With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus. Luke 1: 3
In an article on “Evangelizing the Upper Class’, Ellen White asked the pertinent question, ‘We talk and write much about the neglected poor, should some attention not also be given to the neglected rich?’ Social stratification may create social barriers, but the preaching of the gospel is to every creature social barrier, but the preaching of the gospel is to every creature – nobles and commoners. The upper class in every society is usually composed of men and women of power and influence.
they are often neglected in the area of evangelism for personal and social reasons.
Our text educates us on the need to reach out to the people in the upper echelons in the society. Luke wrote this epistle primarily to Theophilus. seen also in Acts 1. Theophilus, a noble man, an influential personality in that society. The first thing to note is the commonality of the preacher and his audience. The letter was written by Luke, the beloved physician (Colossians 4: 14) to ‘most excellent Theophilus’, whose title suggests that he was a member of the upper class or a noble.
Luke, judging from his profession, was not a poor man or a nonentity. The first lesson is that the members of the upper class should intensify the efforts to reach out to their peers.
The second lesson is the choice of appropriate method of teaching/evangelism. Luke wrote an epistle to Theophilus. The strategy is still appropriate to reach the nobles or members of the upper class who most likely live in gated estates and government reserved areas. Many of them also travel frequently. The privilege of letter writing in this digital age is limitless as distance is no longer a barrier.
Our text also outlines the qualities of a good soul-winner. He or She must be soundly converted, well-informed, persuaded and have competence to present the gospel convincingly.
Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. - Luke 9:26-27
There is a case between a bus driver and a car owner, that happened on my way to work. The bus guy sort of jammed the car owner badly behind his car. Knowing he could not pay for the guy’s car repair, the bus owner had to beg for mercy with the car owner, there was an uproar as people expected the owner of the car to forgive as he was richer this time not in love but in monetary value.
Grace comes at a cost to someone else. The guy with the bashed car was going to have to use his money and time to repair a car damaged by someone else because he had decided to forgive, while the bus driver is to go remembering he had been shown mercy and he should do the same to others. Sometimes, we also forget that the grace of God comes at an expense of Christ suffering that we never care to ponder on the sufferings of others as long as we are free.
Grace truly is made available, so we can see God’s love clearly. Grace is at the expense of Christ suffering; every time we receive Grace it is at the expense of Christ dwelling in another to suffer for another!
and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Hebrew 6:6
He was already hunged, in rags and thorns despised by men because he chooses to forgive us and love us. And when we don’t understand this, it’s very comfortable for us to go on subjecting God to public disgrace.
This is why some Christians deny the Christian belief, because they are ashamed of being associated with Gods word. It’s like a man who is ashamed of his car or his wife. Christ is our very identity. Once we tell people we are ashamed of Christ, it means we are not certain of his love, and we fear being associated with him. Simon Peter did this when he denied Jesus, he was ashamed to be associated with Jesus when they were crucifying him but vouched his love for him at the table.
If we are ashamed of Christ, that is who we are; we can stand for him and there is fear in us to be able to defend him, and fear is weakness. In fact, if we are ashamed of anyone, we cannot love them. Some tell me wait, and I’m like that a position I can do but as wait while you do what! When we wait on God it is expectancy and holiness, so faith moves from fear. But when we sin it born out unbelief and fear and that is not faith. Yes, we all fail and stumble but do we continue in sin so grace may abound.
As we preach the gospel of Christ, some say we should wait for them to mature and that’s valid. But if the bridegroom cometh and we have no oil as we wait, what do we do. Plus, we wait in the presence of God, where our strength doesn’t grow weary and walking or standing doesn’t make us faint. We don’t wait outside the presence of God. So, then we can wait for people to mature but there is a harvest and field ready for soul, which the laborers are few and the harvest of souls requires oil in our lamp. A thing that if we are ashamed of the gospel of Christ how can there be oil in our lamp. Let us examine ourselves today.
The love is long-suffering, it is kind, the love doth not envy, the love doth not vaunt itself, is not puffed up. 1 Corinthians 13: 4
When I was young, we played a game called “Mario” in a friend’s place. He had a brother called “Luigi” by the way. And these characters had what they called “Lives”. The lives they had was an indication of when they fell into traps or pit or the enemy’s hands and die. So, one had to have fallen or failed a number of times before you actually die. Now the knowledge of the player that when your life is getting shorter and shorter you panic, and most times make mistake. So, I saw the less you panic and remained focused you’d eventually not lose your life.
When we can so confident, we can walk with our abilities we fall. 1 Corinthians 10: 12
Now, we call this phenomenon in the bible spiritual life’s, it’s not seen but it exists. Luigi and Mario cannot see the lives they have left but we the controller see it. similarly, we do not see the mercy of God, but God shows us anyway when we recover lives on the way, do some good deeds to pick up more hearts and increase our life span. So, now the knowledge that God sees our lives means he more capable of warning us when we are headed to the wrong path. we seldom take this for granted because he is patient and therefore enduring long in suffering towards our SINS.
How so, God is not willing that anyone should perish, When God told Adam that the day he sinned he would die. It is true, the day Mario falls he dies and loses lives. But then Adam was not conscious of his sin yet because the knowledge of sin had not dawned on him. Children are like that; they sometimes don’t know that they are sinning until you make them know it’s bad for them. Genesis 2: 17. So, because its ignorant sin, it doesn’t count so to speak against man because he does not know. So, Adam lived 930 years. So, more knowledge more sorrow as Solomon said; why we now open to our human condition. But when the law came through Moses the knowledge of sin was revived so man knew he was in sin man’s years reduced to 120 years. This is why the Lord asks us to be wise to what is good and simple to that which is evil. Because the day you know sin from people around you, if you are not willing to kill your flesh you will do sin, leading you to death. Now, Adam did not die immediately because back then the knowledge of sin is not as much as now. So, he lived 930 years. He death spiritually as with Mario’s case was slow because he did not know sin and fall often. By the time we reach Moses era we had passed Noah where man’s knowledge of sin had greatly increased. So, the law was brought to make man see his sin’s hoping he’d repent but this was not effective as man’s heart had not changed. Yielding more sins, so even the best in the bible had sins, showing mankind’s inability to hold or help himself from sin.
New International Version in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last. 1 Thessalonians 2: 16
So, some people are like Mario who keep falling but sometimes they do good to increase their life span and return back to sin until they eventually physically die.
1 Timothy 6:17-19 The Message (MSG) Tell those rich in this world’s wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow. Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage—to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous. If they do that, they’ll build a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life.
So, the rich gain some sort of lives by doing good as seen above. But in this we see the face on the lord through his emotions i.e. wrath in 1 Thessalonians 2: 16, when people keep heaping sins upon sin thinking the grace of God is a license to sin. This is why Solomon said King James Version 16 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself? 17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
So as Man from was trying to understand God UNDER the law, he acted as our parents, if you do this you will get this, however if you do this you don’t get this like reinforcement learning. But through the Old Testament, man started through the face of his servant began to know God’s likes and dislikes and God saw we didn’t understand he did this out of love, and his heart towards even in anger was good, because like us God could be displeased.
Most times, God judgement fell on man when he made mistakes in his presence – the 10 commandments given, the ark of the Lord with the Philistine and Eli, the ark of covenant with Uzziah, this very presence within the ark that man grieved which brought judgement in Man is the spirit of God, within the inner chamber of the ark of covenant. This covenant is reenacted through Jesus’ blood and dwells in us as the “Holy Spirit”.
But as with the Holy Spirit our helper as gentle as he can be grieved when not heard. As with when it is revealed.
20 “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms:
“‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’[e]
and,
“‘May another take his place of leadership.’[f]
21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, 22 beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”
Can be grieved when ignored. And once, we lose his presence he does not return back. Hence, Davids cry that God should not take his presence from him. So, the face of God is seen through his son and his son speak to us by his spirit within us (new covenant), however in the Old Testament the face of God was revealed through his judgement. As seen in the lives of
30 “Therefore, the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that members of your family would minister before me forever.’ But now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained. 1 Samuel 2: 30
Because Eli’s sons slept with women at the temple see 1 Samuel 2: 22 “Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting”. They treated the lord offering and servants with contempt: 1 Samuel 2: 17 This sin of the young men was very great in the Lord’s sight, for they[b] were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt. So, Gods judgement was:
30 “Therefore, the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that members of your family would minister before me forever.’ But now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained. 31 The time is coming when I will cut short your strength and the strength of your priestly house, so that no one in it will reach old age, 32 and you will see distress in my dwelling. Although good will be done to Israel, no one in your family line will ever reach old age. 33 Every one of you that I do not cut off from serving at my altar I will spare only to destroy your sight and sap your strength, and all your descendants will die in the prime of life.
34 “‘And what happens to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will be a sign to you—they will both die on the same day. 35 I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his priestly house, and they will minister before my anointed one always. 36 Then everyone left in your family line will come and bow down before him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread and plead, “Appoint me to some priestly office so I can have food to eat.”’”
While God is slow to anger, not willing that any should perish. While he does not reward man according to his deeds, he rewards according to the path or Way we choose to take as with Hophni and Phineas, he does weigh deeds and actions a person takes to reward us. As the devil keeps accusing us daily (as with people), until we die spiritually to a point of no return, we may never understand we have lost Gods presence, because we have mistaken long suffering which is the love of God as a license to sin rather than the grace to overcome sin. Eli was certainly pardoned many times until God choose a replacement!
New International Version When you did these things and I kept silent, you thought I was exactly like you. But I now arraign you and set my accusations before you. Psalm 50: 21
We are after all justified by our words not judged by it or by his blood, but we should remember that “God is not a man that he should change his mind neither is the son of man that he should lie” when we see the judgement of God, he will not relent on his judgement. we have seen it in the Old Testament with prophet like Habakkuk asking God to relent from his anger, but God didn’t.
And this is the writing that was written, Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin.
26 This is the interpretation of the thing: Mene; God hath numbered thy kingdom and finished it.
27 Tekel; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. Hebrews 12:16–17
Esau cursed his inheritance and became justified by his words then took actions to sell it. This is why prostitutes are akin to fornicator, they sell their temple for meat (money) in the Old Testament. May God help us in Jesus’ name.
Songs:
Colossians 3:12-20 12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as* Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Synapsis:
At times we attempt to justify our sins by other people’s sins or actions because we don’t want to change. You won’t be justified by others sin but by the cross and the blood of Jesus. If we all choose to sin and justify it, we are heaping up sin and Gods wrath will surely come.
Recently, a family member I knew was having a birthday. So, she had a Jewish son who clearly asked me out, but I thought he was not just my kind too shy and other things I had noticed. So, I gave her a gift and she sent a bigger gift. And at first, I taught it was I gave freely she gave back. Until I realized she placed a demand on it. People are crazy! No wonder my mother was fuming. SO, I see she the demand this woman placed was for her son. You should never help your son to find a wife. Another thing is men who want certain women are characterless men! who want reward without having to working for it. I read yesterday this scripture came to me:
5So Moses brought their case before the Lord, 6and the Lord said to him, 7“What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father’s relatives and give their father’s inheritance to them.
Now this woman, I know can be very off standish and sometimes arrogant, but why look for someone you do not like to marry your son! So, while I was busy giving freely, she was placing a demand on her giving. Women are vicious, I wondered why she said the verse to me about my mom that after all “If your enemy is hungry, feed him” she clearly was fighting evil with good.
The worse part of this nightmare is “I still opened Boaz married his relative, the woman was enacting laws based on her giving”. We will remedy that problem. Because at first, I taught my mother was crazy, only now do I understand. Other women are even crazier. She is using the book of the law because her husband is Jewish, and I will use the book of the law and the book of love to bind tighter strings.
When Israel sinned because of Eli’s son, it caused their enemies to have a foothold over Israel and thus leading to the Phillistine taking the ark of the LORD, a covenant had not been made with God at this time, so it was the ark of the LORD signifying his presence with Israel.
Now the bible says: The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. Romans 8: 14, 16. So, we see the spirit of God bearing witness with our human spirit that we are the sons of God. Our human spirit bears guilt and the holy spirit convicts/reveal to us, what is wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment. Sometimes, your conscience condemns you of guilt when it is not, sometimes it is, and you know this by the spirit of God. So, if you are guilty 1 Corinthians 11: 18, 22 comes to play. Guilt may be ascribed to sins; you did not know of, or you know of but when you realize it makes you feel condemned/judged.
Now the ark of the Lord was in the territory of the Phillistine for a month; in that month plagues had struck them and their leaders. But they couldn’t understand why? The had a god called Daegon placed near the ark of the Lord, they were guilty of idolatry, but they didn’t know. So, a plague of mice was destroying their country, and a plague of death was destroying their leaders. However, the Phillistine remembering the plague that happened to Egypt: took precautionary measures to offer a guilt offering of 5 gold tumors for their leaders and 5 gold rats for their leaders, placed it on a cart and tied it to cow: placed on the path to two roads one leading to Beth Shemesh and the other elsewhere. The leaders in Phillistine concluded that if the cart went the way to Beth Shemesh, then it was the Lord of Israel that brought the plague on them, else it was thing of chance. And so, the cart wen the way of Beth Shemesh, leading to Kiriath Jearim, a territory in Israel. The people of Israel rejoiced upon seeing it return.
A foreign nation unaware of the impact of taking the ark of the Lord and placing it where their god was incurred the judgement of God. Because a guilt they did not know about but used the experience with the Egyptians to solve their problem. 1 Corinthians 11: 27 Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.
Sometimes, we as Christians sin by speech, disobeying God without knowing it, sometimes we know it by willful pride disobey. Hence, when we take the communion and don’t examine ourselves for sins and confess them to remember what the blood of Jesus does for us as our sin offering (this act help us reflect on the mercy of God and thus how undeserving we are).
For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 1 Corinthians 11: 29 - 30
So, sickness here is akin to a plague as in 1 Samuel 6 vs 9, and in Exodus 20 plague of sickness and death of the first-born son. So, while the communion if partook worthily has undeniable blessing attached to it, if partaken unworthily incurs a plague like sickness. Now, it furthers states “Now if we judged ourselves properly, we would not come under judgment. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.”
The Phillistine was disciplined as the Israelites as will you and I, if we do not examine ourselves. It is my prayer; we check ourselves as we partake of the communion.
This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Songs:
Examining ourselves.
Even in a court of law, the jury can find the defendant guilty of a crime only if the defendant is convicted of wrongdoing. The same works with our conscience and the spirit of God. Only the spirit of God helps us recognize what is sin, righteousness and judgement. The is why Grace is given to us to live above sin.
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” - Isaiah 52:7
The hour had come for Jesus to leave the world and go to the father. Jesus said, “I love my OWN in the world”, and he loved them to the very end. As the evening meal commenced the devil prompted Judas to betray Jesus.
Jesus knew (who he was that would deceive him); that the father had put all things under his power, as he came from God and is returning to God; so, he began to wash the feet of his disciples. Jesus said to Simon unless he washed Simon, he had no part with him. Not everyone was clean, so Jesus asked them to wash their feet to determine, who was unclean and was going to betray him and that’s why he said not everyone was clean (verse 11). Jesus said, “you call me a teacher and lord, so we should do as he does and wash one another’s feet’s”. He has set an example that we should do (verse 15).
John 13:16-17 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
so, the scripture is fulfilled “He who shared my bread has turned against me”. Jesus says: Whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me (Jesus) and whoever accepts Jesus accepts the one who sent them (you).
Jesus being troubled in the spirit, still said God be glorified in his suffering and because of this the lost glory of Adam is returned to Christ, he who dwells in us by his spirit. This new command Jesus left was that we love one another as he loved us (verse 34). By this is how we know you are Christ disciples, if you love one another. This is where Jesus predicted Simon peter would deny him before the cock crows, three times, because he claimed he would follow Christ, but Simon failed to keep on his word.
Songs:
How beautiful are these feet shod with the gospel of peace.
John 13: 35 By this all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
By experience, whenever there are genuine products, there are bound to be counterfeits. These counterfeits tend to appear genuine to the eyes of the undiscerning. This is because they take so much resemblance to the original and genuine. The major difference, however, is that they are of low quality and standard and may not function effectively as the original. Counterfeit products cause a lot of damage. They cause heavy financial loss to manufacturers of original products and a lot of harm and loss to the end-users.
As Jesus addressed his disciples in the bible passage for today preparatory to his disciples in the bible passage for today preparatory to his departure from them, he commands them to love one another genuinely. Love, according to him is the proof that will identify them as his disciples and attract others to their fold. It is what will mark them out as being genuine and not fake.
It is becoming increasingly difficult to find true Christians whose lifestyles match their claims. Expectedly, the world is getting more confused about what Christianity is all about because of the apparent contradictions they observe in their lives of so many professing believers because the true proof of the Christian faith is absent.
This does not take away from the fact that there are so many genuine Christians around. One piece of evidence that marks selfless and enduring love. Where this is operational, there will be an absence of envy, vainglory, slandering, backbiting, backstabbing, immorality, cheating, hatred etc. This kind of love will authenticate the gospel and fuel the spread of God’s word.
Love is one Christian dialect that the world wants to understand.
2 Corinthians 10: 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
Paul was a citizen of Cilicia, a province of Rome and home to the notorious Cilician pirates. These bandits of the Mediterranean had built fortifications in Cilicia Tracheae a rugged, mountainous area in the west from where they controlled the entire maritime route from the Middle East all the way to Rome. At the height of their power, the pirates pillaged ships, took slaves from land harbors and spread hunger and terror throughout the region. When they launched a raid at Ostia, barely fifteen miles from Rome, causing the grip of famine to tighten on the famed seat of power, Rome had finally had enough. General Pompey was sent to dismantle the extensive pirate network. In 89 days, he routed the pirates by pulling down their strongholds and forcing them into open spaces where they could easily be defeated.
This was the true legend behind Paul’s illustration in today’s passage. We need to pull down the strongholds of Satan through the weapons of our warfare. Satan’s strongholds are his command-and-control Centre from where he launches spiritual attacks and incursions into defenseless human lives. Lacking the grace and power of God, the natural man is but a mere pawn in the devil’s chess game.
Pulling down every stronghold is possible when we receive the power and authority that Christ gives after our repentance from sin and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation grants the believer access to the mighty weapons of righteousness, faith fortress – the name of Jesus.
In the name of Jesus, begin to cast down every ideology, imagination or situation that opposes your knowledge of God as a good, gracious and benevolent one.
Recognizing your authority in Christ guarantees your victory.
The King of Tyre (Hiram’s King) gave orders that cedar and juniper logs to be cut. Juniper signifies Strength, wisdom, usefulness, and beauty in form of purification and protection. Cedar signifies prosperity and abundance. In verse 6, we see God gave Solomon rest on every side, that he had no adversary or disaster (What a gift). Sidonians skilled at felling trees worked on this for whatever wages. [ Hence, Tyre and Sidon, Jesus referenced that if the gospel had been preached there; they would have repented]. Supplies arrived from men who hauled them from Lebanon to the mediterranean Sea and float them as rafts by the sea to the place specified by SOLOMON. ADONIRAM (my lord is exalted) was in charge of forced labor. Ashiram, King of Tyre supplied, Solomon all the cedar and juniper wanted. Solomon gave Hiram 20,000 cans of wheat as food for his household, 20,000 baths of pressed olive oil. Craftsmen from Solomon (300,000 men sent to Lebanon, in shift of 10,000 a month, so they spent one month in Lebanon, 2 months at home, 70000 carriers and 80000 stone cutters in the hills, as well as 3300 foremen who supervised the project and directed the workers). At the king’s commands they removed from quarry large blocks of high graded stone that provide a foundation of dressed stone for the temple.
*BUILDING THE TEMPLE* I kings 6: 4, 80 years after the Israelites came out of Egypt, in the 4th year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, THE SECOND month (April – mid), he began to build the TEMPLE of the LORD. Temple built was 60 cubit long, 20 wide, 30 high, only bricks dressed at the quarry were used, and no hammer, chisel or any other iron tool was heard at the temple site while it was being built.
The word of the Lord came to Solomon: 12 “As for this temple you are building, if you follow my decrees, observe my laws and keep all my commands and obey them, I will fulfill through you the promise I gave to David your father. 13 And I will live among the Israelites and will not abandon my people, Israel.” - 1 kings 6: 11
So, Solomon built the temple and completed it (verse 14). The inner sanctuary, the most holy place had gourds and open flower, everything was cedar no stone was to be seen within the inner sanctuary set the ark of the covenant of the LORD THERE (verse 19) on the walls all around the temple. In both, inner and outer rooms, he carved cherubim’s, palm trees and open flowers. It also covered, the floors of both the inner and outer rooms of the temple of gold (vs 29). Solomon spent 7 years building the temple (verse 38), the foundation for the temple of the lord was laid in the 4th year, month of Ziv. By the 11th year, in the month of Bul (which means produce), the 8 months, the temple was finished in all “in details according to the specification then he started building his palace.
Excerpts: We can pray for peace as God builds us from within. We can pray for rest from every side that no adversary and disaster will reach us. There is a way that when the rich have money, we used it to get forced labor, this is why Jesus said a greater than Solomons wisdom is here, when Jesus came, he spoke up about how people use knowledge and wealth to tie heavy burdens on others but won’t lift a finger to move them (Matthew 23:4). Having knowledge like Solomon puffs up a man 1 Corinthians 8:1, Proverbs 30:2 Every man is brutish in his knowledge. So, it makes man merciless because it causes you to think you are better than others. Hence, Paul says let no man think himself better than other. Romans 12:3 and when we think this this its unlike Jesus because “Philippians 2:8-10 says Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Jesus took burdens more than we could carry 1 Peter 2:24). His knowledge did not impede his humanity and compassion. However, once a man has an upper advantage than another, he uses it even to the detriment of others and so we see Solomon. The man who built the law temple to be perfect was not perfect, but the perfect temple is built a perfect savior, Jesus. No heavier burdens on people, no forced labor.
The design of the temple Solomon describes with cedar and juniper is Jesus. It’s a wonder he hung on a tree (prosperity and abundance). He is a perfect temple who stands in front of a tree.
The axe head floats depict the king of Aram, the head of Aram. He had been looking for an occasion against Israel but found none, his plan kept floating.
The passage starts with the Prophets and Elisha looking for a place to meet as the place they met was getting small (verse 2). Thereafter, they went to cut trees to use to make their meeting place and the axe (borrowed) fell into the water, then Elisha put a stick to the water and the axe floats.
The stick Elisha puts would be the words the king of Aram spoke in his bedroom which Elisha heard. The place to meet is the departure from trouble. 2 kings 6: 13.
“Go, find out where he is,” the king ordered, “so I can send men and capture him.” The report came back: “He is in Dothan.” - 2 Kings 6: 13
So, the servant of the man of God got up and went out early. the next morning, an army with horses surrounded the city. and the servant said oh no my Lord, what shall we do?
Then the prophet answered, “Do not be afraid”, those with us are more than those who are with them. In a fright the servant still did not believe the prophet, so Elisha prayed to the LORD, to STRIKE THE KING OF ARAM ARMY WITH BLINDNESS. So, he struck them with blindness as Elisha had asked. So, Elisha led them to Samaria, then asked that their eyes be opened so that they see. Then the Lord opened their eyes, and they looked, and there they were inside Samaria.
When the King of Israel saw the captured army were blind, he asked Elisha 'Shall I kill them? Hezekiah told the king, "Not to kill them" that one only kills men captured with their own sword. He says set food and water before them so that they may eat and go, and they prepared a feast and the Aram's left. The ARAMS STOPPED RAIDING ISRAEL TERRITORY.
Foreign nations attempted to evade Israels territory which Samaria is part of, at this time. But the axe floats and a stick bring up their attack.
Famine in besieged Samaria:
After sometime later, Benhadad, king of Aram sets up an army to lay siege to the city of Samaria while they are in famine. The siege lasted long that a donkey was sold for 80 shekels. As the king of Israel passed by a wall, a woman cried out the king! Help me, my lord the King:
The king replied: 1) If the LORD does not help you, where can I get help for you?
2) From the threshing floor 3) from the winepress.
So, the woman tells him a parable: She tells him (the king) to give up his son (i.e. Samaria) that we may eat (famine here means giving your food away). The next day the king asks her to give her son that they may eat, but she hid him.
The parable was about the king of Aram action after mercy was shown to him, he acted opposite to the mercy had been shown and still besieged Samaria, when no one noticed. This caused the king to be enraged swearing to Kill Elisha because Elisha had asked him to show mercy. Elisha noting the king of Israel wanted to kill him, called the king a murderer and blamed the disaster in Samaria as the lord doing and he would not wait on the lord.
Excerpts:
we often blame bad events on others when we are at fault. Elisha did not cause the famine in Samaria, the king of Aram just had more information and besieged them during famine.
Once ideas were put in the king of Israel mind by the woman in Samaria, he blamed Elisha and wanted to kill him.
What will we do as we wait on God, blame him for our calamity like the King of Israel.
