious
woman is respected, but a woman without virtue is a disgrace. 18-Wicked people do not really gain anything, but if you do what is right, you are certain to be rewarded. 19-Anyone who is determined to do right will live, but anyone who insists on doing wrong will die.
Since all men are imperfect and unable to measure up perfectly to God's standards, it is evident that the integrity of man does not mean perfection of action or speech. Rather, the Scripture shows that the spirit of integrity means wholeness or completeness of heart devotion.
David committed several serious wrongs, but he, nevertheless, "walked with integrity of heart," for he accepted reproof and corrected his way (1 King 9). David thereby proved that his heart still retained genuine love for God's ways (Psalms 26). As David later told his son Solomon: "Know the God of your father and serve Him with a complete heart and with a delightful soul; for all hearts God is searching, and every inclination of the thoughts He is discerning."
Integrity is therefore not restricted to any one aspect of human conduct; it does not apply just to matters defined as "religious." To serve God is a way of life in which the individual walks constantly searching to know God's Will (Psalms 119).
One "proves himself faultless" before God over a period of time, as did Noah, Abraham, David and others (Genesis 6; 17; 2 Samuel 22).
Integrity requires uncompromising Loyalty to God and adherence to Righteousness, not merely under favorable conditions or circumstances, but under all conditions and at all time.
Sunday, 28 October 2018
WHAT WE LEARN FROM DAVID/BATHSHEBA's SIN..
David is a young shepherd, chosen by God, and anointed by Him to be a King, who first gains fame as a musician and later by killing Goliat. He went from being a shepherd boy to the Palace as king.
David, with the help of the Mighty Warriors, conquers Jerusalem, taking the Ark of the Covenant into the city and establishes the kingdom founded by Saul.
Bathsheba is the wife of Uriah the Hittite, one of the Mighty Warriors in King's David army, that later became the wife of David. She was the daughter of Eliam, also a Mighty Warrior, and he is mentioned in 2 Samuel 23 as the son of Ahithophel, who is described as the Gilonite. Ahithophel was a counselor of King David and a man greatly renowned for his sagacity. During Absalom (David's third son) 's revolt Ahithophel deserted David and supported Absalom. When he saw that the revolt would fail, he left Absalom's camp at once and returned to Giloh, his native place, and after arranging his worldly affairs, hanged himself and was buried in the sepulcher of his fathers (2 Samuel 17).
The Haggadah, a Jewish text that tells to every Jew's son about the liberation from slavery in Egypt (things of the flesh), states that Ahithophel was misled by his knowledge of astrology into believing himself destined to become a king of Israel. He therefore induced Absalom to commit an unpardonable crime (2 Samuel 16), which sooner or later would have brought with it, according to the Jewish Law, the penalty of death. His astrological information had been, however, misunderstood by Ahithophel; for in reality it only predicted that his granddaughter, Bathsheba, the daughter of his son Eliam, a Mighty Warrior, would become queen.
The mighty warriors at the front battle lines are identified in 2 Samuel 23 and in its final 4 chapters as a group of his best 37 fighters (later expanded to around 80) with mighty powers, who fought side-by-side with King David. According to the text, Abishai, the brother of Joab, killed 300 men with a spear, and so became famous among the The Mighty Warriors. The Text also states that despite the fame and respect Abishai was not included among the Three Best Warriors, suggesting that being part of the The Three powerful ones, fame was not the only accountable thing, but something which an individual has to prove or achieve beyond it in order to gain such exclusive title, and that is integrity (what we do when we think nobody is looking at us).
David's first interaction with Bathsheba, the granddaughter of Ahithophel, is described in 2 Samuel 11.
David decided to leave the place where God call him to be and take a time off. The Scripture does not give us a reason why he did that. What we can see is that all of the overwhelming victory caused by his role as a leader was really beginning to affect him. He was a shepherd by nature and a leader by the calling of God. He was designed to lead men face to face, not from afar.
Bathsheba was summoned by King David during his time off, after had seen her bathing in her courtyard from the roof of his palace and lusted after her. 2 Samuel 11 says:"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. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, 'She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.' Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness). Then she went back home. The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, 'I am pregnant.' (2-5) Informed that her husband was Uriah the Hittite, David summoned Uriah from battle to meet him, suggesting that he go home and "wash his feet," meaning to spend time at home and attend to his wife. He refused, claiming a code of honor with his fellow warriors while they were in battle. It was common for Mighty Warriors and in warriors in general in preparation for battle to abstain from sex. Uriah repeatedly refused to see his wife, forcing David to elaborate a sinister plan to kill him in battle due to Bathsheba's pregnancy, and finding no way to hide it. David sent Uriah to the captain and commanding officer Joab, with a letter that ordered Joab to put Uriah on the front lines and have the other Mighty Warriors move away from him so that he would be killed by the enemy soldiers.
Uriah the Hittite was from the ethnic Hittite residents in Israel that had lived in and around the region, the Land of Canaan, since before the time of Abraham. The Hebrews, upon their entry into Canaan, had been commanded (Deuteronomy 20) "to kill anything that breathes .. in the cities of the nations the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance," with the explanation that "otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do .. and you will sin against the Lord your God." Some of the earlier inhabitants were spared, in some cases for cooperating with the Hebrews (Joshua 2, Joshua 6, Judges 1) in other cases from failure to carry out the extermination order of the forces of evil (Joshua 15, Joshua 16, Judges 1).
In the era of David's rule, many residents of non-Hebrew descent followed the Hebrew faith and came to be accepted as Israelites. This included Uriah, as his name in Hebrew means "God is my light." His status as an mightier officer and his closeness to David, living closely to David's roof, would indicate this acceptance within the ethnic community.
Joab the son of Zeruiah, king David's sister, on the other hand, was David's nephew and he made him captain of his army (2 Samuel 8; 20; 1 Chronicles 11; 18; 27).The name Joab is derived from "Yahweh" meaning "Father." Uriah referred to Joab and not David as "my lord or commander" (2 Samuel 11). Joab is a king maker who dispatches ruthlessly his own military rivals, Abner and Amasa.
Joab is sufficiently powerful that David, on his deathbed, advises Solomon to arrange his death (1 Kings 2). David saw a deeper threat from Joab through his entanglement with Uriah's wife.
Joab's name is given to two other individuals in the Scripture (Ezra 2; 8). Those are the descendants of Joab of Bethlehem the son of Zeruiah, king David's sister; the subject is of the House and head of the House. The individual is Obadiah the son of Jehiel. Joab had two brothers, Abishai and Asahel. Asahel was killed by Abner in combat, for which Joab took revenge by murdering Abner in Ambush, against David's wishes and shortly after Abner and David had secured Peace between the House of David and the House of Saul. (2 Samuel 2; 3 )
The prophet Nathan confronted David about Uriah's murder plan, by telling him a story of a rich man and a poor man. Hearing the story, David grew angry and replied: "As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die! He must pay for that lamb 4 times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity." Nathan replied: "You are that man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: "I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master's House to you, and your master's wives into your arms. I gave you the House of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you more. Why did you despise the Word of the Lord by doing what is EVIL in His Eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the Sword of the Ammonites. Now, therefore, the Sword will never depart from Your House, because you despised Me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own."
Nathan then informs David that his child with Bathsheba must die. David mourns and begs for mercy. Indeed, their first child dies after 7 days. His entire story from that moment results in civil war and division in his family. The consequences for his actions were severe.
Proverbs 28:2 says: "When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily. But wise and knowledgeable leaders bring stability." Every great person live by core values and integrity. They pave pathways in life rather than just allow life to take its course. What goes inside of every individual determines where they are headed in life.
It takes integrity to maintain what God gives us. It takes persistence, determination, and consistency to make sure that we are focused.
David's heart pushed him towards the throne. It was not title, prestige, good money or job, not even favor with his family that did that for him. God never held a person back from transformational leadership, and the invitation will always be on the table.
Unfortunately, temptation is like a filter that always sneak in when our guard is down. Let's no make room for temptation. We have to show integrity by keeping our word and stay faithful and hold ourselves accountable to the standards we want to live out based on God's Word and calling.
David, with the help of the Mighty Warriors, conquers Jerusalem, taking the Ark of the Covenant into the city and establishes the kingdom founded by Saul.
Bathsheba is the wife of Uriah the Hittite, one of the Mighty Warriors in King's David army, that later became the wife of David. She was the daughter of Eliam, also a Mighty Warrior, and he is mentioned in 2 Samuel 23 as the son of Ahithophel, who is described as the Gilonite. Ahithophel was a counselor of King David and a man greatly renowned for his sagacity. During Absalom (David's third son) 's revolt Ahithophel deserted David and supported Absalom. When he saw that the revolt would fail, he left Absalom's camp at once and returned to Giloh, his native place, and after arranging his worldly affairs, hanged himself and was buried in the sepulcher of his fathers (2 Samuel 17).
The Haggadah, a Jewish text that tells to every Jew's son about the liberation from slavery in Egypt (things of the flesh), states that Ahithophel was misled by his knowledge of astrology into believing himself destined to become a king of Israel. He therefore induced Absalom to commit an unpardonable crime (2 Samuel 16), which sooner or later would have brought with it, according to the Jewish Law, the penalty of death. His astrological information had been, however, misunderstood by Ahithophel; for in reality it only predicted that his granddaughter, Bathsheba, the daughter of his son Eliam, a Mighty Warrior, would become queen.
The mighty warriors at the front battle lines are identified in 2 Samuel 23 and in its final 4 chapters as a group of his best 37 fighters (later expanded to around 80) with mighty powers, who fought side-by-side with King David. According to the text, Abishai, the brother of Joab, killed 300 men with a spear, and so became famous among the The Mighty Warriors. The Text also states that despite the fame and respect Abishai was not included among the Three Best Warriors, suggesting that being part of the The Three powerful ones, fame was not the only accountable thing, but something which an individual has to prove or achieve beyond it in order to gain such exclusive title, and that is integrity (what we do when we think nobody is looking at us).
David's first interaction with Bathsheba, the granddaughter of Ahithophel, is described in 2 Samuel 11.
David decided to leave the place where God call him to be and take a time off. The Scripture does not give us a reason why he did that. What we can see is that all of the overwhelming victory caused by his role as a leader was really beginning to affect him. He was a shepherd by nature and a leader by the calling of God. He was designed to lead men face to face, not from afar.
Bathsheba was summoned by King David during his time off, after had seen her bathing in her courtyard from the roof of his palace and lusted after her. 2 Samuel 11 says:"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. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, 'She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.' Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness). Then she went back home. The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, 'I am pregnant.' (2-5) Informed that her husband was Uriah the Hittite, David summoned Uriah from battle to meet him, suggesting that he go home and "wash his feet," meaning to spend time at home and attend to his wife. He refused, claiming a code of honor with his fellow warriors while they were in battle. It was common for Mighty Warriors and in warriors in general in preparation for battle to abstain from sex. Uriah repeatedly refused to see his wife, forcing David to elaborate a sinister plan to kill him in battle due to Bathsheba's pregnancy, and finding no way to hide it. David sent Uriah to the captain and commanding officer Joab, with a letter that ordered Joab to put Uriah on the front lines and have the other Mighty Warriors move away from him so that he would be killed by the enemy soldiers.
Uriah the Hittite was from the ethnic Hittite residents in Israel that had lived in and around the region, the Land of Canaan, since before the time of Abraham. The Hebrews, upon their entry into Canaan, had been commanded (Deuteronomy 20) "to kill anything that breathes .. in the cities of the nations the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance," with the explanation that "otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do .. and you will sin against the Lord your God." Some of the earlier inhabitants were spared, in some cases for cooperating with the Hebrews (Joshua 2, Joshua 6, Judges 1) in other cases from failure to carry out the extermination order of the forces of evil (Joshua 15, Joshua 16, Judges 1).
In the era of David's rule, many residents of non-Hebrew descent followed the Hebrew faith and came to be accepted as Israelites. This included Uriah, as his name in Hebrew means "God is my light." His status as an mightier officer and his closeness to David, living closely to David's roof, would indicate this acceptance within the ethnic community.
Joab the son of Zeruiah, king David's sister, on the other hand, was David's nephew and he made him captain of his army (2 Samuel 8; 20; 1 Chronicles 11; 18; 27).The name Joab is derived from "Yahweh" meaning "Father." Uriah referred to Joab and not David as "my lord or commander" (2 Samuel 11). Joab is a king maker who dispatches ruthlessly his own military rivals, Abner and Amasa.
Joab is sufficiently powerful that David, on his deathbed, advises Solomon to arrange his death (1 Kings 2). David saw a deeper threat from Joab through his entanglement with Uriah's wife.
Joab's name is given to two other individuals in the Scripture (Ezra 2; 8). Those are the descendants of Joab of Bethlehem the son of Zeruiah, king David's sister; the subject is of the House and head of the House. The individual is Obadiah the son of Jehiel. Joab had two brothers, Abishai and Asahel. Asahel was killed by Abner in combat, for which Joab took revenge by murdering Abner in Ambush, against David's wishes and shortly after Abner and David had secured Peace between the House of David and the House of Saul. (2 Samuel 2; 3 )
The prophet Nathan confronted David about Uriah's murder plan, by telling him a story of a rich man and a poor man. Hearing the story, David grew angry and replied: "As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die! He must pay for that lamb 4 times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity." Nathan replied: "You are that man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: "I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master's House to you, and your master's wives into your arms. I gave you the House of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you more. Why did you despise the Word of the Lord by doing what is EVIL in His Eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the Sword of the Ammonites. Now, therefore, the Sword will never depart from Your House, because you despised Me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own."
Nathan then informs David that his child with Bathsheba must die. David mourns and begs for mercy. Indeed, their first child dies after 7 days. His entire story from that moment results in civil war and division in his family. The consequences for his actions were severe.
Proverbs 28:2 says: "When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily. But wise and knowledgeable leaders bring stability." Every great person live by core values and integrity. They pave pathways in life rather than just allow life to take its course. What goes inside of every individual determines where they are headed in life.
It takes integrity to maintain what God gives us. It takes persistence, determination, and consistency to make sure that we are focused.
David's heart pushed him towards the throne. It was not title, prestige, good money or job, not even favor with his family that did that for him. God never held a person back from transformational leadership, and the invitation will always be on the table.
Unfortunately, temptation is like a filter that always sneak in when our guard is down. Let's no make room for temptation. We have to show integrity by keeping our word and stay faithful and hold ourselves accountable to the standards we want to live out based on God's Word and calling.
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