Is this where "mansplaining" originated? :)

I ran across these verses today. Check it out.

 

1 Kings 10:2-3(NKJV)

She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels that bore spices, very much gold, and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was in her heart. 

So Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing so difficult for the king that he could not explain it to her. 

 

If this happened today I think  Soloman would be hounded by some for "manplaining"!  :)

I hope you all have a great week.  Look to God first in all you do and you can't go wrong!

One of my biggest questions for God is…

 

Want to know what it is?

 

Why is there no condemnation of slavery in the Bible? 

 

The whole idea of slavery seems evil to me.  The idea that one human being can own another human being and do anything they want  with that human being is simply abhorrent in my opinion.

 

Yet, I don't see it condemned in the Bible.  In fact the Bible mentions slavery or "forced labor" as a if it is the natural order of things.  Here is the verse from today that prompted this question. 
 

1 Kings 9:20-21(NKJV)

All the people who were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, who were not of the children of Israel—

that is, their descendants who were left in the land after them, whom the children of Israel had not been able to destroy completely—from these Solomon raised forced labor, as it is to this day. 

 

The next verse goes on to say that Solomon didn't enslave and of his countrymen, only his enemies.  So according to Scripture it is A-OK to enslave those whom you defeat in battle?

 

In the NT there is the admonition for slaves to obey their masters and for masters to treat their slaves well.  How come their isn't an admonition to abolish slavery all together?

Just gonna have to add this to the list of questions to ask God when I get there!

He who overcomes!

 

I'm sensing a theme in Revelation 2.  See if you can pick up on it.  :)

 

Revelation 2:7(NKJV)

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”’

 

Revelation 2:11(NKJV)

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”’

 

Revelation 2:17(NKJV)

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”’

 

Revelation 2:26(NKJV)

And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—

 

He who overcomes!

Overcomes what? 

 

Overcomes the trials and tribulations of life.  Overcomes the attacks on our spiritual lives.  Overcomes the mental battle that we fight between our ears every day.  That battle between faith and fear.

 

What does it take to overcome?  It takes faith!  Faith that if you keeping battling and working God's plan things will work out!  And not just faith in a general cosmic way but faith  in God and Jesus.  Faith that God has your back!

 

Do you have faith in Jesus?  Is he leading your life?  If not maybe it is time to have a little talk with Him.  "Dear Jesus…….."

How do we make our soul "prosper"?

If I remember correctly I used this verse as the basis for the first sermon I ever gave.  It has been one of my foundational verses since that time. 

 

3 John 1:2(NKJV)

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 

 

What exactly does it mean for our "soul to prosper"?

The passage doesn't answer that question but I will give you my take on it.

 

Our soul prospers as we develop and deepen our relationship with God in my opinion.  We can be good people who go to church all the time and never cheat anybody and all of that but is our relationship with God actually growing or are we just going through the motions? 

That is the key difference to me.  To make our souls prosper takes the effort of actually seeking God on a continual basis.  It takes the effort spending time in prayer, not just talking to God but more importantly, listening to Him.  It takes effort to learn how to trust God and follow His lead even when it makes us uncomfortable.  These are the things that will lead to our souls actually prospering. 

 

Make sense?

 

 

 

I didn't realize Solomon was rebelling right from the start!

Through out the Old Testament God uses imperfect people to further God's plans here on earth.    Today's reading brought to light an example that I had not noticed before.  Solomon was imperfect right from the start. 

 

Just to be clear I get the whole Jesus was the only perfect man thing.  That's not what I am talking about here.  Let me give an example. 

Both King Saul and King David were pretty good guys when God started using and blessing them.  God even described David as a man after God's own heart.  As time went by however, both of them faltered.

 

Take a look at this section of Scripture about Solomon.  King Solomon was faltering right from the start.

 

1 Kings 3:2-14(NKJV)

Meanwhile the people sacrificed at the high places, because there was no house built for the name of the Lord until those days. 

And Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David, except that he sacrificed and burned incense at the high places.

Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place: Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 

At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask! What shall I give you?”

And Solomon said: “You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; You have continued this great kindness for him, and You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. 

Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. 

And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted. 

Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”

The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. 

Then God said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, 

behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. 

And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. 

So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”

 

So Scripture points out that Solomon is doing pretty much what God would have Solomon do except that Solomon is already breaking the rules by sacrificing and burning incense at the high places.

 

Not only that but Solomon is actually at one of the high places doing what God really isn't cool with when God meets with Solomon at the high places!  God doesn't chastise Solomon for being there or for doing what he is doing.  God instead asks Solomon a question and based on Solomon's answer God rewards Solomon with even more!

What are we to make of this?

 

For me it is a bit of confirmation of something I have written about in the past regarding the NT. 

While Paul and others in the NT said to be saved you had to take specific steps (believe in your heart, say with lips, etc), for Jesus it was simply a heart issue.  In one passage Jesus even tells a guy "close enough".  That is what I see in this story about King Solomon. 

 

It's a heart issue.  Don't get too focused on the minor details.  Guard your heart and keep it focused on God and all else will work itself out!

Make sense?

Settling Scores - With God's Approval?

I'm reading 1 Kings.  The first two chapters are about then end of King David's life and the transfer of power to King Solomon.  What strikes me is that the intrigue isn't much different than we see today.  As Ecclesiastes says "ain't nothing new under the sun!" 

 

For example here is King David giving Solomon instructions on how to settle a couple of old scores.  I especially liked the second one where King David says something like 'hey I said I wouldn't kill him but after I'm gone you do what you think is best (hint, hint).'  :)

1 Kings 2:5-9(NKJV)

“Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed. And he shed the blood of war in peacetime, and put the blood of war on his belt that was around his waist, and on his sandals that were on his feet. 

Therefore do according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray hair go down to the grave in peace.

“But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, for so they came to me when I fled from Absalom your brother.

“And see, you have with you Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a malicious curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim. But he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by the Lord, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’ 

Now therefore, do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man and know what you ought to do to him; but bring his gray hair down to the grave with blood.”

Then the rest of the chapter tells a couple of stories about how Solomon wacked several of the folks from the old guard who had wronged King David and replaced them with is own people.  Solomon even went so far as to have one guy killed on the alter. 

 

The guy was clinging to the alter thinking it would keep him from being killed.  Solomon gave the guy a chance to come down before they killed him and he refused so Solomon had him killed on the alter.

 

What strikes me about this is that I don't see God disapproving of this anywhere.  And why should he?  These were not innocent men.  They were men who had wronged King David and were now simply reaping the consequences of their actions.  But I'm sure there are people who read 1st Kings 2 and think "it isn't fair".

 

Another way of saying "isn't fair" is "isn't just".  Since I don't see God condemning this anywhere are those people saying that God is unjust?

"Toxic masculinity" - LOL!

I just finished reading 2nd Samuel 23 and the thought that struck me was "I guess God didn't get the message about how bad "toxic masculinity" is."  :)  I am being facetious of course. 

To set the stage it is getting to the end of David's life.  It is chronicling the "Might Men of David".  Here is an example.
 

2 Samuel 23:8-12(NKJV)

These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-Basshebeth the Tachmonite, chief among the captains. He was called Adino the Eznite, because he had killed eight hundred men at one time. 

And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel had retreated. 

He arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand stuck to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to plunder. 

And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils. So the people fled from the Philistines. 

But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.

What I noticed  is that the men God holds up as examples and heros here are all men of valor.  Men skilled in the art of war.  Men willing to fight to the death for the things they believe in. Men loyal to their King. 

In other words.…masculine men!  :)