ARTICLES

4. Jonathan’s Family

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What a beautiful relationship there was between Jonathan and David. It could have been a wonderful household with Saul loving David as a son and David marrying Saul’s daughter. It sounds like it could have been a wonderful family

but it was not to be.

1 Samuel 23: 16 And Jonathan, Saul’s son, rose, and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God. 17 And he said to him, “Fear not; for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you; you shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you; Saul my father also knows this.” 18 And the two of them made a covenant before the Lord; David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home.

How magnanimous it was of Jonathan to give up the role of king. He was absolutely willing to be second to David. A magnificent gesture of submission to God.

And what of the promise that he would stand next to David his friend in David’s kingdom? Was it not to be? Or will Jonathan and David stand shoulder to shoulder for eternity in the kingdom of the greater son of David?

They made an absolute promise to each other. David promised to protect Jonathan’s family. 15 and do not cut off your loyalty from my house for ever. When the Lord cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth, 16 let not the name of Jonathan be cut off from the house of David.[e] And may the Lord take vengeance on David’s enemies.” 17 And Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul [1 Samuel 20:14-17] .

After the death of Jonathan, one of the first things David did was to ask if there were any family of Saul left. ‘And David said, “Is there still any one left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” ‘[2 Samuel 9; 1].

Saul’s servant Ziba said that there was a son of Jonathan, Mephib′osheth, wo was crippled in both feet. David immediately had him brought to the palace. Mephib′osheth would have been terrified, as it was a common practise for a new king to destroy all the remnants of the previous dynasty. Instead, David showed him great kindness in decreeing that he should eat at the King’s table for the rest of his life. ‘Then King David sent and brought him…. 6 And Mephib′osheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David, and fell on his face and did obeisance. And David said, “Mephib′osheth!” And he answered, “Behold, your servant.” 7 And David said to him, “Do not fear; for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father; and you shall eat at my table always.”’ [2 Samuel 9:5-7]

Now, a curious thing. When David is dying, he gives a list of his last wishes.

He names people who should be given special treatment because they were his friends.

Who would you expect to be there?

Who would you expect to be at the very top of the list?

Who would you expect to be invited to eat at the King’s table?

The family of Jonathan.

But they are not mentioned!

7 But deal loyally with the sons of Barzil′lai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, for with such loyalty they met me when I fled from Ab′salom your brother [1 Kings 2:7].

No mention of Jonathan’s family. Why?

See 2 Samuel 16 for the answer.

‘ When David had passed a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephib′osheth met him ….  3 And the king said, “And where is your master’s son?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he remains in Jerusalem; for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father.’” 4 Then the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belonged to Mephib′osheth is now yours.” And Ziba said, “I do obeisance; let me ever find favor in your sight, my lord the king.”’ [2 Samuel 16; 1-4].

Mephib′osheth had ratted on David. He had sided with Absalom to get revenge on David for taking the kingdom from the household of Saul. How this must have pained David. The only remaining household of his beloved Jonathan had turned against him.

But, when David wins the civil war, he confronts Mephib′osheth.

Mephib′osheth claims that Ziba tricked him.

24 And Mephib′osheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; he had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came back in safety. 25 …. the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephib′osheth?” 26 He answered, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me; for your servant said to him, ‘Saddle an ass for me, that I may ride upon it and go with the king.’ For your servant is lame…..  28 For all my father’s house were but men doomed to death before my lord the king; but you set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right have I, then, to cry to the king?” [2 Samuel 19:24-28].

So, who should David believe? Ziba? Or Mephib′osheth?

It is pretty plain who David believes: ” 29 And the king said to him, “Why speak any more of your affairs? I have decided: you and Ziba shall divide the land.” 30 And Mephib′osheth said to the king, “Oh, let him take it all, since my lord the king has come safely home.” [2 Samuel 19:29-30].

Had David believed Mephib′osheth, he would have punished the lying Ziba, probably with death. He certainly would not have given him the land of his beloved Jonathan. However, if David believed Ziba, then he would still want to keep some land for Jonathan’s family and some land for Ziba because his faithfulness. It seems that David lost the love of Jonathan’s family. A sad end to a beautiful friendship.

We can only look forward to the beautiful friendship between David and Jonathan being re-established in the Kingdom of God on earth.

 

3. Abiathar

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I have never been to war, but I am told that there is no comradery like that between ‘brothers in arms’. Such was the friendship between David and Abiathar. Their friendship was forged in the heat of battle.

It began when David came to the ‘City of the priests’, Nob [1 Samuel 22:19]. The ark was presumably still at Shiloh (although maybe not), but the priestly duties rotated, so ‘off duty’ priests could go home to their own town. Seemingly, many chose Nob as the high Priest had done [ 1 Samuel 21:1].

Fleeing from Saul, David went to this city of the priests. David did not tell the high priest that he was fleeing from Saul but rather said he had a secret errand to do. He asked the high priest if there was any bread there that he could take for food. The priest said that there was only bread off the presence. This had been replaced by fresh bread and so the older bread was taken home by the priests. After testifying that his men had not touched women, and after enquiry of the Lord, David and his men were given the showbread. David was also given Goliath’s sword by the high priest Ahimelech.

Doeg the Edomite witnessed all this and reported it to Saul. Saul was enraged and ordered the slaughter of all the inhabitants of Nob. Some eighty-five priests and all the other inhabitants of Nob, all women and children and livestock were killed. Only Ahimelech’s son Abiathar escaped to tell David of the slaughter. So began the bond between David and Abiathar. “Stay with me, fear not; for he that seeks my life seeks your life; with me you shall be in safekeeping.” [1 Samuel 22:23]. So, David and Abiatha begin a life on the run from Saul. The bond grows.

Abiathar remained a faithful priest to David, bringing him a linen ephod each time David need to enquire of the Lord. [ 1 Samuel 23:6-9, 30:7].

Abiathar had every reason to now stay with David. He would be safe from Saul’s vengeance and be protected by David. “17 and Zadok the son of Ahi′tub and Ahim′elech the son of Abi′athar (probably should be Abiathar the son of Ahimelech) were priests” [2 Samuel 8:17].

This is the first instance of another priest, Zadok, being appointed.

By time we get to the Absalom revolt, it appears that David places Zadok in charge. In David’s instructions in 2 Samuel 15: 24-29, Zadok’s name appears before Abiathar’s and it is Zadok who gets the commands regarding the ark. I wonder if Abiathar had an inkling of what was coming?

1 Chronicles 24:3-6 tells us that Zadok’s lineage came through Eliazar the son of Aaron and that Abiathar came through Ithamar via Eli. Eli was told [1 Samuel 2:32-36] that his priestly line would cease and go to another. Abiathar would be aware of this – did he see this coming and unfolding in Zadok? Did Abiathar know that, as a descendant of Eli, he must lose the priesthood?

Now, Absalom revolts. David is forced out of Jerusalem. The priest Zadok was carrying the ark as they left Jerusalem, but David instructed Zadok and Abiathar to take the ark back to Jerusalem, which they did. Then David asked both priests to remain in Jerusalem, with their sons [2 Samuel 15:24-29]. David asked the Gittite Hushai to ingratiate himself to Absalom and to gain any intelligence he could. Any information was to be sent to David, outside Jerusalem, via the two sons of the priests [2 Samuel 15: 35-36].

The sons of Zadok and Abiathar, Ahimaaz and Jonathan, now act as couriers to David [2 Samuel 17:17].

But, here is a curios thing. After the Battle in which Absalom is slain – only Ahimaaz son of Zadok is around to tell David the news of the battle [2 Sam 18:19-30]. Where was Abiathar’s son?

Fast forward eight years, and Adonijah rebels against Solomon. Adonijah proclaims himself King, and he surrounds himself with his trusted men, Joab and Abiathar. These men proclaim Adonijah as king while David is yet alive. An act of treachery.

Zadok remains faithful to David and Abiathar joins the rebellion. Adonijah suspected that Abiathar would help in the coup, and so he is invited to the celebration party. [1 Kings 1:25]. The first act of Solomon is the banish the traitors

One of the first acts of Solomon’s reign was to banish the traitor [1 Kings 2:26-28]. But, notice what softened Solomon’s judgement. 26 …. you deserve death. But I will not at this time put you to death, because you bore the ark of the Lord GOD before David my father, and because you shared in all the affliction of my father.”

Solomon recognized that David and Abithar were ‘brother in arms’ and so the judgement was lessened.

What drove the breakdown in the relationship between David and Abiathar? We can only speculate, but probably it was the fact that Abiathar felt that as a descendant of Eli he would lose the high priest role. David appointing Zadock reinforced this threat.

How different it might have been if Abiahtar had recognised that all he had to do was remain faithful to David and to God and the prophecy may have been changed as it was in other cases many times before. Or even if the prophecy was not changed, he could still have remained a faithful friend to David and shared in the priesthood of Zadock.

But again, it’s jealousy and anger that marred such a beautiful relationship.

2. Michal

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I think we are all familiar with these following words –

2 Samuel 6:16-23

16 As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart. 17 And they brought in the ark of the Lord, and set it in its place, ….20 And David returned to bless his household. But Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, “How the king of Israel honoured himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants’ maids, as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!” 21 And David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me above your father, and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the Lord—and I will make merry before the Lord. 22 I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your[h] eyes; but by the maids of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honour.” 23 And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death’.

It seems pretty plain. Michael didn’t understand David’s devotion to God. David was right and Michal was wrong. But maybe there’s more to this story. There’s a lot more in the background of David and Michael which we need to look at before we interpret her actions.

When David was brought into Saul’s household, it seems that Michael fell for him pretty quickly. She fell in love with him because he had everything that a young woman would want in a young man. Handsome, a valiant soldier, a poet (the Psalms) and a guitar player – well the lyre at least. What’s not to love.

1 Samuel 16  ‘18 One of the young men answered, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skilful in playing, a man of valour, a man of war, eloquent, good looking; and the Lord is with him”.’

            By time we get to 1 Samuel 18 we find that David has been successful in all his battles and the people now love him more than they love Saul. They sing “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” Saul becomes jealous of David and hatched a plan to kill him. Saul decides to marry David to his elder daughter Merab, and to demand David do great exploits in war, hoping that he’ll die in battle.  However, the plan is thwarted when Merab marries someone else. Saul tries again with his second daughter.

‘20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David; and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21 Saul thought, “Let me give her to him, that she may be a snare for him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall now be my son-in-law”.’

28 When Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David,’ Saul set about his plan.

It seems that David loved Michal as well.  ‘ 26 When the attendants told David these things, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law.’

In those days the tradition was that the bridegroom must pay a ‘bride price’. He was to pay money for the bride. Since the bride was the Princess, you would expect that he would have to pay a huge sum. But Saul said ‘No, I don’t want anything from you – just bring me the evidence that you’ve killed a hundred Philistines’. Saul said this in the hope that David would be killed in the battle if he tried to kill a hundred philistines. It certainly would be most likely that David himself die.

David in fact killed two hundred Philistines. So, the marriage was sealed.

As Saul’s rage grew, Michal had to decide between her father and her husband. She chose her husband and so risked death from Saul. Saul became enraged and obsessed with killing David.

 1 Samuel 19 ’10 And Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear; but he eluded Saul, so that he struck the spear into the wall. And David fled, and escaped.’

David escaped to his own house. Saul sent men to get David but Michal protected him.

1 Samuel 19 ‘11 That night Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him, that he might kill him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, told him, “If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.” 12 So Michal let David down through the window; and he fled away and escaped. 13 Michal took an image and laid it on the bed and put a pillow of goats’ hair at its head, and covered it with the clothes. 14 And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.” 15 Then Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.” 16 And when the messengers came in, behold, the image was in the bed, with the pillow of goats’ hair at its head. 17 Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me thus, and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped”?’

To protect herself from Saul’s anger, Michal pretended that David had threatened her life.

And Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go; why should I kill you?’”

She put her life on the line for David. Saul had tried to kill his own son and heir, so he would certainly not hesitate to kill Michal in a similar rage.

1 Samuel 20. ‘32 Then Jonathan answered Saul his father, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?” 33 But Saul cast his spear at him to smite him; so Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death.’

Now David is on the run. He is now separated from his wife and they don’t see each other for years. They lead separate lives, and David marries multiple new wives.

1 Samuel 25  39 Then David sent and wooed Ab′igail, to make her his wife….43 David also took Ahin′o-am of Jezreel; and both of them became his wives.

So, now David has another two wives.

But  44 Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Palti the son of La′ish, who was of Gallim.

In Saul’s eyes David was as good as dead. He knew that David would be dead the minute he caught up with him. He saw his daughter Michael as a widow and married her to another man.

So, now, through years of separation, both David and Michal remarry.

While David was in Hebron, fighting a civil war against the House of Saul, he gathered more wives.

2 Samuel 3 The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time. David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.

David took more wives, Maakah, Haggith, Abital, and Eglah.

And, on the death of Saul, David took all his wives and concubines.

2 Samuel 12 8 and I gave you your master’s house, and your master’s wives into your bosom,

So David had amassed many wives, maybe eighteen or twenty and Michal had married another.

Finally, the army of David prevailed over the army of Saul’s dynasty. Saul’s commander-in-chief, Abner, offers to come over to David’s side – effectively giving David total victory and hence the Kingdom of Israel. But David makes a demand.

2 Samuel 3

12 And Abner sent messengers to David at Hebron, … 13 … “Good; I will make a covenant with you; but one thing I require of you; that is, you shall not see my face, unless you first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face.” 14 Then David sent messengers to Ish-bo′sheth Saul’s son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself…” 15 And Ish-bo′sheth sent, and took her from her husband Pal′ti-el …. 16 But her husband went with her, weeping after her all the way to Bahu′rim. Then Abner said to him, “Go, return”; and he returned.

Why, why on earth did David demand that they bring Michal to him? He had multiple wives by now. He had no relationship with Michal. I believe it was because of pure pride. David did not want the King’s wife living with another man. I suspect he didn’t seek any relationship with her; just that he didn’t want the King’s wife to be with another man and therefore be some sort of insult to him.

Of course, he had the letter of the law on his side. She was still his wife and she was living with another man.

What would Jesus have done? Well, fortunately we know. He met a woman who had had five husbands and she was living with another man. Did Jesus say “leave the man you are with and go back to your first husband?” No, he didn’t. He confessed to her that salvation had come to her. She was the first person to whom he confessed his messiahship. He didn’t demand she go back to the first husband but showed her the way to eternal life.

Michal’s husband Paltiel followed after her crying all the way. They obviously had a deep love relationship. Abner said to him “go and return”. I’m sure that’s shorthand for saying “go back if you want to keep your head on your shoulders”. David destroyed the relationship between Paltiel and Michal with no intention of he himself forming any relationship with her.

Now we come to 2 Samuel 6

16 As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window, and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.

Was it the dancing that Michael despised? No, she certainly despised him already. In her anger she says

20 “How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants’ maids, as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!”

And what does David reply? He picks the very thing that could hurt her the most. He deliberately sticks the knife in and twists it to make her even more bitter.

 21 And David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me above your father, and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the Lord—and I will make merry before the Lord.

He says the Lord picked me above your father’s house. I have replaced your father’s house. Did Michael ever mention that? Did Michael ever say to him “I wish that my father’s house was still on the throne”. She never mentioned it. It was David who said, “God picked me above your family.” Just to be hurtful.

He continues:

 22 I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your eyes; but by the maids of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honour.”

Just think for a moment. Just imagine a husband and wife having an argument and he says to her “well you might not like me but all the girls at the office do.” How do you think that’s going to work? Do you think that will solve the problem? That’s exactly what David did with no intention of healing their relationship.

Just imagine how different the story might have been if David had just taken Michal aside and said to her “I love you Michal, you are the wife of my youth. I do have other wives, but you will always be the first. I love you but above all, I love God. I must worship the Lord. Come with me on this journey Michal. Let’s worship Him together.” How different the outcome may have been.

23 And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.

This obviously means they had no sexual relationship from this time on.

2 Samuel 21:8

But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite

This is considered a scribal error. The five sons were of Merab, Saul’s elder daughter. It does not conflict with the statement that Michal had no children.

One closing comment.

This lost love was a combination of sad circumstances and David arrogance.

David and Michael, who started out to be young lovers, were separated by Saul’s trying to kill David. They were separated by no fault of their own, but they should both have gone on to lead fulfilled lives. But it was David’s pride that destined Michael to live a life of loneliness and separation from those she loved. What David did was shameful. He lacked kindness and gentleness. Fruits of the Spirit.

Colossians 3 12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience.

David exhibited none of these. But I am sure he came to realise his faults after writing Psalm 51.

1. Saul

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Have you ever considered what a wretched life David led? The death of four sons (although he had died before his son Solomon killed his son Adonijah). His daughter Tamar raped by one of his sons (Amnon). The murder of Amnon by David’s son Absalom. The rebellion of his own son. He lost his closest friends, Ahithophel, Joab, Abiatha, and the family of Jonathan. But through all this, he clung to God.

I want to have a look at some of David’s loves that were lost. The first was lost through no fault of David, he couldn’t have helped it. The love was lost through jealousy and hatred. None-the-less, there is great sadness and a feeling of ‘what might have been’.

If you were asked, who do you think were the great loves in David’s life, I’m sure you’d immediately think of Jonathan. That would be the first one to come to mind, then maybe Bathsheba and then maybe Abigail. Firstly, I’d like to look at an overlooked love, the love that once existed between David and Saul.

It’s a lovely story which we often pass over. From the first meeting of Saul and David, there seemed to be a connexion.  Difficult to say which was the first occasion they met, as the Bible seems to imply that they first met both at the slaying of Goliath and at the time was when David came to play the harp for Saul, when he was depressed.

David was only seventeen years old when Saul met him, and Saul loved him. ‘And David went in to Saul, and stood before him; and he loved him greatly; and he became his armour-bearer, and Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David, I pray, stand before me, for he has found grace in my eyes”.’ [1 Samuel 16:21 LXX].

Then after this lovely start – that love fell to pieces. It wasn’t David’s fault. It was through Saul’s uncontrolled jealousy.  David had every right to be angry with Saul – had every right not to want to pass on a good memory of him. After all, Saul had tried to kill him without cause. But it’s not how David responded.

I think one of the most beautiful of David’s psalms is found in 2 Samuel, not in the book of psalms. This is what David said of the man who tried to hunt him down and murder him.

2 Samuel 1:19

“Thy glory, O Israel, is slain upon thy high places!
How are the mighty fallen!

23 “Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!
In life and in death they were not divided;
they were swifter than eagles,
they were stronger than lions.

24 “Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
who clothed you daintily in scarlet,
who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel.

25 “How are the mighty fallen
in the midst of the battle!

“Jonathan lies slain upon thy high places.
26     I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
very pleasant have you been to me;
your love to me was wonderful,
passing the love of women.

27 “How are the mighty fallen,
and the weapons of war perished!”

It’s a beautiful poem which David wrote to the man who tried to unjustly destroy him. Just imagine what could have been written. David had every right to repeat the words of 1 Samuel 8.

11 … “These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen, and to run before his chariots; 12 and he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. 15 He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. 16 He will take your menservants and maidservants, and the best of your cattle and your asses, and put them to his work. 17 He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves.

David could have said this: Saul took the people for the service of himself. But he didn’t – he said that Saul and his son were swifter than Eagles and stronger than lions. How beautiful they were.

All this hints at a relationship that Saul and David once had with each other.

When David entered Saul’s service, Saul loved him greatly – loved him like a son. That was the start of the relationship. Anybody who is the King’s armourbearer must be trusted. There is no more trusted position than the man who stands next to the king holding his sword. That’s how Saul thought of David at the start. It could have blossomed. It would have been lovely for Saul to see the relationship between his own son and his adopted son David blossom. But it didn’t work out that way.

Saul became jealous. Soon the people began singing songs, “Saul has killed his thousands but David has killed his ten thousands”. So, Saul became obsessively jealous. What an evil thing jealousy can be.  It’s something that can blight any relationship. Their relationship began to fall apart until it got to the point where Saul wanted to kill David because he knew that he was chosen by God to be the next king.

The people loved David more than they loved Saul and so Saul chased him with the aim of destroying him. As Saul pursued David, on at least two occasions David had the chance to take Saul’s life. On these occasions, Saul was sleeping, and David crept in and took proof that he could have harmed Saul. One time he took a spear and a jug of water and then went back again and called out to Saul, saying ‘look, why do you want to kill me? I could have killed you. I’ve got the spear that was standing by you, and the jug of water. I’ve got them both!’

What did Saul say when he recognised David’s voice? 1 Samuel 26:17 ‘ “Is that your voice, my son David?” David replied, “Yes, it’s my voice, my lord the king.” …21 Saul replied, “I have sinned. Come back, my son David. I won’t harm you anymore, for you treated my life with value this day. I have behaved foolishly and have made a very terrible mistake!”  22 David replied, “Here is the king’s spear! Let one of your servants cross over and get it. 23 The Lord rewards each man for his integrity and loyalty.  Even though today the Lord delivered you into my hand, I was not willing to extend my hand against the Lord’s chosen one. 24 In the same way that I valued your life this day, may the Lord value my life and deliver me from all danger.” 25 Saul replied to David, “May you be rewarded, my son David! You will without question be successful”! ‘

When Saul said, “David my son”, I don’t think that was a trick. I don’t believe he was just pretending things were OK so that David would come over and Saul could kill him.

I feel Saul reverted to the love he had felt for David. He had gone back to saying ‘you are my son’, like Jonathan. But it all fell to pieces again. David was faithful and would not raise his hand against the Lord’s anointed.

In Psalm 27 there’s a slight clue as to how David might have thought about Saul at the start of their relationship. 10 ‘Even if my father and mother abandoned me, the Lord would take me in.’

I wonder what David meant by saying my father and my mother had forsaken me? I don’t know, but maybe there was this relationship where he felt adopted by Saul. Did he feel that it was in God’s will that he move into Saul’s service?

Why did this beautiful relationship go bad? I think mostly jealousy. I think Saul was jealous of David and what he had achieved. Also, Saul didn’t want to see his dynasty collapse. He wanted Jonathan to be the next king. The dynasty was extremely important to a king and he was not prepared to see that pass.

But this must also have been a great sadness for David. He surely would have hoped that he would remain loved by Saul, and by Jonathan and by Michal, Saul’s daughter. So much potential for love, tuned to hate.

Unanswered Prayer

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Introduction

I begin with the grief of a great Christian writer, on the death of his wife. We have all experienced this type of grief. A little child is dying of bone cancer – we pray with fervent faith for a cure and yet the child dies. Why? Where was God? It seems that in such cases as these, there is a deafening silence from ‘our father in heaven’.

One marvellously gifted man, a convert to Christianity, slowly watched his wife dying of cancer. As he observed her slipping away from him with all that she had meant and had given him, his newfound faith about which he had written so much and with which he had strengthened so many others now began to waver. In times of such grief, C. S. Lewis wrote, “One runs the risk of asking: Where is God? . . . When you are happy. . . [you] turn to Him with gratitude and praise, [and] you will be. . . welcomed with open arms. But go to Him when your need is desperate, when all other help is vain, and what do you find? A door slammed in your face, and a sound of bolting and double bolting on the inside. After that, silence. You [might] as well turn away. The longer you wait, the more emphatic the silence will become. There are no lights in the windows. It might be an empty house. . . . [Yet he was once there.] What can this mean? Why is [God] so present a commander in our time of prosperity and so very absent a help in time of trouble?” [C. S. Lewis, A Grief Observed (New York: Seabury Press, Inc., 1961), pp. 4-5]

Where is the promise of “Ask and you will be given?”

What do the passages mean that seem to imply ask and you’ll receive?

 Asking

So many passages seem to suggest that every petition of the believer will be answered.

Matt 21:22, Mark 11:24 “24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

John 14:13-14 “And whatsoever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”

John 16:23 “And in that day you shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.”

1 John 5:14-15 “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he hears us: And if we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”

1 John 3 22 and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

John 15 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.  16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

Let’s just consider one such example

Matthew 7:7-9 and Luke 11 9 And I tell you, Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

 But what do we ask for??? We are told to ASK according to HIS will.

Asking is always about God in our lives

Luke 12:32 It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom

James 1:5 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all men generously and without reproaching, and it will be given him.

It’s what we ask for that matters. The promise of asking and receiving is attached to a Godly ask. Asking for a closer walk with God.

Seeking is a search for God

Matt 6: 32 For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.

Luke 12 31 Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things shall be yours as well.  32 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Luke 17 33 Whoever seeks to gain his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve

Romans 2:7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

Hebrews 11:14   For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

Yes – seek and we will find. But it’s what we seek that matters. We are instructed to seek the Kingdom, righteousness and a relationship with God. This will always be granted.

The Knock is from Jesus

 Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

Yes, knock and it will be opened. It is the door to grace in Jesus which will be opened.

Another example:

Mark 11   13 And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it…. 20 As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. 21 And Peter remembered and said to him, “Master, look! The fig tree which you cursed has withered.” 22 And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

Jesus, hungry as he was, went to a fig tree to find fruit. He found none. But it was the wrong season. Why did he expect to find any? He didn’t. It is a parable. The fig tree is Israel (Jeremiah 24). Jesus is not saying that your faith should kill fig trees – but rather, the disciples should be able to discern the times given in the prophecies of Israel.

Again, Jesus is not saying that your faith should move mountains – but rather, the faith of the believers can overcome all obstacles. Mt Carmel represented the people’s choice between God and idolatry. Elijah just made fire come down – but your faith can take the whole mountain of idolatry and throw it into the sea.

Why do I assume this is all figurative? Why not take it at face value? Because Jesus said that he spoke in parables.

Jesus taught in symbols- especially about answered prayer.

John16:22 … Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. 23 In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. 25 “Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.

This is worth analysing:

22 Now is your time of grief (the time of the crucifixion), but I will see you again (after he is risen) and you will rejoice (when they see Him raised), and no one will take away your joy. 23 In that day (after resurrection) you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name (Holy Spirit gave them Spirit gifts). 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. 25 “Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming (when they receive Holy Spirit) when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name (after the Holy Spirit comes at Pentecost).

It gives a context to the promise of ‘ask and you will receive’.

John 16 plainly states that Jesus has been talking figuratively about prayer. Not literally chucking mountains. He promises that a time was coming, when they would receive the Holy Spirit (at Pentecost) and be able to send their requests to God. They were able to perform miracles through their faith.

According to his will

1 John 5:14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us–whatever we ask–we know that we have what we asked of him. 16 If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life.

This passage tells us that we are heard if we pray according to His will. But isn’t that a bit redundant? If it was God’s will, it was going to happen anyway – why bother praying?

Not at all!

It’s God’s will that all may be saved (1 Timothy 2:4), but it is contingent on our prayers for preaching and for individual calling.

HOW do we KNOW it’s His will?

How do we know it is His will? Because He tells us.                   

Matthew 9:35-38 “Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” This prayer – for successful preaching – is God’s will.

Matthew 6:9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’

It is God’s will that we be delivered from temptation and evil. But He still wants our prayer to affect this.

James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. …

Even the inner most needs of Jesus were subject to God’s will. He had to suffer – despite desperately trying to find some other way.

James tells us that we will be given wisdom. Not the solution to the Einstein field equations – but wisdom from God – the path of salvation which will be denied to none. That is a guaranteed answer.

Asking Wrongly

James 4:1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. 4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God?

 

This tells us that the motives for our prayers are critical. If we ask anything of God, it must be in love and with the purpose of furthering His plan. We should only ever pray and petition for what will enhance His purpose.

When God says no

Sometimes we are given a clear answer ‘no’ to our petitions.

David sought to build a Temple for God. The intention was good. Nathan the prophet said ’Go ahead – do whatever is in your mind.’ But it received a resounding “NO” from God. The building of a Temple was for David’s son and so we have the great promise of Jesus and the temple of ‘living stones’. But this prayer received a clear answer – no. It was not unanswered.

Paul sought the intervention of God to remove some “thorn in flesh”. 2 Corinthians 12.  Again, the answer was an unambiguous ‘NO.’ The lesson – God strength is made perfect in our weakness – it is to God we alone must go for strength. Again – a resounding “NO”.

2 Samuel 12  16 “David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in and lay all night upon the ground. 17 And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground; but he would not, nor did he eat food with them.”

David prayed continually for the life of his child – but the request was not granted. Perhaps we could say David’s prayer was answered with a silent No!

But what of the deafening silence we regularly get to out petitions?

The first century Christian who prayed to stop the mouths of the lions, as they were thrown to the beasts to entertain the Romans. Hadn’t they prayed “God, you stopped the mouths of the lions for Daniel, for David and for Samson. Please repeat the miracle now”. What a witness! Twenty thousand Romans calling for the blood of the Christians – and suddenly the lions roll over. What a preaching tool. But the prayers went unanswered.

And those burned at the stake throughout the ages. Hadn’t they prayed the prayer of Daniel’s three friends. You saved them from the fire – please save us now. No answer.

And yet it was no less than what had been promised.

Luke 21:  16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 Everyone will hate you because of me. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 Stand firm, and you will win life.

1 Peter  6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Prayers for escape unanswered. But the suffering had a profound meaning.

1 Peter 2 20 For what credit is it, if when you do wrong and are beaten for it you take it patiently? But if when you do right and suffer for it you take it patiently, you have God’s approval. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

There is a great change in the structure of Hebrews 11 at verse 35. Up until here, the story is of all the great miracles wrought by faith. But, then a change. From mid verse 35 the story is of suffering – of deliverance denied. They were commended by their faith – not in deliverance, but in suffering and unanswered prayer.

Unanswered Prayer in the Bible

 Jesus

 Matthew 26:  39 … “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

The prayer of Jesus was not unanswered, rather Jesus supplied the answer himself. God assured Him that there was no other course. Jesus asked for some escape from the torture to follow. Answer: no – His petition could not be met.

 Acts 12:1-10. We often quote this as an example of prayer miraculously answered. Herod, having seen how the Jews were delighted in the death of James, took Peter with the full intent of doing the same to him. But the church made earnest prayer for Peter…we can imagine what they may have said. “God, please don’t take Peter – he was with Jesus at all the most intimate moments, in the garden, on the transfiguration mount…please don’t take Peter.” And God answered with a miracle – prayer answered. But the story is also of unanswered prayer. Didn’t the church make the same prayer for James? He could not have been taken by Herod with no one knowing. Were not the same prayers made? “God, please don’t take James – he was with Jesus at all the most intimate moments, in the garden, on the transfiguration mount…please don’t take James.” And James was beheaded. God was glorified in the death of James, but in the life of Peter. Unanswered prayer for James.

1 Tim 5:23 tells us that Paul’s dear friend and ‘son’ in the Gospel was sick. Why didn’t Paul heal him. Paul had the holy spirit and the ability to heal the sick. Why say “No longer drink only water but take a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.” Why not just cure him? Why not pray for healing? Because, the Holy Spirit gift of healing was for the preaching of the gospel – not to keep Christians alive forever. So, it is with our prayer.

Job prayed for the spiritual life of his children, yet they were struck down by the power of God. Where were the answers to Job for his children? One could probably assume that the godly King David also prayed for his children. Three of his sons were murdered, one died in infancy, and his daughter was raped by one of his sons. Where was the answer to prayer?

James

James 5 14 “Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”

This seems to suggest that prayer will heal all sickness. The verse says that the elders should pour oil on the sick. This was the medicine of the day. So, it says pray and take your medicine. Then verse 16 seems to say that the sick person will get well.

But this can be misleading. James uses two very different words which are translated identically as ‘sick’.

 14 Is any one of you sick (astheneō)? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick (kamnō) person well; the Lord will raise him up.

The Greek words for ‘sick’ in verse 14 and 15 are entirely different. In verse 14 astheneō means an illness and in verse 15 kamnō   means tired or worn out (spiritually). So, the verses are saying: If anyone is ill, get the church to pray for him and give him his medicine. If anyone is failing spiritually – then pray with them for God’s strength and whatever errors they have committed will be forgiven. They can be restored as God can forgive all sin.

We seem to make our own judgement of what God can heal. We have often heard of people claiming prayer as a cure for cancer etc, but we’ve never heard of a one-legged man being prayed over – and his leg grows back. The prayers for the lame to run, for the blind to see and the deaf to hear will be answered – in the future.

Isaiah35: 5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. 6 Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.

When John Baptist was imprisoned, did Jesus pray for his release? Not that we know. In fact, when John’s followers came to Jesus, he didn’t pray for John’s release, but for comfort in the future Kingdom. The parable of Elijah and Elisha taught both Jesus and John that John would not escape the fate of death. Jesus gave him a glimpse of the kingdom.

 Luke 7:20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?'” 21 At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. 22 So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. 23 Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.”

When John the Baptist was facing death, he was afraid (as we all are). He asks; is Jesus the Messiah? Maybe I’ve been mistaken and he’s not the one and I don’t have to die? Jesus doesn’t say: “yes – I’m the one”. He says – tell John that the “blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. 23 Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.”  Hang on John – the King has arrived, and I will see you in my Kingdom.

2 Kings 6:14 tells the story of Elisha and his young servant being surrounded by chariots of fire.

Note – the chariots were not used. Every man and woman of God is surrounded by the chariots of fire…not to save you from death, but to save you in death. Not to save you from suffering but to save you in suffering.

We all pray for safely, on the roads, from disease etc and yet accidents happen: You are not saved from them.

Luke 13:4 tell the story of the Tower of Siloam. It says accidents happen…BUT we MUST impose meaning on them. The fall of the tower was meaningless, but you must impose the meaning that that we all live a tenuous life. Be prepared to meet your maker at any time.

Be prepared to die. Every Christian can die for Christ…if you die from cancer, car crash, old age etc, but you can still die for Jesus.

Here is a paradox:  As you die, you are born to life

Luke 21:12 “But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. 13 This will result in your being witnesses to them. … 16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 All men will hate you because of me. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By standing firm you will gain life.

Jesus promises that we will suffer. Our prayer will not save us – as it is God’s plan for the believers to suffer. Believers can be (and have been), tortured, burned alive, drowned and thrown to wild animals – but not one hair of their head will perish. You are saved to eternal life.

Prayer and faith healing

I would never presume to say that the prayer of faith cannot heal or be answered. Rather I am saying that usually prayer sustains us in our suffering and does not remove it.

There are some Christian Churches which claim to be able to heal in faith. If this were always true – no one would ever die, as we’d keep praying each time someone got sick!

Almost all the churches claiming healing are in the USA. Why are all the miracles only in the USA?                                                            

Small congregations of English believers, in village churches in England get no miracles. Small congregations of Lutheran believers, in village churches in Germany get no miracles.                                                      

Why do only Americans get miracles? Because the miracles are mostly FAKE.

Have you ever seen a ‘tele evangelist’ pray and grow back an amputated leg? Never. Why? Fake healing.

The Christian Calling

I repeat, Christians were never called to a life free from suffering. In fact, they are called to suffer!

They are called to suffering…not relief from it! Where did God ever promise relief from cancer, car crashes, failed marriages, depression etc.

So, when we suffer – we do so in the belief that the next life is the reward of perfection. We suffer pain and loss ‘for the joy that is set before us’ (Hebrews 12:2). The bible abounds in parables of a life of suffering before glorification. King David suffered rejection, persecution, loss of family before he receives the ‘crown of righteousness’.

Suffering is guaranteed –

Matthew 10: 21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22 All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved….. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 38 and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

 Prayer is not an escape; it was never meant to be

Jesus tells his followers that we must ‘take up our cross and follow him’. There is only one reason to ‘take up a cross’ – to be hung on it. We will suffer. We may be tortured, betrayed, and killed – but not one hair of our head will be hurt. A paradox? Our life is preserved by God to be given to us in the future.

“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that your faith–of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire–may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 1Peter1:6   Here, Peter is telling the saints, that we can use suffering as a demonstration of our faith. When a Cristian suffers, whether by deliberate actions of evil men, or by accident – we can use that suffering to show our faith in the fact that there will be another life. Again, prayer is not an escape from suffering.

1 Peter 5: “6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him (not escape from anxiety) because he cares for you.“ Peter tells us to give our anxiety to God. We will not escape it – but we just hand it to God who gives it meaning. God will be with us in our suffering.

1Peter5: 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

So, is unanswered prayer due to our lack of faith?

We pray for a dying child. The child dies despite all prayer. So – was our faith insufficient? To believe this just adds guilt to the grief we already have. No – it is not a lack of faith. The totality of Christian faith is in a future life. We are not exempt from the sufferings of this life. God does not deliver us from car accidents, illness, the death of a child, or of marriage problems. We are expected to show our faith in these sufferings, not escape them.

So, how do we pray? I find great consolation and the answer in the words of Daniel 3 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up.”

What a delightful paradox. God will deliver us, but if He doesn’t. How can that be? Their faith is firm. He will deliver us, if not in this life, then in the next. We will be delivered; our prayer will be answered.

So, do we pray for the sick? Of course we do, as Hezekiah did for himself and was given a positive answer. But we know it will only be granted where God has a purpose. We want God in every corner of our lives, but he will never guarantee to meet our wishes this side of his Kingdom. The new job we prayed for may turn out to be just as mundane as the one we left, the love we sought so desperately and prayed for when we were young may prove inadequate in later life. Our perfection lies in the future.

Abraham Sends to Haran for a Wife for Isaac – Why?

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In Genesis chapter 24 we read that Abraham wanted a wife for his son Isaac to be taken from the family of Terah. It is a curious story. Why would Abraham send all the way back to Haran, a land he had left, to find a wife for his son?

At first guess we may think that he wanted to seek a worshipper of the true God to be Isaac’s wife. The Canaanites were all idol worshippers and at least Terah’s family members were familiar with the call out of Ur. Perhaps it was a desire to escape the type of corruption which was to overtake the Israelites 500 years later in the time of the Judges when the Israelites worshipped Canaanite gods.

But this can’t be true. Firstly, true worship and belief was found right in the centre of Canaan. At Salem. Melchizedek was the king priest of Salem (Genesis 14:18, Hebrews 7:1-2), and a superior to Abraham, receiving tithes from Abraham. As King of Salem, “peace”, he brought bread and wine to Abraham after the battle of the kings. He could not have been a king with no subjects. Salem (most probably Jerusalem Psalm 76:2) would have been a godly city with a godly population. This is further evidenced by Genesis 15:16 ‘the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete’. God told Abraham that He would send his offspring to a nation that would enslave them (Gen 15:13), not to teach Israel a lesson, but to give time for the Amorites to repent. God never brings judgement on a people without warning. Noah warned the antediluvial world, Lot warned Sodom and Gomorrah, Jonah warned Nineveh, the prophets warned Israel etc. Melchizedek was a lampstand to the world of Canaan – the Amorites. God knew that they would extinguish the light and so be ripe for judgement when Israel entered their land. All this shows us that it was in Salam, in Canaan, where the ‘good girls’ were to be found – not Haran.

Also, the folk in Haran were not wholly true worshippers. Genesis 24:50 tells us that both Laban and Bethuel recognised the God of Abraham. Our bibles say YHWH, but as this name was not to be revealed for another 500 years, we assume the writer of Genesis inserted it here. They most probably referred to Him as ‘the God of Abraham’ as Eliezer had [Genesis 24:12]. But Genesis 31:30 also tells of household gods that they had – idols it would seem. So, it would seem that their worship of the true God was shared with idols. So, why did Abraham send back to Haran for a wife for Isaac, when the true godly ones were right there in Canaan?

And another strange point. It seems Abraham was happy to have the seed of promise come through an Egyptian wife. When it appeared that Sarah was not going to be able to have children, to fulfil God’s promise of a multitudinous seed, he gave in to Sarah’s idea of having Hagar mother the seed. Genesis 16:1-5. Seems he was happy enough to depart from the Terah family line then. Although God made it plain that the seed of promise would come through Isaac, He gave into Abraham’s pleas on behalf of Ishmael and gave him a promise too (Genesis 21:12).

Later in life, after the birth of Isaac, Abraham took another wife (Genesis 25:1-4), Keturah, who bore him more sons. Again, it seems Abraham was not worried about having Canaanite wives.

And so, we come to Genesis 24, the wife for Isaac.

Abraham directed Eliezer to “go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac.” Genesis 24:3. Abraham is very old now but notice that he still refers to Haran as ‘my country’. Why? He had lived most of his life in Ur, not Haran. And, God had promised him Canaan as a possession for him and his descendants. Why call Haran his country? Probably he was referring to the country of his people.

It is clear that Abraham has God’s promise in mind when he says 6 “Make sure that you do not take my son back there,” … 7 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 offspring I will give this land’. So, he knew Canaan was to be his land.

Verse 10 tells us that Eliezer has ten loaded camels with him. He sought a sign from God and was given that the girl who also drew water for the camels was the one he sought. Rebekah watered the camels. Genesis 24 “20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels.” I wonder how much water is needed to fill ten camels. A google search says, “Very thirsty camels can drink up to 100 litres of water during a single visit to the well.” Let’s say Eliezer’s camels were only half thirsty, drinking fifty litres each. The ten of them would require that Rebekah drew five hundred litres. A lot with one jar. Perhaps a miracle or perhaps she had helpers, or perhaps there was some mechanism there to quickly lift water for livestock.

Genesis 24:22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing six grams and two gold bracelets weighing 115 grams 23 Then he asked, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”

Many commentators have suggested that the nose ring was an engagement symbols – and that Eliezer was showing his intention to have her marry some designated man. I can find no evidence of this. The following conversation does not suggest this – it seems to be just a gift for her kindness. Verse 30 tells us that upon seeing the nose ring, Laban made no assumption of a marriage proposal.

Rebekah now runs to tell her family of this man. Curiously we are told in verse 28 28 The young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things.” Why is it the mother’s household – and not the father’s household. Seems to be some sort of indication that the mother was ‘in charge’. On hearing Rebekah’s news, it is Laban, her brother, who goes to meet Eliezer and takes charge of the situation. Laban invites the man to come and stay. Rebekah’s father seems to be missing in action. Verse 50 tells us that Rebekah’s father, Bethuel, is still around.

Verse 53 “53 Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewellery and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother.” Again, Bethuel is missing. Gifts are given to the daughter, the brother and mother – but nothing for the father.

Then Eliezer stayed overnight. The next morning “55 … her brother and her mother replied, “Let the young woman remain with us ten days or so; then you may go.” Again, no mention of Bethuel, the father. Eliezer declines and asks to leave straightaway. So, we have a decision to be made: does Rebekah stay on for ten days as the brother and mother want or leave immediately as Eliezer wants. Who gets to decide? Rebekah. Again – curious. A young girl is asked to adjudicate. Verse 57 57 Then they said, “Let’s call the young woman and ask her about it.” 58 So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?”

True, the decision involves her, but in the ancient world it was usually the senior male who decided what was to be done. Again, the father is absent. One wonders if their society was more egalitarian than we think.

As Rebekah left, the family blessing is delivered by Laban, her brother. Not the father. She is referred to as ‘our sister’.

An overriding principle seems to be at stake. God gave a specific command to Abraham to “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.” Genesis 12:1. Here we have Abraham seemingly disobeying this command, at least for his son, and returning to the family God had told him to abandon. I wonder why he did that. He left Haran with his wife and nephew Lot. He left Lot [Genesis 13], and so was obedient to the command to leave all his family. Finally, Abraham is separated from his wife (his half-sister), at her death. So, he appears to have fulfilled the exact requirement to leave his family.

So, we are still left with the question – why did Abraham seek a wife for Isaac from his own family? Was it this statement by God in Genesis 21 12 But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. 13 I will make the son of the slave into a nation also, because he is your offspring.” Did Abraham interpret this as saying that the seed of promise must come through a father and mother from Terah’s family? Did the rejection of Ismael as the seed of promise suggest the seed had to be pure blood line? Maybe, but it seems the Abraham still didn’t see that he had to leave his family behind.

What a joy it will be when Abraham sees that his ‘seed of promise’ eventually encompassed all nations, all peoples. The line from family was eventually to mean nothing –

Matthew 3:9 “And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.”

Galatians 3:29  “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

A Timeline of Abraham’s life

Age

Event

75

Leaves Haran   Gen 12:4
 

Passed through Canaan    Gen 12:6-9
 

Goes to Egypt   Gen 12:10
 

Returns Egypt to Bethel   Gen 13:1-3
 

Separates from lot    Gen 13:5-18
 

Battle of the kings – Melchizedek    Gen 14:1-24
 

Second covenant     Gen 15:1-21

86

Ishmael born    Gen 16
 

Covenant of circumcision     Gen 17:1-10

99

Three visitors: Abraham intercedes for Sodom     Gen 18:23-33
 

Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed – Lot saved  Gen 19
 

Abraham moves to Gerar – Abimeleck      Gen 20:1-18

100

Isaac is born       Gen 21:1-5
 

Ishmael cast out      Gen 21:9-21
 

Covenant with Abimeleck     Gen:21:21-34
 

Isaac if offered – third covenant     Gen 22

137

Sarah dies     Gen 23
 

A wife for Isaac   Gen 24
 

Abraham marries Keturah – third covenant    Gen 25:1-7

175

Dies   Gen 25:1-7

http://www.harpscrossing.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Timeline-From-Abram-to-Exodus.pdf

Gen 12:4

So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

Gen 16:16   Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ish′mael to Abram.

Gen 17:1

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

Gen 17:17

Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?

Gen 17:24

And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

Gen 17:25

And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin

Gen 21:5

And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.

Gen 23:1

And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah.

Gen 25:20

And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.

Gen 25:26

And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.

Gen 25:7 Abraham lived a hundred and seventy-five years. 8 Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people.

Abraham family

King David and Ahithophel’s Granddaughter

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We are all so familiar with the great sin of David with Bathsheba – it hardly needs retelling but is there more to the story?

It’s a pretty sordid story, so I’ll just give a brief outline. 2 Samuel 11 tells of the story of David sending his army to battle under the command of Joab. While they were away, David walked upon the roof of his house and looked down to see a beautiful woman bathing. He dispatched his men to find out who this woman was. They returned to tell him that it was Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam and wife of Uriah. David had her brought to him, they had a sexual encounter, and she became pregnant. No abortions in those days, so David instructed Joab to send Uriah home from the battle and David instructed him to return to his home and wife in the hope that the child may seem to be Uriah’s. Uriah refused to enjoy the comforts of home while his comrades were in battle and slept outside the king’s door. The next day, David invited Uriah to dinner, gave him alcohol in the hope that he would go home to his wife, but he didn’t.

Having failed to create a ‘cover’ for the pregnancy, David then plotted Uriah’s murder. He instructed Joab to put Uriah in the heat of battle then to withdraw the troops from around him and so Uriah was killed.

Sounds straightforward enough – but is there more to the story? Who was Bathsheba?

“ And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bathshe′ba, the daughter of Eli′am, the wife of Uri′ah the Hittite?” [2 Samuel 11:3].

This is a telling verse. Was this family unknown to David? 2 Samuel 23 tells of David’s famous fighting men. There was a famous thirty. David’s picked soldiers. His praetorian guard. His bodyguards. And who was in this famous and intimate thirty? Uriah and Eliam. Bathsheba’s husband and father.

“34 Eliph′elet the son of Ahas′bai of Ma′acah, Eli′am the son of Ahith′ophel of Gilo,… 39 Uri′ah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.” [2 Samuel 23].

Both Eliam and Uriah were in the famous 30 – David knew them!

More evidence that David knew the family, including Bathsheba. In those days there was no temple, so the Kings house was the grandest of all buildings. Who would live around the king’s house? Slumdwellers? I think not! Rather, the top echelon of society. The ‘upper crust’. Princes and friends of the King. Uriah and Bathsheba were in the King’s inner circle.

When Uriah failed to go to his wife the first night home, David Invited him to a banquet at the king’s table.

13 “And David invited him, and he ate in his presence and drank, so that he made him drunk;” [2 Samuel 11].

Who gets invited to the king’s table and gets drunk with the King? Only the most intimate of friends.

Finally, when David sent for Bathsheba, he knew she would be alone. He knew that her husband would not come to the door. He knew Uriah “was out of town”.

David knew this family well.

But there is more.

“34 Eliph′elet the son of Ahas′bai of Ma′acah, Eli′am the son of Ahith′ophel of Gilo,… ” [2 Samuel 23].

Eliam, Bathsheba’s father, was Ahithophel’s son. Bathsheba was Ahithophel’s granddaughter!

Ahithophel was David’s most trusted counsellor, advisor and mentor. Of course, David knew this family.

So, why did David ask his men to inquire as to who this woman was? To make sure (he could only see from a distance) it was Bathsheba. I strongly suspect David had previously been attracted to her.

The Absalom rebellion

About fifteen years after these events, David’s son Absalom mounts a coup and takes Jerusalem and much of the Kingdom. David flees.

Who does Absalom turn to for help and advice? His fathers most trusted advisor.

12 While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he also sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from Giloh, his hometown. And so the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept on increasing. [2 Samuel 15:12].

Absalom goes straight to Ahithophel – why? Why go to the very person who is David’s most trusted friend to get him to betray David? Because Absalom knew that Ahithophel harboured hatred in his heart against David.

Bathsheba was Ahithophel’s granddaughter and David has humiliated and shamed her. David had killed Ahithophel’s grandson-in-law

God had forgiven David and put his sin aside. Psalm 51 tells us why.

But not Ahithophel. He had nurtured the hatred of David for at least fifteen years.

God forgives – men do not.

Both David and Absalom had mighty respect for Ahithophel’s counsel.

23 Now in those days the counsel which Ahith′ophel gave was as if one consulted the oracle of God; so was all the counsel of Ahith′ophel esteemed, both by David and by Ab′salom. [2 Sam 16:23].

David is now terrified – Absalom now has his “secret weapon”.

 31 And it was told David, “Ahith′ophel is among the conspirators with Ab′salom.” And David said, “O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahith′ophel into foolishness.”  [2 Samuel 15:31]

Ahithophel changed sides as a direct consequence of David’s sin.

I repeat: God forgives – people do not.

This is why Absalom was so confident to approach Ahithophel.

See Ahithophel’s first advice to Absalom.

20 Then Ab′salom said to Ahith′ophel, “Give your counsel; what shall we do?” 21 Ahith′ophel said to Ab′salom, “Go in to your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the house; and all Israel will hear that you have made yourself odious to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.” 22 So they pitched a tent for Ab′salom upon the roof; and Ab′salom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. [2 Samuel 16:21-22]

Just imagine how long Ahithophel had been waiting for this. To humiliate David by having his wives subject to the same sexual humiliation as Bathsheba had been subjected to. Not only that, but David’s son would humiliate his wives on the very roof where David had looked and lusted after Ahithophel’s granddaughter. Sweet revenge.

God didn’t bring this upon David, rather it was a consequence of David’s own sin.

Nathan had said: 

11 Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes, and give them to your neighbour, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For you did it secretly; but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.’ [2 Samuel 12].

The most poignant thing Nathan said to David was:

14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die [2 Sam 12:14 KJV].

How many enemies of God have looked at David and said, “so these are the actions of a man after God’s own heart”. Just as people now can hardly wait to see Christians make mistakes.

Peter writes to Christians about to suffer persecution at the hands of the Romans. He tells them to maintain good contact, not to win salvation by works (we are saved by grace), but to deny occasion to the enemies of Christ to delight in the fall of the believers.

12 Maintain good conduct among the Gentiles, so that in case they speak against you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. [1Peter 2:12].

Again, Peter says some will fall from grace and give great occasion to the enemies of God to blaspheme His name

2 And many will follow their licentiousness, and because of them the way of truth will be reviled. [2Peter 2].

So, David bore the consequences of his sin, such that God had to warn the following Kings of Judah to follow David’s example except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.

Terrible consequences

The words of Nathan the Prophet in 2 Samuel 12

10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house……

Had a terrible fulfilment.

David’s son Amnon, raped David’s daughter, Tamar.

Absalom (David’s son, Tamar’s brother) murdered Amnon.

Absalom rebels and Joab murdered him.

Adonijah (David’s son) murdered by Solomon (David’s son).

And Bathsheba’s first child to David dies:

14 Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord,  the child that is born to you shall die.” [ 2 Samuel 12]

Perhaps the saddest consequence was of the Nathan prophecy

10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uri′ah the Hittite to be your wife.’   [2 Samuel 12]

This may seem of little consequence compared to the death of his children, but it thwarted the greatest passion of David’s life.

8 But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘You have shed much blood and have waged great wars; you shall not build a house to my name, because you. [1 Chronicles 22].

The ongoing consequences of David’s sin prevented him from fulfilling his greatest ambition, to build a temple for the Lord.

ABIGAIL

I suppose the question still arises; how could David, plot and plan the murder of Uriah, in cold blood. Yes, he was caught in the heat of lust when he took Bathsheba, but the following sin of murder was all conceived in the cold light of day. How could David possibly justify his actions? Had he forgotten ‘thou shalt not kill?’

In his mind he could justify it because it had all happened before. This was not the first time that David had been attracted to a beautiful married woman, and the last time God removed the husband for him.

1 Samuel 25 tells of a foolish and churlish man, Nabal, who insulted David by refusing his men food after David’s men had protected them during the shearing season. Because of this, David determined to take his men and slaughter every male who was with Nabal. When Nabal’s wife, Abigail, heard of this, she loaded donkeys with food and drink for David’s men and went to his camp. This turned David from his hastily planned course of action and he was greatly impressed with Abigail’s wisdom and beauty. She returned to her husband, who was struct down and subsequently died at the hand of God. David sent his men to woo Abigail, and she returned to David to become his wife.

Let me say, that you don’t propose to a woman at a distance, unless the first meeting had spawned some attraction. Clearly David was deeply attracted to Abigail and her wisdom at their first meeting. But, even as David ‘loved’ her, she returned to her husband. But, God intervened, and the husband was taken out of the picture, and David was free to take the woman he wanted.

Did David relive these events in his mind as he faced the problem with Bathsheba. Hadn’t God removed the first husband? It only needed a small step for David to justify removing the next husband. How often we do this, justify our actions as Godly when they may be based on pure self-interest. Only Jesus stands as an example of one who always put Godly love forward as his motive for all his actions.

God Divorces Israel

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Jeremiah chapter 3 – Israel is divorced

Jeremiah 3:8 “She saw that for all the adulteries of that faithless one, Israel, I had sent her away with a decree of divorce; yet her false sister Judah did not fear, but she too went and played the harlot.”

The words appear to explicitly state the God has divorced Israel: i.e. the marriage to Israel at Sinai is now annulled.

Some may say, doesn’t the message to Hosea suggest that Israel will be forgiven and taken back again like Hosea’s errant wife. But Hosea’s prophesy happened well before Jeremiah, so Jeremiah has the final say – divorce.

Perhaps, even after all this, God may forgive and the marriage status will be reinstated. Well, the words of Jeremiah 3:1 “If a man divorces his wife and she goes from him and becomes another man’s wife, will he return to her? Would not that land be greatly polluted? You have played the harlot with many lovers; and would you return to me? says the Lord,” strongly suggest the divorce is irrevocable.

So, God is finished with Israel? But then what of promises such as Jeremiah 30:11 “… For I am with you to save you, says the Lord; I will make a full end of all the nations among whom I scattered you, but of you I will not make a full end.”

And Jeremiah 3:14-18

“14 “Return, faithless people,” declares the Lord, “for I am your husband. I will choose you—one from a town and two from a clan—and bring you to Zion. 15 Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding. 16 In those days, when your numbers have increased greatly in the land,” declares the Lord, “people will no longer say, ‘The ark of the covenant of the Lord.’ It will never enter their minds or be remembered; it will not be missed, nor will another one be made. 17 At that time they will call Jerusalem The Throne of the Lord, and all nations will gather in Jerusalem to honour the name of the Lord.

Doesn’t this imply that God is not finished with Israel?

Well, let’s look at Israel’s history.

During the reign of King Rehoboam, the Kingdom of Israel split into two separate states: the Northern Kingdom which retained the name Israel, and the southern kingdom called Judah (From which we get the name “Jews”). Israel degenerated into idolatry in two stages. Firstly, the first King Jeroboam introduced golden calf idols to represent Yahweh and a new priesthood, and secondly King Ahab introduced new gods (the Baals) to replace Yahweh.

The southern Kingdom also introduced idols, but good reforming Kings arose and brought the people back to Yahweh worship again.

The Assyrian Kingdom arose as a threat to both Israel and Judah. Israel fell to Assyria first.

Israel had all but vanished by time the Assyrian captivity occurred (740-720 BC). Most had immigrated south to Judah (2 Chronicles 11:13-17,  15:8-19). Israel starts with 800,000 men of war under Jeroboam [2 Chronicles 13:3], and ends with 7000 under Ahab [1 Kings 20:15].

Judah starts with 180,000 men under Rehoboam [1 Kings 12:21], then 1.16 million under Jehoshaphat [2 Chronicles 17:14-18] all in the space of about 55 years. Clearly almost all Israel had migrated down to Judah.

Assyrian cuneiform states that 27,290 captives were taken from Israel. Some lower classes were left in Israel. This shows that the nation of Israel was very tiny. Finally, Judah fell to the Babylonians and was taken captive.

Now back to Jeremiah 3.

Jeremiah prophesied to Judah (650-570BC) at the time when it fell to Babylon. As we read through the prophecy, we see some reference to Israel (the dispersed northern nation), but also some reference under the name of Israel to the combination of the northern and southern kingdoms – i.e. all the children of Jacob.

Jeremiah 3

Jeremiah 3 Deuteronomy 24: 1-4
Verse 6-10  8 She saw that for all the adulteries of that faithless one, Israel, I had sent her away with a decree of divorce; yet her false sister Judah did not fear, but she too went and played the harlot.Harlotry of Israel – Israel is divorced i.e. the northern kingdom of Israel. See Moses and Elijah
Verse 12-14Plea to Israel (both Kingdoms – all the sons of Jacob)
Verse 14-18 17 At that time Jerusalem shall be called the throne of the Lord, and all nations shall gather to it, to the presence of the Lord in Jerusalem, and they shall no more stubbornly follow their own evil heart. own evil heart. 18 In those days the house of Judah shall join the house of Israel….God’s blessings in future age when Jew (Judah and Israel) and gentiles will be joined as Christians
Verse 19-25Israel (all sons of Jacob) reject God’s plea.

So, if God has divorced Israel (and subsequently Judah), what is meant by such promises as Jeremiah 31:10-14 –

“He who scattered Israel will gather him and will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.’11 For the Lord has ransomed Jacob and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him.”

Continuing to review the whole history:

John's timeline

The Kingdom of Israel splits into the Kingdom of Israel, and the Kingdom of Judah. Israel is taken captive into Assyria and disappears from the narrative. Judah (and those of Israel who migrated) form a vasal Roman state when Jesus arrives. They crucified Jesus, the ultimate betrayal of God. God then opens the call of salvation to all peoples on earth – Jew and Gentile. A new Spiritual Israel is formed.

Galatians 3:  26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

There is now a new spiritual Israel. Every Christian shares brotherhood with Christ, and sonship of God and therefore are the new seed of promise. Every blessing promised to Israel after AD33 is for those in Christ. To be ethnically Jewish means nothing now. Both John Baptist and Jesus said that God could create children of Abraham from the rocks on the side of the road. The new spiritual Israel do the works of Abraham.

Romans 1117 “But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in their place to share the richness of the olive tree.”  The branch of natural Israel was broken and rejected, and the grafted branch is the gentiles. Paul goes on : 15 “For if their (natural Israel) rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?”

Paul is saying that Israel was rejected when they killed the Christ – that that gave us redemption through Christ’s blood, how much greater will it be when Israel is accepted again – at the time of life from the dead, i.e. the resurrection at the second coming of Jesus. So, Paul puts the acceptance of natural Israel squarely at the time of Christ’s second coming.

So – doesn’t that mean that natural Israel is again accepted or ‘married’ to God?

We have a missing link.

Zechariah 12.   2 “Lo, I am about to make Jerusalem a cup of reeling to all the peoples round about; it will be against Judah also in the siege against Jerusalem. 3 On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it shall grievously hurt themselves. And all the nations of the earth will come together against it.”

10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of compassion and supplication, so that, when they look on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a first-born. ”

All nations will come to do battle against Jerusalem (Zechariah 14) and Israel will call on God to save – and Jesus will come – the very one they killed. Then every Jew will recognise Jesus as the messiah they rejected and they will be converted to become Christian. Then natural Israel will join spiritual Israel and join the bride of Christ.

So, every promise of blessings on Israel will come to be after they recognise Jesus and become Christian.

So, wonderful promises like:

Jeremiah 3:14 “Return, O faithless children, says the Lord; for I am your master; I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion.”

Jeremiah 31: “31 “… I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant which I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant which they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord. 33 But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 … they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Jeremiah 23:7-87 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when men shall no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ 8 but ‘As the Lord lives who brought up and led the descendants of the house of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.’ Then they shall dwell in their own land.”

Isaiah 54 8 In overflowing wrath for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,  says the Lord, your Redeemer. 9 “… so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you and will not rebuke you. 10 … but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

Jeremiah 3136 “If this fixed order (sun and moon) departs from before me, says the Lord,
then shall the descendants of Israel cease from being a nation before me for ever.” 37 Thus says the Lord: “If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth below can be explored, then I will cast off all the descendants of Israel for all that they have done, says the Lord.”

Ezekiel 1119 And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them; I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in my statutes and keep my ordinances and obey them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

All will be fulfilled when Israel is saved by Jesus and recognise him as the saviour they rejected and become Christian.

And in this present time, God has not abandoned his people –

Romans 115 So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.”

Just as there were 7000 chosen by grace in Elijah’s day, so now some of Israel have believed in the Saviour [Acts 6:7, John 12:42].

Even unbelieving Israel is still in God’s plan – they are just not the bride. They are God’s witness to His existence and unfolding plan for mankind [ Isaiah 43:10-12, 44:8]. Literal Israel was prophesied to be scattered and then be brought to their own land: ’But they will say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the descendants of Israel up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where he had banished them.’ Then they will live in their own land.’ (Jeremiah 23:8) . This is there witness.

Concluding thought:

If God has not divorced Israel – then they are still married. God has his bride – Israel.

The bride of Christ in Revelation 21 is the Christian congregation. So, Christ has his bride.

Do you really think that, in the final Kingdom, God and Jesus will have two separate brides?

Elijah, Elisha, John & Jesus

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Kings 19:4 “But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree; and he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am no better than my fathers.”

Elijah is dejected – feeling a failure. He had failed his mission. Wasn’t he supposed to bring all Israel back to God? Didn’t the fire on Mt Carmel show who the one true God really was? And here he was, seemingly just one day later and Jezebel was after his blood. Where were all the people who had cried out “the Lord is our God’ [1 Kings 18:39]?  Did they stand up to Jezebel? No. The prophet was now alone – and running for his life.

What did Elijah mean by “take away my life; I am not better than my fathers.” Perhaps he was referring to all the prophets who had died before him – and he was now asking God to take his life. He may as well be dead like them. But I don’t think so. I think that Elijah had a passion to be the one who would ‘turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers’. I think Elijah thought he was the chosen prophet to bring Israel back to God. All the other prophets had failed – but he would do it. And now, here he was, a failure just as the prophets before him were. He was feeling no better that his fathers, he may as well be dead.

And so Elijah comes to God and says ‘I am the only one, God – I am the only one left who loves you’. He knew that wasn’t true [1 Kings 18:4]. He knew there were others who were in love with the true God of Israel, but he was immersed in self-pity.

So, what does God say? God gives the best advice to a person feeling down in the dumps. A person feeling, ‘Oh poor me.’  [1 Kings 19:10]. Get up, dust yourself down, and get on with the next job I am going to give you. You’ve got more to do; you’re not finished yet!

So, God gives Elijah three more jobs to do –

“And the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, you shall anoint Haz′ael to be king over Syria; 16 and Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel; and Eli′sha the son of Shaphat of A′bel-meho′lah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place.” I Kings 19:15

Well, there you go. Lots more to do. But – was there something ominous in asking him to appoint a successor? Why? Was Elijah old and fading out? We have no evidence of that. Maybe there was a deeper lesson.

Of the three tasks, Elijah only completed one. He did anoint Elisha to be a prophet [1 Kings 19:19]. But God took him in the whirlwind of fire before he had a chance to do the other two jobs. Why? Why did God give him two jobs and then prevent him from doing them? Perhaps it was Elijah’s last lesson. Elijah – you have done your job – but my Spirit will not die with you. I will pass it onto others who will accomplish my will. One prophet may pass, but another will rise. The plan and purpose of God is not thwarted – it will pass from one prophet to another until it comes to The Son of Man. One of the sons of the prophets anointed Jehu [2 Kings 9:3], and then Elisha verbally anointed Hazael [2 Kings 8:13]. God’s plan is fulfilled by whichever vessel is used by the Spirit. So, Elijah’s last lesson may have been that he was a just a link in an ongoing chain.

So now, from 1 Kings 19, Elijah and Elisha go on together as a sort of ‘master and apprentice’. Or so it seems. In 1 Kings 21 Elijah seems to be alone in condemning Ahab over Naboth’s vineyard. Elijah continues alone in the 2 Kings 1 condemnation of Ahaziah. They seem to re-unite in 2 Kings 2 when Elijah is taken, and Elisha is granted a double portion of the spirit of Elijah.

Here, Elijah is taken in a whirlwind and the two prophets are separated by horses and chariots of fire. Elisha calls out

“My father, my father! the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” [2 Kings 2:12].

This was a testimony to Elijah, not a description of the vision. It was Elijah who was the chariot of Israel – its strength as he was the vessel of God’s spirit. This was an epithet which Elisha himself was to inherit [2 Kings 13:14].

So, Elisha now emerges as the greater of the two. Elisha is recorded to have done about sixteen miracles to Elijah’s eight. Significant? Probably. Elisha now has a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. We are now connected to one of the greatest forerunners of Jesus.

Many of the miracles of Elisha are pointing us to Jesus –


So, we have Elisha as a powerful symbol of Christ. What of Elijah – what did he symbolise? He was the forerunner of Elisha, so he must represent the forerunner of Jesus, John the Baptist. The Jews saw a great mystique surrounding Elijah. Firstly, he seems to have escaped normal death, and his grave was never found. Another link with Moses. Also, the last message of God to the Jews before Christ alluded to a mysterious ‘Elijah’ who would herald the coming messiah –
“Behold, I will send you Eli′jah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. 6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers…” Malachi 4:5-6

So, when John revealed himself to the people, the Jews naturally asked if he was Elijah.

 “And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.”  John 1:21

John denied that he was the literal Elijah returned from heaven, and yet the angel of the Lord had promised that John would go in the spirit and power of Elijah and fulfill the Malachi promise [Malachi 4:5-6] –

“And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Luke 1:17

So, surely John identified himself as the spirit of Elijah but not the literal prophet. Jesus identified John as the spiritual Elijah.

“The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?” 11 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. … 13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.” Matthew 17:10

Just as Elijah had anointed Elisha as prophet, it was John who baptised Jesus and enabled His anointing –

“Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John….16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:13

When Elijah anointed Elisha, they went their separate ways and did not unite again until Elijah was to be taken. So, after Jesus’ baptism, John and Jesus worked separately. [John 4:1]. It was not until John’s imminent departure that they conversed again [Matthew 11:1-6]. Just like Elijah and Elisha. John knew his whirlwind and chariots of fire were coming for him –

 “He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30

How did john know this? How did he know that they could not co-exist? Because he recognised that they were Elijah and Elisha – and Elisha’s mission was to start only after Elijah had been taken.

See also: Elijah Was a Gentile

  Moses & Elijah – The Earthquake, Wind & Fire