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April 8 - Evening

"In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Metheg Ammah from the control of the Philistines.

David also defeated the
Moabites. He made them lie down on the ground and measured them off with a length of cord. Every two lengths of them were put to death, and the third length was allowed to live. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute.

Moreover, David defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of
Zobah, when he went to restore his monument at the Euphrates River. David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung all but a hundred of the chariot horses. When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them. He put garrisons in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to him and brought tribute. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went...

And David became famous after he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. He put garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became subject to David. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went."

- Second Samuel 8:1-6, 13-14

David's Victories and Economic Growth in the West, East, North and South


WEST: Under David’s leadership Israel defeated the Philistines after 125 years of continual conflicts. This is an amazing turn around since at the time of Saul’s death the Philistines had completely overrun the northern tribes of Israel. But, now under David, the Philistines had been subdued.

EAST: In Moab David executed 2 out of every 3 of their captive soldiers by measuring with a tape measure (or “a length of cord”) two groups to be killed as they lay on the ground and one group to return home in order to pay tribute to Israel. This seems rather cruel since David’s great-grandmother Ruth was a Moabite (Ruth 4:5 and 4:21-22) and the king of Moab protected David’s family (1 Sam. 22:3) while Saul was hunting David as a fugitive. Something must have gone very wrong between Moab and Israel’s international relationship. Or, was David acting in mercy by allowing 1 out of every 3 Moabite soldiers to live? And, to live unmutilated! In this ancient world prisoners of war were tortured and killed or, if allowed to live, they would be mutilated by being blinded or having fingers or toes cut off to incapacitate them from being a future threat.

NORTH: Historically the city-states of Aram united during the same time that the twelve tribes of Israel united under King Saul and King David. But, once while the Aramean King Hadadezer was conducting a military campaign near the Euphrates River to the north, David invaded Aram from the south near the area of Dan in northern Israel. Things went very bad for the Arameans when troops from Damascus were dispatched to engage David’s troops in the south in an attempt to assist Hadadezer who was preoccupied in the north. 22,000 of those Aramean troops where struck down and David stationed Israeli troops in garrisons all the way up into the territory around Damascus. The Arameans then paid tribute to David.

SOUTH: David even established garrisons in the territory south of Judah in the land of Edom. The text of 8:14 makes a very emphatic statement that literally reads: David “put in Edom garrisons, in all Edom he put garrisons.” From this expansion of land controlled by Israel that now extended to the major trade route city of Damascus in the north to the caravan routes in the south through Edom, known as the Spice Routes, David had not only taken control of the military, but had also set Israel up to receive a tremendous economic boost from the northern and southern trade routes that ran into, through and around the land of Israel.
Parousia (Gr) – coming (Eng) – parousia is Greek word that literally means “a presence.” Parousia is made from para, meaning “with” and ousia, meaning “being.” When parousia is used in the papyri it refers to an arrival of an individual to a location and their presence. Parousia is used of Jesus on Mt. Hermon during the transfiguration (2 Peter 1:16). Parousia is also used in: Matt. 24:3, 37; 1 Cor. 15:23; 1 Thes. 3:13; 4:15; 5:23; 2 Thes. 2:1; James 5:7-8; 2 Peter 3:4; 1 John 2:28.
Do I appreciate the peace and prosperity I experience in my life, my community, my nation?
I will express gratitude to the Lord for peace and prosperity.



Bible Reading Descriptions Here

Narrative

(morning only)

Complete Text

General Text




Personal

Organization of you house and home management

Church

Peace with opponents
Scientists and Theologians
China



This is cave number 4 of the eleven caves that were found with scrolls. Fragments of over 550 manuscripts were found in this cave. These and other manuscripts became known to us as the Dead Sea Scrolls. (See Qumran here.)
A simple life cycle for the Christian's life in time.




Someone to Quote

“A major dividing line separates the non-Christian world views from Christianity, and that is what each one believes about Jesus Christ.” - David A. Noebel, Understanding the Times

Something to Ponder

Francis of Assisi, Italy was a wealthy cloth merchant. Francis had been captured in war and held prisoner for a year before he was released. In 1206 Francis was drawn by a desire to care for the poor because of his faith. He gave all he had to the poor, lived a life of poverty and began to ask others for money to help the poor. Francis preached around Assisi in Italy and gained a following of 3,000 people. Together they received the papal approval for the Franciscan order of monks in 1218.

Here’s a Fact

Two recently presented theories on Sodom and Gomorrah’s destruction in Genesis 19 are both based on these two facts:
(1) the southern third of the Dead Sea sits on the Great Rift Valley which is a large fault line in the earth’s crust.
(2) This area of the Dead Sea is still the source of natural gas, sulfur, salt and other mineral deposits.

One theory presents the idea that the Great Rift Valley opened because of an earthquake and natural gases were released and ignited by the cities lamps.

A second new theory says that the cities were built on the sand, but when an earthquake released the underground water the city floated for a while on the floating sand, but as the gases exploded the cities were covered with fallout and sank into the vacuum created by the escaping water. In both theories Sodom and Gomorrah is at the bottom of the shallow southern third of the Dead Sea which had previously been a fertile plain. (Details 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Proverb

"Wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her."
- Proverbs 8:11

Coach’s Corner

Never blame the bad teacher. You can always rise above because Truth is independent of education since education is not limited to a system, a classroom or an individual teacher. Education is ultimately the responsibility of the student.

1 Samuel 26
New International Version (NIV)
David Again Spares Saul’s Life
26 The Ziphites went to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding on the hill of Hakilah, which faces Jeshimon?”
So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph, with his three thousand select Israelite troops, to search there for David. Saul made his camp beside the road on the hill of Hakilah facing Jeshimon, but David stayed in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul had followed him there, he sent out scouts and learned that Saul had definitely arrived.
Then David set out and went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw where Saul and Abner son of Ner, the commander of the army, had lain down. Saul was lying inside the camp, with the army encamped around him.
David then asked Ahimelek the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, “Who will go down into the camp with me to Saul?”
“I’ll go with you,” said Abishai.
So David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there was Saul, lying asleep inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying around him.
Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won’t strike him twice.”
But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless? 10 As surely as the Lord lives,” he said, “the Lord himself will strike him, or his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. 11 But the Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, and let’s go.”
12 So David took the spear and water jug near Saul’s head, and they left. No one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up. They were all sleeping, because the Lord had put them into a deep sleep.
13 Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the hill some distance away; there was a wide space between them. 14 He called out to the army and to Abner son of Ner, “Aren’t you going to answer me, Abner?”
Abner replied, “Who are you who calls to the king?”
15 David said, “You’re a man, aren’t you? And who is like you in Israel? Why didn’t you guard your lord the king? Someone came to destroy your lord the king. 16 What you have done is not good. As surely as the Lord lives, you and your men must die, because you did not guard your master, the Lord’s anointed. Look around you. Where are the king’s spear and water jug that were near his head?”
17 Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is that your voice, David my son?”
David replied, “Yes it is, my lord the king.”
18 And he added, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done, and what wrong am I guilty of? 19 Now let my lord the king listen to his servant’s words. If the Lord has incited you against me, then may he accept an offering. If, however, people have done it, may they be cursed before the Lord! They have driven me today from my share in the Lord’s inheritance and have said, ‘Go, serve other gods.’ 20 Now do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the Lord. The king of Israel has come out to look for a flea—as one hunts a partridge in the mountains.”
21 Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. Because you considered my life precious today, I will not try to harm you again. Surely I have acted like a fool and have been terribly wrong.”
22 “Here is the king’s spear,” David answered. “Let one of your young men come over and get it. 23 The Lord rewards everyone for their righteousness and faithfulness. The Lord delivered you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. 24 As surely as I valued your life today, so may the Lord value my life and deliver me from all trouble.”
25 Then Saul said to David, “May you be blessed, David my son; you will do great things and surely triumph.”
So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.
1 Samuel 3-4
New International Version (NIV)
The Lord Calls Samuel
The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.
One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called Samuel.
Samuel answered, “Here I am.”
And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.
Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
“My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”
Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.
A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy.
So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”
Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
11 And the Lord said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. 12 At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. 13 For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God, and he failed to restrain them. 14 Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’”
15 Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the Lord. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, 16 but Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.”
Samuel answered, “Here I am.”
17 “What was it he said to you?” Eli asked. “Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you.” 18 So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, “He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.”
19 The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord. 21 The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.
And Samuel’s word came to all Israel.
The Philistines Capture the Ark
Now the Israelites went out to fight against the Philistines. The Israelites camped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines at Aphek. The Philistines deployed their forces to meet Israel, and as the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand of them on the battlefield. When the soldiers returned to camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lord bring defeat on us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh, so that he may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.”
So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim. And Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
When the ark of the Lord’s covenant came into the camp, all Israel raised such a great shout that the ground shook. Hearing the uproar, the Philistines asked, “What’s all this shouting in the Hebrew camp?”
When they learned that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp,
the Philistines were afraid. “A god has come into the camp,” they said. “Oh no! Nothing like this has happened before. We’re doomed! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? They are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness. Be strong, Philistines! Be men, or you will be subject to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Be men, and fight!”
10 So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated and every man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers. 11 The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
Death of Eli
12 That same day a Benjamite ran from the battle line and went to Shiloh with his clothes torn and dust on his head. 13 When he arrived, there was Eli sitting on his chair by the side of the road, watching, because his heart feared for the ark of God. When the man entered the town and told what had happened, the whole town sent up a cry.
14 Eli heard the outcry and asked, “What is the meaning of this uproar?”
The man hurried over to Eli,
15 who was ninety-eight years old and whose eyes had failed so that he could not see. 16 He told Eli, “I have just come from the battle line; I fled from it this very day.”
Eli asked, “What happened, my son?”
17 The man who brought the news replied, “Israel fled before the Philistines, and the army has suffered heavy losses. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.”
18 When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was an old man, and he was heavy. He had led Israel forty years.
19 His daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and near the time of delivery. When she heard the news that the ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she went into labor and gave birth, but was overcome by her labor pains. 20 As she was dying, the women attending her said, “Don’t despair; you have given birth to a son.” But she did not respond or pay any attention.
21 She named the boy Ichabod, saying, “The Glory has departed from Israel”—because of the capture of the ark of God and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband. 22 She said, “The Glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”


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