Leadership that does what is just and right – 2 Samuel 8, 10, 21, Part 2

Ancient Israel was a theocracy.  A theocracy is a nation that is organized around a religious system.  For Israel, God was their true king, and his law was the law of the land.  God was the true Shepherd of the people.  David was only an undershepherd. Great Britain had some similarities to theocracy.  The KingContinue reading “Leadership that does what is just and right – 2 Samuel 8, 10, 21, Part 2”

How abandoned buildings help us understand the Conquest of Canaan – 2 Samuel 8, 10, 21, Part 1

When you go on vacation, you lock up your house, and you expect to return after a week or two to a house that is just as you left it.  But what would happen if you were gone for a lot longer than that?  At what point does property get condemned and given or soldContinue reading “How abandoned buildings help us understand the Conquest of Canaan – 2 Samuel 8, 10, 21, Part 1”

How can David be a man after God’s own heart and have so many wives? – 2 Samuel 4—5, Part 3

Now that the civil war in Israel is over and David is king of all Israel, will he take up the completion of the conquest of the Promised Land? It was a conquest that laid dormant for centuries. We get an answer in the very next passage, 2 Samuel 5, verses 6 through 12.  DavidContinue reading “How can David be a man after God’s own heart and have so many wives? – 2 Samuel 4—5, Part 3”

David’s example of waiting the right way – 2 Samuel 4—5, Part 2

The twelve tribes of Israel are embroiled in civil war. It is one tribe versus the other eleven. David is king of the one tribe, Judah. Ish-Bosheth is king of the other eleven. We learned in the previous post that assasins take Ish-Bosheth’s life, cut off his head and bring it to David, claiming thatContinue reading “David’s example of waiting the right way – 2 Samuel 4—5, Part 2”

A biblical murder mystery? [Crime & Punishment – Deuteronomy 21, part 1]

Do you like crime dramas? Last year I watched a Netflix documentary called Making A Murderer.  It was gripping, often feeling like an extended episode of the TV show, Law & Order.  There were many interesting characters and plot twists, but in this documentary, all of it was real.  No actors.  Real interviews. Courtroom andContinue reading “A biblical murder mystery? [Crime & Punishment – Deuteronomy 21, part 1]”