The Bible in a Year – 16 April (Easter Day)

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16 April (Easter Day). 1 Kings chapters 10-11

One of the lessons of history is that no empire lasts for ever. The history of every part of the world records rebellions, revolutions, invasions and any number of other causes of the breaking up of whatever empire, kingdom or federation has been built over previous generations.  Here we see the beginning of the fall of the federation of the tribes of Israel that David had so ably brought together under God’s guidance.

 

Another well known saying is that “pride comes before a fall”. Like many English sayings it has a Biblical origin, Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall”. But it is universally recognised as true and was probably a saying long before it was collected in the book of Proverbs.

 

These two lessons, along with God’s repeated warnings in the Bible about the risks of intermarriage, come together in today’s readings.  Solomon becomes exceedingly wealthy as well as very wise. There is nothing wrong in that as such, as clever people do tend to become rich. However it is difficult to become rich without it being at someone else’s expense somewhere in the world, and Jesus and his apostles said a lot about the dangers of wealth as a distraction from serving God faithfully.

 

While the book of Samuel does not criticise Solomon for his wealth, it does criticise him for another aspect of his reign, which is his many foreign wives.  Polygamy is not the issue, as at this time it was still common for men of power to have a harem.  The problem lies with the fact that they are mostly non-Jews, and gradually lead Solomon astray from worshipping the one true God, into idolatry.  Most religions are critical of intermarriage for this very reason, that it is difficult to love someone and at the same time distance yourself from their belief.   This can work both ways, of course: while St Paul cautions Christians not to marry outside the faith, he also says of those who are converted while married that they should stay together: “Wife, for all you know, you might save your husband. Husband, for all you know, you might save your wife” (1 Corinthians 7:16)

 

In Solomon’s case, though, the consequences are much worse than the break-up of a marriage, or his own falling away from faith in God.  Rather, as the head of the nation of Israel, his own apostasy marks the beginning of the end of the nation. God speaks through a prophet to Jeroboam (not to be confused with Solomon’s son Rehoboam  who would succeed him) that he would become leader of ten of the eleven tribes, with only Judah remaining under the control of David’s dynasty.

 

Let us pray for our own political and faith leaders, that they may not be led astray either by the temptations of wealth and power, or the influence of their families or anyone else who would lead them astray from wise and just rule.

 

Happy Easter!

The Bible in a Year – 15 April

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15 April. 1 Kings chapters 8-9

After completing the temple, there was (of course) a great week-long celebration to dedicate it. It’s a natural human instinct to celebrate the successful completion of anything, whether a course of study or the construction of a large building; or indeed a life well lived. The Jews seem to have a particular knack for celebrating well, and their festival of Hanukah in December still recalls the dedication of the temple (the later one, not Solomon’s).

 

But before the feasting starts (someone had to eat the meat of the 120,000 sheep and 20,000 cattle that were sacrificed!) the high point is Solomon’s dedication sermon recorded here in full. Although we are not told here what he was wearing, a look back at the provisions in the book of Leviticus will tell us about the finery of his robes – and remember he was king as well as high priest, for the people of Israel had demanded that their spiritual leader should also have the title and function of a king.

 

The speech alternates between addressing God and addressing the gathered people. Solomon kneels before the altar and the ark of the covenant, which symbolise the presence of God, though he acknowledges that God is everywhere, and asks God to bless those who keep his laws, and forgive those who repent when they have sinned. Then he turns to the people, reminds them of the promises that God keeps, and exhorts them to keep the laws.

 

That is essentially the role of a priest, or any minister of religion – to be an intermediary between God and humanity. From time to time, Christians have argued about what we should call the leaders of our communities and what their function should be – are they ‘priests’ fulfilling a Solomon-like function to which they have a special calling, or in recognition of the risen Christ’s role as a permanent high priest for us in heaven, should we just call them ‘ministers’ or ‘pastors’ and treat them as brothers and sisters on equal terms?

 

You can still find both attitudes, even within my denomination (Church of England). In one church you may find a ‘priest’ dressed in essentially Roman robes, standing before the altar conducting the ‘mass’ that (apart from translation) has changed little since Roman times and where Solomon might feel at home, in others a ‘pastor’ in contemporary clothes facilitating a joyful gathering in which people of all ages and genders share in the teaching and prayers.  But whatever you call your church leader, and however he (or she) dresses, their role is to assist you in worship and living God’s way, or as Jesus put it, in “loving God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength, and your neighbour as yourself”.

 

 

The Bible in a Year – 14 April (Good Friday)

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14 April. 1 Kings chapters 6-7

In these chapters, Solomon arranges the building of his great Temple, which takes seven years, and his even bigger palace, which takes thirteen.  The furnishings of these, especially the Temple, are described in great detail.

 

The Temple in its three versions – this first one, the rebuilt one after the Exile, and finally Herod’s Temple that Jesus knew – would be the central focus of religious life in Israel/Judah for the best part of a thousand years.   There is no longer a central Temple for either Jews or Christians. But its symbolism continues in Christianity – for example the plan of many Catholic and Anglican churches with narthex, nave, chancel and altar sanctuary  deliberately echoes the plan of the temple, and some church fonts are made to resemble the “sea” or large basin of water in the nave of the temple.

 

Today (as I write this) is Good Friday 2017, the most solemn day of the Christian year when Jesus died for our sins.  One of the ‘crimes’ for which he was condemned was the blasphemous claim that he would destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days.  What he meant was that in his death, he would instantly put an end to the the purpose of the Temple (indeed its curtain that kept ordinary people away from the holiest part of the shrine was miraculously torn down at the moment of his death), and on the third day when he rose from the dead he himself would become the temple for us.

 

The Christian understanding is that Jesus replaced the temple, a central place of prayer by priests on behalf of the people, as the way to God, for he was God incarnate, and he “lives for all time to make intercession for us”. He replaced it as the location where God can be encountered, for we can know his presence at any time. He replaced the function of its altars for making sacrifice for sin, for he himself became the ultimate sacrifice.

 

This week, Jews have celebrated the Passover and Christians prepare to celebrate Easter – these are really two versions of the same story of God’s saving love.  But one led, after over five hundred years, to a man-made temple in which God’s love for Israel could be remembered and kept sacred.  The other instantly opened up God’s love to the whole world for ever.

 

May you have a blessed day and look forward to the celebration on Sunday.

The Bible in a Year – 13 April

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13 April. 1 Kings chapters 3-5

What do you give the man who has everything?  Here we read of the vision in which God offers Solomon anything he wants.  Instead of anything material, he asks for wisdom to make him a good ruler.  That was to be the foundation for an astonishing kingship.  Almost immediately (if the stories here are in their right order) he gives what is perhaps his most famous judgement, ruling that of two women who argue who is a child’s mother, the one willing to part with him rather than see him come to harm is the right one. Sadly, as we all know from the tragedies of “Bay Peter” and others like him, there are still those parents who are willing to let their children be harmed, or even abuse them themselves.

 

Solomon’s wisdom, we are told, extends beyond wise law-giving, as he was a great naturalist, philosopher and song writer. Such polymaths (people who excel in many aspects of human knowledge and experience) are rare, but greatly to be valued.

 

Solomon then begins his life’s great work – the building of a great temple in Jerusalem as a permanent replacement for the tabernacle tent of the Exodus years.  Much of the rest of the book will be taken up with it, just as the great cathedrals of Europe took a lifetime or more to complete. Like them, construction required vast numbers of masons, joiners and other craftsmen.  Interestingly,  although this is to be the great place for worship for the Israelites, Solomon not only accepts but seeks the skills of foreign workers, in this case the Sidonians and Lebanese.  Let those who seek to reduce immigration in our own day take note!

 

The Bible in a Year – 12 April

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12 April. 1 Kings chapters 1-2

Although the last book – 2 Samuel – ended with what were said to be the last words and deeds of King David, this one backtracks slightly to tell us more about the end of David’s life, and in particular the argument among his sons for the succession.  Politics, like nature, abhors a vacuum, and when a long reign comes to an end there is often a power struggle.  In this instance, Solomon who was David’s choice from among his sons eventually claims the throne, but not before his brother Adonijah has led a briefly successful rebellion.    Chapter 1, verses 38-39 have become probably the best known quote from this book thanks to Handel’s magnificent musical setting of the words – “Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed Solomon King. And all the people rejoiced, and said: God save the King! Long live the King! May the King live for ever, Amen, Alleluia”.

 

David shows his peaceful inclination right to the end, leaving instructions for several men who have served him well over the years to be shown favour by his successor.  But Solomon, although he has gone down in history as a wise leader, resorts to violence at the start of his reign and soon finds excuses to get rid of them as well as Adonijah.

The Bible in a Year – 11 April

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11 April. 2 Samuel 22-24

The first two chapters of today’s reading appear to bring David’s life nearly to a close, following his retirement from active military command.  First, in chapter 22, there is what is best described as a psalm, in the same tradition as many others in that book attributed to David.  This one, which we might term “Psalm Zero”, has been a fertile source of imagery for prayer, hymn and song writers down the centuries.  “I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, so shall I be saved from my enemies”; “his chariots of wrath the deep thunder clouds form, and dark is his path on the wings of the storm”; “lighten our darkness, Lord, we pray”; “the Lord liveth, blessed be my rock, and may the God of my salvation be exalted” – these lines and many others owe their inspiration to this song of praise to a God whose presence David had always recognised, in good times and bad.

 

After that are what are described as David’s last words (23:1-7), again in poetic form and praising God’s inspiration and help.  After that comes a tribute to the three military leaders who had formed his immediate ‘cabinet’ and thirty others who had achieved renown – we could think of them as the “Knights of the Garter”. The list must date back to earlier in David’s reign, though, as it includes Uriah the Hittite whom David had arranged to be killed.

 

But David’s life is not yet over, and he receives what he takes to be God’s instruction to take a census of fighting men.  Yet he is then told that this displeases God (presumably as it represents putting one’s trust in military force and not God’s help) and is given an unwelcome choice of three punishments, from which he chooses a pestilence in the land.  At the close of chapter 24 he sees the destroying angel on the threshing floor of the Jebusite (i.e. in Jerusalem), where the plaque stops before reaching the capital, and he erects an altar there in thanksgiving.  Tradition has it that this is the same site as where Abraham was about to sacrifice his son Isaac before God intervened by providing a ram; and the same site on which the holiest place of the Jerusalem Temple, and later the Al-Aqsa mosque, would eventually be sited.  It has therefore become a sacred site both to Jews and Muslims; less so to Christians for whom Jerusalem was the centre of a mission outwards to the world rather than a focus for inward pilgrimage.

The Bible in a Year – 10 April

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10 April. 2 Samuel chapters 19-21

There is a lot in these few chapters, in which David’s fortunes wax and wane.  It is no wonder that by the time of the several battles against the Philistine ‘giants’ in chapter 21, which must have reminded him of his own defeat of Goliath when he was much younger, David ‘grows weary’ and is advised no longer to take on active military service. All those who have been energetic in youth must sooner or later recognise that their sporting or  fighting days are over and they must find fulfilment in other ways.

 

Along the way, we see once again David’s genius for reconciliation, making peace with Shimei who not long ago had opposed him, as well as rewarding loyal supporters.  But in the argument between the men of Judah and those of the other ten tribes about who was most loyal to David, we see the beginnings of the split between the ‘north’ and ‘south’ that would come to dominate the next few centuries.

 

Between these two incidents comes the brief rebellion of Sheba, another failed coup attempt in which heavy casualties on both sides are avoided by the cunning of one unnamed woman of Abel, who persuades the besieging army commander Joab that having someone inside the city to murder Sheba and prove it by giving up his head, would be better than holding out against the siege.  This is far from the first time in the Bible that a woman has been key to stopping a conflict.

The Bible in a Year – 9 April

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9 April. 2 Samuel chapters 16-18

David is fleeing from Jerusalem with three regiments, knowing that his son Absalom is coming with many more to usurp him.   These chapters show some of the attitudes that made David a great king, notwithstanding his personal sins.

 

As he flees he is met by two people whose attitudes could not be more opposed.  Ziba (on behalf of his master Mephibosheth) comes out in peace to bring food and wine for the troops.  Shimei, a follower of David’s former adversary Saul, curses and throws stones at him.  But David restrains his men from attacking Shimei. David’s humility recognises that maybe this is actually a word from God, criticising him for his own failures.  Recognising that some criticism is justified is a mark of maturity.

 

Meanwhile back in Jerusalem, Absalom is given advice on military strategy from two trusted advisers, who give different options on how best to capture David.  He follows Hushai’s advice, which we are told was the Lord’s plan.   When a battle ensues, David’s troops are victorious.  But even when faced with his son’s army, David gives orders to the commanders not to kill Absalom himself.  Joab is the one who finds him, helplessly stuck in a tree (the story of the donkey walking on and leaving him hanging there is one of the Bible’s most comic images!).  Joab ignores his orders and kills Absalom.  Why? The stories of British troops in Iraq who killed the insurgents they were meant to be detaining peacefully remind us that in the heat of battle, emotions and the instinct for vengeance often overcome rules and rationality.

 

David, when he hears of his son’s death, does not rejoice as he would if it were the ruler of an enemy who had been killed, but rather weeps for his son. He seems to have regarded Absalom’s rebellion as the folly of youth rather than a serious  revolt.

The Bible in a Year – 8 April

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8 April.  2 Samuel chapters 14-15.

More stories of deception from the house of David.  His son Absalom (who had fled the country after killing his half-brother Amnon) is brought back, but only after the army commander Joab persuades someone to tell a story about a similar situation); and after a while David eventually reconciles him.   But immediately Absalom starts plotting a coup against his father, gathering followers around him to crown him the pretender king at the old capital of Hebron.  David fears that this revolt will be successful and leaves the city with all his retinue, leaving only a few servants with instructions to leak any news to him.

 

An interesting figure in this is Ittai the Gittite who appears to be a non-Jew who had entered the King’s service some time before, and now insists on staying with him in dangerous times, despite being offered his freedom.  In this he is like Ruth, the Moabite woman whose better-known story is a Bible book in itself, who insisted on living with the Jewish family of her late husband and is a symbol for all those who convert to faith in God, leaving their own towns and families behind in doing so.

The Bible in a Year – 7 April

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7 April. 2 Samuel chapters 11-13

These chapters contain two incidents of sexual violence, each of which results in an arranged killing.  First, King David takes a neighbour’s wife and makes her pregnant, an act which h the prophet Nathan compares with seizing a poor man’s lamb, and then he arranges for her husband to be killed to prevent any revenge, with other soldiers being unnecessarily put in danger, what the media would now call ‘collateral damage’.  It is usually thought that Psalm 51, a song of heartfelt repentance (best known in Allegri’s setting ‘miserere’), is David’s act of contrition for his own sins, and he also fasts and prays for seven days in vain when his illegitimate son falls ill.  It seems that God did not want this boy taking his place as the king’s firstborn and therefore heir to the throne; instead God had plans for David and Bathsheba’s second child, Solomon, who would become a great king.

 

Uriah was the innocent party in all this – he did nothing wrong, indeed insisted on sleeping rough like his troops rather than in the comfort of his own city home, and willingly led his men into the heat of battle, dying without the knowledge that the king had already taken his wife.  But if all this had not happened, Solomon would not have been born.  We may not always know what good might come for others out of our own misfortunes in life.

 

Then (presumably many years later when his children are teenagers) within David’s own family one of his other sons rapes his sister and is later killed by his half-brother in revenge. Unlike David, he does not seem to repent of his sin.  This is an even darker episode in the royal history. Incest is still an unspoken taboo, a sin and crime in virtually all societies, though it undoubtedly occurs, and splits families apart if it becomes known.