Tag Archive | king

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 100

Apr9

    Day 100 —  YAY! ONE HUNDRED days! We have been reading the Bible daily for over a quarter of the year. Praise God! What have you learned about God? About yourself?

   Day 100 – 1 Samuel 9 – 12 (a king for Israel, Saul)

So, a tall, dark, and handsome Benjaminite is chosen as Israel’s King.  We see in Chapter 9 how God orchestrates it all, from the loss of a few donkeys to the search and finding of a holy man to having a silver shekel available to give him as a gift, to the event of a sacrifice and feast, in which a special portion of meat had been reserved for a special guest, to God’s specific indication that the man, Saul, was to be anointed “prince over Israel.”

In Chapter 10, Samuel privately anoints Saul to be Israel’s prince, telling him that he will reign over them and save them from their surrounding enemies.  He then tells Saul of a few things that will happen to confirm this fact. Two men will meet him who will do certain things, plus a group of prophets who will also preclude the coming of God’s Spirit upon Saul. Then Saul was to go to Gilgal and wait there for Samuel for seven days.

Of course, all this comes to pass, and when the people are all gathered together, Samuel proclaims Saul King of Israel, reminding them that they have rejected the LORD as their King, and telling them again all the “bad” things about having a human king. Nevertheless, the people rejoice, shouting, “Long live the king!”

Chapter 11 tells of Saul’s first victory over their enemies, the Ammonites, who have been causing terror and submission by gouging out the eyes of the men of Israel. Saul summons 30,000 men from all of Israel and attacks, gaining victory.  At this point, Samuel calls Saul and all the people for a sacrifice and to “officially” make Saul their king before the LORD.

Chapter 12 tells of Samuel’s farewell as their leader, reminds them of the king they now have and what that will mean, and then challenges them to always “obey the voice of the LORD.” “Do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve him with all your heart, for you are God’s chosen people.” He promises to always pray for them and to instruct them in the good and right way.

It’s a good start. And Saul will do well for…. half a chapter.

“We Three (gifts of the) Kings”

Dec19

3Kings.moonMy favorite Christmas carol has always been We Three Kings, written by John H. Hopkins, but I know it’s not one of the most popular Christmas songs. I think everyone gets hung up on the “O-o-o, star of wonder” part, or maybe even the minor key in which it’s been written.

But the words! It’s the words that sell it for me.

The Bible does not say how many “kings” or “wise men”  or “Magi” came to worship Jesus. It only mentions the three gifts they brought; valuable tokens of their esteem, and very useful “cash” for Joseph & Mary to use as they fled with Jesus to Egypt to escape Herod’s murderous madness.

Herod, as you recall, was very jealous to hear that a new King had been born, and so inquired of the visitors when they first saw the star. Using that time frame he ordered all boys – age two and under – to be killed. Killed! Innocent babies, precious sons, destroyed!

But by this decree we can be pretty sure the visitors from the East did not make an appearance at the stable, but came to a house in Bethlehem, “where the Christ child lay.”  That’s where they presented the gifts, on bent knees. Gold. Frankincense. Myrrh.

And this is where THE WORDS to the carol, We Three Kings come in.  They explain what these3Kings.silohoet gifts represented; what they told of the life of Jesus, the Messiah.

  1. We three kings of Orient are; bearing GIFTS we traverse afar,  field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star.

Refrain: O star of wonder, star of light, star with royal beauty bright, westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect Light.

Okay, now let’s look at the GIFTS presented to the Christ child:

  1. Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain, GOLD I bring to crown him again, KING forever, ceasing never, over us all to reign.

GOLD to represent Jesus as King, the promised descendant of King David, one day to be hailed as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

  1. FRANKINCENSE to offer have I; incense owns a Deity nigh; prayer and praising, voices raising, worshiping GOD on high.

FRANKINCENSE was used in the worship of Almighty God, the Holy One of Israel. Not only is Jesus KING, He is also GOD

  1. MYRRH is mine; its bitter perfume breathes a life of gathering gloom;  sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying, sealed in the stone-cold tomb.

MYRRH was a very costly ointment used to mask the odor of a body when it is buried. When Mary Magdalene broke an alabaster jar of it and poured it over Jesus as an act of extreme love and devotion, Jesus said she had “anointed Him for burial.” Now look again at where verse four leaves Jesus: crucified and buried in a “stone-cold tomb.”

But hallelujah! Praise God!  See how verse five brings us to His resurrection!

  1. Glorious now behold him arise; KING and GOD and SACRIFICE, Alleluia, Alleluia, sounds through the earth and skies.

 We Three Kings is a carol of worship and praise. It’s why I love it. Jesus, my King, my God, my living Sacrifice for sin. The visitors traveled half way around the world to worship Jesus. Let US open our hearts and let our praises rise to the skies!

Star

 

Oh, and don’t get hung up on the Star of Wonder – wondering perhaps (sorry for the pun) if it actually moved before the travelers, or if it was a juxtaposition of several stars that alerted them to the birth, or if it was maybe a comet, or a “shooting star.”

If it bothers you, just remember that Jesus is called the Morning Star in Revelation 22:16, the Day Star in 2 Peter 1:19, and the Light of the World in John 1:5-9 and 8:12. Could it have been Jesus who drew these “wise” men to Himself?  A thought.