Focus today is upon David and Solomon as flawed leaders who continue to be useful to GOD, and more on wholeness of the Bible despite “missing” information. The “Yahoo! Answers” writer using ID “pray for the world.” (Level 7 with 69,028 points, a member since April 15, 2011) posted the following:
Does it make sense that King Solomon married the Pharaoh’s daughter…..?
considering that he was the King of Israel and should know the law, not to intermarry with the heathen. Not only that he built her a lavish house. So this was the first sign his decisions were leading to trouble it seems?
THE BATTLE AXE: Missing Information (06/12/2013)— (5) From Genesis through Revelation, a believer’s focus when reading the holy writings must be directed to identifying the purposes, presence and action of Almighty GOD. The reader is challenged to discern and recognize answers to such questions as how is the Holy Spirit present in this account? What are the sacred operations demonstrated here (e.g., anointing, atonement, confession, covenant, forbearance, forgiveness, judgment, repentance, revelation, salvation, sanctification)? How is sacred tradition acknowledged, complained against, continued, depicted, or put right? The angels, animals (e.g., Balaam’s donkey that spoke), major and minor human actors, aspects of the natural world (e.g., hills, rocks, waters), and sacred beasts of heaven all serve as devices to reveal the exalted person of GOD as the source of all being and existence.
THE GOLDEN ARROW: And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field: And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces: And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee: (But he shall have one tribe for my servant David’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:) Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father. Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant’s sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes: But I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes. And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there. And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel. And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee. And I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not for ever. Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon. (1st Kings 11: 29-40, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: The Root of Jesse (01/03/2013); Newness of Spirit (01/04/2013); Hero or Zero? (12/04/2012); The Golden Age? (01/10/2013); Translation, Please… (01/11/2013); The Priesthood of Kings (10/17/2012); Childlike Faith (10/18/2012); Contradictions? (09/21/2012); The Spirit by Measure (09/22/2012)
“pray for the world.”, here are some points most mature Christian believers share with those who are teachable, and who truly want to learn and understand the Scriptures:
(1) Accounts, events, the people described, and even the statements quoted in the holy writings are figures and shadows used to suggest peculiar truths surrounding divinity, and are not always accurate, exact, literal, and precise. More than this, things carnal, material, social and visible are repeatedly used to describe things that are totally spirit in their nature and operation.
(2) Just as we, today, must experience change and growth in spiritual awareness and understanding, and only arrive at balance, consistency and stability following growing pains, practice, and recovery from errors, figures in the Scriptures all display ambivalence (i.e., being drawn in opposite or multiple directions at the same time), human error, infirmity, and self-contradiction.
(3) Multiple marriage often appears in the Scriptures as a political device for nations to establish affiliation and treaties for mutual assistance and defense. Romantic love has little to do with these “practical” arrangements for exchanging, controlling, and securing resources. (See 1st King 11: 1-4, KJV.)
(4) The inheritance to Solomon was not simply that of a political ruler. His spiritual inheritance as leader to Israel included covenants, a role as prophet, and a priesthood that went all the way back to Adam. In the same way we see David flawed, opposed by sin, yet used by GOD to show divinity as active and present, we see Solomon used to make sin visible in contrast to the righteousness of GOD.
There is far more to be said, correctly applied, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, (5) Just as we don’t usually catch our own mistakes until after we have taken the wrong action, and often must be told that we are in error; both David and Solomon held many incorrect ideas. David believed that Solomon was the offspring from his loins who would maintain an everlasting kingdom in accordance with promises from GOD. David conceived only an earthly dynasty; and his Unified Kingdom embracing the twelve tribes was dissolved by Rehoboam, the son of Solomon—after only two generations.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
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