Kings: Recent Comments

Comment on 13 Mar 1st Kings 9 - 11

Sam — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:01:11 GMT

All those women!!! He must have had a hard time to find time to spend enought time with each of them to even enjoy them! With all the luxuries and talents God had given him, why would he have so many women for sex (and other things)? Why, when a man is far wealthier than others, succumb to such stupid desires as to have that many women in his sexual life? And people around him MUST HAVE known that he had all these women...why didn't they show him the error of his ways?

I'll bet you thought I was talking about King Solomon up above. No. I was referring to Tiger Woods.

Simply amazing how rich people act. Both Solomon and Tiger had wealth far beyond that of a 'normal' man, yet they both fell to the entices of women. I guess money will make you do strange things, as the Bible DOES say that the love of money is the kroot of all evil.

As you read the story of Solomon (and his 1000 women), stop and reflect on what YOU have, and how YOU use your many gifts from God. Do you squander it needlessly in immoral ways, or do you try to use it for the good of others?

Headed to Florida to visit relatives for the day....will be back tomorrow evening (you won't see my next blog until late tomorrow). Hope all enjoy the weekend.

God is Great!

Comment on 12 Mar 1st Kings 5 - 8

Sam Brown — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:59:27 GMT

Wow....those structures must have been magnificent! From The Temple, to the Palaces Solomon had constructed, everything was grandiose in its design and implementation. Solomon prayed to God to 'come visit'. He wanted a 'place' for God to rule/judge the people of Israel. And it seems, that God obliged. I did like Solomon's comment, however, when he said "But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!.." God does not need a Temple, or even a church building today, in order to 'rule' over His kingdom. He can most certainly do it from 'wherever He is'. But, I think that The Temple was more for the people than for God. This was the place people (well, priests, anyway) could actually interface with God. Remember, at that time, Jesus had not been sent to earth to be 'our Temple'. We can speak 'to' God, per se, through the once-humanly Temple, Jesus. Folks in Solomon's time did not have that luxury. So, when people say that you MUST GO TO CHURCH to be near God, I say, "pish-posh"....one can be near God ANYTIME and ANY PLACE one truly wishes to be. There are, of course, certain 'requirements' for one to 'be near God'...and that includes becoming one of His children. We are all taught how that is supposed to be done. Now, on the flip side of this coin, church-going IS important...not to talk to God, but to WORSHIP Him. And, from church, one gets help. Help by becoming closer to others with the same goal. People who can help by being a discipler, a counselor, and friend. Church also can inspire one to spend the rest of the week doing things FOR God---to get one's heart right for being a better Christian. REQUIRED? NO. CRITICAL? YES!
Anyway, that's my take on 'The Temple' and its original design and use...what's yours?

God is great!

Comment on 11 Mar 1st Kings 1 - 4

Sam — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:43:24 GMT

So comes the deathof David, and the rise of Solomon. Of course, Adinijah had HIS plans, which were thwarted by Bathsheba and Nathan. They 'reminded' David that David said Solomon would be king, so it was done and Adinijah then did something really stupid (I guess). He wanted Abishag, the beautiful virgin who attended David (but didn't have sex with him), as his wife. For some reason, that really offended Solomon, so he had Adinijah killed. Why? Idon't know, but it must have been bad joo-joo to ask for virgin who once attended to a king! Then later on we see the famous story of SOlomon getting not only wisdom and discernment to help him rule his people, but also riches beyond compare (and he didn't even ASK for those). Lots of sermons have come from that story. Do you have one?

God is Great!

Comment on 10 Mar 2nd Sam 21 - 24

Sam — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:19:20 GMT

Mighty Men. First three, then four, then 30, then 37. Start with something, and get a whole lot of everything. I thought the story about the three MM who went through battle lines to get David some water, to be a bit strange on David's part. He was not appreciative of what they had done, but simply poured out the water and told God that far be it for him to enjoy the water when the three MM had risked their lives to get it. I thought the best gesture would be to drink it, and thank the MM in some way, instead of making their dangerous task look to them like a wasted effort.
Oh well....

David had quite a song to God, didn't he? He praised God throughout, calling Him his rock, his fortress. Is that how you feel God is to you? Is He someone you can lean on in times of trouble? Is He someone you can thank profusely when you have so much He has given you? Is He the one you turn to when in distress and need barriers to the outside world? If not, He ought to be. God is definitely all of that, and more.

I enjoyed the books of Samuel, but now look forward to my favorite 'story' books, 1st and 2nd Kings. See ya tomorrow!

God id Great!

Comment on 9 Mar 2nd Sam 15 - 20

Sam — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:22:45 GMT

Rather lengthy reading this morning. And because I haven't taken the time to study it, kinda confusing, as well.
David fears his son Absalam when Absalam gets a bunch of people to follow him and recognize HIM as King. David runs and hides. David's men go find Absalam in battle, and kill him while he's stuck in a tree (head got caught there when riding his mule!). David laments; Joab and the other men who killed Absalam get fearful. David imprisons his concubines who Absalam had sex with in order to 'bring a stench' to his father David. Why this was done is beyond me...treated the concubines like it was THEIR fault. Then more squabbling and fighting, and David returns toward home after fleeing when Absalam first declared himself the new king.
What do I get out of today's assignment? Not too much. Again, lotsa killing, and once again, I ask God, 'Why?'. What good does it do God to see 'his children' fighting and killing each other all the time. I don't know when the earth was at peace. Probably never since Adam and Eve (before the fruit incident). The Bible mentions there was peace 'in all the land' once or twice along the way, but I bet there was killing still going on. Satan was given (and I don't know why) free reign over the earth...I wish God would pull him back.

Well, only 22 more days to go without alcohol. Been tough lately has I caught a cold and a cough, which I have always sworn I avoid by taking a shot of whiskey (or 2) as these first come on. This time, however, I relied on medicines, and they only help, they don't STOP the cold. Anyway, 22 more.

God is Great!

Comment on 8 Mar 2nd Sam 13 & 14

Sam — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:55:54 GMT

Well, we now have rape and incest in one. Why God, oh why God, do You allow satan to have such reign amongst us. My prayer this morning, Oh my God, is that You will pull in the reins of the devil and let mankind have an easier path to come to You. Every day we see the results of Lucifer's works...every week we discover on the news of the evil he brings amonst us. It is simply not fair, oh Lord, to make us live this way. I know You have the power to stop him....I pray You do so. Amen.

You are great!

Comment on 7 Mar 2nd Sam 11 & 12

Sam — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 13:17:56 GMT

"Well, YUH!???" That's what came to mind when I read the account of David making sure Urian was killed in battle so he could take Bathsheba as his wife, and the last sentence said, "But the thing David had done displeased the LORD." What do YOU think? Did David act honorably by 1-watching a woman bathe, 2-sleep with, and get pregnant, a married woman, 3-try to make it up to Uriah by letting him out of battle for a day to spend at home, and 4, having Uriah killed in the next battle so Bathsheba could be his.?

WHAT A DECEIVER....of COURSE God disapproved (was displeased) of what David did. Simply amazing. David must have surely found favor with God before this, otherwise, I would think God would be a slightly more ticked off than just being 'displeased'.

When we do stupid things, when we sin, is God displeased or does He become angry? As we probably aren't in the SAME graces as David was, I'd dare say He'd become very irate. But, thanks to Jesus, one of the 'other' parts of God, He remains only displeased. Jesus already died for our sins, so why WOULD God get mad? But I sure do believe He gets displeased.

The next chapter tells about how Nathan scolds (we use the word rebuke) David for what he did. He starts off with "You are the man."...well, yuh!, he IS the King and all, but hardly a 'good man'. So, Nathan takes it upon himself to tell his king (of course, after being sent by God) that he acted unwisely and that God would punish him. So, as the story goes, David repents, but that does not prevent David's kid by 'bathing sheba', I mean, Bathsheba, being struck down by God. Then, as any 'good' man would do, David has sex with Bathsheba again and this time gives birth to a son who will become much more powerful and admired than his father. After that, David went on again his merry way killing peoples.

Strange how God works, isn't it. David gets punished because he killed one guy, but is encouraged by God when he kills many 'enemies'. Will never figure that out.

Anyway, hope all have an enjoyable Sunday.
God IS Great!

Comment on 6 March 2nd Sam 8 - 10

Sam — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 13:36:03 GMT

Well, here we go....MORE fighting, and killing. Anyone reading about David would surely think this man is a Hitler. After defeating the Moabites, those he captured, he had lie down on the ground to determine who he would slaughter in cold blood. Every two lengths of a cord he had cut was laid over them to determine who would live and who would die. And this was AFTER the battle. Guess there was no Geneva Convention rules back then.
The story of Ziba was kinda wierd to be put in this chapter of killing. David showed an act of kindness to a member of Saul's family (Saul's grandson, Ziba) who was crippled in both feet (yet still had 15 sons of his own...guess women back then didn't care about men's physiques (or they were prostitutes anyway)...).
Again, a strange story to be placed in the middle of fighting and killing.
I DO have trouble with reading about all this mayhem in a book supposedly inspired by God. How can a God make men do such atrocities? Killing men, women and children, not to mention all the animals they slaughtered when the captured a bunch of foreigners. (PETA would have a hey-day today!!!). So, how am I supposed to think better of God when I read of all this butchery? I can see it all change when Jesus came to earth....Jesus, God, says to turn the other cheek, and treat even your enemies with kindness. Well, God sure didn't demonstrate that same behavior in these war stories, now did He? Why?
I can see why some peoples don't like our Bible.

Anyway, I know that God has reasons for what He does, I just don't yet realize what those were when all this killing took place. And I also know, no matter what I don't understand, is that...
God is Great!

Comment on 4 Mar 2 Sam 1:1-4:12 Big boys don't cry

Dustin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:36:20 GMT

dont understand why he killed ol boy for doing what saul asked. was it because he was an alien?

Comment on 5 Mar 2 Sam 5:1 - 7:29

Sam — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 11:13:44 GMT

Well, I didn't get a chance to blog yesterday, nor read, but I'll catch up today. 2nd Samuel is a great book, so can't wait.
Just read the first 7 chapters, but now have to go---ear appt at the VA....I'll write about these chapters later today.

Hope all are enjoying God's favor.

God is Great!