Questions Answers

Bible Stories

THE STORY
OF THE BIBLE
VOLUME ONE
Herbert W. Armstrong led the Worldwide Church of God (formerly The Radio
Church of God until 1968) until his death in 1986. Hundreds of millions heard
his voice and read his literature. God called him in the fall of 1926 and he was
converted in the spring of 1927. Over the course of Mr. Armstrong’s ministry,
God revealed through him a great many true biblical doctrines, which had
been lost to the Church through the centuries. After his death, his successors
ceased to believe and teach these doctrines. Although copyright law prohibits
The Restored Church of God from reproducing and distributing literature produced
while he led the Worldwide Church of God, we are committed to the
preservation and teaching of all of these truths!
THIS BOOK IS PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE AND IN THE
PUBLIC INTEREST BY THE RESTORED CHURCH OF GOD.
It is made possible by the voluntary, freely given tithes and offerings of the
members of the Church and others who have elected to support the work of the
Church. Contributions are welcomed and gratefully accepted. Those who wish
to voluntarily aid and support this WORK OF GOD around the world are gladly
welcomed as co-workers in this major effort to preach the gospel to all nations.
Copyright © 2002, 2003 by The Restored Church of God
All Rights Reserved.
Printed in the United States of America
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INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER ONE: FROM THE BEGINNING
CHAPTER TWO: GOD RECREATES THE EARTH
CHAPTER THREE: IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN
CHAPTER FOUR: BROTHER VERSUS BROTHER
CHAPTER FIVE: FLOOD!
CHAPTER SIX: THE TOWER OF BABEL
CHAPTER SEVEN: GOD CALLS ABRAM
CHAPTER EIGHT: ABRAM RESCUES LOT
CHAPTER NINE: ABRAM GETS A SON
CHAPTER TEN: THE END OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH
CHAPTER ELEVEN: ISAAC IS BORN
CHAPTER TWELVE: ISAAC FINDS A WIFE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN: JACOB AND ESAU
CHAPTER FOURTEEN: JACOB AND RACHEL
CHAPTER FIFTEEN: THE DECEIVER IS DECEIVED
CHAPTER SIXTEEN: JOURNEY TO CANAAN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: JOSEPH, THE FAVORITE SON
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: THE BROTHERS REUNITE
CHAPTER NINETEEN: ISRAEL DWELLS IN EGYPT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE STORY OF THE BIBLE
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VOLUME ONE
INTRODUCTION
by David C. Pack
This is the first volume of a special series. These books truly represent “THE
STORY OF THE BIBLE.” Many have attempted to write various kinds of
“Bible Story Books,” but they are usually written only for children, and are primarily
designed to entertain instead of educate or inspire. The reader will see
that the wonderful style and artwork of this series capture the spirit of God’s
Word, with its intended lessons and vital meaning.
Most children’s versions of the Bible terribly misrepresent important stories
that it contains—and they are written with wrong emphasis—and wrong meaning!
Instead of leading children to the true God, and to the true doctrines of His
Word, children are left with the impression that the Bible only contains a few
stories, and is mostly a book about war, violence, blood, thunder and death.
This is terribly wrong!
In keeping with the modern generation’s obsession with graphic violence,
most efforts to reflect the teachings of the Bible “play” to this interest. Youth
are given what they want to read, not what they need to understand. The many
stories of the Bible are intended to teach VITAL LESSONS to people of all ages.
Modern writers miss the mark when they cater to children, rather than properly
teach them what God intends.
If young people learn the Bible in a wrong way—with emphasis on the
wrong things, while ignoring the enormous number of lessons that the Bible
contains—at least two bad things result.
First, all these wrong concepts and approaches must be unlearned and
replaced by right knowledge and understanding of what the Bible really says.
Unlearning error is a most difficult thing to do, and is actually far harder than
learning the truth correctly the first time, leaving no need to sweep the mind
clean of what has been wrong or misunderstood.
Second, young people will later find the stories of the Bible have been trivialized
and made irrelevant, and they may find themselves turned off by its
message rather than being excited and thrilled about what they are learning.
The modern system of education is morally and spiritually bankrupt!
Deluded educators have been biased against God and His Word by the atheistic
teaching of evolution poured into them from childhood. They have taught
young people for decades that there are “no absolutes” and that they must fol-
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low “situation ethics.” They have led the world into a kind of secular humanism—
where people are driven by how they feel rather than clear definitions of
right and wrong! But there is right and wrong in life—and those who are teaching
the children of this world have cut themselves off from this knowledge
(Isaiah 59:1-2). They cannot teach what they were never taught!
Also, this world’s churches keep young people steeped in traditional pagan
philosophies and teachings that have deceived the world for millennia. They
have ignored the great spiritual principle of CAUSE and EFFECT that governs
every aspect of life. They have neglected to teach true spiritual values. They
have defaulted their responsibility in all the critical areas of leadership—and
have utterly failed in their greatest responsibility, which should have been to
instill in young minds the marvelous truths of God’s Word—to teach youth how
to live, not just how to earn a living.
This is a tragic state of affairs!
Many who attempt to study the Bible become confused, frustrated and disillusioned,
believing that it is too difficult to understand. As a result, many who
would seek to teach their children true Christian standards and values, either
give up altogether or leave such education to the many theological “experts,”
who offer no end of differing—and conflicting—views.
Such an approach only serves to further confuse young people about the
Bible, thus, in many cases, alienating them from it. But those who truly seek to
understand God’s Word, without adding their own interpretation (II Peter 1:20),
will find that there is simplicity in it (II Corinthians 11:3).
Children need to be taught this simplicity! They need to know who and
what they are—and why they were born—that they are future sons of God in
the making!
You were born for a reason. Your life has a SUPREME PURPOSE! The Bible
reveals how to be in harmony with the true God—and His purpose for life. The
world is ignorant of this. So are most parents. They have no idea how or what
to teach their children. No one is guiding parents, because no one knows how
to guide them. Sadly, though the Bible is a gripping, interesting—even fascinating—
book of true stories (all part of one great story), most find it dull, dry
and boring.
This series is written to completely change this misconception in the minds
of people of all ages! It uses language designed to expand your mind through
the use of word pictures. Our goal has been to make the Bible real—to make it
talk directly to parents and children. With only a little explanation, parents will
be able to read these volumes to children as young as age three.
In today’s world, youth are universally misguided, abused, neglected and
ignored and this fuels a variety of rampant, escalating social problems. This is
because society as a whole has rejected the SOURCE of true happiness, success,
peace and fulfillment—GOD’S WORD. As King Solomon admonished, “Train
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up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from
it” (Proverbs 22:6).
How many are even attempting to do this today?
Many true doctrines of God were restored to His Church in the middle of
the 20th century. By the 1990s, they had largely been discarded by its new leaders.
Part of our commission is to once again “restore what was restored” and to
continue to “turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the
children to their fathers” (Malachi 4:6). The Restored Church of God has completely
restored all God’s doctrines to the Church!
Under the faithful leadership of Herbert W. Armstrong (1892-1986), various
Church youth programs were established as part of the fulfillment of this
important responsibility. These included the Y.O.U. program (Youth
Opportunities United—for teens), and the Y.E.S. program (Youth Educational
Services—for young children). There was also a Summer Educational Program
(S.E.P.), providing teenagers with the opportunity to fellowship with other
teens and develop many skills and talents in a camp environment.
There was also much youth-oriented literature, offered to the young people
of God’s Church. These included a Youth magazine for teenagers, Youth Bible
Lessons for children from kindergarten through sixth grade—and The Bible
Story series.
Children are far too precious to ignore or neglect. While parents must utilize
the tools that are available to them, they cannot do this if these tools have
not been created.
As the only true extension of Mr. Armstrong’s ministry, The Restored
Church of God is re-creating these same written tools—as well as the magazines,
books, booklets, articles and letters that once taught the full truth of God
to millions around the world.
This series is being rewritten—with new volumes to appear on a regular
basis—to once again make the Bible simple, so that the stories in it come to
life! But these volumes are not just for children! It is our hope that parents and
children alike will enjoy and benefit from them. Its forerunner was a six-volume
work, once described as “written for children 5 to 105.” The original series
is no longer available—but this new one is!
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The vast universe is made up of a countless
sea of galaxies, stars, planets, moons, asteroids,
comets and many other heavenly bodies.
These were all created by God.
CHAPTER ONE
FROM THE BEGINNING
Have you ever looked up into the sky at night and wondered about
the stars? Some are big. Some are small. Some stars are so far
away that it takes many years for their light to reach earth. Some stars
have planets and moons that circle around them, just like the earth and
our moon circle the sun.
Where did they all come from?
For every star that you see in the night, there are countless others
that you cannot see. This is because they are too far away.
But imagine that you could see them. Imagine that you could see
millions and billions of stars—yellow, orange, red, blue and white—
spread across the blackness of space. Together with countless planets,
moons, comets and other heavenly bodies, they make up the Milky
Way Galaxy.
Now imagine a countless sea of galaxies that spread across the
darkness of night. This is the universe.
How did the universe come to be? Where did our earth, moon and
sun come from? And what about the other planets and stars that make
up the universe? Where did they come from?
To find the answers, we must look backward in time. Before you
were born…before your parents, grandparents and great-grandparents
were born…before the first human being walked the earth…before the
earth, moon, sun, stars, galaxies and the entire universe existed…
There was God.
Everything Begins With God
Everything you can see, hear, smell, touch or taste came from materials
created by God (Genesis 1:1). He is the Creator. He created everything
in the universe—including you!
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But no one created God. He never had a beginning (John 1:1-2),
and He has always lived (Hebrews 7:3). There was never a time when
He did not live—nor will there ever be one (Revelation 1:8; Isaiah
57:15). This is why He is often called the Eternal or Ever-living One.
This is hard to understand because we are physical. We can only
understand physical things through our five senses—sight, touch, hearing,
taste and smell.
But God is Spirit (John 4:24). He is not limited to five senses. And
we cannot know Him or the things He has done unless He tells us.
And He does, through His written Word—the Holy Bible. In it, God
reveals many wonderful things, which we cannot learn on our own
unless we seek and obey Him (Deuteronomy 29:29). The Bible is a
special book that reveals who and what God is, and why He created us.
What Does God Look Like?
Since God is Spirit, we cannot see Him. But do you want to know what
God looks like?
Go look at your face in a mirror. What do you see? Two eyes, a
mouth, a nose, hair and two ears. Guess what? God has two eyes, a
mouth, a nose, hair and ears, too. He also has two arms, legs, hands and
feet, just as you do. This is because God created you in His image and
likeness (Genesis 1:26).
The Bible says that His hair is as white as snow, His eyes like
flames of fire, His feet the color of brass. He has a deep, booming
voice, and a face that shines as bright as the sun (Revelation 1:14-16)!
As you can tell, no one looks exactly like God.
God is a Family
God is not alone. Just as you have a family—a father and mother, and
maybe brothers or sisters—so does God. In fact, God is a Family. His
Family is now made up of two Beings: God the Father and the Word.
They have always lived and always will. The Word, or Spokesman,
later became Jesus Christ, God’s Son (John 1:1-2, 14). They are both
God. And, just like you have a family name (such as Smith or Jones),
which is the same as your parents’ last name, the Father and Christ also
share a family name—God.
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Just as the father is the head of the family, God the Father is the
Head of the God Family. The Word (Christ) carries out His orders.
Together, God and the Word planned and designed the universe. And
through their awesome power—the Holy Spirit—they created everything
in it.
God and the Word always agree with each other. They never fight
or argue. They live together in perfect happiness and harmony. This is
because their Family has government. God the Father leads and makes
the final decisions, while the Word reports to Him and carries out the
Father’s commands. Both God and the Word talk to each other and
plan things out. They use their supreme wisdom to come to the right
decisions. But the Father is the One who has the final say. And the
Word always obeys Him.
God Creates Angels
Before the universe was made, God created hundreds of millions of
angels. Like God, angels are made of spirit and can live forever. But
unlike God, angels did not always exist. And they cannot create life.
Angels (like humans) are free moral agents. This means that God
allows them to decide and choose for themselves whether or not they
will obey Him. God never forces people or angels to obey Him. In His
mercy, He wants everyone to freely choose His way of life.
After creating the angels, God created all the stars, planets, moons
and galaxies that exist—the whole universe! Millions of angels sang
for joy, especially when God created the earth (Job 38:7). They knew
that it would be handed to them as part of a very special assignment.
Great War in Heaven
The Eternal gave a unique mission to one-third of all the angels: They
were assigned to live on the earth and take special care of it. If they
succeeded, they would eventually be given the entire universe to take
care of and rule under God.
At first, the angels were happy about their assignment. They wanted
to do all that they could to make the earth a beautiful garden paradise
of peaceful meadows, green forests, sandy beaches and sparkling
oceans.
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But as time passed (the Bible does not say how long; it may have
taken millions, even billions, of years), something changed.
It all began with Lucifer, who was an archangel. God appointed
him leader over the millions of angels who lived on the earth. Full of
wisdom and beauty, Lucifer was the smartest, most perfect being God
had ever created (Ezekiel 28:11-14). While God ruled the vast universe
from His throne in heaven, Lucifer ruled over the earth from his
throne in the Garden of Eden. He obediently carried out God’s commands.
But one day, Lucifer allowed a wrong thought to enter his mind.
Instead of getting rid of it and replacing it with right thoughts, he
allowed even more wrong thoughts and feelings to guide and control
his mind. He soon became full of pride (verse 15). Instead of being
thankful for the assignment God gave him, Lucifer became bitter and
angry. He wanted more power, more responsibility—and he wanted it
his way, not God’s.
He began to think that he knew better than God, that he was
smarter than Him. Lucifer allowed himself to think that he was greater
than he really was—even greater than his Creator! Eventually, Lucifer
came to believe that he should be God! And he reasoned that the only
way to do so was to take God’s place and remove Him from His heavenly
throne (Isaiah 14:12-14).
Lucifer’s wrong thoughts and attitudes led him to sin—to break
God’s spiritual laws of love and outgoing concern for others, first
toward God, then toward people (I John 3:4; Romans 7:12-14).
Lucifer the archangel became God’s enemy.
He convinced the other angels around him to believe that his way
was right. Through lies and deceit, Lucifer talked them into believing
that God and His ways were unfair and unjust.
In turn, those angels convinced other angels of the same lies.
Eventually, all the angels who lived on earth—one-third of all the
angels God had created—rebelled against their Creator (Revelation
12:4; Job 4:18). They followed Lucifer into breaking God’s laws, and
refused to obey the Eternal.
Though originally created with super-intelligence, the minds of the
fallen angels became twisted and evil. They decided their way—selfishness,
greed, cruelty, putting themselves first before others—was
somehow better than God’s Way. They decided that, if God would not
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do things their way, they would have to remove Him as Supreme
Ruler!
Lucifer and the rebellious angels—now transformed into demons—
foolishly invaded heaven to take over God’s throne. But God—armed
with the limitless power of His Holy Spirit, and backed by twice as
many loyal angels—put down the rebellion. He cast the evil spirits
back to the earth. God then changed Lucifer’s name, which meant
“morning star” or “shining one,” to Satan the devil, which means
“adversary,” “accuser” and “slanderer” (Ezekiel 28:11-19).
Life on Earth Destroyed
Because they had failed to overthrow their Creator, Satan and his
demons were full of hatred and bitterness. Like spoiled children who
could not get their own way, they wrecked the face of the earth.
Earthquakes shattered and trembled across the planet, while volcanoes
burst and overflowed with molten lava. Poisonous gases filled the sky,
choking everything that breathed, and shutting out the sunlight. The
oceans and seas smashed against the land until the whole earth was
covered with water. All physical life (dinosaurs, plants, insects and
other prehistoric life) was destroyed.
Today, the scarred and beaten moons and planets, in decay within
our solar system and throughout the universe, remind us of that great
angelic war.
Satan’s rebellion proved to God that there was only one kind of
being that could be trusted to manage and rule over His creation—
other God-beings!
The Awesome Potential of Man
God is love (I John 4:8). His way of life is based on His spiritual laws
of love and outgoing concern for others. It is the way of giving, assisting,
helping, sharing and cooperating with others (Matthew 7:12;
22:37-40). Our Creator is not selfish, cruel, heartless or hateful. He
does not—and cannot—think those ways. He cannot break His spiritual
laws of love, which means that everything that He does is for the
benefit of others. This is God’s holy, righteous character.
Godly character is: (1) The ability to know and decide what is right
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from wrong. (2) To choose the right way over the wrong way. And (3),
despite overwhelming obstacles, to do what is right and reject what is
wrong.
Holy, righteous character is so precious, so special and unique, that
it cannot be created all at once, in an instant. Just as it takes much time,
patience and learning to be able to paint a beautiful masterpiece, godly
character must be developed and grown over a long period. It is impossible
for God to instantly create a being (whether angel or human) that
has His character. Instead, it must be developed over a lifetime of
experiences.
And God wants to develop His character in you! God wants you to
become just like Him: Fair, honest, patient, selfless, trustworthy, pure,
innocent, kind, humble, sincere, good, reliable, truthful, respectful,
peaceful—without sin!
Since the fallen angels (now demons) were made of spirit, they cannot
die. They are doomed to live forever in misery as selfish, proud,
greedy, angry, twisted beings. Never again will they experience the joy
of living God’s way of life.
The Eternal understood that only another God-being—one who
thinks and lives like God, and always puts others ahead of himself—
could be trusted to take care of, manage and rule over the universe. So
God decided to reproduce Himself—to expand His Family, just as your
parents decided to expand their family by having you.
He decided to create physical beings—humans—in whom He
could develop His righteous character. With a small portion of His
Spirit working in their minds, they would literally become God’s sons,
yet still be physical. If they practiced seeking and obeying Him
throughout their physical lifetimes, He would change them into spirit
so that they could enter His kingdom. With His holy character fully
developed within them, they would become just like God!
Only then could they be trusted to manage and rule the universe
God’s Way. Beginning with the earth, they would convert, or change,
dead, battle-scarred planets and moons in countless galaxies throughout
creation into garden paradises. They would also help and guide
other humans into developing godly character so that they, too, would
be born into the ever-expanding God Family.
But, if human beings refused to obey their Creator—if they rejected
His laws and practiced the way of greed, selfishness and vanity—
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the way of sin—God would have to reject them. In His mercy, He
would end their physical lives, never allowing them to suffer forever
in misery like the fallen angels.
Therefore, God the Father and the Word, guided by their supreme
wisdom and intelligence, spent many years carefully planning and
preparing for their next creation—MAN!
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CHAPTER TWO
GOD RECREATES THE EARTH
For many years (perhaps millions), Satan the devil and his demons
roamed a darkened, lifeless earth, which was covered with water
and poisonous gases (Genesis 1:2). Then one day, after years of careful
planning, God decided it was time to recreate the face of the earth.
He knew that the conditions and surroundings had to be just right, so
that it could support physical life.
On the first day, God, using the tremendous power of His Holy
Spirit, cleared away the poisonous smoke, vapors, gases and clouds
that filled the sky. This allowed some sunlight to shine upon earth for
the first time in many years (verses 3-5).
On the second day, God cleared away a layer of water and replaced
it with healthy, fresh air and clean clouds, which swirled in the sky
(verse . This is known today as the atmosphere (the Bible refers to it
as the first heaven).
On the third day, the Creator pushed back the waters into sections
of oceans, seas and lakes across the earth. This cleared the way for dry
land to appear and prosper with plant-life. God also formed sections
made up of mountains, hills, plains, valleys, islands and continents
(verses 9-10). Then He created grass, plants, trees and other vegetation
(verses 11-13).
On the fourth day, God swept away the last layer of dust and gases.
This allowed the stars to twinkle and shine down from the blackness
of space into the night sky. God calls this space the second heaven
(verse 14). His throne is in the third heaven (Acts 7:49).
On the fifth day, He created fish, whales and other creatures of the
sea (Genesis 1:20-21). He also created birds to fly through the sky
(verses 21-23).
With the waters and sky populated with life, God was now ready to
create man.
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God Creates Man From Dust
On the sixth day of the week, God created animals of every kind:
Horses, cows, lions, deer, elephants, reptiles, insects and many more—
anything that walked, crawled or moved about the earth (Genesis 1:24-
25). Each animal was made after its own kind. This is why horses give
birth to baby horses (foals); cows give birth to baby cows (calves);
lions give birth to baby lions (cubs).
Likewise, God created man after His own kind. Like a piece of clay,
man was sculpted into the same image and likeness as his Creator
(verses 26-27). Just as you have hair, eyes, a nose, a mouth, arms and
legs like your parents, God created human beings to look like Him.
However, God is Spirit (John 4:24). Man is flesh and blood, created
from the dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7). God lives forever. He can
never die. But humans are temporary, physical; eventually, all human
beings die.
After God formed and shaped the first man, He breathed into his
nostrils the breath of life. Man then became a soul—a living, breathing
being, just like animals.
Animal Brain Versus Human Mind
Human beings and animals have temporary, physical lives. Both must
rely upon food, drink and fresh, clean air in order to survive. But there
are two major differences between humans and animals.
First, humans were made to look like the God kind. Animals were
made to look like the animal kind.
Second, animals live by instinct. Like a computer, God programmed
animals to automatically know how to survive. Through
instinct, a colt automatically knows how to walk almost as soon as it
is born. Through instinct, a calf automatically knows exactly where
and how to get milk—from its mother. Through instinct, birds automatically
know how to build nests.
But God did not give humans instinct. Instead, He gives each person
a human spirit (Job 32:8). This means that we must learn to walk,
speak, build things, and so forth. We do not automatically know how
to do these things.
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However, the human spirit empowers the brain to become a mind.
This is why man can build and design towering skyscrapers, produce
beautiful works of art, and create wonderful, awe-inspiring music.
Animals cannot do these things.
Man can produce powerful, super-fast computers of all shapes and
sizes. He can build spacecrafts that can visit other planets—and even
take people to the moon and back. He can create vast libraries of books
that record thousands of years of human history.
Animals can do none of these things. The human mind is greater,
higher and better than the animal brain.
And yet the human mind is far, far lower than God’s mind!
The First Marriage
God named the first man Adam and placed him in the beautiful Garden
of Eden (Genesis 2:8). He then instructed Adam to tend the garden and
keep it lush and green (verse 15). God also brought before the man
every animal that moved on the earth or flew in the sky so that Adam
would name them (verses 19-20).
As the animals came to Adam, he noticed that each kind was male
and female. Seeing this, Adam began to feel lonely. He was the only
human being on the face of the earth.
But the Creator did not intend for Adam to live alone. He said, “It
is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper” (verse
18). God knew that without a helper or companion, Adam was physically
incomplete.
So God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep. He then took one of
his ribs and created a woman from it (Genesis 2:18-22).
Later, Adam called her “Eve,” which means “life,” “living” or “lifegiver,”
because she would become the mother of every man, woman
and child who has ever lived (3:20).
Then, God performed the first wedding—Adam and Eve became
husband and wife (Genesis 2:22-24). God intended for married couples
to work together as a team and to walk in complete agreement, the
way God and the Word agree. God made the man to be the head of his
wife and family. And God made the wife to be head of the children and
to manage the household. The Creator intended that the man look to
his wife as a helper and for advice. The woman was made to look to
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her husband for leadership, guidance and authority. Together, as they
produce children and build families, husbands and wives physically
complete each other.
Peace in the Garden of Eden
Adam and Eve did not need to fear the animals that roamed the earth.
Unlike today, animals back then did not eat meat, nor did they attack
and hurt each other. They all lived together in peace. Lions, bears and
other large animals walked freely without attacking others.
One day soon, man and animals will live in peace and harmony
again. This will happen when God sets up His kingdom on the earth.
At that time, all will live according to His ways (Isaiah 11:6-9).
God instructed Adam and Eve to have a family and fill the earth
with children. He also gave them the responsibility of ruling and taking
care of the animals, water creatures, birds and plants (Genesis
1:28-30). Adam’s job was to till the ground and spread the supreme
beauty and lushness of the Garden of Eden around the world until it
filled the whole earth (2:4-6).
God Creates the Sabbath
God recreated the earth, and then created plants, animals and humans,
in six days. On the seventh day, the Creator decided to rest from His
work (Genesis 2:2-3).
God was not tired. The Eternal is always filled with energy (Isaiah
40:28; Psalm 121:4). He rested on the seventh day of the week in order
to set an example for us (Genesis 2:1-3).
God gave the first six days of the week for people to work and create
things—just as God worked and recreated the earth. But the seventh
day is special. It is holy—set apart for a special purpose. God
called that day His Sabbath (Exodus 16:26). It is a day of rest, a holy
time set apart from all work so that people can have more time to seek
and worship God. The first six days of the week belong to man. But
the seventh day—the Sabbath—belongs to God (Exodus 20:8-11).
Once God established the Sabbath day, the Creation Week was finished.
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CHAPTER THREE
IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN
God recreated the earth in six days. He then rested from His work
on the seventh day—the Sabbath. Adam and Eve were placed in
the garden paradise of Eden. Their job was to populate the earth and
tend and keep the garden until the entire planet was like Eden.
Meanwhile, as he watched events unfold, Satan the devil schemed
for a way to stop God’s Plan.
Human Spirit Not Enough
Physically, Adam was created perfect. With Eve as his wife, the married
couple was physically complete.
And yet they were spiritually incomplete. Though God created man
with creative mind-power, Adam still lacked something. His human
spirit was limited to physical knowledge. Adam’s mind could learn
only from his five senses—sight, touch, hearing, taste and smell.
But God is Spirit, and His laws are spiritual. Spirit cannot be seen.
The five senses cannot know or understand spirit or spiritual things. It
would be like trying to describe colors to a person born blind.
To know God and keep His spiritual laws, Adam needed something
extra in his mind: the power of God’s Holy Spirit. Combined with the
creative power of the human spirit, the Holy Spirit would enable Adam
to develop a close, father-son relationship with God. It would also lead
Adam to obey and understand God’s laws, which define right from
wrong, good from evil. When you obey them, good things happen:
blessings, protection, happiness, guidance, answered prayers and
more. But when you break God’s laws, bad things happen: suffering,
pain, misery and even death! God’s spiritual laws define the right way
to live. Based on love and outgoing concern for others, they show you
how to love God and how to love and get along with other people
(Matthew 22:34-40).
21
Adam could never discover these
spiritual laws on his own. His five senses
could not reveal them. God had to reveal
them. Adam needed the power of God’s Spirit in
his mind to lead his thoughts and desires, and to
help him learn how to live.
The Two Trees
In the Garden of Eden, there were
two very important trees:
the Tree of Life and the
tree of the knowledge of
good and evil. Each tree
represented an opposite
way of life.
The Tree of Life represented
God’s way of love and outgoing concern
for others. If Adam had eaten fruit from
that tree, he would have received God’s Holy Spirit. And, if he used it
to build godly character, God would some day change Adam from a
22
physical human being to a spirit being.
Then Adam would live forever in the God
Family.
But there was a second tree—the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil. It represented Satan’s
way of life—the way of selfishness, greed and hate.
Eating its fruit would lead to vast suffering and pain,
and eventually death!
The Big Lie
After creating Adam, God
warned him, “You may eat of
every tree in the garden. But
do not eat of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil.
For in the day that you eat its fruit,
you will surely die!” (Genesis 2:16-
17).
The devil saw this as his chance to do evil.
Disguising himself as a serpent, he approached Eve and said, “Has
God really said that you can’t eat of every tree in the garden?” Satan
23
wanted Eve to doubt
God’s warning. He tried to
get her to focus on the one tree
she was forbidden to eat of,
instead of appreciating all the
other trees that were freely available
to her (Genesis 3:1).
Eve replied, “We are allowed
to eat fruit of any tree in the Garden. But we are not allowed to eat fruit
from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, or even touch it. If we
do, we will die” (verses 2-3).
In a calm, soothing voice, the devil said, “You will not die. You
have an immortal soul. You can never die!” (verse 4).
This was one of the biggest lies ever told—that people have immortal
souls and cannot die. Even today, millions of people believe this lie.
Yet the Bible teaches that God created people to have temporary, physical
lives. As with animals, all people eventually die (Ezekiel 18:4, 20;
Romans 6:23).
The devil continued to spread more of his lies. Satan said, “Besides,
God knows that if you eat that tree’s fruit, your eyes will be opened.
You’ll get special understanding. You will become so wise that you
will be just like God. Then you won’t need Him to tell you right from
wrong, or good from bad, anymore. You will know everything you
need to know to make your own decisions!” (Genesis 3:5).
As Eve listened to Satan’s cunning string of lies, Adam stood silent.
As her husband and leader, he should have led her away from the ser-
24
pent and his deceit—away from anything contrary to God’s commands.
But instead of leading Eve away from trouble, Adam followed
his wife into the path of evil.
Eve thought about what the serpent had said. She allowed her mind
to be filled with wrong thoughts. She looked at the tree of the knowledge
of good and evil and focused her mind on what she was not
allowed to have.
She thought, “This fruit looks harmless to me. It even looks tasty. I
bet it tastes sweet.”
So she stepped closer to the tree.
“What if the serpent is right?” she wondered. “Perhaps I can get
special knowledge if I eat this fruit. Why, I would become just like
God! Maybe that’s why God is trying to keep it away from me.”
With her mind filled with doubt and clouded by vanity, Eve reached
for the nearest, juiciest-looking fruit and took a bite (verse 6). Then she
gave a piece of it to her husband. Adam followed her lead and ate.
Cause and Effect
God saw what was happening. He had the power to stop it, but did not.
He allowed Satan to tempt and deceive the woman. And though He had
commanded them not to, God allowed Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden
fruit.
This was a test of their character. God wanted to know whether or
not they would obey Him or rely upon themselves.
Remember, God cannot instantly create His holy, righteous character
in people. Godly character is so precious and special, it takes much
time, patience and learning to develop. It does not happen overnight.
Also, God does not force His ways on people. He does want everyone
to be happy and live forever, just as He does. But as with the
angels, God gave Adam and Eve free choice—the chance to choose for
themselves whether they would obey or disobey Him. God wanted
them to choose to obey Him, to want to follow His lead. The Creator
knew that if they did, they would live happy, healthy lives.
But when Adam and Eve ate of the tree of the knowledge of good
and evil, something strange happened. Up until this time, they were
naked. Since there were no other people around and the weather was
perfect and sunny, they felt no need to wear clothes. But upon eating
25
the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve looked at their naked bodies and felt
ashamed. They decided for themselves that it was wrong for them to
be naked. They did not rely on God to teach them.
So they rushed to sew together clothing made from fig tree leaves
(verse 7).
Shut Out of Paradise
When they heard God drawing near as He walked through the garden,
Adam and Eve tried to hide.
God called out, saying, “Adam, where are you?” (Genesis 3:9). He
already knew where Adam and Eve were hiding—God knows everything
(Jeremiah 23:23-24). Nothing can be kept from His knowledge.
Rather than approaching the man about the sins he had just committed,
God gave Adam a chance to show some character and admit his
mistakes.
Reluctantly, Adam came out from behind the trees. Trembling with
fear, he looked down to the ground and said, “I’m here. When I heard
your voice, I was afraid and ran to hide myself.”
“Why were you afraid?” God asked.
In a small voice, Adam said, “Because I was naked.”
“And who told you that you were naked?” God said. “Have you
eaten fruit of the tree I expressly told you not to eat?”
Adam pointed to Eve and said, “The woman You made for me—she
ate the forbidden fruit, and then I ate.” In saying this, Adam blamed
God and his wife for his own wrongs.
God turned to the woman. “Eve, what is this that you have done?”
Eve followed Adam’s example and shifted the blame to someone
else: “The serpent deceived me! He made me eat it!”
God was very disappointed with Adam and Eve. They had disobeyed
Him—sinned. Instead of relying on their Creator to reveal His
spiritual laws and the right way to live, Adam and Eve ate of the tree
of self-knowledge. They decided for themselves what was good and
evil.
Since they had rejected their Creator, God had no choice but to
reject them.
From animal skins, He made clothing for the man and woman to
wear. Then He drove Adam and Eve out of Eden. To make sure that
26
neither they nor their children got back in, God set up two angels—
cherubim—to guard the entrance. He also placed a flaming sword that
blocked the path of anyone who dared to enter the garden. Adam and
Eve were no longer allowed to live in the garden paradise. Nor were
the generations of their future children.
God was not being cruel. He knew that man, after eating the forbidden
fruit, could not be allowed to enter the Garden of Eden and eat
of the Tree of Life. Otherwise, man would have been doomed to live
forever in misery, suffering and unhappiness, just like the fallen
angels. Although He sent him out of Eden at that time, God would give
man an opportunity to eat of the Tree of Life much later.
But first, people must learn the hard way that they cannot decide for
themselves right from wrong. God gave mankind 6,000 years to live as
it chooses. That is why there has been so much war, violence, hatred,
death, pain and sadness.
When the 6,000 years are over (which will be very soon), God will
offer everyone His Holy Spirit and teach them His ways. If they obey
Him and build His righteous character, God will then offer them eternal
life—the chance to live forever in happiness and peace as members
of His Family.
What If…?
What if Adam and Eve had rejected Satan? What if they had not eaten
the forbidden fruit, but instead had eaten from the Tree of Life?
Our world would be far different from what it is today. There would
be no crowded cities filled with crime, violence and disease. Humans
would never wage war. No one would ever take another person’s life.
People would not steal, taking what did not belong to them. Everyone
would respect their parents and elders. Children would always be safe.
All families would have their own land to develop and live on. All
foods would be healthy. No one would ever get sick or catch a disease.
People would always tell the truth. All marriages and families would
be happy. Everyone would keep God’s Sabbath, resting on the seventh
day of the week. No one would misuse God’s many names. No one
would desire things that they cannot possess. And there would only be
one religion, because everyone would know and obey the one true
God.
27
Mankind would have developed God’s holy, righteous character. In
turn, God would have offered people membership in His Family, and
they would be changed into spirit, as God-beings.
This is what God had wanted for us. Although Adam and Eve chose
to eat the wrong fruit, God still plans to help mankind reach the ultimate
goal: to be born into His kingdom.
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CHAPTER FOUR
BROTHER VERSUS BROTHER
Expelled from the garden paradise of Eden, Adam and Eve were
forced to fend for themselves. Using tree limbs, leaves and mud,
they built themselves shelter from the weather and wild animals.
Through hard, exhausting work, they tilled and plowed the earth so
that it would yield plenty of healthy vegetables and fruits for their survival.
And they tended flocks of sheep and goats for clothing materials,
milk and meat.
Because Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate the fruit of selfknowledge—
of good and evil—they had to protect themselves from
bears, lions and other wild animals. The nature of all animals changed
from being peaceful to violent and savage. Many became meateaters,
killing the sick, weak and helpless. Some even desired to eat
people!
Adam and Eve Have Children
As time passed, the man and wife gave birth to a son. His name was
Cain. Soon after, they had another son, named Abel (Genesis 4:1-2).
Because Adam and Eve had decided to choose for themselves right
from wrong and not trust God, they did not know how to properly
teach and rear their children. Without God’s guidance, they made
many mistakes.
Whenever Cain wanted his way, he would scream, shout and fight
until his parents gave in—which was most of the time. Since they did
not give him rules, correct him or teach him God’s Way, Cain became
a spoiled bully. Eventually, he grew up to be a spoiled, selfish, immature
man.
On the other hand, his younger brother Abel was respectful and
selfless. He tried to please his parents and get along with his big broth-
29
er. Though Abel was not perfect and sometimes broke God’s laws, he
continually sought to obey God.
As they grew into adulthood, Cain became a farmer, while Abel
became a shepherd. Both professions were honorable in God’s sight
(verse 2).
As a farmer, Cain plowed the soil, and planted and watered seeds.
This was hard, sweaty, back-aching work. But it produced tall rows of
sweet corn, green leafy lettuce and other fruits and vegetables. Cain
took great pride in what his hard work produced.
As a shepherd, Abel tended flocks of sheep. He led them out to
choice green pastures of grass to eat from. Abel protected them from
wolves, lions and other wild animals. He guided their every step, away
from potential danger, into safety and shelter. Abel used the wool of his
sheep to make clothing and other materials. And sometimes he used
lamb (baby sheep) for meat.
The Purpose of Offerings and Sacrifices
Both brothers had been taught by their parents to
make offerings to God. By choosing the healthiest,
most valuable lamb, goat or grains, and
then burning them on a special altar,
these offerings were to
show their Creator
that Cain and Abel
appreciated the
many blessings
He gave them.
Offerings were
also to be used to
ask God for forgiveness
whenever
His spiritual
laws were broken.
These burnt
offerings, or sacrifices, were
only temporary reminders. They
were to remind people that the Word
30
(the second member of the God Family) would some day be born as
a human being. His name would be Jesus Christ. Since He would live
a perfect life, never breaking God’s Law, His death would become the
perfect sacrifice, or offering. It would wipe away the death penalty,
which all people earn through sin—breaking God’s laws (I John 3:4;
Romans 3:23; 6:23). Then Christ would be changed from a flesh-andblood
man back into a Spirit Being and a member of the God Family.
His perfect sacrifice would provide all people the same opportunity.
Today, we don’t need to make burnt offerings. Upon repentance—
changing our thoughts, attitudes, words and actions so that we can
copy God’s ways—we can rely on Jesus Christ’s sacrifice to take away
the death penalty.
Offerings and Attitudes
When it came to giving offerings, Cain carelessly chose some of his
crops and burned them on a stone
altar. He did not appreciate the many
blessings God had given him—life,
air to breathe, rain, sunshine and rich
soil to grow healthy crops, food, shelter,
safety from wild animals, and
much more.
Without considering
what God had done for
him, Cain carelessly
grabbed some vegetables
and grains and
presented his offering
to God on a
stone altar.
God was not
impressed. He saw that
Cain had given his offering
with the wrong attitude.
On the other hand, Abel considered all
the blessings His Creator had given him.
He thought about the times he made mis-
31
takes and broke God’s spiritual laws—yet God was patient and merciful
toward him. He gave Abel the chance to change his mind and
actions.
Abel examined his flock and looked for the perfect lamb.
“Not this one,” he said to himself. “It has a birthmark. And this one
next to it is too old.”
Finally, he came to the right one. It did not have a spot or blemish,
and it was only a year old—not too young or too old. This was the best
lamb of the flock.
Abel gently took the lamb, carried it to a stone altar and killed it.
God saw that Abel took the best of what he owned, the little lamb, and
gave it—sacrificed it. God was well pleased, because Abel had given
his offering with the right attitude (Genesis 4:3-5).
Wrong Attitudes Lead to Sin
Cain had the wrong attitude. Instead of repenting—changing his mind
in order to live God’s Way—he became angry, bitter and filled with
hate. Inspired by the rebellious Satan the devil, Cain was upset that
God rejected his offering, but accepted Abel’s.
“Who does God think He is?” he thought to himself. “Doesn’t He
realize that I’m the firstborn? Why does God favor Abel over me?
What’s so special about my little brother? I’m bigger and stronger than
than he is! Doesn’t God realize that I’m better than Abel?”
Aware of Cain’s bad attitude, God asked, “Cain, why are you so
angry? All you have to do is follow Me and stop being selfish, then I
will accept you. But if you do not follow Me, and continue in your selfish
ways, your wrong thoughts and attitudes will grow and cause you
to do evil. If you continue in your selfish ways, sin will rule over you,
when you should rule over it!” (Genesis 4:6-7).
God’s words gave wise instruction, but Cain refused to listen. He
allowed bitterness and anger to grow in his mind.
Every time he saw Abel, Cain thought, “He thinks he’s better than
me. I’ll show him.”
He allowed his evil thoughts of anger to grow into hatred toward
God and Abel. Cain wanted to get rid of them. He knew that he could
not harm God, but Abel was a different matter…
32
Brother Kills Brother
One day, while talking with Abel in a field, Cain’s uncontrollable
anger got the best of him. When Abel turned his back, Cain grabbed a
large stick, raised it above his head and struck his brother from behind.
Shocked, Abel crumpled down to his knees in great pain. Blood
gushed from the back of his head. Filled with rage, Cain struck Abel
again. And again. And again.
Abel was dead. Cain had become the world’s first murderer
(Genesis 4:8).
For the last 6,000 years, the world has been filled with war, killing
and death. All because Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the tree of selfknowledge.
Cain Refuses to Take Blame
Again, God saw what had happened. Nothing can take place without
Him knowing about it. God had the power to stop Cain from killing
Abel, but He did not. The Eternal has given people 6,000 years to learn
that their ways do not work; they only lead to unhappiness, trouble and
death.
Cain tried to hide Abel’s body, but God was not fooled.
God said, “Cain, where is your brother?” He was giving Cain a
chance to admit to the evil he had just done.
But Cain lied instead. “I don’t know where Abel is. Am I my brother’s
keeper—am I responsible for his well-being?” (Genesis 4:9).
What Cain (and most people today) did not realize is that, yes, we
are all our “brother’s keeper.” We should all be concerned with the
happiness and well-being of others. God’s great spiritual laws are
based on love and selfless concern for others—first toward God, then
toward other people.
But Cain was selfish. He did not put God first, nor did he love others
as much as he loved himself. If he had, Cain would not have murdered
his brother Abel.
Since Cain would not admit his sins, God said, “What have you
done? You have murdered your brother, your own flesh and blood! You
stole his life from him—and it was not yours to take. I am the one who
33
gives life—and only I have the authority to take it away. Because of
you, Abel’s blood cries out to Me from the ground!” (verses 10-11).
Cain said nothing. He refused to take responsibility for his wrong
actions.
“You are under a curse!” God said. “Whenever you till the soil and
try to grow food, no crops will come up for you. You will never be a
farmer again! For now on, you will be a fugitive and a vagabond—you
will leave your family and wander the earth for the rest of your life”
(verse 12).
Cain could hardly believe his ears. “That’s not fair!” he screamed.
“My punishment is greater than I can bear!”
Again, Cain only thought about himself. He did not feel sorry for
killing his brother or taking a son away from his parents, or for breaking
God’s laws. With sin ruling his mind, Cain always put himself first.
“You’ve taken away my profession, my only means to make food
for myself,” he complained. “How am I supposed to survive? And if I
go, I will no longer be with my family. I’ll be completely alone and
helpless. Anyone who finds me will be able to kill me” (verses 13-14).
Since Adam and Eve would have many more children, Cain was
afraid that some of them might grow up and try to kill him for killing
Abel.
God reassured Cain. “Whoever kills you, vengeance shall fall on
him seven times.”
Then God put a mark on Cain, identifying who he was. “This mark
will serve as a warning to any who seek revenge and desire to take
your life,” God said (verse 15).
God was extremely merciful, though Cain did not deserve it.
Cain Wanders the Earth
Cain left his family and wandered the earth. Eventually, he came to
live in the land of Nod, which was east of Eden (Genesis 4:16).
By then, Cain had a wife (verse 17). Many today wonder where she
came from. They fail to understand that Cain married one of his many
sisters (Genesis 5:1-4).
Remember, God created the first man to be physically perfect. Our
Creator did not intend that people get sick or carry diseases, like so
many do today. He planned for Adam and Eve’s many sons and daugh-
34
ters to marry each other and have children. And then their sons and
daughters would marry each other have more children. God planned to
continue this for several generations. Thousands of years later, He
would forbid brothers and sisters and other close relatives from marrying
each other (Leviticus 18). By that time, men would have broken
so many physical laws of health, their bodies would be imperfect, and
sickness and disease would be widespread. If God continued to allow
brothers and sisters to marry, they would produce physically damaged
children.
God, in His mercy, always knows what is best for us.
Wickedness Spreads
Tired of wandering, Cain and a group of followers decided to build a
city. This was against God’s will. He wanted people to spread out
across the earth, not clump together in towns and cities. God knew that
without His Holy Spirit guiding them, people would naturally break
His laws. And by living close together, they would have more opportunity
to steal, lie and hurt each other.
Cain named the world’s first city after his firstborn son, Enoch
(Genesis 4:17).
With people ready to follow his law-breaking ways, Cain ruled the
city of Enoch with cruelty. Generation upon generation was born and
grew into adulthood. Over time, perhaps millions of people grew to
live on the earth. Though not as physically perfect as Adam and Eve,
they lived long lives spanning hundreds of years!
Origins of OurWorld
Inspired by Satan the devil and his demons, Cain’s evil ways soon
spread throughout generations of children.
Cain’s great-great-great-great-great-grandson Lamech married not
one, but two women! Yet God had intended that each husband be married
to only one wife.
Lamech’s wife Adah gave birth to Jabal. He is the father of nomads,
people who live in tents, herd cattle and wander from place to place.
Nomads still exist today.
Jabal’s brother Jubal invented stringed and wooden musical instru-
35
ments, like the harp and flute. He is the father of music influenced by
the devil.
Lamech’s other wife, Zillah, had a son named Tubal-Cain. He
invented metal work—creating metal tools from bronze, brass, and
other earthly materials. This included making swords and other
weapons of war (Genesis 4:19-22).
Worldwide Evil
After Cain and Abel, the next son Eve had was Seth. Unlike most of
those born after him, Seth worshipped God. He diligently obeyed Him.
Seth taught his son Enosh to do the same (Genesis 4:25-26).
As the earth became filled with violence, war, killing, stealing and
all forms of evil, a few of Seth’s descendants worshipped God and followed
His ways, for the most part.
After living 930 years, Adam died (Genesis 5:1-5). During his lifetime,
he saw children and their descendants cause all kinds of trouble
and harm.
With his last breath, Adam must have thought about the terrible
choice he made back in the Garden of Eden and how it produced an
evil world filled with violence and hate.
Just like our world is today.
But God will not allow it to stay this way. He has a Master Plan.
36
CHAPTER FIVE
FLOOD!
Fighting, killing and war were
everywhere. Each generation
became more selfish and greedy
than the one before it. Towns
and small cities sprang up
across the land. Instead of
seeking God for protection,
people looked to strongmen
and mighty warriors. These
rulers of cities waged bloody battles
with other cities. Each ruler
wanted to get more people, land,
goods and possessions for himself.
The earth was quickly becoming a
giant battlefield.
This was because Satan the devil
inspired mankind to
commit horrible acts
of evil and cruelty, by
constantly sending
wrong thoughts and
bad attitudes into their
minds. People followed
their carnal nature
(Ephesians 2:2).
Carnal nature is the opposite of God’s holy, righteous character.
Godly character is the way of love—putting God first and treating
other people the way you would like them to treat you (Galatians 5:22-
23). Carnal nature is the way of putting self first before others (verses
37
19-21). Carnal nature always harms others and leads to heartache and
misery.
Turning their backs on God, people worshipped false “gods.” They
bowed down to idols—handmade statues and carved images, which
were usually shaped to look like snakes, calves, birds and other animals—
and forced others to worship them, too. This led to even more
wars and bloodshed.
Witnessing generation after generation of people breaking His
laws, God decided that He had had enough.
Out of all the millions and (possibly) billions of people on earth,
God found that only one man faithfully obeyed Him. His name was
Noah (Genesis 6:9).
God Speaks to Noah
When Noah was about 480 years old, God spoke to him: “Every
thought and desire of man is continually evil. I am sorry I ever created
him. He has rejected all of My laws, which would have given him
happiness and peace. The lives of people are so horrible and unhappy,
I am going to take their lives away. I will give them back much later.
But for now, I cannot allow them to continue in their evil ways.”
Noah was speechless. But he knew that God was right.
“As for you, Noah,” God continued, “You have obeyed Me. You
have practiced keeping My laws and have trusted Me to show you
right from wrong, good from evil. I will spare you and your family. But
as for the rest of mankind, I will destroy everything on the face of the
earth: people, animals and the birds of the air.”
Noah felt grateful and very relieved. But he knew that God had
more to say.
“Before I act, I will give mankind 120 years. During that time, I
will use you to warn the people. Tell them that because of their evil
ways, I will fill the earth with a great flood—so great that even the
highest mountains will be underwater. Noah, you have 120 years to
warn mankind of the great punishment I will unleash upon the earth”
(Genesis 6:3, 5-8).
Then God commanded Noah to build a huge ship, called an ark. It
was to be made of gopherwood and sealed watertight with pitch. About
450 feet long and three stories tall, God wanted the ark to be shaped
38
like a giant, hollow chest so that it would not tip over during the rough
flood storms (verses 14-21).
Also, God wanted the ark to be large for another reason. He told
Noah, “Take seven pairs (male and female) of every clean animal. One
pair (male and female) of each unclean animal. Also take seven pairs
(male and female) each of birds of the air. This will keep all those animals
alive during the Flood” (Genesis 7:2-3; New King James
Version).
Building the Ark
Noah began the huge task of building the ark. He hired a team of men
to go to the forest and find the right kind of trees to use for wood. After
chopping some down, they used oxen and carts to pull the trees to the
ark’s building site. Some years later, Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham
and Japheth (Genesis 5:32). They grew up to help their father build the
great ship. Many years passed as they gathered enough of the wood,
pitch and other materials they needed.
As the frame of the ark slowly began to take shape, Noah’s friends
and neighbors began to take notice. So they began to wonder among
themselves.
One man said, “What is Noah doing?”
“Looks like he’s building some kind of big boat,” said another.
“A boat? But there’s no water around here for miles. Where’s he
going to sail it? How will he get it there?”
More and more people watched with growing interest as Noah and
his sons continued to build.
Whenever and wherever he could, Noah preached to anyone who
would listen. Year after year, he warned them about the great flood that
God said would soon come. Noah told the people that God was going
to send the flood because their way of life was wrong. Their thoughts
and actions were contrary to—opposite—what God had intended.
“It’s too late for this world,” he preached. “But it’s not too late for
you. You have a way of escape.”
But they would not believe Noah. They thought that their world
would continue.
Some shouted, “You’re crazy! Only a madman would build an ark
in the middle of land!”
39
Many teased and insulted Noah as he and his sons worked diligently
on their massive project.
Wild Animals Line Up
Before the 120 years of warning had ended, the ark was finished. After
it was filled with one year’s worth of food for eight people and thousands
of animals, God said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and your
family. The rest of mankind will perish in the flood” (Genesis 7:1, 4).
Noah thought about all the people who had heard his warnings but
would not change their lives. He began to feel sorry for them as he and
his family entered the ark (verse 13).
A crowd gathered around the ark as Noah, his wife, his sons and
their wives entered it. Many laughed and shouted insults at them.
An old man said, “Where is this flood you’ve been preaching about,
Noah?”
40
God caused animals to line up
and go aboard the great ark.
“Yeah! When is your God going to give us some rain? My throat is
dry!”
Everyone laughed and chuckled—but soon their laughter turned
into silence. Every man, woman and child in the crowd was shocked
to see an incredible sight: a long, seemingly endless line of animals
marched up to the ark, two-by-two. Quietly, they went up the long
ramp and through the giant entrance on the side of the ship. Horses,
elephants, sheep, lions, birds, bears, and more—every kind of animal
on earth peacefully entered the ark, just as God had said. This was a
great miracle—an act that could only be done by God.
Some people in the crowd began to have second thoughts.
“Say, maybe Noah knows something we don’t,” some said.
Others wondered, “What if he was right all along?”
However, their doubts did not last for very long. Even after witnessing
such a great miracle, the people would not reject their carnal
nature and change. They were too stubborn and set in their ungodly
ways.
God understood this. That is why He chose to take their physical
lives then. He will bring everyone back to life in the future, when the
kingdom of God will rule on the earth. At that time, they will be
offered God’s Holy Spirit, which will help them to reject their carnal
nature and live happy, healthy lives.
The Flood Begins
After Noah, his family, and all of the animals were secure aboard the
ark, God closed the giant door and sealed it shut. No one could get in,
and no one could get out (Genesis 7:15-16).
A day passed—no rain. Another day passed. Still nothing, not even
a raindrop. A third day passed. And then another. Six days came and
went, and still there was no flood.
By the seventh day, a growing crowd of hundreds and thousands of
people surrounded the ark. As they did before, they cried out to Noah,
laughing and shouting insults at him and his family.
“Noah, Noah! Help me! Help me! I’m drowning!” they teased.
They were all so sure that Noah’s warnings about the great Flood
were false. They did not realize how merciful their Creator really was.
Not only had He given them 120 years to change their rotten ways,
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God had also given them seven extra days to repent.
But the people would not change their lives.
When the seventh day ended, storm clouds began to form. The air
grew from a soft breeze into harsh winds that were so powerful, people
could barely make it back to their homes.
Suddenly, everyone knew that a big storm was coming.
And then a drop of rain fell. Then a few more. Soon, what began as
a light drizzle became a mighty shower of rain.
Those who had teased and laughed at Noah were no longer laughing.
They now knew that his warnings were coming true—and that
their end was near.
The earth trembled and shook as pockets of underwater springs
exploded from the ground, shooting out rivers of water like a fire hose.
People shouted and screamed as they ran for cover. The rain from
above and the waters from beneath rushed upon the earth. Across
fields, towns and cities, the waters rose higher and higher until almost
no one in them was left alive.
Those left headed for the highest mountains in hopes of out-running
the ever-rising floodwaters. Fights broke out as people scrambled for
higher ground. Some even had to fight off wild animals who were also
fleeing to escape.
But in the end, all of the fighting was in vain. Even at the very top
of the highest mountains, the dark, swirling floodwaters soon rose to
cover them. The few people and animals left alive squirmed and twisted
in the cold water, fighting to stay alive. But the flood currents were
too strong (verses 10-23).
Except for those in the ark and the fish in the seas, the life of every
man, animal and bird was taken in the great flood.
Too Late!
Aboard the ark, Noah listened to the screams of those he had warned.
He heard the people beat and pound against the sides of the great ship.
“Noah! Noah! Save us!” they screamed. “Open the door and let us
in!”
But it was too late for them. God had sealed the giant door shut. No
one could open it.
Noah felt the waters lift the ark from the ground. Soon, the cries
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and screams of the people outside were silent. At that moment, Noah
realized that he, his wife, his sons and their wives were the last eight
people alive on earth.
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CHAPTER SIX
THE TOWER OF BABEL
It rained nonstop for 40 days and nights. Noah and his family had
plenty of chores and duties to keep themselves busy. They had to
feed and water all of the animals, as well as keep their stalls clean.
When the rain finally ended, the clouds parted and the sun
appeared. In all directions, Noah could see that water covered the
whole world (Genesis 7:17-18). Altogether, the ark journeyed across
the water-filled earth for 150 days (about five months; verses 23-24).
At the end of the 150 days, God created a wind to pass over the
waters, causing them to dry up (Genesis 8:1-3). As the flood slowly
lowered, the ark came to rest upon the mountains of Ararat. No longer
would it drift around the earth (verse 4).
But Noah, his household and the animals still had to stay aboard the
great ship. There was not yet enough land and vegetation to live on
(verse 5).
Noah Leaves the Ark
Afew months passed before Noah could see the tops of the mountains.
He sent out some birds to see if they could find dry land and fresh vegetation.
Finally, a dove came back with a freshly plucked olive leaf in
her mouth. Since olive plants grow at lower land levels, Noah knew
that the waters had lowered enough so that people and animals could
again survive on the earth.
But Noah wanted to be sure. He waited seven days and sent out the
dove again. This time it did not return. Noah then knew that life could
survive on its own in the wilderness (Genesis 8:6-12).
Noah and his family had been in the ark for about one year before
God dried up the flood and renewed the earth.
One day, God gave Noah some good news: “It is time for you and
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your family to leave the ark. Bring out the animals that are with you
and let them go. I want them to spread across the earth and have children
and grow in number” (verses 16-19).
Noah obeyed God and set the animals free. Then he and his family
set off into the fresh, green new world.
One of the first things Noah did was build an altar of worship and
offer a burnt sacrifice to God. Noah wanted to show God that he was
thankful for all that He had done for him and his family (verse 20).
God promised to never again punish the world with a great flood.
Then God said that every time people saw a rainbow, it would be a sign
that He would keep His promise (Genesis 9:8-17). And God never lies
(Hebrews 6:18).
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Civilization Begins
Noah’s three sons (Shem, Ham and Japheth) and their wives had many
children. Before long, several generations were born (Genesis 9:18-
19). Today, often four generations live at the same time: children, parents,
grandparents and great-grandparents. But back in Noah’s time,
because people lived hundreds of years and had many children, as
many as ten generations lived at the same time.
Some families settled in the lower plains areas where there was
plenty of rich soil to make farmlands. Others moved to the Tigris and
Euphrates rivers region, in what became the land of Shinar.
Like those before the Flood, people tended to crowd together
instead of spreading out the way God had intended.
In Shinar, there were few rocks or trees to use for making buildings.
So the people made bricks from the soil and used them to make homes,
barns, storehouses and other buildings (Genesis 11:2-3). They built
them so close together that villages and small towns formed.
Eventually, these grew into cities. Just as today, many people preferred
to live in close, cramped cities.
Noah Preaches About the Son of God
Meanwhile, Noah preached about God’s Way to all who would listen.
He reminded people about what sin is—the breaking of God’s spiritual
laws, and putting self before God and other people (I John 3:4).
Noah also taught about a member of the God Family who would
someday be born as a human being (John 1:1, 14). As the Son of God,
He would be both man and God. Thousands of years in the future, this
special servant—Jesus Christ—would free everyone from the way of
sin. Because He would reject carnal nature and never break God’s
laws, Christ’s death would become the perfect sacrifice, or offering. It
would pay the penalty of sin—death—for all people, past, present and
future (Romans 3:23; 6:23). Three days after His death, God the Father
would raise His son Jesus back to life. But instead of being a physical
man, Jesus would be changed back into spirit as a God-being
(Revelation 1:12-18). This would provide all people the chance to be
born into the God Family (I Corinthians 15:47-49).
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But until that time, burnt offerings would remind the people that
they needed Christ’s perfect sacrifice.
Satan Uses Nimrod to Deceive
Most did not care for Noah’s messages. They did not want to trust God
to guide their lives. Following their carnal nature, most people continued
to decide for themselves right from wrong.
Satan and his demons also hated Noah’s preaching. The devil wanted
people to worship him, not God. So he devised a lie to mislead people
into believing that the Son of God was born right after the Flood!
To do this, Satan used a man named Nimrod. He
was the grandson of Ham and the great-grandson
of Noah. Nimrod was a mighty hunter, strong
and fierce. Over the centuries, he has been
known by many names among various
ancient cultures. Nimrod was popular with
the people because he protected them from
wild animals (Genesis 10:1, 6, 8-9).
Like Satan, Nimrod hated God’s laws.
He foolishly thought that he could create
his own happiness without them.
He led the people who crowded
together to build walls around their
towns. At first, this protected them from
wild animals getting inside. But eventually,
the walls came to protect people from
war. Just as before the Flood, man slid back
into his evil, wicked ways. Armies of cities
fought against each other to take what others
possessed.
God was not pleased.
He witnessed Nimrod lead others to build
Babel, the first large city built after the
flood. With other cities under his rule,
Nimrod became an evil dictator, or ruler,
over the kingdom of Babylonia. As his
power and riches grew, he came to be
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Nimrod
deceived
many into
worshipping
idols (carved
images of
men, animals,
and so forth).
feared by all under his reign—and by many others who were not.
He forced his subjects to reject the one true God and worship false
gods and their images—idols. Nimrod deceived and misled people into
worshipping the devil, whom he called “Merodach,” which means lord
or master. Another name of the devil was Baal. Among many pagan
worshippers, Baal was considered the chief of all the so-called “gods”
and their idols.
Nimrod claimed to be Baal’s high priest. He carried out Baal’s
wishes and taught others to do the same. As both an evil ruler and a
religious leader, Nimrod’s power over the people continued to grow.
But he wanted even more power.
So Nimrod devised a plan to keep the minds of the people away
from God. He decided to lead them into a great project to build the
tallest tower in the world! Dedicated to the “sun god,” the tower would
be seen throughout the plains of Shinar. Everyone outside the kingdom
would know about it, causing many to come near. Nimrod would then
lead—even force—them to worship Baal.
If all went according to Nimrod’s plan, Babel would become the
capital of a world-ruling government.
But God had other plans!
Tower of Confusion
Many months passed as the tower slowly took shape and could be seen
across the plains. If the project continued, it would reach up into the
sky.
God knew that He had to stop this. He knew that if they continued,
nothing could keep men from acting out every kind of evil they could
think up.
So God confused their language. Up until then, everyone spoke the
same language (Genesis 11:1). They could easily share ideas and
thoughts. But God confused their speech, causing people to speak in
different languages. They could no longer understand each other. This
led to arguments and fights. Most of the people could no longer live or
work together.
So the tower project ended. People who spoke the same language
banded together and moved to their own region of the earth. Those
who spoke other languages did the same.
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Because of this, the tower came to be called “Babel,” which means
“confusion” (verses 2-9).
Where Worldly Holidays Come From
Those who stayed in or near Babylonia grew great in number. Over the
years, Nimrod led them to build other cities in Babylonia, as well as in
Assyria and other lands. These were all devil-worshipping kingdoms
(Genesis 10:10-12).
The many who had left Babel and freed themselves from Nimrod’s
rule continued to worship Satan, but called him by many different
names.
Yet, a very tiny number of people, led by Noah’s son Shem, still
feared and obeyed God. For many years, Shem fought against the
spread of Nimrod’s idol-worshipping mystery religion.
Eventually, Nimrod was killed for his evil ways. His death so
shocked his followers that many drifted away from the mystery religion.
However, Satan wanted to continue his deception. So he used
Semiramis, Nimrod’s wife, to do this. Long after her husband’s death,
she gave birth to a son, who she claimed was a miracle-child—Nimrod
reborn! She said that the baby had no human father, but rather was the
son of the “sun-god.”
This lie was used to replace the true Son of God, Jesus Christ, in the
minds of the people. Semiramis deceived many into worshipping this
false god.
It is the same today. Millions say that they worship Christ. But they
do not really worship Him, because they do not obey God.
Though Nimrod was just a man, he came to be worshipped as a
“sun god” after his death. Semiramis became known as “the Virgin
Mother,” as well as the “Queen of Heaven.”
With Semiramis ruling over several kingdoms and religious systems,
the Babylonian mystery religion spread far and wide. Over the
centuries, it merged with other pagan religions and traditions of men.
Even today, many millions of people practice the ancient customs
of this false, evil religion: Christmas, Easter, New Year’s and most of
the world’s other holidays. They do not realize that what they practice
came from ancient, idol-worshipping religions. These religions forced
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people to commit horrible evils, such as sacrificing babies by burning
them in fire!
When people reject God and put their trust in themselves or other
men, trouble always follows.
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CHAPTER SEVEN
GOD CALLS ABRAM
Most of those born after the Great Flood grew up to hate God and
His ways. Few listened to the preaching of Noah and Shem, who
warned them to keep God’s laws.
More than 350 years after the flood, God decided to use a special
servant to fulfill a great commission. His name was Abram. He was a
descendant of Shem (who was still alive and serving God elsewhere).
Abram lived in Ur in the land of Mesopotamia, along with his
father Terah, his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot and other relatives. Abram
was a kind of prince in a rich family that owned lots of sheep, oxen,
donkeys, camels and many servants. In those days, the father of a
wealthy family ruled over his sons and daughters, and servants and
possessions like a king over a kingdom. The firstborn son was heir to
the family’s wealth; upon the father’s death, the firstborn would
become ruler.
One day, God spoke to Abram. “I want you to leave your home,
your country and your family’s house,” He said. “I will guide you to a
special land, and there I will make you into a great nation. I will bless
you and make your name great. I will bless those who bless you, curse
those who curse you. Through you, every family on the face of the
earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:1-3).
Abram was stunned. The God of the universe had just offered him
and his descendants the greatest blessings he could ever imagine.
Yet God did not say when He would do this, nor how. Neither did
He tell Abram where this special land was located.
But instead of asking God to explain Himself, Abram decided to do
what most men would not: He obeyed God without question. He trusted
God to show him the way.
At 75 years old, Abram packed his belongings and, along with Sarai
and Lot, departed for the Promised Land.
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Into the Promised Land
After traveling through the rugged wilderness, Abram and his caravan
of relatives, servants, animals and other belongings arrived in the land
of Canaan. The people who lived there, called Canaanites, descended
from a man called Canaan. He was the son of Ham and the grandson
of Noah.
Sometime after the Great Flood, Canaan had horribly mistreated
Noah. What he had done was so evil that Noah pronounced a curse
upon Canaan and his descendants.
The Canaanites worshipped idols. They were so cruel and violent
that they even sacrificed their children to please their many false gods.
When Abram came to Shechem, a town in the northern part of
Canaan, God appeared to him. He said, “Abram, this is the land I will
give to your descendants.”
Wanting to show he appreciated this great gift, Abram built an altar
to use in worshipping the Eternal. He sacrificed the best of his cattle as
a burnt offering to God.
Then Abram took his caravan southward and made temporary
dwellings east of a town that would later be named Bethel. He then
built another altar. There, he worshipped God and called upon His
name for more guidance.
Afterward, Abram traveled down to the southernmost part of
Canaan.
Journey Into Egypt
Abram soon found himself in a land suffering from severe famine.
Farmlands were dying because few crops would grow. Fresh drinking
water was drying up and becoming scarce.
If the Canaanites had been close to God—if they had feared Him,
carefully followed His laws, and obeyed His will—they would have
trusted in their Creator to feed them. Instead, the Canaanites worshipped
demons (who pretended to be like God). Cut off from the
many benefits of living God’s Way, the land and people of Canaan suffered
from the famine.
The devil probably tried to tempt Abram to disobey God and head
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back to Ur. Just as he had done with Eve back in the Garden of Eden,
Satan tried to convince Abram to decide for himself right from wrong,
good from evil.
“God has brought you all these hundreds of miles to dwell in a foreign
land—and for what?” Satan reasoned. “So that you can die here
in the wilderness? It would be so much easier to go back to your native
land. All of your relatives are there. Why, they are fat with riches, food,
water and cattle!”
But Abram did not give in to temptation. He rejected his carnal
nature and trusted in God. He relied upon his Creator to provide for
him and his group of travelers.
God did not abandon him.
He led Abram to the neighboring land of Egypt, which is in the
northeast corner of what is today called Africa. Egypt was a prosperous
kingdom of city-states, which were ruled by kings. The chief king
was called Pharaoh.
In spite of the famine in Canaan, Egypt’s rich soil grew plenty of
vegetables, grains and fruits for all to eat. This was because the Nile,
the longest river in the world, supplied enough fresh water for the
crops.
God wanted Abram and his household to stay in Egypt until the
famine was over.
A Half-truth is Still a Lie
As he was about to enter Egyptian territory, a terrible thought crossed
Abram’s mind: “My wife Sarai is so beautiful and fair-skinned that she
will stand out in the eyes of the Egyptians. Some will ask about her to
see if she is free to marry. When they find out that I am her husband,
they may get so jealous and desire her for a wife that they may seek to
kill me!” (Genesis 12:11-12).
Despite God’s promise to produce a great nation through him,
Abram began to doubt that he would be protected in Egypt. (As you
read THE STORY OF THE BIBLE, you will find that even the most
obedient servants of God sometimes give in to doubt. God understands
this. He knows that it takes many years for people to reject their carnal
nature and build Holy, righteous character in its place.)
Explaining his doubts to Sarai, Abram said, “Say to whoever asks
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that you are my sister, but do not mention that you are my wife. This
could mean the difference between my life or death!”(verse 13).
Sarai was Abram’s half-sister; they both had the same father, but
different mothers. However, by not mentioning that Abram was also
her husband, Sarai would not be speaking the full truth. In effect,
Abram was telling Sarai to deceive people—to mislead them from the
truth.
This is not the way of God or His character. It is the way of Satan
and carnal nature. By giving in to his doubts, Abram temporarily trusted
in himself to work out his problems, instead of trusting in God.
When he and his caravan came into Egypt, Abram’s fears came to
pass. Sarai’s beauty stood out in the eyes of the people. Egyptian officials
asked about her. They wanted to know if she was free to marry.
Sarai followed Abram’s instruction and told them only part of the truth.
The princes of Egypt reported Sarai’s great beauty to the Pharaoh,
saying that she was free to marry. The Pharaoh kept a harem, a private
collection of many beautiful women. He did not obey God’s will to
have only one wife.
Intending to marry her, Pharaoh ordered his men to take Sarai and
place her in his harem. With wedding plans soon underway, Pharaoh
offered Abram many sheep, oxen, donkeys, camels and servants. In a
better situation, Abram would have been happy with such goods. But
his increased riches meant nothing to him without his wife by his side.
Abram realized that unless some miracle happened, he was about to
lose Sarai forever!
God Steps In
The Pharaoh was quite pleased with himself. He was ruler over prosperous,
growing city-states. And because of the famine, people from
other lands turned to his kingdom for help. This increased his fame and
might.
“And now I have in my harem one of the most beautiful women I
have ever seen,” he thought. “Soon, she will be one of my many
wives.”
Believing that Abram was only Sarai’s brother and not her husband,
Pharaoh treated Abram with kindness and favor. He gave him many
gifts of cattle, servants and other possessions.
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In turn, Abram taught the Egyptian mathematics, astronomy (which
is the study of stars and other heavenly bodies), and other sciences.
This pleased Pharaoh even more. With such great knowledge, his men
would build massive water projects to water their farmlands. Also,
they would build giant structures, such as royal palaces, grand temples
and gigantic pyramids.
“Truly this man Abram is a blessing to me,” Pharaoh said to his
officials.
But what the Egyptian king did not know was that he would soon
regret his words.
Pharaoh may have been pleased, but God was far from happy. He
did not intend for Sarai to be married to anyone but Abram. God
planned to produce vast, powerful nations and peoples through Abram
and Sarai—and that could not happen if Sarai was married to another
man.
So the Eternal decided to step in.
As Pharaoh and his court of princes and rulers celebrated his
upcoming wedding to Sarai, something strange happened. One of
Pharaoh’s servants fell ill. And then another. Soon, the whole palace
was filled with sick and dying people. God had struck them with a
plague!
Backed by the powers of demons, Pharaoh’s physicians tried to use
their black magic and evil chants to get rid of the plague. But the
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The Egyptians used Abram’s knowledge of mathematics and other sciences to build giant
structures, such as palaces, temples and pyramids. Many of these buildings still exist
today.
power of God is far stronger than the power of puny men and demons.
The sickness would not go away.
It did not take long for Pharaoh to find out the reason why—and he
was mad!
Before all of the officials and servants that were left alive, Pharaoh
looked down from his throne and pointed his finger at Abram.
“You are the reason why my people suffer from this plague!” he
said.
Abram did not know what to say.
Pharaoh continued. “What is this you have done to me? Why did
you not tell me that Sarai was your wife?”
Again, Abram was silent.
“Sarai said that she was your sister, but neither of you said anything
about being husband and wife. Why? Because of you, I might have
married her, when you knew that it would have been wrong. And now
your God has put a plague on my house!”
Abram looked around him and saw the angry Egyptian faces, and
wondered if the king was about to put him to death.
Then Pharaoh said, “Abram, take your wife and your possessions
and leave Egypt at once!” (Genesis 12:18-19).
Before Abram could say a word, Pharaoh’s men surrounded him.
Then they escorted Abram, Sarai and their caravan out of Egypt.
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Pharaoh blames Abram for
the mysterious plague that
has struck his people.
During the journey, Abram had much to think about. He knew that
these events happened because he failed to trust God. He did not rely
on his Creator to work out his problems. Abram had relied on himself.
Relying on yourself and following the desires of carnal nature,
rather than trusting in God, always leads to disaster.
Abram Calls Upon God
Abram was shaken by these events. He knew that he needed to get
close to God. Abram decided to lead his caravan to the altar he had
built between Ai and Bethel. Once there, he offered animal sacrifices—
the very best of his possessions—and called upon God’s name.
God listened to Abram’s pleas for forgiveness and mercy. The
Eternal understood that it was natural for human beings to give in to
their carnal nature and Satan’s rebellious attitudes (Romans 8:5-8).
When He saw that Abram truly wanted to change and build godly character,
God knew that He could still work through him.
No matter how great a person’s sin, God will always listen to those
who repent—change their wrong thoughts and attitudes—and wholeheartedly
follow His ways.
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CHAPTER EIGHT
ABRAM RESCUES LOT
Abram had many servants and cattle, as well as much silver and
gold. And so did his nephew Lot. In fact, their herds grew so large
that they needed great amounts of green pastures and fresh drinking
water. Abram and Lot soon discovered that there was not enough grazing
land and water for both of their growing herds (Genesis 13:1-6).
As the situation grew worse, another problem arose. Some of
Abram’s herdsmen and some of Lot’s herdsmen began to compete
against each other for land and water. This led to arguments and strife.
Abram knew that if the problem was not resolved soon, fights would
break out—even resulting in death (verse 7).
So he took his nephew aside and said, “Lot, we have problems
between our herdsmen. They cannot walk together in peace unless we
are all in complete agreement. We cannot afford to let bad feelings and
strife divide us—we are family.”
Lot agreed. He knew that something should be done—but what?
“I think it’s time for your group and my group to separate,” Abram
said. “This will ensure peace between us. Besides, God has promised
me all of Canaan. Pick which section of land you want for your very
own use, and I will take my possessions and go the opposite direction.
I am giving you first choice of the Promised Land” (verses 8-9).
Lot’s eyes grew wide with astonishment. He knew that Abram, as
the head, or Patriarch, of their family, had the right to choose whatever
part of the Promised Land he desired. Abram thought more about
maintaining peace than gaining material things.
For years, Abram had treated Lot like a son, partly because Lot’s
father was dead. But also because Abram and Sarai still did not have
children of their own.
Lot looked out into the horizon and saw the lush, fertile valley of
Jordan to the east. There, the land was rich, like Egypt along the Nile
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River. Upon seeing the valley, Lot thought about how his herds and
riches would increase if he went there. He did not consider turning this
opportunity down and letting Abram take the land.
So he told his uncle, “I will take the land to the east.”
Happy that they could part on peaceful terms, Abram watched Lot
and his group head for the valley of Jordan (verses 10-11).
Eventually, Lot settled among the cities of the plain. These cities
and towns were so evil and desperately wicked that, if they did not
change their law-breaking ways, God would be forced to severely correct
them. God knew that He would have to put them out of their misery,
just as He had done with the Great Flood.
By choosing to live among such evil people, Lot was in danger of
becoming like them and suffering God’s wrath (verses 12-13).
God Reaffirms His Promise
With Lot and his herdsmen gone, God spoke to Abram and reaffirmed
His promise to him.
He said, “Abram, look around you. Look to the north, south, east
and west. Everywhere you can see I will give to you and your descendants
forever. Also, I will bless you with so many descendants, it will
be like numbering the dust of the earth, if that is possible for men to
do so! Now, arise, and walk throughout the Promised Land, from its
length to its width. It all belongs to you.”
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With Abram’s approval, Lot decides to
move to the fertile valley of Jordan.
Hearing these words, Abram felt closer to his Creator than he ever
had before. He knew that the Eternal would keep His promise. God
does not—and cannot—lie.
Abram did what he was told, and traveled throughout the Promised
Land, inspecting it. Then he came to a town called Hebron and lived
near a grove of trees belonging to Mamre the Amorite. Mamre became
his ally and friend.
Then Abram built another altar to worship and give burnt offerings
to God (Genesis 13:14-18).
Lot is Captured
One day, while Abram and his men conducted business, a man stumbled
into their presence. Gasping to catch his breath, the man said that
he had urgent news for Abram.
The man’s clothes were caked with mud and dirt. Through the rips
and holes in his clothing, Abram could see bruises and wounds on the
man’s body. Abram ordered his servants to give the man cool water to
quench his thirst.
With his belly full, the man was ready to tell Abram his story: “The
kings of Shinar, Ellasar, Elam and the king of nations have attacked!”
(Genesis 14:13).
Abram and his men were well aware of what the man had meant.
The kings of the five cities of the plain—Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah,
Zeboiim and Bela—rebelled against the king of Shinar. For 12 years
they had paid tribute to him. Because of Shinar’s military might, these
kings were forced to give Shinar’s king the best of their possessions.
But in the thirteenth year, they decided, “No more! If the king of
Shinar wants our riches, he’ll have to take them from us!”
When he did not receive the yearly tribute from the five cities of the
plain, the king of Shinar was enraged.
“How dare they rebel against me!” he shouted. “I will make them
pay!”
Joined by the troops of the kings of Ellasar, Elam, and the king of
nations, he ordered his men to attack the five cities of the plain.
“And if anyone dares to get in our way, destroy them!” he ordered.
Like a human war machine, the massive army destroyed anyone
who dared to cross their path—even giant warriors such as the
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Rephaim, the Zuzim, the Emim, the Horites and others who towered
over ordinary men. Having easily destroyed these giants, the army of
the four kings from the east came to Kadesh and attacked other cities
and towns.
“The kings of the five cities joined together,” the man said to Abram,
“and met the invaders in the Valley of Siddim. Though there were five
armies against four, the four kings from the east won the battle. Those
soldiers who managed to escape fled to the mountains. With the cities
of the plain unguarded, the four kings invaded Sodom and Gomorrah
and took all of their possessions before leaving” (verses 1-11).
Abram did not like the sound of this report. He knew that his
nephew Lot, against better judgment, lived among the people of
Sodom.
“And what of Lot?” he asked. “Has anything happened to him and
his family?”
The man hesitated, then said, “The four kings from the east took Lot
and his possessions with them!” (verse 12).
Abram Rescues Lot
Abram stood up and shouted to his men, “Get your weapons and prepare
your camels! We’re going to rescue Lot!”
Then he and his private group of 318 bodyguards and well-trained
servants mounted their camels and headed for the invading army before
it could escape. Mamre the Amorite and his brothers, Aner and Eshol,
came with Abram (Genesis 14:14-24).
They raced to the northern edge of Canaan until they caught sight of
the enemy’s camp. After waiting for night to fall, Abram divided his
men into groups and surrounded the unsuspecting army.
Meanwhile in the camp, the king of Shinar relaxed in his tent, drinking
wine and admiring the silver and gold that he took from Sodom and
Gomorrah. The other three kings sat with him and boasted of their success
in battle.
“We slew the armies of the Rephaim, the Zuzim and all the other
armies of giants. They were no match for us. Now everyone in Canaan
trembles at the mere mention of our names.”
The king of Elam said, “Yes, and we have taught Sodom and
Gomorrah a lesson they will not soon forget.”
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All four kings laughed and drank more wine.
“This is only the beginning,” said the king of Shinar. “With our
combined armies, we can take over all the land we desire. We can rule
everything. No one can stop us!”
And as the four kings laughed and boasted some more, Abram gave
the command: “Attack!”
In the camp, the weary soldiers from the east were caught by surprise.
After winning so many battles, they never expected that any
group so small would dare attack them. Tired from constant battle and
long traveling, the soldiers were confused and frightened. In the darkness
and confusion, Abram’s men rushed down upon them like a landslide.
Many of the soldiers died.
But some escaped and fled to the north. Abram and his men pursued
them for 150 miles, finally catching them in Damascus. The four kings
and army from the east were destroyed (verse 15).
Abram rescued Lot and his possessions, as well as the goods and
people taken from Sodom and Gomorrah (verse 16). If Abram had not
stepped in, Lot and the others would have become slaves in a foreign
land, never to be heard from again.
But Abram knew that it was God who really gave him his success.
Abram Meets Melchizedek
Upon returning with Lot, the people and their possessions, Abram was
greeted by the king of Sodom at the Valley of the Kings, east of
Jerusalem (Genesis 14:17). The king wanted to thank him. He also
wanted to ensure that he could get Abram to fight for him in the future.
So the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Don’t worry about giving me
back my possessions—keep them. I only want the people” (verse 21).
This offer would have made Abram even richer than he already
was. But Abram saw through the king’s scheme.
He said, “I have raised my hand to the Eternal, God the most High.
He is the Possessor of heaven and earth—everything belongs to Him.
Therefore, I will rely upon Him to reward me” (verse 22).
Earlier, Abram had met Melchizedek, the King of Salem. He gave
Abram and his fighting men bread and wine, which refreshed and
strengthened them. Melchizedek was the priest of God most High. He
was also the Word, the member of the God Family who spoke for God
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the Father and carried out his
commands. One day, He would be born as a human being and be called
Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7:1-10).
Melchizedek may have seemed like a flesh-and-blood man, but He
was really God, appearing as a man. He represented God’s way of life
to those who would listen.
He told Abram, “Blessed be Abram of God most High, who is the
possessor of heaven and earth. And blessed be God most High, who
has delivered your enemies into your hands.”
Abram fully understood that neither he nor his men were responsible
for defeating the four kings from the east. That honor went to God
alone. Abram knew that his success came from obeying and trusting in
God (Psalm 18:1-3, 28-50).
That is why Abram gave Melchizedek a tithe—a tenth part—of all
that he owned (Genesis 14:18-20).
God owns everything (Genesis 14:19, 22; Job 41:11; Nehemiah
9:6; Revelation 10:6). And no matter how hard one works, the money
people earn belongs to God. However, because He loves to share, God
gives us 90 percent of it. All He expects is that we pay Him ten percent.
If we do, God promises to shower us with more blessings than we
could imagine (Malachi 3:8-10).
As His priest, Melchizedek represented God to the people, just as
God’s true ministers represent Him today. That is why Abram paid
God’s tithe to the King of Salem.
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In tithing, God
requires that we
pay Him only
one-tenth of
what we earn…
…while He allows us
to keep the rest.
Abram continued to say to the king of Sodom, “Because God owns
everything, I will take nothing from you. Everything belongs to our
Creator, and He is the one who will bless me, not you. Also, I do not
want you to be able to say that you made me rich because I accepted
anything from you. Except for what my men have already eaten, I will
not take anything from you. As for my allies—Aner, Eshol and
Mamre—let them take their portion” (Genesis 14:23-24).
The king of Sodom’s plan had failed and he was not happy. But he
knew better than to upset Abram.
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CHAPTER NINE
ABRAM GETS A SON
Though Abram had great courage, wisdom and wealth, he still made
mistakes. He was an ordinary human being who sometimes gave
in to the pulls and desires of his carnal nature. Like all righteous servants
of God, Abram occasionally had doubts.
The Creator understood this and was mercifully patient with him.
Many years had passed since God had promised the land of Canaan
to Abram. One day, while fighting wrong thoughts that tempted him to
doubt God’s promise, Abram received a surprise visitor: God!
The Eternal spoke to him in a vision. To Abram, it appeared as
though God was literally right in front of him, but he wasn’t. Abram
bowed down on his knees and listened.
“Abram, do not be afraid. I am your shield; I will protect you from
anything that comes against you. I am also your great reward. Your
gold, silver and the rest of your riches are nothing compared to what I
will give you” (Genesis 15:1).
Abram knew that God was trying to encourage him, but his doubts
would not go away.
He reminded God, “You promised that I would have many descendants
who will inherit the Promised Land. Yet I am still childless, and
Sarai and I are growing too old to have children. I have no choice but
to make my servant, Eliezer of Damascus, my heir” (verses 2-3).
According to tradition then, if the head of a ruling family did not
have an heir to pass the family wealth and right to, a servant could be
chosen as an heir.
God said, “Abram, Eliezer shall not be your heir. I will give you an
heir from your own flesh and blood.”
Abram began to feel relieved. In the vision, he followed God outside
the tent. The Creator told him to look up into the sky and count all
the stars, if that were possible for him to do.
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“So shall be your descendants,” God promised. “So many, they will
be hard to number” (verses 4-5).
Abram felt complete relief. He believed God. And God considered
his belief—Abram’s faith—as righteousness (verse 6). (Righteousness
means keeping God’s commandments.) Because of his belief, Abram
is known today as the father of the faithful (Galatians 3:6-9).
Though Abram believed God, he naturally wanted to know how
and when he would inherit Canaan (Genesis 15:8).
After following God’s command to sacrifice some animals to Him,
Abram fell into a deep sleep. His dreams quickly turned into a nightmare,
filled with horror and darkness (verses 9-12). Waking up, he listened
to God explain what the nightmare had meant.
“Your descendants will be strangers in a strange land, a land not
their own. They will serve the people there as slaves, and will suffer
pain and heartache for many years. But I will judge the people who
will harshly rule over your descendants. Your offspring will escape
from them and carry off great possessions. As for you, Abram, you
shall not live to see this. But do not worry, your descendants will return
to the Promised Land. Then they shall be My instrument of judgment
against the people of Canaan” (verses 13-16).
Then God made a special covenant, or agreement, with Abram. He
enlarged the gift of the Promised Land to extend from the River of
Egypt in the south, to the Euphrates River far in the north (verses 17-
21).
Sarai Imposes HerWill
Some time had passed and Sarai still did not have a child. She began
to doubt that God could fulfill His promise through her.
“After all,” she reasoned, “God did not say that Abram’s descendants
would be through me. Perhaps there is another way…”
She went to her husband and said, “God has kept me from having
children, so I want you to have children through my handmaid, Hagar.
Unlike me, she is still young and healthy and able to bear you many
children. I will provide you an heir through her.”
It was the custom for women who could not give birth, to have children
through their personal servants.
Sarai took charge and gave Hagar, an Egyptian, to be Abram’s wife.
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Sarai did not trust God to deliver His promise, and Abram did not stand
up to his wife’s demands.
Soon Hagar became pregnant—she was going to give birth to
Abram’s first child! Sarai should have been pleased; after all, she got
what she wanted. However, she did not carefully consider the trouble
that would result from not waiting on God.
Hagar, having married Abram and now carrying his child, began to
think herself equal to Sarai, instead of being a servant under her. She
began to despise Sarai and refused to obey her commands (Genesis
16:1-4).
Instead of taking responsibility for her mistake, Sarai blamed
Abram. “You are the reason why Hagar no longer respects me. May
God judge between you and me” (verse 5).
Again, Abram gave in to his wife’s demands. He said, “Hagar is
still your maid and is in your hand. Do to her as you wish.”
Like a secondary wife, Hagar had certain rights of protection from
Abram. But when he removed this protection, Sarai treated Hagar
harshly—so harsh that Hagar ran away (verse 6).
God Speaks to Hagar
Feeling sad and lonely, Hagar headed for Egypt. Along the way, she
drank from a well of water in the wilderness on the way to Shur. The
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Hagar runs away
into the wilderness.
Messenger of the Eternal (the member of the God Family who would
later become Jesus Christ) appeared to her.
He reminded Hagar that she was still Sarai’s handmaid. “Return to
your mistress and do as she says.”
As she thought this over, the Messenger of the Eternal said, “I will
increase your descendants so much that they will not be able to be
numbered. The child you now carry is a son. You shall call him
Ishmael, which means ‘God hears,’ because the Eternal has heard your
sorrow. Ishmael shall be a wild man and will always be fighting or at
war with other peoples. No one will be able to control him. And he
shall dwell in the safety of all his brethren” (Genesis 16:7-12).
Hagar found comfort in these words. She called the Eternal “You-
Are-the-God-Who-Can-See.” She then called the well “Beer Lahai
Roi,” which means “well of the One who lives and sees me” (verses
13-14).
Hagar slowly came to understand what most people do not: God
sees all and desires to give mercy and help those will obey Him.
She walked back home to Abram and obeyed Sarai’s commands.
Some time later, she gave birth to Ishmael. Abram was 86 years old
(verses 15-16).
God Changes Abram and Sarai’s Names
Thirteen years after Ishmael was born, God appeared to Abram and
said, “I am El Shaddai—Almighty God! Walk before Me and be
blameless” (Genesis 17:1).
Abram quickly fell to his knees and listened.
God said, “I will make a covenant with you and will increase your
descendants. You shall no longer be called Abram. From now on, your
name is Abraham, which means ‘father of many nations,’ for I will
make through you many nations of people and kings. My covenant is
between Me and you and your descendants forever, and they shall
inherit the land of Canaan. It will belong to you forever” (verses 5-8).
Again, God’s words increased Abraham’s faith.
Then God said, “As for Sarai, you shall call her Sarah, which means
‘Princess.’ I will bless her, and she will be a mother of many nations.
Many kings and countries shall come from her” (verses 15-16).
Hearing this, Abraham fell on his face and laughed. He thought to
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himself, “I will be 100 years old by the time Sarah gives birth! And she
is already 90 years old! How can God expect her to bear a child?”
(verse 17).
Remembering that he was in the presence of Almighty God,
Abraham said, “Lord, please consider my son Ishmael. He is already
born. He is healthy and available to be my heir—choose him” (verse
18).
But God said no. “Sarah shall bear you a son, and you shall name
him Isaac, which means ‘laughter,’ because you laughed at My promise.”
“But what about Ishmael?”
“I have already blessed Ishmael,” God said. “I will make him prosper
and he will have many descendants. Twelve princes shall come
from him, and I will make him into a great nation. But as for My
covenant, it is with Isaac, not Ishmael. Sarah will bear Isaac at this set
time next year.”
Then God left Abraham (verses 19-22).
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CHAPTER TEN
THE END OF SODOM
AND GOMORRAH
One hot day, as Abraham sat in the entrance of his tent, three men
appeared. In reality, they were the Word (who would later become
Jesus Christ) and two angels. They only appeared to be men.
It was the custom to greet strangers who came to your home and to
give them refreshments. So Abraham rushed to give the three strangers
water to wash their feet, which, because they wore sandals, were
exposed to dirt and sand.
Abraham also instructed Sarah to quickly make cakes of bread
while he ordered a young servant to prepare a roasted calf. When the
food was ready, the visitors sat down and ate (Genesis 18:1-8).
Then they asked Abraham, “Where is Sarah your wife?”
He said, “Here in the tent.”
Hearing her name mentioned, Sarah came to the entrance of the tent
and listened.
The Word said to Abraham, “Next year I will return to you. By then,
Sarah shall bear you a son” (verses 9-10).
If Abraham had any doubts about who his visitors really were, he
now understood that he was in the presence of God.
Hearing that she was going to somehow give birth to a child, Sarah
laughed within herself.
She thought, “I am 90 years old and well past my childbearing
years. And now that I am old and gray I am expected to bear children?”
(verses 11-12).
God turned to Abraham and said, “Why did Sarah laugh and say
that she was too old to bear a son? Is anything too hard for the Eternal?
Mark My words, I will return to you at the appointed time and Sarah
will have a son.”
Abraham slowly turned to his wife.
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Sarah shook her head and said, “I did not laugh.” She denied it
because she was afraid. Like Abraham, she began to realize that she
was before God.
God replied, “No, Sarah, you did laugh” (verses 13-15).
Then Sarah realized her mistake.
Most people either do not understand or believe that God sees
everything. He knows our thoughts and desires. He even knows our
needs before we know them. He sees when we break His laws. And He
sees and hears us when we ask for forgiveness and honestly try to
change. God even knows the number of hairs you have on your head!
Nothing can be hidden from Him. God sees everything (Jeremiah
23:23-24).
Abraham Reasons With God
God (the Word) and the two angels rose and departed for the city of
Sodom. Abraham decided to walk with them and send them on their
way (Genesis 18:16).
As they walked together, God turned to Abraham and said, “Shall I
hide from you what I am about to do? I know you, Abraham. You are
my friend. I know that you keep My commandments, and that you
teach your entire household to do the same. Because you obey My
voice, I know that I can trust you. Therefore, I will tell you what I am
about to do” (verses 17-19).
Abraham felt honored to be considered God’s trusted friend. But he
was also deeply concerned. Something weighed heavily in God’s
mind; he knew that this was the reason God and His two angels were
disguised as men.
God said, “The outcry against the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah is
great. Their sins have grown so terrible, they have become as evil as
the last days before the Great Flood! Though I see everything and
nothing can be hidden from Me, I am sending My two angels to see the
sins of Sodom and Gomorrah in person. Then I will know whether or
not the outcry against them is justified” (verses 20-21).
At that, the two angels departed for Sodom, but God remained with
Abraham for a little while longer (verse 22).
Realizing that his nephew still lived in Sodom, Abraham began to
worry. “What will become of Lot if God decides to destroy Sodom?”
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Turning to God, Abraham said, “Great Eternal One, would You also
destroy the righteous along with the wicked? Suppose there were 50
righteous God-fearing people who lived in Sodom—would You
destroy the city and not spare the lives of the 50 who obey You? Far be
it from You, the Judge of all the earth, to do such a thing.”
God replied, “If I find in Sodom 50 righteous people, I will spare
the city for their sakes.”
Abraham was relieved. He had taught Lot the laws of God from his
youth. He was confident that his nephew still kept them.
But then another thought crossed Abraham’s mind: “What if there
are less than 50 righteous in all of Sodom?”
He turned to God again and said, “I know that I am only dust compared
to You, O Lord, but please allow me to speak on this matter
again. Suppose there were only 45 righteous people in Sodom—would
you destroy the entire city and not spare the 45 who were righteous?”
God replied, “If I find only 45 righteous people in Sodom, I will not
destroy it.”
Then Abraham approached his Creator again, asking if there were
only 40 righteous in Sodom—then 30, then 20.
Finally, he asked God, “Suppose You found that there were only ten
righteous people living in Sodom? Would You still destroy the city and
not spare the ten who fear and obey You?”
God said, “I will not destroy Sodom if I find that ten righteous people
live in the city.”
And then God left as soon as He was finished speaking. Abraham
walked home, relieved that he was allowed to intervene for Lot’s sake
(verses 23-33).
Sodom—City of Sin
In the evening, the two angels arrived at Sodom. Thinking that they
were ordinary men, Lot greeted the angels at the city gate, where business
and civil matters were conducted (Genesis 19:1).
Noticing that the darkness of night was about to fall upon them, Lot
offered the visitors to spend the night at his home.
They said, “No, thank you. We will spend the night in the open
square” (verse 2).
Lot began to fear for them. He knew how wild and evil the men of
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Sodom could be toward strangers—especially at night.
At his insistence, the angels came home with Lot. Then he and his
family made them a fine feast of roasted lamb and freshly baked
unleavened bread (verse 3).
Just before Lot’s household was about to go to bed, the men of
Sodom, both young and old, came to the house and surrounded it.
These men had heard rumors of two mysterious but handsome
strangers spending the night there.
The men banged on the door and called out to Lot, saying, “Where
are the strangers? Why are you hiding them from us? Bring them out
that we may treat them as we wish” (verses 4-5).
Driven by their carnal nature, these wicked men intended to mistreat
the newcomers and do evil things to them.
Lot, wanting to protect his guests, stepped outside, shutting the
door behind him. He pleaded with the growing crowd not to harm or
do evil to his guests. Then he offered to bring out his two daughters in
their place (verses 6-8)!
Though he obeyed God’s laws, Lot did not fully use God’s wisdom.
Choosing to live closely with such wicked people affected Lot’s judgment.
The Sodomites snarled at him. “You are a foreigner! You came to
live here with us, and now you keep acting as our judge! Now we will
deal worse with you than with the strangers!”
The crowd pressed so hard against Lot that they almost broke the
door down (verse 9).
The two angels reached out and pulled Lot into the house. Before
shutting the door, they struck the Sodomite men with blindness—yet
the crowd was so intent on doing evil to Lot and the strangers that they
struggled to find the door and break it down (verses 10-11)!
Escape from Sodom
The angels told Lot to gather all of his relatives living in the city. “For
we shall destroy this place. Sodom is so evil and the outcry against it is
so great, God has no choice but to destroy the city” (Genesis 19:12-13).
Lot raced out of his home and pleaded with his sons-in-law, who
were married to Lot’s other daughters.
“You must leave the city at once! God is going to destroy it!”
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But his sons-in-law thought that Lot was only joking (verse 14).
Like those who would not listen to Noah’s warning of the Great Flood,
Lot’s sons-in-law refused to take God seriously. They would soon
regret their foolish mistake.
When morning came, the angels urged Lot to hurry up and leave
Sodom. But Lot did not listen. He wanted more time to warn his
friends and relatives of God’s coming punishment.
Because Abraham had spoken to Him about sparing the city for the
sake of the righteous who may be living in it, God was very patient and
merciful toward Lot. Instead of leaving him behind, the two angels
took hold of Lot, his wife and their two youngest daughters and
brought them out of the city (verses 15-16).
Once outside the walls of Sodom, the angels warned them, “Escape
for your life! As you flee, do not look behind you toward Sodom or
stay anywhere in the plain. Sodom, Gomorrah and the other cities of
the plain are about to be destroyed. Escape to the mountains, lest you
be destroyed, also!” (verse 17).
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While Lot and his two daughters escape to Zoar,
Lot’s wife disobeys God and looks back at Sodom.
Lot had grown too fond of living among the wicked cities. This attitude
led him to tolerate—put up with—their sins. It also affected his
ability to make wise decisions. Being too close to sin always does this.
Though extremely grateful toward the angels for helping him
escape, Lot said, “The mountains are too far for me and my family to
escape. Allow us to go to this city.” He pointed to the small town of
Bela, a few miles away.
The angels agreed. They waited for Lot’s family to escape to Bela
(whose name was changed to Zoar, which means “little”). Then they
would unleash God’s awesome power and destroy Sodom and
Gomorrah (Genesis 14:2; 19:18-22).
Once the sun had fully risen, God rained flames of fire and burning
brimstone down upon the wicked cities. Ash and smoke filled the air
as fire spread wildly out of control. The people screamed and panicked
and ran in all directions. In the smoky darkness and confusion, many
people were trampled to death. Others were trapped in burning buildings
or died from the poisonous smoke vapors. Thousands died as God
wiped Sodom and Gomorrah off the face of the earth.
Just as Lot and his daughters entered Zoar, his wife began to regret
leaving the city she loved. Hating to give it up, she looked back toward
Sodom.
In an instant, Lot’s wife turned into a pillar of salt! The price for
rebelling against God is always high (Genesis 19:23-26).
The Day After
The next day, Abraham rose early and looked across the valley to see
what was left of the cities of the plain. He saw thick columns of smoke
swirl up into the sky from what used to be cities. At first he wondered
if Lot had been destroyed in Sodom. But when he later learned that the
little town of Zoar had escaped God’s wrath, Abraham realized that Lot
was there, safe and sound (Genesis 19:27-29).
Fearing the citizens of Zoar, who blamed him for Sodom and
Gomorrah’s destruction, Lot left town. He and his daughters fled to the
mountains and lived in a cave. Once there, Lot had much to think
about. Because he had grown used to sin and tolerated it, Lot had
almost lost his life (verse 30).
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CHAPTER ELEVEN
ISAAC IS BORN
Months later, God visited Sarah, just as He had said He would.
And she gave birth to a son—Isaac. Twenty-five years had
passed since God first called Abraham. At the age of 100 years old,
Abraham finally had an heir to God’s promise (Genesis 21:1-3, 5-7).
Everyone in their household was happy and excited for Isaac’s
birth—everyone, except Hagar and Ishmael.
Hagar and Ishmael Forced to Leave
One day Abraham and Sarah held a great feast in Isaac’s honor, who
had grown from a tiny baby to a little child (Genesis 21:8).
As everyone celebrated, Sarah overheard Ishmael say rude and
unkind things about Isaac. Fearing that Ishmael would someday
become so jealous that he would do Isaac harm, Sarah spoke with
Abraham.
“Hagar and Ishmael must leave,” she said. “Hagar’s son cannot be
your heir while Isaac lives. Send them away now, before something
horrible happens.”
Abraham did not want to do this. He had great affection for
Ishmael. He worried that Ishmael would not be safe if he was cast out
from their home.
But God reassured Abraham, saying, “Listen to Sarah and cast out
Hagar and the boy. I will bless your descendants through Isaac. But
do not worry about Ishmael. For your sake, I will make a great nation
from him” (verses 9-13).
Early next morning, Abraham gave Hagar and Ishmael food and
water and tearfully sent them on their way. Carrying enough supplies
to last until they would come to the next wellspring, the mother and
son wandered through the Wilderness of Beersheba.
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By the time the supplies were used up, they realized that they were
lost. With the rugged desert wilderness being hot and dusty, Hagar
knew that if they didn’t find water soon, she and her son would die!
Tired and weak, she placed Ishmael under a shrub to keep cool
under its shade. Then she walked a small distance and sat down and
cried (verses 14-16).
With his mouth dry and parched, Ishmael could barely speak. He
thought about the crude things he had said about his little brother.
Feeling sorry, Ishmael prayed to the one true God that Abraham had
taught him about.
God heard his prayer.
The Messenger of the Eternal called out to Hagar and said, “Fear
not. God has heard your son’s prayer. Arise and lift Ishmael up, for
God will make him a great nation” (verses 17-18).
Hagar looked up and saw a spring of cool, sparkling water appear
from the desert floor. She and her son ran to it and drank until they
could drink no more.
From that moment, God ensured that Ishmael would survive.
Growing up in the desert wilderness, Ishmael became an archer, skilled
at hunting wild animals for food, clothing and protection. He spent so
much time living in the wild away from people that he was like a wild
man.
His mother brought him a wife from Egypt (verses 19-21). They
had many children. Eventually, their descendants became a great
nation. Today, they are known as Arabs.
God Tests Abraham
Many years passed since Isaac was born. During that time, Abraham
had taught him the importance of keeping God’s spiritual laws.
One day, when Isaac was a very young man, God decided to test
Abraham. He wanted to know if Abraham learned the valuable lesson
of always trusting God and not relying on himself.
So He said to him, “Abraham, take Isaac, your only son, whom you
love, and go to the land of Moriah. Once there, you will offer him to
Me as a burnt sacrifice” (Genesis 22:1-2).
Abraham was stunned! For years, God had told him that He would
produce a great people through Isaac. Yet God had just commanded
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Abraham to sacrifice Isaac—kill him!
“How could this be?” he wondered. Though Satan the devil tried to
tempt him, Abraham did not allow doubts to keep him from obeying
God. He was determined to obey God no matter what.
Early next morning, Abraham saddled his donkey and then chopped
some wood to use for the burnt offering. Along with Isaac and two servants,
he then traveled to the place where God wanted the sacrifice to
be offered. Three days later, they arrived (verses 3-4).
Abraham turned to his young servants and said, “Stay here with the
donkey. Isaac and I will go up to the place of sacrifice and worship
God. We will be back” (verse 5).
Though God had commanded him to take Isaac’s life, Abraham
knew that the Eternal would keep His promise.
As they walked, Isaac asked his father, “We have the wood, the
knife and everything we need for the burnt offering. But where is the
lamb that is to be offered?”
Abraham looked his son in the eye and said, “God will provide the
lamb” (verses 6-8).
When they finally arrived at the place God had directed them,
Abraham built an altar and set the wood in place. Then, to Isaac’s surprise,
his father bound him with rope and placed him on the altar, on
top of the wood (verse 9).
Isaac’s eyes were wide with fear!
Calmly, Abraham said to him, “Put your trust in God.”
Then he stood over his son, stretched out his hand, ready to take the
knife and kill his only son, the heir to God’s promise (verse 10).
Just then, the Messenger of the
Eternal called out to Abraham from
heaven: “Abraham, Abraham!”
Abraham said, “Here I am.”
“Do not slay your
son or do anything to
him. Because you are
willing to sacrifice
your only son for
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Me, I now know that you fear God and will obey Me no matter what”
(verses 11-12).
Abraham had passed the test!
God provided a ram, which was caught in a thicket by its horns, to
be sacrificed. This led Abraham to call the place of worship “The-
Eternal-Will-Provide” (verses 13-14).
Again, God promised Abraham that He would bless him with many
descendants, as numerous as the stars in heaven or sand on a seashore.
He said that they would be a mighty people.
“Because you have obeyed My voice, all the nations of the earth
shall be blessed through your seed.”
Then Abraham, Isaac and the young servants returned home to
Beersheba (verses 15-18).
Sarah Dies
Some time later, after 127 years of living on the earth, Sarah died.
Abraham bought a large field, which had a cave, and buried his wife
in the cave (Genesis 23:1-4, 17-20).
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CHAPTER TWELVE
ISAAC FINDS A WIFE
Afew years had passed since Sarah died, and Isaac was still without
a wife. Abraham began to worry that his son might be tempted
to marry one of the local women of the land. He knew that Isaac
must not marry foreigners, else he would be tempted to worship their
pagan false gods and follow their evil practices and traditions.
So Abraham turned to his chief servant and made him promise to
find Isaac a proper wife.
“Do not pick a wife from among the Canaanites—they do not worship
God or keep His laws,” he said. “Instead, I charge you with finding
a wife among my own people. Go back to the country where God
called me out from and go to my family. Only from them should you
pick a wife for Isaac.”
In those days, it was the custom that parents choose whom their
sons and daughters would marry. Abraham desired that Isaac marry a
woman who obeyed God, kept His laws, and would teach their future
children to do the same. Abraham was certain that his distant family
members still worshipped the one true God.
The servant replied, “What if the woman I choose is not willing to
follow me back to this land? Should I take Isaac with me to your homeland?”
“No, Isaac must stay here. God will direct you. If the woman is not
willing to follow you, then you shall be released from this oath.”
So the servant took ten camels and began his long journey to the
land of Mesopotamia (Genesis 24:1-10).
Rebekah Gives Water to a Stranger
After hundreds of miles of travelling, the servant came to the city of
Nahor. As evening drew near, he made the camels kneel down at a well
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outside of the city. He waited for the local women to come to the well
and draw out water.
Quietly, the servant prayed to God, “Eternal God of Abraham, my
master, please give me success in finding the right wife for Isaac.
When the women come out to draw water from the well, help me know
which one I should choose from. When I say to a young woman,
‘Please give me a drink from your pitcher,’ and she says, ‘Here, drink,
and I will give your camels a drink, also’—please let her be the one
that You have chosen for Isaac.”
It was the custom of the time for women to provide water for
strangers, but not to their animals. Any woman who offered to give
water to both parties was unusually kind. She was willing to do more
than she was expected to do.
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Rebekah enters the well
to get water for the chief
servant and his camels.
Before the servant had finished his prayer, a young, beautiful
woman named Rebekah appeared.
The servant asked her for a drink.
She said, “Here, my lord,” and poured water into his hands. Then
she said, “I will draw water for your camels, too. They seem to be quite
thirsty.”
Silently, the servant wondered to himself, “Is this the one?”
The man gave her a valuable gold ring and gold bracelets and asked
for her name and who her parents were.
She answered, “I am Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel and granddaughter
of Nahor.”
Suddenly, the servant knew that God had answered his prayer.
Nahor was Abraham’s brother. This made Rebekah Abraham’s grandniece
and Isaac’s distant cousin!
Grateful that God had heard his prayer, the servant explained to
Rebekah who he was and about his mission. The young woman ran
home and told everyone there what had happened.
When Laban, Rebekah’s brother, saw the new jewelry she was
given and heard the story, he ran out to invite the servant to stay the
night with them. They set food before him and encouraged the servant
to eat, but he refused.
“First I must tell you about my mission.”
After hearing the details of his story, Laban and his father Bethuel
said, “This thing comes from God. We now know that the Eternal
wants Rebekah to marry Isaac. You may take her with you.”
Rebekah did not say anything. She fully trusted that God had chosen
the right husband for her.
Upon hearing the family’s answer, the servant bowed down to his
knees and worshipped God, thanking Him through prayer. Then
the servant unloaded the goods that his ten camels carried, and gave
Rebekah silver and gold jewelry, and expensive clothing. He also gave
precious gifts to Laban and to Milcah—Laban and Rebekah’s mother.
Next morning, the servant was ready to take Rebekah to the
Promised Land. But the family began to feel sad because she was
about to move to a distant country. They asked the servant if Rebekah
could stay with her family at least ten more days.
The man said no. “God has caused me to find Rebekah quickly. We
must not stay in His way.”
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The family
turned to Rebekah
and asked her if she was
willing to leave.
She simply replied, “Yes, I
will go.”
And so the servant led Rebekah, her maids and the rest of the caravan
on their long journey back to Canaan (Genesis 24:10-61).
Love at First Sight
One day, when Isaac was sitting in a field, deep in thought, he noticed
something appear over the horizon: a caravan of camels and people
(Genesis 24:62-63).
When he stood up, he recognized that Abraham’s chief servant was
leading the caravan. And then he noticed a beautiful young woman
among them.
Meanwhile, Rebekah noticed a man walking toward them from the
distance. She asked the servant, “Who is that man coming toward us?”
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Rebekah puts
on a veil as her
future husband
approaches
the caravan.
He grinned, “That is my master; the one you have been chosen to
marry.”
As Isaac drew near, Rebekah could see that he was a handsome
man with a kind face.
Before he could get closer, she covered her face with a veil (for that
was the custom then; women who were about to marry covered their
faces from their future husbands until the day they married).
When the servant told him everything that had happened, Isaac
knew that God had chosen Rebekah to be his wife. And Isaac was more
than willing to be her husband. They were married, and loved each
other for the rest of their lives (verses 64-67).
The Death of a Great Servant
Many years after Sarah’s death, Abraham married a woman named
Keturah and had several sons (Genesis 25:1-4). Then, at the age of
175, Abraham died. He lived a full and happy life because he had
learned to put God first (verses 7-8).
Some day soon, when God sets up His kingdom on the earth,
Abraham will be raised back to life. Because he devoted himself to
building God’s holy, righteous character, Abraham will be changed
into spirit. He will never again feel pain or grow old or die. He will be
a member of the God Family. He will teach others to reject human
nature and keep God’s spiritual laws.
This is God’s Plan for everyone—including you!
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CHAPTER THIRTEEN
JACOB AND ESAU
After twenty years of blissful marriage, Isaac and Rebekah were
still childless. In ancient times, this was considered shameful.
Without an heir to inherit the family wealth, the family name would die
out and its possessions would be passed on to strangers.
Isaac turned to God, pleading with him to give Rebekah a child.
God answered his prayers. Rebekah was soon with child (Genesis
25:20-21).
But as the months passed and her time of giving birth drew near,
she felt great discomfort.
Praying to God for relief, Rebekah said, “It is as though a great war
wages within my womb.”
In a way, she was correct. God told her, “Two nations are within
your womb. Two peoples shall be separated from your body. One shall
be stronger than the other, and the firstborn will serve the younger”
(verses 22-23).
Rebekah realized that she was carrying twins! And from her twin
sons would come two nations of people who would constantly be at
odds with each other.
On the big day, Rebekah gave birth to a hairy, reddish son. He was
named Esau. Immediately after he was born, out came his younger
brother Jacob, holding on tightly to Esau’s heel (verses 24-26).
Esau Sells His Birthright
Esau grew up to become a skilled hunter. He roamed the land, searching
for wild game. Jacob, on the other hand, became a shepherd. He
stayed near home and tended flocks of sheep.
As many parents still do, Isaac and Rebekah made a big mistake:
each favored one son over the other. Instead of showing both sons the
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same amount of
love and attention,
Isaac favored
Esau, because he
loved to eat the
wild game his son
brought to him.
And Rebekah
favored Jacob,
because he stayed
close to home and
was gentler than
his older brother
(Genesis 25:27-
29).
Isaac and Rebekah’s mistake caused Esau and Jacob to compete
against each other. This created harsh feelings between them.
One day, while Jacob was cooking a lamb stew, Esau stumbled in
from the wilderness and fell to the ground.
Smelling the hearty stew bubbling before him in a pot, Esau said,
“Brother, please give me some of your stew. I’m so tired, I feel like I’m
about to die.” Esau had spent the entire day hunting for game. Now he
was hungry and weak. He would do anything to fill his belly with
Jacob’s stew.
When Jacob considered his brother’s request, a wrong thought
popped into his mind: “Esau is the firstborn. He will inherit the family
wealth and its blessings. Yet God has told our mother that I will rule
over my brother and receive the rights of the firstborn. How can this
possibly happen?…Unless God has just handed me my chance.”
Giving in to his human nature rather than trusting in God to work
things out, Jacob took matters into his own hands.
He told Esau, “You may have my stew—but first you must sell me
your birthright!”
Esau did not consider what he was about to so easily give up.
Failing to rely on his Creator to provide food for him, Esau relied upon
himself.
“I’m about to die,” he said. “Go ahead, take the birthright! What
good is it to me now?”
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“Swear to me, then.”
Esau swore an oath to Jacob and sold his birthright for a bowl of
hot stew. Esau’s actions showed God that he despised the birthright
and did not appreciate the great and wonderful blessings that were tied
to it (verses 29-34).
Years later, Esau made even more mistakes, such as marrying two
local women—foreigners who worshipped idols and did not fear or
obey the God of Abraham (verses 34-35). Esau’s foolishness caused
his parents to grieve. Though they had raised him to follow God’s
ways, Esau continued to decide for himself right from wrong, good
from evil.
Isaac Blesses Jacob
As the years went by, Isaac became very old and nearly blind. Afraid
that he would soon die, he decided that it was time to bless Esau with
the birthright blessing. Isaac was unaware that Esau had already sold it
to Jacob.
He called out to his firstborn son and said, “I am old and my death
may be near. Before I die, I will bless you.”
Noticing that Jacob was not around, Esau thought he could break his
oath and steal the birthright blessing from his brother.
Isaac said, “Before I bless you, take your bow and arrows and hunt
a deer for me. I want to enjoy some wild game before I die.”
So Esau left to hunt game in the wilderness (Genesis 27:1-5).
Meanwhile, Rebekah had been secretly listening in on their conversation.
Because she favored Jacob over Esau, Rebekah came up with a
plan. She found her youngest son and told him about the situation.
“Listen to me, Jacob. While your brother is away, go to your flock
and pick two choice goats.”
“What will you do with them?” he asked.
“I will make a tasty stew, and I will make it so that your father shall
not be able to tell the difference between goat and wild game. After he
is finished eating, your father will bless you. Just pretend that you are
Esau and all will be well.”
Jacob said, “But Esau is hairy and I am smooth-skinned. What if
father decides to feel my skin? He will say that I’m a deceiver and will
curse me!”
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“Let your curse be on me. Now listen to me and do as I say. You
will be blessed.”
Jacob obeyed his mother and gave her two goat kids. After cooking
them, she clothed Jacob in Esau’s clothing and then put the skins of the
goats on Jacob’s hands and neck.
When he was ready, Jacob brought the food and some bread to
Isaac (verses 5-17).
Too blind to see who had just entered his tent, Isaac said, “Who are
you, my son?”
Jacob lied and said, “I am Esau, your firstborn. I have done as you
have asked. Please eat so that you may bless me.”
Isaac was not to be so easily fooled. He said, “How is it that you
have found wild game so quickly?”
Beads of sweat appeared on Jacob’s brow. One false move and his
deceit would be discovered.
Quickly, he told another lie: “The Eternal your God brought it to
me.” Like all lies do, Jacob’s lies were beginning to grow and pile up.
Life is so much easier when people just tell the truth.
Still, Isaac was not convinced. He wanted more proof.
He said, “Come near me. I want to feel you and see whether you are
truly my son Esau.”
Cautiously, Jacob drew close so that his father could touch him. But
all that Isaac could feel were hairy goatskins, which felt like Esau’s
hair.
“Your voice is like Jacob, but your hands are like Esau. Are you
really Esau?”
Again, Jacob lied. “Yes, I am.”
Isaac asked him to bring the food near and then he ate. When he
was finished, Isaac said, “Come near and kiss me, my son.”
Jacob trembled as his father kissed him and smelled his clothing.
But Isaac was now convinced that this was truly Esau (verses 18-27).
He gave this blessing: “May God give you and your descendants
rich, fertile farmlands and plenty of fresh water. May He also make
you rich in grains, fruits and vegetables. Let the nations bow down to
you and serve you. May your brothers and their descendants bow
down to you and may you rule over them. Anyone who curses you
shall be cursed. And anyone who blesses you shall be blessed” (verses
27-29).
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Jacob’s Deceit is Uncovered
As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, Esau came in from the
hunt. After he cooked the food and brought it before his father, Esau
asked to be blessed (Genesis 27:30-31).
Isaac was puzzled. “Who are you?”
“Esau, your firstborn son.”
Isaac trembled from shock. “Who? If you are Esau, then who
brought me the food I just ate? I gave your blessing to that man—and
he shall be blessed.”
Hearing this, Esau screamed and cried. “Father, what about me?
Bless me also!” he wept.
Both men realized that Jacob was the one who posed as Esau.
Isaac said, “Son, I am sorry but your brother deceived me. He has
taken away your blessing.”
“I should not be surprised,” Esau said. “He is called Jacob for good
reason.” Jacob meant “deceitful” or “supplanter.”
Then Esau said, “First my brother took away my birthright, and
now my blessing. Have you no blessing left for me, father?”
Sadly, Isaac had only one blessing left to give. Jacob had already
taken the best.
Isaac said, “You shall live far from rich soil and well-watered farmlands.
You and your descendants will fight and make war to get the
things you desire. And you shall serve your brother. But some day, you
will break free from his rule.”
Like a spoiled child, Esau did not appreciate his blessing. He hated
Jacob with all his heart. He longed for the day Isaac would die.
“Then I will kill my brother Jacob,” he said, when Isaac was not listening
(verses 32-41).
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CHAPTER FOURTEEN
JACOB AND RACHEL
One of the servants overheard Esau’s desire for revenge, and told
Rebekah. She warned Jacob and came up with a plan for him to
stay with her brother Laban, who lived far away in Haran.
Jacob argued, “But I don’t want to leave. This is my home.”
But Rebekah, fearing for his life, convinced Jacob to leave. Now all
she had to do was convince Isaac of her plan.
“I don’t want Jacob to marry foreign women the way Esau did. If
he marries one of these idol-worshipping local girls, what good will
my life be?” she said to Isaac.
She then explained that Jacob should find a wife among her brother’s
household. “The same way Abraham found a wife for you years
ago,” she reminded him.
Reluctantly, Isaac agreed. So he sent Jacob off to Laban’s household,
far away in the land of Mesopotamia.
Esau took notice of how Jacob obeyed their parents by searching
for a God-fearing wife. After he admitted to himself that his idol-worshipping
wives did not please his parents, Esau went to his uncle
Ishmael and married his daughter Mahalath.
Staircase to Heaven
During his journey, Jacob came to a certain place and stayed the night
there. Not having a soft pillow to sleep on, he used a large flat stone.
Though it was hard, it was still comfortable. Jacob fell fast asleep and
began to have a strange dream.
He dreamt that a great ladder or staircase extended from the earth,
all the way up into heaven. He saw angels climbing up and down the
staircase.
Standing above it, God said to Jacob, “I am the Ever-living God of
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Abraham and your father Isaac. The land
on which you now rest I will give to you
and your descendants. Counting the number
of your offspring shall be like counting
the dust of the earth. And you shall
spread in all directions. Through your
descendants, all families of the earth
shall be blessed.”
God had just enlarged the size of
the Promised Land to include the
whole earth!
In the dream, He promised to
protect and guide Jacob no matter
where he traveled, and to eventually
bring him back home safely.
When he woke up, Jacob feared God. “The Eternal is in this awesome
place, and I was not aware of it,” he said. “This place is the house
of God and the gate of heaven!” (Genesis 28:10-17).
Early the next morning, he took the stone he had used as a pillow
and set it up as a pillar. Then he poured oil on it and called the place
Bethel, which means “House of God” (verses 18-19).
Afterward, Jacob vowed that if God kept His promise to protect
him and provide for his needs and someday bring him back home,
“then the Eternal shall be my God. And all that He gives me I will tithe
to Him” (verses 20-22).
Rachel and the Well
Jacob continued his journey to Haran and eventually came to the land
of Mesopotamia. When he came to a well in a field, he noticed that
three flocks of sheep were lying near it, waiting to be given water. A
large stone covered the mouth of the well, preventing the sheep from
getting their drink.
Jacob asked the herdsmen of the flock where they came from.
“We are from Haran,” they answered.
Jacob felt relief. He now knew that his long journey was nearly finished
and that Haran was nearby.
He asked the men, “Do you happen to know Laban, son of Nahor?”
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“Why yes, we know him.”
“Is he alive and well?” Jacob asked them this because he had never
met his uncle Laban and it had been many years since Rebekah had
seen him.
They said, “Yes, he is well.”
Then one of the herdsmen pointed across the field to a young
woman who was leading her sheep. “As a matter of fact,” he said,
“Laban’s daughter Rachel is coming to the well with his sheep.”
Even from a distance, Jacob could see that Rachel was quite beautiful
(Genesis 29:1-6). He wanted to speak to her alone, so he tried to
convince the herdsmen to hurry up and remove the stone from the well
and water their flocks. The herdsmen refused (verses 7-8).
Meanwhile, Rachel came to the well with her flock. Realizing that
she was family to him, and taken in by her natural beauty, Jacob rolled
the stone away and watered her sheep. Then, overcome with joy, he
gently greeted Rachel with a kiss and told her who he was.
“I am Jacob, son of Rebekah, your father’s sister.”
Rachel was so happy and excited that a family member had come
such a long distance to visit her, she ran home to tell her father (verses
9-12).
“Father, father!” she shouted. “Your sister’s son is here!”
Laban could barely believe his ears at the good news. So many
years had passed since he had seen his sister—and now her son was
here!
“Where is he? Bring my nephew inside so I can greet him!”
Rachel was speechless. She suddenly realized that, in her excitement,
she had left Jacob standing at the well.
When she explained this to her father, Laban ran out to meet Jacob.
He gave his nephew a giant bear hug and a kiss, and then brought him
to his home.
Laban told Jacob, “We are family. Stay with us. My home is your
home.”
Jacob Hears Wedding Bells
Jacob stayed with Laban, his sons, and his daughters (Rachel and
Leah), helping them take care of their flocks and other livestock. By
the time one month had passed, Laban realized that Jacob was faithful,
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hardworking and attentive to his sheep. In fact, Jacob was becoming a
more valuable worker than Laban’s entire household of servants.
Not wanting his nephew to leave him, Laban said to Jacob, “You
are family to me. I can’t allow you to serve me for nothing. Name your
wages. How much should I pay you?”
But Jacob did not want money. He wanted something that was far
more precious to him: “I will work hard for you seven years. In return,
you will give me your daughter Rachel to be my wife.”
Hearing this, Laban was pleased. Not only would he have a diligent
servant, but a son-in-law, too. He quickly agreed to Jacob’s price (verses
15-20).
During the next seven years, Jacob worked hard for Laban. As he
watered, fed and protected his uncle’s sheep, the flocks grew quite
large. This is because, just as it is today, when a man fears and obeys
God, his hard work brings success. God was blessing Jacob’s diligent
labor, and Laban was receiving benefits from it.
Laban should have followed his nephew’s example and put God
first in his life. But instead, he worshipped idols.
Fearing that he would lose Jacob when the seven years were finished,
Laban came up with a plan to keep his nephew working for him
even longer.
Because Jacob was deeply in love with Rachel, the seven years
seemed like only a few days to him. But when the time had come,
Jacob demanded that he be allowed to marry her right away.
So Laban and his household of family and servants made a great
wedding feast, which lasted a full week. During the wedding ceremony,
the bride’s face was covered with a long, expensive veil. It was not
until after they were married that Jacob saw the face behind the veil.
It was Leah!
Jacob was shocked—then angry. He rushed to Laban, his new
father-in-law, and demanded that he explain himself.
“Why did you deceive me? I served you seven years for Rachel, not
for Leah! Why have you held Rachel from me?” (verses 21-25).
Laban knew that Jacob would be angry, so he already had a crafty
answer to give him.
“It is the custom of our land that the firstborn gets married first—
and Leah is my firstborn daughter. I’m sorry, my son, but I’m bound
by tradition.”
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“Why didn’t you explain this to me before the wedding?” said
Jacob.
Laban did not bother to answer. Pretending to feel pity for Jacob’s
situation, he said, “How about this—keep Leah for your wife and I will
also give you Rachel as your second wife.”
“Really?” Jacob said, surprised.
“By all means, my son…Of course, I cannot give Rachel away for
free. All that I ask is that you serve me another seven years. But don’t
worry about having to wait seven more years to marry her. You can
marry Rachel right now and work off the years that you owe me later.
All I ask is that you wait a week and spend some time with Leah”
(verses 26-27).
Just as Jacob had deceived Esau and Isaac, Laban had deceived
him. God was teaching Jacob a bitter lesson: Lying never pays. Like
many people today, God knew that Jacob had to learn this through
hard, painful experience.
Jacob gave in to Laban’s scheme, and married Rachel the following
week. Jacob may have had to work another seven years, adding to his
uncle’s wealth, but he was happy to finally be married to the woman
he loved (verses 28-30).
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CHAPTER FIFTEEN
THE DECEIVER IS DECEIVED
Jacob’s 14 years of serving Laban had ended. Yet he had very few
possessions to show for it. His hard work had gone toward increasing
his father-in-law’s riches, not his own.
He went to Laban and said that he wanted to take his family back
to Canaan (Genesis 30:25-26).
Laban was afraid of losing such a profitable worker. He knew that
his increase in wealth was due to having a God-fearing man manage
his affairs. Quickly, he said to Jacob, “What can I do to make you want
to stay? Name your own wages and I’ll pay it.”
“No need to pay me anything. Just allow me to pick from your flock
all the speckled and spotted sheep and goats, as well as all the brown
lambs. They will be my wages” (verses 27-32).
Laban quickly agreed. The next day, Jacob found out why.
Laban had his sons and herdsmen take most of the speckled, spotted
and brown animals Jacob had wanted. Then they took them to a
place that was three days away (verses 34-36). Now, instead of leaving
for Canaan with a good-sized flock, Jacob would have to wait for
the animals to be born.
During the next six years that Jacob tended to Laban’s sheep, a
mysterious thing happened: Jacob’s flocks increased while Laban’s
flocks became smaller. God was with Jacob and made him prosper.
Jacob also increased in camels, donkeys and servants (verse 43).
Laban was not pleased. He knew that Jacob would soon leave him.
Jacob Flees
One day, Jacob overheard Laban’s son complain that Jacob had taken
away their father’s wealth. Hearing this, Jacob thought about how
Laban no longer acted friendly toward him. He realized that Laban and
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his sons would grow to be angrier at him if he did not soon leave.
“But if Laban sees me leave, he might use his men to force us to
stay. I’ll be in trouble if I stay and I’ll be in trouble if I try to leave.”
Then God spoke to Jacob: “Return to Canaan and bring your family
with you. I will protect and guide you” (Genesis 31:1-3).
With that, Jacob set into motion a plan of escape. He waited until
Laban and his men were several miles away shearing his sheep. Then
Jacob, his wives, children and servants fled on camels. They took all
their livestock and possessions with them.
Jacob also made sure to tell everyone in his caravan not to take anything
that belonged to Laban. He did not want to give his father-in-law
any excuse to come after them (verses 17-18, 20).
Laban Rides in Hot Pursuit
Three days passed before Laban heard the news that Jacob had left
him. Angry, he ordered his sons and servants to saddle their camels,
and they raced into the wilderness in hot pursuit.
After seven days of long, hard riding through rugged countryside,
they came within sight of Jacob’s campsite, which was in the mountains
of Gilead. Laban decided that his men, who were tired and weak,
should get a good night’s rest before swooping down on Jacob’s camp.
“He has too many possessions and women and children to be able
to run away from us,” he told them.
That night, God spoke to Laban in a dream. In it, He warned him
not to harm Jacob—else the Eternal would deal with him. Though
Laban did not worship God, the dream made him fear God—at least
for a little while (Genesis 31:22-25).
The next morning, Laban and his men entered Jacob’s camp.
“Why did you sneak away like a thief in the night?” he said to
Jacob. “And why did you steal away my daughters like captives taken
in war? If you had only told me that you were leaving, I would have
sent you off with a great feast. Because of you, I didn’t even get a
chance to kiss my daughters and grandchildren goodbye. Why have
you treated me so harshly when I have treated you like a son?”
Trying not to let his fear show, Jacob said, “I left without telling
you because I was afraid you would try to take your daughters away
from me.”
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“Why would you think such a thing? I have the power to harm you,
but the God of your father warned me not to.”
“It would be wise to obey God’s warning,” said Jacob.
Laban said, “I agree. But tell me, if it was so urgent for you to journey
back to Canaan, why did you feel the need to take my gods with
you?” He was talking about his household idols, or carved images.
Jacob’s fear turned to boiling anger. “I do not steal idols!”
Laban took a step back. He realized he had said too much.
Jacob said, “If you think that I have your so-called ‘gods,’ then
search my possessions. In fact, search the tents of everyone in my caravan—
and make it quick!”
Laban searched Jacob’s tent, then Leah’s, and then the tents of
Bilah and Zilpah. He did not find his idols.
Then he entered Rachel’s tent. As he searched, he noticed that
Rachel was sitting on a saddlebag. He wanted to search through them,
but she said, “Excuse me for not getting up, father. I am feeling weak
and sickly right now.”
Her father decided to leave the saddlebags be (verses 26-35).
When he left the tent, Rachel let out a soft sigh. Laban’s household
idols were hidden in her saddlebags! Jacob did not know she had
stolen them (verses 19, 32).
Jacob’s face was burning red from anger. “Well, where are these socalled
‘gods’ you claim I have stolen from you?”
Laban was speechless.
Jacob said, “I have worked for you for 20 long years. And my hard
work has fattened your tents with riches. Yet you have deceived me
over and over again, and have changed my wages ten times! Why have
you treated me so unfairly?”
Embarrassed, Laban knew that he was right. He could feel the
stares of his sons and servants as they considered Jacob’s words.
Wanting to appear to be a fair man, Laban asked to make a
covenant, or agreement, of peace with Jacob.
Jacob agreed. He set up a stone as a pillar. The other men piled
some other stones to be used as a monument, or reminder, of their
covenant. Then they sat down and feasted together (verses 43-48).
Early the next morning, Laban kissed his daughters and grandchildren
goodbye, and headed back to Haran (verse 55).
Jacob was finally free.
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CHAPTER SIXTEEN
JOURNEY TO CANAAN
Day by day, Jacob and his caravan were getting closer to Canaan.
But first they had to travel through the land of Seir and the countryside
of Edom. Jacob worried that this could mean trouble for them.
He explained to his men, “To get to Canaan, we must first cross my
brother Esau’s territory. And Esau is the reason why I had left Canaan
in the first place.”
He sent some messengers to find his brother and tell him that Jacob
was about to enter his land with many possessions.
“And tell Esau that I hope to find favor in his sight” (Genesis 32:3-
5). He wanted to know whether or not his brother still wanted to take
his life.
The messengers soon returned to Jacob with alarming news: “We
found your brother and gave him your message. Now he is riding out
to meet you with 400 men!”
Jacob began to worry. “Esau doesn’t need 400 men with him just to
greet me.”
So he divided his caravan into two groups. He reasoned that if one
of the groups were attacked, the other could escape (verses 6-8).
Then, wisely, Jacob prayed to God for protection. He told his
Creator that he knew he did not deserve His great mercy and protection.
He also reminded God of His promise to bring him safely back
home to Canaan, and to bless and increase his descendants (verses 9-
12).
That night, Jacob took 550 of his best livestock and told his servants
to take them ahead of him. “When you see my brother, tell him
that these animals are my gift to him. Also say that I am riding in
behind them.”
Jacob thought that this would smooth any bad feelings Esau may
still have had toward him (verses 13-20).
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Jacob Wrestles
With God
Jacob ordered the two
groups of his caravan
to move on ahead of
him. That night, he
camped alone so that
he could pray to God.
He knew that the only
way he could have
success in meeting
with Esau was if God
stepped in (Genesis
32:21).
Then a strange
thing happened. A
mysterious man suddenly
appeared and
grabbed Jacob. The
two men wrestled
each other throughout
the long night. When
the sun started coming
up, the attacker
wanted Jacob to let go
of him. Jacob refused.
He knew that the
“man” was really the
Messenger of the
Eternal, also known
as the Word.
The Messenger of
the Eternal touched Jacob’s hip, causing him to feel great pain. Still,
Jacob would not let Him go. He knew that God was testing his character.
When he was younger, Jacob had followed the ways of lies and
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Jacob wrestles with
a mysterious “man.”
deceiving people. But during the last 20 years, he had slowly learned to
reject his carnal nature and put his trust in God. He finally understood
that the Eternal would solve his problems.
When God sets up His kingdom on the earth, all people will learn to
put their trust in Him.
The Messenger of the Eternal said, “Let Me go. The morning sun is
coming up.” But Jacob still refused.
The Messenger of the Eternal had the power to easily break free
from his grip—like an elephant breaking free from an ant! He wanted to
give Jacob a chance to prove himself. He also wanted to teach him that
following God and rejecting carnal nature and Satan’s attitudes is not
easy. It is long, hard work that takes a lifetime to master.
Jacob said to Him, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!”
So the Messenger of the Eternal blessed Jacob, changing his name to
Israel, which means “he struggles with God” and “prince with God.”
After the wrestling match ended, Jacob called the place Peniel,
which means “Face of God.” He knew that he had just wrestled with
God face-to-face.
Then, still feeling pain in his hip, Jacob limped away (verses 24-31).
The Brothers Meet
Jacob returned to the caravan group that had his wives and children.
Suddenly, he saw dust clouds appear across the horizon.
Riders were coming!
Jacob divided his wives and children into groups. He put the handmaids
and their sons up front. Then Leah and her children in the middle.
Then Rachel and Joseph went last.
“If any trouble happens, Rachel and Joseph will see the least of it,”
he reasoned. He loved Rachel more than any woman on the face of the
earth.
Then Jacob left his family and went out to meet the approaching riders.
He knew that it was Esau and his 400 men (Genesis 33:1-3). As he
neared them, Jacob bowed to the ground several times. He wanted Esau
to know that he was coming as a servant and a friend, not as a deceiver.
Esau said nothing. He climbed down from his camel and ran over to
Jacob…and hugged and kissed him! Together again, the two brothers
wept (verse 4). God had answered Jacob’s prayers for success.
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Esau pointed to the women and children behind him. “Who are these
with you?”
“My wives and children. I will call them to you.”
The women and children walked toward Esau and bowed before
him. Esau was very impressed by their respect for him (verses 5-7).
He then asked Jacob about the 550 pieces of livestock he had passed
on his way to see him.
Jacob explained, “They are my gift to you.”
Esau thanked him but said that he already had enough possessions.
Jacob urged him to take the livestock. Finally, Esau gave in and accepted
the gift.
Esau wanted to escort his brother to his home in Seir, but Jacob said,
“Your men ride faster than my family and livestock. Go on ahead, and
my caravan will follow at a slower pace” (verses 8-14).
Entering Canaan
After they had said their goodbyes and parted peacefully, Jacob headed
north toward Succoth. There he built himself a house and made booths,
or shelters, for his livestock.
Then he traveled to Shechem, a city in Canaan, and bought some
land. He also built an altar. He called it El Elohe Israel—“God, the God
of Israel” (Genesis 33:16-20).
Jacob’s children were becoming young adults now. Unfortunately,
most of them got involved in worldly pursuits when they should have
kept their minds on the things of God.
For example, Dinah, Jacob’s daughter, got mixed up with the wrong
crowd—idol-worshippers who followed pagan traditions. This led to
Dinah getting into some terrible trouble. Enraged, her brothers Simeon
and Levi did some horrible things to avenge their sister.
When one puts up with sin, it always leads to more sin, as well as
heartache, pain—and even death!
Rachel Dies
Obeying God, Jacob and his caravan went to Bethel. There he built
an altar to God, and the Eternal renewed His covenant with Jacob
(Genesis 35:1-5).
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Leaving Bethel, they headed for Ephrath. But Rachel died while
giving birth to another son. He was named Benjamin.
Rachel was buried in what is today called Bethlehem (verses 16-
19). It would be the same place where Jesus Christ would be born
almost 2,000 years later (Matthew 2:6).
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CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
JOSEPH, THE FAVORITE SON
Finally back in Canaan after being away for so many years, Jacob
reunited with his father. Isaac was now very old and gray, and living
in Mamre, where Abraham and Sarah used to live.
Some time later, Isaac died. He had lived a long, successful life—
180 years’ worth. Jacob and his brother Esau then buried Isaac
(Genesis 35:27-29).
Joseph Dreams
Jacob moved his caravan to the valley of Hebron and lived there for
quite some time. Because he was growing old and weak, he relied on
his grown-up sons to tend to his large numbers of sheep and other livestock.
One day his younger son Joseph, who was 17 at the time, helped his
brothers Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher feed the flock. The older brothers
got into some mischief, and Joseph told Jacob (Genesis 37:2).
The four brothers came to dislike Joseph. “Who does he think he
is—our judge?”
Jacob’s affection toward Joseph made matters worse. Following the
same mistake Isaac and Rebekah had made, Jacob showed favor to
Joseph. He did not show the same amount of care and concern for his
other sons. This caused all of the older brothers to hate Joseph.
Unaware of their growing hatred, Jacob made an expensive coat of
many colors and gave it to Joseph. In other families of that time, the
father only would have done such a thing for the firstborn son. So
when Joseph’s brothers saw his new gift, they knew that it was a sign
of how much more their father loved him.
They hated Joseph even more. Whenever they would speak to him,
their words were always harsh (verses 3-4).
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Some time later, Joseph started having some strange dreams. They
seemed to show that he would grow up to be an important person. He
would even rule over his father and brothers.
Unfortunately, Joseph was not wise enough to keep the dreams to
himself. He told them to his brothers, which inspired them to plot
against him (verses 5-11).
Into the Pit
One day, Jacob sent Joseph off to Shechem to bring back a report on
his brothers. They were supposed to be feeding the flocks there.
When Joseph arrived at Shechem, he quickly saw that his brothers
and the flocks were gone. He asked a man if he had seen them.
The man said, “They left some time ago. I overheard them say that
they were going to Dothan.” Dothan was about 15 miles north of
Shechem. So Joseph journeyed there and saw his brothers and the
flocks in the distance (Genesis 37:12-17).
His brothers were not happy to see him approaching. While Joseph
was still off in the distance, they plotted to get rid of him.
Led by the same carnal attitude that led Cain to slay Abel, they said,
“Look, here comes the mighty dreamer. What if we took his life and
threw his body into this pit over here? I wonder if he ever dreamed that
we would do that to him.”
“Why not take his life?” one brother said. “We can say that some
wild beast killed him—no one will know the truth but us.”
Foolishly, they did not consider that God was listening to their
wicked plan.
Reuben, the oldest of them, defended Joseph. He said, “Let’s not
kill him.”
“Why?”
He pointed to the pit and said, “Let’s throw him down in there and
pretend to leave him there. It will teach Joseph not to act as though he
will rule over us some day.”
Reuben said this because he did not want Joseph to die. He knew
that their father loved him deeply. Having shamed his father some
years earlier, Reuben did not want Jacob to feel any more heartache
(verses 18-22).
When Joseph came to them, his brothers surrounded him and
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stripped off his coat of many colors. “You won’t be needing this anymore!”
they said
Then they threw him down into the deep pit (verses 23-24).
Sold Into Slavery
Deep from within the pit, Joseph tried to jump and climb its walls. He
was desperate to escape.
One of his brothers said, “Tell us, little brother, did your dreams tell
you about your new home?”
They laughed and teased some more, especially when Joseph
screamed, “Let me out! Let me out of here right now!”
“Or what? You’ll dream us to death?”
The brothers laughed and walked away from the pit. When they sat
down for a meal, one brother said, “What about Joseph? Should we
feed him or give him some water?”
“For what?” said another. “Let him feast on his dreams.”
When Reuben went off to run an errand, the other brothers thought
again about killing Joseph. Guided by his carnal nature, Judah stood up
and pointed to a company of Midianites, who were coming near them.
They were known for selling many things on their constant travels—
spices, oils and other goods. And sometimes they sold slaves.
Judah said, “Why kill our brother and have his blood on our hands?
Where is the profit in that? Let’s sell him to the Midianites instead.
They pay well for slaves.”
“Yes, that’s it!” a brother said. “These slave traders never stay in
one place for too long. If we sell Joseph to them, they’ll take him far
away. Our brother will never meddle in our affairs again.”
Joseph looks back to his
brothers as he is led away
into slavery.
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So they all agreed.
When Joseph was pulled from the pit, he thought that his troubles
were over. But they were only just beginning.
His brothers waved the Midianites over to them and sold Joseph to
them for twenty shekels (about eight ounces) of silver.
Shocked, Joseph could scarcely believe that his brothers had
betrayed him, as his new masters led him away (Genesis 37:25-28).
Jacob Grieves
When Reuben finally returned and saw that Joseph was no longer in
the pit, he began to panic. “What have you done with Joseph?”
“Don’t worry, Reuben. The dreamer is still alive…though not
well,” they laughed and grinned.
Then they explained what they had done with Joseph.
Reuben’s heart pounded faster and faster. He said, “What are we
going to tell father? He’ll be heartbroken.”
The other brothers were no longer smiling. They knew that they had
to come up with a plan in order to cover the truth of their betrayal.
So they took Joseph’s coat of many colors, killed a small goat, and
smeared its blood on the coat. Then they ripped the coat in several
places.
When they got home, they brought the coat to Jacob and said, “We
have some bad news. Joseph is missing. When we went looking for
him, we found this. Is this the coat you gave him, father?”
Jacob stared at it and softly said, “Yes, it is.” The brothers led him
to believe that a wild animal had killed Joseph and taken his body
away, leaving only his coat.
As was the custom in ancient times, Jacob tore his clothes and wore
sackcloth, which was coarse and uncomfortable. This was a sign to all
of his deep mourning. Though his family tried their best to comfort
him, Jacob mourned and wept for many days (Genesis 37:29-35).
A Slave in Egypt
The Midianite traders brought Joseph all the way down into Egypt and
sold him to Potiphar. He was an Egyptian officer and captain of the
guard.
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Just as He had done with Jacob, God protected and guided Joseph,
making him successful in everything that he did. Potiphar noticed this.
He understood that his new servant was different from his other slaves.
Over time, when Joseph proved his worth through his hard work and
giving attitude, Potiphar gave him higher duties.
He said to Joseph, “From now on, you will be in charge of my
entire household. All of the business affairs that are in my house are
now under your control. No one will be over you, except for me.”
Joseph was stunned. Though he was still a slave, he gained more
responsibility than did almost all men who were free. He worked even
harder for his master, making sure that everything in his household ran
smoothly. All the other servants obeyed Joseph’s every command.
It did not take long for Potiphar to learn that he had made the right
choice. Joseph prospered at everything he did. He proved to Potiphar
that he could be trusted with anything. In time, Potiphar only concerned
himself with eating; he let Joseph take care of the bigger affairs
of the household (Genesis 39:1-6).
Cast Into Prison
Joseph had grown to become a handsome young man. And Potiphar’s
wife began to take notice. Her carnal nature led her to desire Joseph in
the same way she desired her husband. This was wrong. When God
made Adam and Eve, He intended that husbands and wives desire and
only be intimate with each other—and no one else.
Whenever her husband was away from home, Potiphar’s wife
would try to be intimate with Joseph, but he always refused. Joseph
feared and obeyed God.
One day, when Potiphar’s wife caught Joseph by his cloak and tried
to tempt him, he shouted, “No!” As he ran from her, she held on to his
cloak and it pulled away from him.
The wife was tired of Joseph turning her down. So she took the
cloak and told others in the household that Joseph had tried to mistreat
her.
“And when I started to scream, he ran away and left his cloak!” she
lied.
As soon as her husband came home, the wife told him her lie, sobbing
and weeping.
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Potiphar was angry. He even thought about putting Joseph to death!
But God put it into his mind to send Joseph to prison (Genesis 39:6-
20).
Prison Dreams
God was still with Joseph. Even in prison, the Eternal caused him to
prosper and succeed in everything he did. The keeper of the prison saw
that Joseph was not an ordinary prisoner. Since Joseph was trustworthy
and very capable in his duties, the keeper of the prison made him
second in command of the entire prison. He did not have to worry
about anything that was under Joseph’s power. The keeper of the
prison knew that Joseph would take care of it.
And God prospered Joseph even more (Genesis 39:21-23).
One day, the prison received two new prisoners—the chief butler
and chief baker for Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh had been
angry with them because he had heard of a plot to poison his food and
drink. The chief baker was in charge of Pharaoh’s food. The chief butler
was in charge of serving Pharaoh his drinks. The duties of both officers
demanded that the men be trustworthy. But Pharaoh, not knowing
which one he could trust, threw both men into prison.
One day, Joseph asked them why they seemed to be sadder than
usual.
“Last night, we each had a strange dream. We want to know their
meanings, but there is no one here who can tell us.”
Just as today, many people think that their dreams have hidden messages
in them. But most dreams do not.
Wanting to comfort them, Joseph said, “Tell me your dreams. If
they do have hidden messages in them, I won’t be able to tell you what
they are—but my God can.”
The butler and baker agreed (Genesis 40:1-8).
The butler said to Joseph, “In my dream, I stood before a vine with
three branches. Each branch budded and blossomed and produced
clusters of ripe grapes. I then took the grapes and pressed them into
Pharaoh’s cup until it was filled with fresh wine. Then I placed the cup
into Pharaoh’s hand.”
Joseph thought about the butler’s dream until God revealed its real
meaning.
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Joseph said, “The three branches are three days. In three days,
Pharaoh will release you from prison and place you back in his palace
as his butler.”
The butler smiled at the news.
Joseph then said, “When you are released, do not forget me. Tell my
cause to Pharaoh. I am from the land of the Hebrews. I don’t belong
here. I’ve done nothing to deserve being in prison.”
The butler promised Joseph that he would not forget him.
Encouraged, the baker told Joseph what he had dreamed about: “In
my dream, there were three baskets of bread on my head. In the top
baskets were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds kept
eating them. Tell me, Joseph, what does this dream mean?”
Joseph thought about the baker’s dream. When God revealed its
true meaning, he felt sorry for the man.
He said, “The three baskets are also three days. Within three days,
Pharaoh will release you from prison…”
“Yes, yes, go on,” said the baker.
“You will be released from prison and Pharaoh will hang you on a
tree. Birds will come to eat the flesh off your body.”
Three days later, Pharaoh celebrated his birthday (a pagan custom
that God hates) by having a great feast for all his servants. Then, as
was his custom, he decided to release some prisoners. The chief butler
was let out of prison and returned to his duties. But the chief baker was
let out of prison only to be hanged.
Because everything had happened according to what he had said,
Joseph thought the chief butler would speak to Pharaoh for him. He
thought he would soon be released from prison and on his way home.
That was not to be. The chief butler forgot about Joseph (verses 9-
23).
Revealing Pharaoh’s Dreams
Two years later, Pharaoh had two strange dreams. They disturbed him
so much that he wanted to know what they meant. So he ordered his
court magicians and seers to tell him. But they could not reveal their
true meaning. Since the dreams came from God, only He could reveal
what they meant.
The chief butler remembered Joseph and told Pharaoh about him.
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“He revealed what would happen to me and the baker. Here I am, alive
and well; the baker was hanged.”
Pharaoh called for his guards and told them to bring Joseph out
from prison.
Before bringing him into the king’s royal presence, the guards
made Joseph shave his beard and put on clean and expensive clothing.
Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had two strange dreams. None of
my magicians or seers can tell me what they mean. Can you?”
“No,” said Joseph. “I do not have such power. But the Eternal God
of the universe can. In the past, He has used me to speak for Him.”
Impressed with his answer, Pharaoh told Joseph what he had
dreamed: “In my dream, I was standing on the bank of the Nile, when
seven cows suddenly came up out of the river. They were fat and wellfed.
They left the river and started eating in the meadow. Then seven
other cows came out of the Nile. These were sickly, ugly, and starving
for food. These cows ate up the seven fat cows. Yet after they had eaten
them, these cows still looked sickly and starved. Then I awoke. In my
second dream, I saw seven heads of grain grow fat on one stalk. Then
seven heads of thin, dried up grain suddenly sprang up and ate the fat
ones. Tell me, Joseph, what do my dreams mean?”
Joseph did not rely upon himself. He waited for God to give him
the answers.
Once He did, Joseph said, “The two dreams share the same meaning.
God wants you to know what He is about to do. The seven fat
cows and seven fat heads of grain are seven years of rich, fertile
growth. Your farms will produce more grains, vegetables and fruits
than you will know what to do with. But the seven thin cows and seven
thin heads of grain are seven years of severe famine. Farmlands
throughout Egypt, Canaan and other lands will almost dry up. Fresh
water will be hard to find. The seven bad years will be so horrible that
everyone will forget the fatness of the seven good years.”
Pharaoh was amazed at the deep understanding and wisdom behind
God’s answer. And he respected Joseph.
He asked him, “Tell me, what should I do?”
“Select a wise and discerning man and set him over Egypt. During
the seven good years, he will appoint officers to collect one-fifth—one
out of five—of the grain, vegetables and fruit that Egypt will produce.
That food will be stored away to be used during the seven bad years of
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the famine that will surely come. Do this, and Egypt will not perish.”
Pharaoh was very impressed by Joseph’s wisdom. And he also
knew who the right person to carry out Joseph’s plan would be.
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CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
THE BROTHERS REUNITE
Pharaoh stood up from his throne and approached Joseph. He said,
“I have found the man to be my second-in-command over Egypt.
He is you!”
He took off his signet ring and placed it onto Joseph’s finger, and
then had him clothed in expensive fine linen. He also placed a gold
chain around Joseph’s neck. All of these things were signs of Joseph’s
great office and power.
“From now on,” said Pharaoh, “you shall rule over my house. All
my people will be ruled by you and shall obey your every command.
In all Egypt, only I will be over you.”
Then Pharaoh had Joseph ride in a great chariot so that he could be
seen by all. Pharaoh’s men told the people to bow before Joseph.
As Pharaoh’s second-in-command, Joseph had the power to sign
important documents, and make decisions that would affect the entire
kingdom of Egypt.
Pharaoh gave Joseph an Egyptian name, as well as a beautiful
Egyptian wife—Asenath. She was the daughter of an important priest
in the land.
After 13 long years of being sold into slavery, then wrongly thrown
into prison, Joseph was finally free. He knew that God was with him
(Genesis 41:39-46).
Grains Stored Away
During the seven years of plenty, Joseph gathered one-fifth of the food
that had grown throughout Egypt and stored it in large storehouses in
all the cities. He gathered so much grain that his men could no longer
keep count of it (Genesis 41:47-49). The storehouses were almost
bulging with food.
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Meanwhile, Joseph’s wife gave him two sons—Manasseh and
Ephraim (verses 50-52).
When the seven years of plenty had ended, so began the seven years
of famine. People throughout all the lands barely had enough food to
survive; many others died.
Back in Egypt, now that farms were not producing as many crops as
before, the people cried out for Pharaoh to give them food. But Pharaoh
told them, “Go to Joseph and do whatever he commands you.”
As the famine spread throughout the world, Joseph opened the storehouses
and sold grain to the Egyptians. When peoples of other lands
heard about Egypt’s large food supplies, many traveled there to buy
grain.
This caused Egypt to become more powerful and famous (verses 53-
57). Pharaoh was pleased.
Joseph’s Brothers Go to Egypt
Back in Canaan, Jacob and his family were suffering from the famine.
Many of the sheep had died. The food supplies were low. Jacob knew
that if they didn’t find food soon, everything he owned would be gone.
So he told his sons to go to Egypt and bring back some food. “Buy
as much food as you can carry.”
Except for Benjamin, all of the sons headed for Egypt. Jacob did
not allow Benjamin to go because he was afraid of losing him, the way
he had lost Joseph.
When the brothers arrived at Egypt, they stood in a long line of
many other people. They, too, had come from distant lands to buy
grain (Genesis 42:1-5).
Now Joseph, who was governor of Egypt, personally oversaw the
selling of grain to the foreigners. When his brothers, who were next in
line, were brought before him and bowed, Joseph could hardly believe
his eyes. At first he wanted to rush over to them and greet them with a
kiss. It had been so long since he had seen another family member. But
then Joseph started to boil with anger for what his brothers had done
to him.
But he decided to trust God and not seek revenge. “Perhaps it’s time
my brothers learned a lesson,” he thought.
Because Joseph wore the clothing and jewelry of high Egyptian
114
authority, his brothers did not recognize him. They thought he was just
another Egyptian official.
Joseph decided to speak to his brothers through a servant who knew
the Hebrew language. He wanted his brothers to think that he only
spoke Egyptian.
Harshly, Joseph said, “Where do you come from?”
They said, “From the land of Canaan, lord.”
“Then you must be spies! You’ve come to search for our weakness,
haven’t you?”
The brothers trembled at Joseph’s words. They saw the eyes of the
Egyptian soldiers who stood on guard with weapons in their hands.
“No, my lord! We are your humble servants. We have only come to
buy grain, nothing more.”
Joseph said, “I don’t believe you.”
They said, “What can we do to convince you, my lord? We are just
twelve brothers sent by our aging father to bring back some grain.”
“There are only ten of you here. If you are 12, where are the other
two brothers?” Joseph asked.
They said, “The youngest is with our father, and the other brother
is no longer alive.”
“Liars! You are spies!” Then Joseph ordered his men to throw his
brothers into prison.
Three days later, Joseph visited them. “You can have your grain,”
he said, “but one of you must stay here in prison while the rest of you
go back to Canaan and bring me your youngest brother. Only then will
I set your other brother free.”
The brothers talked among themselves. “This trouble is happening
to us because of what we did to Joseph.”
Reuben said, “I told you not to harm him, but none of you would
listen. Now we’re going to have to pay for his blood.”
Unknown to them, Joseph understood what they said. Overcome
with emotion, he turned his back to them and cried. Though they had
greatly wronged him, Joseph still loved his brothers (verses 6-24).
Brothers Return to Canaan
Joseph released his brothers, but kept Simeon in prison. Then he
ordered that his brothers’ sacks be filled with grain and given extra
115
supplies for the journey home. He also arranged to have their money
hidden in the grain sacks.
On the way home, one of the brothers opened a sack and found
money hidden in it. He told the others, “The money I used to buy grain
is in this sack.”
All of them began to worry and fear. “This is the hand of God. He
wants to get us in trouble with that Egyptian governor for what we did
to Joseph” (Genesis 42:25-28).
One brother said, “Maybe that Egyptian governor is trying to make
it look as though we are spies and thieves!”
When they reached home, they told Jacob everything that had happened
in Egypt. Then they said, “Simeon will be stuck in prison if we
don’t bring Benjamin back to Egypt with us.”
As Jacob thought this over, the brothers opened all of the grain
sacks and found a surprise: each sack contained the money that was
used to buy the grain!
The brothers trembled in fear. They knew that they could not go
back to Egypt without being accused of stealing. The Egyptians could
throw them back into prison—or even take their lives!
Jacob said to them, “Joseph is gone, and so is Simeon. And now
you want to take Benjamin, my youngest son, into Egypt so that I can
lose him, too?”
Reuben still wanted to go to Egypt and rescue Simeon. He stepped
forward and said, “You may take the lives of my two sons if I fail to
bring Benjamin back to you. And I will bring him back to you.”
But Jacob refused (verses 29-38).
Return to Egypt
Time passed, and Jacob and his family had used up the grain they had
bought. To make matters worse, the land was still suffering from
famine. People were still dying from lack of food. Jacob knew that his
family had no other choice but to go back to Egypt and buy more grain.
When he told his sons this, Judah said, “But we can’t go back to
Egypt unless Benjamin is with us. That Egyptian governor will be
there—he will expect us to bring Benjamin.”
But Jacob still refused.
Judah said, “Send the boy with me. I will be responsible for him. If
116
I fail to bring him back, you can set the blame on me forever.”
Reluctantly, Jacob gave in.
Then he told the brothers to take with them gifts of fruit, nuts,
honey, spices and oils, as well as twice the amount of money that they
had found in their grain sacks earlier. “Perhaps these will smooth any
harsh feelings the Egyptian governor may have toward you,” he said
(Genesis 43:1-13).
So the brothers took the gifts, their brother Benjamin, the money
and their donkeys, and headed for Egypt. When they arrived, they
lined up with the other foreigners in order to buy grain.
Upon seeing that his brothers had returned with Benjamin, Joseph
was happy and pleased. But he kept them from seeing his true feelings.
Joseph ordered his chief servant to take the brothers to his home
and prepare a great feast for them.
When the brothers arrived at Joseph’s home, they were afraid.
“He’s trying to make us feel comfortable so that he can wrongly arrest
us for stealing the money. Then he’ll make slaves out of us.”
Driven by fear, they tried to explain to Joseph’s chief servant about
the money. “We don’t know how it got into our grain sacks, but we
brought it with us. Plus we brought extra money with us.”
The chief servant said, “Do not worry. Your God and the God of
your father put the money in your sacks. I have the money you bought
the grains with the first time you came to our land.”
Then the chief servant brought out their brother Simeon to them.
The brothers were happy and excited to see him. “How have they
treated you? Did you get enough food to eat? Did they beat you?”
Before Simeon could answer, the chief servant led them into the
main dining hall of Joseph’s home. He had them sit down, gave them
water, and then washed their feet. He also had their donkeys fed.
When Joseph came home, he greeted the men. In turn, they bowed
down before him and trembled, and then gave him the gifts. When he
asked them about their father, the brothers answered that Jacob was
alive, though growing old and gray.
Joseph turned his back to them and smiled. He knew that he would
be reunited with his father very soon.
When Joseph turned to face his brothers again, he saw young
Benjamin with them.
“Is this the younger brother you spoke to me about?” he asked
117
them.
They said that he was.
Joseph was filled with so many emotions that he had to leave the
room. He went into his chambers and thanked God for protecting his
family all these years, especially Benjamin. He also thanked God for
this opportunity to be reunited with them.
Then he washed his face, and came back into the dining hall. They
all sat down to eat. Joseph sat before a large setting that was separate
from his brothers. This was because it was a custom for Egyptians not
to eat with Hebrew people. Joseph did not yet want his brothers to
know who he really was. He was not done teaching them their lesson.
As the brothers ate and drank before Joseph, they noticed that
Benjamin was served five times as much food. “What does this
mean?” they whispered (verses 15-34).
Joseph’s Cup
Joseph had his chief servant fill his brothers’ sacks with food. “As
much as they can carry,” he said.
Joseph also told the servant to place each man’s money in the sack,
and to put his special silver cup in Benjamin’s sack.
Early the next morning, the brothers asked Joseph’s permission to
leave. “We must tend to our aging father. He will be sick with worry if
we delay any longer.”
So Joseph gave them his permission, and they left.
When they had left the city with their donkeys and sacks of grain,
all the brothers sighed with relief (Genesis 44:1-4).
“That was a close one! I thought we’d all end up in prison,” said
one brother.
“You still may be right,” said another. He pointed to dust clouds
that were off in the distance behind them. The dust clouds were getting
closer.
“Chariots!”
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CHAPTER NINETEEN
ISRAEL DWELLS IN EGYPT
When the brothers saw Egyptian chariots racing toward them, they
knew the end was near. Outnumbered and having nowhere to
run, the brothers prayed to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob more
than they ever had before.
The Egyptian chariots and soldiers surrounded the brothers and
drew out their weapons. Then Joseph’s chief servant stepped forward
and pointed his fingers at the brothers.
“Why have you repaid my master’s good treatment toward you
with evil?”
They asked, “What do you mean?”
“Do not act innocent. You have stolen my master’s special silver
cup!”
The brothers protested: “We don’t know what you’re talking about.
Didn’t we travel all the way from Canaan to return the money that was
in our bags? If we are thieves, then why would we bother to do such a
thing? And how could we ever think to steal silver or gold from the
governor’s house? Search our belongings and see whether or not we
have this silver cup.”
The chief servant said, “I intend to.”
“And if you find it among any of us, let that man die. The rest of us
will become the governor’s slaves.” The brothers were very sure of
themselves.
“No,” said the chief servant. “I will not take away the guilty man’s
life. I will only take away his freedom. The rest of you need not suffer
for the evildoing of the guilty one.”
The brothers agreed. Then each one, starting from the oldest to the
youngest, let down his sack and opened it. Each brother was amazed
to find the money they had used to buy grain.
“What? How did this get in here?” they asked. They did not know
119
that Joseph had his chief servant put the money into their sacks.
The brothers were embarrassed. But when Benjamin opened his
sack, their embarrassment turned into something else: horror!
Benjamin had dug his hand into the sack and pulled out Joseph’s silver
cup.
The older brothers moaned and tore their clothes. They knew that
Benjamin would be arrested and taken to prison. And their father Jacob
would never see him again (Genesis 44:4-13).
Joseph Reveals Himself
The chief servants and soldiers took the brothers back to Joseph’s
home. When they came before Joseph, they fell down to the ground.
Joseph said to the brothers, “How dare you bow before me as
though you respect me. Did you really think that you could steal my
special silver cup and get away with it? Don’t you know that I have the
power to see things through my magic arts?”
Of course, Joseph did not really practice magic. No servant of God
does. He only said this because the brothers knew that pagan Egyptians
practiced magic and other evil things. And Joseph still wanted his
brothers to think that he was an Egyptian.
One of the brothers—Judah—spoke up: “What can we say, my lord?
120
Benjamin is found to have
Joseph’s special silver cup.
How can we clear ourselves? We cannot explain how the money or cup
fell into our possession. The Eternal God knows that we are guilty of
past sins, so my brothers and I are ready to become your slaves.”
“Only the guilty man—the one who had my cup—should become
my slave,” Joseph said. “The rest of you are free to leave. Go home to
your father in peace.”
Judah had tears streaming down his cheeks. He said, “We cannot go
back home without Benjamin. Our father’s love and affection is bound
up in the boy. If we return without Benjamin, he will surely die from
heartache. He has already lost one son he deeply loved. Let me be your
slave in place of Benjamin. I would rather be a slave in Egypt than let
my father suffer again.”
When he heard Judah’s plea, Joseph could no longer contain himself.
He shouted to his servants, “Leave this room at once!”
And when he was alone in the room with his brothers, Joseph wept
aloud. Many outside the room could hear him cry.
Then Joseph turned to his brothers and said, “I am Joseph!”
His brothers were so shocked that they did not know what to say.
Joseph said, “Come near me,” and they did.
“I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into slavery.” Then he
told them what had happened to him during the long years he had been
in Egypt. He also told them that God had set him up to be lord of
Pharaoh’s house, and to be a ruler throughout all of Egypt.
“Now hurry and go to our father. Tell him that I’m alive and ruling
in Egypt. Tell him that he and our families can live in the land of
Goshen. Bring your children and your children’s children. Hurry now
and bring your flocks and herds and all of your livestock. There are
still five more years of famine left. Come now, lest you lose all your
possessions in the famine.”
Then Joseph hugged and kissed Benjamin and all his brothers.
Everyone wept (Genesis 44:14-34; 45:1-15).
Land of Goshen
When Pharaoh heard that Joseph had reunited with his brothers, he and
his servants were pleased. He said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers to go
to Canaan and bring back their father, their families and their possessions.
I will give them the best land in Egypt” (Genesis 45:16-20).
121
When the brothers came home and told their father the good news,
Jacob could hardly believe it.
“Joseph? He’s alive?”
“Alive and well, and governor of all of Egypt!” they said.
After they told him everything Joseph had said, Jacob said, “Let’s
go then. Joseph is alive and I want to see him before I die” (verses 25-
28).
So Jacob, his sons and everyone who lived with them traveled to
Egypt. Some time later, they came to the land of Goshen.
Riding in his chariot, Joseph raced to greet his father. When they
saw each other, Joseph ran to Jacob, hugged him tightly and greeted
him with a kiss. Both men wept.
The newly arrived families, with Pharaoh’s permission, made their
home in Goshen, which was perfect for raising their sheep and other
livestock. Goshen had plenty of fresh pastures for the animals to graze.
The Famine Grows Worse
The famine became worse throughout Egypt and Canaan, and people
were running out of money to pay for grain.
Joseph gathered all the money he had earned through selling grain
and brought it to Pharaoh. The Egyptian king was impressed with his
fortune.
When the people no longer had money to pay for grain, they panicked.
But Joseph said, “I will take your horses, flocks, cattle and donkeys
for payment instead.”
The people were happy to trade their livestock for grain. Joseph
was able to sell them food for another year.
But by the next year, everyone had sold all of their animals for
grain. People began to starve again.
Then Joseph said that he would give them grain if they sold their
land to Pharaoh. The people agreed.
Then Joseph gave them seed and told the people to plant crops for
themselves. “One-fifth shall go to Pharaoh. The rest will be yours. No
longer will you need to buy grain.”
The people thanked Joseph, saying, “You have saved our lives!”
And so Pharaoh grew rich in silver, gold, livestock and land, and
Egypt became a mighty and powerful nation (Genesis 47:13-25).
122
The Blessings of Israel
Jacob lived in Egypt for 17 years. He saw his children and possessions
greatly prosper and increase in the land of Goshen.
When he was 147 years old and near death, Jacob asked Joseph not
to bury him in Egypt. “Bury me with my fathers, Abraham and Isaac.
Promise me that you will.”
“I promise, father” (Genesis 49:27-31).
Some time later, when Jacob again felt sickly and near death, he
called for Joseph, who brought with him his two sons—Manasseh and
Ephraim.
Lying in his bed, Jacob told Joseph about the promise God had
made to him years ago in Luz, now called Bethel.
“God said that He would increase my descendants and make many
nations from them. He also said that He would give us the Promised
Land to possess forever.”
Jacob explained that he wanted Manasseh and Ephraim to be part
of God’s blessings, along with his other sons. So Jacob adopted the
two boys as his own sons. He now considered them his first and second
born sons, instead of Reuben and Simeon.
The boys kneeled before Jacob. He reached out to lay his hands on
their heads in order to bless them. Jacob put his right hand on Ephraim
and his left hand on Manasseh.
Since Jacob was going blind, Joseph thought that his father was
about to make a big mistake.
“Manasseh is the firstborn; he should be blessed with Jacob’s right
hand and receive the blessings of the firstborn,” he thought. So he
removed Jacob’s left hand from Manasseh’s head.
“The firstborn son should be blessed with your right hand,” Joseph
said.
Jacob said, “But not in this case. God has decided that the younger
one, Ephraim, should be blessed with my right hand. Don’t worry—
Manasseh will become a great nation, even the greatest nation the
world will ever see. But Ephraim will become a great commonwealth,
or group, of nations. His empire will stretch around the entire earth,
and the sun will not set on it.”
With his right hand on Ephraim and his left hand on Manasseh,
123
Jacob asked God to bless their descendants with great power and
increase their numbers. And he asked that they be called Israel
(Genesis 48:1-20).
Thousands of years later, the descendants of Ephraim and
Manasseh did become great and powerful nations. From Ephraim
sprang the British empire, including Britain, Canada, Australia, New
Zealand and other English-speaking nations. From Manasseh sprang
the most powerful single nation the world has ever seen—the United
States of America.
Today, most people do not know these historical facts, which God
has carefully hidden and only recently revealed.
The Death of Jacob
Before he died, Jacob told his sons—Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah,
Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Naphtali, Joseph and Benjamin—about
future events that would happen to their descendants. And then he
blessed them (Genesis 49:1-28).
After Jacob died, Joseph had Egyptian physicians preserve his
body. When the Egyptians had mourned for 70 days, Joseph and his
brothers, and all of Pharaoh’s servants, as well as the high officials of
Egypt, gathered to travel to Canaan. Egyptian soldiers and chariots
went with them.
When they arrived, Joseph buried his father in the same cave
Abraham and Isaac were buried in. Joseph had kept his promise
(Genesis 50:1-14).
When they all came back to Egypt, Joseph’s brothers were afraid
that Joseph might seek revenge on them. “Now that father is gone,
maybe Joseph will try to pay us back for selling him into slavery.”
Joseph told them that they had no need to worry. He did not want
revenge. Joseph knew that God had allowed him to become a slave
because it was a part of His Master Plan (verses 15-21). Sometimes
God allows even His most obedient servants to suffer, but He always
makes things work out well in the end.
Joseph lived in Egypt for many years. He died at age 110 years old,
and lived to see his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Before he died, he made his children vow to carry his body out of
Egypt and bury it in the Promised Land (verses 22-26).
124
The children and descendants of Jacob (Israel) stayed in Egypt and
grew in great numbers.
God waited for the day He would bring them out of Egypt.
125
The Restored Church of God
P.O. Box 23295
Wadsworth, OH 44282
USA
The Restored Church of God
P.O. Box 4064
St. Catharines, ON L2R 7S3
CANADA
Phone: (330) 334-2266
Fax: (330) 334-6513
www.TheRCG.org
e-mail: info@TheRCG.org
SB
071113
Copyright © 2002 The Restored Church of God
All Rights Reserved
Printed in the USA
THIS ARTICLE IS PROVIDED FREE HOW TO CONTACT US
OF CHARGE AND IN THE PUBLIC
INTEREST BY THE RESTORED
CHURCH OF GOD.
It is made possible by the voluntary,
freely given tithes and offerings of the
members of the Church and others
who have elected to support the work
of the Church. Contributions are welcomed
and gratefully accepted.
Those who wish to voluntarily aid and
support this WORK OF GOD around the
world are gladly welcomed as coworkers
in this major effort to preach
the gospel to all nations.
THE STORY
OF THE BIBLE
VOLUME TWO
2
Herbert W. Armstrong led the Worldwide Church of God (formerly The Radio
Church of God until 1968) until his death in 1986. Hundreds of millions heard
his voice and read his literature. God called him in the fall of 1926 and he was
converted in the spring of 1927. Over the course of Mr. Armstrong’s ministry,
God revealed through him a great many true biblical doctrines, which had
been lost to the Church through the centuries. After his death, his successors
ceased to believe and teach these doctrines. Although copyright law prohibits
the reproduction and distribution of literature produced while he led the
Worldwide Church of God, The Restored Church of God is committed to the
preservation and teaching of all of these truths!
THIS BOOK IS PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE AND IN THE PUBLIC
INTEREST BY THE RESTORED CHURCH OF GOD.
It is made possible by the voluntary, freely given tithes and offerings of the
members of the Church and others who have elected to support the work of the
Church. Contributions are welcomed and gratefully accepted. Those who wish
to voluntarily aid and support this WORK OF GOD around the world are gladly
welcomed as co-workers in this major effort to preach the gospel to all nations.
Copyright © 2002 by The Restored Church of God
All Rights Reserved.
Printed in the United States of America
3
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER TWENTY: THE LESSON OF JOB
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: A MAN CALLED MOSES
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: MOSES AND THE BURNING BUSH
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: CONFRONTING THE KING OF EGYPT
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: MIGHTY MIRACLES, AWESOME PLAGUES
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: PHARAOH’S STUBBORN HEART
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: THE FINAL PLAGUE STRIKES EGYPT
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: THE RUSH TO FREEDOM
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: ISRAEL TESTS GOD
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE: SNEAK ATTACK!
CHAPTER THIRTY: THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE: THE TABERNACLE OF GOD
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO: ISRAEL MAKES AN IDOL
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE: BUILDING GOD’S TABERNACLE
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR: BOOK OF THE LEVITES
TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE STORY OF THE BIBLE
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............................................ 18
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............... 33
....... 40
............................ 49
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VOLUME TWO
4
INTRODUCTION
by David C. Pack
This is the second volume of a special series. These books truly represent
“THE STORY OF THE BIBLE.” Many have attempted to write various kinds of
“Bible Story Books,” but they are usually written only for children, and are primarily
designed to entertain instead of educate or inspire. The reader will see
that the wonderful style and artwork of this series capture the spirit of God’s
Word, with its intended lessons and vital meaning.
Most children’s versions of the Bible terribly misrepresent important stories
that it contains—and they are written with wrong emphasis—and wrong meaning!
Instead of leading children to the true God, and to the true doctrines of His
Word, children are left with the impression that the Bible only contains a few
stories, and is mostly a book about war, violence, blood, thunder and death.
This is terribly wrong!
In keeping with the modern generation’s obsession with graphic violence,
most efforts to reflect the teachings of the Bible “play” to this interest. Youth
are given what they want to read, not what they need to understand. The many
stories of the Bible are intended to teach VITAL LESSONS to people of all ages.
Modern writers miss the mark when they cater to children, rather than properly
teach them what God intends.
If young people learn the Bible in a wrong way—with emphasis on the
wrong things, while ignoring the enormous number of lessons that the Bible
contains—at least two bad things result.
First, all these wrong concepts and approaches must be unlearned and
replaced by right knowledge and understanding of what the Bible really says.
Unlearning error is a most difficult thing to do, and is actually far harder than
learning the truth correctly the first time, leaving no need to sweep the mind
clean of what has been wrong or misunderstood.
Second, young people will later find the stories of the Bible have been trivialized
and made irrelevant, and they may find themselves turned off by its
message rather than being excited and thrilled about what they are learning.
The modern system of education is morally and spiritually bankrupt!
Deluded educators have been biased against God and His Word by the atheistic
teaching of evolution poured into them from childhood. They have taught
young people for decades that there are “no absolutes” and that they must follow
“situation ethics.” They have led the world into a kind of secular humanism—
where people are driven by how they feel rather than clear definitions of
right and wrong! But there is right and wrong in life—and those who are teaching
the children of this world have cut themselves off from this knowledge
(Isaiah 59:1-2). They cannot teach what they were never taught!
Also, this world’s churches keep young people steeped in traditional pagan
philosophies and teachings that have deceived the world for millennia. They
have ignored the great spiritual principle of CAUSE and EFFECT that governs
every aspect of life. They have neglected to teach true spiritual values. They
have defaulted their responsibility in all the critical areas of leadership—and
have utterly failed in their greatest responsibility, which should have been to
instill in young minds the marvelous truths of God’s Word—to teach youth how
to live, not just how to earn a living.
This is a tragic state of affairs!
Many who attempt to study the Bible become confused, frustrated and disillusioned,
believing that it is too difficult to understand. As a result, many who
would seek to teach their children true Christian standards and values, either
give up altogether or leave such education to the many theological “experts,”
who offer no end of differing—and conflicting—views.
Such an approach only serves to further confuse young people about the
Bible, thus, in many cases, alienating them from it. But those who truly seek to
understand God’s Word, without adding their own interpretation (II Peter 1:20),
will find that there is simplicity in it (II Corinthians 11:3).
Children need to be taught this simplicity! They need to know who and
what they are—and why they were born—that they are future sons of God in
the making!
You were born for a reason. Your life has a SUPREME PURPOSE! The Bible
reveals how to be in harmony with the true God—and His purpose for life. The
world is ignorant of this. So are most parents. They have no idea how or what
to teach their children. No one is guiding parents, because no one knows how
to guide them. Sadly, though the Bible is a gripping, interesting—even fascinating—
book of true stories (all part of one great story), most find it dull, dry
and boring.
This series is written to completely change this misconception in the minds
of people of all ages! It uses language designed to expand your mind through
the use of word pictures. Our goal has been to make the Bible real—to make it
talk directly to parents and children. With only a little explanation, parents will
be able to read these volumes to children as young as age three.
In today’s world, youth are universally misguided, abused, neglected and
ignored and this fuels a variety of rampant, escalating social problems. This is
because society as a whole has rejected the SOURCE of true happiness, success,
peace and fulfillment—GOD’S WORD. As King Solomon admonished, “Train
up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from
it” (Proverbs 22:6).
How many are even attempting to do this today?
Many true doctrines of God were restored to His Church in the middle of
the 20th century. By the 1990s, they had largely been discarded by its new leaders.
Part of our commission is to once again “restore what was restored” and to
continue to “turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the
children to their fathers” (Malachi 4:6). The Restored Church of God has completely
restored all God’s doctrines to the Church!
Under the faithful leadership of Herbert W. Armstrong (1892-1986), vari-
5
ous Church youth programs were established as part of the fulfillment of this
important responsibility. These included the Y.O.U. program (Youth
Opportunities United—for teens), and the Y.E.S. program (Youth Educational
Services—for young children). There was also a Summer Educational Program
(S.E.P.), providing teenagers with the opportunity to fellowship with other
teens and develop many skills and talents in a camp environment.
There was also much youth-oriented literature, offered to the young people
of God’s Church. These included a Youth magazine for teenagers, Youth Bible
Lessons for children from kindergarten through sixth grade—and The Bible
Story series.
Children are far too precious to ignore or neglect. While parents must utilize
the tools that are available to them, they cannot do this if these tools have
not been created.
As the only true extension of Mr. Armstrong’s ministry, The Restored
Church of God is re-creating these same written tools—as well as the magazines,
books, booklets, articles and letters that once taught the full truth of God
to millions around the world.
This series is being rewritten—with new volumes to appear on a regular
basis—to once again make the Bible simple, so that the stories in it come to
life! But these volumes are not just for children! It is our hope that parents and
children alike will enjoy and benefit from them. Its forerunner was a six-volume
work, once described as “written for children 5 to 105.” The original series
is no longer available—but this new one is!
6
7
CHAPTER TWENTY
THE LESSON OF JOB
At the end of Volume One, we saw that God used Joseph to provide
a place for his father, brothers and their families to escape a
seven-year famine. Because he had found favor with Pharaoh, the king
of Egypt, Joseph’s relatives were allowed to settle in the land of
Goshen. Its rich, fertile pastures were perfect for raising their large
flocks of sheep and other livestock.
In all, 70 members of Jacob’s family came to settle in Egypt. This
included Jacob (also called Israel) and his sons—Joseph, Reuben,
Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali,
Gad and Asher—and their families (Genesis 46:27).
For a few generations, the family of Israel prospered there.
A Righteous Man
The oldest book of the Bible is named after a righteous man named
Job. Most people are not aware that Job lived during the time when
Joseph reigned over Egypt under Pharaoh. Very little is written about
his background, but it appears that Job may have been the son of
Issachar, and a grandson of Israel (Genesis 46:13).
The Bible records that Job lived in the land of Uz, and that he and
his wife had a large family of seven sons and three daughters.
Job was also a very wealthy man. In those days, wealth was measured
by the livestock and servants a man owned. Job owned 7,000
sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 oxen, and 500 donkeys. He also had a large
staff of household servants.
Job was different from most rich people. He knew that his wealth
came from God. He feared and obeyed his Creator, and did his best to
remove evil thoughts and actions from his life.
Because of his great wealth and loyalty to the Almighty God, Job
was well known and highly respected by others.
Though Job feared and obeyed God, his children did not follow his
example. When Job’s sons and daughters grew up and had households
of their own, they got involved with pagan festivals, such as birthdays.
They each held birthday parties in their homes.
Job knew that God did not like this. So whenever his children celebrated
their birthdays or other pagan holidays, Job would offer burnt
offerings to God, asking Him to forgive them (Job 1:1-5).
Satan the Accuser
One day, Satan the devil came before God’s throne. Satan came to do
what he always does—accuse God’s people of doing wrong. The devil
hates it whenever anyone decides to obey God, so he looks for ways to
accuse and attack. The Bible calls him the “accuser of…the brethren”
(Revelation 12:10). The name Satan means “adversary”—he is the
adversary or enemy of God. That makes him the enemy of anyone who
seeks to obey God.
God knew that Satan wanted to accuse Job of sin—breaking God’s
laws. However, the devil could not find Job doing anything of which
he could accuse him.
God said to Satan, “I know why you are here. Have you considered
My servant Job? No one on earth is like him. He has set his heart to
fear and obey Me, and to reject evil.”
The devil said, “Does Job fear You for nothing? You have shielded
him with Your protection. Because of You, no harm can come to Job,
his household or his great wealth. Plus, You bless him with success in
everything that he does!
“Now suppose You were to stop protecting Job. I bet that if You
take away all of his great wealth, Job will curse You to Your face!”
God was not fooled. He knew that Satan wanted to destroy Job, and
then mock God by saying, “See, I told You so.”
But the Creator had a plan to build godly character in Job, and help
him to become an even better servant.
God said to Satan, “Very well. I now remove My protection from
Job’s family and possessions. They are now in your power to do with
as you wish. But do not try to harm Job himself. He still has My protection.”
Like a spoiled little child, the devil grinned, then raced back to
earth to do evil (Job 1:6-12).
Great Losses
Satan unleashed his rage upon Job’s family and vast possessions. He
inspired the Sabeans to raid Job’s 500 oxen and 500 donkeys, which
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were out in the fields. Killing the servants tending the animals, the
raiders stole the oxen and donkeys, and led them away. Only one servant
survived to tell Job the bad news.
Then God allowed Satan to rain bolts of fire down upon Job’s
sheep. All 7,000 were destroyed. Even the servants tending the sheep
died. Only one survived to tell Job the bad news.
Then the devil sent three bands of Chaldeans to steal Job’s 3,000
camels. They killed his servants as they tried to escape. Only one survived
to tell Job what happened.
And then Satan struck again. Job’s oldest son held a birthday party
for himself at his home. Job’s other sons and daughters were there celebrating,
too. As they laughed and danced, stuffing themselves with
food and wine, the devil struck the house with a powerful tornado. All
four corners of the house buckled and shook, until the walls finally
caved in on Job’s seven sons and three daughters. They died instantly.
Only one servant escaped to tell Job about his great loss.
When he heard that he had lost his family and great wealth in a single
day, Job mourned. As was the custom in those days, he ripped and
tore the clothes he was wearing and shaved his head. Then he threw
himself to the ground and worshipped God.
In his prayer, Job said, “When I was born, I came into this world
naked. And when I die, I shall take nothing with me. All things come
from God—He is the One who gives, and He is the One who takes
away. That is God’s right. Blessed be God’s name.”
Job did not blame God for his great loss. He did not curse Him and
sin, like Satan thought he would (Job 1:13-22).
Another Challenge
Satan came before God again, angry that Job did not sin against His
Creator.
God said to Satan, “As you can see, I was right about Job. He is
unlike any other man on earth. He has set himself to faithfully fear and
obey Me, and to reject all evil. Even though I allowed you to strike
Job’s family and great wealth without cause, he still maintains his
integrity—his innocence. He has not sinned against Me.”
The devil wanted so much to show God He was wrong about His
servant Job.
Satan said, “Skin for skin! A man will give up everything—even
family and riches—to save his own skin. As long as he’s not under
physical pain, Job will obey You. But if You were to let me strike his
body, I bet he will curse You to Your face!”
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“Very well,” God said. “I now allow you to strike Job’s body. But
you will not take his life.”
Satan grinned with glee. “I’ll turn Job against God yet,” he thought.
Then he raced away to do his evil on the earth (Job 2:1-6).
Boils!
Satan struck hard and fast—and Job’s skin broke out with painful
boils. From head to toe, his body was covered with puffy blotches of
sore spots. Each boil made Job feel as though his skin was on fire. And
there was nothing he could do to ease the pain. Nothing, except scrape
his skin with a piece of broken pottery to break open the infection. This
gave him a little relief—but not much.
Though Satan took the lives of Job’s children, he spared his wife.
He did not do this out of mercy. Satan tried to use her to get Job to sin
against God.
Looking down at him as he sat in ashes and mourned, Job’s wife
said, “Why do you still hold fast to your integrity? You should just
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curse God so that He will kill you and take away your suffering!”
Job could hardly believe his ears. He said, “You speak as though
you are a foolish woman who doesn’t know the one true God. Should
we expect only good things to happen to us while worshipping God,
and not bad things, too?”
Satan waited and waited for Job to curse God. But the devil waited
in vain. Job refused to speak against His Creator (Job 2:7-10).
Friends Come to Grieve
Since Job’s upright character and great wealth were known throughout
the land, news of his suffering soon spread. When three of his
friends—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the
Naamathite—heard what had happened to him, they immediately
came to Job’s side. They wanted to mourn with him, comfort him, and
let Job know that he was not alone. They were striving to live God’s
way of love and outgoing concern for others.
At first, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar did not recognize their friend
when they saw him. They were used to seeing Job laughing and smiling,
and wearing the finest clothes in the land. Now he was sad, covered
with boils, and wearing sackcloth—clothes even unworthy of a
slave (Job 16:15).
At the sight of him, the three men cried, ripping their robes and
sprinkling dust on their heads, just as Job had. Then they sat down next
to him. For seven days and nights, Job’s friends grieved but didn’t say
anything (Job 2:11-13).
Friends Attack
Then Job opened his mouth, and said, “I curse the day I was born.”
Though he continued to trust in God, Job wished he had never existed.
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Eliphaz said, “Turn to God, Job. Just admit your sins, repent, and
your troubles will go away” (Job 4-5).
Job replied, “I thought you were here to comfort me, not attack me!
I have not sinned. And even if I have, I haven’t committed such a sin
as to deserve all this. Look at me! My children are dead. My wealth is
gone. My skin is hideous to look at and my whole body feels like it’s
about to explode. What have I done to deserve this? All I want to do is
die and end my suffering” (Job 6-7).
Bildad said, “God is just. He would never allow one of His servants
to suffer so much if that person did not sin. Your suffering is proof of
your sin. Follow Eliphaz’s advice, Job. Turn to God, and repent” (Job .
“But I haven’t sinned,” said Job. “I’m innocent. I haven’t done anything
wrong, yet God still punishes me. If only I was never born” (Job
9-10).
Zophar said to Job, “How can you sit there and justify yourself?
Your punishment is far less than you deserve! Job, you are standing in
the way of your own happiness. All you have to do is admit your
sins—then all your suffering will go away. Everything you once had—
godly protection, success and happiness—will return to you. Stop
being so stubborn” (Job 11).
“Leave me alone, all of you!” Job shouted. “It’s obvious that God
lets the wicked prosper while the righteous suffer. What good is life,
then?” (Job 12-14). Job complained that everyone had turned against
him—his friends, his wife, even young children despised the sight of
him (Job 19).
Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar argued back and forth with Job. They
believed that the reason people suffered is that they sinned—they
broke God’s laws. Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar reasoned that suffering
was God’s way of punishing those who sinned. These three men
thought that the more a person suffers, the more he must have sinned.
So when they saw Job suffer so many bad things, they thought he must
have committed a great sin. That is why they tried so hard to get Job
to admit his sin.
Job Proclaims His Righteousness
But the more they argued with him, the more Job spoke about his own
righteousness. Job knew that he had always obeyed God. “Therefore,”
he thought, “if God is causing me to suffer, it must be His fault, not
mine.”
Again and again, Job proclaimed his own righteousness.
To Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar, he said, “I am not inferior to you”
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and “My righteousness still stands” (Job 6:29; 12:3; 13:3).
In wondering why God had allowed so much misery to overtake his
life, Job said, “Have I sinned? What have I done to You, God? Why
have you set me as Your target?” (Job 7:20).
“I will say to God, ‘Do not condemn me; show me why You contend
with me. Does it seem good to You that You should oppress, that
You should despise me, the work of Your hands, and yet smile on the
counsel of the wicked?” (Job 10:2-3).
“Though God slay me, I will trust Him. Even so, I will defend my
own ways before Him” (Job 13:15).
“Why do the wicked live and become old, even becoming mighty
in power? Their herds and flocks prosper. Their houses are safe from
fear. Neither does God punish them. Their children dance and play, and
never suffer. They spend all their days in wealth. Yet they say to God,
‘Depart from us! We don’t desire the knowledge of your ways. Who is
the Almighty that we should serve Him? And what profit do we have
if we pray to Him?’” (21:8-15).
“God knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall
come forth as gold. My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His
way and not turned aside. I have not departed from the commandment
of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than food”
(Job 23:10-12). “Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me. I
will hold fast to my righteousness, and will not let it go. My heart shall
not reprove me as long as I live” (Job 27:5-6).
“If only my life was back to normal, when God protected and
watched over me. I was rich and powerful. I was filled with God’s
great wisdom and understanding. When I took my seat among other
powerful leaders, the young men who saw me hid. The elderly stood
up when I entered the room. Princes stopped talking, even putting their
hands over their mouths. They all wanted to hear what I had to say.
They knew that I was righteous—I helped the poor and the fatherless.
I turned the sorrow of widows into joy. I put on righteousness like
clothing; justice was my robe and turban. I was eyes to the blind, feet
to the lame, a father to the poor. I broke the fangs of the wicked, plucking
their victims from his teeth. My glory was fresh with me” (Job 29).
In Job’s mind, he could do no wrong.
A Case of Self-Righteousness
Another friend, Elihu, came to visit Job. He was much younger and
less experienced in life than Job, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar. He wisely
chose to listen because he assumed that he could learn from their
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wisdom. But Elihu was amazed at how much the four men argued; he
could not remain silent any longer. He knew that Job was relying on
his own righteousness, instead of God’s. And Elihu was angry with
Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar because they failed to see this (Job 32-37).
With God’s Holy Spirit active in their minds, God’s people have the
unlimited strength and power to defeat any sin, problem or attitude, no
matter how large (II Timothy 1:7). And they can strive to keep God’s
Law perfectly, without sin.
Righteousness is keeping God’s laws and commandments (Psalms
119:172), walking God’s way of life, and putting His will first. No
human being can do this on his own strength. All slip and make mistakes;
all people sin (Romans 3:23).
But with God’s Spirit, they can walk perfectly before God. They
can be righteous—but this righteousness comes from God, not from
men.
But no matter how good a person might seem to be, no human
being can ever match God’s righteousness. God is not impressed with
the righteousness of men, which He says is like “filthy rags” to Him
(Isaiah 64:6).
Job had forgotten this. He had done so many good things in his
life—keeping God’s laws, giving offerings, helping the poor and
needy—he began to take credit for these things himself. He forgot that
his knowledge of God’s laws and his ability to keep them really came
from God. Job came to rely on his own righteousness; he became selfrighteous.
The trials and losses he suffered revealed this.
God Speaks—and Job Listens!
God was angry with Job. From a mighty whirlwind, He said, “Job,
who are you to give counsel without knowledge? Prepare yourself like
a man. I will question you—and you will answer Me!
“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me,
if you have understanding. Who maintains the oceans and seas, keeping
their waters from flooding the earth? Have you commanded the
morning sun and caused its light to shine upon all? Who causes it to
rain or snow? Can you bind together clusters of stars and galaxies?
“Who provides prey for lions and gives food to ravens? Who has
given the horse its strength? Does the hawk fly by your wisdom? Does
the eagle make its nest on the highest mountain at your command?
“Do you have an arm like God? Can you thunder with a voice like
His? Then clothe yourself with majesty and splendor, with glory and
beauty. Humble the proud, put the wicked in their place. If you can do
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15
Once Job saw himself as
he really was, he repented.
these things, then I will confess to you that your own right hand can
save you” (Job 38-40).
Job admitted to God, “I know that You can do everything. You
asked, ‘Who are you to give counsel without knowledge?’ I admit, I
said things that I didn’t understand, things too wonderful for me to
know. God, I thought I knew You—but now I understand that I was
wrong. Now that I see You—and understand You better—I hate
myself. Compared to You, I am less than nothing. I repent. I will no
longer think the way that I did” (Job 42:1-6).
Job did not suffer all these bad things because God was punishing
him. God allowed him to suffer because He wanted to see what kind
of person Job really was. God desires to build His holy, righteous
character in His people. To do that, He must know their strengths and
weaknesses. When things go wrong in a person’s life, he will show
what he is truly made of—whether he will trust in God or in himself.
Suffering, trials and setbacks reveal character. Knowing what people’s
weaknesses are helps God to develop His character strengths in
them.
A Happy Ending
After Job had repented, God spoke to Eliphaz: “My wrath is aroused
on you and your friends Bildad and Zophar. You three have accused
Job of sinning, which he did not do. And you have misrepresented Me
and My purpose. I want you to go and offer sacrifices for your sin, lest
I deal with you according to your foolishness.”
Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar did as God commanded. Meanwhile,
Job prayed that the Eternal would forgive them.
God then restored everything Job had lost—even doubling it. Now
Job had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 oxen, and 1,000 donkeys!
Plus, Job was blessed to have seven more sons and three more
daughters. When they grew up, his daughters were known to be the
most beautiful women in all the land.
All of Job’s brothers and sisters, and people he called friends—
those who had turned their backs on him in his suffering—visited him.
They ate with Job, comforting him. Then each gave him a piece of silver
and a gold ring.
Job lived to the ripe old age of 140 years. He lived long enough to
see his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and even greatgreat-
grandchildren.
God had showered Job with more blessings after his great trial than
he had before it (Job 42:7-16).
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17
God blessed Job with
three beautiful daughters.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
A MAN CALLED MOSES
Back in Egypt, Pharaoh and his people had become a powerful and
wealthy nation. This was mostly due to God blessing Joseph with
success in handling Egypt’s business affairs. God always blesses those
who fear and obey Him.
After a couple of generations of Pharaohs and Egyptians, Joseph’s
success was eventually forgotten. People no longer remembered how
God had used him to save Egypt during the seven-year famine. Or how
God used Joseph to make Egypt into a great and powerful nation.
Instead, the Egyptians gave the credit to their many idols and false
gods. As a result, the Egyptians no longer saw Joseph’s people, the
Israelites, as their friends. In fact, they began to fear them.
Guests Become Slaves
One day, a new Pharaoh came to power—one who did not know how
important Joseph had been to Egypt. This Pharaoh did not trust the
Israelites.
From a palace balcony, the Egyptian king looked down on the land
of Goshen and watched the Israelites. He pointed to their many homes
and to their ever-growing flocks of sheep, goats and other animals, and
said, “Look at these Hebrews. Why do they live here among us? Why
do they possess such rich pastures?”
Turning to his servants, he said, “Have we fallen asleep to have
allowed these foreigners to grow so large while living in our land? If the
Israelites become any larger, they may even become mightier than us!”
A servant said, “My lord, what shall we do?”
“We will deal shrewdly with them. If we allow the Israelites to
increase, it could end badly for us. What if we were at war and the
Israelites joined with our enemies? Egypt would easily be conquered. Or
what if these Hebrews grow so large that they decide to try and conquer
us? We would be attacked from within our own land. We must do something
about the people of Israel before it’s too late!” (Exodus 1:8-10).
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19
So Pharaoh ordered taskmasters to be set over the Israelites.
Dividing the people into small, easier to control groups, these cruel
overseers forced the Israelites to do all the hard labor in Egypt. The
descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had become slaves!
As slaves, they could not leave Egypt. They became a source of free
labor to the Egyptian people. Pharaoh thought that if he made the
Israelites suffer constant beatings and hard labor, they would stop
increasing.
But he was wrong. The more they suffered, the more they increased
in number (Exodus 1:11-12). This made the Egyptians fear—and
hate—the people of Israel even more.
The princes and royal officials of Egypt worried among themselves.
“If we don’t stop them soon from growing, they will outnumber
us and seek revenge!”
So the cruel taskmasters were pressured to work the slaves even
harder. The Israelites worked all day under the burning sun. They were
forced to dig for clay, and then form bricks. They carried the bricks to
various building sites throughout Egypt. They built large storehouses
for grain and other foodstuffs. They also made water canals, temples,
palaces, and other large buildings, such as pyramids (Exodus 1:13-14).
With each day that passed, life for the Israelites
became more miserable and hopeless.
20
Slaughtering the Helpless
Pharaoh was so determined to keep the Israelites from increasing, he
called for the top leaders of the Hebrew midwives—Shiphrah and
Puah—and gave them an evil command: “Whenever you and the other
midwives are called upon to help Israelite mothers deliver their
Hebrew babies, you must kill the newborn boys. Do not spare their
lives. However, do not touch the newborn girls. They may stay alive.”
Shiphrah and Puah could hardly believe their ears. They knew that
they could not go through with the king’s evil plan. The midwives
knew that killing innocent babies was wrong and refused to obey
Pharaoh.
When the king discovered that his plan was not carried out, he was
angry. Calling for Shiphrah and Puah, he said, “Why have you disobeyed
me and allowed the Hebrew baby boys to live?”
They said, “My lord, you don’t understand. Hebrew women are
stronger than Egyptian women. Because they are accustomed to hard
work, the Hebrew women are able to give birth before the midwives
can even arrive.”
21
The Hebrew slaves were
forced to make bricks for
the Egyptians.
22
The Hebrew midwives
defended themselves
before Pharaoh.
This answer did not please Pharaoh. However, God put it into the
king’s mind not to punish them. And because the midwives feared their
Creator and put Him first, God provided them homes (Exodus 1:15-21).
Meanwhile, the people of Israel continued to grow. This made
Pharaoh blind with anger. He commanded all the Egyptians, “Throw
every newborn Hebrew son into the river!” (Exodus 1:22).
Saved From the River
Amram, a descendant of Levi, was upset when he heard Pharaoh’s
decree. His wife, Jochebed, had just given birth to a beautiful baby
boy. Though Amram and Jochebed’s older children, Aaron and
Miriam, were safe from Pharaoh, their newborn baby was in constant
danger. For three months, they were able to hide him from Pharaoh’s
soldiers, who searched the homes of the Israelites daily. Knowing that
the Egyptians would eventually discover their baby, Amram and
Jochebed devised a plan to save their little son’s life.
Jochebed gathered some bulrushes (plants that grew along the
banks of the Nile River) and made a small basket, or ark. Sealing it
with asphalt and pitch to make it watertight, she placed the baby into
the ark, and then set it among the reeds in the Nile.
Jochebed knew that Pharaoh’s daughter regularly came to the river
to bathe. She trusted in God to cause the Egyptian princess to find the
baby and have mercy on him.
Pharaoh’s daughter did come to the river that day. Meanwhile, little
Miriam watched from afar. She wanted to see what would become
of her baby brother.
When the princess saw the ark floating in the river, she ordered her
handmaids to bring it to her. Upon opening it, she gasped, “It’s a baby!
A Hebrew baby!”
Even though her people had grown to look down on and hate the
Israelites, Pharaoh’s daughter felt sorry for the baby. “Such a beautiful
boy,” she said. “I can’t allow this one to be thrown into the river.”
“But princess, you know what your father has commanded,” a
handmaid said. “This baby is a Hebrew. He must die like the others.”
The princess thought for a moment. Then she said, “Not if I take the
child as my own.”
Hearing this, Miriam rushed over to the princess. She said, “I know
a nurse from among the Hebrew women. She can nurse the baby for
you! Shall I go get her?”
The more the princess gazed into the baby’s beautiful face, the
more she felt that she had to protect him.
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She said to Miriam, “Go bring me the nurse, child.”
Minutes later, Jochebed was brought before Pharaoh’s daughter.
Unaware that she was the baby’s mother, the princess said to her,
“Take this child and nurse him for me. I will pay your wages.”
Jochebed did not hesitate to obey. She knew that God had given her
the chance to be with her baby for a couple more years.
When the boy grew old enough that he no longer needed to be
nursed, his mother brought him to live with the princess. From then on,
he grew up among the royal leaders and government officials of Egypt.
Though he was born an Israelite and the son of slaves, the Egyptians
considered the boy to be the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, and thus a
prince of Egypt. His adopted mother decided to give him the name
Moses, which means “drawn out.” This was because she had drawn
him out from the waters of the Nile River (Exodus 2:1-10).
Run For Your Life!
As he grew up, Moses was trained and educated by the best teachers
in all of Egypt. He was taught to read and write, and to think and act
like a king. God was guiding Moses’ education. He planned to use him
for a great purpose. Even Moses came to
understand this. But he did not understand
it would be many years before
God would begin to use him.
Though he was treated like a
prince, Moses was unhappy. He
knew that he was different
from the Egyptians.
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Moses received the finest
education in all of Egypt.
He understood that he was born a Hebrew. While Moses ate the best
foods, wore the best clothes, received the finest education and lived in
grand palaces, his people, the Israelites, were slaves. They suffered
beatings by wicked overseers. They ate whatever scraps of food were
available to them. They received little or no education. And their
knowledge of the one true God was all but lost. The Hebrews lived in
constant misery and fear.
Moses grew to be so curious about his people that he went out to
visit them. He wanted to personally see how bad their lives were.
“Maybe I can do something for them,” he thought.
He came across an Egyptian taskmaster beating a Hebrew slave.
The slave begged for mercy, but the taskmaster would not listen. Anger
welled up inside Moses. He knew he had to act quickly. He looked
around, saw that no one was watching, and then rushed the Egyptian,
tackling him to the ground. As the slave lay in the sand, gasping for air
and dying from his wounds, Moses and the taskmaster fought.
When the fight was over, the Egyptian was dead. Moses had taken
his life. “If Pharaoh finds out about this, he will have me killed!”
Moses quickly dug a grave and hid the Egyptian’s body in the sand.
The next day, Moses came to visit the Hebrews again. When he
came upon two Israelites fighting each other, he said to the one who
had started the fight, “Why are you striking your friend? Aren’t you
both Hebrews? You shouldn’t be fighting each other.”
The man snarled back at Moses: “Who made you a prince and
judge over us? Do you plan to kill me like you did that Egyptian yesterday?”
“Oh no!” Moses thought. He suddenly realized that what he had
done in secret would soon be known throughout all Egypt.
“When Pharaoh finds out that I defended a Hebrew slave and killed
an Egyptian, he’ll think that I’m leading the Hebrews to rise up against
him!”
Fearing for his life, Moses ran away from Egypt to escape
Pharaoh’s wrath (Exodus 2:11-15).
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CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
MOSES AND
THE BURNING BUSH
Moses was tired, thirsty, and running for his life. He wandered the
barren wilderness until he came to a well in the land of Midian.
The Midianites were descendants of Abraham, just like the Israelites.
However, the Israelites came from Abraham and Sarah, his first wife,
while the Midianites came from Abraham and Kertuah.
Lying in the cool shade of a tree, Moses watched seven young
women bring their flocks of sheep to the well. These seven sisters, who
were daughters of the priest of Midian, drew water from the well, filling
troughs for their sheep to drink from.
Meanwhile, some shepherds also led their sheep to the well. But
instead of drawing their own water, the shepherds drove off the sheep
belonging to the seven sisters, and then began watering their own flocks.
Moses, who always hated when stronger people mistreated weaker
ones, stood up to the shepherds. He helped the sisters bring their flocks
back to the well and then watered them. The sisters were both stunned
and grateful. It was unusual for a stranger to come to their aid.
When they arrived home, their father Reuel, also known as Jethro,
wondered how his daughters were able to water the sheep so quickly.
They said, “As usual, the shepherds tried to take our share of water,
but some Egyptian rescued us. And he drew enough water for us and
the flocks, too.”
Because Moses had been wearing Egyptian clothing, the sisters naturally
thought that he was an Egyptian.
Jethro was so impressed that a stranger had defended his daughters,
he wanted to repay the man for his kindness. He said, “Where is this
Egyptian? Why didn’t you bring him home so that I could thank him?”
The daughters did not know what to say. In their excitement, they
had left Moses sitting by the well.
Jethro said, “Quick! Find the stranger and bring him home so that
we can feed him. It’s the least we can do to show him our thanks.”
26
27
Moses came to the aid of
Jethros daughters.
The sisters found Moses and brought him back to their home.
Jethro greeted him with a giant bear hug. “My friend, sit, eat, drink.
You are my guest. My home is your home.”
Overwhelmed with such kindness, Moses decided to stay for a few
days until he could decide where he would go next. Days became weeks,
and weeks became months. Meanwhile, Moses worked hard for Jethro.
He helped him and the rest of his family tend to their many sheep.
Thoughts of returning to Egypt faded away when Jethro decided to
give Zipporah, one of his daughters, to be Moses’ wife. Soon after they
married, she gave birth to a son. Moses named him Gershom, which
meant “stranger there.” This was because Moses was a stranger in a
foreign land. He longed to be with his people and see them freed them
from slavery. But he didn’t see any hope of this happening (Exodus
2:15-22).
God Hears
Forty years had passed since Moses fled Egypt, and now Pharaoh was
dead. For the Israelites, slavery was becoming unbearable. With all
hope lost, the Hebrews cried out to the God of their forefathers,
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Though over the years they had lost most
of the knowledge they had about the Creator, they did know that He
was their only hope. So they continually prayed and cried out to God,
begging Him to deliver them.
God took pity and heard their desperate prayers. Though Israel had
strayed from Him and followed the pagan customs and traditions of the
Egyptians, God took notice of the Hebrews’ suffering and misery. And
He remembered the promise He had made to Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob: to multiply their descendants like the stars above and give them
a beautiful land flowing with milk and honey.
God always keeps His word.
He decided that it was now time to deliver the Israelites out of
Egypt and lead them to the Promised Land (Exodus 2:23-25). And as
always, God planned to use one man to lead such a huge project.
Moses and the Burning Bush
One day while Moses was tending sheep, he led his flock to the back
of the desert and came to Mount Horeb. Walking along the way, he saw
a strange sight: a bush was on fire—but it would not burn up!
“This is odd,” Moses thought. “The fire should have burned up the
bush and gone out by now.”
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Curious, he stepped closer to it.
When he drew near, a loud and mighty voice boomed out from the
bush: “Moses, Moses!”
Moses was shocked to hear his name called. Slowly stepping away
from the bush, he answered, “Here I am.”
The voice, which came from the Messenger of the Eternal, said,
“Do not come near this place. You are standing on holy—special—
ground, set apart by My presence for a great purpose. Treat this holy
ground with respect, and take your sandals off your feet.”
Moses quickly obeyed and removed his sandals. He thought to himself,
“Who is this voice coming from the burning bush?”
The Messenger of the Eternal—the Member of the God Family
who speaks for God the Father, and later became Jesus Christ—said,
“I AM the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!”
Moses dropped to his knees and hid his face to the ground. He was
too afraid to look at the burning bush. He realized that the Creator of
the universe was speaking from it (Exodus 3:1-6).
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The One who created the
universe spoke to Moses
from a burning bush.
God said, “I have seen how My people have suffered in the land of
Egypt. I have heard them cry out to Me because of the violent beatings
from their taskmasters. I know the sorrows of the children of Israel. I
have come to deliver them from the cruel hand of the Egyptians. I will
free My people from Egypt and will deliver them into Canaan, a great
land flowing with milk and honey. Moses, I will send you to Pharaoh
and will use you to bring My people out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:7-10).
Moses said, “Who am I to go to Pharaoh, or to bring the Israelites
out of Egypt? I had to runaway from there just to save my life. If
Pharaoh remembers who I am, he’ll have me killed. And if I am not
remembered, why should he listen to me, a stranger? I’m no one!”
God reassured Moses. “Do not fear. I will be with you and protect
you. I will also give you the wisdom to do and say the right things.”
But Moses replied, “Suppose I do go to Pharaoh and the children of
Israel and tell them that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has sent
me. They will want to know your name—what shall I tell them?”
“Tell them I AM THAT I AM. This is My name. Tell the children
of Israel that the God who calls Himself ‘I AM’ has sent you to them.
For now on, they and their children after them shall know Me by this
name forever” (Exodus 3:11-16). The Eternal then directed Moses to
gather the elders, or leaders, of Israel and tell them what God planned
to do.
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Once he realized
that he was in the
presence of God
Almighty, Moses
bowed down on
his knees and worshipped
Him.
“Then you and the elders shall face Pharaoh,” God said, “and tell
him that I command My people to make a three-day journey into the
wilderness in order to worship Me. But Pharaoh will not release them
until I strike Egypt down with mighty miracles and wonders.”
God then told Moses that when Israel is set free, the people will
leave Egypt carrying away Egyptian treasures of silver and gold, as
well as the finest clothes (Exodus 3:18-22).
Though this should have encouraged him, Moses still made excuses.
“But they won’t listen to me. No one will believe me when I tell
them that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has appeared to me.”
The Eternal was patient with Moses. He said to him, “What is that
in your hand?”
Moses looked at his shepherd rod, which he always had with him
when tending sheep. He used it to protect his flock from wild animals.
He also used it to guide and sometimes correct them. “You mean this,
Eternal One?”
God said, “Yes. Cast it to the ground.”
Moses obeyed—and the rod of wood mysteriously changed into a
long, hissing snake!
“Now reach out and grab the snake by its tail.”
Again, Moses obeyed—the snake changed back into the shepherd
rod!
“When the people see this miracle,” God said, “they will believe
that I have appeared to you” (Exodus 4:1-5).
Knowing that Moses would ask for more proof, God commanded
Moses to put his hand inside his robe next to his chest. When Moses
took it back out, his hand was withered, full of holes and caked with
white flakes of rotting skin.
Moses gasped: “Leprosy!”
God told him to place his hand back inside his robes; Moses quickly
obeyed. When he brought it back out, his hand was completely
healed.
“If the people do not believe the first miracle, they will believe this
one. And if some still refuse to believe and will not listen to you, then
you shall take some water from the Nile River and pour it on dry land.
That water will become blood” (Exodus 4:6-9).
Though he knew that he was in the presence of the Almighty God
and had watched Him perform astounding miracles, Moses still came
up with excuses. He did not want to accept this special mission.
He said, “Many years have passed since I left Egypt. I won’t be able
to speak the Egyptian language well enough for Pharaoh and his people
to take me seriously. When I stumble over my words they will
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laugh at me. Also, I don’t know how to speak Hebrew well enough for
the Israelite elders to accept me as their leader.”
“Who has made the mouths of men?” said God. “I am the One who
gives all humans the ability to speak, hear and see—and I am the One
who can take these abilities away! Now go, Moses, and I will use your
mouth to speak for Me. I will teach you what you shall say.”
But Moses said, “Please, God, pick someone else for this mission.”
The Eternal was angry—yet He was still patient with the man. He
said, “Your brother Aaron will speak for you. You will teach him what
I will teach you, and Aaron will be your spokesman. Now go, and take
your rod with you. You shall use it to perform mighty miracles. Do not
be afraid of the Egyptians, for I am with you” (Exodus 4:10-17).
Finally realizing that God would not take “no” for an answer,
Moses went home and prepared for his trip to Egypt.
Parting Ways
Moses explained to his father-in-law, Jethro, that he needed to journey
to Egypt. “It’s been 40 years since I’ve seen any of my relatives,” he
said. “I need to know what has become of them.”
Jethro simply told him, “I understand, Moses. Go in peace.”
Afterward, God spoke to Moses, reassuring him that the Egyptians
who wanted to take his life 40 years ago were now dead.
So Moses took his wife Zipporah and their sons, Gershom and
Eliezer, and the shepherd rod and headed for Egypt (Exodus 4:18-20).
Along the way, God reminded Moses to use the rod to perform miracles
and wonders before Pharaoh. “But remember, I will harden the
Egyptian king’s heart. He will not let My people go. Then you will say
to Pharaoh that Israel is a firstborn son to Me. If Israel is not given
freedom, then I will take the life of Pharaoh’s firstborn son!”
Some time later, Moses and his wife began to argue about a very
serious matter concerning one of their sons. This made Moses decide
to send his family back to Midian so that he could focus on completing
his special mission (Exodus 4:21-26).
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CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CONFRONTING
THE KING OF EGYPT
Back in Egypt, God spoke to Aaron and told him to go out into the
wilderness. “There you will find your long-lost brother, Moses.”
Aaron obeyed, and met his brother out in the wilderness. They cried
and hugged each other. They could not remember ever feeling so
happy.
Moses quickly told Aaron everything that God had said. “My special
mission includes you, too, Aaron.”
“Me?”
“Yes,” said Moses. “It’s been 40 years since I’ve had to speak
Egyptian or Hebrew to anyone. I am out of practice. If I speak before
Pharaoh or the elders of Israel, I’ll get my words confused and jumbled,
and I stutter. No one will listen to the words God has given me
because they’ll be too busy laughing at the way I speak. I need your
help.”
Aaron said, “What do you need me to do?”
“God has picked you to be my spokesman,” Moses answered.
“A spokesman?”
Moses said, “Yes. Since you speak both Egyptian and Hebrew very
smoothly, you will speak for me. Whatever God tells me, I will tell you.
Then you will tell Pharaoh, and the elders of Israel. Are you ready?”
Aaron nodded slowly as he thought about this great responsibility.
“Yes, I’m ready” (Exodus 4:27-28).
As soon as the two brothers came to Egypt, they gathered the elders
of Israel in the land of Goshen and told them about the Eternal’s
plan. “The God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, is going to
free all of Israel from slavery, and will deliver His people into Canaan,
the Promised Land.”
Those who doubted that God had really spoken to Moses were
amazed when they saw Moses perform fantastic miracles.
One man shouted, “Such power can only come from the one true
33
God!” The other elders quickly agreed.
“The Eternal has seen our suffering and has heard our prayers,”
they said to themselves. “He sent us Moses to lead us out of slavery.
After all these many years, God will deliver us into the Promised
Land!”
Then they all bowed their heads and worshipped God, who calls
Himself “I AM THAT I AM” (Exodus 4:29-31).
Standing Before Pharaoh
Getting an audience before Pharaoh was not easy. He only listened to
very important people, such as other members of the royal family, government
officials, or representatives of other nations. He did not consider
the Hebrews important.
However, Moses had been raised among Egyptian royalty since he
was a child. He knew how to get an audience before Pharaoh. This was
just one of the many reasons why God picked Moses to represent Him
before the Egyptian king.
Sitting from his throne in the midst of the royal court, Pharaoh
pointed a finger at Moses, Aaron and the elders of Israel. “Why are
these Hebrew slaves standing here before me?”
Before any of his royal servants could answer, Aaron stepped forward.
Speaking for Moses, he said, “The God of the Israelites has a
message for you, O king.”
Pharaoh sat back in his seat. “Oh really? And just what is this message?”
“God says to you, ‘Let My people go, so they can worship Me in
the wilderness.’”
A wicked smile grew across Pharaoh’s face. He said, “Egypt worships
many gods. Who is this God that you speak of? I don’t know
Him. Why should I obey His voice?”
“The God of the Hebrews has spoken to us,” Aaron said. “Release
us so that we might go on a three-day journey out into the wilderness
and worship Him there. Otherwise, He may punish us with a disease
or by an army.”
The king silently stared at the faces of Moses, Aaron and the elders
of Israel. His anger boiled within him.
Certain that Pharaoh would need to see proof of God’s power,
Moses stepped closer, ready to use his shepherd rod.
Pharaoh leaned forward and said, “Moses and Aaron, why do you
keep my slaves from doing their labor? Because of you, the elders of
Israel are here instead of out in the field working! Now leave my royal
34
court and get back to work—all of you!”
Before Moses was able to use his rod to perform God’s miracles,
Pharaoh’s soldiers surrounded the Hebrews and shoved them out of the
throne room (Exodus 5:1-4).
Pharaoh Punishes the Slaves
Pharaoh was angry. The more he thought about Moses and Aaron’s
request, the angrier he became.
“Who do those slaves think they are telling me to let them go?” he
muttered.
He called for the captain of the guard.
“Yes, my lord?” the man said.
Pharaoh said, “I want you to gather my taskmasters and the Hebrew
officials and give them this message: ‘No more will you give my
Israelite slaves straw to make bricks. From now on, the slaves shall
gather their own straw. Yet they must still lay the same number of
bricks as they did before. Do not let them reduce the number. These
Hebrews are lazy. They are just trying to make an excuse to get out of
work. Since they think they have time to go out into the wilderness to
worship their God, then they have time to gather straw for themselves.’”
The captain of the guard quickly went out to deliver Pharaoh’s message.
Upon hearing their king’s command, the taskmasters told the
Israelites to gather their own straw. “We will not give it to you. And we
expect you to make and lay the same number of bricks as you have
done in the past,” they added. “No excuses!”
But straw was difficult to find, so the slaves worked long hours to
gather whatever stubble they could collect. When they could not make
and lay the same number of bricks that were expected of them, the
taskmasters beat the Hebrew officials. The taskmasters expected the
officials to beat the slaves and make them work faster. Instead, the officials
complained to Pharaoh. “O king, how can we expect to make the
same number of bricks if we are not given the straw we need to make
it? And why are we, your servants, beaten when the fault is with your
people?”
“You are lazy!” Pharaoh screamed. “All of you Hebrews are too
lazy to work! Your so-called leaders, Moses and Aaron, make up
excuses, saying your people need to worship their God out in the
wilderness. Liars! Now go back in the field and work! You don’t need
us to give you straw—go find it for yourselves!”
35
The Hebrew officials were so frightened by Pharaoh’s screaming,
they cringed. “If we don’t deliver the same number of bricks expected
from us, we’ll be in deep trouble,” one man said (Exodus 5:5-19).
Upon leaving Pharaoh’s palace, the officials spotted Moses and
Aaron waiting outside. They said to them, “May God look upon you
and judge. You have made us an object of hate in the eyes of Pharaoh
and his taskmasters. Because of you they are ready to kill us.”
This troubled Moses. With doubts pouring into his mind, he found
it harder to put his trust in God.
So he prayed to God: “Lord, why have you sent me? I obeyed your
command and faced Pharaoh. Yet he has done evil to my people, and
You still have not delivered them out of his hand—why?”
God answered his prayer: “Be patient, Moses. When I am finished
unleashing My great power throughout Egypt, Pharaoh will be so
eager to let My people go, he will drive them out! Remember—I am
the Eternal, the Ever-living One. I am the God who spoke to your
fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I am the One who promised to give
their descendants a land flowing with milk and honey. And I am the
One who will use you to fulfill My promise.”
With these words, Moses’ trust in God was restored (Exodus 5:20-
23 and 6:1-8).
Representing God’s Government
Moses tried to inspire the Israelites by telling them about God’s plan
to release them from slavery. But the Hebrew slaves suffered so much
misery from their long, hard hours of labor they could be not cheered
up. Whatever Moses had to say to them they ignored (Exodus 6:9).
Seeing this, God told Moses to speak to Pharaoh again. “Tell
him to let My people go.”
But Moses said, “The Israelites won’t even listen to me anymore.
How can I expect Pharaoh to hear me?”
“Moses, obey My voice! You and Aaron will speak My words to
Pharaoh again. I will use you to deliver My people out of his hand. But
first I will harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he will refuse Me. Then I
shall show My great power in all Egypt through mighty miracles and
wonders. I will prove to the Egyptians that their false gods and puny
idols are no match for Me. For I am the Almighty Eternal God”
(Exodus 6:10-30 and 7:1-7).
God planned to use Moses and Aaron as a team to represent how
the God Family works (Exodus 7:1-2). Moses represented and symbolized
God the Father, the Supreme Leader who makes the ultimate
36
decisions. Aaron represented and symbolized Jesus Christ (also known
as the Word or Messenger of the Eternal). Just as Christ speaks for His
Father and carries out His decisions, Aaron spoke for Moses and carried
out his decisions. Moses and Aaron’s example represented God’s
perfect government—the way God works.
Today, God’s government rules in His Church. But in the soon-
37
By the power of God,
Moses shepherd rod
turned into a snake.
coming wonderful world of tomorrow, God’s government—His
Kingdom—will rule over the entire world. And just as God the Father
and Jesus Christ always agree and never argue, all people will live the
same way!
The Miraculous Shepherd Rod
Moses and Aaron obeyed God and faced Pharaoh before his throne.
“Why do you dare to come into my presence?” said the king.
“Perhaps you do not value your lives.”
Unafraid, Moses and Aaron spoke God’s words. But Pharaoh
was not impressed.
Then Moses, following God’s command, said to Aaron, “Take
my shepherd rod.”
Aaron took the rod and cast it to the floor at Pharaoh’s feet.
Through God’s miraculous power, the rod changed into a giant snake!
At first Pharaoh was amazed as he saw the snake slither and squirm
across the floor. Then he called for his magicians and sorcerers.
Through the evil powers of Satan the devil and his demons, these
wicked men threw their rods to the floor—and the rods changed into
snakes too!
Pharaoh grinned as he said, “See, Moses? My gods are just as powerful
as your God.”
But the king stopped grinning when he saw Moses’ snake swallow
up the snakes of his wicked magicians (Exodus 8-12). Pharaoh and the
magicians could hardly believe their eyes. No one had ever embarrassed
his magicians before.
In a fit of rage, the king screamed, “Get out! Get out of my sight,
Moses, and don’t come back!” Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, just as
God had said it would be (Exodus 7:13).
First Plague: Blood!
The next morning, following God’s instruction, Moses and Aaron
stood by the bank of the Nile River. As was his custom, Pharaoh
bathed in the water, surrounded by his personal guards, servants and
assistants. As the king relaxed in the cool, clean waters, something
caught his attention.
“Moses and Aaron,” he muttered.
Immediately, the guards jumped into the river and headed over
to the two men to arrest them. But Pharaoh said, “Wait. Let’s have
some fun with them.” The guards obeyed, though they held onto their
38
swords, hoping that their king would change his mind.
Pharaoh said to the brothers, “Well, Moses and Aaron, what
brings you down to the river? Are you here to speak for your invisible
God?”
The king’s men laughed.
Speaking for Moses, Aaron said, “The Eternal God of the
Hebrews has said, ‘Let My people go so that they may worship Me in
the wilderness.’ But you, O king, would not obey. Thus says the
Eternal: ‘By this you will know that I am God.’”
Then Moses told Aaron what to do. Pharaoh, his men, and a
swelling crowd of onlookers watched as Aaron took the shepherd rod
and waved it over the Nile River.
Pharaoh said, “Go home, Moses, before you embarrass yourself.
Your magic is useless. Your God cannot match the power of the gods
of Egypt.”
But Pharaoh’s words came back to haunt him when he heard the
people shout, “Blood!” The king looked down and saw that the cool,
clean waters of the Nile were turning murky and red. Scooping some
of it up with his hand, he tasted it. “It is blood!” he gasped (Exodus
7:14-17, 20-21).
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The First Plague:
Blood!
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
MIGHTY MIRACLES,
AWESOME PLAGUES
Every river, stream, pond and pool of water in Egypt had turned to
blood. Even in buckets and pitchers, there was not a drop of water,
only blood. Soon the fish in the river and streams died. Their rotting
flesh floated to the top; Egypt was filled with stench.
Pharaoh looked to his magicians to undo God’s awesome miracle,
but the best they could do was make their own blood.
The king’s heart was hardened. He knew that he was powerless
against God’s plague, but he would not give in to God’s demand. So
he sulked in his home and decided to wait. He may have thought that
his false gods needed more time to act on his behalf.
Meanwhile, since the Egyptians did not have fresh water to drink,
they dug deep into the earth in search of water. God’s plague lasted for
seven days (Exodus 7:19-25).
The Second Plague: Frogs
Though they were the last people Pharaoh wanted to see, Moses and
Aaron came to the palace and delivered God’s message to the king:
“Let My people go so that they may serve Me. If you refuse, I will
strike your land with frogs.”
Like before, Pharaoh was too stubborn to listen.
So Aaron, following Moses’ direction, took the shepherd rod and
waved it over the streams, rivers and ponds of Egypt. Out came frogs!
They jumped and squirmed throughout the land. Wherever people
walked, sat, slept or ate, there were frogs.
Pharaoh’s magicians tried to get rid of them, but the best they could
do was copy God and make their own frogs.
The king had had enough. He called for Moses and Aaron, and said
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to them, “Ask your God to take away these frogs from me and my people—
then I will let the Israelites go free and make sacrifices to their
God.”
Moses and Aaron tried to hide their excitement. At last, Pharaoh
was about to release Israel from slavery!
To show respect, Moses allowed the king to choose when God
should destroy the frogs.
Instead of saying, “Immediately,” Pharaoh said, “Tomorrow.” He
may have hoped that his magicians would find a way to stop the plague
before God could act.
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The Second Plague:
Frogs!
Moses told Pharaoh, “Tomorrow the frogs will be destroyed, just as
you have asked. By this you may know that there is no other god like
the Eternal God” (Exodus 8:9-10).
The Egyptians worshipped many false gods. They made idols of
them in the shape of calves, cats, frogs, birds and other animals. They
even worshipped the Nile River, because it was a vital source for
watering their vast farmlands. This is why God created plagues that
had to do with the river or with animals. He wanted to show both the
Egyptians and the Israelites that He alone was God—and that their
false gods were powerless against Him.
Frogs Destroyed
Moses cried out to God in prayer. He asked Him to remove the plague
and destroy the frogs.
The next day, the Egyptians awoke to find that all the frogs were
dead. Though relieved, the people still had to get rid of the dead carcasses.
Everyone searched throughout their homes, villages and fields,
and gathered the dead frogs and threw them into heaps. As their flesh
rotted away, all of Egypt was consumed with a great stench.
Moses said to his brother, “Now Pharaoh will keep his word and set
Israel free.”
But Pharaoh changed his mind. Once the plague was removed, he
saw no need to keep his promise (Exodus 8:12-15). Unfortunately,
there are many people like Pharaoh today. They say one thing, but do
another. They cannot be trusted.
However, God’s faithful servants strive to follow God’s example in
keeping promises—even if it hurts (Psalms 15:1, 4).
The Third Plague: Lice
Following God’s command, Moses told Aaron to take the shepherd rod
and strike the dust of the ground. When this was done, suddenly,
throughout the land of Egypt, the dust merged into massive swarms of
tiny, stinging, lice-like insects. Every man, woman and child suffered
from them—even the animals were constantly bitten by these pesky
bugs. Everywhere they went, people and animals had to scratch themselves
to get some relief (Exodus 8:16-17).
Pharaoh’s evil magicians may have suffered the most. Their false
religion of magic and sorcery required that they regularly shave almost
all of their body hair, and to wear only one tunic. This left most of their
skin exposed to the stinging bites of the lice.
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In an effort to prove that they could match God’s power, the magicians
tried to produce their own lice-like insects—but God would not
allow it!
Defeated, the men went to Pharaoh and reluctantly admitted, “This
plague is from God. His power is too great for us to copy. You must
give in to the God of the Hebrews.”
“What?” the king said. “I’d rather suffer than let Israel go free.”
Pharaoh was too stubborn to listen to their advice.
The Fourth Plague: Flies
The next morning, Pharaoh was bathing in the Nile River when he saw
Moses and Aaron standing along the bank.
“What is it now, Moses?” the king yelled.
“I have come to deliver God’s message. Thus says the Eternal, ‘Let
My people go so that they may serve Me. If you refuse, I will send
swarms of flies throughout your land. I will send them upon you, your
servants, and into the homes of all the Egyptians. Everywhere you look
will be flies. But My people will not suffer from them. The land of
Goshen will be untouched. This will be a sign to you, to show that I
have put a division between My people and your people. I am the
Eternal” (Exodus 8:20-23).
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The Third Plague: Lice!
In rage, Pharaoh struck the water with his fists. “Get out!” he
screamed. “Get out of my sight!”
Moses and Aaron silently walked away.
Soon after, all of Egypt was filled with flies. They got into everything:
the Egyptians’ food, their hair and clothes, into their mouths and
44
The Fourth Plague: Flies!
nostrils. People had to cover their faces with veils for protection.
Swarms of flies invaded every corner in every room, stinging and biting
everything in sight. No one was safe from them.
No one, except for God’s people. Over in the land of Goshen, the
Israelites were safe and unharmed. Off in the distance they could see
God’s plague swarm throughout the rest of Egypt. Then they prayed to
God, thanking Him for His great mercy.
Meanwhile, Pharaoh grew tired of having to cover himself and protect
his skin from the flies. He longed to be able to sleep without constantly
having to scratch himself. He wanted to eat his meals without
worrying about having flies or their eggs in his food.
His servants, who also wanted relief, begged Pharaoh to call for
Moses and Aaron. Finally, the king gave in.
When the brothers were brought before him, Pharaoh said, “Your
people are free to worship their God right here in Egypt. Now pray to
the Eternal and ask Him to remove this plague.”
“We can’t offer animal sacrifices in front of the Egyptians. Your
people worship cows and goats and such—but we sacrifice these same
animals to please God. If your people see us do this, they will pick up
stones and try to crush us to death. We must go three days’ journey into
the wilderness. There we can freely sacrifice to God, just as He has
commanded us.”
Pharaoh desperately wanted to hold on to the Hebrews. As slaves,
they were a source of free labor, and vital to maintaining Egypt’s vast
wealth.
The king made another proposal: “I will let your people go to sacrifice
to their God…but they can only travel so far.” Pharaoh hoped
that the Israelites would be frightened on their journey and that he
would be able to lure them back to Egypt. “Now go pray to your God
for me.”
Moses, through Aaron, said, “We will go out from you, then. And
we will pray to the Eternal for you. He will take away all of the flies
tomorrow.”
Pharaoh began to smile.
“But know this,” Moses said. “The king must not go back on his
word. If you do, God will unleash even more plagues upon your people”
(Exodus 8:24-29).
Reluctantly, Pharaoh nodded his head, and then looked away from
the two men.
Moses kept his word and prayed to God on Egypt’s behalf. God listened
to his prayer and removed the flies from Egypt. Not one
remained.
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Weak, tired and sore from the last four plagues, the Egyptians
hoped that their lives would get back to normal. But they soon discovered
that their hope was in vain. Pharaoh went back on his word. He
refused to let God’s people go. Hardening his heart, he stubbornly
refused to obey God—just as the Eternal had said (Exodus 8:30-32).
The Fifth Plague: Diseased Livestock
Obeying God, Moses and Aaron told Pharaoh that another plague
would soon strike Egypt. This time, it would affect many of the
Egyptians’ livestock. But the king would not listen. Many thoughts ran
through his carnal mind. He wanted to kill Moses and Aaron, but he
was afraid of making their God angry. The more he thought, the more
stubborn he became.
The next day, a mysterious disease came upon Egypt: Many of the
people’s animals and livestock—cows, horses, donkeys, camels, sheep
and others—grew sick, and then died. Like the fish and frogs before
them, the dead carcasses rotted away.
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The Fifth Plague: Diseased livestock!
However, Pharaoh learned that the livestock belonging to the
Israelites stayed healthy. Not one fell sick or died (Exodus 9:1-7).
This plague was a serious blow to the Egyptians. They worshipped
false gods, in the shape of bulls, goats and such. The people wondered
how their “gods” could not overpower the God of the Hebrews. Some
said, “I don’t know how much more of these plagues we can take.”
Meanwhile, Pharaoh remained just as stubborn as before. “No God
of slaves will tell me what to do,” he said.
The Sixth Plague: Boils
Again, Moses and Aaron stood before the Egyptian king and delivered
God’s message. And as before, Pharaoh refused to give in. So Moses,
obeying God, took handfuls of ash from a furnace and sprinkled it into
the sky.
Pharaoh said, “What madness is this?”
The king soon received his answer. When the ash fell to the ground
and upon the people in Pharaoh’s court, God’s plague was clear for all
to see.
“Boils!” a servant screamed.
Pharaoh looked at his servants’
skin. They were all covered
with round lumps of painful sores
and blisters. All the people in
the court were covered—
except for Moses and
Aaron. And throughout
the land, all of the
Egyptians suffered from
boils; their animals, too.
Yet the Israelites and their
animals were healthy and
unharmed. God was making it
obvious that He was protecting
them.
Pharaoh’s magicians desperately
tried to stand before Moses
and prove that their false gods
would protect them. But these
wicked sorcerers were covered
with so many boils, they could
not stand up, due to the pain.
The Sixth Plague:
Boils!
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They said to Pharaoh, “My lord, give the Hebrews their freedom,
we beg of you!”
“No!” said the king. God had hardened Pharaoh’s heart so that He
could perform even more astounding miracles yet to come (Exodus
9:8-12).
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CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
PHARAOH’S STUBBORN HEART
Trying to keep from scratching his sores and blisters, Pharaoh sat
uncomfortably in his throne seat. Standing before him were Moses
and Aaron, delivering another message from God.
“Thus says the Eternal, the God of the Hebrews: ‘I could have easily
struck you and your people with a disease and taken your lives. But
I chose not to do so. I have allowed you to live in order to show
through you My great power. After I am done punishing you with
plagues, all the earth will know My name.’”
Pharaoh did not want to hear God’s words, but he knew he had little
choice. He knew that God was about to strike Egypt with another
plague—he only hoped that it would not be more than he could bear.
The Seventh Plague: Hail
Moses and Aaron continued the Eternal’s message: “Tomorrow, I will
cause it to hail, such as has never been seen since Egypt was founded.
Those who own cattle, be warned—take your herds inside. Do not
leave them out in the fields, else they will be destroyed by the hailstorm.”
Some of Pharaoh’s own servants believed God’s message. They
took His offer of mercy and brought their personal servants and cattle
indoors.
But Pharaoh’s other servants wanted to please the king. They told
him, “This Hebrew God doesn’t scare us, my lord.”
The king took comfort in their foolish words.
But the next day, after Moses followed God’s command to stretch
his hand up to the sky, the hail came down. Giant balls of hard ice
dropped from the sky and landed on all the servants and cattle that
were working out in the fields. Many lost their lives. As the hailstorm
smashed into homes, destroyed crops and battered down trees, people
screamed, running for shelter.
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Moses then lifted his rod high above him, and God sent lightning
bolts across the sky. Even more hail poured down upon Egypt as loud
thunderclaps exploded across the land. The Egyptians hid in fear. The
lightning caused sparks of fire to ignite and spread. Everywhere in
Egypt, there was panic and chaos (Exodus 9:13-25).
But in the land of Goshen, there was peace (Exodus 9:26). The
Israelites and their livestock were unharmed. When Pharaoh learned
about this, he decided it was time to call for Moses and Aaron.
When the two brothers were brought before him, they were
shocked to hear the king say, “This time I have sinned. The Eternal is
righteous, but my people and I are wicked.”
It sounded as though Pharaoh was repenting—turning away from
his wrong thoughts and attitude in order to obey and please God.
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The Seventh Plague: Hail!
However, Moses could see through the king’s words. He knew that
Pharaoh was not really sorry. He whispered to Aaron, “Don’t be
fooled. The king is only saying what he thinks we want to hear.”
Pharaoh said, “Enough is enough. Plead with the Eternal, and ask
Him to take away the thunder and hailstorm. I will let your people go.
They will no longer need to stay in Egypt” (Exodus 9:27-28).
Through Aaron, Moses said, “I will pray on your behalf as soon as
I leave the city. The thunder, lightning and hail will stop—then you
will know that the earth belongs to God, not to your false gods. But as
for you and your servants, I am not fooled. I know that you don’t fear
the Eternal, as you should” (Exodus 9:29-30).
Pharaoh wanted to snap back with a harsh answer, but he kept his
mouth shut until Moses and Aaron had left.
Later, the king learned that his crops of flax and barley were
destroyed. The Egyptians would have less food to get them through the
winter. The wheat crops, however, had been spared. Pharaoh did not
appreciate that God was giving him mercy, and time to repent (Exodus
9:31-32).
God took away the horrible hailstorm, but Pharaoh went back on
his word. He hardened his heart and refused to let Israel go free.
The Eighth Plague: Locusts
Pharaoh was not surprised to see Moses and Aaron stand before his
throne again. He knew why they were there.
“Thus says the Eternal: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself
before Me? Let My people go so that they can serve Me. If not,
tomorrow I will bring a new plague—locusts! They shall cover Egypt
and eat the few crops you have left, as well as every tree. Every home,
big and small, will be filled with locusts. This plague will be greater
than anything in the history of your country. Nothing else has ever
been like it to this day. I am the Eternal.’”
Then Moses and Aaron turned around and left, leaving Pharaoh sitting
on his throne, angry and helpless (Exodus 10:1-6).
The king wanted to get out from his troubles, but he was too stubborn
to humble himself and put God’s will first. He just would not
repent.
His servants began to realize this. They said, “How long will you
allow Moses to rain such trouble on us? Hasn’t Egypt suffered enough
plagues? Release the Hebrews; let them go serve their God. Our country
is already destroyed—we cannot afford to take on any more
plagues!”
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Pharaoh thought, “Even my servants are turning against me.
Without them, my days of ruling Egypt might be short.”
He reluctantly called for Moses and Aaron. When they arrived, the
king said, “Your people can go serve their God. But first, tell me—
which ones will go?”
Moses said, “All the Israelites must leave—young and old, adults
and children, men and women—everyone, along with our livestock.
We must all go to hold a special feast to the Eternal” (Exodus 10:7-9).
“Are you sure it’s wise to bring your women and children into the
wilderness with you? You don’t know what kind of dangers are out
there. You had better be sure that your God will protect you; the
wilderness is dark and full of evil things. You had better beware.”
Pharaoh was trying to convince Moses to leave behind the women and
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The Eight Plague:
Locusts!
children. He added, “Now, Moses, you and the Israelite men can go,
but leave the rest behind. You don’t need them to serve your God.”
Before they could answer, the king’s guards drove Moses and
Aaron out from the throne room (Exodus 10:10-11).
At God’s command, Moses waved his rod over Egypt, and God sent
a hot, dry east wind to blow through the land throughout the day and
night. In the morning, the Egyptians discovered what the wind had
brought with it: locusts.
Just like the frogs, lice and flies before them, the locust covered the
fields and villages. They crept and hopped everywhere and got into
everything, searching for food. There were so many locusts, they filled
the sky and blocked out most of the sun.
In a short time, they ate every plant and fruit they could find.
Almost all the grain and vegetables the Egyptians had gathered and
stored were gone (Exodus 10:12-15).
Pharaoh panicked. He was the most powerful ruler on earth, yet he
was powerless against God’s awesome miracles.
Calling for Moses and Aaron, he said, “I have sinned against your
God and against you. I admit that I’ve gone back on my word and
failed to release Israel. Please forgive my sins, just this once. And pray
to your God for me. Ask Him to take away this plague.”
The two brothers said nothing. They knew that Pharaoh was just as
stubborn as before, because God was hardening the king’s heart for a
great purpose. God was using these plagues to show His awesome
power so that they would be remembered for the rest of history.
“Well?” Pharaoh said. “Will you do it?”
Moses and Aaron nodded their heads, and quietly walked away.
Later, after Moses prayed to God, the Almighty sent a strong west
wind to blow throughout Egypt. It took away the locusts and dumped
them into the Red Sea. Not one locust was left behind.
Of course, now that the plague was gone, Pharaoh changed his
mind again, and refused to release his slaves (Exodus 10:16-20).
The Ninth Plague: Darkness
Feeling angry and frustrated, Pharaoh paced back and forth in his
chambers. He was tired of having to deal with Moses and Aaron. But
he did not want to give in to their demands. His Hebrew slaves had
been profitable to him and his fellow Egyptians. He felt that if he
released the Israelites, he would appear weak to his people, and to the
surrounding nations. As king, Pharaoh was used to getting his way. He
was never taught to admit when he was wrong.
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“I am the king,” he thought. “I am never wrong.”
Pacing back and forth, he noticed that the room was getting dark.
“That’s strange,” he said. From his window he saw that the sky was
growing midnight black—yet it was still morning. God had sent another
plague upon Egypt: darkness!
Egypt became so dark that people could barely see their own hands
in front of them. For three days, the Egyptians stayed in their homes
because those who dared to go outside into the darkness got lost
(Exodus 10:21-23).
God sent the plague of darkness in order to teach the people an
important lesson. By removing the light, the Eternal showed that He
was far more powerful than Ra, the false god of the sun whom the
Egyptians worshipped.
While the darkness consumed Egypt, the land of Goshen had plenty
of light. God was making a clear difference between His people, the
Israelites, and the Egyptians (Exodus 10:23)
Again, Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron. He said to them, “Your
people may go out and serve the Eternal.”
“All of us may go?—including the women and children?”
Pharaoh said, “Yes. All of you may go. But let your flocks and
herds stay here” (Exodus 10:24). Without their livestock to use for
food and sacrifices, the Israelites would be forced to return to Egypt.
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The Ninth plague:
Darkness!
Pharaoh understood this. He would do anything to keep the Israelites
as his slaves.
Just as Moses and Aaron, as a team, represented God the Father and
the Word (now called Jesus Christ), Pharaoh represented someone,
too—Satan the devil. Though he did not know it, Pharaoh was influenced
by Satan. The king’s mind was filled with the devil’s wrong
thoughts and attitudes—pride, rage, greed, and the desire to please
himself, even if it hurt other people. These and all other evil attitudes
come from the devil. As the false god of man’s world, Satan continually
sends out bad attitudes, wicked thoughts and evil desires in order
to lead people to do his will (II Corinthians 4:4 and Ephesians 2:2).
And just as Pharaoh would do anything to keep the Israelites under
his rule, the devil will do anything to keep God’s people from reaching
their awesome human potential: to be born into the God Family.
Satan constantly tries to get God’s people to reject the Eternal and
to rely upon themselves. He does not want them to build God’s holy,
righteous character—the ability to: (1) Know right from wrong, based
on God’s laws, (2) choose what’s right and reject what’s wrong, and
(3) do what’s right, even if doing the wrong thing seems easier or better.
Every time someone decides for himself what is right and what is
wrong, he is following the way of Satan.
The devil knows that those who fully develop God’s character will
one day be changed into Spirit Beings. They will be born into God’s
Family, and have the same powers as God the Father and Jesus Christ.
This is something Satan cannot have.
But you can.
Pharaoh Loses His Temper—Again
Through Aaron, Moses said to Pharaoh, “We need our flocks and herds
with us. We will use them to give burnt offerings to our God. We can’t
leave any of our livestock behind.”
“Get out!” the king screamed. “Get out of my sight and never come
back! You have seen my face for the last time. The day you face me
again is the day you die, Moses!”
Moses nodded. “The king is correct. I will not see your face
again” (Exodus 10:25-29). Then he and his brother departed.
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CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
THE FINAL PLAGUE
STRIKES EGYPT
Some time had passed since Moses began delivering God’s message
to Pharaoh. Yet even after nine devastating plagues—blood, frogs,
lice, flies, sick and dying livestock, boils, hail, locusts and darkness—
the king’s stubborn mind would not give in to God’s will. Though
Egypt was nearly destroyed, Pharaoh could not bear to release the
Israelites.
This was all according to God’s plan. He was now ready to unleash
His final plague upon Egypt. This plague would be so destructive that
Pharaoh would finally let God’s people go free.
The Eternal told Moses to speak to the Israelites. “Tell them to ask
from their Egyptian neighbors gold and silver jewelry.” This would be
a way for the Egyptians to pay back wages for all the harsh labor they
had forced the Israelites to do for them.
The people listened to Moses and did as God commanded. They
had no problem getting personal treasures from the Egyptians. After
having suffered nine of God’s plagues, the people of Egypt began to
treat the Israelites with respect. They dared not offend or mistreat the
Hebrew slaves, or else face the wrath of the Eternal, their God.
The Egyptians also began to respect Moses. They now saw him as
a powerful man—even more powerful than Pharaoh. They knew that
every time Moses said something was going to happen, it always came
true. This was because Moses obeyed God (Exodus 11:1-3).
Preparing for Passover
Moses said to the Israelites, “Thus says the Eternal: ‘At midnight, I
will go in the midst of Egypt and will strike the firstborn throughout
the land. Every firstborn in Egypt, from the son of Pharaoh to the son
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of the common servant, shall all die—even
the firstborn of all animals shall die! Egypt
will cry like it has never done before. This
night will never be forgotten.’”
The crowd grew excited, anxious for
God to deliver them from slavery. The
people drew closer and listened to
Moses continue with God’s message.
“I will not harm the
Israelites and their animals.
They will be left
untouched. In this way you
shall know that I consider My
people different than the
Egyptians. I am the Eternal.”
Everyone in the crowd
was excited and fearful.
“After God has
unleashed His last plague,”
Moses said, “Pharaoh will
not only release us from
slavery—he will drive us out of Egypt!”
The people cheered. Finally, after all these years, they were about
to be set free. And God would lead them into the Promised Land
(Exodus 11:4-8).
To prepare His people for the upcoming journey out of Egypt and
into the wilderness, God told Moses and Aaron that He would teach
Israel His way to count time. Today, men begin their calendar year in
the dead of winter. But God begins His calendar in the beginning of
spring, when trees and other vegetation are renewed.
God said, “This month shall be to My people the first month of the
year.” This is called the month of Abib. It begins at different times in
man’s calendar, sometimes in March, sometimes in April.
God said that on the tenth day of Abib, each family of Israel must
choose a lamb, a male that was only one year old. The family was to
remove it from the flock. The lamb had to be physically perfect, without
any spots and marks. The family was to care for it until the 14th
day of Abib. That evening—God counts days from sunset to sunset,
while men count days from midnight to midnight—all the families of
Israel were to kill their chosen lambs.
“And then,” God said, “they shall take the blood of the lamb and
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smear it on the doorposts of the homes where the families will be eating.
That night they must roast the lamb and eat it, along with unleavened
bread and bitter herbs. Make sure that you eat all of the lamb.
That which is left over you shall burn with fire. Also make sure that
the lamb is roasted whole, with its head, legs and inner parts. It must
not be eaten raw or boiled.
“And do not leave your homes. Stay inside. I will send a death
angel to pass over all the homes in Egypt. The death angel will strike
the homes of those who do not have lamb’s blood smeared on their
doorposts. Every firstborn son of both man and beast will be
destroyed. Thus I will bring judgment to the false gods of Egypt,
whom the people sacrifice to, rather than to Me.
“But as for those homes with lamb’s blood smeared on their doorposts,
My angel will leave the people there untouched. This is the
Passover of the Eternal. This day shall be a memorial, to be
kept by you and your descendants forever, because My
destroying angel will pass over you and spare your firstborn”
(Exodus 12:1-14).
God Explains the Days of Unleavened Bread
God further explained that the Israelites must keep the
Days of Unleavened Bread. For seven days, the only
bread they could eat had to be made without leavening,
such as yeast, baking powder or baking soda. In fact,
no leavening was allowed to be in their homes or in
their possession. They were to completely get rid
of it. If anyone refused to remove leavening
from their lives, they would be cut off from
the people of Israel. They would no
longer be a part of God’s people.
They would be cut off from the
Promised Land. They would no
longer have God’s protection.
Even strangers—non-Israelites
who lived in peace among God’s
people—were commanded to
keep the Days of Unleavened
Bread.
God also told Moses and
Aaron that the first and seventh
day of Unleavened Bread—the
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15th and 21st of Abib—were Holy Days. They were Sabbath days that
must be kept once a year. Usually, annual Holy Days can fall on any
day of the week, depending on God’s calendar. Just like the weekly
Sabbath, no one was allowed to do any work on annual Sabbath days,
except to prepare food for feasting. The first and last days of
Unleavened Bread were holy times for God’s people to assemble, and
praise the Eternal.
“And you shall teach all these things to your children,” God said,
“and to your children’s children.”
The Meaning of Passover
and the Days of Unleavened Bread
What the Israelites did not know is that Passover represented the ultimate
sacrifice that would be given about 1,500 years later.
The Word, the One who speaks for the God Family, would become
a flesh-and-blood man. He would live a lifetime of obeying God,
resisting wrong attitudes and thoughts of Satan, and building God’s
holy, righteous character. Called Jesus Christ, He would qualify to
replace Satan as ruler over the earth. Then Christ, as God’s Son, would
give mankind the perfect sacrifice: His perfect, innocent, sin-free life.
His sacrifice would pay the death penalty, which all people earn when
they sin—break God’s laws.
Three days after Christ’s death, God the Father would bring His
Son back to life—resurrect Him—but not as a physical human being.
Christ would become a Spirit Being and a Member of God’s Family,
just like before. Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection would provide
a way for all people to be born into God’s Family. That is why the
Bible calls Jesus “the Firstborn of many brethren” (Romans 8:29).
The physically perfect lamb chosen at Passover represented Christ.
The lamb’s sacrifice and blood represented Christ’s perfect sacrifice
and innocent shed blood.
The unleavened bread represented Jesus’ body, which never broke
any of God’s laws. During the Feast of Unleavened Bread, leaven represented
sin—all the wrong attitudes, desires and actions of Satan the
devil. These include selfishness, greed, lust, envy, hatred, pride, vanity
and more.
But why did God pick leaven to represent sin?
Leaven puffs up bread, making it bigger than it really is. In the
same way, sin puffs up people. Sin makes people think that they are
better than everyone else. This always leads to an “I’ll decide for
myself” attitude, rather than trusting in God.
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Today, millions of people who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ
say that Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread were only for
ancient times. But God’s people still keep His feasts and Holy Days,
just as they will when Christ returns to set up the Kingdom of God.
The Tenth and Final Plague:
Death of the Firstborn
The Israelites obeyed God. At the end of the
13th of Abib, the people gathered their
chosen lambs. Then at evening, when
the 14th of Abib began, they killed
the lambs and smeared the blood on
the doorposts of their homes. All
the people of Israel ate roasted
lamb, with bitter herbs and bread
made without leaven (Exodus
13:3-4).
At midnight, the Eternal kept
His word and sent His destroying
angel to pass through Egypt.
That night, Pharaoh heard the
longest, most heart-breaking cry
in his life. From his bedchambers,
he walked onto his balcony, which
overlooked Egypt. The whole land
was filled with mournful cries and
moans.
“I bet Moses has something to do
with this,” he thought.
Just then, the king heard his wife
scream. Her shriek came from their
oldest son’s bedchambers.
When Pharaoh dashed into the hallway,
he saw his servants on their
knees, crying and weeping.
“What is it? What’s wrong with all of you?”
One man said, “You should have listened to Moses.”
“What?” said Pharaoh. “How dare you speak to me that way!”
Another servant said, “Because of you, my son is dead. The God of
the Hebrews took his life—He took all the lives of our firstborn sons.”
The man fell to the ground face forward, and cried.
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Then Pharaoh remembered that his wife had screamed. He raced to
his oldest son’s bedchambers, slammed open the doors. The king’s
grieving wife sobbed over their son’s bed.
Pharaoh drew closer, afraid to see the unthinkable.
“My boy!” he cried. “Not my son, too. No!”
Pharaoh’s firstborn son was dead (Exodus 12:28-30).
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CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
THE RUSH TO FREEDOM
Every firstborn of man and beast were dead, but the Israelites had
been spared. Before the night was over, Pharaoh called for his
fastest messenger.
“Go find Moses and Aaron. Tell them and the rest of the Israelites
to leave Egypt at once. Let them go serve their God. Tell them to take
their livestock and be gone. Also tell them to
bless me, too. I have lost my precious boy”
(Exodus 12:31-32).
All the Egyptians were anxious to get
rid of the Israelites. In fact, they freely
gave whatever the Israelites asked
for—gold and silver jewelry, fine
linen, etc.
“Take it! Take it all!” they said.
“Just leave Egypt and go in
peace.”
That day—the daytime portion
of the 14th of Abib—all of Israel
prepared for their long journey into
the wilderness (verses 33, 35, 36).
The Israelites shouted,
“Freedom! Freedom!”
When they had gathered all their
belongings, including livestock and
the treasures they had just received,
the people marched out of Egypt. This
was the night of the 15th
(Deuteronomy 16:1). In all, there were
about two or three million joyful Hebrews
leaving their former masters behind.
A mixed company of foreigners came with them,
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including some Egyptians. These people felt that life would be much
better under the rule of the God of Israel than under Pharaoh’s rule
(verses 37-38).
And everyone took with them unleavened bread to eat along the
way (verses 34, 39).
Night To Be Much Observed
Gathering at the city of Rameses, the Israelites marched out of Goshen,
at the beginning of the 15th of Abib. Moses later wrote that this was
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As they marched through
the wilderness, the
Israelites followed a pillar
of cloud by day, and a
pillar of fire by night.
the Night To Be Much Observed. It was a special night for two reasons:
First, it was the beginning of the First Day of Unleavened Bread,
which was an annual Sabbath; second, it was the night God commanded
His people to remember and celebrate forever. That is why
God’s Church keeps it today, thousands of years later (Exodus 12:42).
As they marched out of Egypt, the people celebrated and thanked
God. They praised Him for sparing the lives of their firstborn, and for
releasing them from slavery.
The Israelites took with them the bones of Joseph, son of Jacob.
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God parts the Red Sea, allowing the
Israelites to march across dry ground.
Years ago, Joseph asked that his bones be brought out of Egypt and
properly buried in the Promised Land (13:19).
God guided Israel southeast to the city of Succoth.
You may be wondering how the Israelites knew which way God
wanted them to march. The Messenger of the Eternal (who later
became Jesus Christ) led them in a towering pillar of cloud! When the
people saw it, they were amazed.
Moses said, “This is how God will lead us to Canaan.”
And at night, the people were even more amazed to see the pillar of
cloud turn into a pillar of fire! It gave off enough light for the people
to see, even at night.
Moses said, “Whenever the pillar of cloud or of fire moves, we
must follow. Whenever it stops, we must stop” (verses 21-22).
“Look, the cloud is moving!”
All were amazed to see the giant pillar of cloud move—especially
when it was leading them in a southerly direction. Some of the
Israelites wondered why they weren’t going east, toward the trade
routes, which were the shortest way to Canaan. Moses reminded them
that they must follow the cloud, no matter where it went.
“God knows better,” he said. “He has everything under control.
Trust Him.” Moses came to understand that no one can out-think or
out-guess God. In the wonderful world of tomorrow, when Christ sets
up His Kingdom on earth, all will be taught to trust God to lead their
lives. Only by following Him can people be truly happy.
God, in His supreme wisdom, decided that the shortest route was
also the most dangerous. He knew that the Israelites were not yet ready
to face the Philistines and other fierce warriors who lived in Canaan.
His people were not used to war, so God decided to lead them on a
longer, but less dangerous path (verses 17-18).
From Succoth, the people marched to Etham, camping at the edge
of the wilderness. They would soon be leaving Egyptian territory
(verse 20 and Numbers 33:5-6).
Nowhere to Run
Back on their journey, the Israelites spent the day marching through
dry, sparse Egyptian wilderness. When the pillar of God finally
stopped, the people knew that it was time to camp again.
Moses looked over the surroundings. On one side of the camp was
the Red Sea. On the other side was a towering range of jagged mountains.
And behind them was the wilderness.
“Are you sure this is wise?” some asked Moses. “What if some army
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came along and attacked us? We would have nowhere to run and hide.”
Others said, “What are you talking about? No one is going to attack
us out here. We’re alone. The cities of Egypt are far away. We have
nothing to worry about.”
But Moses knew better. God allowed Israel to become trapped
between the sea and the mountains for a reason. God had told Moses
that He would harden Pharaoh’s heart and inspire him to chase after
the Israelites.
This is why Moses was not surprised to hear people scream,
“Chariots are coming! Chariots are coming!”
Nowhere to Hide
“Pharaoh will kill us! We’re trapped between the mountains and the
sea—there’s no way out! We’re all doomed!”
Driven by fear, the people surrounded Moses. “Why did you bring
us out of Egypt? Was it so that we might die out here in the wilderness?
Didn’t we tell you to leave us be? We were better off serving the
Egyptians. Because of you, Moses, we’re about to be slaughtered!”
(Exodus 14:11-12).
Moses stood on a high point and looked across the crowd of frightened
and angry faces. But he was not afraid. God had placed His Holy
Spirit in Moses. It replaced Moses’ fear with courage, boldness and
trust in God—faith.
Knowing that the Eternal would rescue them all, Moses said, “Do
not fear. Stand still and see the salvation of God Almighty. Watch Him
deliver us from this danger. The Egyptians you see today you shall
never see again. God will fight for you. All you need to do is stand and
watch. The Eternal will do the rest” (verses 13-14).
Some were comforted by Moses’ words. But most still did not trust
God. They let their fear control their emotions. This is because they did
not have God’s Holy Spirit working in their minds, like Moses had.
Today, true Christians do have God’s Spirit within them. It gives
them the power, love, and faith to obey and trust God. When a
Christian allows God’s Spirit to lead him in the right direction, that
person will not allow fear or other emotions to control him (II Timothy
1:7).
Moses prayed to God.
The Eternal answered, saying, “Lift up your shepherd rod and
stretch out your hand over the Red Sea. I will divide the waters, and
the Israelites shall make their escape. Do not worry about getting stuck
in the muddy seabed. I will dry the ground. Then I will harden the
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hearts of the Egyptians. When they see you make your escape, they
will follow. When they do, I will bring honor to Myself. The Egyptians
will know that I am the Eternal” (verses 15-18).
God Parts the Red Sea
Pharaoh and his chariots and horsemen raced toward the trapped
Israelites.
“Kill them!” the king shouted. “Kill them all!”
The army drew near. The soldiers were driven by anger and hatred
for their former slaves. Soon, they would close in on the Hebrews and
take away their lives.
Just then, the pillar of cloud moved from the head of the camp to its
rear, blocking the Egyptians in their path. Pharaoh commanded them
to go through the cloud, but his generals said, “The cloud is too thick.
We could end up doing more harm to ourselves than to the Hebrews.
Let us camp here for the night. The cloud won’t stay here forever.
When it leaves, we’ll be well rested and ready. Besides, the Israelites
are trapped. There’s no way for them to escape.”
Reluctantly, Pharaoh agreed. “Perhaps you’re right. If we wait, it
will give my men and their horses time to rest.”
The king ordered his men to make camp.
Meanwhile, the Israelites all wondered how long God would keep
the pillar of cloud between them and the Egyptians.
That night, while the Egyptian camp was in darkness, the Israelite
camp had light, which came from the cloud (Exodus 14:19-20). God
provided this light to show Israel His next great miracle.
The people anxiously watched Moses as he walked through the
crowd and headed for the edge of the sea.
“Where is Moses going?” some whispered.
“Perhaps he thinks we should swim our way to freedom.”
“That’s ridiculous. The waves are too strong and the distance to the
other side of the sea too far. We would all drown!”
Moses ignored their comments. Placing his trust in God, he raised
his rod and stretched his hand over the Red Sea. Immediately, a strong
wind from the east blew back the waters. All that night, two giant walls
of water formed and parted through the sea, revealing a smooth, dry
path (Psalms 77:19-20).
Turning to the people, Moses said, “The Eternal your God shall
now deliver you.”
The Israelites were shocked and amazed at the sight. Their God had
just parted the Red Sea.
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Escape Through the Red Sea
At Moses’ command, the Israelites broke camp, grabbed their belongings,
and marched onto the path through the sea. They stared up at the
amazing sight of the towering walls of water. It was as though an
unseen hand held back the sea, creating a canyon of water.
Many thoughts raced through the minds of the Israelites:
“How long will God keep the Egyptians from chasing after us?”
“Are these walls of water going to fall on us before we make it to
shore?”
“I don’t believe it! This is impossible!”
But Moses knew what all of God’s servants know—with God,
nothing is impossible (Luke 1:37 and 18:27).
All through the night, the two or three million Israelites and a
mixed multitude of foreigners escaped through the sea.
Early next morning, the pillar of cloud removed itself from blocking
Pharaoh’s army. The king immediately ordered his men to attack.
His soldiers gladly took up their weapons, mounted their horse and
chariots, and rushed into the Israelites’ camp.
Only they discovered that the Israelites were gone!
Pharaoh said, “Where are they? Where did they go? How could
they have disappeared?”
A soldier pointed to a wide path of footprints leading to the shore.
That’s when the Egyptians saw that the Red Sea was parted in two.
The soldiers stood in silence. “What kind of God can do that?”
some wondered.
Most men would have been afraid at this display of God’s power.
They would have turned back. But God had hardened Pharaoh and the
Egyptians’ hearts. He did so to show the Israelites—and all
mankind—that the Eternal will always fight for those who serve and
obey Him.
Pharaoh broke the silence. “Attack!”
The chariots and horsemen raced onto the path and followed it into
the Red Sea. Soon they were able to see the Israelites marching just
ahead; the last of them were just about to reach the other side of the
sea. The soldiers drove the chariots and horses even harder.
Suddenly, the wheels of the chariots came off! Some dug deep into
the ground and got stuck. The soldiers couldn’t go any farther.
Some said, “This is the work of the Eternal!”
“We can’t fight the God of Israel! Let’s get out of here!” (Exodus
14:23-25)
As the soldiers rushed to get back to shore, God told Moses to
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stretch out his hand over the sea. Pharaoh’s men stumbled and crashed
into each other, trying to escape.
Then suddenly, the canyon walls of water came crashing down
upon them. The soldiers and horses smashed into each other. Giant
waves of water picked them up and dropped them into the sea. The
men screamed and tried to hold on to anything they could use to float
on the water’s surface.
But the soldiers struggled in vain. Pharaoh’s army was wiped out
(verses 26-28).
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Pharaohs army was destroyed by the
crushing waters of the Red Sea.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
ISRAEL TESTS GOD
All the people of Israel cheered and jumped for joy, hugging and
dancing, as bodies of dead soldiers and horses washed up on the
beach. Their former slave masters would never be a threat to them
again. Seeing God’s great handiwork, the Israelites worshipped and
feared the Eternal. They began to trust Him, and Moses as well
(Exodus 14:29-31).
Singing Praises to God
That day was an annual Sabbath—the Last Day of Unleavened Bread.
As with all Sabbaths, God commanded His people to come and assemble
before Him. Then Moses led the Israelites to sing a special song to
praise and thank their God for His great mercy, mighty miracles and
awesome wonders.
Unlike today, when most people create music or sing songs to
please only themselves, Moses and the Israelites sang to please God.
They sang about how the Eternal had rescued them through the Red
Sea; how He had fought their battles for them; and how He had
destroyed their enemies. They also sang about how the rulers of
Canaan would tremble and melt away when God brought them into the
Promised Land.
Miriam (Moses and Aaron’s sister) led all the women to dance and
play a musical instrument called the timbrel.
It was a happy, exciting, Sabbath-day festival—all because God
had kept His promise to free His people from Egypt (Exodus 15:1-21).
Grumble, Moan, Complain
Three days had passed since the Israelites traveled from the shores of
the Red Sea. Now they were in the barren Wilderness of Shur, and
there was no water to be found. And the supply of fresh water they had
brought was all but gone.
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Many of the people grumbled and complained, that is, until the pillar
of cloud led them to a large pool of water. The people crowded
around it, scooped up the water, and drank.
Then they immediately spat it back out. What they thought was
fresh, clean water tasted bitter and stale.
Angry, some turned to accuse Moses. “Why have you done this,
Moses? Why did you bring us out here in the wilderness without fresh
water to drink? What are we supposed to do—die here under the burning
sun?”
They called the place Marah, which meant “bitter” (Exodus 15:22-
24).
Aaron was amazed. He said to Moses, “Just three days earlier the
people praised God and trusted in your
leadership. Now look at them. They act
as though the God who delivered
them from Pharaoh’s army is
too weak to give them water.”
But Moses did not let the
people’s anger trouble him. He
relied on God. Moses understood
that the Eternal was
testing them. He wanted
to see whether the
Israelites would seek
God and put Him first,
or simply moan and
complain.
Moses cried out to God
in deep, personal prayer. And God listened.
He showed Moses a tree, then
ordered him to cast it into the pool of bitter
water. When Moses obeyed, the water
instantly changed. It was no longer bitter
and stale. God had made the water sweet
and fresh.
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God used a
tree to make
bitter water
become sweet.
The Eternal said, “If you will listen to Me, and choose the way I
have chosen to be right, I promise to put none of the diseases on you
that I put on the Egyptians. For I am the Eternal God who heals you”
(verses 25-26).
God then led Israel to a place called Elim, in the Wilderness of Sin,
where there was plenty of water for all—12 wells of fresh, clean water,
plus 70 palm trees (verse 27). The people made themselves full, comfortable
and satisfied.
God Displays His Glory
When it was time to leave, the people gathered their things and followed
the pillar of cloud farther into the wilderness of Sin (Numbers
33:10-11). It did not take very long for the Israelites to give in to their
carnal nature and start complaining:
“It’s been a whole month since we left Egypt,” said one man.
“When is Moses going to get us to the Promised Land?”
Another said, “I’m hungry. What are we supposed to do for food?”
A month had passed since the Israelites had marched out of Egypt.
The people had eaten most of the breads, grains, and other foods they
had brought along. Instead of seeking God to provide more food, the
Israelites chose to grumble and complain again. Many surrounded
Moses and Aaron, and blamed them for their food shortage:
“We would be better off if God had left us to die in Egypt! At least
there we had plenty of meat and bread for us and our families. You
only brought us out here so that we could starve to death in the wilderness”
(Exodus 16:3).
Moses and Aaron could hardly believe their ears. “Doesn’t anyone
trust God?” they asked.
Because they constantly gave Moses and Aaron credit for delivering
them from the hands of Pharaoh, God knew that the Israelites
needed to be taught a lesson. He needed to get through to their minds
that the Eternal was their Deliverer—not Moses and Aaron.
The Israelites had carnal minds. Without God’s Holy Spirit working
in them, they could only put their trust in physical things—what
they could see or touch.
But God is Spirit. He is invisible. Like the wind, He cannot be seen,
unless He so chooses. Only those who have His Holy Spirit guiding
their minds—their thoughts and desires—can fully worship and trust
God.
Despite all the astounding miracles He had already performed, God
knew that the carnal-minded Israelites needed to see daily miracles.
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These would help to remind them where they
should place their trust.
So God said to Moses, “I will rain down on
my people bread from heaven. Every morning,
My people are to go out and gather this special
bread. But they are only allowed to collect
enough to last the day. On the
sixth day of the week, they are to
gather twice as much.
“In the evening, I will rain
down meat. In this way, the people
will know that I am the Eternal, the
One who brought them out of Egypt”
(verses 4-5).
Quickly, Moses and Aaron told the
Israelites the good news. And then they
added, “At evening, you will see the power
and glory of the God who freed you from slavery. He has heard you
complain and groan against Him. You may have thought that you were
complaining against us, but the truth is you were complaining against
the God of the universe!”
That evening, as the sun slowly faded into the horizon, all the people
looked up into the dark sky and waited. Then the pillar of cloud
displayed the awesome might and power of God Almighty—and the
people shivered and trembled with fear.
After this, God produced another miracle: Small, plump birds,
called quails, dropped down into the Israelites’ camp. They were
everywhere, covering the entire campground. The quails were easy to
catch, and, after killing and cooking them, the Israelites found out that
the birds were tasty, too.
With their bellies full of fresh-cooked meat, the people waited for
morning to come. They were anxious to see what God would do next
(verses 6-13).
Manna From Heaven
Morning came, and God produced another miracle. The Israelites
awoke to find morning dew lying on the ground all about them. When
the dew dried up, it revealed small, white, round crackers of bread. It
tasted like wafers made with honey (Exodus 16:31).
Some asked, “What is it?” This led the Israelites to call the bread
from heaven “manna,” which means “what is it?” (verses 11-15).
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Moses reminded them that each person should gather enough
manna to meet their daily needs, about two quarts (verse 16). The people
obeyed—but not entirely. Some gathered more than their fair share,
and some gathered less.
God saw this and produced another miracle: Those who gathered
too little or too much manna were surprised to discover that what they
had just collected still came to about two quarts (verses 17-18).
This should have taught the Israelites to follow God’s exact instructions.
But the people proved to be too stubborn and rebellious to listen.
They wanted to do things their own way, and decided for themselves
right from wrong, good from evil.
They even disobeyed God’s command to eat all of the manna they
collected and leave none overnight. Those who refused to listen awoke
the next morning to a rotten smell. The bread they had saved from the
night before was now squirming with worms, and gave off a foul
stench (verses 19-20).
Upon discovering their disobedience, Moses was angry.
He said, “How dare you disobey a direct command from God! He
granted you His mercy, releasing you from suffering and misery—and
this is how you treat His kindness?”
The guilty ones hung their heads in shame. Their sin of rebellion
and disobedience was exposed for all to see (and smell). Most people
think that they can do all kinds of evil and never get caught. But someday,
God will judge the sins of all men. No one will escape His judgment.
During that week, the Israelites learned to gather manna the right
way: just enough to supply their daily needs, and none left overnight.
Any manna that was not collected melted when the noon sun was high
in the sky (verse 21).
In Danger of God’s Wrath
When the sixth day of the week came (today, we call it Friday) God,
through Moses and Aaron, told the Israelites to gather twice as much
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manna. Many wondered why.
Moses said, “Tomorrow is the Sabbath, the weekly day of rest,
which God created for all mankind. He gives us the first six days of the
week to do all our work and pleasure. But the seventh day is a Sabbath.
It is a special day that belongs to our God. Use today—the sixth day—
to prepare for God’s Sabbath. Do all your baking and boiling today and
store away enough food to last through tomorrow. Don’t worry about
the manna rotting overnight; God will protect it. Tomorrow when you
awake, there will be no new manna for you to gather. God wants you
to rest” (Exodus 16:22-26).
The people obeyed. Each person gathered about four quarts of
manna—enough to feed them for that day and the next.
But next morning, some of the Israelites chose to rebel against
God’s command. They arose early and searched for manna to collect.
Yet there was none to be found.
This angered God!
He said, “Moses, this is a rebellious and stubborn people. How long
will they refuse to keep My commandments and laws?”
Moses warned Israel of God’s wrath. The people, remembering
what God had done to the Egyptians, kept the Sabbath day holy—special
and full of joy—by resting on it (verses 27-30).
Sometime later, God commanded Moses and the Israelites to save
an omer (a little more than two quarts) of manna. This was to remind
future generations of Israelites that God had fed His people bread from
heaven while leading them through the wilderness, into the Promised
Land (verses 32-33).
This was also written in the Bible to remind us that God will
always provide for our needs. All we have to do is trust and obey
Him.
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CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
SNEAK ATTACK!
God led the two million-plus Israelites through the Wilderness of
Sin. They camped at Dophkah, Alush and then Rephidim
(Numbers 33:12-14).
The Israelites soon discovered that Rephidim was so barren, no
water could be found. Again, the people moaned and complained.
Some said, “Moses, we need more water—give it to us now!”
Others said, “Is this why you brought us out of Egypt—to kill us,
our children, and our cattle, too? We’re all dying from thirst!”
Even though it was God who had delivered them, and the pillars of
cloud and fire were right there for all to see, the Israelites saw only
Moses as their leader. Like many do today, they focused on human
beings to solve all their problems instead of trusting in God.
Responding to their complaints, Moses said, “Who am I? I’m just
an ordinary human being. I’m not the One who freed you from slavery.
I don’t have the power to make water. God is our Great Provider.
Why do you test God by looking to me to provide for you? You should
be seeking the Eternal.”
The Israelites grew hostile and bitter. If their needs weren’t met
soon, something terrible could happen.
Fearing for his life, Moses prayed. “O Eternal God, what shall I do
with these people? All they do is moan and grumble—and now they’re
ready to take my life!”
Unlike many deceived men who claim to speak for God, Moses did
not take credit for the Eternal’s amazing miracles. He knew that all
blessings came from the Almighty. Moses struggled to make the carnal-
minded Israelites understand this.
God said to him, “Moses, go before the people. Take with you the
elders of Israel and your shepherd rod. I will direct you to the rock in
Horeb. You will strike it with your rod, and out will pour water.”
Moses faithfully obeyed.
The elders of Israel and all the people watched as he struck the rock
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with his rod. Suddenly, sweet, fresh water poured out from it.
Because Moses showed the Israelites that he relied on God as his
leader, God showed them that He was working through Moses.
Complaining against Moses, God’s chosen leader, was like complaining
against God Himself.
Since the Israelites tested God by bitterly moaning and grumbling,
the place was called Massah and Meribah, which meant “testing” and
“contending” (Exodus 17:1-7).
War Council Plans
News of Israel’s dramatic release from Egypt had spread to the many
tribes and nations living in Canaan. These Gentiles (non-Israelites)
knew that God had delivered Israel from slavery in order to take
Canaan away from them.
One tribe, the Amalekites, were more worried about Israel than
were the other people living in Canaan. The Amalekites were nomads,
people who roamed from place to place, never settling down in one
spot. They lived mostly in the region of Negev, located in the southernmost
part of Canaan.
The leaders of the Amalekites met to make a plan about what to do
with Israel.
One man stood up, and said, “The Israelites must be stopped. Right
now, as I speak, they are marching toward Canaan, claiming that it’s
their Promised Land. And our territory stands between them. If we
don’t crush the Israelites now while we still have the chance, they may
grow stronger by the time they get here.”
Another said, “He’s right. The time to strike is now. This may be
our best opportunity to get rid of them, once and for all!”
But some of the other leaders were worried. “What about their
God? He struck Egypt with ten plagues when Pharaoh and his people
stood in God’s way. Look what happened to them.”
“Bah! The Egyptians worshipped the wrong gods, that’s all. This
God of the Hebrews is no match for our gods. Besides, my scouts
report that the Israelites are bringing with them lots of Egyptian treasures—
gold, silver, fine linen. These Hebrews are like ripe fruit waiting
to be plucked.”
All in the war council agreed. They lifted their swords and cheered,
“Death to Israel!”
The Amalekites were descendants of Amalek. He was the grandson
of Esau, who was the brother of Jacob (Israel). The Amalekites’ hatred
for the Israelites partly came from the jealousy and friction that had
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occurred between Esau and Jacob. This hatred still exists between
these two peoples.
But in tomorrow’s wonderful world, when Jesus Christ rules over
all nations, everyone will live in peace. That time is coming very soon.
Sneak Attack!
The Amalekite leaders formed an army and raced off to meet the
Israelites. Along the way, Amalekite scouts brought back reports of
Israel’s movements.
“The Israelites have most of their strongest men and weapons stationed
at the middle and front of their camp. But their rear is less
guarded.”
Armed with this new information, the leaders devised their plan of
attack.
The army secretly came to the rear of the Israelites’ camp and hid.
When their leaders gave the command, the Amalekites swooped down
from the hills. They grabbed whatever treasure they could find, while
slaying the weak and weary.
“This is too easy!” the raiders cheered.
The Israelites were taken by surprise. They expected to be attacked
in Canaan, not in the wilderness. Some panicked—they didn’t know
what to do. The Israelites were used to being slaves, not soldiers.
Before Israel could react, the Amalekite raiders fled back up into
the hills.
Moses knew that they would be back. So he chose his servant
Joshua (Exodus 33:11) to lead the people into battle. “Joshua, go and
choose men who can fight. Get them ready to meet the Amalekites.”
The next morning, the Amalekites attacked again. This time, Israel
was ready for them. Swords, shields and spears clashed against each
other as the bloody battle waged on.
Meanwhile, Moses stood on top of a hill that overlooked the fighting.
He held his shepherd rod high above his head, praying for God to
give Israel victory.
God did not answer immediately. God knows that if He always
answered prayers right away, people would stop putting their hearts
into their prayers. God wants all His servants to learn that relying upon
Him takes patience, endurance and strength.
You must also understand that Moses did not lift up his rod because
it was some kind of “magic wand.” Of and by itself, there was nothing
special about his shepherd rod. God decided to use it as a symbol of
His great authority and power. Like a good shepherd who uses his rod
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The bloodthirsty
Amalekites tried to
crush the Israelites.
to lead, protect, and sometimes correct his sheep, God uses His authority
and power to lead, protect and lovingly correct His people.
Success Belongs to God
With Moses holding the rod high above him as he prayed, Israel was
defeating the raiders.
In the thick of the battle, Joshua yelled to his troops, “Keep fighting,
we’re winning!”
The Israelites charged at their enemies even harder. But just when
they thought that victory was theirs, the Amalekites regained their
strength and struck back.
Joshua said, “I don’t understand.”
Then he looked up to the hill where Moses stood. Moses had been
praying with his hands in the air for so long, his arms grew tired and
heavy. Because his hands lowered, God was no longer answering
Moses’ prayers.
Aaron and a man named Hur rushed up the hill, grabbed Moses’
arms, and lifted them above his head.
Suddenly, Israel was winning the battle again. Whenever Moses’
hands started to lower, the Amalekites began to win.
Moses was so tired from standing that Aaron and Hur brought a
rock over for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side of him and
held up his arms while he prayed.
Fighting viciously against their foes, the Israelites saw Moses with
his hands held high, praying for them. This caused the Israelites to
realize two things: (1) Their success depended on God answering
Moses’ prayer; (2) God was clearly working through Moses.
The fighting and bloodshed continued throughout the long, tiring
day until the sun began to set. Only then did God give Israel full victory
over their enemies.
Joshua shouted, “Success! God has given us success!”
The Israelites cheered with him, and fell upon their remaining enemies
like a giant tidal wave. When the battle was finally over, Israel
had gained valuable experience fighting deadly forces. The people also
learned to look to God for their success.
News of their victory quickly spread to other Gentile nations, terrifying
them into thinking twice before daring to attack God’s people.
The next day, all the people of Israel gathered weapons and armor
of the dead Amalekites. They also gathered the gold, silver and other
valuables left behind in the enemy camp.
As the people danced and celebrated, Moses built an altar of wor-
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Aaron and Hur helped Moses keep his
hands raised as he prayed for God to
bless Israel with victory.
ship. He called it “The Eternal is my banner.” Throughout man’s history,
there have been many wars and battles. Armies usually carried
flags that showed where they received their authority—usually from a
king or a country. Moses was showing that Israel’s authority and power
came from God. He knew that the Almighty would fight all their battles
for them. All they had to do was be patient and obedient.
God promises the same protection to His people today. He will
answer their prayers, provide for their needs, and fight their battles for
them—if they put His will first and obey Him (Exodus 17:8-16).
Sentenced to Destruction
Witnessing the evil of the Amalekites—how they tried to destroy the
Israelites before they could enter the Promised Land—God promised
to destroy them. He told His people to remember what their enemy had
done, how they struck them from behind and slew the weak—all
because they did not fear God. The Eternal promised to utterly destroy
them when He would deliver Israel into Canaan. He would use Israel
as His sword. Not one Amalekite was to be left alive (Exodus 17:14
and Deuteronomy 25:17-19).
Jethro Pays a Visit
Among those who heard about Israel’s release from Egypt and recent
victory was Jethro, priest of Midian. He was also Moses’ father-in-law.
Jethro was impressed when he heard about the many wonderful miracles
God had performed for the Israelites.
When he learned that Moses and the Israelites were camped at
Horeb, Jethro decided to pay his son-in-law a visit. He brought with
him Moses’ wife Zipporah, and their two sons, Gershom and Eliezer
(Exodus 18:1-5).
When they met, Moses and Jethro were happy to see each other.
Many exciting events had happened since the two men last saw each
other. Moses was eager to share with his father-in-law all the details.
And Jethro was eager to listen.
When Moses told about dealing with Pharaoh, the ten plagues from
God, the dramatic release from Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, and
the narrow escape from Pharaoh’s army, Jethro rejoiced. “Blessed be
the Eternal. He is the God who delivered you out of Egypt. He is the
One who freed all of Israel from slavery. Now I know that the Eternal
is greater than all gods!” (verses 6-11).
Jethro was so inspired by what God had done, he decided to offer
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burnt offerings to the Eternal. Then Moses, Aaron and the elders of
Israel gathered with Jethro and had a feast.
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CHAPTER THIRTY
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
The next morning, Jethro decided to watch Moses handle his daily
duties as physical leader over Israel. From the time the sun rose in
the east until it set in the west, Moses heard and judged many disputes
and arguments of all who came to him. Jethro watched as long lines of
people stood before Moses, asking for help.
“He took my sandals. I want them back.”
“My brother won’t share the inheritance our father left us.”
“She is spreading lies about me.”
“This one made a promise, but now he’s gone back on his word.”
The Israelites complained about and accused each other of all sorts
of wrongs. Some of these complaints were simple misunderstandings.
Some were minor problems that could easily be solved. And some
were cases of terrible injustices in need of deep understanding and wisdom.
These petty, selfish arguments were driven by carnal nature,
brought on by the devil. He did not want God’s people to reach the
Promised Land. Satan knew that if he could get the Israelites fighting
among themselves, they would not work together—and they would not
help each other through the difficult journey ahead.
From morning to evening, Jethro watched his son-in-law make
final decisions for all problems, big and small. Only after carefully
watching did Jethro speak to Moses about his daily duties (Exodus
18:13-14).
Jethro said, “My son, why are you doing this? Why are you wearing
yourself out trying to decide every single matter for the people?
Your entire day is filled with endless cases of listening to complaints
and arguments, leaving you no time for other things—why?”
“Because the people come to me to ask for God’s wisdom in these
matters,” Moses said. “This way, they get to know the laws of God.”
“Moses, you may mean well, but the way you’re going about it is
not good.”
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Most men would have told Jethro to mind his own business. But
Moses was the meekest man alive. He was willing to listen to good
advice, especially from older, more experienced people like his fatherin-
law. Unlike many now, Moses respected the elderly. He knew that,
because older people have lived long lives, they have experiences and
life lessons to share. Older people, such as your grandparents, usually
have a certain wisdom gained from experience. It cannot be learned in
school or books. This is why Moses valued his father-in-law’s advice.
Wisdom in God’s Government
Jethro said, “Moses, if you keep spending your whole day judging
matters for the people, you will wear yourself out. What you are doing
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Moses listened to
Jethros wise advice.
is long, tiring work. Continuing to do this will destroy you, and Israel
will suffer.
“Now consider this. Go out among the people and find able men,
men known for their wisdom and having good, solid character, men
who fear and obey God. Honest men, who hate to covet—who don’t
allow themselves to desire things to the point of disobeying God in
order to get them. Take these men and make them leaders over Israel.
Make some leaders over thousands, some over hundreds, some over
fifties, and some over tens. Then let these able men of good character
judge matters for the people. Every great matter they shall bring to
you. But every small matter they shall judge, with God’s help. If you
do this, you will have more time to serve God in other ways. And all
of the Israelites will be able to get their matters judged as well” (verses
15-23).
Moses saw the wisdom in Jethro’s advice. It was clearly inspired by
God. So Moses quickly put Jethro’s plan into action, and God blessed
it (verses 24-26).
Jethro’s advice described the way God works through His people
today. God leads His Church through one man. But since one man cannot
possibly take care of every single detail, God places other leaders
under this top man. These men all work together to carry out God’s
will among the people. This is called top-down government.
Some time later, Jethro decided that it was time to leave. He tearfully
hugged Moses good-bye, and wished him well, and headed for home.
God Makes a Proposal
In the third month of God’s sacred calendar (around the time we know
as May), the pillar of cloud led the Israelites to break camp. They journeyed
southward, into the more mountainous region of the Wilderness
of Sinai. The march was harder than usual, because the land was rocky
and gradually slanted uphill.
The cloud finally led the Israelites to set up camp at the foot of
Mount Sinai. This mountain had two peaks. One was called Sinai. The
other was called Horeb, where God first appeared to Moses, in a burning
bush (Exodus 3:1-6).
Obeying God’s command, Moses left the camp and made his way
up Mount Sinai. The long climb was steep and difficult, especially for
Moses, who was about 80 years old. But God protected him. He made
sure that Moses did not fall or hurt himself (Exodus 19:1-3).
When he reached the mountain’s highest peak, Moses heard God
speak.
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He said, “Remind the Israelites what I did for them—how I personally
freed them from slavery and delivered them from the hands of
their former masters, the Egyptians. Then tell them that I want to make
a covenant with them—a special agreement. If the Israelites obey Me
and keep the terms of this agreement, they will be a special people to
Me. Of all the people on earth, Israel will be like a precious treasure to
Me. I shall make them into a kingdom of priests—teachers of My
wonderful laws. They shall also be a holy nation to Me, set apart from
all the other nations, special in My eyes” (verses 4-6).
God wanted Israel to become a model nation. He wanted them to
set the right example to all the other nations in the world. He wanted
to show that those who seek to obey and please God would be blessed.
The Israelites were to be a living example, showing that God’s Way
always works.
God’s people today—His Church—are doing just that. They have
set their minds to obey and please God in everything they do. Though
they are far from perfect, God considers them to be His royal priesthood
and holy nation, because they strive to represent His righteous
way of life (I Peter 2:5, 9).
Making Themselves Clean Before God
Moses climbed down the mountain and told the elders of Israel everything
God had said. Remembering all that God had done for them so
far, all the people happily agreed to keep God’s covenant. They wanted
to be considered special in God’s eyes.
Moses returned to the top of Mount Sinai to deliver Israel’s reply.
God gave him further instructions, then sent him down the mountain
to prepare the Israelites for a very special event.
Coming before the people, Moses said, “You have two days to prepare
yourselves so that God will speak to you directly. Wash your
clothes and make yourselves clean. Our God is holy and pure—He
does not want to come in the presence of unclean things.
“Also, do not go up the mountain, or even touch it. I will put up
borders for you to stay behind. Whoever crosses these borders and
touches God’s mountain will be put to death! Whether man or beast,
any who touch the mountain will be crushed with stones. God will signal
when it is okay to come up the mountain: when the trumpet sounds
long.”
The people obeyed. They washed their clothes and bathed themselves.
They also made sure to keep away from the mountain of God
(Exodus 19:7-14).
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God Speaks!
When the third day came (the Feast of Firstfruits, also known as the
Day of Pentecost), the Israelites awoke to see a thick, smoky cloud
mysteriously surrounding the top of the mountain.
“What’s this?” some asked. “What’s happening up there?”
Fiery bolts of lightning flashed across the inky darkness that was
quickly spreading over the Israelite camp. Then bursts of ear-shattering
thunder crashed and pounded throughout the sky.
Little girls screamed for their mothers. Little boys hid behind their
fathers. And all the Israelites trembled at the sound of a loud trumpet
blast.
Moses said to them, “Come out of your tents. Hurry. We must go to
the foot of the mountain and assemble before God.”
As the sound of the trumpet grew louder, the people saw Mount
Sinai shake and tremble. Some of them were so curious, they drew too
close to the mountain.
A voice form the cloud said, “Moses, come up here!”
Moses quickly obeyed.
God then told him, “Warn the Israelites not to climb up the mountain.
Many are curious to see Me. No man can stand to see My full
presence. Tell those who are foolishly thinking about coming up here
that their curiosity could cost them their lives!”
Moses raced back down the mountain, then shouted to the people,
“Get back! Stay away from the mountain. Don’t even think about trying
to get a look at God. No man can see His full presence and live to
tell about it!”
Heeding Moses’ warning, the people backed away from Mount
Sinai (Exodus 19:16-25).
The Ten Commandments
Then a loud, booming voice came down from the mountaintop and
echoed across the land. The Israelites huddled together, quivering with
fear.
The voice said, “I AM THE ETERNAL, YOUR GOD. I am the One
who brought you out of Egypt, freeing you from the bonds of slavery.”
For a moment, there was silence. God wanted the Israelites to think
about His words and what they meant to them.
Then the voice said, “YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER GODS
BEFORE ME!”
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This was the First Commandment. People must never put anything
or any person before the one true God.
“YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FOR YOURSELF IDOLS or carved
images in the likeness of anything in heaven, earth, or in the sea in
order to bow down and worship them!”
This was the Second Commandment. Throughout history, people
have put their trust in religious statues and pictures—they even trust in
so-called “good luck” charms.
God hates this. He said, “For I am a jealous God, and will punish
those who bow down and serve idols, even to the third and fourth generation
of those who hate Me. However, I will show love and mercy to
those who love Me and keep My commandments.”
Then came more silence.
The voice said, “YOU SHALL NOT MISUSE MY NAME OR
TAKE IT IN VAIN! I will punish anyone who misuses or disrespects
My name.
This was the Third Commandment. Even now, most people do not
speak God’s name with the respect that it deserves. And if they don’t
respect His name, they certainly won’t respect Him or His commandments.
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God spoke to the Israelites
from atop Mount Sinai.
The Fourth Commandment came next: “REMEMBER THE SABBATH
DAY, AND KEEP IT HOLY! The first six days of the week
belong to you. Use them to do all your work. But the seventh day
belongs to Me. It is the Sabbath. On that day, you shall rest, and assemble
before Me, to worship Me. Follow My example—in six days, I
recreated the sky, earth and sea. But on the seventh day, I rested. I
blessed that day to be My Sabbath rest for you.”
Most break this commandment without even knowing it. The devil
has misled and deceived many people into believing that God’s
Sabbath is on the first day of the week. But God’s people know the
truth. They understand which day is God’s Sabbath—they assemble
together and worship Him on the seventh day of the week.
God gave the First, Second, Third and Fourth Commandments to
teach His people how to serve and show love toward Him.
Then He gave the next six commandments to show people how to
love and respect each other.
The Fifth Commandment: “HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR
MOTHER that you may live a long, joyful life in the land the Eternal
your God is giving you!”
People who do not treat their parents with respect will not treat
God, our Father in heaven, with respect.
The Sixth Commandment: “YOU SHALL NOT MURDER!”
Only God has the right to take the lives of others. No one else may
do this without His permission. All life belongs to God.
The Seventh Commandment: “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT
ADULTERY!”
From man’s creation, God ordained that marriage between a man
and his wife is special—holy—set apart for a godly purpose. The intimate
love and affection that a husband and wife should have for each
other must stay in the marriage. It must never be shared with others.
When it does, marriages and families break apart. And God does not
want this.
The Eighth Commandment: “YOU SHALL NOT STEAL!”
Taking things that belong to others without their permission is
wrong. Unfortunately, many do rob and steal from each other. For
them, it is a way of life.
The Ninth Commandment: “YOU SHALL NOT TELL LIES
AGAINST ANYONE!”
Throughout history, many people have been imprisoned or even
killed because someone lied about them. They were falsely accused of
doing something they did not. This should never be.
The Tenth Commandment: “YOU SHALL NOT COVET—lust—
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wrongly desire things that belong to other people! You shall not covet
the wife, servant, livestock, or anything that belongs to someone else.”
Most people break this law all the time. They see something they
think they “just have to have.” They let their carnal desires fill their
minds, to the point that they will do anything to get what they want—
even lie, steal or murder! This is why people must learn to always be
content with what they have (Philippians 4:11-12).
God’s Laws Define Love
These were the Ten Commandments God gave to Israel. They are still
in effect today. They are based on one word: Love—first toward God,
then toward other people (Exodus 20:1-17). If the world kept them
today, there would be no more crime or war or poverty. All would live
together in peace, harmony and safety. This is what God wanted for
Israel.
This is what God will bring when He sets up His Kingdom on the
earth.
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CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
THE TABERNACLE OF GOD
By giving them His Ten Commandments, God gave the Israelites
an opportunity to start a new life as a nation that feared and
obeyed the Eternal. Here was their chance to be a shining example to
the nations of the world.
But the Israelites did not think of this—they were too busy trembling
from God’s powerful voice. They turned to Moses and said, “You
speak to us, Moses. We’ll listen to you. But God’s voice is too much
for us. If He speaks again, we will die!”
Moses tried to reassure them. “Don’t fear the lightning and thunder—
God is not here to hurt you. However, you should show God
proper fear and respect, so that you do not break any of His laws”
(Exodus 20:18-21).
Idolatry, Altars and Sacrifices
After Moses climbed back up Mount Sinai, God said to him, “Remind
the Israelites that though they have heard My voice, they have not seen
Me. Therefore, they will be tempted to create idols and carved images
or pictures of what they think I look like. Tell them not to do this. They
must never make images or pictures of Me. I do not want anyone to
worship Me the way that the pagan
nations worship their false gods”
(verses 22-23).
Altars were to be built
according to Gods way.
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God then told Moses how to properly build an altar of worship, and
how to make sacrifices on it. “The altar must be made either of earth
or uncut stone. For if you use a cut stone on it you will have polluted
the altar.”
God said that, for burnt offerings and peace offerings, the Israelites
were to sacrifice sheep and oxen (verses 24-25).
Various Judgments
To keep the carnal-minded Israelites from getting into trouble, God
told Moses that He was giving them various detailed ordinances, or
judgments. These laws gave more details to the Ten Commandments.
They would help the Israelites to solve specific problems that were
bound to arise.
These judgments told the people not to mistrust or be cruel to their
servants. They taught the Israelites how to deal with murderers and
violent people; those who disrespected their parents; kidnappers (people
who stole other people); vicious animals; thieves; sorceresses; how
to repay others after causing the loss of their livestock or property.
Other laws taught them to not make sacrifices to false gods. These
judgments protected non-Israelites who lived among God’s people in
peace. And they protected widows and orphans. They instructed the
Israelites to show respect toward God and human leaders; to keep from
spreading rumors; to keep from getting involved with riots (mobs of
people who seek to do violence and evil).
God’s judgments also showed Israel that it was important to
observe His annual feast days, which were also Sabbaths (Exodus 21,
22 and 23).
Personal Protection
Then God said to Moses, “The Messenger of the Eternal will prepare
My people and lead them into the Promised Land. My Messenger will
protect them. When they come to Canaan, I will drive out their enemies:
the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the
Hivites, and the Jebusites.
“I will cut them out of Canaan. You shall not serve their false gods.
Instead, you will destroy their idols and pillars of worship.
“But I will not drive out your enemies all at once. I will take a year,
so that the wild beasts in the land do not increase and spread out of
control for lack of people to slay them.
“You shall not make peace agreements with your enemies, or join
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them against other nations. Neither shall you make agreements or
covenants with their false gods.
“Obey Me and I will bless you with more food and drink than you
can imagine. And I will take all your sicknesses and diseases away
from you” (Exodus 23:20-33).
Israel Formally Accepts the Covenant
At God’s instruction, Moses brought his brother Aaron, Aaron’s two
oldest sons, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel up to
the mountain to worship God. However, only Moses was allowed to be
in God’s presence (Exodus 24:1-2).
God had Moses tell the elders the terms and conditions of His
covenant. Speaking for the people of Israel, the seventy elders agreed
to keep the laws, judgments and rules God had proposed.
Then Moses wrote down all the words God had spoken (verses 3-4).
Next morning in camp, Moses had an altar built at the foot of
Mount Sinai. Twelve uncut stones or pillars were erected around the
altar. They represented the twelve tribes of Israel (verse 4).
For burnt offerings and peace offerings, Moses picked a team of
young men to sacrifice sheep and oxen to God. When the animals were
slain, Moses took half the blood and sprinkled it on the altar.
Then he read aloud the Book of the Covenant, which he had written
down the night before. All of Israel listened.
While the sacrifices were on the altar, consumed by fire, the elders
and the people of Israel said, “So be it!” This meant that they officially
agreed to God’s terms.
Moses took the rest of the blood and sprinkled it on the elders, who
represented the people.
He said, “Here is the blood of the covenant, which God has made
for you” (verses 4-8).
It probably sounds strange that Moses sprinkled blood on the people
and the altar. God had him do this for a very important reason.
About 1,500 years into their future (about 2,000 years in our past),
the Word—the One who speaks for the God Family—would be born
as a human being. As a physical man, He would live a perfect life. He
would never sin—break God’s Commandments. At His death, this man
(called Jesus Christ) would become the ultimate blood sacrifice. There
would be no more need for animal sacrifices. Christ’s innocent, sinfree
life would be sacrificed for all mankind. His shed blood would be
able to forgive the sins of all people, once and for all. Animal sacrifices
cannot do this.
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Whenever people sin, they break God’s Law. And anyone who
breaks His Law earns the penalty of death. But since Jesus Christ lived
a perfect life—without sin—His death paid the penalty of death for
everyone.
The blood that Moses sprinkled represented Jesus Christ’s ultimate
sacrifice.
God Reveals Himself
The Eternal commanded Moses to come before Him on Mount Sinai.
And He said, “Bring with you Aaron, his sons Nadab and Abihu, and
the seventy elders.”
After making the long, difficult climb up the steep mountainside,
the men were set to see an awesome sight: the God of Israel revealed
Himself! He allowed the men to partly see His form and shape. They
were astonished that God was shaped just like a man. The pagan worshippers
of Gentile nations, such as Egypt, worshipped false gods that
were in the shape of animals. But God made man after the God-kind—
after His own form and shape (Genesis 1:26-27).
The men were filled with awe and fear. They saw the feet of God,
and under Him was a floor of sapphire stone. The men quickly bowed
down and worshipped their Creator. They hoped God would not take
their lives. They knew that no human being is able to see the greatness
of God and live. The brilliance of the Eternal’s presence is too great for
the eyes of humans to handle.
God gave them His great mercy. He cut back His full presence so
that the men could see His shape. Thankful, the men feasted together,
praising God (Exodus 24:9-11).
This was not God the Father who these men had seen. No human
being has ever seen God the Father (I John 4:20). Moses and the men
saw the Word, the One who speaks for God the Father. Today we call
Him Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 10:1-4).
Special Offering for a Special Project
Again, God called Moses to climb up to the upper part of the mountain.
Taking his assistant Joshua with him, Moses told the elders of
Israel, “Wait here. If you have any concerns or matters to take care of,
Aaron and Hur will stay with you. Go to them for guidance.”
The elders looked on as Moses and Joshua climbed up Mount Sinai
and disappeared into the cloud that surrounded the top (Exodus 24:12-
15).
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Part way through their journey, God ordered Moses to leave Joshua
behind. He wanted only Moses in His presence. Joshua stayed, watching
Moses disappear into the cloud layer above.
When Moses had gone far enough, the glory and power of the
Eternal came upon Mount Sinai. Down from below, all of Israel saw
what could only be described as fire coming upon the mountaintop.
Many wondered, “What’s going on up there? How long will Moses
be away?”
But no one dared to go up or even touch God’s mountain. For now,
the Israelites were too afraid to disobey God.
Moses waited within the cloud for six days. On the seventh day,
God spoke (verses 16-17).
“Moses, tell My people that they are to give a freewill offer—gifts
from the heart. They are to take the jewelry and other treasures they
received from the Egyptians and decide for themselves how much they
will freely give to Me. Their offering will be used to create a
Tabernacle—a special temple made of tents. It will travel with the
Israelites on their journey to Canaan. My Tabernacle will represent the
order, cleanliness and holiness of My throne in heaven. Only the best
materials may be used in building it: Gold, silver, brass; blue, purple,
scarlet and fine linen; goats’ hair, rams’ skin dyed red, badgers’ skin,
acacia wood, oils, spices, and precious stones.
“Within My Tabernacle will be My sanctuary—the Most Holy
Place. I will dwell there so that I may be among the Israelites. Israel
will be the only nation on earth to have their God personally live
among them.”
A Family of Priests
In addition to building His Tabernacle, God planned for the Israelites
to make an ark—a special gold chest that would hold two stone tablets
with God’s Commandments written on them. Called the Ark of the
Covenant, the chest would represent God’s throne in heaven, the place
where God controls and maintains the vast universe, and grants mercy
to all who seek Him.
God gave Moses highly specific details and instructions into measuring
and building the Tabernacle and the many things that would go
with it. He also established Aaron and his sons as a family of priests
for Israel. Aaron was to be the first high priest. All other high priests
after him would come from his family line.
Part of Aaron’s duties would be to offer the right sacrifices at the
right time, in the proper way. In addition to offering burnt offerings
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daily, sweet spices of incense were to be given. These would represent
the prayers of God’s people.
Today, our High Priest is Jesus Christ. When Christians pray to God
the Father, they do so by Christ’s authority. Jesus acts as a Mediator
between God and His people (Exodus 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30).
God’s Spirit Empowers Talent
God told Moses that He had chosen two men to lead the Tabernacle
project. Their names were Bezaleel, who was the grandson of Hur, and
Aholiab. God said that He would fill them with His Spirit of wisdom,
understanding and knowledge. This would enhance their natural abilities
of stone-cutting, carving wood, and shaping metals.
Together, Bezaleel and Aholiab would lead other skilled people
(craftsmen, weavers, designers, artists, and such) into building the Ark,
its Mercy Seat, and God’s Tabernacle and all the furniture and things
that went with it. This also included creating special clothing for Aaron
and his sons to wear when they would perform their priestly duties
(Exodus 31:1-11).
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Moses climbs up Mount
Sinai to meet with God.
The Tabernacle project was to show that
the Eternal is the God of decency and order
(I Corinthians 14:33, 40). He does not
dwell in confusion.
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The high priest wore special
clothes as he worked in
Gods Tabernacle.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
ISRAEL MAKES AN IDOL
God gave Moses further instruction about His Sabbath day: “Tell
the Israelites that they must keep My Sabbath. These Holy Days
are Mine; they belong to Me. They shall be kept by My people and
their descendants. The Sabbath day is a sign between Me and those
who fear and obey Me. As a sign, My Sabbath identifies who I am and
who My people are. If any fail to remember the Sabbath and keep it
holy, they shall be put to death!”
God had just made a special Sabbath covenant with Israel. If His
people were careful to keep His Sabbaths, they would always remember
who God is. And they would not be deceived into following after
false gods. But if the Israelites defiled God’s Sabbath—if they labored
on this day, or kept the Sabbath on the wrong day of the week instead
of the seventh day—they would forget the God who freed them. They
would even forget that they were His people.
True Christians keep God’s weekly Sabbaths and annual Holy Days
so that they can worship the right God. That is one of the reasons why
God considers them to be His people (Exodus 31:12-17).
Tablets of Stone
Moses spent forty days and nights in God’s presence, listening to all
that the Eternal had to say. There was much information and instruction
for Moses to absorb.
When He was finished, God gave Moses two stone tablets, called
the two tablets of the testimony. On both sides of them, God had personally
written the Ten Commandments (Exodus 31:18; 32:15-16;
34:1, 28-29; and Deuteronomy 4:13; 5:22; 9:10-12). These tablets
were to be placed within the Ark of the Covenant. They were to travel
with the Israelites into the Promised Land.
Moses was anxious to show the Israelites God’s laws written on
stone—but little did he know that the people were already breaking
those laws while he was away.
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Impatience Leads to Idolatry
Down in the camp, the Israelites grew restless. Moses had been gone
for weeks, and many wondered when he would come back.
Some said, “Where is Moses? Why has he abandoned us?”
“Some leader he is,” others said. “He should be down here telling
us what to do, not wasting time talking to God!”
“How long is he going to be up there, anyway?”
The Israelites allowed their rebellious thoughts to grow. This led
them to accuse Moses of bad leadership.
A swelling crowd of disgruntled accusers turned to Aaron for
answers.
“You’re Moses’ brother,” they said. “How long must we wait for
him to return?”
“Moses will join us soon, you’ll see. Just be patient.” Aaron tried
his best to calm them and reassure them that everything was okay.
But as days passed into weeks, the Israelites pressured Aaron more
and more. “The people grow restless. What am I to do?” he wondered.
One day, an angry crowd again approached Aaron. This time, their
demands were more dangerous.
They said, “Moses has abandoned us. We are tired of waiting for
him. He has left us here to die in the wilderness. We don’t know what’s
become of him. Therefore, Aaron, make us gods that we can see—gods
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God personally wrote the Ten Commandments
on both sides of two stone tablets.
that will lead us out of this place and deliver us into the land of milk
and honey!”
Taken aback, Aaron said, “You can’t be serious! Have you so soon
forgotten the God who delivered us from Egypt—the One who said we
shall have no other gods before Him—the One who commanded us not
to make idols or images and worship them?”
He gazed over the angry, bitter faces. Their cold expressions told
him that it was no use reasoning with them. These carnal-minded
Israelites were too stubborn to listen.
Then Aaron became afraid. He thought, “If I do nothing, they might
kill me. I have to stall for time. If I keep these people busy, perhaps
Moses will show up in time. He’ll know what to do.”
So Aaron said to the crowd, “If it’s gods you want, you will have to
provide the materials needed to create them. You men and women,
break off your gold earrings and bring them to me. Your gods will
come from the gold you are wearing.” Aaron may have thought that
few would give up their personal jewelry to make a false god.
Unfortunately, he was wrong.
To Aaron’s surprise, the people gladly took off their gold earrings,
put them into a collection, and then brought the offering before him.
Moses had not returned yet. Not knowing what to do, Aaron felt
trapped. Feeling that he had no other choice but to give the people
what they wanted, he took the gold and melted it in fire. He hoped that
Moses would return by the time it cooled.
He did not.
Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Aaron had the gold shaped and fashioned
into an image of a calf.
The crowd was amazed at the shiny idol of gold. Having lived
among the Egyptians, the Israelites were used
to pagan customs, such as idol worship.
They were not used to worshipping
a God they could not see.
Now they felt right at home.
Aaron said, “Here is your
god, who brought you out of
Egypt.”
The crowd cheered.
Then, having an altar
built in front of the idol,
Aaron said, “Tomorrow is a
feast day to the Eternal”
(Exodus 32:1-5).
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He may have convinced himself that the idol was okay as long as
the people used it to worship God. If so, Aaron was wrong. The God
of the Bible wants people to worship Him His way—any other way of
worship is sin.
As you can see, relying on human reasoning never works. But trusting
in God always does.
God Alerts Moses
Early next morning, a large crowd of idol-worshippers assembled to
offer burnt offerings and peace offerings upon the altar. Then they
feasted, stuffing themselves with food and alcohol. Their greed led to
shameful behavior. Because the Israelites had replaced the one true
God with a false god, they had committed themselves to the way of sin
(Exodus 32:6).
The Eternal was hot with anger!
Up on Mount Sinai, He said to Moses, “Go, get down to the camp.
Your people have corrupted themselves. They have rejected Me and
My ways, and now worship an image of gold! They have even made
sacrifices to it, claiming that their false gods delivered them from
Egypt.”
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Rejecting God, the Israelites foolishly
made a false god to worship
a molten image of a calf.
Moses was shocked speechless. Gathering his thoughts, he wondered,
“How could they have forgotten all of the marvelous wonders
God has done for them?”
The Eternal said, “This is a stiff-necked people. They do their own
will, and reject Mine. I have seen how they are. Since they are swift to
reject Me and My laws, I will reject them. I will destroy them, Moses,
and make you and your descendants into a great nation. In this way, I
will fulfill the promise I made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—through
you!”
Moses was taken aback. The thought of the Israelites’ destruction
was too much for him.
Quickly, he dropped to his knees and prayed. “O Eternal God, why
let Your wrath consume your people? You are the One who broke their
chains of slavery. It was You who led them to escape the hand of
Pharaoh and his army. You are the One who reduced Egypt to nothing
with ten miraculous plagues. If you destroy Your people, the Egyptians
will claim that the only reason you led the Israelites out of Egypt was
to slay them in the wilderness. Please, do not let Your enemies have
reason to rejoice over the death of Your people. Remember the promise
You made to Abraham—to give the Promised Land to them.”
Hearing these words, God knew that Moses deeply loved Israel,
despite their flaws. Even though they had minds that were naturally
hostile to God (Romans 8:7), Moses still loved them. He wanted the
Israelites to succeed, and become the model nation God desired them
to be.
So the Almighty changed His mind. He said, “Because of you,
Moses, I will not destroy Israel” (Exodus 32:7-14).
Racing Down Mount Sinai
With God’s reassurance that He would not destroy the Israelites,
Moses picked up the stone tablets, then headed down Mount Sinai.
Along the way, he came across his assistant, Joshua. Moses had left
him at the lower part of the mountain forty days earlier.
Excited, Joshua said, “Moses, I’m so glad to see you. You’ve been
away so long, I started to worry about you.”
“I’m fine, Joshua. But we must hurry.”
“So you heard the shouting, too. The people must be in trouble
down there. It sounds like there’s a war going on in the camp!”
Moses looked the younger man in the eyes, and said, “Oh, they are
in trouble, alright. But it’s not the sound of war or crying out for help
that you hear. It’s the sound of feasting and singing.”
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Puzzled, Joshua followed Moses down the steep slopes of Mount
Sinai (Exodus 32:15-18).
The Righteous Anger of Moses
When the two finally made it down the mountain, they came near to
the camp. Moses and Joshua were in for a sight: Men and women playfully
cheered and danced around a calf made of gold! Many of the idolworshippers
were drunk from too much wine; they stumbled over each
other and stammered over their words, making fools of themselves.
They laughed and played, making a mockery out of being a holy nation
and a kingdom of priests.
Suddenly, a man looked over his shoulder. “Look! There’s Moses!”
The laughter and dancing stopped. The people froze in their steps.
No one said a word.
Even Moses stood in silence for a moment. He fought to control his
emotions as his anger built within him. He gazed over the shameful
display of idol worshipping and feasting. Taking the two stone tablets
he had carried down from Mount Sinai, Moses raised them above his
head and smashed them to the ground!
The people were frightened. They parted from Moses’ path as he
marched through the crowd of onlookers. Moses headed for the golden
calf, then had the idol pulled down and thrown into the fire. After it
melted, he had the gold ground into fine powder.
Scattering the gold powder into the water supply, he said, “You
wanted false gods to worship. Well, here is your false god—now
drink!”
Moses made the idol-worshipping Israelites drink the very thing
that had led them to sin (Exodus 32:19-20).
Then Moses looked around, and said, “Now where is my brother?”
Aaron wanted to stay out of Moses’ sight, but he knew that it would
be useless. Moses confronted his brother and asked him why he had
allowed Israel to commit such great sins.
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But Aaron made excuses. “It was the people. You know how much
they love to get into trouble. They demanded that I make gods for them
to worship. I tried to hold off on carrying out their demands, but when
you took so long to return, I didn’t know what else to do. So I had the
people make a collection of their earrings. Once they gave it to me, I
threw it into the fire—and out came this calf.”
Moses was disappointed. Shaking his head, he said, “Aaron, you
failed to show firm leadership. A real leader stands up for what is
right—even if the people under him want to do what is wrong. You did
not stand up for God and His Way. You followed the will of the people
instead of leading them to follow God’s will. Your failure led Israel to
sin. Were it not for the Eternal’s abundant mercy, all of Israel would be
destroyed” (verses 21-24).
Aaron lowered his head. He felt ashamed. He realized that his
brother was right.
“Look around you, Aaron,” Moses said. “Look at the people.”
Aaron looked around and saw how unruly and disorderly the
Israelites were.
Moses said, “See how rebellious and disrespectful they have
become?”
Aaron nodded his head.
Moses said, “God has mercifully spared Israel. But the crowd of
people who danced and played before their false god, even now they
refuse to change their lives. Therefore, they will lose their lives. It’s the
only way to save the other Israelites.”
Aaron nodded again.
Moses stood before the camp and shouted, “Whoever is on the
Eternal’s side, come to me!”
The sons of the tribe of Levi ran over to Moses. Members of the
same tribe that Moses and Aaron came from, they had not bowed down
to the golden calf or feasted before it.
Moses said to these courageous men, “Every man grab a sword.
Then go throughout the camp and slay every Israelite and every foreigner
among us who rejects God and longs to worship idols. Have no
pity for them or spare their lives—even if it means slaying your own
brother!”
The Levites faithfully obeyed Moses’ command. By the end of the
day, about 3,000 men had lost their lives.
Because the Levites had stood up for God and His ways, God
ordained that the tribe of Levi would from then on assist the priesthood,
which would descend from Aaron’s family. The Levites were
also to take care of God’s Tabernacle (verses 25-29).
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CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
BUILDING GOD’S TABERNACLE
Moses was unlike any man the Israelites had ever seen. Filled with
righteous anger, he dealt with the idol-worshipping sinners with
a firm hand. Yet Moses was also the meekest man alive. He was willing
to deny himself a quiet, peaceful life in order to guide these stubborn,
stiff-necked Israelites to the Promised Land.
In fact, Moses was so meek, and he loved the people of Israel so
much, he returned to the top of Mount Sinai to speak with God. He
pleaded with the Eternal to forgive Israel’s sins.
“Eternal God,” he prayed, “Your people have sinned greatly, even
to the point of making false gods for themselves. But please forgive
them—if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.”
God said, “Go lead the people into Canaan, Moses. I will only punish
those who sin against Me.”
Then God sent a mysterious plague among those who had joined in
worshipping the image of the calf, sinners whom the Levites could not
find to slay. They were people who thought they could hide their sins
from God (Exodus 32:30-35).
Cut Off From God
After this, God said to Moses, “Tell Israel to prepare for their journey
into Canaan. I will fulfill My promise, but I will not personally lead the
Israelites. Instead, I will send an angel to lead them.”
“But why, God?” said Moses. “Why won’t you lead us there
Yourself?”
“Because the Israelites are too rebellious and stubborn. They are
bound to do something that would cause Me to consume them in My
wrath” (Exodus 33:1-3).
Moses told the Israelites what God had said. All the people
mourned and cried. They stripped off their ornaments to show how sad
they felt. Then everyone tearfully watched as Moses took his tent and
placed it outside the camp.
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Some sobbed, “God will no longer be among us.”
“How can we ever hope to defeat the Canaanites and the other people
living in Canaan? Without God to personally guide and protect us,
we’re all doomed!”
The people watched as Moses entered his tent, now called the
Tabernacle of Meeting. The pillar of cloud descended and stood at the
tent’s doorway.
A man said, “Moses must be talking with God. I hope he can convince
God to change His mind.”
All the Israelites praised and worshipped God, hoping that He
would not leave them (verses 4-10).
No matter how big or small, sin is always a serious matter to God.
A sinner is someone who breaks God’s Law; he chooses to go in the
opposite direction of God’s way of life. As a result, sin cuts people off
from God. He cannot be among those who reject His ways. This is why
God hates it when people—especially those who know better—break
His laws. Their actions say that they are rejecting Him.
Sin, no matter how small, always leads to suffering and misery.
This is why God takes such a hard stand against those who break His
Commandments—yet is ready, willing and able to forgive and show
mercy to those who repent—change their minds—and follow His
ways.
Friendship With God
For weeks, the people stood up whenever Moses left the camp and
entered the Tabernacle of Meeting to speak with God. And they looked
on as the pillar of cloud visited the Tabernacle of Meeting (Exodus
33:4-10). The thought of going to the Promised Land without God’s
presence scared the Israelites. So they worshipped the Eternal more,
praising His great name.
Because Moses feared and obeyed His Creator from the heart, God
spoke to Moses as a friend. He knew that Moses was fully dedicated
to serving Him and caring for His flock—the people of Israel. Because
of their close friendship, Moses was able to plead with God.
And God listened.
Moses asked God to change His mind and personally protect and
guide Israel into the Promised Land.
God said, “I will. Since you have found grace—special favor—in
My sight, and I consider you a friend, I will do as you ask.”
Thanking Him, Moses said, “God, since I am Your friend, and you
know and see me, allow Your friend to see You.”
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This was a very bold request.
God said, “No man can see Me in My full strength. My full presence
is brighter than the sun. No human could survive such a sight. I
will not let you see My face, but what I will do is let My goodness pass
before you. When I signal you, you will see only part of Me. Come to
the mountain and I will reveal Myself.”
When Moses had done so, he hid behind a rock and waited for
God’s glory to pass by him. God shielded Moses with His hand as he
passed by. When He pulled His hand back, Moses was able to see parts
of God’s back!
Moses was in awe. Here was the Giver of all life, the One who had
created the stars in the sky, the earth and the sea below.
Goosebumps grew over Moses’ body as God said, “I AM THE
ETERNAL!”
Moses trembled. He fell down to the ground and worshipped the
Eternal (verses 12-23).
The Dangers of Idolatry in Canaan
God commanded Moses to cut out two stone tablets. They were to be
the same shape as the ones he had smashed.
“In the morning, bring them up to Me on the top of Mount Sinai.”
Moses followed God’s directions and brought the new stone tablets
to the mountaintop. In awe, Moses watched as the Eternal descended
in a cloud and stood before him.
God said, “I am the Eternal. I am merciful and gracious, longsuffering
and abundant with goodness and truth. I freely give mercy and
forgiveness to all who repent and reject their own way. But I will punish
the guilty, even to the third and fourth generation of those who hate
Me.”
As Moses bowed his head to worship, God promised to renew His
covenant with Israel.
“I will perform miracles greater than any man or nation has ever
seen. Then all the nations around you will see My work—and they will
tremble. When I bring My people to Canaan, I will drive out the people
there. My people must not make covenants or peace treaties with
them. You shall destroy their idols, altars and other places of pagan
worship.
“You shall worship no other god but Me! Neither you nor your children
are allowed to marry into the families of these pagan Gentiles. If
you do, they will lead Israel into serving other gods. I am a jealous
God—My name is Jealous!
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“Be sure that you do not make molten images, like the golden calf”
(Exodus 34:1-17).
God reminded Moses that the Israelites must keep the Days of
Unleavened Bread, as well as the weekly Sabbath. All the men of
Israel were to assemble and gather together before the Eternal three
times a year and give offerings.
God promised: “I will drive out your enemies and enlarge your borders.
When you travel to attend My feasts, I will protect you and your
land. No one will take it from you. And you shall tithe—pay a tenth
part—of the firstfruit of your land.”
Moses followed God’s command to write down all the words, just
as he had done before (verse 18-27).
The Shining Face of Moses
Moses spent another forty days and nights in God’s presence. During
this time, he fasted—he did not eat or drink, because God’s presence
gave him all the strength he needed.
After God wrote the Ten Commandments on the new stone tablets,
Moses brought them down from Mount Sinai.
Nearing camp, Moses saw
shock and horror in the faces of all
who looked at him. Some turned
away. Others looked as though they
wanted to turn and run.
He asked, “What’s wrong?”
Some said, “Moses, is that
you?”
Moses was puzzled. “Of course
it’s me. Don’t you recognize me?”
Then another person said, “If it
is you, what happened to your
face?”
Moses soon realized that,
because he had been in God’s direct presence for so long, his face
shined like a bright light! Everyone who saw Moses was afraid—even
his brother Aaron. They were too frightened to come near him.
Moses tried to reassure the people. “Don’t be afraid. It’s only me.”
Though they did come to him, Moses decided to wear a veil to
cover his face. He did not want his appearance to distract the people as
he presented God’s covenant and the two tablets to Israel.
But whenever Moses spoke to God in the Tabernacle of Meeting,
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he always took the veil off. He wanted to show proper respect to his
Creator (Exodus 34:28-35).
Giving From the Heart
Through Moses, God gave Israel an opportunity to show their appreciation
toward their great Provider and King.
“Whoever has a willing heart, let him bring before God a freewill
offering. It shall be made of gold, silver, brass, fine linen, goats’ hair,
rams’ skins and badgers’ skins, acacia wood, precious oils, spices and
sweet incense and precious stones. These shall all be used for the making
of My Tabernacle.”
The whole congregation of Israel jumped at the chance to serve
God. Everyone who had a willing heart gathered the best of what they
possessed and offered it to the Eternal (Exodus 35).
Then Moses, following God’s will, appointed Bezaleel and Aholiab
to lead other craftsmen, builders, weavers, artists and such to create,
build and assemble the great Tabernacle project. Everything they used
for this came from the huge special offering (Exodus 36:1-4).
The Israelites had brought so much to the service of God’s work
that Moses had to make another special announcement.
“Enough. Do not bring any more to the offering. You have already
given more than we need” (verses 5-
7).
Bezaleel, Aholiab and
their team of craftsmen
and artisans care-
Gods Tabernacle was made
from the finest materials.
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fully followed God’s exact directions, assembling the Tabernacle and
everything that went with it. They made the Ark of the Covenant and
everything that went into the Most Holy Place.
Bezaleel made the special clothes to be worn in the Holy Place,
along with the holy garments to be worn by the high priest.
When the massive project was completed, Moses inspected every
piece and section. He wanted to make certain that everything met
God’s high standards of quality and excellence. Bezaleel, Aholiab and
the others watched nervously as Moses did his inspection. Then they
cheered when he said, “Well done,” and blessed them (Exodus 35-39).
God Is Well Pleased
It had been over a year since God had brought His people out of Egypt.
God commanded Moses to set up the Tabernacle in the midst of
Israel. Moses made sure that everything belonging to the Tabernacle—
the Ark, the altar of burnt offering, the gold lampstand, etc.—were also
set up.
Then the Tabernacle of God and all of its items were anointed by
oil—set apart and made special. As high priest and priests, Aaron and
his sons were anointed, too.
With everything properly set up according to His precise instruction,
God was so happy that He filled the tent with the pillar of cloud.
Moses could not even enter it.
The Israelites sighed with relief. They had pleased God.
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CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
BOOK OF THE LEVITES
About one year had passed since the Israelites had left Egypt.
Building the Tabernacle of God was done. The Eternal’s presence
dwelt among the people, in the Tabernacle’s Most Holy Place. Now
Israel was ready to receive God’s detailed system of laws concerning
sacrifices, setting up an official priesthood, His annual Sabbaths and
feast days, and other things.
Because they had lived among the Egyptians for hundreds of years,
the Israelites were used to pagan practices and customs, such as worshipping
false gods. As a result, they had forgotten the God of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And they no longer knew how to properly
fear and worship Him.
God did not want His people to worship Him the way that the
Egyptians worshipped their false gods. So He set apart the family of
Aaron to be His priesthood, with Aaron being the high priest. He also
set the tribe of Levi apart from the other tribes of Israel.
Then God gave Israel a system of laws—rules that showed how to
make sacrifices, and how to keep themselves clean and holy before
their Creator.
These laws also showed the Levites how to properly take care of
His Tabernacle, how to be teachers, scribes, musicians, officers and
judges (I Chronicles 23), and how to assist the priesthood (Numbers
18:1-6).
Kinds of Offerings
There were five kinds of sacrifices: Burnt offerings, grain offerings,
peace offerings, sin offerings, and trespass offerings.
Burnt offerings included bullocks, rams, goats, doves or pigeons.
They had to be males that were physically perfect, without spot or
mark, and had to be at least eight days old. The entire sacrifice was to
be burned. This symbolized dedicating one’s entire self to God and His
ways (Leviticus 1:1-17; 22:27).
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Grain offerings included grains, flour with oil and incense, or cakes
made without leaven. They were to be baked and offered with salt. A
handful of this offering was burned; the rest went to the priests
(Leviticus 2).
Peace offerings included cattle, sheep or goats. The fat was burned,
while the rest was eaten—partly by the priests, partly by the people
who made the offering (Leviticus 3).
Sin and trespass offerings involved different offerings for different
sins (Leviticus 4-5). Sin offerings were for sins that were made
unknowingly. After the fat was burned, the rest of the offering was
sometimes burned outside the camp. In other cases, the priests ate it. If
the sin involved a person who was wronged by someone, the sinner
had to pay that person what he had lost, plus a fifth part more
(Leviticus 1-5).
There were also various other offerings: Drink offerings, wave
offerings, heave offerings.
A man who wanted to sacrifice an animal to God was to bring it to
the Tabernacle. He would then lay his hands on it. This showed that the
offered animal represented him. Once the animal was slain, its blood
was sprinkled on the altar. God said that only specific parts were to be
burned.
He also said, “Do not offer sacrifices to demons.”
Burnt offerings were to be given daily. Other offerings were to be
given on the first day of each month, and on Passover, Pentecost, the
Day of Atonement, and Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 6-7).
Today, animal sacrifices are no longer needed. The sacrifice of
Jesus Christ paid the price of sin—death—for all mankind.
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Bullocks were
among several
animals used
in sacrifices.
High Standards for the Priesthood
Before the time of Moses, sacrifices were offered by patriarchs, who
were the heads of families. God changed this by establishing His priesthood
for Israel. All sacrifices were to be brought before His priests.
These priests were to come from the family of Aaron. Since they
were to represent God’s government and His spiritual perfection, the
priests had to meet certain high standards. Priests had to be physically
perfect—no marks or scars, or any other physical defect. The women
they married also had to meet certain high standards. Above all, God’s
priests had to always set the right example for the people of Israel
(Leviticus 21-22).
Aaron was the first high priest. The high priest wore special
clothes, including a breastplate with twelve precious stones, which
represented the twelve tribes of Israel.
The high priest was the top person in charge of the Most Holy
Place, the altar, the other priests, and the Levites.
Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest was commanded
to come to the Holy Place. He was to bathe himself, then put
on the holy garments of the high priest—a linen tunic, trousers and a
sash.
He was to offer a bull as a sin offering for himself and his family of
priests.
Then he was to take two goats from the people of Israel, and present
them before the Eternal at the door of the Tabernacle of Meeting.
One goat represented the Word (Jesus Christ); the other represented
Satan the devil. It was called the “Azazel” goat.
The high priest was to cast lots for the two goats—kind of like picking
straws, only God is the One who chooses. In this case, lots were
cast in order for God to show which goat represented Christ, and which
represented Satan. This is because Satan disguises himself as an angel
of light (II Corinthians 11:14-15). Because the devil wants to deceive
the whole world into worshipping him, he makes himself appear to be
like God. Human beings cannot tell the difference between God’s ways
and Satan’s. That is why people must always trust God to show them
the right way to live.
After God chose which goat would represent Satan, the high priest
was to take that goat (the Azazel goat) and lay hands upon it. All the
sins of Israel were to be placed on it. This represents God holding
Satan, the ultimate source of sin, responsible for leading mankind
down the wrong path.
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Then a suitable man (who represented an angel) was to release the
Azazel goat (Satan) out into the wilderness. It would never be brought
back into Israel again.
But what of the other goat, the one that was to represent Christ? It
was to be offered as a sin offering for all the people of Israel. This represented
the sacrifice of Jesus Christ being offered for all mankind
(Leviticus 16).
The Day of Atonement pictures the time when Satan will no longer
be the god of this world (Revelation 12:9). When Jesus Christ returns
to set up His Kingdom, Satan and his demons will be put away. They
will no longer be able to lead mankind into the ways of sin.
Strange Fire
Even though God told Aaron and his sons the importance of setting the
right example, Nadab and Abihu did not fear God. Because they foolishly
allowed themselves to get drunk, they used bad judgment and
sinned before God. Instead of taking burning incense from God’s altar,
they took it from another source. God called this “strange fire”—and
He was not pleased.
Nadab and Abihu failed to properly perform their duties. They did
not respect the offices God gave them. As a result, God had to take
their lives.
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Because they looked
just alike, only God
could tell which goat
represented Jesus
Christ, and which
one represented the
devil.
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Cow Goose
Grasshopper
Chicken
Fish (with fins and scales)
Turkey Sheep
CLEAN MEATS
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Snail
Rabbit
Snake
Turtle
Octopus
Lobster
Squirrel
Pig Camel
UNCLEAN MEATS
God said to Aaron, “Before you enter the Tabernacle of Meeting,
you and your sons must never drink wine or other alcoholic drinks. If
you disobey Me in this, you will die. I want you to perform your duties
with clear minds. You are to be teachers and leaders of Israel. As My
representatives, the Israelites will look to you to teach them all My
ways. You will teach them the difference between holy and unholy,
clean and unclean.”
Furthermore, God told Aaron and his family not to cry and mourn
for the death of Nadab and Abihu. As God’s priestly representatives,
Aaron’s family had to set the right example and show that they supported
God’s decision (Leviticus 10).
Aaron’s other sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, were left to help perform
the priestly duties (Leviticus 10).
Clean and Unclean Meats
God is the Creator of all life. He created specific kinds of animals for
various reasons. Not all animals were created to be eaten by people.
Since man cannot discover on his own which animal is good for him
to eat, God had to reveal this knowledge (Leviticus 11 and
Deuteronomy 14).
The animals God allows us to eat are called “clean.” Those which
we should never eat are called “unclean.”
Land animals that are clean must chew the cud and have cloven
hooves, which are split in two parts. Among these are cows, goats,
lambs, buffalo, bison and deer.
However, unclean land animals—pigs, rats, snakes, camels, rabbits,
horses, bears, dogs, cats, squirrels, raccoons, lizards and such—should
never be eaten.
Water creatures that are clean must be fish that have fins and scales:
Trout, tuna, etc.
But unclean water creatures, such as shrimp, lobsters, crabs, oysters,
eels, sharks, do not have fins and scales. God did not create them
for us to eat.
Some clean birds are chicken, quail, doves and pigeons.
Unclean birds and flying creatures are eagles, vultures, falcons,
owls, storks, ravens, seagulls, hawks and bats.
Did you know that God says there are clean and unclean insects?
Among clean insects are locusts, grasshoppers and crickets.
Most people do not care for these laws of clean and unclean foods.
Yet God decided long ago which animals are good for us to eat. Since
He created them, doesn’t it make sense to listen to God?
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It is amazing how often people, deciding for themselves what’s
good for them, will eat almost anything that walks, flies, creeps, hops
or swims!
Various Laws and Commands
God gave the Israelites other laws concerning animals: The people
were not to eat the blood of animals; animals or birds killed for hunting
must have their blood completely drained before cooking and eating
the meat; the Israelites were forbidden to eat an animal that was
killed by other animals, or died of itself.
God gave detailed laws that told Israel how to handle people who
have contagious diseases. Sometimes, a sick person can spread his
sickness to others, making them ill too. God commanded that the sick
should be shut off from the healthy—quarantined. In this way, sicknesses
or diseases would not spread (Leviticus 13-14).
God gave various laws concerning property, the Sabbath, idolatry,
stealing, swearing and gossiping. He said that people must love and
respect others the same way that they love and respect themselves
(Leviticus 19:18). They must show kindness to strangers, and show
respect for their elders. These laws showed how to be just and fair in
everything you do.
They also forbade sorcery and witchcraft, which is evil in God’s
sight. He also forbade people to worship Molech—a false god people
made sacrifices to—even taking the lives of their own babies!
(Leviticus 19-20.)
God warned against keeping the pagan customs of the Egyptians or
Canaanites (Leviticus 18). He said that the Israelites must not marry
foreigners or let family members marry them. And the Israelites were
not to marry close relatives.
Annual Sabbaths and Feast Days
God explained that, along with the weekly Sabbath, there were His
annual Sabbaths and feasts. They were to be kept during certain times
of the year, according to God’s sacred calendar.
The Israelites did not know it, but these days represented God’s
Master Plan of helping all mankind become born into His great Family.
God’s one true Church is still keeping these Holy Days and feasts
today.
Passover begins on the evening of the 14th of Abib (in March or
April). This day is not a Sabbath; it is a feast. People are allowed to
120
work on it. On this day, about 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ was sacrificed
so that the sins of all people might be forgiven. The sacrifice of
the Passover lamb represented this. Without this forgiveness, those
who sin are cut off from God. They are to drink red wine, which represents
Christ’s shed blood. They must also eat unleavened bread,
which represents Christ’s broken body.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread begins immediately after Passover.
It lasts for seven days, from the 15th to the 21st of Abib. The first and
last days of this feast are Sabbaths. People must not work on these two
days. Before the feast arrives, Christians must remove all leaven
(yeast, baking powder, baking soda, etc.) from their lives. This means
they must search their homes, cars, clothes—anything that belongs to
them. During the feast, leaven represents sin. Just as leaven puffs up
bread and makes it bigger, sin puffs up people. It makes them think
they are better than what they really are. God hates this, because such
attitudes always lead to disobeying God and hurting other people. By
eating unleavened bread during the seven days of the feast, Christians
show God that they are striving to live Christ’s perfect example.
Pentecost, also known as the Feast of Weeks or Firstfruits, occurs
in May or June. It represents the birth of God’s Church. Almost 2,000
years ago, in A.D. 31, God gave the followers of Jesus Christ something
that the ancient Israelites did not have—His Holy Spirit. With
God’s Spirit in their minds, Christians have the power to conquer their
carnal nature and reject the wrong attitudes and desires of Satan and
his world. In the Bible, God often calls Christian “firstfruits.” This is
because they are the first of many who will be born into His family,
when Jesus Christ returns.
The Feast of Trumpets occurs on the first day of the seventh month
in God’s sacred calendar, in September or October. It represents the
day when Jesus Christ will return from heaven to set up the Kingdom
of God on the earth. God’s people will be brought back to life—resurrected—
and changed into Spirit Beings. They will be born into the
God Family. They will help Christ restore world peace and justice.
That day is coming soon.
The Day of Atonement comes on the tenth day of the seventh
month. It represents Satan—the author of mankind’s sins—and his
demons being imprisoned so that they can no longer deceive people
into breaking God’s laws.
The Feast of Tabernacles begins on the 15th day of the seventh
month. It lasts for seven days. This feast pictures the wonderful world
tomorrow. For 1,000 years, Christ and those born into the God Family,
at His Return, will teach, guide and lead people into rejecting the way
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of sin and accepting God’s Way of out-going concern for others.
Finally, the world will be at peace. No more wars, fights, crimes, stealing,
lying—breaking God’s Commandments will be a thing of the
past!
Right after the Feast of Tabernacles is the Last Great Day. It pictures
the time when God will bring everyone else who has ever lived
back to life. In His great and abundant mercy, God will give these
human beings the chance that true Christians have today—to know and
understand His laws, and live His way of life. He will give them His
Spirit, which will guide them into building godly character. All
mankind will have the opportunity to be born into God’s Kingdom
(Leviticus 23).
That is your future!
Even today, most people do not have this knowledge.
But now, you do.
Blessings and Cursings
God said that, if the Israelites kept His laws and commandments, and
did not make idols or carved images, kept His Sabbaths, He would
bless them.
He said, “I will give you rain at the right time, and your farmlands
will overflow with good food. I will give you peace, and rid your land
of wild animals. Five of you will chase a hundred of your enemies; a
hundred of you will chase away one thousand of them. I will favor you
among all the nations, and increase the number of your people. My
Tabernacle will be among you. I will be your God, and you shall be My
people.”
But, if the Israelites rejected God and His laws, He said that He
would curse Israel.
He said, “I will fill your land with terror! Wasting disease and
fevers will strike you. Your enemies will eat the food that you raise on
your farms. I will set My face against you, and your enemies will
defeat you. You will be so afraid, that you will run when no one chases
you.
“And if you still refuse to obey Me, I will break the pride of your
power. Your land will no longer produce fruit.
“If you still reject Me and My laws, I will send seven times more
plagues on you, according to your sins. I will send wild animals, which
will snatch away your children, eat your livestock, and kill your people.
I will strike you with diseases, and deliver you into the hands of
your enemies. Food will become so scarce that parents will eat the
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flesh of their children! I will destroy your cities and tear down your
idols. And you will be scattered among the nations as slaves”
(Leviticus 26).
Breaking Camp
The Israelites had experienced much: They had been slaves in Egypt,
with no hope for release. Then the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
revealed Himself, unleashing ten terrible plagues over Egypt. Then the
pillars of cloud and fire led them out into the wilderness. With God’s
help, they narrowly evaded Pharaoh’s army and escaped through the
Red Sea. They were fed manna from heaven. God protected them from
an army of raiders.
Now God was living in their midst, in His Tabernacle. Armed with
His laws, statutes and judgments, the twelve tribes of Israel were now
ready to break camp and head for their final destination: The Promised
Land.
123
124
The Restored Church of God
P.O. Box 23295
Wadsworth, OH 44282
USA
The Restored Church of God
P.O. Box 4064
St. Catharines, ON L2R 7S3
CANADA
Phone: (330) 334-2266
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www.TheRCG.org
e-mail: info@TheRCG.org
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Copyright © 2002 The Restored Church of God
All Rights Reserved
Printed in the USA
THIS ARTICLE IS PROVIDED FREE HOW TO CONTACT US
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INTEREST BY THE RESTORED
CHURCH OF GOD.
It is made possible by the voluntary,
freely given tithes and offerings of the
members of the Church and others
who have elected to support the work
of the Church. Contributions are welcomed
and gratefully accepted.
Those who wish to voluntarily aid and
support this WORK OF GOD around the
world are gladly welcomed as coworkers
in this major effort to preach
the gospel to all nations.
125

THE STORY
OF THE BIBLE
VOLUME THREE
Herbert W. Armstrong led the Worldwide Church of God (formerly The Radio
Church of God until 1968) until his death in 1986. Hundreds of millions heard
his voice and read his literature. God called him in the fall of 1926 and he was
converted in the spring of 1927. Over the course of Mr. Armstrong’s ministry,
God revealed through him a great many true biblical doctrines, which had
been lost to the Church through the centuries. After his death, his successors
ceased to believe and teach these doctrines. Although copyright law prohibits
The Restored Church of God from reproducing and distributing literature produced
while he led the Worldwide Church of God, we are committed to the
preservation and teaching of all of these truths!
THIS BOOK IS PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE AND IN THE PUBLIC
INTEREST BY THE RESTORED CHURCH OF GOD.
It is made possible by the voluntary, freely given tithes and offerings of the
members of the Church and others who have elected to support the work of
the Church. Contributions are welcomed and gratefully accepted. Those who
wish to voluntarily aid and support this WORK OF GOD around the world are
gladly welcomed as co-workers in this major effort to preach the gospel to all
nations.
Copyright © 2003 by The Restored Church of God
All Rights Reserved.
Printed in the United States of America
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE: THE FIRST CENSUS
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX: ISRAEL MOANS AND COMPLAINS
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN: A BLESSING—OR A CURSE?
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT: SPIES IN CANAAN
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE: FORTY YEARS OF PUNISHMENT
CHAPTER FORTY: KORAH’S REBELLION
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE: MOSES LOSES HIS TEMPER
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO: FIRST VICTORIES
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE: THE KING AND THE FALSE PROPHET
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR: OLD SINS DIE HARD
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE: AN UNHOLY ALLIANCE
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX: A NEW LEADER FOR ISRAEL
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN: FINAL INSTRUCTIONS
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT: SPIES IN JERICHO
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE: AND THE WALLS CAME TUMBLING DOWN
TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE STORY OF THE BIBLE
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VOLUME THREE
INTRODUCTION
by David C. Pack
This is the third volume of a special series. These books truly represent “THE
STORY OF THE BIBLE.” Many have attempted to write various kinds of
“Bible Story Books,” but they are usually written only for children, and are primarily
designed to entertain instead of educate or inspire. The reader will see
that the wonderful style and artwork of this series capture the spirit of God’s
Word, with its intended lessons and vital meaning.
Most children’s versions of the Bible terribly misrepresent important stories
that it contains—and they are written with wrong emphasis—and wrong meaning!
Instead of leading children to the true God, and to the true doctrines of His
Word, children are left with the impression that the Bible only contains a few
stories, and is mostly a book about war, violence, blood, thunder and death.
This is terribly wrong!
In keeping with the modern generation’s obsession with graphic violence,
most efforts to reflect the teachings of the Bible “play” to this interest. Youth
are given what they want to read, not what they need to understand. The many
stories of the Bible are intended to teach VITAL LESSONS to people of all ages.
Modern writers miss the mark when they cater to children, rather than properly
teach them what God intends.
If young people learn the Bible in a wrong way—with emphasis on the
wrong things, while ignoring the enormous number of lessons that the Bible
contains—at least two bad things result.
First, all these wrong concepts and approaches must be unlearned and
replaced by right knowledge and understanding of what the Bible really says.
Unlearning error is a most difficult thing to do, and is actually far harder than
learning the truth correctly the first time, leaving no need to sweep the mind
clean of what has been wrong or misunderstood.
Second, young people will later find the stories of the Bible have been trivialized
and made irrelevant, and they may find themselves turned off by its
message rather than being excited and thrilled about what they are learning.
The modern system of education is morally and spiritually bankrupt!
Deluded educators have been biased against God and His Word by the atheistic
teaching of evolution poured into them from childhood. They have taught
young people for decades that there are “no absolutes” and that they must follow
“situation ethics.” They have led the world into a kind of secular humanism—
where people are driven by how they feel rather than clear definitions of
right and wrong! But there is right and wrong in life—and those who are teaching
the children of this world have cut themselves off from this knowledge
4
(Isaiah 59:1-2). They cannot teach what they were never taught!
Also, this world’s churches keep young people steeped in traditional pagan
philosophies and teachings that have deceived the world for millennia. They
have ignored the great spiritual principle of CAUSE and EFFECT that governs
every aspect of life. They have neglected to teach true spiritual values. They
have defaulted their responsibility in all the critical areas of leadership—and
have utterly failed in their greatest responsibility, which should have been to
instill in young minds the marvelous truths of God’s Word—to teach youth how
to live, not just how to earn a living.
This is a tragic state of affairs!
Many who attempt to study the Bible become confused, frustrated and disillusioned,
believing that it is too difficult to understand. As a result, many who
would seek to teach their children true Christian standards and values, either
give up altogether or leave such education to the many theological “experts,”
who offer no end of differing—and conflicting—views.
Such an approach only serves to further confuse young people about the
Bible, thus, in many cases, alienating them from it. But those who truly seek to
understand God’s Word, without adding their own interpretation (II Peter 1:20),
will find that there is simplicity in it (II Corinthians 11:3).
Children need to be taught this simplicity! They need to know who and
what they are—and why they were born—that they are future sons of God in
the making!
You were born for a reason. Your life has a SUPREME PURPOSE! The Bible
reveals how to be in harmony with the true God—and His purpose for life. The
world is ignorant of this. So are most parents. They have no idea how or what
to teach their children. No one is guiding parents, because no one knows how
to guide them. Sadly, though the Bible is a gripping, interesting—even fascinating—
book of true stories (all part of one great story), most find it dull, dry
and boring.
This series is written to completely change this misconception in the minds
of people of all ages! It uses language designed to expand your mind through
the use of word pictures. Our goal has been to make the Bible real—to make it
talk directly to parents and children. With only a little explanation, parents will
be able to read these volumes to children as young as age three.
In today’s world, youth are universally misguided, abused, neglected and
ignored and this fuels a variety of rampant, escalating social problems. This is
because society as a whole has rejected the SOURCE of true happiness, success,
peace and fulfillment—GOD’S WORD. As King Solomon admonished, “Train
up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from
it” (Proverbs 22:6).
How many are even attempting to do this today?
Many true doctrines of God were restored to His Church in the middle of
the 20th century. By the 1990s, they had largely been discarded by its new leaders.
Part of our commission is to once again “restore what was restored” and to
continue to “turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the
children to their fathers” (Malachi 4:6). The Restored Church of God has completely
restored all God’s doctrines to the Church!
5
Under the faithful leadership of Herbert W. Armstrong (1892-1986), various
Church youth programs were established as part of the fulfillment of this
important responsibility. These included the Y.O.U. program (Youth
Opportunities United—for teens), and the Y.E.S. program (Youth Educational
Services—for young children). There was also a Summer Educational Program
(S.E.P.), providing teenagers with the opportunity to fellowship with other
teens and develop many skills and talents in a camp environment.
There was also much youth-oriented literature, offered to the young people
of God’s Church. These included a Youth magazine for teenagers, Youth Bible
Lessons for children from kindergarten through sixth grade—and The Bible
Story series.
Children are far too precious to ignore or neglect. While parents must utilize
the tools that are available to them, they cannot do this if these tools have
not been created.
As the only true extension of Mr. Armstrong’s ministry, The Restored
Church of God is re-creating these same written tools—as well as the magazines,
books, booklets, articles and letters that once taught the full truth of God
to millions around the world.
This series is being rewritten—with new volumes to appear on a regular
basis—to once again make the Bible simple, so that the stories in it come to
life! But these volumes are not just for children! It is our hope that parents and
children alike will enjoy and benefit from them. Its forerunner was a six-volume
work, once described as “written for children 5 to 105.” The original series
is no longer available—but this new one is!
6
Our story thus far: After years of living under the harsh rule of
Pharaoh, king of Egypt, Israel was delivered from slavery by the
Eternal God. Using Moses and Aaron as His human representatives,
God led the Israelites out of Egypt and into the rugged, sparse wilderness
of the Sinai Peninsula.
Then, after the people reached Mt. Sinai, God revealed the Ten
Commandments. These great laws can be summed up in one word:
Love—first toward God, then toward other people. God also revealed
various laws, statutes and judgments designed to help Israel obey
Him.
Next, God proposed a marriage covenant, or special agreement,
between Him and Israel: If the Israelites agreed to put God first, worship
only Him, keep His laws, and walk in all His ways, the Eternal
promised to personally lead Israel into Canaan—the Promised Land.
He would also protect the Israelites and grant them victory over their
enemies. God would personally fight their battles for them, and drive
out all the pagan idol-worshippers who lived in the land.
After hearing God’s proposal, the Israelites quickly agreed to
become His people. This pleased God.
He then led Israel to build a special tabernacle—a kind of portable
temple—which represented His royal throne in heaven. Because it
was portable, the Israelites would be able to take it with them as they
traveled to Canaan. By having His presence dwell in His tabernacle,
God would be able to live among His chosen people.
Dedicating God’s Tabernacle
When the tabernacle was finished, Moses anointed it, setting it apart
for holy use. Then, each of the leaders of the tribes of Israel (except for
the tribe of Levi) presented special offerings for the tabernacle for
Aaron, his sons, and the Levites. They were to use these gifts—carts,
7
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
THE FIRST CENSUS
gold pans, silver platters and bowls, fine flour, grain, goats, sheep,
bulls, rams and oxen—in worshipping God.
The Second Passover
In the first month of the second year since Israel had left Egypt, God
reminded His people to keep the Passover: “On the evening of the
fourteenth day of the first month, you shall keep the Passover and present
the offerings that are due.”
All of the Israelites wanted to keep God’s command. However, a
problem arose. Agroup of men had a friend who suddenly died. Out of
friendship and deep respect, they buried his body. But because they
had come in contact with a dead body, the men were unclean before
God’s eyes. They would not be allowed to keep the Passover ceremony.
Wanting to obey God, the men went to Moses and Aaron to seek
their help.
Moses said to them, “Wait here and be patient. I will go see what
God wants you to do.” Then he drew away from the people, and privately
sought God.
8
The Levites used the
gifts from the special
offering in serving and
worshipping God.
The Eternal answered Moses’ prayer, saying, “The Passover is
extremely important for all My people to observe. Therefore, if serious
situations arise that keep any of the Israelites from observing this ceremony—
whether they have made themselves unclean from touching a
dead body, or are far away on a journey—they shall keep the Passover
on the evening of the fourteenth day of the second month. But whoever
purposely chooses to ignore the Passover and refuses to observe this
day shall be cut off from My people Israel” (Numbers 9:1-14).
Israel’s First Census
God then decided to give Moses and Aaron a special assignment
involving the whole camp of Israel.
He said, “I want you and your brother Aaron to take a census of My
people. Go throughout the whole congregation of Israel and count all
the men who are twenty years old and above—all the Israelites who
are able to fight in My army and go to war” (Numbers 1:1-3).
9
Moses and Aaron
were given a special
assignment by God:
Number the children
of Israel!
“But do not count the Levites; I have set them apart to work in My
holy tabernacle” (verses 47-51).
“I shall appoint twelve leaders to help you take this census. Each
leader will represent each tribe of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Gad, Judah,
Issachar, Zebulun, Ephraim, Manasseh, Benjamin, Dan, Asher and
Naphtali” (verses 4-16).
Moses, Aaron and the twelve leaders faithfully carried out God’s
instruction. They went through all the families of Israel and counted
the number of men who were twenty years old and older. When this
was done, the census revealed that Israel had a standing army of
603,550 men (verses 44-46).
Considering that the women and children outnumbered the men,
and that neither the tribe of Levi nor the foreigners who lived among
the people were counted, Israel must have had more than two million
people living within its camp!
Some today do not believe this. They cannot understand how more
than two million people could march through the harsh, barren wilderness
of the Sinai, with its sparse vegetation and trees, and limited water
supply, and survive. These same unbelievers fail to realize that the God
of the universe was more than willing and able to protect, feed and
guide His people.
Even today, God still offers His divine protection to those who willingly
seek and obey Him.
Breaking Camp
After the census, the Israelites were ready to continue their journey. A
buzz of wonder and excitement filled the air as neighbor talked with
neighbor about their upcoming march to the Promised Land.
“Did you hear? Did you hear the good news?”
“Yes! We’re finally on our way to Canaan!”
“I wonder how long it will take us to get there.”
“Not too long, I’m sure. Soon we’ll all have our own land and plant
our own crops and harvest food meant for our own mouths—not for
our former Egyptian masters.”
Since God always does things in an orderly way, He decided to
organize the way in which the Israelites were to march with His tabernacle
and holy articles, and also how they were to camp around it.
He said to Moses and Aaron, “All the people of Israel are to camp
among their own tribe, and each tribe shall have its own standard, or
flag. These flags will identify where I want each tribe to be
encamped.
10
“Each of the twelve leaders who helped you to count the Israelites
will lead the tribe from which they come: Elizur will lead Reuben,
Shelumiel will lead Simeon, Nahshon will lead Judah, Nethaneel will
lead Issachar, Eliab will lead Zebulun, Abidan will lead Benjamin,
Ahiezer will lead Dan, Pagiel will lead Asher, Eliasaph will lead Gad,
and Ahira will lead Naphtali. Of the tribe of Joseph, Elishama will lead
Ephraim and Gamaliel will lead Manasseh.
“The tribes are to camp around My tabernacle of meeting—but
make sure that none of them camp close to it. They must keep a safe
distance away from it, for My holy presence shall be there. Judah,
Issachar and Zebulun are to camp at the east side of the tabernacle.
Reuben, Simeon and Gad are to camp at the south side. Ephraim,
11
Each tribe had its own flag, or
standard, which showed the
people where their particular
tribe was encamped.
Manasseh and Benjamin are to be at the west side. And Dan, Asher and
Naphtali are to camp at the north side.
“When I give the word for the Israelites to break camp, the tribes
are to march in this order: First, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun will
break camp. Then, Reuben, Simeon and Gad will break camp and follow
them. After this, Ephraim, Manasseh and Benjamin will break
camp, and march behind the Levites. Then Dan, Naphtali and Asher
will march from the rear. The tribe of Levi, which shall be responsible
for carrying My tabernacle and holy articles, will march in the middle,
between the other tribes” (Numbers 2:1-31).
Setting Apart the Levites
God made the tribe of Levi responsible for taking care of His tabernacle
and everything belonging to it. Only the Levites were allowed to
take down, carry, set up, and serve in the tabernacle and handle its holy
12
articles (Numbers 1:50-53). If anyone who was not a Levite tried to do
so, they were to be immediately put to death!
God has the authority and right to choose whomever He is willing
to work through as His servants. He made the Levites separate—holy
and special—from the rest of Israel, so that they would serve Him in
carrying out His work.
However, this did not mean that the Levites were better than the
other tribes. God does not have favorites (Acts 10:34). He wants all to
have the same opportunity to serve Him and experience the many wonderful
blessings of living His way of life—the way of love and outgoing
concern for others. Just as He does in His Church today, God has
always selected certain people to fill specific roles in His government.
He does this so that things will run in a smooth and orderly fashion.
By setting Levi apart, God knew that the other tribes were bound to
get jealous and think, “Why do those Levites get to serve God so closely
and we can’t?”
Therefore, the Eternal gave Israel the law of the Nazarites
(Numbers 6:1-21). A Nazarite could be a man or woman who made a
special vow to devote a certain amount of time—separate himself—to
more personally focus on serving God. When one took the Nazarite
vow, he could not drink wine, vinegar or grape juice, or eat grapes or
raisins. And he was not allowed to cut his hair, or go near a dead body.
The vow could last several weeks, years—or even an entire lifetime!
For example, the apostle Paul took the Nazarite vow for a short
time (Acts 18:18), while some of the greatest servants of the Bible—
Samuel, Samson and John the Baptist—were Nazarites for their entire
lives.
Today, many people (who were never taught the truth about God or
His ways) mistakenly believe that Jesus Christ was a Nazarite, because
they think He had long hair and did not drink wine. This is one of the
many lies Satan the devil uses to confuse people about who Christ really
was.
Jesus was not a Nazarite—He was a Nazarene! People who come
from America are called Americans. People from Canada are
Canadians. Those from Britain are British. And people from Australia
are Australians. In the same way, Jesus was called a Nazarene because
He was raised in the town of Nazareth.
Also, Christ’s hair was short, not long. And He did drink wine, in
moderation. In fact, His first biblically-recorded miracle was done at a
wedding party. On that special happy occasion, Christ, at the request
of His mother, turned water into wine! Jesus was a Nazarene—not a
Nazarite.
13
Organizing Levi
God had made Aaron, a Levite, His high priest over Israel and set apart
Aaron’s sons as priests. The two eldest sons, Nadab and Abihu, were
irresponsible with their priestly duties. They had set the wrong example
for others to follow. God had no choice but to take away their lives.
In doing so, He taught the whole congregation of Israel a sobering lesson:
No one is above God’s Law, and God expects His servants to
always take their duties seriously and wholeheartedly. Aaron’s two
youngest sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, took their brothers’ place as
priests (Numbers 3:1-4).
14
The Levites cared for the
Tabernacle and transported it
when Israel was on the move.
The rest of the Levites were to assist the priests by taking good care
of the tabernacle and all its holy belongings. But they were not to perform
priestly duties, such as making sacrifices and offerings.
Just as He had done with Israel, God commanded Moses to take a
census of the Levites.
He said, “The Levites shall be divided into three families. Each
family will represent the three sons of your forefather Levi—Gershon,
Kohath and Merari. Then I want you to count all the males that are a
month old and above.
“These three families shall camp around My tabernacle:
“The Gershonites will camp on the west side. They are responsible
for carrying and taking care of the coverings of My tabernacle.
“The Kohathites will camp on the south side. They are responsible
for carrying the furnishings of the tabernacle, which shall be covered
only by Aaron and his sons. If any of the Kohathites touch My holy
furnishings, I will take away their lives.
“The Merarites will camp north. They will carry and take care of
the wooden framework of the tabernacle.
“And you, Moses, and your brother Aaron and his sons will camp
east, in front of the tabernacle’s entrance. Eleazar shall oversee the
duties of the Kohathites, while Ithamar will oversee the duties of the
Gershonites and Merarites.”
Again, Moses obeyed God. When he had finished counting, the
census revealed that there were 22,000 Levite males who were one
month old and above. They were to substitute for the 22,273 firstborn
Israelite males whom God had claimed for Himself when He first
delivered Israel from Egypt. God would provide a way for the Levites
to make up for the 273 males that were owed to Him (Numbers 3:34,
43).
Once all of God’s instructions were carried out, the Eternal had
Aaron and his sons bless Israel with these words: “May the Eternal
bless you, and keep you; may He make His face shine upon you, and
be gracious unto you. May the Eternal lift up His face upon you, and
give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26).
Then God placed His name upon Israel. This showed that He
claimed the Israelites as His own people.
15
The pillar of cloud rose up above the tabernacle. This was a signal
to the Israelites that it was time for them to break camp and march
onward. All the tribes of Israel gathered and went out according to the
orderly way God had commanded them.
The tribes of Judah, Issachar and Zebulun went first, peaceably
gathering their personal possessions, and then marching out front.
After Aaron and his sons had taken down the tabernacle, the Levites of
Gershon and Merari carefully carried it, and followed in line. The
tribes of Reuben, Simeon and Gad followed next. Then were the
Kohathites, who carried the holy things, such as the Ark of the
Covenant. Next were Ephraim, Manasseh and Benjamin, followed by
Dan, Asher and Naphtali, who acted as Israel’s rear guard (Numbers
10:1-28).
The Israelites marched for three days until they came to the
Wilderness of Paran (Numbers 33:16-18; 10:12, 33).
Convincing Family to Stay
During the thirteen months the Israelites had traveled and lived in the
wilderness since leaving Egypt, God allowed a mixed multitude of foreigners
to travel with them. As long as these people carefully obeyed
God’s laws and did not try to deceive His people into rebelling against
Him and serving other gods, they were permitted to live with Israel.
Among this multitude was a man named Hobab. He was the son of
Reul (also known as Jethro) and brother to Moses’ wife Zipporah. This
made Hobab Moses’ brother-in-law.
Like his father, Hobab was a desert dweller. He was used to traveling
throughout the vast desert wilderness. Now that the Israelites were
finally on their way to Canaan, Moses was worried that his brother-inlaw
would not go with them. So he tried to think of a way to convince
Hobab to continue traveling with Israel.
16
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
ISRAEL MOANS
AND COMPLAINS
Moses said to him, “Soon, God will deliver the Promised Land into
our hands. Once we get there, we shall set aside a piece of land just for
you. You and your descendants can grow lush crops of corn, wheat,
barley, grapes—whatever your heart desires. The land will be yours.
You and your descendants will live among my people in peace. All you
have to do is come with us into the Promised Land.”
At first, Hobab refused. Pointing out in the wilderness, he said to
Moses, “I’m a desert dweller. All my life I’ve lived out here in the back
country. This is what I am used to. Besides, if I wanted to settle down
someplace, it would be better for me to go back and live among my
own people.”
But Moses would not easily take no for an answer.
“Hobab, you know the lay of the land and the dangers that lurk
ahead. You know how we are to camp—where the watering places are
located, where we can gather enough wood for burning campfires. You
17
Because Hobab
knew much about
the desert terrain
through which
Israel was to travel,
Moses wanted him
to stay with the
Israelites.
can be our eyes and ears. Stay with us, and whatever good things God
will do for us, we will do for you.”
Upon hearing this, Hobab was convinced. He and his family decided
to stay with Israel. Over time, Hobab’s descendants, the Kenites,
did come to live in the Promised Land with the Israelites (Numbers
10:29-32; Judges 1:16).
Israel Complains…Again
Despite the blessing of having God (in the pillars of cloud and fire)
lead them to Canaan, the Israelites’ attitudes soon turned sour.
Some said, “How long are we supposed to camp here?”
“Yeah, what’s taking so long?” said others. “How many more days
do we have to march out here in this wild country?”
“Are we there yet?”
The Eternal heard their carnal-minded complaints. He knew that
their attitudes were rebellious. The people no longer showed respect
toward God or His leadership. This made the Eternal angry because He
had given so many wonderful things to a people who did not appreciate
His amazing blessings.
To teach all of Israel a vital lesson, God shot down bursts of fire and
burned up some of the complainers, those who grumbled among themselves
at the outskirts of the camp.
Instantly, the people realized that God meant business. A crowd
rushed to Moses and begged him for his help.
“Please, Moses!” they cried. “Speak to God for us, before He
destroys us all! We were wrong, and now we’re sorry. Speak to the
Eternal before it’s too late—He always listens to you!”
“Yes,” said others. “You always put your trust in God, and He
respects you for it. Now pray for us before the Almighty reduces us to
nothing!”
Moses shook his head and let out a soft sigh. Though the people
truly appeared to be sorry for their wrong attitudes, experience taught
him that their change of heart would only last for a short while. Yet,
Moses deeply cared for Israel, and he wanted God’s people to reap
the countless wonderful blessings of living God’s laws and way of
life.
“Very well,” he said.
He separated himself to a private place, and then prayed, “Great
Eternal God, please forgive the foolishness of Your people. Though
they are blessed to have your wonderful laws, they do not have Your
Holy Spirit working in their minds and changing their carnal thoughts,
18
19
Bursts of fire shot out from the Pillar of cloud,
consuming the complaining Israelites!
attitudes and desires to become holy, kind and loving. Please be merciful
to them.”
Upon hearing Moses’ sincere, heartfelt prayer, God showed mercy
to Israel and quenched the fire (Numbers 11:1-2). God always listens
to those who seek His will and put His ways first.
As the flames flickered out, the Israelites sighed. All were relieved.
They called the place “Taberah,” which means “burning,” because
of the fire God had used to teach grumbling Israel a lesson (verse 3).
Even More Grumbling and Complaining
The Bible calls Satan the devil “the prince of the power of the air”
(Ephesians 2:2). This is because he constantly broadcasts rotten, rebellious
thoughts and attitudes toward everyone—and especially toward
those whom God chooses to work with as His servants.
The devil was behind the grumblings and mutterings of the
Israelites. As God’s enemy (or adversary), Satan did not want God’s
people to succeed and receive blessings. Seeing that the Israelites were
repentant—they had changed their rotten attitudes and were sorry for
their bad conduct—the devil came up with another plan to defeat
Israel.
This time, he decided to use the mixed multitude of foreigners, who
dwelled in peace with God’s people. Satan inspired them to grumble
and complain, and spread their bitter attitudes to the Israelites. The
devil used this same method years ago (perhaps millions of years) to
subtly and gradually convince one-third of the angels to rebel against
God!
“If only we were back in good old Egypt,” the foreigners muttered.
“There we had plenty of thick, juicy meat to feast on, and all sorts of
spicy foods. Remember how well fed we were back in Egypt?”
The Israelites listened to these foolish complaints and allowed themselves
to get caught up in the lusts and cravings of these foreigners.
Soon, a swelling crowd of Israelites agreed with the mixed multitude.
“Yes, that’s right!” they shouted. “In Egypt we had more than
enough good food to eat: Fish, cucumbers, fat and juicy melons, leeks,
and all kinds of onions and garlic. And the food was so rich and plentiful!
No one went begging for food back in Egypt.”
Others said, “How true! Now look at us! We’re all on the verge of
dying out here in this barren countryside. Why, we have barely anything
to eat, except for manna. We can’t survive on bread alone!”
Like a spark of fire in a field of dry grass, the murmurings and
grumblings of the Israelites and foreigners spread throughout the
20
whole camp. Soon all the people cried, moaned and complained. They
no longer appreciated the manna, the special bread from heaven, which
God had made especially for Israel. No other nation—before or
since—had been blessed to enjoy such a wonderful treat, made by the
hands of God. Yet the people foolishly treated His manna as though it
were poison!
Like the mixed multitude, the Israelites made exaggerated statements
about their past lives in Egypt. Instead of remembering how
hopelessly harsh their lives were as slaves—how cruel and mean their
former Egyptian taskmasters had brutally treated them—the Israelites
made up lies. They deceived themselves into believing that their former
lives as slaves were somehow better than their current lives as servants
living under God’s divine guidance and protection (Numbers
11:4-6).
Even today, Satan tries to brainwash God’s people—His Church—
with the same deception. The devil wants Christians to become bitter
and angry about something—anything—as long as it will make them
moan, grumble and complain. He tries to get God’s people to focus on
petty problems, instead of focusing on the soon-coming kingdom of
God and the Return of Jesus Christ. Satan’s goal is to deceive
Christians into focusing on and longing for their past lives, when they
were slaves to the ways of sin. He knows that if he can get them to do
this, they will no longer appreciate God’s wonderful laws and blessings.
And ultimately, they will forget their awesome human potential:
To be born into the God Family!
This is why God hates grumbling, complaining, and anything else
that leads to bitterness.
A Moment of Weakness
For the Israelites, manna was their main source of food. In addition to
eating it fresh, the people discovered several ways to prepare it. They
ground it on millstones and made meal flour from it. They cooked it in
pans of oil and make cakes from it.
Yet, even though manna tasted good and was healthy to eat, the
people quickly grew tired of it. They wanted something new, something
different. They were no longer satisfied that the God of the universe
was taking care of all their needs—now they wanted Him to provide
for all of their wants, too!
A gang of complainers went to Moses’ tent and grumbled: “Can’t
you see how miserable we are, Moses? We won’t last much longer if
we don’t soon get some meat in our bellies. This is all your fault,
21
22
God provided manna for the
Israelites six days a week. Even
though this delicious food could be
prepared many ways, the Israelites
still found reasons to complain.
Moses. At least back in Egypt, we always had all kinds of good and
spicy things to eat!”
Moses could hardly believe his own ears. He scanned the growing
crowd of complainers, who continuously nagged and grumbled. From
all directions throughout the camp, he could hear the people moan and
weep. They acted like spoiled brats who couldn’t get their way.
This sad scene caused Moses to drop to his knees and pray: “Why,
God? Why have You afflicted me with such lustful, carnal-minded
people? Why do You leave all these ungrateful Israelites to bare their
worries upon my shoulders? I’m just an ordinary man. There’s nothing
great or special about me. Yet these people nag and complain to me as
though I were their mother! They cry out to me for meat—but where
am I supposed to get enough meat to feed all the mouths of these selfish
complainers? They cry like babies who haven’t been fed for days.
This burden is too much for me, God. I cannot bear it alone. Please
have mercy on me, and take my life away. If I have found favor in Your
sight, then let me sleep in the grave till my change comes” (Numbers
11:10-15; Job 14:13-15).
What Moses was experiencing was a weak moment in faith. Faith
is when a person believes, in all boldness and confidence, that God
will deliver His promises. Moses was one of the most faithful servants
of God of all time—yet he was still only human. Sometimes he made
mistakes. Sometimes he said and did things he wished he had not.
In a moment of weakness and frustration, Moses asked God to take
his life away. Though this was wrong for Moses to do, God had this
recorded in His Word, the Holy Bible, for a reason: To show that God
understands the weaknesses and limits of His people. He knows that
His servants must resist numerous problems, trials and pressures as
they strive to live the right way of life. But God does not ask from His
faithful servants more than they can bear. In His mercy, He always provides
a way of escape (I Corinthians 10:10-13).
23
God refused Moses’ request to take away his life. However, God did
offer Moses a solution that would provide some relief from dealing
with these nagging, short-sighted Israelites. God told Moses to
assemble the 70 elders of Israel and bring them to the tabernacle.
“The same Spirit that dwells in your mind I will put into their
minds,” God said. “Then I will use these men to assist you in bearing
the burden of the people.
“Next, I want you to have the Israelites specially prepare themselves
for tomorrow. Tell them that I have heard all their bitter and selfish
complaints. Since the people lust for meat, then I will give them
meat, more than they will know what to do with. They will eat meat
not for one day, nor two days, nor five, ten, or even twenty days—but
for a whole month! I will give them all the meat that they crave for
until it comes out of their nostrils! In fact, I will give the people so
much meat that they will despise it—just as they have despised Me, the
God who dwells among them. After this, they will regret ever desiring
their former lives in Egypt.”
Moses, still weak in faith, questioned how God could possibly
deliver a month’s worth of meat to so many people.
He said, “But God, there are more than 600,000 men in our camp—
not to mention all the women, children and even the mixed multitude
of foreigners. How are You going to feed fresh meat to all these
mouths for a whole month? Shall all our flocks and herds of livestock
be slaughtered for this? Shall all the fish in the sea be gathered?”
God is patient and slow to anger, yet He understood that He had to
set His servant straight. Plus, He wanted Moses’ faith to grow and
become strong again.
“Is My arm too short to perform such mighty miracles?” God asked.
“Have you forgotten all the wonders I did in freeing Israel from slavery
in Egypt? Or how I delivered My people through the parting of the Red
Sea? Or how I am the One who produced fresh, clean water in the
24
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
A BLESSING—OR A CURSE?
desert, and have provided bread from heaven five days a week and
twice as much on the sixth day? Stand fast and watch, Moses! Soon you
will see whether or not what I say will happen” (Numbers 11:16-23).
Moses felt ashamed, and hung his head down low. Realizing that he
had temporarily allowed himself to doubt God and His power, Moses
determined not to do this again.
Prophesying—Inspired Speaking
Moses obeyed God’s instructions and gathered the 70 elders of Israel
before the tabernacle. Next, the pillar of cloud came down and spoke
to Moses, and then took a portion of the Holy Spirit, which empowered
and guided Moses’ thinking, and placed it upon the elders.
An astonishing thing happened: God used His Spirit in the elders to
inspire them to speak words of spiritual wisdom and understanding—
to prophesy. These former slaves, like all the men of Israel, were
untrained and new to God’s laws and ways. Yet, they were suddenly
able to speak with godly insight and good judgment (Numbers 11:24-
25). This event confirmed to all who watched—the Levites—that the
Eternal was working through the elders. God did not want anyone to
doubt this. (However, this gift of inspired speaking, or prophesying,
was only temporary.)
While the elders continued to prophesy, a young man ran up to
Moses and said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!”
Eldad and Medad were two elders who, for some reason, could not
make it to the tabernacle. It may have been because they had to deal
with an emergency among the people. Though these two men did not
assemble at the tabernacle with the other elders, God wanted Israel to
recognize that He was using them as well. So He placed His Spirit into
Eldad and Medad’s minds and inspired them to prophesy, too.
When Joshua, Moses’ personal assistant, heard the news, he
became upset and nervous.
He said to Moses, “Master, forbid Eldad and Medad from prophesying!
These men are drawing a following after themselves. They
may even challenge you for leadership over Israel!”
Moses calmly turned to his assistant and said, “Joshua, are you jealous
of their influence on my account? Clearly, God’s Spirit is leading
Eldad and Medad to encourage and guide the people. This is a good
thing. Oh, if only all of God’s people had the Holy Spirit converting
and leading their carnal minds—it would inspire them to perform such
awesome deeds” (verses 26-29).
Joshua nodded, and agreed with Moses’ wisdom.
25
A Blessing—or a Curse?
Early the next morning, Moses woke up to the sound of a strong wind
blowing outside his tent. Curious, he arose from his bed and looked
outside. He was amazed to see a thick mass of what seemed like dark
clouds surrounding the entire camp. The clouds seemed to be moving
as though they were alive.
Suddenly, it dawned on Moses that what he was seeing were not
clouds at all—it was a massive flock of birds flying low just above the
ground. They were quails!
The people of Israel stood beside their tents, their eyes and mouths
wide open, astonished at what they saw.
God was using a powerful and intense wind to drive thousands and
thousands of quail straight into the reaches of the “meat-starved”
Israelites.
Moses turned to the people and said, “You lusted for meat, O Israel!
Here then is your meat, brought to you by the hand of God! The
Eternal has supplied all of your needs—but that was not enough for
you. Now you will get what you have been lusting after. But when you
have had your fill, you will soon regret your rebellious grumblings and
complaints against the Eternal, and how you did not appreciate all of
His many blessings!”
Some of the people wondered, “What have we gotten ourselves
into? Will what we have craved for become a curse to us?”
But the majority ignored Moses’ warning. They were too concerned
with catching as many quails as they could lay their hands on. All that
day, throughout the night and all throughout the next day, the Israelites
raced to catch all the birds they could eat. The quails flew low to the
ground because they were tired from having traveled great distances,
and from flying against the strong wind. Throughout the camp, people
grabbed whatever they could—brooms, shovels, pots, pans—and
swatted at the weary birds, knocking them to the ground. Soon the
entire camp was filled with caught birds—enough meat to last thirty
days.
In an almost riot-like frenzy, the people raced to pluck off feathers,
gather wood and build campfires to cook their freshly-caught food.
Some people were so crazed by their lust-filled desires that they did
not even bother to cook the quails—instead, they ate them raw!
Even though God had sent them manna from heaven six days a
week, the Israelites acted as though they were starving. Their selfish,
outrageous conduct offended God.
26
It is fine to desire something good for yourself. But when people
overly desire—covet—after things (especially things that belong to
other people), they are in danger of allowing the spirit of covetousness
to ruin their lives. People who covet are driven by, and slaves to, their
personal lusts. They convince themselves that they “have” to get that
new doll, that new top-of-the-line bicycle, that new video game. And
their lusts will eventually lead them to do just about anything to get
what they want—lie, steal, and even hurt other people!
Satan the devil inspired the carnal-minded Israelites and mixed
multitude to covet, just as he broadcasts covetous attitudes today.
27
Starving for meat, the
Israelites frantically
gathered up the quail
that had descended
upon the camp.
Watching the people chomp down on their meat, God was angry.
Their self-seeking attitudes and rash actions told Him that the people
were more interested in serving the desires of their own stomachs than
in thankfully serving God.
So the Eternal decided to teach Israel a much-needed lesson. He
struck the people with a great plague. Those who had gorged themselves
with all the quail meat they could stuff into their mouths soon
felt sick. They felt as though their stomachs were about to burst. The
people had eaten so much meat that they began to despise it—just as
they had despised God’s manna.
As the plague spread from person to person, some grew so sick that
they died. This made those who were still alive realize that the “blessing”
they lusted after had actually become a curse (Numbers 11:31-33).
28
Many of the Israelites
gorged themselves on
undercooked meat,
and became gravely ill
in the process!
You would think that, after being punished by fire and a plague,
none of the Israelites would dare grumble and complain against
God or His servant Moses. After all, God used these punishments in
order to show the Israelites their sins. Yet Moses’ older sister and
brother, Miriam and Aaron, did not take these lessons to heart.
One day, Miriam let her feelings get the best of her, and she began
to complain. She spoke against Moses because he had married an
Ethiopian woman. Many years earlier, when Moses was an Egyptian
prince and a successful army commander, he had married an Ethiopian
princess in order to form a peace treaty between the warring nations of
Egypt and Ethiopia.
Instead of going to Moses about the situation, Miriam grumbled
and complained to Aaron.
“Moses is just plain wrong,” she muttered. “He should have known
better than to marry that woman. And now he’s been leading Israel for
so long that he thinks he can get away with just about anything.”
While Aaron gave thought to her rebellious comments, she continued
her rant: “I think our little brother takes too much authority for
himself. Has the Eternal spoken only through Moses? Has He not also
spoken through us? You, Aaron, are high priest, and I am a prophetess.
God has used both of us to do His work. Moses is not the only one with
God-given authority.”
Aaron slowly agreed with his sister. He said, “Perhaps Moses does
take too much power for himself. But what shall we do about it?”
God saw what was happening. Nothing can be hidden from His
sight. The Eternal realized that Miriam and Aaron were allowing the
deadly seed of envy to grow in their minds, causing them to become
bitter toward Moses.
God knew that if He did not act soon, Miriam and Aaron would
eventually oppose their brother before all Israel. This would cause
hatred and fighting among the people. Some would say, “I follow
29
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
SPIES IN CANAAN
Moses!” Others would say, “I follow Aaron!” or “I follow Miriam!”
Israel would break apart into groups that hated each other, and go their
separate ways. God’s people would no longer be able to inherit the
Promised Land together, as a family.
God had to intervene!
Immediately, the Eternal’s booming
voice cried out, “Moses! Aaron! Miriam!
Come to the tabernacle at once!”
Aaron felt goose bumps and a cold
sweat of fear. He suddenly realized
that he and his sister had just made a
very huge mistake.
But Miriam thought differently.
She wondered to herself,
“Perhaps God agrees with me.
He probably wants to evenly
divide power between me,
Moses and Aaron.” Little did
Miriam know that God was
about to give her a rude awakening.
When the three arrived at the
tabernacle, the pillar of cloud
came down and stationed itself at
the door. From the cloud, God
said, “Aaron, Miriam, come here.”
When they stepped forward,
God said, “Listen to My words: I
speak to My prophets through
visions and dreams. But Moses is
different. I speak to him face to
face, because he is faithful in all
Israel. He obeys My will and seeks
to do those things that please Me.
Therefore, I speak to him plainly—
not in visions and dreams. I
have used Moses to lead My people
out of Egypt, and I am using
him to bring them into the
Promised Land. Why then were
you not afraid to speak against My
servant?”
30
Miriam spoke out against Moses
because he had married an Ethiopian
woman. She had let a deadly seed of
envy sprout in her mind.
Miriam and Aaron dropped to their knees and shivered. They stumbled
over their words, trying to think up an excuse for their rebellious
complaints. But God would not listen to such weak excuses.
Before Moses could intervene and ask God to forgive them, the
cloud departed.
Then, Aaron turned to his sister and gasped.
“Moses! Quick, look at Miriam!”
Moses turned to his sister and saw that Miriam’s beautiful, healthy
skin had turned dry and flakey—white as snow.
“She has leprosy!”
Leprosy is a painful,
ancient skin disease that
still afflicts some people
to this very day. It is
also contagious—those
who have leprosy are in
danger of spreading it
to others.
Aaron grabbed
Moses by the arms and
pleaded with him to ask
God to remove this disease
from their sister.
“The words we
spoke were foolish, and
we have sinned. Please
don’t allow Miriam to suffer
from this horrible plague!
She will have to be cut off
from Israel, and she won’t be
able to enter the Promised
Land. I beg you, ask God to
forgive us and to heal her!”
Moses did just that. He did
not allow himself to become bitter
toward them for speaking
against him.
But God replied, “Miriam led
your brother to speak against My servant. She and all of Israel must
learn that I will not tolerate such rebellion. My people must always
respect the office of whomever I use to lead them. However, I will not
cut your sister off from Israel forever. For seven days, Miriam will live
31
outside the camp of the congregation. After this, I will heal her. Only
then will she be allowed to live among the people of Israel again.”
News of Miriam and Aaron’s rebellion and God’s immediate punishment
spread throughout the whole camp. All the people watched
and whispered among themselves as Miriam, who felt deeply
ashamed, walked out from the camp and into the wilderness. This was
a warning to Israel—God hates rebellion. For seven days, Miriam sat
alone and humbled herself. She thought long and hard about the sin she
had committed—and how her wrong actions could have ultimately
stopped the Israelites from inheriting the Promised Land.
When the seven days were finished, God removed her punishment
and healed the leprosy. Instantly, Miriam’s dry, flaky leprous skin
returned to its normal beauty and health (Numbers 12).
Special Spy Mission
After witnessing many miracles and wonders—the Ten Plagues of
Egypt, the pillars of cloud and fire, the parting of the Red Sea, drinking
water from a rock, receiving the Ten Commandments from God’s
own voice, eating manna from heaven, building God’s tabernacle, and
so much more—the Israelites finally made it to Kadesh. This was at
the very southern edge of the Promised Land.
Moses stood before the people, pointed to the north, and said,
“Look, Israel. The land that God has promised you is just within your
reach. All you have to do is trust God, go up and take it. Canaan
belongs to you. This is the land that the God of your fathers, Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob, has promised you. So do not fear—go and take your
land.”
All the people carefully considered Moses’ words. They spoke
among themselves, saying, “Is this it? Are we really there? What shall
we do next?”
After much talking, the people sent leaders to speak to Moses.
Representing the concerns of the Israelites, these men said, “Moses,
the people think that it would be wise to pick some men among us and
let them spy the land. These spies will scout out the territory and give
us an idea of what the land is like, what kind of people we can expect
to meet, which is the best way to go, what kind of cities shall we come
to, and so forth.”
Giving this some thought, Moses said, “Perhaps you are right. I can
see the wisdom of not rushing into an unknown land without first
knowing its strengths and weaknesses. If it is God’s will, twelve
men—each of whom will represent a tribe of Israel—will be sent out
32
to spy on the Promised Land. Then, they shall return and bring back a
detailed report” (Deuteronomy 1:21-23).
With God’s permission, twelve leaders were selected for this dangerous
scouting operation. These men were Shammua of the tribe of
Reuben, Shaphat of the tribe of Simeon, Caleb of Judah, Igal of
Issachar, Joshua (or Hoshea) of Ephraim, Palti of Benjamin, Gaddiel
of Zebulun, Gaddi of Manasseh, Ammiel of Dan, Sethur of Asher,
Nahbi of Naphtali, and Geuel of the tribe of Gad (Numbers 13:1-15).
Moses instructed the 12 spies to travel up through the south and
into the north, and venture through the rugged mountains. They were
to see what the land was like, find out if the people were weak or
strong, many or few, and so forth.
“Come back to camp by the end of forty days, and make sure you
bring back some of the fruit of the land,” said Moses.
The twelve men nodded, and then prepared for their special mission.
Scouting Out the Promised Land
The spies carried with them enough tools and supplies to help them on
their long journey. Then, waving goodbye to their families and friends,
the men marched out of the camp and headed for the unknown.
Climbing through a series of craggy mountain ranges, they eventually
came upon a high slope, from which they could see a walled city
down on the plains below. This was Hebron, the same place where,
centuries earlier, Abraham had built an altar of worship to God
(Genesis 3:18).
The spies wondered what kind of people they would find living in
that city.
“Well,” said Caleb, “there’s only one way to find out.”
Following his lead, the spies climbed down the steep slope until
they came to the foot of the mountain, and then marched toward
Hebron.
Along the way, Joshua grew concerned, and said, “Perhaps it would
be wiser if we split up into smaller teams of two and three men.
Otherwise, the inhabitants may take special notice of us if we—twelve
strangers—ventured into their city all at once. The last thing we want
to do on this mission is draw attention to ourselves.”
The others quickly agreed. The spies split off into teams of twos
and threes, and then decided to enter the city at different times and
from different directions. In this way, it would not appear to the city’s
inhabitants that the Israelites were together.
33
The closer they came to the city, the larger its thick walls seemed to
tower above them. The spies merged into a swarm of travelers, traders
and merchants, who streamed through the large city gates. Guards
were stationed at the gates and just about everywhere else. They cautiously
patroled the area and scanned the faces in the crowd for enemies,
troublemakers and possible threats.
Inside Hebron, some of the spies came to an open-air market.
Traders and merchants shouted for the attention of all who walked by,
hoping to draw potential customers. Just about everything you can
imagine was for sale: Pots, pans and other cooking utensils, tents,
veils, robes, rope, idols and other things of pagan worship, fruits, vegetables,
breads, all kinds of clean and unclean meats, and more.
The merchants smiled and motioned for the Israelites to draw near.
“My friend, my friend, come see what I have especially for you. Surely
you cannot afford to pass up such a bargain.”
The Israelite scouts politely shook their heads and walked away.
They dared not speak, else the people would know that the men were
foreigners, and might even suspect them of being spies (which they
were).
Elsewhere in the city, a team of Israelites came to a strange-looking
religious temple. Standing before its main entrance were several beautiful
women. They wore colorful, flowing robes and see-through veils,
and had painted on their faces a rainbow of eye-catching colors—purple,
red, blue and black—which decorated their eyes, cheeks and lips,
much like women who wear makeup today. The pagan women smiled
and winked at the Israelite men and motioned for them to enter the
temple.
“Wow! Look at them,” said one of the spies.
“Yeah, let’s go see what kind of gods these women worship.”
Joshua grabbed the two by their arms and said, “No! We’re not here
to investigate pagan gods, we’re here to scout out the land for God’s
people—that is all. Now let’s go.”
The men reluctantly followed Joshua’s lead.
The spies soon discovered that the people living in Hebron were
very superstitious. The inhabitants worshipped various false gods,
bowed down to strange-looking idols and other images, and put their
trust in so-called good luck charms. They also ate just about every kind
of clean and unclean animal they could catch.
“It’s almost like being back in Egypt,” said one spy.
Another replied, “Yes, you’re right. Except their clothing and language
are different. And the people living here are not as well off as
our former masters once were, before the Ten Plagues.”
34
35
Agreeing that it was time to go, the spies calmly headed for
Hebron’s main gate. Just as they were about to leave the city, a
squadron of soldiers marched through the gate. The jaws of every
Israelite dropped and their eyes grew wide in disbelief.
“Look at the size of them!”
Some of the soldiers were twice the size of normal men! From the
scowls of the soldiers’ faces, the spies knew that these gigantic muscular
men were hardened warriors—battle-tested and always ready for
a fight.
The Israelite spies whispered among themselves: “God wants US to
fight THEM in order to inherit the Promised Land? How could we ever
hope to defeat such giants?”
Caleb and Joshua said, “Quiet down. We have a lot of territory
ahead of us to scout out. Let’s move.”
36
Back at the camp of Israel, the people were growing restless with
each day that passed. Many of the Israelites whispered among
themselves. Their hope-filled conversations soon turned to gossip and
fearful rumors:
“Think any of our boys will come back alive?”
“I doubt it. Who knows what kinds of dangers are lurking out there,
waiting to ensnare us?”
“Yes, you’re right. I remember how the Amalekites attacked us by
surprise. They nearly destroyed the whole camp.”
And so the people became worried and anxious. Instead of trusting
in the God who delivered them from Egypt, they were beginning to
believe in their own fears and doubts.
By the time the forty days were up, the twelve spies were seen
marching back into the Israelite camp. All the people jumped up and
down with joy.
“They’re here! They’re here! Our boys have come back!”
Crowds of people swarmed around the men, hugging them, patting
them on their backs, and saying, “Welcome back! How was it? Did you
see anything interesting? What were the people like? Tell about the
cities and farmlands—tell us EVERYTHING!”
Moses and Aaron said to the cheering crowd, “Understandably, all
of you have many questions about the Promised Land. They will be
answered, but first let’s allow these men to speak.”
One of the scouts stepped forward and pointed to the cluster of
grapes they had brought back with them.
“As you can plainly see,” he said, “these grapes we brought back
are so large and so many, they had to be carried on a pole by two men.
We went throughout the land, from the southern tip to the northern
edge of its borders. We discovered miles upon miles of golden wheat
and barley fields, and trees bearing olives, dates and figs. There are
plenty of soil-rich plains in which to start farms and raise cattle. We
37
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
FORTY YEARS OF PUNISHMENT
saw majestic mountains and rich, fertile valleys, as well as clean, clear
rivers, brooks and streams. Canaan is indeed a land flowing with milk
and honey.”
The people smiled and cheered as they listened to his words.
But the man continued: “Nevertheless, Canaan is not defenseless.
The people living there are strong and fierce. Their cities are more like
fortresses. They are surrounded by towering walls, making it nearly
impossible to conquer them. And the people who live in these cities are
giants!”
Some of the listeners gasped.
“Giants?”
“Yes,” said the man. “We saw them with our very own eyes. And
besides them, there are the ferocious warrior races, such as the
Amalekites, who live in the south, the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites,
who live in the mountains, and the Canaanites, who live by the Great
Sea and along the banks of the Jordan River.”
“What?” cried the Israelites. “What is this? How are we supposed
to inherit the Promised Land when walled cities and warrior races
block our every path? We’re no match for them. What are we supposed
to do now?”
38
“Trust in the Eternal God!” Caleb shouted. With Joshua standing by
his side in support, Caleb tried to quiet down the people.
He said, “People of Israel, listen to me. If we rely upon ourselves,
we could never hope to defeat our enemies. But we are not alone. We
worship the Almighty God—the Eternal. He is far more powerful than
the so-called gods of these pagan nations. Just like He delivered us
from Egypt, protected us against the Amalekites, and fed us along the
way, God will deliver the Promised Land into our hands. All we have
to do is trust Him and go forward. So let’s all go up at once and take
possession of the land. With God on our side, we are able to conquer
anything! Nothing can stop us!”
Some in the crowd began to take heart. “That’s right,” they said.
“God has delivered us so far—why should we think He won’t deliver
us again?”
But the other ten scouts did not agree with Caleb and Joshua. They
said to the people, “Don’t listen to these liars. They are not telling you
the full story. We report the whole truth—what we’ve seen with our
own eyes. Danger awaits us in the land up ahead. It is a land that will
eat us alive. Everyone there was a giant—and we were like grasshoppers
to them! We could never hope to defeat such a people. If you listen
to Caleb and Joshua, you will all lose your lives!”
Joshua and Caleb, along with Moses and Aaron, tried their best to
reassure the Israelites that they should trust God and enter Canaan. But
39
The Israelite scouts discovered that
the land God promised to them truly
flowed with milk and honey.
the people refused to listen. Because of the evil report from the ten
scouts, Israel was overcome by fear and dread (Numbers 13).
The people relied upon their carnal nature and reasoned among
themselves:
“Ten scouts gave us a bad report of the land, while only two scouts
gave a good report. Which group of scouts are we to believe?”
“The largest group, of course. Caleb and Joshua must be lying.
How else can you explain why they don’t agree with the other ten
scouts?”
Even to this day, carnal nature will always believe the majority
over the minority. Yet, history has shown that, among God’s people, it
is the minority—the few in number—who truly strive to obey God
with all their heart and being. Carnal nature relies on safety in numbers,
while those few who are led by the Holy Spirit fully rely upon
the Eternal.
Israel Rejects the Promised Land
Throughout that night, all the tribes of Israel cried and complained.
The short-sighted, carnal-minded people refused to believe that they
could inherit the Promised Land—even with God’s help.
“What do we do now?” they grumbled. “Ever since we left Egypt,
we’ve had to deal with problem after problem, trial after trial—and for
what—so that we can die out here in misery?”
“We would have been better off dying back in Egypt or during our
march in the wilderness. Now we’re stuck here! Now there’s nowhere
else for us to go!”
Then the people blamed God, saying, “Why did the Eternal make
us go through the trouble of leaving Egypt, only so that we would die
in Canaan? Moses and his men want us to enter that dangerous land—
but what’s in it for them? They must think we’re fools! If we dare go
into Canaan, the people there would slay us, and take our wives and
children as their slaves!”
Someone said, “What if we returned to Egypt? Surely, life was better
back there than where we are now. At least in Egypt we had a
future. Out here, our only future is death.”
“I agree! Let’s go back to Egypt! Forget about Moses and Aaron—
let’s select a new leader from among us, one who will lead us back to
where we belong!”
Throughout the whole camp, all the people agreed, saying, “Let’s
return to the land of the Pharaohs. We should be living in Egypt, not
here in the wilderness.”
40
News of this rebellion
spread like a contagious
disease. It soon
reached the ears of Moses
and Aaron, who then fell on
their knees and prayed to God in
the sight of all the Israelites.
They cried out, saying, “O Eternal,
have mercy upon this foolish, stiffnecked
people, and please do not let
them throw away this wonderful opportunity
to inherit the land of Canaan.”
Meanwhile, Joshua and Caleb spoke out to the people: “The
Promised Land flows with milk and honey, and is just within our
reach. All we have to do is take it! Do not be afraid. If our ways please
God, He will deliver Canaan into our hands. Nothing can stop this
from happening—nothing, except our disobedience and wrong attitudes.
Do not rebel against the Eternal. And don’t fear the people living
in Canaan. With God on our side, we will eat them up like bread!
Their pagan idols and false gods are no match for the God of the universe!
Do not fear the people of Canaan.”
Using strong words, Joshua and Caleb boldly tried to persuade
Israel not to abandon hope—but the Israelites were not convinced.
Instead, the people became so angry that they picked up stones and
surrounded Joshua and Caleb. They intended to kill these two faithful
servants of God (Numbers 14:1-10).
Moses Stands in for Israel
Just as the Israelites raised their hands and were about to stone Joshua
and Caleb, the glory of the Eternal appeared before all. Frozen in fear,
the people let their stones drop to the ground.
41
After hearing the false report of the ten
evil scouts, many Israelites decided to
head back to Egypt. Their decision would
soon prove to be fatal!
God said to Moses, “How long will these people reject and despise
Me? How long will they refuse to believe what I say, especially after
all the mighty signs and wonders I have done in their sight? Since they
dare to rebel against Me and refuse to go up into Canaan, I will destroy
them with a plague. Then, I will make a mighty nation out of you,
Moses, because you believe and obey Me. I know your heart. You are
careful to do what is right in My eyes. Therefore, you and your
descendants shall inherit Canaan in Israel’s place.”
Moses was stunned. Other men would have gladly accepted God’s
decision, especially if it meant receiving much honor from Him. But
Moses was different. He was humble and meek—he thought about others
more than himself. He knew that he could not bear the thought of
Israel being destroyed while he and his descendants took their place in
the Promised Land.
So Moses said, “God, if You destroy Israel, the Egyptians will hear
about it. They will gloat, and will tell all the people living in Canaan
that You destroyed Israel because You were unable to bring Your people
into the Promised Land. The Canaanites have heard of Your great
fame—how You speak to Your servants face to face, and how You go
before Israel in a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night.
But if You destroy Israel, the Canaanites will say that Your awesome
signs and wonders were all for nothing. Now let Your great mercy be
known along with Your fame, Eternal God, and forgive Your people
for their reckless sin.”
This was the second time Moses had to step in and save the foolish
Israelites from utter destruction. And for the second time, Moses’
heartfelt plea changed God’s mind.
“Very well,” God said. “I have forgiven these people, as you have
asked.”
Moses let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Then, God said, “However, Israel will be punished. The Israelites
have seen My glory and all the miracles I have done for them in Egypt
and in the wilderness, yet these stubborn-hearted people have put Me
to the test ten times:
“When Israel was trapped between Pharaoh’s army, the mountains
and the Red Sea, the people refused to trust Me. When I brought them
to Marah, they murmured against Me. When these people grew hungry,
they lusted for their former lives back in Egypt. When I fed them
manna and ordered them to collect only enough for their daily needs,
they disobeyed Me and gathered more than what they needed. When
I commanded the people to rest on the Sabbath and not go out to collect
manna on My day, they disobeyed My voice. When Israel thirst-
42
ed for water in the Wilderness of Sin, they spoke against My servant
instead of trusting in Me. When Israel grew impatient, they made a
golden calf, and then bowed down to it and called it their god. When
the people came to Taberah, instead of fearing Me, they grumbled and
complained. When Israel and the mixed multitude no longer appreciated
the food I had given them, they again lusted after their former
lives in Egypt. And now, when the Promised Land is just within their
reach, these stubborn, carnal-minded Israelites refuse to trust and
obey Me.
“Since they have refused to obey My voice, I refuse to bring this
generation into the land that I swore to their fathers, Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob.
“But My servant Caleb is different. He has the right attitude—
teachable and obedient. I can work with him. Therefore, I will bring
him into the Promised Land, and his descendants shall possess it.
Joshua shall inherit it also, because he and Caleb have fully obeyed
Me.
“As for the rest of Israel, tell the people that when they complain,
grumble, moan and murmur against My trusted servant, they have
done so against Me. This generation of Israel—everyone twenty years
old and older—shall live the rest of their lives out here in the barren
wasteland of the wilderness. With the exception of Joshua and Caleb,
no one of this generation shall inherit the Promised Land. Because
Israel sent spies to scout out the land for forty days, you shall wander
in the wilderness for forty years. And after your first generation has
died out, your children, who will have grown up—the second generation
of Israel—will enter Canaan in your place. The great and awesome
blessings you have passed up will be given to them. Thus says
the Eternal” (Numbers 14:10-35).
God had to teach Israel that rebelling against Him and disobeying
His instructions always brings bad results.
But most people today do not understand this. They believe that
they can break God’s perfect Law, and lie, steal, break the Sabbath,
etc., without suffering for their wrong actions. They see God’s Law as
being harsh, instead of appreciating the many wonderful blessings God
gives to those who keep His commandments.
Israel Fails to Learn
As for the ten scouts who gave Israel an evil report about Canaan, God
immediately took away their lives with a plague. It was their shortsightedness
that caused Israel to rebel against the Eternal.
43
When Moses relayed God’s message to the whole congregation of
Israel, all the people greatly mourned and wept, saying, “What have
we done? Why did we listen to those ten wicked scouts? Why did we
foolishly allow ourselves to think that Joshua and Caleb were liars?
Now we shall never enter the Promised Land!”
Early the next morning, some Israelites banded together and decided
to head for Canaan anyway. They reasoned, “The land is just over
the mountain. All we have to do is enter it and claim what’s ours. God
has forgiven our sin. Surely, when He sees how courageous and brave
we are, He will bless us in taking the Promised Land away from our
enemies.”
And so they went. Others in the camp who watched began to wonder
if they should go up to Canaan with them.
When news of this new recklessness came to him, Moses warned
all those who would listen: “First you refuse to obey God when He
tells you to go into the Promised Land. And now that He has cut you
off from it, you refuse to take your punishment—despite the fact that
God has spared your ungrateful lives and has reserved Canaan for your
children to inherit. Do not be foolish, Israel! If you disobey your
Creator and try to take Canaan on your own strength, the Amalekites
and the Canaanites will swoop down upon you, like vultures eating the
dead—you and your loved ones will surely die by the sword! Because
you stubbornly refuse to follow God’s lead, the Eternal One will not be
with you to fight against your enemies.”
Despite Moses’ strong and dire warning, Israel would not listen.
Like all people who do not have God’s Holy Spirit converting their
carnal minds, the Israelites decided for themselves how to live, how to
decide right from wrong, good from evil.
Moses climbed up a mountain slope and watched the people down
below as they foolishly headed off for disaster. He sighed, and thought
to himself, “Will they ever learn?”
Just like Moses had said, the moment these foolhardy Israelites
tried to enter the Promised Land, hordes of Amalekite and Canaanite
warriors swooped down upon them, slashing and hacking with their
swords and other weapons. Those few who survived the attack managed
to get back to camp. Again, the Israelites paid a deadly price for
not learning to obey God (Numbers 14:36-45).
44
As time passed, the Israelites began to take God’s Law more seriously.
They were finally realizing (at least up to a point) that their
own wrong attitudes were causing them to rebel against God. So the
people made a better effort in keeping His commandments, statutes,
precepts and judgments.
For example, one Sabbath day, a group of Israelites discovered one
of their people gathering sticks. This man was breaking God’s Sabbath
by working. If he really needed the sticks, he should have collected
them the day before the Sabbath—the sixth day of the week, sometimes
called the Preparation Day.
The group who found the man grabbed him by the arms and
brought him before Moses and Aaron. The Sabbath-breaker was put
under guard until Moses could talk to God and find out what should be
done to the man.
God’s judgment came swiftly, for the Eternal said, “The man has
broken My Sabbath commandment and has set the wrong example for
others to follow. He was fully aware of this law. He must be put to
death.”
God is not a cruel monster, as some might think. His ultimate plan
is to help all people some day enter His kingdom. But in order for this
to happen, people must learn to trust and obey God. His laws define
the true and only way to real happiness and lasting peace.
At God’s command, the man was taken outside the camp. Then the
people of Israel took up stones and stoned the Sabbath-breaker to
death. This taught all of Israel that God is serious about keeping His
laws (Numbers 15:32-36).
One day, after God’s kingdom is set up on the earth, this man will
be brought back to life. God will then give him a chance to build holy,
righteous, godly character. If he succeeds, that man will one day be
born into the kingdom of God, and he will live forever in genuine joy
and peace.
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CHAPTER FORTY
KORAH’S REBELLION
Another Rebellion
Among the Levites was a man named Korah. He was from the family
of Kohath. Whenever the Israelites were on the march, the Kohathites
were responsible for carrying the holy furnishings of God’s tabernacle
(Numbers 4:1-20). No other family was allowed to carry out this
important and special responsibility.
Korah, however, did not appreciate this wonderful duty. Instead,
whenever Aaron and his sons covered the holy furnishings for transport,
Korah became jealous and resentful.
“How come only Aaron and his sons get to touch and handle the
holy things of God’s tabernacle?” he wondered. “Hasn’t God made all
of Israel His Holy people? What makes them think that they’re better
than the rest of us?”
Korah sat on his bitter feelings and allowed them to build.
Eventually, his bitterness controlled his thinking. He slowly began to
hate and despise Aaron.
Korah turned to his closest friends, and said, “How come we can’t
be priests? All we get to do is carry things, while Aaron and his sons
take on the greater tasks—that’s not fair!” Like a rotten apple in a barrel
of ripe ones, Korah’s rebellious attitude spread among his family
and friends.
He soon discovered that there were other Israelites who felt the
same way—bitter and dissatisfied. Among them were two brothers
named Dathan and Abiram. They and their friend On were of the tribe
of Reuben. They questioned Moses’ leadership. They believed that he
was the wrong leader for Israel.
Secretly, Korah plotted with these men in an effort to remove
Moses and Aaron from their leadership positions. They managed to
convince 250 Israelite leaders, who represented a rapidly growing
crowd of disgruntled Israelites, to assist them in carrying out their
wicked scheme. When they were ready to launch their plan, Korah,
Dathan, Abiram, On and the 250 leaders gathered before Moses and
Aaron.
Speaking for them, Korah jabbed an accusing finger at Moses and
Aaron, and said, “You take too much for yourselves! You claim to represent
the people before God, but in reality you have exalted yourselves
as leaders. You, Moses, do not allow others to speak to God face
to face, as you do. And you, Aaron, do not allow others the privilege
of offering sacrifices before the Eternal. You both have gone too far!
All the congregation of Israel is holy, every one of them. God is with
46
us all, not just with you two. We should all have a say in how things
should be run. Why do you exalt yourselves above God’s holy and
sacred assembly?”
Moses and Aaron were taken aback. They looked at the angry faces
of the men—men who held trusted positions of leadership. And now
these men were trying to overthrow God’s government!
After praying intensely for God’s help and guidance, Moses faced
Korah and his rebels.
“Be careful of what you say. It is you sons of Levi who take too
much upon yourselves!” he said. “God has set you apart from the rest
of Israel and has given you the privilege of working in His tabernacle—
but apparently that was not enough for you! Now you want to be
priests, too! Tomorrow morning, God will clearly show who He has
picked to be His leaders and priests over Israel. Assemble at the tabernacle
and bring with you censers with burning fire and incense, if you
dare. God will clearly choose who His high priest should be.”
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You and Aaron keep all of
the power to yourselves!
Korah yelled at Moses. We
think its time to find out
who God is really with!
The censers, which were holy, were to be used only by God’s
priests; they were used to burn sweet-smelling incense in God’s tabernacle,
for the morning and evening sacrifices. The burning incense
represented the prayers of God’s people, which should come before
His heavenly throne day and night (Revelation 8:3-4; 5:8).
After listening to Moses’ courageous words, apparently On no
longer wanted to be part of the rebellion. He quietly slipped away, hoping
that he would not be punished for allying himself with these defiant
men.
Meanwhile, Moses turned away from Korah and tried to convince
Dathan and Abiram of their folly.
“Come—let’s talk about this in private, away from these other men.
Surely you must realize that nothing good can come from your
actions.”
But Dathan and Abiram said, “We’ve heard enough from you, old
man! You have brought us up out of Egypt, a land flowing with milk
and honey, promising to give us a land we could never have! And now
we’re stuck wandering in this wilderness until this whole generation
dies out. Yet, you have the nerve to act as though you’re some kind of
prince over us! Everyone here has seen your great failure as our supposed
leader, Moses. It’s high time we had some new leaders over
Israel.”
This said, the brothers walked away. The other men followed them.
As the crowd departed, shouting and laughing, one of the men gleefully
said to Moses and Aaron,
“See you tomorrow morning!”
News of Korah’s rebellion
spread throughout the whole
camp of Israel. Many Israelites
began to take sides, some for
Korah and some for Moses.
Israel was already becoming
divided. Such is the danger
of supporting men rather
than supporting God’s
government.
Though filled with
much anger, Moses turned
to God in prayer, seeking
His help instead of relying
upon himself. Moses
reminded God that he did
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nothing to hurt or offend any of
these men, and that he did his best
to be God’s true and faithful servant
(Numbers 16:1-15).
God’s Swift Judgment
Early the next morning,
Moses, Aaron and the elders
of Israel met with Korah,
Dathan, Abiram and the 250
rebel leaders at God’s tabernacle.
Every rebel brought
with him a censer, using
them to burn sweet-smelling
incense. Aaron did the
same. Then Korah and his
men waited for God to make
His decision. All the rebels
were self-confident that they would soon take on the special responsibilities
and enormous duties of God’s priesthood.
Suddenly, the glory of the Eternal appeared to all. Korah grinned
and began to move forward, convinced that God was about to pick him
to be Israel’s new high priest.
But the voice of God said, “Moses and Aaron, separate yourselves
from these rebels so that I can destroy them!”
Korah’s smug grin disappeared, quickly replaced by a look of
shock and disbelief.
Meanwhile, Dathan, Abiram and the other men trembled in fear.
“What have we done to ourselves?” they thought. Realizing that God
had clearly chosen Aaron and his sons to be His priests, the rebels ran
back to their tents and hid among their families. But it was all in vain;
no man can hide from God.
Moses and Aaron humbly spoke to the Eternal, praying with their
faces to the ground. “O great and almighty God, You understand the
hearts of all men. You know who has sinned, and who has not. In Your
just anger, consider Your awesome power and do not destroy all of
Israel along with those who have rebelled against You.”
God said, “Very well. Warn the Israelites to move away from the
tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Those who take heed will be
spared the punishment that I will unleash upon these carnal-minded
rebels.”
49
Moses rushed out to warn the people who were at or near Korah,
Dathan and Abiram’s tents. Aaron and the elders followed him.
“Get out!” he shouted. “Get out now before it’s too late! Get away
from these men’s tents—don’t even touch anything that belongs to
them, else you will be destroyed along with them!”
Many of the people fled, but a few stubbornly refused to leave. The
wives, children and grandchildren of Dathan and Abiram would not
budge, either. They did not believe Moses.
But the children of Korah did believe him, and departed from their
father without hesitation (Numbers 16:16-27; 26:11).
Moses spoke to the gathering crowd of curious onlookers: “Listen
to me! These rebels have questioned my leadership. They have stood
up against my office, and Aaron’s. They desire to take over Israel and
rule by their own will—not by God’s. Since many of you have doubted
my authority, God will now show you whom He has chosen to lead
His people.”
Then, he pointed to Korah, Dathan and Abiram, and said, “If these
men die naturally, as the way most men do, then God has not sent me.
But if God opens wide the mouth of the earth and swallows these men
alive—along with those who stand with them, and their belongings—
then you will know that the Eternal has rejected these would-be leaders.”
The very moment Moses finished speaking, the ground trembled
and shook as the earth split wide apart! People shouted and screamed,
and hung on to whatever they could grab. The surface of the earth rippled
as it tore open beneath the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.
They and their households dropped down into the belly of the rumbling,
quaking earth. All were swallowed alive. Then, the earth’s
mouth closed tight, sealing the rebels’ fate. Everything was gone—the
men, their families, their tents and possessions. It was as though God
had erased them from the face of the earth!
The curiosity seekers ran for dear life, crying, “Keep running! Keep
running—before we get swallowed up alive, too!”
The 250 men who had dared to challenge Aaron and his sons for the
priesthood wondered, “Nothing has happened to us yet. Has God forgotten
us?”
They soon found out. God shot down a burst of fire upon the 250
rebel leaders, instantly consuming them and burning them to a crisp!
Quickly, God commanded Eleazar, Aaron’s son, to gather the dead
men’s censers, which were caught in the deadly blaze. Since the
censers were still holy, God decided to put them to a holy use. He had
Eleazar hammer the censers into plates as a cover for the altar in the
50
tabernacle. From then on, this was to be a memorial—a reminder that
only those who are descendants of Aaron may offer incense before
God at His tabernacle (Numbers 16:28-40).
51
Amazingly, the Israelites still did not learn the bitter lesson of
complaining and rebelling against God or His servants.
The very next day, after God had crushed Korah’s rebellion, the
whole camp of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The people
accused them of killing Korah and his men—ignoring the fact that
God was the One who had taken their rebellious lives. The Israelites
even claimed that Korah and his rebels were actually “men of
God”—and that Moses and Aaron were not!
The whole congregation of Israel gathered before Moses and
Aaron to hurl lies and false accusations at them. Even those people
who were not quite sure about the actions of the rebels got caught up
in the crowd’s heated arguments.
As the Israelites angrily shook their fists and hurled insults at
Moses and Aaron, someone in the crowd shouted, “Look! Look at
what’s going on at the tabernacle!”
The angry crowd turned to face God’s tabernacle and saw that it
was covered by the pillar of cloud. Then the glory of the Eternal suddenly
appeared. This strange and awesome sight quickly brought the
liars and false accusers to silence.
Moses and Aaron raced through the crowd of gawkers and
onlookers and rushed into the tabernacle. Once there, God said to
them, “Get away from this people. They stubbornly cling to their
rebellious ways. Therefore, I will instantly consume them with a
plague!”
Moved by fear and loving respect, the two men fell to their knees
and prayed for God to change His mind.
Then Moses told Aaron, the high priest, to take a holy censer and
put a fire in it from the holy altar, and use it to burn incense.
“Hurry!” he warned. “Then take the censer to the midst of the
camp and make atonement for the people. Hurry—don’t delay! God’s
wrath is already at hand!”
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CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
MOSES LOSES HIS TEMPER
Aaron rushed to follow Moses’ instructions, and by the time he
raced to the midst of the people, God’s wrath had already begun. A
mysterious plague spread among the people, taking thousands upon
thousands of lives. While the plague raged, Aaron stood between the
heaps of dead bodies and throngs of living, crying, fearful people as he
burned sweet-smelling incense in the holy censer. (The burning
incense represented prayers of repentance, thanks and praise—which
the Israelites should have been offering to God in the first place.)
At the very moment Aaron had made atonement for the people’s
sins, the plague stopped.
Those who survived clearly saw that God had accepted Aaron’s
intercession. And all were reminded of this when they later buried the
14,700 dead bodies (Numbers 16:41-19).
The Budding of Aaron’s Rod
God had had enough of the people’s constant complaining and rebellion
against His government. God knew that, despite the recent plague,
many still doubted He had chosen Aaron to be His high priest. Some
people actually believed that the recent tragedies—the earthquake that
had devoured Korah and his men; the fire that had consumed the 250
rebel leaders; the plague that had destroyed 14,700 complainers—were
all just coincidences, flukes of nature or random events of time and
chance. Amazingly, certain Israelites stubbornly refused to believe that
these tragic events were, in reality, punishments from God. As a result,
some still questioned Moses and Aaron’s authority as leaders over
Israel.
So the Eternal decided to put an end to all doubts, once and for all.
Through Moses, God commanded that the leader of each Israelite
tribe bring a wooden rod to the tabernacle. Each of the 12 rods was to
have written on it the name of that tribe’s leader. The rods were then
placed in the tabernacle before the Testimony (the stone tablets containing
the Ten Commandments, which were kept inside the Ark of the
Covenant). Among these rods was one representing the tribe of Levi;
this rod had Aaron’s name written on it.
God said, “Here is how the whole congregation of Israel will know
whom I have chosen to be My high priest: I will cause the rod of the
man whom I have picked to blossom. No human being can produce
this miracle. Therefore, in this way you will know that this wondrous
sign came from Me.”
The people listened to Moses relay God’s decision, and all nodded
in agreement.
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The next day, Moses went into the tabernacle to bring out the rods.
Meanwhile, the whole congregation anxiously waited outside to see
the results. When Moses came back out, he showed everyone the rods.
The people could clearly see that only one rod had sprouted with buds
and blossoms—it even yielded ripe almonds! It went above and
beyond what God said He would do. This was because God wanted to
leave no room for doubt in the minds of these carnal-minded Israelites.
Moses lifted the budded rod high above his head for all to see. He
shouted, “This rod bears the name of Aaron! He is the man God has
chosen to be His high priest over Israel. The Eternal God has spoken!”
After all the Israelites got a good look at the rods, no one could any
longer doubt which man’s rod had blossomed. The people soon realized
their sin of challenging God’s government and opposing the men
God selects and uses to do His work.
Feeling guilty and ashamed, they cried out to Moses, saying, “We
have sinned! Surely God will take our lives because of our foolishness
and rebellion.” They were finally learning to respect God’s government.
The Eternal, who offers mercy and forgiveness to all who seek Him
with their whole heart, decided not to take their lives (though He was
well within His right to do so).
God commanded Moses to bring Aaron’s rod back before the
Testimony. From then on, the budded rod was to be a reminder—a sign
against the rebels who grumbled and complained against God and His
government. Aaron’s rod would remind people to never challenge the
authority of God’s true servants (Numbers 17).
Return to Kadesh
For the next forty years, Israel wandered through the barren wilderness.
God’s Word reveals very little about what went on during those
four decades. In a way, the Bible’s silence represents how wasted and
empty those years were for Israel. Had the people been willing to fully
obey God and follow His directions, the Israelites could have spent
those forty years prospering in the Land of Promise.
Year after year, the people gradually died, generally of old age, and
were buried out in the wilderness. By the time the forty years were finished,
the entire first generation of those whom God had delivered
from Egypt had died. Their children, who had become adults, took
their parents’ place.
God was now ready to deliver the Promised Land to the second
generation of the children of Israel. He led His people back to Kadesh,
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in the Wilderness of Zin. This was the place where the Israelites had
rebelled against God, four decades earlier.
A buzz of excitement and eager anticipation electrified the air. This
new generation of Israelites knew that they would soon inherit the land
that their parents would not see. Though they suffered witnessing their
parents, aunts, uncles and other loved ones die of old age over the
years, this second generation was determined not to repeat the mistakes
of the first.
And the recent death of Miriam, Moses and Aaron’s older sister,
reminded Israel even more that God would not bring the first generation
into Canaan (Numbers 20:1).
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Because they had
rejected the Promised
Land, the Israelites
were sentenced to 40
years of wandering in
the desert.
Moses Sets the Wrong Example
Just like their parents and grandparents before them, this new generation
of Israelites was carnal-minded. The vast majority of them did not have
God’s Holy Spirit working within their minds. And without this power,
the people could not fully trust God to work out all their problems.
This is why Israel grumbled and complained when they arrived at
Kadesh. There was no water to be found anywhere. Scouts searched
the land, but all that could be found was sparse vegetation and dust.
Angry and upset, the Israelites confronted Moses and Aaron, who
by now were very old.
“Why did you bring us out here to die? Was it not enough for you
that all our parents died in the wilderness? If only we would have died
with them! At least we would not be out here dying of thirst. You,
Moses, are the reason why we left Egypt. Our parents were right—we
were better off back in Egypt, where we had plenty of good things to
eat and lots of fresh, clean water to drink. Why did you ever bring us
out here, Moses?”
As was their habit, Moses and Aaron went to the tabernacle, fell
down on their knees, and sought God. (Unfortunately, few people
today follow this habit of always seeking God first.)
When the glory of the Eternal appeared, God said to Moses, “Take
your rod, and then you and Aaron shall gather before the whole congregation
of Israel. When you speak to the rock, the people shall see
water pour out from it. Then the Israelites and their animals will have
all the water they can drink.”
Moses and Aaron went before the people, just as God had commanded.
But when Moses scanned the bitter, grumbling faces in the
crowd of accusers and complainers, he began to think. For 40 long
years he had to contend with complaints, lies, false accusations,
insults, ingratitude, and disobedient and rebellious attitudes. Several
times, Moses had to step in and ask God to forgive these stubborn, carnal-
minded people, lest God destroy them without a trace. Day after
day, year after year, the whole congregation of Israel saw God’s presence
dwell with them, in the pillars of cloud and fire. Yet, Israel still
would not respect God.
“And they do not respect me,” Moses thought to himself.
Anger began to fill his mind. Bitterness began to take root. In a fit
of bottled-up, slow-boiling rage, Moses lifted up his shepherd’s rod,
and yelled, “Hear me, you rebels! You wanted water from me? Here is
your water!”
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Moses swung the rod and struck the rock.
Nothing happened.
Moses grew even angrier. He swung the rod again, striking the rock
even harder than before. Immediately, water gushed out from it, and
the people rushed to drink and store as much as they could. This place
came to be called “Meribah,” which means “contention” and “quarreling.”
Later, God had some choice words to say to Moses and Aaron:
“You are supposed to represent Me before My people, yet you did not
follow My instructions. I told you to speak to the rock—not strike it
with your rod. By disobeying My orders, you did not honor Me before
Israel—you honored yourself!”
Suddenly, Moses realized his great sin—he now understood that he
had let his anger and bitterness control him. In his outburst of rage, he
had disrespected God before all Israel and set the wrong example.
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Realizing how terrible his sin was, Moses felt deeply ashamed. And so
did Aaron, who had silently stood by and supported what his brother
had done. Now both men sought God’s forgiveness.
Though God did forgive them, He knew that they still had to be
punished. God had to set an example for Israel to learn.
The Eternal said to Moses, “Because you did not honor and respect
Me before My people, I cannot allow you to bring Israel into the
Promised Land. Someone else will bring them into Canaan.”
Unlike carnal men, Moses did not act like a spoiled brat and
scream, “That’s not fair!” Instead, Moses—who was the meekest man
alive—agreed with God’s decision.
He simply said, “Yes, Sir” (Numbers 20:2-13).
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The Edomites living in Mount Seir, near where God’s people were
encamped, were for the most part friendly with Israel
(Deuteronomy 2:29). But not all Edomites were friendly.
The people of Edom descended from Esau, brother of Jacob (God
had changed Jacob’s name to Israel). This made the Edomites and the
Israelites close relatives.
The Edomites of Mount Seir had a healthy respect for the power of
Israel’s God. This fear led them to sell food and water to His chosen
people. They also allowed the Israelites to travel safely through their
territory.
Encouraged by their hospitality, Moses decided to send a message
to the king of Edom, since this king’s territory provided a direct route
to the land of Canaan. Through messengers, Moses asked the king for
permission to pass through his land. He reminded him that Edom and
Israel were brother nations—family.
“By now you have heard of all the hardships Israel has suffered,”
the message went. “How we were forced into slavery in Egypt, how
God miraculously delivered us from Pharaoh’s hand, and how we have
wandered forty years in the wilderness due to our disobedience.
“O king, let us now pass through your kingdom. We will not pass
through your fields or vineyards, nor drink from your wells. We will
only stick to the King’s Highway, where you can keep a close eye on
us. We will pass through your territory as quickly as possible. Do this
kind favor for us and our God will greatly bless you.”
When Moses’ messengers had finished speaking, they could see
from the king’s face that he was none too pleased. They began to worry
that he might kill them where they stood.
Slowly, the king of Edom said, “Tell your Moses that I have heard
all about him. Does he think that I am a fool? What other king would
be foolish enough to allow a nation of three million people to pass
through his land and not expect them to attack? Tell Moses that I am
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CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
FIRST VICTORIES
no fool. Israel shall not pass through my kingdom. If any Israelite
dares to trespass, he will be met with force.”
The messengers rushed to deliver the king’s message to Moses—
but they soon returned to the King of Edom with another message.
They told the king, “Thus says Moses: ‘If you let us pass, we will
only stick to the King’s Highway. We have no intentions of attacking
you. And if you are worried that we will eat your food or drink your
water, we will pay for anything we consume. We only want to get to
Canaan.’”
The king sent another message back to Moses: “If you set foot in
my land, you will die!”
Then, the king sent out a strong show of force—an army of fierce
warriors—to stand guard at Edom’s border. He also sent his scouts to
keep tabs on Israel’s every move.
God could have stepped in and escorted Israel through Edom.
The Edomites could not have stopped Him. However, God had given
Edom to Esau’s descendants long ago. It was not a part of the Promised
Land. In fact, Israel was forbidden to take any part of it, not even a foot
(Deuteronomy 2:2-6; Numbers 20:14-21).
Death of the High Priest
God led the children of Israel from Kadesh to Mt. Hor, which bordered
Edom.
From there, all the people watched Moses, Aaron and Eleazar climb
up the mountain. Many began to cry, for they knew that one of the
greatest servants of God would not be coming back to them.
When the men came to the right spot, Moses followed God’s
instruction and removed from Aaron the garments of the high priest.
Moses then placed them on Aaron’s son; God had chosen Eleazar to
become Israel’s new high priest. After this, Aaron, at 123 years of ripe
old age, died in peace atop Mt. Hor (Numbers 33:38-39). He was not
allowed to enter the Promised Land with Israel because he had assisted
his brother Moses in dishonoring God at Meribah.
Tears of sorrow poured from Eleazar’s eyes, but he soon was overcome
with a sense of great responsibility. He knew that he had to do
his very best in fully obeying God and carefully setting the right example
for Israel in his new office.
Eleazar and Moses climbed back down Mt. Hor, and were met by
the sorrowful looks and bitter weeping of the people. For the next thirty
days, the whole camp of Israel mourned the loss of Aaron (Numbers
20:22-29).
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61
After Aarons death,
his son Eleazar took
over his duties as the
Israelites high priest.
First Victory
Ever since God had delivered the Israelites from slavery, news of their
amazing release spread throughout Canaan. Merchants, traders and
others who regularly traveled between Egypt and Canaan told incredible
stories of Israel and God. Having learned that the same God who
miraculously delivered them from Egypt had promised to lead the
Israelites to inherit Canaan, the kings and people living there were naturally
worried and afraid. So they regularly sent spies down into the
lower Sinai Peninsula to monitor Israel’s march through the wilderness.
The Canaanites were relieved when they heard that God sentenced
Israel to wander the desert for forty years. But now those years were
over. The kings of Canaan raced to come up with a plan to destroy
God’s people before it was too late.
King Arad said to his generals, “From what my spies tell me,
Israel’s army may be inexperienced, but it is large and organized.
Perhaps we cannot defeat them.”
A general stepped forward to say, “My king, maybe we do not need
to totally destroy Israel. Instead, what if we just gave the Israelites a
bloody nose, so to speak?”
The king said, “What do you
mean?”
“Suppose we sent a division
of our best warriors and we
ordered them to do a lightning
attack. Our men would
rush in and kill as many
Israelites as possible. Then,
before Israel has a chance to
react, we would pull our
men back out, taking as
many prisoners as they can
gather. Israel would be
bruised, broken and confused.
Such a humiliating
defeat would make this
Moses think twice
before coming up
against us.”
King Arad rubbed
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King Arad hoped
that a swift attack
by his best warriors
would convince
Israel to stay
out of Canaan.
his hands together and grinned. “Make it so.”
The generals quickly carried out the king’s
command. The army of Canaanites swooped
down upon Israel, striking fast and hard. Then,
just as quickly as they had rushed in, the
Canaanites retreated, taking with them prisoners—
Israelite woman and children.
King Arad thought his plan was a success—
but he soon learned that his scheme had backfired.
Instead of making Israel sorrowful and
afraid, the Israelites were incensed with anger!
With one voice, God’s people said, “If You,
Almighty God, will deliver these wretched
Canaanites into our hands, we promise to utterly
destroy their cities. We will wipe them off the
face of the earth!”
God agreed. It had long been His will to
remove the ungodly, idol-worshipping Canaanites.
Often, they sacrificed their own children to their
false gods. The Eternal knew that Israel could not
live alongside such horrible pagan worshippers. He
recognized that the Canaanites’ evil ways would
corrupt His people and lead them down the path to
their own destruction.
With God on their side, Israel marched through
Arad’s kingdom and utterly destroyed his people and
their cities. After this, the name of that place became
Hormah, which means “utter destruction.”
Once the Israelite prisoners had been rescued and
released, all of Israel shouted and danced for joy. The
people praised and thanked God for giving them this
great victory.
This was Israel’s first successful battle for the
Promised Land. If Israel continued to diligently seek
and obey God, many more victories would be just
ahead (Numbers 21:1-3).
Attack of the Fiery Serpents
Though Israel had rejoiced, the people fell back into
their carnal ways of grumbling and complaining when
things did not go their way.
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Because Israel could not get permission to pass through the land of
Edom, God led His people in a longer, more out-of-the-way route to
Canaan. In this way, Israel could travel without worrying about being
attacked by foreign nations.
But when the Israelites noticed that they were being led on a
longer route, they became discouraged and upset. An angry crowd
confronted Moses. “What is this?,” they shouted. “We thought our
wandering in the wilderness was over!”
Others in the crowd used this opportunity as an excuse to complain
about other things: “That’s right! We’re tiring of all this wandering
when Canaan is just within our reach. And we’re running out of bread
and water, too!”
Moses was taken aback. “What are you saying?” he asked. “Has
not God provided you with water in the past—why don’t you believe
He will do so again? And as for having no bread, what about all the
manna God has given you? There’s plenty of bread from heaven to
eat. And it’s even healthier and sweeter than any bread made by
human hands.”
But the complainers said, “Bah! We’re sick of this manna. It’s the
same old thing every day. Besides, it’s too light. We want something
meatier—we want something new!”
Manna represented God’s Word, the Holy Bible. Just as the
ancient, physical Israelites were to eat manna every day, spiritual
Israelites today—Christians—must study the Bible daily. God’s
Word—His written instruction to mankind—tells us how to live: First,
how to obey and please God; second, how to help, serve and get along
with other people.
God was not pleased with Israel’s ungrateful attitude. To teach His
people a lesson, He decided to punish them. He sent fiery serpents to
invade the whole camp of Israel. People screamed and ran, while others
were bitten by these serpents. Their vicious bites inflicted great
pain, and the wounds made the victims feel as though their skin was
on fire. Many Israelites died from these poisonous bites.
Those who escaped came before Moses and asked him to pray to
God on their behalf. Taking pity on them, Moses did as they requested.
Immediately, God answered. He had Moses make a bronze image
of a serpent and fashion it upon a tall pole.
Then, God said, “Have all of the survivors who were bitten come
before the pole and look upon this serpent. Let this bronze image
remind them of their folly, and that I will not tolerate such foolish complaining.”
64
Moses followed God’s instruction. All the survivors who passed by
the pole and looked at the serpent were instantly healed.
The serpent on the pole was not some kind of magical idol. It was
simply a tool God used to remind His people of their sins. It was also
a test to see if Israel would obey Him (Numbers 21:7-9).
And there was another important purpose God had in mind concerning
the serpent on the pole (John 3:14-15)
Sin is the breaking of God’s Law (I John 3:4). All people have
sinned (Romans 3:23). The penalty for sin is death (Romans 6:23).
As a symbol, the serpent on the pole pointed to a (then) future
event—when Jesus Christ died on a stake in order to take upon
Himself all the sins of mankind. By doing this, Christ, our Savior, died
in our place so that we won’t have to.
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God led Israel to circle around the borders of Edom and Moab,
whose land the Israelites were not allowed to take. Just as the
Edomites were Israel’s close relatives, so were the Moabites. They
descended from Lot’s son Moab.
Lot, the nephew of Abraham, was the man whom God’s angels rescued
just before Sodom and Gomorrah’s destruction. Abraham had
allowed Lot to choose for himself a portion of the Promised Land. Lot
chose the land that eventually became Moab. God remembered what
Abraham had done for Lot and decided to honor His servant’s kind
decision. This is why the land of the Moabites was off-limits to Israel.
God led His people around Edom and Moab until they came to the
Arnon River. This was the border between northern Moab and the
Amorite territory.
The Amorites were a Canaanite people who generally dwelled in
the hill country of the Jordan River. Many of these Amorites were
giants who towered over average-sized men (Amos 2:9).
Even though God did not forbid Israel from taking the land away
from the Amorites, Moses decided to pay the Amorite king a courtesy.
He sent messengers to King Sihon in Hesbon, asking permission to
pass through his territory. Moses assured him that Israel would not raid
the Amorites’ crops or drink from their water wells. But the king
refused to give his permission. He was well aware that Israel had
destroyed King Arad and his cities.
“And now these Israelites think they can do the same to me,” said
Sihon to his advisors. “They are already within striking distance of my
cities.”
One of his advisors spoke up: “Don’t trust Israel. If you let these
people pass through our country, they will be in a position to take
whatever they want.”
“Yes,” said another man. “Better to destroy the Israelites now while
they are still outside our land.”
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CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
THE KING AND
THE FALSE PROPHET
The king agreed. He rushed to gather all the soldiers he could collect
and sent them to attack Israel at Jahaz.
But what Sihon feared most came true: Israel, delivered by God,
utterly destroyed the king and his army. Israel conquered all the cities,
towns and villages in the land, which the Amorites had taken from
Moab. Even though the Moabites once owned this land, God allowed
Israel to keep it, since it no longer belonged to Moab (Numbers 21:10-
13, 21-31).
Israel’s new territory extended from the Arnon River in the south,
to the Jabbok River in the north. It was bordered by the Jordan River
in the west and the land of Ammon in the east.
The Ammonites descended from Ben-Ammi, another son of Lot.
Just as with the Moabites, Ammon’s territory was off-limits to Israel.
God’s people were also forbidden to attack the Ammonites (Genesis
19:36-38).
King Og Attacks
Moses sent spies to secretly search out the land of Jazer. They soon
brought back reports that Jazer had abundant fertile grazing land—just
right for the many herds and flocks of livestock Israel was amassing.
With God’s blessing and leadership, His people captured the villages
of Jazer and drove out the Ammonites.
Once settled in their new territory, Israel was ready to attack
Bashan. This, too, was a fertile region, lying west of the Sea of
Chinnereth (which, centuries later, became known as the Sea of
Galilee).
Og, the Amorite king of Bashan, was a giant. His bed was more
than thirteen feet long and six feet wide! Besides many small towns
and villages, Og ruled over sixty cities. These cities were like fortresses—
large, protected by walls, and crammed with people.
Hearing that his ally, King Sihon, had been defeated, Og sent his
mighty army of warriors to attack Israel.
King Og’s reputation as a fierce warrior was known far and wide,
even among Israel. Many of the Israelites began to doubt they could
stand up to Og and his soldiers.
But God told Moses, “Do not fear this man. I will deliver Og and
his people into your hands, just as I did with Sihon and his people.”
Encouraged, Moses had his generals lead the charge against King
Og’s forces. The two armies clashed at Edrei. The fierce battle ended
only when Og, his warrior sons, and all his people were destroyed.
Among those who attacked Israel, there were no survivors.
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With the enemy out of the way, Israel took possession of Og’s sixty
cities and the rest of the territory (Numbers 21:33-35; 32:1;
Deuteronomy 3:1-11).
Throughout Canaan, the people trembled with fear. The kings and
military leaders talked among themselves, saying, “Something has to
be done about Israel! How could former slaves defeat the armies of Og
and Sihon so easily?”
Others said, “Because Israel’s God is more powerful than the gods
of Og and Sihon. Look at how Israel’s God humbled the gods of the
Egyptians.”
“But what can we do? Israel picks and chooses what territory to
take. How can we hope to stand against such people?”
The people of Canaan searched for a plan to destroy Israel—before
Israel destroyed them!
A King Hires a False Prophet
Having conquered and secured their new land, Israel marched back to
the plains of Moab and encamped near the Jordan River. God was
preparing Israel to attack the rest of Canaan from there, starting with
the city of Jericho.
The Moabites, who dwelled south of Israel’s camp, were frightened,
almost sick with fear. Balak, their king, worried that Israel was
about to invade his kingdom. Balak and his people did not know that
God had forbidden Israel to attack Moab or take any of the land.
The king and his elders met with their allies, the elders of Midian,
to devise a plan to destroy Israel: “These Israelites have defeated Og
and Sihon—they have conquered the land like a plague. Now that
Israel is camped right at our border, what can stop them from attacking?
If the Israelites chose to attack, they would eat us alive, like an ox
does to grass! What can we do?”
One man said, “The Israelites are too many. They even cause our
soldiers to shake and tremble. We are no match for Israel.”
“Well,” said another man, “If we can’t defeat Israel’s army, maybe
we can defeat the God who leads them?”
The king said, “But how? Israel’s God has defeated the gods of
Egypt and every kingdom that dares oppose His people.”
The elders of Midian said, “We should send for Balaam.”
The other men in the room hushed to hear more.
“Balaam’s reputation is well-known. Whenever he blesses people,
they are truly blessed. And when he curses people, they are always
cursed.”
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Balaam was a false prophet. He used sorcery and fortune-telling to
contact evil spirits. These spirits were actually demons, posing as
“gods.” Many kings and other important leaders regularly paid Balaam
to pronounce curses on their enemies. People thought that this false
prophet had great powers, but Balaam’s powers really came from the
devil and his fallen angels—demons. The truth is, Balaam could only
do what God allowed him to do.
Desperate, King Balak sent a team of ambassadors and princes far
away to the Euphrates River to hire Balaam’s demonic services. When
they finally arrived at his home, the king’s representatives presented
this false prophet with an expensive gift.
They said, “There is more where that came from,” as Balaam’s lustfilled
eyes saw the bag of silver. “All you have to do is come back with
us and curse the Israelites. Then you will be given more silver and gold
than you will know what to do with.”
Balaam was willing to curse whomever King Balak wanted
cursed—but he knew that he first had to get God’s permission. Not that
Balaam worshipped and obeyed God—far from it. Balaam allowed
himself to be controlled by Satan. Neither the devil nor his human servants
can harm others without God’s permission. The Eternal is mightier
and more powerful than any being, whether made of flesh or spirit!
Balaam asked the princes and ambassador to stay the night.
“I will seek God’s permission and see if He will allow me to go
away with you.”
The men agreed.
That night, Balaam used animal parts in his black magic in order to
contact God. This pagan ritual was unnecessary. God is willing to listen
to those who wholeheartedly obey and seek to please Him. But
Balaam thought that God was like the false gods of the pagans.
Therefore, Balaam sought God the same way he sought those false
gods.
God, in His supreme wisdom, decided to use Balaam for His own
purposes. He listened to this false prophet ask for permission to travel
to Moab to curse His people.
God said, “You shall not go with these people. Stay here. You shall
not curse Israel, for I have blessed them.”
Balaam did not like God’s answer.
“What shall I do now?” he thought.
The next morning, King Balak’s princes and ambassadors expected
Balaam to come back to Moab with them.
“Did you see how he reacted when we gave him that bag of silver?”
they said to each other. “Balaam licked his lips like a starving man
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who’s about to dine on a feast. I bet his bags are already packed and
ready to go.”
The men all laughed—but their laughter quickly turned to silence
when Balaam announced his decision: “I cannot go with you. God will
not allow me.”
“What?” they said, shocked by what they had just heard. “What is
this?”
Reluctantly, Balaam explained, “You might as well go back to your
home. God keeps me from going with you.”
The men departed, and told Balak what had happened.
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Greedy Balaam grinned at
the prospect of the riches he
would gain by doing Balaks
dirty work.
The king grew nervous. “But without Balaam’s curse, my kingdom
is doomed.”
Thinking he could bribe Balaam with more riches, Balak sent
another team of royal representatives to Balaam’s home. This time, the
men were even more important and more in number.
The moment Balaam saw Balak’s men, he knew that he had another
opportunity to increase his wealth.
The men said to him, “If you come with us and curse our enemy,
our king will shower you with honor and riches. Whatever you desire,
he will do for you.”
Balaam desperately wanted to say, “Yes, I’ll come with you!” But
he knew that he could not—he was powerless to do anything without
God’s permission.
Keep in mind that Balaam did not respect or obey God’s laws. He
wanted to get as close to sin as God would let him. Balaam had no
interest in worshipping God or serving and assisting other people. All
he thought about was himself. Balaam wanted to do evil—he wanted
to curse Israel and profit from it—but God would not allow it. This
frustrated Balaam. His heart was set on getting all the wealth, honor
and power he could get. He hated God’s laws—which sum up God’s
way of give and outgoing concern for others: The way of supreme
love.
Balaam wanted so badly to say “Yes” to Balak’s men that it hurt his
pride to say “No.”
He said to them, “Even if your king gave me his own royal palace
full of silver and gold, I cannot do or say more than what God will
allow.”
The men were troubled by this. They exchanged looks with each
other as if to say, “Have we traveled all this way for nothing?”
Slowly, they began to leave, but Balaam said, “Stay with me for the
night, while I contact God. Perhaps He has changed His mind.”
The men stayed, though some of them thought that Balaam was trying
to stall for more treasure.
That night, God spoke to Balaam: “You have My permission to go
with these men.”
Balaam was excited. Thoughts of silver and gold pieces danced in
his mind. Like many people today, he lusted after money and wealth
and all the things he could buy with them. But not once did Balaam
seek to follow God’s will. He only wanted to know how much God
would let him get away with.
God said, “But when you arrive at Moab, you shall speak only the
words I speak to you—nothing more.”
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Balaam thought hard about this. “What’s the point in going if God
won’t allow me to curse Israel?”
Then he reasoned, “Since God had changed His mind about me
going to see Balak, maybe He will change His mind about me cursing
Israel. It’s a long journey to Moab. Maybe by that time I can convince
God to give me what I want. What do I have to lose?”
As you can see, Balaam did not concern himself with what God
wanted. He only cared about himself.
The next morning, Balaam told Balak’s representatives the news
that they wanted to hear (Numbers 22:1-21).
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God was well aware that Balaam did not desire to serve Him. He
understood that this false prophet was willing to do whatever evil
thing he could get away with.
Here was a man who knew God—knew that God exists and
rewards those who diligently seek Him—but Balaam hated God and
His ways. He thought that Satan’s way—the way of get, selfishness
and greed—was a better way to live. Balaam lived and loved the way
of sin.
This made God angry. Those who know His truth are responsible
for living His truth. So God was incensed with Balaam and his carnal
ways.
On the long journey to Moab, God placed the Messenger of the
Eternal (the One who would later become Jesus Christ) in the middle
of the road to block Balaam’s path. God’s Messenger, who had a sword
in His hand, was invisible to the false prophet. But the donkey Balaam
was riding could clearly see the powerful Being—and was afraid for
her life!
As a false prophet, it was Balaam’s custom to use animal parts in
his sorcery and fortune-telling in order to contact the spirit world
(demons). But this carnal-minded man was too blind to see what even
a mere donkey could see.
Frightened, Balaam’s donkey turned off the path and went into a
field. Her master tugged at the reins, trying to steer her back onto the
road. But the animal was too afraid of God’s Messenger to obey.
Balaam took his staff and struck the donkey hard for not obeying.
When she saw that the Messenger of the Eternal was gone, the donkey
turned back onto the road.
Balak’s men asked, “Is there something wrong with your animal?”
Balaam grumbled, muttering a sharp, “No.”
Some of the men laughed. Others wondered, “How can this man
curse Israel when he can’t even control his own donkey?”
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CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
OLD SINS DIE HARD
Somewhere down the road, the caravan traveled along a narrow
path between two vineyards, which had a wall on each side. The
Messenger of the Eternal suddenly appeared. His glorious and majestic
presence caused Balaam’s donkey to panic. In a rush to get away,
the animal backed herself into one of the walls, crushing Balaam’s foot
against it. He cried out in great, throbbing pain. Then he took his staff
and struck his donkey again.
“What is wrong with you?” Balaam screamed.
While Balaam rubbed his foot, doing his best to ease the pain,
God’s Messenger disappeared again.
Sometime later, and farther down the road, the Messenger of the
Eternal appeared again. But this time, He stood in a path so narrow that
the donkey could not turn around to flee. When the animal saw Him,
she was so frightened that she lay down in the dirt and shivered with
fear.
Balaam could take no more. He struck the animal again, screaming
at her to get up.
Then, an amazing thing happened: God caused the donkey to
speak! She said, “Why have you struck me these three times?”
As incredible as this miracle was, Balaam was too focused on himself
to take notice. Amazingly, he was so blind with anger that he did
not realize that his donkey was speaking to him. Even today, people
can get so caught up in themselves that they fail to recognize when
God is dealing with them.
Balaam said to his animal, “I struck you three times because you
have mocked and abused me three times. I wish I had a sword in my
hand—if I did, I’d kill you on the spot!”
Still blinded with selfish rage, Balaam could not see that God was
producing a miracle right before his eyes and ears.
To get Balaam’s full attention, God made the animal say, “Am I not
just a donkey? Have you ever heard me speak to you before?”
Suddenly, it dawned on Balaam that this was indeed a miracle.
Then God opened Balaam’s eyes so that he could see what his donkey
saw all along: The Messenger of the Eternal with a sword in His
hand, blocking Balaam’s path.
The false prophet bowed, falling flat against the ground.
Unfortunately, he did not do this out of fearful respect and love for
God, but out of fear for his physical life.
In a booming voice, God’s Messenger said, “Now your stubborn
heart can see what even this mere animal could see. Behold, I have
come to stand before you because of your perverse and carnal ways.
Your donkey saw Me these three times, and three times she turned
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Infuriated by her disobedience, Balaam lashed out and violently struck
his donkey. Little did he know that the donkey was saving his life!
aside. Consider this: Had she not turned aside, I would have killed you,
yet let her live.”
Filled with fear, Balaam said, “I have sinned! I didn’t know that
You stood in the way against Me. If you want, I will turn around and
go home—only let me live.”
“You may go to Moab. But make sure that you speak only what I
command you to speak—nothing more” (Numbers 22:22-35).
If Balaam had any previous thoughts of speaking his own will, he
quickly abandoned them. He cared for his physical life far more than
he did material wealth.
God had sent His Messenger to get Balaam’s full attention, to
ensure that this carnal false prophet would do only what he was commanded
to do.
Today, God expresses His will through the Bible. God’s written
Word explains His great plan for mankind. It also tells us how to live
happy, abundant lives filled with joy and peace. Those who love God
and actively seek His ways study the Bible daily for godly teachings,
reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness (II Timothy 3:16).
When you pray to God, He listens to you. And when you study His
Word, God is speaking to you.
Old Sins Die Hard
When Balak learned that Balaam had just entered his kingdom, he was
overjoyed. He immediately rushed out to meet the false prophet at the
city of Moab, which bordered the king’s territory.
Upon meeting him, Balak said, “At last, you have arrived! Why
didn’t you come when I first sent for you? I am able to honor you with
all the gold, silver and jewels any man can imagine.”
Realizing he was showing how worried and frustrated he felt, Balak
had to tell himself not to say anything that would offend Balaam and
cause him to leave. Yet the king could not help but let some of his frustration
be known.
Balaam said, “I am here now, as you have requested. But do not
think that I have the power to go against God’s wishes. I can only
speak what God puts in my mouth. I cannot control God’s message.”
However, in the back of his mind, Balaam wished that he could.
“Yes, yes, I quite understand.” But the king did not understand. He
thought that Balaam said this in order to bargain for more riches.
Balak smiled and said, “But surely you did not come all this way
just to tell me that you cannot honor me with your services. Perhaps I
can show you some things that will help change your mind.”
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The king clapped his hands, which was a signal for his aides to
bring out a wagon of sparkling and shiny treasure.
Balak said, “These are yours. Think of them as tokens of my appreciation
for traveling so far at my request.”
Balaam’s lusts got the best of him, and he became a slave to his carnal
desires. What fear Balaam had for God was quickly replaced by his
lust for material possessions.
The king put his arm around Balaam and said, “There’s more where
that came from.”
Careful not to make promises he could not keep, the false prophet
smiled, saying, “Perhaps we can work something out.”
From then on, Balaam tried to come up with every argument he
could think of to get around God’s will. He wanted to get as close to
sin as God would let him.
Balaam’s First Oracle
The king and the false prophet went to Kirjath Huzoth. There, Balak
sacrificed oxen and sheep to his false gods. He gave some of the animal
parts to Balaam to be used in his evil magic (Numbers 22:36-41).
The next day, Balak escorted his guest up to the top of a mountain,
where the king pointed down to the land below.
“See how far these people extend?”
Balaam looked and saw a living sea of people—millions of
Israelites encamped down below, just outside Moab’s border.
“No wonder these Moabites are so afraid,” Balaam thought to himself.
Balak wanted Balaam to see all of Israel for a reason: The king’s
superstitious mind thought that the Balaam could curse only what he
could actually see.
Balaam told the king, “Build seven altars for me here. And prepare
seven bulls and seven rams.” Balaam may have thought that he could
impress God by offering Him a grand sacrifice.
But animal sacrifices and burnt offerings do not impress God. He is
impressed by those who willingly obey Him and seek to do His will (I
Samuel 15:22-23).
Gleefully, Balak clapped his hands and ordered his men to provide
the things the false prophet had requested. After the burnt offerings
were made, Balaam told the king to stay by his altar.
“I will seek God in private. He will show me what I should tell
you.”
King Balak agreed.
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When Balaam later returned, Balak said, “Now are you ready to
curse Israel for me?”
His face grim and serious, Balaam replied, “God has told me what
to say.”
Though Balak noticed that Balaam’s face was grim, he did not
worry. “This prophet will say anything to gain the treasures I have
shown him.”
Balaam stood before the king of Moab, all his princes, ambassadors,
royal elders and the pagan altars, and began to speak. Though he
desperately wanted to curse Israel, God had other plans.
Balaam said, “The king of Moab has brought me from a great distance
to curse the people of Israel. But how can I curse when God does
not allow me to curse? From the top of this mountain slope I see a great
people camped below. They are a nation that no other people can reckon
with. Look at how vast and wide Israel is spread. Who can hope to
count all these people—or even count one-fourth of them? They are
destined for natural greatness and success. If only my future would be
as blessed as Israel’s.”
Balak’s men exchanged puzzled looks. The king stepped forward
and screamed: “What is this? What have you done to me? I hired you
to curse my enemy—not bless him!”
Balaam shrugged his shoulders.
“Can I fight God? If He puts His words in my mouth, can I, a mere
man, overcome His will?” (Numbers 22:36-41; 23:1-12).
Balaam’s Second Oracle
King Balak thought that the overwhelming sight of Israel’s camp must
have frightened Balaam. So he took the false prophet atop another
mountain, called Pisgah, where Balaam could only see a section of
Israel’s camp.
“See. Now you can only see the outer camp. All you have to do is
curse this part of them, and you will earn great riches.”
Balak thought that if Balaam was successful, the king could then
get the false prophet to curse the rest of Israel.
Another seven pagan altars were built, and a bull and a ram were
sacrificed on each. Balaam could see that Balak badly wanted Israel to
be cursed—and was willing to give anything to have this done.
Again, Balaam told the king to stay by the altar. “Meanwhile,” he
said, “I will contact God in private.”
When this was done, and Balaam had returned, Balak said, “Well?
What has God spoken to you?”
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You could have heard a pin drop as all the men silently listened to
Balaam’s second oracle:
“Listen, Balak, and listen well. God is not like a man. He never lies.
When God says He will do something, it shall be done. He has commanded
me to bless, not curse. And what God has blessed I cannot
reverse. God does not see unforgiven sin in Israel. Nor does wickedness
reign in the camp of His people. The Eternal God is Israel’s Great
King—and this King has brought His people up out of Egypt. Who can
fight against such ox-like strength? No amount of sorcery or fortunetelling
can defeat Israel. God has made His people to rise like a lion on
the hunt: Israel shall not rest until it devours his prey!”
Balak was enraged.
“Again you fail me!” he screamed. “You have blessed Israel even
more than the last time. Neither curse them at all, nor bless them.”
Balaam said, “Did I not tell you that whatever God commanded me
to speak, I must do? If you want to blame someone, blame God”
(Numbers 23:13-26).
Balaam’s Third Oracle
While the princes, ambassadors and elders tried to calm Balak down,
Balaam tried a third time to curse Israel. He decided that it was pointless
to use his sorcery and magic to speak to God. Balaam realized that
God was going to use him, no matter what, to fulfill His great purpose
for Israel.
After seven more altars were built on a high point at Peor, another
set of bulls and rams were sacrificed on each. Then Balaam started to
speak. But this time, God’s Spirit came upon him. This does not mean
that Balaam became like a Christian, one who willingly seeks and
obeys God’s will. In many cases, God has used His spirit to give carnal
men certain special abilities.
For example, God used His Spirit to enhance Bezaleel and
Aholiab’s artistic and craftsman ability to design and construct God’s
tabernacle (Exodus 31:1-7). But this does not necessarily mean that
these men’s minds were converted, like Moses and Abraham.
God used His Spirit to temporarily give Balaam special speaking
ability. God was showing that He could use anyone to fulfill His plan—
even His enemies. How much more can God use someone—even
you—if that person willingly yields to Him and puts God’s will first!
Back to our story: Balaam stood before Balak and said, “Listen to
the words I must say. These are the words of a man whose lips have
been opened by God. I speak of the future that He has allowed me to
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see: Wherever Israel dwells, he shall be blessed. His descendants will
spread across the land, like valleys that stretch out, like gardens by the
riverside, like healthy trees planted by God Himself.
“Israel’s seed shall pour out like water from many buckets. And
Israel will produce a King unlike any king you have ever seen. This
Ruler will consume all nations that oppose Him. He shall break His
enemies’ bones, and pierce His adversaries with arrows. When He
bows down, He will do so like a lion, fearing no one. Who will dare
challenge Him and live? Whoever blesses Israel will be blessed. And
whoever curses Israel will be cursed” (Numbers 23:27-30; 24:1-9).
Although Balaam did not know it, the future King he spoke of is
Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He currently sits at His Father’s throne
in heaven. Soon, when Christ returns to earth to set up His Father’s
kingdom, He will start His government with the modern-day descendants
of ancient Israel. These are the peoples of the United States of
America, Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and
many nations of Western Europe. He will guide these Israelites to live
by God’s Law. This will set the right example for the rest of the world
to follow. Then all will live in peace and harmony under Jesus Christ’s
rule. But those nations that foolishly oppose Him will have no future
in the wonderful world to come.
Balaam’s Fourth and Final Oracle
King Balak exploded with great anger. He balled his hand into a fist
and slammed it into the palm of his other hand.
He said, “I hired you to curse Israel, not bless them three times! Get
out of my sight! Go home! And forget about all the silver and gold you
could have earned. I’m not going to pay you for services you refuse to
deliver!”
The sight of the enraged king made Balaam worry that Balak might
have him executed instead.
“As I have told your men when they first came to see me, God will
not allow me to speak my own will concerning Israel. Even if you were
to give me your palace filled with all kinds of precious jewels and
things, I can only speak what God will allow me to speak—nothing
more.”
Balak motioned for his guards to escort Balaam away.
“Very well, I will go. But before I do, listen to what Israel shall do
to your people in the future.”
King Balak motioned for his guards to leave Balaam alone. Then
the false prophet told the king about Moab’s future—how a great
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Israelite King (meaning Christ) would rise up and smash the Moabites
into submission. Those who will survive would become His servants.
Even the neighboring people of Edom and Seir would fall to this future
Israel and their King. The great and powerful Amalekites would be
utterly destroyed. Even the Kenites, who thought that they were secure
in their rocky strongholds, would be taken captive. At the end of the
age, many powerful nations would attack and be attacked. Agreat trouble
would fill the whole world.
Balak, amazed and startled, asked, “When will these happen?”
“Long after you are dead and buried. After the great time of trouble
comes, Israel and his mighty King will stand victorious.”
Balak and his men were speechless. They watched Balaam ride
away and talked about all the things they had heard (Numbers 24:15-
25).
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The elders of the Midianites who lived in Moab began to worry: “If
Israel becomes as great and powerful as Balaam has said, how can
we expect to survive?”
The men debated with each other about what to do.
Then one of the elders said, “What about Balaam?”
Another said, “Balaam? What about him? What could he possibly
do for us?”
“He may not be able to curse Israel, but you have to admit that he
is shrewd and cunning. Maybe he can think of another way to get rid
of Israel. What have we got to lose?”
Agreeing, the elders rode out to stop Balaam before he could leave
the country. Catching up to him, they explained what they wanted.
Balaam thought hard—especially when the Midianite elders told him
of all the wealth he would receive if any plan he came up with succeeded.
Finally, Balaam snapped his fingers and said, “I’ve got it! If I cannot
curse the Israelites, perhaps we can deceive them into cursing
themselves.”
Balaam shared the details of his wicked plan with the elders, who
then brought them before their people as well as the Moabites. Once
everyone was ready, Balaam’s scheme went into motion.
Here is what happened: The Moabites and Midianites pretended to
be Israel’s friend. They sent their most appealing and attractive women
to invite and lure Israel’s unmarried men to a special religious ceremony
over in Moabite territory.
“We offer sacrifices to our gods, just as you offer sacrifices to your
God,” the women said softly. “We are not so different from you. Come
and see.”
Most of the Israelite men could not resist the temptations of these
pagan women, who painted their faces with eye-catching makeup and
wore brilliant, attention-grabbing robes and see-through veils. These
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CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
AN UNHOLY ALLIANCE
women were not like the modest women of Israel, who did not dress
to call undue attention to themselves.
Before long, Israelite men were engaging in unlawful marriage-like
relationships with Moabite and Midianite women. These pagan
women lured, seduced and ensnared their Israelite boyfriends to worship
Baal and other false gods. Baal was one of the many names used
by Satan the devil!
What the Israelites were doing was against God’s will. They were
breaking the First Commandment: “You shall have no other gods
before Me” (Exodus 20:3). Breaking or transgressing God’s Law is sin
(I John 3:4). And sin cuts people off from God (Isaiah 59:1-2). He can
no longer work with those who cling to their sinful ways.
Balaam’s evil plan was to get Israel to reject God and replace Him
with pagan gods. Balaam knew that without God on their side, the
Israelites could never fulfill their destiny to become a powerful kingdom.
So far, his plan was working.
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Balaams wicked scheme
involved using pagan women to
entice and mislead Israelite men
into breaking Gods laws.
An Unholy Alliance
God was furious with His people. He watched as they gave themselves
over to pagan gods, which were not gods at all, but fallen angels
(demons).
God commanded Moses to gather all the leaders of Israel and have
them execute the offenders. “Do this now,” He ordered, “so that My
fierce and burning anger will not consume Israel.”
Without hesitating, Moses carried out God’s judgment. He told all
the judges of Israel to kill every man who had gotten involved with the
pagan women and worshipped Baal. So many Israelite men had committed
this sin that the judges hesitated to make a move.
So God sent a plague to sweep through Israel’s camp, claiming the
lives of thousands. The people not yet touched by the plague wept and
moaned over the loss of their loved ones.
Meanwhile, Zimri, a prominent and popular prince of Israel from
the tribe of Simeon, came back to the camp with a surprise: He brought
home Cozbi, his new wife and Midianite princess. Zimri knew it was
against God’s will to be in a marriage-like union with her, but that did
not matter to him. He was too concerned with gaining power. He
thought that marrying a Midianite princess would give him authority
and influence both in Israel and among the Midianites.
In view of all the camp, Zimri boldly brought his pagan mistress
before Moses, the leaders and all the people.
“I have made an alliance with the people of Moab and Midian,” he
boasted. “Cozbi and I will raise a royal family, sealing a union between
our nations. As your humble servant, I will lead the path into our
future.”
Before Moses or anyone else could respond, Zimri proudly walked
away, taking his new wife to his tent—their new home.
The people exchanged worried looks. “What are we to do?” they
wondered. “After all, Zimri is a prominent prince—who can challenge
him?”
The answer came from Phineas, son of Eleazar and grandson of
Aaron. When Phineas saw Zimri proudly show off his pagan mistress,
setting the wrong example for Israel to follow, Phineas thought to himself,
“This is an outrageous offense to God!”
Without saying a word, he grabbed a javelin from the hands of a
soldier who stood nearby and headed for Zimri and Cozbi’s tent. The
whole congregation of Israel watched Phineas enter the tent and take
Zimri and Cozbi’s lives with the javelin.
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Now that Phineas had righteously stood up against this sin, God
immediately stopped the plague. In the end, 24,000 bodies had to be
buried as a result of Israel’s disobedience.
God was so impressed by Phineas that He made a special covenant
with him: “From this moment forward, the priesthood shall be established
with you and your descendants. I do this because you were zealous
for your God, and your right action of getting rid of evil atoned for
Israel’s sin.”
All the men who had been in these intimate, unlawful marriage-like
unions with pagan women, and worshipped their pagan gods, were
executed.
Next, God told Moses to attack the Midianites living in Moab:
“Take revenge upon them, for they have used evil tricks and schemes
to seduce My people away from Me.”
Moses nodded, but God
had more to say: “You
have been My loyal and
faithful servant all these
years. Sometime after you
have taken your revenge upon
Midian, I will allow you to rest in
the grave with your fathers,
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”
Moses understood that the end
of his life was near.
An Unpleasant Task
According to God’s direction,
Moses assigned 1,000
soldiers from each of the Israelite tribes.
With 12,000 fighting men assembled
and ready to go, Israel rushed into battle
and killed every Midianite man
they could catch. Even the five kings
of Midian—Evi, Rekam, Zur, Hur
and Reba—were crushed.
In addition, Balaam the false
prophet, who tried to hide among
the fleeing Midianites, was
destroyed. Because he prized
physical material possessions more than God’s spiritual treasures, his
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Phineas grabbed his
spear and rushed to
Zimris tent.
rotten life was cut off.
The triumphant Israelites carried away all the woman and children
who survived the great battle. Israel also captured other spoils of war,
such as cattle, flocks and all kinds of possessions. Next, the Israelites
burned down the Midianite cities and forts.
Bringing home their new captives and spoils of war, the victorious
soldiers saw Moses, Eleazar and all the Israelite leaders waiting for
them outside the camp.
An officer shouted, “Good news! God has given us victory! Look
at all the loot and plunder we have been blessed with.”
But Moses burned with anger: “And why have you kept all these
women alive? Most of these were the ones who enticed our men away
from God, causing them to worship Baal. These women are the very
reason God had to strike down our people with the plague. And now
you dare to bring them back to our camp—have you learned nothing
from these recent events?”
The officer who had spoken hung his head low in shame. So did the
rest of the soldiers.
“God wants revenge on these Midianites. Now go and slay all the
male children so that none can grow up to seek revenge upon Israel.
Only keep alive all the females who have never been married or been
intimate with a man in the way that is only for husbands and wives.
Keep the female children alive too. We will raise them among us to
fear and serve Almighty God. Only then will they be able to marry
among the Israelites.”
Though it was an unpleasant task, the soldiers promptly obeyed.
The pagan women and children whose lives were taken will be
brought back to life at the White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-
13), after the Millennium. At that time, they will have an opportunity
to know the one true God. They will no longer be deceived into worshipping
idols and false gods.
Though Balaam’s evil scheme ultimately came to nothing, Israel
still had to learn to always put God first above all things. If God’s people
failed to remember this, they would be doomed to failure (Numbers
25; 31:1-18).
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About 40 years after Israel’s first census, God had Moses and
Eleazar count the people again. This new census for Israel’s second
generation was done to decide the size of each tribe’s inheritance
in the Promised Land.
According to God, “A large tribe shall receive a large inheritance of
land. A small tribe shall receive a smaller inheritance.”
When the second census was finished, Moses and Eleazar discovered
that Israel had 601,730 men aged 20 and above. This second generation
of Israel had 1,820 fewer fighting-aged men than the generation
before it. However, the tribe of Levi, which was counted separately
just as it was in the first census, came to 23,000. Levi had
increased by 1,000.
Together with women and children, Israel had at least two or three
million people. Had Israel obeyed God instead of rebelling numerous
times, there would have been more Israelites among them (Numbers
26).
God’s Inheritance Laws
Not only was the Promised Land to be divided among the twelve
tribes, it was also to be further divided among the families of each
tribe. God wanted each Israelite family to have their own portion of
land. He declared that when the father of a family died, his inheritance
would pass on to his son.
But a problem soon arose: What were the Israelites to do when a
father who died had no son to pass his inheritance on to?
Among the tribe of Manasseh was the family of Gilead. From them
came the Hepherites, whose father was Hepher. He had a son named
Zelophehad, who had five daughters, but no sons.
When Zelophehad died, his daughters came before Moses, Eleazar
and all the leaders and pleaded their case: “Our father died during the
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CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
A NEW LEADER FOR ISRAEL
forty-year wandering in the wilderness. He did not take part in Korah’s
rebellion; he died as a result of his own sin. Therefore, our father has
not cut off himself or his family from receiving an inheritance. Now
that Zelophehad has died without having a son, why should our family
be kept from receiving our portion of the Promised Land?”
Touched by their plea for help, Moses brought their case before
God.
The Eternal decided to modify the inheritance law so that all families
could benefit. He said, “The daughters of Zelophehad shall receive
an inheritance from among their father’s brothers, their uncles. From
now on, when the leader of a family dies, his inheritance will go to his
son. If he has no son, it will pass to his daughter. If he has no daughter,
then the father’s brother shall receive it. If he has no brothers, the
inheritance will go to the closest living relative in the father’s family.
In this way, no family will be left out from receiving a portion of the
Promised Land” (Numbers 27:1-11).
Also, to ensure that a family’s inheritance would not pass on to
another tribe, daughters who received an inheritance could only marry
within their own tribe (Numbers 36).
Joshua Ordained as Israel’s New Leader
Moses was unlike any man who ever lived. He had experienced a long
and unique life. His first forty years were spent being raised and
trained to be an Egyptian prince. The next forty years he spent living
as a humble shepherd who cared for his flocks of sheep. After this,
God used Moses in a forty-year period to lead His people out of Egypt
and bring them to the Promised Land. These three forty-year periods
added up to 120 years of life-changing events for Moses.
God said to him, “Moses, the time for you to rest in the grave draws
near. Because you rebelled against Me at the waters of Meribah and
failed to honor Me before My people, you shall not enter the Promised
Land. However, before you die, I will allow you to go up atop a high
mountain and see the land I have given to Israel.”
Moses thanked God for His great mercy. Then, as a shepherd who
truly loves and strives to protect his sheep, Moses thought about Israel.
He did not waste time feeling sorry for himself. He knew that death
was like sleeping. It was temporary. Moses and all of God’s faithful
servants will be raised to eternal life as Spirit Beings, born into the
God Family.
Since his future was secure, Moses worried about the safety of the
Israelites. He knew from experience that they needed a leader who
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As Moses long-time personal
assistant, Joshua was the
perfect choice to lead Israel
after Moses death.
would be patient, faithful to God’s laws, and deeply cared for God’s
people.
With this in mind, Moses said, “Great Eternal God, set a man over
Your people who will lead them to great success. Please do not let
Israel be without such a faithful and loyal leader, like sheep without a
shepherd.”
God assured His servant that Israel would not be left leaderless: “I
have already picked such a man—Joshua, your long-time personal
assistant. He has My Holy Spirit in him, as you do. Take Joshua and
set him before Eleazar the high priest and all My congregation. Lay
hands upon Joshua so that all may see that he has been ordained as the
next leader of Israel. In this way, Israel will know that the authority I
have given you has been given to Joshua.”
Moses gratefully did as God had commanded. He was confident
that Joshua was the right choice in leading Israel to conquer the land
of Canaan (Numbers 27:12-23).
Revisiting Offerings and Vows
While there was still time left, God used Moses to remind Israel of the
many laws, statutes and judgments the people were to obey. Moses
reminded them that they were to make sacrifices daily, monthly, and
during God’s annual feasts and Sabbaths (Numbers 28 and 29).
He also spoke about the importance of keeping all vows or solemn
promises (Numbers 30). Centuries later, Jesus Christ taught that it is
far better for people not to make vows—especially ones they cannot
keep (Matthew 5:33-37).
Early Inheritance
Israel was still encamped on the east side of the Jordan River, in the
plains of Moab. Soon, God would give the command to cross the
Jordan, where the lion’s share of the Promised Land lay.
But the tribes of Reuben and Gad had their eyes on the rich, fertile
grazing lands of Jazer and Gilead. Since the Reubenites and Gadites
owned a massive amount of livestock, they came to believe that Jazer
and Gilead were the best regions for them to inherit.
The leaders of Reuben and Gad met with Moses, Eleazar and all
Israel’s leaders to make their case heard: “Gilead, Jazer, Nebo and all
the country that God has blessed us to conquer is perfect for raising our
animals. And since we have such a large and growing amount of sheep
and cattle, we ask that you allow us to inherit this land. We do not need
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to cross over the Jordan River with the other tribes—the land we want
is right here.”
Moses was taken aback by their bold request.
He said, “Canaan is to be conquered by ALL the tribes of Israel.
Shall your brother Israelites go into battle while you stay behind and
tend cattle? What you are requesting could discourage the rest of
Israel from crossing the river and possessing the land there. If Israel
refuses to go, the people will be severely punished—just as they were
when they refused to enter Canaan after hearing the evil reports of the
ten scouts. Remember how God punished Israel’s disobedience: We
had to wander in the wilderness forty years until an entire generation
died out. If what you now request causes Israel to rebel, God will
leave His people in the wilderness again—and then your generation
will die out!”
The Reubenites and Gadites talked about this among themselves.
Then one of them said, “Consider this: After we build here pens for our
livestock and cities and towns for our families, we will join our fellow
Israelites and cross the Jordan with them. Our men will fight beside
Israel until all of the tribes inherit the land. We will not take any of the
land over there; we will take this land instead. We need only to first
build fortified cities for our wives and children so as to protect them
from potential enemies while we are away.”
Moses liked this plan. What Reuben and Gad had proposed would
benefit everyone.
He said to them, “If you promise to keep your word and join your
brother Israelites in war until all the land is conquered, then this land
you desire shall be yours. God will make it so.”
The men of Reuben and Gad smiled and shook hands, congratulating
each other.
“But,” continued Moses, “if you break your promise, your sin will
find you out. You will have sinned against the Eternal God of Israel.”
Sobered by Moses’ words, all the men agreed. It became an official
agreement, with the leaders of Israel as witnesses.
Half of the tribe of Manasseh, which also had large herds of cattle,
joined in the agreement. They were also permitted to inherit the east
side of the Jordan River—provided that their people help Israel conquer
all of Canaan (Numbers 32).
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Through Moses, God told the Israelites that when they crossed over
into Canaan, they were to drive out all the people dwelling there.
“And destroy all of their idols—their engraved stones and molden
images. Totally destroy all of the high places of these pagan god worshippers;
these are altars built up on the hills, which the Canaanites use
to worship their false gods. By casting lots, you shall divide the land
as an inheritance among all your families.”
Next, God gave Israel this warning: “If you fail to drive out all of
the people living in Canaan, they shall become like sand in your eyes,
and a thorn in your side. They shall attack and harass you and your
descendants. And I will do to you what you should have done to them”
(Numbers 33:50-56).
Many who heard this were sobered. They knew that God never
made idle threats. If the Israelites continued to fear and obey God, they
would have nothing to worry about.
Levi was the only tribe that would not inherit large amounts of land.
God had already set the Levites apart to take care of His tabernacle and
attend to His work.
However, God did grant Levi 48 cities throughout the Promised
Land. They were also granted grazing land, which surrounded the
immediate outskirts of these cities. This land would be used for raising
cattle. The Levites did not inherit these cities; they only lived in and
took care of them.
Six of the Levite cities were to be cities of refuge. Here was their
purpose: Death, murder and revenge were common in the land.
Sometimes people killed others by accident. Family and friends of the
unfortunate victims might seek revenge—even if a court of law found
that the man who caused the death was innocent. God decided that
there needed to be six cities of refuge in Israel—a safe haven for the
innocent man to flee to. As long as he stayed within city limits, the
innocent man would be protected from those seeking vengeance. It
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CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
FINAL INSTRUCTIONS
would be his personal place of safety, and he would have to live there
until the high priest died. But if the innocent dared to leave the city and
was killed by someone seeking revenge, the avenger would not be
declared guilty, for the innocent man had been warned.
Three of theses cities of refuge were to be established on each side
of the Jordan River (Numbers 35).
Moses Gives Final Instructions
Much time was needed for Israel to take care of the many tasks that
needed attention. The Israelites had to teach their new Midianite captives
how to properly live by God’s laws. They had to tend to the
needs of their growing herds and flocks. And they had to thoroughly
clean, polish, sharpen, and in some cases repair all the plunder they
had gained from recent battles.
While the people were busy attending to their duties, God had
Moses give them final instructions before they were to cross the
Jordan River.
Moses reminded Israel of the events of the last forty years. Then he
revealed that, because he had disobeyed God and failed to honor Him
at Meribah, Moses would not be permitted to enter the Promised
Land.
He said, “After I witnessed God deliver our enemies, Og and
Sihon, into our hands, I pleaded with God to let me go into Canaan. I
desperately wanted to witness the success God will hand you there.
But the Eternal grew angry with me on your account, and would not
listen to me. So I accepted His decision” (Deuteronomy 1-3).
Moses then reminded Israel that God does not tolerate sin, and that
all law-breakers would be punished.
“But if you seek God with all your heart, He will be merciful to
you. He will not forsake or destroy you if you strive to obey Him and
His laws.”
Moses told Israel to remember to keep the Ten Commandments,
which were revealed at Mt. Sinai decades earlier (Exodus 20:3-17;
Deuteronomy 5:1-22).
“Remember, you are a holy people, special to God and set apart for
His great purpose—but not because of your greatness. God chose you
because you were the least of all people. He took pity on you, and
made you His own” (Deuteronomy 7:6-8).
Moses told the people to observe God’s annual Sabbaths and feasts:
“These Sabbaths are a special sign between God and His people, as is
the weekly Sabbath. Keep them, and you will remember God, and He
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will remember you. But if you break His Sabbaths, you will forget God
and will no longer remember that He chose you to be His special people.”
Moses also addressed tithing: “Remember to pay God one-tenth of
all that you earn through your labor. The Eternal owns everything. In
His mercy, He allows us to enjoy His material possession. He only
requires ten percent, which will be used in His work.
“Save another ten percent for yourself. This is the second tithe, to
be used mainly in the fall, at the Feast of Tabernacles.
“And remember the third tithe. This is paid every third year in order
to provide for the Levites, who will not share in your inheritance. It is
also for needy foreigners who live among us in peace and keep God’s
laws; and for the fatherless and widows. Do this and God will bless
you in all your labor” (Deuteronomy 14:22-29; 12:17-19).
Moses also spoke about the year of release: “At the end of every
seventh year, all debts will be cancelled between all Israelites. This
will ensure that families will not remain in continuous debt. However,
debts between Israelites and foreigners shall not be cancelled.
“Israel must never be in debt to other nations. You may lend to
them, but you must not borrow from them. Israel must never be at the
financial mercy of foreigners” (Deuteronomy 15:1-6).
In addition, Moses declared that all Hebrew servants must be set
free after seven years of service. And their owners were to liberally
provide these newly released servants with livestock, food and other
goods (Deuteronomy 15:12-14).
Rules of War
“Israel must never ally or enter into agreements with the nations God
wants driven out of the Promised Land. Instead, you shall utterly
destroy them. Whenever you go to war to drive out your enemies, do
not cut down fruit-bearing trees so that you can use them as ramps,
siege works and such against fortified cities. If you do, the land will be
ruined from the lack of trees. Plus, you will not have their fruit to eat”
(Deuteronomy 20).
Avoid Pagan Practices
“Do not seek or tolerate the wicked customs and practices of the pagan
nations. They practice witchcraft and fortune-telling, which God hates.
“If a priest, Levite or prophet teaches you to worship false gods, or
to worship God in the wrong way, or claims to speak by God’s author-
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ity when God never gave him His authority—that man must be put to
death!”
Moses said that a special Prophet would some day rise up from
among the Israelites. This Prophet would teach all of God’s ways and
would only speak God’s will. Moses was speaking of Jesus Christ
(Deuteronomy 18:9-22).
Blessings and Cursings
Moses reminded the Israelites that if they carefully obeyed God, they
would be extremely blessed. Their blessings would include: National
wealth and prosperity. Success in everything they sought to do. No
sickness or disease. Plenty of healthy, growing children and livestock.
Abundant rain and water supplies. Healthy crops of fruits and vegetables.
Protection from accidents and from all foreign enemies.
God’s goal was to have Israel lead all nations, setting the right
example of how all should live. These nations were to fear and respect
God’s chosen people. The Israelites and their descendants would live
long, happy, successful, abundant lives—as long as they put God first.
“However,” Moses warned, “If you seek your own ways, or go after
the ways of the pagan nations around you, and forsake your God and
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Shortly before his death, Moses reminded Israel of the
Ten Commandments and their covenant with God.
break His laws, you shall be cursed: All success shall be taken away
from you. All kinds of sickness and disease will spread throughout
your borders, striking everyone—from little children to the old and
gray. You will also suffer famines so severe that parents will even eat
their own children!
“Your abundant crops and grasslands will wither away as your
lakes, rivers, streams, creeks, reservoirs and wells dry up. Your soil
will harden like iron so that your farms will be empty. Your herds and
flocks will become sickly and diseased, and will die from lack of food
and water.
“All of Israel will be sick, frightened and miserable; many will
wish that they were dead or were never born. Accidents will strike you
down everywhere you go. Israel shall become the least of all nations.
Your worst enemies shall crush you; those of you who are not slain
will be taken captive and scattered among foreign nations as slaves.
This is the price for rejecting the God who has set you apart as His holy
nation” (Deuteronomy 28).
The Book of the Law
God’s laws were written down into a book and placed beside the Ark
of the Covenant. Every seven years, this Book of the Law was to be
read before all Israel at the Feast of Tabernacles. The priests and
Levites were also to teach portions of the book every year at God’s
annual Sabbaths and feasts and throughout the year in all their cities
(Deuteronomy 31).
The Song of Moses
God called Moses and Joshua to the tabernacle to re-affirm that Joshua
was to be Israel’s new leader.
God explained that He knew carnal-minded Israel would rebel
against Him once His people settled into the Promised Land and their
bellies were satisfied and full. So God had Moses write a song, a sort
of national anthem, to remind them of their faults, and of what God
expected of them. The song would also serve as a witness between
God and His people, and warned of events in Israel’s future.
Moses reminded Israel to “Rely on God, not on what you think is
right. Trust God to bring all your success. Obey Him and respect the
man He has chosen to lead you—Joshua.”
Then Moses gave final blessings on various Israelite tribes
(Deuteronomy 33).
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Death of a Great Servant
The time had come for Moses to depart from Israel. He climbed up the
Pisgah mountain range and headed up Mt. Nebo, its highest peak.
The whole congregation of Israel, from the oldest to the youngest,
wept at the sight of this great leader and servant leaving them for good.
In a sense, Moses had been like a loving father to them all. His departure
meant that Israel was about to enter a new era: Conquest of the
Promised Land.
After Moses had reached the top of Mt. Nebo, God pointed out the
land that lay on the other side of the Jordan River.
God said, “This is the land I swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob.”
Moses was amazed by the richness and vastness of Israel’s inheritance.
Deep inside, he sorely wanted to go down and visit it. But he
knew that this could not be.
So Moses placed his life in God’s hands and looked forward to being
born into the kingdom of God. Even though thousands of years will
have passed before Christ raises him to eternal life, Moses knew that it
would seem as though only a split second had passed.
Looking forward to his wonderful future, Moses turned away from
gazing at the Promised Land and headed down the other side of the
mountain. There, in the land of Moab, he died in peace. Though he lived
to be 120 years old, Moses’ eyes had never grown weak and he maintained
the energy and endurance of a young man (Deuteronomy 34:1-6).
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The Book of the Law was placed
beside the Ark of the Covenant. It
was to be read at the Feast of
Tabernacles every seven years.
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Because of his rebellion against God at Meribah, Moses was not permitted to enter the
Promised Land. He died shortly after viewing it from atop Mt. Nebo.
For thirty days, the people of Israel mourned the death of Moses, one
of God’s greatest servants of all time. God said of him, “There has
not risen in all Israel a prophet like Moses, whom I knew face to face”
(Deuteronomy 34:10).
While Israel mourned, the burden of leadership weighed heavily on
Joshua’s mind: “What am I to do now? How can I hope to lead God’s
people into victory? What if I don’t measure up to God’s expectations?
I am not fit to lace Moses’ sandals—how could I ever fill his shoes in
leading Israel?”
God was well aware of Joshua’s thoughts. He appreciated that
Joshua did not think highly of himself; if he had, God could not have
used him as Israel’s new leader. However, God also knew that Joshua
needed encouragement.
So He said to him, “Joshua, do not fear. I am with you. You shall
lead My people to great victory in the land I am giving them. Arise,
cross the Jordan River and take the Promised Land. Every place you
step on will be yours—all you have to do is take it. From the
Mediterranean Sea in the west, to the Euphrates River in the east; from
the wilderness in the south, to Lebanon in the north—all the land is
yours. I am with you, and I will give you success.
“As I was with Moses, so shall I be with you, Joshua. Be strong and
courageous, for I will never leave you nor forsake you. Observe all My
laws, and everything you do will prosper. Meditate on the Book of the
Law—study it day and night. Know and understand the way that I
expect you to live. These laws are for Israel’s great success. Keep
them, and you will prosper. Do not be afraid or worried. No man will
be able to stand against you, for wherever you go, I, the Eternal God
of Israel, will be there with you.”
A spirit of boldness and great confidence filled Joshua’s mind.
Inspired by God, Joshua felt ready, willing and able to take on the
impossible.
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CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
SPIES IN JERICHO
He called for his military officers and issued a command: “Get the
people ready! In three days we will cross the river and take the land
God has promised us.”
The officers wasted no time in carrying out Joshua’s command
(Joshua 1:1-11).
Spies in the City of Jericho
Joshua had assigned two of his best men to take on a secret mission:
Cross the Jordan River and scout out the nearby land.
“Especially check out the city of Jericho,” he said to them. “We
need you to discover its strengths and weaknesses, such as how thick
its walls are, how many guards they have on patrol, and so forth.”
The men nodded, then departed to prepare for their secret mission.
Knowing that there were Canaanite spies watching Israel’s every
move, the two men did their best not to be seen by them.
Disguised as ordinary travelers, the Israelite spies crossed the river
and headed for Jericho, which was about seven miles away. They carefully
studied the surrounding terrain, all the while making sure not to
bring attention to themselves.
When they came to the city, they were amazed by its towering walls
and the number of guards on patrol. Jericho’s walls were about thirty
feet tall—more than five times taller than the average-sized man! The
spies entered through the city gates and soon discovered that Jericho
was not protected by one wall, but two. These walls stood about fifteen
feet apart. Though both were the same height, the outer wall was six
feet thick, while the inner wall was twice as thick.
Yet, as protected as Jericho was, the spies noticed that something
was not quite right: The citizens were acting nervous and jittery. They
could see fear and worry in their eyes. And the scent of doom and desperation
was in the air.
Some of the citizens began to nervously eye anyone who was a
stranger—including the spies!
The Israelite men took notice.
“It’s getting dark,” said one. “If we try to leave now, it might look
suspicious. We had better find a place where we can safely spend the
night.”
The other man agreed.
The spies saw that people had built homes along the top of the inner
and outer walls. One of them turned out to be an inn, a place where
travelers paid to spend the night and get a meal. Since the city gates
were closing for the night, the spies needed a fast way of escape in case
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they were discovered by the authorities. By staying at the inn, they
could escape over the wall, if need be.
Rahab the innkeeper took in her new guests and provided them with
temporary sleeping quarters. She detected something different about
these men. It caused her to suspect that they were not the ordinary travelers
they appeared to be. But Rahab decided not to let on.
Later that night, as she and her guests were eating dinner, there
came a loud knock at the door. When Rabab answered it, she found
herself staring into the frowning faces of a squad of tough, seriouslooking
soldiers.
Their lieutenant said, “I understand that you have two new guests
staying with you. These men are Israelite spies. Bring them out at
once!”
“Spies?” she said. “Are you sure?”
“Of course we’re sure. Our scouts have just reported to the king that
two men left the camp of the Israelites and have entered our city. We
know these spies have entered your inn. Bring them out now, by order
of the king of Jericho!”
Rahab thought for a quick moment, and then said, “There were two
strange-looking men here, but as I was fixing dinner, they disappeared.”
She raised her hand, motioning the lieutenant to stay put. “I’ll
check with my other guests to see which way these men left.”
Before the lieutenant could reply, Rahab shut the door. Turning
around, she saw the two Israelite spies staring at her.
She whispered, “I guess you overheard our conversation. Quick,
come with me. I’ll hide you.”
“Why would you risk your life for us?”
“I have my reasons,” she answered. “Hurry! These soldiers won’t
wait outside for long.”
Rahab hid them on top of the roof under stalks of flax, which were
put up there to dry out during the day.
Then she rushed back to speak with the waiting soldiers, who were
growing impatient.
“You were right,” she said to them. “These men did come here, but
neither I nor any of my guests knew who they really were or where
they came from. The spies must have noticed that the city gate was
being shut for the night. They must have escaped Jericho before they
found themselves trapped behind our walls. I don’t know where they
could be.”
Rahab could see doubt in the lieutenant’s eyes. Clearly, he did not
believe her.
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So she said, “The men you’re looking for are probably headed to
the Israelite camp as we speak. If you ride out now, taking that main
road that leads to the river, you can still catch them. It would be unfortunate
if they got away—our king does not tolerate failure from his
soldiers.”
This caused the lieutenant and his men to ride out to the Jordan
River in hot pursuit (Joshua 2:1-7).
Rahab had lied. She may have meant well, but she broke God’s
Law. There is never a good reason to lie or commit any other sin. In
spite of her lie, God was able to make things work out just the way He
had planned. As He did with Balaam and his donkey, God can use anyone
or anything to fulfill His purposes. However, He would much
rather that people trust Him and follow all His ways completely. Those
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We know you are hiding
Israelite spies, the soldier
snarled. Send them out!
who do are telling God, by the way they live, that He can trust them to
do the right thing, no matter what.
A Promise of Protection
When all was safe, Rahab went up to the roof and spoke with the two
spies. She said, “I know who you are, and I know that the God of Israel
has given you this land. The gods I was raised to worship since my
youth are worthless to me. They are no match for your God. All the
people living here and throughout Canaan have heard of your great
success and triumphs in battle—how you were delivered from
Egyptian slavery, how God parted the Red Sea for your escape, and
how you recently destroyed the armies of Arad, Sihon and Og.
“The hearts of the Canaanites are quivering in fear because of you.
We know that our city is doomed—Jericho is destined to fall by your
hands. This is why I have risked my life to save you. I beg of you,
promise me by your God that you will return the kindness I have
shown you.”
“How?” the men asked.
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Rahab hid the Israelite spies
from the kings soldiers.
“When Israel comes to attack Jericho, spare me and my family—
my parents, brothers, sisters and all that they have. Deliver our lives
from certain death.”
The spies agreed, but added that if Rahab or her family told anyone
about their mission, the promise would be cancelled. In addition, when
the attack came, Rahab and all her family had to stay inside their
house, which had to have a scarlet cord tied to a window. The cord
would be bright enough for Israel’s army to see. It would serve as a
sign for the Israelite soldiers to keep from harming anyone inside the
home.
“But be warned,” the men said. “If any of you leave this place, your
life is no longer protected by our promise. As long as you keep your
end of the deal, your lives shall be spared. Our lives will be taken if
what we say is not so.”
With that, Rahab let the spies down the rope through a window, and
they escaped over the walls of Jericho. Next, they took her advice and
hid in the nearby mountains to the west, which were honeycombed
with caves they could hide in. The men stayed there for three days until
the king of Jericho’s soldiers returned to the city.
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The spies headed back to Israel’s camp, which had since moved
about seven miles closer to encamp on the east side of the Jordan
River. The two men informed Joshua of everything that had happened,
including how God had protected them through Rahab the
innkeeper (Joshua 2:8-23). They also told him about their promise to
keep Rahab and her family from harm.
The words of the spies’ report echoed in Joshua’s mind and greatly
encouraged him: “News of our reputation has spread even to
Jericho. The inhabitants there are shaking in their sandals because of
us. Truly, God has already delivered them into our hands—all we
have to do is confront our enemies.”
Later, Joshua was even more encouraged when God spoke to him:
“This day I will show all Israel that I am with you, just as I was with
Moses. I will leave no room for anyone to doubt this. Now command
My priests to carry the Ark of the Covenant and lead My people
across the Jordan. When they come to the water’s edge, they shall
stand in the river. I will take care of the rest.”
It was springtime. Because of the spring rains and the melting
snow from Mt. Hermon, the waters of the Jordan River had swollen
wide and deep, overflowing all its banks. This would make it nearly
impossible for Israel’s soldiers to cross over while bringing all their
women, children, senior citizens, livestock, goods and belongings.
Only the strongest swimmers could ever make it to the other side.
Those who were not strong enough would be swept downriver or
sucked underneath the waters and drowned. Many lives would be
lost.
But Joshua did not worry. He decided to follow God’s instruction,
and let God take care of the rest.
At Joshua’s command, the whole congregation of Israel broke
camp. The priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant led the way.
The Israelites made sure to stay at least 1,000 yards behind them; they
105
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
AND THE WALLS CAME
TUMBLING DOWN
had been commanded not to get closer to the Ark, which represented
God’s holy throne.
The people watched as the priests marched to the river’s edge and
stepped into its swollen waters.
Then God intervened. About 16 miles north, He caused the rushing
downstream waters to stand still and gather into a heap at the city of
Adam. Soon, the priests were standing on dry ground after the waters
had lowered and abated until it disappeared. God’s miracle had dried
up the Jordan River where the priests stood, allowing the whole camp
of Israel to cross over into Canaan!
All the people had crossed over with their livestock and belongings.
About 40,000 soldiers from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the halftribe
of Manasseh went with them. Then Joshua followed God’s command
and selected twelve men, one from every tribe, to perform a special
task.
Each of the twelve men picked up a stone from the bone-dry
riverbed. These stones would be used to build a monument at Gilgal,
where the Israelites would later camp. The men also set up a twelvestone
monument at the feet of the priests who stood in the riverbed carrying
the Ark.
Joshua said, “Let these twelve stones be a memorial to the miracle
God has performed for us. In time to come, when your children ask
about the meaning behind these stones, you shall say, ‘Our God cut off
the waters of the Jordan River, and made a way for all of Israel to safely
cross over on dry ground.’ These stones shall be a memorial to the
children of Israel forever.”
When they were sure that all had crossed over to the east side of the
Jordan, the priests carrying God’s Ark crossed over also. The instant
that the soles of their feet came out of the riverbed, God stopped holding
back the river. The waters of the Jordan rushed back into place and
overflowed its riverbanks as it had done before (Joshua 3 and 4).
Passover in Canaan
Canaanite spies informed their generals and kings how Israel had
miraculously crossed the Jordan River, and was now encamped at what
would later be called Gilgal. The Israelites were now within striking
distance of Jericho.
News of Israel’s progress caused quite a stir among the people of
Canaan and all their kings. A cold sweat of worry and fear came upon
them—for they knew that their cities, towns and villages, and the
pagan lives they led, were doomed.
106
Meanwhile, the Israelites kept their first Passover in Canaan.
Everyone feasted on the produce of the land—dates, barley, olives—
and dined on unleavened bread and roasted lamb.
The next day, the Israelites awoke from their tents and discovered
that there was no manna to be found. For about four decades, God had
sent down bread from heaven to feed His people as they traveled and
camped in the barren wilderness. Now it was gone.
Joshua and Eleazar had to explain to the people, “Now that you are
in the Promised Land, you no longer need God to feed you manna. You
can easily survive, and even prosper, from the food this land produces.”
Expecting to see and taste manna every morning was a habit that
some Israelites found hard to give up. Most of Israel had been fed
bread from heaven virtually since the day they were born.
The Captain of the Army of the Eternal
The time to attack Jericho was at hand. Joshua was a man of action. It
was not easy for him to sit around and wait, so he decided to personally
scout out the city.
Concealing himself against the rugged terrain, Joshua positioned
himself at a point where he could safely see Jericho and its massive
walls. He took note of the many soldiers that were standing guard
along the top of the walls, armed with swords and spears. He also
noticed that the city’s gates were securely shut.
“The king of Jericho and his soldiers must be preparing for our
attack,” he thought to himself.
Up until that time, Jericho had been the greatest city in the world.
Its massive walls consisted of large stones, some weighing as much as
three to five tons! Inside the city lived a wealthy community. Though
its inhabitants had grown rich through mass trade, they also achieved
their wealth through violence. Jericho was a city known for attacking
other towns and villages. Its people routinely ambushed and attacked
other people, taking away their livestock, food, precious jewelry and
other valuable goods. Jericho’s large, thick walls had been built to
defend the city’s inhabitants from attackers. Since Jericho had been
built on a hill, the only way for an army to conquer the city was to surround
it and attack it from below—this gave Jericho’s defenders a
great high-ground advantage. This, coupled with the city’s double
walls, made any attack extremely costly in lost lives and time. It would
take several months to starve Jericho’s inhabitants into surrendering.
And since the city had vast stores of grains, fruits and other foods, the
107
people could survive several months, maybe even years, before they
ran out of food. To those who wanted to destroy this wicked city,
Jericho was untouchable.
Joshua was so deep in thought that he was startled when a man suddenly
appeared before him, holding a sword. Joshua sensed something
different, something out of the ordinary, about this man, who wore the
sparkling, shiny uniform and fighting gear of a soldier.
Eyeing the sword in the soldier’s hand, Joshua said, “Who are you?
Are you for us or for our enemies?”
With a voice that would make any heart quiver and grow weak, the
man said, “No. I come as the Captain of the army of the Almighty
God.”
Suddenly realizing who was before him, Joshua quickly dropped to
his knees and worshipped the Captain. With his face to the ground, he
asked, “What is God’s message for me?”
The Captain of the Eternal’s army said, “Remove your sandals from
your feet. My presence has made this ground holy.”
Without hesitation, Joshua quickly obeyed. He recognized that the
Captain of the Eternal’s army was none other than the Word, also
known as the Spokesman and the Messenger of the Eternal—the One
who is today known as Jesus Christ.
Since Jericho was to be Israel’s first conquest in Canaan, God chose
to appear to Joshua in the form of a great Army commander. God wanted
to remind Joshua that in this upcoming battle, He would be the One
who would bring victory to Israel. The battle would not be won by
human hands, but by the personal intervention of the Almighty Eternal
God.
The Captain said to him, “Listen now, Joshua, to God’s message: ‘I
have given the city of Jericho into your hand. Its king and mighty warriors
are yours to take and destroy. At My command, My army shall
march around the city once. You shall do this for six days. Seven priests
shall march with you, each man blowing a trumpet made of a ram’s
horn. And with them shall be priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant.
You shall not shout or make any noise with your mouth. You will simply
show your presence these six days, marching in an orderly fashion.
The only noise that should be heard shall come from the trumpets. But
when the seventh day arrives, My army shall march around Jericho
seven times. Then the trumpets shall sound in one long blast, and My
people shall shout with a great shout. Then the walls of the city shall
fall down flat, and My army will attack. I shall make this so.’”
In God’s mind, Jericho represented mankind’s evil world, which is
ruled by Satan. The city’s thick and towering double walls, which
108
made Jericho untouchable and invincible to its enemies, were a symbol
of this world’s towering and inflated pride, vanity and arrogance.
The people living there had “puffed up” attitudes—they thought they
were better and greater than everyone else. They practiced the way of
Cain, who had viciously murdered his brother Abel. This is the way of
“get”—the way of greed, selfishness, pride, envy, bitterness, rage and
lust. It is the practice of stealing, lying, deceiving and murdering in
order to please the self—the way of sin. These are the same rotten attitudes
and selfish, hurtful conduct that the devil inspires in people today
(Ephesians 2:2 and II Corinthians 4:4).
God planned to tear down Jericho’s walls—make them fall down
flat—during the Days of Unleavened Bread. This seven-day festival,
observed even today by the Church of God, pictures people removing
all leavening (sin) from their lives, replacing it with unleavened bread
(God’s truth), and living according to His perfect laws and standards (I
Corinthians 5:7-8 and Psalm 119:172). Israel was to march around
Jericho during each day of the feast. On the seventh and last Day of
Unleavened Bread, God would flatten the walls of the city.
What would happen to Jericho will also happen to mankind’s system
of “get” in the near future. God has given man 6,000 years (which
are like six days to God – II Peter 3:8) to decide for himself right from
wrong, and to live according to his own carnal standards. But when
those “days” come to an end (and we are nearing that time now), God
will step in and destroy man’s system of get, hatred, selfishness and
greed.
The Eternal will then replace man’s system with a newer and far better
one—the kingdom of God. At that time, all will learn to live in peace
and harmony with one another. There will be no more walled cities or
villages (Ezekiel 38:8-12), because people around the world will finally
be living the way that produces peace and safety (Isaiah 9:6-7).
Any doubts that may have lingered in Joshua’s mind were replaced
by great courage and boldness. Joshua was now ready to fight God’s
battle.
Joshua marched back to camp, and then gave commands to the
priests, his officers and to all the people of Israel, telling them what
God wanted them to do (Numbers 5:13-15; 6:1-7).
And the Walls Came Tumbling Down
“Sire, sire! Wake up! Come quickly!”
The king of Jericho awoke and wiped the sleep from his eyes.
“What is it now?” he said.
109
He looked around and saw that he was surrounded by a group of
servants, guards, aides and a few army commanders. Each man’s face
showed worry and fear.
“I asked you a question—what’s wrong?”
Then the king recognized a troubling sound from off in the distance.
“What is that noise? Are those trumpets?”
Stepping forward, the king’s top lieutenant said, “Perhaps you
should see for yourself.”
The king went to the window that the lieutenant pointed to and saw
the army of Israel silently marching around the city. Unlike other
invading armies who shouted and screamed in order to frighten their
enemies, the Israelite soldiers remained silent. All that could be heard
from them was the sound of seven trumpets.
The king ordered his men to get into position, saying, “The attack
should come any minute now!”
But Israel did not attack. The soldiers simply marched around the
city once, and then headed back to camp. Though relieved, the king and
all the people of Jericho were puzzled by Israel’s bizarre behavior.
110
For six days, the Israelites
marched around the city of
Jericho. The only sound they
made came from the trumpets
blown by the seven priests.
The king asked his aides, “What do you think this means?”
“Perhaps they have heard of our warriors and have lost heart,” said
one man.
“Or maybe this is some kind of strange ritual commanded by their
God,” said another.
The king ordered his commanders and his watchmen to stay alert.
“These Israelites must have had a reason for what they just did. They
will be back. We mustn’t let our guard down.”
Though the watchmen stayed up on the walls all that day and later
that night, Israel did not come back.
The next day, Israel’s army returned. All of Jericho stood and
watched as the Israelites marched around the city. Again, not one
Israelite soldier said a word. The only sound came from the priests
blowing their trumpets.
“This is it!” shouted one aide. “Israel’s going to attack.”
But no attack came. The next day, the third, Israel returned and did
the same thing, and did not attack.
On the fourth day, many of Jericho’s soldiers shouted insults and
taunts at Israel’s army:
“Go on back to Egypt! You’re nothing but a bunch of slaves! We
have more than enough food and supplies to outlast your puny
attacks!”
“You’re wasting your time, Israel! Your God is no match for our
gods!”
“Do you really think you can frighten us with your false acts of
madness? Go away and bother someone else!”
For six days, Israel’s army came and went without attacking.
When the seventh day came (which was also the seventh and last
Day of Unleavened Bread), the Israelites awoke at dawn and, again,
marched around the city. Though nervous, the people of Jericho had
grown somewhat used to this.
But the people noticed something different: When the Israelites
had marched around the city, they did not return to camp. Instead, they
continued marching.
At once, the royal aides alerted the king. Meanwhile, the king’s
officers ordered their warriors to be more vigilant. The whole city
watched nervously as the Israelites marched around Jericho twice.
Three times. Four times. Five, and then six.
“What are these madmen up to?” the king thundered.
When Israel faithfully followed God’s instructions and marched
around Jericho for the seventh time, the priests blew the seven trumpets
in one long blast.
111
Joshua commanded his men, “Shout! Shout with all your heart, for
the Eternal has given you this city!”
Then all the Israelite soldiers wholeheartedly obeyed, striking fear
and dread into the hearts of Jericho’s people. The king and his subjects
clapped their ears with their hands and hoped that Israel’s “madness”
would soon end.
But something worse happened (Numbers 6:8-16, 20). To the surprise
of the people, Jericho’s walls came tumbling down!
112
113
The Restored Church of God
P.O. Box 23295
Wadsworth, OH 44282
USA
The Restored Church of God
P.O. Box 4064
St. Catharines, ON L2R 7S3
CANADA
Phone: (330) 334-2266
Fax: (330) 334-6513
www.TheRCG.org
e-mail: info@TheRCG.org
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Copyright © 2002 The Restored Church of God
All Rights Reserved
Printed in the USA
THIS ARTICLE IS PROVIDED FREE HOW TO CONTACT US
OF CHARGE AND IN THE PUBLIC
INTEREST BY THE RESTORED
CHURCH OF GOD.
It is made possible by the voluntary,
freely given tithes and offerings of the
members of the Church and others
who have elected to support the work
of the Church. Contributions are welcomed
and gratefully accepted.
Those who wish to voluntarily aid and
support this WORK OF GOD around the
world are gladly welcomed as coworkers
in this major effort to preach
the gospel to all nations.
THE STORY
OF THE BIBLE
VOLUME FOUR
Herbert W. Armstrong led the Worldwide Church of God (formerly The Radio
Church of God until 1968) until his death in 1986. Hundreds of millions heard
his voice and read his literature. God called him in the fall of 1926 and he was
converted in the spring of 1927. Over the course of Mr. Armstrong’s ministry,
God revealed through him a great many true biblical doctrines, which had
been lost to the Church through the centuries. After his death, his successors
ceased to believe and teach these doctrines. Although copyright law prohibits
The Restored Church of God from reproducing and distributing literature produced
while he led the Worldwide Church of God, we are committed to the
preservation and teaching of all of these truths!
THIS BOOK IS PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE AND IN THE PUBLIC
INTEREST BY THE RESTORED CHURCH OF GOD.
It is made possible by the voluntary, freely given tithes and offerings of the
members of the Church and others who have elected to support the work of
the Church. Contributions are welcomed and gratefully accepted. Those who
wish to voluntarily aid and support this WORK OF GOD around the world are
gladly welcomed as co-workers in this major effort to preach the gospel to all
nations.
Copyright © 2003 by The Restored Church of God
All Rights Reserved.
Printed in the United States of America
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER FIFTY: AFTER THE FALL OF JERICHO
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE: THE DESTRUCTIVE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO: THE FALL OF AI
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE: THE DAY THE SUN STOOD STILL
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR: RECEIVING THE INHERITANCE
CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE: ON THE VERGE OF CIVILWAR
CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX: A NEW GENERATION
CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN: EHUD AND THE KING OF MOAB
CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT: DEBORAH AND BARAK
CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE: GOD CALLS GIDEON
CHAPTER SIXTY: GIDEON’S THREE HUNDRED WARRIORS
CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE: REVENGE AT SUCCOTH AND PENUEL
CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO: THE FRUITS OF TREACHERY
CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE: JEPHTHAH THE WARRIOR
CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR: AN UNWISE VOW
CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE: THE MIGHTY SAMSON
CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX: SAMSON’S ULTIMATE BETRAYAL
TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE STORY OF THE BIBLE
........................................................................................................... 4
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............................................................... 21
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.................................... 42
........................................................ 49
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VOLUME FOUR
INTRODUCTION
by David C. Pack
This is the fourth volume of a special series. These books truly represent
“THE STORY OF THE BIBLE.” Many have attempted to write various kinds of
“Bible Story Books,” but they are usually written only for children, and are primarily
designed to entertain instead of educate or inspire. The reader will see
that the wonderful style and artwork of this series capture the spirit of God’s
Word, with its intended lessons and vital meaning.
Most children’s versions of the Bible terribly misrepresent important stories
that it contains—and they are written with wrong emphasis—and wrong meaning!
Instead of leading children to the true God, and to the true doctrines of His
Word, children are left with the impression that the Bible only contains a few
stories, and is mostly a book about war, violence, blood, thunder and death.
This is terribly wrong!
In keeping with the modern generation’s obsession with graphic violence,
most efforts to reflect the teachings of the Bible “play” to this interest. Youth
are given what they want to read, not what they need to understand. The many
stories of the Bible are intended to teach VITAL LESSONS to people of all ages.
Modern writers miss the mark when they cater to children, rather than properly
teach them what God intends.
If young people learn the Bible in a wrong way—with emphasis on the
wrong things, while ignoring the enormous number of lessons that the Bible
contains—at least two bad things result.
First, all these wrong concepts and approaches must be unlearned and
replaced by right knowledge and understanding of what the Bible really says.
Unlearning error is a most difficult thing to do, and is actually far harder than
learning the truth correctly the first time, leaving no need to sweep the mind
clean of what has been wrong or misunderstood.
Second, young people will later find the stories of the Bible have been trivialized
and made irrelevant, and they may find themselves turned off by its
message rather than being excited and thrilled about what they are learning.
The modern system of education is morally and spiritually bankrupt!
Deluded educators have been biased against God and His Word by the atheistic
teaching of evolution poured into them from childhood. They have taught
young people for decades that there are “no absolutes” and that they must follow
“situation ethics.” They have led the world into a kind of secular humanism—
where people are driven by how they feel rather than clear definitions of
right and wrong! But there is right and wrong in life—and those who are teaching
the children of this world have cut themselves off from this knowledge
4
(Isaiah 59:1-2). They cannot teach what they were never taught!
Also, this world’s churches keep young people steeped in traditional pagan
philosophies and teachings that have deceived the world for millennia. They
have ignored the great spiritual principle of CAUSE and EFFECT that governs
every aspect of life. They have neglected to teach true spiritual values. They
have defaulted their responsibility in all the critical areas of leadership—and
have utterly failed in their greatest responsibility, which should have been to
instill in young minds the marvelous truths of God’s Word—to teach youth how
to live, not just how to earn a living.
This is a tragic state of affairs!
Many who attempt to study the Bible become confused, frustrated and disillusioned,
believing that it is too difficult to understand. As a result, many who
would seek to teach their children true Christian standards and values, either
give up altogether or leave such education to the many theological “experts,”
who offer no end of differing—and conflicting—views.
Such an approach only serves to further confuse young people about the
Bible, thus, in many cases, alienating them from it. But those who truly seek to
understand God’s Word, without adding their own interpretation (II Peter 1:20),
will find that there is simplicity in it (II Corinthians 11:3).
Children need to be taught this simplicity! They need to know who and
what they are—and why they were born—that they are future sons of God in
the making!
You were born for a reason. Your life has a SUPREME PURPOSE! The Bible
reveals how to be in harmony with the true God—and His purpose for life. The
world is ignorant of this. So are most parents. They have no idea how or what
to teach their children. No one is guiding parents, because no one knows how
to guide them. Sadly, though the Bible is a gripping, interesting—even fascinating—
book of true stories (all part of one great story), most find it dull, dry
and boring.
This series is written to completely change this misconception in the minds
of people of all ages! It uses language designed to expand your mind through
the use of word pictures. Our goal has been to make the Bible real—to make it
talk directly to parents and children. With only a little explanation, parents will
be able to read these volumes to children as young as age three.
In today’s world, youth are universally misguided, abused, neglected and
ignored and this fuels a variety of rampant, escalating social problems. This is
because society as a whole has rejected the SOURCE of true happiness, success,
peace and fulfillment—GOD’S WORD. As King Solomon admonished, “Train
up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from
it” (Proverbs 22:6).
How many are even attempting to do this today?
Many true doctrines of God were restored to His Church in the middle of
the 20th century. By the 1990s, they had largely been discarded by its new leaders.
Part of our commission is to once again “restore what was restored” and to
continue to “turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the
children to their fathers” (Malachi 4:6). The Restored Church of God has completely
restored all God’s doctrines to the Church!
5
Under the faithful leadership of Herbert W. Armstrong (1892-1986), various
Church youth programs were established as part of the fulfillment of this
important responsibility. These included the Y.O.U. program (Youth
Opportunities United—for teens), and the Y.E.S. program (Youth Educational
Services—for young children). There was also a Summer Educational Program
(S.E.P.), providing teenagers with the opportunity to fellowship with other
teens and develop many skills and talents in a camp environment.
There was also much youth-oriented literature, offered to the young people
of God’s Church. These included a Youth magazine for teenagers, Youth Bible
Lessons for children from kindergarten through sixth grade—and The Bible
Story series.
Children are far too precious to ignore or neglect. While parents must utilize
the tools that are available to them, they cannot do this if these tools have
not been created.
As the only true extension of Mr. Armstrong’s ministry, The Restored
Church of God is re-creating these same written tools—as well as the magazines,
books, booklets, articles and letters that once taught the full truth of God
to millions around the world.
This series is being rewritten—with new volumes to appear on a regular
basis—to once again make the Bible simple, so that the stories in it come to
life! But these volumes are not just for children! It is our hope that parents and
children alike will enjoy and benefit from them. Its forerunner was a six-volume
work, once described as “written for children 5 to 105.” The original series
is no longer available—but this new one is!
6
CHAPTER FIFTY
AFTER THE FALL
OF JERICHO
Our story thus far: Inspired by God, Joshua led the army of Israel
to cross the Jordan River and surround the walled city of Jericho.
During the first six days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Israelite
soldiers silently marched around Jericho once per day. The only sound
that the troops made came from trumpet blasts, given by seven priests.
But when the seventh and last day of the feast came, God led Israel
to encircle the city seven times. At the sound of a long, terrifying trumpet
blast, all of the Israelite soldiers shouted at the top of their lungs.
Suddenly, the massive, thick double-walls of Jericho crumpled, broke
apart, and fell down flat (Joshua 6:1-20).
Obeying God’s instruction, Joshua led his troops into the city. The
people who dwelled there were in shock. For centuries, their city had
been a defiant walled fortress. It was known throughout the region for
its violent attacks upon the weak, and for its prosperous markets and
goods. And now, Jericho was in ruins, open to attack.
The people screamed at the sight of Israelite soldiers invading their
once-secure home. The soldiers of Jericho were quickly defeated, and
the life of every man, woman and child was taken. In His supreme
mercy, God did not allow them to continue living their pagan ways of
witchcraft, idolatry and other paths of wickedness. In the future, long
after Jesus Christ sets up the kingdom of God on earth, God will raise
the people of Jericho back to life. He will then give them the precious
opportunity to know their Supreme Creator face to face. No longer will
they be deceived by the false god of man’s world (II Corinthians 4:4;
Ephesians 2:2; Revelation 12:9), because Satan the devil and his
demons will be removed from mankind’s presence forever.
Jericho’s Wealth Dedicated to God
Obeying God’s command, the Israelites destroyed everything that
lived in Jericho—even the oxen, sheep and all other livestock. God
7
wanted the city to be utterly destroyed. Its destruction was to remind
everyone that Satan’s system of get, hatred, selfishness and greed will
one day be utterly destroyed.
None of the Israelite soldiers were allowed to take any of the city’s
vast treasures and goods—riches of silver, gold, precious jewels, vessels
of iron and brass, or its livestock. The riches were to be delivered
to God for His use at His earthly tabernacle. There, they would
become a part of God’s holy treasury (Joshua 6:19).
Rahab and Family Survive
Joshua gave special orders to the two men who had previously spied
out Jericho and the surrounding countryside.
He said to them, “Find Rahab the innkeeper and bring her to me.
Make sure that none of our soldiers hurt her in any way. As for her
family and loved ones who hid with her when Jericho’s walls fell
flat—no harm shall come to them, either.”
In making this command, Joshua fulfilled Israel’s promise to spare
the lives of Rahab and her family. This was because she had courageously
hidden and protected the two spies from the king of Jericho’s
men.
8
After seven days of marching around
Jericho, the Israelite army stopped
and shouted with all their might. The
walls of Jericho then fell flat.
The two young men gladly carried out Joshua’s commands. Amid
the dust and rubble that was once the great walls of Jericho, the spies
came to Rahab’s home. It was still intact. Tied to a window was a scarlet
thread—a sign that told the Israelite soldiers to do no harm to those
inside the house.
When the two men knocked on the front door, a pair of eyes peeked
through a dark curtain. It was Rahab. Seeing the spies she had protected,
she bolted to open the door. Behind her were her parents and
other family members, who greeted the young men with warm, but
cautious, smiles.
The spies said, “Gather your belongings. Bring only what you can
use, for this city shall be burned down to the ground.”
They did as instructed. Then the men brought Rahab and her family
before Joshua.
The Israelite leader thanked Rahab for her courage and kindness,
saying, “It takes an unusual woman to risk her life—and the lives of
her family—for strangers. In return for what you have done, we have
spared your lives. However, speaking for all Israel, we would like to
do more for you. We will give you and your family your own land and
allow you to live among us. As long as you follow the ways of God
and reject your former pagan ways, you shall prosper among us in
freedom and peace.”
Rahab and her family danced, and hugged each other, because they
were so overjoyed at hearing this good news!
Much later, Rahab married Salma (also called Salamon), who was
son of Mashon. Salma was a leader and prince over the tribe of Judah.
Years later, Rahab and Salma’s great-great-grandson grew up to be
one of the greatest servants of God in the history of mankind. He is
known in the Bible as King David. Rahab’s long family line also produced
an even greater servant of God—the One who became the
Messiah, whom Moses referred to as “that Prophet” (Deuteronomy
18:15, 18). His name is Jesus Christ (Acts 3:22-26; 7:37).
Joshua Pronounces a Curse
Now that Jericho was utterly destroyed, God inspired Joshua to warn
Israel that the walls of that wicked city must never be rebuilt.
Standing on a platform, Joshua looked down upon the large crowd
of men who surrounded him. He said, “The Eternal will curse any man
who dares to rebuild the walls of this evil city. Any man who is foolish
enough to defy God’s will and attempt to rebuild Jericho’s walls
will do so at a heavy price! Such a man will lay down the walls’ foun-
9
10
Amid Jericho’s rubble, Israelite soldiers help
Rahab and her family emerge from their
home—the only structure left standing.
dations at the price of losing the life of his firstborn son. And setting
up the city’s gates will cost that man the life of his youngest son. So
be warned and take the threat of God’s curse to heart! Tell it to your
children and to your children’s children. Israel must never forget
God’s will in this matter” (Joshua 6:26).
In God’s eyes, the walls of Jericho had come to symbolize Satan’s
way—the way of greed, hatred, war, selfishness—the way of GET. It is
the way that mankind has been practicing since Adam and Eve ate of
the wrong tree in the Garden of Eden. Jericho’s walls represented
man’s world and his carnal desire to rely upon himself instead of trusting
in his Creator. Since God wanted to teach Israel to rely on Him to
bring them success, peace and prosperity, He could not allow Jericho’s
symbolic walls of defiance to be rebuilt.
The people of Israel took God’s curse very seriously. They made
sure to pass His warning on to generation upon generation of Israel’s
descendants. Though God allowed people to live at the site of
Jericho’s ruins (Joshua 18:21; II Samuel 10:5), they knew better than
to rebuild that city’s walls and gates. For centuries, no one dared to
test God in this.
However, a man did eventually come along and rebuild Jericho’s
walls. As a result, that man’s eldest and youngest sons were killed—
just like God said would happen (I Kings 16:34)!
A Humbling Defeat
News of Israel’s recent victory began to spread throughout all the
land, striking fear and worry among the peoples of Canaan. Those
dwelling in cities, towns and villages were especially frightened.
Many wondered, “If Jericho is no match for these Hebrews, how can
we be safe?”
Kings and rulers throughout the land sent out spies to alert their
kingdoms to Israel’s every move.
Israel’s next military target was the city of Ai, which was up in the
highlands, above the Jordan Valley. Joshua sent out spies, who
returned to him days later and gave him a good report.
They said, “There’s no need to send our whole army up against tiny
Ai. The city has only a few people, so it should be fairly easy to take
it over. Two or three thousand of our soldiers are all you need to attack
Ai. When the people there see our show of force, they may even surrender
without a fight.”
Moved by their confident report, Joshua took his spies’ advice and
sent 3,000 Israelite troops to go up and march against the city. After
11
about 15 miles of marching uphill through a rugged ravine and rocky
terrain, the small army of Israelites came within sight of Ai.
“It’s so small,” said a lieutenant. “Much smaller than Jericho. This
will be as easy as eating cake!”
Excited, the Israelites confidently marched forward—but what
they thought would be an easy victory soon turned into a humiliating
defeat! When the army drew near the walls of the city, the main gate
swung open—and out poured a raging flood of Canaanite warriors!
The Israelites stopped dead in their tracks.
“What? What’s this?” someone shouted. “Where did all these soldiers
come from?”
The snarling, screaming Canaanites rushed ever closer and closer.
To the Israelites, they seemed like wild men madly driven by rage, and
bent on Israel’s utter destruction.
“Look at them!” yelled one man, his eyes wide from disbelief.
“There’s too many of them! What should we do? What should we do?”
Shouts of “We’re doomed! We’re all doomed!” clashed with
screams of “Run! Run for your lives!” among Israel’s 3,000 troops.
Struck to the very bone with fear, every soldier turned and ran for safety.
Meanwhile, the warriors of Ai hunted them down, like ravenous,
bloodthirsty lions chasing after prey. They pursued the Israelites, chasing
them away from the city, out of the highlands, even managing to
kill a few of the Hebrews as they descended the rugged ravine. When
the battle was over, 36 Israelite soldiers had lost their lives (Joshua
7:2-5).
13
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
THE DESTRUCTIVE
CONSEQUENCES OF SIN
It was clear to all that God did not protect Israel that day. He allowed
them to suffer this shameful defeat. When Joshua was told what had
happened, he understood that there had to be a reason why God
removed His divine protection from His people.
As was the custom in ancient times, Joshua tore his clothes and
poured dust over his head. So did the elders of Israel. This custom was
a public sign of humility and great distress. Full of mourning and
anguish, these men chose to humble themselves in order to draw closer
to God (Joshua 7:6-9).
All human beings (yes, even the nicest ones) are naturally filled
with pride, vanity and selfishness. They get these rotten attitudes from
Satan the devil, whom the Bible calls “the prince of the power of the
air” (Ephesians 2:2). Like a powerful radio station, the devil broadcasts
wrong thoughts, such as greed, bitterness, envy, rage, and many
other deceitful attitudes and desires. As a result, mankind has taken on
the mindset of Satan himself—this is carnal nature, which is naturally
hostile to God (Romans 8:7). By humbling themselves, Joshua and the
elders sought to remove these carnal attitudes so that God would
reveal to them His will.
Today, God does not require people to tear their clothes and pour
dust over their heads in order to draw close to Him. We have a close,
personal relationship with God through daily Bible study, heartfelt
prayer and meditation, and through regular fasting.
The Disastrous Effects of One Man’s Sins
For hours, Joshua lay flat on the ground before the Ark of the
Covenant, which represented God’s heavenly throne. In tearful, fervent
prayer, he brought questions before his Creator. When it was
time, God decided to reveal why He had allowed Israel to suffer such
a humiliating defeat by the hands of their enemies.
14
God said, “Israel has sinned against Me! The people have broken
My covenant by stealing what belongs to Me—the gold, the silver and
other spoils of war that came from Jericho’s fall. These things were to
be devoted to Me, for use at My tabernacle. But the people have stolen
from Me, and they have deceitfully hidden My things among their
own possessions.”
Suddenly, Joshua realized that one of his soldiers must have disobeyed
God’s command to devote all the treasures of Jericho to God’s
holy tabernacle. “No wonder God did not fight for us against the city
of Ai,” Joshua said to himself.
15
After the loss of 36
Israelite soldiers,
Joshua went before
God to learn what
went wrong and why.
God soon revealed the
answers, and told
Joshua what to do.
God said, “Since Israel ignored my command, and did not obey My
voice, I did not fight their battle for them. Without Me, Israel is helpless
against their enemies. Without My help, Israel is doomed to
destruction, because they are accursed. I will not be with Israel, unless
you destroy the accursed among you—the one who stole from Me and
used deceit to cover up this sin.”
Due to the sins of one greedy and rebellious man, the whole nation
of Israel was now cut off from God’s divine protection. Joshua quickly
understood that he had to find out who this sinner was, before God
totally abandoned Israel—which would mean certain destruction.
Already, news of Israel’s recent defeat was spreading throughout the
land. Joshua knew that if something was not done soon, the kingdoms
of Canaan could band together and hunt down Israel, like ravenous
wolves encircling a helpless lamb.
God did not want this to happen to His people. So He instructed
Joshua in how to find this thief among Israel’s millions of people
(Joshua 7:10-15).
The Guilty Man Is Revealed
Early the next morning, Joshua ordered all the tribes of Israel to
assemble before him and the elders.
“We have suffered a devastating defeat at the hands of our enemies,”
he said. “This happened for a purpose—God wanted to get our
attention. In His mercy, He only allowed 36 of our men to be killed. It
could have been far worse.
“Here is why God did not fight for us at Ai: There is a thief among
us! This foolish man has stolen from God, and has cloaked himself in
deceit to conceal the evil he has done. This one man’s sins of thievery
and deception have cut us off from the Almighty God. Unless this sinner
is revealed, Israel will no longer be blessed with God’s protection.
And as you all know, without God, we can do nothing!”
Joshua’s blunt words got everyone’s attention. The massive crowd
of Israel’s millions of people began to whisper among themselves:
“Who is this sinner? If he was man enough, he would reveal himself
and spare us from suffering for his sins.”
But the thief did not reveal himself. He nervously looked back and
forth among his neighbors, pretending to be innocent, and hoping that
no one suspected him of guilt.
Following God’s instructions, Joshua ordered that lots be cast. In
ancient times, this was done among God’s people in order to determine
God’s will. In man’s 6,000 years of history, God has only spo-
16
ken to a few people—and, even then, He often chose various methods
to communicate with them. Today, God mainly communicates His will
through His inspired Word, the Holy Bible. God also gives wisdom
and understanding to those who obey Him and seek to please Him
(James 1:5; Psalm 111:10; I John 3:22).
With each lot representing a tribe of Israel, God determined that the
lot with Judah’s name be taken.
Joshua said to one of his close assistants, “So now we know that
the thief is from the tribe of Judah.”
Lots were cast again; this time, each lot represented a clan within
the tribe. God determined that the lot representing the clan of the
Zarhites be taken.
The thief grew even more nervous. Realizing that he would soon
be revealed, he desperately sought for a way of escape…but none
could be found! He and all who belonged to the families of the
Zarhites were under the watchful eyes of the whole nation of Israel.
Everyone in the camp anxiously waited for God to expose the guilty
man.
Again, lots were cast, and, this time, the family of Zabdi was taken.
Zabdi dutifully brought his entire household before Joshua and the
people. After lots were cast one more time, God revealed the man who
had stolen from Him.
All eyes fell upon Achan, son of Zabdi, the son of Zerahm, of the
tribe of Judah (Joshua 7:16-18).
The Destructive Consequences of Sin
Everyone gasped the man’s name. Zabdi swung around, grabbed his
son by the shoulders, and said, “Achan, how could you!”
Achan wanted to run and hide and get away as far as possible. But
it was too late for that now. He had thrown away earlier opportunities
to come forward and turn himself in. Now he had to face the consequences
of his wicked actions. And everyone knew that those consequences
would be severe.
Dripping from sweat and cowering in fear, Achan stood before
Joshua, who silently looked at him, sadly shaking his head. Now that
the identity of the thief had been revealed, Joshua knew what had to
be done next. He took no pleasure in it.
He said, “Achan, my son, I beg of you, glorify the Eternal God of
Israel, and confess to Him your sins. Tell me what you have done—
and do not lie or try to hide it from me. By now you should know that
nothing can be hidden from God.”
17
With his head bent low from guilt and shame, Achan said, “Yes, I
admit it. I have sinned against the God of Israel. After the walls of
Jericho had fallen, I invaded the city alongside my fellow soldiers. But
somehow we got separated, and I ended up by myself. That’s when I
discovered a beautiful Babylonian-style garment. Right away, I could
tell that it must have belonged to a very important and wealthy leader
or official—perhaps even the king of Jericho himself. In the same
place where I found the garment, I also discovered silver, about five
pounds worth, and a wedge of gold.”
“Go on,” Joshua said. “What happened next?” Every man within
earshot leaned in closer to hear the thief’s answer.
Achan said, “When I saw how expensive these things were—the
garment, silver and gold—I thought to myself, ‘Surely, God already
owns everything. What need does He have for these material things?
And did not God bring us up out of Egypt so that we might prosper
here in the Promised Land and enjoy the spoils of war from our enemies?’”
Achan did not want to look Joshua in the eye. With his chin pressed
down upon his chest, the thief said, “Once I saw them, I lusted after
these things. I coveted them, even though God had made it clear that
all the spoils of war from Jericho belonged to Him. I decided to take
them—so I did just that. After I made sure that no one was looking, I
brought the valuables back to camp, and then dug a hole in the midst
of my tent, and hid them there.”
Immediately, Joshua sent messengers to Achan’s tent to retrieve the
stolen articles. Once there, the men found the royal garment, five
pounds of silver and one wedge of gold hidden in the ground, just as
Achan had said. The messengers gathered the spoils of war and
brought them before Joshua, the elders and the whole camp of Israel.
As Israel’s Judge, God saw that this was done, and inspired Joshua
to execute the Eternal’s divine judgment.
He said, “Israel was made to suffer because you gave in to your
lustful desires instead of putting God first. Because of what you have
done, 36 men lost their lives, and Israel no longer has God’s divine
protection.”
Joshua had Achan and the stolen items rounded up with Achan’s
possessions—his oxen, sheep, donkeys, tent, and everything else that
belonged to him. Then Achan and all these things were brought to the
Valley of Achor (which means “valley of trouble”). Achan had caused
much trouble for the people of Israel. Now, the Israelites were going
to cause trouble for him.
As his sons and daughters watched, the whole camp of Israel gath-
18
19
After Achan’s confession, Joshua
sent men to his tent to recover the
items he had stolen from God.
ered around Achan and hurled stones down upon him. There, the thief
died in anguish and much pain from the overwhelming weight of the
stones and rocks. Next, all of Achan’s belongings were burned—and
utterly destroyed (Joshua 7:19-26; 22:20).
Breaking One Equals Breaking Them All
Achan had allowed himself to be swayed by material things, coveting
after things that did not belong to him. In this, he broke the Tenth
Commandment: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house, you shall
not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant,
nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s”
(Exodus 20:17; Deuteronomy 5:21).
To Achan, the expensive garment, silver and gold became more
important to him than obeying God. This meant that Achan also broke
the First Commandment: “You shall have no other gods before Me”
(Exodus 20:3; Deuteronomy 5:7).
And when Achan, motivated by his lust and greed, stole from God,
he also broke the Eighth Commandment: “You shall not steal”
(Exodus 20:15; Deuteronomy 5:19).
He knew that what he did was wrong, but instead of repenting—
changing his mind and desires, and choosing to do the right thing—he
hid the stolen treasures. He even pretended to be innocent, acting as
though he was obeying God.
Ultimately, when a person breaks just one of God’s laws, he has
actually broken ALL of them (James 2:10-11). Breaking God’s laws is
sin (I John 3:4), and the wages of sin—the penalty that is earned—is
death (Romans 6:23).
Achan’s sins brought nothing but pain, misery and destruction
upon the people of Israel, to his family and, ultimately, to Achan himself.
But now that he was no longer alive to continue in his evil ways,
Israel no longer had to suffer from being without God’s protection.
Being cut off from God is one of the devastating consequences of sin
(Isaiah 59:2).
The Eternal was now ready to fight Israel’s battles for them, and
bring them success in the Promised Land.
20
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
THE FALL OF AI
Now that the sins of Achan had been dealt with, God spoke to
Joshua about attacking the city of Ai once again.
He said, “Do not worry or be afraid, Joshua. Go up and attack Ai,
for I will fight your battle for you and give Israel success. You shall do
to Ai and its king what you did to Jericho and its ruler. However, this
time Israel may keep all the spoils of war for themselves.”
Hearing this, Joshua was deeply grateful. He thanked God in heartfelt
prayer for promising to protect Israel and give them success
against their enemies.
The Eternal then gave Joshua detailed instructions in how the city
was to be taken in battle.
Brimming to the full with confidence and inspired by a new sense
of purpose, Joshua rushed out to put God’s battle plan into action
(Joshua 8:1-2).
Setting Up For the Attack
Joshua chose 30,000 battle-tested soldiers and sent them off on a secret
mission: They were to travel up to Ai undetected, and secretly camp to
the west side of the city.
“Whatever you do,” Joshua said to his officers, “don’t let the people
of Ai be aware of your presence. Conceal yourselves until I give
you the signal.”
Armed with these and other instructions, the 30,000 troops marched
out into the night.
Early the next morning, Joshua inspected the rest of the army, making
sure that all the soldiers were ready to follow God into battle. Then
Joshua, the elders of Israel and the soldiers marched up the rugged
ravine, and on into the central highlands, until they came to the northern
wall of a valley that lay before Ai, which was in the south. From
there, Joshua ordered 5,000 troops to head west and lay in ambush
between Ai and Bethel.
21
He had explained to his officers, “Ai and Bethel are only a few
miles apart from each other. Once we attack Ai, the king of Bethel may
be tempted to join against us in battle. You men are to stop this from
happening.”
The captain of the 5,000 Israelites troops said, “Yes, sir,” and led
his men off to complete their mission.
Once they were set in place, Joshua and the rest of the army
climbed down into the valley and settled in for the night.
The next morning, the guards who stood watch along Ai’s walls
were startled to see that the Israelites had come back. From across the
other side of the northern plain, they could see the movement of foot
soldiers slowly marching toward the city. At once, messengers raced to
alert the king of Ai of the news (Joshua 8:3-14).
The king rolled out of bed, yawning and stretching. He said, “Don’t
these Hebrews know when they’ve been beat?”
His assistants nervously laughed. One man said, “My lord, what
shall we do?”
The king shot the trembling servant an evil look. He said to him,
“We go out and slaughter every last one of these Israelite dogs—once
and for all!”
The man said, “Yes, my lord. I will inform the commander of our
army right away.”
“No,” said the king. “This battle belongs to me. I will personally
lead my army. I want Israel to taste blood, pain and death by my very
own hands.”
King of Ai Outwitted
Joshua and a small army of soldiers slowly marched down to the city.
Smug and filled with self confidence, the king of Ai gave the command
and his army of Canaanite warriors poured out from the city gates, just
as they had done before. Closer and closer, the two armies drew near
each other, ready to clash to the death with swords, spears and other
deadly weapons.
As the screaming, bloodthirsty Canaanites drew within striking
range of their enemy, the Israelites suddenly turned around and ran.
The king of Ai gleefully shouted, “Look at these cowards—they’re
running for cover just like last time! Hunt them down, men! Don’t let
these dogs get away!”
The Canaanites screamed even louder, hoping that their war cries
would cause confusion among their enemies.
The king turned to one of his lieutenants and said, “Send a mes-
22
senger back to the city to tell all my troops there to come out and help
us catch our enemy. Also tell them to signal the king of Bethel to send
his men, too. I’m sure he would want to join us in our victory.”
The lieutenant saluted his king, and then rushed back to Ai.
God’s battle plan was working. He was leading Joshua to use a
small army of Israelites to act as decoys. Their mission was to lead all
of Ai’s warriors out of the city. Pretending that they were fleeing for
their lives, Joshua and his decoy troops led the Canaanites east, toward
the barren wilderness.
When he was certain that all of Ai’s troops had left the city, Joshua
raised his spear, which had a bright banner attached to its end. This
was the signal that the 30,000 soldiers-in-hiding were waiting for.
From a safe distance, Israelite scouts spotted Joshua’s signal, and then
raced back to the hidden troops.
“It’s time!” they shouted.
Unbeknownst to the warriors of Ai, the 30,000 Israelite troops
rushed into the city and began to kill everyone in sight. Then they set
the city on fire—Ai was engulfed in flames.
Meanwhile, the king of Ai and his men drew closer, ever closer to
the fleeing Israelites…when suddenly, a Canaanite soldier looked
back and shouted, “Look! Look at the city! It’s on fire!”
The whole army of Canaanites stopped dead in their tracks.
Looking back, each man was amazed to see dark pillars of thick, black
smoke shoot up into what had been clear sky. And at the edge of the
plain, they witnessed an angry glow of red, orange and yellow fire
covering the walls of their hometown.
The king said, “Forget about these Israelites. We need to get back
to Ai before it burns to the ground!”
Just then, Joshua ordered his fleeing soldiers to turn around and
attack. The warriors of Ai were surprised to see that the Israelites were
no longer afraid of them—and they were even more shocked that the
30,000 troops who had set Ai on fire were now heading straight for
them.
While the king and his officers tried to quickly come up with a plan
of attack, one of the Canaanite soldiers pointed to the north: “Look!
Even more Israelites are coming!”
These were troops that Joshua had concealed in the valley north of
Ai. They climbed up from the southern wall and emerged onto the battlefield.
Things did not look good for the king and his men. They were cut
off from the east, the north and the south. Their only hope came from
the west, from their allies at the city of Bethel. What the king of Ai did
23
not know was that Joshua had earlier sent 5,000 of his men to stop
Bethel’s army from helping their sister city.
Trapped, confused and disillusioned, the army of Ai was doomed
(Joshua 8:15-22).
Hung From a Tree
Amid the confusion of battle cries and the clashing of swords, the army
of Israel destroyed the army of Ai. Every soldier from that evil
Canaanite city was slain. Only its king was left alive after the battle was
finally over.
Knowing that each of his 12,000 subjects, both within and outside
the city, had been killed, the king did not expect to receive a better fate.
He was not mistaken.
His captors brought him before Joshua. The man of God said to the
king, “The Eternal God of Israel has judged you and your people. And
now His wrath has come upon you. As the Creator of all that exists, God
has given you life—and He has the right to take it away.”
At Joshua’s command, the king of Ai was quickly executed. Then,
as a sign of God’s wrath and righteous judgment, the king’s body was
hung from a tree until sunset. This became a warning and reminder to
all of Israel that disobeying the one true God brings a horrible curse. For
the rest of the day, the sight of the dead ruler’s body hanging from a tree
sobered the thoughts of God’s people—and it motivated them to want
to obey the Eternal. No one wanted to end up like the king of Ai (Joshua
8:22-29).
Obeying God’s law, Joshua had the king’s body taken down from
the tree before sunset (Deuteronomy 21:22-23). Then it was properly
buried under a pile of stones at the gate of the fallen, burned-out city of
Ai. Had the body not been taken down, it would have brought undue
attention. People would eventually forget the point of the lesson and
end up committing the same sins that the guilty man had committed.
Ultimately, the whole land would be cursed.
Many centuries later, a certain man was hung on a cross, sometimes
referred to as a tree (Acts 5:30; 10:39; 13:29; I Peter 2:24). Yet this man
had done nothing wrong to earn such a curse—never in His life did He
ever break God’s laws. He did not deserve the penalty that comes from
breaking those laws—death (Romans 6:23). This man was completely
innocent.
His name was Jesus Christ.
Christ took it upon Himself to take the curse of the Law—the death
penalty (Galatians 3:13). By doing this, He paid the death penalty for
24
all human beings so that we do not have to pay it—IF we strive to
obey the Eternal and change our thoughts, attitudes and actions from
Satan’s way of GET to God’s way of GIVE. By dying upon a cross (a
stake or type of tree), Christ took on the curse of bearing God’s wrath
and judgment, in our place.
A Special Ceremony
Now that the people of Ai had been totally destroyed, their livestock,
treasures and other spoils of war were taken and distributed among
the Israelites.
25
Some days later, Joshua led the people north on another journey
through the countryside.
Before his death, Moses had given Israel special instructions, commanding
them to build an altar at Mount Ebal after crossing the Jordan
River (Deuteronomy 11:29-30).
Once they arrived, Israel was divided into two main groups. The
tribes of Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph (which consisted of the
half tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh) and Benjamin assembled before
Mount Gerizim in the south. Meanwhile, Reuben, Gad, Asher,
Zebulun, Dan and Naphtali assembled before Mount Ebal.
Between the two mounts lay the city of Shechem. This was the
place where God first appeared to Abram (who later became
Abraham) in the Promised Land (Genesis 12:6-7).
At Mount Ebal, Joshua had an altar of uncut stones built. Upon its
completion, burnt offerings and peace offerings were presented before
the Eternal. Then, upon the stones of the altar, Joshua wrote a copy of
the law, which God gave through Moses.
The blessings and curses of the law were read before the entire
assembly. From before Mount Gerizim, all the people said, “Amen”
(meaning, “So be it”), as each of the blessings for diligently obeying
God and keeping His laws were read aloud. And, from Mount Ebal, all
the people there said, “Amen,” as each curse for disobedience was
pronounced. Everyone in the whole congregation of Israel gave their
full, undivided attention to these important words—all the men,
women, and even the little children, as well as the non-Israelite
strangers who lived among God’s people. Everyone was warned that
what they did with the knowledge of these special blessings and horrible
curses would determine Israel’s future in the Promised Land. It
was now in the hands of the people to choose the path to amazing success
and prosperity—or to unimaginable failure and shame (Joshua
8:30-35; Deuteronomy 27 and 28).
26
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
THE DAY THE SUN
STOOD STILL
News of Israel’s miraculous victories over Jericho and Ai spread
throughout Canaan. Even in the farthest reaches of the Promised
Land, reports of Israel’s dramatic and amazing triumphs were being
talked about. Soon, each king who ruled over a city-state on the western
side of the Jordan began to worry—what if his city was next to
fall?
Putting aside their differences, the kings of the Hittites, Amorites,
Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites banded together into a
single fighting force. By human standards, such a vast army of fierce
warriors could have overwhelmed and destroyed Israel.
But the Israelites were not alone—God was on their side. He
fought their battles for them. The allied kings of Canaan failed to realize
that going up against the Supreme God of the universe was like a
flea daring to fight against a giant bull elephant!
Not all of the Canaanites were so foolish as to believe they could
survive such a one-sided slaughter. When the Gibeonites heard about
Jericho and Ai’s defeat, they knew that it was only a matter of time
before Israel would destroy them as well. Even though the city of
Gibeon was a well-armed stronghold manned by capable soldiers, the
people there were deeply afraid that Israel would soon attack—especially
since Ai was only a few miles away!
The Gibeonites did not go along with their fellow Hivites in putting
their trust in the newly-formed Canaanite alliance. They realized
that no matter what they did, they had no chance of wiping out Israel.
So the Gibeonites came up with another plan, and then gathered a
group of men to go on a special mission.
Judging By Sight
The Israelites were encamped at Gilgal, which was being used as a
headquarters for Israel’s government. One day, as Joshua and the eld-
27
ers of Israel were conducting business, one of Joshua’s trusted assistants
came up to him.
“I’m sorry for disturbing you,” he said, “but we have visitors—foreigners
from a foreign land. They have asked to speak to you.”
Joshua and the other men exchanged puzzled looks.
“Who could these men be?”
Curious, Joshua followed his assistant, who brought him before a
group of strange-looking men.
The leader of the group stepped forward and said, “We are ambassadors
of a far-off country. We have heard of your great power and
miraculous victories in battle. As representatives of our people, we
have journeyed great distances through rugged wastelands in order to
make a covenant of peace with you.”
Joshua and the elders eyed these strangers with suspicion. They
took note of their foreign robes, which were torn and dusty, and their
sandals, which were worn from much walking. They also noticed that
the foreigners’ donkeys carried sack and wineskins that were old, battered
and torn. The strangers did seem to have traveled a far distance
through harsh territory…
But Joshua and some of the elders were not yet fully convinced.
One of them said, “You say that you came from afar, but how do
we know that what you say is true? Perhaps you are really from among
these neighboring Canaanites—how can we be sure?”
The foreigners gave nervous smiles as their leader spoke up: “Trust
us. We are simply here to establish peace between your people and
ours. In fact, consider us your servants.”
The elders of Israel whispered among themselves, some saying,
“Peace is always good. What do we have to lose?”
But Joshua said to the strangers, “Who are you? Where do you
come from?”
Again, the leader of the foreigners spoke: “We, your servants,
come from a far off country. We have traveled all this way because of
the Eternal your God. His great and powerful name has reached even
our ears. His great fame is becoming well known, even among our
people—how He all but destroyed Egypt as He released Israel from
slavery; how He used you to destroy the kings of the Amorites from
the other side of the Jordan River, especially kings Sihon and Og.
“From our elders to the very least of us, all of our people desired
that we travel great distances just to speak with you. Our only desire
is to establish peace between you and our people—nothing more”
(Joshua 9:1-13).
These smooth words put Joshua and the elders at ease. And thus,
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the leaders of Israel made a serious mistake, one that most people still
make, even to this day: They did not rely on God to guide them to
make the right decision. Instead, they judged the strangers by their
appearance, rather than by their character and how they lived. If only
Joshua and the elders had rejected their human reasoning and had
sought out God’s will—God would have made it clear who these
strangers really were!
Now the Israelites would have to pay a heavy price for failing to
rely upon God. Their wrong example is recorded in the Bible to teach
us how to live.
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Posing as diplomats from a faraway
land, the Gibeonites tricked Joshua into
making a peace treaty with them.
Strangers Revealed!
At the end of the third day and with their minds made up, Joshua and
the elders of Israel made a hasty peace treaty with these foreign visitors.
Making a solemn oath, they said, “There shall be peace between
your people and ours. We will not make war with you.”
Of course, the strangers were extremely pleased.
Then Joshua said to them, “Come, stay with us for a while.”
“No,” the strangers said. “We cannot stay. We have been away from
our people far too long. We must get back to our country and tell them
the good news.”
“Send a messenger,” said Joshua. “The rest of you can continue
your visit with us in peace.”
With shifty eyes and sweat dripping across their brows, the foreigners
said, “Uh, no…no, really we must leave. We have other important
business that must be taken care of back home.”
Though their nervous behavior made Joshua and the elders curious,
Israel’s leaders bid the strangers farewell and sent them on their way.
Three days later, Joshua and all of Israel learned why the foreigners
were in such a hurry to leave.
Continuing in their conquest for the Promised Land, the army of
Israel came to the foothills of Canaan in order to attack the neighboring
Canaanite cities there. As he had done in the past, Joshua sent out
spies to secretly scout out the land to examine the strengths and weaknesses
of their enemies. It was these spies who discovered the true
identities of the strangers.
“They’re Canaanites, Joshua! Every one of them!” the spies reported.
“They’re called the Gibeonites. They live out here in the cities of
Gibeon, Chephirah, Beroth and Kirjath Jearim. These so-called ‘foreigners
from a far-off land’ deceived us!”
Joshua and all of the Israelite leaders were stunned by the news—
and suddenly realized that they should not have made a serious decision,
such as a peace treaty, based on sight alone (II Corinthians 5:7).
They should have asked God for His guidance.
The elders asked Joshua, “What shall we do? After all, these
Gibeonites are still Canaanites—shouldn’t we obey God and destroy
them, along with all of the other nations of Canaan?”
Many of the elders nodded their heads in agreement.
But Joshua said, “It’s too late for that now. We made a foolish mistake
in not seeking God’s will. Now we will have to suffer the consequences.
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“But these deceivers are Canaanites. They must be destroyed!”
Joshua shook his head. “No, we made a promise and gave our
word. We are not like these pagan nations, who say one thing and do
another. We are the people of God. Since the Eternal always keeps His
word, we must follow His example and keep our word—even if it
hurts!”
Though Joshua had made a terrible mistake in making peace with
the Gibeonites, he now yielded to God, allowing the Eternal to develop
His holy, righteous character within him (Joshua 9:15-18).
The People Get Angry
The whole camp of Israel grumbled and complained when they
learned that they were not allowed to attack Gibeon and her sister
cities. Joshua and the other leaders explained to the people why Israel
must keep their covenant of peace with the Gibeonites. “We must keep
our word,” they said.
But many Israelites were still displeased. One man said, “What
then—shall we let these Gibeonites roam free and suffer no punishment
for their treachery?”
“No,” the elders said. “Joshua has a solution for dealing with these
deceivers (Joshua 9:19-20).
The Gibeonites Are Punished
The leaders of the Gibeonites were brought before Joshua and the elders
of Israel. Taking note of their angry faces, they feared the worst,
wondering within themselves, “Will these Israelites break their promise?
Are we about to die?”
Joshua broke the silence. “Why have you deceived us? You said
that you were foreigners from a far-off country—but now we know
that you are nothing more than liars and deceivers!”
One of the Gibeonites spoke up: “We misled you because we know
that the Eternal your God commanded Moses to bring you to Canaan
so that your people would inherit this land. We also know that your
God has commanded Israel to destroy all the people living here—
including us! Therefore, we were afraid of you, especially when we
learned of how you utterly destroyed the people of Jericho and Ai!”
The Gibeonites lowered their heads as Joshua folded his hands and
frowned. They said to him, “Our lives are in your hands. Do with us
as seems right and good for you to do.”
The frightened men expected to be slain right then and there.
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But they were surprised to hear Joshua say, “From this moment on
you and your people are under a curse: You shall be our slaves. Never
again shall you taste the breath of freedom.”
From that very day, all the people of Gibeon and her sister cities
became enslaved to the nation of Israel. Their duties were to cut wood
and carry water for the Israelites and for God’s altar of worship
(Joshua 9:22-27).
Gibeon Under Attack!
Adoni-Zedek, the king of Jerusalem, was boiling mad! In his mind, it
was bad enough that Israel had destroyed Ai. But now Gibeon—a city
even greater and more important than Ai—had just made a peace
treaty with the Israelites.
“Gibeonite traitors!” the king screamed as his military officers,
aides and servants trembled from his show of rage. “Gibeon should
have allied with the rest of us Canaanites.”
One of the king’s commanders said, “Yes, my lord, and the sister
cities of Chephirah, Beeroth and Kirjath-jearim have foolishly joined
in Gibeon’s treachery. With their combined resources, Israel is even
stronger than before. What shall we do?”
The king said, “We shall deal with those Hebrews in good time.
But first we must take care of Gibeon. We’ll make an example out of
them so that no other city will ever dare to make peace with the
Israelites.”
And so the king of Jerusalem sent messengers to the kings of
Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon. Together, these five kings gathered
their combined armies and surrounded the city of Gibeon.
Though Gibeon had many warriors to defend it, the overwhelming
size of these allied armies meant certain doom.
Fortunately, a team of Gibeonite men managed to secretly slip
away from the city, and immediately headed for Gilgal to get help.
Standing before Joshua and the elders of Israel, the Gibeonites
made their pleas: “Save us! Our city is surrounded and under attack by
the combined forces of five kings. Remember that we are your servants,
and save us from being slaughtered!”
Joshua may have been tempted to say no. Israel could have used
this as an opportunity to let the Gibeonites be destroyed, without
breaking the peace treaty. However, Joshua, whose mind was led by
God’s Holy Spirit, saw the “big picture”—that this was the perfect
opportunity to destroy five major armies all at once instead of taking
each of them on five separate times.
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With God’s approval, Joshua led the army of Israel on the march to
Gibeon.
Throughout the night, the Israelites climbed up through twenty
miles of harsh, rugged countryside. Along the way, God encouraged
His servant, saying, “Do not fear these pagan armies, Joshua. For I
have delivered them into your hands. By the time the battle is finished,
not one man shall stand before” (Joshua 10:1-9).
When God sets His mind to do something, it is absolutely guaranteed
to happen! Therefore, God often speaks of things that have not
yet occurred as though they already have happened.
The Day the Sun Stood Still
Early the next morning, the Israelites arrived at Gibeon, which was
completely encircled by a massive army of bloodthirsty warriors, like
ants surrounding a sugar cube.
God led His people to attack, ensuring them victory over their
Canaanite enemies.
Seeing thousands of their comrades and fellow soldiers being
slaughtered by the Israelites, the surviving warriors panicked and ran
for their lives—and the Israelites ran after them in hot pursuit! No
matter where the enemy tried to flee, the mighty men of Israel chased
and hunted them down, cutting off their escape.
Many of the Canaanites fled down the road that led to Beth-horon.
As they hastily made their long descent, God produced a mighty miracle:
He rained huge hailstones down upon the heads of the fleeing
troops, slaughtering more of them than those killed by the Israelites.
God also saw to it that none of the hailstones fell upon His people,
who were chasing their enemies.
And then God produced an even greater miracle: To give the
Israelites enough daylight time to catch all of the Canaanite soldiers,
God answered Joshua’s prayerful request to make the sun stand still
for a whole day!
All were amazed to witness such a spectacular sight. And this led
the Israelites to fear God and respect Joshua as God’s servant (Joshua
10:9-14).
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CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
RECEIVING
THE INHERITANCE
When messengers told Joshua that the five kings of the Canaanite
alliance had fled to a cave at Makkedah, he immediately called
for a squad of soldiers.
He said to them, “Go to this cave and block its entrance with large
stones, and post a couple of your troops to stand guard. I don’t want
any of those five kings to escape. We will deal with them as soon as
the battle is finished. After you have placed the stones and posted the
guards, go back to pursuing our enemies. Attack their rear guard. And
don’t let any of them escape to their cities.” The soldiers said, “Yes,
sir,” and went off to fulfill Joshua’s command.
When the battle was finally finished, Joshua and his men met at the
cave where the five kings were hiding. The stones were removed and
the kings were brought out.
As they lay on the ground, defeated and humiliated, Joshua pointed
to the pagan rulers and ordered his officers to step on their necks.
This was an act of further humiliation for the kings, who were used to
exalting themselves above others.
Then five kings suffered the same fate as the king of Ai: After they
were slain, their dead bodies were hung on trees. Then they were cut
down before sunset and thrown back into the cave. Sealing it again
with stones, the cave—which the kings thought would be their place
of safety—was turned into a tomb (Joshua 10:16-27)
Conquering Southern Canaan
Next, God inspired Joshua to lead the Israelites into a military campaign
against the southern cities of Canaan. One by one, the pagan
cities of Makkedah, Libnah and Lachish fell, and all who dwelled
within them were put to death.
This angered Horam, king of Gezer. He raced to save Lachish from
defeat—but he and his army were wiped out by the army of God.
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Israel marched on to Eglon, taking it in one day. The city of Hebron
fell next, and then Debir. Clearly, God was with Israel, for it was the
Eternal who granted them so many victories. Soon, Israel had conquered
all of the hill country, the south land, the lowlands and the
wilderness slope, utterly destroying all—kings and citizens alike—
who resided within their cities.
With the land largely secured and under Israel’s control, Joshua
and the Israelites returned to their headquarters camp, at Gilgal
(Joshua 10:28-43).
A New Threat
King Jabin of Hazor did not learn from Israel’s recent victories. He
somehow convinced himself that he and the other Canaanite rulers of
the north could defeat Israel. In his foolishness, he failed to see that
attacking God’s people meant attacking God Himself.
Jabin conspired with the kings of Madon, Shimron, Achshaph and
all the other rulers of the north. Their combined armies, which the
Bible says seemed as vast as the sand on the seashore, assembled at
Merom with warhorses, chariots and a thirst for bloodshed. They were
united for one purpose: The utter destruction of Israel.
When Joshua heard about this, he began to worry and give way to
fear, for this was the largest army that had yet assembled against the
Israelites.
God reassured His servant, telling him, “Do not worry or be afraid
of this army. Tomorrow, I will deliver all of them slain before Israel.
In fact, you shall even cripple their warhorses and burn their chariots.”
Once again, God’s words of encouragement gave Joshua the
courage he needed to do the impossible (Joshua 11:1-6).
Whenever you are worried or afraid, you can turn to God. The
Bible contains many words of encouragement, and numerous promises
that God will personally intervene in your life, if you seek Him.
Conquering the North
Instead of waiting to be attacked, Joshua led the Israelites into a sudden
attack. And, as He had done before, God delivered success into
His people’s hands. The armies of the allied kings suffered great losses,
causing the survivors to run for their lives. But their flight was in
vain; Joshua’s men chased them down until none were left alive.
And Joshua did come to fulfill what God said would happen: He
crippled the enemies’ horses and burned their chariots!
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After this, came the utter destruction of Hazor, the head of the
northern alliance of city-states. At Joshua’s command, the city, which
had been built on the mounds of ancient ruins, was burned to the
ground. There were no survivors.
As for the other cities that had been built on mounds, Israel utterly
destroyed all the inhabitants and took their precious treasures and
spoils.
With God’s deliverance, the Israelites had conquered 31 of the
kings who ruled kingdoms on the western side of the Jordan River.
After about seven years of military campaigns, Israel had finally come
to largely dominate the land of Canaan on both sides of the Jordan
(Joshua 11:7-23; 12:7-24).
Dividing the Promised Land
Joshua was now a very old man (about 100 years old). He had done
much in serving God and leading Israel to victory.
But God was not finished with His servant yet. There were still
pockets of land yet to be conquered and put fully under Israel’s control.
This included all the territory of the Philistines, who controlled a
strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea, as well as the Geshurites
and several other peoples.
However, God decided to go ahead and divide portions of the
Promised Land to the individual tribes of Israel. Nine and a half tribes
eagerly looked forward to receiving their inheritance. (Reuben, Gad
and the half-tribe of Manasseh had already received their portions
years earlier, over on the eastern side of the Jordan River.) The
Israelites used lots to seek God’s will in determine which piece of land
each tribe was to inherit.
However, the tribe of Levi, which contained the priesthood, was
dedicated to doing God’s work, such as maintaining the tabernacle and
tending to burnt offerings. The Levites did not inherit land; instead,
they received 48 cities, which were to be scattered throughout all the
tribes. The Levites were to set the daily example for the other tribes of
seeking God first.
After Ephraim and Manasseh received their portions of land, they
failed to completely rid themselves of the Canaanites who dwelled
there. Instead, representatives of these tribes complained to Joshua,
claiming that their inheritance wasn’t big enough.
“Not big enough? What about the forest wilderness where the
Perizzites and other Canaanites dwell? Take their land and clear it for
yourselves.”
36
The representatives of the tribes said, “But those Canaanites have
chariots of iron! We can’t drive them out!”
Joshua said, “What? Don’t you realize that you are a great and
powerful people? Don’t you remember how God has given victory
time and time again? Take the land and drive out these Canaanites.
God will fight your battles for you, but you must do your part!”
This is a vital lesson from which we can learn. God will fight all
our battles for us. But many times, He expects us to do certain things
to show that we trust Him. If God always did what we wanted, without
requiring any efforts of our own, we would not properly fear and
respect Him—which means we would not obey Him.
Ephraim, Manasseh and the rest of the tribes did not learn this lesson.
Ultimately, they failed to completely remove the Canaanites from
their lives (at best, they made some of them slaves, which was not
what God had wanted). The people of Canaan and their pagan, Sataninfluenced
way of life represented the way of sin. Sin is like poison—
even a little bit of it will kill you. Israel’s failure meant trouble and
misery for future generations of Israelites (Joshua 13-17).
Caleb Claims God’s Promise
When it came time for the tribe of Judah to come to Gilgal and receive
their share of the inheritance, Caleb was among them. Of all the people
of Israel, Caleb and Joshua were the only ones to have come out of
Egypt. The other Israelites had been born during the 40-year march out
in the barren wilderness.
At 85 years of age, Caleb was a faithful and long-time servant of
God. He came before Joshua, Eleazar the high priest, and the heads of
the tribes of Israel and spoke to them.
“Forty-five years ago, Moses sent forth twelve men to spy out the
Promised Land. Ten of those men brought back false reports, causing
God’s people to panic and rebel against Him. But Joshua and I reported
the good things about the Promised Land—that even though it was
occupied with fierce enemies, Israel could overtake them all, even the
giants. All we had to do was put our trust in God.
“Because Joshua and I showed faith, Moses made a promise to us—
that we would be allowed to enter the Promised Land. I am now here to
claim my portion of the inheritance, which God promised to me and my
descendants.
“Though I am old and gray, I am still as strong as I was 45 years ago.
Give me the mountain region of Hebron, where the Anakim, the descendants
of giants, dwell. With God’s help, I will drive them all out.”
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The leaders of Israel were touched and impressed by Caleb’s bold
request. They could see that this was a man full of courage and faith.
Joshua recognized Caleb’s claim to the land of Hebron and gave Caleb
his blessing (Joshua 14:6-15).
Now that Hebron was given to him, Caleb went out to take possession
of it. Without hesitation, he and his family attacked and drove
out the three families of Anak. Then he set out to conquer the people
of Debir.
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After Joshua’s death, Caleb assumed the
role of Israel’s physical leader.
Caleb turned to his countrymen and made a bold challenge: “Any
man who is courageous enough to overtake the city of Debir, to him I
will give the hand of my beautiful daughter Achsah for marriage.”
One man who stepped up to the challenge was Othniel. He was the
son of Caleb’s brother. Relying fully on God, Othniel led his troops to
overtake the city and drive out its inhabitants.
Well pleased, Caleb kept his word. Othniel and Achsah were married.
Caleb and the other leaders of Judah were impressed by Othniel’s
leadership and bravery. They could tell that God was preparing this
young man to be used for a special purpose (Joshua 15:13-17).
Unfortunately, not all of Judah learned from Caleb and Othniel’s
example of totally removing their enemies from the land. Like the rest
of the tribes, Judah did not drive out pockets of Canaanites who stubbornly
held on to the territory, such as the Jebusites, who maintained
firm control over Jerusalem (verse 63).
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Caleb and Joshua looked back on their forty days of scouting
the Promised Land, and the amazing things they found…
Joshua Receives His
Inheritance
God remembered His promise
to Joshua, His long-time servant,
because, along with
Caleb, Joshua had shown faith
in speaking well of the
Promised Land years ago. He
decided to give to Joshua and
his descendants their own portion
of the inheritance.
Joshua, who came from the
tribe of Ephraim, asked for
Timnath Serah, which was in
the mountains of Ephraim’s
territory. There, he built a city
in which to live (Joshua 19:49-
50).
Homeward Bound
The Israelites had come a long
way. Decades ago, they were
slaves in Egypt, toiling under
the sun while making bricks of clay and straw. Their miserable lives
had been transformed by God, who freed them from their Egyptian
masters, and brought them through the barren wastelands, into
Canaan.
With the vast majority of the Canaanite kingdoms destroyed, God
had fulfilled His promise to deliver the Promised Land into the
Israelites’ hands. Now that twelve tribes had received their inheritance,
all Israel had to do was drive out the remaining strongholds of
Canaanites who still dwelled in the land (Joshua 21:43-45).
Since the land of Canaan was, for the most part, secure and under
Israel’s control, it was time for the soldiers of Reuben, Gad and the
half-tribe of Manasseh to journey back home. Their families were
waiting for them back in the territory east of the Jordan River.
Joshua called the soldiers to come before him at Shiloh, which was
where God’s tabernacle now resided. The seat of Israel’s government
had been transferred from Gilgal to Shiloh (Joshua 18:1).
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…including
giant men and
great warriors.
Joshua said to them, “You have kept your word and have fought
valiantly with your brother tribes. With your help, the Promised Land
is now ours. You may now go home.”
The soldiers cheered and clapped and jumped up and down with
joy.
“But remember this,” Joshua warned. “Be careful to keep all of
God’s laws, walk in His ways, and hold fast to His commandments.
Always put God first—do not forget Him. Serve God with all your
heart and being.”
Joshua also reminded them to share their many spoils of war with
their fellow tribesmen, who stayed behind back in the east to protect
their families and work the farmlands. During the years they had
fought alongside their brother Israelites, the soldiers of Reuben, Gad
and the half-tribe of Manasseh had collected many precious treasures:
Cattle, silver, gold, brass, iron and fine clothes, as well as swords,
shields and other valuable weapons (Joshua 22:1-9).
Sobered by these words, the soldiers nodded. Upon receiving
Joshua’s blessing, the men bid farewell to the leaders of Israel and
their fellow countrymen, and departed for home.
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CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
ON THE VERGE
OF CIVILWAR
Sometime later, after the two and one-half tribes had left, a bad
report began to spread among God’s people: Agreat altar had been
built over by the Jordan River! The Israelites knew that it was against
God’s law to have more than one altar of worship in the land.
Sacrifices and burnt offerings were to be made only on the altar at
God’s tabernacle, in Shiloh. Threes times a year, during the Days of
Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Firstfruits (also known as Pentecost)
and the Feast of Tabernacles, representatives from all the tribes of
Israel—both west and east of the Jordan—were to come before God’s
tabernacle and present their offerings.
Fingers pointed to Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
Some people said, “They must be planning to worship other gods on
this altar of theirs!”
“We can’t let that happen. God will surely curse all of us for this
sin!”
Men from all the tribes west of the Jordan River assembled at
Shiloh and prepared to make war with the tribes in the east.
Joshua knew better than to jump to conclusions. Years ago, he had
learned a very sore and bitter lesson when he had assumed that the
Gibeonites were foreigners from a far-off country and not a part of the
Canaanites. Because of this mistake, Israel was forced to keep the
Gibeonites alive, as slaves.
This caused many Israelites to think, “It’s too hard to get rid of
these Canaanites in our land. Let’s make them our slaves instead, like
we did with the Gibeonties.” But this was not want God had wanted.
Realizing that Israel was about to curse itself with a bloody and
savage civil war, Joshua calmed the crowds who shouted for war.
He said to the people, “Before we commit ourselves to a horrible
bloodbath that will take the lives of many thousands, we need to get
the full facts. I will send Phineas, son of Eleazar the high priest, to
travel to the land of Gilead and speak with the tribes of the east. A
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leader from each of our western tribes will go with him. We must not
jump to the wrong conclusions, as we did with the Gibeonites. We
must let God’s wisdom guide us to get the full truth of this matter—
before we do something we will later regret.”
All the people, even the ones who screamed for war the loudest,
saw the wisdom in Joshua’s calming words.
Accusations and Misunderstandings
The leaders of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh were surprised
by the arrival of Phineas and the rulers of the western tribes of
Israel. They hurried to prepare a great feast for their guests, but
Phineas and the rulers said, “Now is not the time for feasting. We have
important matters to discuss.”
The leaders of the eastern tribes were puzzled, especially when
they took note of the frowns and scowls on the faces of their visitors.
They could tell that this would not be a pleasant, friendly visit.
Phineas spoke up: “What treachery is this against God? Why are
you turning away from Him by building for yourselves an altar of
worship? Do you remember the iniquity of Peor, when some of our
men caroused with pagan women, and ended up serving their false
gods? The Eternal punished Israel for those men’s sins, taking the
lives of 24,000 people with a plague. If you rebel against the Eternal
your God, He will be angry with all of Israel. We will all suffer
because of your sin.
“We realize that your territory is separated from the rest of Israel
by the Jordan River. Perhaps you feel that your portion of the inheritance
is unclean and not truly a part of the Promised Land. If so, cross
over and come to God’s tabernacle at Shiloh. Take possession among
us; we will share the land with you. Only do not rebel against the
Eternal your God by building for yourselves an altar of worship.
“Remember that when Achan sinned, stealing from God the forbidden
treasures of Jericho, his sin brought God’s wrath down upon all
of us. Achan did not die alone—many Israelites suffered because of
him.”
The leaders of the eastern tribes had been silent throughout
Phineas’ speech. What he had said shocked them. Their brother
Israelites had just accused them of rebellion and worshipping false
gods!
As soon as Phineas was finished speaking, the men spoke up to
their defense: “The Eternal is God of all gods. None is greater than
Him. If we have built this altar to turn from following God or to rebel
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against Him and the other tribes of Israel, let God Himself require an
account from us.
“Here is the real reason we built this altar: It is to serve as a
reminder for generations to come—nothing more!
“Suppose your descendants said to ours, ‘You’re not really a part
of Israel. That’s why God set the Jordan River as a border between
your people and ours. You have no part in God!’ If this were to happen,
your descendants might cause ours to stop fearing God. They
would then seek false gods and become like the pagan Canaanites.
“We did not build the altar to make burnt offerings and sacrifices.
We built it to serve as a witness and a reminder between you and us
and between our future generations. The altar is to remind everyone
that we must serve God and offer sacrifices at His tabernacle. In this
way, no one will be able to deny us of our responsibility.”
Phineas and the western leaders of Israel were greatly relieved.
Now that they had gathered all the facts, they knew that there was no
need to start a civil war.
Phineas said, “God is truly among us, for you have not sinned or
rebelled against Him.”
Everyone rejoiced together and feasted. Afterward, Phineas and the
others journeyed back to Shiloh, and told Joshua and the rest of Israel
the good news (Joshua 22:10-34).
44
Fearing that the eastern tribes had built an altar for pagan worship,
Phineas warned of the consequences of sinning against God.
Joshua Warns Israel
When Joshua reached 110 years of age, he assembled the elders,
princes, judges and officers of Israel, and spoke before them:
“The day of my death is near. Listen to me, and heed my words
after I am gone.
“You have seen all that God has done to our enemies—how that
Israel has had success after success because the Eternal has fought our
battles for us. The Promised Land has been divided among the twelve
tribes, with all the nations of Canaan cut off from opposing us.
45
“God will expel the pockets of Canaanites who remain among us;
then you shall have complete and total control of the land, as He has
promised.
“But you must do your part. Be confident, and keep and do all that
is written in the book of the law. Do not compromise with God’s way.
“Do not make peace with the remnant of the Canaanites. And do
not serve or worship their pagan gods—don’t even mention their
names.
“Always put the Eternal first in your life. Serve Him and Him only,
for He has driven out great and powerful nations from before you.
Because of God, not one of them has been able to stand up to you unto
this very day.
“If you continue to follow the Almighty, He will continue to bring
you success over your enemies. One man shall be able to chase a thousand.
Why?—because the Eternal your God fights your battles for
you, as He has promised. All you need to do is trust Him. Therefore,
make sure that you love God with all your heart and being. Always
serve Him and Him only.
“Otherwise, if you forget your God and make peace with the
pagans, marrying into their families and becoming like them, then
know this: God will not drive the rest of your enemies out from the
Promised Land. And they will become snares and traps to you, and
thorns in your eyes. This will continue until you perish from the land
the Eternal has given you.
“Behold, the day of my death is very near, so remember this: Of all
the good things that God has promised to us, not one has failed to
come true. Therefore, so shall God bring upon you all the evil things
He has promised, if you rebel against Him. These include destroying
you from this good land.
“If you break God’s covenant and go off to serve other gods (which
are not gods at all), God’s righteous anger shall be kindled against you
for your evil actions. And Israel shall suffer the consequences—therefore,
beware!” (Joshua 23).
A Rededication to God
At Shechem, Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel for one final
solemn meeting before he died. Once again, he gathered the elders,
heads, judges and officers of Israel to present themselves before God.
Joshua said, “Thus says the Eternal God of Israel: ‘Centuries ago,
Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived far away on the other
side of the Euphrates River. There, they served other gods. Then I
46
called Abraham and made him to be My servant. I led him throughout
all of Canaan, and gave him children, including Isaac.
“‘To Isaac I gave twin sons, Jacob and Esau. I gave Esau and his
descendants the mountains of Seir, but Jacob and his children went
down to Egypt.
“‘I sent Moses and Aaron to be My representatives. And I struck
Egypt’s pride with ten miraculous plagues, bringing you up out of
slavery. After I delivered you from Egypt, I brought you to the Red
Sea. There, you were trapped between the sea, the mountains and the
onslaught of Pharaoh’s army. Your fathers cried out to Me, and I intervened.
I separated you and the Egyptians with darkness. Then I parted
the Red Sea, providing you a way of escape—and setting a trap to
crush Pharaoh’s soldiers under the waves of the sea.
“‘After dwelling in the wilderness for many years, I brought you to
the eastern side of the Promised Land. The Amorites, who dwelled
there, fought with you, but I delivered them into your hands, so that
you might possess their lands. I destroyed them from before you.
“‘Then Balak, king of Moab, conspired against you to destroy you.
He sent for Balaam, the false prophet, to pronounce a curse upon My
people. But I would not listen to Balaam. Instead, I used him to bless
you, and so you were delivered from his hands.
“‘Then you crossed the Jordan River and came to the city of
Jericho. The men of Jericho and all the other nations and peoples of
Canaan tried to oppose you, but I delivered them all into your hands.
I am the One who drove them out from before you like hornets—not
you and your sword and other weapons.
“‘Now this land is yours. I have given you a land you did not labor
for, and cities you did not build. Dwell in them, and eat of the vineyards
and olive groves, which you did not plant. The Eternal has spoken.’”
The people considered the seriousness of these words as they
remembered how far they had come in life.
Breaking the silence, Joshua spoke: “Now therefore, fear and serve
God. Put away the pagan gods that your fathers served on the other
side of the Euphrates and down in Egypt. Serve the Eternal only!
“If it seems evil to you to serve God, choose this day whom you
will serve—whether the gods that your fathers worshipped or the gods
of the Canaanites. But as for me and my house, we will serve the
Eternal!”
The people said, “God brought us out of Egypt, and out from the
cruel bonds of slavery. He did awesome works and wonderful signs
before our eyes. He preserved us during our march to the Promised
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Land, and drove out the people who lived here. Far be it from us to
forsake the Eternal to serve other gods. We, too, will serve Him, for
He is our God.”
“Don’t be so sure of yourselves,” said Joshua. “You cannot serve
God unless you continually forsake all other gods. For the Eternal is a
jealous God; He will not tolerate the worship of idols and foreign
gods. If you forsake the Eternal and serve other gods, He will harm
and even destroy you, just as surely as He has done you good.”
But all the people insisted, “We will serve the Eternal!”
Joshua said, “Then you are witnesses against yourselves this very
day—that you have chosen the Eternal as your God, to serve Him
always.”
“Yes! Yes!” they shouted. “We are witnesses!”
“Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, idols that the
remaining Canaanites worship in your lands. Turn your heart and
affection to the God of Israel.”
They agreed, saying, “Yes, we will serve the Eternal and obey His
voice.”
Satisfied with their response, Joshua made a covenant with Israel,
making a statute and ordinance in Shechem. Then he wrote down the
words into the Book of the Law of God. He also took a large stone and
set it under an oak tree by the sanctuary of God. The stone served as
a witness to Israel, to remind the people of their promise to fully serve
and obey God.
And so the people returned to their own territories (Joshua 24:1-
28).
The Death of Two Faithful Servants of God
Not long afterward, Joshua died. He was buried in the land of his
inheritance, at Timnath Serah in Ephraim. Due to his faithful and obedient
example, Israel served the Eternal all the days of Joshua’s life,
as well as throughout all the days of the elders of Israel who outlived
him.
Some time later, Eleazar, son of Aaron and the high priest of Israel,
also died. His faithful son Phineas took his place as high priest (Joshua
24:29-31, 33).
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CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
A NEW GENERATION
Deeply saddened by the death of Joshua, a great servant of God,
the people of Israel remembered their promise to dedicate their
lives to serving the Eternal and to drive out the remaining Canaanites
from the Promised Land.
Representatives from all the tribes came to God’s tabernacle at
Shiloh to see Phineas, Israel’s high priest. They boldly said to him,
“We are ready to keep our promise. Which one of Israel’s tribes should
be first to march into battle and begin driving out the enemy?”
Through Phineas, God gave His answer: “Judah shall go into battle
first. Indeed, I have already delivered the land into Judah’s hand.
All they need to do is to fully take it.”
Upon hearing God’s decision, the people of Judah gladly stepped
up to the challenge, hungry for battle. Judah was the tribe that led the
way during Israel’s march through the wilderness. When it came to
facing the enemy and fighting to the death, Judah was used to taking
the lead in marching into battle.
Since the tribe of Simeon’s territory was situated within the borders
of Judah’s territory, Judah asked the people of Simeon to join them in
their war campaign. “In return for your help,” they said, “we will help
you drive out the Canaanites who are still in your land.”
Simeon quickly agreed.
This new alliance between the brother tribes pleased God, who is
always pleased when brothers live and work together in peace and
unity (Psalm 133).
Judah and Simeon March
Once the war campaign began, God greatly blessed Judah and Simeon
with success. The Canaanites and Perizzites were either destroyed or
fleeing for their lives.
But there was one pagan warlord who refused to give up—Adoni-
Bezek, an infamous king who ruled over the powerful city-state of
49
Bezek. His evil reputation was known throughout the land: He often
boasted about cutting off the toes and thumbs of 70 kings, using these
body parts as table scraps for his dogs! He did this to humiliate them
and to make them useless in battle. Without thumbs, the kings could
no longer grip their swords and defend themselves in battle. And without
toes, they could no longer march into battle or firmly stand their
ground against enemy soldiers on the battlefield.
Adoni-Bezek ruled his subjects with cruelty and wickedness. He
and his people had no intention of giving up the land to the Israelites,
so they stubbornly resisted them.
But Judah and Simeon were just as determined. They launched an
attack against Bezek, conquering the city and destroying 10,000 men.
They even captured Adoni-Bezek!
When the infamous warlord was brought before Judah and
Simeon’s leaders, there was little talk about what to do with him.
Some said, “Kill him and hang his body on a tree, like Joshua did
in the past.”
But someone else said, “No, that’s too good for him. Let’s treat him
the way he treated those 70 kings.”
The tribal leaders quickly agreed, and
Adoni-Bezek’s thumbs and toes were cut
off. Humiliated, the captured warlord
admitted, “God has repaid me for what I
have done to other kings.”
Judah and Simeon then attacked the city
of Jerusalem, bringing Adoni-Bezek along
as their prisoner. In the aftermath, all of its
defiant inhabitants were killed and
Jerusalem was burned to the ground. There,
Adoni-Bezek died.
Jerusalem was in the territory of
Benjamin (Joshua 18:11, 21, 28), which
bordered Judah. Though Judah had
destroyed the city and driven out the
Canaanites there, Benjamin failed to take
full control of its territory. And, because
they did not quickly come in, rebuild
Jerusalem and occupy it, the Jebusites did
so. They stubbornly resisted Benjamin’s
attempts to get them to leave (Judges 1:21).
Next, Judah and Simeon headed southward
to drive out the enemies dwelling
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there, and in the mountains and lowlands. Victory after victory was
handed to them, thanks to God (Judges 1:1-9).
God Fulfills a Promise
Living peaceably with the people of Judah were the Kenites. They
descended from Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law. Many years ago, when
Moses was leading Israel on the march through the wilderness, he had
asked Hobab, Jethro’s son, to stay with them. Moses wanted to rely on
Hobab’s knowledge of the land and the desert. In return, Moses promised
to Hobab, his family and descendants a portion of the Promised
Land. Hobab agreed to Moses’ terms (Numbers 10:29-32).
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After some time, God fulfilled Moses’ promise to
the Kenites, and gave them the City of Palms.
God now decided to fulfill Moses’ promise by giving the Kenites,
the descendants of Jethro and Hobab, the City of Palms. Located amid
the ruins of Jericho, this was a precious oasis of springs and palm
trees.
Now it was time for Judah to help Simeon get rid of the Canaanites
living in its allotted territory. Together, they attacked the city of
Zephath, utterly destroying it. Its name was then changed to Hormah.
Next, they attacked and defeated the Philistine kingdoms of Gaza,
Ashkelon and Ekron and all their territories, situated along the coast
of the Mediterranean Sea. Clearly, God was with Judah and Simeon.
However, though they did remove the enemy in the mountains,
they failed to fully get rid of the Canaanites in the lowlands.
Unfortunately, they fell back on excuses: “They have better
weapons than we do—many chariots of iron pulled by war horses!
Our swords and shields are no match for them. And we are not allowed
to have many horses.” Long ago, God had forbidden Israel to multiply
for themselves horses of war (Deuteronomy 17:16). The Eternal wanted
His people to completely rely upon Him for victory against their
foes—not on physical weapons.
Yet, despite all the successes the Eternal had blessed them with, the
carnal-minded Israelites still could not find it within themselves to
fully trust their God. Instead, they allowed fear and human reasoning
to get in the way and guide their thinking. Being physical-minded,
they put their trust in what they could see instead of in the one true
God whom they could not see (Judges 1:16-19).
Conquering Bethel
Now it was the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh’s turn to fully remove
the Canaanites from their lands. Guided by God, they decided to
attack the city of Beth (formerly known as Luz). This was the place
where, many years earlier, God spoke to Jacob in a dream, promising
to give him and his descendants the land of Canaan. Jacob had
changed Luz’s name to Bethel, which means “House of God” (Genesis
28:10-19).
A scouting party, sent by Ephraim and Manasseh to spy on Bethel
to study its strengths and weaknesses, spotted a man and his family
sneaking out from the city’s walls.
The leader of the scouting party said, “That man must have come
out of the city from a secret entrance. If he shows us where it is, our
troops can sneak into Bethel and attack it from within.”
Surrounding the man and his family, the Israelites said, “Show us
52
how you got out of the city, and we will have mercy on you.”
The man took note of his captors’ sharp swords and determined faces.
Fearing for the safety of his family, the man did not hesitate to agree.
With the man’s help, the Israelites captured Bethel.
The Israelite scouting party kept their word and let the man go. He
moved his family to the land of the Hittites and built a city, calling it Luz
(Judges 1:22-26).
Failure After So Many Victories
Like Judah, Simeon and Benjamin, Ephraim and Manasseh failed to
completely remove all the Canaanites from their territories. The tribes
of Asher, Naphtali and Zebulun failed, too.
In fact, Manasseh and Zebulun compromised; they put the
Canaanites under forced labor: “If we can’t get rid of these
Canaanites, we’ll make them our slaves.”
But this did not remove the problem—it only created more problems,
such as making their enemies even more hostile and deeply bitter.
Future generations of Israelites would suffer from this built-up
hatred. This was one of the reasons why God wanted the Canaanites
utterly destroyed—only then could His people live in lasting peace
throughout the land (Judges 1:27-33).
Dan, the smallest of the Israelite tribes, lacked enough faith to
claim God’s promise to help them totally defeat all their enemies. In
fact, the Amorites forced the Danites to flee up into the mountains,
cutting them off from the rich farmlands down in the valley.
Ephraim and Manasseh came to Dan’s aid, but in the end, they only
managed to force the Amorites into hard labor (verses 34-35).
Although the Israelites may have had good intentions, they were
still carnal-minded. Only a handful of special men and women were
blessed to have God’s Holy Spirit working within their minds. The
vast majority of the people did not have this special power from
God—and without it, it was impossible to fully trust God and defeat
all their enemies.
Israel’s Cycle of Rebellion
Eventually, the generation of Israelites who were born during Israel’s
march in the wilderness and were delivered into the Promised Land
had all died.
A new generation arose who did not remember all the signs and
wonders of God (the pillars of cloud and fire, the parting of the Jordan
53
River, God making the sun stand still, and so forth). Perhaps their parents
had failed to teach and remind them of all that the Eternal had
done for His people. Whatever the case, this new generation of
Israelites did not appreciate God, nor did they fear and respect His
great power. As a result, they did not obey Him.
Because Israel’s former generation foolishly allowed the
Canaanites and other pagan nations to live among them, their children,
now adults, desired to serve the false gods of the land. The world still
worships them to this day—they are the gods of Christmas, Easter,
Halloween and other pagan holidays, which the one true God hates.
Deceived by Satan the devil, the Israelites allowed their minds to
be swayed by the tinsel and glitter of ancient pagan religions, which
had been invented centuries earlier by Nimrod, soon after the Great
Flood.
Israel wanted to serve and worship these false gods; the people
made excuses, saying, “We need to be more open-minded, and worship
the gods of the people around us.” They wanted to be just like all
the other people in the world.
This made God angry. After all He had done for them, God was so
easily forgotten by His people.
To teach them a lesson, and to bring them to repent and cry out to
Him, God sold Israel into their enemy’s hands. Whenever Israel tried
to fight against them, God would not give His people the victory—in
fact, He fought against them! Soon, their enemies began to get the
upper hand over the Israelites, taking back towns, villages and farmlands.
Israel was under great distress (Judges 2:10-15).
But God did not completely abandon Israel. He truly did want His
people to repent so that they would keep His laws and taste success.
So God raised up special servants called judges, or deliverers. God,
the ultimate Judge and Deliverer, used these human judges to deliver
His people from constant persecution and the oppressive hand of their
enemies.
But Israel would not listen to God’s judges—at least not for very
long. The Israelites entered into a miserable cycle of (1) rebelling
against God, (2) suffering by the hand of the Canaanites as God used
them as His tool of punishment, (3) crying out to God and repenting, (4)
being rescued by God, (5) obeying Him, and then (6) rebelling against
God all over again. The cycle went this way for many generations.
Israel’s problem was that the people would not cease from doing
whatever they wanted to do. Like Adam and Eve, they wanted to judge
for themselves right from wrong. But only God can do this. Stiffnecked
Israel stubbornly refused to obey their Creator (verses 16-19).
54
God’s anger grew to be so hot, He decided to no longer drive the
Canaanites out of the Land of Promise. Instead, He decided to use
them to test His people, to see whether Israel would seek Him and
strive to keep His commandments and ways (verses 20-23).
55
CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
EHUD AND
THE KING OF MOAB
This new generation of Israel was spoiled and rebellious. They had
forgotten all that God had done for them. So God decided to teach
His people about the harsh realities of war. He did this to put them in
dire situations from the constant attacks of their enemies. This would
bring Israel to cry out to God and seek His help. God used war to
maintain Israel’s military readiness and to test them to see if they
would obey His voice and keep His commandments (Judges 3:1-4).
To carry out His plan, God used the five overlords of the
Philistines, as well as all the Canaanites, Sidonians and Hivites who
lived in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-Hermon to Hamath.
The Philistines are enemies of Israel even to this day. They are regularly
mentioned in world news reports on television, radio and in
newspapers. They are now known as the Palestinians.
Israel’s First Judge
Since Israel decided to ignore God’s command to utterly destroy all
their enemies, the Israelites compromised with them instead. They
intermarried with pagan races, many times in order to make peace
treaties and political alliances. This led Israel to accept the customs,
practices and beliefs of the land—including serving foreign gods, such
as Molech (whom the people of Ammon worshipped by sometimes
offering their children as human sacrifices). Israel began to put their
trust in other nations and in the false gods they served. And so, the
Israelites rejected their God, the One who had freed them from slavery
and brought them out of Egypt.
Hot with anger, God sold His rebellious people into the ruthless
hands of Chusan-Rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia. His kingdom was
outside of Canaan, far to the east in the region of the Tigris and
Euphrates rivers. The army of the king of Mesopotamia invaded the
Promised Land and overran the Israelites, forcing the people to pay
56
heavy tribute of precious jewels and metals. For eight years, the
Israelites suffered under his oppressive rule.
Finally, like they had done back in the days of Egypt, they cried out
to the Eternal God of their fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They
thought back to their childhood and remembered the stories their parents
and grandparents used to tell them—of all God’s awesome signs
and marvelous wonders, and how He had enabled Israel, a former
nation of slaves, to conquer hordes of Canaanite nations. So the people
cried out to God—especially when they realized that their adopted
false gods could do nothing to save them.
Though He did not have to, God had mercy on Israel. He deeply
cared about and cherished them. He wanted them to fully experience
the happiness, peace and prosperity that come from obeying Him.
Responding to their constant, heartfelt pleas for help, God raised up a
judge to deliver the Israelites from their plight.
From the tribe of Judah, He chose Othniel, nephew and son-in-law
of Caleb. With God’s Spirit leading him, Othniel gathered men coura-
57
The pagan nations surrounding
Israel practiced ceremonies that
were abominations in God’s sight.
geous enough to follow him into battle. He led his army up against the
king of Mesopotamia and his forces, defeating them.
All the Israelites shouted for joy and praised God for the victory.
They gladly followed Othniel’s leadership for the next 40 years.
Because Othniel was a righteous man, he set the right example
throughout his life. As a result, the people obeyed God, leading to 40
years of peace, without fear of oppression from outsiders (Judges 3:5-
11).
Delivering a Message From God
After Othniel’s death, a new generation of Israelites arose. They forgot
about the one true God and ran after the false gods of the land.
They did not learn from the mistakes of the previous generation.
When He saw that His people were giving themselves over to
wickedness, God decided to teach Israel a sore lesson. He used Eglon,
king of Moab, to unite the armies of the Ammonites and the
Amalekites under his leadership.
“Together, we shall overrun these Hebrews,” Eglon boasted. “We
shall make them bow down to us and be our slaves.”
The newly-formed Moabite alliance attacked the Israelites,
oppressing God’s people, making their lives bitter and miserable.
They even took the City of Palms away from the Kenites (Judges
3:12-13).
For 18 long years, the Israelites lived under King Eglon’s frequent
oppression.
Once again, Israel remembered their God and cried out to Him.
Wanting to show them mercy, the Eternal answered their desperate
pleas by raising another deliverer. His name was Ehud, from the tribe
of Benjamin.
Inspired by God, Ehud came up with a plan. He knew that Eglon
expected the Israelites to regularly pay him a tribute of riches.
According to ancient customs, this involved a flashy ceremony, in
which a parade of Israelites would present their gift to the king.
Ehud put his plan into action: He joined the parade, which was held
at Eglon’s royal palace, and masqueraded as one of the presenters of
the king’s tribute. During the ceremony, Ehud took note of how many
guards were on watch and memorized the layout of the palace.
Eglon took great delight by this spectacle—especially when he
received the tribute present. He boasted to his servants and men of war
about his power. “These Israelites know how to put on a good show.
Perhaps that’s all they’re really good for,” he laughed. His men
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laughed with him. The king was so fat that when he laughed, his body
shook like gelatin.
When the ceremony presenters departed for home, Ehud went with
them, but he only went as far as the quarries at Gilgal. Then he slipped
back to Eglon’s palace.
Coming to the front gate, he said to the guards, “I have a message
for the king.”
The guards stared at him, then sneered, “Tell us the message. The
king is too busy to be bothered by a Hebrew dog.”
“This message is special—it is from God. Only the king has the
privilege to hear it.”
Reluctantly, the guards escorted Ehud to the king’s private chambers.
Surrounded by servants and aides, Eglon spotted his guards escorting
Ehud into the room, and said, “What is this thing you bring before
me?”
The guards said, “He claims to have a message from God.”
Ehud stepped forward. “That is correct, my lord. God has given me
a special message for you.”
Eglon leaned forward in his chair. “Well, then, speak.”
“This message is for your ears only, my lord. Only you are worthy
enough to hear it.”
The king saw that Ehud was not carrying a sword, but had his
guards search him anyway. Assuming that Ehud was right-handed like
most people, the guards only searched the left side of his body. Most
people were (and still are today) right-handed. This meant that most
people who carried swords and knives had them strapped to the left
side of their bodies, along the torso or left hip. This was so they could
reach for their weapon in one swift motion.
But Ehud was left-handed! So he was used to carrying his weapon
on the right side of his body. Knowing that he would be searched,
Ehud did not carry a sword; he had an 18-inch, double-edged dagger
strapped to his right thigh and hidden under his clothing. The king’s
guards did not find Ehud’s weapon.
Satisfied that Ehud did not pose a threat to him, Eglon dismissed
his guards and servants.
When they had left the room, the king said to Ehud, “Alright then,
we are alone. This better be good. What is this special message of
God?”
Ehud approached the king and said, “Here is God’s message.” He
then reached into his robes with his left hand.
Eglon thought, “Perhaps this is another gift.”
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But he was sorely wrong! Ehud drew out his 18-inch dagger and
thrust it into the king’s huge belly. It went in so deep that even the handle
sank into Eglon’s fat, gelatin-like body. Ehud left the dagger inside
the wicked king, who died in horrible pain.
Not wanting to get caught by the king’s men, Ehud locked the doors
to Eglon’s private chambers, and then escaped outside from the porch.
Some time after Ehud had escaped, the king’s servants came to
Eglon’s private chambers to attend to their master. They were somewhat
surprised that the doors were locked from the inside.
60
Ehud delivered a
deadly message
to Eglon.
One said, “Perhaps he is busy relieving himself.”
“Yes,” another agreed. “We better not disturb him.”
So they waited. And waited. And waited some more. The servants
all waited a long time outside the king’s private chambers before they
mustered up enough courage to check on their master.
Nervously, one of the servants used a key to unlock the doors, then
peeked inside and saw Eglon’s lifeless body lying on the floor (Judges
3:14-25).
“Guards!” he screamed. “Guards, come at once! Someone has
killed our king!”
Rallying the Troops
Ehud had made his escape over the Jordan River and headed for
Seirah, which was up in the mountains of Ephraim. There, he took a
trumpet and sounded the alarm to assemble. All the Israelites who
heard the trumpet blasts came down from the mountains and assembled
before Ehud.
Everyone in the throngs of people was curious and asked questions
of each other.
“What is this about? Why has this man called for us to assemble?
What’s the emergency?”
Standing before them, Ehud addressed his restless audience: “The
king of Moab is dead. God has delivered him into my hands. Now follow
me into battle, and the Eternal will deliver your enemies into your
hands!”
The news of wicked Eglon’s death caused the Israelites to cheer,
and praise God. They readily banded together into one fighting force,
united under Ehud’s command.
Ehud led his troops down to the fords of the Jordan River, seizing
control of the area. They then set up a defense barrier so that the
Moabites could not cross over the river. When the enemies tried to do
just that, Ehud and his soldiers slew 10,000 of them—not one escaped
from the Israelites’ hands.
This was a great victory for Israel, for God had rescued them from
this tyranny and oppression. And, following Ehud’s righteous leadership
and example, Israel went back to serving God. For the next 80
years, the Eternal gave His people peace and security (Judges 3:26-
30).
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CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
DEBORAH AND BARAK
After Ehud died, God raised up another deliverer, over at the western
end of the Promised Land. His name was Shamgar. He fought
against the five overlords of the Philistines, killing 600 of their men
with an ox goad, a simple farming instrument. It was a long pole,
about eight to ten feet in length and about six inches around. It had a
metal tip at one end, used to prod or turn oxen; at the other end was a
flat curved blade, used for cleaning plows (Judges 3:31).
A new generation of Israelites arose after Ehud’s death. They had
forgotten this judge’s right example. Israel soon drifted back to worshipping
gods that did not exist. They also intermarried with God-hating
pagan nations, whom the Eternal had long ago commanded Israel
to utterly destroy.
God once again found that He had to teach His people to fear and
obey Him, which was the only way they could taste true success. So
God decided to use Jabin, king of Canaan, as His tool of Israel’s punishment.
Jabin, who reigned from the city of Hazor, sent 900 deadly ironwheeled
chariots along with a massive army to descend upon the
Israelites. Panic and terror seized the land. For the next 20 years, King
Jabin, with Sisera as his army commander, maintained brutal control
over the lives of the Israelites (Judges 4:1-3).
God Uses Deborah and Barak
Living under Jabin’s brutal whims and dictates caused the Israelites to
realize that their help would not come from their false gods. The people
grew restless. They needed relief from the constant pressure of fear
and persecution.
The people came to realize that there was someone who could rescue
them. They began to whisper among themselves, “Only the God
of our fathers can give us rest from our enemies.”
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As a faithful servant of God,
Deborah was a wise judge
and prophetess.
So the people turned to a God-fearing woman named Deborah, a
prophetess and judge whom God sometimes spoke to in order to
reveal His will.
The Israelites visited Deborah in the mountains of Ephraim,
between Ramah and Bethel, so that she might pray to God on their
behalf.
Once again, God took pity on them. He said to Deborah, “Send for
Barak, son of Abinoam. I have a special mission for him.”
Deborah sent messengers to Kedesh, which was in the allotted territory
of Naphtali, to send for Barak.
When he came before her, she said, “Listen to the words of the
Eternal God of Israel: ‘Go gather 10,000 warriors from the tribe of
Naphtali and Zebulun, and get ready to do battle at Mount Tabor. I
shall bring Sisera, commander of Jabin’s army, against you. I shall
bring you victory over his chariots of iron and his fighting force, and
I will deliver Sisera into your hands at the River Kishon.’”
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When Deborah had finished delivering God’s message, she
expected Barak to rush out to do God’s will. But Barak was afraid.
He did not trust God enough to believe that the Eternal would deliver
him from Jabin’s ruthless warriors.
He said to Deborah, “I will go…but only if you will go with me.
I know that God listens to you. If you won’t go, then I will not go
either.”
Unfortunately, Barak was suffering from spiritual short-sightedness.
He could not see the “big picture” of God’s Master Plan and
how he fit into it. Barak was more afraid of the physical enemy he
could see than the invisible God, whom he could not see.
Deborah was taken aback by Barak’s demand. She said, “Very
well, I will go with you. But mark this: You should have put your
faith in God, not in me, His servant, nor in any other human being.
You should be grateful that God has decided to still use you. Yet,
because you have let your fear get the best of you, Sisera’s life will
be taken by the hand of a woman. She will get the glory—not you!”
Barak lowered his head in shame. He realized that he had just
made a big mistake (Judges 4:4-9).
Spies Alert Sisera
Deborah accompanied Barak to Kedesh, where he assembled 10,000
soldiers from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun. These fighting men
were ready to clash swords and follow God’s lead into battle.
Living near Kedesh, at Zaanaim, was a man named Heber, a
Kenite. Heber had separated from his fellow Kenites, who were
friends of the Israelites, and he and his family became friendly with
King Jabin.
From a hiding place, Heber and a servant spied on the events taking
place in nearby Kedesh—the movement of troops, supplies and
weapons. Taking note of the 10,000-man army that Barak was assembling,
Heber said to his servant, “Israel must be planning to launch
an attack against Jabin.”
He sent messengers to report this to Sisera, the king’s general,
who was alarmed by the news.
“What? These Israelites actually think they can defeat my forces?
What folly! We’ll trample them down like mud!” Sisera quickly
gathered all of his troops, plus his 900 chariots and horses of war,
and marched up to Mount Tabor.
Everything was proceeding according to God’s plan.
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Sisera Tries to Hide
After God revealed to Deborah that Sisera’s army was on the way, she
told Barak, “The day of victory is at hand. Sisera and his troops are
on the march. God will give you success over Israel’s enemies!”
Greatly encouraged, Barak led his men to march down from
Mount Tabor to meet Sisera’s troops at the River Kishon.
Soon, the opposing forces faced each other on the battlefield.
Sisera gave the command to charge, and his men, hungering to shed
blood, wholeheartedly obeyed. The pagan warriors shouted heartgripping
screams as they charged forward toward the Israelites.
Though they did not see Him, God intervened. He caused Sisera’s
deadly iron-wheeled chariots to break down and fly apart. Their drivers
were thrown out into the battlefield, only to be trampled to death
by their horses, which tripped over and collided into each other.
Witnessing the confusion and disorder before them, Sisera’s foot
soldiers panicked, and then fled for their lives. Barak and his men
chased after them, hunting them down even back to their home base
at Harosheth Hagoyim. By the time the battle was finished, all of
Sisera’s warriors were utterly destroyed—not one man was left alive.
But Sisera managed to slip away from the chaos of the battlefield.
Looking for a place to hide, he headed for the tent of Heber the
Kenite. Heber was away, but his wife Jael was at home.
“Quick, hide me. The people of Israel are looking for me—they
could be here any moment!”
Jael offered to hide Sisera in her tent. In ancient times, men were
not permitted to intrude into the tents of women. Sisera accepted her
offer and hid there.
As she covered him with a blanket, he asked for a little water to
quench his thirst. He was exhausted from having to run for his life.
Wanting him to relax and feel at ease, Jael opened a jug of fresh milk
and gave him a drink.
Then Sisera said to her, “Stand guard at the tent’s entrance while
I rest. If anyone comes and asks if a man is in your tent, tell them
‘no.’”
Jael nodded obediently, saying, “Do not worry. You are safe here.”
She then stood outside the tent and waited for her guest to fall fast
asleep.
When she finally heard his soft snoring coming from beneath his
blanket, Jael sneaked back into the tent and tip-toed over to him.
Then, taking a hammer, she hammered a long tent rail into the side of
Sisera’s skull, taking his life!
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Meanwhile, Barak and his men were hot on Sisera’s trail, which led
to Heber’s encampment of tents. There, Barak was met by Jael.
“We’re looking for Sisera, the commander of King Jabin’s army.
His trail ends here—where is he?”
Calmly, Jael led Barak to her tent, explaining to him what she had
just done. Upon seeing Sisera’s lifeless body, Barak understood that
God had kept His word—Sisera’s life had been taken by the hand of a
woman (Judges 4:14-22).
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While Sisera slept, Jael
drove a tent spike
through his head.
The Midianites Take Revenge
Learning of the destruction of Sisera and his army, King Jabin knew
that his days were numbered.
The Israelites rallied around Barak’s spectacular victory, becoming
stronger and more united under God. They soon came to utterly
destroy Jabin and his kingdom (Judges 4:23-24).
To thank God for freeing Israel from Jabin’s tyrannical rule,
Deborah and Barak, inspired by the Holy Spirit, sang a triumph song
of thanks and praise (Judges 5).
For the next 40 years, the Israelites experienced peace in the land.
A new generation of Israel arose after Deborah and Barak had
died—an ungrateful generation who forgot about their righteous
examples and what God had done for His people. This new generation
turned their backs on God, rejecting Him to serve false gods and their
carved images. Once again, carnal-minded Israel sold out God’s laws
to follow after the wicked practices, customs and traditions of the
pagans.
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To restore Israel back to worshipping Him and to keep them from
destroying themselves, God knew He had to punish His people again.
This time, He used the Midianites, who resided at the eastern borders
of the Dead Sea. Their capital was Arnon.
Back in the time of Moses, the Midianites, along with Balaam the
false prophet, conspired with King Balak of Moab in trying to destroy
Israel. Since God did not allow Balaam to curse His people, Balaam
convinced the Midianites to use their women to charm and seduce the
men of Israel. Soon, the Israelites engaged in sinful relationships with
these foreign women—they even bowed down to their false gods!
This aroused God’s wrath. He sent a plague among the Israelites,
taking the lives of many.
Once the sin was removed, God commanded Israel to take revenge
on the Midianites by utterly destroying them all, except for little girls
and women who had never been in marriage-like relations with other
men. Israel did as they were commanded, slaying the Midianites—
including all five of their kings, plus Balaam—and taking for themselves
the treasures and spoils of war. They also burned down all of
their cities and strongholds.
For many generations, the Midianites sought revenge.
With God using them as His tool of punishment, the Midianites
overran the people of Israel, afflicting the Israelites more than any
other enemy thus far. Time grew so dark for Israel that many of the
people hid in caves and dens up in the mountains and were forced to
live like wild beasts, for they were no longer safe living in the lush,
fertile plains and valleys down below. And the Midianites hunted them
down, making their lives more miserable than ever before.
Israel’s suffering under the Midianites’ constant persecution caught
the attention of wandering hordes of pagan peoples, such as the
Amalekites and the descendants of Ishmael. Like vultures hungering
to feast on the dying and weak, they took advantage of Israel’s plight.
They joined the Midianites in regularly invading the Promised Land,
from the Jordan River in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west.
They would encamp in the plains and await the harvest. Each year, as
the Israelites struggled to gather enough fruits, vegetables and grains
to last them through winter, the Midianites and their allies would
swoop into the fields like locusts, taking whatever they could carry—
food, sheep, oxen, donkeys—virtually everything.
Lacking enough food, living in caves like wild animals, and not
being able to enjoy the Promised Land in peace and security, Israel
was at its worst point yet (Judges 6:1-6).
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CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE
GOD CALLS GIDEON
For seven years, God allowed Israel to suffer under the brutal hand
of the Midianites and their allies of wandering nations.
The stiff-necked, carnal-minded Israelites came to remember and
appreciate the peace, security and success they had once enjoyed.
Their hollow lives caused them to remember the wonderful benefits of
serving the Eternal God. So the people began to cry out to Him.
God loved and cherished His people. He deeply wanted the very
best for them. When they rejected Him, choosing to follow ways that
only bring misery, suffering and death, God knew that He had to set
their paths straight. This is why He punished them.
Sometimes, God allows bad things to happen to His people today.
He does this in order to get their attention—to wake them up from
drifting into pursuing the distractions of man’s world. Trials help
Christians to focus on the Eternal and His soon-coming kingdom.
Responding to the pleas of the people, God raised up a prophet (the
Bible does not reveal the man’s name). He sent His prophet to go up
to the caves and dens where they hid.
The people assembled before this man, wondering if God would
use him to answer their prayers. They all leaned forward to listen to
the prophet’s words.
The man said, “Thus says the Eternal God: ‘I brought you out of
Egypt, freeing you from slavery. I delivered you from Pharaoh’s cruel
and unjust hand and from all who ruthlessly oppressed you. I drove
out your enemies from before you and gave you their land—with
towns, villages, cities and farmlands waiting for you to occupy. I
warned you that I am the one true God—that you must not fear the
gods of the Canaanites, the idols of this land. You were to fear and
obey Me only. But you refused. You did not fear Me and you did not
listen to My voice.’”
The prophet said nothing more, but departed. His message caused
the bewildered Israelites to think about their rebellious behavior and
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attitudes. They began to appreciate the previous 40 years of peace that
God had blessed them with.
Many of the Israelites then began to wonder, “Will God forgive us
for our sins? Will He send another deliverer, as He did in the past?”
All of Israel waited for God to reveal what He would do next (Judges
6:7-10).
A Message From the Eternal
In the village of Ophrah, in the territory of Manasseh, there was a man
named Gideon, who was threshing wheat in a winepress. Normally,
this was done by using cattle to tread wheat on a threshing floor. But
Gideon did so with a winepress because he feared the Midianites. He
knew that they might swoop in at any moment and take away his
wheat. Gideon and his family desperately needed this crop, for there
was very little wheat left to harvest.
Gideon worked behind a tree so that he could not be seen. As he
raced to get the wheat ready so that he could then hide it from the
Midianites, he did not notice that a stranger had come and sat beneath
the tree. The stranger appeared to be a handsome, strong-looking man
who wore fine clothing, clean and crisp. He definitely did not look like
he had been living in a dirty cave.
The stranger said to him, “The Eternal is with you, Gideon, you
mighty man of valor!”
Gideon was surprised by the man’s presence and speech. Taking
note of the high quality and boldness of the stranger’s appearance,
Gideon wondered if he was in the presence of someone very important.
He said to him, “My lord, if the Eternal is with us, then why are we
cowering in caves like wild animals? Why do we flee at the first sight
of Midianite troops? Where are all of God’s miracles, which our
fathers told us about—how God brought us out of Egypt and freed us
from the bonds of slavery? The Eternal has forsaken us; He has delivered
my people into the hands of the Midianites.”
Gideon had grown tired of living in daily fear, feeling helpless and
without hope.
The stranger boldly said, “The Eternal is with you. Go in His might
and you shall deliver Israel from the Midianites! Have I not sent you?”
Gideon suddenly realized that he was speaking with the Messenger
of the Eternal. This Messenger was the One who would later be known
as Jesus Christ.
Gideon said to Him, “But how can I deliver Israel? My family is
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the least in the tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s
household. There’s nothing special about me.”
Unlike most people, Gideon did not think that he was better than
others. This meant that he had the right kind of attitude, the kind that
God looks for when choosing His leaders. God rejects those who think
they are greater than others—He knows that such vain people will not
fear and obey Him.
The tribes of Israel were divided into clans and families of tens,
fifties, hundreds and thousands. Gideon’s clan, the Abiezrites, was the
smallest in Manasseh, which is why Gideon did not think he was great
or special.
The Messenger of the Eternal said, “I will be with you, Gideon. I
shall enable you to conquer the Midianites as though they were only
one man” (Judges 6:11-19).
Like Moses before him, Gideon needed to be reassured that God
would truly work through him. Gideon could not yet bring himself to
believe that God would choose to use someone like him to deliver
Israel. So Gideon asked for a sign.
“Please stay here where you are. I will be right back and bring You
an offering.”
The Messenger graciously agreed, knowing that men need His help
to walk by faith and not by sight (II Corinthians 5:7).
Gideon raced to gather the best that he had. He prepared a young
goat, then baked unleavened bread and put broth in a pot. He presented
this offering before the Messenger of the Eternal.
The Messenger said, “Put it on this rock and pour the broth.”
Gideon obeyed.
When the Messenger of the Eternal took His staff and touched the
offering, fire shot out from the rock, totally consuming the offering!
Gideon stood in awe, amazed by this miracle. It showed that God
had accepted His offering. Gideon turned to speak with the Messenger
of the Eternal, but He had disappeared.
Suddenly realizing that this was truly God’s Messenger, Gideon
was struck with fear. “Have mercy on me, great God,” he prayed, “for
I have seen Your Spokesman face to face.”
Gideon was afraid that he did not pay God’s Messenger proper
respect. He also knew that he was unworthy to be in God’s divine
presence—and that the natural, full brightness of God could have easily
destroyed him!
As he worried, the voice of God spoke to him: “Peace by with you,
Gideon. Do not fear. You shall not die.”
Thankful and filled with awe, godly fear and respect, Gideon built
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an altar to God. He called it “The-Eternal-Is-Peace.” In the wonderful
world tomorrow, all people will learn that living God’s ways always
brings peace (Judges 6:20-24).
“Let Baal Contend”
That very night, God spoke to Gideon again. He said, “Take ten of
your trusted servants and take your father’s seven-year-old bull with
you. Destroy the altar of Baal, which belongs to your father, and chop
down the carved image of wood next to it. Cut up the wood and build
an altar for Me on the summit of this stronghold. Then use the wood
to burn the bull upon My altar.”
Gideon obeyed even though he knew that it would be dangerous
for him if he was caught, because his family and the people of Ophrah
still put their trust in pagan gods. He decided to carry out God’s
instructions at night so that he would not be seen. Then he took ten of
his family’s most trusted servants and did as the Eternal had commanded.
The next morning, the people of the village were horrified to see
what had been done to Baal’s altar. They also noticed that the wooden
image of the Canaanite goddess Asherah, which stood next to the altar,
was missing. The townspeople were shocked and angered.
“Who did this evil deed? Who would be wicked enough to disrespect
the holy things of Baal and Asherah?”
They inquired throughout the town to discover the identity of the
guilty person. Since Gideon did not join them in their worship of idols
and false gods, the people of Ophrah came to suspect him.
Convinced, they confronted Joash, Gideon’s father: “Bring us your
son Gideon. He is a troublemaker. We know what he did to Baal’s
altar—he must die for his crime.”
Amazingly, the townspeople were willing to execute one of their
own citizens for disrespecting Baal—but they were not willing to execute
those who disrespected the one true God through idolatry!
Joash, who loved his son very much, stood up for him. (Loving
parents protect their children. And often, parents give them orders that
are for their own protection.)
Joash said to his son’s accuser, “Will you fight Baal’s battles for
him? If Baal is a god, then let him fight for himself.”
The accusers paused, exchanging nervous and embarrassed looks
with one another. If they insisted on executing Gideon, it would
appear that their pagan god was too weak to deal with a physical man.
So they backed away from their accusations and let Gideon be.
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From then on the people of Ophrah called him “Jerubbaal,” which
means “Let Baal contend.” For everyone said, “Let Baal contend with
Gideon for tearing down the altar. Baal shall deal with this criminal”
(Judges 6:25-32).
The Midianite Threat
News of Gideon’s so-called crime traveled far and wide, even reaching
the ears of the Midianites, Amalekites and the other desert wanderers.
And they did not like what they heard. The leaders of these
pagan hordes met together to discuss the situation.
One ruler stood up before his peers and said, “This looks like the
first sign of a rebellion. If so, we must act now and stamp out the
rebellion before it grows.”
The other leaders agreed. Quickly, the Midianites and their allies
assembled their combined troops and went on the march. After crossing
the Jordan River, they stopped at the Valley of Jezreel and set up
camp. Extending for about ten miles, from the Jordan River to the
Mediterranean Sea, the Valley of Jezreel and the connecting Valley of
Megiddo have been used throughout history as infamous battlefields.
Hearing about the approaching threat, Gideon asked God to show
him what to do.
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CHAPTER SIXTY
GIDEON’S THREE HUNDRED
WARRIORS
God sent the power of His Spirit to give Gideon the courage and
boldness to meet the enemy head-on. Wasting no time, Gideon
blew the trumpet alarm, calling for his clan, the Abiezrites, to assemble.
Once they had gathered before him, Gideon addressed them with a
rousing speech: “For seven years, we have cowered under the threat of
the Midianites and their ruthless allies. They have preyed upon our
people like locusts. The time has come for their oppression to end.”
“But how?” someone shouted.
“By turning back to God—by fearing and obeying Him, and putting
the Eternal first in our lives, as our fathers did in the past. God is
the reason why Israel had so much success over their enemies, years
ago. God will fight for us again, IF we put Him first. But if you continue
to bow down to Baal, Israel is doomed. Baal cannot save us.
Neither can the other false gods of the land. But the Eternal can!”
With one voice, the Abiezrites agreed to follow Gideon into battle.
Then Gideon sent messengers throughout Manasseh and the neighboring
tribes of Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali. And these tribes
responded to Gideon’s call to fight (Judges 6:33-35).
Asking for Miracles
As Gideon and his leaders examined terrain maps and discussed battle
plans, men whom he had sent out to spy on the Midianites’ camp
came back with their report: “The enemy has amassed an army so
large, it seems like a swarm of locusts. The Midianites and their allies
are spread out as far as the eye can see” (Judges 7:12).
The report shook Gideon’s faith. He began to have doubts. “Is God
truly using me?” he wondered to himself. “I have never commanded an
army before. And I come from the smallest clan in my tribe—surely God
wants someone greater than me to deliver Israel. After all, who am I?”
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At this point, Gideon did not understand that God can use anyone
to lead His people—as long as that person is humble and yielded to
His divine will.
When he was alone, Gideon prayed to the Eternal. “Almighty God,
if You will deliver Israel through me, as You have said, then please
prove this to me with a miraculous sign. I shall leave a fleece of wool
on the threshing floor overnight. Tomorrow morning, if there is dew
on the fleece but the ground is completely dry, then I will know that
you shall use me to deliver Israel.”
God has often had to encourage His servants, who sometimes lack
the faith to go forward. So the Eternal was very patient and merciful
to Gideon.
The next morning, Gideon discovered that the fleece was soaked
with dew—in fact, he was able to wring out an entire bowl of water
from it. Yet the ground had stayed dry. God had answered Gideon’s
request.
Though encouraged by this miraculous sign, Gideon’s faith still
was not strong enough. So he prayed to God again: “O Eternal God,
please do not be angry with me. Just let me ask of You one more sign:
I will leave the fleece on the threshing floor overnight again. When
tomorrow morning comes, let the fleece be dry but the ground be wet
with dew. Then I will know that You are truly using me.”
Again, God did as Gideon had requested. The next morning,
Gideon anxiously awoke to find that the ground was soaked with dew
while the fleece was completely dry!
Gideon was so encouraged by this second miracle that he found the
faith to do what had to be done (Judges 6:36-40).
However, since God had patiently allowed Gideon to test him, God
decided that it was time to test Gideon. God often tests His servants in
order to discover their weaknesses and to build His holy, righteous
character in them.
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Gideon was inspired
to see God answer
his prayers.
Gideon’s Three Hundred Mighty Warriors
Early the next morning, Gideon led his 32,000 troops on a march,
encamping beside the spring of Harod. They were about four miles south
of where the Midianites encamped, by the hill of Moreh, across from the
Valley of Jezreel.
In private, God spoke to His servant, saying, “Gideon, you have too
many soldiers marching with you into battle. If I were to give the
Midianites into your hands now, Israel might be tempted to boast and
claim that they had brought the victory by themselves. They will not
look to Me as their only true Source for success. I cannot allow this.
Therefore, tell your men that if any of them are afraid to go into battle,
they may turn back now. In this way, their fear and insecurities will not
affect the morale of the other soldiers.”
Though he did not wish to see any of his troops leave, Gideon saw
the wisdom in God’s command. He immediately addressed his men,
telling them that if they were afraid, they could freely go home. No harm
would be done to them. Of the 32,000 men under his command,
22,000—more than two-thirds—departed from the camp!
Gideon shook his head.
“Well,” he said to one of
his lieutenants, “at least
10,000 of them stayed
behind.”
But God had more to
say to Gideon: “There are
still far too many soldiers
in your army. Bring your
men down to the water to
drink. In this way I will test
them: Those who cup water
with their hands, lapping
the water like dogs, shall be
separated from those who
bowed down on the ground
to drink.”
Again, Gideon obeyed.
He watched as the vast
majority of his 10,000
troops carelessly laid aside
their weapons and sat down
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to drink from the spring. But only 300 men wisely kept their weapons
near them as they cupped water with their hands and drank. These alert
men cautiously looked around to see if the enemy might attack at any
moment.
God said to Gideon, “By these 300 men will I deliver the Midianites
into your hand. In this way, all will know that the victory came from Me,
not from large numbers of troops.”
Though his faith was tested, Gideon obeyed God and sent the other
9,700 soldiers home, telling them that they would not be needed.
Then he and the 300 soldiers took provisions, including trumpets,
torches and empty pitchers, for their march into battle.
That night, God spoke to Gideon again: “Get ready to attack, for I
have delivered the Midianites into your hands. However, if you are
afraid to go down and attack, then visit the camp in secret and take your
servant Purah with you. There you shall hear what your enemies have to
say—and their fear will strengthen you to fight.”
Gideon thought about this, and then agreed. Taking along his trusted
servant Purah, the two disguised themselves in robes in hopes of blending
in with the allied troops of the Midianites. Then, early in the evening,
they crept into the camp.
They came to a group of enemy soldiers huddled around a roaring
campfire. The men laughed and boasted of how they would destroy
Gideon’s army and plunder their camp.
“After our victory, we’ll probably invade and plunder the neighboring
towns and villages,” one man said. “Our saddlebags will be filled
with the spoils of war.”
All of the other men laughed—all except for one man who remained
silent. From the look on his face, the others could tell that something was
bothering him.
“What’s wrong? Is your belly too queasy for tomorrow’s bloodbath?”
The man said, “I just had a bad dream. I know it must have some dire
meaning.”
Curious, they said, “Tell us about it.”
“Very well. In my dream a loaf of barley suddenly tumbled into our
camp. The loaf struck a tent, causing it to fall, overturn and then collapse.
What does this mean?”
His friend said, “I know what it means: The sword of Gideon, son of
Joash, leader of Israel, shall strike us down! His God has delivered
Midian and the whole camp into Gideon’s hand!”
The men were no longer laughing. Reports of the dream and its
meaning spread from tent to tent, striking the whole camp with fear and
doubt.
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In the dream, the loaf of barley symbolized Israel. Barley was considered
to be an inferior grain, with only about one half the value of
wheat. The Midianites and their allies considered Israel to be an inferior
nation. Clearly, God inspired both the dream and its interpretation
in order to strike fear in Israel’s enemies.
Gideon understood this, and his faith and courage grew. He and his
servant quickly returned to the Israelite camp.
Then Gideon alerted the 300 troops to battle, and shouted, “Arise!
The time for victory is here! The Eternal has delivered the camp of the
heathens into your hand!” (Judges 7:1-15).
Confusion in the Camp
Though he knew that God would intervene in battle and hand them the
victory, Gideon realized that he had to do his part. So he applied godly
wisdom and divided his warriors into three companies of 100 men.
Every man took with him an empty pitcher, to be used to cover the
light of his torch. Then, they quietly approached the Midianite
encampment. Gideon led his company of 100 troops to the outpost of
the camp. Meanwhile, the other two companies positioned themselves
at opposite sides of the camp.
At the beginning of the middle watch (about 10 p.m.), Gideon gave
a signal—then all 300 men blew loudly on their trumpets and broke
the pitchers, which had covered the light of their torches.
The sleeping Midianites sprang up, frightened by the sound of the
trumpet blasts, which they knew was the signal for war.
“We’re under attack! The camp is under attack!”
Seeing their camp surrounded by torch lamps on three sides, the
Midianites thought that tens of thousands of Israelite soldiers were
about to swoop down upon them.
“That dream has come true!” some shouted. “Israel is about to
overtake us—we’re all doomed!”
Stunned and confused by the chaos of sound and lights, the
Midianites scrambled for their weapons. In the darkness and confusion,
the soldiers panicked, thinking that they were outnumbered. God
caused each man to believe that his comrade was an Israelite.
Midianite clashed swords with Midianite, while others fled for their
lives. They used their swords to slash through a way of escape, killing
their fellow soldiers by mistake.
The survivors headed back for the Jordan River. Encouraged by
this mighty miracle of God’s intervention, soldiers from the tribes of
Naphtali, Asher and all of Manasseh chased after them.
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Meanwhile, Gideon sent messengers to get help from the people of
Ephraim, who dwelt up in the mountains. They all responded to his
call, gathering together and seizing the watering places to cut off the
Midianites’ retreat in the Jordan Valley. The Ephraimites knew that
they must keep their enemies from crossing over the Jordan River.
In their zeal, they managed to capture Oreb and Zeeb, two
Midianite generals. Oreb had hidden himself in a cavern of rock, while
Zeeb tried to hide in the vat of a winepress. Both generals were executed;
the Ephraimites brought back their heads to Gideon as proof of
their death (Judges 7:16-25).
Gideon the Diplomat
Despite the victory God had delivered to Israel, the Ephraimites were
angry. Their leaders confronted Gideon, pointing their fingers, and
said, “Why didn’t you invite us to join you in battle from the very
first? Are you trying to keep all the glory for yourself?”
Gideon could have answered sharply. His lieutenants and other soldiers
certainly wanted him to. But Gideon refused to give a rash
response. He decided to apply godly wisdom and use diplomacy
instead.
He calmly said to them, “What have I done in battle in comparison
to you? Has not God delivered Oreb and Zeeb into your hands, not
mine? You have the greater glory.”
The men of Ephraim appreciated Gideon’s compliment and let
their anger turn to joy (Judges 8:1-3).
Gideon had applied a godly principle of diplomacy found in
Proverbs 15:1, which reads, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a
harsh word stirs up anger.” The book of Proverbs is filled with godly
wisdom, which you can apply whenever you face problems.
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CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE
REVENGE AT SUCCOTH
AND PENUEL
Gideon and his 300 soldiers were in hot pursuit of the enemy,
crossing the Jordan River and into the eastern territories. By the
time they came to the city of Succoth, which belonged to the tribe of
Gad, every man was exhausted and in need of food and rest.
They entered the town of their fellow Israelites and asked the citizens
for help. “We’re tired and we need food. Please give us bread—
we have been chasing Zebeh and Zelmunna, the kings of Midian, and
their troops.”
But the elders of Succoth found Gideon’s story hard to believe.
“What? With only 300 men you are chasing after the army of
Zebeh and Zelmunna? You must think us fools!”
Gideon tried to use diplomacy, telling them of their recent victory
over the Midianites and their allies. “God delivered 120,000 enemy
soldiers into our hands,” he explained, “and He will deliver the 15,000
we are now pursuing. But first we need to refresh ourselves. Help us.”
The elders and townspeople of Succoth laughed and jeered. “How
could you possibly conquer the Midianites with only 300 men? Go
away from here and take your lies with you. Until you cut off Zebeh
and Zelmunna’s hands and show them to us as proof that you killed
them, we will give you nothing!”
Unfortunately, the people of Succoth refused to believe that God
could use only 300 men to wipe out the Midianites. And they were
afraid that if they helped Gideon and his men, the kings of the
Midianites would seek revenge.
Gideon was hot with anger! “Very well,” he said. “When God
delivers the two kings into my hand, I will come back and tear your
flesh with thorns and briers!”
As Gideon and his men departed, one of the elders shouted, “If you
do come back, you better have more than 300 men with you!”
Everyone in Succoth laughed and hurled insults, thinking they had
seen the last of Gideon (Judges 8:1-7).
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Another Town Refuses to Help
Gideon and his men went to another town that was nearby, the city of
Penuel, the place where Jacob had wrestled with God many centuries
earlier. Like he did at Succoth, he asked the citizens of Penuel for
bread. And, like Succoth, the elders and townspeople refused.
“And don’t try to take our food by force, either,” said one leader.
He pointed to a tower, which was fortified with soldiers and weapons.
It was the source of Penuel’s pride and military strength. “One false
move and you will breathe your last breath.”
Again, Gideon tried to be diplomatic: “But we are your brother
Israelites. We both share a common enemy—the Midianites.”
“We’re not worried about them. Our tower protects us. Now move
along. Go away.”
Gideon was boiling mad! He was fighting for Israel’s freedom—
yet his fellow Israelites would not help him.
Frustrated, he pointed to the fortified tower of Penuel and said,
“When I come back, I will tear your tower to the ground!”
The elders and townspeople laughed and jeered as Gideon and his
men departed. They too were confident that they had seen the last of
them (Judges 8:8-9).
Return to Succoth and Penuel
Gideon’s army finally caught up with the enemy, encamped at Karkor.
As the Midianites rested and felt secure, Gideon and his men swooped
down upon them. With God intervening, the 300 men utterly
destroyed the enemy.
The two kings tried to escape, but Gideon chased them down and
caught them.
He said to his lieutenants, “Now that we have Zebeh and
Zelmunna, we have business to take care of in Succoth and Penuel.”
On the way back to Succoth, Gideon and his men captured a young
man, whom they remembered seeing before.
“I remember his face,” said Gideon. “He was among the crowd
who laughed and taunted us as we left the city.”
The young man was wide-eyed and shaking with fear.
A lieutenant said, “It doesn’t look like he’s laughing now.”
Gideon and his men grilled the man with questions about Succoth.
“Write down the names of Succoth’s elders and leaders.”
The young man quickly provided Gideon with a list of 77 names.
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Satisfied with the information, Gideon and his men headed for
Succoth, bringing the two kings of the Midianites with them.
The elders and townspeople were stunned to see Gideon’s army
return. They were so sure that they would never be seen again.
Gideon had the two kings brought before the elders. He said, “Here
are Zebeh and Zelmunna, the men you ridiculed me about.” The elders
looked at the two kings, who were clearly frightened and humiliated.
The elders said, “But we thought—”
Gideon did not allow them to finish their words. At his signal, his
men gathered all the elders and leaders of Succoth—the 77 men whose
names were on the list. They dragged the men with heavy weights
over thorns, which painfully tore and shredded their flesh.
After this, Gideon’s army came to Penuel, killing all of its men and
tearing down its tower (Judges 8:10-17).
A Vicious Rumor
Gideon came to hear a vicious rumor: While he had been away fighting
the Midianites, Zebeh and Zelmunna slaughtered a family of
brothers living in Tabor. This was partly why Gideon so desperately
wanted to capture these two ruthless men.
He asked them about the rumor: “The men you murdered at
Tabor—what kind of men were they?”
The kings said, “They looked like you. Each one resembled the son
of a king.”
Gideon then realized the truth: “The men you butchered were my
brothers!”
The two kings were speechless, shocked by the news and the boiling
rage seen on Gideon’s face. They had reasoned that since Gideon
had captured them alive, they would be safe. But now, they knew otherwise.
Gideon said, “Had you let my brothers live, I would have let you
live.”
He turned to his eldest son, Jether, and said, “I give you the honor
of killing these enemies of God and Israel.”
But Jether, who was still a youth, was inexperienced with war and
killing. He was too afraid to act.
Meanwhile, Zebeh and Zelmunna did not want to die at the hands
of a mere boy. For them, that would be a disgrace. They said to
Gideon, “Slay us yourself! Don’t send a boy to do a man’s job.”
Gideon did not hesitate to fulfill their request.
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After he executed the two kings of the Midianites, he took from
around the necks of their camels some crescent-shaped ornaments,
which the pagans used to worship the moon.
Gideon did not plan to use the ornaments for idol worship. He
planned to have the metal melted down to use for something else
(Judges 8:18-21).
Good Intentions Gone Bad
Gideon and his 300 soldiers returned
home to feasting and celebrating.
The Israelites were excited and
overjoyed—at last they were free
from the Midianites’ constant
oppression. They no longer needed
to hide in caves or cower at the sight
of invaders. Everyone was grateful
for Gideon—in fact, they were too
grateful.
A crowd of people surrounded
him and shouted, “Rule over us,
Gideon, and be our king! Let your
son and grandson rule after you.
May you and your descendants be
kings over Israel, for you have delivered
us from the Midianites and
their allies!”
Though the people meant well,
what they asked for was a sin. Only
God was to be Israel’s king. But the Israelites longed to be more like
the kingdoms of the world, and have a human king—one that they
could see and touch.
Thankfully, Gideon had remained humble. He did not let the people’s
praise and thanks go to his head. He never forgot that it was God
who had given him success. He refused to take credit for God’s victories.
He addressed the growing crowd, saying, “I will not rule over you,
nor will my sons after me. The Eternal God is your King. He shall
reign over you. God is the One who delivered Israel, not me.”
The people were disappointed, though still cheerful about their
freedom.
Then Gideon said, “But there is something you may give me: Let
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each soldier give me the golden earrings taken as spoils of war from
the fallen Midianite soldiers and their allies.”
The Israelites were happy to oblige. Each man threw his share of
golden earrings onto a blanket. When all had been collected, Gideon’s
bounty came to about 42 pounds of gold, in addition to crescentshaped
ornaments, pendants, chains and purple robes made of fine
materials.
Gideon used the plunder to make an ephod (a special breastplate),
and set it up at Ophrah, his home town. He meant the ephod to be a
symbol of government and order (which, when God is involved,
always bring peace).
However, some time later, the Israelites forgot about Gideon’s
original intent and used the ephod as an idol, worshipping it. The
ephod became a snare to Gideon and a troublesome thorn for his family
after him (Judges 8:22-27).
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CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO
THE FRUITS
OF TREACHERY
Midian had been completely subdued; no more of their kings
came to power to seek revenge. Under Gideon’s 40-year leadership
as judge over Israel, the people enjoyed peace and security
throughout the land.
Though Gideon truly was a righteous man and faithful servant of
God, he was still human. He sometimes sinned, due to human weaknesses.
One of his sins was that he was married to several wives. God
never intended for men to have more than one wife; He designed marriage
to be between one man and one woman. God knew that this was
the only way for marriages to be happy.
Because he had many wives, Gideon also had many children born
to him. Among them were 70 sons. In ancient times, having so many
sons was considered a sign of wealth and power.
In addition to his many wives, Gideon also had a concubine in the
city of Shechem, a woman with whom he had a marriage-like relationship.
This too was a sin.
Through this woman, he had a son, named Abimelech. His name
meant “my father is king.” (His mother may have named him this
because she wanted Abimelech to seek to become a royal leader and
claim the offer of kingship that his father Gideon had turned down.)
Because Abimelech was not born to one of Gideon’s wives, he had
no legal right to inherit his father’s wealth. Legally, his brothers came
first (Judges 8:28-31).
Abimelech Rises to Power
Gideon lived to an old age before he died. His body was buried in his
father’s tomb in Ophrah.
As before, without a strong human leader to set the right example,
a new generation arose in Israel that rejected God and sought after the
false Canaanite god Baal-Berith. They gave him and his carved
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images credit and praise for their freedom and prosperity—which had
come from the Eternal!
They also stopped being kind to Gideon’s children and grandchildren.
Like rotten, spoiled brats, the Israelites felt no need to be grateful
for anything (Judges 8:32-35).
Immediately after Gideon’s death, Abimelech attempted to gain
power for himself. He did not trust in God to do so; he only trusted in
himself.
Abimelech spoke before an assembly of his uncles (brothers of his
mother) and the whole family of his mother’s father’s household.
They were counted among the most important people of Shechem.
In his address, Abimelech said, “My father Gideon is dead. He was
a good and kind leader. And now his 70 sons will want to reign over
you—sons who came from Ophrah, not Shechem. Which is better for
you?—that all 70 sons of Gideon rule over you, or shouldn’t only one
rule over you, a man like myself, who is your own flesh and blood,
unlike these outsiders?”
His crafty words appealed to his relatives. They understood that if
they helped Abimelech rise to power, Shechem could become Israel’s
new capital. And their family would become a dynasty, a royal family
of lords, princes and kings.
So his uncles and other relatives presented Abimelech’s proposal to
the townspeople and leaders of Shechem. The people agreed to support
Abimelech, giving him 70 pieces of silver from the treasury of the
temple of Baal-Berith.
Abimelech knew that he had to act fast. To get rid of potential competition
for rulership over Israel, he hired lowly and down-and-out men
who had nothing to lose—personal soldiers for hire. With their help,
Abimelech captured 69 of his half brothers at Ophrah. Then he slaughtered
them, one by one, like they were animal sacrifices (Judges 9:1-5).
Unfortunately, throughout history, people have assumed positions
of power, such as kings and emperors, by murdering their entire families
and other potential heirs to the throne. But such corruption will
not happen when Jesus Christ sets up His throne on the earth.
Jotham’s Parable
Jotham, Gideon’s youngest son, hid himself and escaped from
Abimelech’s killing spree.
Meanwhile, the townspeople and leaders gathered together at
Shechem and hailed Abimelech as their new king. “And soon, you will
be king over all Israel!” they cheered.
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When Jotham heard what had happened, he climbed atop Mount
Gerizim, which towered over Shechem. From there, he shouted down
to the people.
“Listen to this parable, men of Shechem, so that God may listen to
you: Trees sought to anoint a king over them. They said to an olive
tree, ‘Reign over us.’ But the olive tree refused. Next, the trees said to
a fig tree, ‘Come reign over us.’ But the fig tree also refused. Then said
the trees asked a vine to reign over them. But the vine also refused.
Then, all the trees came to a bramble and asked it to reign over them.
The bramble said unto the trees, ‘If you anoint me king over you, then
come and put your trust in my shadow. If not, let fire come out of the
bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.”
In this parable, Jotham showed that, for a long time, the Israelites
desperately wanted a king ruling over them. Now they had come to
accept an inferior person to be their ruler, someone who would do
more harm than good.
But Jotham had more to say: “If you have made Abimelech your
king with truth and sincerity, and have treated my father’s household
with proper respect—for Gideon risked his life to deliver you from the
Midianites—then rejoice in your new king. And let Abimelech rejoice
with you.
“But if you have risen against my father’s household this day,
killing all his sons born from wives, then you have made Abimelech,
an illegal heir, king over Shechem. Why?—because you and he seek
to gain from this treachery. If what I speak is true, let fire come from
your new king and devour you men of Shechem! And let fire from you
devour your new king! May you destroy each other for the evil you
have done to my people!”
Abimelech and the men of Shechem were outraged. They sent soldiers
to climb up the mountain and bring back Jotham. But Jotham
fled before they could catch him. He came to settle in Beer, fearing
that Abimelech would murder him, too (Judges 9:5-21).
The Perfect Opportunity
Abimelech reigned over Shechem and surrounding cities and regions
of Israel for three years. He was an evil and selfish ruler, whom God
did not place into power. Therefore, God decided to remove him and
teach the Israelites a sore lesson. Since Abimelech came into power
through treachery, God decided to use treachery against him.
First, He sent a spirit of ill will to cause jealousy, mistrust and
hatred to come between the leaders of Shechem and their king.
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(God is love. His attitudes, thoughts, desires and motives are all
based on love and outgoing concern for others. God used Satan the
devil—the “prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2), who
broadcasts bad attitudes and wrong thoughts to all humans—to create
ill will.)
Though he ruled over the region from Shechem, Abimelech,
accompanied by an entourage of faithful soldiers, bodyguards and servants,
often traveled to Ophrah. He wanted to make certain that
Gideon’s other relatives (from his father and brothers’ side of the family)
did not try to seize power.
One day, after departing for Ophrah, the leaders of Shechem decided
that this was the perfect opportunity to get rid of Abimelech. They
posted assassins to wait in ambush against him up along the mountain
pass. These cutthroats were so wicked that they robbed and plundered
anyone who dared to pass through. Reports of their evil soon reached
Abimelech (Judges 9:22-25).
Gaal Versus Abimelech
A man named Gaal, who was a son of Ebed, heard about the jealousy
and distrust that the people of Shechem had for Abimelech. Yearning to
gain power and desiring to make a name for himself, Gaal, along with
his brothers, came to the city to see if he could gain the leaders’ trust.
He joined them as they celebrated their plan of setting up assassins
to lie in wait for their king.
“Good riddance. I hope Abimelech never comes back.”
“I hope that he does—his head would make an excellent trophy in
my home!”
Everyone laughed and drank. They were celebrating with freshlymade
wine, which had just been produced from the vineyards.
Gaal said to them, “Who is this Abimelech, that he should be your
king? And why should the city of Shechem serve him? Is Abimelech
really of this place—is he not Gideon’s son, who came from Ophrah?
Why does Abimelech spend so much time over there? Perhaps he
wants to make Ophrah his new capital, replacing Shechem. And what
about Zebul, Abimelech’s governor over this city—why should the
good people of Shechem be loyal to Zebul when clearly he is
Abimelech’s loyal servant? If only this people were under my authority!
Then I would remove Abimelech and all would be right in
Shechem.”
The people hooted and cheered, especially when Gaal pronounced
a challenge to Abimelech: “Increase your army, Abimelech, and come
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out to fight, if you dare! The city of Shechem shall serve you no
more!”
Later, spies told Zebul what was said, and it angered him. He
quickly sent secret messengers to tell Abimelech about how Gaal and
his brothers were uniting the city against the king.
While the messenger rode away, the people of Shechem fortified
the city, under the pretext that they were repairing the walls and towers.
They intended to seize power the moment they saw Abimelech
ride in.
Receiving Zebul’s message, Abimelech followed the governor’s
plan to quietly arrive at Shechem by night. The king and his soldiers
then divided into four companies and surrounded the city. This gave
them a better chance of going undetected by the townspeople, and it
allowed Abimelech’s forces to attack Shechem from all four sides.
Next morning, Gaal, Zebul and other men went to the city gate to
see if Abimelech was on his way.
Seeing nothing but fields and a mountain landscape, Gaal said to
Zebul, “I see that your master Abimelech has not taken up my challenge.”
Abimelech and his soldiers, who were lying low in ambush, moved
closer to the city wall. They wanted Gaal and his men to step out from
the city.
Gaal, who caught glimpses of their movement, said, “Look! People
are out there, coming down from the mountains!”
But Zebul tried to convince him otherwise. “No, what you see are
the shadows of the mountain’s natural surroundings, not men.”
Then Gaal saw flashes of movement again. “No,” he said. “I know
I see men coming down from the center of the land. Another company
is coming from the Diviners’ Terebinth Tree.” This was a tree used
in pagan worship. History shows that men have foolishly worshipped
the creation (such as trees, animals, etc.), instead of the Creator God.
Zebul said, “It looks as though Abimelech has taken up your challenge
after all. Well, what are you waiting for? You challenged
Abimelech to a fight—where is your mouth now, Gaal? Aren’t these
the men you despised and spoke against?”
Not wanting to be seen as a coward, Gaal led the men of Shechem
out of the city to fight…but Abimelech’s troops cut down many of
them, chasing Gaal and his brothers back into the city and wounding
many others on their way back in.
Now that the city gates were shut, Abimelech decided to move his
men to the town of Arumah, which was about eight miles away. There,
they could rest and stock up on food and supplies.
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Meanwhile, Zebul managed to drive Gaal and his brother out from
Shechem. Gaal would have to look elsewhere to make a name for himself
(Judges 9:26-41).
Fulfilling Jotham’s Curse
The next day, the citizens of Shechem opened the city gates and went
out to the fields to gather food. Spies told Abimelech about this. He
divided his soldiers into three companies and quietly headed back to
the city. As they drew near, the three companies lay in ambush and
waited for the citizens to come back out to the field. When they did
come out, two of Abimelech’s divisions attacked them, slaying them
where they stood.
Meanwhile, the king led the other company into the city. All
throughout the rest of the day, Abimelech and his men fought against
Shechem, killing everyone they could find. (The Bible does not say
what happened to Zebul.)
Abimelech then destroyed Shechem and poured salt all throughout
its ruins. He did this to pollute the soil and water so that no one would
build another city there. Abimelech meant this as a symbol of desolation
for rebelling against him.
Though the city was destroyed, its tower still stood. Inside, about
1,000 men and women hid in the stronghold of the pagan temple of
Baal-Berith.
To deal with them, Abimelech led his men up Mount Zalmon,
which stood next to the tower. They used axes to chop down trees.
Then Abimelech said, “Do as I do.”
Following his example, they used the wood to burn down the tower
stronghold. Everyone inside died. Jotham’s curse—that fire would
come from Abimelech and destroy the men of Shechem—came true
(Judges 9:42-49).
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CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE
JEPHTHAH
THE WARRIOR
As he gazed at the ruins of Shechem, one of Abimelech’s scouts
gave the king some bad news: “My lord, we’ve just received
reports that a rebellion is taking place at Thebez.”
Abimelech turned to face his soldiers and said, “Well, what are we
waiting for? Thebez needs to be taught a lesson.”
The king and his troops marched to the city of Thebez, which was
about ten miles away. Just as with Shechem, the city was conquered.
Those citizens who managed to survive the onslaught fled into a tower
stronghold, shutting themselves in and climbing up to the top.
Abimelech and his men attacked the tower, intending to set its
doors on fire. From above, the survivors of Thebez frantically fought
to defend themselves from the attack. While the men rained arrows
and spears upon Abimelech’s men, the women dropped stones and
other heavy items.
But the stubborn king still would not give up. As he drew near the
base of the tower, a women dropped a large millstone (a stone wheel
with a hole in the middle), which struck Abimelech’s head, crushing
his skull.
Knowing that he was near death, Abimelech did not want to die by
the hand of a woman; he considered that to be humiliating. The king
was also afraid of falling into his enemy’s hands, since he would be
too weak to escape.
So he called for his young armorbearer, and said to him, “Take
your sword and slay me. I don’t want men to boast that a woman killed
me.”
The young man nodded, and then carried out his master’s command.
When the soldiers saw that their king was dead, they halted their
attack and departed, each man returning to his home. Without a strongman
to follow, they were leaderless (or so they thought; the Israelites
should have been looking to the Eternal as their ultimate Leader).
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While attacking the
city of Thebez,
Abimelech was struck
by a millstone, which
crushed his head.
God had repaid Abimelech for his treachery (that of murdering his
half brothers), and He made certain that Jotham’s curse on the leaders
of Shechem came to pass. Those who continue to stubbornly defy God
and seek to do their own will cannot escape His punishment.
Fortunately, Abimelech’s cruel reign of terror only lasted for three
short years—yet it still resulted in a civil war (Judges 9:50-57).
Tola and Jair
Now that the king was dead, God raised a faithful servant to be His
judge over Israel. This man was Tola, who was from the tribe of
Issachar. He lived in Shamir, in the mountains of Ephraim. As God’s
righteous agent, Tola faithfully judged and guided the Israelites for 23
years. The Bible records nothing more about him.
After Tola’s death, God replaced him with another faithful servant—
Jair. He was from Gilead, a region east of the Jordan River,
located in the territory of the half-tribe of Manasseh.
Jair had 30 sons, who each ruled a town, serving the people and
keeping the peace. Together, these 30 towns of Gilead were called
Havoth Jair, when means “villages of Jair.”
After 22 years of loyal service and leadership, Jair died (Judges
10:1-5). As with Tola, the Bible records nothing else about Jair.
God Has Compassion
Once again, a new generation of Israelites arose, forgetting the God of
Tola and Jair. This wicked generation sought after all the so-called
gods of the surrounding nations—the false gods and idols of Syria,
Sidon, Moab, Ammon and the Philistines. The Israelites foolishly
embraced the customs, traditions and religious rituals of these pagan
nations—in fact, they seemed to go out of their way to do evil!
Angry with such outright rebellion and ungratefulness, God delivered
Israel into the hands of the Philistines, who ruled over city-state
strongholds in the west, and the Ammonites, who resided in the east.
The Ammonites viciously attacked the people of Gilead, then
crossed over the Jordan River to fight against the tribes of Judah,
Benjamin and Ephraim. Without God as their Source of protection,
Israel suffered greatly. The Israelites were constantly harassed and
oppressed by the Philistines and the Ammonites for 18 long years.
Finally, Israel began to put aside their foreign gods and cried out to
the Eternal. In tears of anguish and remorse, the people admitted that
they had sinned against God by serving Baal and other false deities.
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Using a faithful servant, the Eternal revealed His will to the
Israelites. The man said, “Thus says the Eternal: ‘In the past, did I not
deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, the
Ammonites and the Philistines? The Sidonians, the Amalekites and the
Midianites also oppressed you; when you cried out to Me, I delivered
you out of their hand. Yet you have forsaken Me to serve other gods—
which are not gods. Therefore, I will deliver you no more! Go and cry
unto the false gods you have so foolishly chosen—let them deliver
you in the time of your trial and tribulation!’”
But the Israelites pleaded with God, saying to His servant, “Tell
God that we fully admit our sins. We have been rebellious and foolish!
Tell Him to punish us as He sees fit—only let the Eternal deliver us
once again. He is our only hope!”
The Israelites worked diligently to put away all the idols of foreign
gods and wholeheartedly sought God and His ways.
God watched carefully as they strived to serve and obey Him. And
the Eternal was moved with compassion. He cared so deeply for His
people that He decided to intervene on their behalf (Judges 10:6-16).
Jephthah the Warrior
Trumpeting the cries of war, the army of Ammon assembled and
encamped at Gilead. Hearing of this, the Israelites also assembled,
encamping at Mizpah.
Though they were determined to fight to the death, this new generation
of Israel lacked experienced, battle-tested leaders.
The elders of Gilead worried about this. After much discussion,
they made a pronouncement to the people: “Who will lead us into victory
over the Ammonites? Who should be our general? The man who
accepts the challenge will be made head over all of Gilead” (Judges
10:17-18).
What the elders and people of Gilead did not know was that God
had already raised up a man from among them. His name was
Jephthah. Like Gideon, he was a strong and bold warrior. Jephthah
was also the son of a harlot, which meant that he was a social outcast
among his people.
Jephthah’s father (who happened to be named Gilead) had several
sons by his wife. These sons were legal heirs to their father’s wealth,
and had no intentions of sharing it with their half-brother. So they
drove Jephthah away, telling him, “Get out of our sight! You’re the son
of another woman—a harlot at that! You have no legal right to the
inheritance in our father’s house! Get away from here!”
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Ridiculed and rejected, Jephthah fled from his brothers and came
to live in the land of Tob. There, he became a natural leader among
other social outcasts, those whom society considered to be poor and
worthless. He led his band of men on raiding parties against the
Ammonites and other enemies of Israel. Eventually, Jephthah’s leadership
skills and warfare tactics became famous.
When the elders of Gilead learned of him, they journeyed to meet
with him. They asked him to lead their army against the Ammonite
army that had assembled against them.
But Jephthah said, “So the people of Gilead need my help. Yet they
have hated me from my birth. Where were they when my brothers
forced me out from my father’s house and drove me out of Gilead?
You did not help me then—why should I help you know?”
“We admit that we made mistakes. But surely you will not let all of
Gilead be destroyed by the hand of these pagans. Your reputation is
great; there is none like you. Your skills in waging war are unmatched.
That is why we turn to you now. Please command our army and fight
against Ammon. If you do, you shall be head over the entire region of
Gilead.”
Jephthah thought hard about their proposal. Then he said, “If I
agree and God delivers the Ammonites into my hand, I shall be
Gilead’s civic leader?”
The elders shook their heads, and said, “Yes. May the Eternal be a
witness between us if we fail to keep our promise.”
“Alright then,” Jephthah said, “I shall go back with you and lead
your army into battle.”
He traveled back to Gilead with the elders. Once there, a special
ceremony was held, officially making Jephthah head of Gilead and
commander of its army (Judges 11:1-11).
Jephthah Tries Diplomacy
Just as Gideon had done in the past, Jephthah decided to first use
diplomacy. Though he was not afraid to do battle, he wisely chose to
find out if the threat to Gilead could be resolved without needless
bloodshed. So Jephthah sent messengers to the king of Ammon to ask
him why his army was assembled against Gilead.
From his throne, the king sneered at the messengers, and said,
“When Israel came up out of Egypt, they took away my land, from
Arnon to Jabbok, and from the wilderness to Jordan. Go tell Jephthah
that the people of Ammon want it back. Give it to us!”
(Generations before, Israel took possession of lands occupied by
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the Amorites, who had taken it away from Moab and Ammon, the
descendants of Lot. To keep a promise Abraham had made to Lot, God
forbade Israel to take any of Moab and Ammon’s territories. However,
they were allowed to take the land they had already seized from
Canaanite nations.)
With a wave of his hand, the king of Ammon dismissed Jephthah’s
messenger, who were then escorted away by the palace guards.
When he heard what the king had to say, Jephthah sent another
message, only this time it was more detailed:
“Israel did not take the land of Moab or Ammon. When our fathers
came up from Egypt and walked through the barren wilderness, they
encamped at Kadesh.
“From there, Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying,
‘Please let us pass through your land.’ But the king refused to listen.
Israel also sent the same message to the king of Moab; he, too, would
not consent. So Israel dwelt for a while in Kadesh.
“Then they went along through the wilderness and journeyed
around the territories of Edom and Moab in peace. When they came to
the eastern side of Moab and encamped on the other side of Arnon,
Israel did not cross over Moab’s border, for God would not allow it.
“Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon, king of the Amorites and
the king of Heshbon. They said, ‘Please let us pass through your territory
into the land promised to our forefathers.’ But Sihon did not
believe that Israel would pass through his land peaceably. So he gathered
all his people together and encamped at Jahaz. Then he launched
an attack against my people.
“But the Eternal God of Israel delivered Sihon and all his people
into our hand; they were utterly destroyed. So then, Israel came to possess
all the land of the Amorites—including all their coasts, from
Arnon to Jabbok, and from the wilderness to Jordan. Since the Eternal
took the territory away from the Amorites and gave it to His people,
why should you possess it?
“You believe that the territories you already possess were given to
you by your god Chemosh. In the same way, whomsoever the Eternal
our God shall drive out from before us, we will possess their land.
“Are you any better than Balak, king of Moab? Did he ever strive
against Israel—did he ever fight against them? Israel has dwelt in
Heshbon, Aroer and all of its villages, and in all the cities that are
along the coasts of Arnon, for 300 years. Why then did you not recover
these lands within that time?
“I have not sinned against you, but you have wronged me by
preparing to make war against me! The Eternal shall be Judge this day
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between the people of Israel and the people of Ammon.”
The king did not like Jephthah’s message, and set his mind to wage
war (Judges 11:15-27).
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CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR
AN UNWISE VOW
God’s Spirit came upon Jephthah, enabling him to be more effective
in God’s hands. Then Jephthah rallied his troops to confront
Ammon’s massive army.
Before he launched his attack, Jephthah decided to make a vow to
God: “O Eternal, deliver the Ammonites into my hand and I will sacrifice
to You whatever comes out of my house to greet me when I
return home victorious. It shall be a burnt offering to You.”
Though Jephthah had God’s Spirit working with his mind, he was
still human, and capable of making bad
judgments and mistakes. In the vow,
Jephthah had meant to offer an animal
sacrifice to God. However, he failed to
specifically say that. Jephthah’s vow
would soon become a horrible snare to
him and his family (Judges 11:29-31).
Fulfilling an Unwise Vow
With God on their side, the Israelites
attacked the soldiers of Ammon, utterly
destroying them. Then Jephthah led his army to
march against 20 Ammonite cities, slaying
everyone in their path. When the onslaught was
finished, the people of Ammon were no longer
a threat to Israel (Judges 32-33).
Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah
victorious, thrilled with all the success God
had given him.
As it was the custom for women to do
when men returned victorious in battle,
Jephthah’s young daughter came out from
his house to greet him, dancing and
playing timbrels.
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At first, Jephthah was happy to
see her. Then suddenly, he realized
that she was the first thing that came
out of his house to greet him—
Jephthah was stunned!
“No!” he cried. But he knew that
it was too late. Jephthah had to fulfill
his vow to God and offer his daughter—
his only child—as a burnt offering!
In a flood of tears, Jephthah
explained to his daughter what he
had done. “To go back on my word
would be a sin against the God who
has delivered us,” he said.
She calmly replied, “I understand,
father. You have given your word to
the Eternal, and you must honor it.
God has already done His part in
avenging you of your enemies.”
Jephthah hugged her and cried
even more.
Then she said, “Before I die, all I
ask for is two months to go through
the mountains and lament with my
friends. For I will not get the chance
to grow up with them or someday
marry and have children.”
Jephthah looked down on her, shaking his head. “Yes, you may
have your request.”
At the end of the two months, Jephthah’s daughter returned and
submitted herself to become a burnt offering to God. It was the saddest,
most bitter day of Jephthah’s life. (Yet, he did prove to be a man
of godly character, because he fulfilled his promise even though it
hurt.)
For many years after this sad event, it was an annual custom for
young Israelite maids to lament Jephthah’s daughter for four days
(verses 34-40).
Many centuries later, Jesus Christ, when He was a human being
living on the earth, taught that it is far better not to make vows or oaths
(Matthew 5:33-37). Jephthah’s tragic example teaches us today that
making unwise vows can end with disastrous results.
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Another Civil War
As they had done with Gideon, the tribe of Ephraim grew jealous of
Jephthah’s fame and success. They also worried that Gilead would
become too powerful.
So the people of Ephraim gathered their troops and crossed over the
Jordan River. Jephthah and his fellow citizens of Gilead were taken
aback upon seeing brother Israelites taking up arms against them.
The leaders of Ephraim confronted Jephthah, and said, “Why did
you fight against Ammon and not call us to join you in battle? Was it
to keep all the spoils of war and glory for yourself? We will burn your
house down for this insult!”
Like he did with the king of Ammon, Jephthah wisely decided to
use diplomacy to get his brother Israelites to listen to reason.
“Yes, my people and I were at odds with the Ammonites. But when
I sent for you, none of your troops came to help us. That was when I
decided to put my life in my hands and attacked Ammon—yet it was
the Eternal who actually gave me the victory. You men of Ephraim had
your chance—why then do you come here today to fight against me?”
The Ephraimites would not listen. Instead, they hurled insults, saying,
“Gilead is nothing more than lowlifes and outcasts of Ephraim and
Manasseh. We are superior to you!”
Seeing that their Israelite brothers were bent on waging war against
them, Jephthah assembled the men of Gilead and confronted
Ephraim’s troops. The Ephraimites were soundly defeated.
Then the soldiers of Gilead seized control of the fords of the Jordan
River, cutting off fleeing Ephraimites from escaping back to their own
territory.
Whenever strangers tried to cross the river, the Gileadites would
ask if they were from Ephraim. If the strangers said “No,” then they
would be made to pronounce the Hebrew word shibboleth, which
means “a flowing stream.” Because they had been raised to speak with
different accents, the Ephraimites would always mispronounce this
word, and end up revealing their true identity.
By the war’s end, 42,000 Ephraimites had been killed (Judges 12:1-
6).
Righteous Judges, Rebellious Israel
Unlike previous judges, Jephthah did not judge Israel for very long.
He only served his people for six years until his death. Afterward, God
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provided Israel with several deliverers, one right after another.
Ibzan, who came from the town of Bethlehem, judged Israel for
seven years. Next was Elon, who came from the tribe of Zebulun; he
judged for ten years. Then there was Abdon, son of Hillel. He judged
Israel for only eight years. In all, Israel had 31 years of being led by
faithful and godly judges (Judges 12:8-15).
Yet, once again, a new generation of Israelites arose. They rejected
God and ignored His laws and holy days. Instead, they served idols
and prayed to gods that did not exist.
The Eternal decided to punish His people with the oppressive rule
and persecution of the Philistines. This lasted for 40 years (Judges
13:1).
Prepared From the Womb
In the town of Zorah, the Messenger of the Eternal visited the wife of
Manoah the Danite.
The Messenger said to her, “Behold, God is aware that you are
barren and cannot have children. But I am here to tell you that you
shall conceive and bear a son. But, from this very moment, you must
not drink wine nor any strong drink, or eat any unclean thing. For
indeed, you shall conceive and bear a son. However, no razor is
allowed to cut his hair, for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from
the womb. He has been set apart to deliver Israel out of the hand of
the Philistines.”
Excited by the news, she ran to tell her husband about the
Messenger of the Eternal and what He had said. However, she did not
know with whom she had been speaking, so she described God’s
Messenger as “a man of God.”
Both Manoah and his wife looked for Him, but He could not be
found. So Manoah prayed to God. He said, “Please send the man of
God again and teach us what we shall do for our soon-to-be-born child.
We need to know everything we can about our son’s special calling”
(Judges 13:2-8).
Back when Israel was marching through the wilderness on their
way to Canaan, God gave to His people the law of the Nazarites
(Numbers 6:1-21). The word Nazarite means “to separate.” A Nazarite
could be a man or woman who made a special vow to separate himself
to better serve God. Once the vow was taken, a Nazarite could not
drink wine, vinegar or grape juice; nor was he allowed to eat grapes or
raisins. And he was not permitted to cut his hair, or go near a dead
body.
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A Nazarite vow could last several weeks, years—or even an entire
lifetime! For example, the apostle Paul took the vow for a short time
(Acts 18:18). But some of the greatest servants of the Bible, such as
Samuel and John the Baptist, were Nazarites their entire lives.
Was Jesus Christ a Nazarite?
Today, many people (who were never taught the truth about God or
His ways) mistakenly believe that Jesus Christ was a Nazarite,
because they think He had long hair and never drank wine. This is but
one of the many lies that the devil uses to confuse people about who
Jesus really was.
Christ was not a Nazarite—He was a Nazarene! He grew up in the
town of Nazareth. People who come from the United States of
America are called Americans. People from Canada are called
Canadians. Those from Britain are called British. In the same way,
Jesus was called a Nazarene because He was raised in Nazareth.
Besides this, Jesus’ hair was short, not long; and He did drink wine
(but always in moderation). In fact, Christ’s first biblically-recorded
miracle was done at a wedding party, during which, at the request of
His mother, He turned water into wine!
Jesus Christ was a Nazarene—not a Nazarite.
Offering Accepted
God answered Manoah’s prayer by sending His Messenger. As
Manoah’s wife sat alone in a field, thinking about what God had in
store for her unborn child, the Messenger of the Eternal came to her.
Delighted, she ran to get her husband. Upon returning, they warmly
greeted him.
Cautiously, Manoah said to Him, “Are you the man of God who
spoke to my wife?”
“I am.”
Manoah did not realize that he was in the presence of “I AM”—
the One who had spoken to Moses from the burning bush (Exodus
3:1-4).
The Messenger of the Eternal repeated what He had told Manoah’s
wife.
Gladdened by what he heard, Manoah asked his visitor to stay so
that he might prepare Him a special meal.
The Messenger said, “I will stay, but I will not eat. Offer your food
as a burnt offering to God.”
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Manoah then asked Him for His name, “that I may know who to
honor when your promise is fulfilled.” He thought that God’s
Messenger was a human prophet.
The Messenger said, “Why do you ask for My name, seeing that it
is secret and wonderful?” In the prophetic book of Isaiah, the One who
would become Christ is called “Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty
God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace…” (Isaiah 9:6).
Manoah presented his offering to God (a young goat and a grain
offering) upon a rock. As he and his wife watched, flames flared up
from the rock and consumed the offering! And as this happened, the
Messenger of the Eternal ascended above the flame!
The couple dropped to the ground and worshipped God with awe.
Noticing that his Visitor had departed, Manoah suddenly realized that
they had been visited by God.
“We’ve seen God face to face!” he shouted. “We shall surely die!”
But his wife tried to calm him down. She said, “If the Eternal
desired to kill us, He would not have accepted our offering. Nor would
He have shown us this miracle or told us about the child we will
have.”
Sometime later, she gave birth to a baby boy. She named him
Samson, which comes from a Hebrew word that means “to serve.”
Samson grew up to be a strong and healthy Nazarite, for God was
blessing him. The Holy Spirit came upon Samson at an early age,
causing him to take note of his people’s suffering. Samson strongly
desired to deliver his people from the Philistines’ tyranny (Judges
13:9-25).
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CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE
THE MIGHTY SAMSON
One day, after he had become an adult, Samson visited Timnah, a
town that belonged to the Philistines. There he spotted an attractive
Philistine woman. Samson desired her so much that he raced
home to plead with his father to acquire her to be his wife. (As head
of the family, fathers used to exercise authority in nearly all matters;
this often included choosing wives for their sons.)
But Samson’s parents said, “Why don’t you marry a nice Israelite
girl? There are plenty for you to choose from. You don’t need to get
yourself a wife from these pagan Philistines.”
What Manoah and his wife said was wise. Long ago, God forbade
His people to marry outside their race and religion. Yet many Israelites
ignored what God had commanded; they married into the pagan
nations of the Canaanites, and ended up serving their false gods.
But Samson would not listen to reason. He said, “Get her for me.
She looks like the right girl for me.” Unfortunately, Samson was judging
this woman solely by her attractive features and personality when
he should have taken a close look at her character.
God knew that Samson had a weakness for being attracted to foreign
women, especially those who had ungodly character. If Samson
did not overcome this, it would lead to a lifetime of misery, suffering
and ultimately death. All sin follows this path.
God is so wise and powerful, He is able to take a person’s weaknesses
and use them to fulfill His purpose. In Samson’s case, God
decided to use His servant’s weakness for foreign woman as a means
to punish the Philistines, delivering Israel from their hand. Samson’s
parents did not yet understand this (Judges 14:1-4).
Betrayed!
Giving in to Samson’s insistence, his parents accompanied him down
to Timnah so that he could get the Philistine woman for a wife. Along
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the way, they came to the famed vineyards of Timnah, which was in
the Sorek Valley.
Suddenly, a roaring lion sprang from the brush. Poised to attack,
the beast sought to rip Samson to pieces. But God’s Spirit came upon
Samson, giving him supernatural strength and power. He tore the lion
apart!
(But Samson’s parents did not see this happen, for it took place
away from their sight.)
At Timnah, Samson courted the woman for marriage. In his eyes,
she appeared to be the perfect woman for him.
According to the custom of the day, a year may have passed before
Samson and his wife-to-be would get married. Whatever the length of
time, when it had passed, Samson traveled back down to Timnah for
his fiancée.
On the way, he heard the sound of buzzing coming from the side of
the road. Curious, he followed the sound until it led him to the carcass
of the lion he had slain previously. Now it was just bones. Samson
notices that a hive of bees had made their home inside the lion’s skeleton.
Urged on by hunger pains, Samson reached in with his hand and
took some honey to eat along the way to Timnah.
Once again, he kept what happened to himself.
Samson single-handedly tore
a fierce lion to pieces.
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With his father’s reluctant permission, Samson and his fiancée
were married. Then Samson held a grand wedding feast, celebrating
for seven days. Among the guests were 30 companions—Philistine
guests of the bridegroom—who were to protect the wedding party
from invading marauders.
The telling of riddles at feasts and special occasions was a popular
amusement back then. So Samson posed one to his 30 wedding companions:
“If any of you can answer my riddle within the seven days of the
feast, I will give you 30 sheets and 30 changes of fine garments. But
if you cannot give the right answer, then you shall give me 30 sheets
and 30 changes of garments.”
These Philistine men said, “We accept. Present your riddle.”
Samson said, “Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the
strong came forth sweetness. What is the answer?” The riddle was
about the lion Samson had slain (“Out of the eater…out of the strong”)
and the honey he ate (“came forth meat” and “sweetness”). Samson
never told anyone about them—not even his parents.
For three days, none of the 30 guests could explain Samson’s riddle.
So they pressured Samson’s bride to reveal it to them.
They said, “Seduce your husband and get the answer to his riddle
for us, otherwise we will set you and your father’s house ablaze. Have
you invited us to your wedding feast so that you might take whatever
belongs to us?”
Bowing to their pressure, the woman later wept in Samson’s arms,
crying, “You don’t truly love me—you hate me! Why else would you
pose a riddle to my fellow countrymen and not share your answer with
me, your beloved wife?”
But Samson said, “I haven’t even told my own parents, so why
should I explain it to you?”
Again and again, his bride pestered him for the answer, weeping in
his arms throughout the remainder of the feast. By the seventh day,
Samson gave in to her emotional manipulation and told her what she
wanted to know.
Later, the 30 companions of the bridegroom came before Samson
to answer his riddles. Samson noticed the men were very confident,
even cocky. Right then, he suspected that something may be wrong.
They smirked and said, “Here is the answer you have been waiting
for: What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?”
Samson knew they had cheated. He also knew that they had help.
“If you had not cheated,” he said, “you would not have discovered
the answer to my riddle.” What Samson was saying was that his wife
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was unfaithful, revealing his secrets to these men. The woman’s
betrayal allowed Samson to see past her beauty and catch a glimpse of
her weak character. He began to realize that she was more interested
in pleasing these men than in being loyal to her husband. This should
never happen in a marriage.
Samson said to the cheaters, “Though you have undoubtedly cheated,
I will keep my word and give you what was promised.”
Then, with God’s Spirit motivating and empowering him, Samson
went to Ashkelon, one of the five major Philistine strongholds. There
he killed 30 Philistine men, taking with him their fine clothing, and
giving them to the 30 wedding companions.
But Samson’s anger would not go away. He went back to his
father’s home, leaving his wife behind in Timnah. Neither she nor her
father knew whether or not he would come back for her (Judges 14:5-
20).
Revenge Spawns More Revenge
After some time had passed, Samson’s anger left him, and he desired
to be reconciled with his Philistine wife. He journeyed down to
Timnah during the wheat harvest (which took place every year during
late May/early June). He was certain that he could visit his wife in
safety because most of the Philistine men would be busy doing farm
work. Samson brought with him a young goat, a gift showing that he
was no longer angry with the woman he loved.
Arriving at her home, he said to his father-in-law, “I’m here to
claim my wife. Let me see here.”
But the woman’s father said, “When you abandoned her, I thought
that you had despised my daughter, Samson. Therefore I gave her to
the one who was the best man at your wedding. I’m sorry, my son.
However, what about her younger sister—do you not find her even
more attractive? If so, please take her instead.”
In a rage, Samson shouted, “You Philistines have betrayed me for
the last time! Now I shall be blameless of any Philistine I may harm!”
And then he stormed away.
Samson immediately went to work to avenge himself: He caught
300 foxes and tied them together into pairs. Next, he tied a slow-burning
torch to each pair, and then sent the foxes down the hills to run
through the fields of the Philistines. Since it was harvest season, the
standing grain was very dry; they were easily consumed by fire. So too
were the vineyards and olive groves. This was a tremendous loss for
the Philistines.
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The Philistines soon discovered who had been the author of this
disaster: “Samson did it! He was enraged because his father-in-law
took away his wife and gave her to the best man of the bridegroom.
And our people ended up suffering for someone else’s foolishness!”
The crowd of people quickly turned into an angry mob bent on
revenge. Since Samson was nowhere to be found, they went after his
wife and father-in-law instead. They were burned alive (Judges 15:1-
6)!
Arrested by Fellow Israelites
Upon learning what had happened, Samson let it be publicly known
that he would seek revenge for the lives of his wife and father-in-law.
He went on to execute a great slaughter upon the Philistines, causing
them to fear and tremble at the mere mention of his name.
Throughout the cities and territories of the Philistines, Samson was
considered a notorious criminal who was wanted dead or alive. For his
protection, Samson lived in the cleft of a rock at Etam, which served
as a type of fort.
The Philistines launched a massive manhunt for Samson. They sent
troops into the territory of Judah and surrounded a place called Lehi.
This did not sit well with the Israelites. The leaders of Judah confronted
the officers of the Philistine army, and said, “What are you
doing here? Why do you harass us this day?
The officers said, “We’re here to find Samson and to tie him up.
Then we shall do to him as he has done to us.”
“Samson is not of Judah. He is not our concern.”
“He is now. We’re not leaving here until he is in our hands.”
Later, there was much discussion and debate among Judah’s leaders:
“Who is this Samson—why should we care about him?”
“He’s a brother Israelite, that’s who. We shouldn’t give in to these
Philistines.”
“Easier said than done. I say we bring Samson in ourselves.
After all, no one told him to attack the Philistines and then hideout in
our territory. His presence is putting all our families in jeopardy! Let’s
get rid of him.”
Eventually, they all agreed.
Then one leader said, “Hold on. Samson’s great strength and power
is know throughout the land—how are we supposed to deliver him to
the Philistines?”
It was a question that brought much fear among the men. So they
decided to send 3,000 of their warriors to Samson’s fort.
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Confronting him, the leaders said, “What is this you have done to
us? Because of you, Judah is being overrun with hordes of Philistines.
They are searching throughout our territory and harassing the people
about your whereabouts. Don’t you realize that the Philistines control
this land? Your constant attacks against them cannot change that. You
are only making matters worse for our people.”
Samson replied, “I am only doing to them what they have done to
me. I’m paying them back for their treachery.”
“That may be, Samson, but your actions are endangering our lives.
It’s bad enough that the Philistines have garrisons and troops stationed
in Israel. The last thing we need is to make them angry at us.”
Samson looked carefully at the men, taking note of their faces,
which were filled with worry and anger. Then he said, “Why are you
here—and why did you bring all these thousands of men with you?
Obviously, you are not here to join me in fighting the Philistines.”
“We are here to arrest you. Afterward, we will deliver you to the
Philistines.”
Samson slowly nodded. “Alright then,” he sighed. “But before you
arrest me, swear that you will not kill me yourselves.” Samson knew
that if he was forced to defend himself against his fellow Israelites, he
would end up killing many of them. He did not want that to happen.
The men said, “We promise. All we will do is bind you with rope
and deliver you to the Philistines.”
Samson turned himself in (Judges 15:7-13).
111
CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX
SAMSON’S ULTIMATE
BETRAYAL
The Philistines rejoiced when they saw Samson being delivered to
them, bound by ropes. Every soldier shouted and jeered.
“So this is the great troublemaker! Now we will make trouble for
you!”
The laughter and shouts from the troops were as the roaring of
lions. For the Philistines, the sight of Samson’s capture was cause for
great joy and celebration.
However, as the officers and their troops shouted and hurled
insults, the Spirit of God suddenly came upon Samson. God’s power
enabled him to break free from his bonds as though they were strands
of straw made brittle from fire. Spotting the jawbone of a donkey lying
in the dust, Samson grabbed it and used it as a deadly weapon. Though
the Philistines were armed with swords and spears, they were no
match against God’s awesome power, which was flowing through His
servant.
With the jawbone in his hand, and surrounded by 1,000 dead
Philistine troops lying on the ground, Samson said to Israelite onlookers,
“With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an
ass have I slain a thousand men.”
Then he threw the jawbone to the ground. From then on, that place
was called Ramath-Lehi, which means the “height of a jawbone.”
Samson’s miraculous one-man battle made him feel drained and
thirsty. Though he had superhuman strength, he was still a mortal
human being; he was capable of dying or being killed.
In desperate need of water, he cried out to God: “O Eternal, You
have given this great deliverance into the hand of Your servant. But
shall I now die of thirst, and fall into the hand of these idol-worshipping
Philistines? Please quench my thirst.”
God answered his plea. He miraculously split open a hollow place,
and out came cool, fresh water. Samson rushed to drink in as much as
he could, until he was fully refreshed. Later, the place where this mir-
112
acle occurred came to be called “En Hakkore”—“spring of the caller.”
News of what Samson had done at Lehi struck fear in the minds of
the Philistine people. It also became a witness to the people of Judah,
clearly signifying that God was using Samson as His servant. For the
next twenty years, God used Samson to judge Israel and deliver them
from Philistine oppression (Judges 15:15-20).
Outsmarting an Ambush
Though Samson was blessed with miraculous physical strength, he
lacked spiritual strength (godly character) when it came to overcoming
his weakness for foreign women—especially those of bad character.
At one point, he got involved with a Philistine harlot. She resided
in Gaza. As one of the five major strongholds of the Philistines, this
city was a commercial seaport along the Mediterranean Sea.
The men of Gaza soon find out about Samson’s frequent visits to
this harlot’s home. They decided to lay a trap for him. That night, they
shut up all the streets, secured the city gates, and secretly surrounded
the woman’s home, waiting for Samson to show up. They planned to
kill him when he departed from the harlot’s home the next morning.
But Samson was aware of the ambush. He laid low until midnight,
then quietly slipped out and headed for the city gates. Then, empowered
by God’s Spirit, Samson grabbed hold of the towering doors,
pulling them up, along with two adjoining gate posts. He then carried
them away on his shoulders and dropped them on top of a hill that
faced Hebron, over in Judah—about 38 miles away!
This embarrassed the Philistines, who thought they could outsmart
Samson. It also enraged them even more. The Philistine people were
now more determined than ever to get rid of Samson (Judges 16:1-3).
Hiring a Seductress
Sometime later, the overlords of the Philistines learned that Samson
had fallen madly in love with a Philistine woman named Delilah, who
lived in the Valley of Sorek.
Unfortunately, Samson’s latest unwise romance would bear the rotten
fruits of betrayal, extreme humiliation and misery. Sin always produces
bad results.
The five Philistine overlords made Delilah a proposition: “Seduce
Samson for us, and discover the secret to his great strength and how
we can defeat him. We intend to bind up this Hebrew and afflict him.
113
In return for your services,
each of us will give you
1,100 pieces of silver.”
The overlords did not
want to kill Samson right
away. They wanted to take
their revenge through torture
and humiliation.
Also, they may have
thought that Samson was
using some kind of “good
luck charm.” Many people
today put their trust in socalled
charms rather than in
God.
“Eleven hundred pieces
from each of you?” said
Delilah. “That comes to
5,500 pieces of silver!” She
did not hesitate to accept
their offer. Delilah found
something she valued far
more than Samson’s love:
Money!
Samson should have
trusted God to provide him
with the right woman to
love and marry. As our
Creator, God knows us better
than we know ourselves
(Matthew 10:29-31; Luke 12:6-
7).
Delilah did not waste time putting
her scheme into action. When
she and Samson were alone, she said
to him, “Tell me, dear, what is the
source of your great strength? And what
would it take for someone to bind you so that he could afflict you?”
Samson said, “If someone managed to bind me with seven fresh
bowstrings, not yet dried, then I would be weak, as normal as any
other man.”
(Samson’s strength came from God—and God would continue to
114
Samson was taken in
by Delilah’s beauty.
This would ultimately
cost him his life.
give it to him as long as Samson did not break his Nazarite vow.)
He lied to Delilah because he did not fully trust her. Yet, by being
intimate with a woman he suspected of being untrustworthy, Samson
was playing with fire. He was bound to get burned!
Samson decided to play a kind of “lying game” with Delilah—but
such games only end with bad results (Judges 16:4-7).
Succumbing to a Nagging Woman
That evening, Delilah playfully tied Samson with seven fresh bowstrings,
which had been supplied by the Philistine overlords. Samson
was unaware that Philistine soldiers were hiding in the room, waiting
for Delilah’s signal to attack.
When she was certain that Samson was bound tight, Delilah yelled,
“Samson, look out! The Philistines are upon you!”
Suddenly, Samson broke free from the bowstrings as though they
were but a single strand of yarn. He laughed, happy with the little
“game” he was playing.
But Delilah was far from pleased. She said, “You’ve mocked me
and told me lies! How can I trust you if you don’t trust me? Now tell
me what it would take to bind you up.”
Samson continued to toy with Delilah with more lies: “If I was
bound with new ropes that had never been used, then I would become
as normal as any other man.”
So Delilah waited when he was caught off-guard and bound him
with new, never-used rope. Then she yelled, “Watch out, the
Philistines are upon you!”
However, the Philistine soldiers lying in wait did not reveal themselves—
which was fortunate for them. Samson easily broke free from
his bonds as though they were thread!
Delilah was furious! She said, “Why have you mocked me so, and
told me lies? What is your secret, Samson—if you loved me, you’d tell
me!”
Samson said, “If the seven locks of my head were woven into the
web of a loom, then my strength would be gone.”
As a Nazarite, Samson had very long hair, which had never been
cut. But, he did not look like a “wild man,” the way some rock stars
and entertainers appear today; Samson’s hair was tastefully gathered
into seven long locks.
After she had waited for Samson to fall into a deep sleep, Delilah
tightly wove his hair into the web of her loom. Then she yelled, “Wake
up, Samson! The Philistines are here!”
115
Samson jumped up and pulled his hair out of the loom with ease.
And Delilah saw that he was just as strong as ever.
She said, “How can you say that you love me when obviously you
don’t trust me with your heart? You have made a fool out of me three
times—and you still haven’t shared your secret with me!”
From then on, Delilah pressured, begged and nagged Samson day
after day, night after night, hour after hour—she would not give him a
moment’s rest.
One day, Samson’s patience finally ran out: “Alright, alright! Here
is my secret: Arazor has never so much as touched my head, for I have
been a Nazarite, separated to serve God, from my mother’s womb. If
my hair was shaved off, my vow would be broken and my strength
would leave me. I would become weak. I would become just like any
other man. Now stop pestering me!”
Incredibly, Samson had just handed Delilah the key to his destruction!
She looked into his eyes and was convinced that he had finally
revealed the truth. Later, she called for the Philistine overlords, telling
them, “Bring me my pieces of silver. Samson shall soon be delivered
into your hands” (Judges 16:8-18).
Delilah Betrays Samson
With the money in tow, the overlords and their men quietly came to
Delilah’s home and hid.
Then Delilah lulled Samson to sleep in her arms. Next, she signaled
for a soldier to sneak over to them and cut off Samson’s hair.
Immediately, Samson’s superhuman strength left him as he continued
to sleep. To find out if he had told the truth, Delilah bound his hands
and then screamed, “Wake up, Samson! The Philistines are about to
attack!”
Samson woke up. Seeing that Delilah had bound him again, he
thought to himself, “I’ll just break free like I did before.”
That was when Samson realized that something was wrong. “I
can’t break free! What has happened to me?”
He looked down and noticed that his long locks of hair were lying
on the floor—that was when Samson finally knew he had been
betrayed!
As he continued to struggle against his bonds, the Philistine overlords
and their troops came out of hiding. They shouted at Samson and
took hold of him, beating him.
And then Samson looked on as the overlords handed their pieces of
116
silver to Delilah. It was the last thing he ever saw—for the Philistines
had Samson’s eyes put out (Judges 16:19-21)!
Captured, beaten and made blind, Samson was brought to Gaza and
paraded before jeering crowds of Philistines, who spat at him and
mocked him.
Thrown into prison, Samson was put to work grinding grain. This
was considered woman’s work—too lowly for men to perform.
Even though his hair began to grow long again, the Philistines did
not fear that Samson would get his superhuman strength back. Now
that he was blind and bound in bronze fetters, the overconfident
Philistines did not believe that he would ever be a threat to them again
(Judges 16:21-22).
God Avenges Samson
One day, the five overlords of the Philistines held a great feast at one
of their temples. It was a special celebration, a great sacrifice in honor
of their false god Dagon, whose carved imaged portrayed him as being
half man, half fish.
At the ceremony, the overlords addressed the people: “Our god
Dagon has delivered the once-great Samson, our enemy, into our
hands.”
Everyone attending the assembly, including many Philistine rulers
and dignitaries, praised their false god, saying to its carved image,
“You, Dagon, have delivered into our hands our enemy—the destroyer
of our country—the one who slew so many of us.”
They were all drinking strong drink and making merry, and called
for Samson to be brought before them. “Bring out this Hebrew” they
chanted, “that he might perform for us!”
The entire audience was amused to see Samson brought before
them. He blindly groped around as he was led out by a lad and positioned
between two giant pillars. Samson listened to the Philistines
laugh and jeer and mock him. Then he was forced to perform tricks for
their amusement, like a dog at a dog show.
With every insult, he regretted having allowed his character weaknesses
to lead him to such humiliation and despair. He repented of his
sins and hoped that God would use him just one more time.
Samson said to the lad, “Help me place my hands on the pillars so
that I may lean upon them.”
The lad thought about it, and then, thinking there was no danger to
fulfilling his request, he did what Samson had asked of him.
With his knowledge of Philistine culture, Samson remembered that
117
these two pillars were part of the foundation of the temple. If he could
knock down the pillars, the temple would fall.
He was now positioned between the two towering pillars.
118
Then Samson softly prayed to God: “O Lord Almighty, I pray that
You please remember me, and that, in Your great mercy, You strengthen
me only this once. Please, O God, allow me to have revenge upon
the Philistines for taking away my eyesight.”
He then took hold of the pillars, which supported the temple’s roof,
and braced himself, saying, “Let me die with these Philistines!” And
then Samson pushed.
God answered his prayer. Samson felt superhuman strength flow
through him once again as he pushed the pillars apart. They tumbled
over and collapsed, bringing down the entire temple upon the five
overlords and their guests. Three thousand Philistines were dead—
more than Samson had ever killed before!
Afterward, Samson’s family members boldly came to take his body
to bury it in his father’s tomb (Judges 16:23-31).
Though he had some shortcomings, Samson was truly a great servant
of God. In fact, the Bible lists him among the heroes of faith
(Hebrews 11:32).
119
The Restored Church of God
P.O. Box 23295
Wadsworth, OH 44282
USA
The Restored Church of God
P.O. Box 4064
St. Catharines, ON L2R 7S3
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Phone: (330) 334-2266
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Copyright © 2002 The Restored Church of God
All Rights Reserved
Printed in the USA
THIS ARTICLE IS PROVIDED FREE HOW TO CONTACT US
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INTEREST BY THE RESTORED
CHURCH OF GOD.
It is made possible by the voluntary,
freely given tithes and offerings of the
members of the Church and others
who have elected to support the work
of the Church. Contributions are welcomed
and gratefully accepted.
Those who wish to voluntarily aid and
support this WORK OF GOD around the
world are gladly welcomed as coworkers
in this major effort to preach
the gospel to all nations.
THE STORY
OF THE BIBLE
VOLUME FIVE
Herbert W. Armstrong led the Worldwide Church of God (formerly The Radio
Church of God until 1968) until his death in 1986. Hundreds of millions heard
his voice and read his literature. God called him in the fall of 1926 and he was
converted in the spring of 1927. Over the course of Mr. Armstrong’s ministry,
God revealed through him a great many true biblical doctrines, which had
been lost to the Church through the centuries. After his death, his successors
ceased to believe and teach these doctrines. Although copyright law prohibits
The Restored Church of God from reproducing and distributing literature produced
while he led the Worldwide Church of God, we are committed to the
preservation and teaching of all of these truths!
THIS BOOK IS PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE AND IN THE
PUBLIC INTEREST BY THE RESTORED CHURCH OF GOD.
It is made possible by the voluntary, freely given tithes and offerings of the
members of the Church and others who have elected to support the work of the
Church. Contributions are welcomed and gratefully accepted. Those who wish
to voluntarily aid and support this WORK OF GOD around the world are gladly
welcomed as co-workers in this major effort to preach the gospel to all nations.
Copyright © 2004 by The Restored Church of God
All Rights Reserved
Printed in the United States of America
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN: MICAH HIRES A PRIEST
CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT: ISRAEL’S CIVILWAR
CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE: THE STORY OF RUTH
CHAPTER SEVENTY: GOD CALLS SAMUEL
CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE: “WE WANT A KING!”
CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO: SAUL BECOMES KING
CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE: “REBELLION IS LIKE WITCHCRAFT”
CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR: DAVID VERSUS GOLIATH
CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE: THE MEANING OF TRUE FRIENDSHIP
CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX: WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE!
CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN: RESPECTING AUTHORITY
CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHT: A TRAGIC END
CHAPTER SEVENTY-NINE: DAVID BECOMES KING
CHAPTER EIGHTY: DAVID RULES ALL OF ISRAEL
TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE STORY OF THE BIBLE
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......................................................... 35
................................................... 45
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VOLUME FIVE
INTRODUCTION
by David C. Pack
This is the fifth volume of a special series. These books truly represent “THE
STORY OF THE BIBLE.” Many have attempted to write various kinds of
“Bible Story Books,” but they are usually written only for children, and are primarily
designed to entertain instead of educate or inspire. The reader will see
that the wonderful style and artwork of this series capture the spirit of God’s
Word, with its intended lessons and vital meaning.
Most children’s versions of the Bible terribly misrepresent important stories
that it contains—and they are written with wrong emphasis—and wrong meaning!
Instead of leading children to the true God, and to the true doctrines of His
Word, children are left with the impression that the Bible only contains a few
stories, and is mostly a book about war, violence, blood, thunder and death.
This is terribly wrong!
In keeping with the modern generation’s obsession with graphic violence,
most efforts to reflect the teachings of the Bible “play” to this interest. Youth
are given what they want to read, not what they need to understand. The many
stories of the Bible are intended to teach VITAL LESSONS to people of all ages.
Modern writers miss the mark when they cater to children, rather than properly
teach them what God intends.
If young people learn the Bible in a wrong way—with emphasis on the
wrong things, while ignoring the enormous number of lessons that the Bible
contains—at least two bad things result.
First, all these wrong concepts and approaches must be unlearned and
replaced by right knowledge and understanding of what the Bible really says.
Unlearning error is a most difficult thing to do, and is actually far harder than
learning the truth correctly the first time, leaving no need to sweep the mind
clean of what has been wrong or misunderstood.
Second, young people will later find the stories of the Bible have been trivialized
and made irrelevant, and they may find themselves turned off by its
message rather than being excited and thrilled about what they are learning.
The modern system of education is morally and spiritually bankrupt!
Deluded educators have been biased against God and His Word by the atheistic
teaching of evolution poured into them from childhood. They have taught
young people for decades that there are “no absolutes” and that they must follow
“situation ethics.” They have led the world into a kind of secular human-
4
ism—where people are driven by how they feel rather than clear definitions of
right and wrong! But there is right and wrong in life—and those who are teaching
the children of this world have cut themselves off from this knowledge
(Isaiah 59:1-2). They cannot teach what they were never taught!
Also, this world’s churches keep young people steeped in traditional pagan
philosophies and teachings that have deceived the world for millennia. They
have ignored the great spiritual principle of CAUSE and EFFECT that governs
every aspect of life. They have neglected to teach true spiritual values. They
have defaulted their responsibility in all the critical areas of leadership—and
have utterly failed in their greatest responsibility, which should have been to
instill in young minds the marvelous truths of God’s Word—to teach youth how
to live, not just how to earn a living.
This is a tragic state of affairs!
Many who attempt to study the Bible become confused, frustrated and disillusioned,
believing that it is too difficult to understand. As a result, many who
would seek to teach their children true Christian standards and values, either
give up altogether or leave such education to the many theological “experts,”
who offer no end of differing—and conflicting—views.
Such an approach only serves to further confuse young people about the
Bible, thus, in many cases, alienating them from it. But those who truly seek to
understand God’s Word, without adding their own interpretation (II Peter 1:20),
will find that there is simplicity in it (II Corinthians 11:3).
Children need to be taught this simplicity! They need to know who and
what they are—and why they were born—that they are future sons of God in
the making!
You were born for a reason. Your life has a SUPREME PURPOSE! The Bible
reveals how to be in harmony with the true God—and His purpose for life. The
world is ignorant of this. So are most parents. They have no idea how or what
to teach their children. No one is guiding parents, because no one knows how
to guide them. Sadly, though the Bible is a gripping, interesting—even fascinating—
book of true stories (all part of one great story), most find it dull, dry
and boring.
This series is written to completely change this misconception in the minds
of people of all ages! It uses language designed to expand your mind through
the use of word pictures. Our goal has been to make the Bible real—to make it
talk directly to parents and children. With only a little explanation, parents will
be able to read these volumes to children as young as age three.
In today’s world, youth are universally misguided, abused, neglected and
ignored and this fuels a variety of rampant, escalating social problems. This is
because society as a whole has rejected the SOURCE of true happiness, success,
peace and fulfillment—GOD’S WORD. As King Solomon admonished, “Train
up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from
it” (Proverbs 22:6).
How many are even attempting to do this today?
Many true doctrines of God were restored to His Church in the middle of
the 20th century. By the 1990s, they had largely been discarded by its new leaders.
Part of our commission is to once again “restore what was restored” and to
5
continue to “turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the
children to their fathers” (Malachi 4:6). The Restored Church of God has completely
restored all God’s doctrines to the Church!
Under the faithful leadership of Herbert W. Armstrong (1892-1986), various
Church youth programs were established as part of the fulfillment of this
important responsibility. These included the Y.O.U. program (Youth
Opportunities United—for teens), and the Y.E.S. program (Youth Educational
Services—for young children). There was also a Summer Educational Program
(S.E.P.), providing teenagers with the opportunity to fellowship with other
teens and develop many skills and talents in a camp environment.
There was also much youth-oriented literature, offered to the young people
of God’s Church. These included a Youth magazine for teenagers, Youth Bible
Lessons for children from kindergarten through sixth grade—and The Bible
Story series.
Children are far too precious to ignore or neglect. While parents must utilize
the tools that are available to them, they cannot do this if these tools have
not been created.
As the only true extension of Mr. Armstrong’s ministry, The Restored
Church of God is re-creating these same written tools—as well as the magazines,
books, booklets, articles and letters that once taught the full truth of God
to millions around the world.
This series is being rewritten—with new volumes to appear on a regular
basis—to once again make the Bible simple, so that the stories in it come to
life! But these volumes are not just for children! It is our hope that parents and
children alike will enjoy and benefit from them. Its forerunner was a six-volume
work, once described as “written for children 5 to 105.” The original series
is no longer available—but this new one is!
6
CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN
MICAH HIRES A PRIEST
Our story thus far: During the era of the judges, the people of Israel
drifted away from God and His laws. Instead of relying on the
Eternal to show them the right way to live, every man did what seemed
right in his own eyes (Judges 17:6). This led to constant trouble, grief
and misery for the nation of Israel.
With each generation, the Israelites became more and more like the
pagan nations God had warned His people not to copy. Selfishness and
corruption had spread throughout the Promised Land, accompanied by
idolatry and superstition.
AWrong Way to Worship God
Living in the mountains of Ephraim was a superstitious woman who
discovered that her silver had been mysteriously stolen—all 1,100
pieces of it. This upset her so much that she pronounced a curse on the
unknown thief.
The woman’s son, Micah, heard her prayer and began to worry, for
it was he who was the thief. Driven by fear, Micah approached his
mother and said, “Do you remember those 1,100 pieces of silver that
were stolen from you?”
“Of course I do,” she said. “I put a curse on the thief who stole them
from me, whoever he is.”
“Yes. I overheard you when you pronounced the curse. Well, I’m
the one who took your silver.”
Not wanting her son to suffer from the curse, Micah’s mother said,
“I pray that God will bless you, my son.”
Then Micah returned the stolen money.
Pleased, his mother said, “I had planned to dedicate this silver to
honor the Eternal on your behalf.” So she took 200 pieces of the silver
and paid a silversmith to make a carved image and a molten image—
idols—for her son.
Micah’s mother may have had good intentions, but she was breaking
God’s laws. Over the last 6,000 years, carnal-minded people have
used their human reasoning to think of manmade ways to serve and
7
worship God. But God wants His people to worship Him His way,
according to His laws, judgments and statues—and not with idols.
When the images were finished, Micah used them to set up a shrine
(a private place of worship) in his home, also making an ephod and
household idols for his shrine. He even set apart one of his sons to be
his priest!
Back in the days of Moses, when Israel was wandering in the
wilderness, God commanded that an ephod be made for His high
priest. The ephod was a sleeveless vestment of gold, blue, purple and
scarlet, and made with fine linen. Twelve precious stones were embedded
in its breastplate; these represented the 12 tribes of Israel. The
ephod was to be worn by the high priest in officially serving God. It
was not for private use, as in Micah’s case.
Micah was pleased with himself. “Now we no longer need to travel
all the way to Shiloh,” he thought, “to worship at God’s tabernacle.
We have our own tabernacle right here!”
Micah’s personal shrine was a counterfeit of God’s holy tabernacle,
which was at Shiloh. Only God had the authority to establish tabernacles,
temples and other holy places. And only He had the right to set
up priests.
Like most of the Israelites of his day, Micah did not pay close attention
to the details of God’s laws and teachings. He thought that his own
personal way of worshipping God—including using idols—was good
enough.
But Micah was mistaken. The Eternal only accepts those who obey
Him His way (Judges 17:1-5).
Like everyone else in the land, Micah acted as his own king, or
leader of authority. No one could tell him what to do.
An Ungodly Arrangement
One day a young Levite named Jonathan departed from Bethlehem,
which was in the territory of Judah, and looked for a suitable place that
would hire his priestly services. Rather than serving Israel from one of
the 48 cities God had given the tribe of Levi, Jonathan wanted to seek
his own fortune. He looked out only for himself.
The young man’s journey eventually led him to Micah’s house.
When Micah learned that Jonathan was a Levite, he said, “Why not
stay here with me? You can serve me as my own priest and tell me
what God wants me to do. Every year I will pay you ten pieces of silver
and one complete set of clothes. I’ll also provide all your food.”
Jonathan thought to himself, “This sounds like a great deal. Free
8
9
Micah presents Jonathan
with an intriguing proposition.
food and clothes, plus money, too.”
So the young Levite agreed, selling his services to be Micah’s private
priest—which no man has the authority to do. Even today, there
are men who claim to be ministers of God, who hire themselves out
from church to church, serving the wants of men.
Micah was excited. He smiled, and clapped his hand, saying, “Now
that I have a Levite as my priest, I know that God will favor me.”
Micah deceived himself into believing that he could gain God’s
approval his own way rather than God’s way.
Jonathan moved into his new home, and Micah treated him like one
of his own sons (Judges 17:7-13).
The Troubles of Dan
Meanwhile, the tribe of Dan was looking for a land in which to live.
Though the other Israelite tribes had territories, the people of Dan
failed to rely upon God’s power to conquer their allotted portion of the
Promised Land. The fierce, war-like Amorites had driven the Danites
up into the mountains. Eventually, Dan gave up fighting for their
inheritance, which was the western end of a strip of land between
Judah and Ephraim. So the Danites began to look for a new, easier territory
to conquer and colonize.
Dan sent five men of valor to spy out the land. From Zorah and
Eshtaol, these men eventually came to the mountains of Ephraim,
where they met Micah. Confident that God was with him, Micah said
to the five Danites, “You men have traveled far—you must be hungry
and tired. Come, stay the night in my home in peace and safety.”
The men eagerly agreed.
That night, when they heard Jonathan’s voice, the Danites recognized
from his accent that the young man was not from Ephraim.
Privately, they asked him, “Where do you come from? What are
you doing here in Ephraim? Who brought you here?”
Jonathan explained that Micah had hired him to be his priest. Then
he told them, “Micah treats me extremely well, like I was one of his
sons.”
The Danites said to him, “Please talk to God for us and ask Him if
our mission will be a success.”
“Go in peace,” the young priest answered. “Do not worry. God is
with you. He is pleased with what you are doing.” Jonathan gave these
men the answer they wanted to hear. In doing so, Jonathan misused
God’s name to give his message authority.
Greatly encouraged, the five men departed the next day. Their jour-
10
ney took them up north, to the town of Laish, which was located in a
valley controlled by the town of Beth-Rehob. Laish was a prosperous
colony that was blessed to have fertile land and no enemies. Its people
were colonists from the land of Sidon. Even though Sidon was too far
away to protect them, the people of Laish did not bother to protect their
secluded town with walls, for they all lived in safety and peace, without
cruel overlords to oppress them. And, unlike other towns and villages,
the leaders of Laish never asked the nearby towns to help them
in case of an attack.
The five men of Dan spied out Laish from a safe distance, and concluded
that their tribe could easily take over the town. “This place is perfect
for us,” they said among themselves. “This is truly a blessing from
God—just as that Levite said!”
So they hurried back to Zorah and Eshtaol, and told their kinsmen
and fellow Danites what they had discovered.
“Everyone, arise! Let’s go!” the five men said. “We’ve seen the land
that God wants us to conquer—and it’s very good land, with enough
room for us all. It has everything we will ever need. What are you waiting
for? Let’s attack and take it.”
One soldier said, “Hold on. What about the people there? Will they
put up much of a fight?”
“No,” they answered. “The people of Laish think they’re safe, that
they don’t need protection. They haven’t even bothered to protect their
town behind a walled defense. Clearly, God is giving the land to us!”
Excited and filled with anticipation, 600 Danite warriors armed
themselves with weapons and departed for Laish, bringing along their
families (Judges 18:1-11).
Jonathan Sells Out
On the way to Laish, the Danites camped near Kiriath-Jearim, in the
territory of Judah. Afterward, they marched up into the mountains of
Ephraim.
When they drew near to Micah’s house, the five men who had been
spies asked their fellow soldiers, “Did you know that someone in this
village has a private shrine, along with several idols and a sacred
ephod? What should we do about this?”
The 600 warriors said, “Perhaps we can put these to our own use.”
Then they left the road and went to Micah’s house. The five men who
had been there before went inside and took Micah’s ephod and household
idols. Meanwhile, the other warriors stood guard at the gate.
When Jonathan the Levite priest saw what was happening, he
11
shouted, “Hold on there! What are you doing?”
The men said, “Quiet! Keep your mouth shut and listen. Why not
come with us and be our priest, so you can tell us what God wants us
to do? Why stay here and be a priest for just one man’s family when
you can be the priest for a clan—or even a whole tribe of Israel?”
Jonathan liked their idea. It appealed to his lust for power and
authority. So he helped the men of Dan steal Micah’s tools of idol worship.
Once again, Jonathan had sold his services to the highest bidder.
When Micah, who had been away, finally returned home, he was
shocked to discover that his priest and tools of idolatry were missing.
He quickly gathered his neighbors to help him get his things back.
Then Micah and his neighbors rode out after the thieves. They soon
caught up with the people of Dan and shouted for them to stop.
The Danite warriors turned to face Micah and said, “What’s wrong?
What is so important that you felt the need to bring all these men with
you?”
Micah answered, “You know why I’m here. You stole my household
idols, which were specially made for me. And you took my priest,
too. I don’t have anything left!”
“Don’t raise your voice at us. We don’t want to hear any more about
it,” the leaders of Dan said. “And you better not make us angry, or you
will get yourself and your family killed!”
12
Then the leaders ordered the tribe to continue their journey. Micah
was outnumbered and he knew it. He realized that he did not have
enough men to stop them. As the tribe of Dan marched off into the distance,
Micah and his neighbors stood by helplessly and watched. And
then, reluctantly, Micah and his men returned home empty-handed
(Judges 18:12-26).
The City of Dan
The tribe of Dan, along with Jonathan, continued their march until they
finally came to the defenseless town of Laish. With lightning speed,
the warriors of Dan made a surprise attack on the unsuspecting townspeople,
killing everyone they could find and burning everything to the
ground.
The tribe of Dan then rebuilt the town and settled in it, calling their
new home Dan, which became the northernmost point of Israel.
(Throughout their history, the people of Dan usually named their surroundings—
rivers, towns, regions, etc.—after themselves. The
Danube River and the country of Denmark are just two of many examples.)
Since God’s holy tabernacle was way down south in Shiloh, the
Danites reasoned that it was too far to offer sacrifices to God there. So
they used the idols and other pagan tools they had stolen from Micah
and set up their own place of worship. They even set apart Jonathan to
be their high priest—which God did not give them the authority to do!
Of all those who were involved in this sin, Jonathan knew better.
Not only was he born and raised as a Levite—which meant that he
knew what God expected from him and His people—Jonathan also
was the grandson of Moses! (In the King James Version of the Bible,
the oldest translation of God’s Word, Judges 18:30 records that
Jonathan was the grandson of “Manasseh.” However, this was changed
many centuries ago by the people who originally copied the Bible by
hand. They changed Moses’ name to Manasseh in that verse in order
to honor Moses and distance him from the disgraceful actions of his
grandson.)
Jonathan proved to be the opposite of his famous grandfather—
selfish, covetousness and deceitful. Had he truly cared about the
Danites, he would have refused to be their high priest, and he would
have taught them God’s ways.
Jonathan and his descendants served as priests for the tribe of Dan,
causing them to serve idols for many generations (verses 27-31).
13

CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT
ISRAEL’S CIVILWAR
Acertain Levite who lived deep in the mountains of Ephraim took for
himself a concubine. They lived together like husbands and wives
do, but they were not married. This was a sin against God. Like all
Levites, this man had been raised from birth to know God’s laws and to
teach them to Israel. But, like the majority of the people of Israel, this
Levite was not concerned with following God with all his heart and
soul.
As a result, the man lacked God’s wisdom. Not only did he get into
a sinful, unmarried relationship with a woman, but his concubine was
also a harlot—an unfaithful woman who betrayed her lover by having
sinful, marriage-like relations with other men.
Upon discovering this, the Levite became so angry that the woman
fearfully ran back home to live with her father in Bethlehem.
After four months had passed, the Levite missed her so much that he
decided to go to Bethlehem. He thought to himself, “Perhaps I can convince
her to come back home with me.” So the Levite and his servant
took two donkeys and headed for Bethlehem.
The Levite soon found that his concubine was so happy to see him
that she invited him into her family’s home.
Even her father was glad to see the Levite, wanting him and his
daughter to reconcile. Every time the Levite was ready to head back
home, the father convinced him to stay; he did not want him to leave.
So the Levite stayed with them for three days, feasting with the
woman’s father.
By the fifth day, the Levite, the concubine and his servant got up
early to leave. But the woman’s father said, “Stay, eat, so you can keep
up your strength. Why go now when you can leave right after lunch?”
Convinced once again, the Levite stayed, eating and drinking and
having a merry time well past lunch.
Finally, when the Levite got up to leave for home, the woman’s
father said, “Please stay. It’s already late afternoon. If you leave now,
you won’t get very far before night comes. Stay with us one more night
and enjoy yourself. You can always leave early tomorrow morning.”
Though he knew that the man was right, the Levite was determined
15
to get back home without further delay. So he had his servant saddle the
donkeys, then the Levite, the woman and his servant departed
Bethlehem, and headed for the mountains of Ephraim (Judges 19:1-10).
Finding a Place to Spend the Night
By the time sunset drew near and the sky began to get dark, the Levite
and his party only managed to travel as far as Jebus. (The Israelites
used to call it Jerusalem, but the city had been seized by the Jebusites,
who now controlled it.) In those days, there were no paved superhighways
or streetlamps to safely guide travelers to their destination.
Traveling in the dark was dangerous.
As they came near the city, which was only a few miles from
Bethlehem, the servant of the Levite said, “Let’s stop and spend the
night in this town.”
But his master said, “No. The people of Jebus aren’t Israelites. We
wouldn’t be safe among these foreigners. We’ll move on and spend the
night at Gibeah. We can make it to there or maybe even to Ramah
before nightfall. Either way, we’ll be safe among fellow Israelites.”
So they traveled farther, until finally, just after sunset, they reached
Gibeah, which was in the territory that belonged to the tribe of
Benjamin.
They entered the Benjamite town and tried to find a safe place to
lodge for the night, but all of the innkeepers and town residents turned
16
them away. “We have nothing available,” they said to the Levite.
“You’ll have to find another place to sleep.”
Since no one would have mercy on them and take them in, the three
travelers sat down in the open square just inside the town gates.
Shortly, an old man entered through Gibeah’s gates; he was on his
way home after having worked all day in the fields. Like the Levite, the
old man had been born and raised in the mountains of Ephraim, though
he now lived in Gibeah among Benjamites.
When he noticed the three travelers sitting in the open square, he
began to worry about them. He knew that it was not safe to stay out in
the open at night, for too many wicked men roamed the town after dark,
preying upon the weak and defenseless.
“Where are you going?” the old man asked the Levite. “Where did
you come from? Are you travelers?”
“We’re just passing through. We came from Bethlehem in Judah,”
the Levite answered. “We went there on a visit. We plan on going to
God’s holy tabernacle, and then we will return to our home in the
mountains of Ephraim.”
“Really?” asked the old man, surprised. He was glad to meet someone
from his home region.
“Yes. But we have no place to spend the night. No one here will help
us. We brought food for our donkeys and bread and wine for ourselves—
we don’t need anything else except a place to sleep.”
The old man said, “You are more than welcome to be guests in my
home for the night. Whatever you do, don’t stay out here—it isn’t safe!”
The Levite accepted his invitation. The old man brought his guests
into his house and showered them with warm hospitality. He fed their
donkeys, had his guests’ feet washed, and served them a hearty meal
(Judges 19:11-21).
Wickedness in Gibeah
As the old man and his guests feasted and enjoyed themselves, a
gang of wicked men surrounded the house and started banging on the
door. The Bible calls them “sons of Belial,” meaning that, as human
tools of Satan the devil, these worthless men had cast off the yoke of
decency and sold themselves to do evil.
The gang of wicked men shouted, “Old man, we know that a
stranger came to your house tonight. Send him out, so we can abuse
him!”
All laughter and smiles stopped. Beads of sweat began to drip
down the old man’s forehead. The Levite began to worry.
17
The old man said to him, “I’ll take care of this,” and went outside
to speak to the gang.
“My friends,” he said, “I beg you, please don’t commit such a
horrible sin against this man. He is a guest in my home. I must see to
his safety. If you want someone to abuse, let me send out my daughter
instead. She is unmarried, and has never been with a man. If that
is not enough, I’ll even send out this man’s concubine wife. You can
abuse them or do whatever else you want, but please don’t do such a
horrible sin against my guest.”
According to the custom of the times, the old man was supposed
to defend his guests. However, because Israel had forgotten the one
true God, even when people tried to do the right thing, they ended up
doing it the wrong way. Without relying on God and living according
to His ways, people did what seemed right in their own eyes. This
always leads to suffering, misery—and even death.
The gang refused to listen to the old man.
The Levite, selfishly fearing more for his safety than for the safety
of the woman he claimed to love, grabbed his concubine and
shoved her outside! She went kicking and screaming, but the cowardly
Levite cared only about himself.
All that night, the men abused and mistreated the concubine,
while the Levite cowered in safety. Despite her screams for help, no
one came to her rescue.
Finally, just before sunrise, the evil men let the woman go. She
stumbled back to the house where the Levite had spent the night, and
collapsed at the door.
Early that morning, the Levite woke up and got ready to leave. He
opened the front door and found his concubine lying on the ground
with her hands on the doorstep.
“Get up!” he ordered. “It’s time to leave.”
But she did not move. The concubine was dead.
Quietly, the Levite lifted her lifeless body, which was bloody and
bruised, onto his donkey and departed for home.
Once he reached home, the Levite took a large knife and cut the
woman’s body into 12 pieces, from limb to limb. Then he ordered
messengers to take one piece to each tribe of Israel.
He said, “Tell my fellow Israelites about the wickedness that the
men of Gibeah did to my concubine. Then ask them if such evil like
this has ever happened since Israel left Egypt. Tell them to think
about it, talk it over, and decide what should be done.”
Of course, the Levite failed to mention that he had acted like a
coward and failed to protect the woman he supposedly loved.
18
The Levite’s plan was to get revenge on Gibeah, and, perhaps ease
his conscience for failing to rescue the concubine. He reasoned that
her body parts and his message would cause the rest of Israel to get
angry over what had happened, and to desire revenge (Judges 19:22-
19).
Seeking Revenge
The Levite’s plan was working. All who received the body parts and
message, or who had only heard about it, were outraged. All throughout
the land of Israel, the people said, “This is horrible! Nothing like
this has ever happened since the day Israel left Egypt” (Judges
19:30).
A national assembly of Israelite troops—from Dan up north, to
Beersheba down south, as well as those from Gilead (except for the
town of Jabesh) from the other side of the Jordan River—gathered at
Mizpah. The 400,000 warriors had one purpose: Revenge!
Meanwhile, news about the meeting at Mizpah reached the tribe
of Benjamin.
The generals met with the Levite and asked, “How could such a
horrible thing happen?”
The man answered, “My concubine and I went into the town of
Gibeah to spend the night there. Later that night, a gang of wicked
Gibeah men surrounded the house. These Benjamites planned to kill
me, but instead they abused the woman so much she died. I could not
believe that fellow Israelites could be so cruel to one of their own
countrymen. So I cut up her body into 12 pieces and sent them
throughout Israel. You represent the people of Israel—you must
decide what should be done about the men of Gibeah.”
Once again, the Levite left out the fact that he had dragged his
concubine out of the house, throwing her to her doom.
All the leaders agreed as one man: “None of us will go home.
Each tribe shall send one tenth of its men to bring back food for the
army. The men of Gibeah deserve to be punished for this sin.
Therefore, we will ask God which should attack first.”
The leaders of Israel sent messengers to every town and village in
Benjamin, and gave them this message: “How could wickedness
occur among you? We cannot allow such a terrible crime to go
unpunished. We must remove this evil from Israel. Deliver these evil
sons of Belial over to us, and we will put them to death!”
But the people of Benjamin refused. Even though they were vastly
outnumbered, the hearts of the Benjamites were hardened against jus-
19
tice and decency. They refused to yield to what was right. By not giving
up the gang of men from Gibeah, Benjamin, in effect, was saying,
“We stand by their wickedness.”
So the towns and villages all over Benjamin’s territory gathered its
troops, who marched to Gibeah. Among them were 700 left-handed
warriors who were experts at slinging rocks at small targets—they
never missed! From within the city’s walls, they could kill attackers
without ever being touched. With Gibeah’s 700 warriors, Benjamin
had 26,700 troops to fight against Israel’s 400,000 revenge-seeking
soldiers (Judges 20:1-17).
Self-righteous Israel
Through Phinehas the high priest, the leaders of Israel’s army asked
God, “Which tribe should be the first to attack Benjamin?”
God answered, “Judah shall go first.” Though God told them who
should attack first, Israel did not ask Him if it was His will that they
attack Benjamin. Israel was being self-righteous. Instead of asking God
about what they should do, they took matters into their own hands. They
decided for themselves the right thing to do.
The next morning, the army moved and encamped near Gibeah. Then
the warriors of Judah—the best of Israel’s fighting men—departed for
the battlefield.
Suddenly, Benjamin’s soldiers rushed out of Gibeah and attacked.
When the day was over, 22,000 Israelite soldiers had been cut down!
Surprised by their humiliating defeat, Israel’s army regrouped and
prepared to do battle the next day. They were encouraged because this
time they sought God’s counsel with tears of sorrow. They had asked
Him, through the high priest, “Should we attack the people of Benjamin
again, even though they are our fellow Israelites?”
“Yes,” God replied, “attack them again!”
Greatly encouraged, Israel set out to attack Gibeah. But Benjamin’s
soldiers rushed out of the town and attacked—another 18,000 Israelite
soldiers lay dead on the battlefield!
Clearly, something was wrong. God was not giving Israel the victory.
This was because the Israelites were still relying on their own
strength. They thought they would succeed because their cause was right
and they vastly outnumbered Benjamin’s troops. But God gives victory
to those who put Him first, who serve His will—not their own.
This time, all of Israel humbled themselves with prayer and fasting—
denying themselves food and drink in order to truly seek God and to help
them recognize that they desperately needed Him. At about sunset, they
20
offered burnt offerings and peace offerings to God before the Ark of the
Covenant, which represented His throne, the seat of God’s supreme
authority. The Israelites truly wanted to please God and ask for His
blessing.
When their fast had ended, Phinehas the high priest prayed, “O
Eternal, the people of Benjamin are fellow Israelites. Should we stop
fighting or should we attack them again? Please tell us Your will.”
God answered, “Attack! Tomorrow, I will deliver them into your
hand.”
Immediately, Israel set men in ambush all around Gibeah, secretly
surrounding the town. The next day, Israel attacked.
Overconfident from their previous victories, the Benjamites rushed
out as before. The Israelites pretended to run away, like Joshua and his
men had done years earlier at the city of Ai, drawing their attackers away
from Gibeah. About thirty Israelites were slain. Their quick deaths
caused the warriors of Benjamin to gleefully boast, “We’re defeating
them just like we did before!”
The fleeing Israelites headed for Baal-Tamar, where they regrouped.
Meanwhile, 10,000 of Israel’s best soldiers, who were hiding west of
Gibeah, arose and made a surprise attack on the town gates. They rushed
in and captured Gibeah, killing everyone within. Then they set the town
on fire, using the smoke as a signal for the fleeing Israelite troops to turn
around and attack the Benjamite soldiers.
In the chaos of heavy fighting, the Benjamite warriors saw clouds of
smoke rising coming from Gibeah and realized that the town, their only
safe haven, was ablaze. Then the soldiers they had been pursuing suddenly
began to attack! Frightened out of their minds, the Benjamites
panicked, for they knew that they had no place to run to. Cut off from
Gibeah’s protection, they ran for the countryside. But the Israelites
chased them down and overtook them. Many tried to escape, but the
Israelites stayed right behind them, keeping up the attack. And they were
even joined by men from nearby towns, who helped kill Benjamin’s
fleeing troops. About 25,000 Benjamites were killed that day.
In the horrible aftermath of Israel’s civil war, about 26,100 Benjamite
warriors had been slain. Yet, 600 soldiers did manage to escape into the
wilderness. As they raced to find a safe place to regroup, they thought
about the victory God had given to their fellow Israelites. They made it
to Rimmon Rock, where they stayed for four months.
Meanwhile, the Israelites turned back and killed all the Benjamites
they could find, setting ablaze all of Benjamin’s towns and villages, and
destroying their animals as well. The 600 Benjamites hiding at Rimmon
Rock were the last of their tribe (Judges 20:18-48).
21
Finding Wives for Benjamin
At Mizpah, the leaders of Israel had taken an oath. They swore to never
allow any of Israel’s daughters to marry survivors of Benjamin.
However, they soon learned that the tribe of Benjamin had been nearly
wiped out. If something was not done soon, Israel would be missing an
entire tribe.
When the people realized this, they all wept, and cried out to God.
In their prayers they said, “How could this have happened, Eternal
God?”
It happened because Israel had taken their revenge too far.
And now Israel had a serious problem: They did not want the tribe
of Benjamin to die out, but they could not break their oath and allow
their daughters to marry Benjamin’s survivors.
Early the next morning, the Israelites built an altar and offered sacrifices
to please God and to ask His blessing.
Then they asked each other, “We need to get wives for our brother
Benjamites so that their tribe won’t be erased. Were there any Israelite
tribes who stayed away from the meeting at Mizpah and did not take the
oath with us?”
After asking around, they discovered that no one had come from the
clan of Jabesh Gilead, which was across the Jordan River. Before the
civil war began, Israel swore to destroy any among them who did not
join their cause. Since the soldiers of Jabesh Gilead did not assist their
fellow Israelites, they were counted worthy of death.
So Israel sent 12,000 warriors to attack Jabesh Gilead. Their orders
were to kill every man, woman and child. But they were told to spare
the lives of young female virgins, those who had never married nor had
marriage-like relations with other men.
The 12,000 soldiers carried out their orders, destroying Jabesh
Gilead and its people. And they brought back 400 young virgins—400
wives for Benjamin (Judges 21:1-12).
Suffering From Their Own Foolishness
The Israelites sent messengers to the 600 surviving Benjamites at
Rimmon Rock, telling them, “We want to make peace with you. We
don’t want your tribe to die out.”
Naturally, the Benjamites were suspicious, but they soon realized that
Israel was serious when they received 400 young virgins to marry.
However, there weren’t enough women. There were still 200 men
22
who needed to get married and start families. Again, Israel grieved for
Benjamin.
So the elders of Israel came up with a plan: “We cannot give
Benajmin our daughters to marry, else we break our oath and be cursed.
But what if we provide a way for the Benjamites to take brides for themselves?”
They told the Benjamites to lie in wait at Shiloh, where a holy festival
was taking place (this may have been the Feast of Tabernacles).
During the festival, it was customary for the daughters of Shiloh to come
out and perform dances.
The 200 Benjamites hid in the vineyards and watched. When the
daughters separated from the festival crowds to dance, the Benjamites
rushed out and grabbed the young women, taking them home to be their
wives—just as the elders of Israel had planned.
When the fathers and brothers of these women complained, the elders
said to them, “Be kind to Benjamin. Their tribe must not die out.
Besides, it’s not as though you broke your oath and gave your daughters
away; you won’t be under a curse. This is best for all Israel.”
Having taken enough wives to begin new families, the men of
Benjamin went back home and rebuilt their towns and villages. And, satisfied
with themselves, Israel’s massive army disbanded, each tribe
going back to their own territory.
Not once did Israel seek God in solving Benjamin’s problem. Every
man decided to do what seemed right in his own eyes. As you can see,
people who do not respect God’s government or obey His righteous laws
suffer from their own foolishness (Judges 21:13-25).
23
24
CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE
THE STORY OF RUTH
Now it came to pass that, during the days when God used judges
to lead His people, there was a famine in the land. A man named
Elimelech, an Ephrathite from Bethlehem, which was about six miles
south of Jerusalem, went to sojourn (or temporarily live) in Moab.
He took with him his wife Naomi and his two sons, Mahlon and
Chilion.
After some time of living in Moab and settling in among the people
there, Elimelech died. Because their father was no longer alive to
properly guide them, Mahlon married Ruth, whose name means
“friendship,” while Chilion married Orpah—they were both foreign
Moabite women. The family continued to dwell in Moab about
another ten years.
And then Mahlon and Chilion died. Naomi, their mother, was now
alone; she no longer had any living blood relatives in Moab. The
weight of being alone grew heavy upon her until, one day, she decided
to return to her homeland.
Naomi explained this to her daughters-in-law, adding, “I’ve heard
reports that the Eternal has removed the famine that had struck my
homeland. God is now giving my people plenty of bread to eat.
Though, I do care for you, I long to be with my relatives. The time
to go back is now.”
Orpah and Ruth also cared for their mother-in-law, and they wanted
to take care of her. So they decided to accompany Naomi on her
return to Judah.
On their journey, Naomi began to worry about her daughters-inlaw.
She told them, “Go back—each of you should return to your
mother’s house, and care for your own mother. I appreciate that you
have supported me after my husband and sons have died. Other
women would have abandoned me, especially since I am not of your
people. But both of you have treated me with kindness and respect.
Therefore, may the Eternal deal kindly with you, just as you have
dealt with me. And may God bless each of you to find a new husband
and grant you a new home.”
Then she kissed Orpah and Ruth, and wept.
25
Naomi’s daughters-in-law said, “No, we will not go back. We will
come with you and live among your people.” They loved her so much
that they were willing to leave their own country.
But Naomi insisted, saying, “You have truly been daughters to
me. But for your own sakes, go back to your people. Why go with me
to live in a foreign land? There is nothing in it for you. I am too old
to get married again and produce more sons for you to marry. And
even if I could, would you wait for them year after year until they
were old enough to marry? Why deny yourselves finding husbands
now, when you are still young and full of life? No, my daughters, for
it grieves me much for your sakes that the hand of the Eternal is gone
out against me.”
And they all wept again.
Then Orpah, accepting her mother-in-law’s reasoning, kissed
Naomi goodbye and returned to Moab. But Ruth refused to go back.
Naomi pleaded with Ruth to change her mind. She said, “Orpah
has gone back to her people, and her foreign gods and customs. If
you come with me, you will be a foreigner among my people. You
should do as your sister-in-law did and return to Moab.”
But Ruth was an unusual woman. Even though she, as a Moabite,
grew up among false religious customs and traditions, she wanted
none of these things. The followers of Chemosh, the chief false god
of Moab, were required to offer up their little babies for child sacrifices!
Ruth said to Naomi, “Please, do not force me to go back. I do not
want to leave you. Wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you
live, I will live. Your people shall be my people, and your God shall
be my God. And wherever you settle down and eventually die, I will
die there, too, and be buried with you. May the Eternal deal with me
if I allow anything but death to come between you and me.”
Naomi was amazed by her daughter-in-law’s unusual faith. When
she saw how determined Ruth was to accompany her to Judah,
Naomi decided to stop trying to change her mind (Ruth 1:1-18).
Naomi Returns Home
The journey from Moab took more than a week. Naomi and Ruth had
to descend from the hills of Moab, down into the lush Jordan Valley,
and then ascend into the hill country of Naomi’s people.
Eventually, the two women came to Bethlehem, at the beginning of
the barley harvest (which was usually in the middle to end of April).
News of Naomi’s arrival spread throughout the town. Her friends and
26
relatives, whom she had not seen for many years, came out to greet her,
saying, “After all these years, can this be Naomi?” The last time they
had seen her, Naomi was a young wife and mother. Now she was an
old widow, weathered by age and life experiences.
“Do not call me Naomi. Instead, call me Mara. For the Almighty
God has dealt very bitterly with me. When I left for Moab years ago, I
went out full and satisfied, with a loving husband and two growing
sons. But the Eternal has brought me back home again empty; I am
without either husband or sons. So why call me Naomi, seeing that the
Almighty has testified against me, and has afflicted me with this trial?”
The name Naomi means “beautiful” and “pleasant,” while Mara
means “bitter” (Ruth 1:19-22).
Ruth Meets Boaz
One day, in need of food supplies, Ruth said to Naomi, “The crops are
being harvested. Let me go out of the city to glean ears of corn in the
field after him in whose sight I may find favor.”
Naomi replied, “Go, my daughter.”
Long ago, God established laws that allowed the fatherless, widows,
and foreigners living among the Israelites to follow behind the
workers who reaped the harvest, and collect the grain that was left for
them. Just as God had mercy on His people Israel and delivered them
from Egypt, He expected them to have mercy on the poor. But instead
of simply giving them the food, God expected the needy to gather it for
themselves. In this way, they would appreciate God’s merciful ways
and not take them for granted (Leviticus 19:9-10; 23:22; Deuteronomy
24:19-21).
So Ruth left Bethlehem to glean from the fields. Unknowingly (but
nevertheless, arranged by God), she came to a part of a community
field that belonged to Boaz. He was a valiant man of great wealth and
influence—and he just happened to be a relative of Naomi’s dead husband.
The name Boaz means “strength.”
Ruth asked the foreman, “Please let me glean and gather after the
reapers among the sheaves.” Sheaves were bundles of grain stalks that
were tied together to carry to the threshing floor.
Knowing that his master was an honest and upright man, the servant
allowed Ruth to glean from Boaz’s field. Ruth happily worked
throughout the day, gathering crops as much as she could.
As she continued gathering, Boaz arrived and greeted his servants,
who were reaping the bountiful harvested. He said to them, “May the
Eternal be with you!”
27
And they all answered, “May the Eternal bless you, Boaz!” These
men were happy to be working for such an honest, diligent, Godfearing
man.
Boaz surveyed the scene and noticed that a beautiful woman was
gleaning crops from his field. Guided by God, Boaz asked his servant,
the foreman in charge of Boaz’s reapers, “Whose young woman
is this? Who is she?”
The servant said, “That is the Moabite woman who accompanied
Naomi out from Moab. She asked me to allow her to glean and gather
after the reapers. She has been working hard from morning until
now, only resting for a little in the house.” This house was really a
temporary shelter that sat by the side of the field.
Impressed, Boaz approached Ruth and said to her, “Please listen
to me. Do not glean in another field, nor go from here, but stay close
to my young female servants, who are cutting the grain with sickles.
Keep your eyes on them and reap in the field where they reap.
Wherever they go, go with them. I have charged all my servants to
not lay a finger on you. And when you become thirsty, go to the vessels
and drink the water that the young men have drawn.”
Ruth was amazed at the favor she was being granted. She fell on
her face and bowed herself to the ground. She said to Boaz, “Why
have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me? I
am just a foreigner among your people.”
Boaz said, “I’ve heard of all that you have done for your motherin-
law since your husband died—and how you have left your father
and mother, and the land of your birth, and have come to live among
strangers.”
Ruth then realized that Naomi had been quick to speak well of
her.
“May God repay you for your hard work and loyalty. And may
you receive a full reward from the Eternal God of Israel, whose
wings you have come to trust.”
Then Ruth said, “Let me find favor in your sight, my lord, for you
have comforted me. You have spoken kindly to me as though I was
your maidservant, even though I am not.”
At mealtime, Boaz said to Ruth, “Come here and eat of the bread,
and dip your piece in the vinegar.” The vinegar was a mixture of sour
wine and a little oil. It was used to quench the workers’ thirst, helping
them to labor under the hot sun.
Ruth sat beside the reapers, and they passed parched corn to her,
which she ate until she was satisfied. She put away the uneaten portion
of her lunch, and then went back to the field to resume gleaning.
28
29
Boaz instructs his workers to leave
behind grain for Ruth to glean.
After she left their presence, Boaz commanded his servants, “Let
Ruth glean among the sheaves, and let none of you rebuke her. And
also purposefully let some of the handfuls fall and leave them for her
so that she may glean these, too.”
Ruth gleaned in the field until evening came, beating out what she
had gathered. It came to about an ephah of barley—over one-half
bushel, weighing about 30 to 40 pounds. She took the fruit of her labor
and went back into Bethlehem.
As Naomi examined the bounty that her daughter-in-law had
brought home, Ruth took out the unfinished portion of her lunch and
gave it to Naomi to eat.
Naomi said, “Ruth, where have you gleaned today—in which field
did you work? May God bless the man who took notice of you.”
When Ruth explained that she had worked in Boaz’s field, Naomi
said, “Blessed be Boaz, a man of God! He has not failed to show kindness
to the living and to the dead. Boaz is one of our close relatives.”
Sometimes, husbands died without having sons to carry on the family
line. Whenever this happened, the widowed wife was to marry the
dead husband’s closest relative—a redeemer. Then the firstborn son of
their marriage would legally belong to the dead husband, ensuring that
his family line would continue. All sons born afterward would belong
to the new husband.
Naomi thought that perhaps Boaz could become Ruth’s redeemer,
and provide descendants for Mahlon.
Ruth told Naomi about Boaz’s instruction for Ruth to keep close to
his servants when gleaning crops, right up to the end of the harvest.”
Naomi agreed, saying, “It is good that you go work with his handmaids,
so that other field workers do not encounter you in any other
field.”
From then on, Ruth followed Boaz’s instruction, to glean until the
end of the barley harvest and the wheat harvest (Ruth 2:1-23).
Ruth Finds a Redeemer
One day, Naomi approached Ruth with a matter that was growing heavy
on her mind. She said, “You have been such a wonderful daughter to me.
I feel responsible for your future security. You should get married again,
start a family and live life to the fullest.
“Now consider Boaz, our close relative. He is sifting his barley
tonight at the threshing floor. Bathe and anoint yourself, and put on your
best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor where Boaz is working.
But do not make your presence known to him until after he has fin-
30
ished eating and drinking, and lies down to sleep. Take notice of where
he lies down, and then go in, uncover his feet, and lie down. Boaz will
tell you what you should do.”
Ruth nodded, saying, “I will do all that you have said.” So Ruth went
down to the threshing floor, and followed Naomi’s instruction.
After Boaz finished dinner, he felt sleepy, so he went to lie down at
the end of a heap of corn. Seeing this, Ruth quietly came near him and
uncovered his feet, and then lay down.
Around midnight, Boaz turned in his sleep and was startled to discover
a woman lying at his feet! He said, “Who are you?”
Ruth answered, “I am Ruth, your maidservant. Spread your skirt over
your maidservant, for you are a near kinsman to me—a redeemer.”
Boaz said, “Blessed are you of the Eternal, for you have shown more
kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, in that you do not follow
young men, whether poor or rich. Now, my daughter, do not fear—I will
do all that you request, for all of Bethlehem knows that you are a virtuous
woman.
“Now, it’s true that I am your near kinsman and redeemer—however,
there is a kinsman closer than I am. Wait here this night. In the morning,
I shall see whether this man will perform the duty of a redeemer for
you. If he does, let him do it. But if he will not, then will I do the part of
a kinsman to you, just as surely as the Eternal lives.”
Ruth did as Boaz had instructed and lay down at his feet until morning.
Then she arose before anyone could see her.
Boaz said, “Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.
Bring the veil that you have brought with you and hold it.”
When she held it, Boaz measured some barley (twice as much as she
had previously gleaned), and gave it to her. He said, “Take this to Naomi.
I do not want you to go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.”
Ruth took the much-appreciated gift, and then went back home to tell
Naomi all that Boaz had done.
Naomi said, “Sit still, Ruth, until you find out how this matter will
conclude itself. Boaz will not rest until he has finished the thing this very
day” (Ruth 3:1-18).
Boaz Redeems Ruth
Boaz went up to the gate, the public place where everyday business
transactions took place. Sitting down, Boaz saw the kinsman whom he
told Ruth about.
Boaz caught the man’s attention, and said, “Hold on! Sit down
here!” The man stopped and sat down next to Boaz.
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Then Boaz invited ten of the elders of Bethlehem to come sit down
with him, which they did.
Boaz said to the kinsman, “Naomi, who has returned from Moab, is
about to sell a portion of land that belonged to our brother Elimelech.
I thought to let you know about this. You are the closest legal relative.
Buy the land in the presence of the inhabitants and before the elders of
my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if not, then tell me, so
that I may know. Legally, there is none closer to redeem it beside you;
I am after you.”
The man said, “I will redeem it.”
Boaz said, “When you buy this field from Naomi, you must also
buy it from Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Naomi’s dead son. You must
keep alive the name of this man through his inheritance.” This meant
that the man would have to pay for a family—potential offspring with
Ruth—that would not be a part of his own family’s inheritance.
The kinsman said, “I can’t afford to redeem it for myself; it will
ruin my own inheritance in the process. You redeem my right to buy it.
I can’t redeem it.”
In order to confirm this business transaction, the two men followed
the custom of the times: The kinsman took off his sandal and gave it
to Boaz. This stood as a testimony, or witness, among the people of
Israel.
Then Boaz said to the elders and to all the other people there, “You
are witnesses this day: I have bought all that belonged to Elimelech,
his sons and Naomi. Moreover, I purchased Ruth the Moabite, the
widow of Mahlon, to be my wife, to keep alive the name of Mahlon
through his inheritance, so that the family name is not cut off from
among his brethren, nor from his position at the gate.”
All the people there, including the elders, said, “We are witnesses.
May the Eternal make the woman who is coming into your house like
Rachel and Leah, the two who built the house of Israel. And may you,
Boaz, prosper and be famous in Bethlehem. Let your house be like the
house of Pharez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, of the descendants God
shall give you from this young woman.”
So Boaz took Ruth to be his wife, and God blessed her to bear a
son, who was legally considered to be Mahlon’s son. All the sons born
to them later belonged to Boaz.
The women of the city said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Eternal, who
has not left you without a kinsman. May his name be famous throughout
Israel, and a restorer of life, and a nourisher of your old age—for
your daughter-in-law Ruth, who loves you, who is better to you than
seven sons, has borne him.”
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Naomi took her grandson to her bosom and nursed him.
Then the women said, “There is a son born to Naomi, and his name
shall be Obed.”
Years later, Boaz and Ruth became the great-grandparents of a very
special boy, whose name was David. We will soon read about him
(Ruth 4:1-22).
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CHAPTER SEVENTY
GOD CALLS SAMUEL
There was a man from the mountains of Ephraim, whose name was
Elkanah. He came from Ramah (I Samuel 1:19; 7:17), which was
about six miles north of Jerusalem. An Ephrathite, he was from the
tribe of Levi (I Chronicles 6).
In spite of God’s command for man to only be married to one wife
at a time, Elkanah had two wives. As a Levite born and raised to
know God’s laws, statutes and judgments, Elkanah should have
known better. His wife Peninnah bore him several children, but
Hannah, his other wife, was barren. This led Peninnah to believe that
she was better than Hannah, which is why she teased Hannah and
treated her as her rival.
Long ago, God ruled that Israelite men must attend His holy festivals
before His tabernacle: The Days of Unleavened Bread, the
Feast of Firstfruits (later called Pentecost), and the Feast of
Tabernacles (Deuteronomy 16:1-17; Exodus 23:14-19; 34:23).
And so, every year, Elkanah left his home to worship the Eternal
and make sacrifices at God’s tabernacle, in Shiloh, which was about
20 miles north of Jerusalem, between Bethel and Shechem. When
Elkanah made his offering, he gave portions to Peninnah and to all of
her sons and daughters. But to Hannah he gave an even better portion,
for he loved Hannah and wanted her to know that he truly cared
for her.
And every year, Peninnah grew jealous of her husband’s generosity
toward Hannah. She taunted Hannah, constantly striving to irritate
her and cause her to worry and weep—even to the point of not
eating.
But Hannah and the others did not understand that God had shut
up Hannah’s womb to fulfill a great purpose.
Elkanah tried to comfort Hannah. He said, “Why do you weep and
deny yourself food? Why does your heart grieve so? Am I not better
to you than ten sons?”
After everyone in Shiloh had finished eating and drinking,
Hannah got up to find a place to pray. When she found a place,
Hannah cried in bitterness of soul as she earnestly prayed for God to
35
hear her pleas. Her prayer was so intense, so heartfelt, that she made
a special vow to the Eternal.
She said, “Almighty God of Israel, if You will look upon the
affliction of your maidservant, and remember me, and give me a
baby boy, then I will give him to serve You all the days of his life as
a Nazarite. Never shall a razor come upon his head. Nor shall he
drink wine or eat grapes or raisins. And he shall not come near the
dead.” In saying this, Hannah was making a Nazarite vow for her
unborn child—if God would bless her with a boy (I Samuel 1:1-11).
God Hears Hannah’s Plea
Now Eli the high priest was sitting by a post of God’s tabernacle when
he took note of Hannah quietly praying. When he noticed that her lips
moved, but could not hear Hannah say anything, Eli thought, “This
woman must be drunk.” Unfortunately, due to Israel’s long, downhill
36
Elkanah comforts Hannah.
slide into rottenness, it may not have been uncommon for drunks to
enter the sanctuary.
So he said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put away your
wine.”
But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am not drunk. I’m just a
woman of great sorrow, and I was pouring out my heart to God in
prayer. Please do not confuse me for a servant of Belial, the false god
of the pagans. I pour out my complaints and grief only to the God of
Israel.” She poured out her whole heart to God, unlike many in the
world today who put on a big “show” when praying before people.
Eli realized he had made a mistake. He said to her, “Go in peace,
then and may the God of Israel grant what you have asked of Him.”
She said, “Thank you. And let your servant find favor in your sight.”
Then Hannah departed, and later ate food, for she was no longer sad.
Early the next morning, Elkanah and his family worshiped before
God, and then returned home to their house in Ramah.
God remembered Hannah’s heartfelt pleas for His mercy, and it soon
came to pass that Hannah gave birth to a baby boy. She called him
Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked him of the Eternal.” In Hebrew,
the name Samuel means “heard of God” (I Samuel 1:9-20).
Young Samuel Dedicated to God’s Service
Once again, it was time for Elkanah and everyone in his family to go
up to Shiloh and offer the yearly sacrifice before God at His holy
tabernacle.
But Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, “I will not go up
until my baby is weaned—then I will bring him, so that he may appear
before God and spend his life serving Him in Shiloh.” Usually, babies
were not weaned from their mother’s milk until they were two or three
years old.
As her husband, Elkanah had the right to nullify or confirm his
wife’s vow (Numbers 30:6-15). Elkanah supported Hannah’s decision,
and said, “Do what seems good to you. Wait until you have weaned
Samuel; only the Eternal establish His word.”
So Hannah did as he said.
When the baby was finally weaned, she took him up to God’s tabernacle,
along with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle
of wine. She did this to fulfill her vow (Numbers 15:8-10).
However, in doing so, Hannah offered God three larger measures than
required, going above and beyond what was expected from her.
There, a bullock was slain, and baby Samuel was brought to Eli the
37
high priest. Hannah said to him, “My lord, I am the woman that stood
by you here, praying to the Eternal. I asked God to bless me to give
birth to a baby boy.” Pointing to Samuel, she said, “This is the child I
prayed for. In return, I have lent my only son to the Eternal; as long as
Samuel lives, he shall serve God and do His work at the holy tabernacle.”
Hannah was gratefully giving her gift (baby Samuel) back to the
Giver (God).
Overflowing with joy, she prayed, “My heart rejoices in the Eternal,
for He is my strength. There is no other god besides the God of Israel.
Every person should watch his mouth, for the Eternal is a God of
knowledge, who judges people by their actions. He humbles those who
exalt themselves.” She was even inspired to speak of the One who will,
many centuries later, set up God’s kingdom and judge earth—Jesus
Christ (I Samuel 1:21-28; 2:1-11).
After the yearly sacrifice was offered and the festival ended,
Elkanah and his family returned home.
But Samuel was left in the care and training of Eli the high priest at
God’s earthly headquarters, in Shiloh. Samuel would learn to assist Eli
in carefully performing priestly duties.
“Sons of Belial”
Eli had two sons—Hophni and Phineas—who served under their
father as God’s priests. But in reality, Hophni and Phineas served
Satan, the god of this world (II Corinthians 4:4), and his way of selfishness
and greed—the way of get. The Bible calls them the “sons of
Belial.” Though from birth they were raised in God’s special knowledge,
they did not truly know God. They knew of God, but they did
not know Him personally, for they did not obey God nor seek His
will.
In recognizing their loyal service to Him, God allowed His priests
to keep for themselves specific parts of a bull or sheep offering—the
shoulder, the cheeks and the stomach (Deuteronomy 18:3).
But Hophni and Phineas lusted for more. Every time an Israelite
came to offer meat sacrifices at Shiloh, these wicked priests had their
servant dip a three-prong hook into the pot in which the offering was
being boiled. The servant would then pull out all the meat he could
catch, and give it to his masters. This greedy practice soon became a
custom of these priests.
When a peace offering was given, the priest was to burn its fat on
the altar. However, God gave the breast to the high priest and his sons
38
(Leviticus 7:28-31).
Eli’s sons had their servant take the offering before the fat was
burned. “Don’t bother roasting the fat or boiling the meat,” the servant
would say. “The priest will take it from you raw.”
Sometimes a man who offered sacrifices replied, “But the fat needs
to be burned first; after this, the priest may take as much as his soul
desires” (verses 31-36; 10:14-15; Deuteronomy 18:1-5).
But the servant would say, “No! Give it to me now! If not, I will
take it from you by force!”
In God’s eyes, Hophni and Phineas were committing great sins.
Even worse, they were setting the wrong example for God’s people,
39
Hannah delivers
Samuel to Eli.
and caused them to despise giving offerings. Eli’s sons acted as though
God did not exist, and therefore would not punish them for the sins.
When Eli was very old, he heard reports of all the wicked things
that his sons did to their fellow Israelites—especially how they mistreated
and sinned with the women who assembled at God’s tabernacle.
They treated God’s sanctuary the way pagan priests did with their
temples of false gods.
Eli approached Hophni and Phineas, and said, “Why do you commit
such evil acts? I have heard about the wicked dealings you have
done to God’s people. My sons, your sinful examples are causing your
brother Israelites to break God’s laws. If a man sins against another
man, he shall be judged by his peers. But if a man sins against the
Eternal, as you both do, who shall intervene for him? As His priests,
God expects you to set the right example for His people. If you continue
to live the wrong way, God will slay you.”
Despite their father’s plea to repent, Hophni and Phineas did not
listen.
Though Eli rebuked them, he did not remove them from their
offices of leadership. As a result, their wicked example continued to
vex and poison Israel. Good parents must always be ready to correct
their children. Otherwise, their kids will grow up to be rotten adults (I
Samuel 2:12-17).
Judgment From God
One day, God, using one of His servants, gave Eli a message: “Did I
not plainly appear to Aaron, your forefather, when My people lived in
Egypt under Pharaoh’s rule? And did I not choose Aaron from all the
tribes of Israel to be My high priest—to offer sacrifices upon My altar,
to burn incense, and to wear an ephod before Me? Did I not also give
to Aaron and his descendants all the offerings made by fire given by
the children of Israel?
“Why, then, do you kick at My sacrifices and My offerings, which
I have commanded to be given at My tabernacle? And why do you
honor your sons above Me? Instead of punishing them, you have
allowed Hophni and Phineas to make themselves fat with the choice
parts of all the offerings that My people Israel offer.
“I had established that you and your house and the house of your
father would serve Me as My priests forever. However, the wickedness
of your sons, and your failure to punish them, has changed this.
To those who honor Me, I will honor; and those who despise Me, I
will despise them.
40
“Behold, the days come when I will destroy the strength, power
and influence of you and your family line, that there shall not be an
old man in your house. And you shall see calamity in my habitation,
in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an
old man in your house forever. And the man of yours, whom I shall
not cut off from My altar, shall be to consume your eyes, and to grieve
your heart: and all the increase of your house shall die in the flower
of their age. This shall be a sign to you that shall come upon your two
sons, on Hophni and Phinehas. In one day, they shall both die.
“And I will raise me up a faithful priest, who shall do according to
that which is in My heart and mind. And I will build him a sure house;
and he shall walk before My anointed forever.
“And it shall come to pass that every one who is left in your house
shall come beg for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and shall
say, ‘Put me, I pray you, into one of the priests’ offices, that I may eat
a piece of bread.’ Those who insist on gorging themselves on My sacrifices
will beg for even the tiniest morsel of food” (I Samuel 1:22-
36).
God Calls Samuel
While Eli’s sons continued to do evil, young Samuel spent his childhood
learning how to carefully serve God, under Eli’s fatherly
direction.
Samuel’s mother made him a little robe, or cloak, that reached
down to his knees. He wore this beneath a linen ephod, which he had
on when he served at God’s tabernacle. She visited Samuel year after
year, when she came up to Shiloh with her husband to offer the yearly
sacrifice.
Eli blessed Elkanah and Hannah, saying, “May the Eternal give you
more children in exchange for you having dedicated Samuel to God’s
service.” He praised Hannah for keeping her word and being faithful
to her vow.
God blessed Hannah with three sons and two daughters. When people
put God first, He puts them first.
Meanwhile, as Samuel grew up, he earned a good reputation among
both God and men.
One early morning, while the teenaged boy slept in his sleeping
quarters, Samuel heard someone call out his name. He could see that it
was still dark outside, for the golden lampstand in the holy place was
still lit. (Fueled by olive oil, the lamp was lit at twilight, and kept burning
from evening until morning.)
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Samuel answered, “Here I am,” but when he looked around, he saw
that no one was there.
So he ran to Eli, woke him up, and said, “Here I am. Did you call
for me?”
“I didn’t call for you, Samuel,” Eli said. “You must be hearing
things. Go lie down and get back to sleep.”
The lad did as Eli said and lay down in his bed.
Then Samuel heard his name called again. Quickly, he got up and
went to Eli, and said, “Here I am.”
But Eli said, “My son, I didn’t call you. Go get your rest.”
Samuel was puzzled. Neither he nor Eli realized that God was trying
to get his attention. In those days, it was extremely rare for God to
reveal Himself to people. The few visions God did give were not widely
known. And, since God had not spoken to him before, Samuel did not
consider that it was the Creator of the universe who was calling him.
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So when Samuel heard his name being called a third time, he got
up and went to Eli, and again said, “Here I am.”
Eli finally put two and two together, and slowly realized that God
was calling Samuel. Eli said to the boy, “Go lie down as you did before
and wait for God to call for you again. If He does, answer Him and say,
“Please speak, Eternal God—Your servant hears You.”
So Samuel followed Eli’s instruction.
Yet again, God called for the boy. This time Samuel answered, saying,
“Please speak, Eternal God—Your servant hears You.”
God said to Samuel, “Behold, I will do something in Israel that will
make the ears of everyone who hears it to tingle. I will perform against
Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house; and when I
begin, I will also make an end. For I have told Eli that I will judge his
house forever for the sins which he knows—because his sons have
made themselves vile, cursing Me through their repeated wickedness.
Yet Eli did not restrain them.”
Samuel lay until the morning, until it was time for him to open the
doors of the tabernacle. As he went about his duties, Samuel thought
about what God had said, and he feared to tell Eli, for he respected him
as a father.
When Eli called for Samuel, he asked the boy, “What did the
Eternal say to you? Please do not hide it from me. May God do so to
you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that
God said to you.”
Reluctantly, Samuel told Eli everything that God had said, hiding
nothing from him.
Eli accepted God’s judgment, and said, “It is the Eternal’s will. Let
Him do what seems right in His eyes.”
As Samuel grew to adulthood, God was with him, speaking to him
often. Eventually, all of Israel—from Dan in the north to Beersheba in
the south—came to recognize that God had made Samuel to be His
prophet. Everything Samuel said would happen always came true.
And he continued to reveal God’s will to all Israel (I Samuel 2:18-
26; 3:1-21; 4:1).
43

CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE
“WE WANT A KING!”
Because Israel had long ago failed to get rid of Canaan’s inhabitants,
God judged that the Israelites would be vexed by their enemies.
This is why Israel suffered from constant oppression by the
Philistines.
Finally, Israel had had enough. They decided to meet their longtime
enemy in battle. Israel’s army encamped beside a place called
Ebenezer, while the Philistines’ massive army assembled at Aphek,
which marked the northeastern edge of Philistine territory.
When the two forces advanced onto the battlefield, the Philistines
defeated the Israelites, killing about 4,000 soldiers. Clearly, God was
not with Israel, else He would have given them the victory.
Seeing the bloodied survivors return to camp, the elders of Israel
said among themselves, “Why has the Eternal struck us down before
these Philistines? What have we done to deserve this?”
One leader came up with a plan: “What if we go to Shiloh and
bring back the Ark of the Covenant? With it by our side, we’re guaranteed
to be victorious over our enemy!”
Israel was copying the surrounding pagan nations, who always
brought their false gods and good luck charms into battle with them.
Instead of sincerely seeking God’s will, the Israelites decided to take
matters into their own hands.
So the people sent men to Shiloh, entered God’s holy tabernacle,
and brought back the Ark. Hophni and Phinehas, Eli’s wicked sons,
gave their approval and went with them.
When the Ark of the Covenant reached the camp, the whole army
of Israel shouted for joy—so much, that the earth rang. Israel should
have humbled themselves and sought God’s guidance, not allow
themselves to be full of pride. Though they knew that the Ark symbolized
God’s power and presence, they foolishly confused the Ark
with God’s actual presence. In bringing the Ark into battle, Israel was
trying to force God into doing their bidding. But God is not some
magical “genie” who does whatever people demand of Him.
From their encampment, the Philistines heard the Israelites’ shouts
echo across the countryside. Some said, “What does this great shout-
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ing mean? Why are these Hebrews so happy? They should be weeping
as they nurse their wounds!”
Philistine spies reported that Israel had brought the Ark of God to
fight alongside them.
Hearing this, the Philistines were afraid. They thought that the Ark
was some kind of idol, and that God lived in it. This was how the
Philistines viewed their false gods and idols.
Some said, “God is in their camp! Whenever the God of Israel
fights for His people, victory is certain—and that means we’re
doomed! No one can deliver us out of the hand of Israel’s God. This is
the same One who struck the Egyptians with terrible plagues.”
But others said, “Be strong, and stand your ground like men, you
Philistines! Don’t allow these Hebrews to make you into their servants,
as they have been to you. They will avenge themselves for all the cruel
things that we’ve done to them. So stand your ground, and get ready to
fight!”
When the battle came, the Philistines fought as though they had
nothing to lose—and, despite having the Ark of the Covenant beside
them, Israel was defeated! Had the Israelites realized that the Eternal
feeds, protects and cares for all who obey His voice and put His will
first, they would have been victorious.
Every Israelite soldier fled back to his tent. One man, from the tribe
of Benjamin, escaped to Shiloh. His clothes were torn and his head had
dust on it; he did this to himself as a sign of mourning for the dead, and
of national calamity.
As the bearer of bad news, the Benjamite entered the city and told
everyone he could find what had happened. The whole city cried and
mourned because of Israel’s humiliating defeat.
Meanwhile, Eli was sitting by the wayside, waiting for news of the
recent battle. When he heard the people’s cries, he asked the man,
“What does this great cry mean?”
Hastily, the man stepped closer to the high priest and said, “I’ve just
come back from the frontlines. Israel’s army fled before the Philistines,
and there was a great slaughter—30,000 Israelites are dead! And so are
your sons, Hophni and Phinehas. Even worse, the Ark of the Covenant
is now in the hands of the Philistines!”
Hophni and Phinehas died just as God had said. And God allowed
His Ark to be captured to teach Israel that they could not force their
will on Him.
When he heard that the Ark had been captured by pagans, Eli fell
from off his seat backward, and broke his neck. Eli the high priest was
dead, fulfilling God’s judgment against him. He lived to be 98 years
46
old, and had been a judge over Israel for 40 years, as well as a priest.
Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant, and was
about to give birth. But when she heard the horrible news about the
Ark, and that both her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she
was in great pain and anguish—even to the point of death.
Midwives stood by her side, and said, “Do not fear. You have given
birth to a son.”
But the grieving woman did not answer.
She came to name her child “Ichabod,” which means “Where is the
glory?” or “no glory.” She said, “The glory is departed from Israel,
because the ark of God was captured by our enemies, and because Eli
and Phinehas are dead.”
To all of the Israelites, the Ark’s capture was a symbol of God leaving
Israel (I Samuel 4:1-22).
God Strikes the Philistines
From their camp at Ebenezer, the Philistines took the Ark of the
Covenant to Ashdod, one of their five major city-states, about 33 miles
west of Jerusalem.
Like the Israelites, the Philistines believed that possessing the Ark
meant that they could control God. So they paraded it through the
streets of Ashdod, as throngs of citizens laughed and danced. As they
did with all religious spoils of war, the Philistines brought the Ark to
the pagan temple of Dagon, the chief of their false gods, and set it
beside Dagon’s idol, which was the image of a half man-half fish.
One of the Philistine leaders said to his men, “This is where the Ark
of Israel’s God belongs—sitting powerless before Dagon.”
“Yes,” his assistant added. “Israel’s God may have destroyed Egypt
with ten plagues, but that’s only because the gods of the Egyptians are
weak. They are no match for our gods. And certainly, Israel’s God
poses no threat to us. Why should we be afraid when we mowed down
His people in battle and took their Ark away from them?”
The men all laughed and hurled more insults at God. Then they
departed for their homes, confident that their god was greater than the
Eternal.
Early the next morning, the people were surprised to discover that
Dagon’s idol had fallen upon its face, bowing on the ground before the
Ark of God! The Eternal showed that He was superior to the
Philistines’ false god.
Shocked and embarrassed, the people rushed to set Dagon’s idol
back in its place.
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The next morning, the same thing happened again: The idol of
Dagon had fallen upon its face before God’s ark. And this time, the
idol’s head and palms were cut off; the only thing left was the idol’s
stump! In ancient times, warriors would often cut off the heads and
hands of their enemies, and use the body parts as proof that their adversaries
had been slain. By cutting off the head and palms of Dagon’s
idol, God wanted the Philistines to realize that their false god was
powerless before His might.
From that day on, Dagon’s superstitious priests and followers did
not dare to tread upon the idol’s threshold. In their eyes, it became
sacred because Dagon’s hands had broken on it. They now believed the
threshold was cursed.
Next, God struck the people of Ashdod with a horrible, painful
sickness—tumors. The Philistines could barely sit without feeling as
though they were being constantly jabbed and pricked in their most
sensitive places. Carried by diseased rats, God’s plague quickly spread
throughout the city, and even to the many Philistine towns, villages
and settlements along the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea.
When the Philistines of Ashdod saw all this, they said, “The ark of
the God of Israel shall not stay with us, for His hand is sore upon us,
and upon Dagon our god.”
So they sent for and gathered all the lords of the Philistines. These
five men were the chief rulers of their peoples; each lord ruled one of
the five major city-states of Philistia, but united under one central
government.
The people said to them, “What shall we do with the Ark of Israel’s
God?”
The lords decided to move the Ark to the city of Gath, which was
about 12 miles east of Ashdod.
After this, God’s hand moved against Gath, causing great destruction
there. He struck down every man in the city, both small and great,
with the same horrible, painful plague of tumors that had spread
throughout Ashdod.
The people of Gath sent the Ark to the city of Ekron, which was
about six miles north and the closest major city to Israel’s border. But
when the ones living there saw that the Ark of the Covenant was being
transferred to their city, they were upset.
“They’ve brought that thing to our city,” they said. “They’re trying
to destroy us!”
And they had all the lords of the Philistines gather together, and
made demands. “Send this Ark away—let it go back to where it
belongs!” they shouted. “We want to live!”
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God’s punishment against them grew worse the more they refused
to humble themselves before Him—just like the Egyptians had done (I
Samuel 5:1-12).
Appeasing God
The Philistines were becoming desperate. They knew that they had to
figure out how to appease God so that He would stop His plague. But
it never occurred to them to put away their idols, worship God, and
obey His laws. Driven by carnal nature, people have always wanted to
get God to bless them as they continue to reject His will.
The Philistines turned to their false priests and wicked diviners, and
asked them, “What shall we do with the Ark of the Eternal? How shall
we send it back to its place?”
The priests and diviners said, “We have offended Israel’s God.
Therefore, if you send the Ark away, do not send it away empty. Return
it with a trespass offering to acknowledge that we have trespassed
against—dishonored—the God of Israel. Then you shall all be healed,
and you shall know why the hand of Israel’s God is not removed from
you.”
“What shall this trespass offering be?” the people asked.
“Five golden images of tumors, according to the five lords of the
Philistines, and to the five cities each lord rules—Ashdod, Gaza,
Askelon, Gath and Ekron. And add five golden images of rats, according
to the number of all the cities that belong to the five lords, both
fenced cities and country villages. For one plague was on you all, and
on your lords. You shall use the images of tumors and rats to glorify
Israel’s God and to acknowledge that He is the source behind our current
suffering. Who
knows? Perhaps He will
remove His hand from
you, our gods, and from
our land.”
Sensing that some of
the people did not like
this plan, the false priests
and diviners warned them
not to harden their hearts, as
the Egyptians did when Israel
served as their slaves. “Though God
performed awesome and mighty miracles
among the Egyptians, they refused to
49
The images of five
tumors and five rats.
bend. They did not let His people go—and yet Israel still left them!
The Egyptians were helpless against Israel’s God.”
Though performed many generations ago, God’s ten plagues left a
lasting impression upon the surrounding nations.
Next, the false priests and diviners devised a plan to get the Ark of
the Covenant back to Israel: The people made a wooden cart, and took
two milking cows, which had never been yoked, and tied the cows to
the cart. If these milking cows did take the Ark back to Israel—despite
the fact that they were untrained in pulling carts—this would be a clear
sign that God was guiding them.
The Philistines took the Ark, lay it upon the cart, and put the trespass
offering in a chest by its side.
Some of the Philistines held on to doubts that God was behind all
their recent troubles. The false priests and diviners said to these
doubters, “If these milking cows go against their natural instinct, leave
their calves behind, and take this cart to Beth Shemesh, which is near
the border of our territory, then we will know that the God of Israel has
done this to us. But if they do not, then we shall know that every horrible
thing that has happened to us was all time and chance.”
Everyone agreed.
After the cart was released, the cows took it directly to the road that
led to Beth Shemesh. Located in the Sorek Valley, Beth Shemesh,
which means “house of sun,” was a town that belonged to the tribe of
Levi as part of their inheritance. It was located about 15 miles west of
Jerusalem.
As they pulled the cart along the highway, the cows cried out for
their calves—but they were compelled by an unseen force to head
straight for Israel.
The lords of the Philistines took note of this and decided to follow
it. “Let’s see what happens to the cart,” they said (I Samuel 6:1-12).
The Ark Returns
The citizens of Beth Shemesh were reaping the wheat harvest in the valley
when someone looked up and saw the cart.
“Look over there! I can’t believe my eyes—it’s the Ark of the
Covenant!”
Everyone rejoiced!
The cart came into the field of Joshua, and stood by a great stone. It
was obvious to the people that God was using the cart and the cows for
His divine purpose. Therefore, they knew that they could not take them
for their own personal use. So the people used the wood of the cart for a
50
sacrificial fire, and offered the cows as a burnt offering to God.
Meanwhile, the five lords of the Philistines watched all that was happening
from a safe distance. Satisfied, they returned to Ekron.
The Levites, who were qualified to handle the Ark, took possession
of it, and the chest that came with it, and put them on the great stone in
Jacob’s field.
One leader declared, “This stone stands as a witness that God has
returned to Israel.”
All the men of Beth Shemesh cheered. In all, the Ark of the Covenant
had been in the hands of the Philistines for only seven months—but to
the Israelites, it seemed like years. The people continued to celebrate as
they offered more burnt offerings and sacrifices to God.
But their festive mood led to a very foolish mistake: The men of
Beth Shemesh looked into God’s Ark—which they were not allowed to
touch! They did not show God the proper fear and respect that He
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deserves. Soon the land was filled with sounds of weeping and cries of
anguish, for God took away the lives of 50,070 men. The Israelites had
to learn that there is a high price to pay for recklessly breaking God’s
laws and disrespecting His holy things.
Those who survived God’s punishment sent messengers to the
inhabitants of Kirjath Jearim, which was about 10 miles northeast of
Beth Shemesh. Once they arrived, the messengers told them, “The
Philistines have brought back the Ark of the Covenant. Come and bring
it back with you.”
So the men of Kirjath Jearim came down and took the Ark. They
brought it to the house of Abinadab, a Levite, and set apart his son
Eleazar to take care of it.
And there the Ark stayed for the next 20 years, as the whole nation
of Israel mourned and wept to God (I Samuel 6:13-21; 7:1-2).
Samuel Judges Israel
One day, inspired by God, Samuel addressed the people of Israel. He
said, “For many years, you have suffered from the oppressive hand of
52
the Philistines. Only with God’s help will you ever be free. Therefore,
if you want to return to the Eternal with all your hearts, then put away
the false gods, pagan traditions and customs that cut you off from the
one true God. Then set your mind to serve the Eternal—and Him only.
Do this, and God will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”
Israel did as Samuel said. They put away the idols of Baalim and
Ashtoreths, the chief false gods of the Canaanites, and set their lives in
order. Everyone began to serve God with all their heart.
Then Samuel said to the people, “Gather the whole nation of Israel
to Mizpeh, where I will pray to the Eternal for you.”
The Israelites gathered and assembled at Mizpeh, about eight miles
northeast of Kirjath Jearim, where water was drawn and poured out
before God. This was a sign of their repentance—of pouring out their
hearts to seek God’s will.
The Israelites also fasted that day. They denied themselves food and
drink so that they could focus on their Supreme Creator, the One who
provides all the things that people need to survive.
Samuel judged the Israelites in Mizpeh, giving them God’s judgments
and instructions, and listening to their grievances and cries for
justice. Samuel devoted himself to teaching Israel how to get back to
truly serving God (I Samuel 7:3-6).
The Philistines Attack!
When the Philistines heard that Israel was gathered at Mizpeh, the
lords of the Philistines decided to attack.
Confident that Samuel was close to God, the frightened Israelites
said to him, “Don’t stop crying out to our God for us! Ask Him to save
us from these Philistines!”
Samuel took a sucking lamb, which had to be nursed by its mother
for at least seven days (Leviticus 22:27), and offered it for a burnt
offering to God. Then he cried out to the Eternal on Israel’s behalf.
And God listened.
Meanwhile, the Philistines drew near to launch their deadly
attack—but God intervened. He sent great sounds of thunder, striking
fear into the hearts of these pagan worshippers. The enemy troops panicked,
giving the Israelites opportunity to rush in and slay them. Then
the Israelites chased after the survivors, slaying even more of them,
until they came under Beth Car.
Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpeh and Shen. He called
it Ebenezer, which means “the stone of help.” The prophet said, “Thus
far has the Eternal helped us.”
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The Philistines were now subdued and stopped invading Israel’s
coast. The cities that the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored
to God’s people—from Ekron to Gath, and the coastal territories. As a
result, Gath became the eastern border of Philistine territory. God’s
hand was against the Philistines throughout Samuel’s life. This ended
the Philistines’ 40-year oppression over Israel (Judges 13:1).
And there was even peace between Israel and the Amorites, who
lived in the hills west of Israel, between the Jordan Valley and the
coastal plain (I Samuel 7:7-14).
Israel Demands a King
Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. From year to year, he traveled
a circuit, which allowed him to manage the affairs of God’s people.
First, he would go to Bethel so he could serve the people of
Ephraim and the northern parts of Israel. Then Samuel would journey
to Gilgal, and judge the people of Benjamin and those residing across
the Jordan River. Next, he would travel to Mizpeh and help the people
of Judah, Simeon and Gad. Then, at the end of his annual trip, he
returned to his home in Ramah, which was Samuel’s main office, or
headquarters.
There, he built an altar to God.
When Samuel was old, he made his sons, Joel and Abiah, acting
judges, or lieutenants, in Beersheba, which was about 57 miles away
from Ramah. However, Samuel’s sons did not walk in their father’s
ways. Instead, they pursued money and took bribes. Whenever they
decided matters between opposing parties, Samuel’s son sold their rulings
to the highest bidder. Thus, they perverted judgment among God’s
people. The innocent and poor received no help from them.
Fed up with Joel and Abiah’s corrupt ways, all the elders of Israel
gathered at Ramah, and confronted Samuel.
They said to him, “Samuel, you are old now, and your sons have
refused to follow your righteous and just example. Since we cannot get
justice, make for us a king—one who will judge us like all the other
nations around us!”
Israel wanted to be like everyone else. They did not want to stand
out and be different from the rest of the world, those who reject God
and His righteous ways. Israel was more concerned about following
worldly people than in following God, their Deliverer and Protector.
Samuel was displeased by their demands, so he did what all servants
of God do—he prayed. He wanted to know God’s will in this
matter.
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The Eternal said to him, “Listen to the people in all that they say to
you, and do not take this personally. They have not rejected you,
Samuel—they have rejected Me. They do not want Me to reign over
them. These people have forsaken Me since the day I brought them out
of Egypt even to this very day, serving other gods. Therefore, listen to
their voice.”
Not wanting to follow an invisible King they could not see (God),
Israel wanted a human king that everyone could see.
In contrast, God’s people today—those led by the power of His
Holy Spirit—walk by faith, not by sight (II Corinthians 5:7). They
believe that God exists, and that He rewards those who diligently seek
Him (Hebrews 11:6).
“Nevertheless,” God said to Samuel, “you shall remind Israel what
to expect if they truly want a human king ruling over them.”
So Samuel spoke before Israel and gave the people the Eternal’s
message. He said, “Since you want a human king reigning over your
lives like all the other nations, then here is what you can expect: Your
king will take your sons and appoint some for his chariots, and some
to be his horsemen; and others shall run before his chariots. Your king
will appoint for himself captains over thousands and over fifties, and
will set them to plant his fields, and to reap his harvest, and to make
his instruments of war and chariots. Your king will take your daughters
to be his personal cooks and bakers. And he will take your fields, your
vineyards, and your crops of olive trees—even the best of them—and
give them to his servants. And your king will take one tenth of your
crops and vineyards, and give them to his officers and servants. He will
take your servants, both men and women, and your healthiest,
strongest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to do his work.
He will take one tenth of your sheep, and you shall be his servants.
“And in that day when you cry out to God because of the burdens
and demands of your king—whom you have chosen—the Eternal will
not hear you.”
This should have sobered the Israelites. Yet, despite Samuel’s
strong warning, the people refused to listen.
They said, “No, Samuel. We want a king over us, so that we can be
just like all the other nations, and so that our king may judge us, and
go out before us and fight our battles.”
Blinded by their desire to be just like all the other nations, Israel
wanted to rely on a human king to protect and lead them. They no
longer wanted God as their divine King. How foolish!
When Samuel told God what the people had said, the Eternal
replied, “Listen to their voice, Samuel, and make a king for them.”
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Sometimes, God gives stubborn people exactly what they want. He
does this to teach them that they cannot live according to what seems
right to them. Only the Eternal can show people the way that leads to
prosperous, abundant living.
Samuel obeyed God’s command. He went back to the Israelites and
said, “You wanted a king—and so you shall have what you desire!” (I
Samuel 7:15-17; 8:1-22).
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CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO
SAUL BECOMES KING
There once was a man of wealth and influence named Kish, who
was from the tribe of Benjamin. Kish had a young son named
Saul, who was more handsome than any other man in Israel. Also, this
young man was so tall that he seemed to tower over everyone in the
land.
One day, Kish discovered that his donkeys, which were a part of
his wealth, had wandered off and had gotten lost. So he instructed
Saul to go out and find them.
“And take one of the servants with you,” he said.
Saul dutifully obeyed. He and his servant searched the vast countryside,
first passing through the mountains of Ephraim, and then
through the land of Shalisha. But the donkeys were nowhere to be
found. Even after searching through the land of Shalim, and then
through the territory of Benjamin, Saul still could not find the
animals.
When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant,
“Look, we’ve been searching for these animals for three days. We better
return home, or else my father will stop caring about his lost donkeys
and will begin to worry about us.”
But the servant said, “Wait, I have an idea! I know of a man of
God—a prophet—who lives in a town near here. He’s known to be an
honorable man. Everything he says always comes true. What if we go
talk to him? Perhaps he can show us where to look.”
Saul said, “It sounds like a good plan, but we don’t have a present
to give to this prophet. Even the bread we had brought along with us
is now gone. We certainly can’t go to this man empty-handed. What
shall we give him?”
“I have a fourth part of a shekel of silver,” the servant answered.
“We can give him that. Then the prophet will tell us where to look for
your father’s donkeys.” This gift, which was about one tenth of an
ounce of silver, was not a bribe. It was only meant to show respect for
the prophet’s office as a spokesman for God.
Saul said, “Very well. Let’s go see this man of God.”
So they went to town to see the prophet.
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As they traveled up a hill, they met some young women who were
going out to draw water. Saul asked them, “Please excuse me. We’re
looking for the man known to see visions. Is he in town?”
The young women said, “Yes, he is. The man you’re looking for is
just ahead. But you better hurry! He came to town today to attend the
great festival and the people’s sacrifice up at the place of worship. As
soon as you enter town, you’ll find him at the city gate. But you better
get to him right away, before he gets up to bless the sacred meal. The
dinner guests cannot eat until he gives the blessing. Now hurry—if you
rush, you can still reach him in time!”
Just as Saul and his servant entered the city gate, the prophet
Samuel, of whom the young women had been speaking, was on his
way to the high place.
The day before, God had told Samuel, “Tomorrow about this time
I will send you a man from the tribe of Benjamin. You shall anoint—
set apart—this man to be commander and ruler over My people Israel.
I will use him to save My people from the hand of the Philistines, for
I have looked upon My people, and have heard their cry for help.”
When Samuel saw Saul, the Eternal said to him, “This is the man
of whom I spoke! He is the one who shall reign over My people.”
The prophet looked carefully at Saul, from head to toe, and was
immediately impressed by the young man’s height and good looks.
Meanwhile, Saul spotted Samuel and walked over to him. He
asked, “Excuse me, sir, could you please tell me where the house of the
man of God is? He is known to see visions.”
Samuel said, “I am he. Now, come with me to the high place. Today
you shall eat with me, and then tomorrow I will answer all your questions.”
“But...”
Samuel quickly said, “Oh, don’t worry about the donkeys that ran
off three days ago—they have already been found. All the desire of
Israel is now upon you and your father’s house.”
Saul was puzzled by Samuel’s words. “Surely you must be mistaken,”
he said, “I’m just a Benjamite. My tribe is the smallest of all the
tribes of Israel. And my family is the least of all the families in my
tribe. Why then do you speak to me like this?”
Saul’s tribe was still recovering from being almost wiped out from
existence during Israel’s civil war. It never dawned on him that God
would purposefully choose a king from the smallest Israelite tribe, and
from the least important family of that tribe.
But Samuel was beginning to understand why God would do this:
Saul had the right attitude—humble, teachable. He did not think that
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he was more important than others. God knows that He can work with
people who humble themselves, who wait for Him to exalt them.
Samuel took the young man and his servant, and brought them into
the great dining room. In view of the 30 dinner guests, who were probably
important leaders of the community, Samuel gave Saul and his
servant the most honorable seats at the table.
Then Samuel waved for the cook to come over. “Go get that special
portion of meat, which I told you to set aside. Bring it here and set it
before this man,” he said, pointing to Saul.
The cook did as ordered. He brought out the best of the meat—the
thigh and upper portion—which was normally reserved for the priest
(Leviticus 7:28-36).
All dinner guests took careful note as the cook set the special meal
before Saul. Realizing that Samuel was giving this young man such a
high honor, the guests whispered among themselves, saying, “Who is
that? Why is Samuel paying so much attention to him?”
The prophet said to Saul, “Go ahead, eat. This meat was saved especially
for you. I have even invited these guests to come and eat with
you.”
Though he felt uncomfortable being the object of wonder for the 30
dinner guests, Saul dined with Samuel, eating a meal worthy of a
king.
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After the dinner, Samuel and Saul left the high place and went back
into town.
Then Samuel invited Saul to spend the night at his house. “I already
have a bed set up for you on the roof.” In those days, some people slept
on the flat roofs of homes, and drank in the fresh, cool air (I Samuel
9:1-25).
God Chooses Saul
The next morning Samuel woke up early and called up to the roof.
“Wake up, Saul. It’s time you got started on your way.”
Saul arose, then he, his servant and Samuel left the house.
As they headed to the edge of town, Samuel took Saul aside and
said to him, “Tell your servant to go on. I need to speak with you privately
for a few minutes and tell you what God has said.”
Saul did as instructed, and the servant continued on ahead of them.
Samuel then took a vial of olive oil, poured it upon Saul’s head, and
kissed the young man on the cheek. The prophet said, “The Eternal
God has anointed you to be the commander over His inheritance,
Israel.”
(The Hebrew root word for Saul means “asked of God.” From his
physical appearance, Saul was the kind of king Israel had asked for—
tall, handsome and impressive. But more importantly, Saul was the
kind of man God was looking for to be king—humble and not selfimportant.)
Samuel explained that God would give Saul several signs to prove
that He had chosen him to be Israel’s next king:
First, after his departure, Saul would meet two men by Rachel’s
tomb at Zelzah, in the territory of Benjamin. They would say to him,
“The donkeys you sought are found. Your father has stopped caring
about them, and is now worried about you. He wants to know where
you are, and whether or not you are safe.”
Saul was to go from there until he came to the plain of Tabor. There,
he would meet three men going up to worship God at Bethel. One man
would be carrying three young goats. Another would have three loaves
of bread. And the other would be carrying a bottle of wine. After greeting
Saul, they would give him two loaves of bread.
Then Saul was to go the hill of God, at Gibeah, where the
Philistines had a garrison of soldiers. “And when you come to the
city,” said Samuel, “you will meet a group of prophets coming down
from a place of worship. They will be prophesying as others walk
before them, playing tabrets, flutes and harps. God’s Holy Spirit will
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then come upon you, and will inspire you to prophesy along with the
prophets. When these signs have come to pass, do what is right, for
God will help you.
“Next, you shall go down to Gilgal and wait for me seven days. I
will come to you and offer burnt offerings, and sacrifice peace offerings,
and show you what you should do” (I Samuel 9:26-27; 10:1-8).
Moved by God’s Spirit
After Samuel departed, God sent His Spirit to enter Saul’s mind and
convert his thinking. His thoughts, attitudes and desires began to
change. Saul became a different person.
The young Benjamite and his servant soon arrived at Gibeah, where
they were met by a group of prophets. Suddenly, God’s Spirit came
upon Saul, causing him to prophesy among the prophets!
Some people who had known Saul for a long time happened to
walk by. They were so surprised to see their friend among the prophets
that they said to each other, “What’s going on here? Isn’t this Saul,
Kish’s son? Why is he speaking and acting as though he is a prophet?
How can Saul be a prophet?”
One of the men said, “But who is his father?” From then on, the
saying, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” became popular among the
people.
After Saul finished prophesying, he went to the place of worship
Samuel had told him about. There, Saul met his uncle, who was torn
between being angry with his nephew and relieved that he was safe
and sound.
Saul’s uncle grabbed him by the shoulders, gave him a big bear
hug, and said, “Where have you been? We’ve been worried sick about
you!”
“We’ve been out looking for my father’s donkeys,” Saul answered.
“When we saw that they were nowhere to be found, we asked the
prophet Samuel for help.”
“Really? What did Samuel say to you?”
“He told us that the donkeys had been found.” But, perhaps out of
humility, Saul did not reveal what Samuel had said about him being
made king over all Israel (I Samuel 10:9-16).
Proclaimed King of Israel
The people of Israel, represented by their tribal elders and clan leaders,
obeyed Samuel’s instruction to assemble before God at Mizpeh. When
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everyone had arrived, Samuel addressed the assembly, delivering the
words of the Eternal God of Israel:
“I brought Israel out of Egypt, and out from the hand of all kingdoms,
and from those who oppressed you.
“But you, Israel, were not grateful. You have rejected your God—
the One who personally rescued you from all your trials and adversities—
and said to Him, ‘No more! We want a king set over us!’
“Therefore, present yourselves before the Eternal by each tribe, and
by each clan. Then I will choose for you a king.”
Samuel had all the tribes of Israel come to the altar, one after the
other. From among them, God chose the tribe of Benjamin. Next, all
the clans of Benjamin came to the altar. From out of these, God chose
the clan of Matri. From this clan, God chose the family of Kish. And
from Kish’s family, the Eternal chose Saul.
When God’s choice was finally known, the people immediately
looked for their new king—but Saul could not be found! Overwhelmed
by the weight of instant fame, Saul hid himself. He did not like being
the center of attention.
So the Israelites prayerfully turned to God to find out where Saul
was.
God answered, “Your new king is hiding behind the military supplies.”
The people rushed over to the stockpile of military supplies and
pulled him out of his hiding place. The moment he stood up, the people
were in awe: Saul was a head taller than everyone else in the
crowd!
Then Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the man whom the
Eternal has chosen—that there is no one like him among all Israel?”
Saul wanted so desperately to hide, for everyone’s eyes were upon
him, impressed by his towering height and good looks.
Suddenly, everyone cheered, “Long live the king!”
When the clamor of shouts began to die out, Samuel addressed the
people again. He explained to them the rights, duties and behavior
expected of a king:
“The king must not be above God’s laws. All kings of Israel must
be Israelites—never foreigners. The king must not collect houses, silver,
gold, nor other wealth for his own personal gain. He must not
acquire horses and chariots for war, else he will rely upon his own
strength and not upon God’s. The king shall have only one wife at a
time. And he must take the book of God’s Law and copy it by hand;
then the king must read it throughout his time of reign” (Deuteronomy
17:14-20).
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Next, Samuel wrote these words in a book, and put the book in a
temple building at one of the places where God was worshipped.
The royal coronation was now over, so Samuel sent everyone
home. Saul went home, too, to Gibeah. And, inspired by God, a band
of valiant men escorted him, eager to serve their new king.
But not everyone was pleased with God’s anointed leader. Acertain
group of accusers and whisperers, whom the Bible calls “the children
of Belial,” said, “How shall this man save us? What’s so special about
him?” They despised Saul, and refused to bring gifts to their new king.
But King Saul, who could have had them severely punished, kept
silent instead (I Samuel 10:17-27).
King Saul’s First Military Campaign
Nahash, king of the neighboring Ammonites, marched his army into
Israel and surrounded the town of Jabesh, which was in Gilead, across
the Jordan River.
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Saul hides among the
military supplies.
The townspeople were trapped. They did not have enough fighting
men and supplies to fend off this new threat. So the elders of Jabesh
approached King Nahash and said, “We don’t want any trouble. If you
will sign a peace treaty with us, we will serve you—and we’ll even pay
you taxes.”
Nahash had them where he wanted them. He simply smiled and
said, “Of course I will sign a treaty with you...But not before I put out
the right eye of every man who lives in Jabesh.” The king wanted to
do this in order to render the archers of Jabesh useless for battle, and
to insult the whole land of Israel.
The town leaders replied, “Give us seven days so that we can send
messengers throughout Israel and ask for help. If no one comes to our
rescue, we will surrender to you.”
Proud of his massive army, King Nahash agreed.
Some of Jabesh’s messengers went to Gibeah, Saul’s hometown
and the new royal capital of Israel. They told all who would listen
about the trouble that was brewing at Jabesh, which made everyone in
Gibeah cry.
Just then, Saul came in from the fields, walking behind his oxen.
Even though he was Israel’s new king, Saul continued to work as a
farmer. He did not parade around as someone too important to get his
hands dirty from hard work.
Saul immediately took note of all the people weeping, and said,
“What’s wrong? Why is everyone crying?”
When the people told him the horrible news, the Spirit of God suddenly
came upon Saul—and the king of Israel was furious!
Saul killed two of his oxen, cut them up in pieces, and gave them
to the messengers. “Show these pieces to everyone in Israel and tell
them: ‘Saul and Samuel are assembling an army. Come and join us. If
you don’t, this is what will happen to your oxen!’”
God made the Israelites tremble with fear when they received
Saul’s sobering message. Then all the Israelites old enough to wage
war assembled at Bezek, which was west of the Jordan River, but within
striking distance of Jabesh. There, Saul had them organized and
counted. He soon discovered that he had 330,000 Israelite warriors
ready to take on the king of Ammon.
King Saul and his military officers sent the messengers back to
Jabesh with this promise: “By tomorrow afternoon, we will rescue
your people.”
Upon receiving Saul’s message, the townspeople of Jabesh were
encouraged. So they told King Nahash, “We will surrender to you
tomorrow, and then you can do whatever you want with us.”
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The next day, Saul divided his army into three groups, which lessened
the chance of losing everyone in a sneak attack. It also provided
Saul’s army greater military options.
The king of Israel and his men attacked the enemy before daylight,
when they were least prepared for battle. They made a great slaughter
of the Ammonites, keeping up their attack until afternoon. A few
Ammonites managed to escape, but they were so scattered that no two
of them were left together.
God had blessed Saul with his first military victory!
With the battle finished, the Israelites, and especially the people of
Jabesh, were grateful for Saul’s heroic and daring leadership.
Saul’s soldiers approached Samuel and demanded, “Where are
those rebels who mocked Saul and said they didn’t want him to be our
king? Bring them to us, and we will put them to death!”
“No!” Saul said. “The Eternal rescued Israel today. No one will be
put to death.”
Samuel said to the Israelites, “Come! It’s time we go to Gilgal and
make a covenant so that Saul will continue to be the king of Israel.”
No more were the people of Israel uncertain about whether Saul should
be their king (I Samuel 11:1-15).
A Royal Coronation
Everyone went to the place of worship at Gilgal, where they agreed
that Saul would be their king. Saul and the people sacrificed animals
and asked for God’s blessing. Then they had a big celebration, for
Israel was united under one king.
Next, Samuel addressed the Israelites:
“I have given you a king, just as you asked. As a judge, I have led
you ever since I was a young man. And now I am old; my hair is gray,
and my own sons are grown.
“Let me ask this: Have I ever taken anyone’s ox or donkey, or
forced you to give me anything, or cheated you? Have I ever oppressed
anyone or taken a bribe to give an unfair decision? Answer me so that
the Eternal and His chosen king can hear you. If I have committed any
of these things, I will give it all back.”
“No!” The Israelites answered. “You have never cheated us in any
way!”
The old prophet said, “God and His anointed king are witnesses to
what you have said.”
“Yes, we agree,” they replied.
Then Samuel said, “God brought your fathers out of Egypt and
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chose Moses and Aaron to be your leaders. Now the Eternal will be
your Judge. So stand here and listen, while I remind you of how often
God has saved you and your fathers from your enemies.
“After Jacob went to Egypt, your fathers cried out to the Eternal for
help, and He sent Moses and Aaron. They led your fathers out of Egypt
and had them settle in this land. But Israel forgot their God, so He
allowed them to be defeated by the Philistines, the king of Moab, and
Sisera, commander of Hazor’s army.
“Again your fathers cried out to the Eternal for help. They said, ‘We
have sinned! We stopped worshiping You and worshipped Baal and
Astarte instead. But now, if You rescue us from our enemies, we will
worship You again.’
“So God sent several judges to you—Gideon, Bedan, Jephthah,
Samson and others—to deliver you from your enemies, and you no
longer needed to worry about being attacked. Then you saw that King
Nahash of Ammon was going to attack you. And even though the
Eternal your God is your King, you told me, ‘No! This time we want
a king to rule over us!’
“You asked for a king, and you chose one. And now he stands here
before you. But in reality, it was the Eternal who made this man your
king. If you and your new ruler truly want to follow God, then you
must truly fear the Eternal and do exactly what He commands. Do not
be stubborn! If you rebel against God and refuse to listen to His voice,
His hand will be against you and your king, as it was against your
fathers.
“Stand, therefore, and watch God show His mighty power. Is this
not the wheat harvest? I will call upon the Eternal to send a thunderstorm.
When you see this come to pass, then you will know how wrong
and wicked you were to ask for a king—only God should be your
King!”
Samuel prayed, and God sent a mighty thunderstorm that same day.
Everyone was amazed, for it was the dry season, when rain was scarce.
This miracle caused Israel to be afraid of both God and Samuel.
They said to the old prophet, “We are your servants! Please, pray to
the Eternal your God for us—we don’t want to die! We have added to
our sins by asking for a king.”
Samuel told them, “Though what you did was wrong, do not fear.
However, make sure that you always worship the Eternal and serve
Him with all your heart. Above all, do not worship idols! They don’t
have the power to deliver you or profit you in any way. They cannot
help you or save you when you’re in trouble.
“Remember that God has chosen you to be His people. He will
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always take care of you so that everyone will know how great He truly
is. I would be sinning against God if I stopped praying for you! I will
always teach you how to live the right way. But you must obey the
Eternal—you must worship Him with all your heart and remember the
great things He has done for you.
“However,” Samuel warned, “if you and your king refuse, and
decide to do evil, God will sweep you all away!”
Every man, woman and child in Israel was sobered by Samuel’s
grave warning. Each person told himself that he would do better in putting
God first. “Besides,” many reasoned, “now that we have a new
king, our lives will improve. What could possibly go wrong?” (I
Samuel 12:1-25).
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CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE
“REBELLION
IS LIKE WITCHCRAFT”
During the first two years of King Saul’s reign over Israel, there was
peace. Sadly, however, something tragic began to happen to Saul:
The humility he had been known for had been replaced by pride and
self-importance. King Saul was headed down a dangerous—and ultimately
deadly—path.
Saul wanted to create a special fighting force of expert warriors. So
he ordered all of Israel’s able-bodied fighting men to assemble before
him. From these troops, he chose 3,000 of the best warriors and formed
an elite military team of full-time, professional soldiers. The king had
2,000 of these troops stay with him in the hills near Michmash and
Bethel. The other 1,000 were stationed at Gibeah with Saul’s son
Jonathan. (As the king’s firstborn son, the young prince was in line to
inherit the throne upon Saul’s death.)
One day, Jonathan led his team of warriors to attack a Philistine
army outpost at Geba, about one and a half miles from Michmash,
across a rugged ravine. Though the outpost was destroyed, the other
Philistines heard what happened. And they wanted revenge!
Saul sent messengers to every village in the land. “Give a signal
with the trumpet and summon additional troops,” he told them. “When
the people assemble, tell them what has happened.”
The messengers did as ordered, telling the people of Israel that Saul
had destroyed the Philistine outpost at Geba. “And now the Philistines
want revenge against Israel,” they said. “The king orders every town
and village throughout Israel to send men to join Saul’s army at
Gilgal!”
Meanwhile, the Philistines quickly assembled an army to fight
Israel: 3,000 chariots, 6,000 cavalry, and foot soldiers so numerous,
they were as grains of sand on a beach. The Philistine army marched
to Michmash and encamped east of Beth Aven, which was less than a
mile away.
Israelite spies reported to their superiors that the Philistines vastly
outnumbered Israel’s army. News of their reports spread throughout the
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Israelite camp. The soldiers began to let fear and worry overwhelm
their minds.
“We can’t possibility win!” many said. “Those bloodthirsty pagans
want revenge—and nothing’s going to stand in their way!”
Hordes of soldiers ran away from camp, some hiding in caves or in
thickets, and some running to hide among large rocks. Others hid in
tombs or in deep, dry pits. Still others went east and crossed the Jordan
River to Gad and Gilead.
But King Saul remained at Gilgal. He, too, began to worry, as many
of his elite soldiers, shaking with fear, ran off and abandoned him. The
king waited at Gilgal for seven days, just as Samuel had ordered him to
do (I Samuel 10:8).
But Samuel did not yet arrive.
Saul did not realize it, but God was testing his character to see
whether or not Israel’s first king would obey Him. True character is
revealed under pressure, when problems arise. This is why God often
tests His servants with trials. He needs to see whether they will trust in
Him, or in themselves.
But Saul gave way to impatience and human reasoning. “I can’t
believe Samuel’s not here yet,” he said to his officers. “If we wait any
longer, I won’t have any men left to fight against the Philistines.”
So the king commanded his men: “Bring me some animals, so we
can offer sacrifices to please the Eternal and ask for His help.”
His men did as they were ordered. Then Saul killed one of the animals.
In doing so, the king had taken upon himself the sacred duties of
a priest, which God did not give him the authority to do. Saul had forgotten
that the kings of Israel were not to set themselves above God’s
Law. But, with his mind full of fear, vanity and self-importance, Saul
deceived himself into believing that he could break God’s commands
and somehow make everything turn out for the best. How foolish!
Unfortunately, mankind has been learning this lesson the hard way.
Just as Saul placed his sacrifice on the altar, Samuel arrived. Saul,
both embarrassed and relieved, went out to welcome him.
“What have you done?” Samuel asked.
Saul said, “My soldiers were leaving in all directions, and you didn’t
come when you were supposed to. The Philistines were gathering at
Michmash, and I was worried that they would attack me here at Gilgal.
A sacrifice needed to be offered to ask for God’s help, but when I saw
that you had not yet arrived, I forced myself into offering the sacrifice.”
Saul walked by sight when he should have walked by faith (II
Corinthians 5:7). And, instead of taking personal responsibility and
admitting his sin, the king tried to shift blame to Samuel.
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“That was foolish, Saul!” Samuel said. “You did not obey the
Eternal your God.” God expects His leaders to fear and obey Him,
even in the smallest matters. If they do, God will know that He can
trust them with larger responsibilities.
The prophet said, “If you had kept God’s commandment, your
dynasty would have been established. Someone from your family
line would always have been king of Israel. But no, you chose to disobey.
Therefore, the Eternal will not choose anyone from your family
or descendants to be king. Instead, God has sought for Himself a
man after His own heart. This man will be the next leader of His people.”
Saul’s sin of disobedience affected him and his descendants. This
account is an example of how one man’s sin affects not just the sinner,
but also the lives of future generations.
Disappointed with Saul, Samuel departed (I Samuel 13:1-15).
The Philistines Gain the Upper Hand
Saul gathered the soldiers who had not deserted him, and led them to
Gibeah, a ten-mile trip westward. There, they joined up with his other
troops. When he counted them, the king found that he only had 600 men.
Then he, Jonathan, and their army set up camp at Geba in Benjamin.
Meanwhile, the Philistine army was still camped at Michmash. Each
day, the Philistines sent out three companies of raiding patrols to attack
and plunder villages, and then destroy them. Their plan was to demoralize
the Israelites—not face them in battle. One patrol went north along
the road to Ophrah, in the region of Shual. Another patrol went west
along the road to Beth Horon. A third patrol went east toward the desert
on the road to the ridge that overlooks the Valley of Zeboim, which was
east toward the Jordan Valley.
In the heat of their constant raids, the Philistines would not allow any
of the Israelites to be blacksmiths—metal-working craftsmen who made
iron tools.
“If we allowed those worthless Israelites to make swords and spears,”
they reasoned, “we would no longer have the upper hand.”
Whenever the Israelites wanted to sharpen their cattle prods, plowblades,
picks, axes, sickles, and pitchforks, they had to go to the
Philistines. And the Philistines charged high prices.
As a result, whenever the Israelite soldiers went into battle, none of
them had a sword or a spear, except Saul and Jonathan. They only had
slingshots, and bows and arrows—which were ineffective in hand-tohand
combat.
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Possessing superior weapons—and the means to make them—gave
the Philistines the upper hand in battle (I Samuel 13:15-22).
Jonathan Takes on the Philistines
The Philistines moved their camp to a pass leading to Michmash, while
Saul was in Gibeah with his 600 men. There, Saul had his tent set up
under a pomegranate tree, where he held court by a threshing place at
the edge of town.
A man named Ahijah was serving as the priest for Israel’s army. One
of his duties was to wear the sacred ephod and get answers from God for
Saul. Ahijah was the grandson of Phinehas, and great-grandson of Eli,
who had been God’s high priest at Shiloh.
One day, Jonathan, acting on God’s promise (I Samuel 9:16), told his
armor bearer, “I need your help for a dangerous mission. I want to attack
the Philistine garrison at the other side of the valley. But I don’t want
anyone to see us leaving—not even my father. Will you come with me?”
The armor bearer nodded, and the two brave men slipped out of camp
without anyone noticing.
Jonathan decided to get to the garrison by going through the pass that
led between two sharp rocks, with Michmash to the north and Gibeah to
the south. As they journeyed toward their destination, the young prince
and his armor bearer talked.
“It’s just the two of us against all those godless pagans,” Jonathan
said. “But the Eternal can help just a few soldiers win a battle just as easily
as He can help a whole army. Perhaps God will help us.” Jonathan
was walking by faith.
The armor bearer said, “Do all that’s in your heart. I’ll be right there
with you, backing you up.”
“Then this is what we will do,” Jonathan said. “We will go across and
let the Philistines see us. If they agree to come down the hill and fight
where we are, then we won’t climb up to their camp. But if they tell us
to come up the hill and fight, then we will go up. This will be a sign that
the Eternal will deliver these bloodthirsty pagans into our hands.”
Jonathan and the soldier stood at the bottom of the hill where the
Philistines could see them. The Philistines said, “Look! Those worthless
Israelites have crawled out of their holes!”
Then they yelled down to Jonathan and the armor bearer: “Come up
here, you dogs! We’ll teach you something you’ll never forget!”
Jonathan turned to the soldier and said, “Follow me! The Eternal is
going to give us the victory!” Then Jonathan crawled up the hillside,
with his armor bearer right behind him.
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When they got to the top, the prince and the armor bearer held up
their shields and swords. With their backs turned to each other,
Jonathan killed the Philistines who attacked from the front, while his
armor bearer killed those who attacked from behind. Before they had
gone far, the two Israelite warriors had killed about 20 Philistines!
Suddenly, the whole Philistine army panicked—those in the garrison,
those on guard duty, those in the fields, and those on raiding
patrols. All of them were frightened and confused. Then God sent an
earthquake, causing the ground to tremble.
From Gibeah, Saul’s watchmen told him that the Philistine army
was running in every direction, like melted wax.
Saul said, “Some of my men must have taken matters into their own
hands.” He ordered his officers to assemble the men and find out who
left their camp. When the roll call was finished, they discovered that
Jonathan and his armor bearer were missing.
Then Saul looked over to Ahijah and barked, “Come over here!
Let’s ask God what we should do.”
But, just as the king had finished speaking, the noise coming from
the Philistine garrison became more and more confused. So he said to
the priest, “Never mind.” Ultimately, Saul decided to rely on his own
counsel. He had tossed away an opportunity to seek God’s will. This
was just another example of how stubborn and unrepentant Saul was
becoming.
Saul quickly called his army together and led them to the Philistine
garrison. By then, the Philistines were so confused, they were killing
each other! And some of their hired soldiers even switched to Israel’s
side and fought for Saul and Jonathan!
Meanwhile, many Israelites had been hiding in the mountains of
Ephraim, north and west of Michmash. When they heard that the
Philistines were on the run, the Israelites came out of hiding and joined
in the chase.
God saved Israel that day, giving His people victory in battle (I
Samuel 13:23; 14:1-23).
A Rash Vow
Earlier, Saul had told his soldiers that he wanted to get even with the
Philistines by sunset. “If any of you men eat before then, you will be
under a curse!” Then the king made them swear not to eat.
Saul’s vow was rash and unwise. It kept his soldiers from regaining
their strength, and made them unprepared for the hard, sweaty work of
battle.
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Besides this, Saul’s fast was done in vain. He was not denying himself
food and drink in order to focus on loosing “the bands of wickedness,
to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and to
break every yoke,” according to God’s will (Isaiah 58:3-12). Saul was
only seeking to advance his own will. He was far more concerned with
avenging himself than in bringing honor to God in battle and protecting
Israel.
By the time the fighting moved past Beth Aven, the Israelite troops
were weak from hunger. The army went into a forest, and came to a
place where honey was dripping on the ground. But no one ate any of it,
because they were afraid of being put under Saul’s curse.
However, Jonathan did not know about his father’s warning. So he
dipped the end of his walking stick in the honey and ate some with his
fingers. Immediately, he felt stronger and more alert.
A soldier told the prince, “Your father swore that anyone who ate
food today would be put under a curse. He had us agree to his vow. That
is why we’re so weak.”
Jonathan realized that Saul’s vow was hurting the men, not helping
them. He said, “My father has caused you a lot of trouble. Look at me!
I only tasted a little of this honey, but already I feel strong and alert. We
all would have been better off eating some of the food that the Philistines
had left behind. We would have the energy to slay a lot more of them.”
By evening, Israel’s army was exhausted from killing the enemy
from Michmash to Aijalon, which was about 15 miles westward, near
Philistine territory. They grabbed the food they had captured from their
enemy and started eating. They even killed sheep, cows and calves right
on the ground and ate the meat without draining the blood! In doing so,
they violated God’s Law (Leviticus 17:10-14).
A soldier told Saul, “Look! The army is disobeying the Eternal by
eating meat before the blood drains out.”
“You’re right,” Saul said. “They are being unfaithful to God! Hurry!
Roll a big rock over to me. Then tell every soldier in camp to bring their
cattle and lambs and kill them on this rock—only then can they eat the
meat. That way, no one will disobey the Eternal by eating meat with
blood still in it.”
That night, the soldiers brought their animals over to the big rock and
killed them there. This was the first altar Saul had built for offering sacrifices
to the Eternal.
Now that his troops were satisfied and their bellies were full, the king
said to them, “We will attack the Philistines again while it is still dark
and fight them all night, if need be. We’ll slaughter them and take everything
they own!”
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The soldiers answered, “We will do whatever you want.”
But Ahijah said. “Wait! Let’s ask God what we should do.”
Saul had grown used to making decisions without God’s counsel and
direction. Reluctantly, he asked God, “Should I attack the Philistines?
Will you help us win?”
God did not answer.
Saul gathered his officers to his tent and said, “Someone in this camp
has sinned! We must find out what sin has kept the Eternal from answering.”
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Unaware of his father’s vow,
Jonathan ate the honey.
Saul lacked wisdom, a result of rebelling against God’s will. So the
king blurted out another foolish oath: “I swear by the living God that
whoever sinned must die, even if it turns out to be my own son
Jonathan.”
This time, no one said a word.
The king ordered his army to stand on one side of Ahijah the priest,
while Saul and Jonathan stood on the other side. Everyone agreed.
Then Saul had lots cast, and prayed, asking God why He did not
answer him. “Please show us who sinned, God. Was it my son
Jonathan and me—or was it Your army?”
The answer came back that Jonathan or Saul had sinned, not the
army.
Saul told Ahijah, “Now ask God to decide between Jonathan and
me.” God’s answer was that Jonathan had sinned.
“Jonathan,” Saul said, “tell me what you have done!”
“I only ate a little honey with the end of my walking stick. Because
of your vow, you say I have to die!”
“Yes, Jonathan. I swore to God that you must die.”
“No!” all the soldiers shouted. “God helped your son win the battle
for us. We will not let you kill him, Saul. As the Eternal lives, we
will not let you kill him or even let one hair on his head fall to the
ground!”
The king’s men realized that it was Jonathan’s faith in God that led
to their victory—not Saul’s foolish vows. So the army kept Saul from
killing the prince.
Ever mindful of what others thought of him, Saul gave in to his
soldiers’ demand and let his son live. Then, he and his men returned
home from hunting down the Philistines, who had retreated back to
their own territory.
As Israel’s king, Saul fought against several enemies—the
Moabites, the Ammonites, the Edomites, the kings of Zobah, the
Philistines, and the Amalekites—who had all been attacking and
plundering the Israelites. Saul’s military campaigns stopped their
thievery and attacks, and expanded Israel’s borders in all directions:
South to Edom, east to Ammon and Moab, north to Zobah, and west
to Philistia.
Part of Saul’s success was due to the brilliant leadership of his
cousin Abner, the king’s commanding general over Israel’s army.
Saul was at war with the Philistines until the day he died. And
whenever he found skilled warriors or valiant men, Saul drafted them
into his special force of elite soldiers—just as God had warned (I
Samuel 14:24-52).
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The Penalty for Disobedience
One day, Samuel visited Saul and reminded him that God had chosen
him to be king over His people. Then Samuel gave the king God’s
message:
“When the Israelites came up out of Egypt, the people of Amalek
ambushed them. I am the Eternal Almighty, and now I am going to
make Amalek pay for their treachery!
Now go and attack the Amalekites! Utterly destroy them and all
their possessions. Kill all their men, women, children, and even their
babies—do not spare any of them. And slaughter their cattle, sheep,
camels, and donkeys, too.”
The Amalekites were nomads who wandered the desert, plundering
the weak and defenseless. As descendants of Esau, Jacob’s brother, the
Amalekites harbored hatred for the Israelites, which exists even to this
day. However, this feud will dramatically change once Jesus Christ
returns to set up the kingdom of God on earth. Only then will people
and nations learn to truly live together in lasting peace and harmony.
Though God had removed the possibility of Saul’s descendants ruling
over Israel, He still wanted to give the king a chance to prove himself.
He was testing Saul’s character, giving him the opportunity to put
God first through obedience. God does not want any of His servants to
fail.
Saul sent messengers to every town and village in Israel, calling for
men to join his army at Telaim. In all, 210,000 troops assembled. Saul
organized them, and then led them to a valley near one of the towns in
Amalek, where they got ready to launch a surprise attack.
The king found out that there were Kenites living nearby. They
were descendants of Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, and were allowed to
live among the Israelites in peace. God even permitted them to inherit
a small portion of the Promised Land.
Saul told the Kenites, “Your people were kind to our nation when
we left Egypt, so heed my warning. I don’t want you to get killed when
I wipe out these Amalekites. You must leave this place and stay away
from them, lest I destroy you with them.”
Grateful for the warning, the Kenites quickly departed.
Saul attacked the Amalekites throughout much of their territory,
from Havilah to Shur, just east of Egypt. Eventually, every Amalekite
they could find was killed, except King Agag.
Deliberately disobeying God, Saul and his army captured King
Agag alive and decided to let him live. They also spared the best of the
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Amalekite’s sheep and cattle. They failed to destroy anything of value,
killing only animals that were worthless or weak. Driven by lust and
greed, Saul failed God’s test.
God saw Israel’s sin. He told Samuel, “Saul has stopped obeying
Me. I regret that I ever made him king.”
Samuel was angry at Saul for his foolishness. The old prophet also
grieved, and prayerfully cried out to God all that night. He was deeply
concerned for Saul and Israel. It hurt him to see Saul destroying his
own future.
Early the next morning, he went to talk with Saul. When he could
not find him, someone told Samuel that the king went to Carmel,
which was about seven miles south of Hebron.
“Why did he go there?” the prophet asked.
“To have a monument built so that everyone would remember his
victory. Then the king left for Gilgal.”
Samuel shook his head in disgust. He realized that the monument
was meant to glorify Saul rather than God.
The old prophet sighed, and thought to himself, “Saul used to be so
humble and teachable. But now he likes being the center of attention.
He’s taking credit for God’s victory instead of pointing the people to
the Eternal.”
When Samuel finally caught up with Saul, the king smiled, and
spread his arms in a show of friendship. But Samuel did not smile.
Taking note of this, the king cleared his throat, and then told the
prophet, “I hope the Eternal will bless you! I have done what God has
commanded me.”
“Then why,” Samuel asked, controlling his growing anger, “do I
hear the bleating of sheep and the lowing of cattle?”
“Well, I, uh, I mean, the army took them from the Amalekites,”
Saul explained. “They kept the best sheep and cattle so that they could
sacrifice them to the Eternal your God. But we destroyed everything
else.”
A guilty conscience kept the king from claiming the Eternal as his
God. Sadly, it did not stop him from blaming others for his sin.
“Stop!” Samuel said. “Let me tell you what God told me last night.”
“Speak on.”
“When you were little in your own eyes and did not think you were
important, the Eternal chose you to be Israel’s king. Today, you are in
charge of the tribes of Israel because of Him. When God commanded
you to totally wipe out those worthless Amalekites, you didn’t listen—
why? Why did you keep the animals of our enemy and make God
angry? Why did you do this evil, Saul?”
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“But I did obey the Eternal!” Saul lied. “He sent me on a mission,
and I went. I captured King Agag and destroyed his nation. All the animals
were going to be destroyed anyway, so why not let the army take
the best sheep and cattle to Gilgal as sacrifices to the Eternal your
God?”
Saul simply did not get it. Rather than confessing, he stubbornly
continued to justify himself.
“Tell me,” Samuel said. “Does God really take delight in burnt
offerings and animal sacrifices? No! Giving sacrifices was never
meant to replace obedience to God. The Eternal does not want your
sacrifices—He wants you to obey Him! To obey His voice is better
than sacrifice, and to listen to Him is better than the fat of rams.
Rebellion is just as evil as the sin of witchcraft, and pride is just as
wicked as worshiping idols. You have become just like all the pagan
kings—self-centered, self-willed, and utterly disobedient to God. Saul,
you have forgotten that it is God who gives the victory in battle. Since
you have rejected the word of the Eternal, God has rejected you from
being king over Israel!”
“I have sinned,” Saul admitted. “I disobeyed both you and God. I
was afraid of the people, and listened to them instead. Please pardon
my sin and return with me so I can worship the Eternal.”
The king was more concerned with having Samuel’s support
before the people than in truly repenting. Saul wanted to please people,
not God.
“No!” Samuel replied, “You rebelled against God, and I will not
go back with you and continue to acknowledge you as Israel’s ruler.
The Eternal has declared that you cannot be king of Israel any
longer.”
The prophet knew that Saul was not expressing true repentance.
The word repent means “change”—and Saul did not show that he
was willing to change his life from the path of selfishness and disobedience.
He was sorry about the penalties of his sin, not about the
sin itself. He was still justifying himself and blaming others when he
should have feared God.
Saul could not bear to humble himself and accept Samuel’s
answer. As the old prophet turned to leave, Saul grabbed the edge of
Samuel’s robe—and it tore!
Saul stood there with the torn piece of fabric in his hand. He trembled,
wondering what would happen to him for showing such disrespect
to Samuel’s office.
The prophet said, “The Eternal has torn the kingdom of Israel
away from you today, Saul, and He will give it to someone better
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than you. And remember this: The Eternal God of Israel is not a
human being; He does not tell lies nor change His mind.”
Saul said, “I did sin, but please honor me in front of the leaders of
my army and the people of Israel. Please return with me so I can worship
the Eternal your God.”
He was still thinking of himself, worrying about maintaining his
power and reputation. True repentance would have led Saul to set
things right with God.
Reluctantly, Samuel returned with the king, and Saul worshiped
God. But Samuel did not go with him to give Saul honor; he went to
carry out the assignment that Saul had neglected to perform.
Samuel shouted to the troops, “Bring me Agag, king of Amalek!”
Agag was brought before him in chains. Amalek’s king thought,
“They haven’t killed me yet. Surely they won’t kill me now.”
But Samuel, as Israel’s judge, pronounced divine sentence upon
this sinner: “Agag, you have snatched children from their mothers’
arms and killed them. Now, therefore, your mother will be without
children.”
Samuel took a sharp sword, raised it above his head, and hacked
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Saul tears
Samuel’s robe.
King Agag to pieces at the place of worship. God’s righteous judgment
had finally been carried out.
Afterward, Samuel went home to Ramah, while Saul returned to his
home in Gibeah. The old prophet mourned for Saul as though Israel’s
king was dead. Though he loved and cared for him, Samuel knew he
had to support God’s decision to reject Saul. This meant that he could
not stay in contact with him.
Samuel never saw the king again (I Samuel 51:1-35).
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CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR
DAVID VERSUS GOLIATH
God was sorry that He had ever made Saul king of Israel. He said
to Samuel, “How long will you continue to mourn for Saul, seeing
that I have rejected him? He shall no longer be king, so stop feeling
sorry for him.
“Now put some olive oil in a small jar, depart from Ramah, and go
visit a man named Jesse, who lives in Bethlehem. I have provided
Myself a king from among his sons.”
Samuel said, “If I do that, Saul will find out and have me killed.”
The route between Ramah and Bethlehem would take him straight
through Gibeah, Saul’s hometown.
“Take a calf with you,” God said. “Tell everyone that you have
come to offer it as a sacrifice to Me. Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice.
I will show you which one of his sons I have chosen to be king; then
you will anoint him with the olive oil.”
Samuel did as God had commanded and went to Bethlehem.
News of the prophet’s arrival brought town leaders out to meet him,
but they were also terribly frightened.
They asked, “Is this a friendly visit?” They had heard about Samuel
personally executing King Agag. They were afraid that the man of God
might pronounce some judgment against their town.
“Yes, it is,” Samuel said. “I’ve come to offer a sacrifice to the
Eternal. Get yourself ready to take part in the sacrifice and come with
me.”
By this, they knew that he expected them to sanctify themselves by
washing their bodies, putting on clean clothes, and preparing their
minds through meditation and prayer (Leviticus 15; Numbers 19:11-
22; Exodus 19:10, 14).
Samuel also invited Jesse and his sons to come to the sacrifice, getting
them ready to take part. When they all arrived, Samuel immediately
noticed Jesse’s oldest son, Eliab.
Impressed by his outward appearance, Samuel said to himself,
“Surely, he has to be the one the Eternal has chosen.”
But God said to him, “Do not judge him by his height and beauty.
His appearance does not impress Me. Eliab is not the one I have cho-
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sen. People judge others by what they look like—but I judge people by
what is in their hearts!”
Jesse told his son Abinadab to go over to Samuel, but the prophet
said, “No, the Eternal has not chosen this man.”
Next, Jesse sent over his son Shammah. But Samuel said, “God
has not chosen this man either.”
Eventually, Jesse had all seven of his oldest sons present themselves
to Samuel. Finally, Samuel said, “Jesse, God has not chosen
any of these young men. Do you have any more sons?”
“Yes,” Jesse slowly answered. “My youngest son is David. He’s
outside taking care of the sheep.”
“Send for him!” Samuel said. “We will not start the ceremony until
he gets here.”
So Jesse sent for the lad.
David was a healthy, ruddy, good-looking boy who had a twinkle
in his eyes. As soon as he came over, God said to Samuel, “He is the
one. Get up and anoint him with the olive oil.”
God wanted a shepherd to be His king, someone who was used to
caring for the weak and protecting the defenseless.
Samuel quickly obeyed, pouring the oil on David’s head as his
brothers watched. At that moment, God’s Spirit came upon David. If
the lad continued to walk in all of God’s ways, the Holy Spirit would
convert David’s mind for the rest of his life. It would enhance his natural
abilities and talents, and help him to think from God’s
perspective.
David’s small circle of witnesses would later provide proof that
God had used Samuel to officially anoint him. In this way, David
would not be seen as a rebel trying to seize Saul’s throne.
After the ceremony, Samuel returned home to Ramah (I Samuel
16:1-13).
Saul Loses God’s Spirit
Saul continued in his proud and rebellious ways, cutting himself off
from God (Isaiah 59:1-2). This left the Eternal with no other choice but
to stop working with Saul. God then allowed an evil spirit to trouble
Saul’s mind, leaving him terrified.
His counselors and officials told him, “It’s an evil spirit from God
that’s frightening you.”
“My lord, we should search for someone who is good at playing
the harp. Whenever this evil spirit bothers you, this man can play
soothing music for you and you’ll feel much better.”
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“Very well,” Saul muttered. “Find me someone right away and
bring him here.”
One official had heard of David. “He’s the son of a man named
Jesse,” he explained, “who lives in Bethlehem. David can play the
harp. Plus, he’s a brave warrior, as well as good-looking, and excellent
in speech. The Eternal is definitely with him.”
As David continued to follow God with all his heart, he produced a
wonderful example that others quickly noticed, just like Samuel when
he was growing up (I Samuel 2:26).
Saul sent a message to Jesse, telling him to send David to serve at
the king’s court. Jesse dutifully obeyed. He loaded a donkey with
bread and a goatskin full of wine. Then he told David to take the animal,
along with a young goat, to Saul.
Upon arriving, Saul immediately put David to work. The king came
to like the lad’s personality and abilities so much that he put David in
charge of carrying his weapons. Saul even sent another message to
Jesse, which said, “You have raised a wonderful boy. Please let him
stay with me.”
Whenever Saul’s mind was troubled by the evil spirit, David would
play his harp. Then the king would relax and feel better, and the evil
spirit would go away.
God brought about this event to bring David to Saul’s royal court
and train him to become a king (just as Moses had been trained for
leadership as a prince of Egypt in Pharaoh’s court). Little did King
Saul suspect that the man God had chosen to replace him as Israel’s
next ruler was close at hand. (I Samuel 16:14-23).
A Giant Defies the Army of God
The Philistines were on the warpath again, and sent troops to attack
the town of Sochoh, which was about 15 miles from Bethlehem.
Then they encamped at Ephes Dammim, between Sochoh and
Azekah.
About three miles away, King Saul and his army set up camp on
a hill overlooking the Valley of Elah, and prepared to fight the enemy,
who was on a hill on the other side of the valley.
The Philistines had a fierce champion among them, a giant named
Goliath, who came from the town of Gath. Towering at more than
nine feet tall, Goliath wore a bronze helmet, and bronze armor—
plates of brass overlapping like scales on a fish—to protect his chest
and legs. The chest armor alone weighed about 125 pounds! He carried
a bronze sword strapped on his back. He also had a spear so big
85
that the iron spearhead alone weighed more than fifteen pounds.
Whenever he went out to do battle, Goliath always had a soldier walk
before him to carry his shield. To all who saw him, this Philistine
giant seemed invincible—and he was Israel’s worst nightmare.
Goliath marched out onto the battlefield and shouted to the army of
Israel: “Why are you lining up for battle? I’m the best soldier in my
army, and all of you are in Saul’s army. Choose your best soldier, and
let him come out to fight me! If he can slay me, our people will be your
slaves. But if I slay him, your people will be our slaves. I challenge the
whole army of Israel! Choose someone to fight me!”
Saul and his men heard what Goliath said, but every soldier among
the Israelites was so frightened, they could not gather enough courage
to act. For the next 40 days, Goliath came out every morning and every
evening, challenging the Israelites to send out a champion.
David Takes on Goliath!
Now, three of David’s oldest brothers—Eliab, Abinadab and
Shammah—were stationed among Saul’s troops.
Meanwhile, David stayed behind in Bethlehem to take care of his
father’s sheep while they were away (I Samuel 17:15). Often, the lad
traveled back and forth between home and Saul’s camp to bring his
brother’s much-needed supplies.
One day, Jesse told David to take a sack of roasted grain and ten
loaves of bread to his brothers. “And here are ten large chunks of
cheese to take to their commanding officer. Find out how your brothers
are doing and bring back some news that they are all right.”
David obeyed. He got up early the next morning and left someone
else in charge of the sheep. Then he loaded the supplies and started
off for the Valley of Elah.
He reached Israel’s camp just as the soldiers were taking their
places and shouting the battle cry. The armies of Israel and the
Philistines lined up on opposite sides of the valley, facing each other.
Leaving his things with the man in charge of supplies, David ran up
to the battle line to ask his brothers if they were well.
While David was talking with them, Goliath marched out onto the
battlefield and started boasting as usual. David could hardly believe
his own ears.
David asked some soldiers standing nearby, “What will a man get
for killing this Philistine and stopping him from insulting our people?
Who does that worthless Philistine think he is? He’s defying the
army of the living God!”
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The soldiers told him, “King Saul is offering a big reward to the
man who kills Goliath. That man will even get to marry the king’s
daughter, and no one in his family will ever have to pay taxes again.”
Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him talking with the soldiers—
and he was angry at him (perhaps he was still jealous at being
passed over for kingship). He said, “What are you doing here? Who’s
taking care of our little flock of sheep out in the wilderness? You’re
nothing but a spoiled brat! You came here just to watch the fighting,
didn’t you?”
“What have I done?” David said. “Can’t I even ask a question?”
Then David asked another soldier the same thing he had asked the
others. He received the same answer.
Some soldiers overheard David talking, so they told Saul, who
sent for the lad.
“My lord,” David said to him, “this Philistine shouldn’t be
allowed to turn us into cowards. I will go out and fight him myself!”
“You don’t have a prayer against him, son,” Saul replied. “You’re
just a lad, while Goliath has been a professional soldier all his life.”
But David said, “My lord, I am a shepherd of my father’s sheep.
When one of them is dragged off by a lion or a bear, I go after it and
beat the wild animal until it lets the sheep go. If the wild animal turns
and attacks me, I grab it by the neck and kill it. Sir, I have killed lions
and bears that way, and I can certainly kill this worthless Philistine,
too. Besides, he should not have defied the army of the living God!”
Like Jonathan (I Samuel 41:6), David had the kind of faith to take
on the impossible. “The Eternal has rescued me from the claws of
lions and bears, and He will keep me safe from the hands of this
Philistine.”
“All right then,” Saul said, “go ahead and fight him. And may the
Eternal be with you!”
Saul had his own military garments and armor put on David, and
he gave him a bronze helmet to wear. David strapped on a sword and
tried to walk around, but he said, “I can’t move around with all of
this on me. I’m not used to it.”
So David took off Saul’s armor and picked up his shepherd’s rod,
a 30-inch long wooden rod that had a knob at one end. He then went
out to a stream and picked up five round smooth rocks, a little larger
than baseballs. In the hands of an expert, these rocks could be
hurled at close to 100 miles per hour! David put them in his leather
bag, then, with his sling in his hand, he went straight toward Goliath.
Because he had been faithfully obeying God, David knew that the
Eternal would not abandon him.
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Goliath was surprised to see a champion from Israel coming out to
fight. But when the nine-foot-tall giant saw that David was only a boy,
he insulted him.
“What do you think I am—a dog?” Goliath asked. “Is that why
you’ve come after me with a stick?”
David was used to driving away wild dogs that tried to attack his
sheep. To him, Goliath was no better.
The giant cursed David in the name of the false Philistine gods. He
shouted, “Come on, then, boy! When I’m finished with you, I’ll feed
what’s left of your body to the birds and wild animals!”
Boldly, David answered, “You have come out to fight me with a
sword and a spear and dagger. But I have come to fight you in the
name of the Eternal Almighty. He is the God of Israel’s army, and you
have insulted Him too! Today, the Eternal will deliver you into my
hand. I will strike you down and cut off your head. Then I will feed
the bodies of your fellow soldiers to the birds and wild animals. The
whole world will know that Israel’s God is real—unlike your false
gods. Everyone here will see that the Eternal does not need swords or
spears to save His people. For this is
God’s battle—and He always wins!”
David saw the “big picture”: The
Philistines were not fighting just
against Israel. They were actually fighting
against the Supreme God of the universe—
a fight they could never win!
Goliath came to do battle in his own
name, to bring honor and glory to himself.
David represented the government
of God. His confidence was in the
Eternal—not in his own human
abilities.
When Goliath started forward,
David ran toward him, put a rock in his
sling and swung the sling around by its
straps. As he let go of one strap, the
rock flew out and smashed Goliath on
the forehead, cracking his skull. The
Philistine giant fell facedown on the
earth—Goliath was dead!
David rushed over, pulled out
Goliath’s sword, and used it to cut off
the giant’s head. When the Philistines
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David rushes
toward Goliath.
saw what had happened to their champion,
they bolted. They did not honor their slain
champion’s terms.
But the soldiers of Israel let out a battle
cry and chased after them, pursuing
as far as the Philistine cities of Gath
and Ekron. The bodies of the enemy
were scattered all along the road.
Upon returning to camp, the Israelites took whatever they desired
from the enemy camp.
Saul had watched as David went out to fight the giant. The king
asked Abner, “Who is that young man?” Because his duty at the royal
court turned out to be only temporary, David had been away from Saul
for some time, during which the lad’s appearance had changed as he
grew up. Saul no longer recognized him.
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Goliath stands
defiant.
“I have no idea.”
“Find out! I want to know whose son this young man is.”
David came back from fighting Goliath, carrying Goliath’s head
(which he later took to Jerusalem).
Abner took David to Saul. The king asked the lad, “Who are you?”
David reminded him who he was.
From that moment on, Saul permanently kept David in his service
and would not let him go back to his own family (I Samuel 17:12-58;
18:2).
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CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE
THE MEANING
OF TRUE FRIENDSHIP
Now that Goliath was dead and the battle over, the victorious
Israelite army set out for home. As the troops marched along,
women came out of each Israelite town and welcomed King Saul.
They sang cheerful songs and danced to the music of harps, tambourines
and other musical instruments.
Saul smiled and waved as the women sang, “Saul has killed 1,000
enemies!” The king was pleased to have so much attention.
Then they sang, “And David has killed 10,000 enemies!”
Saul stopped smiling. He instantly became jealous and angry. He
thought, “They have the nerve to say that David has killed ten times
more enemies than I ever did. The next thing you know, they will
want to make him king!”
The king began to see David as a personal threat—even suspecting
that this might be God’s chosen replacement. From then on, Saul
never trusted David.
Jonathan, on the other hand, quickly realized that he and David
shared common goals: They both faithfully obeyed God and put His
will first. As a result, Jonathan and David became best friends. The
heat of battle had taught Jonathan to trust his life with friends, when
he and his armor bearer fought the Philistines, protecting each
other’s back and working together as a team. And so, the prince trusted
in David, caring for his friend as much as Jonathan cared for himself.
They became so loyal to each other that they promised to never
let anything come between their friendship.
Jonathan realized that David was the man whom God had chosen to
replace Saul as king. So the prince removed his royal robe and gave it to
David as a sign of friendship. He also gave him his military garments,
his sword, his bow and arrows, and his belt. In doing this, Jonathan was
removing the things that symbolized being a prince and Saul’s heir, and
acknowledging David as Israel’s next king. Jonathan, a wise and popular
military leader of noble character, had the potential to become a wonderful
ruler. But he humbly stepped aside to support David, his friend.
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Meanwhile, God again permitted an evil spirit to take control of
Saul. The demon caused the king to act and speak like a raving madman!
David came to play the harp for Saul as usual, hoping to soothe
the king’s mind with soft, melodic music.
As David continued to play, Saul had a spear in his hand.
The king thought, “I’ll pin David to the wall! Then I won’t have to
deal with his presence!” He threw the spear at David twice, but—
thanks to God’s intervention—the young man dodged and escaped
both times.
Saul grew more afraid of David, since it was clear that God was
with the son of Jesse.
But God was no longer with Saul (I Samuel 18:1-12).
Going Above and Beyond
The king was so frightened of David that he decided to remove him from
his court. He put David in charge of 1,000 soldiers and sent him out to
fight, hoping that David would be killed in battle. But God used these
fights as opportunities to exalt David in the eyes of the people. God
blessed David and his men with victory upon victory; He made sure that
they always won their battles.
And this made Saul even more afraid of David.
However, since David was so successful in every mission Saul gave
him, the king reluctantly made him a high officer in Israel’s army. This
pleased everyone, including Saul’s other officers. Everyone else in
Judah and Israel came to be loyal to David due to his wise leadership and
triumphs in battle.
One day, Saul, appealing to David’s desire to serve God, proposed
that he take on a dangerous mission. He told him, “If you will be brave
for me and valiantly fight the Eternal’s battles, I will let you marry
Merab, my oldest daughter.”
But Saul was really thinking, “I dare not kill David myself. That
would only upset the people and turn them against me. I’ll let the
Philistines kill David for me.”
David said, “How could I possibly marry your daughter? Who am I
and what is my life? I’m not important, and neither is my family.”
When Goliath had mocked and defied God and the army of Israel,
Saul had promised his daughter’s hand in marriage to the one who would
kill the Philistine giant. But even though David slew Goliath, Saul did
not fulfill his promise.
Therefore, David was not surprised that even though he had successfully
completed the king’s proposed mission, Saul went back on his
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word and gave his daughter Merab to someone else to marry.
Saul still wanted to get rid of David. So he was happy to learn that
his other daughter, Michal, was in love with David. The king thought,
“I’ll offer Michal as bait. I’ll propose a virtually impossible mission to
David in exchange for marrying Michal. This time, the Philistines will
kill him!”
He said to him, “David, my friend, I’m going to give you a second
chance to marry one of my daughters and become my son-in-law.”
David hesitated before saying anything. He knew that Saul was not
trustworthy. He respectfully said, “Thank you for looking kindly upon
me, my lord. You have given me much to consider.”
Saul was surprised that David did not jump on the chance to marry
Michal. So he ordered his assistants to speak to David in private.
Pretending to be his friends, they approached David and said,
“Look, the king takes great pleasure in you, and all of his assistants are
loyal to you. Why not ask the king if you can marry his daughter
Michal? Not many men are given a second chance to become Saul’s
son-in-law. Think of all the power and fame you would receive. Plus,
you would truly be a prince of Israel!”
But David said, “How can I marry Princess Michal? I’m neither
rich nor famous!” Despite all of his triumphs and his desire for Michal
to be his wife, David did not feel worthy to marry into royalty. David
had humility.
The assistant went back to Saul and told him exactly what was said.
The king was not pleased.
Still hoping to find a way for the Philistines to kill David, Saul had
his assistants tell David that the king did not want a dowry of silver or
gold. “He only wants to get even with his enemies,” they whispered
into David’s ear. “All you have to do is bring back proof that you have
killed 100 Philistines! Cut off certain private parts of the enemy—only
then will we know that they are really dead.”
The king’s scheme was to expose David to extreme and deadly danger.
In his stubbornness, Saul desperately tried to work against God’s
plan.
Saul’s offer pleased David, and he set off on his mission. David
gathered his men, saying, “We must hurry! The king has set a time
limit. We must finish our mission and get back before time runs out.
Only then will I have Michal as my wife.”
The soldiers shouted, “Don’t worry, David, we’re right behind
you!”
They soon returned with proof that they had killed 200
Philistines—going above and beyond what Saul had demanded. Full of
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burning zeal, David was not an “unprofitable servant” (Matthew
25:14-30; Luke 17:7-10)—someone who only does what is expected
of him and nothing more. Israel’s future king took on all his tasks
wholeheartedly.
Defeated once more, Saul reluctantly agreed to let David marry his
daughter. During the wedding, the king thought, “David is now a part
of my family, and one step closer to seizing my throne. I know that
God is moving to replace me with David, and it’s just not fair!”
Saul became even more afraid of David, and became David’s
enemy for the rest of his life (I Samuel 18:13-29).
Jonathan Sticks Up for His Friend
The leaders of the Philistines kept coming to fight Israel, but whenever
David faced them in battle, he always won. This made him more
famous than any of Saul’s other officers.
It also made the king even more jealous of David!
Boiling with rage, Saul no longer bothered to hide his hatred for
him. So, one day, he ordered Jonathan and his officers to kill David.
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But the prince loved David more than a brother, so he warned him,
“My father is trying to have you killed, David, so be on your guard.”
“But what have I done?”
“You have done nothing but good,” Jonathan assured him.
“Therefore, God will protect you. Hide in the field tomorrow morning,
and I will bring my father there. Then I’ll talk to him about you. I’ll
reason with my father and hopefully help him see past his bitterness
and envy. If I find out anything, I’ll let you know.”
David agreed.
The next morning in the field, Jonathan reminded Saul about the
many good things David had done for him.
The king said, “Yes, I see your point, son. David has benefited me
and Israel a great deal.”
“Then why, father, do you want to kill David? He hasn’t done anything
to you—he has done nothing to deserve death. David has served
in your army and has always done what’s best for you. He even risked
his life to kill Goliath. The Eternal helped Israel win a great victory
that day, and it made you happy. If you cause innocent blood to spill,
tragic things will fall upon all Israel.”
Saul agreed. He even promised, “As the Eternal lives, David shall
not be killed.”
Jonathan called to David and told him what Saul had said. David
understood that, without God’s
Spirit working within Saul, the
king’s mind was unsound and
unbalanced. Saul’s promises were
worthless.
Yet, walking by faith, David
allowed Jonathan to bring him to
the king, and Saul allowed David to
serve in his army, as he had done
before.
The next time the Philistines
waged war against Israel, David
fought hard and forced them to
retreat (I Samuel 18:30; 19:1-8).
David Runs for His Life
One night, David was in Saul’s
home, playing the harp for the king.
As Saul sat there holding his spear,
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he dwelled on David’s many successes. He allowed all the jealousy,
envy and bitterness he felt toward David to boil within his dark mind.
Suddenly, an evil spirit took control of him. In a fit of violent rage,
Saul sprang to his feet and tried to pin David to the wall with the spear!
But God intervened. David dodged Saul’s spear, which stuck in
the wall. Then David ran out of the house and escaped.
“Guards! Guards!” the king shouted.
The royal guards rushed into the chambers. Saul barked, “Send
messengers to watch David’s house tonight. If he shows up, they are
to report back to me. Then I will have the son of Jesse killed in the
morning!”
David fled home, and told his wife what had happened.
Michal said to him, “The house is probably being watched as we
speak. If you don’t escape tonight, they’ll surely kill you tomorrow!”
So Michal helped David escape through a window and climb down
to the ground. As David ran off, Michal put a statue in his bed. Then,
she put goat hair on its head and dressed it in some of David’s clothes.
The next morning, Michal heard a loud knock on the door. When
she opened it, Saul’s guards said, “We are here to arrest David, by
order of King Saul. Where is your husband?”
Michal lied, and said, “David can’t come out. He’s sick.”
The men sent word back to Saul that David was ill. Saul sent the
guards back and told them to get David out of his bed. “And bring him
to me, so I can have him killed!”
When the guards entered David’s house, all they found in his bed
was a statue with goat hair on its head.
Saul found out—and was hot! “Why have you tricked me this
way?” Saul shouted at his daughter. “You helped my enemy escape!”
Fearing for her life, she lied again. She said, “David said he would
kill me if I didn’t help him get away!”
Meanwhile, David went to Ramah to see Samuel the prophet, and
told him what Saul had done. Then Samuel and David went to Naioth,
the village where the prophets lived and trained, and stayed there.
After some told Saul where David was hiding, the king sent a few
soldiers to arrest David and bring him back. They went to Ramah and
found Samuel in charge of a group of prophets who were all singing.
Then the Spirit of God inspired the soldiers to sing with them!
Accompanied by music, they all praised and exalted God.
When Saul heard about this, he sent another group of soldiers—
but the same thing happened to them. Then Saul sent a third group of
soldiers—but the same thing also happened to them. God was keeping
Saul’s men from harming His servant David.
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Finally, Saul said, “I’ll go to Ramah myself.”
He went as far as the great well at the town of Sechu, not far from
Ramah, where he asked the people, “Where are Samuel and David?”
“At Naioth, the Village of the Prophets, in Ramah,” they said.
The king continued on his journey. But as he walked along, the
Spirit of God took control of him, and he began to sing. By the time he
reached Naioth, Saul stripped off his clothes and sang continually in
front of Samuel. He dropped to the ground and lay there naked all that
day and night. God had inspired Saul to remove his armor and royal
garments in order to show that He had rejected him as king.
This amazing miracle began the saying, “Is Saul also among the
prophets?” (I Samuel 19-9-24).
Some time later, David wrote a psalm, or hymn, about his escape:
“Deliver me from my enemies, O God. Defend me from those who rise
up against me. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me
from bloody men. They lie in wait for my soul—the mighty are gathered
against me—but not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O
Eternal. They return at evening; they make noise like dogs, and go
around the city. Behold, they spew out swords from their lips. But You
shall laugh at them, O God; You shall strike them all in derision.
Therefore, I wait upon your strength, for God is My defense. I will sing
of Your awesome power. Yes, in the morning I will loudly sing of Your
abundant mercy, for You have been my defense and refuge in the day
of my trouble.” (See Psalm 59.)
An Oath of Loyalty and Friendship
David escaped from Naioth, and ran to see his friend Jonathan in
secret.
“Why is your father out to kill me?” he asked. “How have I sinned
against him?”
Jonathan was taken aback. “My father can’t be trying to kill you!
He never does anything, small or great, without first telling me. Why
would he hide this from me? It can’t be true, David!”
“Jonathan, I swear it’s true! But your father knows you are my best
friend. He didn’t tell you that he’s out to kill me because he doesn’t
want to break your heart. Truly as God and you live, I’m only one step
away from death!”
Then Jonathan said, “Tell me what to do, and I’ll do it.”
David said, “Tomorrow is the New Moon, and I’m supposed to eat
dinner with your father at the festival. Instead, I’m going to hide in a
field until the third day at evening. If Saul wonders where I am, tell
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him, ‘David asked me to let him go to Bethlehem, his hometown, so
he could take part in a sacrifice his family makes there every year.’ If
your father does not get upset, then you’ll know that I’m safe. But if
Saul gets angry, you’ll know that he wants to do me harm. Remember,
Jonathan, that it was your idea to promise the Eternal that we would
always be loyal friends. If I have done anything wrong to deserve
death, I would rather you kill me yourself—but don’t hand me over to
your father!”
“Don’t worry, my friend,” Jonathan said. “If I discover that my
father does want to kill you, I’ll definitely tell you.”
“But how?” David asked.
“Come, let’s go out to the field, and I’ll tell you.”
When they got to the field, Jonathan said, “May the Eternal God
of Israel be witness: Two days from now, I will know what my father
is planning. Then I will tell you if he’s friendly toward you. But if the
king wants to harm you, I promise to tell you and help you escape.
And I ask God to punish me severely if I do not keep my word. I pray
that the Eternal will bless you, David, just as He used to bless my
father. I know that God will someday wipe out all of your enemies.
Then, if I’m still alive, please be as kind to me as God has been. But
if I am dead, please be kind to my family.”
Jonathan and David made a covenant of friendship that even
David’s descendants would have to keep. “If our descendants break
our promise,” the prince said, “I pray that the Eternal will take
revenge upon them.” David agreed.
Then Jonathan asked David to promise once more that he would be
a loyal friend.
After this, Jonathan said, “Tomorrow is the New Moon. People
attending the festival will wonder where you are. By the third day,
you will be greatly missed. Then go to the place where you hid before
and stay beside the stone Ezel, the ‘departure stone.’ I will shoot three
arrows at a target off to the side of the rock, and send my servant to
find them. You will know if it’s safe to come out by what I tell him.
If it is safe, I’ll say, ‘The arrows are on this side of you, boy! Pick
them up!’ But if it isn’t safe, I’ll say to the boy, ‘The arrows are farther
away!’ This will mean that God has sent you away—and you
must go. May we both remember that God will always watch us to
make sure we keep our promise to be loyal friends.”
Jonathan departed, while David hid in the field.
During the feast, King Saul sat down to eat by the wall, just as he
always did. Jonathan sat across from him, and Abner sat next to him.
But Saul noticed that David’s place was empty.
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The king did not say anything that day. He thought, “Something
must have happened to prevent David from being here. Perhaps he made
himself unclean, and thus unfit to attend the festival. Yes, that’s it.
Something must have happened.”
The next day, Saul noticed that David’s seat was still empty. Saul
asked Jonathan, “Where is that son of Jesse? Why hasn’t he come to eat
with us? He wasn’t here yesterday, and he still isn’t here today!”
Jonathan said, “David requested that I let him go home to Bethlehem.
He said, ‘My family is offering a sacrifice in the city, and my brother told
me I have to be there. Please do me this favor and let me slip away to
see my brothers.’”
Saul was furious!
He yelled at Jonathan. “You son of a rebellious woman! You’re no
son of mine, you traitor! I know you’ve chosen to be loyal to that son of
Jesse. You should be ashamed of yourself! And your own mother should
be ashamed that you were ever born. As long as the son of Jesse lives,
your future kingdom will be in danger! You’ll never become king! Don’t
you understand that? Turn David over to me now! That man must die!”
“Why do you want to kill David?” Jonathan demanded. “What has he
ever done to you?”
Suddenly, Saul threw his spear at Jonathan and tried to kill him. At
that moment, Jonathan knew his father was truly determined to kill
David. Jonathan got up from the table and stormed away, angry that his
father had treated David so shamefully.
For the rest of the day, Jonathan refused to eat, as he grieved for his
best friend.
In the morning, the prince went out to the field to meet David. He
took a servant boy along and told him, “Go run, and find the arrows that
I shoot.”
The boy started running. Jonathan shot an arrow so that it went
beyond him. When the boy got near the place where the arrow had landed,
Jonathan shouted, “Isn’t the arrow on past you?”
Jonathan cried out again, “Hurry! Don’t delay!” The boy picked up
the arrows and brought them back to the prince, but he had no idea what
was really taking place. Only Jonathan and David knew.
Jonathan gave his weapons to the boy and told him, “Good job. Now
take these back into town.”
As soon as the boy departed, David got up from his hiding place
and bowed low to the ground three times. He was humbly acknowledging
that Jonathan was a just prince, true to his word. Then he gave
Jonathan a brotherly kiss, and both men cried, for they knew that they
might never see each other for the rest of their lives.
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Jonathan gives the warning
for David to leave.
Jonathan said, “Take care of yourself, David. And remember, we
each have asked God to watch and make sure that we and our descendants
keep our promise forever.”
David nodded, and then departed as Jonathan went back to town (I
Samuel 20:1-42).
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CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX
WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE!
David was now a fugitive on the run, and he wondered what he
should do next.
“If I’m going to stay ahead of Saul and his men,” he reasoned,
“then I’m going to need food and supplies to keep me alive.”
So he went to see Ahimelech, a priest and great-grandson of Eli,
who lived in the town of Nob, which was south of Gibeah. God’s tabernacle
had been moved there after Shiloh’s destruction (I Samuel 4:2-
3; Jeremiah 7:12).
David thought, “Ahimelech will be able to contact God for me and
tell me what to do next.”
When he heard that David had come to visit him, the priest trembled
with fear. “Why are you alone?” Ahimelech asked. “Where are
your soldiers?”
David lied. He said, “King Saul has sent me on a mission. He
ordered me not to tell anyone about it. All I can say is that my men are
staying somewhere else.”
David may have lied in order to protect Ahimelech from knowingly
aiding a fugitive if Saul ever found out. But all lying, no matter how
just the cause may seem, is sin. Lying breaks God’s Law, and leads to
tragic results.
Though David was quite unusual in his wholehearted desire to obey
God, he was not perfect. Like all people, he had serious character flaws
that he needed to overcome. It was God’s plan to help him do this.
“Now,” David said to Ahimelech, “do you have any food you can
give me? Could you spare five loaves of bread?”
“The only bread I have is the showbread,” the priest answered.
“You can have it if your soldiers are ceremonially clean and have kept
from having intimate relations with women.”
The showbread was set apart for God’s tabernacle. Every week, a
fresh batch of 12 loaves of bread, which represented the tribes of
Israel, was laid on a table in the holy place. The bread symbolized that
Israel was always under the watchful eyes of God. Each Sabbath, the
bread was eaten by the priests who were on duty (Exodus 25:30;
Leviticus 24:5-9).
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“Yes, we are,” David answered. “I never let my men do that when
we’re on a mission. They have to be acceptable to worship God,
whether we’re on a regular mission or on a special mission, like today.”
Upon asking God for permission to give the old showbread to
David, God answered, “Yes,” and Ahimelech gave it to him (I Samuel
22:10).
God knew that, in this particular case, it was far more important to
keep David alive than to strictly uphold this regulation. God has the
authority to judge such matters (Matthew 12:3-4; Mark 2:25-26). And
He had this event recorded in the Bible to teach us that it is always lawful
to do good and save someone’s life (Luke 6:9).
Among those who came to worship God, David noticed someone
who was familiar to him. Immediately, it dawned on him who the man
was: “Doeg the Edomite, the head of Saul’s shepherds! Did he see me?
I wonder if he’ll run off and tell Saul were I am?”
David decided to leave Nob.
He asked Ahimelech, “Do you have any weapons, such as a spear
or a sword? I had to leave so quickly on this mission for the king that
I didn’t have time to bring along my sword or any other weapons.”
The priest said, “The only sword here is the one that belonged to
Goliath the Philistine. Since you were the one who killed him in the
Valley of Elah, it’s yours to take. The sword is wrapped in a cloth
behind the ephod.” It had been stored along with the sacred things as
a memorial of God’s goodness in delivering Israel.
“It’s the best sword there is. There’s none other like it,” David said.
“I’ll take it!”
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The showbread.
As soon as he departed, David continued to flee from Saul until
he crossed over into Philistine territory and came to Gath, Goliath’s
hometown, where he met with King Achish. As the Philistines’ greatest
enemy, it was dangerous for David to go there, especially with
Goliath’s sword, which everyone knew David used to cut off the
giant’s head! But David was desperate to escape Saul’s manhunt. He
may have thought that he could somehow blend in with the
Philistines. This was a bold and daring move; neither they nor Saul
would expect David to be among them.
Achish’s officers and servants said to the king, “Isn’t David a
ruler back in his own land? And don’t the Israelites dance, and sing,
‘Saul has killed 1,000 enemies. And David has killed 10,000 enemies’?
So why is this Hebrew here among us?”
David considered what they were saying, and it made him afraid
of Achish. “What have I gotten myself into?” he thought.
He began to lose faith that God would deliver him, so he took
matters into his own hands. Before everyone, David pretended to be
insane. He acted confused and scratched up the doors of the town
gate, while drooling in his beard.
Achish said to his officers, “Look at this madman! He’s crazy!
Why did you bring him to me? I have enough crazy people without
you bringing another one here. Keep him away from my palace!”
(David later recorded this event in Psalms 34 and 56.)
David escaped from Gath and traveled about ten miles, hiding out
in the Cave of Adullam, in the western foothills of Judah.
Meanwhile, back in Bethlehem, David’s brothers and the rest of
his family were being harassed by Saul and his men. When David’s
family found out where he was hiding, they secretly left town, and
met up with him after traveling about 12 miles.
A lot of other people joined David as well, united by desperate
circumstances—those who were in distress, discontent from being
under Saul’s rule, or drowning in debt. Soon, David was the leader of
400 men.
David left Adullam Cave and led his men and their families to the
stronghold of Mizpeh in Moab. There, he talked with the king of
Moab, who was no friend of Saul. Since David was part Moabite
(through his great-grandmother Ruth), he thought his distant kinsmen
would offer him protection.
“My lord, please let my father and mother stay with you,” David
said, “until I find out what God wants to do with me.”
The king agreed, and David brought his parents to Moab, where
they stayed in safety while David continued to hide. Like a good son,
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he did not want his parents to go through the constant stress and trouble
of being on the run (I Samuel 21:1-15; 22:1-4).
Saul Orders Execution of Priests
One day, a prophet named Gad told David, “You must leave here and
go back to Judah. That is God’s will.” Without hesitation, David
departed and went to the Forest of Hereth.
Meanwhile, Saul was holding court under a tamarisk tree at
Gibeah when he heard that David and his men had been spotted.
Holding his spear tightly, Saul said to his officers, “Listen to me!
None of you are from Judah, David’s tribe. You belong to the tribe of
Benjamin. If that son of Jesse ever becomes king, will he give you
fields or vineyards? Will he make you officers in charge of hundreds
or thousands, as I have done?”
The men slowly shook their heads.
“Then why are you all plotting against me!” Saul screamed. “Not
one of you told me that my own son Jonathan had made a covenant
of friendship with David. And not one of you cared enough to tell me
that Jonathan had helped one of my officers to rebel against me.
Now, thanks to you, that son of Jesse is trying to ambush me!”
Doeg the Edomite was standing with the other officers. He
stepped forward and said, “My lord, when I was recently in Nob worshipping
God at the tabernacle, I saw that son of Jesse. He was visiting
Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech spoke to the Eternal for him,
and then gave David food and supplies. He even allowed David to
take Goliath’s sword.”
“What? Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?”
Doeg stammered as he tried to think of an excuse.
“Oh, never mind!” Saul said.
The king rushed a message to Ahimelech and his whole family of
priests at Nob, ordering them to come to him. Though puzzled by
Saul’s request, they dutifully obeyed.
When they arrived, Saul said, “Listen to me, son of Ahitub.”
“Certainly, my lord,” the priest said.
Saul demanded, “Why did you plot against me with that son of Jesse?
Don’t pretend you have no idea of what I’m talking about. You helped
David rebel against me by giving him food and a sword. You even spoke
to God for him. And now David is out to ambush me this very day!”
“My lord, what are you saying? None of your officers and servants
is more loyal than David! Is he not your son-in-law and the
captain of your guard? Everyone in your family respects him.
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Besides, this is not the first time I have talked with God for David,
and it’s never made you angry before! So please don’t accuse me or
my family of wrongdoing. I have no idea what’s going on.”
The king gripped his spear even tighter, and said, “Ahimelech, you
and all your family are going to die!”
Saul shouted to his bodyguards, “These so-called priests of God
helped David! They knew he was running away from me, but they
didn’t bother to tell me. Kill them!”
The guards looked at each other, and then looked down to the
ground. They would not attack God’s priests. They respected their
offices and feared God’s wrath.
“Well,” Saul said, “what are you waiting for?”
The guards did not move.
So the king turned to Doeg the Edomite, and said, “Kill these
priests!”
It never dawned on Saul that what he wanted done to Ahimelech
and his family—who were innocent—should have been done to all of
the wicked Amalekites.
Doeg did not hesitate to act, and, before the day had ended, the
Edomite killed 85 priests. He then attacked the town of Nob, where
the priests had lived, and he slew everyone there—men, women, children,
and even babies. He also killed their cattle, donkeys, and sheep.
This fulfilled God’s judgment against Eli and his house. Remember
that Eli failed to remove his wicked sons from the priesthood.
There was one survivor of this calamity: Abiathar, Ahimelech’s
son. In his escape, he ran to join up with David, telling him the horrible
news.
David said, “That day when I saw Doeg—I knew he would tell
Saul! Your family died because of me. Stay here. Don’t worry! You’ll
be safe here with me.”
Then David recalled the lie he had told to Abiathar’s father. “I
should have told Ahimelech the truth,” he thought, “and allowed him
the choice of helping me or turning me away.” David sadly realized
that his lie, though seemingly minor, could have contributed to this
tragedy (I Samuel 22:5-23).
An Ungrateful City
One day, as David and his men were discussing plans at their hideout
in Adullam, some visitors came asking for help. “The Philistines
keep attacking Keilah and stealing our grain from the threshing
place! Please help us!”
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Through Abiathar the priest, David asked God if he should attack
the Philistines.
God said, “Yes. Attack them and rescue Keilah. I will give you the
victory.”
But David’s men, who had grown to 600 warriors, were worried.
David had the faith to attack the enemy, but his men didn’t.
They said, “Look, David, even here in Judah, we’re afraid of the
Philistines. How much more will we be terrified of them if we try to
take them on at Keilah?”
To satisfy and encourage his men, David asked God for permission
once more. Again, God gave His blessing, telling David, “Leave
right now! Do not delay! Tell your men that I will deliver the
Philistines into your hand.”
Hearing this, David and his warriors dashed along the three-mile
trip to Keilah and launched a lightning attack against the Philistines,
slaying many of them. Then David led away their cattle, and rescued
the people of Keilah.
Meanwhile, King Saul, upon learning that David was in Keilah,
said, “At last, God has let me catch that son of Jesse!” Somehow,
Saul was still deceiving himself into believing that he was God’s servant
and therefore had a right to sit on the throne.
He snapped out orders to his officers. “Gather the troops! David
is trapped inside the walls of Keilah.”
The town was completely surrounded by thick walls, with only
one entrance, made up of wooden gates secured by a heavy metal bar.
Saul knew that there was only one way in and out of Keilah. So Saul
raced to get there in order to surround the town, and trap David and
his men.
The king sent messengers to nearby towns and villages, to gather
more troops.
As this took place, Abiathar the priest joined David at Keilah,
bringing along the ephod and everything he needed to receive
answers from God.
David soon learned about Saul’s sudden plan to capture him there.
Instead of relying on his own human reasoning, David turned to God.
He prayed, “Eternal God of Israel, I have been told that Saul and
his troops are on their way here to kill me. What should I do?
Suppose the king threatens to destroy this town because of me—
would the elders of Keilah turn me over to him? Is Saul really coming
after me? Please tell me, God. I am Your servant.”
“Yes, Saul will come,” the Eternal answered.
David began to worry, so he inquired of God about the elders of
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Keilah. “Will they hand me and my soldiers over to Saul?” he asked.
God answered, “Yes, they will.” The Eternal sees and knows all.
He understood that, despite having been saved from the Philistines,
the townspeople of Keilah were willing to betray David and give him
up to Saul. They were not willing to risk their lives to save the man
who risked his life to save them. What ingratitude!
David and his 600 mighty men rushed out from there and moved
from place to place. They did everything they could to stay ahead of
Saul’s manhunt.
When Saul heard that David was no longer in Keilah, he decided
to turn back (I Samuel 23:1-13).
Jonathan Encourages David
David hid safely in hideouts among the many ravines and caves of
Judah’s wilderness, a barren desert positioned between hill country
and the Dead Sea. Saul continued to hunt for David like a bloodhound,
but God never allowed him to catch David.
Jonathan worried for his friend, and wanted so much to help him.
But the prince was under the constant watchful eyes of Saul and his
men. With God’s help, Jonathan managed to slip away and visit David
at Horesh, in the Wilderness of Ziph.
Though David’s men probably spied Jonathan with great suspicion,
David embraced his friend.
“What are you doing here? How did you find out where I was hiding?”
“Can anything escape God’s eyes?” Jonathan said.
While the rest of the men went about their business, the two companions
sat down to talk.
“David, I know that you’re afraid that Saul is in the area looking for
you,” Jonathan said. “But don’t be. My father will never get his hands
on you. There’s no doubt in my mind that you are going to be the next
king of Israel. And I will lead under you. Even my father knows that
this is true.”
Jonathan risked his life to encourage and support his friend, and to
show loyalty to him. Never did the prince treat David as a threat or
rival. Jonathan’s love and respect for his friend helped the prince to
accept a lesser role in God’s overall plan. This is why Jonathan never
allowed himself to be resentful or jealous of Israel’s next king.
At the end of the visit, the two men promised God that they would
always be loyal to each other. Then Jonathan went home, while David
remained in hiding (I Samuel 23:14-18).
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Closing in for the Kill!
A group of loyalists from Ziph went to Gibeah and told the king that
David was hiding out near their town.
“Your majesty,” they said to Saul, after bowing before him, “David
has a hideout not far from us! It is near Horesh, somewhere on Mount
Hachilah, south of Jeshimon. If you decide to come, we will help you
catch him.”
Saul was pleased. He said, “May the Eternal bless you for showing
me such favor. Now I ask you to do one more favor for me: Find out
exactly where David’s hideout is, where he goes, and who has seen
him there. David is very crafty, so I need you to find out where all his
hiding places are. Come back as soon as you are sure. Then I will come
down with you. If David is still in the area, I’ll find him—even if I
have to search among all the clans of Judah.”
The people agreed, and then went back to Ziph. They soon learned
that David and his men were still hiding south of Jeshimon in the barren
Wilderness of Maon. The townspeople reported this to Saul, who
gathered his army in pursuit of David.
But David heard that the king and his soldiers were coming. So he
went to one of his hideouts in Maon. Saul discovered where David was
and started closing in on him.
Saul led his men around one side of a rocky hill in hot pursuit of
David and his men, who were on the other side racing to get away. The
king and his troops encircled the hill, and were only moments away
from capturing David! If God did not soon intervene, David would be
in Saul’s hands.
Just then, a messenger came, saying, “King Saul! King Saul! Come
quickly! The Philistines are attacking Israel. They’re taking everything!”
For a moment, Saul was torn. David was just within his grasp. “But
if I don’t deal with these Philistine raiders right away,” Saul thought,
“they could destroy my kingdom.”
Reluctantly, the king ordered his troops to turn away from chasing
David, and they raced back to fight the Philistines.
God had intervened again. And this is why the rocky hill where
David was almost caught came to be called in Hebrew, “Sela
Hammahlekoth,” which means “The Rock of Escape.”
A very grateful David departed from there and went to live in the
cavernous stronghold of En Gedi, an oasis on the western shore of the
Dead Sea, about 14 miles east of Ziph (I Samuel 23:19-29).
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Sparing Saul’s Life
After Saul had successfully driven back the Philistines, he learned of
David’s whereabouts. So the king led his elite fighting force of 3,000
warriors and hunted for David and his men near the Rocks of the Wild
Goat at En Gedi.
The manhunt brought the soldiers to some sheep pens alongside a
road near the entrance of a cave. Needing to relieve himself, Saul went
inside. Little did Saul know that David and his men were hiding at the
back of the cave!
David’s men whispered into his ear, “Look! God told you that He
would deliver your enemies into your hand, so that you can do whatever
you want with them. This must be the day the Eternal was talking
about.”
“Yes,” urged others. “Now is the time, David, while the king is
without his bodyguards.”
David nodded, and then sneaked over and cut off a small piece of
Saul’s robe. Saul did not notice a thing.
As David sneaked back to his men, his conscience began to bother
him and his heart filled with guilt. He felt sorry for what he had just
done. David knew that, in God’s eyes, deliberately damaging Saul’s
royal clothing was the same as attacking Saul himself. It was an act of
rebellion and disrespect, and David was ashamed of himself.
“That’s it?” David’s men said to him. “This is all you’re going to
do to Saul? This man wants to take your life. God delivers him to you,
and this is what you do?”
“Saul is still my king. I will never lay a hand against the Eternal’s
anointed—and neither shall any of you!”
Even though Saul was evil, David still respected the office and
authority of the man who wanted him dead. He was determined to be
loyal to God’s government, regardless of the current leader’s sins and
shortcomings. David decided to wait on God to fulfill His promise His
way, according to His plan and timing.
Saul left the cave, joined his troops and started down the road,
unaware that David could have easily taken his life.
David also got up and left the cave and, from a distance, shouted,
“My lord the king!”
Saul turned and spotted David, who was bowed down very low.
“My lord, why do you listen to men who accuse me of trying to
harm you?” David said. “Look! You can see for yourself that the
Eternal gave me the chance to kill you in the cave today. Some of my
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men wanted to kill you, but I wouldn’t let them. I told them, ‘I will
never lay a hand against the Eternal’s anointed!’”
Then David held up the piece of fabric he had cut from Saul’s
robe. “My lord,” he said, “look at what I’m holding. It’s a piece of
your robe.”
The king looked down at his robe and saw that a small piece had
been cut off. Then he looked at his officers and bodyguards, who were
just as startled as he was.
David said, “This is proof that I could have killed you if I wanted
to—but I spared your life! This should prove to you that I’m no rebel
out to do you harm. My lord, I have done nothing to cause you to keep
trying to ambush and kill me.
“May the Eternal judge between you and me, and may He avenge
me of you for what you are doing to me. But I will not lay a hand
against you. An old proverb says, ‘Wickedness comes from the
wicked,’ and so I will not harm you.
“Who am I that the king of Israel should chase after me? I’m as
worthless as a dead dog or a flea. I pray that God will help me escape
and plead my case for me.”
For a moment, Saul did not know what to say. All the anger and bitterness
he had toward David was gone. Instead, he felt foolish and
ashamed.
Finally, Saul said, “David, my son—is that you?” Then he began to
cry.
The king said, “David, you are more righteous than I am. You treated
me with kindness, even though I’ve been nothing but cruel to you.
God gave you the chance to kill me and take my throne, but you spared
me. If you really were my enemy, I would not be standing here alive.
I pray that the Eternal will reward you greatly for the kindness you
have shown me. I realize now that you will be Israel’s next king—and
a powerful king at that! With God as your witness, promise me that
you will not destroy my descendants.”
David promised. Then Saul departed in peace. (In Psalms 57 and
142, David wrote about this amazing event.)
Despite his words of sorrow and regret, Saul was not willing to step
aside yet. His remorse was only temporary. It was not a deep, heartfelt
willingness to change his mind and life.
David did not doubt this, which is why he and his men returned to
their hideout (I Samuel 24:1-22).
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CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN
RESPECTING AUTHORITY
After a long, full and abundant life, Samuel, the last of the judges of
Israel, died. People from all over the land gathered to mourn for this
great prophet, for his death marked the end of an era. Samuel was buried
at his home in Ramah. (Like Noah, Moses, and all of God’s faithful servants,
Samuel will come back to life at the Return of Jesus Christ. Only
this time, Samuel will be a spirit being and will live forever.)
Still on the run, David moved his camp back to the Wilderness of
Maon. There, he learned that the servants of a certain rich man were in
Carmel, shearing wool from their master’s sheep. Being a shepherd,
David knew that once this hard work was finished, there would be a special
day of celebration to rejoice the abundance of sheared wool.
David and his men could have easily taken whatever food and supplies
that they wanted from these servants by force—but that is not the
way of God.
Instead, they protected the rich man’s servants from raiders and bandits
who routinely preyed upon the weak and defenseless. David
watched over them day and night, making the laborers feel as safe as
they would have been inside a walled city.
Now, the servants’ master was Nabal. Not only was he the proud
owner of 3,000 sheep, but he also possessed 1,000 goats. Nabal was a
descendant of Caleb, a wise and faithful servant of God who lived during
Moses’ and Joshua’s time. Sadly, Nabal was not like Caleb, for he
lived up to his own name, which means “fool.” Nabal was a rough and
mean person who foolishly acted before thinking. However, he was married
to a sensible and beautiful woman named Abigail.
As Nabal thought about his wealth, he received a surprise visit: Ten
men rode in on horses, delivering a message from David.
The message went: “May peace be with you, your family and all that
you possess. I heard that you were shearing the wool from your many
sheep. When your shepherds were with us in Carmel, we did not harm
them nor did we steal anything from them. Ask your shepherds, and they
will tell you the same thing. Please let my servants find favor in your
eyes. We would like to join your celebrations, so please be kind and
share some of your food with us.”
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Nabal knew that David’s protection had been valuable, but he did
not appreciate it. In fact, he wanted nothing to do with David!
So Nabal turned to the ten messengers, and said, “Who is David,
the son of Jesse? There are many slaves on the run from their master,
and there are too many of them these days. Why should I take my
bread, my water, and the meat that I’ve had cooked for my own servants
and give it to someone that I don’t even know? Besides, I’m not
sure that David sent you!”
Nabal was so selfish that he did not want to share any of the blessings
of his wealth. So he pretended that he never heard of David—
despite the fact that David’s reputation was known far and wide
throughout the land.
When the messengers returned to their camp and repeated everything
Nabal had said, David became steaming mad!
He barked, “Get your swords! We’ll deal with this Nabal!”
Four hundred men strapped on their swords and followed David,
while the other 200 men stayed behind to guard the camp.
As they rode out on their horses, David said to his closest lieutenants,
“I wasted my time protecting Nabal’s possessions in the
wilderness and keeping them from being stolen by bandits! And how
does he repay me? With evil for good! By morning, there won’t be a
man or boy left from Nabal’s family or even his servants’ families.
May God punish me if I don’t slay them all!” (I Samuel 25:1-13, 21,
22).
Abigail Intervenes
Meanwhile, one of Nabal’s servants told Abigail about the nasty message
Nabal had sent. The servant explained that David’s men had been
good to the workers who were taking care of the sheep in the fields.
“They never hurt us, and never stole anything from us, even though
they have the manpower to do so,” the servant said. “They even protected
us day and night from marauders. And now, after David sent
some messengers to wish our master well, Nabal shouted insults at
them! Your husband is so stubborn, he won’t listen to anyone. Isn’t
there something you can do? Please think of something quick, or else
our master and his family and his servants are all doomed!”
Abigail did not hesitate. She quickly got together 200 loaves of
bread, two large skins of wine, the meat from five sheep, a large sack
of roasted grain, 100 clusters of raisins, and 200 cakes of dried figs.
She loaded all the food on donkeys and told her servants, “Take this
on ahead. I will catch up with you.”
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She did not tell her husband what she was doing, because she knew
that Nabal would not see the wisdom of helping—not angering—
Israel’s future king. Also, Abigail chose to do the right thing, obeying
God rather than men (Acts 5:29).
Suddenly, Abigail met David as he and his men headed straight at
her. She quickly got off her donkey and humbly bowed down in front
of David.
“Let this sin be upon me, my lord, your maidservant. Please let me
explain. Please do not pay any attention to Nabal. Even his name fits
him, for it means ‘fool.’ I did not know that your men had visited us,
but please take this gift of food that I’ve brought for you and your followers.
The Eternal has kept you from taking revenge and from killing
innocent people. But I hope that your enemies and anyone else who
wants to harm you will end up like Nabal.
“The Eternal will always protect you and your family, because,
unlike King Saul, you fight for Him. I pray that you will never do anything
evil as long as you live. The Eternal your God will keep you safe
when your enemies try to kill you. But He will snatch away their lives
quicker than you can throw a rock from a slingshot. God has promised
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to do many good things for you—even make you king of Israel. God
will keep His promises to you, and now your conscience will be clear,
because you won’t be guilty of taking revenge and killing innocent
people. When God does all those good things for you, please remember
me.”
Abigail did not want David to jeopardize his future by giving way
to personal revenge in anger, thus violating God’s will.
David was impressed by this woman’s meek attitude. He said to
her, “May the Eternal God of Israel be blessed! It is clear that He
must have sent you to meet me. And you should also be praised. Your
good sense kept me from taking revenge and taking the lives of innocent
people. If you hadn’t come to meet me as quickly as you have,
every male member in Nabal’s family and in his servants’ families
would have been killed by morning.”
David then accepted the food Abigail had brought.
“Do not worry,” he said. “You can go home in peace. I will do
what you asked.”
Abigail returned home and found Nabal throwing a party fit for a
king. He was very drunk and feeling pleased with himself, so she did
not tell him how they had narrowly escaped death. But when he
sobered up the next morning, Abigail told him everything that had
happened.
When Nabal heard how close he had come to losing his life, he
was struck with fear. He lay in bed, paralyzed from a stroke. He was
as still as a stone. Ten days later, God took his life.
David heard that Nabal had died. He praised God for judging
between him and Nabal. David was grateful that God had kept him
from sinning out of anger. He said, “God has returned Nabal’s
wickedness upon his own head.”
David was not celebrating Nabal’s death. It is wrong to celebrate
or be happy over the downfall of an enemy. David was simply thanking
God for His intervention in the matter.
Now that Abigail was a widow, David sent messengers to ask her
if she would marry him. She bowed down and said, “I would willingly
be David’s maidservant and wash his servants’ feet.” In saying
this, she was showing a humble attitude.
Abigail quickly got ready and went back with David’s messengers.
She rode on her donkey, while five of her servant women
walked alongside. She and David were married as soon as she
arrived.
David had earlier married Ahinoam from the town of Jezreel, so
both she and Abigail were now David’s wives.
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Though he was wholeheartedly faithful, loyal and obedient to God,
David, like all people, had some serious character flaws. One of his
biggest flaws was his weakness for women. God intended marriage to
be between one husband and one wife. But David wanted to be married
to several wives. God would have to teach him that, like leaven,
David’s sin would spread to more sins in his life. And the results would
be disastrous!
Meanwhile, King Saul ordered David’s wife Michal to marry Palti,
the son of Laish, who came from the town of Gallim. But God did not
give Saul the authority to dissolve another man’s marriage (I Samuel
25:14-44).
David Spares Saul—Again!
Once again, some people from Ziph went to Gibeah to talk with Saul.
“David has a hideout on Mount Hachilah, across from Jeshimon,”
they told him.
Saul took his 3,000-man army of professional warriors and went
to look for David there in the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul set up camp
on Mount Hachilah, which is across the road from Jeshimon.
But David was hiding out in the desert. When David heard that
Saul was following him, he sent spies to find out if it was true. Then
he sneaked up to Saul’s camp. He noticed that Saul and his army
commander, Abner, were sleeping in the middle of the camp, with
soldiers sleeping all around them, protecting the king as he slept.
David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai, one of David’s
nephews (I Chronicles 2:13-17), “I plan on sneaking into Saul’s
camp tonight. Who will go with me?”
Abishai said, “I will!”
That night, the two men crept into the camp, as Saul, Abner and
the soldiers slept soundly. Near the king’s head was a water jar and
his spear, which was stuck in the ground.
Abishai whispered, “This time, God has delivered your enemy
into your hands! Let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of his
own spear.”
But David said, “Don’t kill him! What man can do harm to God’s
anointed and not be found guilty? As surely as the Eternal lives, God
will kill Saul, or Saul will die a natural death or be killed in battle—
but as for me, I will not harm God’s anointed. If you want to do
something, grab the king’s spear and his water jar. Then let’s leave.”
Refusing to follow his own will, David was putting his future (and
Saul’s) entirely in God’s hands. And even though the king was bent
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on doing him evil, David still respected Saul’s office and authority.
Taking the water jar and the spear, the two men left the camp.
None of Saul’s soldiers knew what had happened or even woke up—
the Eternal had made all of them fall into a deep sleep.
David and Abishai crossed the valley and went to the top of the
next hill, where they were at a safe distance.
“Abner!” David called. “Can you hear me?”
Abner shouted back, “Who dares to disturb the king?”
“Abner, are you not a valiant man?” David replied. “Who in all
Israel is like you? Why, then, did you fail to protect your king?
Anyone who went into your camp could have killed Saul tonight.
What you have done is not good! As surely as God lives, Abner, you
and your men deserve to die for not protecting the Eternal’s anointed.
Look about you. See if you can find the king’s spear and the
water jar that were lying near his head.”
Abner and the king’s bodyguards looked and saw that the water
jug and spear were missing. Then Abner turned to the king, whose
face showed a mixture of anger, shock and fear.
Saul called out, “David, my son! Is that you?”
“Yes it is, my lord. Why are you after me, your servant? What
have I done? What evil or crime have I committed? Please listen to
what your servant has to say: If God has stirred you up against me,
may He accept a sacrifice to change His mind. But if people have
turned you against me, may the Eternal punish them! They have
forced me to leave the Promised Land and have told me to serve foreign
gods. Don’t let me die in a land far away from the face of God.
I’m no more important than a flea! Why should the king of Israel
waste his time hunting me down as if I were a partridge in the mountains,
which is nearly impossible to catch? I’m worthless!”
“David, you passed up an opportunity to kill me. I was very
wrong about you. I should have never tried to kill you. I’ve acted like
a fool. But from now on, I will never try to harm you. You’re like a
son to me; please return home.”
David picked up Saul’s spear and held it high over his head.
“My lord, here is your spear! Send one of your soldiers to come
and get it. God put your life in my hands today, but you are His
anointed. I will not harm you. The Eternal rewards people who are
faithful and righteous. I saved your life today, and I pray that the God
will protect me and keep me safe.”
Saul said, “David, may God bless you and give you success!”
Then the king and his 3,000 troops departed for home (I Samuel
26:1-25).
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Hiding Among the Philistines
Consumed with fear and worry, David thought, “One of these days,
Saul is going to catch me and slay me. The only way to escape from
his grasp is to go to Philistia. Then I’ll be outside of Israel, and Saul
will give up trying to catch me.” Despite what God had told him (I
Samuel 22:5), David decided to leave Judah.
David and his 600 men, along with their wives and children, went
across the border to stay in Gath with King Achish.
Because David had become a well-known adversary to Saul, this
Philistine ruler was glad to welcome him.
When some of Achish’s generals complained that David was living
among them, the king simply said, “The enemy of my enemy is my
friend. Since Saul is my enemy, that makes David my friend.
Therefore, I will give the son of Jesse safe haven among us. And, sooner
or later, I will get David to fight with us against Israel.”
The Philistine ruler also reasoned that if David ever became king,
Achish would use David like a puppet, and wield much power and
influence in Israel.
Saul soon found out that David had run off to Gath. Since the king
did not have the military resources to invade Philistine territory and
hunt for David, Saul stopped trying to catch him.
“Besides,” he said to one of his generals, “David can’t seize my
throne from me as long as he stays exiled in Philistia.”
One day, David was talking with Achish and said, “If you are happy
with me, then let me live in one of the towns in the countryside. I’m
not important enough to live here with you in the royal city.”
David wanted to get away from the king’s constant watch. He also
wanted to keep his men and their families away from the Philistines’
pagan influences.
That same day, Achish gave David the town of Ziklag, which was
about 13 miles away from Beersheba, and Ziklag has belonged to the
kings of Judah ever since.
The Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites lived in southern
Canaan and the northern region of the Sinai Peninsula, in the area from
Telam to Shur and as far as Egypt, and David often attacked their
towns. Whenever David and his men attacked a town, they took the
sheep, oxen, donkeys, camels, and the clothing, and killed everyone
who lived there. He left no survivors, so that King Achish would not
know about David’s secret raids, which he led for the 16 months he
lived in Philistia.
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After he returned from a raid, David always went to see Achish,
who would ask, “Where did you attack today?”
David would answer, “Oh, we attacked some town in the wilderness
that belonged to Judah.” Sometimes, David would say, “Oh, we
attacked a town where the clan of Jerahmeel lives” or “We attacked a
town in the desert where the Kenites live.”
These were far enough away that Achich would not know David’s
exact movements.
David gave the impression that Judah was becoming increasingly
hostile to him. But in reality, Judah appreciated David more and more
for attacking their neighboring enemies.
King Achish trusted David and thought, “David’s people must be
furious with him. He can never go home again. From now on, the son
of Jesse will be taking orders from me” (I Samuel 27:1-12).
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CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHT
A TRAGIC END
One day, King Achish of Gath had David appear before his throne,
and said, “David, I have freely given you safe haven from the
hand of your enemy, King Saul. This said, our Philistine army is
assembling right as I speak. We plan to attack Saul and his troops. Of
course, in exchange for the favor and protection I have given you, I
expect you and your men to fight alongside us.”
David replied, “Surely you know what your servant can do. I will
not fail to help those who have shown me kindness.”
“Very well,” Achish said. “From this moment, you and your men
will always be my chief guardians and bodyguards.” This was a very
high honor.
The army of the Philistines encamped at Shunem, southwest of the
hill of Moreh and 16 miles away from the Dead Sea. Meanwhile, Saul
called the soldiers of Israel to gather arms and set up camp in Gilboa.
Without the Holy Spirit guiding him, Saul lacked the boldness and
courage he needed to face his enemies. Saul took one look at the
Philistine army and started quivering with fear. So he asked God what
he should do. But the Eternal would not answer, either in a dream or
by a priest or a prophet. God does not help those who deliberately rebel
against Him.
“If only Samuel the prophet were alive,” the king thought. “He
could speak to God for me.”
Just then a wicked thought popped into Saul’s mind: “Samuel may
be dead, but what if I found a witch or someone else who talks to the
dead? If I could find such a woman, she could contact Samuel for me,
and then Samuel could talk to God and tell me what’s going to happen
to my kingdom.”
As king, Saul had spent most of his reign removing witches, wizards,
sorcerers and other such demon-influenced people from Israel. He
knew that before the Israelites ever set foot in the Promised Land, God
declared that all witches, wizards, sorcerers, spiritists, charmers—and
anyone else who cast spells or contacted the demonic world—were forbidden
and should be put to death (Leviticus 19:31; 20:27;
Deuteronomy 18:11). God knew that such evil people would turn His
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people away from Him to worship demons. This would cut Israel off
from God and His blessings—which is exactly what Satan wanted. This
is why the devil constantly looked for ways to bring pagan customs,
traditions and rituals among God’s people.
But Saul had now grown so desperate, he was willing to seek the aid
of witches and other servants of Satan!
The king told his officers, “Find me a witch or medium who can
speak to the dead for me.”
They soon told him about a witch who lived in En Dor, which was
only about three and a half miles away from Shunem.
That night, Saul disguised himself, and risked his life venturing
through Philistine-held territory in order to talk with this witch.
When he and two of his men went to the witch, Saul, still in his disguise,
asked her to bring up the spirit of someone for him.
The woman said, “You know that King Saul has removed mediums
and spiritists from Israel! Why are you trying to trick me and get me
executed?”
Saul replied, “I swear by the living God that you will not be punished.”
Saul knew that this witch should have been killed right on the spot.
Yet his mind had become so rebellious and twisted that he rejected
God’s will and deceived himself into believing that he was not “really”
sinning. And, by attaching God’s name to a vow that should have never
been uttered, Saul broke the Third Commandment—he took God’s
name in vain (Exodus 20:7; Deuteronomy 5:11).
Assured by Saul’s foolish vow, the witch said, “Alright, then. Who
do you want me to bring up?”
“The spirit of Samuel,” Saul answered.
As she had done many times in the past, the witch relied on evil
spells to call upon the demon world. Then something strange flashed
before her eyes: An eerie image of an old man floated just before her!
The witch screamed, assuming that it was Samuel.
But it was not really Samuel; it was only a demon masquerading as
the dead prophet. Satan and his demons want people to believe that the
dead are alive in some kind of “spirit world”—but the truth is, the dead
are in their graves waiting to be resurrected back to life (I Corinthians
15). The devil has been lying about this ever since Adam and Eve were
in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-3).
The witch knew that she did not have the power to bring the dead
back to life—only God does. However, since Saul was determined to
speak to the dead, God decided to use the king’s wicked plan against
him.
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Assuming that the “spirit of Samuel” was floating before her, the evil
witch turned to Saul and said, “You’ve tricked me! You must be the King
Saul!”
Saul tried to calm her down, saying, “Don’t be afraid. Just tell me
what you see.” He and his men could not see the evil spirit, but the witch
could.
She answered, “I see something like a spirit rising up out of the earth.”
“What does it look like?”
“It looks like an old man covered
with a mantle.”
Hearing this, Saul also
assumed she was seeing
Samuel, so he bowed down
low.
Still posing as the dead
prophet, the lying spirit
asked, “Why have you disturbed
me by bringing me
up like this?”
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“Samuel, I’m deeply troubled,” Saul answered. “The Philistines are
poised to attack me. God has turned His back on me and won’t answer
me anymore, either by prophets or by dreams. What should I do?”
The evil spirit said, “If the Eternal has turned away from you and is
now your enemy, why do you ask me? I’ve already told you: God has
torn your kingdom out of your hand and given it to David! When the
Eternal was angry with the Amalekites, He ordered you to destroy
them—but you refused to listen. That’s why God is doing this to you.
Tomorrow, God will deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the
Philistines. Then, you and your sons will join me in death.”
At once, Saul collapsed to the ground, terrified at what the evil spirit
had said. (Saul was also weak from having not eaten anything since
the day before.)
The witch came over to him, saw that the king was frightened out
of his mind, and said, “My lord, I listened to you and risked my life to
do what you asked. Now please listen to me. Let me get you a little
something to eat. It will give you strength for your walk back to
camp.”
“No,” Saul said. “I won’t eat!”
The king could have used this as an opportunity to humble himself
and fast—deny himself food and drink for a time and replace his pride
with humility and meekness. Saul could have drawn close to God by
surrendering to Him through prayer and fasting.
Yet, Satan continued to work against the king. He used the witch
and Saul’s officers, who kept on urging Saul to eat, until he finally
agreed.
The woman rushed to kill a calf that she had been fattening up. She
cooked part of the meat and baked some unleavened bread. Then she
served the food to Saul and his officers, who ate, and then left before
daylight (I Samuel 28:1-7).
David Is Sent Away
The army of Israel camped near the Spring of Jezreel, only a few miles
south of Shunem. Meanwhile, the Philistines moved their massive
army to Aphek, about 24 miles north of Gath.
In a mighty show of force and military precision, the lords of the
Philistines had their troops march in groups of 100 and 1,000.
Yet when David and his men marched at the end of the procession
with King Achish, the Philistine princes and commanders were
shocked. “What are these Hebrews doing here?” they complained.
“They have no part in our invasion.”
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Achish tried to assure them. “These are David’s men,” he explained.
“David used to be one of King Saul’s most valuable officers. But he has
since left Saul and joined my army a long time ago. I’ve never had even
one complaint about him since he defected to me.” Achish still did not
know about David’s raiding parties against the neighboring enemies of
the tribe of Judah.
The army commanders were angry. They suspected that David might
be pretending to be loyal in order to gain their trust.
They shouted, “Send David back to the town you gave him. We won’t
have him going into battle with us. Don’t you know that this Hebrew
could turn against us and attack us from the rear? Saul would gladly take
David back as an officer if he brought him the heads of our soldiers. This
is the same David that the Israelites dance and sing about, saying, ‘Saul
has killed a thousand enemies; David has killed ten thousand enemies!’
Send him away!”
Achish did not want to, but he gave in to their demands. He called
David over and said, “As surely as God lives, you’ve been upright with
me, and I’m pleased by the fact that you did not hesitate to assemble with
my troops. I don’t believe you have done anything wrong, from the day
you joined me until this very moment. However, the other rulers won’t let
you join them in battle.”
“But what have I done?” David asked. “Do you know of anything I’ve
ever done that would keep me from fighting the enemies of my lord and
king?”
Perhaps to flatter David, Achish said, “I believe that you’re as good as
an angel of God, but our army commanders have decided that you can’t
fight in this battle. You and your troops will have to go back to Ziklag.
Leave tomorrow morning as soon as it’s light. I am pleased with you, so
don’t let any of this bother you. And try not to upset the other rulers.”
So David did as the king requested. Early the next morning, he and his
men headed back toward Philistia, while the Philistines left for Jezreel (I
Samuel 29:1-11).
Sneak Attack!
During the three-day journey to Ziklag, David and his men looked forward
to seeing their families again.
But, as soon as they came within sight of the town, they knew
something was wrong. Ziklag was now a burned-out heap of ruins. The
men soon learned that, while they had been away, the Amalekites had
attacked Ziklag and burned it to the ground—they even took away the
women and children as spoils of war!
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Had Saul obeyed God and completely destroyed the Amalekites
when he had the chance, this would not have happened.
David and his men wept over the loss of their families until they were
too weak to cry anymore. And as David mourned for his two wives,
Ahinoam and Abigail, his soldiers said, “This is all your fault, David. We
wouldn’t be in this mess if it weren’t for you!”
They were so upset, they even thought about stoning David to death!
David was desperate. He turned to the Eternal for strength, and said
to Abiathar the priest, “Let’s ask God what to do.”
Through Abiathar, David asked God, “Should I go after the people
who raided our town? Can I overtake them?”
“Pursue them,” God answered. “You will overtake them, and you
will rescue your families.”
Encouraged, David boldly barked out orders and led his 600 men to
the Besor Brook, seasonal rivers that emptied into the Mediterranean
Sea. But 200 of his troops were too weary to cross it, so they stayed
behind. David and the other 400 soldiers crossed the river and continued
their pursuit.
Some of David’s scouts found a young man who was lying out in a
field, weak and exhausted, for he had not had food or water for three
days. Bringing the man to David, they gave the Egyptian some bread, a
drink of water, some dried figs, and two handfuls of raisins. Refreshed,
the Egyptian felt much better.
“Who do you serve?” David asked. “And where do you come from?”
“I’m from Egypt,” the young man answered. “My master is an
Amalekite, but when I fell sick, he abandoned me out here in the wilderness.
That was three days ago. We had attacked some towns in the southern
area of the Cherethites, in the territory that belongs to Judah, and in
the southern area where the clan of Caleb lives. We also burned down
the town of Ziklag.”
Some of David’s men wanted to kill the Egyptian right then and
there. But David gave them a silent but stern look. They knew he wanted
them to back off. So they did.
David turned back to the young man, and said, “Will you take me to
those Amalekites?”
The Egyptian thought, “My master left me out here to die. Were it not
for these men, I surely would have starved to death.”
“Yes,” he said to David, “I will. But you must promise—with God as
a witness—that you won’t kill me or hand me over to my master.”
David agreed, and then the Egyptian led them to the Amalekites.
David sent scouts to secretly spy on the raiders’ camp. They reported
that the Amalekites were eating and drinking, dancing and singing
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over the great bounty they had taken from Philistia and Judah.
Just before sunrise the next day, David and his men attacked, fighting
until sunset. At the end of the battle, the only Amalekites to escape
were 400 raiders, who rode away on camels like frightened puppies
with their tails between their legs.
David rescued his two wives and everyone else the Amalekites had
taken from Ziklag. Not one person was missing—young or old, sons or
daughters. David brought back everything that had been stolen, including
their livestock.
He also took the Amalekites’ sheep and cattle, keeping them separate
from the others. Everyone agreed that these would be David’s
reward.
On the way back, David joined up with the 200 men he had left at
Besor Brook. He greeted them warmly and asked how they were doing.
But David’s other warriors were bitter. “Those men are weak and
worthless! They didn’t go with us to the battle, so why should they
share in any of the possessions we took back from the Amalekites? Let
these good-for-nothings take their wives and children and go—we don’t
need them!”
These 400 soldiers were proud of their recent success, and did not
want to share.
But David, who reflected God’s attitude of sharing, said, “Friends,
do not be greedy with the blessings that God has given us! Remember
that it was the Eternal who protected us and delivered our attackers into
our hands. We deserve none of the credit. From this moment on, soldiers
who stay behind to guard the camp and supplies will share in the
same spoils as those who go into battle.” This became a law for Israel.
Through constantly being on the run from Saul, David learned to
appreciate the kindness of others. And it taught him to be kind and merciful
to those less fortunate. In this period of trial and tribulation, God
was developing His holy, righteous character in David so that he would
be a righteous king.
David, his men, and all their women and children went back to
Ziklag with everything they had taken from the Amalekites.
He then sent some of these things as gifts to friends who were leaders
in Judah (I Samuel 30:1-31). This made his fellow tribesmen love
and respect David even more.
A Tragic End to Israel’s First King
The Philistines were slaughtering the army of Israel at Mount Gilboa,
causing the Israelites to run. In the chaos of clashing swords and
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shields, and the cries of the dying, the Philistines soon closed in and
killed Saul’s sons. Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua were dead.
The fighting was fierce and heavy all around King Saul. As he lay
on the ground, badly wounded by enemy arrows, Saul knew that this
was the end. He had spent most of his reign disobeying God; thus, Saul
knew that God would not save him.
The king turned to his armor bearer, and said, “Draw your sword,
and kill me with it! Don’t let me fall into the hands of these worthless
Philistines so that they can torture and ridicule me!”
But the armor bearer was too afraid to slay the king.
Unlike David, Saul did not look to God for strength and courage.
Instead, the king drew his own sword, and he thrust the blade into his
body, and fell on it.
In killing himself, Saul disobeyed God once more. All life belongs
to God—and only He has the right to take it.
Seeing that he was surrounded by bloodthirsty Philistines bent on
Israel’s destruction, the armor bearer followed Saul’s desperate example
and fell on his sword, too.
When the battle was finally finished, the Philistines praised their
false gods and shouted for joy: Their enemy, King Saul, was dead. So
were his three sons, Saul’s armor bearer, and all the soldiers who had
surrounded their king.
The Israelites dwelling on the other side of the Valley of Jezreel and
the other side of the Jordan soon learned why the Philistines were celebrating.
And when they saw that Israel’s army had run away, the
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Israelite villagers and townspeople ran away, too. Without the king and
his army to protect them, everyone in the region felt helpless.
The Philistines immediately moved into the towns that the Israelites
had left behind.
The day after the battle, the Philistines returned to the battlefield to
take the weapons of the dead Israelite soldiers. There, they found Saul
and his three sons lying dead on Mount Gilboa.
The Philistines wanted revenge. Just as Goliath, their fallen champion,
had had his head cut off, they cut off the head of King Saul and
pulled off his armor. Then they put his armor in the temple of their
false goddess Astarte, and they nailed his body to the city wall of Beth
Shan. They also sent messengers throughout Philistia to spread the
“good” news in the temples of their idols and among their people.
Meanwhile, across the Jordan River, the townspeople of Jabesh
Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul’s body. This was the
town that had been destroyed years ago for deciding to stay out of the
civil war between Israel and Benjamin.
The people of Jabesh wanted to show kindness to Saul and the tribe
of Benjamin because Saul had rescued their town from the Ammonites
early in his reign (I Samuel 11:9-12).
So one night, some brave men from Jabesh sneaked into Beth Shan,
and boldly took down the bodies of Saul and his sons. Then they
brought them back to Jabesh and burned them. They may have done
this to hide the damage that had been done to Saul’s dead body, which
was still missing its head.
They buried the bones under a small tree in Jabesh, and then fasted
and mourned for seven days.
When God first picked him to be king, Saul was humble. He did not
see himself as special or important.
But Saul did not keep this meek and selfless attitude. Just like
Lucifer, who rebelled against God millions of years ago and became
Satan the devil, Saul allowed the sin of pride to enter his mind. This
led him to reject God and trust in himself. Sadly, Saul found out the
hard way that the path of pride and vanity ultimately leads to destruction
(I Samuel 31:1-13).
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CHAPTER SEVENTY-NINE
DAVID BECOMES KING
David’s men informed him that a stranger had just stumbled into
their camp. “His clothes are ripped, and he had dust on his head,”
they reported. Immediately, David knew that the stranger was mourning
for the dead.
After being brought before David, the young man knelt down
before him.
“Where did you come from?” David asked.
“From the army of Israel. We met the Philistines on the battlefield...
and I barely escaped with my life!”
“What happened?” David said, leaning forward. “Who won the battle?”
The stranger said, “The Philistines came down upon us like locusts,
causing our army to turn and run. The whole battlefield was filled with
dead and dying warriors. Even worse—King Saul and his son Jonathan
are dead. This was three days ago.”
“What? This can’t be! How do you know this?”
The young man answered, “I saw it with my own eyes. I was on
Mount Gilboa and saw King Saul leaning on his spear. The enemy’s
war chariots and cavalry were closing in on him. When the king turned
around and saw me, he called me over and asked who I was. I said,
‘I’m an Amalekite.’ Then Saul said, ‘Kill me! I’m dying, and I’m in
horrible pain.’ So I carried out the king’s command, and I killed him.
He was too badly wounded to live much longer, anyway. Then I took
Saul’s crown and bracelet, and I have brought them to you, my lord.
Here they are.”
The Amalekite was lying. He probably did witness Saul take his
own life, but the king did not ask this man to kill him—Saul had asked
this of his armor bearer. Seeing an opportunity to
benefit from Saul’s death, the Amalekite took
Saul’s crown, bracelet and other royal
items from the king’s corpse. The
Amalekite intended to use these
items as proof that he had killed
“David’s enemy.”
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The tragic news of Saul and Jonathan’s death, as well as the massacre
of Israel’s army, caused David and his soldiers to tear their
clothes in sorrow. They mourned and wept throughout the day, denying
themselves food and drink.
After this, David asked the young man where he was from. The
man replied that he was an Amalekite, a foreigner living in Israel.
David thought about the many times Saul had wanted to kill him—
yet he still honored the king’s office and authority. And David expected
others to do the same.
He stared into the Amalekite’s eyes, pointed his finger, and said,
“Why did you not fear to kill or even harm the Eternal’s anointed? You
even admitted what you did—therefore, your blood is on your own
head!”
Then he shouted to one of his soldiers, “Execute this man at once!”
The Amalekite was shocked! He thought that he would benefit from
his lie—yet his lie sentenced him to death instead! Telling the truth, no
matter now painful it may seem, always sets people free from the way
that leads to utter destruction (II Samuel 1:1-16).
The Song of the Bow
David mourned so deeply for Saul and Jonathan, he wrote a song in
memory of them. He ordered his men to teach it to everyone in Judah.
It eventually became a national anthem, or war song. David called it
“The Song of the Bow,” and it was written into the Book of Jashar, also
know as the Book of the Upright. This was an ancient record of Israel’s
wars, archiving great events and the exploits of valiant men.
Here is the song:
“The beauty of Israel is slain upon your high places—how the
mighty have fallen! Don’t tell it in Gath, or publish it in the streets of
Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice and jump for joy.
“Let there be no dew nor rain upon the mountains of Gilboa, nor
upon the fields of offerings. For the shield of the mighty is cast away,
the shield of Saul, as though the king had never been anointed with oil.
“The bow of Jonathan spilled the blood of the slain, and pierced the
fat of the mighty. And the sword of Saul cut apart the enemy. Saul and
Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death,
they were not divided. They were swifter than eagles, they were
stronger than lions.
“Women of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet and
other delights, who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel. How the
mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle!
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“O Jonathan, you were slain in the heat of battle. I miss you most,
and have loved you like a brother. You were more loyal and faithful to
me than a wife to her husband. How the mighty are fallen, and the
weapons of war perished!”
Inspired by God, David’s song reflected his gracious, forgiving attitude
toward Saul, the man who had longed to see David dead. It also
expressed his devotion to his best friend. The care and concern that
Jonathan and David had for each other was noble and selfless. They
were truly committed to each other’s well-being. Their friendship was
a type of the close, bonding relationship between God the Father and
Jesus Christ. And it is also the kind of close friendship God wants to
have with every one of us—including you (II Samuel 1:17-27).
David, King of Judah
Without King Saul alive to threaten his life, David could safely return
to Israel. But he did not rely upon himself. Wanting God’s direction,
he asked the Eternal, “Should I go back to any of the towns and villages
of Judah?”
God answered, “Yes, go up.”
David asked, “Where should I go?”
“To Hebron,” God replied. This was the highest elevation of any
town in Judah, and about 20 miles away from Jerusalem.
So David obediently went to Hebron, taking with him his two
wives, Ahinoam and Abigail. His men and their families came, too,
and moved into the neighboring villages of Hebron.
Upon his arrival, all the people of Judah welcomed David back
home. The elders and leaders met with him at Hebron and poured olive
oil on his head. They officially anointed David as the new king of
Judah.
“All hail the king!” the people cheered.
After the royal coronation, David was told that the people of Jabesh
had bravely sneaked behind enemy lines, taken down the bodies of
Saul and his sons, and buried them.
David was relieved. “At least these pagan Philistines won’t be
using Saul’s body as a war trophy anymore,” he said.
To show his appreciation, he sent messengers to Jabesh to deliver
this message: “May the Eternal bless you for the kindness you have
shown to Saul your ruler by burying him. I hope that God will be just
as kind and faithful to you. Please count me as your friend because of
what you have done. Saul, your master, is dead, but the tribe of Judah
has made me their king. So be strong and courageous.”
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Meanwhile, Abner, Saul’s cousin and the commanding general of
Israel’s army, did not accept David as the rightful leader of Israel.
Since Jonathan was Saul’s firstborn son, Abner realized that
Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth should be the next in line to sit on the
throne. He had not been able to walk since he was five years old. It
happened when someone from Jezreel told his nurse that Saul and
Jonathan had died. She hurried off with the boy in her arms, but he fell
and injured his legs.
Abner and the other leaders reasoned that the Israelites needed a
strong leader over them—someone who could lead them into battle.
Thus, Mephibosheth was not allowed to be king.
During the first five years or so of David’s reign in Judah, Abner
and Ishbosheth, Saul’s only surviving son, led their troops to take back
the northern territory of Israel, which had been seized by the
Philistines. Once this and the territory west of the Jordan River were
again united, Abner took Ishbosheth to Mahanaim, a Levite town in
Gilead (Joshua 21:28; I Chronicles 6:80), and made Saul’s son king of
Israel. This included the areas of Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, and
Benjamin.
But God was not behind Abner and Ishbosheth’s decision (II
Samuel 2:1-11; 4:4).
A Bloody Contest
There was hostility between the house of Judah, ruled by David, and
the house of Israel, ruled by Ishbosheth. And throughout the land, the
Israelites were divided, some saying, “I follow David!” while others
said, “I follow the son of Saul!”
One day, Abner and a small team of soldiers left Mahanaim and went
to Gibeon. (Because of a promise Joshua had made with their forefathers,
the Gibeonites were allowed to live in Israel – see Joshua 9.)
Meanwhile, Joab, the commander of Judah’s army and a nephew to
the king, also led a small team of David’s soldiers on a mission to
Gibeon. Joab’s brothers, Abishai (the one who had accompanied David
into Saul’s camp) and Asahel, were with him.
The two opposing armies came to refresh at a watering pool in
Gibeon. Abner and his men sat down on one side of the pool, while
Joab and his men sat on the other side, surprised to see each other.
Tension grew as every warrior stared at his opponent.
Then Abner yelled over to Joab, “Wouldn’t a contest of champions
be better than an all-out war? Let’s have some of our best soldiers get
up and fight each other!”
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Joab agreed. Twelve of Ishbosheth’s men got up to fight 12 of
David’s men. They tugged and pulled each other by the hair, and each
man stabbed the other in the side with small swords. All 24 warriors
died on the spot. Because of this, the place came to be called “Helkath
Hazzurim”—“Field of Sharp Swords.”
Abner and Joab’s contest of champions had settled nothing. It only
fueled more hatred between the opposing sides, causing the soldiers to
grab their weapons and fight. It was a fierce and bloody battle, but
David’s warriors eventually gained the upper hand and defeated Abner
and the soldiers of Israel. The survivors ran for their lives, with
David’s troops in hot pursuit.
Now Asahel was single-minded. He was determined to kill Abner
and take his armor as a trophy. So Asahel ran straight after Abner, running
as fast as a wild gazelle in an open field.
Abner heard something behind him. He turned and saw that one of
David’s men was right on his heels.
He said, “Who is that? Is that you, Asahel?”
Joab’s brother said, “Yes, it’s me.”
Abner kept running, fighting to move his legs faster and faster—but
Asahel would not let up.
So Abner tried to warn him away. “Look around you, Asahel! There
are plenty of soldiers for you to chase. Stop chasing after me and fight
one of them! If you want someone’s armor and weapons for yourself,
pick someone else.”
But Asahel refused.
Abner said, “Asahel, you better turn back, or else I’ll have to kill
you! Then I could never face your brother Joab again. He would hunt
me down out of revenge.”
But Asahel still refused.
Abner thought, “It’s either my life or his,” so he took the back end
of his spear and struck Asahel in the stomach. The spear went all the
way through and came out of his back. Asahel fell down and died.
All those who saw Asahel lying dead stopped in their tracks and
stood there in disbelief. But Joab let out an angry cry of rage, then he
and his brother Abishai raced after Abner.
By sunset, they came to the hill of Ammah. Abner assembled his
men on top of a hill, and they got ready to fight. Then he shouted over
to Joab, “When are we going to stop killing each other? The longer we
keep on doing this, the worse it’s going to be when the battle is finished.
We are your brother Israelites—when are you going to order
your men to stop chasing us?”
Reluctantly, Joab listened to reason. Feeling worn and tired, he
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answered, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, my men would have
chased you all night!”
Then he blew his trumpet and signaled his soldiers to halt.
Immediately, the fighting stopped.
As Abner and his troops marched back to Mahanaim, Joab counted
his troops and found that there were 19 missing besides Asahel. Even
though the soldiers of King David had killed 360 of Abner’s men, Joab
and Abishai still wanted to avenge their brother’s death.
“One day, we’ll get Abner,” Joab said to Abishai. “Just you wait and
see.”
Then Joab and his troops carried Asahel’s body to Bethlehem and
buried him in the family burial place. Afterward, they marched
throughout the night until they reached Hebron, before sunrise.
This battle was the beginning of a long war between those who followed
King David and those who were loyal to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son.
As time passed, Ishbosheth’s power and influence grew weaker, while
David’s grew stronger (II Samuel 2:1-32; 3:1).
David’s Growing Family
David wholeheartedly followed God in almost every area of his life,
yet he was still human. This meant that, like all human beings, David
had certain flaws and weakness. And one of these was his unwise
desire to be married to more than one woman at a time. This was sin—
breaking God’s Law (I John 3:4).
David’s weakness for women led to him to be married to multiple
wives, who in turn had several children born to him. And, because of
human nature, it was only natural for envy, jealous, pride and bitterness
to boil between David’s many wives and children. They all competed
for his attention and affection.
Satan decided to use this to his own advantage. Though the devil
had been unsuccessful in using Saul to destroy David, he devised a
scheme to strike at the king of Judah through David’s growing,
expanding family. The deadly fruit of Satan’s evil plan would take
years to reveal itself. You will read about it in the next volume of The
Story of the Bible.
King David had several children born to him during the seven and
a half years he reigned from Hebron. His oldest son was Amnon,
whose mother was Ahinoam, and his second son was Chileab, whose
mother was Abigail. David’s third son was Absalom, whose mother
was Maacah, the daughter of King Talmai of Geshur. David’s fourth
son was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith. The fifth was
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Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital, and the sixth son was Ithream,
whose mother was Eglah (II Samuel 3:2-5).
Abner Defects
As the war continued between the house of David and the house of
Saul, Abner gained more military power and political influence than
ever. And Ishbosheth began to worry.
One day, spies reported to Ishbosheth that Abner had marriage-like,
intimate relations with one of Saul’s concubines.
“And of course you know what that means,” they said. “To do
something as bold and sinful as this means that Abner plans to remove
you from the throne and crown himself king!”
Ishbosheth was angry. He had Abner brought to him, and accused
him of the sin. “How dare you!” he said. “Who do you think you are?”
But Abner was angry, too.
“What?” he said. “After all I’ve done for you, you talk to me like
I’m some kind of worthless dog from Judah? I’ve been nothing but
loyal to you and your father’s family and friends. If I wanted to, I could
have turned you over to David, but I didn’t. And now you speak to me
as if I’ve committed a crime with this woman. May God punish me if
I don’t help David rule both Israel and Judah, from Dan in the north to
Beersheba in the south—just like the Eternal promised him!”
Filled with fear, Ishbosheth was speechless as he watched Abner
depart.
Feeling betrayed, Abner thought about his future. He knew that
Ishbosheth was a weak ruler and that, sooner or later, David would
take his throne. Abner wanted to be on the winning side.
So he sent some messengers to tell David that he wanted to make a
peace agreement with him. “I will use my power and influence to persuade
everyone in Israel to accept you as their king.”
If he could pull this off, Abner knew that he would be highly
praised and honored for bringing all of Israel under David’s rule.
King David accepted Abner’s proposal, adding that his first wife,
Michal, must be brought back to him first. David wanted to right a
wrong that Saul had done to him. David also knew that, in the eyes of
many loyal to the house of Saul, having Saul’s daughter as his wife
again would strengthen his claim to the throne.
Not wanting another bloody battle on his hands, Ishbosheth sent
some of his men to take his sister Michal away from her new husband,
Paltiel. As the men carried her away, Paltiel followed them all the way
to Bahurim, just east of Jerusalem, weeping as he walked. But when
137
Abner saw him, he ordered Paltiel to go back home.
Next, Abner met with the elders of the tribes of Israel. He reminded
them that, for a long time, they wanted to make David their king.
“Now is the time,” he said. “Remember: God promised to use His
servant David to deliver His people Israel out from the hand of their
enemies—especially from the Philistines.”
The elders agreed with Abner’s plan. Abner also had similar success
in a meeting with the elders of Benjamin. Then he and twenty soldiers
left for Hebron to tell David the good news.
Upon their arrival, King David honored them with a great feast.
Afterward, Abner said to David, “My lord, allow me to leave and
bring Israel here to make a covenant with you. Then you will be king
over the whole nation, just as you’ve been wanting for these past
years.”
David bid him farewell, and Abner left in peace (II Samuel 3:6-21).
Deception, Intrigue and Revenge
Meanwhile, Joab and some of his soldiers had come back to Hebron
from a mission. As they took inventory of the many things they had
seized from an enemy village, someone told Joab about Abner’s recent
visit.
Still angry over his brother’s death, Joab went to David and said,
“What have you done? Why did you let Abner come in here, and then let
him go? Abner is a deceiver—he came to trick you! All he wanted was
to find out how strong your army is and to know everything you’re
doing.”
The king tried to calm his nephew down, but Joab would not listen.
Instead, he devised a plan to get Abner once and for all.
Unbeknownst to David, Joab sent some messengers to catch up with
Abner. “King David needs your advice. Come back to Hebron. It’s
urgent.”
Abner agreed, and went back with the messengers until they came to
a well at Sirah, which was about two and a half miles outside of Hebron.
He was surprised to see that Joab and Abishai were waiting for him.
Before Abner could suspect anything, Joab pretended he needed to
talk with him in private. “It’s about this deal you made with King
David.”
Abner allowed Joab to take him into a small room that was part of
the town gate. Then suddenly, Joab’s friendly demeanor changed into
a fury of violence. He pulled out a small sword and stabbed Abner in
the stomach.
138
Joab stared into his eyes, and said, “This is for killing my brother!”
Abner crumpled to his knees in great agony, and then died.
When King David learned about Abner’s murder, he said to the
people, “As the Eternal is my Witness, my kingdom and I are completely
innocent of Abner’s death! Let the blame fall on the guilty—
Joab and his family. May they always be sick with sores and other skin
diseases, and may they all be cowards who die in war or from starvation.”
Then David ordered Joab and his men to show sorrow by tearing
their clothes and wearing sackcloth. “Then walk before Abner’s body
and mourn!”
“But he killed Asahel,” Joab protested, “our own flesh and blood.”
“Your lust for revenge has blinded you, Joab. Abner killed your
brother in self-defense. But you murdered Abner in cold blood—and
even deceitfully used my name to do so!”
All the people followed David’s example, and mourned and wept
over Abner’s death.
Then the king sang a funeral song:
“Should Abner die as a fool dies? Your hands were not bound nor
were your feet put into fetter; as a man falls before the wicked, so you
fell.”
This made everyone weep again, as Abner was buried in the city.
Afterward, servants brought food to David, but the king refused to
eat. “Don’t you realize that one of Israel’s great leaders has died today?
How can I eat or drink when Abner has been taken from us?” he
replied. So he fasted for the rest of the day.
The people were impressed by David’s humble attitude and caring
example. There was no longer any doubt that King David had
absolutely nothing to do with Abner’s murder.
David told his officials, “I may be God’s anointed, but Joab and
Abishai have more power than I do. May God pay them back for their
evil.”
Joab and Abishai had more supporters than David did, who was still
gathering power. This kept David from immediately dealing with them
according to what their treachery deserved (II Samuel 3:22-39).
139

CHAPTER EIGHTY
DAVID RULES ALL
OF ISRAEL
Upon learning that Abner had been murdered in Hebron,
Ishbosheth felt like giving up. The news troubled everyone in
Israel, for they realized that Abner had been their kingdom’s source of
stability and leadership.
One day about noon, Rechab and Baanah, two brothers who were
captains of the king’s troops, went to Ishbosheth’s house, pretending to
get some wheat for their soldiers. Since it was a hot day, Ishbosheth
rested in his bedroom.
Once they were inside, Rechab and Baanah sneaked into the private
chambers and stabbed Ishbosheth to death. Then they cut off his head
and took it with them, escaping through the Jordan River valley all that
night. Their plan was to take Ishbosheth’s head to King David and gain
his favor.
Upon arriving in Hebron, the two brothers were brought before
David. They flashed a vicious smile, and said, “My lord, we have
brought you the head of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy. God
has finally let you get even with the house of Saul.”
Rechab and Baanah were surprised to see that David was not celebrating.
They were even more surprised by David’s answer:
“When a man came to Ziklag and reported that Saul was dead, he
thought that I should reward him for his so-called good news. But I
executed him on the spot, instead! And now you wicked and perverse
men have done more evil than that man did. You killed a righteous man
in his own house and on his own bed. For this, I will make you pay for
spilling his blood. I’ll wipe you from the face of the earth!”
Rechab and Baanah trembled in their boots. This was not the
response they had expected.
The king turned to his troops, and said, “Kill these two! And cut off
their hands and feet and hang their bodies by the pool.”
David’s soldiers quickly obeyed.
Then David had Ishbosheth’s head buried in Abner’s tomb (II
Samuel 4:1-2).
141
Capturing the City of Jerusalem
All the elders of the tribes of Israel came to Hebron to meet with King
David. They reminded him that they were his brother Israelites, and
that they remembered how David had successfully led their nation into
battle when Saul was king.
“And the Eternal promised that you would someday rule Israel,”
they said, “and take care of us like a shepherd.” They decided to follow
Abner’s example and accept David as their ruler.
So David made a covenant with them, asking God to be their witness.
Then the elders anointed David’s head with olive oil. He was now
the king of Israel. The 12 tribes of Israel were finally unified under
David’s rule.
David was 30 years old when he became king, and lived to rule for
forty years. During the first seven and a half years, he only ruled
Judah. Then he moved to Jerusalem, where he ruled both Israel and
Judah for 33 years (II Samuel 5:1-3).
142
Jerusalem City of David
The New Capital of Israel
King David was becoming a great and powerful ruler. This was
because the Eternal God was on his side. Unlike Saul, David did not
forget that God was the true Source of his success.
The city of Jerusalem was still occupied by the Jebusites, pagan
worshippers who were determined not to leave. But David had other
plans for them. He led his army to surround Jerusalem and attack.
Confident in their own strength, the Jebusites did not think David
could break through the city’s walls, so they mocked him, saying, “Go
away! You’re wasting your time. You can’t get in here! Even if we
were blind or lame, we could fend off your weak attacks!”
The Jebusites did have a point. Jerusalem was a heavily defended
city, and had successfully put down many attacks from the past. David
knew this, so he came up with a plan.
The king instructed his troops to secretly enter the city’s water tunnels,
which ran from the outside into Jerusalem.
The plan worked. David and his soldiers sneaked into the city, and
then attacked, capturing the stronghold on Mount Zion. God delivered
Jerusalem into David’s hand.
Once the city was firmly under his control, David decided to live
there. He named the stronghold the “City of David.” Then he started
rebuilding, beginning with the landfill to the east.
In addition to being favored by God, David also had a good reputation
among men. Among them was King Hiram of Tyre, a prosperous
Phoenican seaport off the great Mediterranean Sea. Hiram sent some of
his officials, carpenters and stone workers, along with cedar logs, and
built David a royal palace.
Upon moving the capital of Israel from Hebron to Jerusalem, King
David married more wives and concubines, who gave him many more
children.
The Philistines heard that David was now the king of Israel, and
they were not happy with his success. Realizing that he would no
longer be their servant as they had planned, the Philistines sent
troops to try and capture him. But David found out and went into his
stronghold.
The Philistines camped in the Rephaim Valley. Also known as the
Valley of the Giants, this fertile plain of farmlands lay southwest of
Jerusalem, on the border between the territories of Benjamin and Judah.
When he heard about this, David asked God, “Should I attack the
Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?”
143
God told David, “Go up and attack! I will give you the victory.”
David believed God, and attacked the Philistines, thoroughly
defeating them. He named the place Baal Perazim—“Master of
Breakthroughs”—explaining, “The Eternal has broken through my
enemies before me, like a breakthrough of water.”
David and his troops also carried away the idols that the Philistines
had left behind and burned them (I Chronicles 14:12).
Seeking revenge, the Philistines came back and camped in
Rephaim Valley.
Again, David faithfully relied on God and asked Him what he
should do.
Following God’s instructions, David and his army circled around
behind the enemy and waited until they heard the sound of troops
marching through the tops of the trees. That was God’s sign that He
had marched out ahead of David’s army to strike the Philistines’ camp.
David launched a lightning attack and defeated the enemy. He and his
men even chased the Philistines all the way from Geba to the entrance
to Gezer, 20 miles away, and drove them back to their own territory (II
Samuel 5:4-25)!
144
The Restored Church of God
P.O. Box 23295
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The Restored Church of God
P.O. Box 4064
St. Catharines, ON L2R 7S3
CANADA
Phone: (330) 334-2266
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e-mail: info@TheRCG.org
Copyright © 2004 The Restored Church of God
All Rights Reserved
Printed in the USA
THIS BOOK IS PROVIDED FREE OF HOW TO CONTACT US
CHARGE AND IN THE PUBLIC
INTEREST BY THE RESTORED
CHURCH OF GOD. It is made possible
by the voluntary, freely given tithes and
offerings of the members of the Church
and others who have elected to support
the work of the Church. Contributions
are welcomed and gratefully accepted.
Those who wish to voluntarily aid and
support this WORK OF GOD around the
world are gladly welcomed as co-workers
in this major effort to preach the
gospel to all nations.
the story
of the bible
volume six
Herbert W. Armstrong led the Worldwide Church of God (formerly The Radio
Church of God until 1968) until his death in 1986. Hundreds of millions heard
his voice and read his literature. God called him in the fall of 1926 and he was
converted in the spring of 1927. Over the course of Mr. Armstrong’s ministry,
God revealed through him a great many true biblical doctrines, which had
been lost to the Church through the centuries. After his death, his successors
ceased to believe and teach these doctrines. Although copyright law prohibits
The Restored Church of God from reproducing and distributing literature
produced while he led the Worldwide Church of God, we are committed to
the preservation and teaching of all of these truths!
This book is provided free of charge and in the
public interest by the restored church of god.
It is made possible by the voluntary, freely given tithes and offerings of the
members of the Church and others who have elected to support the work of
the Church. Contributions are welcomed and gratefully accepted. Those who
wish to voluntarily aid and support this Work of God around the world are
gladly welcomed as co-workers in this major effort to preach the gospel to all
nations.
Copyright © 2005 by The Restored Church of God
All Rights Reserved
Printed in the United States of America
Introduction
chapter eighty-ONE: LEARNING FROM CORRECTION
chapter eighty-TWO: a long, hard fall into the snare of sin!
chapter eighty-THREE: trouble from within
chapter eighty-FOUR: absalom’s rebellion
chapter eighty-FIVE: the affection of the king
chapter eighty-SIX: SOWING THE SEEDS OF TROUBLE
chapter eighty-SEVEN: lessons from the pa st
chapter eighty-EIGHT: the prince who would be king
chapter eighty-nine: the wisdom of solomon
chapter Ninety: solomon’s latter years
chapter Ninety-ONE: judah and israel split
chapter Ninety-TWO: two kingdoms, two pa ths
chapter Ninety-THREE: outnumbered and outmaneuvered
chapter Ninety-FOUR: LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON
chapter Ninety-FIVE: EFFECTUAL, FERVENT PRAYER
chapter Ninety-six: jezebel seeks revenge
table of contents
the story of the bible
............................................................................................................ 4
............................... 7
.. 17
....................................... 25
.......................................... 33
................................. 42
............................ 50
.................................... 57
.................... 64
.................................... 73
.............................................. 80
......................................... 88
.................................. 94
...... 102
.......................................... 109
............................. 117
......................................... 125
volume six
introduction
by David C. Pack
This is the sixth volume of a special series. These books truly represent
“The Story of the Bible.” Many have attempted to write various
kinds of “Bible Story Books,” but they are usually written only for
children, and are primarily designed to entertain instead of educate or
inspire. The reader will see that the wonderful style and artwork of this
series capture the spirit of God’s Word, with its intended lessons and vital
meaning.
Most children’s versions of the Bible terribly misrepresent important
stories that it contains—and they are written with wrong emphasis—and
wrong meaning! Instead of leading children to the true God, and to the
true doctrines of His Word, children are left with the impression that the
Bible only contains a few stories, and is mostly a book about war, violence,
blood, thunder and death.
This is terribly wrong!
In keeping with the modern generation’s obsession with graphic
violence, most efforts to reflect the teachings of the Bible “play” to this
interest. Youth are given what they want to read, not what they need to
understand. The many stories of the Bible are intended to teach vital lessons
to people of all ages. Modern writers miss the mark when they cater
to children, rather than properly teach them what God intends.
If young people learn the Bible in a wrong way—with emphasis on
the wrong things, while ignoring the enormous number of lessons that the
Bible contains—at least two bad things result.
First, all these wrong concepts and approaches must be unlearned and
replaced by right knowledge and understanding of what the Bible really
says. Unlearning error is a most difficult thing to do, and is actually far
harder than learning the truth correctly the first time, leaving no need to
sweep the mind clean of what has been wrong or misunderstood.
Second, young people will later find the stories of the Bible have been
trivialized and made irrelevant, and they may find themselves turned off
by its message rather than being excited and thrilled about what they are
learning.
The modern system of education is morally and spiritually bankrupt!
Deluded educators have been biased against God and His Word by the
atheistic teaching of evolution poured into them from childhood. They
have taught young people for decades that there are “no absolutes” and
that they must follow “situation ethics.” They have led the world into a
kind of secular humanism—where people are driven by how they feel
rather than clear definitions of right and wrong! But there is right and
wrong in life—and those who are teaching the children of this world have
cut themselves off from this knowledge (Isaiah 59:1-2). They cannot
teach what they were never taught!
Also, this world’s churches keep young people steeped in traditional
pagan philosophies and teachings that have deceived the world for millennia.
They have ignored the great spiritual principle of cause and
effect that governs every aspect of life. They have neglected to teach true
spiritual values. They have defaulted their responsibility in all the critical
areas of leadership—and have utterly failed in their greatest responsibility,
which should have been to instill in young minds the marvelous
truths of God’s Word—to teach youth how to live, not just how to earn
a living.
This is a tragic state of affairs!
Many who attempt to study the Bible become confused, frustrated
and disillusioned, believing that it is too difficult to understand. As a
result, many who would seek to teach their children true Christian standards
and values, either give up altogether or leave such education to the
many theological “experts,” who offer no end of differing—and conflicting—
views.
Such an approach only serves to further confuse young people about
the Bible, thus, in many cases, alienating them from it. But those who
truly seek to understand God’s Word, without adding their own interpretation
(II Peter 1:20), will find that there is simplicity in it (II Corinthians
11:3).
Children need to be taught this simplicity! They need to know who
and what they are—and why they were born—that they are future sons
of God in the making!
You were born for a reason. Your life has a supreme purpose! The
Bible reveals how to be in harmony with the true God—and His purpose
for life. The world is ignorant of this. So are most parents. They have
no idea how or what to teach their children. No one is guiding parents,
because no one knows how to guide them. Sadly, though the Bible is a
gripping, interesting—even fascinating—book of true stories (all part of
one great story), most find it dull, dry and boring.
This series is written to completely change this misconception in the
minds of people of all ages! It uses language designed to expand your
mind through the use of word pictures. Our goal has been to make the
Bible real—to make it talk directly to parents and children. With only a
little explanation, parents will be able to read these volumes to children
as young as age three.
In today’s world, youth are universally misguided, abused, neglected
and ignored and this fuels a variety of rampant, escalating social problems.
This is because society as a whole has rejected the source of
true happiness, success, peace and fulfillment—God’s Word. As King
Solomon admonished, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and
when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).
How many are even attempting to do this today?
Many true doctrines of God were restored to His Church in the middle
of the 20th century. By the 1990s, they had largely been discarded by
its new leaders. Part of our commission is to once again “restore what
was restored” and to continue to “turn the heart of the fathers to the children,
and the heart of the children to their fathers” (Malachi 4:6). The
Restored Church of God has completely restored all God’s doctrines to
the Church!
Under the faithful leadership of Herbert W. Armstrong (1892-1986),
various Church youth programs were established as part of the fulfillment
of this important responsibility. These included the Y.O.U. program
(Youth Opportunities United—for teens), and the Y.E.S. program (Youth
Educational Services—for young children). There was also a Summer
Educational Program (S.E.P.), providing teenagers with the opportunity
to fellowship with other teens and develop many skills and talents in a
camp environment.
There was also much youth-oriented literature, offered to the young
people of God’s Church. These included a Youth magazine for teenagers,
Youth Bible Lessons for children from kindergarten through sixth
grade—and The Bible Story series.
Children are far too precious to ignore or neglect. While parents must
utilize the tools that are available to them, they cannot do this if these
tools have not been created.
As the only true extension of Mr. Armstrong’s ministry, The Restored
Church of God is re-creating these same written tools—as well as the
magazines, books, booklets, articles and letters that once taught the full
truth of God to millions around the world.
This series is being rewritten—with new volumes to appear on a
regular basis—to once again make the Bible simple, so that the stories in
it come to life! But these volumes are not just for children! It is our hope
that parents and children alike will enjoy and benefit from them. Its forerunner
was a six-volume work, once described as “written for children 5
to 105.” The original series is no longer available—but this new one is!
Our story thus far: With God on his side, instructing and guiding
him, David had become a great and powerful king. And as long
as he continued to obey God and put His will first, David was blessed
with success. God delivered Jerusalem—which had been controlled
by the idol-worshipping Jebusites—into David’s hand, and the city
became the capital of Israel. God also helped His servant defeat
the invading army of the Philistines. David and his men chased the
enemy for miles, all the way back to Philistine territory (II Samuel
5:4-25).
Bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem
With things going so well for him, David did not forget that God was
the true source of all his successes. The king also knew that he could
not successfully rule over Israel unless he continued to seek God’s
will. So David counseled with the leaders of Israel and proposed that
the Ark of the Covenant be brought to Israel’s new capital. The leaders
agreed to the king’s plan.
David and 30,000 of Israel’s finest troops, along with a team of
priests and Levites, marched to the town of Kiriath-Jearim, about ten
miles west of Jerusalem. During Saul’s reign, the Ark had been kept
there in the home of Abinadab (I Samuel 7:1-2).
The sacred Ark was put on a cart pulled by oxen, with Uzzah and
Ahio, Abinadab’s sons, guiding it. Meanwhile, the Israelites celebrated,
playing harps, tambourines, trumpets and other musical instruments.
Other people danced with all their might to show God how much they
appreciated Him guiding and protecting Israel.
But as the cart came down a steep hill, the oxen stumbled. Afraid
that the Ark of the Covenant would fall out, Uzzah reached out and
took hold of it.
Suddenly, the people stopped dancing, and the music stopped playing.
All eyes were on the lifeless body of Uzzah, for God had struck
him dead!
God was angry, for even though they had meant well, Uzzah and the
CHAPTER eighty-one
LEARNING FROM CORRECTION
other Israelites were not careful to obey the specific instructions God
had given long ago regarding His Ark. God had commanded that the
Ark of the Covenant be carried only by Levites who descended from
the family of Kohath. But the Kohathites were forbidden to touch the
Ark. Instead, they were supposed to carry it on their shoulders, with
staves or long poles going through the golden rings on the sides of the
Ark. (See Numbers 3:30-31, 4:15, 7:9 and Exodus 25:2-15).
Carrying the Ark of the Covenant—which symbolized God’s
heavenly throne—on a cart was disrespectful. But God knew that His
people had not carefully studied His laws and statutes, so He chose to
be patient and merciful. Yet, when Uzzah touched the sacred Ark, the
symbol of God’s power and supreme rulership, Israel had gone too far.
God had to punish Uzzah and get His people’s attention.
Uzzah’s sudden death made King David and all the Israelites stop
and consider. The king was both upset and afraid. “How can we take
the Ark to Jerusalem?” he wondered.
Wanting to avoid more of God’s wrath, David decided to leave the
Ark at the home of Obed Edom, who lived in a Levite town called
Gath Rimmon (Joshua 21:24-25). David intended that the Ark stay
there until God revealed what He wanted him to do (II Samuel 6:1-9;
I Chronicles 13:1-13).
Studying God’s L
aw
Taking Uzzah’s life might seem harsh, especially when he, in his mind,
was trying to do something good. But God’s will and overall plan is
greater and better than the good intentions of human beings. Like a caring
parent, God sometimes has to “spank” His people so that they will obey
Him. He knows that only by following His perfect laws will people be
truly happy and prosperous.
David studied God’s Law to see where Israel went wrong. Three
months later, he assembled the leaders of Israel and told them what he
had discovered.
“No man is to carry the Ark of the Covenant except for the Levites.
Long ago, God had chosen the Kohathites of Levi to transport His Ark
on poles, but they must not touch it.”
He then ordered that Zadok and Abiathar the priests and six of the head
Levites sanctify—set themselves apart—before setting out to bring back
the Ark. “This is why God had to correct us, because we failed to study
His laws and seek His counsel about the proper way to do things.”
God’s punishment worked, causing David to seek to do things
God’s way. And though Uzzah was not there to see this, in the future
he will be resurrected and given a chance to be born into the kingdom
of God.
Now that he had learned God’s lesson, David assembled the priests
and the Levites and went to get the Ark the right way. Meanwhile,
during the three months that the Ark had been at Obed Odom’s
house, God had blessed the Levite, his family and everything that
belonged to him.
A Lesson of R
espect
David, the elders of Israel and his military officers, along with singers,
musicians and dancers, came to Obed Odom’s home filled with
joy. As the people celebrated, animal sacrifices were offered to God.
As the Ark was triumphantly brought into the City of David, the
king, led by the Holy Spirit, was so overjoyed that he danced before
God with all his might. David wanted his Creator to know how much
he appreciated Him.
Meanwhile, Michal, David’s first wife, looked down from her
window and watched as the Ark was being carried into the city.
When she saw David leaping and dancing among the citizens, wearing
just an ephod of fine linen, she was not pleased. Michal did not
appreciate the importance of this special event; she only focused on
her husband’s behavior, which embarrassed her.
The Ark was placed inside a tabernacle, which David had specially
set up for it. Then the king worshipped God by having peace
offerings burnt on an altar. Next, the people were blessed, with each
man and woman receiving a small loaf of bread, some meat and a
cake of raisins. Then everyone returned to their homes.
When David returned to his home, he was met by Michal, who
was angry and upset. Using sarcasm, she said, “Look how glorious
the king of Israel behaved today! You acted shamelessly, dancing
around half-naked in front of all the maidservants! You should have
been wearing your royal robes!”
David stared at her. Though Michal was a beautiful woman, at
that moment her attitude was hostile and ugly. He knew that she was
only thinking about herself.
He said to her, “The Eternal chose me to be king, instead of your
father or anyone else in your family. Today, I celebrated to honor
God—not the maidservants. If you think that my dancing before God
was undignified, then I will show you just how undignified I can be,
and humble myself. As for the maidservants, they will still honor
me.”
Michal was not pleased
to watch her husband
David dance and leap
during the celebration.
The Bible reveals that Michal never bore any children. Possibly,
God had punished her for being proud and disrespectful toward His
anointed leader. This punishment also prevented her from providing
a successor to David’s throne from the family of Saul (II Samuel
6:1-23).
Military C
onquests
To strengthen Israel and tighten his kingdom’s security, David set out
to attack his enemies who were causing his people trouble. He defeated
the Philistines, even conquering Gath, their chief city, and the towns
and villages surrounding it. Israel was now free from the Philistines’
control.
Then David took on the Moabites, slaying the older adults while
sparing the young Moabites. The people of Moab were then forced to
become David’s servants and pay tribute to him.
Next, David set out for the Euphrates River to recover lost territory
that had been promised to Abraham and his descendants (Gen.
15:18-21; Deuteronomy 1:7; 11:24; Joshua 1:4). On the way there, he
crushed the army of Hadadezer, the king of Zobah, a Syrian kingdom
that lay north. David and his troops captured 1,000 chariots, 7,000
horse soldiers and 20,000 troops! (The king wrote about this great victory,
recorded in Psalm 60).
He followed God’s command not to gather for himself war horses
and chariots to rely upon for victory in battle. David had all but 100 of
the chariot horses disabled, by hamstringing them (cutting the sinews
of their hind legs).
A Syrian army from Damascus came to King Hadadezer’s aid, but
David destroyed them, killing 22,000 troops. David left garrisons of
his soldiers in Damascus, forcing the Syrians to be his servants and
pay him tribute.
Hadadezer’s officers had carried into battle shields of gold, which
were decorated with impressive insignias, symbolizing power and
might. These became David’s spoils of war, and were brought back to
Jerusalem, along with bronze from Betah and Berothai, cities that had
belonged to King Hadadezer.
When Toi, the king of Hamath, learned that David had defeated
Hadadezer, their common enemy, Toi sent his son Joram to congratulate
the king of Israel. Hamath was another Syrian kingdom, located about
100 miles north of Damascus, and was at war with King Hadadezer.
Wanting to establish good relations with David, King Toi made
sure that his son honored the king with gifts of gold, silver and
11
bronze. This also showed David that Toi was voluntarily submitting
to him.
Always mindful that it was God who blessed him in battle, David
dedicated these gifts to the Eternal, just as he had done with the other
spoils of war from his previous conquests.
David also fought against the army of Edom south of the Red Sea,
in the Valley of Salt. Again, God delivered victory into His servant’s
hand, and 18,000 enemy troops were slain. David then left garrisons
throughout the land of Edom, forcing the citizens to serve him and pay
tribute.
Wherever David went, God blessed him with great success (II
Samuel 8:1-14).
David Builds His Government
Though David was king, he understood that he could not possibly take
care of every single detail in his kingdom. So he appointed certain
men to key government positions to ensure that his commands were
carried out. His nephew Joab was the chief commander of his army.
Jehoshaphat was the recorder, who kept the key records of important
political events and various administrative functions within David’s
government. Zadok and Abiathar were the priests. Seraiah was David’s
secretary, or scribe. Benaiah was captain of David’s elite team of
bodyguards, the Cherathites and Pelethites. And David’s sons served
as chief ministers.
One of the reasons this was recorded in the Bible is to give an
example of how Jesus Christ will govern in the world tomorrow. In the
near future, Christ will rule the earth with Spirit-born servants—those
who have obeyed Him and built holy, righteous character during their
human lifetimes—making up His government. They will diligently
carry out His commands and take care of the people’s needs, seeing
to it that everyone around the world live in peace and happiness. (See
Isaiah 9:7, Jeremiah 23:5 and 33:15).
An Unusual Act of K
indness
While he enjoyed the great blessings God had showered upon him, something
gnawed at the back of David’s mind. He thought about his promise
to Jonathan, his best friend, and wondered if any of Saul’s family members
were still alive. Years earlier, David and Jonathan had promised to
be kind to each other’s descendants (I Samuel 20:15, 42; 18:3, 20). Since
Jonathan was no longer alive, David wanted to fulfill his oath.
12
There were still descendants of Saul who were
alive, but they wanted to stay out of David’s sight.
They feared that David would hunt them down,
thinking that they posed a threat to his throne. But
they did not understand that David thought no
such thing. He only wanted to do good.
The king had Ziba, one of Saul’s former
chief servants, come before him, and
asked if there were any survivors among
Saul’s family line.
Ziba answered, “Yes, one of
Jonathan’s sons is still alive—but he
can’t walk. His feet are disabled.”
“Really?” David said. “Where is
this man? What is his name?”
“His name is Mephibosheth. He’s
in Lo Debar, on the other side of the
Jordan River. He lives with Machir, a
man of considerable wealth.”
Excited, David sent servants to
Lo Debar to bring Jonathan’s son to
Jerusalem. When Mephibosheth was
brought before the king, he feared for his
life.
David looked down on the man, whose
face was bent down to the ground. The king
said, “Don’t be afraid. Before he died in battle,
your father Jonathan was my closest friend.
Because of his kindness and respect toward
me, I will show kindness and respect toward
you. For your father’s sake, I am restoring to
you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul. Also, from this
moment on, you shall always be welcome to eat dinner with me at my
table.”
Mephibosheth could scarcely believe his ears. He did not expect to
receive such unusual honor from the king. “Is this some kind of cruel
joke?” he wondered.
He bowed, and said to David, “What am I to you, my lord? I’m
nothing more than a dead dog.” Mephibosheth felt that he was useless,
especially since his feet were lame. He did not expect such kindness
from David, and knew that he had no way to repay him.
As king, David could have kept the land for himself. Instead, he chose
Mephiboseth,
Jonathan’s son,
had lame feet.
13
to keep his word to Jonathan, even though he was dead. Only a man of
true character would do such a thing.
Saul’s property was so big, it needed a team of servants to manage
and care for it. So David called for Ziba—who, with his 15
sons and 20 servants, had acquired a certain measure of power and
influence—and told him that everything that had belonged to Saul
would now go back to his grandson. “Since you were once Saul’s
chief servant, you will become chief steward of Saul’s estate. You
and your sons and servants will work for Mephibosheth. You will
farm his land and harvest his crops, and provide food for him and
his servants.”
Ziba obeyed. He and his family and servants worked the land
for Mephibosheth, while Jonathan’s son ate at David’s table every
night. David treated him like his own son (II Samuel 9:1-13).
Listening to Bad A
dvice
The death of King Nahash of Ammon concerned David, for he
had been an ally. When he heard that Hanun, Nahash’s son, was
crowned king, David wanted to maintain friendly relations with the
Ammonite kingdom. So he sent a team of his royal representatives
to Ammon to offer his condolences, and to show loyalty and support
to the new king.
The representatives went to Rabbah, Ammon’s capital, about 24
miles east of the Jordan River, opposite of J
ericho.
But King Hanun listened to his court of advisors, who told him
not to trust David. “Do you really believe he cares about honoring
your father? These men aren’t here to comfort you—they are probably
spies. They want to spy out the city and look for weaknesses so
that David’s army can overthrow it!”
Hanun was not used to being a ruler. His inexperience caused
him to rely on bad advice instead of wise counsel. He had David’s
men arrested. But that was not enough. King Hanun and his officials
wanted to send David a “message”—so they humiliated the Israelite
men by shaving off their beard on one side of their faces, and by cutting
off their robes at just below the waist. This was one of the many
shameful practices done to prisoners of war (Isaiah 20:4).
When King David heard what had happened, Hanun’s “message” was
clear to him: The kingdom of Ammon had become Israel’s enemy!
David sent word to his representatives to stay in Jericho until their
beards grew back. He wanted to spare them the further disgrace of being
seen in J
erusalem.
14
A Humiliating D
efeat
The people of Ammon knew they had made David furious, so they took
1,000 talents of silver (I Chronicles 19:6) and hired mercenaries—professional
soldiers who went from kingdom to kingdom, looking to fight
for whoever paid them the most money. About 20,000 Syrian troops
from Beth Rehob and Zobah, along with 1,000 soldiers from King
Maacah and 1,200 from the region of Ish Tob, joined up with Ammon’s
army. These mercenaries wanted more than just money—they also
sought revenge for David’s conquests of their cities.
David heard that these troops had assembled, and he sent Joab,
the commander of Israel’s army, to head off the new threat. Joab
and his men marched to Rabbah. While the Ammonite army readied
the capital for Israel’s attack, the Syrian mercenaries encamped in
nearby fields around the city. Seeing what he was up against, Joab
divided his troops to take on both forces. He led one division, while
his brother Abishai led the other one. Joab and his men attacked the
mercenaries and ran them off. When the Ammonites saw this, they
withdrew from the battlefield
and barricaded themselves in
the city.
Joab and his men joined up
with Abishai’s forces. But instead
of attacking the city, Joab decided
to wait. He knew that besieging
the city would cost time, so he
decided to wait for spring, when
weather conditions would be to
his advantage, and there would be
plenty of food for his troops, due
to the spring harvest. So Joab and
his men returned to J
erusalem.
The Syrians could not bear
to live with their defeat, so they
called for more troops from other
Syrian kingdoms to join against
Israel. Soldiers from as far as the
other side of the Euphrates River
answered the call.
But David and his men found
out about this. The whole army
Israelite soldiers
crossed the Jordan
River to face their
enemies in battle.
15
of Israel crossed the Jordan River and marched to the town of Helam,
which was close to the northern border of Gilead. There, they met
the assembling Syrian armies. 700 enemy chariots and 40,000 horse
soldiers were destroyed, while the survivors ran for their lives. Once
again, God fought David’s battles for him.
The kings who had made war against David realized that they
could not defeat him, so they made peace with him, and became his
servants.
All that was left for Israel’s army to do was to wait until spring,
and attack the city of Rabbah (II Samuel 10:1-19).
16
Spring had finally come. The weather was warmer, travel was
easier, and there was an abundance of crops throughout the land.
David ordered Joab to take Israel’s massive army to Rabbah and
attack the city. He soon received word that Joab’s troops had met the
Ammonites on the battlefield and defeated them. However, just like
what had happened months earlier, the enemy ran back into Rabbah,
ready to defend the city to the death.
David was accustomed to waging warfare, and he wanted to be
there with his troops. But he was getting older, and he knew that
his nephew Joab was a capable army commander. Still, it frustrated
David to stay home in Jerusalem while his men fought (II Samuel
11:1).
A Disgraceful S
in
One evening, David could not get to sleep, so he went outside,
thinking that the fresh, cool air would relax him. As he paced on the
flat of his roof, which was a custom in those days, he looked down
into his neighbor’s courtyard and saw a beautiful young woman
bathing herself.
Right then and there, David should have turned away. But he
didn’t. He stared down at the woman, and allowed his mind to
entertain wrong thoughts. “I wonder who she is?” he thought. “It
couldn’t hurt to simply ask about her,” he reasoned. David thought
that he was in control of his thoughts, but he was being misled by
Satan the Devil, whom the Bible calls “the god of this world” (II
Cor. 4:4). Satan was tempting David to desire what did not belong
to him. Sadly, David gave in to this temptation and broke the Tenth
Commandment: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house, you
shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his
maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is your neighbor’s”
(Exodus 20:17).
The king was so attracted to this young woman that he asked
one of his servants to find out her identity. The servant said, “Her
CHAPTER eighty-two
a long, hard fall
into the snare of sin!
17
name is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the
Hittite.”
The fact that she was another man’s wife should have told David
to drop the matter. But the king allowed his feelings to guide him,
instead of allowing God’s Spirit to steer him in the right direction.
David kept trying to get as close to sin as possible. He sent some
messengers to bring Bathsheba back to his home.
Then he and Bathsheba broke the Seventh Commandment: “You
shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14). Their sin disgraced
Uriah and Eliam, who had trusted and served their king. It was also
a disgrace to Israel—and most of all, to God (II Samuel 11:2-4).
From Adultery and Betrayal to D
eception
Some time later, Bathsheba found out that she was with child—and the
unborn son was David’s! When the king found out about this, he knew
that his sin would be known throughout Israel. Uriah, who was out in
battle fighting against the city of Rabbah, would learn that his king had
betrayed him. All of Israel would discover that David had abused the
power God had entrusted to him to shepherd His people. David could
not bear to let this happened.
He sent a message to Joab, commanding him to send Uriah home.
When Uriah returned from battle and came before the king, David
asked him about Israel’s progress against the enemy. He wanted Uriah
to be comfortable and at ease.
Then the king told him, “Go home, Uriah, and clean up. I’m sure
that you would like to be with your wife.” David even had dinner sent
to Uriah’s home so that the married couple would enjoy an intimate
evening together.
David’s plan was to deceive Uriah into thinking that the baby
Bathsheba was carrying was his. In doing so, David was committing
another sin to cover up his sin of adultery.
The next morning, David found out that his plan had backfired.
Uriah did not go home, but stayed the night in the guards’ barracks.
When the king asked him why, Uriah said, “How can I go home to my
wife and sleep in a warm, comfortable bed while my fellow soldiers
are camping out in tents? I couldn’t do such a thing.”
Uriah wanted to be a loyal example to his men.
But David was not about to give up his plan of deception. The next
day, he invited Uriah to have dinner with him. The king made sure that
Uriah had plenty of wine to drink—in fact, he drank so much that he
became drunk! David then sent Uriah home, knowing that he would
18
not remember whether he was intimate with his wife that night. In
this way, David thought he could fool Uriah into accepting the unborn
child as his own.
But once again, David’s scheme did not go as planned, for Uriah
had spent the night sleeping on a mat near the palace guards.
When David discovered this, he had two paths to choose from:
Repent, ask God for His forgiveness and face the consequences of his
actions—or continue trying to work things out on his own.
Unfortunately, David decided to rely upon himself. Most likely, he
reasoned that it was easier (and less humiliating) to try to “fix” the consequences
of his sins than to admit he did wrong and face the potential
wrath of Bathsheba’s husband (II Samuel 11:5-13).
From Deception to Murder
Early the next morning, the king wrote a letter to Joab and told Uriah
to deliver it. Being a loyal and dedicated soldier, Uriah obeyed and
marched off to the frontline.
When he arrived, Uriah handed Joab the king’s letter. Joab opened
it, and was surprised by its message. David had written, “Set Uriah
at the forefront of the battle, where the fighting is heaviest. Then pull
your troops away from him so that he will be struck down and die.”
Joab looked up from the letter and stared into Uriah’s eyes, and
realized that David had used Uriah to deliver his own death warrant.
Joab did as he was commanded. Uriah courageously went out into
the thick of battle, fighting for his king and countrymen, unaware that
David was using the Ammonites to murder him. When the enemy
came out of the city with its fiercest soldiers, Uriah fought valiantly
against them—but he and several other Israelite soldiers were slain.
Joab sent word back to David. When Bathsheba was told that her
husband was dead, she mourned for him, according to the customary
length of time. (This lasted at least seven days, perhaps longer – see
Genesis 50:10 and I Samuel 31:13.) Then David married her.
The Bible does not mention that David mourned over Uriah’s death.
This is probably because he justified his wrong actions, for sin is like
drunkenness—when one gives himself over to the way of sin, he can
no longer make right judgments (II Samuel 11:14-27).
You may be wondering why David, a righteous man, fell into the
snare of sin. Remember that he had everything going his way. He had
many wives and concubines and lived in a grand palace, and God
had blessed him with many victories in battle. But, as is typical when
people are physically content and satisfied, and are not struggling
19
with trials, they tend to forget God and rely on themselves. It becomes
easier to justify sinning “just a little.” But “little” sins easily snowball
into bigger sins and people soon find themselves trapped in a cycle of
breaking God’s Law—ultimately leading to pain, suffering and death.
But God is very patient and gives His people time to repent—to
change their minds and ways and to turn back to Him.
“You Are the Man!”
David had committed adultery, murdered a loyal friend, and coveted
another man’s wife—breaking the seventh, sixth and tenth commandments.
But in reality, he had broken ALL of God’s commandments!
The apostle James was inspired to write, “If you fulfill the royal law
according to the scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’
you do well...For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend
in one point, he is guilty of all. For He that said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’
said also, ‘Do not kill.’ Now if you commit no adultery, yet if you
kill, you are become a transgressor of the law” (James 2:8, 10-11)!
God was fully aware of the sins that David was piling up, and He
was not pleased. It grieved God to see that the young, humble shepherd
boy who had grown
to trust and rely on
Him was now relying
upon himself, deciding
for himself how
to live. God knew
that something had to
be done—otherwise,
David would be spiritually
ruined, hardened
to the point of no
longer feeling guilty
for sinning. (Notice I
Timothy 4:2.)
As king of Israel,
David continued to
handle the normal
business of deciding
legal matters and disputes
among his citizens.
And yet something
was gnawing at
God sent the prophet
Nathan to proclaim
His divine judgment
regarding David’s sins.
20
his conscience. Even though Bathsheba was now his wife, and their
baby son had been born to them—and even though Israel was safe from
its enemies and the people adored their king—David was not content.
He would never be fully satisfied until he was right with God.
It was then that the prophet Nathan approached David’s throne and
addressed the king:
“My lord, I am here to tell you about two men who lived in the
same city. One man was rich and had need of nothing, while the other
was poor. The rich man owned many flocks of sheep and herds of
cattle, yet the poor man owned nothing, except for one little lamb. The
poor man took special care of this little lamb, feeding and protecting
her, as it grew up with his children. He even let her eat from his own
plate and drink from his cup and sleep on his lap. She was a part of
his family.”
David leaned forward as Nathan continued his story.
“But one day a traveler visited the rich man. The rich man did
not want to take a sheep or ox from his many possessions and hold
a feast for his guest—so he stole the poor man’s lamb and served it
to his guest instead.”
Furious, David slammed his fist on the arm of his throne, and
thundered, “What?!! As
surely as the Eternal
God of Israel lives, the
rich man deserves to
die! Since he did not
have pity for the poor
man, I will make him
pay four times what the
lamb was worth! Who is
this man who did such a
cruel thing? Tell me his
name!”
God’s prophet looked
straight into David’s
eyes, pointed his finger
at the king, and declared,
“You are that man!”
David sat back in his
seat, stunned. He did
not know what to say.
He had unwittingly condemned
himself.
King David was stunned
by Nathan’s news.
21
Nathan continued, “Thus says the Eternal God of Israel: ‘I anointed
you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul,
your former master. I gave you your master’s possessions, as well as
the whole house of Israel and Judah. And if these were not enough,
I would have given you much more. Why, then, have you despised
My commandments and done evil in My sight? You have conspired
against and murdered Uriah the Hittite, using the Ammonites as your
weapon, and you have stolen his wife and made her to be your wife.
From this moment forward, the sword of violence shall never depart
from your house. Because you have despised Me, and have stolen the
wife of Uriah to be your wife, I will raise up evil and trouble against
you from your own household. And I will take your wives and give
them to another man, and he shall be intimate with your wives for all
to see. The sins you committed were done in secret—but I will do this
thing before all Israel!’”
David had done much evil to another man’s home, so God judged
that evil be done to David’s household.
God’s word rang in David’s ears. It sobered him. It caused the king to
see that he had followed the path of sin so deeply that he was no longer
close to God. David did not justify himself; he did not reason away or
excuse himself for his misdeeds. He took responsibility and admitted
his sin.
Feeling guilty and defeated, he said to Nathan, “I have sinned against
the Eternal, and have broken His Law.”
“Yes, you have,” the prophet said. “And although you have sinned
and thus earned the penalty of death, God forgives you. You will not
die.” David was relieved, but he knew that Nathan had more to say. He
nodded, and listened to the prophet, who said, “Your evil actions have
given reasons for God’s enemies to blaspheme His name. They can now
point to your sins and mock God for choosing you to be His king.”
David had not considered that his actions would give God’s enemies
reasons to gloat.
“Again, David, your sins have been forgiven, so you will not die,”
Nathan said. “But your newborn son shall surely die” (II Samuel 12:1-
14).
A Psalm of R
epentance
David deeply repented of his sins, which is recorded in Psalm 51. He
poured his heart out to his Creator, and asked for forgiveness. He cried
out, “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness:
22
according to the multitude of your tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my
sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before
me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your
sight: that You might be justified when You speak, and be clear when
You judge...Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Your presence; and take not Your Holy Spirit
from me...For You desire not sacrifice; else would I give it: You delight
not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken
and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”
Though God had mercy on His servant and forgave David for sinning
against Him and removed the death penalty (Romans 6:23), He did not
remove the other consequences of sin. God wanted to teach David—and
us today—a vital lesson: Sin destroys lives, while righteousness (keeping
God’s commandments – Psalm 119:172) builds happy, productive
lives, and ultimately leads to eternal life.
Fasting to Seek God’s W
ill
Not long after Nathan had departed from the king’s presence, David
and Bathsheba’s newborn son suddenly grew deathly ill. David
knew that God had struck the child with a fatal sickness. The king
humbled himself, going without food and drink, so that he could
draw close to God and beg Him to have mercy on the baby. All night
long, David lay on the floor and cried out to the Eternal, clinging to
the slim hope that God would change His mind and intervene.
The palace officials stood watch over their king and tried to convince
him to get up and eat with them. But David refused. Day after
day, he turned to God—and when the seventh day came, David’s
baby boy died.
The palace officials were afraid to tell their king of the bad news.
They feared that if they told David that the boy was dead, he might
do more than just stop eating and drinking. “The king might do
something drastic,” they reasoned.
But when he saw the men whispering among themselves, David
concluded that his son was dead. He called for his servants, and
asked, “What about the boy? Is my son dead?”
“Yes,” they said. “He is dead.”
The men wondered what would happen next. Would David let out
an agonizing scream? Would he become like an uncontrollable wildman,
thrashing about? Would he seethe in rage and even curse God?
23
To their surprise, King David quietly got up from the floor,
bathed himself, combed his hair, put on fresh clothes, and went to
the tabernacle to worship God. Afterward, he returned home and
asked his servants to bring food to eat.
As the king ate, his servants said, “My lord, we don’t understand
what you are doing. When your son was sick, yet alive, you fasted and
wept for him, sleeping on the ground night after night. But now that he
is dead, you rose up from the ground and are eating—why?”
David replied, “When the child was still alive, I fasted and cried
out to God. I thought, ‘Who can tell whether God will be gracious to
me, and allow my boy to live?’ But now that he is dead, there is no
reason to fast. God has made His decision, and I have accepted it. Can
I bring my son back to life? No! Someday, I will join him in death, but
he cannot return to me” (II Samuel 12:15-23).
Throughout history, people who have not known God and His truth
have fasted to make political statements, to bring attention to themselves—
to force their will upon others. But David fasted in order to
seek God’s will. Making himself physically weak helped him to see
more clearly that the Almighty Creator was the ultimate source of his
life, happiness and success. And though he pleaded for God to spare
his son, fasting helped David to yearn for and accept God’s final decision.
Fasting the right way helps people to recognize that the Supreme
God of the universe knows all and sees all—and therefore His divine
will is superior to the limited and often faulty reasoning of human
beings.
Some time later, David and Bathsheba had another child, whom
they named Solomon. David taught Solomon to trust in God and to
obey His laws. And God loved the little boy, and decided to use in him
to determine the course of Israel’s future. He sent the prophet Nathan
to tell David that God decided to call the boy Jedidiah, which means
“Beloved of the Eternal” (II Samuel 12:24-25).
24
Joab sent word to David that, in their latest attack against Rabbah, his
forces had captured a heavily guarded fortress that protected the city’s
precious water supply. Now that Rabbah was without fresh water, the
capital of Ammon could not survive for very long.
“Come gather all the troops of Israel,” the message went, “and
personally lead them in surrounding the city and capturing it. Years
from now, everyone will remember that you were the one who struck
your enemy with the fatal blow. But if you do not come, everyone will
remember that I captured the city.”
The king agreed with Joab’s plan. He gathered the rest of Israel’s
army, and then marched to Rabbah.
From atop the city walls, the Ammonites saw David’s mass of troops
swarm around them, like a sea of insects surrounding a dying animal.
The Ammonites and their king quickly realized that their end was near.
After the city of Rabbah was finally captured, David took King
Hanun’s crown from him, which was made of gold and the finest jewels,
and placed it on his own head. David and his men also took away
everything else of value and carried it off to Israel.
David also made the Ammonites take up saws, axes and picks and
had them tear down the walls of Rabbah and of all the cities in Ammon.
David knew that, without walls to hide behind to defend themselves, the
Ammonites would think twice before rebelling against Israel.
Back in Jerusalem, after Israel’s army had returned home from its
victorious mission, David thought about God’s prophecy that trouble
would erupt from within his own family. The king knew that God always
kept His word, so he did not doubt that the prophecy would come to
pass—he only wondered how and when it would happen (II Samuel
12:26-31; I Chronicles 20:1-3).
Ammon and Tamar
David had a lovely daughter named Tamar, who was the sister of
Absalom. Absalom and Tamar’s mother was Maacah, princess daughter
of Talmai, king of Geshur, a region in Syria (II Samuel 3:3).
CHAPTER eighty-three
trouble from within
25
Amnon, David’s firstborn son who was in line to become king, was
lovesick for Tamar, his half-sister. In reality, his intense feelings for her
were lust disguised as love. Amnon’s desire was based on satisfying
himself; he did not worry about wanting to please Tamar. When he could
not find a way to be alone with her, he became upset and fell sick.
Jonadab, a cousin and close friend, advised Amnon with an
evil plan to fulfill his selfish desires.
The Bible warns us not to listen
to so-called friends who devise evil
plans (Proverbs 1:10-19), and that
we should avoid ungodly counsel
(Psalm 1:1-2) and delight in God’s
Law.
Sadly, Amnon followed
Jonadab’s wicked counsel, and
took advantage of Tamar. He
relied solely on his emotions,
which led him to justify his
wrong actions.
Abused and rejected,
Tamar tore the royal multicolored
robe she wore
and put ashes on her head.
Then she covered her face
with her hands and wept.
Absalom soon
learned what had happened
to his sister and
did his best to comfort
her. He told Tamar not
to discuss what happened
with anyone,
fearing a public scandal.
Absalom also wanted
time to think of a way
to get revenge.
Tamar moved into
Absalom’s house, living
the rest of her life
sad and lonely. She
never married nor had
children.
Tamar, a daughter
of King David, was
a beautiful Israelite
princess.
26
When the king heard about how Tamar had been horribly treated, he
was furious. However, David did what parents should never do—favor
one child over another. And so, not wanting to do anything to make
Amnon, his favorite son, unhappy, David failed to punish him. This
lack of swift and righteous justice sent a wrong message to all Israel.
Amnon expected Absalom to defend his sister’s honor and attack—
but Absalom acted as though nothing had happened. Yet, inwardly, he
hated Amnon for what he had done to Tamar. But Absalom knew that
he was under the watchful eyes of his father and Amnon’s friends and
supporters. Therefore, he decided to wait for the right moment to strike
(II Samuel 13:1-22).
Absalom Gets His R
evenge
The opportunity came two years later. One day, Absalom’s servants
were cutting wool from his sheep in Baal-Hazor, a Benjamite village
(Nehemiah 11:31-33) that was about 12 miles northeast of Jerusalem.
Absalom invited David and all of the king’s sons to attend a grand
feast he was holding there.
David replied, “No, my son. It would be too much of a burden for
you.”
Absalom tried to change his mind, but the king continued to say no,
saying that he hoped they would have a good time.
Then Absalom said, “If you will not go, at least let Amnon come
with us.”
David leaned forward and thought for a moment. “Why should he
go with you?” he asked.
“All of the king’s sons should feast together. Are we not family?”
At Absalom’s insistence, David eventually gave in and allowed Amnon
to attend.
Once the feast was underway, David’s sons ate and drank and had
a good time. But unknown to them, Absalom had secretly hatched an
evil plan to be unleashed as his brothers let down their guard. Amnon,
feeling safe among his many brothers and confident that Absalom
would not harm him, drank too much wine and became drunk. That’s
when Absalom signaled his servants to kill Amnon. David’s other
sons were shocked to see their eldest brother slain before their eyes.
Surprise gave way to panic as they ran to their mules and rode off,
fearing that Absalom would do them in as well.
Word of what had happened made it back to King David—but the
news was horribly exaggerated. “Absalom has murdered every one of
your sons!” someone told him. “Not one is left alive!”
27
(When tragic events occur, rumor and gossip often twist fact into
fiction. This is why people should always get all the facts on a matter
and not jump to wild conclusions.)
King David rose from his seat, tore his clothes and lay down on the
ground, expressing great sorrow. His servants joined him, tearing their
clothes also.
David’s nephew Jonadab came to him and told him the truth. “My
lord, not all of your sons are dead—only Amnon! Absalom must have
plotted for this day to come ever since Amnon abused Tamar. And now
that Amnon is dead, Absalom has run away” (II Samuel 13:23-34).
Absalom Flees to G
eshur
Just then, one of the king’s guards reported that he saw some men
approaching.
Jonadab said, “Look, my lord! Here come your sons now, just as I
had said.”
The surviving sons came before the king, joining him and the
officials in bitter weeping. David mourned for quite a long time over
Amnon’s death.
Meanwhile, Absalom ran away to the kingdom of Geshur, where
he stayed for three years with his grandfather, King Talmai. David
felt so unhappy over the loss of Amnon that he wanted to take his
28
army to Geshur and bring Absalom back home. David had lost two
sons—Amnon to death, and Absalom to exile (and the death penalty,
if captured and brought to justice). David wanted to reconcile with his
son, but wondered if the people of Israel would demand Absalom’s
execution (II Samuel 13:34-39).
Absalom Returns to Jerusalem
Joab knew that David continually thought about Absalom, so he
thought of a way for the king and his son to reconcile. Joab arranged
for a woman from Tekoa, about ten miles south of Jerusalem, to
wear funeral clothes and pretend to have spent a long time mourning
the death of a loved one. According to his plan, the woman was
brought before the king. She bowed low, saying, “My lord, please
help me!”
Like a good shepherd, David gave her his undivided attention
and asked what was wrong.
She said, “My husband is dead, leaving me a widow. My two sons
fought each other out in a field, and, because no one was around to
pull them apart, one son killed the other. Now all of my relatives
have risen against me, demanding that I hand over my son in order
to execute him for killing his brother. They claim to want justice, but
what they really want is to get rid of him so that they can take possession
of our land. Please don’t let them put out my only flame of
hope, my only surviving son! Else there will be no one left to carry
on my husband’s name.”
The thought of a helpless old woman being taking advantage of
by family members—who should have been looking out for her welfare—
made the king furious. He looked into the woman’s eyes and
said, “Go on home. I will take care of this matter for you.”
She said, “If your decision causes any problems for you, let the
guilt fall on me and my father’s house so that you and your throne
are blameless.”
He said, “If anyone gives you any trouble, bring them to me. I
will see to it that it never happens again!”
“Please, my lord,” she answered, “promise me that no one will
be allowed to take my son’s life!”
David gave his word.
Then the woman said, “My lord, may I say something?”
“Yes.”
She said, “If you are generous to pardon a son who is not yours,
why do you not forgive your own son, who has exiled himself, and
29
bring him back home? Everyone dies, and death is like water spilled
on the ground—it cannot be reversed. God would rather preserve
life than take it. Shouldn’t you follow His merciful example?”
David grew suspicious of the woman’s motives. He leaned forward
and said, “Now I have a question for you—and don’t try to
hide the truth from me! Did Joab put you up to this?”
The woman answered, “Yes, my lord, he did—but only to help
you see the other side of this problem.”
David turned to Joab and said, “It seems that I have already given
my decision. Go to Geshur and bring Absalom back home.”
Joab bowed low and said, “My lord, thank you for giving your
permission. It shows that I have found favor in your sight.” It
seemed like Joab was looking to do the right thing and reconcile
a father and son together. However, Joab’s motives were selfish, a
political move to get into David’s favor in order to gain more power
and influence.
Joab marched out to the kingdom of Geshur and brought Absalom
back to Jerusalem. Absalom was excited to finally reconcile with his
father—but was hurt when he learned that David had given orders
for him to be kept from the king’s presence. Absalom lived in his
own house without seeing his father’s face (II Samuel 14:1-24).
The King Forgives His S
on
Absalom was the most handsome and well-built man in all Israel.
From head to toe, he had no blemish. He got his hair cut once a
year, and when the hair was weighed, it came to about five pounds.
Absalom had three sons, as well as a beautiful daughter, who was
named after his sister T
amar.
Like Saul, Absalom looked kingly. His beautiful appearance led
him to be popular among the people. (Yet God judges people by
their character and what is in their heart.) In the eyes of the people,
Absalom seemed destined to inherit David’s throne.
Two years passed without Absalom being allowed to see his
father. He decided to get Joab to talk to David for him, so he sent a
message asking Joab to come visit him. But Joab refused. Absalom
sent another message, but Joab still said no.
Like Joab, Absalom also knew how to play politics, and he created
a situation that forced Joab to talk to him. He told his servants
to set Joab’s barley field on fire, which was next to Absalom’s field.
This got Joab’s attention. He marched over to Absalom’s house and
demanded, “Why did your servants set my field on fire?”
30
Absalom said, “Because you have refused to see me. Now that
I have your attention, I want you to ask my father why he had me
brought back to Jerusalem. I was better off in Geshur.”
In the two years Absalom had been home, he showed no sign of
remorse or repentance for killing Amnon. He demanded, “Tell my
father: ‘Either accept me or kill me, but don’t ignore me!’”
Reluctantly, Joab delivered Absalom’s message to the king. David
was so touched by his son’s plea for acceptance, he
sent for Absalom to come before him. When father
and son finally met, Absalom bowed low to
the ground. David leaned over and kissed him;
father and son were reunited (II Samuel 14:25-
33).
The Prince Rises to P
ower
As time passed, being reconciled with
his father was no longer enough—
Absalom wanted power. And he craved
the attention of the people. He routinely
rode around in his royal chariot
pulled by a team of horses, and had
50 men run before him. The people
of Jerusalem quickly took notice of
Absalom’s impressive display of royalty,
power and influence.
Public hearings were held every morning
in a court outside the city gates. King
David, who was getting old and was
busy with many important matters,
could not resolve all the legal complaints
that came to him. Many
people left court, their cases unresolved,
feeling bitter and resentful.
Absalom saw this as his chance to
gain influence among the masses.
Early each morning, the prince
waited by the side of the
road that led to the city
gate, and sought out visitors
who came to Jerusalem
bringing legal complaints Prince Absalom was very proud
of his long, flowing hair.
31
to the king. Whenever he met someone visiting from the northern
tribes of the house of Israel, Absalom would tell them, “You deserve
to win your case. It’s unfortunate that my father the king doesn’t have
someone to listen to complaints like yours. If only someone would
make me a judge—I would be fair to everyone!”
For many ears, this sounded humble, meek and caring—but in reality,
Absalom was self-seeking. He caused the people of the northern
tribes to distrust David, implying that the king would show legal favor
to those of Judah and B
enjamin.
Absalom set himself up as “the defender of the little people,” someone
who would fight for their cause wherever government failed to do
so. By siding with them before even hearing the whole matter of their
legal complaints, he used their thirst for justice to win their favor. Soon
everyone in Israel liked Absalom more than they did David!
But four years of gaining the affection and loyalty of the people
was no longer enough. Absalom still wanted more power.
One day, he asked his father permission to go to Hebron, the town
in which Absalom was born (II Samuel 3:1-3). It was also the place
where David was anointed king over Judah and then over all Israel (II
Samuel 2:4; 5:3).
“When I was living in Geshur, I promised God that, if He would
bring me back to live in Jerusalem, I would worship Him in Hebron. I
must keep my promise.”
David said, “Of course, my son. You may go.” Absalom took with
him 200 men who did not know what he was secretly planning to do.
At Hebron, Absalom offered sacrifices. Meanwhile, as throngs of
people came to town to support his move for more power, Absalom
secretly sent a messenger to Giloh, a town in the hill country of Judah,
not far from Hebron, to invite Ahithophel, David’s advisor, to join
him. His counsel was so accurate that people regarded his words as
being from God. Ahithophel was the grandfather of Bathsheba (II
Samuel 11:3; 23:34). He may have wanted to get revenge on David
for committing adultery with his granddaughter and for murdering her
husband Uriah.
The prince also sent spies throughout all the northern tribes of
Israel, who told everyone, “When you hear the sound of the trumpets,
you must shout, ‘Absalom now rules as king in Hebron!’” (II Samuel
15:1-12).
32
King David stood in stony silence as he digested the news that a
messenger had just delivered.
“My lord, Prince Absalom has betrayed you,” the young man said.
“He has secretly plotted against you, and now every citizen in Israel
follows after Absalom.”
Fear gripped everyone in the royal court. They turned to their king
to tell them what to do.
David said, “We must leave Jerusalem at once! We either leave
now, or none of us will escape from Absalom’s rush for power.”
“But my lord,” said one official, “what will the people think? They
expect you to stand your ground and fight.”
David stared into the man’s eyes and said, “And we will fight—but
not here, not now. At the moment, my son has the element of surprise
to his advantage. If he and his troops move fast, they could overtake
us while we’re still here—and
they will certainly kill us and everyone
else in the city.”
The king wanted to preserve Jerusalem, which he feared would
suffer much destruction if he decided to fend off Absalom’s invading
forces there. And, just as he had done in his youth when Saul pursued
him through the wilderness, David felt that he could rally greater support
among the people in the countryside.
David’s officials remained loyal to him. Despite being outnumbered
and the fear of not knowing whom to trust, they did not give in
to the temptation to switch sides (II Samuel 15:13-15).
A Surprising Show of L
oyalty
The king gathered all his wives and children, along with his loyal
officials, soldiers and personal bodyguards, and fled Jerusalem.
Meanwhile, the citizens wept and moaned at the sight of David’s sad
retreat. When the royal caravan came to the last home at the edge of
the city, the king stood and watched as his soldiers and bodyguards
marched past. The last group consisted of 600 mercenaries, who had
come from the town of Gath.
CHAPTER eighty-four
absalom’s rebellion
33
David said to Ittai, their commander, “Tell your men that there’s no
need for them to come with us. None of you are Israelites, so this is not
your battle. Return and join the new king. You haven’t been with me
very long, so I do not expect you to follow me. Besides, I don’t even
know where we will go.”
But Ittai respectfully disagreed. “As surely as you and the Eternal
live, I will go wherever you go—even
if it costs my life. And my men
and their families will follow my lead.”
David was surprised to see such loyalty from these men, foreigners
in his country. Normally, soldiers-for-hire
were loyal to whoever paid
them the most. But these 600 mercenaries had come to respect David’s
leadership. They knew firsthand that he was a fair and just ruler, which
made him stand out from the many ruthless and selfish kings that ruled
in foreign lands.
“Very well,” the king said. “Come with us” (II Samuel 15:17-23).
David’s Spy N
etwork
David’s caravan crossed over the Brook Kidron, which separated
Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, and traveled across the Kidron
Valley, east of the city, taking a road leading into the wilderness.
Traveling with the caravan were the priests Zadok and Abiathar,
along with the Levites who carried with them the Ark of the Covenant.
They had brought the Ark to comfort the king, but David ordered
Zadok to send it back. He knew that possessing God’s Ark did not
automatically guarantee success, and understood that God blesses
those who obey and please Him, who put His will first. David also
recognized that God had the authority to either keep him on Israel’s
throne, or remove him from it. Therefore, he calmly left his fate in
God’s hands.
In returning to Jerusalem, Zadok and his son Ahimaaz, and Abiathar
and his son Jonathan, became the eyes and ears for the king. Their
mission was to set up a secret spy network and quietly take note of
Absalom’s activities in the city.
As King David stood atop the Mount of Olives and gazed down
upon Jerusalem, one of his counselors, Hushai the Archite, approached
him. Hushai felt just as miserable as the king, and wanted to join
David’s caravan.
But the king said, “No, I have something better in mind.”
David gave Hushai a secret mission: to return to Jerusalem and
pretend to offer his counseling services to Absalom. With Zadok and
Abiathar’s help, Hushai was to steer Absalom away from listening to
34
King David and his caravan depart from
Jerusalem to escape Absalom’s army.
Ahithophel’s wise and sound advice. And Ahimaaz and Jonathan were
to report to David everything Hushai would learn.
Hushai agreed, and slipped back into the city just as Absalom and
his troops approached the capital (II Samuel 15:24-37).
Betrayed Yet A
gain?
Starting down the other side of the Mount of Olives, David was met by
Ziba, Mephibosheth’s chief servant. He brought with him two donkeys
carrying 200 loaves of bread, 100 cakes of raisins, 100 figs and a goat’s
skin of wine.
“What is all this?” David asked.
Ziba said, “I brought these donkeys for your family to ride as you
make your escape, and the food supplies are for when your people get
hungry and tired.”
“And where is Mephibosheth, your new master?”
Ziba slowly shook his head. “He stayed behind in Jerusalem, in hopes
that the people would make him king. He believes that, in our current
climate of troubles, now is the perfect time for the house of Saul to retake
the throne.”
“So...Saul’s grandson repays my kindness with treachery,” David
thought. “Is there no one who has not betrayed me?”
With Absalom’s revolt so widespread and loyalties uncertain, David
had to know who he could and could not trust. This led him to jump to
conclusions and assume the worst—that,
like Ahithophel, Saul’s grandson
had betrayed him.
The king said to Ziba, “From this moment forth, everything that
belonged to Mephibosheth now belongs to you.”
Ziba bowed, hiding his sly, self-satisfied
smirk. He said, “Thank you,
my lord. My humble services are at your command” (II Samuel 16:1-4).
Choosing Not to Strike B
ack
David’s caravan approached the town of Bahurim, and was met by a
man named Shimei, a distant relative of Saul. Shimei was happy to see
David and his people flee for their lives. He threw rocks at him and at his
soldiers and bodyguards, screaming, “Get out of here, David! Get out,
you son of Belial! How does it feel to have the Eternal pay you back for
spilling the blood of Saul’s house? You stole Saul’s kingdom, and now
God has given it to your son! You’re a bloodthirsty man, and that’s why
your own evil has caught up with you!”
Abishai, David’s nephew, wanted to chop off Shimei’s head for say-
36
ing such horrible things. But the king said, “Let him be. If God has told
Shimei to curse me, then who are we to question God’s will?”
Then David turned to face all of his men, and said, “Listen to me. My
own son seeks to take my life! So why shouldn’t this man, who comes
from Saul’s family? Let no one lay a hand on Shimei. Perhaps God is
using him to curse me—if
so, then perhaps God will have mercy upon
me as I suffer these humiliating insults.”
King David decided to humble himself and to leave the matter in
God’s hands. He wrote about these troubling events in Psalm 3.
David’s men agreed to leave Shimei alone. As the caravan traveled
down the road, Shimei followed along the nearby hillside, cursing and
throwing stones at them. It was hard for the soldiers not to strike back, but
they kept their emotions in check for David’s sake (II Samuel 16:5-13).
David’s Punishment C
ontinues
Absalom and his soldiers were now in control of Jerusalem. They
were in the middle of making plans for their next move when Hushai
Shimei hurls rocks and
insults at King David
and his men.
came to greet David’s son. “Long live the king,” he said. “Long live
the king!”
Absalom eyed Hushai with suspicion. “Why are you so quick to
betray my father? Why didn’t you flee with him when you had the
chance?”
Hushai replied, “Whomever God and the people of Israel choose to
be king, him will I serve. As I have served your father with my counsel,
so shall I serve you.”
Absalom liked what he heard, though he was not quite ready to lean
on Hushai’s advice. He turned to Ahithophel and asked him what he
should do next. The old man said, “In his haste to flee from our forces,
your father left behind ten of his concubines to care for the palace.”
“What about them?” Absalom asked. “They’re harmless.”
“Yes, but they symbolize your father’s strength and importance. I
advise you to be intimate with them, just as David has done—only
do
so in the sight of the people. This will publicly disgrace your father,
and make you and your followers even more powerful.”
Absalom did not hesitate to follow Ahithophel’s wicked counsel.
God, through the prophet Nathan, had told David that this evil would
come upon him: “And I will take your wives and give them to another
man, and he shall be intimate with your wives for all to see. The sins
you committed were done in secret—but
I will do this thing before all
Israel!” (II Samuel 15:16; 16:15-22).
Choosing Which Plan to F
ollow
Next, Ahithophel advised Absalom to let him pick 12,000 soldiers and
attack David that very night, while the king was tired and discouraged. “I
will strike his caravan with fear and cause all his mighty men to run away.
But I will kill only David, no one else. Then you will not have to worry
about your father reclaiming the throne. And, without his leadership,
David’s followers would be more inclined to submit to you. Showing
mercy upon them and sparing their lives would keep Israel from erupting
into a civil war. Your kingdom would thrive in peace.”
Absalom and all the elders of the tribes of Israel—many
of whom had
called upon David to be their king years earlier (II Samuel 5:1-3)—were
pleased by Ahithophel’s plan. And the old, gray-haired
counselor was
confident that Absalom would follow it.
However, he was surprised (and somewhat annoyed) when Absalom
called for Hushai to attend their meeting.
After telling Hushai about Ahithophel’s plan, Absalom said to him,
“You are a counselor—counsel
me. Should we do what Ahithophel
38
advises—and
if not, do you have a better plan?”
This was the opportunity Hushai had been waiting for. He said,
“Ahithophel is indeed wise and experienced. However, in this case,
his advice is not so good. You all know that David and his mighty men
are as fierce as a mother bear that has been robbed of her clubs. They
have no room in their hearts for fear. Besides this, your father is an
experienced man of war. You will not find him camping out in the open
among his family and servants. No, David will be hiding in a cave or
some other secret place, waiting to pounce on your troops. And as soon
as some of your men are slain, rumors will spread across the countryside,
claiming that your army is being slaughtered. Even the hearts of
your most valiant soldiers will melt, for everyone in Israel knows how
courageous and fierce David and his mighty men are.”
These words sobered every man in the room. “Perhaps Hushai has
a point,” some whispered.
Absalom leaned closer, and said, “Then what is your advice?”
Hushai said, “I advise you to gather every warrior throughout
Israel, from Dan up north to Beersheba down in the south. Then your
troops would be as numerous as sand on the seashore—more
than
enough to crush David and his men. And no one should lead your army
into battle but you. Why should someone else get the glory? When you
have assembled your army, we shall fall upon David and his followers
like dew falls on the ground and covers it. There will be no way for
them to cheat death. And if they try to escape into a walled town, every
soldier will bring rope with him; together, we will pull down the walls
and even drag the city into the river. Not one stone will remain.”
Absalom liked what he heard. In his eyes, Hushai’s plan looked
promising because it ensured that David and his troops would be easily
outnumbered and defeated. The plan also appealed to Absalom’s vanity;
he liked the idea of leading his army into a victorious battle, one
that he was virtually guaranteed to win, despite the fact that he lacked
hands-on
military experience. The elders also liked Hushai’s plan better
than Ahithophel’s.
This was because God had intervened. He turned Absalom and his
men away from Ahithophel’s shrewd counsel by inspiring Hushai’s
advice to sound better (II Samuel 17:1-14).
A Hasty Escape!
David’s secret spy network sprang into action. First, Hushai told Zadok
and Abiathar everything that took place at the meeting, adding, “We
must warn David before it’s too late!”
39
Next, the two priests sent a servant girl to En Rogel, a spring in the
Kidron Valley just outside of Jerusalem. People who saw her leave the
city assumed that she was fetching water for her masters—but
little did
they know that she carried with her a secret message!
Then, careful not to draw attention to herself, the servant girl delivered
Hushai’s message to Jonathan and Ahimaaz. They had been waiting
in En Rogel, for they dared not to be seen going into Jerusalem,
else Absalom’s followers would suspect them of being spies.
Absalom leans forward as he
listens to Hushai’s advice.
40
Unfortunately, a young man, who noticed the servant girl talking
with the two young men, quickly told Absalom what he had seen.
Absalom suspected the worst: “Something tells me that Jonathan and
Ahimaaz are up to no good.” He ordered his men to assemble and rush
out to En Rogel.
But Jonathan and Ahimaaz had already fled to the town of Bahurim,
just east of Jerusalem. There, they went to the home of one of David’s
loyal followers and hid in the man’s well, while the wife covered its
mouth with ground corn.
Meanwhile, Absalom’s soldiers were hot on their trail! They came
to the home and looked around. Fortunately, they did not discover
Jonathan and Ahimaaz’s hiding place, and the soldiers departed empty-
handed.
Then the two young men left the well and delivered the secret message
to David that night. The king heeded Hushai’s warning to cross
over the Jordan River, just in case Absalom changed his mind and followed
Ahithophel’s advice instead (II Samuel 17:15-22).
41
After receiving Hushai’s message, King David and his troops made
their escape over the Jordan River. By sunrise, everyone was
safely on the other side.
Meanwhile, Ahithophel quietly saddled his donkey, departed from
Jerusalem and headed back to his home in Gilo. He thought about the
shrewd counsel he had given Absalom and how it was rejected. The old
man knew that David now had enough time to safely escape— enough
time to gather more troops, weapons and necessary supplies—enough
time to rally help and support from among loyal citizens in other parts
of the nation. And Ahithophel knew that time had run out for Absalom
and all those who betrayed David, their king.
When he finally arrived home, the white-haired counselor made
arrangements for his family members, servants and property. And then,
rather than going through the certain humiliation of facing the king he
betrayed and possibly being executed, Ahithophel hanged himself (II
Samuel 17:22-23).
Preparing for Combat
Absalom soon learned that his father was in Gilead, in the city
of Mahanaim. David chose this as his field headquarters because
Mahanaim had been heavily fortified many years earlier, when
Ishbosheth, son of Saul, had claimed rulership over Israel.
Absalom decided to mount an attack. With his cousin Amasa in
charge of his army, Absalom and his soldiers crossed the Jordan River
in pursuit of the king.
David was ready to make his stand. He organized his soldiers into
three major groups, with Joab, Abishai (Joab’s brother) and Ittai, leader
of the 600 foreign mercenaries, each commanding a division.
Then the king, grabbing for his sword and shield, said to his men,
“I’m going into battle with you.”
But his officers said, “No, my lord! We can’t let you risk your life in
battle! You’re too valuable to us! Suppose Absalom’s army forced us
to retreat—they wouldn’t care about killing us! Even if half of our men
CHAPTER eighty-five
the affection of the king
42
were lying dead on the field, Absalom and his soldiers would only care
about taking your life! You are worth more to us than 10,000 soldiers.
For all our sakes, it would be better for you to stay in town. From there,
you can send us help if we need it.”
The king did not want to stay behind, but he knew that his men had
a good point. His death meant their sure defeat, and Absalom would
be able to secure the throne. Reluctantly, David agreed to remain in
Mahanaim.
Then, David stood at the city gate and watched as his loyal soldiers
marched by in groups of hundreds and thousands, exiting the
city. The king turned to his three commanders, Joab, Abishai and
Ittai, and said loud enough for everyone to hear, “Make sure that you
deal gently with Absalom, for my sake. I want my son to be captured
unharmed.”
Some of the men, especially Joab, did not understand why David
would want Absalom unharmed. Despite all the grief, trouble and
shame Absalom had caused for David, the king still loved his son. He
wanted so much to reconcile with him (II Samuel 17:25-26; 18:1-5).
A Tragic End
The armies of David and Absalom clashed in the dense woods of
Ephraim. The forest was so thick with trees, bushes, underbrush and
jagged rocks that more soldiers died from the rugged terrain than from
waging combat.
Even so, David’s three-pronged attacked was working. His troops
gained the upper hand, slaying thousands of enemy soldiers. In the end,
20,000 troops had perished.
Absalom’s men were now on the run. Even the young prince himself
retreated for safety, riding his mule through the dense forest, doing his
best to avoid crashing into trees and rocks.
But his mad race to escape capture came to a sudden end—Absalom
found himself hanging in midair, his head caught in the branches of a
terebinth tree! Apparently, Absalom’s long, flowing hair—the symbol of
his vanity—had gotten tangled and twisted in the tree. His own pride and
arrogance had led him to be snared!
To make matters worse, one of David’s soldiers discovered Absalom
hanging in the tree, struggling back and forth to get free. The man rushed
to tell Joab what he had just seen.
Amazed, Joab said, “What? You just stood there and did nothing?
Why didn’t you kill him? I would have given you ten pieces of silver and
a belt of honor for that man’s death!”
43
Trying to escape capture, Absalom
gets his head caught in a tree.
The soldier could scarcely believe what he was hearing. He said,
“How could I raise a hand against David’s son when the king himself,
in the hearing of all his men, ordered you, your brother and Ittai
not to harm Absalom? As for your money—I wouldn’t slay Absalom
even if you offered me 10,000 pieces of silver! I wouldn’t dare risk
my life killing him. I know full well that the king would find out,
and if that happened, I also know that you would have me take all
the blame!”
“I’m not going to waste any more time on you!” Joab huffed. Then
he walked off, taking with him three spears.
When Joab and ten of his armor bearers came to where Absalom
was last seen, the prince was still hanging in the air. Without hesitation,
Joab defied David’s orders and thrust his spears into Absalom’s heart.
Rather than obey his king, Joab did what seemed to be politically in his
favor: to kill the rebellious son so that he would not get another chance
to seize the throne.
The armor bearers, following their master’s evil example, surrounded
Absalom and finished him off with their weapons. Absalom
was dead.
Then Joab blew a trumpet that blasted throughout the woods of
Ephraim. This was the signal to David’s men that the battle was over.
Years earlier, Absalom had a monument built in his own honor
so that he would be remembered after his death, even calling it after
himself. He built it because he had worried that, since his three sons
had died early in life (II Samuel 14:27), he did not have a male heir to
keep his name alive.
Joab and his men took Absalom’s body, threw it into a deep pit and
covered it with rocks and stones. Joab may have done this to mock
Absalom’s monument (II Samuel 18:6-18).
Bearer of Good News…and Bad
The battle was over, and David’s army had won. Someone had to tell
the king. Ahimaaz, like everyone else, was excited over their recent
victory. Knowing that Joab was going to send a message back to
David, Ahimaaz volunteered to deliver it.
But Joab said, “If you tell David about our victory, he will ask you
about Absalom. Why should you be the one to tell the king that his son
is dead? David is used to you giving him good news. I would rather
have someone else deliver the message.”
So Joab ordered an Ethiopian servant to deliver the news to the
king. The servant bowed, and then raced off to Mahanaim.
45
A watchman atop the walls
of Mahanaim spots someone
running toward the city.
46
Ahimaaz was not willing to accept “no” for an answer. “No matter
what happens, I still want to run.”
“What for?” Joab said. “The message is already on its way. By the
time you get there, the king will have already heard the news.”
But the young man insisted. Finally, Joab gave in, and Ahimaaz
raced off after the Ethiopian. He ran so fast, he even passed him on the
road.
At Mahanaim, a watchman standing guard atop the city’s walls, saw
something moving off in the distance. It took him a few moments to
realize that it was a man. The watchman shouted to David, who was
sitting at the gate, and said, “A man is running toward the city! He must
be bringing back news from the frontlines!”
David anxious thoughts raced through his mind.
As the runner drew closer to the city gate, the watchman looked out
into the countryside and saw another figure emerge from the horizon.
“My lord,” he shouted to the king, “I see another man! Another man is
approaching! The first man runs like Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son.”
David thought about this. “Ahimaaz? He’s a good man. He must be
bringing good news.”
Ahimaaz entered the city and sprinted toward David. “My lord,
we won! We won! The war is over!” Then he bowed before the king,
The watchman tells King David that two messengers are racing toward the city gate.
47
and said, “Praise God—He’s the one who delivered your rebellious
enemies into your hand.”
Then David asked if Absalom was safe.
Ahimaaz did not want to answer this directly, so he said, “When
Joab sent your servant and me, I saw a commotion, but I don’t know
what it was about.”
Just then, the Ethiopian servant entered the city and approached the
king. “Good news, my lord! The Eternal has taken revenge against the
rebels who rose up against you!”
But David wanted to know about his son. “What of Absalom—is
he safe?”
“My lord, may all your enemies and those who rebel against you
end up like that young man!”
For David, the world seemed to stand still. All he could think about
was the death of the son he had so desperately wanted to be reconciled
with. Guards and servants stared as the king stood there, trembling.
Then, as he headed for his quarters to be alone, he cried out, “Absalom,
Absalom! If only I had died in your place!” (II Samuel 18:19-33).
The Affection of the King
News of David’s grief over the loss of his rebellious son spread among
all the troops. Everyone expected their king to be filled with joy now
that his rulership was no longer endangered. In better times, David’s
army would have returned to the city praising God and cheering,
“Long live the king!” Instead, they quietly headed back to Mahanaim
as though they had been sorely defeated in battle. Their day of victory
had been turned into a day of mourning.
But Joab was not about to let this happen. He went into David’s
quarters and approached the king, who was on the floor, still weeping
after Absalom.
Joab said to him, “Thanks to you, your followers are hanging their
heads in shame. All of your servants have put their lives on the line
to save you, your wives, your children and even your concubines. Yet
your mourning shows that you love your enemies and hate your loyal
friends. It’s obvious that you have no respect for either your officers
or your servants. In fact, if Absalom had lived and all of us had died, I
don’t doubt that you would have been pleased.
“Now get up and address your servants! As surely as the Eternal
lives, if you don’t comfort and encourage them, every one of your
followers will leave you. Not one will be left by tomorrow. The
trials and hardships you’ve gone through since your youth will be
48
nothing compared to the trouble that will fall on you—unless you
act now!”
David knew that Joab was a carnal-minded man who always did
what seemed right in his own eyes. He understood that his nephew was
not a faithful servant of God, filled with the Holy Spirit. But David
also knew that Joab was a shrewd thinker—and that, in this case, Joab
was right. The people needed to be reassured that they had their king’s
affection.
So David got up, dried his eyes, and sat beside the city gates. All the
people saw that their king had returned to exercise his royal authority.
David’s calm presence put everyone at ease. And after all the troops
had come before their king to show their allegiance, everyone returned
to their homes, feeling safe and secure once again (II Samuel 19:1-8).
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A great debate arose throughout Israel. David’s supporters were upset
that some of their countrymen, who were so quick to rebel against
the king and had chosen Absalom to be their ruler, were doing nothing
to formally escort the king back to Jerusalem so that he could officially
resume power. “Time and again, David has rescued us from the Philistines
and our other enemies—and this is how we should treat him?”
News of this debate reached the king’s ears. Since Absalom’s rebellion
had started in Hebron, in the territory of Judah, David wanted to give
Judah a chance to officially restore him back to the throne. So he sent a
message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests: “Tell the elders and leaders
of Judah, ‘Why are you the last tribe to think about bringing your king
back to Jerusalem? David is your brother—your own kinsmen! Why have
you failed to do anything to bring him back to Jerusalem?’”
David also ordered the priests to deliver a message to Amasa: “Tell
him that he is still my nephew, and that, as surely as the Eternal lives,
I will make him commander of my army, in place of Joab.’” This was
startling news. Joab had acquired much power and influence; Zadok and
Abiathar suspected that he would not take this setback quietly.
Yet, they also understood that David had no other choice. This was a
shrewd move for two reasons: (1) Joab’s defiant disobedience proved that
the king could no longer trust him; and (2) by setting Amasa as Israel’s
top military commander, David would secure the trust of the soldiers who
had followed Absalom.
The people of Judah warmly received David’s message and became
his followers again. They even sent him a message: “Please come home,
and bring your soldiers with you.”
Hearing this, David and his caravan of family, staff and soldiers
headed back to Jerusalem. By the time they reached the Jordan River,
throngs of happy, smiling people were there to greet their king (II Samuel
19:9-16).
Reflecting God’s Mercy
David was surprised to see a certain face among the greeters. It
belonged to Shimei, the man who had cursed David and thrown rocks
CHAPTER eighty-SIX
SOWING THE SEEDS
OF TROUBLE
50
at him when the king was fleeing for his life! Shimei trembled like
a wet dog standing in the cold. When he had heard that King David
and his mighty men were headed back to Jerusalem, fear had gripped
Shimei’s heart like a vise. He had gambled that Absalom would
destroy David—and he lost.
With David back in power, Shimei knew that his days were coming
to an end, so he rushed out from Bahurim, his hometown, to
greet David and seek his mercy. With his head hanging low, Shimei
approached the king and bowed down before him.
“My lord,” he said, “Please do not punish me—I beg you! Forget
about what I did and said when you were leaving Jerusalem. Please,
don’t even think about it. I know I sinned—this is why I wanted to be
the first one from all the house of Joseph to meet my lord the king.”
Abishai looked down on the sniveling little man and said, “Why
should this man live when he cursed the Eternal’s anointed king?
Shimei should taste death!”
But David said, “Abishai, what will I ever do with you and your
brother Joab? Are you the one to decide who should be put to death,
or the king? Am I not the ruler of all Israel today?”
Then David looked down at Shimei. The king thought about the
mercy God had given him. He considered all times God had been
patient with him and had forgiven his sins. Then David concluded
that he should follow God’s example and show mercy to Shimei,
though he certainly deserved to die. Shimei was relieved.
Among the other familiar faces in the crowd was Ziba, the chief
servant of Saul’s family. He and his 15 sons and 20 servants waded
across the river to meet David. Then, a ferryboat was sent to carry
the royal family and David’s servants to the other side of the river.
(II Samuel 19:17-23).
Barzillai the Rich Man
Another familiar face was a man named Barzillai. He was from the
town of Rogelim in Gilead. At 80 years of age, Barzillai was very
wealthy and influential. After the king had chosen Mahanaim for
his temporary headquarters, Barzillai, along with Shobi, brother of
Hanun, the Ammonite king, supplied David and his troops with food
and much-needed supplies: beds, wash basins, utensils, flour, grain,
beans, lentils, seed, honey and curds, sheep and cheese (II Samuel
17:27-29).
David appreciated Barzillai’s help. The king was thrilled to see
him among the greeters, and even asked him to accompany him to
51
Shimei seeks mercy for the horrible way
he had treated King David.
Jerusalem: “I will provide for your every need while you are there.”
Barzillai replied, “My lord, I’m 80 years old and my body is
almost numb. I don’t have much longer to live. Why should I go to
Jerusalem? I can no longer taste my food or hear the sound of singing,
and I would be nothing but a burden.
“However, I’ll cross the river with you, and just go a little way
with you on the other side. There’s no need to reward me with kindness.
Just let me return to my hometown, where I can die and be buried
near the graves of my parents. Here is my servant Chimham; he
will go to Jerusalem with you, and you can treat him as your own.”
David agreed. He wanted so much to shower Barzillai with the
same favor that the old man had freely given him. The king said, “I
will do for Chimham whatever seems good for you! And if there’s
anything else that you want, I’ll do that too!”
The king’s soldiers crossed the river as David said farewell to
Barzillai and wished him well. Then Barzillai returned home (II
Samuel 19:31-39).
Sowing the Seeds of Trouble
All of the troops of Judah and half of Israel’s troops had assembled
to officially greet David and escort him across the river. As the king
headed for Gilgal, all of the soldiers from the house of Israel came to
him, saying, “Why did our brothers from Judah get to escort you and
your caravan across the Jordan?”
The warriors of Judah responded, “Why are you so angry? The king
is our close relative. Yet we never took advantage of this. Has David
ever showed us special favor over you or given us a gift?”
Those from the house of Israel said, “Together, our tribes are ten
times bigger than yours; King David belongs to us ten times more than
he belongs to you. Why didn’t you think we were good enough to help
you escort him over the river? After all, we were the first ones to think
of bringing our king back to Jerusalem!”
Judah responded with even harsher words. Little did anyone know
that the seeds of trouble had been sown, and would be reaped years
later (II Samuel 19:40-43).
Deciding an Unsettled Matter
David’s arrival in Jerusalem brought another surprise for the king.
Mephibosheth had come to greet him. David did not know it, but
Mephibosheth had missed him so much that he had not taken a bath or
53
trimmed his beard or washed his clothes the whole time the king was
gone. These were the traditional signs of someone deeply mourning
the loss of a loved one.
But David remembered what Ziba had said about Saul’s grandson—
that he was plotting to seek the throne for himself. Suspicious,
David said, “When Absalom and his men invaded the city, why didn’t
you leave with me, Mephibosheth?”
“My lord, Ziba, my servant, deceived me! I told him to saddle a
donkey for me so I could go with you, but Ziba left without me. Even
worse, he lied about me and slandered my name before the king. My
lord, I know that you are wise like an angel of God. Therefore, decide
what you think is best. After all, you could have had my whole family
and me killed, but instead, you let me eat at your own table. What right
do I have to complain?”
David was not sure who was telling the truth—Ziba or Mephibosheth.
“I’ve already given Mephibosheth’s entire estate to Ziba,” the king
thought. “What if I was deceived? How can I be sure?”
Since there were no witnesses to back up what either man claimed
had happened, David decided to err on the side of mercy. “You’ve said
enough! I’ve decided to divide the estate between you and Ziba.”
Mephibosheth, showing his loyalty to the king, said, “Ziba can have it
all! I’m just glad you’ve returned home safely” (II Samuel 19:24-30).
Another Act of Treachery
Among these arguing troops was a Benjamite troublemaker named
Sheba. Seeing that Israel was still suffering from unhealed emotional
wounds and sore feelings, Sheba plotted to take advantage of the situation.
Apparently, he was a man of considerable influence, for, at the
blowing of a trumpet, he was able to assemble a mob of dissatisfied
soldiers. He said to them, “People of Israel, listen to me. We have no
share in David, the son of Jesse. This king does not belong to us! Let
every man return home.”
So they deserted David and followed after Sheba. But the soldiers
of Judah stayed close to David, escorting him all the way from the
Jordan to Jerusalem. Once David arrived safely in the city, he ordered
Amasa, his new army commander, to gather all of Judah’s army and
have them assemble at the capital. “Sheba will soon attack. But this
time, we will strike first. You have three days to bring Judah’s entire
army here.”
Amasa did as commanded, but it took him more than three days to
do so. Instead of turning to Joab, David said to Abishai, “Sheba will
54
do more harm to us than Absalom ever did. Take my finest warriors
and go after Sheba, before he manages to take over any fortified cities
and escape us.”
Abishai departed from Jerusalem in hot pursuit. Accompanying him
and his soldiers was his brother Joab, David’s bodyguards and the king’s
mighty men.
When they reached the big rock at Gibeon, Amasa caught up with
them. Joab resented being removed from leading Israel’s army, and was
deeply bitter toward the man who replaced him, Amasa. Seeing his
replacement in action was too much for Joab’s carnal mind to bear. He
dismounted from his horse and, pretending to be friendly, walked over
to Amasa.
“How are you, cousin?” Joab asked, and then drew in close to greet
him with a kiss, as was the custom of the time. Amasa must have known
how treacherous Joab could be, but he probably thought that Joab would
not dare to harm him in front of so many witnesses.
But Amasa was wrong! With his right hand, Joab took hold of his
cousin’s beard and, taking out a dagger that was strapped around his
waist, plunged it into Amasa’s belly. His inner parts spilled out. Amasa
dropped to the ground, dying in a pool of blood.
Then, without showing remorse for committing cold-blooded murder,
Joab and his brother Abishai raced off to capture Sheba.
Meanwhile, one of Joab’s soldiers stood near Amasa and shouted
to the troops, “If you favor Joab, and if you are for David, then follow
Joab!”
Seeing Amasa lying in the middle of the road, wallowing in pain,
the troops stood where they were, shocked that their new commander
had been slain by his own cousin. The soldier who had shouted dragged
Amasa off the road and covered him with a piece of garment. Only then
did the troops move to help Joab capture Sheba (II Samuel 20:1-13).
A Rebel’s End
Sheba had journeyed through all of the tribes of Israel before coming
to the town of Abel and Beth Maacah, about four miles west of the
northern city of Dan. There, he assembled Israel’s best fighters.
Joab and his troops soon arrived, surrounding the town so that no
one could enter or leave. Then they made a siege mound—a ramp
made of dirt—up to the town wall, and used a battering ram to knock
the wall down.
Just then, a woman, one who was known for her wisdom, shouted
down from atop the wall, and called for Joab to come near.
55
“Here I am,” he replied. “I’m listening.”
She said, “Hear my words: Long ago, people used to say, ‘If you
want good advice for ending disputes, go to the town of Abel.’ The
answers they received were all that was needed to settle any problem.
We are Israelites, and we want peace! Why are you trying to swallow
up a town that’s like a mother in Israel? Why do you want to destroy
the Eternal’s people?”
Joab answered, “I’m not trying to destroy you or swallow up your
town! All I want is Sheba. He’s a troublemaker from the mountains of
Ephraim, the leader of a rebellion against King David. Deliver him to
me, and we will leave your town in peace.”
The woman said, “Watch, we will throw you his head.” And she
went to the townspeople and talked them into cutting off Sheba’s head,
which they then threw over the wall to Joab.
Satisfied with Sheba’s death, Joab blew the trumpet signal, and the
soldiers withdrew, returning to their homes. And Joab went back to
report to David in Jerusalem (II Samuel 20:14-22).
Pretending to be friendly, Joab grabs
Amasa by the beard as he delivers a
fatal blow.
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Many years had passed since David became Israel’s king. Now he
was old and frail, and he knew that his physical life would soon
come to an end. But David did not worry about death, for he knew
about God’s great purpose for mankind and his role in it. When Jesus
Christ returns to establish the kingdom of God, David will be brought
back to life as a spirit being. Christ will then use him to rule over the
modern-day descendants of ancient Israel—the peoples of the United
States, Britain, Canada, Australia and other nations.
David began to think about his life—about all the things he had
seen, done and said, all the triumphs he had achieved, and the mistakes
he had made.
Then he thought about the Gibeonites, who had cried out for
revenge…
Avenging the Gibeonties
Several years earlier, the nation of Israel was in the midst of a famine.
For three years, the people suffered because they could not grow
enough food to eat. Many lives were at risk.
King David came to realize that Israel was being punished, so
he turned to God to find out what His people had done wrong. God
answered, “Israel is being punished because Saul and his family, a
house of bloodshed, slew the Gibeonites.”
Immediately, David knew what God had meant. Four hundred
years earlier, Joshua and the Israelites, because they did not seek
God’s counsel, were deceived into making a peace covenant with the
Gibeonites (also called Hivites). In their conquest of the Promised
Land, Israel was supposed to drive out all the Canaanites and other
pagan nations, but the Gibeonites were to be left untouched. In return
for having their lives spared, the Gibeonites became Israel’s servants
(Joshua 9:3-27).
But Saul and his royal house, perhaps in a vain attempt to gain
God’s favor by slaying pagan peoples living in Israel, broke the peace
covenant and slew the Gibeonites. Saul should have learned that God
CHAPTER eighty-Seven
lessons from the pa st
57
always keeps His promises, and that He expects His servants to do
the same. God does not take promises lightly.
David called for the survivors of Saul’s attack to come before his
throne. He said to them, “I know that your people suffered a great
loss. What can I do to make up for what Saul did to you, so that you
would ask God to remove this curse and pour His favor on Israel
again?”
“Even gold or silver from Saul or his family cannot make up for the
evil that was done to us,” they replied. “And, because we are foreigners
living in your land, we do not have the right to execute any of the
Israelites.”
“Then what do you want?” David said. “I’ll do whatever you say.”
The Gibeonites answered, “Saul tried to utterly destroy our people
and remove us from Israel. He is no longer alive to answer for this evil,
but his house still remains. Give us seven of Saul’s descendants, and we
will hang them before the Eternal, in Gibeah.”
The king agreed. He ordered his men to round up two of Saul’s sons
and five of Saul’s grandsons. However, because of the oath he had made
with his best friend Jonathan, David spared Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s
son.
The Gibeonites quickly put the seven men to death and let their bodies
hang. This disgraceful sight brought further shame on the house of
Saul.
Rizpah, Saul’s concubine and mother of the two sons that were hung,
camped out near the bodies. Day and night, she scared away any birds
and animals that came to eat the remains.
When the rains finally came down upon the land, David and all of
Israel knew that the curse had been lifted. The famine was over.
David was so moved by Rizpah’s devotion to her dead family members,
he ordered his servants to take down the hanging bodies. The king
also had the bones of Saul and Jonathan removed from their burial place
in Jabesh Gilead. David’s servants buried the bones, along with the
bones of the seven descendants of Saul, in the grave of Saul’s father, in
Zelah (II Samuel 21:1-14).
Numbering Israel’s Warriors
The incident with the Gibeonites reminded David that God expects His
servants to be true to their word.
As the king continued to meditate upon his past and the lessons he
had learned, he remembered the time Satan had tempted him into taking
a nationwide census of Israel’s military strength.
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Numbering the people was not, of itself, a sin. However, the king
did not ask God for His permission to do this—David decided for
himself to number God’s people. This was exactly what Satan wanted
David to do. The devil—who is always looking out for whomever he
can tempt into sinning—plotted to get David to rely less on God and
more on himself. Like most people God works with, David began to
place his trust in the size of his army rather than in the God who had
delivered him time and again.
Joab warned David not to go through with his plan, but the king’s
mind was made up. He refused to listen. Reluctantly, Joab carried out
the king’s command to number all the able-bodied fighting men in
Israel. Joab and his assistants departed from Jerusalem and journeyed
throughout Israel, from Beersheba in the south to Dan in the northern
reaches of the country, counting how many fighting men were available
for the king’s purposes. (The tribe of Levi was to be left out,
since their men were not allowed to fight in battles.)
During the months that passed while Joab was away, David began to
feel guilty. His conscience gnawed at him. He knew that numbering the
people without God’s approval was wrong. Finally, after several months
of justifying his actions, David repented. He prayed to God and acknowledged
that he had greatly sinned against Him. “Please take this sin away
from me. What I did was foolish” (I Chronicles 27:23-24; 21:7-8).
Almost ten months had passed by the time Joab returned to Judah. He
was just about to number the tribe of Benjamin when he received word
from the king to end the census. Joab was relieved, though he feared what
God would do to Israel for David’s disobedience.
Returning to Jerusalem, Joab brought the census results before the
king. “My lord,” he said, “Altogether—including both battle-seasoned
warriors and those without military experience—the house of Israel has
1.1 million men ready to wage war at your command. And Judah has
470,000 men.”
David was amazed to hear this—and he was also afraid. He had
sinned against God, and now he would have to face his Creator’s wrath.
David did not have long to wait.
The prophet Gad came before the king, and said, “The Eternal God
of Israel has a message for you: ‘Choose how you should be punished.
You may suffer three years of famine, suffer three months of fleeing from
the hand of your enemies, or suffer a three-day plague that will spread
throughout the entire kingdom of Israel. The choice is yours, David—
now choose!’”
The king thought carefully. When he made his choice, he said to
Gad, “I’d rather fall into the hand of God and suffer a plague than to
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fall into the hand of my
enemies. God is merciful
and forgiving; I cannot
expect mercy from
my foes.”
That morning, the
Messenger of the Eternal
followed God’s command
and sent a deadly plague
upon Israel. It spread
across all the tribes, from
Dan to Beersheba, killing
70,000 men.
David could not bear
the sight of his people
dying, especially when
it was a direct result of
his sin. Yet, just as the
plague was about to strike
Jerusalem, God chose to
show mercy upon His people
and end the plague.
David looked up and
saw the Messenger of the
Eternal by the threshing
floor of Ornan the Jebusite, wielding a sword that stretched out over the
city. The king and the elders of Israel fell to the ground in fear.
Then David prayed to God. “I’m the one who sinned against You by
numbering Your people,” he cried. “I take responsibility for my wickedness.
Please, God, be merciful to Israel. These are Your sheep. Let Your
hand be against me and my father’s house—and not against Israel!”
Speaking for the Eternal, Gad told the king that he should build an
altar at Ornan’s threshing floor. It would be a reminder of God’s punishment
for David’s sin, and the great mercy He showed.
David immediately went out to talk with Ornan, and said to him, “Sell
me your threshing floor so that I can use it to erect an altar for God, and
the plague will be withdrawn.” David was worried that God could order
His Messenger to resume the destruction.
Just like David, Ornan and his four sons had seen the Messenger
of the Eternal stand by their threshing floor. The sons hid themselves,
out of fear of seeing such a powerful sight. But Ornan kept right on
with his work, removing chaff from wheat.
Due to the plague, many families throughout Israel suffered
the deaths of husbands, fathers, brothers and other
loved ones.
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Oran said to David, “My lord, take my threshing floor—it’s yours.
Do with it as you see fit. And you can take my oxen, too, for burnt
offerings. Consider the wheat yours; use it for grain offerings. You can
also have my wooden tools and things for wood.”
“No, I can’t let you give me these things. I have to give up what
already belongs to me, else it will not be a true sacrifice. Sell me your
threshing floor at the full price.”
Ornan agreed. David gave him 50 pieces of silver for the threshing
floor and the oxen, and then later paid 600 pieces of gold for the entire
property.
After the king had the altar built, he offered sacrifices upon it, and
cried out to God. The Eternal answered him, sending fire down from
the sky, which consumed the burnt offering. God was pleased with His
servant David, and ordered His Messenger to put away the sword. The
people no longer had to worry about the plague coming upon them (II
Samuel 24 and I Chronicles 21).
David and His Mighty Men
The incident of the plague and the numbering of Israel taught David not
to be self-willed—not to impose his will over God’s. It also reminded
him that God punishes those who disobey Him, yet is willing to pour
His mercy upon the guilty. God favors those who choose to repent—to
change from their wicked ways.
The king thought about other lessons that helped to build godly
character within him. Then David thought about the successful military
exploits that God had blessed him with.
Besides his regular troops, David had under his command Israel’s
bravest, finest warriors. The Bible calls them “mighty men,” and summarizes
their amazing exploits (II Samuel 23:8-39 and I Chronicles
11:10-47).
Back when Israel and the Philistines were at war, David and his
mighty men encountered the Philistines’ latest champion, a giant
named Ishbi-Benob. He wielded a bronze spear that weighed seven
and a half pounds, and was bent on David’s destruction.
The king was weary, tired from all the fighting and running. He
lacked the energy to take on Ishbi-Benob. So Abishai came to David’s
aid and killed the giant.
It was then that David’s mighty men insisted that their king no
longer join them in battle. They could not bear the thought of David’s
untimely death. Reluctantly, the king agreed.
The mighty men encountered other giants, including one that had
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six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. But these towering
warriors all fell by the hand of Israel’s finest warriors. In reality,
the victory always came from God (II Samuel 21:15-22).
When Israel was finally at peace from all its enemies,
David wrote a song that praised God. He wrote, “The Eternal
is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; the God of my
strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation.”
You can read the song in Psalm 18 and II Samuel 22.
On a snowy day, Benaiah, one of David’s mighty men, bravely climbed down into
a pit and killed a lion.
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David’s mighty men encountered several
giants—including one that had six fingers
on each hand and six toes on each foot!
as he continued to dwell on his past, King David recalled the promises
God had made to him some years earlier. God had blessed His
servant David with peace from his enemies. The king appreciated this and
the many other blessings he had received: rulership over Israel, riches,
close allies such as King Hiram of Tyre, a royal palace in which to live,
and so forth.
David was so moved by all that God had given him that he wanted to
do something special for God. The king said to Nathan the prophet, “Here
I am living in a fine palace made from the best cedar in the land. Yet the
Ark of the Covenant, which represents God’s heavenly throne, continues
to dwell in a tabernacle—a tent! The Eternal deserves better.
“I have a plan. I intend to build a temple to be used to serve God’s will
and purpose. It will be constructed from the very best materials.”
“My lord, the Eternal is with you,” Nathan said, liking the idea. “Do
all that is within your heart.”
Both men had good intentions, but they did not ask God what He
thought about the plan.
That night, God spoke to Nathan and gave him a message to deliver
to the king. David was anxious to hear what God thought about his plan,
and so, when Nathan came before him to deliver the message, the king
sat quietly and listened.
Speaking for God, Nathan said, “Would you build a house for Me to
dwell in, David? Ever since I brought Israel out of Egypt and into the
Promised Land, My presence has dwelt from tent to tent, from tabernacle
to tabernacle. In all My moving about, did I ask any of the judges of Israel
why they did not build Me a house of cedar?
“David, I took you from out of My sheep and have turned you from
being a follower to being a leader and ruler over My people Israel.
Wherever you have gone, I have been with you, and have cut off your
enemies from defeating you. I have given your name honor, like those
considered great in the world. But because you have been a man of war
and have shed much blood, you shall not build a house for Me.
“However, I will build a house for you—a royal dynasty of your
descendants, who will rule from your throne. I will establish your
CHAPTER eighty-eight
the prince
who would be king
64
royal house through your son Solomon. I have chosen him to build My
house and My courts. And I will be his Father, and he will be My son.
If Solomon diligently observes My commandments and judgments, I
will establish his kingdom forever. But if he sins, I will punish him as
a father disciplines his son. Yet, I will not take My mercy away from
him, as I had done with Saul.
“David, I will see to it that your house, your kingdom and your
throne will be established forever.”
Feeling awed and overwhelmed by God’s decision, David expressed
his devotion to his Creator (I Chronicles 17:1-27; 22:6-13; II Samuel
7:1-29).
Though he had been forbidden to build the temple, David still wanted
to do something special for God. So he made extensive preparations
for the temple’s construction. He gathered an abundance of gold, silver,
bronze and iron. He assembled a massive team of wood workers,
stonecutters and other skilled craftsmen.
For the site of the temple’s construction, David decided to use the
property he had bought from Ornan the Jebusite. This came to be
called Mount Moriah (II Samuel 24:18-25; I Chronicles 21:15-30; I
Chronicles 22:1-19; II Chronicles 3:1).
The Prince Who Would Be King
David had a son named Adonijah. Like his older brother Absalom,
Adonijah was quite handsome and thought well of himself. He was not
content to accept God’s will for Solomon to become king, so Adonijah
moved to take the throne for himself. The arrogant prince exalted himself
and publicly boasted that he would be Israel’s next king. He even
paraded around in a show of chariots, horses and bodyguards in order
to get attention and favor from the people and to appear worthy of rulership—
just as Absalom had done.
King David knew that this was taking place, but he did nothing.
Once again, he failed to correct one of his sons before things got out
of control. And, due to his father’s inaction, Adonijah felt empowered
and was convinced that the kingdom was his for the taking.
He met with several of the king’s key advisors, officers and government
leaders to gain their loyalty. He managed to convince Joab and
Abiathar to help him form a new government. But Zadok, Nathan the
prophet, Benaiah and David’s mighty men refused.
Adonijah was then ready to make his next big move. He invited
his brothers (except for Solomon), and all of the men of Judah and the
king’s servants to attend a feast held in his honor. But Adonijah did
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not bother to invite any of the men who refused to help him in his plot
to become king.
When Nathan heard that Adonijah was holding a feast for himself
in En Rogel, the prophet immediately understood the political motives
behind it. Nathan knew that God wanted Solomon to become Israel’s
next king, but instead of going to David about the matter, he went to
Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. (Nathan may have done this because
he feared that the king would not have acted soon enough to correct
Adonijah, and thus would have drawn Israel into another civil war.
Nathan may have believed that Bathsheba had a better chance of getting
through to David.)
Nathan told Bathsheba that Adonijah was proclaiming himself
king and that King David was unaware of this. “If Adonijah seizes the
throne, you and Solomon are as good as dead.”
At Nathan’s request, Bathsheba came before King David and
informed him that Adonijah was seizing rulership for himself. Then
she reminded David of his promise to crown Solomon as king. Just as
she was telling him that her life and the life of Solomon were in danger,
Nathan “just happened” to arrive and confirmed that Adonijah was
claiming to be the new king at the feast he was holding for himself (I
Kings 1:5-27).
A New King Comes to Power
King David was not about to let another civil war erupt in Israel, so he
quickly moved to make Solomon the new king. He ordered Nathan,
Benaiah and two groups of the special bodyguards to have Solomon
ride the king’s royal mule to Gihon, a spring east of Jerusalem in the
Kidron Valley, which served as the city’s main water supply. There,
Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed Solomon with oil,
just as Samuel had done to David decades earlier. After this, a trumpet
was blown and everyone shouted and cheered, “Long live King
Solomon!”
Israel’s new king and his entourage headed back to Jerusalem as the
local citizenry watched in amazement. Through them, word spread that
Solomon had been officially crowned king over all Israel.
Meanwhile, Adonijah and his feast guests, who were only about half
a mile way, heard the commotion of a trumpet blast and the cheers of
people just behind the hill. Joab said, “I wonder why the city is in such
an uproar.”
Just then, Jonathan, Abiathar’s son, ran up and told Adonijah the
news: “David has just made Solomon the new king!”
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All of Adonijah’s guests shook with fear, and departed as fast as
they could. And Adonijah was especially afraid, wondering what
Solomon might do to him. He ran to God’s tabernacle and grabbed the
horns of the holy altar. He did this as a sign of putting himself under
God’s protection (Exodus 21:13-14).
Solomon heard about this, and of his brother’s desire for the new
king to promise not to execute him. Solomon sent a message back to
Adonijah: “If you don’t cause any more trouble, then no harm will
come to you. However, if you do cause trouble, then I will have you
put to death.”
As a sign of transferring his kingly powers to Solomon, David has his son ride his royal mule, with
Zadok, Nathan, Benaiah and two groups of special bodyguards escorting him.
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Adonijah agreed. He left the tabernacle and came before Solomon,
bowing down out of respect. The prince probably wondered if his
brother would suddenly change his mind and go back on his word.
But King Solomon simply said to him, “Adonijah, go home” (I Kings
1:28-53).
From Father to Son
Knowing that his death was near, David decided to give young Solomon
instructions and advice in ruling over Israel:
“Be brave and strong, Solomon, and be careful to follow God’s commandments
and teachings. Obey everything written in the Law that God
had Moses write for Israel. If you and your descendants faithfully obey
God, then He will keep His promise to always have someone from our
family line be king over Israel.
“Remember what Joab did to me by killing Abner and Amasa. He
slew them as if they were his enemies of war—but the truth is, he murdered
them. His guilt still remains; punish him as you think best. But
whatever you do, don’t let Joab live long enough to die peacefully in old
age. Deal with him as soon as possible.
“Remember the aid and support that Barzillai of Gilead gave me when
I had to flee from your brother Absalom. Be kind to Barzillai’s sons. Let
them be honored guests at your dinner table.
“And be sure to deal with Shimei, the Benjamite who cursed and
insulted me and threw rocks at me and my men as we made our escape
to Mahanaim. When God delivered Israel back into my hand, Shimei
was among the first to greet me on my way home to Jerusalem. Since he
pleaded for his life, I chose to show him mercy and promised not execute
him. But you make sure that Shimei is punished. He may be an old man,
but you’re wise enough to know that he must die” (I Kings 2:1-9).
A Great Freewill Offering
Before an assembly of Israel’s leaders, officers, captains and stewards,
along with David’s valiant mighty men, the king told the people about
his desire to build a temple for God, and that God had chosen Solomon
to do this.
David turned to his son and said, “Serve God with a loyal heart and
a willing mind. If you seek Him, He will be found by you—but if you
forsake Him, He will cast you off forever. Consider this carefully, for
the Eternal God has chosen you to build His house for the sanctuary.
Be strong, and make it so.”
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King David then gave Solomon detailed plans for building God’s
temple, along with instructions for the kinds of laborers to use.
Next, David explained to the assembly that the temple had to have
the quality and excellence fitting for the Supreme God of the universe.
Therefore, it had to reflect His majesty, power and greatness.
“I have already prepared with all my might the gold, silver and
bronze that is to be used in the temple’s construction and operation. I
have also gathered iron, wood, precious stones, slabs of marble, and
other items of worth. Above all this, I have contributed from my own
special treasure: 112 tons of the finest, purest gold in the world, and
260 tons of silver. Who else is willing to join me in contributing to this
awesome work?”
All the leaders, captains and officers willingly gave from their hearts.
Their contributions came to about 187 tons of gold, 37,500 tons of silver,
675 tons of bronze and 3,75 0 tons of iron, along with precious stones!
And then, after addressing the assembly once more to praise God
and to lead them in prayer, David had another coronation ceremony for
Solomon, this time for all the leaders and representatives of Israel to see
(I Chronicles 22:14; 23:1-2).
King David’s Last Words
After 40 years of ruling over Israel—of waging war against his enemies,
of expanding and securing the nation’s boundaries, of amassing great
national wealth, power and influence, of setting the example of serving
God with all his heart and being—King David died. With his last breath,
he said, “The man who would be king over God’s people must be just,
ruling in the fear of the Eternal. Like the morning light, he should always
set the right example for his subjects to follow. Though my house has not
always done this, God has made an everlasting covenant with me.”
Then David spoke about a descendant of his family line, one who will
some day rule as a righteous King, and remove all wicked enemies. His
name is Jesus Christ.
David died at the age of 70, and was buried in Jerusalem (II Samuel
23:1-7; I Kings 2:10-12). One day soon, he will be resurrected and
changed into a spirit-being and will rule over the twelve tribes of Israel
during the coming Millennium (Ezekiel 37:24-25).
King Solomon Deals With His Enemies
One day, Adonijah made an unusual visit to Bathsheba and asked her for a
favor: “I’m the oldest of David’s living sons, and, as you know, by custom
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the kingdom belongs to me. In fact, all of Israel expected me to become
king, but God has determined that Solomon rule instead. Considering that
I have lost so much, please do this one favor for me: Ask your son to let
me marry Abishag. I know he will say yes to you.”
Abishag was a young and beautiful Shunammite woman who
nursed David in his old age. Adonijah tried to take advantage of the
fact that Solomon and Bathsheba were very close, and that the king
trusted her. When Bathsheba asked her son to allow Adonijah to marry
Abishag, Solomon instantly recognized his brother’s request as part of
an evil plot.
In ancient tradition, possessing a royal harem was a sign of kingship,
and, even though Abishag was never one of David’s wives or
concubines, her physical closeness to the king would have, in the eyes
of the people, made her seem as though she had been part of David’s
harem. Adonijah wanted to marry Abishag in order to make it appear
that he was the rightful heir to David’s throne. Solomon knew that his
brother would then use this marriage to start a rebellion and seize the
crown.
The king wasted no time and had his loyal servant Benaiah execute
Adonijah.
Then Solomon had Abiathar the priest come before him. “Adonijah,
your would-be king, is dead. And you deserve to be slain with him for
trying to help him seize the throne. However, you were responsible
for the Ark of the Covenant during my father’s reign, and you also
afflicted yourself every time my father was afflicted. Therefore, I will
allow you to live. However, I’m removing you from being a priest.
Now get out of my sight!”
This event fulfilled God’s promise to remove Eli’s family line
from the priesthood (I Samuel 2:30-35), while establishing Phinehas’
descendants in its place (Numbers 25:10-13).
When Joab heard about Adonijah’s execution, he ran to God’s
tabernacle and grabbed hold of the altar for protection. He was not
surprised when Benaiah came for him.
“King Solomon orders you to come out, Joab!”
But Joab refused, saying, “No, I’ll die right here!”
Benaiah told Solomon what his cousin Joab had said, and the king
replied, “Very well, do what Joab said. Strike him down and then bury
him. He’s guilty of murdering Abner and Amasa. Without my father’s
knowledge and consent, he cut down those innocent men. Let their blood
stain Joab and his descendants, and no longer be on my father’s house.”
Benaiah obeyed the king’s commands and killed Joab on the spot,
later burying his body. Joab was a great warrior and military leader—but
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he was also carnal-minded. His lust for power and his habit of relying on
human reasoning, instead of trusting in God as his uncle David had done,
led to his downfall.
With Joab no longer around to cause trouble, Solomon made
Benaiah the commander of Israel’s army. He also installed Zadok as
chief priest in place of Abiathar (I Kings 2:13-35).
Shimei Learns the Hard Way
Next, King Solomon ordered Shimei the Benjamite to build himself a
home in Jerusalem and live there. Solomon wanted to keep the old man
under close watch.
Abishag was a young and beautiful
Shunammite woman who took care
of King David in his old age.
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He then forbade Shimei from ever leaving the city, saying, “Else I
will slay you. Then your blood will be on your own head.”
Shimei took this threat seriously, promising to never leave the city.
Three years later, two of Shimei’s slaves ran away. The old man
learned that they had escaped to Gath, a major Philistine city about 30
miles from Jerusalem. Instead of dropping the matter, Shimei saddled
his donkeys and journeyed to Gath to bring back his slaves.
When Solomon heard that Shimei had left the city, the king had the
old man brought before him.
“Didn’t you promise in the name of the Eternal God that you would
never leave Jerusalem? I warned you what would happen if you broke
your word—that you would die! Yet you agreed that this was fair, didn’t
you? So why have you disobeyed me and not kept your word?”
Shimei trembled, not quite sure what to say.
Solomon continued: “Do you remember all the wicked and cruel
things you did and said to my father David? Now God will return your
wickedness and cruelty upon your own head. But God will bless me,
and establish the throne of David forever.”
Following his king’s orders, Benaiah executed Shimei, removing
another troublemaker from Solomon’s kingdom (I Kings 2:36-46).
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Though he was king, young Solomon recognized that he lacked the
knowledge and understanding that come with time and experience.
So he decided to follow his father’s instruction to seek after God, hoping
that the Eternal would direct his steps. Solomon even offered 1,000
burnt offerings on the altar at the holy tabernacle.
That night, God appeared to the young king in a dream. (Throughout
history, many people have claimed that God spoke to them in their
dreams. But very rarely did He do this. Today, if people truly want to
know God’s will, all they need to do is study the Bible. Like an instruction
manual, God’s Word tells us how to live in peace and harmony
with others, and how to become successful, happy and productive
people.)
In the dream, God said to Solomon, “Ask for whatever you desire,
and I shall give it to you.” God wanted to know what was in Solomon’s
heart. Most young people, if presented with such an opportunity, would
ask for material possessions, fame, great wealth or power.
But not Solomon. He acknowledged that God had rewarded David’s
loyalty and wholeheartedness with great kindness. “And now You
have made his son to be king over Your people,” he said. “But who am
I? I’m just a little child, who lacks the qualifications and experience
to be a king. You have placed me over many millions and millions of
people, yet I don’t even know how to go out or come in. I need Your
help. Please give me a heart of understanding, one that will listen to
Your instruction. Grant me the ability to discern between good and
evil—to know the difference between right and wrong—so that I can
judge over Your people with wisdom and justice.”
God was pleased with Solomon’s request. In fact, He was so
delighted, He answered, “You could have asked for a long life or for
riches or for the destruction of your enemies. Instead, you asked for
the wisdom to understand and make the right decisions. Therefore, I
will give you what you have requested. You will have so much wisdom
and understanding that there will be no human being like you—past,
present or future. And I will also give you what you have not asked
for: riches and honor, so much so that no other king in your lifetime
CHAPTER eighty-nine
the wisdom of solomon
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will be like you. Solomon, if you are careful to walk in all My ways
and keep My laws as your father David did, I will also bless you with
a long life.”
Solomon woke up from his dream feeling both grateful and overwhelmed,
for he knew that when God said He would do something, it
always came to pass.
The king headed back to Jerusalem and stood before the Ark of the
Covenant and presented offerings to God. Then, wanting to share with
others, he held a feast for his servants (I Kings 3:3-15).
Rendering a Wise Decision
As king, part of Solomon’s duties was to judge and decide legal matters
for the people. Yet, because he was so young and inexperienced, many
wondered if he could truly deliver just decisions.
One day, as he presided over court, a dispute was brought before him
involving two women. Both were harlots, women who lived immoral
lives.
The first woman said to the king, “My lord, this woman and I live in
the same home, and both of us were pregnant. She gave birth to her son
the third day after I had given birth to my son. We lived together in the
same household. No other person came there.
“One night, this woman accidentally lay on her son, killing him.
Then, in the middle of the night, she took my son while I was sleeping
and placed her dead child against my chest. The next morning, as I tried
to nurse the child, I discovered that he was dead. When I examined his
lifeless body, I realized that this was not the son I had just given birth to.
This woman has stolen my child and has tried to deceive me into believing
that her dead son belongs to me!”
The king asked the second woman to reply. Holding the baby boy in
her arms, she said, “None of what she says is true! This is my child! The
dead one belongs to her!”
It was a difficult case to judge. There were no witnesses, no evidence
from which to cast judgment—only statements from the two women,
who argued back and forth, accusing each other of wrongdoing.
But King Solomon did come to a decision. Pointing to the baby, he
said, “Both of you claim to be the mother of this child, but only one of
you is telling the truth. Since there are no witnesses to back up your
claims, there is only one way for the one who is telling the truth to get
her child back.”
Then the king turned to his guards and said, “Bring me a sword.”
After the weapon was brought forward, Solomon said, “Guards,
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take this sword and divide this child in two. Give one half to the first
woman, and the other half to the second woman.”
The king’s guards and servants were taken aback at this decision.
“Is he serious?” they wondered. Yet, no one dared to openly question
the king’s judgment.
Then one of the women stepped forward and pleaded with Solomon,
saying, “Please, my lord, don’t do this! Give the child to her! I’d rather
have him alive and well as her son than to be cut in two and killed!”
But the other woman coldly said, “Go ahead and divide the baby.
Then neither of us will have him.”
Solomon seized upon her cold and unfeeling statement and instantly
knew who the true mother was. Only a mother, one who loved
her child and would not let anything bad happen to him, would give
anything to protect her little one from death—even allowing another
woman to become his legal mother.
Before the whole court of onlookers, the king said, “Give the baby
to the first woman, and don’t kill him. She is his true mother.”
Justice was served, and the whole nation of Israel heard about
this wise and monumental decision. No longer did anyone see King
Solomon as merely a
youth. These and other
decisions that he rendered
caused everyone
to recognize that
God had given their
king a great wealth
of wisdom and depth
of understanding. The
people of Israel came
to respect Solomon and
his growing reputation
for administering godly
justice for all (I Kings
3:16-28).
A Type of God’s
Kingdom
Solomon set up his
government, appointing
certain men to key positions.
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With a strong government in place, the house of Judah and the
house of Israel prospered as one nation. The land was filled with a
happy and rejoicing populous. Israel was at peace, food and drink were
abundant, and the people had a wise and just king ruling over them.
Under Solomon, the borders of Israel’s territory expanded, stretching
far north to the Euphrates River and reaching south to the Gulf
of Aqaba. Solomon also dominated kingdoms that lay within Israel’s
borders. Even the Philistines paid tribute to him and served him.
The kingdom of Israel had become a physical type of the kingdom
of God, and King Solomon was a type of the soon-coming ruler of
God’s government—Jesus Christ.
Abundant Riches
Solomon’s great wealth surpassed that of other kings of his day. Every
day, he and his royal court consumed tremendous amounts of the finest
foods—150 bushels of fine flour, 300 bushels of meal, 10 fatted,
grain-fed cattle, 20 pasture-fed cattle, 100 sheep, plus deer, gazelles
and geese.
He assembled an army of 12,000 chariot soldiers and 1,400 chariots,
which were stationed at Jerusalem and other cities throughout Israel.
The king gained riches by taxing traders who traveled through his
kingdom, from the men he had appointed to be regional governors over
the land, and from Arabian kings, who used caravan routes that were
under Solomon’s control. From these sources, Solomon gained 25 tons
of gold year after year. He used the gold to make 200 large shields and
300 smaller shields for decoration.
All drinking and eating utensils were made of gold. The king even
had a throne made from ivory and overlaid with pure gold. And every
three years, Solomon’s merchant ships brought back gold and silver,
along with apes and other jungle animals.
Solomon committed himself to producing great projects that
included building houses and water pools and planting vineyards,
gardens and orchards. He also gathered for himself numerous servants,
singers and musicians (I Kings 4:22-23, 26-28; 10:14-23, 26;
Ecclesiastes 2:4-8).
Astounding Wisdom
King Solomon’s abundant wealth also came from foreign rulers and
ambassadors who regularly visited him to hear his wisdom. Year after
year, these royal visitors showered him with articles of silver and gold,
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clothing made from the finest fabrics, armor, exotic spices and many
horses and mules (II Chronicles 9:22-24).
All across Israel and throughout neighboring kingdoms, Solomon
became famous for his immense understanding and insight. His wisdom
came to surpass the worldly wisdom of wise men from the East
and from Egypt. Solomon composed 1,005 songs and spoke 3,000
proverbs. (The Book of Proverbs—which was inspired by God and is
among the 66 books that make up the Holy Bible—is just a small portion
of these.) A great student of nature, he learned many life lessons
from studying trees, insects and animals (I Kings 4:29-34). From the
ant, Solomon learned the value of hard work and the danger of laziness:
“Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provides her meat in the
summer, and gathers her food in the harvest. How long will you sleep,
O sluggard? When will you arise out of your sleep? Yet a little sleep,
a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall your
poverty come as one that travels, and your want as an armed man”
(Proverbs 6:6-11).
One day, the king received a visit from the Queen of Sheba, who
had brought spices, gold and precious stones from her kingdom. She
had traveled more than 1,000 miles to see if Solomon’s reputation of
being the wisest man on earth was indeed true.
The queen peppered Solomon with many difficult questions and
riddles—and was amazed at his ability to answer all of them. Finally,
she was convinced that all she had heard about him was true. In fact,
she said to him, “I have not heard even half of the greatness of your
wisdom! Your servants and assistants are blessed to be in your company
and hear your great understanding. Your God, the Eternal, must
be delighted in you to be using you to execute justice and righteousness
over His people Israel.”
Before her visit was over, the Queen of Sheba presented Solomon
with about 4½ tons of gold, an abundance of silver and precious stones,
and more spices than the king had ever received.
And King Solomon gave back to the queen all that she desired,
even more than she had given to him. Then, she and her entourage
returned to her kingdom (I Kings 10:1-13; II Chronicles 9:1-12).
Building God’s Temple
Years earlier, God told King David that he was not allowed to build a
temple for Him. However, David was allowed to gather all the gold,
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silver, bronze, timber, along with goods, supplies, and servants and
workmen necessary for the construction.
It was now up to Solomon to oversee the building of this massive
project. King Hiram of Tyre, ruler over an important seaport city, was
of great assistance. He had been a friend to David, and extended that
friendship to David’s son. In turn, Solomon sought Hiram’s help in
gathering timber from the legendary cedar forests of Lebanon.
Solomon assembled a workforce of 150,000 laborers and 3,600
overseers. Together, they transported huge quarry stones and laid the
temple’s foundation (II Chronicles 2:18).
The temple was patterned after God’s tabernacle. Its stone walls
were covered with cedar paneling and overlaid with gold. Just outside
the temple’s entrance were two giant pillars, named Boaz (“in it is
strength”) and Jachin (“He shall establish”). Inside the temple was a
vestibule (or porch) at the front. Next was the sanctuary, or the Holy
Place, which housed the altar of incense and 12 golden tables for the
showbread, with ten golden lampstands. After this chamber came the
inner sanctuary, or the Most Holy Place. This is where the Ark of the
Covenant was to be stationed. Around the temple was an inner court
used by priests. It had a round bronze basin called a Sea, and held about
12,000 gallons of water, which the priests used to wash themselves and
their sacrifices. It also supplied water for the smaller basins that were
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used. There was also an outer court used by the rest of the Israelites.
From the laying of the foundation to its completion, the temple of God
took seven years and six months to finish (I Kings 7:15-51).
From the laying of its foundation
to the day it was completed, the
great temple took seven years
and six months to construct.
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King Solomon called for a special ceremony to be held in order to
dedicate the new temple to God. The elders of Israel and all the
other leaders and officials assembled, as the Ark of the Covenant was
delivered to its new home. The priests carried the ark (which still contained
the two tablets with the Ten Commandments written on them)
and placed it in the temple’s innermost sanctuary—the Most Holy
Place. Solomon also had the holy tabernacle (which the Israelites had
originally brought with them when they entered the Promised Land)
delivered to the temple, along with holy furnishings.
As the priests filed out of the temple, an assembly of Levites praised
God with singing and with the playing of cymbals, harps, trumpets and
other musical instruments.
Suddenly, everyone saw an amazing sight: A mysterious cloud
appeared and entered the temple, filling every chamber. The cloud was
so thick and massive that the priests could not continue their work.
This same thing happened in Moses’ day, when the holy tabernacle
had been built (Exodus 40:34-35). The mysterious cloud was God’s
glory. It represented God’s presence and showed that the Eternal was
pleased with the special workmanship that had gone into the temple’s
construction.
The king reminded the assembly why God’s temple was built.
Then Solomon kneeled before the altar, spread his hands out toward
heaven—as Moses had done when the Amalekites attacked Israel in
the wilderness (Exodus 17:8-16)—and prayed to God.
In his prayer of dedication, the king said, “Eternal God of Israel,
there is none like You in heaven or on the earth. You have kept Your
promise to my father David in having his son build Your house. Now I
ask that You keep Your promise to always have a descendant of David
sitting on Israel’s throne, as long as that man is careful to walk in all
Your ways.”
When he finished praying, Solomon stood up and blessed the assembly.
Then, he and the people dedicated the temple to God’s service, and
offered burnt sacrifices—22,000 bulls and 120,000 sheep. The people
had given so much in burnt offerings, grain offerings and peace offer-
CHAPTER ninety
solomon’s latter years
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ings that the bronze altar outside the temple was too small to handle
such large contributions.
The ceremony was an especially awe-inspiring and festive occasion,
because the latter half of the 14-day event took place during the Feast of
Tabernacles, which pictures the future millennial rule of Jesus Christ.
When the celebration was finally over, Solomon sent the people
home, full of joy and appreciative of all the good that God had done for
them (I Kings 8 and II Chronicles 5, 6 and 7:1-10).
Other Building Projects
Now Solomon was ready to build a palace for himself, one that would be
fashioned after his own design. Together, God’s temple and Solomon’s
royal palace took twenty years to complete.
He also built a large complex called the House of the Forest of
Lebanon, which had four rows of pillar columns and beams. These and
the paneling and roof were made up of cedars from the rich forests of
Lebanon.
Also, Solomon had built the Hall of Pillars, as well as the Hall of
Judgment, which the king used for hearing public petitions and to render
judgments for the people of Israel.
The king also took several cities and resettled them with Israelites.
He made storage cities out of some, while fortifying others with walls,
gates and bars. And other cities were dedicated to Solomon’s many
chariots and to his cavalry.
Much effort and expense was put into these projects. To assemble
and maintain a large workforce, the king enslaved the surviving
Canaanite peoples. The Israelites had failed to obey God’s command to
utterly destroy them (I Kings 7:1-11; II Chronicles 8:1-8).
God Appears to Solomon Again
God appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him, “I have heard your
prayer, and have chosen this temple for My use.
“If I strike the land with famine or a plague so that My people Israel
remember Me, and they humble themselves and seek after Me, and turn
from their wicked ways, then I will hear them. I will forgive their sin
and will heal their land.
“I have chosen this house, My temple, and have set it apart for holy
use so that My name may be there forever.
“If you, Solomon, will obey Me as your father did, and will live
according to all My commandments, statutes and judgments, then I
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will make the throne of your kingdom sure. I will keep My covenant
with David.
“However, if you turn away from Me and break My laws—and if
you serve other gods and worship them—then I will pluck them up by
the roots out of My land which I have given them. And I will cast this
house, which I have sanctified for My name and use, out of My sight.
I will make it a proverb of ridicule among all nations. Everyone who
passes by it will shudder and say, ‘Why has God done this to this land
and to this house?’ And someone will answer, ‘Because they forgot the
Eternal, the God of their fathers, the One who delivered them from the
land of Egypt. They sought after other gods and worshiped and served
them. This is why God has brought all this trouble and disaster upon
them” (II Chronicles 7:12-22).
A Dangerous Weakness
For years, all went well for King Solomon. Yet, like David, Samson and
all other servants of God before him, Solomon was only human—which
meant that, along with his strengths, he also had weaknesses. One of
Solomon’s glaring faults was his weakness for women. The king had
followed in his father’s footsteps and gathered for himself many wives,
instead of being married to just one wife, as God had planned for all
men. In fact, King Solomon was married to 700 wives and had 300 concubines!
Early in his reign, before the temple had been built, Solomon had
made a peace treaty with Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Part of the agreement
was that Solomon had to marry Pharaoh’s daughter, an Egyptian
princess.
Many, if not most, of Solomon’s wives were foreigners: women of
Moab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon, etc. They were from nations that God had
warned the Israelites to never marry:
“When you enter the Promised Land and dwell in it, and decide for
yourselves to have a king set over you, I will choose one for you. The
king is to be an Israelite, not a foreigner. And he shall not collect a multitude
of war horses for himself, as the pagan nations do. Nor shall the
king collect a multitude of wives for himself, for they will surely turn his
heart to seek after their false gods” (Deuteronomy 17:14-17).
Solomon did not heed this instruction. And, just as God had said
would happen, he began to concern himself with pleasing his many
wives and concubines than with pleasing and serving the Creator God.
This did not happen overnight, but gradually over time. Solomon
had started off following God’s statutes, except when it came to mak-
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ing sacrifices. Before the temple had been built, Solomon and the rest
of Israel offered sacrifices at high places. These were open-air centers
of worship, which the Canaanites had used to worship their false gods.
Back in Moses’ day, God ordered Israel to destroy these Canaanite
high places (Deuteronomy 7:5; 12:3). He knew that, even if these were
used to worship Him, Israel could be tempted to mix customs and rituals
from the religions of this world with godly traditions and practices.
Now that the temple had been constructed, people could no longer hide
behind the excuse that they were only using the high places to worship
God.
By the time Solomon was old and gray, he was no longer as loyal to
God as he had been. He gave in to his many wives’ constant demands
for affection and attention, and, to appease them, worshipped their false
gods and idols. Solomon sought after Ashtoreth, whom the people of
Sidon worshipped. He also sought after Molech and Chemosh, false
gods of the Ammonites. To appease these gods, worshippers offered
human sacrifices, cutting short the lives of their children!
Imagine—King Solomon had given up the wonderful truths of God,
turned his back on all the blessings and promises God had showered
upon him, in order to serve deities that did not really exist! The king had
even built a high place for these false gods on a hill east of Jerusalem,
burning incense to them and offering sacrifices.
God was angry with Solomon. Rarely did God ever appear to a
human being, but He had appeared to Solomon twice! The Bible states
that “Solomon did evil in the sight of the Eternal, and did not fully follow
the Eternal, as did his father David” (I Kings 11:6). The king had
no excuse for his backsliding behavior.
God spoke to Solomon yet again—but this time, He brought bad
news: “Since you turned your back on Me and have not kept My covenant
and My statutes, I will tear the kingdom of Israel from out of your
hand and will give it to one of your servants.
“However, for your father David’s sake, whom I greatly loved, I
will not do this while you are still alive; I will do this during your son’s
reign. Yet I will not tear away all of the tribes of Israel. I will give one
tribe to your son, for David’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake” (I Kings
11:1-13).
God Raises Up Adversaries
Years ago, when King David ruled Israel, he conquered neighboring
kingdoms, strengthening his country’s military might. One of these
kingdoms was Edom. With Joab as the chief army commander over
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Israel’s forces, every male Edomite was slain. But some few managed
to escape. Among them was Hadad, a child who descended from
the king of Edom. He and his band of refugees found a safe haven in
Egypt, where they were protected for many years. Pharaoh greatly
favored Hadad, and even gave his sister-in-law for Hadad to marry. She
bore a son to Hadad, who was reared as a prince of Egypt.
Solomon allows himself to be led
astray by his many foreign wives.
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When Hadad learned that both David and Joab were dead, he sought
Pharaoh’s permission to leave Egypt to establish his own country back
in Edom. Though at first reluctant, Pharaoh agreed.
Little did anyone know that God had raised up Hadad to become a
thorn in Solomon’s side. The Eternal removed the peace and security
Israel had known for decades, and replaced it with constant trouble
from Hadad and his men (I Kings 11:14-22).
God also sent another adversary to hound Solomon. His name was
Rezon. He and his men had escaped from Zobah, which David had conquered
early in his reign (II Samuel 8:3-8). Rezon settled in Damascus
and, after David’s death, became ruler over the kingdom of Syria.
While Solomon was continually troubled by the rebellious attacks
of Hadad and Rezon, God raised another adversary to trouble the king.
He commanded the prophet Ahijah to anoint a new king over Israel.
Ahijah was from the town of Shiloh, which was in Ephraim, the
leading tribe of the house of Israel. Following God’s commands, the
prophet came to a man named Jeroboam, the son of Nebat. He was
a talented young man whom Solomon had made leader over a works
project around Jerusalem.
After making sure that no one was around, Ahijah took a new garment
and tore it into twelve pieces. Jeroboam must have thought that
this was a strange sight, but he did not say anything. Then the prophet
said to him, “Take ten of these pieces for yourself. They symbolize the
ten tribes of the house of Israel, which the Eternal has given to you.
God says, ‘Behold, I will tear the kingdom out from Solomon’s hand,
because he has forsaken Me for false gods, and has not followed after
Me as David had done. I give ten tribes to you, but, for David’s sake,
will leave the house of Judah to Solomon’s son. I will make you king
over Israel, Jeroboam. And if you heed My instructions and keep My
commandments, I will build for you an enduring house, like David’s”
(I Kings 11:23-38).
Jeroboam was surprised by such a great blessing. But he soon
learned that he had to run for his life, for Solomon discovered what
had happened and wanted to kill him. Jeroboam managed to escape
to Egypt and was offered protection by Shishak, the Pharaoh (I Kings
11:40).
Learning From His Mistakes
Like Saul and David before him, King Solomon’s reign lasted forty
years, from about 971 to 931 B.C. (I Kings 11:41-43; II Chronicles
9:29-30).
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Jeroboam looks on as the prophet Ahijah tears the new garment into pieces.
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Because the Bible does not openly say so, most people believe that
Solomon did not repent before he died. Yet, the book of Ecclesiastes,
which he wrote, reveals a man nearing the end of his life, one who
realizes that seeking after the material things of this world is useless.
The book teaches that true happiness, peace and fulfillment come from
putting God’s Way first—rejecting foolish ways for godly wisdom.
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Over the years, the unity and bond between the house of Israel and
the house of Judah slowly gave way to hostility and division.
After King Solomon died, leaders and representatives of the ten
northern tribes assembled at Shechem, an Ephraimite city about 30
miles north of Jerusalem. The assembly’s purpose was to officially
accept Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, as king over all Israel. When
Rehoboam came before them, he probably thought that his coronation
was certain. As he scanned the crowd of somber faces, he was surprised
to see a certain familiar face grinning back at him—it belonged
to Jeroboam!
Rehoboam turned to an Israelite official and said, “What is this
rebel doing here? Why isn’t he cowering for his life in Egypt?”
“Because Jeroboam is our representative,” the official said. “We
sent word to him in Egypt, asking him to represent the house of
Israel’s interests.”
“What interests?”
“You shall soon see.”
Jeroboam, trading his grin for a serious look, stepped forward and
pointed at Solomon’s son. “For many years, your father created massive
work projects all throughout Israel,” he said. “These grand works
were done on the backs of the people. King Solomon made our yoke
heavy, overburdening us with heavy taxes. Rehoboam, if you want to
be our king, lighten our load—then we will serve you.”
The people surrounding Jeroboam nodded. Some murmured,
“Yes” and “That’s right.”
Rehoboam and his men did not know what to say or do. A careless
answer would have meant a very short reign. Finally, Rehoboam said,
“I need some time to think about this. Come back in three days and I
will give you my answer.”
Everyone agreed and then departed, leaving Rehoboam to consider
how he should answer them. He turned to his advisors, aged and experienced
men who, for years, had given wise counsel to Solomon.
“What should I do?” Rehoboam asked. “How shall I answer these
people?”
CHAPTER ninety-one
judah and israel split
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The advisors said, “If you want to be a servant to these Israelites,
then speak good words to them and do as they request. Tell them that
you will serve them and look out for their best interests. Then they
will be your servants forever.”
Since he did not inherit Solomon’s wisdom or seek God for His
insight and depth of understanding, Rehoboam did not value this
sound advice. So he rejected it.
Rehoboam turned to his peers—the young princes, officials and
assistants he had grown up with, who were his own age and shared
the same mindset. “What do you think I should do?” he asked them.
“Should I lighten Israel’s tax burden?”
The young men replied, “We know exactly what you should do,”
and then they told him their plan. Rehoboam listened to their counsel
and liked what he heard (I Kings 12:1-9).
Avoiding Civil War
When Jeroboam and the assembly returned to Shechem, Rehoboam followed
the advice of his peers. In a cold, harsh voice, he answered, “You
have said that my father Solomon made your yoke heavy—but I will
make it even heavier. My father chastised you with whips—but I will
chastise you with knotted whips reserved for slaves!”
The leaders of the ten northern tribes were furious!
“This man doesn’t care about us,” one man said.
“You’re right,” another said. “All he cares about is himself and the
tribe he comes from!”
The Israelites had had enough. They were not about to let Rehoboam
rule over their lives. Their anger and outrage intensified, the crowd of
angry men was in danger of turning into a bitter and merciless mob. And
then, to Rehoboam’s horror, the Israelites shouted the same rallying cry
that Sheba, a dangerous rebel of King David’s day, issued years ago:
“What share do our tribes have in the royal house of David? We have no
inheritance in the son of Jesse’s family! Let’s all return home to our own
house, and let the royal family of David see to its own house!”
With that, the ten tribes of the house of Israel rejected Rehoboam’s
rulership, and decided to start their own kingdom. Meanwhile, Jeroboam
was delighted that the prophet Ahijah’s message from God was coming
to pass.
Rehoboam and his men tried not to panic as they raced to learn how
many citizens remained loyal to the throne of David.
“What do we do now?” the king asked his men. “How many tribes
are left under my rule?”
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One of his assistants
answered, “My
lord, the whole tribe
of Judah has chosen
to stay loyal to you.
And so have certain
Israelites who,
though they originally
came from the northern
tribes, now live
throughout Judah.”
“And what about
Benjamin? My grandfather
David was very
good to that tribe.”
“Most people in
Benjamin recognize
this, my lord, and
have chosen to submit
to your leadership.
However, Bethel and
several other northern
Benjamite towns have
sided with the house
of Israel.”
King Rehoboam
agonized over Israel
rejecting his rule. He simply couldn’t accept it. So he appointed one
of his trusted officials to meet with the elders of Israel and try to talk
sense into them. Rehoboam picked Adoram, the chief officer in charge
of taxing the people, and who had also been in charge of the forced
labor pool during Solomon’s reign (I Kings 4:6; 5:14).
A Deadly Reaction
The leaders of Israel were not surprised when a messenger delivered
a message from Rehoboam announcing that he was sending a special
representative to talk with them.
“Perhaps the son of Solomon has changed his mind and is now
ready to cave in to our demands,” one man said. He was one of a
handful of men who worried about what Judah and Israel’s separation
meant for God’s people.
Judah and Israel split into
two separate nations.
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Another man replied, “I don’t care what Rehoboam’s representative
has to say! Israel needs a new king—someone from among its own
tribes!” Other leaders nodded and murmured in agreement. The rift
between Israel and Judah had been growing for so many years that they
and the rest of Israel were determined to start their own kingdom—no
matter what.
When Adoram finally arrived, the Israelites were furious!
“What is this man doing here? Of all the men in Rehoboam’s government,
why was Adoram selected? He is the one in charge of collecting
taxes! And he is the same man Solomon used to force our citizens
into labor!”
It was very foolish for the king to send a man who symbolized the
two things that Israel hated—heavy taxes and forced labor. Adoram’s
presence signaled to the Israelites that Rehoboam intended his rulership
to be even stricter than Solomon’s. The sight of Adoram angered the
people so much that they picked up rocks and stoned him to death!
“We’re free from Judah’s tyranny!” the people shouted. “It’s time
to select our own king.” They did not concern themselves with seeking
God’s will in the matter. Their minds were made up.
And when the Israelites asked themselves who should become their
new king, again, they did not ask God to guide them, to choose a man
after His own heart, as He did when He selected David years earlier.
Just like people of the world today, Israel thought it could set its own
path through life without any help and direction from God.
The Israelites were impressed with Jeroboam and how he had
handled representing their interests to Judah’s king. They were also
impressed with his leadership skills. Focusing on his talents while failing
to examine his character, the ten tribes of Israel chose Jeroboam to
be their new ruler.
Meanwhile, when King Rehoboam heard about Adoram’s murder,
he mounted his chariot and raced back to Jerusalem in fear of his own
life. Then, angered by the Israelites’ bloody response and the fact that
they made Jeroboam their king, Rehoboam assembled an army of
180,000 soldiers from Judah and Benjamin, and prepared to invade
Israel. “Judah and Israel will be one nation again,” he said, “whether
the Israelites like it or not!”
But he soon found out that this was not God’s will. The Eternal
sent His servant Shemaiah to deliver a message to the king. “Hear
what God has to say to you, Rehoboam, and to the whole house of
Judah, Benjamin and all who follow you: ‘You shall not go up and
fight against your brother Israelites. Let every man return home, for
this split is of My doing, according to My will and purpose.”
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No one dared to question or openly defy God’s will, for everyone
knew that invading Israel would be like opposing God Himself! The
invasion army was dismantled and every man went home, accepting
God’s answer (I Kings 12:12-24; II Chronicles 10:13-19; 11:1-4).
Removing God From Israel
Now that his kingdom was much smaller, King Rehoboam feared that
other kingdoms might be tempted to attack. So he turned his attention
to building fortified cities and military strongholds throughout
Judah.
Meanwhile, King Jeroboam built up Shechem’s defenses, and
decided to live there. He also fortified Penuel, a city on the other side
of the Jordan River. He did this to affirm his royal authority over the
Israelites there.
Like David, Jeroboam’s kingdom and rulership came from God.
But unlike David, Jeroboam did not set his heart to seek God and obey
His laws. Jeroboam was more like Joab, in that he relied on human
reasoning to make decisions, rather than on God’s strength and guidance.
God had promised Jeroboam that Israel’s ten tribes would be under
his rulership. Despite this, Jeroboam still worried, for he knew that
God expected His people to worship Him with sacrifices at the temple
in Jerusalem. “If they travel there often enough, they might change
their minds and submit to Rehoboam’s rule. And if that happens, they
will certainly kill me.”
Jeroboam did not see the wisdom in following David’s example of
putting his trust in God, relying upon Him as his “rock” and “shield”
and “high tower of strength.”
So the carnal-minded king came up with a wicked plan. He had his
men create two golden idols made in the image of calves. Before an
assembly, he said to his subjects, “Why travel all the way to Jerusalem
to worship? Here are your gods who brought you up out of Egypt,” he
said, pointing to the golden calves. “There’s no longer any need for
you to travel. You can worship your gods in your own land.”
He set up one idol in Dan, at the northern end of Israel, and he
set up the other idol in Bethel, in the south. The vast majority of the
Israelites accepted Jeroboam’s new system of idolatry, and worshipped
at the high places he had built throughout the nation. Rejecting the
priestly services of the many Levites who lived in Israel, Jeroboam
appointed his own priests to serve in these pagan sanctuaries. Next, to
keep the people from traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of
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Tabernacles—an eight-day fall festival that pictures worldwide peace,
abundance and joy—the king set up his own pagan festival. Held a
month after God’s Feast, it distracted the Israelites and kept their
minds off the true God.
Jeroboam trusted in himself, not God. He tempted and deceived the
people into disobeying God’s command to travel to His three annual
Feasts (Deuteronomy 16:16). He created idols for the people, essentially
removing God from Israel. He changed God’s annual Sabbaths
and Feasts. In effect, Jeroboam changed Israel into just another nation
of pagan idol worshippers (I Kings 12:25-33; II Chronicles 11:5-12).
Jeroboam leads the ten northern
tribes of Israel to worship false gods.
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In order to set up a new system of worship, Jeroboam reasoned that he
had to replace the true God with false gods and replace God’s Holy
Days with counterfeit holidays. He had also made himself Israel’s high
priest, putting himself into an office that was not his to take. Now that
he was the nation’s king and high priest, Jeroboam also concluded that
he had to supply Israel with a counterfeit priesthood. He stripped the
priests and the Levites of their duties, and chose priests from all of the
northern tribes.
The people of Levi decided to leave their cities and head for Judah
so that they could serve God and offer sacrifices at the temple in
Jerusalem.
They willingly came under King Rehoboam’s rulership, and their
faithful obedience to God helped to strengthen the kingdom of Judah.
For the first three years, Rehoboam’s kingdom thrived, for the people
set their hearts to seek the Eternal and live according to His commandments,
judgments and statutes (II Chronicles 11:13-17).
Jeroboam and the Man of God
Meanwhile, Jeroboam continued to mislead and deceive the northern
kingdom of Israel into worshipping lifeless idols and demons posing
as deities.
One day, a man of God came from Judah with a message for
Jeroboam, who was at Bethel conducting a pagan religious service. As
Israel’s new king stood by an altar to burn incense, the townspeople
watched the man of God walk up to it and state, “O altar! The Eternal
God says that one day a child named Josiah will be born to the royal
house of David. God will use Josiah to sacrifice the false priests who
burn incense on you today, and men’s bones will be burned on you.
“Here is the sign proving that this message is from the almighty
God: The altar shall split apart and the ashes on it shall be poured
out!”
(The man that he prophesied about would become king of Judah
about 300 years later.)
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two kingdoms,
two path s
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The crowd of onlookers did not know what to think. “Surely this
man must be mad,” someone said.
In the Old Testament system of worship, the sacrificial ashes
were supposed to be properly disposed of in a special “clean” place
(Leviticus 4:12; 6:10-11). If the ashes had any contact with the ground,
they would be considered “unclean.” Since Jeroboam had counterfeited
God’s feasts, priesthood and system of worship, Israel’s new false
religion also required that the ashes not spill to the ground.
King Jeroboam was furious! Instead of trembling in fear of God’s
message, he said, “How dare this man interfere with our sacrifices!”
Then he stretched out his hand, pointed at the man of God, and said,
“Guards, seize this man at once!”
Just then, as the king’s guards moved to arrest the man of God,
Jeroboam’s hand instantly withered into a feeble, useless stump of
dried-out muscle and bone. Everyone was shocked and horrified at
seeing how weak and pathetic their proud king had become. And
they were even more astonished when the altar mysteriously split in
two! As its ashes poured out onto the ground, defiling them, everyone
knew that the message the man delivered had truly come from the
Almighty!
Jeroboam was powerless. There was nothing he could do. His idols
could not help him. And no one dared to lift a finger against God’s
servant.
Reluctantly, the king said to the man, “Please…pray for me, and
ask the Eternal your God to restore my hand back to health.”
Though Jeroboam did not show any sign of repentance, the man of
God had pity on him and prayed to God on his behalf. In an instant,
Jeroboam’s hand was as healthy and strong as before.
A deep sense of joy filled him. Since it was the people’s custom
to honor a prophet with a gift if the man performed what was
requested of him, Jeroboam asked the man of God to come home
with him and refresh himself. “Afterward, I will give you a gift,”
the king said. Jeroboam may have done this to sway the man of God
to favor him and to convince the onlookers that Israel’s king had
everything in control.
But the man of God answered, “Jeroboam, even if you offered
to give me half of your royal lodgings, I wouldn’t go with you. Nor
would I eat or drink anything in this place. God has commanded me
not to eat or drink, and that I must return home by a different route.”
Then the man departed as the wide-eyed Israelites continued to
drink in the awesome miracles that had taken place before their eyes
(I Kings 13:1-10).
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When Jeroboam orders his guards to
arrest the man of God, the king’s hand
dries up and withers.
The Price for Disobedience
There was an old prophet who lived in Bethel, a man who had once
faithfully served God, but over the years had let his obedience slip.
The old prophet had grown used to tolerating Bethel and its false
system of worship. He compromised with God’s laws and did not
loudly speak out against the city. In effect, his presence and example
taught the Israelites that it was okay to worship idols and to break
God’s Law and to compromise with His Way.
The old prophet’s sons returned and told their father about the
amazing miracles that the man of God had performed. “You should
have been there, father! We’ve never seen anything like it! Truly,
God was using this man!”
“Where is he?” the father asked.
“We don’t know. The man of God departed just as abruptly as
he had arrived. We know that he didn’t take the same route back to
Judah.”
“Really? Why are you so sure?”
“Because he told King Jeroboam that God had commanded him
to take a different route home.”
The old prophet said, “Did you see which way he went?”
“Yes,” they replied.
“Then saddle my donkey for me. I must catch up with this
man.”
The sons did as their father had said, and the old prophet was soon
out in the countryside looking for the man of God. When he found him,
the man of God was resting under an oak tree. Since he had been without
food and drink for some time, the lonely, dusty journey back home
caused the man of God to feel weak.
The old prophet rode up to him, and said, “Are you the man of God,
sent from Judah?”
The man looked up, and said, “I am.”
Pleased with his discovery, the old prophet said, “My sons have told
me about your mission back at the altar in Bethel. Please, come home
with me, and share my bread. Judah is still quite a distance from here.”
“I can’t do that. God wants me to go home—not to fellowship with
the people here. In fact, He does not even want me to eat or drink in this
place. The Eternal said to me, ‘You shall not eat bread or drink water
there, nor return the way you came.’”
The old man felt disappointed. He desperately wanted to fellowship
with the man of God. Perhaps it was because he had been around
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compromisers and lawbreakers for so long that he missed spending
time with faithful servants of God.
Suddenly, an idea popped into the old man’s head. Though he knew
it was wrong, he devised a lie, thinking that it would be okay since
his intentions were good. He looked the man of God in the eye, and
said, “I’m a prophet like you, and an angel gave me this message from
God: ‘Bring My servant back to your home, and give him food and
drink.’”
This appealed to the man of God, whose stomach growled and lips
and mouth felt parched from hunger and thirst. He began to reason
within himself: “Maybe I should go back with him. Surely this old man
wouldn’t dare lie about receiving a message from God—and he would
know better than to try to deceive one of God’s servants. Besides, I’m
hungry and thirsty and tired. The journey back home sure would feel
better if my belly was full.”
By relying on human reasoning instead of walking by faith (II
Corinthians 5:7), the man of God convinced himself that it was alright
to ignore the Eternal’s command. He followed the old prophet home,
and broke his fast with bread and water.
As the two men enjoyed each other’s company, the old prophet was
startled to hear the voice of God Almighty speaking to him. “What’s
this?” he thought within himself. “The Eternal is actually speaking to
me!”
The man of God stared at the old man and wondered why he was
trembling with fear. He soon found out. The aged and weathered
prophet said to him, “Hear the word of the Eternal: ‘Because you have
disobeyed Me and have not followed My command, your dead body
will not be buried in the tomb of your fathers.’”
It was the Israelites’ custom to bury their dead with the bones of their
ancestors (Judges 8:32; II Samuel 2:32). The lack of such a burial was
considered to be a severe punishment and disgrace. And to die without
mourners or honors, even if one had many children and had lived a full
life, was considered worse than being born dead (Ecclesiastes 6:3-6).
The old prophet and the man of God were silent—stunned by what
had just happened. Realizing that God intended to take His servant’s
life, both men wondered and feared what would happen next.
With nothing more to say to each other, the old prophet saddled a
donkey for his doomed guest and sent him on his way.
God did not delay His punishment for long. As the man rode
along the well-traveled path, a ferocious lion sprang seemingly out
of nowhere and leapt upon the man, ending his life in a flash. But the
donkey did not run away, nor did the lion attack it. In fact, the lion
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did not even eat the man’s corpse, as lions normally would do with
their dead prey.
Eventually, some travelers came along and were amazed by the
unnatural scene of a lion and a donkey calmly standing by a man lying
dead on the ground. They concluded that God’s hand was in this and
rushed to Bethel to tell the townspeople what they had witnessed.
When the old prophet heard the news, he said, “The one you saw
was the man of God. He was punished for disobeying God’s instruction,
just as He said He would.
After having his sons saddle his donkey, the old prophet mounted it
and rode off to where the corpse lay. He saw that the lion and the donkey
were still calmly standing by the dead man’s uneaten body. The old
prophet took the corpse and brought it back to town, where he mourned
over the man of God, calling him his “brother.” His deception had led
to the man of God’s death.
After he had the body buried, the old prophet turned to his sons and
said, “When I die, bury me in the same tomb where the man of God
is buried, and lay my bones beside his. He deserves to be honored for
preaching against all the altars of Bethel and against all the pagan high
places throughout the cities of the kingdom of Israel. God’s word will
come to pass” (I Kings 13:11-32).
Sin is the breaking of God’s Law (I John 3:4), and those who sin
earn the penalty of death (Romans 6:23). God’s punishment on the man
from Judah was swift because the Eternal had to teach Israel that He
does not tolerate sin.
Jeroboam Continues His Evil Ways
Jeroboam was still trembling in fear when one of his servants came to
him with an urgent message.
“You better have good news for me,” the king growled. “I don’t
think I can bear anything else going wrong.”
The servant bowed low and said, “This is good news, my lord. Your
enemy is dead.”
“Who? What enemy?
“The man of God, the one who caused your hand to dry up and the
altar to split.”
“The man of God is dead? How can this be?”
The servant told Jeroboam everything that had happened regarding
the man of God’s fate. The king sat forward on his throne, carefully
listening to every word. When the servant finished his account, a
smug, self-satisfied grin appeared on Jeroboam’s face.
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God’s punishment for the man of God was swift.
He said, “Well, well, well. It looks like the Eternal rejected this
so-called man of God. Or maybe his God was too weak to protect him
from that lion. Either way, I don’t have to worry about him coming
back to Bethel and bothering me again.”
Feeling vindicated by the tragic death of the man of God, Jeroboam
did not feel the need to repent from leading Israel down the treacherous
path of evil. He continued to select men from all the northern tribes to
be his priests—men who lacked character and who did not think twice
about abandoning the God of Israel for false gods. Jeroboam would
ordain just about anyone who wanted to be a priest. The kingdom of
Israel was heading for certain doom (I Kings 13:33-34).
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For Jeroboam, all was going well in life…that is, until his son
Abijah became deathly ill. The king knew that the false gods
he had set up for Israel to worship could not heal. Reluctantly, he
decided to turn to the one true source of all healing—the almighty
Eternal God.
But instead of repenting of his evil ways, and turning to his
Creator with his whole heart, as David did, Jeroboam planned on
using trickery and deception. He asked his wife to disguise herself
and go to Shiloh, the home of Ahijah. He was the prophet who had
told Jeroboam that God would give the northern kingdom of Israel
into his hand.
“Don’t worry about Ahijah recognizing you,” he said to her. “Old
age has weakened his eyesight. Just remember to stay in your disguise
and pretend to be someone else. Don’t let him know that you
are the queen. Now go to Ahijah and ask him about the fate of our
son. Perhaps you can get him to pray for him.”
Jeroboam’s wife departed, obeying her husband and going to
Ahijah’s home.
But before she arrived, God spoke to His prophet, telling him
that Jeroboam’s wife would pay him a visit pretending to be another
woman. When she approached his home, she was startled to hear
the old man say, “Come right in. There’s no need for you to try to
deceive me with your disguise—I know exactly who you are!”
“Who do you think I am?” she stammered.
“Jeroboam’s wife.”
The woman uttered a gasp.
“That’s right, and I know why you are here!”
She was too afraid to ask, but Ahijah did not wait for her to
respond.
He said, “Go tell your husband that God has bad news for him.
The Eternal has said, ‘Jeroboam, I exalted you from among the
people, made you their ruler, tore the kingdom away from the house
of David, and gave it you. Yet, you have not kept My commandments,
nor followed Me with all your heart, nor set yourself to do
CHAPTER ninety-three
outnumbered and
outmaneuvered
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only what is right in My eyes, as My servant David did. Instead, you
have done more evil than all who lived before you. You have made
other gods, with false idols and images, to provoke Me to anger.
And you have cast Me behind your back. Therefore, I will bring evil
upon your royal house. I will cut off your seed so that your dynasty
will die out. Dogs and birds shall feast on the dead bodies of your
descendants.’”
Fear gripped the heart of Jeroboam’s wife, for she knew God
never spoke idle words. When He said He would do something, it
was guaranteed to come true.
Ahijah told her, “Go home. The moment your feet enter the city,
your child shall die. Because your husband has led Israel to com-
Jeroboam’s wife tries to fool the prophet Ahijah with her disguise.
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mit such evil, God shall raise a king over Israel who will cut off
Jeroboam’s house. Also, the Eternal shall strike Israel, as a reed shakes
in the water, and will uproot Israel from the Promised Land, scattering
the Israelites beyond the Euphrates River. Why?—because Israel has
made false gods and idols, provoking God to anger. Now go.”
The woman returned home as quickly as she could, hoping that her
son would still cling to life. But, just as the prophet had said, she discovered
that Abijah was dead (I Kings 14:1-18).
Rehoboam’s Reign in Judah
For the first few years of Rehoboam’s reign in Judah, the king, for the
most part, was faithful in keeping God’s laws—especially since the
priests, Levites and other disgruntled Israelites continued to migrate to
Judah. In any event, the small kingdom prospered.
Of his 18 wives and 60 concubines, he loved Maachah the most.
Her father was Absalom. And from his 28 sons and 60 daughters,
Rehoboam selected Maachah’s son Abijah to be the chief prince. This
made it clear to everyone that Rehoboam intended Abijah to eventually
become Judah’s next king.
Rehoboam was wise enough to understand that his other sons
would become jealous. He recognized that if this led to being bitter and
resentful, the princes might plot against Abijah and seize the throne.
To prevent this, Rehoboam dispersed his sons throughout Judah and
Benjamin, assigning each prince his own territory to administer over.
To further keep them content, the king supplied his sons with abundant
provisions and many wives.
With his cities fortified and his kingdom at peace, Rehoboam felt
secure and satisfied. He no longer saw the need to worship the God of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The king drifted back into foolish ways,
deciding to live his own way, rather than seeking after God the way his
grandfather David had done. Perhaps this was because of his mother
Naamah, an Ammonite princess. Since she was a foreigner who had
grown up serving false gods, it is doubtful that she would have taught
her son to worship the one true God.
Following Rehoboam’s lead, Judah fell into idol worship. Pagan
high places and “sacred” pillars and false images flourished throughout
the land. Integrity and family values all but disappeared, replaced
with perverted lifestyles. The people were beginning to turn their
backs on God, which provoked Him to anger. Following Israel’s footsteps,
Judah was on the path to utter destruction (I Kings 14:21-24; II
Chronicles 11:18-23; 12:13-14).
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Egypt Invades!
One day, the security and self-satisfaction that Rehoboam felt was
replaced with sudden fear. A messenger had come before the king and
told him bad news: “My lord, Egypt has invaded our land!”
“What?” Rehoboam gasped. “Are you certain?”
The messenger nodded. “Yes, my lord. Our border scouts have determined
that Shishak, Egypt’s king, has sent an invasion force of 1,200
chariots, 60,000 horsemen, and far too many soldiers to count.”
Soon, Judah’s fortified cities fell into Shishak’s hand. Rehoboam was
powerless to stop the invasion. The king grew desperate. He knew that
Jerusalem would be next.
As the king met with the elders of Judah to discuss what to do, one of
the guards escorted Shemaiah the prophet into their presence. Shemaiah
said to them, “Hear the Eternal’s message: ‘Since you have forsaken Me, I
have forsaken you, and have left you in the hand of the king of Egypt.’”
Rehoboam and the leaders could offer no excuse for the way they
had abandoned God and His laws. They knew that they had not devoted
themselves to putting Him first. So the men wasted no time and humbled
themselves, acknowledging that God’s judgment was correct.
When God saw that these proud, arrogant men had changed their
rotten attitudes, He had mercy on them. He had His servant Shemaiah
deliver another message: “Because you have chosen to humble yourselves,
I will not destroy you. I will grant you some deliverance; I will
not use Shishak to pour out My wrath upon Jerusalem. However, the
kingdom of Judah will serve Egypt. In this way, you will recognize—
and perhaps appreciate—the difference between serving Me and serving
the nation from which I had delivered you from slavery hundreds
of years ago.”
Before Shishak’s invasion was finished, the Egyptian king had pillaged
God’s temple and Rehoboam’s palace, taking away all the treasures
he could find. He even took away the gold shields that Solomon had
made. To replace them, Rehoboam had bronze shields made, which were
of a lesser quality.
Jerusalem and Judah were safe once again, but at a steep price (I
Kings 14:25-28; II Chronicles 12:1-12).
Outnumbered Two to One
The Bible records very little about the other events that took place
during Rehoboam’s 17-year reign. However, it does reveal that over
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The army of Shishak, king of Egypt, invades Judah, looting God’s temple and King Rehoboam’s
palace before returning home.
the years Israel and Judah engaged in border skirmishes, with each
kingdom competing for regional dominance.
King Rehoboam died at the age of 58, leaving behind a legacy of
having caused Israel and Judah to split (I Kings 14:29-30; II Chronicles
12:15-16).
He was replaced by his son Abijah, who continued engaging in
military conflicts with King Jeroboam. Abijah commanded an army of
400,000 warriors—but they were outnumbered by Jeroboam’s 800,000
warriors. The odds were not in Judah’s favor.
In spite of this, Abijah boldly stood on Mount Zemaraim, in the
mountains of Ephraim, and shouted down to opposing forces on the
battlefield.
He said, “Hear me this day, Jeroboam! God gave Israel to David and
his house to rule, by a covenant of salt—symbolizing that this would
last forever. Yet you, who once served Solomon, arose and rebelled
against his master. You have gathered for yourself vain men, children
of Belial, who opposed my father Rehoboam when he was young and
inexperienced. And now you think to conquer the kingdom that the
Eternal gave to David’s sons.
“You might outnumber us two to one, but you have false gods on
your side, and you have cast out God’s priests to make room for your
own priests! But we have the Eternal God on our side. He knows that
we have not forsaken Him. His true priesthood is also with us, serving
the Almighty. Every morning and every evening they burn sacrifices
and sweet incense to God.
“Behold, God is our captain, and His priests are blowing the trumpets
of war to cry alarm against you. Children of Israel, do not fight
against the Eternal God of your fathers—for you shall not prosper!”
Despite Abijah’s ominous warning, Jeroboam would not listen. The
king of Israel launched an ambush attack. He sent a division of his
troops to maneuver around Abijah’s soldiers and attack from behind.
The army of Judah was sandwiched between enemies in the front and
enemies in the back. Judah was trapped!
Realizing that they could not rely upon their own strength and survive,
the soldiers of Judah cried out to God with all their might, as the
priests blew on the trumpets. Then, every man gave out a horrifying
shout as they faced their enemies.
Meanwhile, King Jeroboam was smug, confident that his superior
numbers would defeat Judah’s smaller army. But his smugness quickly
turned to fear and shame when God Almighty intervened on the battlefield.
The Bible does not say how, but God struck the army of Israel,
causing the survivors to run for their lives! Then King Abijah and his
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men chased after them. Jeroboam had started with 800,000 soldiers,
but when the battle had ended, 500,000 of his warriors were slain.
The king of Judah chased the king of Israel and his frightened army,
seizing Israelite cities such as Bethel, Jeshanah and Ephron and their
surrounding villages.
This biblical account is only one of many showing that God rescues
those who put their trust in Him.
Jeroboam thought he was finally safe when he managed to escape.
Little did he know that God would take his life a few years later (I
Kings 14:19-20).
You might think that Abijah, because he had witnessed God rescue
him and Judah from certain defeat, lived the rest of his life serving
and obeying the Eternal. Sadly, this is not the case. Like most people,
Abijah forgot what God had done for him, and devoted his life to
pleasing himself.
Ignoring God’s command to be married to only one wife, he married
14 wives, and had 22 sons and 16 daughters. During his three short
years of reigning over Judah, Abijah followed in his father’s footsteps
and did evil. Yet, God remembered His covenant with David (just as
David had remembered his with Jonathan) and did not remove David’s
dynasty from the throne.
Abijah died in his evil state, making room for his son Asa to rule in
his place (I Kings 15:1-8; II Chronicles 13:1-21).
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Upon Jeroboam’s death, his son Nadab became king of Israel.
He should have learned from his father’s horrible example and
turned to God for guidance. Yet, sadly, Nadab’s reign was just as
evil as Jeroboam’s. He continued the worship of idols and forbade
the Israelites from going to Jerusalem, where the priests and Levites
would have taught them the ways of God.
As soon as he was made king, Nadab set out to strengthen Israel.
He gathered his troops and led them to attack Gibbethon, a town in
the territory of Dan, which God had given to the Levites in Joshua’s
day (Joshua 19:44 ). Gibbethon had been taken by the Philistines—
and Nadab wanted it back.
As the army of Israel fought to retake the city, Baasha, a man
from the tribe of Issachar, plotted against the king. He made his plans
known to a handful of men he felt he could trust, men who shared
his lust for power and position. With their help, Baasha killed King
Nadab and seized the throne. Nadab’s reign only lasted about two
years.
God, through the prophet Ahijah, had proclaimed that every male
descendant of Jeroboam’s royal family would be destroyed (I Kings
14:10). Baasha fulfilled this judgment—but he went even further,
killing every man, woman and child who was kin to Jeroboam.
Baasha did not want to give any of them a chance to seek revenge
and retake the throne (I Kings 15:25-31).
Wasting 24 Years
King Baasha ruled Israel from the city of Tizrah. Rather than learning
from the wicked examples of Jeroboam and Nadab, which led to
God’s judgment against them, he followed their example. He worshipped
idols and gave himself to the sins that flow from idolatry (I
Kings 15:33-34). He even led Israel to do the same.
God was angry with Baasha. He sent the prophet Jehu to tell the
king that He would cut off his royal house, just as Jeroboam’s had
been cut off.
CHAPTER NINETY-FOUR
LIKE FA THER, LIKE SON
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If Baasha had repented, God would have shown him mercy. But
King Baasha squandered his 24-year reign, worshipping gods that did
not exist, while ignoring the one true God, who would have gladly
blessed him with happiness, prosperity and success (I Kings 16:1-6).
Two Short-Lived Reigns
After Baasha died, his son Elah replaced him as king—but his reign
was short-lived. Elah was wicked like his father.
And just as his father had conspired against Nadab, someone
plotted against Elah. Zimri, commander of half the king’s chariots,
thought he was worthy to rule over Israel—and was ready to shed
blood to fulfill his lust for power. He looked for every opportunity to
seize the throne.
He saw his chance when Elah had foolishly made himself drunk.
Seeing that the king was too weak to defend himself, Zimri took
advantage of this and slew him. Then Zimri made himself king.
To make sure that there would be no one left to seek revenge, he
set out to destroy Baasha’s royal house, even killing extended family
members, friends—anyone who appeared to be loyal to Baasha and
Elah. God’s judgment against the royal family of Baasha was carried
out.When the soldiers of Israel learned that Zimri had murdered Elah
and made himself king, they were outraged. They took Omri, the
commander of the army, and made him king. The first thing Omri
did was march his troops to Tizrah to capture the city and deal with
Zimri.
Tizrah was surrounded—all routes of escape were cut off. Since
the city was not heavily fortified, Omri’s troops quickly captured it.
Zimri knew that it was only a matter of time before he would be captured.
Unable to mount a strong defense, and unwilling to surrender,
he ran into the citadel of the king’s house and set it ablaze. He chose
to perish in the fire rather than to be executed by his enemy. His brief
reign as king over Israel lasted only seven days (I Kings 16:7-20).
Samaria, Israel’s New Capital
Though Omri had been made king, another man opposed him for the
throne. For the next four years, the kingdom of Israel was divided.
Half the people, including the army, followed Omri, while the other
half followed a man named Tibni. Eventually, Omri and his forces
prevailed, which resulted in Tibni losing his life.
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Tizrah’s quick capture and Tibni’s opposition convinced the king
that Israel needed a new capital, one that could be heavily fortified, and
yet was in a picturesque setting.
He bought a piece of hill property in the midst of Ephraim, which
was 300 feet tall and was nestled at the bottom of a beautiful mountain
range. With its steep incline, making it hard for enemy soldiers to mount
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an attack, and natural springs that provided much water, the property had
military value. He decided to build a capital city there, one that would be
centrally located in the kingdom—not too far from the Mediterranean Sea,
and sitting about halfway between Dan and Beersheba. Omri called the
city Samaria, named after Shemer, the former property owner. Samaria
would continue to be Israel’s capital for many years.
As for the rest of Omri’s 12-year reign, he continued in the ways of
Jeroboam until the day he died, committing more sins than any king
before him. He was replaced by his son Ahab, who would turn out to be
the worst of all the kings of Israel to that point (I Kings 16:21-28).
A Righteous King in Judah
For 41 years—from the end of Jeroboam’s reign, to the reign of
Nadab, Baasha, Elah, Zimri, Omri, and the beginning of Ahab’s
reign—Judah had just one king: Asa, son of Abijah. For the first ten
years of his rulership, his kingdom was blessed with peace.
Here is why. Asa did what was good and right in God’s eyes. He
removed the altars of false gods, destroyed the idols, and cut down
the pagan groves throughout the land. Then, King Asa ordered everyone
in Judah to seek the Eternal and to keep His laws and commandments.
Because Asa chose to be loyal to God, the Eternal was loyal
to him, rewarding his wholehearted obedience with peace. The king
knew that as long as he and the rest of Judah relied on God, everyone
would prosper.
During this time of peace, Asa built fortified cities in the kingdom,
protecting them with walls, watchtowers, gates and bars. He
also commanded an army of 300,000 valiant warriors from Judah and
280,000 from the tribe of Benjamin (II Chronicles 14:1-8).
Facing a Million-Man Army
One day, an enemy named Zerah led his vast army of Ethiopian warriors
on a mission to invade Judah. Zerah commanded one million
soldiers, plus 300,000 chariots. This great fighting force outnumbered
Asa’s troops. Humanly, there was no way that Asa and his men
could stand up to this invasion and be victorious. So the king turned
to the only true source of ultimate strength and power: the almighty
supreme God of the universe!
Asa bravely led his troops to Mareshah to face the invading force.
There, in the valley of Zephathah, the opposing sides gathered on the
battlefield.
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Knowing that the odds were greatly against him, King Asa prayed
to God with all his heart, saying, “Great and mighty Eternal One, no
matter how large and powerful they are, it is nothing for You to help
us against our enemies. Please help us, God! We put our trust in You,
laying aside all our doubts and worries. The army of Judah will march
out into battle against this vast army, bearing Your great name. You,
alone, are our God—do not let any man prevail against You!”
Then Asa walked out in faith, trusting that God would quickly
intervene—which He did. The Bible does not say how, but God struck
the Ethiopians and caused them to panic and flee! Asa and his soldiers
chased after them to Gerar. When the onslaught was finished, the
Ethiopian army was no more. The army of Judah carried away many
spoils of war, as they attacked all the cities near Gerar. An abundance
of cattle, sheep and camels were taken and returned to Jerusalem (II
Chronicles 14:9-15).
Restoring the Way of God
God inspired Azariah the prophet to meet with Asa and give him a
message:
“Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin! The Eternal is with
you, as long as you are with him. If you seek God, you will find
Him—but if you forsake God, then He will forsake you!
“For a long time now the Israelites have been without the true God,
and without a teaching priest, and without law. But whenever they
found themselves in trouble, they turned to God wholeheartedly—and
God came to their rescue.
“Nations have destroyed other nations, and cities have devastated
other cities, for God has troubled them with adversity and distress.
“Therefore, be strong, and do not let your hands become weak, for
you shall be rewarded for your work!”
The prophet’s words encouraged Asa, inspiring him to put away
even more of the pagan idols out of Judah and Benjamin. He also
removed them from the cities he had taken from the mountains of
Ephraim. And he restored the holy altar that was before the temple
porch.
Then, the king gathered all the citizens of Judah and Benjamin,
along with a great number of Israelites who, upon recognizing that
God was working with Asa, had left the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh
and Simeon to live in his kingdom. Everyone gathered together at
Jerusalem and offered to God the spoils of war they had plundered:
700 oxen and 7,000 sheep.
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The people entered into a
covenant to seek after God with
all their heart and being. They
decided that if anyone among
them—male or female, small
or great—refused to seek out
the Eternal, that person should
be put to death. In a loud voice,
they made their promise to God,
accompanied with cheerful
shouts and the blasts of trumpets
and cornets. Everyone in
Judah rejoiced at the oath they
had made, for the people wholeheartedly
desired to restore
God’s Way into their lives.
King Asa continued to
remove the symbols of sin
from the kingdom of Judah.
He even removed Maachah,
his grandmother, from her
lofty position as queen mother.
He did this because of the
obscene image she had made
of Asherah, a false goddess
of the Canaanites. Asa cut
down his grandmother’s idol,
crushed it, and then burned it
at the Brook Kidron.
Asa also brought back to
God’s temple the holy things
that had been dedicated to
God’s service: silver, gold and
certain utensils.
And he removed his father’s
idols and banished from his
kingdom certain perverted
people, who did unspeakable
evil deeds in the name of their
pagan religion.
Despite not removing all
of the pagan high places, King
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Asa continued to follow his ancestor David’s example, putting God’s
will ahead of his own. With the exception of the Ethiopian invasion,
the kingdom of Judah did not know war for the first 35 years of Asa’s
reign (II Chronicles 15:1-19; I Kings 15:9-15).
The King Panics
Then, one day, King Baasha of Israel decided to wage war against
Judah. He started to build and fortify the city of Ramah, about five or
six miles north of Jerusalem, on the north-south highway. Ramah’s
location was crucial to blocking the flow of traffic that went to and
from Judah’s capital.
Instead of trusting in God, as he had done in the past, King Asa panicked
and decided to rely upon himself. He took all the silver and gold
from the treasures of God’s temple, and from his palace, and sent them
as gifts to Ben-Hadad, king of Syria, who lived in Damascus. He tried to
buy the friendship and protection of someone who did not fear God.
With the gifts, Asa sent a message, asking Ben-Hadad to enter into
a peace treaty with him, just as there had been between their fathers,
Abijah and Tabrimmon. Asa also asked Ben-Hadad to break his treaty
with Baasha. Asa put his trust in the army of pagan idol worshippers
than in the supreme power of Almighty God.
The king was pleased to learn that Ben-Hadad agreed to his request.
The king of Syria sent his troops to attack the cities of Israel, striking
the towns of Ijon, Dan, Abelmaim and all the storehouse cities of
Naphtali. Seizing them gave Ben-Hadad control of the trade routes
that led to the Mediterranean coast and to the fertile Jezreel Valley.
When Baasha heard the bad news, he departed from Ramah, which
was not yet complete, and rushed off to defend his kingdom.
Afterward, Asa drafted everyone in Judah to go to Ramah and
carry away the stones, timber and other building materials, and used
them to build Geba and Mizpah. Strategically situated two miles
from Ramah’s site, these fortified towns were used to guard against
Baahsa’s possible return.
Asa thought that his troubles were over—but they were just beginning
(II Chronicles 16:1-6; I Kings 15:16-22).
Anger and Wrath
God sent Hanani the prophet to deliver a message to Asa:
“Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and did not rely
upon God, the army of Syria has escaped out of your hand. Were not
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the Ethiopians a much larger army, with very many chariots and horsemen?
Yet, because you relied upon God’s strength, the Eternal delivered
your enemies into your hand. The eyes of God search throughout
the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart
is perfectly loyal toward Him. But you have done foolishly. Therefore,
from this moment on, you shall have wars.”
Asa should have trembled in fear and asked God for forgiveness.
Instead, he became angry! He was so mad at the prophet, he threw him
in prison. The king even oppressed some of the citizens.
In the 39th year of his reign, Asa’s feet became diseased. Again,
instead of looking to God—who heals all diseases and sicknesses—the
king turned his back on his Creator and sought the help of doctors.
Going to doctors, in and by itself, is not necessarily wrong—but rejecting
God as one’s Healer is.
Asa died after about 41 years of rulership. His son Jehoshaphat
took his place as king. Despite his bad attitude and conduct during the
last six years of his life, Asa had done much to restore the worship of
the one true God to the people of Judah. The Bible records that “Asa’s
heart was perfect with the Lord all his days” (I Kings 15:14; also see
II Chronicles 16:7-14 and I Kings 15:23-24).
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Just a few years before King Asa died, Ahab, the son of Omri,
became king over Israel. Ahab did more evil than all the kings
who had ruled before him. In his mind, there was nothing wrong with
following the same sinful path of idolatry that his ancestor Jeroboam
had done. Ahab married a worldly and rebellious woman named
Jezebel, the daughter of Eth-baal, king of the Sidonians. Because of
her wicked influence, Ahab served the false god Baal. He created
an altar and a temple in Israel’s capital, so that the Israelites could
also worship Baal.
Ahab also had an obscene image made in honor of the false goddess
Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke God to anger than all the Israelite
kings before him (I Kings 16:29-33).
The Cost of Ignoring God’s Curse
Ahab’s rulership was thoroughly corrupt, as he led the people of Israel to
defy God worse than before.
For example, a man named Hiel, who came from Bethel, did not fear
or obey God. He foolishly ignored the curse that God had pronounced
against the city of Jericho many generations ago. Through His servant
Joshua, God had proclaimed that if any man dared to make Jericho into
a fortified city again, it would be done at the cost of that man’s oldest
and youngest son. Hiel did not believe this, so he set off to build up
Jericho into a mighty city again. When Hiel laid the foundation of the
city, Abiram, his firstborn son, died. And when Hiel set up the gates of
the city, Segub, his youngest son, also died. God’s Word came true, as it
always does (I Kings 16:34).
A Righteous Ruler in Judah
Early in Ahab’s reign, King Jehoshaphat came into power over Judah
after his father Asa had died. Jehoshaphat was 35 years old when his
reign began. He followed his father’s righteous example and turned to
God with all his might. Like his ancestor David, he kept God’s com-
CHAPTER NINETY-FIVE
EFFECTUAL,
FERVEN T PRAYER
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mandments and did not seek Baal. He centered his life on making
decisions that were right in the Eternal’s eyes.
Jehoshaphat removed the rest of the perverted religious people
who had escaped Asa’s hand. He took away the pagan high places
in Judah and got rid of the many images honoring Asherah.
To make sure that God’s ways were known and practiced throughout
the kingdom, Jehoshaphat sent teachers—royal leaders, Levites
and priests—to the cities of Judah. They taught the people about
God’s laws and statutes, which ensure true happiness and prosperity.
Jehoshaphat also set out to make his kingdom strong against
Israel, who posed a continual threat. He built fortresses and storehouse
cities. Then he placed troops in all the fortified cities of Judah,
as well as in the cities that Asa had captured from Ephraim.
Like David, Jehoshaphat also had mighty men of valor under his
command, stationed in Jerusalem.
The surrounding kingdoms took note of King Jehoshaphat’s great
military strength, and the fear of God fell upon them. None dared
to make war against this tiny nation. The Philistines were moved to
honor Jehoshaphat with presents, and paid tribute to him in silver.
The Arabians gave him 7,700 rams and 7,700 goats.
All the people of Judah also brought presents to their king.
Jehoshaphat grew in great riches and honor, and also prospered from
the commerce that took place in Judah’s cities.
Despite not getting rid of all the high places, which some people
stubbornly clung to, Jehoshaphat was loyal to God. And the Eternal
brought peace, security, power and great wealth to Jehoshaphat and
his kingdom (II Chronicles 17; I Kings 22:41-43, 46 ).
Elijah and the Widow
Meanwhile, back in the land of Israel, God sent Elijah the prophet, a
man from Gilead, to deliver a warning to wicked King Ahab.
Elijah boldly declared, “As surely as God lives, who I represent,
a drought shall strike the land. Neither rain nor dew shall fall upon
Israel.”
Then God had Elijah to depart, turn east, and hide by the brook
Cherith, which was before Jordan. God planned to keep His servant
alive by giving him plenty of fresh water to drink from the brook. He
also commanded ravens to bring His servant bread and meat every
morning and evening.
Eventually, due to the lack of rain in the land, the brook dried up. But
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Elijah did not worry. He knew that God always provides for those who
put His will first.
God spoke to him again, telling the prophet to leave for Zarephath
which belonged to the kingdom of Sidon. “There you shall live. I have
commanded a widow to care of your needs.”
Elijah faithfully obeyed God, and departed. As soon as he entered
the city, he saw a widow who was gathering sticks. The prophet called
out to her and said, “Please bring me a little water so that I may
drink.”
As she was about to bring him a drink, he asked her to bring him
a piece of bread to eat. But the widow said, “As the Eternal your God
lives, I don’t have even a cake of bread to give to you. All I have is a
handful of meal in a pitcher and a little oil in a jar. I’ve been gathering
sticks so that I may go home, build a fire and make a small meal for me
and my son. This is all we have to live on. Afterwards, we will die.”
Elijah said to the woman, “Don’t fear. Go ahead and do as you
have planned. But first, make me a little cake of bread, and bring it to
me, and then make some for you and for your son. Listen to what the
God of Israel had said: ‘The pitcher of meal and the jar of oil shall not
be emptied, until I send rain upon the earth.’”
The widow did as Elijah had instructed, and God kept His word,
making sure that the pitcher of meal and the jar of oil did not become
empty. Every day, God provided enough food for Elijah, the widow
and her son (I Kings 17:1-16).
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Back From the Dead
One day, the widow’s son
became so ill that he died.
The woman grieved as she
held the boy against her
bosom. She blamed Elijah
for her loss, saying, “What
do I have to do with you,
man of God? Have you
come to me to remind me
of my sin and to kill my
son?”
Elijah calmly told her,
“Give me your son,” and
then carried his lifeless
body up into a loft, and laid
him on his bed. Then, in
deep, heartfelt prayer, the
prophet cried out to God.
Three times, he stretched
himself over the boy’s body, praying to God with all his being, asking
Him to bring the widow’s son back to life.
God heard Elijah’s prayer and brought the boy back from the dead.
Elijah took him and brought him down to his mother.
“See!” he said. “Your son lives!”
The widow hugged her son and kissed him. Through tears of joy,
she said to the prophet, “Now I know that you are truly a man of God,
and that His word of truth is in your mouth!” (I Kings 17:17-24).
Obadiah and the Prophet
After three years of drought and famine, God commanded Elijah to
appear before King Ahab, saying, “I will send rain on the earth.” Elijah
went to Samaria, where he saw that the famine was great.
Meanwhile, Ahab called for Obadiah, who ruled over his palace,
and ordered him to go to all fountains and brooks in the land. “Perhaps
we may find grass to keep the horses and mules from dying, so that we
do not lose all the animals,” he said.
Ahab divided the mission between himself and Obadiah. The king
went one way, while his servant went the other way.
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As Obadiah went on his journey, he was surprised to see Elijah the
prophet coming toward him. He bowed low to the ground, and said
to him, “Are you my lord Elijah?” (Unlike his master Ahab, Obadiah
feared the Eternal. When Jezebel was determined to kill God’s prophets,
Obadiah risked his life and hid 100 of these faithful servants in a cave. He
even provided them with bread and water.)
Elijah answered, “I am he. Go tell your king that I am here.”
Obadiah said, “How have I sinned that you would deliver your servant
into the hand of Ahab to kill me? As your God lives, there is no nation nor
kingdom where my lord Ahab hasn’t searched for you. When they said,
‘Elijah is not there,’ King Ahab made the kingdom and nation swear that
they could not find you. And now you say, ‘Go tell your lord that I am
here.’ As soon as I leave you, the Spirit of God will carry you away. If I
tell Ahab that you are here and he does not find you, he will kill me!
“Why are you doing this to me? I have fearfully obeyed the Eternal
from my youth. Haven’t you heard what I did for God’s prophets when
Jezebel set out to kill all of them—how I hid them in a cave and fed them
with bread and water?”
Elijah admired Obadiah’s courage, and promised him that he would
not disappear. Obadiah took the prophet at his word, and went away to
seek Ahab (I Kings 18:1-16).
Elijah Versus the Prophets of Baal
Meeting up with Elijah the prophet, the king said to him, “Are you the
one that troubles Israel?”
“No! I have not troubled Israel” Elijah answered. “But you and
your father’s royal house have! You have forsaken God’s commandments,
and have pursued the wicked ways of Baal. Now go assemble
the people of Israel at Mount Carmel. And have 450 of the prophets of
Baal and 400 of the prophets of Asherah gathered there too.”
Ahab did as instructed, perhaps worrying that something bad would
happen if he refused.
At Mount Carmel, Elijah addressed the massive throngs of Israelites,
who wondered what God’s prophet had to say to them.
Elijah said, “How long will you halt between two opinions, O
Israel? If the Eternal is God, then follow Him! But if Baal is the one
true God, follow him.”
But the people would not answer Elijah. They were unwilling to
make a commitment and decide whom to serve. They did not realize
that, in God’s eyes, not making a choice was the same as rejecting
Him.
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Elijah said to the people, “Since you will not choose, then let us
have a test. I am but one man, a true prophet of God. But here are 45 0
of Baal’s prophets. Give us two bulls, and let the prophets of Baal
choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on wood.
But they are not to make a fire. And I will dress the other bull and lay
it on wood, but will not make a fire. Let the prophets of Baal call on
their gods, and I will call on the Eternal. The god who answers by fire
and consumes the sacrifice is the one true God!”
The people agreed to the test. “Very well,” they said. “This sounds
good to us.”
Elijah told the false prophets of Baal what to do (but the false prophets
of Asherah had failed to attend the event). Baal’s prophets took a bull
and dressed it as a sacrifice. Then they called on the name of their god.
From morning until noon, they cried out to Baal, repeating the same
words and phrases over and over again.
But Baal did not answer.
So the false prophets leaped on the altar to show their enthusiasm for
their god—but Baal still gave no response.
Elijah shook his head, amazed by the silly sight of these pagan men
foolishly leaping about as they prayed to a god that did not exist. Elijah
mocked them, saying, “Perhaps you should cry out much louder. After
all, Baal is a god; he is either meditating, on a pursuit, or away on a journey.
Or maybe he’s fast asleep and needs you to wake him up!”
Perhaps not realizing that they were being mocked, the prophets of
Baal cried out even louder. They also took their knives and spears and
lashed themselves until blood gushed out of them. This was one of the
many pagan rituals they used to worship their false god. Thankfully, the
Eternal does not require such foolish and dangerous behavior from His
servants!
The false prophets prayed to their god all that day, until evening
came—yet the only response they received was silence. Baal did not set
their sacrifice on fire.
It was now Elijah’s turn. The prophet called for all the people to draw
near, then he repaired God’s altar, which had been broken down, due to
being abandoned from use. Next, Elijah took twelve stones, which represented
the 12 tribes of Israel (including the kingdom of Judah), and used
them to build an altar in God’s name. Then Elijah made a trench around
the altar, big enough to contain two measures of seed. He arranged the
wood, cut a bull into pieces, and placed it on top of the woodpile.
Elijah commanded people nearby to fill four large jars with water.
“Now pour all the water on the sacrifice and on the wood.” They did
as he said.
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It was now physically impossible for the sacrifice to burn—yet
Elijah commanded that water be poured on it two more times! The
water ran all around the altar and filled the trench.
When the time of the evening sacrifice drew near, Elijah prayed to
God. However, unlike the false prophets of Baal, his prayer was simple
and to the point, yet from the heart:
“Eternal God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, let it be known this
day that You are God in Israel, and that I am Your servant, and that I
have done all these things at Your Word. Hear me, O God, so that this
people may know that You are the Eternal, and that You have turned
their heart back again.”
Suddenly, God sent fire down upon the sacrifice, burning it and the
wood, stones and dust! It even dried up the water that had filled the
trench!
Witnessing this great miracle caused the Israelites to fall to their
faces and tremble with fear. They said, “The Eternal, He is the God!”
Elijah ordered the people to seize the false prophets. “Do not let any
of them escape,” he said. Elijah brought these wicked men down to the
Brook Kishon, where he took their lives (I Kings 18:17-40).
“The Effectual, Fervent Prayer”
Elijah turned to Ahab and said, “Go up, eat and drink, for the famine
is over.” Ahab followed his instructions.
Then Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel, where he bowed
down to the earth and put his face between his knees to pray.
He told his servant, “Go and
look toward the sea, and tell me
if rain clouds have come yet.”
The servant went up, looked, and
said, “Nothing yet.” Seven times,
Elijah prayed and then had his
servant go and report back about
the weather.
At the seventh time, the servant
said, “Look! I see a little cloud out
at sea, shaped like a man’s hand.”
Elijah knew that God was bringing
rain to Israel.
Centuries later, God inspired
the apostle James to write about
this account: “The effectual fer-
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vent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man subject
to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not
rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six
months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth
brought forth her fruit.” (James 5:16-18).
(Sometimes, God has His servants pray to Him about a matter many,
many times before He will act. God knows that if He automatically
answers them the first time they ask for something, they will eventually
take Him for granted. His servants will forget all the wonderful
things He has done for them. They will begin to rely upon themselves
instead of looking to God and His awesome power.)
Elijah ordered his servant to go to Ahab and tell the king to prepare
his chariot and leave before the rain stopped his journey.
Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and a thunderous
rain shower came down, pounding the earth. Seeing this, Ahab
departed for Jezreel. Then, the hand of God came upon Elijah, giving
him the power to run ahead of Ahab as the king entered the city (I
Kings 18:41-46).
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Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done, including how he
had slain all the prophets. Seething with anger, Jezebel had a messenger
deliver Elijah a message: “May the gods do the same to me—and
even more—if I do not take your life by this time tomorrow.”
Like all Spirit-led servants of God, Elijah was still only human, and
Jezebel’s venomous message caused him to fear for his life. Elijah rushed
to get away, leaving his servant in Beersheba.
From there, the prophet went on a day’s journey into the wilderness,
until he came to a juniper tree. He sat down under the desert bush, and
cried out to God.
“Take away my life now, God!” he prayed. “Don’t let me die at the
hands of this evil woman!”
He had grown weary from his journey and from the anxiety that filled
his mind, and so he lay down and slept under the juniper tree.
Suddenly, the Messenger of the Eternal appeared. He touched Elijah,
and said to him, “Arise, and eat.”
Waking up, the prophet looked around and saw a cake of bread baking
on hot coals. He also noticed a jug of water at his head. Elijah got up, ate
and drank, and lay down again.
The Messenger of the Eternal visited Elijah again, touching him, and
saying to the prophet, “Arise, and eat. The journey ahead is great.”
Elijah did as ordered, eating and drinking. This would be all the nourishment
he would receive before embarking on a forty-day journey to
Mount Horeb (also called Mount Sinai, where God gave His commandments
to Israel in Moses’ day). There, Elijah came to a cave and used it
as shelter (I Kings 19:1-9).
“A Still, Small Voice”
Then God spoke to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
The prophet answered, “I have been zealous for the Eternal Almighty.
For the people of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, thrown down Your
altars, and have slain Your prophets. I’m the only one left. And now these
same rebels seek to take my life.”
CHAPTER ninety-six
jezebel seeks revenge
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God told him to go out and stand before Him on the mountain. As
the Eternal passed by, a great strong wind tore into the mountains and
broke the rocks in pieces—but God was not in the wind. Then there was
an earthquake—but God was not in it. After the earthquake, there was a
fire—but God was not in it, either. Then, to Elijah’s surprise, he heard a
still, small voice.
Upon hearing it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and
stood at the cave entrance, where God spoke to him again.
“What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Again, the prophet answered, “I have been very zealous for the
Eternal, because the rebellious Israelites have forsaken Your covenant,
and have thrown down Your altars, and have slain Your prophets. I am
the only one left—and they seek to take my life away.”
God said, “Go to the Wilderness of Damascus, and anoint Hazael
as king over Syria. Also, you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi to be
Israel’s next king. And you shall anoint Elisha the son of Shaphat to be
prophet in your place.
“Whoever escapes the sword of Hazael shall be slain by Jehu. And
whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu shall be slain by Elisha.
“As for you, Elijah, you are not alone. I have reserved in Israel 7,000
servants—those whose knees have not bowed to Baal, nor have they
kissed his image in godly fear and affection” (I Kings 19: 9-18).
The Call of Elisha
After Elijah had departed, he soon found Elisha, his successor, who was
plowing in the ground with 12 pairs of oxen. Elijah came up and threw
his mantle upon him.
Elisha realized that God had called him to serve in a great office. He
left the oxen and ran after Elijah, saying, “Please, let me kiss my father
and my mother goodbye, and I will follow you.”
Elijah agreed, but reminded Elisha not to allow his affection for family
to stand in the way of God’s calling.
Elisha returned home. Killing a yoke of oxen and boiling the flesh, he
made a farewell feast for his family and friends.
Then he arose and went after Elijah, becoming his personal assistant
(I Kings 19:19-21).
“He Wants Too Much!”
Ben-Hadad, the king of Syria, gathered all his troops and, with an alliance
of 32 kings, with many horses and chariots, besieged Samaria.
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He sent servants into the city to deliver a message to King Ahab:
“Your silver and gold are now mine, and your wives and children also
belong to me.”
Ahab was trapped. He could see no escape from Ben-Hadad’s
clutches. Reluctantly, he sent back a message: “My lord, according to
what you have said, I and all that I possess belong to you.”
Ben-Hadad’s messengers returned with another message from their
king: “Around this time tomorrow, I will send my servants to you.
They shall search your royal house, and the houses of your servants.
If they find anything that would please me, they shall take it away.”
Ahab called for all the elders of Israel to assemble. He said to them,
“Take note of how Ben-Hadad seeks trouble. When he laid claim to
my wives, my children, my silver and my gold, I did not deny him.
But now he has gone too far—he wants too much!”
The elders and all the people replied, “Don’t give in to his
demands!”
Encouraged, Ahab said to Ben-Hadad’s messengers, “Tell my lord
the king that I will consent to all he had originally sent for—but I will
not allow him to simply take everything that catches his eye.”
The messengers delivered Ahab’s message, and they soon returned
with their master’s reply: “May the gods do to me, if not more, if I do
not level the hill of Samaria to dust!”
Ben-Hadad’s messenger’s returned to their master with Ahab’s
answer: “Do not boast of the outcome of a battle that has not yet taken
place.”
Ben-Hadad and the other kings were indulging themselves with
too much alcohol when they heard this message. In a drunken rage,
he ordered his troops to attack Samaria (I Kings 20:1-12).
Syria Attacks Israel
A prophet came to Ahab and told him that God would deliver the great
multitude of enemy troops into his hand. “And then you shall know
that the Eternal is God.”
Ahab said, “But how will this be done?”
“Thus says the Eternal: ‘Send out the young leaders of the provinces.
They will creep toward the Syrian troops, and then suddenly
charge them.”
Ahab asked, “Who will set the battle in order?”
“You will.” God knew that Ahab’s division of troops would catch
the drunken Syrian soldiers by surprise and throw them into confusion.
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Still walking by sight instead of by faith (II Corinthians 5:7),
Ahab numbered the young leaders and found that he had 232 under
his command. Then he numbered his troops, and discovered that
there were 7,000 in the city.
That noon, as Ben-Hadad and the 32 kings continued to get
drunk, the young leaders of the provinces went out of the city.
Scouts told Ben-Hadad about this, and he said, “Whether they
come out for peace or war, take them alive.”
Ahab’s young leaders and their troops came out and slew every
man they could lay hold on. The Syrians fled for their lives, with the
Israelites in hot pursuit. Ben-Hadad managed to escape on a horse,
with his horsemen. King Ahab went out with his troops, and struck
the horses and chariots, slaughtering the Syrian army.
The prophet who had spoken to Ahab came to him again, and
said, Go strengthen yourself—but mark this well: In the spring, Ben-
Hadad will return with fresh troops” (I Kings 20:13-22).
Seeking a Rematch
Ben-Hadad’s servants convinced their master to attack Ahab again.
“Their gods are the gods of the hills,” they reasoned. “Therefore
they were stronger than us. But if we fight against them in the plain,
surely we will defeat them.”
Ben-Hadad agreed. Following their counsel, he dismissed the
other kings who had joined forces with him, and replaced them with
captains over the troops. Next, Ben-Hadad gathered together an
army to replace the one he had just lost in battle.
When spring came, Ben-Hadad and his soldiers marched to
Aphek to fight against Israel. And the army of Israel was waiting
for them. Again, the Syrian army vastly outnumbered Ahab’s troops.
Victory by human strength alone did not favor the Israelites (I Kings
20:23-27).
The Peace Treaty
A man of God delivered a message to King Ahab: “Thus says the
Eternal: ‘Because the Syrians have said, “The Eternal is God of the
hills, but not God of the valleys,” will I deliver all their vast army
into your hand. Then you shall know that I am the Eternal.’”
The opposing armies were encamped for several days. Tensions
grew high. In the seventh day, they met in battle—and Israel slaughtered
the Syrians, killing 100,000 foot-soldiers in a single day.
128
Ahab bids Ben-Hadad to
join him in his chariot.
129
The survivors fled to Aphek and escaped into the city—but a wall
fell upon them, killing 27,000 Syrian soldiers.
Meanwhile, Ben-Hadad and his servants also fled for their lives.
They entered Aphek and hid themselves in a secret chamber.
The servants said, “My lord, we have heard that the kings of the
house of Israel are merciful. If we put on symbols of humility and surrender—
sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads—and
then go to King Ahab, perhaps he will spare your life.”
Ben-Hadad reluctantly agreed. His servants went to see the king
of Israel, wearing sackcloth and ropes, and said to him, “Your servant
Ben-Hadad says, ‘Please, let me live.’”
“What?” Ahab said. “He is still alive?”
“Yes, our master lives.”
Ahab thought about this, and then said, “Tell him that he is my
brother, and that I will treat him as such.”
“Yes,” they replied. “Ben-Hadad is your brother. Let there be peace
between you.”
Ahab told them to bring Ben-Hadad to him, which they did. Ahab
stood in his chariot and looked down upon Ben-Hadad, who still did
not know if he would be allowed to live. Then Ahab had Ben-Hadad
join him in his chariot.
Ben-Hadad said to him, “I will restore the cities that my father
took from your father, and you may set up marketplaces for yourself
in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.”
Ahab agreed, and made a peace treaty with him. Despite the fact
that the Eternal had delivered his enemy into his hand, the king of
Israel did not seek God’s counsel in what to do (I Kings 20:28-34).
A Message From God
God gave one of His prophets a special mission. In order for the mission
to be successful, the prophet needed someone to wound him. So, speaking
with the authority of God, the prophet told his neighbor to strike
him. But the neighbor, not knowing why he should do this, refused.
The prophet said to him, “Because you have not obeyed the voice
of God, as soon as you depart from me, a lion will take your life.” And
that is exactly what happened. The doomed man found out the hard way
that, though God often explains why He does certain things, He expects
His people to obey Him without question.
The prophet did find a man to strike him, which resulted in a wound.
Then, the prophet, disguising himself by wearing a bandage over his face,
waited by the road, knowing that King Ahab would soon come by.
130
When the king came and passed by, the prophet cried out to him:
“Your servant went out into the thick of the battle; and there, someone
brought a man to me, and said, ‘Guard this man with your life. If you let
him get away, your life will be taken for his life, or else you shall pay a
talent of silver.’ But while your servant was busy, the man escaped.”
Ahab said to him, “You will have to pay for your failure. Your inaction
has decided it.”
The man of God removed the bandages from his face, and immediately
the king recognized him as one of the prophets.
The prophet proclaimed, “Thus says the Eternal: ‘Because you have let
go of the man I had delivered into your hand—a man whom I appointed
to utter destruction—your life shall be taken for his life, and your people
for his people.”
Instead of trembling with fear and seeking mercy, Ahab became bitter
and resentful. He returned home to Samaria angry and displeased (I
Kings 20:35-43).
Condemning an Innocent Man to Death
There was a man named Naboth who had a vineyard next to Ahab’s
palace in Jezreel. Since the king admired the vineyard, he said to
Naboth, “Give me your vineyard. I could use it as my personal vegetable
garden. If you do this, I will give you an even better vineyard,
or, if it seems good to you, I will pay you good money for it.”
But Naboth replied, “No, I cannot. This property was handed down
to me from generation to generation. It is against God’s law to sell my
inheritance.” (Lev. 25:23-28; Num. 36:7-9).
Ahab returned to his palace sullen and displeased because he could
not get his way. Like a little brat, went to bed and pouted, turning his
face to the wall. He also refused to eat.
His wife Jezebel asked him why he was so sad and would not eat.
Ahab told her of how Naboth refused to sell his property to him.
Jezebel said, “Are you not the king of Israel? Now get up, eat and
be happy. I will get Naboth’s vineyard for you.”
Jezebel wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with the king’s
seal, and sent the letters to the elders and royal leaders in Jezreel. In
the letters, she had written, “Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth with high
honor among the people. But have two scoundrels sit before him. They
will claim that Naboth blasphemed against God and the king. After
this, have Naboth carried out, and stone him to death.”
The elders and royal leaders, thinking that they were following
Ahab’s orders, followed Jezebel’s orders. They proclaimed a fast,
131
seated Naboth with high honor, allowed two scoundrels to bear false
witness against him, and then carried Naboth out of the city and had
him stoned. Naboth died for a sin he did not commit.
When Jezebel heard that Naboth was dead, she told her husband to
take the vineyard for himself. Ahab wasted no time in seizing what did
not rightfully belong to him (I Kings 21:1-16).
A Wicked Man Humbles Himself
God was not pleased. He sent His prophet Elijah to go to Naboth’s
vineyard and face King Ahab. When he arrived, Ahab said to Elijah,
“I see that my enemy has found me.”
The wicked Jezebel entices
Ahab to do even more sin.
132
“No,” Elijah said. “I have found you. You have sold yourself to do
evil before God. Now hear God’s message: ‘I will bring calamity upon
you, and will take away your posterity. And I will make your royal
house like the house of Jeroboam and the house of Baasha—I will cut
off every one of your male descendants. Because you have provoked
Me to anger and have caused Israel to sin. And as for your wicked
wife Jezebel, dogs shall eat her body by the wall of Jezreel. Whoever
belongs to you, dogs shall feast off their dead bodies in the city, and
birds shall eat the bodies of those who die in the field.”
There had been no other king in Israel like Ahab, who sold himself
to do wickedness in God’s sight and had allowed his pagan wife to stir
him up. Following her lead, he had perverted his life with idols and
lived the way of the Amorites, whom God had cast out of the Promised
Land long ago. Never in his life did carnal-minded Ahab seek God and
His ways first.
Yet, when this wicked ruler heard God’s judgment, he did an
amazing thing: He tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted and
mourned. For the first time in his carnal life, Ahab humbled himself
and lay in sackcloth.
God took note of this and said to Elijah, “Do you see how Ahab
humbles himself before Me? Because he has chosen to do this, I
will have mercy on him. I will not bring calamity while he is alive.
However, I will bring calamity upon his royal family after he is dead”
(I Kings 21:17-29).
133
Copyright © 2005 The Restored Church of God
All Rights Reserved
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are welcomed and gratefully accepted.
Those who wish to voluntarily aid and
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world are gladly welcomed as co-workers
in this major effort to preach the
gospel to all nations.
BSVI
050203
THE STORY
OF THE BIBLE
VOLUME SEVEN
Herbert W. Armstrong led the Worldwide Church of God (formerly The Radio
Church of God until 1968) until his death in 1986. Hundreds of millions heard
his voice and read his literature. God called him in the fall of 1926 and he was
converted in the spring of 1927. Over the course of Mr. Armstrong’s ministry,
God revealed through him a great many true biblical doctrines, which had
been lost to the Church through the centuries. After his death, his successors
ceased to believe and teach these doctrines. Although copyright law prohibits
The Restored Church of God from reproducing and distributing literature
produced while he led the Worldwide Church of God, we are committed to
the preservation and teaching of all of these truths!
THIS BOOK IS PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE AND IN THE
PUBLIC INTEREST BY THE RESTORED CHURCH OF GOD.
It is made possible by the voluntary, freely given tithes and offerings of the
members of the Church and others who have elected to support the work of
the Church. Contributions are welcomed and gratefully accepted. Those who
wish to voluntarily aid and support this WORK OF GOD around the world are
gladly welcomed as co-workers in this major effort to preach the gospel to all
nations.
Copyright © 2005 by The Restored Church of God
All Rights Reserved
Printed in the United States of America
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER NINETY-SEVEN: AHAB MEETS HIS DOOM
CHAPTER NINETY-EIGHT: ELIJAH’S SUCCESSOR
CHAPTER NINETY-NINE: REBELLIONS PLAGUE A REBELLIOUS KING
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED: BREATHING LIFE INTO THE DEAD
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED ONE: AN INVISIBLE ARMY OF PROTECTION
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWO: AN ACT OF TREACHERY
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THREE: THE PRICE FOR LACKING ZEAL
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FOUR: STRONG, BUT SPIRITUALLY WEAK
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FIVE: THE RELUCTANT MESSENGER
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED SIX: THE FALL OF ISRAEL
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED SEVEN: THE GREAT RESTORATION
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED EIGHT: THE LAST RIGHTEOUS KING
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED NINE: GOD CALLS JEREMIAH
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TEN: THE FALL OF JERUSALEM
EPILOGUE: A MESSAGE OF HOPE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE STORY OF THE BIBLE
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........ 25
....................... 33
..... 42
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VOLUME SEVEN
INTRODUCTION
by David C. Pack
This is the seventh and final volume of a special series. These books truly
represent “THE STORY OF THE BIBLE.” Many have attempted to write various
kinds of “Bible Story Books,” but they are usually written only for children, and
are primarily designed to entertain instead of educate or inspire. The reader will
see that the wonderful style and artwork of this series capture the spirit of God’s
Word, with its intended lessons and vital meaning.
Most children’s versions of the Bible terribly misrepresent important stories
that it contains—and they are written with wrong emphasis—and wrong meaning!
Instead of leading children to the true God, and to the true doctrines of His Word,
children are left with the impression that the Bible only contains a few stories, and
is mostly a book about war, violence, blood, thunder and death.
This is terribly wrong!
In keeping with the modern generation’s obsession with graphic violence,
most efforts to reflect the teachings of the Bible “play” to this interest. Youth are
given what they want to read, not what they need to understand. The many stories
of the Bible are intended to teach VITAL LESSONS to people of all ages. Modern
writers miss the mark when they cater to children, rather than properly teach them
what God intends.
If young people learn the Bible in a wrong way—with emphasis on the wrong
things, while ignoring the enormous number of lessons that the Bible contains—at
least two bad things result.
First, all these wrong concepts and approaches must be unlearned and replaced
by right knowledge and understanding of what the Bible really says. Unlearning
error is a most difficult thing to do, and is actually far harder than learning the truth
correctly the first time, leaving no need to sweep the mind clean of what has been
wrong or misunderstood.
Second, young people will later find the stories of the Bible have been
trivialized and made irrelevant, and they may find themselves turned off by its
message rather than being excited and thrilled about what they are learning.
The modern system of education is morally and spiritually bankrupt!
Deluded educators have been biased against God and His Word by the
atheistic teaching of evolution poured into them from childhood. They have
taught young people for decades that there are “no absolutes” and that they
must follow “situation ethics.” They have led the world into a kind of secular
humanism—where people are driven by how they feel rather than clear
definitions of right and wrong! But there is right and wrong in life—and
those who are teaching the children of this world have cut themselves off
from this knowledge (Isaiah 59:1-2). They cannot teach what they were
never taught!
4
Also, this world’s churches keep young people steeped in traditional pagan
philosophies and teachings that have deceived the world for millennia. They have
ignored the great spiritual principle of CAUSE and EFFECT that governs every aspect
of life. They have neglected to teach true spiritual values. They have defaulted
their responsibility in all the critical areas of leadership—and have utterly failed
in their greatest responsibility, which should have been to instill in young minds
the marvelous truths of God’s Word—to teach youth how to live, not just how to
earn a living.
This is a tragic state of affairs!
Many who attempt to study the Bible become confused, frustrated and disillusioned,
believing that it is too difficult to understand. As a result, many who
would seek to teach their children true Christian standards and values, either give
up altogether or leave such education to the many theological “experts,” who offer
no end of differing—and conflicting—views.
Such an approach only serves to further confuse young people about the Bible,
thus, in many cases, alienating them from it. But those who truly seek to understand
God’s Word, without adding their own interpretation (II Peter 1:20), will
find that there is simplicity in it (II Corinthians 11:3).
Children need to be taught this simplicity! They need to know who and what
they are—and why they were born—that they are future sons of God in the making!
You were born for a reason. Your life has a SUPREME PURPOSE! The Bible
reveals how to be in harmony with the true God—and His purpose for life. The
world is ignorant of this. So are most parents. They have no idea how or what to
teach their children. No one is guiding parents, because no one knows how to guide
them. Sadly, though the Bible is a gripping, interesting—even fascinating—book
of true stories (all part of one great story), most find it dull, dry and boring.
This series is written to completely change this misconception in the minds
of people of all ages! It uses language designed to expand your mind through the
use of word pictures. Our goal has been to make the Bible real—to make it talk
directly to parents and children. With only a little explanation, parents will be able
to read these volumes to children as young as age three.
In today’s world, youth are universally misguided, abused, neglected and
ignored and this fuels a variety of rampant, escalating social problems. This is
because society as a whole has rejected the SOURCE of true happiness, success,
peace and fulfillment—GOD’S WORD. As King Solomon admonished, “Train up
a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it”
(Proverbs 22:6).
How many are even attempting to do this today?
Many true doctrines of God were restored to His Church in the middle of the
20th century. By the 1990s, they had largely been discarded by its new leaders.
Part of our commission is to once again “restore what was restored” and to continue
to “turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to
their fathers” (Malachi 4:6). The Restored Church of God has completely restored
all God’s doctrines to the Church!
Under the faithful leadership of Herbert W. Armstrong (1892-1986), various
Church youth programs were established as part of the fulfillment of this important
responsibility. These included the Y.O.U. program (Youth Opportunities
5
United—for teens), and the Y.E.S. program (Youth Educational Services—for
young children). There was also a Summer Educational Program (S.E.P.), providing
teenagers with the opportunity to fellowship with other teens and develop
many skills and talents in a camp environment.
There was also much youth-oriented literature, offered to the young people
of God’s Church. These included a Youth magazine for teenagers, Youth Bible
Lessons for children from kindergarten through sixth grade—and The Bible Story
series.
Children are far too precious to ignore or neglect. While parents must utilize
the tools that are available to them, they cannot do this if these tools have not been
created.
As the only true extension of Mr. Armstrong’s ministry, The Restored Church
of God has re-created these same written tools—as well as the magazines, books,
booklets, articles and letters that once taught the full truth of God to millions
around the world.
This series has been rewritten to once again make the Bible simple, so that the
stories in it come to life! But these volumes are not just for children! It is our hope
that parents and children alike will enjoy and benefit from them. Its forerunner
was a six-volume work, once described as “written for children 5 to 105.” The
original series is no longer available—but this new one is!
6
Our story thus far: After Israel’s King Ahab learned that God was
going to cut off his royal line, as well as destroy his evil wife
Jezebel, Ahab humbled himself with fasting and mourning. God knew
that this show of humility would only be temporary, but He decided to
show Ahab mercy nonetheless.
One day, Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, came to Samaria to
visit King Ahab. Ahab was excited to receive him, for he knew that
Jehoshaphat had been blessed with great riches and honor. The king
of Israel killed a great many sheep and oxen in order to hold a grand
feast for Jehoshaphat and his entourage of military commanders, royal
officials, assistants and servants.
For the last three years, an uneasy peace existed between Syria and
Israel. Ahab, wanting to gain the upper hand over his Syrian enemies,
saw Jehoshaphat’s visit as a perfect opportunity to make his desire
come to pass.
To do this, he convinced Jehoshaphat’s entourage that Judah should
join Israel in a military alliance: “With your troops fighting alongside
my troops, Israel will reclaim what rightfully belongs to her. We’ll
begin with Ramoth, in Gilead—it belongs to Israel! Together, we can
take that city from the king of Syria!”
Once Ahab had persuaded Jehoshaphat’s men, he then asked the
king of Judah to join his cause.
With all of his counselors giving him the same advice, Jehoshaphat
agreed. “However,” the king added, “before we rush off into battle, we
need to find out if God will be with us.”
“Why, of course,” Ahab said. Then the king of Israel summoned
400 false prophets of Baal to be brought before them. “Tell us God’s
will,” Ahab demanded. “Shall Israel and Judah go to battle and take
back the city of Ramoth?”
All the false prophets said, “Yes, go to battle, my lord. God will
deliver that city into your hand.”
CHAPTER NINETY-SEVEN
AHAB MEETS HIS DOOM
7
Their answer inspired a self-satisfied smile to widen across Ahab’s
face. But Jehoshaphat was still cautious. He knew better than to rely
upon the word of those who did not serve the one true God.
“Isn’t there a prophet of the Eternal in your kingdom?” he asked
Ahab. “One who can tell us God’s will?”
Ahab sighed.
“Yes, there is one man,” he confessed. “His name is Micaiah, son
of Imla. But I hate him! He never prophesies good things for me, only
evil things.”
Jehoshaphat said, “No one, not even a king, should ever say such
things about one of God’s true prophets!” Like his ancestor King
David, Jehoshaphat knew that disrespecting the office of a servant of
God was the same as disrespecting God Himself.
Though his heart was not in it, Ahab ordered one of his officers to
go find Micaiah the prophet. “And bring him back right away!” the
king barked.
At the main gate of Samaria, all the false prophets of Baal continued
to prophesy before Ahab and Jehoshaphat, who sat on their thrones,
wearing their kingly robes. They might have done this in hope that
they could persuade Jehoshaphat before Micaiah arrived. Zedekiah,
one of Baal’s prophets, made a set of horns out of iron. “Thus says the
Eternal,” he lied. “‘With horns of iron, you shall push Syria until they
are consumed.’”
All the other prophets lied also, saying, “Go to Gilead and take
back Ramoth, and you will prosper. The Eternal will deliver the city
into your hand.”
While this took place, Ahab’s messenger found the prophet Micaiah
and told him about the king’s plan to battle against Syria. “The prophets
are telling King Ahab that success will be his,” he explained. “But
King Jehoshaphat wants to hear from a prophet who serves the Eternal
God, which is why I’ve come to you. Please come back with me,
Micaiah, and tell Jehoshaphat the same good things that the prophets
of Baal speak.”
Micaiah answered, “As surely as the Eternal lives, I will say whatever
God commands me to say—nothing else” (II Chronicles 18:1-13;
I Kings 22:1-14).
A True Prophet Speaks
Jehoshaphat was relieved to see that Ahab’s messenger had returned,
bringing with him Micaiah the prophet. “Now we’ll finally hear
God’s will,” the king thought to himself.
8
9
The kings of Israel and Judah look on as Micaiah the prophet
boldly stands up to an attack from a false prophet.
10
Ahab, on the other hand, was not pleased with Micaiah’s arrival.
Expecting to hear only bad news from him, the king of Israel said to
God’s servant, “Tell us, Micaiah, should we or should we not go to
Ramoth and do battle?”
Micaiah knew that Ahab did not really want to hear God’s will. So,
using sarcasm, he told the evil king exactly what he wanted to hear,
instead of what he needed to hear: “Why, of course, go to battle and
prosper. Surely, the city will be delivered into your hand.”
It was obvious to Ahab and everyone else that Micaiah was being
sarcastic and that he did not mean what he said.
“Tell me what God really says,” Ahab answered. “How many times
do I need to make you swear to say nothing but the truth in God’s
name?”
Micaiah replied, “If you are truly interested in God’s will, then
listen to what He has commanded me to say: I saw all Israel scattered
upon the mountains, as sheep without a shepherd. And the Eternal God
said, ‘These have no master. Let each return to his house in peace.’”
Ahab turned to Jehoshaphat: “Didn’t I tell you that he would prophesy
evil things for me?”
But before the king of Judah could respond, Micaiah said, “Now
hear the word of the Eternal; I saw God sitting on His throne in heaven,
with all the angelic host standing at His right hand and on His left. Then
God said, ‘Who will convince King Ahab into waging war at Ramoth
so that he will meet his doom?’ As the angels spoke among themselves,
an evil spirit came forth, and said to God, ‘I will entice him. I will go
and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all of Ahab’s prophets.’ God said,
‘Very well. I will allow you to entice him.’
“Therefore, King Ahab, take note: God has put a lying spirit in the
mouths of all your false prophets. The Eternal has declared disaster
against you!”
Not surprisingly, Ahab did not like Micaiah’s answer—and neither
did the prophets of Baal. In fact, Zedekiah was so mad that he struck
Micaiah on the cheek. “If I speak with a lying spirit, then tell me which
way it went from me to speak to you?” he sneered.
Though the side of his face stung with pain, Micaiah did not cower
away in fear. And despite being vastly outnumbered, the prophet boldly
stared into Zedekiah’s eyes and said, “You shall see on that day when
you shall go into an inner chamber to hide yourself.”
“Seize Micaiah!” Ahab ordered. “Take him back to Amon, the governor
of the city, and to my son Joash. Tell them to throw Micaiah in
prison and make sure that he gets nothing but bread and water until I
safely return from battle in peace.”
Micaiah said to Ahab, “If you do return in peace, then you will
know that the Eternal has not spoken through me.” Then, as he was
arrested and led away, Micaiah turned to the crowd of onlookers
and warned them: “Take heed of what you have just witnessed” (II
Chronicles 18:14-27; I Kings 22:15-28).
Ahab Dies in Battle
Unfortunately, Jehoshaphat did not heed Micaiah’s warning. And so, the
kings of Israel and Judah boldly led their combined troops over to Gilead
in their attempt to seize Ramoth. But during the march, Micaiah’s words
haunted Ahab’s thoughts, turning the king’s self-confidence into worry
and doubt.
Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Listen, before we sound the alarm to
attack and go into the battle, I’m going to disguise myself. Put on my
robes so that the enemy thinks that you are me.”
Amazingly, Jehoshaphat agreed to Ahab’s plan. He watched as the
king of Israel disguised himself as a low-ranking officer and put on as
much armor, padding and protective covering that he could safely wear
into combat.
As the opposing sides gathered at opposite ends of the battlefield, the
king of Syria commanded his 32 chariot captains to focus their attention
on killing King Ahab. “Don’t waste time fighting any of the other
Israelite warriors,” he said, “small or great! Your mission is to take out
the king of Israel!”
The sound of swords clashing and the cries of triumph and deadly
defeat echoed throughout the battleground. As their comrades fought
against the enemy, the Syrian captains raced their chariots through the
blood-splattered field of the dead and dying, and saw the royal robes
that Jehoshaphat wore into battle. Thinking that he was Ahab, they said,
“Look!—it’s the king of Israel!” Fighting in unison as though they were
one man, the Syrian chariot captains turned aside from the Israelite soldiers
and rushed over to surround Jehoshaphat.
The king of Judah cried out to the Eternal for help and deliverance—
and God swiftly moved into action. Jehoshaphat’s attackers suddenly
realized that they were about to kill the wrong man! They left the king
alone and resumed their hunt for Ahab.
Then, a simple Syrian soldier took his bow, pointed an arrow upward,
and let it loose so that it would land into the opposing side of the crowded
battlefield. Meanwhile, King Ahab stood in his chariot fighting off the
enemy, as his driver raced through the heat of combat. As the arrow
flew through the air, God guided it so that it pierced into Ahab’s flesh,
11
12
between the unprotected joints of his battle attire.
The king cried out to his chariot driver, “I’ve been hit! I’m
wounded! Turn around and take me out of here!”
As the fighting waged on throughout the day, Ahab remained in
his chariot, with blood seeping from his mortal wound. By the time
the sun started to go down, the king of Israel was dead. News of his
death spread among the troops. No one had the heart to continue on
without their leader, and so every Israelite soldier ceased from waging
war and returned home.
King Ahab’s body was brought back to Samaria, where it was
buried.
While the people mourned over the loss of their ruler, servants
washed the king’s armor and blood-soaked royal chariot. And, fulfilling
the curse that God had pronounced against him, dogs came
and licked up Ahab’s blood (II Chronicles 18:28-34; I Kings 22:29-
40).Ahab’s son Ahaziah was made king over Israel, but his reign was
cut short. During his two years of rulership, Ahaziah had committed
Despite all his efforts to disguise and protect himself
in battle, Ahab cannot escape God’s punishment.
evil acts before God. Instead of learning from his parent’s faults and
sins, Ahaziah embraced them. Like Jeroboam and all the preceding
Israelite kings, he worshipped and served Baal. This made God very
angry (I Kings 22:51-53).
Judah Fights Moab and Ammon
King Jehoshaphat had escaped from the battle at Ramoth and safely
returned to Jerusalem, his home. Though he was thankful to have
escaped unharmed, God sent Jehu, the son of Hanani the prophet, to
deliver a message to the king: “You allied yourself with wicked King
Ahab. But ask yourself this: Is it right for you to help the ungodly, and
love them that hate the Eternal?”
Jehoshaphat knew the answer was “no.”
Before he could speak, Jehu said, “Because you have done this,
God’s wrath is upon you! Nevertheless, God sees that there are good
things found in your character. He knows that you have removed the
pagan places of worship from out of the land, and that you have set
your heart to seek your Creator.”
And so, God showed mercy on Jehoshaphat. Inspired by the
Eternal’s great compassion and forgiveness, the king set out to lead the
people of Judah back to worshipping the one true God. He established
judges in all the heavily defended cities of the kingdom and ordered
them to carefully judge matters according to God’s will.
“Take heed of how you render judgment,” he warned them. “Do not
judge for men, but for the Eternal—He is with you in your judgment.
Let God’s fear be upon you whenever you render a ruling. For God is
without sin; He does not show favoritism among His people, nor can
His judgment be bought with gifts of bribery.”
King Jehoshaphat also set up Levites, priests, and some of the chief
leaders of Israel to positions of authority. They, too, were charged with
addressing controversial matters and rendering God’s judgment for the
people. He instructed these men to fear God with a faithful and perfect
heart. “You shall warn the citizens not to trespass against the Eternal.
If you fail to do this,” he warned, “His wrath will fall upon you as well
as them.”
The king also placed Amariah as the chief priest over the Levites,
to attend to matters involving religious affairs. And Jehoshaphat
appointed Zebadiah, the ruler of the royal house, to serve matters that
involved state affairs.
“Deal courageously,” he told them, “and God shall be with the
good” (II Chronicles 19).
13
14
Jehoshaphat Defeats Moab and Ammon
One day, Jehoshaphat’s servants told him that the armies of Moab and
Ammon, allied with the warriors of Mount Seir, were on the march and
on their way to fight against Judah. Fearing for the safety of his people,
Jehoshaphat set out to seek God with all his heart. He proclaimed a fast
throughout the entire kingdom, calling for everyone to join him in seeking
the Eternal’s help.
From God’s temple, Jehoshaphat stood before a large assembly of
his subjects and prayed to the Almighty: “Are You not the great God in
heaven—who rules over all the kingdoms of men—whose hand is so
powerful and mighty that no one is able to stand up to You? Are You
not our God, who drove the Canaanites out from the Promised Land
and gave it to us, the descendants of Abraham, Your friend? We stand
before Your temple, in Your presence—for Your name and purpose is in
this house—and cry to You, as we humble ourselves before You. For we
know that You, O God, will listen to our plea and help us.
“The Ammonites, the Moabites and the people of Mount Seir—whom
You would not let Israel invade and destroy when You delivered us out
of Egypt—behold, they intend to reward us with much evil. They have
united against us, to cast us out of the Promised Land, our inheritance.
O great and mighty God, will You not judge them? We do not have the
might or strength to stand up against this great multitude, nor do we
know what to do! But our eyes are upon You—please deliver us!”
Every man, woman and child standing before their king looked to
God for help. They knew that they could not rescue themselves.
Then, in the midst of the assembly, God sent His Holy Spirit to inspire
the words of Jahaziel, a Levite, who said to Jehoshaphat and to all the
people, “Hear the Eternal’s words: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed by
the sight of your enemies. Though they have united against you, the battle
is not yours—it belongs to Me! Tomorrow, you will face them. They
are coming up by the cliff of Ziz, and you shall find them at the end of
the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel. But you will not need to fight
in this battle. Just set yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the
Eternal. Do not fear, nor be dismayed, for I will be with you!’”
The king bowed his head to the ground, and God’s people followed
his example. Everyone fell down and worshipped the Eternal. Then, the
Levites stood up and, in one loud voice, praised God.
Early the next morning, Judah’s troops marched into the wilderness
of Tekoa. There, Jehoshaphat encouraged the people, saying, “Hear
me, Judah, and citizens of Jerusalem: Believe in the Eternal your God,
and you will be established. Believe His prophets, and you will prosper.”
After the king listened to the advice of certain people, he appointed
special singers to serve God with heartfelt praise. They went out
before the army, singing, “Praise the Eternal, for His mercy endures
forever!”
Meanwhile, God had set up an ambush against the enemy forces
and caused the Ammonites and the Moabites to attack the soldiers of
Mount Seir, utterly destroying them. Then, God caused the Ammonites
and the Moabites to attack each other.
From a watchtower that had been set up in the wilderness,
Jehoshaphat’s men witnessed the bloody aftermath: Piles of dead
bodies were spread across the battlefield. Not one enemy soldier had
escaped.
Jehoshaphat and his troops reaped the spoils of war, coming away
with an abundance of riches and precious jewels. In fact, it took three
days to carry away all the plunder.
On the fourth day, the people assembled in the Valley of Berachah
to bless and praised God. Afterward, everyone returned home with
great joy, playing harps and trumpets, and singing psalms of praise at
God’s temple.
News that the Eternal had fought against the enemies of His people
reached the ears of those living in the surrounding kingdoms. And the
fear of God fell upon them. Any king who was tempted to attack Judah
suddenly had a change of heart.
And God blessed Jehoshaphat and the kingdom of Judah with peace
(II Chronicles 20:1-30).
15
It seems that Jehoshaphat did not learn from unwisely allying
with a wicked ruler, for he joined into a business partnership with
Ahaziah, Ahab’s son, who followed his father’s evil ways. Teaming
together, Jehoshaphat and Ahaziah built merchant ships, which they
used to carry goods from a port at Ezion-geber, at the northern end
of the Gulf of Aqaba. From there, the ships sailed down the Red Sea,
which led to the Indian Ocean, where they could travel to East Africa,
India, Indonesia and the Far East.
Their business deal was profitable—but God did not approve. The
Eternal sent His servant Eliezer to prophesy against Jehoshaphat.
Eliezer told the king, “Because you have joined yourself with
Ahaziah, the Eternal has broken your ships. They will no longer
carry goods to and from Tarshish,” which was, most likely, the island
nation of Japan (II Chronicles 20:35-37). And thus, their partnership
came to an end.
In the Holy Bible, God warns His servants, “Be you not unequally
yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship has righteousness
with unrighteousness? And what communion has light with
darkness?” (II Cor. 6:14). Friends—whether good or bad—will influence
you. And friends who are not striving to live God’s Way have a
different set of priorities than those who want to obey God. In general,
God’s servants must avoid having close, personal friendships and
extensive fellowship with people who practice the ways of this world
(James 4:4)—who do not serve the Eternal or care about obeying
Him. This includes business partnerships, clubs, organizations, etc.
Respecting the Office of God’s Servant
Learning that Ahab, their enemy, was dead, the kingdom of Moab
rebelled against Israel, refusing to pay any more tribute. This was bad
news for King Ahaziah, who knew that he had to respond.
CHAPTER NINETY-EIGHT
ELIJAH’S SUCCESSOR
16
17
Yet the wicked ruler soon had other worries to contend with:
Before he could leave, he fell through a lattice in his upper chamber.
The fall had injured him so badly that he was left bedridden. Fearing
for his life, the king sent messengers to Ekron to inquire of the false
prophets of Baalzebub whether he would recover and live.
However, Ahaziah was soon surprised when his messengers
returned so quickly. “You couldn’t possibly have gone to Ekron,” he
said. “What are you doing back here so soon?”
“A man met us along the way,” they answered. “He told us to
return to you with a message.”
“Really?” said the king. “What’s the message?”
“Thus says the Eternal: ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel
that you sent messengers to seek Baalzebub, the false god of Ekron?
Because you have chosen not to turn to Me—the God who heals—
you shall not leave your bed. You shall surely die!’”
The king said to them, “Quick! Describe the man who gave you
this message. What did he look like?”
“He wore a hairy garment,” they answered, “and a belt of leather
around his waist.”
Instantly, Ahaziah knew that they had described Elijah the prophet.
He ordered one of his trusted military officers to take 50 soldiers and
bring back Elijah. “I want to deal with this prophet face to face.”
The captain and his warriors soon found Elijah, who was sitting
at the top of a hill. “Elijah, get down here at once!” the officer commanded.
“Or else I will drag you down!”
Elijah looked down at the man and his 50 troops, and said, “If I am
a man of God, then may fire come down from heaven and consume
you and your men.” And that is exactly what happened.
King Ahaziah sent another trusted officer and his team of 50 soldiers
to bring back Elijah. Refusing to learn from the fate of the men
who dared to oppose themselves against God’s servant, this man said
to Elijah, “Man of God, prepare yourself, for the king of Israel commands
you to come down right now!”
Elijah answered, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from
heaven and consume you and your 50 soldiers.” Again, God backed
up Elijah’s office and rained fire upon Ahaziah’s men.
Yet, even after losing two captains and 100 troops, the king
refused to give up. He sent another team of 50 warriors and their
captain to bring back Elijah—but this captain thought twice about
ordering around the prophet. Instead of opposing God’s servant with
a hostile attitude, this man approached Elijah with humility. He fell
on his knees before Elijah, and said, “I know that you are a man of
God, so I pray that you will see that my life and the lives of these 50
men, your servants, are precious in your sight.”
God respected this man’s humble approach, so the Messenger of the
Eternal told Elijah, “Go with this man. Do not be afraid of him.” Elijah
obeyed, and the captain and his troops escorted him to Samaria.
18
King Ahaziah’s captain
wisely approaches
Elijah the prophet with
humility and respect.
19
When Elijah arrived, he looked into King Ahaziah’s eyes and
boldly repeated God’s message: “Thus says the Eternal: ‘Is it because
there is no God in Israel that you sent messengers to seek Baalzebub,
the false god of Ekron? Because of this, you shall not leave your bed,
for you shall surely die.’”
Sometime after, King Ahaziah died. Since he did not have a son to
replace him as king, his brother Joram ruled in his place (II Kings 1).
Elijah’s Successor
Ahab and Ahaziah, the kings to whom Elijah had been commissioned to
give God’s warning, were dead. God was now ready to replace Elijah as
the head of His Work and use him somewhere else. He told His servant
that He would take him away in a miraculous whirlwind resembling a
chariot.
When the time for his departure drew near, Elijah decided to venture
over to Gilgal, where he had established a special school for teaching
and training future prophets of God. The old prophet wanted to see the
school one last time before leaving for good.
Elisha, his assistant, accompanied him to Gilgal and toured the school
with him.
Then Elijah decided to visit another school, which he had set up in
Bethel. He told his assistant to wait for him, but Elisha replied, “As surely
as God lives, as long as you are still here and alive, I won’t leave you.”
Elijah respected the younger man’s determination, so he allowed him to
accompany him.
At Bethel, student prophets-in-training, whom the Bible calls “the
sons of the prophets,” told Elisha that God would soon take Elijah away.
“Yes, I know this,” Elisha answered. “But I don’t want to talk about
it, so hold your peace.”
When his tour of the school at Bethel was done, Elijah said to Elisha,
“The Eternal is sending me to the school I established in Jericho. Wait
here.”
But Elisha wanted to spend every remaining moment he could with his
master, so he respectfully refused to leave Elijah’s side. The old prophet
gave in and allowed Elisha to accompany him to Jericho.
When they arrived, the sons of the prophets, who attended the school
there, approached Elisha and said, “Are you aware that the Eternal will
soon take away Elijah?”
“Yes, yes, I know this,” Elisha answered. “But hold your peace. I
don’t want to talk about it.” Elisha was a humble man, who was more
concerned with supporting his master than with taking his place.
Elijah was now ready for God to take him away. He headed for the
Jordan River, again telling Elisha to stay behind—but Elisha would
not hear of it. He insisted on staying with Elijah to the very end. Elijah
appreciated his determination, so he gave in to Elisha’s plea.
From a distance, the two men were followed by 50 prophets-intraining,
who wanted to see what would happen next. They saw Elijah
remove his mantle of sheepskin and hair, which symbolized his office
and authority. Then the senior prophet rolled it up and struck the
waters of the Jordan River. Instantly, the torrents of water divided into
two parts, providing a path of dry ground for Elijah and Elisha to walk
safely across into Gilead.
Elijah turned to his servant and said, “Before I am taken away, ask
whatever I can do for you.”
Elisha answered, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon
me.” He was not asking for greater miraculous power than Elijah. He
20
Elijah strikes the
Jordan River with
his mantle, thus
parting the waters.
21
knew that God had chosen him to inherit Elijah’s role as a mighty
prophet to Israel (I Kings 19:16-21). The “double portion” did not
literally mean “twice as much.” Rather, like an eldest son who inherits
the birthright from his father, Elisha requested that he inherit a generous
portion of spiritual power and influence. With such great responsibility
about to be placed on his shoulder, Elisha understood that much
would be required of him.
“You have asked for a hard thing,” Elijah said. “Only God can do
this. Therefore, here is how the Eternal will answer: If you see me as
God takes me away, then you will know that your request has been
granted. However, if you do not see me, then your request will not be
fulfilled.”
As they continued their journey, they talked about the many problems
and situations Elisha would face once Elijah was gone—then suddenly,
a chariot of fire appeared, pulled by horses made of fire. It separated the
two men, and Elijah was taken up by a whirlwind, high into the sky.
As Elisha watched his teacher and friend being taken away, he cried
out for Elijah, staring up into the sky until he could see him no more.
Sadness overwhelmed Elisha, and he tore his clothes in two as a sign of
his deep sorrow. He knew that he would not see his friend again during
his physical lifetime. But Elisha took comfort in God’s plan to one day
set up His kingdom upon the earth. At that time, all faithful servants
of God, including Elijah, will be alive as spirit beings. Elisha looked
forward to seeing this day (II Kings 2:1-12).
Did Elijah Go to Heaven?
The Bible states, “Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven” (II
Kings 2:1, 11). Reading this verse, most people assume that Elijah was
carried up to God’s heavenly throne.
Yet, more than 900 years after Elijah was taken up by a whirlwind,
Jesus Christ—who was also the God of the Old Testament (I
Corinthians 10:1-4)—declared that “No man has ascended up to heaven,
but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of man” (John
3:13)! Therefore, Elijah could not have gone to where God lives.
So where did he go?
Remember, the Bible speaks of three heavens, not just one. God the
Father and Jesus Christ currently live in the “third heaven,” the seat
of God’s throne. The “second heaven” is the great, vast universe of
stars, moons, planets, comets and other bodies in space. And the “first
heaven” is the sky above, which is called the atmosphere, the air that
surrounds the earth. Right now, you are breathing the air of heaven!
Since Elijah did not go to the third heaven, he must have been taken
to one of the other two heavens. The second heaven is an icy-cold vacuum
of space and does not contain air. Hence, it does not have whirlwinds.
Therefore, when Elijah “went up by a whirlwind into heaven,”
he must have been taken to the first heaven—the sky!
But God did not leave him there. He sent Elijah to serve Him somewhere
else on earth. Though the Bible does not say where, it does
reveal that Elijah sent a letter to the king of Judah—years after being
taken away by a whirlwind. We will read of this account in the next
chapter.
Elisha the Prophet
Elisha picked up his master’s
mantle, which had fallen from
Elijah as he was taken away,
and returned to the Jordan
River. Staring down the rushing
waters, he wondered if
God would work through
him as He had done with
Elijah the prophet. Just as
his master had done, Elisha
struck the roaring waters
with the mantle, saying, “Is
the Eternal God of Elijah
with me?”
Suddenly, the mighty
Jordan River parted in two,
allowing him to cross over on
dry ground.
The sons of the prophets
witnessed this spectacular
miracle. Seeing that he possessed
Elijah’s mantle, the
prophet’s symbol of authority,
they said, “The spirit of Elijah now rests on Elisha!” The 50
students went down to greet Elisha, bowing low to the ground out of
respect for his office.
Yet amazingly, even though they recognized that God had selected
Elisha to be His servant and leader, they were still slow to fully accept
Elisha’s authority. They asked for his permission to go look for Elijah,
22
23
who they had been accustomed to following. “Perhaps God’s Spirit
took him high up some mountain,” they explained, “or down into some
valley. We must find him.”
Elisha tried to be patient with them. He said, “No, there’s no need
to look for Elijah. He’s gone now. There is no reason to go searching
for him.”
But the prophets-in-training were persistent, urging Elisha to change
his mind. Elisha soon realized that these zealous, but misguided, men
would not stop until they had their way, so he gave his permission.
For three days, they wandered the countryside in search of Elijah—but
they could not find him.
They returned to Jericho, tired and defeated—and Elisha was waiting
for them. “I see you have come back empty-handed,” he said. “Didn’t I
tell you not to go?”
The students nodded, and acknowledged that they should have listened
to him. They had been so accustomed to having Elijah as their
leader that it was hard for them to see another man assume his position
of authority (II Kings 2:13-18).
God Backs Up His Servant
The city of Jericho was a prosperous, pleasant place for people to live
and raise families. However, Jericho’s water was ruining the health
of the inhabitants. In fact, some people even died after drinking it.
The water also prevented the soil from producing enough crops for
the residents to eat. In desperation, the men of the city approached
Elisha and asked if he could help them.
Elisha told them, “Bring me a new bowl, and make sure that you
put salt in it.” When they had done so, he brought the bowl to the
spring of the waters, its main source, and poured the salt into it.
Then he said, “Thus says the Eternal, ‘I have healed and purified
these waters; no more shall there be death or barren land.’”
Salt is a natural preservative—it preserves food by drying out
water in which harmful bacteria thrive. In the Bible, salt symbolizes
purity. God calls true Christians “the salt of the earth” (Matthew
5:13). Elisha used salt to symbolize that God would heal Jericho’s
water supply by destroying the unhealthy germs living within it.
From that moment forward, the waters were clean, and the land was
no longer barren.
In performing this miracle, God released Jericho from the curse
He had placed on the city long ago, in Joshua’s day (Joshua 6:26; I
Kings 16:34).
24
Deciding it was his time to leave, Elisha headed for Bethel. Along
the way, he encountered a wild gang of young hooligans, who came
from that city. They were an unruly mob of vandals who did not care
for God or His laws. Instead of addressing Elisha with the proper
respect that God wants young people to show toward their elders, these
hooligans mocked and teased the prophet. They pointed at his head,
which was bald on top, and taunted, “Go up, baldy! Go up, baldy!”
“If you’re supposed to be a prophet,” one said, “then why didn’t
God take you away like He did with Elijah?”
All the others laughed and repeated their taunts, saying, “Go up,
baldy! Go on up!”
The gang of juvenile thugs forced Elisha to defend his office. He
turned around and looked at them; and, using God’s authority, he pronounced
a curse upon all 42 hooligans. The gang continued to snicker
and mock—but their laughter quickly turned into horror when they
saw two female bears emerge from the forest. The youths came to a
gruesome end. News of their grisly demise became a sobering lesson
for future generations of children.
Elisha departed, journeying to Mount Carmel and then Samaria (II
Kings 2:19-25).
In the 18th year of King Jehoshaphat’s reign, Joram had taken his
brother Ahaziah’s place as the royal ruler of Israel. King Joram was
not as wicked as his father Ahab or his mother Jezebel, for he removed
the idol of Baal, which Ahab had made. However, Joram did practice
the evil deeds that his forefather Jeroboam had done generations earlier,
compromising with idolatry.
Now that the throne was his, Joram set out to deal with the rebellious
Moabites. King Mesha of Moab still refused to pay his kingdom’s
annual tribute: 100,000 lambs and 100,000 rams, and the wool that they
produced. Determined to end Moab’s rebellion, Joram took a census of
his entire kingdom to see how many soldiers he could assemble for his
cause. Then he sent messengers to Judah, asking King Jehoshaphat to
join him in battle. As he had done with Ahab, Jehoshaphat agreed.
He might have, in his mind, justified doing this when he had heard
that Joram had removed Ahab’s image of Baal. Regardless of his reason,
Jehoshaphat was still compromising God’s will. You will find that
even the most faithful and obedient of God’s flesh-and-blood servants
still struggle with overcoming personal faults and weaknesses. God
understands this, and is very patient and merciful.
The kings of Israel and Judah combined their two armies and created
a strong military alliance. Next, they sent word to the king of Edom
to join their cause. (The Edomites were under Judah’s dominance and
were paying tribute to them. To strengthen their control over Edom,
Judah had set over the Edomites a deputy ruler—one who would not
dare to rebel against Jehoshaphat.)
Rather than taking the most direct route to Moab, the allied troops
journeyed around the southern part of the Dead Sea, down toward
Edom, where they joined up with the Edomite army. From there, the
three armies would launch a surprise attack into Moab.
However, after seven days of marching in the bleak wilderness,
under the scorching heat of the sun, there was no longer enough fresh
25
CHAPTER NINETY-NINE
REBELLIONS PLAGUE
A REBELLIOUS KING
water for the soldiers and cattle to drink—and without water, no one
can survive. The kings began to worry. In fact, Joram started to panic,
caving in to the mounting pressure of despair and thirst. “This is God’s
doing!” he said. “The Eternal has called us three kings together only to
deliver us into Moab’s hand!”
But Jehoshaphat was not willing to believe that God had abandoned
them.
“Wait,” he cautioned. “Perhaps one of God’s prophets is among us, or
near by,” he said. “Let’s find him and ask him to reveal God’s will.”
One of the servants of King Joram told them about Elisha. “He was
Elijah the prophet’s trusted servant,” the man said.
Jehoshaphat said, “Elisha? I’ve heard of this man. God has given
him the gift of prophecy.”
The three kings wasted no time in finding Elisha. And when they did
find him, the prophet stared Joram in the face, and said, “What have I to
do with you? Go seek the prophets of Baal, like your father Ahab did,
and the prophets of Asherah, whom your mother Jezebel listened to.”
Elisha’s sarcasm cut Joram’s pride like a knife.
“Do not rebuke me. God is about to deliver us into Moab’s hands,
unless you help us.”
Elisha said, “As surely as the Eternal lives, were it not for King
Jehoshaphat’s presence, you would be nothing to me. I would not look
at you, nor see you. Jehoshaphat worships the true God—but you worship
images made by the hands of men.”
Then the prophet Elisha instructed them to bring him a musician.
When the man played his harp, joined with prayer and praise toward
the Eternal, God’s message came into Elisha’s thoughts, inspiring him
to speak: “Thus says the Eternal, ‘Make this valley full of ditches so
that it will hold water. You shall not see wind, nor rain come, but the
valley will be filled with water for your men and cattle to drink.’ This
will be but a simple miracle for God to perform. He will also deliver
the Moabites into your hand. You shall strike every walled city, and
every choice city, and shall cut down every good tree, and stop up all
the water springs, and ruin every good piece of land with stones.”
The kings followed God’s command and ordered a team of men to
dig ditches in the valley. The next morning, when the morning sacrifice
was offered to God, suddenly the ditches were filled with water.
Meanwhile, the Moabites had heard that an invasion force of the
armies of Israel, Judah and Edom were on their way to attack. King
Mesha assembled his troops and stationed them at the border of
Moab’s territory. “When they launch their attack, we will be ready,”
he assured his men.
26
Rising early in the morning, the Moabite troops looked down into
the valley below and were startled to see water. “How can this be?”
they asked each other. “There was no rain last night—where did all
this water come from?”
Then they noticed that the water was a reddish color.
“It must be blood!” one soldier shouted. The others agreed, concluding
that enemy troops had turned on each other during the night.
But the Moabites did not realize that the ruddy color was due to the
sun’s rays reflecting off the red sandstone upon which the water lay.
What they actually saw was only an illusion.
In their excitement, the Moabites rushed down into the valley
to claim the spoils of war. Upon entering their enemy’s camp, they
expected to see a battlefield littered with dead bodies in all directions.
Instead, they were met by the troops of Israel, Judah and Edom, who
were very much alive and well!
After a quick and furious struggle, much of the Moabite army was
slain. Some troops managed to flee for their lives, but this did not
save them, for the allied troops gave chase, entering into Moab and
killing as many soldiers as they could capture.
The allied troops
tore down Moab’s
walled cities and filled
the farmlands with
stones so that they
could not be used to
grow much-needed
crops. They also
stopped all the wells
and chopped down all
the good trees.
But Kir-Haraseth, a
heavily defended fortress,
still stood. Joram
and Jehoshaphat had
their soldiers surround
the city and besiege it.
From inside the
walled fortress, King
Mesha saw that the battle
was not going well
for him. He decided to
launch a bold strategic
27
The allied troops of Judah and Israel chop
down the trees and stop the wells in Moab.
move by leading 700 of his fiercest warriors to break through the
king of Edom’s defenses. Mesha probably reasoned that, because the
Edomites had no choice but to join Judah and Israel in their cause,
their hearts were not in this battle. “They are the weakest link in our
enemy’s line of offense,” the king told his officers.
But Mesha soon discovered how wrong he was, for his daring
attack failed.
Now he was desperate. Mesha knew that it was only a matter of
time before his enemies would break through the city’s defenses. But
he continued to put his trust in his false god, Chemosh (also known as
Molech), hoping that he would somehow save him from utter defeat.
As a last resort, King Mesha took his eldest son—who was in line
to inherit the throne—high up on the wall of the city so that everyone,
both the Moabites and the allied armies, could see. Then, to the
surprise and horror of all the onlookers, Mesha sacrificed his son as
a burnt offering to Chemosh, to gain the false deity’s favor!
The king also wanted to send his enemies a message—that he
would use any means, no matter how wicked or cruel, to keep them
from being victorious.
Witnessing their prince burn to death as a human sacrifice caused
the Moabites to hate Israel even more. Instead of blaming their king
for committing such a vile act, they blamed the enemy troops. “Israel
and Judah should not have pushed us so far!” many screamed. Thus,
the Moabites were inspired to fight even harder. Surrender was not an
option.
Sickened by what they had just witnessed and seeing that the
Moabites were more determined than ever, Joram and Jehoshaphat
decided that it was time to end their bloody siege. And so, every man
returned home (II Kings 3).
Choosing a New King
After having faithfully served God and the nation of Judah for 25 years,
King Jehoshaphat died. Jehoshaphat was not perfect; he sometimes
made mistakes. And despite his efforts in setting a righteous example for
his subjects to follow, the pagan high places of worship were not fully
removed from Judah. Many preferred to offer burnt incense to false gods
rather than to the one true God. But overall, Jehoshaphat had spent his life
choosing to obey the Eternal and do what was right in God’s sight. And
God never failed to deliver him from his trouble.
Before dying, Jehoshaphat chose Jehoram, his firstborn son, to replace
him as Judah’s king. He also appointed his other sons—Azariah, Jehiel,
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Zechariah, Azaryahu, Michael and Shephatiah—to lesser positions of
authority, giving them their own walled cities to rule within the kingdom.
He also gave them gifts of gold, silver and other precious items of wealth
(II Chronicles 20:31-34; 21:1-3; I Kings 22:41-50).
Jehoram was 32 years old when he became king. Unlike his father,
he chose to practice the evil and perverted ways that the kings of Israel
practiced. His wife Athaliah, who was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel,
encouraged him to do this.
King Jehoram built pagan high places on the mountains of Judah,
leading the citizens of Jerusalem to worship false gods. The rest of Judah
followed their rotten example.
Because he did not put his trust in God, Jehoram constantly worried
about his safety. Fear and suspicion soon convinced the king that his
royal family members were jealous of him and were plotting against
him. To ensure that they would not betray him in an attempt to seize
the throne, Jehoram murdered his brothers. He also slew a great many
of Judah’s princes, along with anyone else he felt might be a threat to
his reign.
If only Jehoram had sought God with all his heart, as King David
and Jehoshaphat had done. He would have learned that the Eternal puts
a hedge of protection around His people. Jehoram would have never
become enslaved by his fears.
God—who is the ultimate source of justice and goodness—burned
with anger toward the king’s rebellious ways. Yet, in His abundant mercy
and patience, He kept His word and did not destroy Judah or wipe out the
house of David (II Chronicles 21:1-7; II Kings 8:16-19).
Unrepentant to the End
Since the reign of King David, the kingdom of Edom had lived under
the domain of Judah. But the Edomites had grown tired of paying
tribute taxes to the house of David, so they revolted. In the violent
aftermath, they replaced the deputy king that Judah had appointed over
them, and set up their own king.
When news of the rebellion reached Jehoram’s ears, he wasted no
time in leading his troops and chariots down to Zair, an Edomite village
east of the Dead Sea. But the Edomites, who were not about to surrender
to Judah’s show of force, surrounded Jehoram and his soldiers,
preparing to attack them in the morning. Yet when night came, King
Jehoram used the canopy of darkness to his advantage and ordered
his soldiers to attack. They caught the Edomite army off guard and,
gripped by surprise and confusion, the rebels fled for their lives.
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Despite this defeat, uprisings continued to erupt as the Edomites
struggled to break free from living under Judah’s rule. Adding to
Judah’s trouble, the people of Libnah also rebelled. God had caused
Jehoram’s reign to be plagued with rebellions because the king himself
was rebellious!
One day, while moping about his problems, Jehoram received a
letter from someone who lived far away. Reading it, the king was surprised
to learn that it had been written by Elijah the prophet!
Elijah had written, “Thus says the Eternal God of your forefather
David: ‘You have not walked in the ways of your father Jehoshaphat,
nor in the ways of Asa. Instead, you have followed the example of the
kings of Israel and have caused Judah and the people of Jerusalem to
enslave themselves to worshipping false gods, like Ahab had done. You
have also murdered your brothers, who were better than you. Because
you have done much evil, I will strike your people with a great plague.
Everyone and everything will be affected—your children, your wives,
and all your goods. And you, Jehoram, will suffer a great sickness in
your intestines, until they fall out.’”
Here was an opportunity for Jehoram to repent—to change from his
wicked ways. He must have known through his father that God is quick
to forgive, slow to wrath—yet Jehoram would not give repentance a
second thought.
And so, God stirred up the anger of the Philistines and the Arabians,
inspiring them to team up against Jehoram. They invaded Judah and
carried away all the wealth they could find in the royal palace. They
also kidnapped the king’s sons and wives. When his enemies had
finally departed, only Jehoram’s youngest son, Ahaziah (also called
Jehoahaz), was left.
The king was beside himself in grief. “What could possibly go
wrong next?” he cried.
He soon found out, for God struck Jehoram’s intestines with a
horrible, deadly disease that could not be cured, just like Elijah had
warned. For two agonizing years, the king suffered from this painful
illness, which had eventually caused his intestines to fall out.
Had King Jehoram faithfully obeyed God and sought His will, like
his forefather David had done, God would have helped him solve his
problems. But Jehoram continued in his rebellious ways until the day
he died.
Jehoram’s slow, agonizing pain eventually came to an end when he
died from sore diseases. His eight-year reign was finished, and none of
the people mourned for him. He had been an unjust and selfish ruler (II
Chronicles 21:8-20; II Kings 8:20-24).
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Elisha and the Widow’s Oil
In the kingdom of Israel, Elisha continued his commission of
expressing God’s will, through inspired prophecies and serving the
needs of His people.
One day, a woman who had been married to one of the sons of
the prophets came to Elisha and told him of her problem: “My husband,
your servant, is dead. As you know, he feared and obeyed the
Eternal. Well, with his death, he has left behind a heavy debt, which
I must pay—but I do not have the funds to do so. My husband’s
creditor wants his money and is about to take my two surviving sons
and make them slaves.”
“Yes, yes, I quite understand,” the prophet said grimly. He knew
that the law allowed for creditors to enslave debtors, and even their
children, to work off unpaid debts. However, the period of enslavement
was to last only six years (Exodus 21:2-4; Deuteronomy 15:12-18).
Elisha said to the widow, “What can I do to help you? Tell me,
what do you possess in your house?”
The widow replied, “All I have is a flask of oil, only enough to
anoint someone.”
“Then go to all your neighbors and borrow from them empty vessels,”
he replied. “And don’t just borrow a few. Borrow all that you
can get. After you have done this, return home and shut the door and
stay inside, you and your sons. Then take the jar of oil and pour the
oil into all the empty vessels. When you are done, every vessel shall
be filled with oil.”
“But what good will all this do?”
Elisha smiled, and answered, “You will see.”
The widow immediately set out to do exactly as Elisha had
instructed. She and her sons went from door to door, borrowing all
the empty pots and jars that her neighbors would lend. Then she and
her sons brought the vessels home, took the lone flask of oil, and
began pouring oil into them. To their amazement, oil continued to
pour out, filling all the jars and pots to the brim.
“Go bring me another vessel to fill,” the widow said to one son.
“But there’s no more left,” he answered. “Every vessel has been
filled with oil!”
And from that very moment, oil ceased to pour out from the
small flask.
When the widow rushed out to tell Elisha the miracle that had taken
place, the prophet said to her, “Now that you have all this oil, go sell
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it and pay your debt. Then you and your sons shall live on the rest of
the oil” (II Kings 4:1-7).
God could have performed this miracle without the widow and her
sons doing a thing. However, the Eternal often requires people to show
Him that they believe Him. A person’s faith must come with actions—
works (James 2:14-26).
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The widow pours out a small flask
of oil, filling a vast number of jars!
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Elisha the prophet traveled to Shunem, a town in the territory
of Issachar, where he met a woman of great wealth, influence
and social status. She had heard about Elisha, and wanted to know
more about the ways of God. With her husband’s permission, she
persuaded the prophet to be their dinner guest. That evening, she
listened to Elisha’s every word as he talked about the Eternal and
His laws. Afterward, the noble Shunammite woman was so excited
about what she had learned that she said to her aging husband, “This
man is truly a man of God. Let’s give Elisha an open invitation to
dine with us whenever he travels through Shunem.”
Elisha gladly took them up on their gracious offer, dining at their
home anytime he happened to be in their area. Though Elisha was
a prophet and had great responsibility lain upon him, he was still a
human being. He appreciated every opportunity to fellowship with
those who yearned to know more about God.
Over time, a close friendship developed between Elisha and the
married couple. One day, the Shunammite woman asked her husband
to have an extra room built so that Elisha and his assistant could stay
with them during their visits to Shunem.
Elisha felt deeply honored by this woman’s generosity, and
wanted to return the favor. One day, during one of his stays at the
Shunammite woman’s home, Elisha told his assistant Gehazi to tell
her, “You have shown us great hospitality and care. Tell me, what
can I do for you? Would you like me to speak to the king on your
behalf, or to the commander of Israel’s army?’”
She said, “No, I have need of nothing. I live among my friends
and neighbors in peace.”
When Gehazi told Elisha what she had said, the prophet replied,
“Well then, what can be done for her?” In one sense, he was pleased
that she did not give him food and shelter in order to get blessings from
God. On the other hand, Elisha truly wanted to find a way to serve the
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED
BREATHING LIFE
INTO THE DEAD
woman. True servants of God constantly practice God’s Way of outgoing
concern for others.
Gehazi answered, “This woman has no son, and her husband is too
old to provide her with one. Most likely, he will die without an heir to
carry on his name.”
Elisha had a plan. Through his assistant, he told the Shunammite
woman, “About this time next year, you shall have a son—your very
own son.”
Elisha and Gehazi thought that the woman would be overjoyed.
Instead, she acted just the opposite. After years of not being able to
bear children, the Shunammite woman had grown accustomed to the
idea that she would never have one. Fearing that hope would be dashed,
she did not allow herself to believe that God would perform this miracle
on her behalf. “No, my lord,” she said. “You are a man of God, so
please do not tell me things that can’t possibly come true for me.”
Despite her lack of faith, God blessed the woman, and she gave
birth to a son several months later (II Kings 4:8-17).
Back From the Dead
One morning, years after the child had grown into a little boy, the
Shunammite woman’s son went out to see his father, who was overseeing
his young workers. They were reaping the harvest fields, cutting and
binding the sheaves, and placing them upon carts, which donkeys would
take to the threshing-floor.
Suddenly, the boy felt a sharp pain in his head. As he grew weaker
and weaker, the boy mustered all his strength and cried out, “Father! My
head! My head!”
The father heard his horrifying plea and he and a servant rushed to his
side. He felt the boy’s skin, which was dry and unusually hot.
“Sunstroke,” the father said. He ordered him to carry the boy’s almostlifeless
body back to the house so that his body would cool in the shade.
Inside, the Shunammite woman attended to her son, and sat with him
all that morning, praying and hoping that he would pull through…yet
sadly, the little boy died.
But she was not ready to give up just yet. The Shunammite woman
went to Elisha’s guestroom and laid the boy on the bed. Then she shut
the door and went out to find her husband.
“Quick,” she said to him. “Please have one of the servants prepare
a donkey for me. I must ride out and bring back Elisha.” She did not
immediately tell her husband that their only child had just died, for she
wanted to spare him emotional pain.
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But her husband was taken back by her request. “What’s the
hurry?” he said. “Why are you going to see Elisha today? Today is not
the Sabbath or any other special day. There are no religious ceremonies
going on in which God’s prophets would be teaching the people.”
She could not bear to tell him that their only child had just died.
She wanted to spare him unnecessary grief, hoping that Elisha would
bring the boy back to life.
“Trust me,” she said. “I must hurry. I will explain later.”
Her husband did as she had requested, and the Shunammite woman
departed on her saddled donkey. A servant accompanied her on foot,
driving the animal forward and directing its path. “Drive, and go forward,”
she told her servant, “and don’t slacken the riding pace for
me.”
Several hours later and about 16 or 17 miles away, they found
Elisha at Mt. Carmel.
The prophet leaned on his staff, which represented Elisha’s office
and authority, and saw someone racing toward him from the distance.
He said to Gehazi, “Look out there. Is that the Shunammite woman I
see approaching?”
Gehazi squinted with his eyes to get a better look. “Yes. Yes, that’s
her! And she’s racing to get to us.”
“She must have something very important to tell me. Go run to her,
Gehazi,” Elisha said. “Ask her how she and her family are doing.”
Gehazi rushed off to meet the woman. She told him, “All is well,”
but she only said this because she wanted to speak to Elisha face-toface.
When she was finally within his presence, she bowed to the ground
before Elisha and grabbed him by his feet. Gehazi tried to pull her
away, but the prophet said to him, “Stop. Leave her alone. Obviously,
something is bothering her, and God has not revealed it to me. Let her
speak.”
Through her tears, she said, “I didn’t ask you for a son. I even told
you not to tell me that I would be blessed with such a miracle. And
now my son—my only child—is dead.”
Elisha turned to Gehazi, and said, “Get ready. Here, take my staff
and go to this woman’s child. Don’t waste time greeting anyone you
might see along the way. I want you to hurry. Once you arrive, lay my
staff upon the child’s face.”
Then he said to the woman, “Go with Gehazi. He will minister
under my authority and ask God to heal your son. I will stay here.”
But the Shunammite woman replied, “No. As the Eternal lives, I
won’t leave your side. You must come home with me; please do this.”
Elisha nodded. He, the woman and her servant headed back for the
house.
Meanwhile, Gehazi, who was younger and faster, raced on his journey,
arriving well ahead of them. He came to the house, went to the guestroom,
and laid Elisha’s staff upon the boy’s face—but nothing happened.
The boy’s body remained still. Gehazi did not know what to do, so he
raced back to get Elisha, and told him that the child did not awake.
Finally, Elisha arrived at the house. He went in, shut the door behind
him, and prayed to the
Eternal. Then Elisha
again stretched his body
upon the child’s to give
warmth to his cold, lifeless
corpse. Next, he
breathed into the boy’s
mouth, and opened
his eyes to see if there
was any movement.
The child’s skin slowly
grew warm. Encouraged
by this, Elisha again
stretched his body upon
the child’s corpse in order
to warm it and bring it
back to life. Suddenly,
the boy sneezed seven
times—his eyes popped
open—he was alive!
Elisha had Gehazi
call for the Shunammite
woman, who hurried into
the room, anxious to see what had become of her child.
The prophet said to her, “Woman, take up your son” (II Kings 4:18-
37).
“Death in the Pot!”
Elisha returned to the school at Gilgal, where the prophets-in-training
warmly received him. They were eager to sit before him and learn from
his wise teachings and instructions.
Due to a famine (which would come to last seven years) that
had just struck the land, there was very little food to eat. Elisha
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37
had his servant cook a large
pot of stew so that everyone
could have a warm and filling
meal. Looking for herbs
in a nearby field, the servant
found a wild vine of gourds.
He gathered a lap full of wild
gourds, brought them back to
the cooking area and sliced
them, piece by piece, into
the boiling pot. When the
stew was ready, the hungry
students gathered for their
meal and ate. As the men
ate the stew, they began to
feel as though their insides
were about to explode. Out
of desperation from the sharp
pain in their stomachs, the
students said to Elisha, “We
can’t eat this—there’s death
in that pot!”
The prophet looked
around and saw his students
squirm in agony as they bent over from pain. Elisha ordered someone
to bring him some flour, which he then cast into the pot of stew.
Suddenly, a miracle happened: The stew was no longer poisonous.
“Serve the stew,” he told his servant. “It is now fine for everyone to
eat” (II Kings 4:38-41).
Feeding 100 Hungry Men
One day, a farmer from Baal Shalisha came to Gilgal, and gave
Elisha the first fruits of his crops: 20 loaves of barley and a knapsack
full of ripe ears of corn. The man knew about God’s tithing
law, so he wanted to pay God’s tithes to the one whom the Eternal
was using to do His work—Elisha. The prophet gladly received the
much-needed food and ordered his servant to deliver it among the
students, so that they would survive the famine.
“But there are 100 men here,” the servant said to Elisha. “There
isn’t enough food to go around.”
“That’s okay,” Elisha answered. “Go ahead and give the food
to the people. God will provide enough portions for everyone. The
Eternal has said, ‘They shall eat, and have some left over.’”
The servant shrugged his shoulders and did as instructed. He
set the loaves of barley and the ears of corn before the sons of the
prophets, who gratefully ate. And, when they were finished, there
was food left over—just as God had said (II Kings 4:42-44).
Naaman the Leper
Over in the kingdom of Syria there was a man named Naaman. He
was the commander of the Syrian army, and was a great and honorable
man in the eyes of his master, the king of Syria. Naaman was
held in such high esteem because God had used him to deliver military
victories to his people. Yet, despite being considered a mighty
man of valor, Naaman was also a leper.
One day, the Syrian army returned home from its raiding party
campaign into Israel, and brought back Israelite captives. One of
them was a young maiden, who was selected to serve Naaman’s
wife. Seeing that Naaman was a leper, she told her mistress, “If your
husband was in the presence of Elisha the prophet, he would recover
from his leprosy.”
Naaman was told what the young girl had said, and, with his
hopes raised, he told his master, the king.
The king of Syria said, “Yes, by all means, go see this prophet.
I will write a letter to the king of Israel and make the necessary
arrangements.”
Naaman and his entourage of servants and military escorts
departed for Israel, taking with him ten talents of silver and 6,000
pieces of gold, as well as ten changes of fine garments.
Joram, the king of Israel, was surprised when his servants told him
that an important foreign visitor had come to see him. He was even
more surprised to find out that his visitor was Naaman. The Syrian
army commander boldly approach Joram’s throne and delivered his
master’s letter to the king. In it, the king of Syria had written, “Be
advised: The purpose of this letter is to introduce my servant Naaman,
who I have sent to you so that you may heal him of his leprosy.”
Reading this upset King Joram so much that he ripped his clothes
and mourned. “What I am supposed to do? Am I God? Do I have the
power to kill someone and bring him back to life? Why has this man
been sent unto me to heal him from leprosy?”
He told his chief officers, “You just wait and see—the king of
Syria is looking to pick a fight with me.”
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News that Joram was sorely troubled by Naaman’s visit and request
reached the ears of Elisha, so the prophet sent a message to him: “Why
have you ripped your clothes? Let Naaman come to me; then he shall
know that there is a prophet in Israel.”
Joram felt relieved, and sent Naaman to Elisha. In a show of power
and authority, the Syrian army commander drove his chariot and team of
horses over to Elisha’s home, seeking to impress. He thought to himself,
“If I go down to Elisha, he will come out to see me. He’ll stand before all
and call on the name of the Eternal his God. And then he will strike his
hand over the diseased parts of my body, and heal me of my leprosy.”
However, instead of personally meeting him, Elisha sent a messenger
instead. “Naaman, Elisha says that you must wash yourself in the Jordan
River seven times. After this, your flesh will return to good health and
you will be clean.”
Naaman was angry. “How dare Elisha tell me to come see him and
then not meet me face-to-face and receive me! Doesn’t Elisha know who
I am? Doesn’t he realize how important I am? Besides, aren’t Abana and
Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Why
shouldn’t I wash in them and be clean?”
Naaman had expected Elisha to make a great show of crying out to
his God. When this did not happen, he went away in a rage.
But his servants said, “Wait, my lord. If this prophet had told you to
do something great, wouldn’t you have done it? How much more should
you do this little thing and wash in the Jordan?”
Reluctantly, Naaman saw
the wisdom in their words, and
went down to the Jordan River
and dipped himself into it seven
times, as Elisha had instructed.
Instantly, the diseased parts of
his flesh became healthy—like
the soft, smooth skin of a little
child.
Naaman and his followers
returned to Elisha’s home.
Feeling grateful for God’s miracle,
Naaman humbly approached
the prophet, and said, “Now I
know that there is no God in all
the earth, but the One in Israel.
Please accept a gift from me,
your servant.”
Elisha appreciated the gesture, but refused. He did not want Naaman
and his men to think a true servant of God was like the priests and
prophets of false gods, who were known for offering their services for
money.
Though the Syrian army commander insisted on giving him a gift,
Elisha continued to refuse. Gehazi, Elisha’s servant, wanted to pressure
his master into changing his mind, but he knew that the prophet would
not give in to greed.
“If you won’t accept a gift,” Naaman said, “then please allow me to
take two mule-loads of earth from Israel. From this moment on, I will
not offer burnt offerings or sacrifices to other gods, but to the Eternal.”
In some ancient cultures, it was believed that a “god” could be worshipped
only on the soil of the nation that worshipped it. Naaman
intended to carry back to Syria soil from Israel so that he could worship
the God of Israel.
“However,” Naaman added, “May God pardon me in this one thing:
My master, the king of Syria, goes into the temple of Rimmon to worship
there; whenever he does, he has me by his side and leans on my
hand, and I bow down in the temple with him. May God pardon me in
doing this one thing.”
Elisha answered, “Go in peace, Naaman.”
So Naaman departed on his long journey home (II Kings 5:1-19).
The Price for Being Greedy
Instead of learning from Elisha’s godly example in not taking a gift
from Naaman, Gehazi allowed greed to cloud his thinking. “Elisha
threw away a chance to gain some quick wealth,” he said to himself.
Gehazi decided that if Elisha did not want Naaman’s gift, then he
would take it for himself. “Besides,” he thought, justifying himself,
“Naaman is not an Israelite. He’s a foreigner, and his kingdom is our
enemy.”
And so, when Elisha was not looking, Gehazi ran off after Naaman,
and soon caught up with him. Naaman looked down from his chariot
and asked, “Is everything well?”
“Yes, all is fine. My master has sent me with a message,” Gehazi
lied. “Elisha says, ‘Two of the sons of the prophets from Mt. Ephraim
have come to me, and they are in need. Please give them a talent of
silver and two changes of clothing.’”
Naaman was happy to be of service. “Why, of course,” he said.
“Take these garments and talents of silver back to your master.”
Naaman had two of his servants carry the prized possessions for
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Gehazi. When they arrived at a hill by Elisha’s home, Gehazi took the
gifts and stored them in the house. Then he bid the two men farewell.
Gehazi wondered whether Elisha had been looking for him, so he
rushed off to see his master.
The prophet turned to him, and said, “Where were you, Gehazi?
Where did you go?”
“Me? I didn’t go anywhere.”
Elisha shook his head, greatly disappointed. “With God’s Spirit, I
was able to know that you ran off to see Naaman. God called you to
be my servant, Gehazi, and do His work. Is now the time to seek after
money and garments? Is now the time to buy for yourself olive groves
and vineyards and sheep and oxen, and male and female maidservants,
Gehazi? Your greed tainted my office and good reputation, and made a
true servant of God look as greedy as the servants of false gods. For this,
you must be punished: The leprosy that once plagued Naaman shall now
cling to you and to you descendants forever.”
From that very moment, Gehazi was struck with leprosy and his skin
became white as snow (II Kings 5:20-27).
Elisha and the Floating Axe Head
The living quarters for the sons of the prophets were too cramped. The
students felt that they needed extra space, so they told Elisha about their
problem. “With your permission, we would like to go to the Jordan River
so that we can make larger living quarters for us there.” Elisha liked their
plan, and agreed. He even decided to go with them to see if he could
help. When they arrived, they immediately set out to cut down enough
wood for their needs. As one was cutting down a tree with his axe, the
iron axe head came off and fell into the water.
“Oh, no!” the man cried out. “Elisha, the axe head sank into the
Jordan.” The student was upset because the axe did not belong to him.
In those days, iron was costly. Since he could not afford to buy his own
axe, he had to borrow it from someone else.
Elisha said, “Where did the axe head fall?”
The student showed him where it had sunk, and the prophet cut off a
stick and threw it into the same spot. Defying the law of gravity, the iron
axe head floated to the surface as if it was as light as a blade of grass.
“Go on,” Elisha said. “Pick it up.”
Amazed by the miraculous sight, the student reached out and took the
floating axe head. He and his friends sighed with relief, and thanked God
for helping them (II Kings 6:1-7).
Syrian king Ben-Hadad continued to send raiding parties into the
kingdom of Israel. Desperately wanting to ambush the Israelite
army, he consulted with his officers and assistants to determine where
the Syrian army should camp.
Yet, despite all the crafty advice they gave him, Ben-Hadad and
his army could not seem to catch the Israelite army by surprise. This
greatly troubled the king, for it was as though Israel’s King Joram
and his troops knew about these Syrian ambushes ahead of time, and
avoided them.
“And that can only mean one thing,” Ben-Hadad said to himself.
He assembled his trusted advisors before him and pointed his finger
at each man. “One of you is a traitor!” he barked. “Someone has been
telling our secret plans to King Joram—this can be the only reason
why Israel has steered clear of our ambushes. Now tell me, who among
you is working as a spy for our enemy?”
The advisors looked at each other, afraid to say anything and fearful
of what would happen next.
Then one man said, “No one has told King Joram of your plans,
my lord. This is the work of Elisha the prophet. He is telling Joram
every word that you speak in secret, even the words you speak in your
private bedchamber.”
(Through the power of God’s Spirit, Elisha was well aware of Ben-
Hadad’s secret battle plans. Since God was not ready for Israel to be
utterly defeated, He had Elisha send messages to King Joram, warning
him every time the Syrian army was encamped somewhere, waiting to
catch Israel’s troops off guard. Although he did not fully trust Elisha,
Joram wisely heeded the prophet’s warning, saving himself from certain
doom—not just once or twice, but several times.)
“Really?” the Syrian ruler said to the man. “Then find out where
Elisha is so I can have him brought back to me.”
“Elisha is in Dothan, my lord.”
42
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED ONE
AN INVISIBLE ARMY
OF PROTECTION
43
Dothan was an Israelite town in the hills of Manasseh, about 10
miles north of Samaria. It commanded a key mountain pass along a
main road that connected Syria and Egypt.
Ben-Hadad wasted no time in sending chariots, soldiers on horseback
and a great company of troops to bring back Elisha.
Early the next morning, Elisha’s servant woke up to see that the city
was surrounded by Syrian warriors. He rushed to tell his master the
news, and said, “Everyone in Dothan is trapped! What shall we do?”
Elisha boldly replied, “Do not fear. They that are with us are more
than they that are with them.”
Seeing that his servant did not understand what he meant, Elisha
prayed. “Eternal God, please open the eyes of this young man so that
he may see.”
Suddenly, the servant gasped at what God allowed him to see: The
mountainous landscape was filled with a heavenly army of horses and
chariots of fire, all stationed around Elisha (II Kings 6:8-17).
The Bible reveals that God uses His angels (“ministering spirits” –
Hebrews 1:13-14) to serve and protect His human servants, those who
will inherit eternal life and the kingdom of God. The Bible also shows
that God expects us to be kind to strangers, because He sometimes
(though very, very rarely) allows angels to appear as physical human
beings (Hebrews 13:2). Therefore, we must make sure that we mistreat
no one. However, remember that angels are NOT to be worshipped or
prayed to. Our prayers and worship should always go to God, who created
all angels, people and the vast universe.
Heaping Coals of Kindness
The Syrian troops tried to capture Elisha, but the prophet prayed to
God, saying, “Eternal God, please strike this people with blindness.”
Instantly, the eyes of the Syrian warriors went blind.
As they groped around, afraid and confused, Elisha said to them,
“No, not that way. Over here, follow me. I will bring you to the man
you seek.”
Seeing that they had no other choice, the soldiers reluctantly
allowed Elisha to guide them—which he did, straight to Samaria. Then
God answered Elisha’s prayer to return their sight to them. The Syrians
were relieved to suddenly see again—but they were surprised to see
that they were in the middle of Israel’s capital city, surrounded by their
enemies, with King Joram leading them!
Joram said to Elisha, “What should I do with them? Shall I strike
them down?”
“No, do not harm them. Would you slay soldiers you have captured
in battle? Of course not; that would be uncommonly cruel.
Instead, you shall give these soldiers bread and water. After they
have eaten, you shall permit them to safely return to their master.”
Joram agreed, and ordered that a great feast be set for them.
The baffled enemy soldiers filled themselves with food and drink.
Afterward, they returned to camp and reported to their king that
Israel showered them with an unusual show of mercy. Israel’s act of
kindness led the king of Syria to order his raiding parties to end their
attacks (II Kings 6:18-23).
In numerous places in the Bible, God teaches that we must have
outgoing concern for others, even for our enemies. God’s Word
shows that, instead of treating our enemies badly, we are to “heap
coals” of kindness upon them (Romans 12:14, 17-21; also read
Matthew 5:38-48).
Famine Grips the City
Unfortunately, the fragile peace between Syria and Israel did not
last. Ben-Hadad assembled all of his warriors and launched a massive
attack. Before long, the Syrian army surrounded Samaria,
blocking anyone from entering or leaving it.
With the citizens trapped within Israel’s capital, food supplies
dwindled as a famine spread throughout the city. Things became so
desperate that the people were willing to eat just about anything—
even the head of a donkey! Donkey heads were being sold to the
44
45
weak and starving masses
for about two pounds of silver
each. And for cooking
fuel for the ovens, people
bought dove droppings for
about two ounces of silver
for a pint.
The king of Israel paced
up and down the top of the
city’s wall, and worried
about how this horrible crisis
would end. A woman
saw the king and cried out
to him, asking that he help
settle a legal dispute for
her.
Assuming that her problem
had to do with the citywide
famine, Joram looked
down at her and said, “If
God does not help you, where can I find help for you—from the
threshing floor or from the winepress? As long as we’re all trapped
behind these walls, there’s nothing I can do about this food shortage.”
Then Joram thought it over, sighed, and said to her, “Very well.
Tell me what troubles you.”
She said, “This woman said to me, ‘Hand over your son so that
we can eat him. Then tomorrow we’ll eat my son.’ So I agreed.”
Joram’s eyes widened in horror as the woman continued her story.
“We boiled my son,” she said, “and ate him. The next day, I told
her to keep her word and give up her son. Instead, she hid him from
me. I kept my word; I expect her to do the same. My lord, make this
woman give up her son so we can eat him!”
The king stood silent—shocked by what he had just been told.
He ripped his clothes, put on sackcloth and continued pacing atop of
the wall while all the eyes of Samaria were upon him. Here was an
opportunity for the king to reflect on why Israel had been brought
to such despair. Here was a chance for Joram to think about the
idolatrous ways that he and his people had embraced—how they had
rejected the one true God for “gods” that did not even exist.
But instead of truly humbling himself and seeking God’s will,
Joram vowed, “May God do to me and more if the head of Elisha
Donkey head sold for
two bags of silver
46
the prophet remains on his body this day.” Rather than take responsibility
for Samaria’s horrible situation, Joram blamed someone
else.M eanwhile, Elisha was at home speaking to the elders of Samaria,
when the Holy Spirit inspired him to make a startling statement:
“Joram, this son of a murderer, has one of his executioners here to
take off my head. In fact, my would-be killer will be knocking on
the door any minute now.”
The elders exchanged worried looks. “What should we do?” they
gasped.
Elisha said, “When you see the king’s executioner coming, don’t
open the door. Hold it shut.”
“But surely he won’t be alone,” said one elder. “He’ll have a team
of soldiers with him. We can’t hold off the army.”
“All I need you to do is hold the door shut for a few moments.
King Joram has changed his mind about killing me, racing to catch
up with his executioner before he carries out his orders.”
Just as the prophet had said, the king did change his mind and
chased after his executioner, stopping him just his servant arrived at
Elisha’s home.
“Stand down!” said the king. “I will take it from here.” The
executioner nodded and stepped aside.
Joram went inside and said to Elisha, “The people are turning into
cannibals. I’ve put on sackcloth and fasted, but God does not hear
me. The Eternal has sent us this food crisis, so why should I wait for
Him to deliver us?”
Elisha answered, “God knows your heart, Joram. He is fully
aware that you did not fast to humble yourself and do what is right
in God’s eyes. Yet, the Eternal is merciful. Now listen to His words:
‘Normal trade will return to Samaria, allowing food supplies to flow
into the city once again. Tomorrow, at about this time, seven quarts
of fine flour will be sold for a shekel—two-fifths of an ounce of silver.
And fourteen quarts of barley will be sold for the same price, in
Samaria’s marketplace, at the city gate.’”
But one of the king’s trusted officers scoffed at God’s ability to
do this: “Even if God opened the windows of heaven and poured
down grain, how could He possibly provide so much food that things
would return to normal in so little time?”
Elisha stared into the man’s eyes and said, “Indeed, you shall see
this come to pass with your own eyes. However, since you dare to
question the awesome power of the Almighty Eternal God, you will
not be around to eat any of the food” (II Kings 6:24-33; 7:1-2).
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The Report of Four Lepers
Four hungry lepers sat at the entrance of Samaria’s gate, worrying
about starving to death. “Why should we continue to sit here until
we die?” they complained. “If we go inside the city, we’ll starve
to death. But if we stay here, we’ll die anyway. What should we
do?” Eventually, they decided that it would be better for them to
go face the Syrian army. They reasoned that if they were captured,
the enemy might give them food, keeping them alive. “And if the
Syrians kill us,” they thought, “we’re as good as dead anyway. What
do we have to lose?”
When evening came, the four lepers went out to the outskirts of
the Syrian camp—but there was no one was there! The lepers did
not know that God had caused the Syrian army to hear the noise of
chariots, horses and sound of a great army approaching. Fear drove
every man to believe that Israel had hired the kings of the Hittites
and the Egyptians to join them against Syria. Panic quickly spread
throughout the camp, and the Syrian soldiers fled for their lives,
leaving behind their tents, horses and donkeys.
The four lepers went into the deserted camp and searched every
tent, eating and drinking the provisions that the Syrians had left in
their great haste. The lepers laid claim to the gold, silver and fine
garments that remained, and hid the valuable booty.
Then one man said to the other three, “Wait. This is not right.
This is a day of good news! If we remain silent and wait until morning
to tell the king that the enemy is gone, something bad will happen
to us. We must tell King Joram about this right away.”
The others agreed, and so they went to the gatekeeper of the city
and told him the good news. The gatekeeper passed their message on
to the royal household servants, who, in turn, told King Joram.
But the king refused to believe the report: “The Syrians know
how hungry we are. They only left their camp to hide in the field. At
this very moment, they’re waiting in ambush, hoping that we might
be foolish enough to leave the protection of our city. And if we do,
they’ll capture us and invade Samaria.”
A servant said, “My lord, what if you allow some men to take
five of the horses that are left in city. They shall scout out the situation
and return with a report.”
Joram thought about this, and then nodded. “That sounds reasonable,”
he said.
He sent out a scouting party, which soon returned. They told the
king and those in his court that they had seen a path full of articles
and fine clothing that the Syrians had cast aside during their hasty
flight out of Israel. “The enemy is truly gone,” they said.
Hearing this good news, King Joram assigned his trusted officer,
the one who had earlier doubted God’s word, to be in charge of the
city gate. “Man the gate,” the king commanded him, “and be ready
to close it in case enemy troops return.”
When the people heard that the Syrian army had departed, they
rushed out of Samaria—and, in their great haste, trampled the trusted
officer to death. The man who had dared to question God’s awesome
power did not get a chance to eat the food—just as Elisha had said.
The starving masses searched the tents of their enemies and collected
enough foodstuffs and spoils of war to drive the cost of food
back down to reasonable prices—again, just as God, through Elisha,
had foretold (II Kings 7:3-20).
Finding Justice From an Ungodly King
Years earlier, Elisha had warned his friend, the Shunammite woman,
that God was about to unleash a seven-year famine upon Israel. He
told her that she and her entire household of family and servants
should leave the country and find a safe place to live. “Otherwise,
you will suffer from starvation along with the Israelites,” he
explained. “Why should you suffer for Israel rejecting God?”
The woman appreciated Elisha’s warning and took it to heart.
She and her household packed up their things and departed. They
soon found a safe place to live in Philistine territory.
During those seven years of famine, the Shunammite woman
longed to return home to her property. And so, when God lifted the
seven-year curse and ended the famine, the woman and her family
and servants quickly moved back to Israel.
But they were all in for a big surprise: While they had been away,
someone else had claimed their house and land! The woman was not
about to simply walk away from the land that was rightfully hers.
So she made a legal appeal to the king, hoping that he would rule
on the side of justice.
Meanwhile, the king of Israel happened to be thinking about
Elisha the prophet and desired to know more about him. He knew
that Gehazi, Elisha’s former servant, was in the city, so the king
ordered that he be brought before him. Since Gehazi had become a
leper, the king had to speak to him at a distance, for he did not want
to catch Gehazi’s leprous condition.
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49
As Gehazi told Joram the account of Elisha bringing the son of the
Shunammite woman back to life, the same woman was speaking with
the royal servants, asking for an audience with the king.
Gehazi overheard their conversation. When he recognized her familiar
voice, he said to Joram, “My lord, this is the woman I was telling you
about! It was her son that Elisha had restored to life!”
The king turned to the woman and said to her, “Is this true? Did
Elisha bring your son back from the dead?”
All eyes of the royal court were upon her. “Yes,” she said, and told
Joram the account.
The king was amazed by what he heard and meditated on this.
Though he was not a man of God, Joram began to fear (at least temporarily)
God’s great power and the authority He invests in His servants.
The Shunammite woman took this opportunity to make her legal
appeal to the king and get back her property. Joram decided to appoint
an officer of the court to help her. “See that this woman’s home and land
are restored to her ownership. All that had been hers shall be hers again.
And all the fruits that her land had produced during her absence shall be
hers as well” (II Kings 8:1-6).
Hazael Seizes Power
Following God’s will, Elisha journeyed to the kingdom of Syria and
entered Damascus, its capital city. Because it was a thriving trading
hub between Egypt, Asia Minor and Mesopotamia, Damascus was a
source of the finest merchandise of the ancient Near East.
Ben-Hadad, the king, was very sick and feared that he was about
to die. When his servants told him that Elisha the prophet had just
arrived, the king began to see hope.
“This man is a great prophet,” he said within himself. “All Elisha
has to do is say the word and I’ll be healed.”
The king of Syria told his servant Hazael, “Take a present to Elisha
the prophet and ask to speak to the Eternal for me. Ask this man of
God if I shall recover from what ails me.” The gift was actually a bribe,
intended to influence Elisha to predict good news. Instead, the king
should have learned from his affliction and sought God’s will.
Hazael promptly did as ordered, taking with him camel-loads of
every thing of value in Damascus, and presenting them before Elisha.
“What is this?” the prophet asked.
“A gift from your son, Ben-Hadad. The king of Syria knows that
you are a great man of God, and has sent me to ask you if he will
recover from his disease.”
50
“Go tell Ben-Hadad that he shall recover,” Elisha replied. “However,
God has shown me that the king shall die by another means.”
As Hazael thought about this, wondering what Elisha had meant,
he suddenly realized that the prophet was staring straight into his eyes.
The young man began to feel uncomfortable and embarrassed—especially
when Elisha broke out in tears.
Hazael said, “My lord, why do you weep?”
“Because God has revealed to me the evil that you will do to the
people of Israel. You will rise to great power and set their fortified cities
on fire. You will slay their young men with the sword, and will do
cruel and horrible things to their children and to the Israelite women
who are with child.”
“But how can this be? I’m just a dog,” Hazael replied. “I’m no one
special in Syria. How could I ever have the power to do such awful
things?”
Elisha answered, “The Eternal has shown me that you will be king
over Syria.” Years earlier, God told Elijah the prophet that He would
do this (I Kings 19:15-17).
Hazael was stunned. “How can this be if Ben-Hadad recovers from
his sickness?” he said to himself.
When he returned to his master, the king asked him, “Well? Tell me
what Elisha said to you,” and Hazael told Ben-Hadad that he would
regain his health.
That night, Hazael dwelled on Elisha’s words, and soon convinced
himself that he was someone of great importance. Rather than trusting
in God to make him king, Hazael decided to take matters into his own
hands. The next day, he took a thick cloth, dipped it in water, and used
it to cover Ben-Hadad’s face, as the helpless king lay in his bed. Hazael
smothered his master to death, replacing Ben-Hadad and becoming the
new king of Syria (II Kings 8:7-15).
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At only 22 years old, Ahaziah, the only surviving son of Jehoram,
became the new king of Judah. His mother was Athaliah, the
daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. Just as she had influenced her husband
Jehoram to worship idols, she reared her son to do the same. King
Ahaziah was just like his grandfather Ahab: a self-seeking Baal worshipper
who thought nothing of rejecting the one true God.
Not bothering to seek the Eternal’s aid and wise counsel, Ahaziah
joined his uncle Joram, the king of Israel, in waging war against
Hazael and the kingdom of Syria. The combined forces of Israel and
Judah met the Syrian army in Ramoth Gilead, and, in heat of battle,
Joram was severely wounded. He was taken to Jezreel so that he could
recover from his injury in safety. When Ahaziah heard what happened
to his uncle, he set out to visit him (II Kings 8:25-29; II Chronicles
22:1-6).
Selecting a New King
Meanwhile, Elisha the prophet commanded one of his students to
take a flask of oil to Ramoth Gilead. “When you get there,” he said,
“look for a man named Jehu. He will be among Israel’s soldiers. Take
him aside to a private place, away from his companions, and use the
flask to anoint his head with oil. You will say to Jehu, ‘Thus says the
Eternal: “I have anointed you king over Israel.”’ As soon as you have
accomplished this, leave at once—do not delay.”
The young man headed straight for Ramoth Gilead. Upon his arrival,
he spotted a group of military officers who were sitting outside a
house, discussing plans of action. Elisha’s student said to them, “I have
a message for Jehu.”
Jehu stepped forward and said, “I am he.”
The young man led the commander into the house, and then took
his flask of oil and anointed Jehu’s head.
“What’s this?” Jehu demanded. “What are you doing?”
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWO
AN ACT OF TREACHERY
52
“Thus says the Eternal God of Israel: ‘I have anointed you king
over My people, the house of Israel. You shall strike down the house
of Ahab. In this way, I will avenge the blood of the prophets, and the
blood of all My servants whom Jezebel murdered. The whole royal
house of Ahab shall perish—just like the house of Jeroboam and the
house of Baasha. Not one of Ahab’s descendants shall be left alive. As
for his treacherous wife Jezebel, dogs shall eat her dead body, and no
one will bury her.’”
Then, without hesitating, the young prophet-in-training departed.
When Jehu came back outside, his fellow officers were waiting for
him. “Is all well?” one asked.
Jehu simply nodded, too stunned to speak.
“Why did this madman want to see you?” These men did not respect
God’s servants, whom they viewed as “crazy” men who babbled “wild
things.”
Not wanting to reveal what the young man had said, Jehu answered,
“You know how these prophets spew all kinds of mad talk.”
But the man said, “You’re lying! What are you trying to hide, Jehu?
If we are your friends, then tell us what just happened in there!”
Reluctantly, Jehu told them. Each man drank in the news that their
friend was about to become the new king of Israel. They thought about
what this meant for their future. “Perhaps Jehu will raise us in power
and authority,” they wondered within themselves. Convinced that they
would greatly benefit, the officers took parts of their clothing and created
a makeshift throne, placing the clothes on the top of the stairs for Jehu to
sit upon. Then they blew trumpets and proclaimed, “Jehu is now king!”
Jehu knew that having a team of trusted military leaders on his side
was a good start—but this was not enough. Rather than waiting on God
to show him what to do next, he set out to take the throne of Israel by
force.
He ordered that the city of Ramoth Gilead be shut up, in case someone
loyal to Joram discovered the conspiracy and tried to warn the
king, who was still in Jezreel recovering from his wounds. Then, after
assembling enough troops, horses and chariots to launch a surprise
attack, Jehu and his men raced over to Jezreel (II Kings 9:1-16).
“This Is Treachery!”
Atop the watchtower at Jezreel, a watchman spotted a company of soldiers
off in the distance, racing toward the city. He quickly sent word
to King Joram. Thinking that they might be part of the Syrian army,
Joram ordered one of his soldiers to go investigate.
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The horseman rode out and approached Jehu’s incoming forces. As
he drew near, the soldier said, “Thus says the king of Israel: ‘Identify
yourself. Do you come in peace?’”
“What do you have with peace?” Jehu answered. “Turn your horse
around and join me.” The soldier recognized that it was Jehu and the
king’s officers, and immediately realized that Jehu had come to seize
power. Choosing to save his life, the soldier accepted Jehu’s offer and
came under his command.
Meanwhile, the watchman saw everything that took place. He
thought it strange that the horseman did not return from his mission,
and so reported this to the king.
Joram sent another horseman to meet the approaching entourage,
but he also did not return. Again, the watchman told the king what he
had seen, adding that the company of soldiers and chariots were wildly
racing toward the city. “The leader drives as furiously as Jehu!” he
said.
Suddenly, it hit Joram—“These were not the Syrians!” he thought.
“This is an attempt to seize my crown!”
“Make the chariots and my soldiers ready!” he barked. Then Joram
and King Ahaziah, who had come to visit him, exited Jezreel in chariots
and went out to face Jehu.
The opposing troops met in the portion of land that Ahab and
Jezebel had stolen from Naboth the Jezreelite years earlier. When
Joram saw Jehu, he said, “Do you come in peace, Jehu?”
“How can there be peace as long as the wickedness of your mother
Jezebel and her witchcraft thrive in Israel?”
Joram turned his chariot around and fled. He called out to his
nephew, “This is treachery, Ahaziah! Run for your life!”
Jehu drew a bow and arrow with all his strength and let go—the
arrow struck Joram between his shoulders, piercing clean through the
king’s heart. Joram sank down in his chariot and died.
King Ahaziah saw Jehu and his men surround Joram’s body. He
knew that his death would be next if he did not escape. He fled by the
road to Beth Haggan (the Garden House), a town seven miles away.
Jehu ordered Bidkar, his lieutenant, to take Joram’s body and cast it
in a plot in Naboth’s field. He reminded Bidkar, “The Eternal laid this
burden upon him when we rode together behind his father Ahab. God
has said, ‘I have seen the blood of Naboth and his sons. Thus I will
repay you in this plot.’”
Then Jehu and his men chased after Ahaziah. When they caught
up with him, Jehu told his warriors, “Strike Ahaziah in his chariot like
Joram!”
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Ahaziah was wounded at the Ascent of Gur by Ibleam, just south of
Beth Haggan. However, he managed to reach Samaria and hid himself
there, perhaps thinking that no one would ever think of looking for him
at Israel’s capital (II Kings 9:14-27).
Jezebel’s Doom
When Jezebel heard that Jehu had slain her son and was now king
over Israel, she knew that she would be next. Devising a plan to save
her life, the old woman painted her face with makeup and adorned her
head to make herself look like a queen worthy of honor and respect.
Then she looked out from a window above and waited.
As Jehu entered through the city gate, Jezebel called down from
her window: “Do you come in peace, Zimri?” Jezebel compared Jehu
to Zimri, who had murdered King Elah and destroyed the house of
Baasha. Since Zimri’s reign had lasted only seven days (I Kings 16:9-
15), Jezebel was implying that Jehu’s reign would be short-lived.
The new king stared up at Jezebel, and spotted a handful of her
servants looking down at him. He said to them, “Which of you is on
my side?”
Two or three of Jezebel’s eunuchs raised their hands.
Jehu said, “Prove it! Throw down this woman!”
And they did just that. Jezebel was pushed out of the window, falling
to her death. Her blood splattered on the wall and on some horses
standing nearby. After driving his chariot over Jezebel’s lifeless body,
Jehu went inside to eat and drink, and think about his next move.
Reluctantly, he turned to his servants and said, “Go take this cursed
woman’s body and bury it. Despite her wickedness, she was the daughter
of a king and should
at least be buried.”
The servants set out
to do this, but returned
almost as quickly as they
had departed. “We went
to bury Jezebel,” they
explained, “but there’s
nothing left of her body,
except her skull, feet and
the palms of her hands!”
Just then, Jehu remembered
the prophecy that
God had spoken through Dogs leave almost nothing of Jezebel’s remains.
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Elijah the prophet: “Dogs shall eat Jezebel’s body by the wall of
Jezreel. She will not leave behind a corpse, so that no one can bury
her in a grave and say, ‘Here lies Jezebel’” (II Kings 9:30-37; I Kings
21:23).
Jehu Kills Ahab’s 70 Sons
Jehu knew that his life would be in jeopardy as long as Ahab’s descendants
lived, for any of them might seek revenge and try to take back
the throne.
He sent letters to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders of
Israel, and to those who had reared and educated Ahab’s children and
grandchildren. The message read, “As soon as you receive this letter,
you shall do the following: Since the sons and grandsons of your
master are with you, and you possess chariots, horses, a fortified city
and armor, choose the best qualified of your master’s sons and select
a king. He shall fight for your master’s house.”
These appointed officials read the message and were deeply afraid.
“If two kings couldn’t stand up to Jehu and live, how can we?”
The keeper of the palace, the governor of the city, and the rest of
the officials sent word back to Jehu: “Consider us your servants. We
will do all that you demand from us. We will not choose a king for
us.”
Jehu wrote them another letter, to test their loyalty: “You say that
you are my servants. Very well, prove it: Cut off the heads of all of
Ahab’s sons and grandsons, and come see me at Jezreel by this time
tomorrow.”
The next day, Jehu received a grisly surprise: A messenger came to
Jezreel with many baskets, and inside them were 70 heads—the heads
of Ahab’s sons and grandsons.
Jehu ordered his men to stack up the heads in two heaps at the
entrance of the gate. This gruesome sight made the citizens reconsider
any plans of rebelling against their new king.
The next morning, he went out and addressed all the people. “I
know what you must be thinking. You are right. I had conspired
against Joram, my master, and took his life.”
Pointing to the two piles of heads, Jehu said, “But who slew all
these? Know now that not one word God has uttered shall fail to come
to pass regarding the destruction of the house of Ahab. For the Eternal
has fulfilled the judgment He spoke through His servant Elijah.”
Jehu set out to slay all the survivors of Ahab’s house in Jezreel. He
even executed all the important officials, comrades, and priests that
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were loyal to Ahab’s royal family—those who had been partners with
Ahab’s wickedness. Not one was left alive (II Kings 10:1-11).
Ahaziah’s House as Well
Jehu and his troops left Jezreel and headed for Samaria. Along the
way, he encountered a royal entourage of 42 princes at Beth Eked, the
shearing house of the shepherds. They were the nephews and cousins
of King Ahaziah. “We’re on our way to greet our relatives, the princes
of King Joram and Jezebel, the queen mother,” they explained. They
had not heard about the fateful end of Joram and Jezebel.
Jehu ordered his men to seize them, suspecting that these princes
posed a threat to him. He reasoned that, if given the chance, they might
rally sympathy from the people of Israel and throw support to the
few remaining survivors of Ahab’s descendants. Jehu felt justified in
executing Ahaziah’s relatives at the pit of the shearing house.
Next, as they resumed their search for the king of Judah, Ahaziah
came out from his hiding place in Samaria and fled to Megiddo.
Sadly for him, his escape was short-lived. Ahaziah was soon captured,
brought before Jehu and put to death.
Instead of letting the king’s dead body rot in a field, Jehu allowed
it to be buried in Jerusalem, in the tomb of Ahaziah’s kingly forefathers.
“He was the son of Jehoshaphat,” he explained to his men. “And
Jehoshaphat sought the Eternal with all his heart. It is only fitting that
we acknowledge this by treating his son’s corpse with respect.”
After this, the house of Ahaziah was left powerless in Judah (II
Kings 9:27-29; 10:12-14; II Chronicles 22:8-9).
Destroying the Worshippers of Baal
After departing, Jehu met a man named Jehonadab, who was wellknown
in the land for his wisdom and the simple manner of life he
chose to live. Jehonadab was held in high esteem, and possessed a
great influence among the people. His father was Rechab, the patriarch-
leader of the Rechabites, a clan that belonged to the Kenites, who
descended from Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law.
The Kenites were foreigners who lived among the Israelites
in peace. God even allowed them to inherit a small portion of the
Promised Land (Numbers 10:29-32; Judges 1:16). While most Kenites
gradually came to live in cities (I Samuel 30:29), the Rechabites dwelt
at the southern borders of Judah (I Samuel 27:10), living as nomads
roaming the desert wilderness.
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Jehonadab taught his children and descendants to live according to
the customs of their forefathers—to continue living in tents; to survive
on the produce of their flocks and cattle; to keep from raising crops;
and to avoid drinking wine (which some people tended to abuse rather
than enjoy in moderation).
Jehonadab believed that dwelling in tents—as opposed to building
houses, or owning, selling or renting property—taught his people to be
humble. He did not want them to think about settling down or taking
root in worldly cities and towns. He wanted them to learn to endure
hardness. The Rechabites observed this simple lifestyle for many generations
(Jeremiah 35:1-16).
(Similarly, God commands His people today to observe the Feast of
Tabernacles, which is also called the Feast of Booths. True Christians
keep this eight-day festival, along with the Last Great Day, by traveling
to specific feast sites where God has chosen to place His name, and
living in “temporary dwellings,” such as tents, campers, hotel rooms
and rented homes. Doing this reminds God’s people that this physical
lifetime is only temporary, and that they must set their sights on the
kingdom of God, which lasts forever.)
Jehu gladly greeted Jehonadab. Looking down from his chariot, he
asked, “Is your heart set to put things right, as my heart?”
Jehonadab said, “Yes, it is.”
Jehu was pleased. “If this is so, then give me your hand and support
my cause.” Jehonadab grabbed hold of Jehu’s extended hand, and was
pulled up to into the chariot.
“Now come with me,” Jehu said, “and witness my zeal for the
Eternal.”
The two men, along with Jehu’s troops, set off for Samaria, where
Jehu slew all the surviving members of Ahab’s house, thus fulfilling
God’s judgment.
Then Jehu gathered all the citizens of the city and gave them a
surprise: “Ahab may have served Baal, but compared to me, he served
him only a little! Jehu shall serve Baal much!”
The people were pleased to hear this and were put at ease. They
wanted to continue in the wicked lifestyle of idolatry.
“Now call for all the prophets of Baal to assemble before me,” Jehu
said. “Let all of Baal’s servants and priests gather so that I can hold a
great sacrifice in Baal’s honor. If any man who worships Baal does not
come, he will lose his life.”
The people rushed out to spread the news throughout the land—
unaware that Jehu was actually setting a trap. The worshippers of Baal
soon assembled; not one man failed to come to the sacrifice. Baal’s
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temple, which Ahab had built (I Kings 16:32), was jam-packed with
servants, priests and false prophets.
Jehu ordered that religious garments be handed out for all of these
pagan worshippers to wear. Then, when he and Jehonadab entered the
temple, Jehu said to the assembly, “Search among you and see that
none of the servants of the Eternal God are here. Only the worshippers
of Baal should be at this sacrifice.”
After they did their search, sacrifices and burnt offerings were
offered to Baal. Little did these pagan believers know that Jehu had
80 men standing guard outside the temple with orders to seize anyone
who tries to escape. As soon as the burnt offering had been given, Jehu
ordered the guards to come inside the temple and slay everyone who
worshipped Baal. Since the worshippers were wearing religious garments,
they were easy to identify.
Next, the guards went into the temple’s inner chamber and brought
out the many wooden idols associated with Baal worship, and burned
them. They also broke down the pillar image of Baal and destroyed the
temple, which quickly became a garbage dump.
With Jehonadab’s support, Jehu removed the wicked system of Baal
worship from Israel (II Kings 10:15-28).
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Athaliah, Ahaziah’s mother, was tired of being limited to the honorary
position of queen-mother. She saw the deaths of her son and
the 42 princes as a chance to seize power and rule over Judah. To do
this, she set out to destroy all her grandchildren, who, as members of
the royal family, posed a threat to her claim to the crown.
But Jehosheba, Ahaziah’s sister, took her baby nephew Joash, the
king’s son, and hid him as Athaliah began her massacre of the house of
David. For the next six years, Jehosheba, Joash and his nurse hid in the
temple of God, while Athaliah ruled over the kingdom of Judah.
At the start of the queen’s seventh year of rulership, Jehoiada
the high-priest, husband to Jehosheba, was tired of living under
Athaliah’s cruel reign. Plus, he could no longer tolerate the Baal
worship that she promoted throughout Judah. He knew that Joash
was the rightful heir to the throne—and that now was the time to
act.
Jehoiada secretly gained the loyalty of the commanders of the elite
royal bodyguards and the palace soldier escorts, and entered into a
covenant with them. Under his direction, these commanders and their
100-man units went throughout the kingdom and gathered all the
Levites, along with the chief elders. Together, they all came to God’s
temple and entered into a covenant of loyalty and support to little
Joash. The young prince was only seven years old.
Jehoiada addressed the crowd, saying, “Behold, the son of King
Ahaziah shall reign, fulfilling the Eternal God’s promise that the house
of David will not end.”
Everyone agreed, for Athaliah’s murder spree had almost ended the
royal line of David’s descendants. They eagerly listened as the highpriest
told them what to do next.
That Sabbath, the royal bodyguards (one third of the men who
were secretly following Jehoiada’s commands) came on duty to
guard the palace as usual. The priests and the Levites accompanied
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THREE
THE PRICE FOR
LACKING ZEAL
60
them. Together, they were to make sure that news of Joash’s surprise
coronation did not reach the queen and her loyal servants.
Meanwhile, the two other companies of guards and escorts—who
were supposed to go off duty and return to their quarters—stationed
themselves at God’s temple. Arming them with the spears and
shields that had once belonged to King David, which had long ago
been stored in the temple, Jehoiada had the men surround the prince
and form a tight barrier of security around him. The high-priest gave
them orders to slay anyone who dared to lay a hand on the prince.
The priests and the Levites brought Joash out from the temple
and crowned him king. They also gave him a copy of God’s Law,
which every new ruler was to receive upon coming into power. This
was done so that the king would be reminded of God’s ways, and
rule over His people with wisdom, justice and mercy (Deuteronomy
17:18-20).
Since it was the Sabbath, the temple grounds were filled with the
usual throngs of followers who assembled every week to observe
the seventh day. These
spectators expressed tears
of joy as they witnessed
Joash officially anointed
king of Judah. Musicians
blew trumpets, and singers
sang praises to God, as
cheers of “Long live the
king!” echoed throughout
Jerusalem (II Chronicles
22:10-12; 23:1-11; II Kings
11:1-12).
A Fresh, New Start
Athaliah and her servants
heard the great commotion
and rushed to the temple to
see what was taking place.
She was shocked to see that
Judah had a new king, and
that he was surrounded by
a host of guards, priests,
musicians and other people
who were rejoicing.
The crowd cheers,
“Long live the king.”
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Enraged, Athaliah tore her clothes
and cried out, “This is treason! All of
you have betrayed me!”
The cheers and joyful music
stopped as everyone stared at the
queen. Jehoiada barked out a command:
“Guards! Escorts! Seize that
woman and take her out from the
temple grounds. Do not kill her in
God’s house. If anyone follows and
tries to stop you, slay them with your
swords!”
They acted swiftly and Athaliah
quickly found herself under arrest.
She was taken to an entrance of
the palace grounds, where she was
slain. Thus ended the queen’s sixyear
reign.
Jehoiada led the people into a covenant with God and their new
king. They promised to serve the Eternal, to be His people, and to
support King Joash’s leadership. The king promised to be God’s
servant and to serve His people faithfully.
Inspired by the exciting chain of events, the citizens of Judah—
who, by this time, were known as Jews—stormed the temple of Baal
and tore it apart piece by piece. All the idols and perverse images
that were housed within were broken into tiny pieces and the false
priest was put to death.
Jehoiada then appointed certain offices to serve at God’s temple.
These offices ensured that the burnt offerings would be offered
properly, with rejoicing and with singing, as King David had
ordained generations earlier. They also made certain that the gates to
the temple grounds were guarded by gatekeepers, so that only those
who were ceremonially clean could enter.
Then the high-priest led the royal bodyguards and escorts and
their commanders, along with the people of Judah, and escorted
the young king from the temple to the palace, where Joash took his
place upon the throne.
Everyone throughout the kingdom rejoiced. With Athaliah’s
death, a new king sitting upon the throne, the destruction of Baal’s
temple and a revival of worshipping God at the holy temple, Judah
had been given a fresh, new start (II Kings 11:13-21; II Chronicles
23:12-21).
Athaliah yells,
“This is treason!”
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Repairing God’s Temple
Jehoiada the high-priest became like a father to the young king,
instructing him in God’s laws as he grew into adulthood. Due to
Jehoiada’s guidance and counsel, Joash did that which was right in
God’s sight.
When he became a young man, King Joash was inspired to repair
the temple of God, which, due to neglect, had fallen into disrepair
under his grandmother Athaliah’s wicked leadership. He ordered
the priests and the Levites to go throughout all the cities of Judah
and collect offering money for repairing the temple. But the Levites
failed to do this and the repairs were left undone.
Joash called for Jehoiada and the other priests, and devised
another plan: The high-priest would take a chest and bore a hole
into its lid, and set the chest beside the holy altar, at the temple gate.
Guarded under the watchful eyes of priests stationed at the temple
door, the chest would become a collection box for offerings. Then a
proclamation would be made across all Judah, asking the people to
offer contributions to repair God’s house.
(However, the monies from the trespass offerings and sin offerings
were not to be used; they were for the priests.)
The plan worked. Enough money was collected to pay the workmen
their wages and to bring the temple back to mint condition.
Judah’s leaders and citizens rejoiced at the opportunity to do their
part in God’s work. Everyone contributed. When the chest was full,
the king’s royal secretary and the high-priest collected the money.
They, in turn, paid hired workers—carpenters, builders, masons and
stonecutters—to buy materials and make repairs.
When this was finished, money that was leftover was brought
before the king and Jehoiada. It was decided that the money should
be used to make the many utensils needed for the temple’s use: silver
basins, trimmers, sprinkling bowls, spoons, trumpets, and other
articles of gold and silver. These special utensils had long been
missing from God’s temple because Athaliah had stolen them and
put them to use at the temple of Baal.
With the holy temple fully repaired, the burnt offerings were continually
offered there all the days of Jehoiada.
Nonetheless, not all was perfect in the land. Some people still
assembled at pagan high places and offered sacrifices and burnt
incense to false gods. Also, though God did not allow husbands to be
married to more than one wife, Jehoiada selected two women for Joash
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to marry; each bore the king several sons and daughters. Jehoiada may
have done this fearing that the house of David would not have enough
descendants (II Kings 12:1-16; II Chronicles 24:1-14).
Jehu Falls Short
God commended Jehu for removing the house of Ahab and Baal worship
from Israel. He promised Jehu that his descendants would rule
over the northern kingdom to the fourth generation.
However, Jehu still fell short of being a faithful servant; he did not
set his heart to walk carefully in all of God’s ways and laws. In fact,
Jehu embraced the sins of Jeroboam, by worshipping the golden calf
images that stood in Bethel and Dan. For this, Jehu and the people of
Israel had to be punished.
God used Hazael, the king of Syria, to invade Israel and seize portions
of the Promised Land—Gilead and all the territory east of the
Jordan River, which God had given to the tribes of Gad, Reuben and
Manasseh. Through Hazael, the Eternal reduced the house of Israel bit
by bit.
Jehu also had trouble with Shalmanezer III, the king of Assyria, and
was forced to pay tribute to him.
After 28 years of rulership, Jehu died, leaving his son Jehoahaz to
reign in his place (II Kings 10:29-36).
Repeating Jeroboam’s Sin
King Jehoahaz reigned over Israel for 17 years. Like his father before
him, he did evil in God’s sight, practicing the sin of idolatry. Because of
his reckless disobedience, the Eternal became so angry with Jehoahaz
that He delivered Israel into the hand of Hazael. The king of Syria, and
Ben-Hadad, his son after him, became Israel’s masters.
Suffering from this humiliating oppression, Jehoahaz stopped and
considered his actions. He turned to God and pleaded for His help. As
He had done countless times with others in the past, the Eternal listened
to the king’s pleas and decided to show mercy. God sent Israel a
deliverer to help free the people from the hand of the Syrians.
The Syrian oppression had left Israel with a tiny, pathetic army of
only 50 horse soldiers, 10 chariots and 10,000 foot soldiers.
Amazingly, despite God’s intervention, the Israelites stubbornly
refused to turn away from idol worship.
Upon Jehoahaz’s death, his son Jehoash reigned over Israel (II
Kings 13:1-9).
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Surrendering to Corrupt Ways
Jehoiada continued to serve for many years as King Joash’s mentor
and counselor, until the high-priest grew very old and died at the age
of 130. Seeking to honor Jehoiada for all the good he had done, Joash
buried his body in the city of David, which was reserved for the kings
of Judah.
With his mentor no longer alive to guide him, King Joash came rely
on the advice of the royal princes. These were corrupt men who turned
their backs on God and served idols and pagan places of worship. They
convinced the king that idolatry was necessary since Jehoiada was no
longer around to express the will of God. Because of their wickedness,
God’s wrath came upon Judah.
Yet, the Eternal is patient and merciful. He always sends His servants
to warn those He is about to punish. In this case, God sent His
prophets to the people, so that the people might turn their hearts back
to Him. Despite all the warnings that the prophets delivered, the Jews
refused to listen.
The Eternal inspired Zechariah the high-priest, Jehoiada’s son, to
warn them. Perhaps God chose Zechariah because He thought that
they might listen to the son of a man they all respected.
Zechariah preached: “Judah, why do you break God’s commandments
and keep yourself from prospering? Since you have forsaken the
Eternal God, He has forsaken you!”
Zechariah warned them for their own good, but the people did not
like his message—and neither did the king. Joash forgot what Jehoiada
had done for him from the king’s childhood, and was not willing
to extend kindness to Jehoiada’s son. The people plotted against
Zechariah—and, at the king’s command, stoned him to death in the
courtyard of God’s temple.
The Eternal witnessed this wickedness and was not pleased.
At the end of the year, King Hazael led an attack in Philistine territory
and gained control of Gath, one of the five major city-states of
the Philistines. With Jerusalem only about 25 miles away, Hazael saw
this as his chance to invade Judah’s capital.
God decided to use the Syrians to execute judgment against Joash.
Hazael had a small company of Syrian warriors attack Jerusalem, slaying
all the princes of Judah. Joash, knowing that God does not listen
to the prayers of those who disobey Him, gathered all the holy things
from God’s temple—items that Jehoshaphat, Jehoram and Ahaziah
had dedicated years earlier. Joash took these valuables, along with his
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own sacred things, and all the gold that was in the temple treasury and
in the royal palace, and sent them to Hazael as a tribute. They Syrians
gleefully returned home with their plunder.
However, Joash’s troubles were only beginning. In the aftermath
of the attack, the king was left greatly wounded. Also, his own servants—
men he trusted and relied upon—plotted against him to revenge
Zechariah’s death. As he lay in bed, weak and helpless, they took his
life. Joash’s 40-year reign had come to a tragic end.
The king was buried in the city of David, but he was not given the
honor of being buried in the tombs of the kings.
His son Amaziah took his place as ruler (II Chronicles 24:15-27; II
Kings 12:17-21).
The Price for Lacking Zeal
Elisha had served God for many years, and was now old and sickly.
Though his life was ending, Elisha did not fear dying. He knew that God
would one day raise him back to life, and that he would be a spirit being.
Even thought this would not take place for thousands of years, he knew
that being dead in the grave was like being asleep; time would have no
meaning to him. Elisha looked forward to “waking up” from the dead and
being born into the kingdom of God.
Knowing that the old prophet would soon die, King Jehoash of
Israel wept for Elisha, like a son losing his father, and came to visit
him.
But Elisha had one last mission to perform before his death. He told
Jehoash to take up his bow and arrows. The king obeyed without question.
Then the prophet, as God’s servant and representative, placed his
hands on the king’s hands. This symbolized that, whatever Jehoash was
about to do, it would be done by God’s strength.
“Now open the window looking east and shoot the arrow.”
Jehoash opened the window, pulled back on his bow and shot the
arrow eastward.
Elisha explained, “You have just shot the arrow of the Eternal’s deliverance.
It symbolizes that God will deliver Israel from Syria—for He has
determined that you will destroy the Syrians at the town of Aphek. Now
take the rest of your arrows and shoot them into the ground.”
The king nodded. He shot three arrows into the earth and then
stopped.
“Why did you stop?!!” the prophet yelled.
Jehoash shrugged his shoulders, wondering why Elisha was so
angry with him.
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The dying prophet said, “I told you that all this had symbolic meaning—
and that it meant that God would deliver you from your enemy!
Why didn’t you put your whole heart into it and keep shooting? You
should have struck the ground at least five or six times, showing God
that you wholeheartedly wanted His help in destroying Syria. But now,
because of your lack of zeal, you will only strike the Syrians three
times.”
The king was horrified. He had just learned a bitter lesson: Those
who expect God to help them had better be prepared to do their part
with all their being. God is not a “genie in a bottle” who magically
gives people whatever they desire. He freely gives to those who serve
His will—those who put their trust in Him and will not hesitate to do
their part in serving Him.
Elisha the prophet soon died and was buried. He was a mighty
servant of God, whom the Eternal used to perform awesome miracles.
And even in death, God used Elisha to perform a miracle.
That spring—the season in which armies traditionally went to war,
due to favorable weather conditions—bands of Moabite marauders
invaded the land. One day, as family and friends were burying a loved
one who recently died, the mourners noticed that the marauders were
drawing near. In a haste to end their funeral, they accidentally cast the
body against Elisha’s tomb. When the dead man’s body touched the
bones of Elisha, he suddenly sprang back to life (II Kings 13:14-21)!
Victory Three Times
Syria’s King Hazael had oppressed Israel throughout King Jehoahaz’s
reign. But, despite their evil ways, God had decided to show mercy to
the Israelites. He did this to respect the covenant He had made with
their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
When Jehoash had come into power over Israel, Hazael was dead.
His son Ben-Hadad ruled Syria in his place.
God helped Jehoash to recapture the Israelite cities that Hazael
had taken years earlier, and Jehoash defeated the Syrians in war three
times—just as Elisha had said (II Kings 13:22-25).
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During King Jehoash’s second year of rulership over Israel, Amaziah,
the son of Joash, became the new king of Judah. Amaziah was 25
years old when he was crowned, and ruled over the people of Judah
for the next 29 years.
Thanks to being reared by his mother Jehoaddan, Amaziah did
what was right in God’s eyes. As soon as Amaziah came into power,
he executed the men who had murdered his father. Yet, unlike what
most men would have done, the king did not kill the children of these
assassins. He obeyed God’s Law, which said, “Fathers shall not be put
to death for the children, nor shall children be put to death for their
fathers. Every man shall be put to death for his own sin” (Deuteronomy
24:16).
However, Amaziah did not seek to serve God with all his heart, as
his forefather David had done. Like his father Joash, Amaziah failed
remove the high places from the land, even though the people used
them to offer sacrifices and burn incense to false gods (II Kings 14:1-
6; II Chronicles 25:1-4).
“Your Services Are No Longer Needed”
King Amaziah made plans to bring the kingdom of Edom back under
Judah’s control. He had his servants go throughout Judah and take a
census to see how many able-bodied men lived in the land. Amaziah
was able to assemble an army of 300,000 soldiers. He also paid the
king of Israel 100 talents of silver (about four tons) to send 100,000
Israelite soldiers to join Amaziah’s cause. These mercenaries came
from the tribe of Ephraim.
As Amaziah saw his attack plans come together, God sent a prophet
to speak to him.
“Do not let the army of Israel go with you into war,” the man of
God warned him. “The Eternal is not with Israel, nor is He with any of
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FOUR
STRONG,
BUT SPIRITUALLY WEAK
68
the people of Ephraim. However, if you insist on having them join you
in battle, then prepare to be strong, because God shall make you fall
before your enemy. Know now that God has power to help you—and
power to cast you down!”
“But what about the money I already paid them?” Amaziah said.
“These mercenaries won’t hand it back. And if I don’t take them into
battle, I’ll have wasted 100 talents of silver!”
“The Eternal is able to give you much more, Amaziah. Trust Him.”
The king decided to do just that. “You may go back to Ephraim,” he
told the commander of the Israelite mercenaries. “Your services are no
longer needed.”
“What do you mean?” the commander said. “Are you saying that we
aren’t good enough to go into battle with you?”
“No, that’s not at all what I mean. I just don’t…”
In his anger, the commander cut off the king, and said, “We Israelites
are better than you Jews, so don’t you forget that! We’ll go home—and
we’re keeping the money you paid us, too!” With that, the angry mercenaries
departed from Jerusalem.
With 300,000 warriors under his command, King Amaziah and his
men marched down into the Valley of Salt, south of the Dead Sea, and
attacked Edom. In the heat of battle, Judah captured the city of Selah,
known today as Petra, and killed 10,000 Edomites. Another 10,000
were captured alive and taken to the top of a rock, where they were
thrown to their deaths (II Chronicles 25:5-12; II Kings 14:7).
No Remorse
When Amaziah returned home victorious, it would have only been
natural for him to give thanks and praise to God. But Amaziah did no
such thing. Instead, he embraced the false gods of the Edomites and
worshipped them!
This act of betrayal made the Eternal God angry. Yet, rather than
immediately striking him down—as He surely could have—God sent
one of His prophets to see the king.
This man of God said to Amaziah, “Why have you turned your
back on the God who delivered victory into your hands, and instead
turned your heart after the gods of your enemies? These false gods
could not even deliver Edom out of your hand—so why waste time
worshipping them?”
Amaziah showed no remorse. “Be careful what you say to me,” he
said, pointing his finger at God’s servant. “Who made you the king’s
counselor? Take heed, else you might be struck down.”
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“Very well, Amaziah. Since you refuse to listen, then I will not
waste time warning you. God has decided to destroy you for your
betrayal, and for not listening to my counsel” (II Chronicles 14-16).
An Embarrassing Defeat
Amaziah soon learned that, while he and his troops had been away
fighting against Edom, the Israelite mercenaries he had dismissed still
held on to their resentment toward him and his people. The Ephraimite
soldiers-for-hire had attacked the cities of Judah, slaughtering 3,000
citizens and plundering all the valuables they could steal.
Ignoring counsel from God, the king took the advice of his personal
counselors, who told him what he wanted to hear (instead of
what he needed to hear). Amaziah sent messengers to King Jehoash
of Israel, and told him, “If it’s war you want, then come and face me
on the battlefield!”
Jehoash sent a message back to Amaziah, which began with a parable:
“A thistle in Lebanon sent words to the cedar in Lebanon, saying,
‘Give me your daughter so that she becomes my son’s wife.’ But a wild
beast passed by in Lebanon and trampled down the thistle.
“You are that thistle, Amaziah! You boast that you have struck
down the Edomites, and now your heart is lifted up in pride. You
have overestimated the strength of your military might. Stay home,
Amaziah. Why should you play around with trouble and end up falling
to your own hurt, and to the hurt of Judah too?”
But King Amaziah was too proud to back down, and God knew
that this would be the case. He was using Amaziah’s pride to punish
him for seeking after Edom’s false gods.
The armies of Israel and Judah soon faced each other at Beth
Shemesh—and the battle ended in Judah’s defeat! Every one of
Amaziah’s men fled for their lives. Jehoash and his men captured
the king of Judah and brought him back to Jerusalem. The Israelites
tore down the city’s wall of defense, and took all the gold, silver
and valuable vessels that were in God’s temple. They also took the
treasures of the king’s palace, along with hostages, and brought
everything back to Samaria (II Chronicles 25:13, 17-24; II Kings
14:8-14).
Conspiring Against the King
During Amaziah’s imprisonment in Israel, the citizens of Judah took
Uzziah, his 16-year-old son, and made him king in his father’s place.
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Eventually, Amaziah was released and returned to Judah, where he
shared rulership with his son for several years.
One day, Amaziah discovered that his people were plotting against
him. They blamed him for their embarrassing defeat against Israel and
for the great losses that came with it—horrible things that resulted
from Amaziah having turned his back on God.
Hearing of their plans to murder him, Amaziah fled for his life. He
escaped to Lachish, a town 25 miles southwest of Jerusalem, but his
pursuers soon caught up with him and took his life. Amaziah’s body
was brought back to Jerusalem, and was buried among the kings that
had come before him, in the City of David.
Uzziah (who was also known as Azariah) became the sole king of
Judah (II Kings 13:9-13; 14:15-21; 15:1-2; II Chronicles 25:25-28;
26:1, 3).
Rise to National Power and Dominance
Instead of learning from the disastrous results of his father’s sins,
King Jehoash followed the same wicked system of idolatry that all
the kings before him had practiced. In fact, Jehoash even named his
son after Jeroboam, the first king who led Israel to worship false
gods.
Upon his father’s death, Jeroboam II became the new ruler. It was
during his long reign that the house of Israel reached the height of its
national power, wealth and regional dominance. Jeroboam II expanded
Israel’s borders, restoring eastern boundaries from the entrance of
Hamath to the Dead Sea. This happened at a time when Egypt was
divided and weak, and the kingdoms of Syria, Philistia, Phoenicia,
Edom, Moab and Ammon were no longer a threat to Jeroboam’s
growing armies. Israel was free to take back the cities, towns, villages
and farmlands that once belonged to her.
Also, the fiercest of warrior nations—the Assyrian Empire—was
busy dealing with troubles of its own, and thus were not in a position
to attack Israel. The Assyrians were greatly feared by many
nations—and for good reason, as they were known for their cruelty.
They had a reputation for skinning prisoners alive, cutting off body
parts (hands, feet, noses, ears), putting out eyes, pulling out tongues,
and stacking up human skulls into mounds—all to strike terror into
the hearts of their enemies. Whenever the Assyrian Empire invaded
a nation, it would break the conquered people’s national pride by
deporting them to distant foreign lands, where they would live as
slaves for the rest of their lives.
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After the death of Assyria’s King Shalmaneser III, the empire was
led by a succession of weak rulers. Thirst for power by ambitious
leaders resulted in internal unrest; this kept the Assyrian Empire from
invading the nations of the Middle East, including Israel. Without the
Assyrians to stand in his way, Jeroboam was able to lead Israel into
the most prosperous time since King Solomon’s reign.
Great Spiritual Decline
This great expansion was the result of God’s mercy. The Eternal wanted
to give His people relief from the years of torment that had been
brought by the Syrians, who had stripped Israel’s cities and towns of
virtually all of its wealth. Although Jeroboam II worshipped idols and
was as evil and selfish as past kings, God used him to strengthen and
secure the northern kingdom at the right moment in history.
Jeroboam made the neighboring nations pay tribute, which caused
his kingdom’s treasuries and storehouses to fill up. Israel thrived
physically—but it suffered spiritually. Its national prosperity was so
dramatic that the people took it for granted. The Israelites trusted
in their military might and growing riches instead of the One who
had provided these material blessings. They saw no need to seek the
Eternal and obey His laws (Amos 6:1-6; 9:10).
The people, especially those of the ruling classes, focused their lives
on gathering as much material goods and power as they could grab.
Israel Developed a
Selfish Attitude
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Princes, princesses and other people of royalty looked out for only
themselves. They became accustomed to living in luxurious homes
decorated with carved ivory, gold and semiprecious stones, which
were used within symbols honoring false gods. They were more concerned
with consuming the best wines, oils and meats, and wearing the
finest clothing and jewelry than with caring about helping the poor and
needy. Fathers led their sons into wickedness and idolatry (Amos 2:7).
The wealthy oppressed the poor and sold them into slavery (Amos 4:1;
2:6). Every area of the Israelites’ lives was corrupted by sin.
Ironically, the nation experienced a surge in religious worship
(Amos 4:4-5; 5:5, 21-23). The Israelites seemed to be zealous in seeking
God, but it was all for show. They stubbornly refused to obey God
wholeheartedly. They cared more about gathering wealth and power
than in seeking justice and mercy for those in need (Amos 2:6-8; 4:1;
5:11-12; 8:4-6). Jeroboam II had set a rotten example, and the Israelites
were delighted to follow in his footsteps.
Warning Through Prophets
During this time of peace and prosperity, God sent prophets to warn
His people (Amos 3:7). If Israel continued to reject their Maker and
break His Sabbaths and worship idols, then God would bring famine,
drought and disease to punish His people severely. If they still refused
to obey Him, then God would use the Assyrians as His rod of correction
to remove the house of Israel from the Promised Land. The
Israelites would be slaves in a foreign land, and would forget their
national identity and virtually disappear from the pages of history.
It would be as though they had been wiped off the face of the earth
(Amos 3:9-11; 4:6-12; Leviticus 26:19-39; Deuteronomy 28:15-68;
Ezekiel 5:12-17).
The Eternal commanded the prophet Hosea to marry Gomer, a
woman without godly character (Hosea 1:2). Their turbulent marriage
became a type of the covenant marriage between God and Israel.
Gomer was repeatedly unfaithful and disobedient to her husband; she
disrespected him by sharing her affections with rival lovers. Likewise,
Israel routinely disobeyed God. Time and again, they rejected Him and
put their faith in military alliances with idolatrous nations, and sought
after foreign gods. God used Hosea’s marriage to express both His
disgust and His love for His unfaithful wife Israel.
The birth of Hosea’s son, Jezreel, was a sign that the dynasty of
Jehu would soon end. The birth of Hosea’s daughter signified the end
of God’s mercy to the house of Israel (Hosea 1:4-6). These proph73
esized events came to pass not long after King Jeroboam’s 41-year
reign had ended.
Yet, the people would not heed the warning that God preached
through Hosea. Nor would they listen to the words of Amos, another
prophet. The kingdom was at peace. Riches seemed to flow across the
land. For many Israelites, life was going quite well; therefore, they saw
no need to change how they lived.
Israel’s leaders grew suspicious and came to view Amos’s warning
message as a conspiracy against the king! Amaziah, the false priest
of Bethel, lied against Amos. He sent a message to Jeroboam, falsely
accusing the prophet of predicting that the king would be slain by the
sword. Then Amaziah ordered Amos to leave Israel. But Amos stood
his ground and refused to keep silent. He knew that God’s warning had
to be heard (Amos 7:10-17).
God called upon another prophet to deliver a warning message—
only this message was to be sent to the capital of the Assyrian
Empire!
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Early in the reign of Jeroboam II, God commissioned Jonah the
prophet to tell the king that He would enlarge Israel’s borders
and bless the nation with prosperity and military strength (II Kings
14:25).
But the Israelites were ungrateful. They continued to practice idolatry,
visiting the pagan shrines at Dan and Bethel, and the many high
places and groves throughout the kingdom. Despite numerous warnings
from God’s prophets, Israel refused to return to Him.
According to Hebrew tradition, Jonah was the child of the widow
Zarephath, whom Elijah the prophet had brought back from the dead
(I Kings 17:17-24).
Jonah came from Gath Hepher, which was located about 14 miles
west of the Sea of Galilee (Joshua 19:13), in the tribal territory of
Zebulun. Most descendants of Zebulun reside in the Netherlands
today, and are known as the Dutch.
In spite of the house of Israel’s growing wickedness and acts of
injustice, Jonah loved his country. He did not want to see his people
suffer the judgment that would soon come upon them: national captivity
and slavery. He hoped that his fellow countrymen would wake up
and put away their sins.
Yet, sadly, Jonah knew that this would not happen.
Caught in a Violent Storm
One day, God said to Jonah, “You are to go to the great city of Nineveh,
the capital of the Assyrian Empire. There, you will prophesy against
that city and its citizens, for their wickedness has reached the point
where I will destroy them if they do not repent. If this happens, I cannot
use the Assyrians to punish Israel. Therefore, Jonah, you must warn
the people of Nineveh that they are in danger of reaping My wrath.”
Jonah was a faithful servant of God, and, like the Eternal, he hated
the sins that his fellow Israelites were committing daily. However,
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FIVE
THE RELUCTANT
MESSENGER
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Jonah did not want to see Israel suffer at the cruel hands of the
Assyrians. Ironically, Jonah knew that if he preached God’s warning
to the Ninevites, they might actually repent. They would be spared
God’s punishment, which meant that God would be able to use them
to destroy his homeland. Jonah did not want this to happen.
And so, instead of going to Nineveh, as God had commanded him,
he booked passage on a ship traveling in the opposite direction! Jonah
wanted to get as far away from Nineveh as possible. The ship sailed
off to Tarshish, which may be present-day Spain.
As it sailed across the great Mediterranean Sea, God sent a mighty
wind to overtake the vessel. Suddenly, the tiny craft was tossed back
and forth in a storm so violent that everyone onboard feared the wooden
vessel would break apart! The crew all cried out to their false gods
for help. Fearing that the ship might sink, they went into the cargo
hold and cast supplies and equipment overboard. Terror and despair
plagued everyone aboard—except for one man, who was fast asleep in
the bowels of the ship.
It was Jonah.
Jonah’s Watery Grave
All were amazed that anyone could sleep through the continuous
pounding of waves crashing against the hull, and the wild, rollercoaster-
like ride of the ship going up and down, up and down, up and down,
as the sea tossed it about as though it were just a twig.
The shipmaster awakened Jonah. “How can you sleep through all
this?” he said. “Don’t you know we’re about to lose our lives? Get up
and call upon the name of your God. Maybe He will intervene and save
us from destruction.”
Then someone said, “Perhaps this storm is the result of some god
being angry at one of us for sinning against him.”
The others agreed. The crew decided to cast lots to find out which man
was guilty of sinning against his god. Though these were superstitious
men, the Eternal used the lot to reveal that the guilt was upon Jonah.
The men said to the prophet, “You’re the guilty one! Tell us what
you did to cause this evil to come on us. What is your occupation?
Where do you come from? What is your country? Who are your
people?”
“I am a Hebrew,” Jonah said. “And I worship the Eternal God of
heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”
“Why have you done this to us? What have you done to make your
God so angry?”
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“The Eternal sent me on a mission,” Jonah said, “but I refused to
go. I ran away instead. This is why I am traveling aboard your ship.”
The pagan men grew even more afraid. They had heard tales of the
mighty wrath and awesome miracles of the God of Israel.
“What shall we do with you, Jonah? How can we appease your God
so the sea will become calm again?”
Jonah told them to cast him into the sea so that God’s anger would
be on him only. “It’s the only way to release you from the storm,” he
said.
But the sailors were not willing to throw Jonah overboard. Instead,
they rowed with all their might, hoping to bring their ship to land. Yet,
no matter how hard they worked, they could not free themselves from
the grip of the storm.
Realizing that their false gods could not rescue them, these idol
worshippers cried out to the Eternal and begged Him not to destroy
their lives for Jonah’s sin of rebellion and disobedience.
Then, the crew reluctantly took Jonah and cast him overboard into
the sea. Immediately, the violent sea calmed. This caused the men to
fear God, even to the point of offering a sacrifice to Him and making
vows to obey His will (Jonah 1:1-16).
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Meanwhile, unbeknown to the sailors, God had specially prepared
a great fish—what we would probably think of as a “sea monster”—to
come and swallow Jonah alive! For three days and three nights, Jonah
was trapped in the belly of the fish, where it was dark, wet and smelled
worse than anything of which you can think.
During those three days and nights, Jonah had time to think about
what he had done—how he had rebelled against God’s will, and how
he had allowed himself to be just as stubborn and disobedient as his
fellow Israelites. When Jonah realized how wrong he was, he prayed
to God with all his might.
The Eternal heard his cry and had pity on him. God ordered the fish
to expel Jonah from its belly. Jonah came out from his watery grave
and struggled onto a beach. As he gasped to fill his lungs with fresh
air, he deeply appreciated God’s great mercy and set his mind to obey
Him (Jonah 1-2).
Arriving at Nineveh
God gave Jonah a second chance and again ordered him to go to
Nineveh. This time, Jonah obeyed. When he arrived at the Assyrian
capital, he was amazed by its size and greatness. The city was so
large—about 60 miles all around—that it took three days just to walk
around it.
Situated at the junction of the Tigris and Khosr rivers, Nineveh was
a major hub for trade routes crossing the Tigris. Since the city served
as a key link on the great highway between the Mediterranean Sea and
the Indian Ocean, great riches flowed into it from many kingdoms,
making Nineveh one of the greatest of all ancient cities.
The city was about 500 miles northeast of Jerusalem, and was made
up of an inner city and an outer district. Together, they comprised
1,800 acres.
The inner city was about three miles long and one and one-half miles
wide, situated at the mouth of the Tigris and Khosr rivers. The walls of
the inner city reached as high at 100 feet and were 50 feet thick—wide
enough to drive four chariots on top, side by side. The inner city was
also protected by a moat 150 feet wide and 60 feet deep.
Greater Nineveh (the outer district), which was about 30 miles long
and ten miles wide, was a series of villages and suburbs connected
by 18 canals, which brought water from nearby hills. The people were
protected by three moats and five walls, with 15 main gates. Both
within and outside the walls, there were beautiful parks, a botanical
garden and a zoo.
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Dating back to the time of Nimrod, Nineveh was one of Assyria’s
royal cities and served as the empire’s capital for many years.
Today, its ruins lie at Mosul, Iraq.
Warning the People of Nineveh
As soon as Jonah entered the city, he stood at a spot where he could speak
to the largest numbers of people. Then he said, “In 40 days, you and your
city shall be overthrown! The Eternal God, the Creator of the universe—
the One who delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt with awesome signs
and wonders, and who brought His people into the Promised Land—will
destroy you! Turn from your wicked ways, or else face His fury!”
All the citizens of Nineveh—from royalty, judges, army commanders
and merchants to farmers, field hands, servants and slaves—believed
God’s warning. The king of the city and everyone else, from the greatest
to the least, put on sackcloth and sat in ashes. Then the king made a royal
decree, commanding that no one—neither man nor beast—eat or drink
anything. He also ordered everyone to stop living his evil and violent
way. Though the people of Nineveh had been quite proud of their warrior
history, they humbled themselves before God so that He would not
destroy them.
It pleased God that they had taken His message seriously and turned
from their evil ways. So, He turned away from punishing them. The
Assyrians were spared from being destroyed.
But Jonah was far from pleased—in fact, he was angry.
Praying to God, he said, “Didn’t I say that this would happen when
You commanded me to come here? The Assyrians have repented, and
now they’ll be kept alive. Their empire will strengthen and flourish. It’s
only a matter of time when You will use Assyria to punish Israel! This is
why I ran away to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a God full of grace
and abundant mercy, slow to anger, and of great kindness. I know that
You take no pleasure in the death of the wicked. But what about Israel—
what will happen to my fellow countrymen? I can’t bear to think of their
fate. Please take my life—it’s better for me to die than to live.”
God was patient with Jonah. He said to him, “Is it right for you to be
angry, Jonah?”
Upset and depressed, Jonah left the midst of the city and sat at its east
side. There, he made a booth for shelter and sat in the shade— waiting to
see what would happen to Nineveh.
God prepared a plant and made it grow over Jonah, shading him
from the hot, burning sun, and temporarily comforting him in his grief.
Jonah came to appreciate the plant.
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But the next day, as morning came, God prepared a worm that damaged
the plant and caused it to whither. When the sun took its place
high in the sky, God sent a scorching-hot east wind. Jonah sweated
under the sun, as its rays beat upon his head, and sapped his strength.
“If only I could die and no longer suffer from this misery,” he said to
himself.
God said to him, “Jonah, is it right to be angry about the plant that
withered?”
“Yes, it is!” he answered.
“Jonah, you have shown pity on a plant, which you have not created,
nor have you made it grow. It came up in a night and perished in
a night. Should I not spare Nineveh, the home of more than 120,000
little children, who are so young and innocent that they do not even
know their right hand from their left? And what of all the cattle that
lives in the city?”
God wanted Jonah—and us today—to know that He cares about
all human beings, especially those who are willing to be taught His
ways. The Assyrians may be a war-like people, but they, along with all
people, will have a chance to repent (Jonah 3-4).
King Uzziah of Judah
As Jeroboam II reigned over Israel, a new king came to power in
Judah: Uzziah, the son of Amaziah. He was only sixteen years old.
Overall, Uzziah was a good king, who sought to obey God and follow
His statutes and judgments, just as his father had done. This was
partly due to his parents’ upbringing, but also because of the positive
influence from a prophet named Zechariah (not the one whom God
later inspired to write the prophetic book of Zechariah).
Yet, despite Uzziah’s faithful obedience to his Creator, he failed to
remove the pagan high places completely, which the people used to
offer sacrifices and burn incense to false gods.
Nonetheless, as long as Uzziah sought God and put His will first,
the Eternal caused him to prosper. One of the first things he did as
Judah’s new king was to take back the town of Elath from Edom and
restore it to Judah.
When the king decided to make war against the Philistines, God
enabled Uzziah and his troops to tear down the walls of Gath, Jabneh
and Ashdod, major Philistine cities. Then Uzziah had outpost cities
erected throughout Philistine territory to keep a watchful eye on the
enemy. God also granted Uzziah success against the Arabians and the
Mehunims, a nomadic people who lived in Edom. The king triumphed
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over the Ammonites as well, who gave him many gifts of tribute. In
time, Uzziah had strengthened and fortified his tiny kingdom, and his
fame had spread across the region, even down into Egypt.
The king had an army of 2,600 mighty men of valor, and under
them was a standing army of 375,000 fighting men, ready to face
Judah’s enemies. The soldiers were well armed with shields, spears,
helmets, body armor, bows and arrows, and slings.
The king had inventors build catapults, which were used in battle to
rain huge stones down upon any army that dared to attack the city.
Uzziah created special building projects, constructing towers in
Jerusalem, fortifying the capital. He also built towers in the wilderness,
and dug many wells for the great herds of cattle he possessed. Uzziah
also owned several vineyards and fertile farmlands (II Chronicles
26:1-15; II Kings 14:21-22; 15:1-4).
Like the house of Israel, Judah was being blessed with national
security and prosperity. But Uzziah’s 52-year reign was not perfect.
Pride Comes Before a Fall
Uzziah’s fame went to his head. He began to see himself as important
and special. He came to believe that he was the reason Judah had risen
to power and grew in riches and influence.
One day, he decided to go to God’s temple and burn incense upon
the holy altar—which only God’s priests were allowed to do (Numbers
3:10; 18:7).
“Why shouldn’t I be able to burn incense on the altar?” Uzziah reasoned
within himself. “After all, I am the king. I’m the most important
man in Judah.”
At the temple, when Azariah the high-priest saw Uzziah carrying a
holy censer in his hand, he immediately knew what the king planned to
do. Azariah, along with 80 of God’s priests, went after him and stood
their ground against the king at the altar.
“Uzziah, you may be the king, but the Eternal did not give you the
authority to burn incense unto Him! That duty belongs solely to the
Levitical priesthood. We have been set apart by God to serve priestly
duties. Now leave God’s sanctuary at once, as you have already
sinned! Despite what you may have reasoned within your mind, the
Eternal will not honor you for what you plan to do!”
King Uzziah fumed. “How dare you confront me,” he said, defiantly
holding on to the censer. “Get out of my way!”
Azariah and the priests watched in horror as the skin of Uzziah’s
forehead began to whiten, crack and peel.
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“Look!” a priest shouted. “He’s turning into a leper!”
Deciding to punish Uzziah for his proud and rebellious attitude,
God struck the king with leprosy. The priests scrambled to take Uzziah
out of the temple before his leprous condition infected every area of
his body.
Uzziah lived as a leper for the rest of his life. Because of his contagious
(and humiliating) condition, he had to live alone. He could not be
around his family, friends, servants and citizens. King Uzziah’s tragic
example became a lesson for everyone: “Pride goes before destruction,
and an haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).
The king relied upon his son Jotham to represent him in judging and
settling legal disputes for the people. This gave Jotham much hands-on
training and prepared him to take over as king when his father died (II
Chronicles 26:16-23; II Kings 15:5-7).
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Upon the death of Jeroboam II, his son Zachariah became king over
Israel. Like his father, Zachariah was an evil king. The final ruler
from Jehu’s dynasty, his reign lasted only six months.
Shallum, a man who was greedy for power, plotted against the king.
In a daring show of force, he killed Zachariah before the people and
crowned himself king.
But Shallum’s reign lasted only one month, for Menahem, who had
been one of Zachariah’s army commanders, slew the new king and
took Israel’s throne for himself.
The town of Tiphsah refused to accept Menahem as their ruler.
When Menahem led his troops there, the townsfolk would not open
their gates to allow him to enter. Menahem was so enraged that he
ordered his soldiers to attack. When the city was defeated and under
his control, the king had his men brutally execute all the women who
were pregnant. He wanted their shocking, horrific deaths to remind all
the Israelites that they had better open their city gates to him—or else
(II Kings 14:28-29; 15:8-16).
Becoming a Vassal State
Menahem reigned for ten years and committed all kinds of wickedness.
Meanwhile, the internal unrest that had troubled the Assyrian Empire
during Jeroboam II’s reign ended. King Pul (also known as Tiglath-
Pileser III) was Assyria’s leader—and he and his people were hungry for
new lands to conquer.
The Assyrian army invaded the kingdom of Israel, spreading fear
across the land. Menahem knew that his army was no match against
the massive forces of Pul, so he and all Israel submitted to the Assyrian
Empire. Menahem even paid them a tribute of 1,000 talents—about 37
tons—of silver, to keep from being utterly destroyed. In order to raise so
much tribute money, Menahem had 60,000 wealthy Israelites each contribute
20 ounces of silver.
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED SIX
THE FALL OF ISRAEL
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Tiglath-Pileser was quite pleased with his “gift,” and so returned to
Assyria richer than when he had left. For the Assyrians, Israel became a
vassal state and a continuing source of riches, livestock and other valuables
and material goods.
Upon Menahem’s death, his son Pekahiah became king. He did not
depart from his father’s evil ways.
Pekah, one of Pekahiah’s trusted military officers, had been leading
the Israelites who lived in Gilead, across the Jordan River. Pekah
had maintained an uneasy alliance with Zachariah, Shallum and then
Menahem, leading the Gileadites for them. But Pekah and his followers
had grown tired of living under Assyria’s rule—so they decided to take
matters into their own hands. When he saw his chance, Pekah murdered
King Pekahiah in the royal palace, as 50 of his men from Gilead watched
with satisfaction. Pekahiah’s rule had been cut short, lasting only two
years.
Pekah became the new king and ruled with an evil hand. He did not
consider looking to God to help him lead Israel with wisdom. Without
God’s protection, Pekah could not stand up to the Assyrian army (II
Kings 15:17-28).
A Righteous King in Judah
In the kingdom of Judah, Jotham had replaced his father Uzziah as
king. Jotham was a good ruler, one who carefully obeyed God. Jotham
avoided going into the holy temple, perhaps because he feared that he
might sin and invite God’s wrath, as his father had done.
Yet, despite the king’s godly example, the people continued to live
corrupt lives, looking to idols to direct their paths.
Jotham set out to strengthen Judah, first by building the Upper Gate
of God’s temple. Next, he constructed several projects on the wall of
Ophel. The king also established cities in Judah’s mountains, and set
up fortresses and towers in the forests.
When the Ammonites attacked Judah, Jotham and his forces were
victorious, for God was on Judah’s side. For the next three years,
Ammon paid a tribute of 100 talents (about four tons) of silver, 10,000
measures of wheat and 10,000 measures of barley (II Kings 15:32-37;
II Chronicles 27:1-8).
A Prophet Intervenes
Toward the end of Pekah’s reign in Israel, Ahaz, the son of Jotham,
became king over Judah. Unlike his father, Ahaz was as evil as the
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kings of Israel. While past kings of Judah had tolerated the people worshipping
at pagan high places and groves, King Ahaz went further—he
worshipped there too. He even sacrificed the lives of his children to
worship Molech, the false god of the Moabites!
For such terrible sins, God used the armies of King Rezin of Syria
and King Pekah of Israel to punish Judah. Zichri, a mighty Ephraimite
warrior, slew three of Ahaz’s top leaders: Maaseiah, the king’s son;
Azrikam, governor of the royal house; and Elkanah, Ahaz’s second-incommand.
In just one day, 120,000 of Judah’s troops were killed.
The Syrians took a great many of the Jews captive and brought
them to Damascus. Pekah and his troops carried away 200,000 captives,
mostly women and children, as well as much plunder, and
brought everything to Samaria.
The Israelites intended to keep them as slaves, but God did not
want this. He sent His prophet Oded to Samaria, where he boldly
delivered God’s message: “Behold, Israel! The Eternal God of your
fathers was angry with Judah. This is why He delivered them into
your hand. But you have slain them in a rage that reaches up unto
heaven! And now you plan to keep the Jews, your brothers and sisters,
as slaves!
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“Consider this, Israel: If God has punished Judah for her sins, are
there not sins among you for which you should receive God’s punishment?
Hear me, Israel: Free your captives—or else face the fierce
wrath of the Eternal!”
God’s warning rang in the ears of certain leaders from Ephraim.
They stood up against the soldiers who had returned from war with
their Jewish slaves. They said to them, “Don’t bring these captives
here! We’ve already offended God—and now you intend to add to our
sins and bring the Eternal’s wrath upon us!”
The soldiers bowed to the pressure and released their captives and
the spoil they had taken, leaving them before the crowd of royal leaders
and all the citizens of Samaria.
A team of men was assigned to clothe the captives who were naked.
They gave them sandals to protect their sore feet, and food and drink,
and cleaned them up. Then, they led the weary Jews back home, as
far as Jericho, allowing the weakest to ride on donkeys (II Chronicles
28:1-15).
Closing God’s Temple
Though the allied forces of Israel and Syria had done much damage to
Judah, they were unable to capture Jerusalem. Rezin decided to change
tactics and attack Elath, a key seaport off the Gulf of Aqabah. He
captured Elath—the town that Uzziah, Ahaz’s grandfather, had taken
years earlier—and drove out the Jews who had settled there.
This was one of many defeats for Ahaz’s kingdom. The surrounding
nations decided to take advantage of his setbacks. The Edomites
attacked Judah, carrying away captives. The Philistines captured
Judah’s cities and villages in the low country and in the south.
Following God’s orders, Isaiah the prophet (who was inspired to
write a book of prophecy, which bears his name, in the Bible) went to
talk with King Ahaz.
“Hear the words of the Eternal God,” Isaiah said to him. “Take
heed, Ahaz, and be quiet. Do not fear. Though the kings of Syria and
Israel have plotted evil against you, I will not allow their plans to stand.
Within 65 years, the house of Israel, lead by Ephraim, shall be broken
and will cease to be a people. Either trust My word—or fall into your
enemies’ hands. If you do not believe Me, then ask for a sign and I will
perform it” (Isaiah 7:1-12).
But Ahaz refused. Rather than repenting of his wicked practices
and crying out to God for help, Ahaz turned to the Assyrian Empire.
He sent a message to Tiglath-Pileser, which read, “From this moment
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on, I am your servant. Please come and rescue me from the hand of the
kings of Syria and Israel.”
To show that he was serious, Ahaz raided God’s temple, stole its
silver and gold, took the royal treasures of the palace, and sent these
as bribes to Assyria’s king. Tiglath-Pileser was more than willing to
come to Judah’s aid—especially when it made him richer and more
powerful than ever.
The Assyrians went on the march, spreading across the land like
a swarm of hungry locusts. They seized the regions of Gilead and
Galilee, and conquered the territory of Naphtali. The Assyrians gathered
their new slaves and carried them to Assyria. Meanwhile, Tiglath-
Pileser turned Gilead and Galilee into Assyrian provinces governed by
royal representatives.
This was known as the Galilean captivity. The Assyrians took away
three-fourths of the population of Israel. All that remained were the
people of Samaria and the surrounding regions.
Damascus, Syria’s capital, was also besieged, and captured two
years later. Tiglath-Pileser executed the defeated King Rezin and
deported the Syrian captives to the distant land of Kir.
Ahaz was quite pleased that Israel and Syria were so humiliated.
He journeyed to Damascus to congratulate Tiglath-Pileser personally.
Ahaz was impressed with a large pagan altar that was being used there.
He had his servants draw a detailed sketch of it and then sent the drawing
back home to Urijah the high-priest.
Following the king’s orders, Urijah built an altar according to the
sketch’s design—building an idol in God’s temple!
Returning from Damascus, Ahaz inspected the workmanship of the
new altar and was well pleased. He used it to present burnt offerings,
meat offerings, drink offerings and other sacrifices.
Yet, Ahaz was still not satisfied. He reasoned that the bronze altar,
which God had approved of back in Solomon’s day (I Kings 8:22, 54,
64), should be moved. Ahaz’s new altar would take its place, while the
bronze altar would be moved to a position of lesser status. Then Ahaz
ordered Urijah to burn all the sacrifices upon the king’s new altar.
“But what about the bronze altar?” Urijah asked.
“Oh, don’t worry about that,” said the king. “I plan to use it to
contact my gods.” This, too, was against God’s Law (Deuteronomy
18:9-14).
As high-priest, Urijah must have known better than to go along
with Ahaz’s plan, yet he carried out the king’s orders.
Ahaz made other changes to the temple area. He took away the side
panels and basins from the portable stands; he removed the large reser87
voir, called “the Sea,” from atop the 12 bronze bulls and placed it on a
pavement of stones; he did away with the “Sabbath pavilion,” a canopy
that the kings would use on the Sabbath. He also removed the special
entrance from the temple, which past kings had used on the Sabbath
and annual holy days (II Kings 16:5-18).
Complete Rebellion
In the end, the king of Assyria did nothing to strengthen Ahaz’s kingdom.
Despite this, Ahaz still refused to turn to God.
Amazingly, he offered sacrifices to the false gods of the conquered
and humiliated Syrians, thinking that somehow these might restore his
realm! Yet, the more Ahaz sought after foreign gods, the more that he
and the people of Judah were cursed.
Ahaz set out to keep his subjects from worshipping the true God.
He took the holy articles that were in the temple and cut them in pieces
so that the priests could not use them. He shut the temple doors so that
the people could not attend Sabbath services. Then Ahaz made pagan
altars in every corner of Jerusalem and set up high places in all the
cities of Judah to burn incense to false gods. This provoked God to
become angrier than before.
Upon his death, Ahaz’s body was buried in Jerusalem. However,
because of his 16 years of cruel and bitter rulership, he was not given
the honor of resting in the tombs of the kings.
Thankfully, Ahaz was replaced by his son Hezekiah, who would
prove to be a righteous king (II Kings 16:17-20).
Samaria Falls
Hoshea, the son of Elah, killed Israel’s King Pekah and crowned himself
king. Though he did much evil, he was not as bad as the other
rulers who had reigned before him.
Shalmaneser, the son of Tiglath-Pileser, was now king over Assyria.
He forced Hoshea to serve the Assyrian Empire and to pay an annual
tribute.
One year, Hoshea did not bring Shalmaneser a tribute gift. This was
because Hoshea had secretly sent messengers to So, the king of Egypt,
in a plot to ally together against Assyria. When Shalmaneser discovered
this conspiracy, he had Hoshea arrested and imprisoned. Then the
Assyrian ruler had his army sweep through the land, attacking Israel’s
towns and settlements, including Israel’s capital.
The citizens of Samaria managed to survive constant attacks for
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three years. This was due to the city’s internal water supply and food
that had been stored for such emergencies. But eventually, Samaria fell.
The Assyrians, now led by Sargon II, deported their Israelite captives
to Assyria, and placed them in various regions.
The Israelites lived as slaves, strangers in a strange land, and were
not to return home. They became known as the “lost ten tribes of
Israel,” for they seemed to have disappeared into the pages of history
(II Kings 17:1-6; 18:9-12; Isaiah 20).
The Samaritans
The Assyrians resettled Israel’s cities and towns with foreigners they
had conquered earlier. Coming from faraway nations such as Babylon,
Cuthah, Ava, Hamath and Sepharvaim, these foreigner settlers did not
know about or fear the Eternal. They worshipped false gods. As they
continued their pagan ways in Israel’s former homeland, they offended
God. So the Eternal sent lions among them, and some of these foreigners
were killed.
The settlers asked the king of Assyria for help. “We don’t know the
God of the people you removed from this land,” they wrote to him, “but
somehow we have offended Him. This God is angry at us and has sent
lions to punish our people.”
At the king’s command, an Israelite priest was sent back to Israel,
who then taught the new settlers how to appease the God of the land.
The foreigners intermarried with the remnant of Israelites who had
escaped capture by the Assyrians. Together, they produced offspring
who came to be known as Samaritans. The Samaritans created a new
religion—mixing their limited knowledge about God with their own
pagan beliefs of false gods and idols. They set up for themselves priests
and high places in every city throughout the land—a system of worship
that counterfeited true religion.
The Samaritans were much like traditional “Christianity” today—
seeming to appear like God’s people, but engaging in customs, practices
and traditions rooted in pagan origins—things that the true God
hates. Just like the vast majority of professing Christians today, the
Samaritans did not truly fear God or keep His commandments, statutes
and judgments (II Kings 17:24-41).
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In the third year of King Hoshea of Israel, Hezekiah, the son of
Ahaz, co-ruled Judah with his father. Upon Ahaz’s death, Hezekiah
became the sole ruler, at age 25.
King Hezekiah trusted and obeyed God with the same wholeheartedness
as King David. Of all the kings of Judah, none were like
Hezekiah—before or after his 29 years of rulership.
In the first year of his reign, he opened the doors of the holy
temple, which his father had closed, and repaired them. Next, he
assembled the priests and Levites, and told them to set themselves
apart to serve God, sanctify His temple, and remove the dust and
debris that had accumulated over the years.
After the Levites had done so, Hezekiah and the city leaders
assembled at the temple. There, the king ordered the priests to prepare
a sin offering of seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs and
seven male goats, and to sprinkle the animals’ blood upon the holy
altar. Hezekiah also directed the Levites to honor and praise God
with beautiful music of harps, trumpets, cymbals and singing. After
the offering was given, the king and the assembly bowed down and
worshipped God.
Hezekiah said to everyone, “Now that you have set yourselves to
serve God, bring sacrifices and thank offerings into His temple—and
give freely.”
That is exactly what everyone did. The people were inspired, and
willingly gave offerings of 70 bulls, 100 rams and 200 lambs, as well
as 600 oxen and 3,000 sheep.
But there was a problem: Normally, only the priests were allowed
to skin animals for burnt offerings, since these would be laid upon
the holy altar and consumed by fire. However, there were not enough
priests for such a huge offering. In light of this emergency, the
Levites were allowed to assist.
These religious services were done decently and in order for the
first time in years. King Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced. They
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED SEVEN
THE GREAT RESTORATION
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were able to assemble everything in very little time (II Kings 18:1-6;
II Chronicles 29; 31:20-21).
The Great Passover Festival
Passover had already passed by the time the priests had ceremonially
sanctified themselves, and the people were assembled in Jerusalem. After
carefully weighing the matter, King Hezekiah, the royal leaders under
him, and all the people of Jerusalem decided to keep Passover in the second
month. God’s Law permitted this (Numbers 9:9-11).
The king sent letters throughout Judah, exhorting the people to come
to Jerusalem and join them in keeping the Passover at the temple. He also
sent letters to the few remaining Israelites who had not yet been taken
captive by the Assyrians. About one-fourth of Israel remained from the
Galilean captivity.
“You are all that is left of the northern kingdom,” the message went.
“Turn back to the Eternal God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and He will
turn back to you. Do not be stubborn, as your fathers were. Yield yourselves
to God and come to His temple. Serve Him, so that the fierceness
of His wrath may turn away from you. God is gracious and merciful; He
will not turn His face away from you—if you return to Him.”
Hezekiah’s message was delivered to every settlement throughout
Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, Asher, Zebulun and the other former territories
of Israel. Most of the Israelite survivors mocked Hezekiah’s
messengers and laughed them to scorn. Yet, many were encouraged by
his letters of hope. Throngs of those left behind in Asher, Manasseh and
Zebulun humbled themselves, and headed for Jerusalem.
God moved the people of Judah to follow Hezekiah’s decree. An
immense sea of worshippers assembled before the temple to keep the
spring festival. The Jews also removed the pagan altars that remained in
the capital, and threw them into the Brook Kidron. Then the people killed
the Passover lamb on the 14th day of the second month.
A great multitude of Israelites arrived at the temple yearning to worship
God. Even though they had not ritually cleansed themselves, they
were allowed to eat the Passover meal. Hezekiah asked God to forgive
them, for they had the right attitude. God was moved by His people’s
change of heart, and agreed to show them His mercy.
For seven days, the Jews and the Israelites joyfully kept the Feast
of Unleavened Bread. The Levites and the priests praised God every
day with singing and music, and they taught the congregation about the
Eternal and His laws. King Hezekiah gave the congregation 1,000 bulls
and 7,000 sheep, and the other royal leaders gave 1,000 bulls and 10,000
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sheep. Meanwhile, a great number of priests sanctified themselves.
The festival was such a success that no one wanted it to end—so they
observed another seven days of rejoicing. It was the greatest time of joy
in Jerusalem since King Solomon’s day.
After the festival was over, the people followed Hezekiah’s lead. They
returned to the cities of Judah, Ephraim and Manasseh, and destroyed
their idols, cut down the groves and removed the pagan high places and
altars. Hezekiah also had the idols of Baal and Asherah destroyed, and
he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made. This was
originally a symbol of God’s awesome healing powers, but the people
perverted it into an idol (Numbers 21:4-9; II Chronicles 30; 31:1).
Supporting God’s Work
King Hezekiah restored the government’s support of God’s ministry
and work, performed by the priests and the Levites. The king set a
personal example by devoting portions of his wealth to this cause.
Then he commanded the citizens to support the Levitical priesthood
and annual festivals at the temple. Through tithes and offerings,
the ministry was free to devote itself to teaching and administering
God’s laws.
The people of Judah and Israel responded wholeheartedly, bringing
in the firstfruits of corn, wine, oil, honey, oxen and sheep. From
spring’s Feast of Firstfruits to the Feast of Tabernacles, which was
held in the fall, they delivered the tithes and offerings to the temple,
and piled them into heaps. Hezekiah and the other royal leaders
were stunned by the abundance of contributions that had piled up
over the months.
Azariah the high-priest explained to the king, “God has truly
blessed His people. Ever since they began to bring offerings into the
temple, we Levites have had more than enough to eat.”
Hezekiah ordered that storerooms be built in God’s temple, used
to store the contributions. Also, offices of authority were established
among the Levitical priesthood, to ensure that the tithes and offerings
were properly administrated and distributed (II Chronicles
31:2-19).
Rebelling Against Assyria
Assyria had grown used to receiving annual tribute payments from
Judah when Ahaz was king. But when Hezekiah replaced his father as
ruler, he dared to stand up to the Assyrian Empire. Sennacherib, the
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next king of Assyria, led a mass invasion into Judah. They attacked all
the fortified cities. Unless things changed, the tiny kingdom would end
up like the house of Israel.
Hezekiah was desperate. He sent a message to Sennacherib, who
was busy attacking the city
of Lacish. In his message,
Hezekiah admitted that he
was wrong to rebel against
Assyria, and offered to pay
tribute.
The Assyrian king was
greedy. He demanded to be
paid 300 talents (about 11
tons) of silver and 30 talents
(about one
ton) of gold!
Hezekiah reluctantly
agreed.
To gather such
an abundant
collection, he
and his men
emptied the
temple and palace
treasuries.
Hezekiah even had the gold stripped off the temple doors and pillars.
The king intended that Sennacherib take the tribute, leave Judah
and never come back. But the king of Assyria had other plans. He
would not settle for anything less than Judah’s complete, unconditional
surrender! (II Kings 18:13-16).
Boasting Against God
Hezekiah knew that Sennacherib would soon bring his troops to
besiege Jerusalem. After counseling with his princes and valiant warriors,
he set out to prepare the capital for attack.
He had the people plug the wells and other water sources outside
the city. In this way, the Assyrians would not have fresh water to drink
from the local area. Hezekiah also built up the section of wall that
was broken, set another wall outside, and made an abundant supply
of javelins and shields. Then the king set officers over the people,
gathered everyone at the gate of the city, and said, “Be strong and
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courageous! Do not be afraid! The king of Assyria may have brought
a massive army with him, but there are more with us than with him.
Sennacherib’s arm is just flesh—but we have the Eternal God to help
us! He will fight our battles.”
The people took comfort in their king’s bold speech, and set themselves
to stay the course.
King Sennacherib sent his three highest officials—Tartan, general
of the Assyrian army; Rabsaris, a high palace administrator; and
Rabshakeh, the king’s spokesman—to Jerusalem to deliver a message.
These men were accompanied by a great army, a show of military force
that was meant to strike fear into the people and convince Hezekiah
to surrender. Upon arriving, Tartan, Rabsaris and Rabshakeh stood by
the aqueduct of the upper pool, in the highway of the Fuller’s Field
(where, years earlier, Isaiah the prophet tried to convince Ahaz to rely
on God instead of foreign governments) and called out to the king.
Hezekiah sent three royal representatives—Eliakim, the palace
administrator; Shebna, the scribe (or secretary); and Joah, the recorder—
to go out and meet with them.
Rabshakeh said, “Tell Hezekiah, thus says the great king of Assyria:
‘What confidence is this in which you trust? You boldly speak as
though you can defend yourself—but you are sorely mistaken! Egypt
cannot come to your aid; that nation is like the staff of a broken reed:
Lean on it, and you will pierce your hand. If you plan on trusting your
God to deliver you, your trust will be in vain! Even if I gave you 2,000
horses, your pitiful defenses would still not be a threat to our war
machine! Fighting is useless, for your God told me to go up against
your land and destroy it.’”
Aware that onlookers were watching from Jerusalem’s walls,
Eliakim, Shebna and Joah replied, “Speak to us in Aramaic. Do not use
Hebrew in the hearing of the people.”
“Why should I care about who listens?” Rabshakeh answered. “You
have more pressing matters with which to be concerned. After we are
through, you and the men on the wall will consume your own waste!”
Then Rabshakeh cried out in Hebrew, “Listen up, Jerusalem, and
hear the words of the great king of Assyria! Thus says the king, ‘Do
not let Hezekiah deceive you. Neither he nor the Eternal will deliver
you from my hand. If you want to save your lives, then leave your city
and make peace with me with a tribute gift. If you do, then every man
shall freely eat of his own vine and fig tree, and have fresh water to
drink. I offer to take you away to a land like your own, flowing with
corn and wine, and bread and vineyards; a land of olive oil and honey.
There, you may live in safety and peace.
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“‘But do not listen to Hezekiah when he says that God will come
to your rescue. Have any of the gods of the nations I conquered kept
their worshippers from escaping my hand? Did the gods of Samaria
keep me from conquering your brother Israelites? If the gods of other
kingdoms could not stop me, then how will your God stop me from
seizing Jerusalem? He is just one of many gods!’”
King Sennacherib’s message was answered by stone silence. All
who heard his blasphemous words refused to speak, for King Hezekiah
had given the command, “Do not answer.”
Eliakim, Shebna and Joah ripped apart their clothes, a traditional
sign of great distress, and reported to King Hezekiah every evil thing
that Rabshakeh had said.
The king was so grieved by their report that he too tore his clothes,
put on sackcloth and went into God’s temple—“the house of prayer”
(Isaiah 56:7).
Then he sent Eliakim, Shebna and the chief priests, who also were
dressed in sackcloth, to seek Isaiah the prophet. They told Isaiah about
King Sennacherib’s message: how he had dared to equate the great
God of the universe with lifeless, pagan gods made up in the minds of
men.
“Tell your king this,” Isaiah replied. “Thus says the Eternal: ‘Do
not fear the words that the servants of the king of Assyria have used
to blaspheme Me. Behold, I will send a spirit upon him, and will lead
him to hear a rumor that will strike fear into his heart, causing him to
return to his own land. And when he arrives, I will cause him to die by
the sword” (II Kings 18:17-37; 19:1-7; II Chronicles 32:1-16; Isaiah
36; 37:1-7).
God’s Awesome Rescue
Rabshakeh learned that Sennacherib had finished conquering Lachish
and was now attacking the city of Libnah.
When Rabshakeh met with his master, Sennacherib told him that
the king of Ethiopia and his massive army were on their way to
face the Assyrians. Sennacherib did not want to risk taking on the
Ethiopians without first securing all of Judah under his control. The
quickest way to do so was to get Judah’s king and capital to surrender.
So Sennacherib ordered his representatives to head back to
Jerusalem. “Tell Hezekiah, ‘Do not let your God deceive you into
believing that He will deliver you from my hand. You know my reputation.
Whenever the kings of Assyria invade other kingdoms, did the
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gods of those nations deliver them from destruction? Think about this
carefully, Hezekiah. Surrender is your only way of escape.’”
Rabshakeh and his entourage delivered the king’s message and
waited for Judah’s response.
Hezekiah knew that surrender meant becoming slaves in a faroff
foreign land. He also knew that God was Judah’s only hope. He
went into the temple and spread the king of Assyria’s letter before
the Eternal. In the most heartfelt prayer he had ever given, Hezekiah
praised God, acknowledged His greatness, and asked his Creator and
Deliver to hear his plea for help.
God quickly responded, inspiring Isaiah to deliver a message of
hope. “The king of Assyria will not enter Jerusalem,” God promised
Hezekiah. “Nor will he shoot arrows into the city or besiege it. He
shall return by the way that he came and shall not enter Jerusalem. For
I will defend this city and save it for My sake and for the sake of My
servant David.”
That night, the Messenger of the Eternal went into the camp of the
Assyrian army and killed 185,000 troops! The soldiers who survived
woke up the next morning to discover that their camp was filled with
dead bodies. Sennacherib was shocked and humiliated; he knew that if
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he did not return home soon, Judah or other nations might attack them.
He gathered the rest of his troops and departed for Nineveh.
But Sennacherib was far from safe. One day, as he was worshipping
in the temple of his god, two of his sons took a sword and ended his
life (II Kings 18:17-36; 19; II Chronicles 32:17-23).
Facing an Early Death
Those were trying times for Hezekiah. In addition to having to endure the
threat of being defeated and enslaved by the Assyrian Empire, a poisonous
boil had developed on his body. It made him so sick that he was on
the verge of dying! Isaiah the prophet broke the bad news to the king:
“Thus says the Eternal: ‘Get your affairs in order, Hezekiah, for you shall
soon die.’”
But the king was not ready to give up all hope. He turned his face to
the wall, and prayed to God with all his being. As tears streamed down
his cheeks, Hezekiah said, “O awesome and mighty God, please hear
me, and remember how I have walked before You in truth and with
all my heart. Recall how I have obeyed You and done good in Your
sight.”
Meanwhile, Isaiah was still nearby, in the middle court, when God
suddenly spoke to him. “Turn around and go back to Hezekiah. Tell the
captain of my people that I have heard his prayer, and have seen his tears.
I will heal him, and on the third day, he shall go into My temple. I will
add 15 years to his life; I will also deliver him and Jerusalem out of the
hand of the king of Assyria.”
Isaiah went back and told the king what God had said. He also told
Hezekiah that God would perform a miraculous sign to show him that he
would be healed.
“What will this sign be?” he asked.
“The Eternal has decided to leave that up to you,” Isaiah said. “He
will either cause the shadow of your father’s sundial to go forward ten
degrees, or go back ten degrees. Now which miracle would like God to
do for you?”
(In ancient times, clocks and watches did not exist. People kept track
of time through sundials, which created shadows marking the hours of a
day.) Hezekiah answered, “Making the shadow go backward would be a
greater miracle than making it go forward. So this is what I choose.”
Isaiah said, “Very well,” then he prayed to God.
As the king of Judah looked on, the shadow on Ahaz’s sundial
miraculously moved backward ten degrees—God made the earth rotate
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in the opposite direction! Hezekiah was speechless; and he suddenly
felt very small as he considered the greatness of the Almighty God.
After following Isaiah’s direction to place a medicinal lump of figs
onto his boil, the king was healed (II Kings 20:1-11; II Chronicles
32:25; Isaiah 38).
A Costly Mistake
Sometime later, as often happens with human beings, Hezekiah temporarily
became reckless and negligent in dealing with foreign ambassadors.
One day, representatives from the faraway kingdom of Babylon
arrived to give him a letter and a gift from the prince, the son of Baladan,
the Babylonian king. The prince had heard that Hezekiah had been sick,
and wanted to express his sympathy. In reality, these ambassadors were
also spies.
King Hezekiah was flattered by this royal attention. He gave special
care to his Babylonian guests, and decided to show them Judah’s great
wealth. He took them on a tour and confidently showed off all the treasures
of his house: silver, gold, jewels, exotic spices, precious ointments
and his armory. When the tour was finished, the Babylonians had seen
everything of value that Jerusalem had to offer.
Little did the king know that Babylon was gradually gaining power,
and that it would eventually crush the kingdom of Assyria. Hezekiah was
unaware that the Babylonians would prove to be a threat to Judah.
Isaiah the prophet went to the king and asked about the visitors. “What
did these men say to you?” he said. “Where did they come from?”
“They’re from a far country, from Babylon.”
“And what have they seen in your house?”
“Everything,” Hezekiah answered. “I showed my guests all my treasures.”
Isaiah shook his head. “Hezekiah, listen to God’s Words: ‘Behold, the
day will come when all the treasures that are in your house shall be carried
away to Babylon, and not one thing shall be left. Your sons will become
eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. However, because you have
been my faithful servant, I will not allow these things to happen until you
are in the grave.’”
Hezekiah recognized that he had allowed the flattery of the Babylonian
representatives to fill him with pride. That is why he was so willing to
show off his wealth.
The king accepted God’s decision, and said, “The word of God is
good” (II Kings 20:12-19; II Chronicles 32:26-31; Isaiah 39).
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King Hezekiah’s 29-year rule came to end upon his death. He was
replaced by his son Manasseh. From the age of 12, Manasseh had
been groomed to become the next king.
Sadly, he was nothing like his father, for he did not care about obeying
God’s laws. Manasseh preferred the idolatrous ways of the unbelieving
Gentile nations. He built up the high places, which Hezekiah
had destroyed; he erected altars for Baal worship and made a wooden
image of Asherah, as King Ahab had done. He ignored his father’s
instructions about the Eternal, and worshipped the stars instead—he
even built altars for them in the two courts of God’s temple! The new
king foolishly went after witchcraft, cast spells, and dealt with demons
and wizards. Manasseh became so enslaved to idol worship that he
even sacrificed his son as a burnt offering!
The people of Judah followed their leader’s example. Like a deadly
plague, wickedness spread throughout the kingdom. Manasseh had led
God’s people to commit acts that were even worse than those of the
foreign nations around them. All these wicked acts provoked God to
anger (II Kings 20:20-21; 21:1-9; II Chronicles 32:32-33; 33:1-9).
A Wicked King Repents
God sent Isaiah and other prophets to Manasseh and the people, warning
them about their idolatrous ways. Through His loyal servants, God
said, “Behold, I will bring such calamity upon Jerusalem and Judah
that the ears of whoever hears of it will tingle. Jerusalem will be measured
by the standard of My Word, just as I had done with Samaria and
the house of Ahab—and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipes a dish
and turns it upside down. I will forsake My people, the remnant of My
inheritance, and will deliver them into the hand of their enemies. They
shall become a prey—a spoil to be plundered. For ever since I brought
them out of Egypt, they have done evil in My sight and have provoked
Me to anger!”
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED EIGHT
THE LAST RIGHTEOUS KING
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Even with God’s dire warnings and the great patience He exercised,
Manasseh and his subjects still refused to listen or change. The king
even persecuted God’s servants and was responsible for a mass killing
spree that shed much innocent blood. (According to ancient tradition,
the king executed the prophet Isaiah, sawing him in two within a hollow
log. Hebrews 11:37 might be a reference to Isaiah’s martyrdom.)
To punish Manasseh, God moved the king of Assyria to send his
army and top officers to arrest Manasseh. They bound the wicked
king with bronze chains and led him away with nose hooks. Manasseh
was taken to Babylon, which the Assyrians had conquered after the
Babylonians had rebelled against them.
Humiliated, removed from his seat of power, and taken away from
his family, friends and subjects, Manasseh was alone and a prisoner in
a land far, far away. The shame and agony he suffered caused him to
think about all the evil acts he had committed—all the things he had
done that led to his disgrace. Manasseh humbled himself and tearfully
cried out to God in many heartfelt prayers.
The Eternal saw that Manasseh had changed his attitude and thinking.
He was now humble—teachable—willing to obey God and listen
to His instruction. So God, who is compassionate and loves to show
mercy, decided to rescue Manasseh.
To the king’s surprise, he was released from prison and brought back
to Jerusalem. This miraculous deliverance left no doubt in Manasseh’s
mind that the Eternal was indeed the one true God.
For the rest of his life, Manasseh devoted himself to putting God
first in his life. He removed the foreign gods he had set up in Jerusalem;
he took away the idol he had put in the holy temple; he got rid of all
the pagan altars he had built in the temple mount, and in Jerusalem.
The repentant king cast these sinful things out of Judah’s capital. He
repaired God’s altar, restored the practice of offering sacrifices upon it,
and commanded everyone in Judah to serve God.
Yet, despite his deep repentance and new devotion to serving only
God, the citizens refused to follow Manasseh’s heartfelt example. The
king learned a bitter lesson: It is far easier to lead, teach and inspire
people to obey God when a leader does not have a long public history
of recklessly rebelling against the Eternal and His laws.
Of those who did respond to Manasseh’s change of heart, most
decided to compromise. They had grown so used to worshipping at the
high places, they reasoned that it was okay to use these pagan worship
centers as long as sacrifices were offered only to God. Their human reasoning
was similar to that of people today who keep Christmas, Easter
and other pagan holidays, claiming that it is “okay” as long as it is done
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to worship God. But the Eternal Creator and Lawgiver hates this. God
expects His people to worship Him HIS way—and only His way!
After 55 years of rulership, Manasseh died, and was buried at his
home, in the garden of Uzza. His son Amon became Judah’s next king
(II Kings 21:10-18; II Chronicles 33:10-18).
Learning Nothing From the Past
Amon was 22 years old when he began to rule. Sadly, he learned nothing
from the righteous example of his father’s latter years. Committing
himself to doing evil, King Amon restored the carved images that
Manasseh had made, and offered sacrifices to them.
His two-year reign of wickedness came to an abrupt end when his
trusted servants schemed against him. They killed Amon in the “safety”
of his home. The assassins and those who had plotted with them
expected to rule Judah under a new dynasty. But the people wanted to
remain under the leadership of the royal house of David. They sought
out and executed all the conspirators, and then made Josiah, Amon’s
son, the new king. He was only eight years old (II Kings 21:19-26; II
Chronicles 33:21-25).
Another Restoration
At age 16, Josiah began to
seek after God. Following
King David’s example of
putting God first, Josiah
learned to obey and please
the Eternal with all his
might. By the time he
was 20, the young king
began to purge Judah and
Jerusalem of idol worship.
During the reigns of
Manasseh and Amon,
all the repair work that
Hezekiah had put into
the temple was undone.
When he was 26 years old,
Josiah instructed Hilkiah
the high-priest to restore
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the same Levitical system of collecting funds as King Joash had done.
Josiah then used the money to hire carpenters, builders and masons,
and supply them with timber and hewn stone to repair God’s temple.
Hilkiah told Shaphan, the royal secretary, that he had found the
Book of the Law in the temple. (Apparently, Manasseh had destroyed
virtually all copies of it during the evil years of his reign.) The highpriest
gave it to Shaphan, who then took it to the king.
As Shaphan read aloud from it, Josiah agonized over Judah’s guilt
of breaking God’s laws, and the terrible national curses that would
surely come. In his distress, the young king tore his clothes and humbled
himself.
He ordered Hilkiah, Shaphan and three other men to seek out a
faithful prophet who would tell the king God’s will. “God’s wrath is
like a fire kindled against us,” Josiah explained.
The five men went to a woman named Huldah. Like Moses’ sister
Miriam, Huldah was a prophetess. The Bible shows that God rarely
used women to speak for Him, so Huldah must have been very special.
She told them God’s message, which they reported back to the king:
“Thus says the Eternal God of Israel: ‘Behold, I will bring national
catastrophe upon Judah and its inhabitants—all the words described in
the book you have read—for the people have forsaken Me. They have
burned incense to other gods, provoking Me to anger. Therefore, My
wrath shall be kindled against this place and will not be quenched!
“‘However, Josiah, your heart was tender. You humbled yourself
before Me when you heard what I spoke against this place and its
inhabitants—that they should become a desolation and a curse. You
tore your clothes and wept before Me. Therefore, I will not allow you
to experience the horrors that will surely come. Instead, you shall reign
in peace until the day you die—only then will My wrath fall upon
Judah’” (II Kings 22; II Chronicles 34:1-28).
Removing Idolatry From Judah
King Josiah called for the elders of Judah and Jerusalem, along with
the priests, the prophets and the inhabitants of the city and assembled
them at God’s temple. Josiah stood before the people—both small and
great—and read aloud all the words of the Book of the Covenant.
Then, as he stood by a pillar, the king led the people to make a
covenant with God. They promised to follow the Eternal, to keep His
commandments, testimonies and statutes with all their being, and to
perform the words of the Book of the Covenant.
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Josiah ordered the high-priest, the priests of the second order and
the doorkeepers to remove all the unholy articles from the temple that
were made for worshipping Baal, Asherah and the false gods of the
Assyrians—everything that was devoted to idolatry.
“Take them outside Jerusalem and burn them in the fields of Kidron,”
he commanded. “And when you are finished, take their ashes to Bethel,
one of the places where Jeroboam had established idolatry in the house
of Israel” (I Kings 12:25-33).
The king also removed from God’s temple the wooden image of
Asherah. He took it to the Kidron Valley, east of the city, and burned it at
the Brook Kidron. In the valley was a cemetery for the common people;
Josiah grounded the idol’s burnt remains into ashes and poured them
on the graves of those who had given themselves to worshipping false
gods.
Certain past kings of Judah had ordained false priests to practice
idolatry all around Jerusalem and in cities throughout the kingdom. These
servants of evil had deceived the people and led them away from serving
God, so Josiah removed the false priests from Judah.
And he drove out all the priests who led the Jews into compromise,
and defiled their high places, which they had wrongly used to offer sacrifices
to God. These priests were not permitted to minister at the temple.
However, because they were Levites, they allowed to be supported along
with the rest of their tribe.
The king also tore down the booths (tents) of the perverted men and
women who had done wicked things in the temple.
Josiah destroyed the pagan shrines that were at Jerusalem’s gate-towers.
He also defiled Topheth, the Valley of the Sons of Hinnom. Topheth
means “drum”; idolaters used drums to drown out the hapless cries of the
little boys and girls who were brutally sacrificed to Molech, the false god
of the Ammonites.
Josiah got rid of the horses and burned the chariots that previous kings
had dedicated to sun worship at the entrance to the holy temple.
He removed and destroyed the altars that were on the top of the roofs,
which past kings had made. And he defiled the high places that King
Solomon built more than 300 years earlier, when he temporarily fell away
from serving God.
The king broke into pieces pagan pillars, cut down their wooden
images, and filled their places with the bones of dead idolaters.
Then, he went into Samaria, opened the tombs of the idolaters at
Bethel and burned their bones on the altar they used to worship upon.
This fulfilled a prophecy that was foretold about 300 years earlier (I
Kings 13:1-32).
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When Josiah came to a certain tomb, he said, “Who is buried here?”
The men of the city told him, “It is the tomb of the man of God, who
came from Judah. He prophesized the things you have done against the
altar of Bethel.”
The king said, “Let this man’s bones alone. He is no idolater.”
Josiah removed the altar and burned it, along with the high place and
the wooden image, into ashes.
The king went to the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, Simeon, and up to
Naphtali, and took away the shrines that Israel had used to provoke God
to anger. He executed all the false priests and burnt their bones upon the
pagan altars.
In all this, he had cleansed Judah and Jerusalem from idolatry.
Josiah returned to Jerusalem, where he ordered that Judah should
observe the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Josiah also
set the priests in their charges and the Levites to return the Ark of the
Covenant to temple (which Manasseh or Amon had replaced with an
idol). Though his great-grandfather Hezekiah had restored this spring festival,
there was no Passover like it from the days of Samuel the prophet.
In continuing to remove idolatry from the kingdom, Josiah also put
away all those who got involved with demons, witches and wizards, and
removed household idols—all of which were abominations in God’s sight
(II Kings 23:1-24; II Chronicles 34:29-33; II Chronicles 35:1-19).
Judah’s Last Good King
Like Hezekiah, there was no other king like Josiah, who turned to God
with all his heart and committed himself to performing the Book of the
Law. Sadly, he would be the last king of Judah to do so.
And, in spite of Josiah’s righteous acts, God’s wrath would not turn
away from Judah. All the wickedness that Manasseh had done and
promoted had greatly affected the people. They kept up an appearance
of being good and seeking after God, but secretly their lives were corrupt.
The Eternal declared, “I will cast off Jerusalem, the city that I had
chosen, and the temple, of which I said, ‘My name shall be there.”
In those days, Necho II, pharaoh of Egypt, allied with Assyria
against the rising power of the Babylonian kingdom. Necho and his
army headed north toward the Euphrates River to join up with the
Assyrian troops at Carchemish—but King Josiah was determined not
to let them pass.
Necho sent royal messengers, who said to Josiah, “Hear the words
of the king of Egypt: ‘What have I to do with you, Josiah? I have not
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entered your land to fight against you; my opponent is up north. God
is with me—and He has commanded me to hurry. Stop meddling with
God’s affairs so that He does not have to destroy you!’”
Throughout history, God has used carnal-minded men to fulfill certain
roles in His plan.
Nonetheless, Josiah would not listen. He was determined to stand in
the way of the Egyptian army. Disguising himself, the king went into
battle in the Valley of Megiddo, an ancient battleground site that has
seen more combat than any spot on earth. Egyptian archers shot a volley
of deadly arrows at Josiah and the troops around him. Josiah was
seriously wounded. At his request, servants took him away in a chariot
and carried him back to Jerusalem. Tragically, the king died.
As everyone grieved over the loss of their great king and the end
of his 31-year reign, the people of Judah anointed Jehoahaz, Josiah’s
son, to rule over them. They quickly discovered that Jehoahaz was as
different from his father as night is from day (II Kings 23:25-31; (II
Chronicles 35:20-27; II Chronicles 36:1).
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During King Josiah’s reign, God worked through a number of
prophets, such as Habakkuk and Zephaniah, whose prophetic
books are in the Bible. But now that Judah was only a few years from
utter destruction, God was ready to use a special servant to warn His
people. His name was Jeremiah, a Levite from the Levitical town
of Anathoth, in the territory of Benjamin. His calling was unique
because God set him apart by the Holy Spirit when he was still in
the womb! Only Jesus Christ, John the Baptist and Jeremiah were
called before birth.
According to tradition, Jeremiah’s ministry began when he was
only 17 years old, in the 13th year of King Josiah’s rule. For several
decades and through the reigns of five kings, Jeremiah warned
Judah that national catastrophe would come upon them from the
north, speaking of the rising Babylonian Empire.
God commissioned and inspired Jeremiah to preach against false
religious leaders, who prophesied lies in God’s name—against religious
hypocrisy—and against idolatry and Sabbath-breaking. God’s
people were so far off track, they observed the pagan holidays that
we know today as Easter and Christmas. There were as many false
gods being worshipped in Judah as there were cities, and there were
as many pagan altars as there were streets!
The Jews believed that God would never allow Jerusalem to be
utterly devastated because His temple—where He symbolically placed
His holy name and presence—resided in the city. Led by human nature,
the people treated this as license to break God’s laws. They justified
their wickedness by maintaining a false show of religion.
As he continually cried out against Judah’s sins and told the people
to return to God, Jeremiah’s message became extremely unpopular.
In fact, the inhabitants of his hometown plotted to take his life,
commanding Jeremiah to stop preaching in God’s name—“Lest we
put you to death!”
God told Jeremiah not to worry. “I will make you like a heavilydefended
wall of bronze to these people,” He assured him. “They
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED NINE
GOD CALLS JEREMIAH
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will fight against you, but will not prevail, for I am with you. I will
deliver you and keep you safe” (Jeremiah 1:1-8; 5:31; 6:13-14; 7:1-
11; 11:13, 21; 12:6; 15:15-21; 18:18-23; 20:1-3, 7-18).
A Quick Succession of Kings
King Jehoahaz, Josiah’s son, was 23 years old at the start of his rule.
He rejected his father’s righteous example, and unwisely embraced the
way of wickedness and selfishness.
Returning from battle, Egyptian Pharaoh Necho II arrested Jehoahaz
and imprisoned him at Egypt, where he later died. Jehoahaz’s reign
had only lasted three months.
Pharaoh made Eliakim, Jehoahaz’s brother, the new king of Judah,
changing his name to Jehoiakim.
Back in Moses’ day, when God led His people out of Egypt, Israel
received precious treasures from the Egyptians. But, after generations
of repeatedly rejecting God and His laws, God’s people were now
forced to pay their former masters. Necho ordered Judah to pay an
annual tribute of 100 talents of silver and a talent of gold (II Kings
23:31-34; II Chronicles 36:2-5; Jeremiah 22:10-12).
Jeremiah Breaks a Flask
Jehoiakim’s 11-year reign was much like his brother’s—he committed
himself to doing evil and pleasing only himself. He was not the least
bit interested in Jeremiah’s preaching. In fact, he was growing ever
more annoyed with God’s servant.
Jeremiah, obeying God’s instruction, took a potter’s flask,
and gathered the elders and priests at the Valley of the Sons of
Hinnom.
He said to them, “Hear the word of the Eternal Almighty, the God
of Israel: ‘Behold, I will bring national calamity, for you have forsaken
Me for other gods and have filled the streets of Jerusalem with innocent
blood. Because of their high places and human sacrifices, I will
cause Judah to suffer military defeat, and I will give their carcasses
as meat for wild animals. This valley will no longer be called Tophet
or the Valley of the Sons of Hinnom—for I will make Jerusalem so
desolate that everyone who passes by it will be astonished. And I will
strike the city with a famine so severe that its inhabitants will eat the
flesh of their sons, daughters and friends.’”
As the elders watched and listened, Jeremiah broke the flask, and
said, “God will break this people and this city, as one breaks a potter’s
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vessel—which cannot be made whole again! And they shall be buried in
Tophet, till there is no more room to bury.”
Jeremiah went back into the city, entered the court of God’s temple
and addressed the people there. He told them that, because everyone
in Judah had hardened their hearts and would not listen to God, the
Eternal would bring doom upon Jerusalem and every town in the kingdom.
Jeremiah’s preaching kindled the wrath of Pashur, the captain of the
temple guards. Pashur beat the prophet and bound Jeremiah’s head, feet
and legs in stocks. He had to endure insults from taunting spectators who
came by to mock him.
The next day, as Pashur released him, Jeremiah said, “God now calls
you Magor-Missabib, which means ‘Terror on every side.’ For God will
make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends. And you will watch
helplessly as their enemies slay them. God will surely give Judah into
the hand of the king of Babylon, and they will be brought to Babylon as
captives. And God will also give all of Jerusalem’s wealth—its produce,
its precious things and all the treasures of the kings of Judah—to the
Babylonians. As for you, Pashur, you and your family shall be taken to
Babylon and die in captivity” (Jeremiah 19; 20).
Seized by a Mob!
Jeremiah went back to standing in the court of the temple and crying
aloud to God’s people, hoping that some might change their ways.
“If you will not listen to God,” he said, “and obey His laws, and if
you refuse to listen to His prophets, then God will make this temple like
Shiloh, which the Philistines devastated long ago. Jerusalem will become
a curse to all nations.”
But the people were stubborn. They, the priests and the false prophets
were so enraged that they seized Jeremiah. “You’re a dead man!” they
said. “Why do you prophesy such things in God’s name?”
The princes of Judah heard about the commotion and came to the
temple to investigate. The angry mob they encountered said, “This man
is worthy of death! Jeremiah prophesies Jerusalem’s destruction. We all
heard it with our own ears.”
Jeremiah addressed his accusers: “The Eternal sent me to prophesy
against this temple and this city. If you change your ways and obey God’s
voice, He will relent from bringing national disaster.
“As for me, do with me as seems right to you. However, know this: If
you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood upon yourselves and
Jerusalem, for God has sent me to warn you.”
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The princes and the people were not willing to rush into foolish
actions. Despite the wishes of the priests and prophets, they said, “This
man hasn’t done anything worthy of death. Clearly, he has spoken with
God’s authority.”
Some of the elders agreed. “In the days of King Hezekiah,” they
said, “the prophet Micah warned that the Eternal would utterly destroy
Jerusalem. Did King Hezekiah and the people put Micah to death? No!
Hezekiah chose to fear God and seek after Him. And because of this,
the Eternal changed His mind and did not bring His punishment upon
the city. If we execute Jeremiah, we will only bring great evil upon
ourselves!”
God was using these men to protect Jeremiah. However, the prophet
recognized that, if it were God’s will, he would need to be willing
to give up his life.
Jeremiah thought about Urijah, another prophet that God had used
to prophesy against Jerusalem and Judah. King Jehoiakim and his men
did not like what Urijah preached. Urijah heard that they plotted to
execute him, so he ran off to Egypt. But Jehoiakim sent men to bring
him back to Jerusalem. When the prophet was brought before him, the
king took a sword and killed Urijah. Then he cast his corpse into the
graves of the common people, in the Kidron Valley.
Jeremiah understood that, like many other servants of God, he
could lose his physical life for preaching such an explosive, unpopular
message. But Jeremiah’s hope was in the inheritance that was
reserved for him: eternal life.
Jeremiah’s commission was far from finished. God had more
things for him to accomplish, so He used Ahikam, the son of
Shaphan, Josiah’s royal secretary, to convince the people that they
should not kill or harm His prophet (Jeremiah 26).
70 Years of Desolation
Jeremiah’s narrow escape from death did not keep him from boldly
preaching God’s warning message to Judah and Jerusalem: “For 23
years now, the Eternal has sent you His servants, the prophets—but you
would not listen to them. They told you to turn from your evil ways so
that you might dwell in the Promised Land in peace—but you would not
take heed. They told you to stop seeking after other gods and provoking
the true God to anger—but you still refused to change.”
He warned that God would send all the nations of the north, led by
His servant King Nebuchadnezzar to invade and conquer Judah and all
the surrounding nations.
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“And God will replace the sound of mirth, gladness and merrymaking
with the wails of misery and despair. For 70 years, the conquered
nations shall serve the king of Babylon. After this, I will punish the
Babylonian ruler and his kingdom for their iniquity; it shall become
perpetual desolations.’”
In a vision, Jeremiah took a cup from the Eternal’s hand. God called it
the wine cup of fury, a symbol of His coming wrath against the nations.
Judah and all the surrounding nations were to drink from it symbolically,
causing them to stagger and fall as Babylon overtakes them.
About four years into Jehoiakim’s rule, the armies of the Babylonian
Empire, led by King Nebuchadnezzar, clashed against Pharaoh Necho’s
Egyptian army in the famous Battle of Carchemish. Babylon overwhelmingly
defeated Egypt, sending Necho’s troops into retreat. Babylon
became the supreme world power.
Nebuchadnezzar’s forces swept through Judah, which became
subservient to Babylon. The Babylonians (also called the Chaldeans)
deported many of Judah’s leaders and thinkers to Babylon; the prophet
Daniel was among them (Jeremiah 25).
The King Destroys Jeremiah’s Book
God commanded Jeremiah to write onto a long scroll the warning messages
he had preached since he was first called. This would become a
book.
“Perhaps Judah will finally hear all the evil that I intend unleash
upon them,” God said. “Then they might turn from their wickedness
so that I would forgive their sins.”
Jeremiah dictated to Baruch, his secretary, who wrote everything
the prophet spoke. This long process took much time. When the project
was finished, Jeremiah told Baruch to go to the temple, in his stead,
and read aloud from the book. At the time, Jerusalem was holding a
special fast to appeal to God. Jeremiah reasoned that the people might
be more willing to hear God’s warning during this fast.
Baruch said, “Yes sir,” and headed for the temple. As worshippers
fasted and mingled in the court, he read aloud God’s message.
Michaiah, grandson of Shaphan, told the princes about this.
Intrigued, they sent for Baruch to read the book to them in private.
When he did so, they were alarmed by the book’s frightening content.
“This is so powerful—so incredible—we must bring it to the king’s
attention. It’s our duty. Tell us, Baruch, how did you write all these
words? Was it from memory or did Jeremiah dictate them to you?”
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The young man answered, “I wrote every word as Jeremiah said
them to me.”
The princes nodded and thought about this. Then, fearing how the
king might react, they advised Baruch that he and Jeremiah should go
into hiding.
The princes went before King Jehoiakim in his royal court and told
him about the book. The king wanted to know more, so he ordered that
the book be brought to him, and had his servant Jehudi read it aloud.
Jehoiakim sat before a hearth and warmed his hands from its fire as he
listened to the prophetic warning.
The king did not like what he heard. Whenever Jehudi read three
or four columns of text, Jehoiakim took a penknife, cut off the sections
and threw them into the fire. Three of the princes—Elnathan,
Delaiah and Gemariah—pleaded with the king to stop, but Jehoiakim
would not listen. He
continued cutting out
sections of the scroll
and throwing them
into the fire, until
the entire book was
destroyed. His personal
servants looked
on with approval.
The king commanded
that Baruch
and Jeremiah be
arrested, but God had
already hidden them.
God commanded
Jeremiah to
write another book
to replace the one
that was destroyed.
Baruch wrote down
all the words that
Jeremiah repeated
from the original
book, along with
additional material.
Then God sent Jeremiah to tell Jehoiakim that, because he burned
the first book and rejected its message, the Eternal would reject his
sons from sitting upon the throne of David. “And your dead body
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shall be exposed to the heat of the day and the frost of the night. God
will punish you, your descendants and your servants for their sins.
He will bring upon them—and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem and
Judah—all the horrors He has pronounced against them” (Jeremiah
36).
Jehoiakim’s Rebellion
Nebuchadnezzar had threatened to destroy Judah unless Jehoiakim
promised to be loyal to him and pay an annual tribute. The king of
Judah gave in, and kept his word—but only for about three years.
Jehoiakim received news that Babylon and Egypt would soon clash
again. Ignoring God’s will and counsel, he stopped paying tribute to
Babylon. He gambled that the Egyptians would be victorious and that
they would protect Judah from the Chaldeans.
Jeremiah repeatedly warned Jehoiakim not to put his trust in the
Egyptians, but he refused to listen. The king soon learned that his
gamble did not pay off. Egypt was no match against the Babylonian
army, and was not in a position to come to Judah’s aid.
God sent a massive Chaldean invasion force into Judah, along with
hordes of troops from Syria, Moab and Ammon, who now served
Babylon. Their ancient hatred for God’s people spurred them to
wreak havoc throughout Judah—all according to that which God had
warned.
Jerusalem was again brought under Babylon’s control. Jehoiakim
was bound in chains and eventually died at the hands of the Babylonians.
Nebuchadnezzar carried away to Babylon the king’s family, chief leaders
and workmen. He also took the king’s treasures and a portion of the
temple’s sacred vessels, which he installed in his temple at Babylon (II
Chronicles 36:5-10; II Kings 23:35-37; 24:1-7).
Another Short-Lived Reign
Jehoiachin, Jehoiakim’s 18 year-old son, became the new king, but
his reign only lasted 100 days. Nebuchadnezzar, perhaps fearing that
Jehoiachin would seek to revenge his father, besieged Jerusalem.
The king, along with his mother, servants, royal leaders and officers,
left the city and surrendered. In yet another mass deportation to
Babylon, the Chaldeans carried away 7,000 able fighting men, 1,000
craftsmen and smiths, and 2,000 prominent people—the king and his
mother, wives, officers and princes, along with priests and prophets.
The prophet Ezekiel was among them.
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They carried away valuables from the king’s treasury and from
God’s temple. Nebuchadnezzar also cut into pieces all the articles of
gold that King Solomon had made for the temple.
Nebuchadnezzar made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, the new king
of Judah, changing his name to Zedekiah. The king of Babylon purposefully
left behind the poorest people of the land and elevated certain
men to positions of power. He did this to ensure that they would
be loyal to him (II Kings 24:7-17; II Chronicles 36:9-10).
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King Zedekiah was a weak ruler who made decisions based on whoever
pressured him the most. Failing to show strong leadership,
he allowed his princes, servants and subjects to behave as wickedly as
they wanted.
For many years, Jeremiah tirelessly preached God’s warning message
to Judah’s rulers. Zedekiah was not surprised that the prophet
sought to have an audience with him. Jeremiah warned the king and his
princes that they should make yokes and bonds for themselves, “For
Judah, Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre and Sidon shall surely come under
the yoke of King Nebuchadnezzar,” he said.
Jeremiah also warned against listening to the lies of Judah’s false
prophets and priests. They were preaching to the people that all the
sacred vessels that were taken from the temple would be brought back
from Babylon.
“Don’t believe this deception!” Jeremiah said. “If they are truly
God’s prophets, then let them plead to God that the sacred vessels still
remaining in the temple are not also seized. For the Eternal has determined
that Nebuchadnezzar will take these away too!”
Jeremiah stood in the court of the temple wearing a wooden yoke
around his neck, becoming a living symbol of Judah’s future.
As priests and other spectators looked on, Hananiah, the son of Azur
the prophet, challenged Jeremiah. He said, “Thus speaks the Eternal
Almighty, the God of Israel: ‘I have broken the yoke of the king of
Babylon. Within two full years, I will return all the sacred vessels that
Nebuchadnezzar carried away. I will also bring back Jehoiachin and all
the captives who were taken to Babylon.’”
“So be it!” Jeremiah answered. “May the Eternal do all that you
have prophesied.”
Hananiah was surprised that the prophet would seem to agree
with him. He and his supporters grinned, confidant that they had
gained the upper hand—until they discovered that Jeremiah had
more to say.
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TEN
THE FALL OF JERUSALEM
114
“Nevertheless,” he added, “listen to these words: The prophets who
came before us—Hosea, Joel, Amos and other faithful men—prophesied
against many countries and great kingdoms, preaching that war,
disaster and disease would surely come. Yet, now you prophesy that
Judah shall enjoy peace. Let it be known that when the word of the
prophet who prophesies peace comes to pass, then shall it be known
that God has truly sent him.”
Hananiah desperately wanted everyone to believe his lie. Frustrated,
he removed the yoke from Jeremiah’s neck and broke it into pieces.
Hananiah said to the growing crowd of witnesses, “Thus says the
Eternal: ‘Like that, I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar from the
neck of all nations within two years.’”
Jeremiah departed, but soon returned to deliver a message from God:
“Listen carefully, Hananiah! God has not sent you—yet you dare to
cause this people to trust in a lie. Therefore, thus says the Eternal: ‘You
may have broken yokes of wood, but you have only made yokes of iron
in their place. For I have put a yoke of iron upon the neck of all these
nations, that they serve the king of Babylon—and they will serve him! As
for you, Hananiah, because you have taught rebellion against Me, I will
cast you off the face of the earth. Hananiah, this year you shall die!’”
About two months later, Hananiah was dead (Jeremiah 27 and
28).
Breaking a Promise
Nebuchadnezzar had made Zedekiah swear by God that he would loyally
serve the Babylonian king. But, bowing to pressure put upon him
by the princes, Zedekiah broke his promise. In doing so, he, in the eyes
of Gentile unbelievers, involved God in his lie. But God NEVER lies
or breaks His promises (Hebrew 6:18; Titus 1:2).
Angry about Judah’s rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar erected a military
base in Riblah and had his troops besiege Jerusalem, Lachish and
Azekah, Judah only remaining fortified cities. The tiny kingdom was
on the brink of collapse.
King Zedekiah panicked. He sent men to Jeremiah to ask if God
would rescue them from certain defeat. But Jeremiah’s answer was not
the good news they wanted to hear.
He said, “Tell Zedekiah these words from God: ‘The weapons you
are using to fight against the king of Babylon—I will use them against
you! I will fight against you with an outstretched hand and a strong
arm—and in anger, fury and great wrath! I will strike Jerusalem’s
inhabitants, both man and beast, and they shall die of a great disease.
115
Afterward, I will deliver Zedekiah and the people—all who will survive
famine, pestilence, and slaughter from the Babylonians—into
Nebuchadnezzar’s hand. And he shall strike them by the edge of the
sword; he shall not spare them, nor will I have pity or mercy.
“‘Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
Whoever continues to live in this city shall die by the sword, famine
or pestilence. But whoever leaves and surrenders to the Babylonians,
he shall live” (Jeremiah 21:1-10).
Half-Hearted Repentance
God had given Zedekiah and his men a way out, but they stubbornly
refused to take it. Yet, amazingly, the king sent men to Jeremiah, asking
him to pray to God on Jerusalem’s behalf.
Jeremiah went to the king and boldly preached another warning.
“Zedekiah,” he said, “Listen to the word of the Eternal: ‘The king of
Babylon will capture Jerusalem and set it ablaze. You will not escape
Nebuchadnezzar’s hand—you will be brought before him face-to-face.
He will carry you away to Babylon as his prisoner, where you will
live the rest of your life. No matter how hard Judah fights against the
Babylonian Empire, defeat is certain!’”
Zedekiah made a half-hearted attempt to mend Judah’s ways. He
entered into a covenant with Jerusalem’s rich and powerful, who owned
fellow Jewish slaves. God’s Law allowed Israelites to hire indentured
servants from among their brother Hebrews, but they were to be set
free eventually. God’s system of slavery is different—and far better—
than man’s system, which is harsh, brutal and often deadly. God
ordered that slaves be treated like family members, and not like mere
property (Leviticus 25:39-55). Yet, the slave-owners of Zedekiah’s day
ignored God’s intent.
The king persuaded them to release their Hebrew slaves. “Perhaps
God will show favor upon Judah and turn back His wrath,” he
explained.
It was also brought to their attention that the ex-slaves, in order to
keep their freedom, would fight much harder against the Chaldeans.
The slave-owners agreed, although reluctantly, and released their
Hebrew slaves.
It appeared that Zedekiah’s plan had worked. About three months
after the siege begun, the Chaldeans heard reports that Pharaoh’s army
had left Egypt. Traveling by sea, the Egyptian forces landed up north and
took over Tyre and other coastal cities. The Babylonian army would be
cut off from the rear if it did not act soon—and so they left Jerusalem.
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Everyone inside the city cheered. The former slave-owners, thinking
they were no longer in danger, went back on their promise. They
rounded up their former servants and forced them back into slavery!
God hates such hypocrisy—and He sent His servant Jeremiah to
tell them so: “Thus says the Eternal: ‘I made a covenant with your
forefathers when I delivered you out of slavery in Egypt. I commanded
them to release every Hebrew slave at the end of seven
years of their bondage. But your forefathers did not listen to Me.
You turned from doing such evil, and released your enslaved brethren.
You even made a covenant before Me in My temple. Now I
know that your word is worthless! You have broken your promise
and polluted My name!
“‘Because you proclaimed liberty for your brothers and then went
back on your word, I proclaim a liberty for you—to the sword, pestilence
and famine! By these, I will free you of your lives and cause the
survivors to be removed from this land. I will cause your enemies to
return to this city, and they shall besiege it and burn it with fire. Thus,
I will make the cities of Judah utterly desolate!’”
Jeremiah warned the king not to deceive himself into believing
that Pharaoh would come to Judah’s defense. “The Egyptians will go
back to their kingdom, and the Chaldeans shall return to Jerusalem and
besiege it—but this time they will capture the city and set it on fire.
God has already determined the outcome” (Jeremiah 34; 37).
Suffering False Accusations
Since the city was no longer shut up from the Babylonian threat,
Jeremiah decided to return to Anathoth and claim a piece of property
he had purchased. He was on his way out of Jerusalem when a watchcaptain
named Irijah stopped him.
“Where do you think you’re going, Jeremiah?”
“To take care of a personal matter back home. Why?”
“Traitor!” Irijah said. “All you do is preach our doom, and that we
should submit to Babylon! You’re leaving Jerusalem to conspire with
Nebuchadnezzar, aren’t you? Tell the truth! You’re deserting to the
enemy!”
Irijah’s shouting caught the attentions of people passing by. Soon,
a crowd started to form.
Jeremiah said, “My son, you’re making false charges. I’m no traitor.
I only preach what God inspires me to say.”
But Irijah would not hear it, most likely because he wanted to
avenge his grandfather Hananiah. Irijah took the prophet and brought
117
him before the princes. He repeated his false charges, which angered
them. They beat Jeremiah and brought him to the house of Jonathan
the scribe, which had been turned into a prison. They took Jeremiah
down below and threw him into a dungeon cell, where there was little
light and the air was stale. He remained there for several days.
When no one was looking, King Zedekiah had Jeremiah brought
before him. He did this in secret, fearful of angering the princes and
other leaders.
“Is there any word from God?” he asked. “Has He spoken to you
again?”
Jeremiah said, “Yes, He has. God has said that you will be delivered
into the king of Babylon’s hand.
“Now that I have answered you, answer me this: What offense have
I committed against you, your servants or against the people? What
have I done to be thrown into prison? And where are your prophets
who prophesied that the king of Babylon would not attack?
“My lord, I told you what would happen, and now it has come to
pass. Don’t let me go back to that dark, damp dungeon. I don’t want
to die there!”
Zedekiah agreed, though he was not willing to release Jeremiah,
perhaps fearing a confrontation from the princes. Instead, the king
ordered that Jeremiah be moved to the court of the prison, and that he
should receive a daily piece of bread.
The Babylonian army returned and attacked the city, just as Jeremiah
had warned. Everyone inside was trapped. Food became scarce. The
streets were littered with the bodies of those who starved to death. The
dagger-like pains of hunger drove people to do the unthinkable: cannibalism!
Mothers boiled their children for food. And, with so many
people crowded together, sickness and disease began to spread.
Driven by ever-mounting fear and anxiety, Zedekiah vented his
frustrations at Jeremiah. “Why do you continuously prophesy against
us, Jeremiah?” he demanded. “All you ever preach is bad news!”
“I told you that there was a way of escape, my lord, but you refused
to listen. Besides, there is good news.” Jeremiah told the king that, at
God’s direction, he arranged to buy a field in Anathoth from his cousin
Hanameel. Baruch, Jeremiah’s secretary, put the property’s title deeds
in a potter’s jar and buried it in the ground for safekeeping.
“This transaction,” the prophet explained, “symbolizes that, although
Judah and Jerusalem will see utter destruction, there is still hope. God
has pledged to one day return His people to their homeland. They will
possess houses, fields and vineyards, according to their tribes and
families. Judah will flourish again” (Jeremiah 32; 34; 37).
118
Saved From the Pit
The princes of Judah thought that prison was too good for Jeremiah.
“This man should be put to death!” they said to the king. “His words
are treasonous! They weaken the morale of our soldiers and everyone
else in the city. This man doesn’t seek after our welfare—but only our
hurt.”
As he often did, Zedekiah gave in to their demands. “Very well,” he
said weakly, “He’s yours. I can’t stop you.”
The princes took Jeremiah into the dark, dank dungeon of Malchiah,
and let him down into a deep pit.
“Let’s see how long the old man survives,” they laughed, as they
watched the prophet struggle to keep from sinking into the filth and
mire. Jeremiah was alone and cold, without food or drink.
Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs who served in the
king’s house, heard what had happened, and he boldly went to the king.
“My lord, these men
have treated Jeremiah
the prophet with evil,” he
said. “Unless we act now,
God’s servant will either
suffocate in the mire or
starve to death!”
Zedekiah nodded
weakly, and said, “Go
rescue him—and take
30 men with you just in
case anyone tries to stop
you.”
After gathering the
men, the Ethiopian servant
went into the king’s
house under the treasury
and took with him old
clothes and rags. Then he
and his team went to the
pit and let down a rope.
Ebed-Melech shouted
down to Jeremiah, “Put
these old clothes and rags
under your armholes and
119
then put the rope around you. This will keep you from getting hurt as
my men lift you up.”
Jeremiah did just that, and the men pulled together on the rope and
lifted him up. Jeremiah shivered as Ebed-Melech wrapped a blanket
around him.
The prophet was returned to the safer confines of the court of the
prison, where God later told him, “Even though Jerusalem will suffer
horrible, merciless defeat, I will protect Ebed-Melech. He put his trust
in Me, therefore I will deliver him from the sword” (Jeremiah 38:1-13;
39:15-18).
Too Weak to Surrender
Zedekiah had Jeremiah appear before him again, and said, “I will ask
you something. Don’t hide anything from me.”
Jeremiah said, “Why? If I speak the truth, will you not put me to
death? If I give you sound advice, will you listen to me?”
The king nervously looked over both shoulders to see if anyone was
eavesdropping. Satisfied, he whispered, “As surely as the Eternal lives,
I promise not to put you to death, nor will I give you over to those who
seek to kill you.”
Jeremiah looked at the king for a moment, and stared deep into his
eyes. He knew that Zedekiah was a weak leader, and that his word was
as good as stale bread.
But the prophet walked out in faith and said to him, “Thus says the
Eternal Almighty, the God of Israel: ‘If you will surrender to the princes
of Babylon, who are attacking this city at this very moment, then
you will live and Jerusalem will not be engulfed in flames. However,
if you fail to do this, then the Chaldeans shall capture this city and set
it ablaze. And you will be their prisoner.’”
The king thought about this, but he gave in to fear and human reasoning.
“But what of the Jews who deserted over to the Chaldeans’
side? They’ll seize and abuse me.”
“Don’t be afraid of them,” Jeremiah tried to assure him. “They
won’t harm you. My lord, please listen to God’s voice; it’s your only
way of escape. If you refuse, God has judged that the palace women
shall be given to the Babylonian princes. These women shall say that
your so-called friends misled you with bad advice; and now that you’re
trapped with no way of escape, they have deserted you. Your wives and
children will also be given to the Chaldeans, the king of Babylon will
seize you, and Jerusalem shall burn.”
The prophet’s words weighed heavily upon Zedekiah’s troubled
120
mind. He desperately wanted to escape the doom that awaited him, but
his character was too weak to believe God and step out in faith.
The king said, “Don’t repeat this discussion to anyone, and you will
live. However, if the princes hear that I’ve talked with you, they’ll ask
you to tell them what was said—they might even threaten your life.
Whatever happens, don’t tell them what we discussed. Simply say that
you requested that I wouldn’t return you to the dungeon.”
Zedekiah feared those whom he was supposed to lead and allowed
them to rule over him. His lack of true leadership—of standing up for
what was right no matter the consequences—would lead to his downfall
(Jeremiah 38:14-28).
The Fall of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar’s troops eventually broke through Jerusalem’s fortified
walls. As the Babylonians prepared to overrun the city, Zedekiah
and his family, officers and soldiers sneaked out of the city by night
through the broken wall by the king’s garden. They made their escape
into the Kidron Valley and raced through the plains of Jericho, in the
Jordan Valley. But the enemy pursued and quickly overtook them.
Zedekiah was brought to Riblah, where he faced Nebuchadnezzar.
The king of Judah received no mercy that day, for his sons were executed
before his eyes. Sadly, this was the last thing Zedekiah ever saw,
because Nebuchadnezzar had his eyes removed. Zedekiah was carried
off to Babylon blind, defeated and bound in chains. And there he died
in prison.
Nebuchadnezzar executed many other Jewish leaders—Seraiah
the high-priest, Zephaniah the second priest, three doorkeepers of the
temple, a general, five of Zedekiah’s close associates, the chief recruiting
officer of Judah army, and other men.
Nebuchadnezzar had heard good reports about Jeremiah and that
he had told Judah to submit to Babylon. The Babylonian king ordered
Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, to release Jeremiah from prison
and see that no harm came to him.
The Chaldeans removed the scared vessels, utensils and treasures in
God’s temple, along with the treasures of Judah’s royalty. They broke
into pieces the bronze pillars, the carts and the bronze Sea, and carried
their precious metals to Babylon. They set the temple and all the
palaces on fire. They also broke down the walls of Jerusalem, leaving
it defenseless.
Of the few who escaped being killed by the military, they were carried
away to Babylon as slaves. But the poor and unskilled were left
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behind to tend the vineyards and farm the fields. Nebuzaradan made
Gedaliah, the grandson of Shaphan, the new governor over the land,
and assigned him to take good care of Jeremiah.
For the next 70 years, the land finally enjoyed its Sabbath-rest, just
as God has foretold through Jeremiah the prophet (II Chronicles 36:11-
21; II Kings 24:17-20; 25; Jeremiah 39; 52:1-30).
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THE STORY OF THE BIBLE has covered much in seven volumes: the
creation of Adam and Eve; Noah and the Great Flood; the call
of Abraham and the promises God made to him; the perseverance of
Jacob and Joseph; God delivering Israel out of Egypt; the carnal-minded
Israelites constantly complaining and rebelling against God in the
wilderness; inheriting the Promised Land; the fall of Jericho; the chaotic
times of the judges; the tragic life of Saul; the righteous example
of King David; the wisdom of Solomon; Israel and Judah splitting into
separate kingdoms; the idolatrous history of the house of Israel; the
wicked and righteous reigns of Judah’s kings; the strong warnings of
God’s prophets; the fall of Samaria and Jerusalem.
But the story does not end with Israel and Judah’s demise. Though
God warned His people of His coming wrath, He also gave them a
tremendous message of hope.
Identifying Sign
With the rise of the Babylonian Empire, many Assyrians left their
homeland, taking with them their Israelite slaves. Together, they
eventually migrated into northwestern Europe.
In Exodus 31, God established a special Sabbath covenant
between Himself and Israel. The Sabbath identifies the one true God
of the universe and His true worshippers. (Observing the Sabbath
does not automatically make someone a servant of God—yet all of
God’s true servants keep that day holy.) As long as the Israelites
remembered and observed the Sabbath, they would remember their
national identity and the God they served.
Nonetheless, the house of Israel had stopped keeping God’s
Sabbath, annual holy days and feasts long before going into captivity.
When the Israelites became Assyrian slaves, they took on
the pagan customs, practices and traditions of their masters. And
because they no longer kept the Sabbath, the Israelites eventually
EPILOGUE
A MESSAGE OF HOPE
123
lost their national identity. They began to believe that they were
Gentiles.
Yet, this did not happen with the people of Judah. The Jews, for
the most part, remembered to keep the Sabbath. This enabled them
to hold on to their national identity during their 70 years of captivity,
and after their release, when they returned to Judah.
Today, all nations know who the Jews are. But what about
the Israelites? Did they blend into Gentile nations and eventually
become lost to history? For years, men have created various theories
of who the descendants of the house of Israel are today.
God promised that He would make through Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob the greatest company of nations the world would ever see, and
the single most powerful nation in the history of mankind (Genesis
35:10-13). Together, they would control the seagates of the earth,
giving them the ultimate military and economic advantages over
all other nations. These birthright blessings were to be inherited by
Ephraim and Manasseh, the two sons of Joseph (Genesis 48). The
Bible reveals that God cannot lie (Titus 1:1; Hebrews 6:18), therefore
He must have kept His promise.
History shows that there are only two nations that ever lived up
to Ephraim and Manasseh’s prophetic description: the globe-spanning
British Empire (with Britain leading Canada, Australia, South
Africa, New Zealand and other countries) and the United States of
America. These two great world-ruling powers, along with most of
northwestern Europe, are the modern-day descendants of the “lost
ten tribes” of the house of Israel!
Even more amazing, the overwhelming majority of these modern-
day Israelites do not even know who they are! They have no idea
that they have benefited from the greatest national inheritance God
has ever given. This is because, like their ancient ancestors, they do
not uphold the special Sabbath covenant of Exodus 31, which identifies
God and His people.
Biblical Prophecy
One third of the Bible is prophecy, but only about ten percent of
prophesied events have come to pass—leaving 90 percent of biblical
prophecy yet to be fulfilled.
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and other prophets of God
preached that incredible disaster would come upon Israel and Judah.
This did happen. But the curses that ancient Israel suffered were only
a type of the ultimate catastrophe—“the time of Jacob’s trouble”
124
(Jeremiah 30:7)—that awaits the United States, Britain, Canada and
all other Israelite nations. The prophecies recorded in God’s Word are
actually for the modern-day descendants of Israel, who are committing
the same sins that their forefathers had done: idolatry, Sabbathbreaking,
preaching lies in God’s name, perverting justice, stealing,
committing murder, etc. (Our book AMERICA AND BRITAIN IN BIBLE
PROPHECY explains this in great detail.) That is the bad news.
However, there is also GOOD NEWS just over the horizon!
A Message of Hope
Just as God preserved ancient Israel and Judah through their punishment,
He will also preserve the modern-day Israelites through the
greatest time of tribulation just ahead. God will make a new covenant
with the remnant of His people, and will give them His Spirit. Their
stubborn hearts will change. They will no longer rebel against their
Creator. Then they will lead the Gentile nations around the world as
a model example in the wonderful world tomorrow (Jeremiah 31:31-
34).
To help Him do this, God has called a select few (true Christians)
who are qualifying for positions of leadership. The Eternal has put His
Holy Spirit within their minds, converting their carnal nature into His
divine nature. This is a lifelong process involving many tests and trials.
A true Christian must learn to conquer the pulls and temptations of (1)
human reasoning and the desires of the flesh, (2) Satan the devil, and
(3) society. He must strive to obey God and please Him by growing in
the fruits of His Spirit (love, joy, peace, patient longersuffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness and self-control – Galatians 5:22-23).
His goal is to mature to the point that he will no longer lie, steal, murder,
covet—SIN—no matter what trials, temptations and troubles he
might face.
Those who overcome, building God’s holy, righteous character
within them, will be changed into Spirit Beings when Jesus Christ
returns to set up God’s government upon the earth.
That government—the KINGDOM OF GOD—will teach all men,
women and children the right way to live. It will finally bring an end
to all wars and establish lasting peace. It will replace poverty with
prosperity. It will restore true justice, fairness and integrity in place
of injustice and lawlessness. God’s kingdom, with its headquarters at
Jerusalem, will lead humanity into a glorious and happy new age.
The underlining theme of THE STORY OF THE BIBLE shows that carnal-
minded human beings cannot direct their own paths. They need
help from their Creator (Proverbs 14:12; Jeremiah 10:23-24). The
Eternal plans to give mankind this help, according to His timetable.
The lifelong examples of Abraham, Moses, David, Hezekiah and
other righteous servants show that God will help those who put His
Way first. This is the only path to true happiness and success—a path
that all people must one day take.
Copyright © 2005 The Restored Church of God
All Rights Reserved
Printed in the USA
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USA
The Restored Church of God
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Phone: (330) 334-2266
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www.TheRCG.org
e-mail: info@TheRCG.org
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BY THE RESTORED CHURCH
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