Podcasts about amalekite

After Saul's death, an Amalekite man comes to David claiming that he is the one who killed Saul, thinking he will be rewarded for his deed since Saul pursued David for so long. To say that David is displeased with this report, however, is an understatement. After a period of mourning for the house of Saul, David is anointed king in Judah, but Abner, the commander of Saul's army, has other plans. He crowns Saul's son Ish-bosheth as king, accumulates power for himself, and fights against David's soldiers. Eventually, Abner concedes, but not without gaining a few enemies within David's camp.2 Samuel 1 - 1:08 . 2 Samuel 2 - 6:08 . 2 Samuel 3 - 13:37 . 2 Samuel 4 - 22:53 . Psalm 77 - 26:00 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

1 Samuel 15 records the third strike, if you will, in a series of willful and deliberate mistakes that Saul made due to his fear, folly, and inability to simply follow the Lord's instructions to be a courageous and faithful king to Israel. In 1 Samuel 13 Saul showed fear and impatience in the face of the encroaching Philistine military, going ahead to offer a sacrifice to the Lord, rather than wait on Samuel to arrive at the battle front. In 1 Samuel 14 Saul displayed great folly when he called his soldiers to fast in the face of a great victory, and when more fighting needed to occur to win a more considerable victory. In Samuel 15, Saul disobeys the order to commit all of the Amalekite city to destruction, which was to be Saul's offering of obedience to God. Rather Saul plans to offer "strange fire" by holding back Agag and the animals of the city as offering to the Lord. Time and again Saul showed an inability or unwillingness to operate as a faithful king to Israel, on behalf of God, furthering God's condemnation of him.Worship with us at Reformation OPC Gastonia!Each Lord's Day9:30am & 5:30pm203 Rhyne Oakland Road, Gastonia, NC, 28098(704) 931-8094Our website: https://refopc.net/ropcgastonia@gmail.com

Today's gospel installment: 04/06/2025Sermon Title(s): Sermon Title: 1. Ziklag burned down, 2. The brook Beshor,3. Servant of an Amalekite, 4. David's spoil, 5. They shall share alike. 6. 3 days ago I felt sick.Text: 1 Samuel 30.1. What is your gospel?2. Is it the same as what God revealed in the story of David and the capture and recovery of his wives?3. Is your gospel conditioned on you and what you have done to be saved or is it of God's grace alone?4. What does God say? This is a MUST HEAR MESSAGE. Yes, it is long, but heaven will have a whole lotta longer messages.And it is FREE!

As they were originally one long book, 2 Samuel begins where 1 Samuel ends. News of the death of Saul and Jonathan reaches David from an Amalekite who likely thinks he will be rewarded by David. After David confirms the death of the LORD's anointed by hearing the testimony of the Amalekite a second time, David rightly executes his office by putting the Amalekite to death for being unafraid to lift his hand against the LORD's anointed. David leads the people of Judah in mourning the death of Saul and Jonathan. He does so in forgiveness for the man who had tried to kill him and in love for his best friend.  Rev. Stephen Preus, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Vinton, IA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 2 Samuel 1:1-27.  "A Kingdom Unlike All the Nations” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through 1-2 Samuel. This time in Israel's history has its highs and lows, but the LORD's faithfulness never wavers. He provides His Word to be proclaimed faithfully through prophets like Samuel and Nathan. Even as princes like Saul and David sit on an earthly throne, the LORD remains King over His people, even as He does now and forever through the Lord Jesus Christ. Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

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Send us a textPreparing for Parshat Zachor requires understanding what truly makes Amalek the eternal enemy of the Jewish people. This provocative exploration delves deep into just three verses—fewer than 50 words total—that we're commanded to hear each year before Purim.What makes these words so significant that hearing them constitutes a Torah-level obligation? Through careful analysis of the original Hebrew text and Rashi's commentary, we discover layers of meaning that explain why Amalek represents the antithesis of Judaism's core values.The Hebrew phrase "asher karcha baderech" reveals Amalek's essence—they embody randomness, denying divine providence and purpose. While Judaism teaches that everything has meaning and happens according to a divine plan, Amalek represents the ideology that life is merely coincidental. They attacked the newly freed Israelites not for territorial gain or resources but specifically to diminish the spiritual glory surrounding the Jewish nation after the exodus from Egypt.Rashi uses a powerful metaphor: Amalek was like someone who jumps into a scalding bath knowing they'll be burned, just to cool it down for others. They targeted the weak and vulnerable members who had fallen behind the protective divine clouds, committing atrocities that demonstrated their complete contempt for God and Jewish sanctity.The mitzvah to blot out Amalek extends beyond remembering historical events—it calls us to eliminate the "Amalekite" tendencies within ourselves: spiritual apathy, religious coolness, and indifference when facing desecration of the sacred. When we stand idly by as God's name is profaned, we allow the spirit of Amalek to persist in the world.Listen carefully this Shabbas as these verses are read, and let their message kindle the passionate opposition to evil that defines authentic Jewish spirituality. Only by understanding our enemies can we truly appreciate the divine calling to eradicate their memory forever.Support the showJoin The Motivation Congregation WhatsApp community for daily motivational Torah content!Elevate your impact by becoming a TMC Emerald Donor! Your much-needed backing is crucial for our mission of disseminating the wisdom of the Torah. Join today for just $18.00 per month. (Use your maaser money!) https://buy.stripe.com/00g8xl5IT8dFcKc5ky------------------Check out our other Torah Podcasts and content! SUBSCRIBE to The Motivation Congregation Podcast for daily motivational Mussar! Listen on Spotify or 24six! Find all Torah talks and listen to featured episodes on our website, themotivationcongregation.org Questions or Comments? Please email me @ michaelbrooke97@gmail.com

Sponsored by Judy Friedman for the yahrtzeit of her beloved mother, Gertie Weiss, שרה גיטל בת שמואל ז"ל, on Rosh Chodesh Adar and, anonymously, לעילוי נשמת מרת שרה בת ר' דוד ע"ה, whose yahrtzeit is on the 12th of Adar.

Samuel gives the Word of the LORD to Saul, telling the king to devote to destruction the idolatrous Amalekites. Saul faithfully spares the Kenites, who had previously attached themselves to Israel, but Saul unfaithfully spares the Amalekite king and the choicest animals. The LORD sends Samuel to tell Saul that Saul has been rejected as king. When Saul claims to have been obedient, sparing the animals for the sake of sacrifice, Samuel clearly reveals Saul's rebellion, for the king thought he knew better than God. The kingdom will be ripped from Saul as Saul ripped Samuel's robe. Samuel does return back to the army with Saul, and Samuel kills the Amalekite king, as Saul should have done.  Rev. James Preus, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Ottumwa, IA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 1 Samuel 15:1-35.  "A Kingdom Unlike All the Nations” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through 1-2 Samuel. This time in Israel's history has its highs and lows, but the LORD's faithfulness never wavers. He provides His Word to be proclaimed faithfully through prophets like Samuel and Nathan. Even as princes like Saul and David sit on an earthly throne, the LORD remains King over His people, even as He does now and forever through the Lord Jesus Christ. Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

We conclude our conversation with Enoch Pewtress from the channel The Rundown of Our Reality, this time focused on Enoch's video "The Anatomy of a Skinwalker". We talk about how this is actually possible for a human being to transform into something or someone else, and it's connected to why God justly and understandably told Saul to utterly and completely destroy every last Amalekite man, woman, child, and animal. Find Enoch's library of files here: https://rundownreality.org/ - https://app.degoo.com/share/DFbCNkIEu_r0G5klwooF7w Find Enoch's channel, The Rundown of Our Reality, here: https://rumble.com/c/TheRundownOfOurReality https://www.bitchute.com/channel/5W3JeLwUJbPp/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBn0otmAed3MErmRprMFdSQ Please consider supporting our podcast; for Luke and I to create 4 episodes a month takes an average of 40 hours to research, record, and produce, sometimes more. If you find value in our work and would like to help support us, please choose from the options below. Thanks very much!! -Luke and Pete ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Paypal: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.paypal.me/peteohlinger⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Cash App: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://cash.app/$PeteOhlinger⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Venmo: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://venmo.com/u/Pete-Ohlinger⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Feel free to contact us with any questions or comments for the show! Email us at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thedaysofnoahpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠      ⁠ ⁠⁠We'd love to hear from you! Thanks for listening- we appreciate each and every one of you out there. Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe, and tell your friends and family about the show, and leave us a five-star review, which helps to spread the show to others! Original Music by BassManPete Cover art is of Mt. Hermon, site of the Watcher's descent, photo credit: By Almog - Own work, Public Domain, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2181987⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and beautifully crafted into our logo by graphic designer Christine Forster (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/GfxChristine00?s=20⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)

Title: "Leadership Passed Down: Moses and Joshua" Be Fruitful & Multiply Series   Introduction * Moses and Joshua's relationship offers a powerful biblical example of mentorship and succession. Their dynamic demonstrates the importance of intentionally preparing the next generation to accomplish God's mission. We are called to leave a legacy—not just to achieve for ourselves but to invest in others, passing on wisdom, faith, and leadership that will continue to impact the world long after we are gone.   I. Moses' Perspective: The Mentor   1. Recognizing the Potential in Joshua   * Exodus 17:8-13: Exodus 17:8-13: 8 The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. 9 Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.”10 So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went to the top of the hill. 11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12 When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. 13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. Moses trusts Joshua to lead the Israelites in battle against Amalek.      * A mentor recognizes the potential in a disciple and actively creates opportunities for their growth. Success is not a solo endeavor—we can only go as far as our team. If we operate alone, our capacity is limited. For actual multiplication, we must intentionally choose trustworthy individuals who, in turn, will disciple others with integrity. The body of Christ thrives only when all its members function together in unity and purpose. As leaders, our foremost responsibility is to identify the right people, position them effectively, and empower them to carry out the work with excellence.   2. Teaching Through Example   * Exodus 24:13-18: 13 Then Moses set out with Joshua his aide, and Moses went up on the mountain of God. 14 He said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we come back to you. Aaron and Hur are with you, and anyone involved in a dispute can go to them.”15 When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, 16 and the glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from within the cloud. 17 To the Israelites the glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain. 18 Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights.      * A mentor invites their disciple into God's presence and demonstrates spiritual leadership through example. The goal of discipleship is not to draw people closer to themselves but to lead them closer to the Lord. We are not seeking to create replicas of ourselves; we aim to help others become more like Jesus. Discipleship is about more than transferring knowledge—facilitating encounters with God. Transformation happens as we behold the glory of the Lord, and worship is one of the primary ways God reshapes us. The effectiveness of our leadership and the grace we carry depend significantly on our ability to practice and dwell in the presence of God.   3. Empowering for Leadership   * Numbers 27:18-23: 18 So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership,[a] and lay your hand on him. 19 Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him in their presence. 20 Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him. 21 He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring of the Urim before the Lord. At his command, he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command, they will come in.” 22 Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly. 23 Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the Lord instructed through Moses.      * A mentor ensures that their disciple is well-prepared and accepted by others. Effective discipleship results in others recognizing the same wisdom, authority, and grace in our disciples that they see in us. Through Christ, we can impart what He has entrusted to us into the lives of those He places before us. Standing alongside those we have raised affirms our support and signals to others that these individuals are worthy of their trust and leadership. Commissioning is a powerful act that releases God's anointing and calling upon the individual, inspiring confidence and alignment among those who will follow them.   4. Releasing with Confidence    * Deuteronomy 34:9: 9 Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit[a] of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So, the Israelites listened to him and did what the Lord had commanded Moses.   *   * Effective discipleship involves entrusting the disciple with opportunities to lead. The more individuals carry what the Lord has imparted, the further His work can reach. However, just as a vessel cannot be filled until it is emptied, disciples must be led to surrender themselves entirely to God. Only then can they be genuinely filled with the Spirit and fully embrace their calling. When we see those we disciple walking in the power of the Holy Spirit and firmly placed in the Lord's hands, we can confidently trust that they will fulfill their God-given mission.   II. Joshua's Perspective: The Disciple   1. Learning Through Service   * Exodus 33:11: 11 The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua, son of Nun did not leave the tent.      * Time spent alone in God's presence is the most vital preparation for fulfilling the divine purpose of our lives. As ambassadors of Christ, our primary responsibility is to reflect His character and represent Him to the world. The depth of our impact is directly tied to the depth of our relationship with Him; the more intimately we know Christ, the more effectively we can carry out His mission.   2. Observing and Emulating   * Numbers 11:28-29: 28 Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses' aide since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!”29 But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!”      * Joshua speaks up and tries to stop leaders who were prophesying; Moses rebukes Joshua, displaying his heart that he wished all of his leaders could prophesy. Joshua may have thought only Moses should be prophesying, for this was the first occurrence of anyone else operating in this gift. Yet Joshua's perspective did not fit the heart of Moses or God. A disciple learns humility and patience under a mentor's guidance.   3. Growing in Courage    * Joshua 1:6-9: 6 : “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or the left. Then, you will be successful in everything you do. 8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. 9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”      * A disciple must embrace their calling with unwavering confidence and courage, fortified by the preparation and guidance of their mentor. In this passage, God emphasizes three essential principles for spiritual leadership:     a. Obedience to God's Word: Success comes from diligently knowing, meditating on, and applying God's instructions. A leader's strength lies in their alignment with God's truth.     b. Faithful adherence to mentorship: Joshua is urged to follow Moses's instructions, recognizing the wisdom passed down through godly mentorship.     c. Dependence on God's presence: True courage flows from the assurance that the Lord is always with us, empowering and guiding us every step of the way.   * Spiritual leaders are not called to rely solely on their abilities but on God's promises and presence. Time spent alone with the Lord and a commitment to His Word prepares leaders to step boldly into their divine purpose.   * 4. Carrying the Vision Forward   * Joshua 24:14-15: 14 “So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. 15 But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”      * A disciple's success is measured by their faithfulness and ability to inspire and lead others to follow God wholeheartedly. Spiritual leaders are not focused on drawing people to themselves but on pointing them to the Lord. Joshua sets a powerful example of spiritual leadership by explicitly declaring that his allegiance and that of his household is to the Lord. He challenges the people to make a definitive choice, laying out the stark consequences of serving idols and the blessings of serving God. Leaders must similarly emphasize the urgency and gravity of choosing whom to serve. As disciples of Christ, we are called to lead others toward complete devotion to Jesus, rejecting any allegiance to idols or worldly influences. True discipleship prioritizes Christ as Lord, ensuring that those we guide are rooted in faithfulness to Him alone.   III. Lessons for Modern Discipleship 1. For Mentors:   * Identify and invest in potential leaders.   * Walk alongside disciples, modeling a life centered on God.   * Empower and release them with faith that God will continue the work through them. 2. For Disciples:   * Serve faithfully in preparation for leadership.   * Learn from the mentor's strengths and weaknesses.   * Seek God's guidance as you step into more significant responsibilities.   Conclusion * The relationship between Moses and Joshua demonstrates the power of discipleship to ensure the continuation of God's work. * Actual multiplication happens when leaders invest in disciples who, in turn, become leaders themselves. * Challenge: Who are you mentoring, and who is mentoring you in your walk with God?   -- Praise Tabernacle Dr. Joshua Kennedy, Pastor 2235 Ocean Heights  Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234 pastorjosh@praisetabernacle.com praisetabernacle.church  (609) 927-4560(w

Do you really want it your way or God's way? In Chapter 30, David returns to Ziklag and finds that his land has been burned and all of their families have been taken captive. He seeks guidance from the Lord on what actions to take and then heads off in pursuit of the enemy. In the meantime, they come across a survivor who was left behind by the enemy responsible for this destruction. This scenario can be found in 1 Samuel 30:11-15. They found an Egyptian in the open country and brought him to David. And they gave him bread and he ate. They gave him water to drink, and they gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. And when he had eaten, his spirit revived, for he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights. And David said to him, “To whom do you belong? And where are you from?” He said, “I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite, and my master left me behind because I fell sick three days ago. We had made a raid against the Negeb of the Cherethites and against that which belongs to Judah and against the Negeb of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire.” And David said to him, “Will you take me down to this band?” And he said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will take you down to this band.” — 1 Samuel 30:11-15 David's encounter with the abandoned Egyptian slave is a striking example of God's providence. After seeking God's guidance, David didn't just rush into action blindly. He trusted in God's plan—and that trust was met with provision he could not have foreseen. The Egyptian, left for dead by his Amalekite master, became the key to victory. Without this man's inside knowledge, David might have struggled to locate the enemy or reclaim what was stolen. This moment reminds us of how God works in ways we often cannot predict. When we seek God first, as David did, his answers will come but not always as thunderous proclamations. Sometimes, they come through unexpected people, problems, or promptings that steer us toward his purpose. In times of distress, I'm quick to handle problems my way instead of seeking God's way. How often do you do this? David's story teaches us the importance of seeking God first, then walking in faith, and discovering God's way. God's way is better than your way. When we do it in God's way, his providence shows up in little ways along the way. It could be in a conversation with a stranger who emerges at the right time. So, if you are in distress today, stop doing it your way and do it God's way. Consult him first, take steps of faith, and look for his providence along the way, and victory will be his through you. #TrustGodFirst, #DivineProvidence, #FaithInAction Ask This: What situation in your life needs you to pause and seek God's guidance before taking action? How can you remain attentive to God's unexpected provisions during your faith journey? Do This: Just do it God's way. Pray This: Lord, help me to seek You first in every challenge and trust in Your perfect plan. Open my eyes to see Your providence along the way. Amen. Play This: The Jesus Way.

église AB Lausanne ; KJV 2 Samuel (2 Kings) 1 Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag; It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance. And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped. And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also. And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead? And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him. And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I. And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite. And he said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me. So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord. ...

Sunday, November 17, 2024 “The Grace on the Bank of the Besor Brook”Pastor Joey Anjiki1. What occurred at the Besor Brook* What 600 men and David did* 1 Samuel 30:10 (See above)* The salve of an Amalekite that was abandoned* 1 Samuel ..

David's Victory over the AmalekitesThen it happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had carried out an attack on the Negev and on Ziklag, and had overthrown Ziklag and burned it with fire; and they took captive the women and all who were in it, from the small to the great, without killing anyone, and drove them off and went their way. When David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire, and their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive. Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep. Now David's two wives had been taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. Also, David was in great distress because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But David felt strengthened in the Lord his God.Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Please bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. And David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue this band of raiders? Will I overtake them?” And He said to him, “Pursue, for you will certainly overtake them, and you will certainly rescue everyone.” So David left, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and they came to the brook Besor, where some who were left behind stayed. But David pursued, he and four hundred men, for two hundred who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor stayed behind.Now they found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David, and gave him bread and he ate, and they provided him water to drink. They also gave him a slice of fig cake and two cakes of raisins, and he ate; then his spirit revived. For he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights. Then David said to him, “To whom do you belong? And where are you from?” And he said, “I am a young man of Egypt, a servant of an Amalekite; and my master abandoned me when I became sick three days ago. We carried out an attack on the Negev of the Cherethites, and on that which belongs to Judah, and on the Negev of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire.” Then David said to him, “Will you bring me down to this band of raiders?” And he said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or hand me over to my master, and I will bring you down to this band.”Now when he had brought him down, behold, they were dispersed over all the land, eating and drinking and celebrating because of all the great plunder that they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. And David slaughtered them from the twilight until the evening of the next day; and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled. So David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and rescued his two wives. And nothing of theirs was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, plunder, or anything that they had taken for themselves; David brought it all back. So David had captured all the sheep and the cattle which the people drove ahead of the other livestock, and they said, “This is David's plunder.”The Plunder Is DividedWhen David came to the two hundred men who were too exhausted to follow David and had been left behind at the brook Besor, and they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him, then David approached the people and greeted them. Then all the wicked and worthless men among those who went with David said, “Since they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoils that we have recovered, except to every man his wife and his children, so that they may lead them away and leave.” But David said, “You must not do so, my brothers, with what the Lord has given us, for He has protected us and handed over to us the band of raiders that came against us. And who will listen to you in this matter? For as is the share of the one who goes down into the battle, so shall be the share of the one who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike.” So it has been from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.Now when David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the spoils to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, “Behold, a gift for you from the spoils of the enemies of the Lord: to those who were in Bethel, to those who were in Ramoth of the Negev, to those who were in Jattir, to those who were in Aroer, to those who were in Siphmoth, to those who were in Eshtemoa, to those who were in Racal, to those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, to those who were in the cities of the Kenites, to those who were in Hormah, to those who were in Bor-ashan, to those who were in Athach, to those who were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men walked.”Visit us on all our social media platforms:https://linktr.ee/sovereignkingchurchListen on the go on your favorite podcast service:Apple - https://tinyurl.com/uxw3awb6Spotify - https://tinyurl.com/3afr2amzCCLI Copyright License 21770970 Size A - Streaming License # 21770963 Size A

8 The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. 9 Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.” 10 So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. 11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12 When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. 13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. 14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven.” 15 Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner. 16 He said, “Because hands were lifted up against[c] the throne of the Lord,[d] the Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation.” We battle together: Committed to Community Forged in Proximity Empowered in HIS Victory Deuteronomy 25:17-18 17 Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt.18 When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and attacked all who were lagging behind; they had no fear of God. Committed to Community 9 Moses said to Joshua,“Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.” 10 So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. Forged in Proximity 11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12 When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. Empowered in His Victory 13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. 14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven.” 15 Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner. Colossians 2:9-15 9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. 11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised byChrist, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

In this episode, we explore the story of Saul's disobedience from 1 Samuel 13-15, focusing on chapter 15, where King Saul is given a clear command by God through the prophet Samuel: to utterly destroy the Amalekites and everything they possess. However, Saul partially obeys—he spares the Amalekite king, Agag, and keeps the best livestock to make a sacrifice to the Lord. When confronted, Saul tries to justify his actions, but Samuel rebukes him, equating Saul's rebellion to witchcraft. Samuel's words are striking, suggesting that rebellion is like witchcraft because both seek to manipulate outcomes through indirect means rather than trusting in God's direct commands. As a result of Saul's disobedience, God strips him of his kingship, though it is not taken away immediately. We then contrast Saul's failure with the obedience of Jesus in Philippians 2:5-11. Unlike Saul, who sought his own way, Jesus fully submitted to God's will—even to the point of death on a cross. Because of Jesus' complete obedience, God exalted Him to the highest place, giving Him a name above every name, and now requires all people to bow before Him as Lord and King. This connection between obedience and exaltation reveals a powerful spiritual truth: when we humbly submit to God's will, He not only shapes us into the person He desires us to be but will also exalt us so that he can hold us up as a model for others to follow. Finally, we draw from Hebrews 1:1-5, where Jesus' exaltation to kingship is connected to His obedience. Just as Jesus was lifted to the highest place, we too are invited to follow His example, humbling ourselves before God so that, in His timing, He can exalt us to share in His reign. Join us as we dive deeper into the patterns of disobedience and obedience, kingship and humility, and how God's call to submission ultimately leads to exaltation in His Kingdom. Key Passages: 1 Samuel 15:10-22 Philippians 2:5-11 Explainer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Video⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on how to use ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.biblehub.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.blueletterbible.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Leave us a question or comment at our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website podcast page⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. * Intro Music: "Admirable" Carlos Herrera Music --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/onelifenash/support

David's Victory over the AmalekitesThen it happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had carried out an attack on the Negev and on Ziklag, and had overthrown Ziklag and burned it with fire; and they took captive the women and all who were in it, from the small to the great, without killing anyone, and drove them off and went their way. When David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire, and their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive. Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep. Now David's two wives had been taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. Also, David was in great distress because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But David felt strengthened in the Lord his God.Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Please bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. And David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue this band of raiders? Will I overtake them?” And He said to him, “Pursue, for you will certainly overtake them, and you will certainly rescue everyone.” So David left, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and they came to the brook Besor, where some who were left behind stayed. But David pursued, he and four hundred men, for two hundred who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor stayed behind.Now they found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David, and gave him bread and he ate, and they provided him water to drink. They also gave him a slice of fig cake and two cakes of raisins, and he ate; then his spirit revived. For he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights. Then David said to him, “To whom do you belong? And where are you from?” And he said, “I am a young man of Egypt, a servant of an Amalekite; and my master abandoned me when I became sick three days ago. We carried out an attack on the Negev of the Cherethites, and on that which belongs to Judah, and on the Negev of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire.” Then David said to him, “Will you bring me down to this band of raiders?” And he said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or hand me over to my master, and I will bring you down to this band.”Now when he had brought him down, behold, they were dispersed over all the land, eating and drinking and celebrating because of all the great plunder that they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. And David slaughtered them from the twilight until the evening of the next day; and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled. So David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and rescued his two wives. And nothing of theirs was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, plunder, or anything that they had taken for themselves; David brought it all back. So David had captured all the sheep and the cattle which the people drove ahead of the other livestock, and they said, “This is David's plunder.”The Plunder Is DividedWhen David came to the two hundred men who were too exhausted to follow David and had been left behind at the brook Besor, and they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him, then David approached the people and greeted them. Then all the wicked and worthless men among those who went with David said, “Since they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoils that we have recovered, except to every man his wife and his children, so that they may lead them away and leave.” But David said, “You must not do so, my brothers, with what the Lord has given us, for He has protected us and handed over to us the band of raiders that came against us. And who will listen to you in this matter? For as is the share of the one who goes down into the battle, so shall be the share of the one who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike.” So it has been from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.Now when David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the spoils to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, “Behold, a gift for you from the spoils of the enemies of the Lord: to those who were in Bethel, to those who were in Ramoth of the Negev, to those who were in Jattir, to those who were in Aroer, to those who were in Siphmoth, to those who were in Eshtemoa, to those who were in Racal, to those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, to those who were in the cities of the Kenites, to those who were in Hormah, to those who were in Bor-ashan, to those who were in Athach, to those who were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men walked.”

Haman was an Amalekite, a people who opposed Israel from the very beginning of the nation of Israel. ******* By the way, if you haven't bought a copy of my new book yet, check it out here: https://www.amazon.com/Dreams-Visions-Stories-Faith-Pastor/dp/161493536X

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1 Samuel 30:1-31 Now when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid against the Negeb and against Ziklag. They had overcome Ziklag and burned it with fire 2 and taken captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great. They killed no one, but carried them off and went their way. 3 And when David and his men came to the city, they found it burned with fire, and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. 4 Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until they had no more strength to weep. 5 David's two wives also had been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 6 And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. 7 And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. 8 And David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them?” He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue.” 9 So David set out, and the six hundred men who were with him, and they came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed. 10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men. Two hundred stayed behind, who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor. 11 They found an Egyptian in the open country and brought him to David. And they gave him bread and he ate. They gave him water to drink, 12 and they gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. And when he had eaten, his spirit revived, for he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights. 13 And David said to him, “To whom do you belong? And where are you from?” He said, “I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite, and my master left me behind because I fell sick three days ago. 14 We had made a raid against the Negeb of the Cherethites and against that which belongs to Judah and against the Negeb of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire.” 15 And David said to him, “Will you take me down to this band?” And he said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will take you down to this band.” 16 And when he had taken him down, behold, they were spread abroad over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing, because of all the great spoil they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. 17 And David struck them down from twilight until the evening of the next day, and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men, who mounted camels and fled. 18 David recovered all that the Ama-lekites had taken, and David rescued his two wives. 19 Nothing was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken. David brought back all. 20 David also captured all the flocks and herds, and the people drove the livestock before him, and said, “This is David's spoil.” 21 Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow David, and who had been left at the brook Besor. And they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him. And when David came near to the people he greeted them. 22 Then all the wicked and worthless fellows among the men who had gone with David said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except that each man may lead away his wife and children, and de-part.” 23 But David said, “You shall not do so, my brothers, with what the Lord has given us. He has preserved us and given into our hand the band that came against us. 24 Who would listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down into the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage. They shall share alike.” 25 And he made it a statute and a rule for Israel from that day forward to this day. 26 When David came to Ziklag, he sent part of the spoil to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, “Here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of the Lord.” 27 It was for those in Bethel, in Ramoth of the Negeb, in Jattir, 28 in Aroer, in Siphmoth, in Eshtemoa, 29 in Racal, in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, in the cities of the Kenites, 30 in Hormah, in Bor-ashan, in Athach, 31 in Hebron, for all the places where David and his men had roamed.

While the Israelites are crossing the desert from Egypt on their way to the Promised land, the devil and Damon come up with a plan to defeat them by getting the Amalekites to attack. But as long as Moses holds up his hands, the Israelites will win the battle! “So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.” Exodus‬ ‭17‬:‭10‬-‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬ #kids, #biblelessonsforkids, #biblestoriesforkids, #storiesforkids, #godisonourside,#godisfaithful, #christiankids, #bedtimestoriesforkids, #storiesforchristiankids, #fishbytesforkids, #fishbytes4kids, #fishbitesforkids, #fishbites4kids, #ronandcarriewebb, #roncarriewebb

View the Bulletin for Wednesday, August 14, 2024Worship Service: 2:00 p.m.Bible Study: 2:30 p.m. — The Book of HebrewsAll are welcome, bring a friend, neighbor or relativeVisit our YouTube channel — Click the red “subscribe” box, and then click on the “bell” next to that box to receive Live Streaming notifications. You must be logged into YouTube to activate these features.Archive of AUDIO “Readings & Sermons”Archive of VIDEO “Complete Service”Archive of BULLETINS2 Samuel 1:1-26a After the death of Saul, David returned from striking down the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days. On the third day a man arrived from Saul's camp with his clothes torn and dust on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him honor. “Where have you come from?” David asked him.He answered, “I have escaped from the Israelite camp.” “What happened?” David asked. “Tell me.” “The men fled from the battle,” he replied. “Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.” Then David said to the young man who brought him the report, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,” the young man said, “and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and their drivers in hot pursuit. When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me, and I said, ‘What can I do?' “He asked me, ‘Who are you?' “‘An Amalekite,' I answered. “Then he said to me, ‘Stand here by me and kill me! I'm in the throes of death, but I'm still alive.' “So I stood beside him and killed him, because I knew that after he had fallen he could not survive. And I took the crown that was on his head and the band on his arm and have brought them here to my lord.” Then David and all the men with him took hold of their clothes and tore them. They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the LORD and for the nation of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. David said to the young man who brought him the report, “Where are you from?” “I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite,” he answered. David asked him, “Why weren't you afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD's anointed?” Then David called one of his men and said, “Go, strike him down!” So he struck him down, and he died. For David had said to him, “Your blood be on your own head. Your own mouth testified against you when you said, ‘I killed the LORD's anointed.'” David took up this lament concerning Saul and his son Jonathan, and he ordered that the people of Judah be taught this lament of the bow (it is written in the Book of Jashar): “A gazelle lies slain on your heights, Israel. How the mighty have fallen! “Tell it not in Gath, proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines be glad, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised rejoice. “Mountains of Gilboa, may you have neither dew nor rain, may no showers fall on your terraced fields. For there the shield of the mighty was despised, the shield of Saul—no longer rubbed with oil. “From the blood of the slain, from the flesh of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not turn back, the sword of Saul did not return unsatisfied. Saul and Jonathan— in life they were loved and admired, and in death they were not parted. They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. “Daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet and finery, who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold. “How the mighty have fallen in battle! Jonathan lies slain on your heights. I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women. “How the mighty have fallen! The weapons of war have perished!” 1 Corinthians 7:26-40 Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is. Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife. But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this. What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away. I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs—how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife—and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord. If anyone is worried that he might not be acting honorably toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if his passions are too strong and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married. But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin—this man also does the right thing. So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does better. A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord. In my judgment, she is happier if she stays as she is—and I think that I too have the Spirit of God. The Ten Commandments What is the second commandment? You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not curse, swear, use satanic arts, lie, or deceive by His name, but call upon it in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks.

He was this intriguing guy. He was a recently retired Marine who had the great privilege of working security for George W. Bush when he was President of the United States. He even worked as President Bush's spotter when he was in the weight room working out! On a couple of occasions, my friend had the opportunity to tell the President something that was very much on his heart. He said, "Mr. President, the folks from my church wanted me to tell you that we're praying for you all the time." At that point, the President turned to my friend, looked him straight in the eye, and said, "Then, would you please give them a message for me? Tell them the President is deeply grateful. There's nothing greater they could do for me." I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Prayer - The Greatest Gift You Can Give." The most powerful man in the world at that time realized the most powerful thing you can do for a person - even for him - especially for him...pray for him. At the National Prayer Breakfast, President Bush talked about working the rope lines at events and being stopped often by people who told him they were praying for him. He said, "I tell them this is the greatest gift you can give a person." He's right. It's a gift I hope you're giving to people every day, with all your heart. Our word for today from the Word of God gives us a revealing picture of what really happens when you pray for someone. It's found in Exodus 17, beginning with verse 10. The Jewish General, Joshua, has led his troops into battle against the brutal Amalekites. And old Moses goes to fight the real battle. The Bible says, "Moses, Aaron, and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning... Aaron and Hur held his hands up - one on one side, one on the other - so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So, Joshua overcame the Amalekite army." Just in case someone wondered what this "holding up his hands" business was all about, Moses explained it. He said, "Hands were lifted up to the throne of the Lord." Moses made it very clear he was praying up on that hill. And notice how the battle was decided. Not by what the warriors on the battlefield were doing, but by what the prayer warrior on the hill was doing! That's always where the battles are decided - in the Throne Room of the Most High God as someone intercedes there for someone or something they care about. God must get tired of us saying, "Well, I guess all we can do is pray." What? All I can do is go to the One who rules 100 billion galaxies and focus on His love and power and aim it at some person or situation or need? There's nothing else you can do that is even remotely as powerful as that! So who are the people that you pray for on a regular basis? Commit yourself to be the Moses for some folks you know, and for some servants of God who are fighting on the front lines. There's no greater gift people can ever give to me, to the people on our ministry team than to say, "I pray for you every day." I just praise God for those people. And I hope there's some lost people for whom maybe no one else may have ever prayed that you're praying for. Let me tell you, as one person who's trying to serve the Most High God, there is nothing more decisive you can do than to be a regular prayer warrior as we fight for some of those lost people. Let people know you're fighting for them in the Throne Room of God. Find out what they need you to be praying for. You'll be their Moses, praying down victory for their battle. You'll be their Aaron or Hur, holding up their arms when they can't go another step. When you pray fervently for someone, you are playing a vital part in guarding their life, in meeting their need, in changing their heart, in winning their battle. You are praying for them, you are going to the Throne Room of God for them. You are indeed giving them the greatest gift anyone can give!

Daily Dose of Hope August 7, 2024 Day 4 of Week 19   Scripture:  2 Sam 1-2; 1 Chronicles 11; Psalm 96, 106; Acts 21   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements New Hope Church's Bible reading plan.   Let's switch things up a bit and start with our New Testament passage, Acts 21.  I have to admit, I struggle with this chapter.  Paul is being warned repeatedly by believers, those who have the gift of prophecy, that he should not go on to Jerusalem because it is dangerous for him.  Paul has experienced persecution and danger, but what is waiting for him in Jerusalem could certainly be the worst yet. And yet, he insists upon going.  Was he ignoring warnings from the Holy Spirit or simply determined to courageously carry out what God called him to do?    Now, most of us will never, ever encounter the kind of resistance and persecution that Paul is experiencing.  But how often have we felt the strong call of God in a particular area and then felt dissuaded by our Christians brothers and sisters to carry it out?  So often, I think people react to our plans more out of fear for us and/or how our lives might be disrupted than from clear guidance from God.  (There are certainly exceptions but I wonder how people's reactions might be different if we asked them to go home and pray about it specifically and diligently for a week.)  Paul clearly felt God had called him to return to Jerusalem, minister to the Jews and Gentiles there, and face the authorities, so that God's Word could be preached to the powers that be no matter the consequences.  Wow, just wow.   Now, we start 2 Samuel.  Certainly, the relationship between Saul and David was complex.  Rather than rejoice in Saul's death, David mourns.  He seems angry at the young Amalekite who kills Saul, putting him out of his misery.  David actually seems to lash out in grief and anger as he orders the young man's death.  Then, the first chapter ends with a lament.   Rather than a royal coronation with lots of fanfare, David grieves.    After Saul's death, David does not rush back to Israel to claim the throne.  Rather, he inquires of God what his next move should be, a great model for all of us.  God tells him to head to Hebron in Judah.  It's there that David is crowned king by the elders of Judah.  But I hope you noted that David was not king over all of Israel.  Rather, Saul's commander and cousin, Abner, appointed one of Saul's sons, Ishbosheth, to be king.  We have no other mention of Ishbosheth as one of Saul's sons.  Most likely, he was born out of wedlock and not considered legitimate.  Regardless, this was a calculated choice for Abner, who could allow Ishbosheth to sit on the throne while he was actually the real power behind a very weak king.   But Ishbosheth was not God's anointed.  That would have been David.  Thus, David allows him to sit on Israel's throne for two years while David stayed in Judah.  That doesn't mean there weren't skirmishes though.  We see that in the last half of the chapter.  Thus begins the on-going war between the house of Saul and the house of David.  More on this tomorrow.   In 1 Chronicles 11, we are fast-forwarding a bit.  The author here doesn't provide a lot of the warring details between the house of Saul and the house of David.  Rather, he jumps right to when David becomes king over all of Israel.  This is what God had said would happen.  It took some time, there was a lot of warfare and heartache, but it came to pass in God's timing.   How many of us really struggle with God's timing?  I know I have at times.  We pray, pray, and pray some more; sometimes we even beg God to intervene in certain circumstances.  Sometimes, God answers immediately.  Other times, it's a waiting game.  Think of everything that David went through before he became king of Israel.  Some of his experiences were horrific!  And yet, God brought him through it.  But God did something powerful in him during those dark times.  How many of us could say the same thing?  God always answers prayers, just not always in the way we want or in the timing we want.    I'm not going to talk about the psalms but do read through them.  They speak of God's glory and God's goodness.  You may recognize some of the lines as being part of hymns and praise songs that we still sing today.  If you are feeling adventurous, try singing one of these psalms, remembering that your voice is a beautiful sound to the Lord.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope July 24, 2024 Day 4 of Week 17   Scripture:  I Samuel 15-16; I Chronicles 1; Psalm 39; Acts 11   Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church Bible reading plan.  We have a lot of Scripture to cover today so let's get started!   Our first Old Testament passage is I Samuel 15.  What a sad chapter.  Saul has come completely unhinged.  He gives lip service to serving God but really does what he wants.  God had tasked Saul and his army to destroy the Amalekites for their violent treatment of the Israelites as they made their way into the promised land.  God's instructions were very clear: kill all of them.  But Saul decides to save the best of the livestock and keep the Amalekite king as a prisoner.  When confronted by Samuel the prophet, Saul actually lies about the situation.  When caught, he begins to back-pedal, saying he took the best of the animals to sacrifice to the Lord.  He is almost flippant, totally not acknowledging the severity of disobedience.    It's obvious, the power of kingship has gone to his head.  Saul wants to do what he wants to do when he wants to do it.  He has forgotten where he came from and who got him there.  He has forgotten his place in the world.  Saul is not above God.  As a result of Saul's arrogance, his disobedience, and his lack of repentance, Samuel knows he must separate from Saul.  He can no longer be connected with this man.  This grieves Samuel, as he had served with Saul for years.  And Saul's behavior grieved God.    I've been reflecting about this–are there times when we think we are above God? Are there times when we think we know better?  I'm not saying I have a good answer or even an example, but it's worth spending some time in prayer about this.   Let's move to chapter 16.  Here we see Samuel anoint David to be king.  Young David was God's choice for the next king of Israel.  What's interesting here is that all the obvious choices are rejected by God.  God sought the youngest son of Jesse, the shepherd boy, the lyre player.  I love this passage, “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”     As humans, we judge others by their appearance, their speech, their abilities, their job, even where they're from.  Without really knowing a person, we judge and criticize them (I see this happen all the time inside the church.). But God could care less about any of these attributes!  God cares about the heart.  Are we loving?  Are we kind?  Are we obedient?  How could we be different as a body of believers if we ONLY looked at the heart?  If you didn't read through the whole chapter, I encourage you to do so. It's fascinating to see how God orchestrates events to bring Saul and the newly anointed David together. Be sure to check it out.    Our reading today also brings us to I Chronicles 1.  This book is mainly a record of the reign of King David.  Much of it will be similar to what we read in 2 Samuel and I Kings so it makes sense that the Bible reading plan has us picking it up at this point.  There are many, many genealogies in I Chronicles, which is what we find in chapter 1, a genealogy from Adam to Esau.  But the genealogy covers all kinds of people – kings, Levites, priests, armies, and other officials.    What we will find in this book is that it is written from a priestly perspective.  Whereas I and II Kings will focus on royalty, this book is going to emphasize proper worship of Yahweh.  Obviously, we will dig deeper as we get more into the book.  Until then, try to make sense of the genealogy, thinking about how each person is mentioned because they were important for God's purposes in one way or another.  Each person mentioned represents a life, a family, a story, and a purpose.   Psalm 39 is a painful psalm to read.  King David is the author and it's obvious that he has been chastised by God.  He is facing the consequences of sin and he pleads with God about how much longer the pain will last.  How much longer will he have to face God's scorn?  What we can surmise is that the baby he fathered with Bathsheba has died.  David is grieving and lamenting.  We get to see his pain on paper.  While I read it, I also wonder what Bathsheba must be feeling.  Women's voices were rarely recorded at the time but I can't help but thinking about her in the midst of this tragedy.   Finally, we get to visit our New Testament passage, Acts 11.  What a great chapter!  It starts with Peter explaining why he entered the house of a Gentile and how the new believers received the Holy Spirit.  Isn't it interesting that the church leaders in Jerusalem don't start by asking Peter about the Gentiles' conversion?  No, they are more worried about Peter being a good Jew.  They are more worried about the superficial.  I think about our earlier Scripture about King David.  Man looks on the outside but God looks on the heart.  God is less worried about the food that's eaten and more concerned about the souls of people.    At the same time, I get it.  These Jewish church leaders had been taught the law from the time they were wee ones.  Yes, Jesus had opened up new doors and broken down barriers, but the law is the law.  This struggle with whether/how to follow the Mosaic Law as a follower of Jesus will be a major theme throughout the rest of the New Testament.  We are quite removed from it as Gentile believers 2000 years later, but this was a big, big deal.    I don't want to leave this chapter without at least mentioning the church at Antioch.  This is the first place they are called Christians and we have the scattered Jews and the local Greeks worshiping together.  This was quite revolutionary!  More on this tomorrow.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

John Grant (1942-2020) outlines the 2nd book of Samuel in three sections: triumph, followed by tragedy, followed by trouble. Then he preaches on the first couple of chapters of the book, dealing with: the death of the Amalekite, the distress of David and the death of Asahel. Readings: 2 Sam 1:1-27, 2:1-32, 3:1. (Recorded in Scotland) Complete sermon series on Saul, David and Samuel 1 Sam 1 – Samuel's Home 1 Sam 2-3 – Samuel's Call 1 Sam 4-5 – The post How Are the Mighty Fallen (30 min) first appeared on Gospel Hall Audio.

Life sure seems hard sometimes.  Wouldn't it be great if things came a little easier for us? They certainly did for Saul, Israel's first king, but it didn't work out as well as you might think. Join as host Julie Harwick takes you on a journey you won't want to miss! ****  Welcome to Women World Leaders podcast. I'm your host, Julie Harwick. Thank you for joining me today as we celebrate God's grace in our lives, in this ministry and around the world. My husband and I have had the opportunity to travel quite a bit in the last year – much more than usual.  I've enjoyed every bit of it, but it has brought an unwanted side effect – quite a few extra pounds.  As a petite woman of a certain age, I have to be pretty careful about how I eat if I don't want to have to purchase a whole new wardrobe.  But when I'm on vacation, I throw caution to the wind and take a vacation from my normal diet.  It makes the vacations more fun, but reality hits quickly  when I return to a much higher number on the scale and increasingly tight-fitting clothes. It's always so much easier and enjoyable to put it on than it is to take it off.  I was contemplating that reality recently and desperately wishing for a quick fix when I re-read the story of Saul, the first king of Israel. There's a lot we can learn from him, but what stands out most is the dangers of leading a charmed life where everything just seems to fall into place. Saul's story begins in the book of 1st Samuel. For the first 400 years of Israel's existence in the promised land, the people were governed by a series of judges.  You can read about it in the book of Judges.  During these four centuries Israel alternated between seeking to please God and walking away from Him depending on how things were going for them.  Their enemies would oppress them and they would cry out to God for help.  He'd send them a judge like Gideon or Deborah to lead them in victory over their enemies, and filled with gratitude, they would serve God… for a while.  As they drifted away from Him yet again, God would allow another enemy to oppress them until they turned back to Him in repentance.  The cycle repeated itself over and over with the recurring line repeated throughout the book, “in those days there was no king in Israel and every man did what was right in his own eyes.” The people of Israel recognized that the situation wasn't good and something needed to change.  But instead of considering that the problem could be that everyone doing what was right in their own eyes, rather than what was right in God's eyes, they decided that it was the lack of a king creating this annoying cycle.  They noticed that all of the countries surrounding them were ruled by kings and like immature children, they went to their spiritual father, God's anointed priest, Samuel, to demand a king.  Samuel was not impressed with the “everybody else is doing it” argument and pointed out the negatives associated with having a king.  He reminded them that a king would tax them heavily so that he could live in luxury.  He would conscript their sons into his armies and their daughters to make perfumes, cook and serve at the palace in other ways.  He would make unreasonable demands of them and they would have no choice but to comply. Like petulant children, they essentially responded with, “we don't care – we want a king anyway.”  God reassured Samuel that he should do as they asked.  “They're not rejecting your leadership, Samuel,” He explained.  “They are rejecting Mine.” Here's the first lesson we can learn from the story of King Saul.  Be careful what you wish for -  God may give you what you demand – even if it's not what's best for you.  All of the warnings Samuel had given came to pass for the Israelites. Anytime we look to a king, or a president, or a governor or any dynamic leader to solve all our problems, instead of making God's leadership supreme in our lives, we are at great risk.  God never forces His way in our lives, that's what free will is all about.  If we ignore His warnings and insist on having our own way, He'll allow it, but there may be a high price to pay for our stubbornness. God orchestrated a chance encounter between Samuel and Saul and immediately told Samuel that the young, good-looking man, who stood head and shoulders above everyone else was to be Israel's first king. In spite of his impressive appearance, Saul seemed to be quite humble at this point in his life. When Samuel hinted at what was about to happen, saying, “At this moment, Israel's future is in your hands,”  Saul replied, “I'm from the smallest of Israel's tribes, and from the most insignificant clan in the tribe at that. Why are you talking to me like this?”  Initially, he seemed a very reluctant king.  When he returned home to his uncle after Samuel had privately anointed him king, he never mentioned any of the incredible things he had just experienced. When Samuel officially introduced him as the newly appointed king, he was ultimately found hiding behind a pile of baggage.  Saul's story is another example of how power and fame can change a person. When Samuel privately informed Saul that God had selected him to be king, he anointed him with oil and told him three very specific things that were about to happen to him as confirmation. Samuel predicted that the final sign would be that Saul would encounter a group of prophets playing musical instruments and prophesying.  “What's more, “ Samuel said, “is that the Spirit of God will come on you and you'll prophesy too.  In fact, you'll be transformed into a completely new person!” When I read those words “transformed into a completely new person,” I immediately thought, “I want that!”  I thought of all those extra pounds and inches just disappearing instantaneously, but that felt kind of frivolous. So, what if God took all of the things I struggle with spiritually, emotionally, relationally and just instantly fixed them and made me a whole new person? Wouldn't that be the ultimate?  It was exciting to think about, but as I did, God reminded me of what I knew of the rest of Saul's story. The new person he became after his episode of prophesying started out pretty well.   Even after he was publicly named king, he returned to his uncle's fields and started plowing.  His humility caused some people question his credentials and refuse to acknowledge his status.  But when his neighbors in Jabesh Gilead were threatened, the Spirit of God came upon him again and he took charge, leading Israel's army to victory. Many of his new-found fans suggested that he round up those who had questioned his leadership and have them executed.  But Saul had no interest in revenge, saying, “This is the day God saved Israel!  No one will be executed today.” But it's funny how a little fame and power can change your perspective, especially when you're under pressure. Saul's reign had been going perfectly, but the Philistines started causing trouble again. King Saul summoned his army and they came, but quickly recognized that they were vastly outnumbered and in serious danger. It was unthinkable to venture into battle without the Lord's blessing, which would come after Samuel arrived to offer the necessary ritual sacrifices.   Samuel had communicated that he would arrive within seven days to perform his duties.  Seven days passed, but no Samuel. And his troops were getting really antsy.  They were already nervous about their odds and when there was no sign of Samuel, they began slipping away in large numbers.  Fearing that he would have no army left, King Saul decided to take matters into his own hands and make the requisite offerings himself, even though it was in direct violation of the Law of Moses.  While the animal sacrifices were still burning, Samuel arrived, demanding, “What in the world do you think you're doing?”  Saul responded with what he thought was some very solid reasoning. “ I saw that I was losing my army and that you hadn't come when you said you would,” in other words, “your fault, not mine.” And then to seal his argument with an extra spiritual rationale, he added, “the Philistines are about to come on me and I haven't yet come before God asking for His help. So I took things into my own hands and sacrificed the burnt offering.”  Samuel was not impressed. “That was a foolish thing to do, “ Samuel replied.  “If you had obeyed God by waiting for me to make the sacrifices, He would've set a firm and lasting foundation for your reign.  But instead, He is already looking for your replacement.” This was a pivotal moment in Saul's life and from here, things went from bad to worse. Israel was constantly at war with the Philistines during his reign and in one battle, he superstitiously made a ridiculous vow that nearly cost his son, Jonathan, his life.  When God told him to completely annihilate the Amalekites – all people and possessions, he allowed his men to keep the best of the Amalekites' belongings and neglected to eliminate their king. When Samuel confronted him about his disobedience to God, he once again tried to rationalize it by saying that they had kept the best of the Amalekite's livestock so they could sacrifice it to God.  Samuel, once again, was not impressed and reminded Saul that God valued obedience far more than sacrifice. Soon after this, God led Samuel to anoint an unimpressive young shepherd boy, named David, as the new king.  Few people even knew about it, but after his victory over the giant, Goliath, the name of David was on everyone's lips.  When Saul heard his female subjects singing, “Saul kills by the thousand and David by the ten thousand,” jealousy overcame the once humble Saul.  From that point on, the King was tormented by a spirit of fear, jealousy, rage and confusion. He alternated between loving David as a son and trying to kill him. He depended on David to lead his troops against the Philistines, calm his troubled soul with his skill on the harp and even made the younger man his son-in-law.  But he threw a spear at him from his throne on two occasions and pursued him all over Israel and the surrounding nations in an effort to get rid of him once and for all. He would most likely be diagnosed with bi-polar disorder and paranoia if he lived today because of his rapidly changing moods and behavior toward David.  In his final years, he never had a moment's peace and no longer heard anything from God. He was killed in battle against the Philistines along with his son, Jonathon. The man who had shown such promise and received incredible blessings from God did not finish well.  In spite of God's miraculous works in his life, transforming him into a completely different person, he began to transform himself from a humble, obedient servant into a proud, jealous ruler.    By contrast, the shepherd boy, David didn't have such an easy path to the throne.  As the youngest of many brothers, he was completely forgotten when Samuel asked to meet all of Jesse's sons.  His brothers mocked him when he expressed a desire to take on the challenge of defeating Goliath.  He endured years of hiding in caves and mountains trying to escape from King Saul who wanted desperately to kill him, even though David gave him nothing but absolute allegiance.  The difficult road from shepherd to king, built character in David and taught him to rely on God for deliverance and vindication.  God actually transformed him into a completely different person through the hardships he endured… transformed him into a man after God's own heart. When things come easily, we tend to not value them as much as we do the things we've had to struggle for. Although the idea of instant and painless transformation is appealing, it is not what's best for us. The bible is full of characters who endured ridicule, hardships and persecution and in every case, it's what drew them nearer to their maker and allowed them to accomplish His purposes. No doubt it's what prompted James, believed to be the brother of Jesus, to begin his letter to the Church by challenging his readers to, “consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” Thanks for listening to Women World Leaders podcast!  Join us each week as we explore together God's extravagant love and your courageous purpose.  Visit our website at www.womenworldleaders.com to submit a prayer request, register for an upcoming event, and support the ministry.  From His heart to yours, we are Women World Leaders .  All content is copyrighted by Women World Leaders and cannot be used without written consent.  

Traditional readers of the Hebrew Bible, reinforced by rabbinic commentary, condemn the bloodlust, cruelty, exploitation of the weak, and exaltation of the strong that is on display in the Amalekite attack on Israel in the book of Exodus. But it's not the Amalekites, the nomadic enemies of the Israelites, who are shocking for their sacralized violence; it's the Israelites who are shocking for their ability to quiet that darker, natural impulse, and live out a different moral code.  That is the thought that frames a recent essay called “Civilization Is from the Jews,” written by Andrew Doran, a senior research fellow with the Philos Project. Here, with host Jonathan Silver, Doran discusses his contention that what we think of as “civilization” came into the drama of human history in no other way than through God's covenantal promise with Abraham and his children. Musical selections in this podcast are drawn from the Quintet for Clarinet and Strings, op. 31a, composed by Paul Ben-Haim and performed by the ARC Ensemble.

After Saul's death, an Amalekite man comes to David claiming that he is the one who killed Saul, thinking he will be rewarded for his deed since Saul pursued David for so long. To say that David is displeased with this report, however, is an understatement. After a period of mourning for the house of Saul, David is anointed king in Judah, but Abner, the commander of Saul's army, has other plans. He crowns Saul's son Ish-bosheth as king, accumulates power for himself, and fights against David's soldiers. After losing a battle to David's soldiers, Abner flees, only to be chased down by Asahel, one of David's men, but the conflict doesn't end there.2 Samuel 1 – 1:03 . 2 Samuel 2 – 6:12 . Psalm 93 – 13:40 . Psalm 94 - 14:37 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

When we last left King Saul, he had consulted a medium when he didn't hear from the Lord, where he learns that he and sons will die the following day. David almost joins the Philistine forces in the impending war against Saul, but the commanders don't trust David like King Achish does. Returning to their settlement at Ziklag, they find their territory decimated and their families taken captive. After consulting the Lord, they pursue the Amalekites. On the way, David and his men redeem the life of a servant who had been discarded by his Amalekite master, and he returns their kindness by directing them toward the Amalekites. Later, Saul goes to battle against the Philistines along with his sons, where they meet a devastating end.1 Samuel 29 - 1:02 . 1 Samuel 30 - 3:34 . 1 Samuel 31 - 9:35 . Psalm 92 - 12:04 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

After Saul's death, an Amalekite man comes to David claiming that he is the one who killed Saul, thinking he will be rewarded for his deed since Saul pursued David for so long. To say that David is displeased with this report, however, is an understatement. After a period of mourning for the house of Saul, David is anointed king in Judah, but Abner, the commander of Saul's army, has other plans. He crowns Saul's son Ish-bosheth as king, accumulates power for himself, and fights against David's soldiers. Eventually, Abner concedes, but not without gaining a few enemies within David's camp.2 Samuel 1 - 1:08 . 2 Samuel 2 - 6:08 . 2 Samuel 3 - 13:37 . 2 Samuel 4 - 22:53 . Psalm 77 - 26:00 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

David meets an Amalekite who shares news with him:  Saul has just died and the Israelites are in defeat The Amalekite claims he killed Saul Was this the truth or a lie?  David kills the Amalekite David and his men mourn deeply over the death of Saul Why would David mourn for someone who tried to kill him?    Hey! Don't go away yet! Also check out these other P40 sites:  YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hnh-aqfg8rw Ko-Fi - https://ko-fi.com/p40ministries  Website - https://www.p40ministries.com Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/p40ministries  Contact - jenn@p40ministries.com  Books - https://www.amazon.com/Jenn-Kokal/e/B095JCRNHY/ref=aufs_dp_fta_dsk  Merch - https://www.p40ministries.com/shop  YouVersion - https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/38267-out-of-the-mire-trusting-god-in-the-middle    Support babies and get quality coffee with Seven Weeks Coffee  https://sevenweekscoffee.com/?ref=P40   This ministry is only made possible due to your generous support https://ko-fi.com/p40ministries

Daily Dose of Hope May 5, 2024 Day 1 of Week 6   Scripture – Exodus 16-18; Ephesians 4   Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, New Hope Church's devotional that complements our Bible reading plan.  I hope you enjoyed your two days off; now it's time to get back to it.  Let's start with our Old Testament reading from Exodus.   Well, the Israelites have begun the road trip of all road trips!!!  It's only the middle of the second month and the Israelites are already complaining!  Just think about it.  It's been what, roughly forty-five days, and they are already saying that Moses and Aaron should have left them in bondage in Egypt.  I can't help but think this points to how much the people have forgotten; they have forgotten how God provides; they have forgotten God's miraculous hand.  They saw miracles in Egypt with the plagues and the parting of the Red Sea, but they are a people who has been displaced for generations.  It's going to take some time before they really understand who and whose they are.    It's easy to get exasperated when we read about the Israelites trekking through the desert.  This won't be the only time we find ourselves frustrated with them.  Over and over again, as we read through Exodus, we will ask these questions:  Why are they so impatient?  Why do they think the grass is always greener on the other side?  Why are they so quick to forget God?  Why do they not trust God when they have seen his miracles and goodness?  Why, why, why???    While we might not like to admit it, aren't we just like the Israelites?  I think of how often I've gotten frustrated with God's timing or forgotten God's work in my life.  We are all quick to complain.  We are also forgetful.    And yet God is still faithful.  He is faithful to us, just as he was faithful to the Israelites.  Despite their grumbling, God provided manna for them in the morning and quail at night.  They didn't have to hunt for their food or grind grain for flour.  God provided.  When they complained about lack of water, God provided water from a rock.  When the Amalekites attacked, God provided.  At every turn, God provided.  How has God provided for you, even when you grumbled and complained?   Let's chat just briefly about the Amalekite battle.  This is the first of many battles that the Israelites will be called to fight.  But this was no ordinary battle.  It wasn't going to be won with fancy weapons or fighting skill.  In fact, we quickly learn that the outcome didn't rest on the Israelite army's strength or weakness at all.  Rather, victory rested in Moses lifting his arms.  When Moses lifted his hands to heaven, in a symbolic act of prayer and surrender to God, then the Israelites started winning the fight.  If Moses' arms were to fall, they would take losses.  Thus, Aaron and Hur held up Moses' arms for him.  They found a nice big rock for Moses to sit on and they each took an arm.  It took a number of hours, but Joshua and the Israelite army thoroughly defeated the Amalekites.    This may not have been the intent of the passage but I can't help but draw the analogy between this battle and our lives as followers of Christ.  When we are walking closely with Jesus, surrendered and prayerful, then things tend to go smoother.  We remember to whom we belong.  We make better choices; we demonstrate more wisdom, peace, and mercy toward others.  But we are human - we get distracted!  We listen to the wrong voices, we get caught up in other things (health issues, grief, fatigue, frustration, bitterness, etc.) and the end result is we move away from God.  This is why we need Aaron and Hurs in our life.  We need Christian friends to hold up our arms when we get tired.  We need people to walk alongside us, help us persevere, and remind us who we are.  Y'all, I need you to help hold my arms up.  Sometimes they just get tired.  I'm sure yours do too.  Let me know.  I'd be happy to hold yours up whenever you need it.   Let's move on to Ephesians 4.  Paul has been discussing the new life we have in Christ and the new faith community that is created, what we call the church.  The church, as the body of Christ, is an entirely new kind of community-a family of people who belong to Jesus and to one another AND love one another with the extravagant love of Christ. But this unique community has standards. Look at verses 2-4.  This body of believers should be humble, gentle, patient, and bear one another in love.  There should be unity among them as a demonstration of to whom they belong.    While there is unity, there is diversity in gifts and strengths. Jesus has made sure that his church has everything it needs to become mature and effective.  Thus, some people are given the gifts and graces to become apostles, others prophets, still others evangelists, pastors, and teachers.  Jesus obviously excelled in all of these categories but we don't.  Thus, we need one another desperately to build up and strengthen the body of Christ.   Historically, the church has focused more on pastors and teachers than the apostles, prophets, and evangelists.  If we look at the state of the Western church, you can see how badly this has hurt us.  We are incomplete, we are missing some of these critical roles, and without them we are ineffective.  We need everyone to build up the church.  Here is a quick summary of these roles: -Apostles are the entrepreneurs of the church, starting new mission and ministries, leading the church into new territory.  Without apostles, we get stuck in the same place,  not responding to the changing needs of our world.  Apostles are critical. -Prophets often stand on the fringes of the church, as God's messengers, speaking hard words into the family of faith.  We have pushed the prophets aside because we tend to not like hard words.  Prophets are also critical. -Evangelists are the salespeople of the faith. They are particularly gifted at sharing the Good News of Jesus with people who don't get know him.  We are ALL called to be evangelistic but certain people are truly gifted in leading new people to Christ.  We need them. -Pastors are shepherds of the flock.  They nurture and protect the congregation.  They are essentially the caregivers of the flock, ensuring and guarding the spiritual health of the people.  Pastors are incredibly important to the health of the church. - Teachers are the communicators of the faith. They help the people remain Biblically grounded, teach the next generation about Jesus, and ensure that the church is faithful to God's Word, growing in their knowledge of Scripture and doctrine.  Teachers are essential!  How off-track we would get without teachers.   Think about your unique gifts. Are you an apostle, a prophet, an evangelist, a pastor, or a teacher?  How can you use your gifts to build up Jesus' church?   Have a wonderful day.  We will talk again tomorrow.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

The story of Purim begins 523 years before the miracle of Purim, in the Hebrew year of 2882 (878 BCE). Hashem commanded King Saul to wipe out Israel's arch-enemy, the nation of Amalek. King Saul buckled under political pressure and failed to fulfill Hashem's commandment. He had misplaced mercy on Agag, the Amalekite king. King Saul resultingly lost the monarchy and the seed of Amalek again rooted itself. We fast forward to the Hebrew year of 3405 (355 BCE). "Showdown in Shushan," in the Persian Empire, is where the 10th generation great-grandson of Agag - Haman - threatens to annihilate the entire Jewish People. The 10th generation great-grandson of Saul - Mordechai - must now make some painful decisions to thwart Haman's evil scheme. The question is, will he too, like his great-grandfather King Saul, bow to political correctness? Let's see how this is the template for current events...

Why is Saul later killed by an Amalekite?

Who is Amalek, the ancient ancestor of the wicked Haman? Why are we commanded never to forget that we must blot out his memory? Why does G-d call this ‘His' battle, and what is Torah's intention in the mysterious words ‘there is a hand upon the throne?' This week's Jerusalem Lights podcast #196 reflects on this Shabbat's special Torah reading of ‘Remembrance', and shares some amazing insights from the Scroll of Esther that touch upon past and present variations of the Amalekite spirit. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman help us prepare to receive the light of Purim, drawing contemporary parallels from the story of Purim that resound with a startling modern-day wakeup call. Blessings for a Happy Purim! _________ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, Inc., a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: PayPal: infojerusalemlights@gmail.com or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490 In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/jerusalemli... Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

How To Have Victory Over Our Enemies (1) David Eells - 7/31/19 (Audio) Transcription Thank you, Father, for blessing us today, giving us wisdom, especially in the matter of warfare against enemies. Thank you, Father, for giving us the victory. It's already done in Jesus Name. We praise you for it and we thank you for wisdom today to help us to agree with You in this battle and win and be overcomers!  Amen.  You know, the first thing you have to do in this warfare is to sanctify yourselves for the battle. We're told in 1Jn 3:21-22 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God; 22 and whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.  So you need this boldness of heart or otherwise the devil will come and accuse you and you'll lose faith. We are told in 1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. So then you can have boldness towards God if you do that honestly and believe the promise that He will cleanse you of all unrighteousness, then you can have that boldness towards God.  And we're told in Rom 6:11-14 Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus. This is where justification by faith comes from. Jesus took away your sins and so you can believe it and stand on it. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, If you don't believe it, you will not have victory over it. That you should obey the lust thereof. 13 Neither present your members unto sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves unto God as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. In other words, don't put yourself in a position to sin, don't willfully do that. 14For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the law, but under grace.  I'm sure you can do a lot more studying on this and especially justification by faith. The devil always comes to condemn you for things from your past, or he comes to condemn you for something he spoke into your mind. There's no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1).  You put it under the blood by confessing it and being cleansed from all unrighteousness. And if he comes back, you have to do warfare against condemnation. Lots of people are dealing with this. The devil knows how to do this; he's been doing it for a long, long time. My suggestion to you is that when he comes and it's something you've already confessed and already put under the blood, go on the attack against him, and run off condemnation, run off fear, run off doubt.  And one of your best weapons against him is to know that the victory is already accomplished. It says in Col 1:13 who delivered us out of the power of darkness and translated us into the Kingdom of the son of his love. We are not under the power of darkness. If you're walking according to your conscience, or even if you failed and confessed your sin and got back on track, you are not under the power of darkness, and you should act that way and speak that way and think that way or you'll lose the battle.  Joh 16:33 These things have I spoken unto you that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. Well notice, we're to be happy because he's already overcome the world for us. We're entering into His works through faith, Paul said. So if you want to do His works, you must believe that your sins were taken away and that you've been given the victory. Also, Joh 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the prince of this world be cast out. Well, was he cast out? He was cast out by faith. Faith at what happened at the cross. And we still claim it. He has no authority and no power. He's here to deceive people who don't believe the Gospel. They don't believe the Good News. He has no authority and no power. You need to exercise your authority over him. The promises are put there so we can use them as a two-edged sword.   Joh 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said it is finished: and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. It is finished. He knew that He had overcome the world. He had conquered the enemy by that sacrifice and everybody who has faith in that sacrifice will have that victory. And also Luk 1:68-75 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel.  For he hath visited and wrought redemption for his people. It's done, 69 and hath raised up a horn of salvation for us in the House of his servant David 70 (And as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets that have been from of old), 71 Salvation, from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; 72 To show mercy towards our fathers, And to remember his holy covenant. Yes, He made that covenant with Abraham and this covenant is still with us. The law did not supersede that covenant. It was a meantime thing until the seed should come to whom the promise was made, and that was Christ. And of course, everybody who is in Christ has this, if you abide in Him. 73 The oath which he swear unto Abraham, our father, 74 To grant unto us that we being delivered out of thy hand of our enemies, should serve him without fear,… Notice this is a promise from a long time ago, and it's still true today. 75 In holiness and righteousness before him all our days. It's our right to walk in holiness and righteousness and overcome the enemies. It's already been accomplished for us. We're simply stepping into the works of God through faith in Jesus Christ, and His word.  Another thing you're going to want to do the whole time you're doing warfare against an enemy or want your victory over an enemy, and that is to pray always at all times. Ask for everything. God knows you're depending upon Him when you're asking Him. You're not depending upon yourself, your ingenuity, your strength, your money, whatever, and on and on.  1Th 5:17 Pray without ceasing. Heb 4:16 And Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help us in time of need. Go boldly before the throne and do it all the time. You can go boldly, you don't have to be ashamed to go and ask God. You shouldn't come up with cliches, “that God's too busy for this,” or whatever. This is what He says, and we have to honor Him by what He says. He wants us to go boldly before the throne of grace so that we can receive mercy and find that grace and help in any time of need against an enemy that's already been conquered. It's good to remember the Good News, the Gospel! The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes it. (Rom 1:16) So that's what we're talking about today.  And of course, we always talk a lot about exercising your authority. If you don't, the devil will exercise his. Luk 10:17-19 And the seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject unto us in thy name. 18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan fallen as lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you. So we have this authority. If we exercise it, will it automatically come to pass? Why no, it won't. We have this authority, we are to exercise it over Satan and over all of his angels; all of his demons.  The demons are subject unto us, and Jesus said, I saw Satan falling from heaven; well, who was doing that? They were, and the Saints ultimately will figure this out, and they will do it. But we can do this anytime and should be all the time. It's our authority to cast down Satan and his angels. That means cast down their authority over us, their power. He's the prince of the power of the air, but he has no authority or power over us. So we should be exercising our authority over him.  And then and also says Rev 12:7-11, which is a principle that is true for now, but what he's talking about is this being manifested in the time when God's people get the revelation and start acting upon it. So since it's good for now, I'm going to share it with you. Rev 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels going forth to war with the dragon; and the dragon warred and his angels; Remember, even before this the dragon was seeking to destroy the Man-child and failed. The Man-child was caught up to the throne, which is authority. He does not want that to happen. He doesn't want you to be caught up to the throne of authority. He doesn't mind lukewarm Christians because they are no problem to him. They are no threat to him. When you find out you have been sanctified through the work of Jesus Christ, delivered from sin, and capable of throwing him down, that's when he worries.  …Michael and his angels going forth to war with the dragon and the dragon warred with his angels. Notice the dragon who is said to be the devil, has angels. Some people say they're not angels; they are angels; the Bible says so. 8 and they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; Everybody is deceived by him, except for those who get these revelations. he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him. 10 And I heard a great voice in heaven saying now has come the salvation and the power and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brethren is cast down,   He's the Accuser of our brethren. You know, there's a lot of little accusers out there that work for him and that's all they do is accuse others. I know you've seen this in the political realm, how the very left wing is accusing the people on the right, including Trump, of doing the very thing that they are doing. And they do it all the time. That's the devil in them, that is demon possession. That is what the devil does. He's always accusing the brethren. Always! These are not like people that get offended with you and go away. No, they are demon possessed and that demon in them is wanting very badly to accuse you and to lie and to slander you and to bring you down. Don't you accept it in your mind. You're not supposed to accept his accusations against you. Don't accept his slander against you in your mind, nor through other people. Don't accept it.  And he said …the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accused them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him... (Now this is the same way we're going to overcome.) because of the blood of the Lamb... (You see, Jesus took away our sins. We're delivered by the blood, we're washed and cleansed by the blood.) And because of the word of their testimony, (because they held fast their confession. We have to “hold fast the confession of our hope firm until the end.”) Hold fast, the word of their testimony and they love not their life, even unto death. In other words, they were willing to give up the old life, the old man. Those that are not willing to give this up, they will be your enemy; they will fight against you. They will be on the side of the dragon. They will seek to devour you, so pity them. Don't worry about them but pity them and pray for them, that they will see through it and come through it but resist them and be honest with them just the way Paul and Peter and Jesus were. Tell them who they are so that they can repent; tell them where they are going to go if they don't repent.   That brings to mind that we're to wrestle with the demons and not the people. Eph 6:10-18 Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might. (Well, that's what we need right there. Now, how do you get that? Where is it?) 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. He's a deceiver and his people are deceivers. Notice the people who persecuted the Saints all the way through the Bible were people who called themselves Christians, but they were not. They were the devil's little accusers.   12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. So we're dealing with demons; these enemies that come against us. These are demon possessed people and that's what we deal with, it is the demons. They don't have the power to overcome them anymore because they lost their authority over them; they lost the knowledge of the Gospel. They lost everything they were taught and so they're totally given over to this and they think it's righteous and true.   Notice the left wing in the political side. We've noticed and been told by the Lord that the same thing is going on in the political side is going on in the spiritual side. There is a parallel, a perfect parallel.  So the demons through the left are constantly trying to drag Trump down. And the demons in the church are constantly trying to, first of all, drag the Man-child down, like the dragon in Revelation 12. But we know they fail. They failed because the Man-child is caught up to the throne. He exercises this authority, in other words, and we do too. We always have to exercise our authority over the wicked demons; we have authority over the demons in the people, that's how you deal with it.  So, he says, 13 Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, Hold on to the truth. See, the truth that we're talking about here will give you authority over the demons, and will give you authority over the wicked who are ruled by the demons. …and having put on the breastplate of righteousness. So your heart, your innards are protected from the enemy's arrows, spears, whatever, if you're walking righteously. How do you get there? We already spoke about that; you confess your sins and then confess your Savior. Once you've confessed your sins, He is faithful and just to forgive you. And then you confess your Savior.  And of course the devil is coming to condemn you. He does it through people. He does it through spirits. He speaks it in your ear. But don't let him deceive you.  15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; The Good News of peace. Where do we find that? We just spoke about it; how that it was given to us by Jesus. He gave us peace from our enemies. He gave us deliverance from our enemies. Praise be to God! They'll never have peace. There is no peace to the wicked, says the Lord. They'll never have peace until they repent, but you can have peace.  16 withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one… Yes, you know the way to protect yourself is, don't let any of the fiery darts of the wicked one come into your heart or come into your mind. Because you have this shield of the knowledge that you were delivered; that you have authority over them; that you were saved, healed, whatever. Whatever it is you want from God, you know the promises are there.…Take up your shield of faith. He kills many people because they don't hold on to the faith in the promises of God. Many people's lives are shortened and they die before their time because they don't have the shield of faith.  …wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one; Yes, he's coming against you and making war against you. He speaks against the Word. If you need a healing, he speaks against it, constantly. If you need a resurrection, he speaks against it, constantly. And yes, well-meaning Christians around you will try to talk you out of it too. We were healed by His stripes, so we are healed.  17 And take the helmet of salvation, which is to protect your mind, because he comes against your mind. He wants to tell you that you are not sozo which is saved, or Soteria, which is salvation. Jesus saved you, but the devil wants to tell you don't have that. And he wants to put fear in you that you aren't saved from sin, sickness, the curse, etc. That you don't have any salvation from these things. But you have this helmet on, so cast it down. …and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: And you've got to swing it against the devil. He is a real enemy, but he can't do anything against the Sword of the Spirit.  18 with all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons… There it is again praying at all seasons in the Spirit. You know, praying in the Spirit is so powerful, you will cast down the works of Satan by praying in the spirit. Keep it up. Don't give it up. Keep it up.  …Praying at all seasons in the spirit… You know, I will pray with the spirit and with my understanding also, Paul said. So praying with the Spirit is not praying with your understanding. It's praying in tongues. If you don't have that gift so that the Holy Spirit can pray through you according to the will of God and with faith, you're missing something very important. Go and ask God for this gift and receive it. Receive it by faith. Have people pray over you, whatever, but receive this gift; you need this when you're in war against the enemy.  …and watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints… In other words, pray for you your brothers and sisters' back; pray for your brother and sister in the Lord because God will bless you. Remember when Job prayed for his persecutors; the faction that was against him? God delivered him and gave him grace because he was giving grace. And while you're doing all this, be sure and do not trust in the strength of man because God's offended about that. His power is made perfect in our weakness.  Psa 44:3-7 For they gat not the land in possession by their own sword,… Now if you know and understand, and you've been studying with us a while, you know that the land is us, who drink the rain from heaven. We are God's tilled land, the Bible says. And if we bring forth thorns and thistles, we're nigh unto a curse. We are not to be bringing forth the curse. We're to be bringing forth the fruit of Jesus.  For they gat not the land in possession by their own sword, Neither did their own arm save them; But thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, Because thou wast favorable unto them. We want the favor of God. There's the grace that you can go boldly with to the throne for favor.   4 Thou art my King, O God: Command deliverance for Jacob. 5 Through thee will we push down our adversaries: Notice there's lots of adversaries, not just the adversary called the devil. He's got lots of children out there to do his work. …Through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us. 6 For I will not trust in my bow, Neither shall my sword save me. 7 But thou hast saved us from our adversaries, And hast put them to shame that hate us. There it is. It's already done. Thou hast saved us from our adversaries. You have to have this knowledge. That's part of the Sword of the Spirit, …and hast put them to shame that hate us.   Psa 146:3 Put not your trust in princes, Nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. God has a vessel; President Trump is a vessel for instance. But you're not to put your trust in him or what he can do or what he can't do. You're to pray for him. Your trust is not in him. People can think that he is a very wise and very smart man. I'm not taking anything from him. He is all these things, but this does not give you victory over a spiritual enemy. It does not; it cannot. No amount of natural wisdom will conquer any of these spiritual enemies. It has to be God's wisdom and God's wisdom given to him and God's wisdom given to us who pray for him and others.  So, put not your trust in Princess, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. God is offended about this. He doesn't want this. If you want to see somebody fail, trust in them. God's not going to permit you to do that. And by the way, in the battle, fear not, as Jesus said.  Deu 20:1-4 When thou goest forth to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, thou shalt not be afraid of them; for Jehovah thy God is with thee, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 2 And it shall be, when ye draw nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people, 3 and shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye draw nigh this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your heart faint; fear not, nor tremble,… You remember Gideon's army? Anybody that was fearful was to go home because they weren't going to be anything but a weight for everybody else and could cause you to lose the battle. Notice when Jesus went to resurrect the dead, He took three of the most faithful disciples with Him in there. He didn't want any of the people that were crying, moaning and groaning. He only wanted faith in the room. Not saying that God can't do it; He does do it in front of people like the widow's son. But in general, He does it quite often when the fear and the unbelief are not in the room. …neither be ye affrighted at them; 4 for Jehovah your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.  If He spoke it to them, He spoke it to us, we who are born from above. And you know, a great battle was fought. And God gave the victory to those that just praised Him.  2Ch 20:1-24 And it came to pass after this, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them some of the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle. 2 Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea from Syria; and, behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar (the same is En-gedi). 3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek unto Jehovah; and he proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 4 And Judah gathered themselves together, to seek help of Jehovah: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek Jehovah.5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of Jehovah, before the new court;   6 and he said, O Jehovah, the God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and art not thou ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? and in thy hand is power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee. Remember this, God is sovereign; He is over the enemy. When the enemy came against God's people, especially when they were in sin, God said that He sent them over and over, all through the scriptures. He is an authority. He can send them and He can send them against you so you can clobber them.  7 Didst not thou, O our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and give it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? (He gave you your land, for your spiritual man to live in and rule in. You need to conquer the old man, the Canaanite, to take away that land from him and live in his house!) 8 And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying, 9 If evil come upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, (like the DS will bring against Apostate Christianity, and you will have to stand against this.) we will stand before this house, and before thee, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, and thou wilt hear and save. Call upon the name of the Lord, whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Amen.  10 And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned aside from them, and destroyed them not; That's the Edomites, who are coming against their brother. These are factious people who are coming against Jacob.  11 behold, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit. 12 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee. 13 And all Judah stood before Jehovah, with their little ones, their wives, and their children. 14 Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the Levite, of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of Jehovah in the midst of the assembly; 15 and he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat: Thus saith Jehovah unto you, Fear not ye, neither be dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.   It is God's battle. He's already told you what He's done. And you want to see Him move, so continue to believe what He has done concerning your enemies. 16 To-morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the ascent of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the valley, before the wilderness of Jeruel. 17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of Jehovah with you, O Judah and Jerusalem; fear not, nor be dismayed: to-morrow go out against them: for Jehovah is with you.   So you have to know that you have to believe that the Lord is with you, you're justified by faith. That means you're counted righteous by your faith that the Lord has taken away your sins. And of course, if you forgive, you're forgiven. So you can't take part in that unless you forgive.  18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before Jehovah, worshipping Jehovah. 19 And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites, stood up to praise Jehovah, the God of Israel, with an exceeding loud voice. 20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem: believe in Jehovah your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.    21 And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed them that should sing unto Jehovah, and give praise in holy array, as they went out before the army, and say, Give thanks unto Jehovah; for his lovingkindness endureth for ever. 22 And when they began to sing and to praise, Jehovah set liers-in-wait against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, that were come against Judah; and they were smitten. 23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another. 24 And when Judah came to the watch-tower of the wilderness, they looked upon the multitude; and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and there were none that escaped.  So Praise means bragging on God and this will give you victory over enemies, like in Psa 149:1-9 Praise ye Jehovah. Sing unto Jehovah a new song, And his praise in the assembly of the saints. 2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. (Lord, we praise You! We thank You for the absolute victory You've given us over the enemy, Lord in Jesus name. Hallelujah!) 3 Let them praise his name in the dance: Let them sing praises unto him with timbrel and harp. 4 For Jehovah taketh pleasure in his people: He will beautify the meek with salvation. Notice salvation is salvation from enemies too. Some people narrow salvation down a lot. They don't see what it covers. It covers everything you need. Soteria means salvation from our enemies in every form and fashion, all our needs provided.   5 Let the saints exult in glory: Let them sing for joy upon their beds. 6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand; 7 To execute vengeance upon the nations, And punishments upon the peoples; So they're executing this by coming against the very demons that are upholding these people; that's what we're doing, that is what we're told to do. You know in the Old Testament they did wrestle with flesh and blood, but it was a type of wrestling with principalities and powers and rulers of darkness. 8 To bind their kings with chains, And their nobles with fetters of iron; 9 To execute upon them the judgment written: This honor have all his saints. Praise ye Jehovah.  Why does He say, Praise ye the Lord? Because that's what you're doing. Praising God is binding their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron. You're scattering the enemy. You're turning what they sow back on top of them, so that they reap what they have sown.   2Co 2:14 But thanks be unto God, who always leadeth us in triumph in Christ, (What is triumph? Triumph is the celebration of the victory. You do this before you get in the battle.) …and maketh manifest through us the savor of his knowledge in every place. So, believe and speak the end from the beginning. And of course, while you're doing it, be sure and forgive any who are against you. Mar 11:23-25 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, (I believe He was talking about the Mount of Olives, or the “Mount of Corruption.” It represents a mountain by Jerusalem that is corrupt in its doctrine, and in its people. It represents corruption,) …say unto this mountain, be thou taken up and cast into the sea. (A mountain is a kingdom.) …cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it. 24 Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 25 And whensoever ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any one; that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.  Let me say something about forgiveness. Personal forgiveness, you always owe to everybody, no matter what they've done. Governmental forgiveness is a different thing. The Bible says if he repent forgive him. That's talking about people in the body, people who are wanting to come back into the body like 1 Corinthians 5, Paul talked about casting somebody out of the body. Later he asked him to bring him back because he had repented. He was exercising dominion over the wickedness in the body; this is necessary. Forgiveness can be governmental, or it can be personal. When it is personal, we always owe it. When it is governmental, we only owe it when a person repents; if he repents forgive him, that's what he said.  And Joseph said in Gen 50:20 And as for you, ye meant evil against me; but God meant it for good,… He believed in a sovereign God, so he was able to forgive his factious brothers who sent him into captivity and lied about him and the harlot also lied about him it represents the same parable. And as for you, ye meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.  Notice you are to speak to the mountain. You are to believe you have received. We're supposed to speak the victory first. Which is what David did here in, 1Sa 17:44-47 And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the birds of the heavens, and to the beasts of the field. 45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a javelin: but I come to thee in the name of Jehovah of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. 46 This day will Jehovah deliver thee into my hand; and I will smite thee, and take thy head from off thee; and I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day unto the birds of the heavens, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that Jehovah saveth not with sword and spear: (He saved with a little boy! LOL) for the battle is Jehovah's, and he will give you into our hand.   He was showing them how to do it, I mean, they were all running away from the giant, but he was very bold and he spoke it ahead of time and it came to pass. I have this little saying I heard from many, many, many years ago, “Right song, wrong side.” The Israelites, celebrated after the Red Sea destruction of their enemies. And before they were anxious and troubled and fearful and spoke against God. But He saved them for His namesake. So I call it “Right song, Wrong side.” Exo 15:1 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto Jehovah, and spake, saying, I will sing unto Jehovah, for he hath triumphed gloriously: The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.  Well, shouldn't they have been doing that on the other side? That's what the Lord has taught us. You're the mouthpiece of God. You speak for Him. He will bring down your enemies. You speak it, He will bring them down. And of course, the thing about bringing down enemies is if you bring down the demons that control them, they are then free. That is if God decides that these are the elect. Sometimes they're not the elect and they're going to their disaster. I mean it's forever; Hell is forever, as I told somebody just yesterday. We want to be sure that everyone makes it; that is, the elect of God. And otherwise, at least their demons are conquered, and they can do nothing to you.  Rev 19:1-2 After these things I heard as it were a great voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, Hallelujah; Salvation, and glory, and power, belong to our God: 2 for true and righteous are his judgments; for he hath judged the great harlot, her that corrupted the earth with her fornication, and he hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. They're celebrating, but I want to tell you we are always being led in triumph, which is the celebration of the victory, we're doing that now. Notice the verse I just shared Exodus 15:1, notice, triumphed gloriously. So again right song, wrong side. Let's do it now. And another thing, while you're in the battle, you must be sure to obey your King and General.  Exo 23:20-23 Behold, I send an angel before thee, to keep thee by the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. 21 Take ye heed before him, and hearken unto his voice; provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgression: for my name is in him. (In other words, He won't permit it. You can repent of anything and get forgiven. But he's not going to pardon you while you're in the midst of it. And that's why people got left in the hands of the devil.) 22 But if thou shalt indeed hearken unto his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, (Notice, He said, “If thou shalt indeed hearken unto his voice,” that's the Angel, “and do what I speak.” God speaks through angels. They are perfect prophets, because when they speak in the name of the Lord, they are speaking the Lord's word.) and an adversary unto thine adversaries. 23 For mine angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Canaanite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite: and I will cut them off.  Those in the land that are the old man, and they are not the new man, they don't belong there. They were to continue walking through the whole land destroying these enemies. You are to do that too. We are doing it on a larger scale in the government we are doing it on a smaller scale in our individual lives because this land like Hebrew 6 says is us. The old man is not to rule this house; the spiritual man is to rule this house.  Num 14:41-43 And Moses said, Wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of Jehovah, seeing it shall not prosper? (You won't prosper if you're breaking the word of the Lord.) 42 Go not up, for Jehovah is not among you; that ye be not smitten down before your enemies. (Some people go up against their enemies and they're smitten down because they've sinned, and in this case they had.) 43 For there the Amalekite and the Canaanite are before you, and ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned back from following Jehovah, therefore Jehovah will not be with you. (So if you're not following the Lord, don't think you're going to go up against the enemy and win against the enemy. You can go boldly before the enemy if your conscience is clear.)  2Ch 24:20 And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; and he stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of Jehovah, so that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken Jehovah, he hath also forsaken you.   So we can't win against our enemies if we've forsaken the Lord. But if you confess your sins and you turn to the Lord and repent and then He delivers you of all unrighteousness, and then you're able to conquer the enemy.   Jos 6:2-5 And Jehovah said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thy hand Jericho, (That's the beginning of their promised land. It was defended by the old man.) and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valor. 3 And ye shall compass the city, all the men of war, going about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. (See remember it may not sound correct to you in your natural mind, but obey your General. Whatever He tells you to do. He told me today to talk on this. I asked Him very plainly and He told me very plainly. So I'm just obeying.) 4 And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5 And it shall be, that, when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall go up every man straight before him.  And why a trumpet? You know, breath can be turned to intelligible, something heard. And a trumpet represents that, turning breath into something that is heard, something righteous that is heard. Like Gideon's army, they blew the trumpet and the enemy went all out to kill each other. So it's the voice of the Spirit because breath and spirit is the same word. The voice of Spirit spoken through the trumpet brought down the enemy. How awesome!   So thank you, Father, for this in Jesus name…

Moshe said to Yehoshua, “Choose people for us and go do battle with Amalek; tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill”. (17:9) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֤ה אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ בְּחַר־לָ֣נוּ אֲנָשִׁ֔ים וְצֵ֖א הִלָּחֵ֣ם בַּעֲמָלֵ֑ק מָחָ֗ר אָנֹכִ֤י נִצָּב֙ עַל־רֹ֣אשׁ הַגִּבְעָ֔ה וּמַטֵּ֥ה הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּיָדִֽי׃ בחר לנו אנשים. היה עמלק גדול בחכמת האצטגנינות ובחר אנשי מלחמתו אנשים שלא יוכלו למות בשנה ההיא כי הוא ידע זה בחכמת הכוכבים והמזלות ועל כן אמר משה ליהושע בחר לנו אנשים כיוצא בהם שלא יוכל להתחכם עלינו שיהרוג הוא מישראל וישראל לא יהרוג אחד מהם וזהו שכתוב ויחלש יהושע ולא אמר ויהרוג, ומה שאמר בחר לנו שהשוה אותו לעצמו ולא אמר בחר לי דרשו רז'ל מכאן יהי כבוד תלמידך חביב עליך כשלך. בחר לנו אנשים, “choose men for us!” The Amalekites were expert astrologers (compare Rashi; our edition מכשפים, sorcerers). Moses meant that Joshua should select men who according to their horoscopes would not die during the current year, something Moses was aware of due to his own knowledge of astrology. The two armies facing each other would all consist of soldiers who according to their respective horoscopes would not die during that year. As a result of these considerations neither army inflicted fatal casualties on the other during this encounter. This is what is meant when the Torah reports the outcome of the battle as: “Joshua weakened Amalek and his people by the sword.” The Torah carefully refrained from mentioning that the Israelites actually killed any of the Amalekites. When Moses said to Joshua “choose for us,” he compared Joshua to himself and did not say: “choose for me!” Mechilta Amalek section 1 uses this phrase to teach: “the honor of your student should be as dear to you as your own honor.” https://www.sefaria.org/Rabbeinu_Bahya,_Shemot_17.9.1 https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.17.9 In the Talmud Yoma 52b, Chazal say that the word machar, tomorrow, which is found in the above pasuk, can be interpreted as belonging to the previous phrase: “Choose people for us and go to do battle with Amalek tomorrow.” Alternatively, it can refer to the second half of the pasuk: “Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill.” We wonder what is the significance of the word, “tomorrow”? What message regarding the war with Amalek is being taught to us via the word “tomorrow”? Horav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, z.l., explains that the concept of “tomorrow” plays a crucial role in Amalek's fight against Klal Yisrael. Amalek denotes evil. He represents the forces of evil within a human being – the yetzer hara, evil inclination, whose function it is to ensnare a person and lead him to sin. Outright incitement does not work. The yetzer hara has to use guile to convince a person that the sin is really not so bad; in fact, it might even be the right thing to do. It is very sinister in its methods to convince a person to renege against the Torah, to abrogate mitzvah observance and to perform outright transgressions. In order for the yetzer hara to convince an observant Jew to act against the Torah, it must apply patience and discretion. One of its most potent tools is that of “tomorrow.” It assures its victim, “Yes, of course, you should act appropriately. Very definitely, you must perform this mitzvah. Do not do it today, however, start tomorrow. Study Torah – tomorrow. Give tzedakah – tomorrow. Do whatever good you plan on doing, but do it tomorrow. Thus, the yetzer hara grabs hold of a person and leads him to neglect the mitzvos and eventually to become a full-fledged baal aveirah, sinner. This is the disease called “Amaleikism” that the Torah instructs us to expunge from our midst. When the opportunity to perform a mitzvah presents itself, one should not dawdle, but he should take immediate action and carry out his responsibility. One who slacks off in the area of positive mitzvah performance, will soon end up taking the initiative in a sinful manner. This, says Rav Yosef Chaim, is the idea behind Moshe Rabbeinu's “lifting his hands,” an action that catalyzed Klal Yisrael's victory, as opposed to his lowering his hands, which gave strength to Amalek. Raising his hands symbolizes action, our way of defeating the yetzer hara and its personification in this world – Amalek. Allowing our hands to drop sustains the evil of Amalek, who takes his strength from our weakness. Hashem's name is hidden throughout Megillat Esther. Yet, the Rabbis of Kabbalah found the acronym of His name in the pasuk “yavo hamelech v'haman hayom- the king and Haman shall come today” (ibid. 5:4). Through the last word of the phrase, hayom (today), Esther stressed the proper use of the antidote to Haman's machar (ibid.:12). Indeed, the battle against Amalek starts with the desire to serve Hashem with enthusiasm and without delay. Parashat Zachor, the section that appears at the conclusion of our parasha, and which presents the obligation to remember Amalek's attack against Benei Yisrael, is among the most important sections in the entire Torah. It is of such importance that there rests upon each and every one of us an obligation to hear the reading of this parasha once a year, thereby fulfilling the obligation to eradicate the nation of Amalek. The question arises in this context, why did the Torah view Amalek as the eternal enemy of the Jewish people? After all, we find throughout the Torah many other nations that also waged war against Am Yisrael, peoples who sought to destroy us and deny us our existence. In order to answer this question, we must, in my humble opinion, carefully examine two terms that appear in virtually every instance in Tanach where we find mention of Amalek. I refer to the term “mikreh” (happenstance, coincidence), which comes up repeatedly in the context of Amalek, and the word “machar” (tomorrow), which we often find in reference to the Jewish people. Let us survey these instances and then assess their significance: 1. In the first battle against Amalek, Moshe asks Yehoshua, “Moshe said to Yehoshua… go fight against Amalek tomorrow…“ (Shemot 16:9). 2. At the end of our parasha, Hashem commands us never to forget what Amalek did: “… that they chanced upon you along the way” (Rashi explains the word “karcha” as a derivative of the word “mikreh”). 3. King David battled against the Amalekites who plundered his city of Tziklag: “David smote them from morning until evening on the following day“ (Shemuel I 30:17). 4. A young Amalekite informs David that he killed Shaul on MountGilboa: “The youngster who informed him said to him: ‘Ihappened to have been on MountGilboa…”(Shemuel II 1:6). 5. In Megillat Ester we meet the descendant of the Amalekite king, Aggag – Haman. Ester invites Haman to her feast and says: “If it pleases the king… the king and Haman shall come to the feast that I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king requests.” 6. Mordechai, dressed in sackcloth, sends the royal messenger Hatach to tell Ester of the edict against the Jews: “Mordechai told him all that happened to him… “ We thus find numerous sources related to Amalek, and they all make reference to one of these concepts – “machar” or “mikreh.” I believe that these two concepts can help us answer the question with which we began. The Torah affords great importance to the perpetuation of the memory of Amalek's attack because Amalek, by its very essence, expresses the notion of “mikreh” – happenstance. “Mikreh” in effect means the absence of Hashem's providence in the world. Amalek represents coincidence – the lack of faith in hashgacha peratit – divine providence, the belief that no being oversees world affairs, everything happens here purely by coincidence. Of this the Torah wishes to remind us every year; it is forbidden for us to allow “Amalekism,” the theology of “mikreh,” to take hold. In contradistinction to the Amalekite “mikreh” is the Jewish “machar.” “Tomorrow” expresses the hope, the hashgacha, the idea that there is Someone in the heavens who looks after each and every one of His creatures on earth. “Machar” is the notion that there is something for which to wake up in the morning, the world does not progress at random, without a guiding hand. Everything is foreseen from the outset, and we are granted the power to act as we wish. “Machar” is about our free will to decide what to achieve, what to make of our lives. In Hebrew, the letters of the word “Machar,” tomorrow, are the same as the letters for Rechem, or womb. The word for mercy, Rachamim, is also from the same word. The womb is always about mercy, about nurturing hope for another day, about pushing further toward continuation and reaching a goal. Amalek cannot abide that. Rav Hutner writes that Machar refers to the ultimate Tomorrow, that off Olam HaBa. We Klal Yisroel do not exist for the today of Olam HaZeh. We delay our gratification for the tomorrow of Olam HaBa. Amalek exists in in this world only of today. They exist for the simple today, the immediate gratification, and they deny the ultimate tomorrow. Their existence in the world obscures the ability to see the next world. So long as Amalek exists, we cannot see the tomorrow. So long as there are people in the world who claim there is not Olam HaBa and live like that and seem to exist with no problems, they obscure Olam HaBa for the rest of the world.
We can overcome them on the day of Tomorrow. When we live our lives with an eye on Tomorrow then we are victorious. we read Zachor on Shabbat. r Rave Rudman 
Shabbos is a day of tomorrow, of Olam HaBa. This world is, “Today to work”. Olam HaBa is the tomorrow to receive the reward.” Shabbos is one-sixtieth of Olam HaBa . Erev Shabbos is the ‘today' to work. Shabbos is the ‘tomorrow' to receive the reward. One has to read the Parsha of Amalek on Shabbos. Only on Shabbos can one truly eradicate Amalek. It is the antithesis of Amalek. It is the day of Tomorrow. 
But you can only see that if you realize that the entire world is directed and guided by HaShem. If in this world you can see the hidden hand of HKB”H. 
Only on Shabbos, and only in Olam HaBa can we see that all of this world is truly one. Only on Shabbos can we see that HaShem is the King. Therefore, on Shabbos, we read Parshas Zachor. 
This is to prepare for Purim when we read the Megillah where all of this came true. Purim also has within it a day of Machar. When Esther asks the king for one more day for the Jews of Shushan, she asks that let tomorrow be like today. The king is the King, as is well known in the Megilah. And the tomorrow is the Tomorrow of Olam HaBa. 
Maybe that is the connection between the walled cities specifically from the time of Yehoshua. We want to mention his merit in the connection to the Machar. Yehoshua was the one who had the first battle of Machar against Amalek. We ask that in his merit let us be able to have another Machar, and be able to complete his battle.
And we daven for all of this to once again be seen speedily in our times! 'ושמתי פדות בין עמי ובין עמך למחר יהיה האות הזה' (שמות ח, יט), נראה לי בסיעתא דשמיא 'מחר' אותיות רמ'ח ואותיות 'רחם', והענין הוא כי ישראל כל אחד מהם צריך לקיים רמ'ח מצות, וזה אי אפשר שיעשה כל אחד רמ'ח מצוות עשה אך ע'י אהבה שיש בישראל בין זה לזה כל אחד יהיה נשלם ברמ'ח ממעשה חבירו, ולכן רמ'ח הם אותיות 'רחם' כי 'רחם' הוא תרגום של אהבה לרמוז רמ'ח מצות נשלמין אצל כל אחד ואחד על ידי 'רחם' שהוא אהבה שיש בין זה לזה, וידוע כי שלימות קיום רמ'ח עשה מסוגלים לגאולה כי רמ'ח עשה הם בסוד החסדים, והם בסוד ו'ה שבשם, ושס'ה לא תעשה הם סוד הגבורות והם בסוד י'ה שבשם, והגאולה תהיה מתגבורת החסדים ועל ידי שלימות תיקון ו'ה שבשם, גם ידוע על ידי מדת האהבה שתהיה שלימה בישראל תהיה הגאולה, לזה אמר 'ושמתי פדות בין עמי ובין עמך למחר' אותיות 'לרמ'ח' ואותיות 'לרחם' רוצה לומר על ידי זכות רמ'ח עשה שעתידין לקבל בסיני ועל ידי זכות רחם שיש בינהם יהיה האות הזה של הפדות: או יובן בסיעתא דשמיא ידוע דקריאת שמע יש בה רמ'ח תיבות מפני כי כוחה גדול להכרית את אויבי ישראל הקליפות והתחתונים שברשותם והיא תהיה להם כמו רומח לדקור וכמו חרב להרוג כמו שכתוב' רוממות אל בגרונם' (תהלים קמט, ו) זו קראית שמע ועל ידי כן יהיה 'חרב פיפיות בידם' להרוג את אויביהם, ולכן גבי פנחס כתיב 'ויקח רמ'ח בידו' ואמרו רבותינו ז'ל זכות רמ'ח תיבות דקריאת שמע וגבר בזה על הסטרא אחרא, וזהו דשאמר 'ושמתי פדות בין עמי ובין עמך למחר יהיה האות הזה' לרמ'ח הלמד משמש במקום בעבור כלומר בעבור זכות רמ'ח תיבין דקריאת שמע יהיה האות הזה של פדות עמי מיד אויביהם וגבר ישראל, ולכן אנחנו אומרים בסוף הברכה של הקריאת שמע 'הבוחר בעמו ישראל באהבה' דתרגום 'אהבה' 'רחם' ואז אנחנו מתחילין לומר רמ'ח תיבות דקריאת שמע דזכינו לרמ'ח תיבות דקריאת שמע שתהיה רומ'ח וחרב בידינו נגד אויבינו על ידי 'רחם' שהוא אהבה שיש לנו זה על זה: https://www.sefaria.org/Ben_Ish_Hai,_Halachot_1st_Year,_Vaera,_Introduction.1

King David at Ziklag • Friday Service at the RRC Website: www.PastorTodd.org To Give: www.ToddCoconato.com/give Book: www.PastorToddBook.com RRC Nashville: www.RRCNashvile.org Ziklag, a town on the southernmost boundary of Judea, is first mentioned in the Bible as part of the inheritance of the tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:31). Ziklag was assigned to the tribe of Simeon within Judah (Joshua 19:5) but appears not to have been conquered by the Israelites before the time of David. Ziklag was still under Philistine control when Saul reigned as king. For many years King Saul sought to harm David. After the death of Samuel, David fled for his life with six hundred men and their households to Philistine territory. While there, Achish, the Philistine king of Gath, gave Ziklag to David at his request: “‘Then David said to Achish, ‘If I have found favor in your eyes, let a place be assigned to me in one of the country towns, that I may live there. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?' So on that day Achish gave him Ziklag, and it has belonged to the kings of Judah ever since” (1 Samuel 27:5–6). Achish awarded Ziklag to David most likely to ensure David's continued neutrality. David ruled over Ziklag for 16 months, during which he made the town his base of operations for military exploits against the Amalekites. Many of Israel's disillusioned warriors flocked to join forces with David's private army there (1 Chronicles 12:1–22). 1. **1 Samuel 30:1 (NIV)**: *Verse*: "David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it." *Explanation*: This verse sets the stage for the story, indicating that David and his men had just returned to their home in Ziklag, only to discover it had been raided and burned by the Amalekites. For many years King Saul sought to harm David. After the death of Samuel, David fled for his life with six hundred men and their households to Philistine territory. While there, Achish, the Philistine king of Gath, gave Ziklag to David at his request: “‘Then David said to Achish, ‘If I have found favor in your eyes, let a place be assigned to me in one of the country towns, that I may live there. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?' So on that day Achish gave him Ziklag, and it has belonged to the kings of Judah ever since” (1 Samuel 27:5–6). Achish awarded Ziklag to David most likely to ensure David's continued neutrality. David ruled over Ziklag for 16 months, during which he made the town his base of operations for military exploits against the Amalekites. Many of Israel's disillusioned warriors flocked to join forces with David's private army there (1 Chronicles 12:1–22). 2. **1 Samuel 30:3-4 (NIV)**: *Verse*: "When David and his men reached Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. So, David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep." *Explanation*: This passage highlights the devastating discovery of their destroyed homes and the emotional anguish experienced by David and his men upon realizing that their families had been taken captive. While David and his men were away attempting to join the Philistine army to fight against Saul, Amalekite raiders attacked Ziklag. When the Philistines refused to let David and his men fight with them, David returned to Ziklag and found his city had been burned down and all its inhabitants taken hostage: “David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it, and had taken captive the women and everyone else in it, both young and old. They killed none of them, but carried them off as they went on their way. When David and his men reached Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive” (1 Samuel 30:1–3). 3. **1 Samuel 30:6 (NIV)**: *Verse*: "David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God." *Explanation*: This verse portrays David's personal distress and the blame he faced from his own men. It underscores David's pivotal decision to find his strength in the Lord, a critical turning point in the story. 4. **1 Samuel 30:8 (NIV)**: *Verse*: "and David inquired of the Lord, 'Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?' 'Pursue them,' he answered. 'You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue.'" *Explanation*: Here, we see David's immediate response of seeking guidance from the Lord through prayer. God's response is a promise of success, reinforcing the importance of trusting in God's guidance. 5. **1 Samuel 30:18-19 (NIV)**: *Verse*: "David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives. Nothing was missing: young or old, boy or girl, plunder or anything else they had taken. David brought everything back." In a daring rescue, David and his men pursued and defeated the raiders, recovering all that had been taken, including David's two wives, Ahinoam and Abigail (verses 16–31). *Explanation*: These verses narrate the successful recovery mission led by David, where he not only rescued his family but also reclaimed all that was taken from them, highlighting God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promise. 6. **1 Samuel 30:21-22 (NIV)**: *Verse*: "Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow him and who were left behind at the Besor Valley. They came out to meet David and the men with him. As David and his men approached, he asked them how they were." *Explanation*: This passage demonstrates David's compassion and concern for those who had been too weary to pursue the enemy. It showcases his leadership qualities and care for his men. 7. **1 Samuel 30:23-24 (NIV)**: *Verse*: "But David said, 'No, my brothers, you must not do that with what the Lord has given us. He has protected us and delivered into our hands the raiding party that came against us.'" *Explanation*: David acknowledges that their victory and the recovery of their possessions are blessings from the Lord, reinforcing the importance of recognizing God's providence. 8. **1 Samuel 30:26 (NIV)**: *Verse*: "When David reached Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah, who were his friends, saying, 'Here is a gift for you from the plunder of the Lord's enemies.'" *Explanation*: David's act of sharing the spoils with the elders of Judah exemplifies his gratitude to God and generosity towards others, reinforcing the theme of recognizing God's blessings. 9. **1 Samuel 30:31 (NIV)**: *Verse*: "and from Hebron, from all the places David and his men had roamed." *Explanation*: This verse summarizes the wide-reaching impact of David's generosity and his growing influence as a leader in the region. 10. **1 Samuel 30:31 (NIV)**: *Verse*: "David made a name for himself when he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt." *Explanation*: This concluding verse highlights David's reputation as a mighty warrior, reflecting how his trust in God and God's guidance led to remarkable victories. These scriptures and explanations provide a comprehensive overview of the story of King David and Ziklag, emphasizing the themes of trust in God, seeking His guidance, and recognizing His blessings in times of adversity. David was living in Ziklag when he received the news of Saul's death (2 Samuel 4:10). After that, David moved to Hebron to become the king of Judah. The exact location of Ziklag is debated. Some scholars associate it with Tell esh-Sharia, about 15 miles southeast of Gaza. Others pinpoint it at Tell el-Khuweilfeh, about 10 miles northeast of Beersheba. Ziklag remained in Israelite possession until the end of the monarchy and is last mentioned in the Bible as one of the cities inhabited by Jews after returning from exile in Babylon (Nehemiah 11:28). In the face of tragedy and loss, David's initial response was not to despair or blame others, but to "find strength in the Lord his God" (1 Samuel 30:6). This crucial decision reflects David's unwavering faith in God, despite the dire circumstances. It serves as a reminder that in our own lives, when we encounter unexpected crises or overwhelming challenges, our first response should be to turn to God in prayer, seeking His guidance and strength. God's response to David's inquiry was a promise of success and victory. This illustrates that when we trust God and follow His lead, even in the most daunting situations, He remains faithful to His promises. God assured David that he would "certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue" (1 Samuel 30:8). This reaffirms the timeless truth that God is a reliable source of guidance and support in our times of need. David's subsequent actions in pursuing the enemy and recovering everything that was lost highlight the principle that faith requires action. While trusting in God's faithfulness is crucial, it often involves taking steps of obedience and courage. David's resolute pursuit of the Amalekites not only led to the rescue of their families but also the restoration of all their possessions (1 Samuel 30:18-19). It demonstrates that God's faithfulness is manifested through our trust and obedience.

Trump's new humble, playfully self-effacing persona sells us pieces of his mugshot suit. Biden remains senile as ever, 65 years on the kibbutz, all compressed down to a 2.5 month timespan, will do that to a feller. TERRORISM-FENTANYL SCREAMS ACROSS OUR SKIES. Slick Willy Clints uses language-violence to make fun of Hilldawg. Satanists will troll to make a valid point, and weirdos will take it too seriously. Bryan Johnson still thinks he'll escape the eternal icy claws of nothingness forever, but no amount of grass- juicing, erection-counting, or bowel-prioritizing will ever let you truly evade the tireless grind of the Universe. You will die, Bryan Johnson, just like all of us. Josh will soon enter the ThunderDome of Florida and hurl various footwear at Meatball/wad Ron's target of a forehead. Argentinian Arby's will be the legacy of totally normal, non-sister-fucking Javier Milei, especially after completely gutting the Argentinian government.  Biden accuses Israel of literal warcrimes, but knows not what he does, Lord. John Kirby is the most evil ventriloquist dummy cursed to experience the world and wander it forever. The blessed Hasbara Machine keeps on churning out hits. The surgically-precise "dumb bombs" keep falling. Soldiers get diap'd up. No hospital, home, school, UN safezone or Palestinian "life" can withstand all this mega-flexing right-to-self-defense death rained down from the anti-Amalekite skies.Commiserate on Discord: discord.gg/aDf4Yv9PrYSupport: patreon / buzzsproutNever Forget: standwithdanielhale.orgGeneral RecommendationsTim's Recommendations:  1)  A Murder at the End of the World  2) True Detective (Season Two) Josh's Recommendation: Civil War (TRAILER)Further Reading, Viewing, ListeningFull list of links, sources, etc More From Timothy Robert BuechnerWe Don't Know WrestlingWDKW Ko-fiBIG EGG SubstackLocationless Locationsheatdeathpod.comEvery show-related link is corralled and available here.Twitter: @heatdeathpodPlease send all Letters of Derision, Indifference, Inquiry, Mild Elation, et cetera to: heatdeathoftheuniversepodcast@gmail.com Support the show

The screwball relationship between Egypt and the Gaza War

Psalms and Wisdom: Psalm 40 Psalm 40 (Listen) My Help and My Deliverer To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. 40   I waited patiently for the LORD;    he inclined to me and heard my cry.2   He drew me up from the pit of destruction,    out of the miry bog,  and set my feet upon a rock,    making my steps secure.3   He put a new song in my mouth,    a song of praise to our God.  Many will see and fear,    and put their trust in the LORD. 4   Blessed is the man who makes    the LORD his trust,  who does not turn to the proud,    to those who go astray after a lie!5   You have multiplied, O LORD my God,    your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;    none can compare with you!  I will proclaim and tell of them,    yet they are more than can be told. 6   In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,    but you have given me an open ear.1  Burnt offering and sin offering    you have not required.7   Then I said, “Behold, I have come;    in the scroll of the book it is written of me:8   I delight to do your will, O my God;    your law is within my heart.” 9   I have told the glad news of deliverance2    in the great congregation;  behold, I have not restrained my lips,    as you know, O LORD.10   I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart;    I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;  I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness    from the great congregation. 11   As for you, O LORD, you will not restrain    your mercy from me;  your steadfast love and your faithfulness will    ever preserve me!12   For evils have encompassed me    beyond number;  my iniquities have overtaken me,    and I cannot see;  they are more than the hairs of my head;    my heart fails me. 13   Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me!    O LORD, make haste to help me!14   Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether    who seek to snatch away my life;  let those be turned back and brought to dishonor    who delight in my hurt!15   Let those be appalled because of their shame    who say to me, “Aha, Aha!” 16   But may all who seek you    rejoice and be glad in you;  may those who love your salvation    say continually, “Great is the LORD!”17   As for me, I am poor and needy,    but the Lord takes thought for me.  You are my help and my deliverer;    do not delay, O my God! Footnotes [1] 40:6 Hebrew ears you have dug for me [2] 40:9 Hebrew righteousness; also verse 10 (ESV) Pentateuch and History: 2 Samuel 1 2 Samuel 1 (Listen) David Hears of Saul's Death 1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned from striking down the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag. 2 And on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul's camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage. 3 David said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” 4 And David said to him, “How did it go? Tell me.” And he answered, “The people fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.” 5 Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 6 And the young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear, and behold, the chariots and the horsemen were close upon him. 7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.' 8 And he said to me, ‘Who are you?' I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.' 9 And he said to me, ‘Stand beside me and kill me, for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers.' 10 So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.” 11 Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. 12 And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the LORD and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. 13 And David said to the young man who told him, “Where do you come from?” And he answered, “I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.” 14 David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the LORD's anointed?” 15 Then David called one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him.” And he struck him down so that he died. 16 And David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the LORD's anointed.'” David's Lament for Saul and Jonathan 17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son, 18 and he said it1 should be taught to the people of Judah; behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar.2 He said: 19   “Your glory, O Israel, is slain on your high places!    How the mighty have fallen!20   Tell it not in Gath,    publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon,  lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,    lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult. 21   “You mountains of Gilboa,    let there be no dew or rain upon you,    nor fields of offerings!3  For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,    the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil. 22   “From the blood of the slain,    from the fat of the mighty,  the bow of Jonathan turned not back,    and the sword of Saul returned not empty. 23   “Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!    In life and in death they were not divided;  they were swifter than eagles;    they were stronger than lions. 24   “You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,    who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet,    who put ornaments of gold on your apparel. 25   “How the mighty have fallen    in the midst of the battle!   “Jonathan lies slain on your high places.26     I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;  very pleasant have you been to me;    your love to me was extraordinary,    surpassing the love of women. 27   “How the mighty have fallen,    and the weapons of war perished!” Footnotes [1] 1:18 Septuagint; Hebrew the Bow, which may be the name of the lament's tune [2] 1:18 Or of the upright [3] 1:21 Septuagint firstfruits (ESV) Chronicles and Prophets: Daniel 12 Daniel 12 (Listen) The Time of the End 12 “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above;1 and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. 4 But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.” 5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on this bank of the stream and one on that bank of the stream. 6 And someone said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream,2 “How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?” 7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished. 8 I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” 9 He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand. 11 And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days. 12 Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days. 13 But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.” Footnotes [1] 12:3 Hebrew the expanse; compare Genesis 1:6–8 [2] 12:6 Or who was upstream; also verse 7 (ESV) Gospels and Epistles: Luke 8:4–21 Luke 8:4–21 (Listen) The Parable of the Sower 4 And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable, 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. 8 And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” The Purpose of the Parables 9 And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, 10 he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.' 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. 14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience. A Lamp Under a Jar 16 “No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. 17 For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. 18 Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.” Jesus' Mother and Brothers 19 Then his mother and his brothers1 came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. 20 And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” 21 But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” Footnotes [1] 8:19 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters; also verses 20, 21 (ESV)

Psalms and Wisdom: Psalm 38 Psalm 38 (Listen) Do Not Forsake Me, O Lord A Psalm of David, for the memorial offering. 38   O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger,    nor discipline me in your wrath!2   For your arrows have sunk into me,    and your hand has come down on me. 3   There is no soundness in my flesh    because of your indignation;  there is no health in my bones    because of my sin.4   For my iniquities have gone over my head;    like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me. 5   My wounds stink and fester    because of my foolishness,6   I am utterly bowed down and prostrate;    all the day I go about mourning.7   For my sides are filled with burning,    and there is no soundness in my flesh.8   I am feeble and crushed;    I groan because of the tumult of my heart. 9   O Lord, all my longing is before you;    my sighing is not hidden from you.10   My heart throbs; my strength fails me,    and the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.11   My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague,    and my nearest kin stand far off. 12   Those who seek my life lay their snares;    those who seek my hurt speak of ruin    and meditate treachery all day long. 13   But I am like a deaf man; I do not hear,    like a mute man who does not open his mouth.14   I have become like a man who does not hear,    and in whose mouth are no rebukes. 15   But for you, O LORD, do I wait;    it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.16   For I said, “Only let them not rejoice over me,    who boast against me when my foot slips!” 17   For I am ready to fall,    and my pain is ever before me.18   I confess my iniquity;    I am sorry for my sin.19   But my foes are vigorous, they are mighty,    and many are those who hate me wrongfully.20   Those who render me evil for good    accuse me because I follow after good. 21   Do not forsake me, O LORD!    O my God, be not far from me!22   Make haste to help me,    O Lord, my salvation! (ESV) Pentateuch and History: 1 Samuel 29–30 1 Samuel 29–30 (Listen) The Philistines Reject David 29 Now the Philistines had gathered all their forces at Aphek. And the Israelites were encamped by the spring that is in Jezreel. 2 As the lords of the Philistines were passing on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were passing on in the rear with Achish, 3 the commanders of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews doing here?” And Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, “Is this not David, the servant of Saul, king of Israel, who has been with me now for days and years, and since he deserted to me I have found no fault in him to this day.” 4 But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him. And the commanders of the Philistines said to him, “Send the man back, that he may return to the place to which you have assigned him. He shall not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us. For how could this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of the men here? 5 Is not this David, of whom they sing to one another in dances,   ‘Saul has struck down his thousands,    and David his ten thousands'?” 6 Then Achish called David and said to him, “As the LORD lives, you have been honest, and to me it seems right that you should march out and in with me in the campaign. For I have found nothing wrong in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, the lords do not approve of you. 7 So go back now; and go peaceably, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.” 8 And David said to Achish, “But what have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day I entered your service until now, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?” 9 And Achish answered David and said, “I know that you are as blameless in my sight as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us to the battle.' 10 Now then rise early in the morning with the servants of your lord who came with you, and start early in the morning, and depart as soon as you have light.” 11 So David set out with his men early in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. But the Philistines went up to Jezreel. David's Wives Are Captured 30 Now when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid against the Negeb and against Ziklag. They had overcome Ziklag and burned it with fire 2 and taken captive the women and all1 who were in it, both small and great. They killed no one, but carried them off and went their way. 3 And when David and his men came to the city, they found it burned with fire, and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. 4 Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until they had no more strength to weep. 5 David's two wives also had been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 6 And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul,2 each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God. 7 And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. 8 And David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them?” He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue.” 9 So David set out, and the six hundred men who were with him, and they came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed. 10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men. Two hundred stayed behind, who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor. 11 They found an Egyptian in the open country and brought him to David. And they gave him bread and he ate. They gave him water to drink, 12 and they gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. And when he had eaten, his spirit revived, for he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights. 13 And David said to him, “To whom do you belong? And where are you from?” He said, “I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite, and my master left me behind because I fell sick three days ago. 14 We had made a raid against the Negeb of the Cherethites and against that which belongs to Judah and against the Negeb of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire.” 15 And David said to him, “Will you take me down to this band?” And he said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will take you down to this band.” David Defeats the Amalekites 16 And when he had taken him down, behold, they were spread abroad over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing, because of all the great spoil they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. 17 And David struck them down from twilight until the evening of the next day, and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men, who mounted camels and fled. 18 David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and David rescued his two wives. 19 Nothing was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken. David brought back all. 20 David also captured all the flocks and herds, and the people drove the livestock before him,3 and said, “This is David's spoil.” 21 Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow David, and who had been left at the brook Besor. And they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him. And when David came near to the people he greeted them. 22 Then all the wicked and worthless fellows among the men who had gone with David said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except that each man may lead away his wife and children, and depart.” 23 But David said, “You shall not do so, my brothers, with what the LORD has given us. He has preserved us and given into our hand the band that came against us. 24 Who would listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down into the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage. They shall share alike.” 25 And he made it a statute and a rule for Israel from that day forward to this day. 26 When David came to Ziklag, he sent part of the spoil to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, “Here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of the LORD.” 27 It was for those in Bethel, in Ramoth of the Negeb, in Jattir, 28 in Aroer, in Siphmoth, in Eshtemoa, 29 in Racal, in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, in the cities of the Kenites, 30 in Hormah, in Bor-ashan, in Athach, 31 in Hebron, for all the places where David and his men had roamed. Footnotes [1] 30:2 Septuagint; Hebrew lacks and all [2] 30:6 Compare 22:2 [3] 30:20 The meaning of the Hebrew clause is uncertain (ESV) Chronicles and Prophets: Daniel 10–11:1 Daniel 10–11:1 (Listen) Daniel's Terrifying Vision of a Man 10 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a word was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. And the word was true, and it was a great conflict.1 And he understood the word and had understanding of the vision. 2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks. 3 I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks. 4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river (that is, the Tigris) 5 I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. 6 His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude. 7 And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision, but a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves. 8 So I was left alone and saw this great vision, and no strength was left in me. My radiant appearance was fearfully changed,2 and I retained no strength. 9 Then I heard the sound of his words, and as I heard the sound of his words, I fell on my face in deep sleep with my face to the ground. 10 And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. 11 And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. 12 Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. 13 The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, 14 and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.” 15 When he had spoken to me according to these words, I turned my face toward the ground and was mute. 16 And behold, one in the likeness of the children of man touched my lips. Then I opened my mouth and spoke. I said to him who stood before me, “O my lord, by reason of the vision pains have come upon me, and I retain no strength. 17 How can my lord's servant talk with my lord? For now no strength remains in me, and no breath is left in me.” 18 Again one having the appearance of a man touched me and strengthened me. 19 And he said, “O man greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.” And as he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.” 20 Then he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? But now I will return to fight against the prince of Persia; and when I go out, behold, the prince of Greece will come. 21 But I will tell you what is inscribed in the book of truth: there is none who contends by my side against these except Michael, your prince. The Kings of the South and the North 11 “And as for me, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to confirm and strengthen him. Footnotes [1] 10:1 Or and it was about a great conflict [2] 10:8 Hebrew My splendor was changed to ruin (ESV) Gospels and Epistles: Luke 7:1–35 Luke 7:1–35 (Listen) Jesus Heals a Centurion's Servant 7 After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. 2 Now a centurion had a servant1 who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. 3 When the centurion2 heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, 5 for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” 6 And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7 Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. 8 For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,' and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,' and he does it.” 9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” 10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well. Jesus Raises a Widow's Son 11 Soon afterward3 he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 12 As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus4 gave him to his mother. 16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” 17 And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country. Messengers from John the Baptist 18 The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, 19 calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 20 And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?'” 21 In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. 22 And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers5 are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. 23 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” 24 When John's messengers had gone, Jesus6 began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 25 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are dressed in splendid clothing and live in luxury are in kings' courts. 26 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is he of whom it is written,   “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,    who will prepare your way before you.' 28 I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” 29 (When all the people heard this, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just,7 having been baptized with the baptism of John, 30 but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.) 31 “To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another,   “‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;    we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.' 33 For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.' 34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' 35 Yet wisdom is justified by all her children.” Footnotes [1] 7:2 Or bondservant; also verses 3, 8, 10 [2] 7:3 Greek he [3] 7:11 Some manuscripts The next day [4] 7:15 Greek he [5] 7:22 Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13 [6] 7:24 Greek he [7] 7:29 Greek they justified God (ESV)

With family: 2 Samuel 1; 1 Corinthians 12 2 Samuel 1 (Listen) David Hears of Saul's Death 1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned from striking down the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag. 2 And on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul's camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage. 3 David said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” 4 And David said to him, “How did it go? Tell me.” And he answered, “The people fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.” 5 Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 6 And the young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear, and behold, the chariots and the horsemen were close upon him. 7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.' 8 And he said to me, ‘Who are you?' I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.' 9 And he said to me, ‘Stand beside me and kill me, for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers.' 10 So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.” 11 Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. 12 And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the LORD and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. 13 And David said to the young man who told him, “Where do you come from?” And he answered, “I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.” 14 David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the LORD's anointed?” 15 Then David called one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him.” And he struck him down so that he died. 16 And David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the LORD's anointed.'” David's Lament for Saul and Jonathan 17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son, 18 and he said it1 should be taught to the people of Judah; behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar.2 He said: 19   “Your glory, O Israel, is slain on your high places!    How the mighty have fallen!20   Tell it not in Gath,    publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon,  lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,    lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult. 21   “You mountains of Gilboa,    let there be no dew or rain upon you,    nor fields of offerings!3  For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,    the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil. 22   “From the blood of the slain,    from the fat of the mighty,  the bow of Jonathan turned not back,    and the sword of Saul returned not empty. 23   “Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!    In life and in death they were not divided;  they were swifter than eagles;    they were stronger than lions. 24   “You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,    who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet,    who put ornaments of gold on your apparel. 25   “How the mighty have fallen    in the midst of the battle!   “Jonathan lies slain on your high places.26     I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;  very pleasant have you been to me;    your love to me was extraordinary,    surpassing the love of women. 27   “How the mighty have fallen,    and the weapons of war perished!” Footnotes [1] 1:18 Septuagint; Hebrew the Bow, which may be the name of the lament's tune [2] 1:18 Or of the upright [3] 1:21 Septuagint firstfruits (ESV) 1 Corinthians 12 (Listen) Spiritual Gifts 12 Now concerning1 spiritual gifts,2 brothers,3 I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. One Body with Many Members 12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves4 or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts,5 yet one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. 27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. Footnotes [1] 12:1 The expression Now concerning introduces a reply to a question in the Corinthians' letter; see 7:1 [2] 12:1 Or spiritual persons [3] 12:1 Or brothers and sisters [4] 12:13 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface [5] 12:20 Or members; also verse 22 (ESV) In private: Psalm 49; Ezekiel 10 Psalm 49 (Listen) Why Should I Fear in Times of Trouble? To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. 49   Hear this, all peoples!    Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,2   both low and high,    rich and poor together!3   My mouth shall speak wisdom;    the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.4   I will incline my ear to a proverb;    I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre. 5   Why should I fear in times of trouble,    when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,6   those who trust in their wealth    and boast of the abundance of their riches?7   Truly no man can ransom another,    or give to God the price of his life,8   for the ransom of their life is costly    and can never suffice,9   that he should live on forever    and never see the pit. 10   For he sees that even the wise die;    the fool and the stupid alike must perish    and leave their wealth to others.11   Their graves are their homes forever,1    their dwelling places to all generations,    though they called lands by their own names.12   Man in his pomp will not remain;    he is like the beasts that perish. 13   This is the path of those who have foolish confidence;    yet after them people approve of their boasts.2 Selah14   Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;    death shall be their shepherd,  and the upright shall rule over them in the morning.    Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.15   But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,    for he will receive me. Selah 16   Be not afraid when a man becomes rich,    when the glory of his house increases.17   For when he dies he will carry nothing away;    his glory will not go down after him.18   For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed    —and though you get praise when you do well for yourself—19   his soul will go to the generation of his fathers,    who will never again see light.20   Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish. Footnotes [1] 49:11 Septuagint, Syriac, Targum; Hebrew Their inward thought was that their homes were forever [2] 49:13 Or and of those after them who approve of their boasts (ESV) Ezekiel 10 (Listen) The Glory of the Lord Leaves the Temple 10 Then I looked, and behold, on the expanse that was over the heads of the cherubim there appeared above them something like a sapphire,1 in appearance like a throne. 2 And he said to the man clothed in linen, “Go in among the whirling wheels underneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with burning coals from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city.” And he went in before my eyes. 3 Now the cherubim were standing on the south side of the house, when the man went in, and a cloud filled the inner court. 4 And the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub to the threshold of the house, and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was filled with the brightness of the glory of the LORD. 5 And the sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard as far as the outer court, like the voice of God Almighty when he speaks. 6 And when he commanded the man clothed in linen, “Take fire from between the whirling wheels, from between the cherubim,” he went in and stood beside a wheel. 7 And a cherub stretched out his hand from between the cherubim to the fire that was between the cherubim, and took some of it and put it into the hands of the man clothed in linen, who took it and went out. 8 The cherubim appeared to have the form of a human hand under their wings. 9 And I looked, and behold, there were four wheels beside the cherubim, one beside each cherub, and the appearance of the wheels was like sparkling beryl. 10 And as for their appearance, the four had the same likeness, as if a wheel were within a wheel. 11 When they went, they went in any of their four directions2 without turning as they went, but in whatever direction the front wheel3 faced, the others followed without turning as they went. 12 And their whole body, their rims, and their spokes, their wings,4 and the wheels were full of eyes all around—the wheels that the four of them had. 13 As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing “the whirling wheels.” 14 And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was a human face, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle. 15 And the cherubim mounted up. These were the living creatures that I saw by the Chebar canal. 16 And when the cherubim went, the wheels went beside them. And when the cherubim lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the wheels did not turn from beside them. 17 When they stood still, these stood still, and when they mounted up, these mounted up with them, for the spirit of the living creatures5 was in them. 18 Then the glory of the LORD went out from the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim. 19 And the cherubim lifted up their wings and mounted up from the earth before my eyes as they went out, with the wheels beside them. And they stood at the entrance of the east gate of the house of the LORD, and the glory of the God of Israel was over them. 20 These were the living creatures that I saw underneath the God of Israel by the Chebar canal; and I knew that they were cherubim. 21 Each had four faces, and each four wings, and underneath their wings the likeness of human hands. 22 And as for the likeness of their faces, they were the same faces whose appearance I had seen by the Chebar canal. Each one of them went straight forward. Footnotes [1] 10:1 Or lapis lazuli [2] 10:11 Hebrew to their four sides [3] 10:11 Hebrew the head [4] 10:12 Or their whole body, their backs, their hands, and their wings [5] 10:17 Or spirit of life (ESV)

With family: 1 Samuel 29–30; 1 Corinthians 10 1 Samuel 29–30 (Listen) The Philistines Reject David 29 Now the Philistines had gathered all their forces at Aphek. And the Israelites were encamped by the spring that is in Jezreel. 2 As the lords of the Philistines were passing on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were passing on in the rear with Achish, 3 the commanders of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews doing here?” And Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, “Is this not David, the servant of Saul, king of Israel, who has been with me now for days and years, and since he deserted to me I have found no fault in him to this day.” 4 But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him. And the commanders of the Philistines said to him, “Send the man back, that he may return to the place to which you have assigned him. He shall not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us. For how could this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of the men here? 5 Is not this David, of whom they sing to one another in dances,   ‘Saul has struck down his thousands,    and David his ten thousands'?” 6 Then Achish called David and said to him, “As the LORD lives, you have been honest, and to me it seems right that you should march out and in with me in the campaign. For I have found nothing wrong in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, the lords do not approve of you. 7 So go back now; and go peaceably, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.” 8 And David said to Achish, “But what have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day I entered your service until now, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?” 9 And Achish answered David and said, “I know that you are as blameless in my sight as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us to the battle.' 10 Now then rise early in the morning with the servants of your lord who came with you, and start early in the morning, and depart as soon as you have light.” 11 So David set out with his men early in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. But the Philistines went up to Jezreel. David's Wives Are Captured 30 Now when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid against the Negeb and against Ziklag. They had overcome Ziklag and burned it with fire 2 and taken captive the women and all1 who were in it, both small and great. They killed no one, but carried them off and went their way. 3 And when David and his men came to the city, they found it burned with fire, and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. 4 Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until they had no more strength to weep. 5 David's two wives also had been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 6 And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul,2 each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God. 7 And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. 8 And David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them?” He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue.” 9 So David set out, and the six hundred men who were with him, and they came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed. 10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men. Two hundred stayed behind, who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor. 11 They found an Egyptian in the open country and brought him to David. And they gave him bread and he ate. They gave him water to drink, 12 and they gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. And when he had eaten, his spirit revived, for he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights. 13 And David said to him, “To whom do you belong? And where are you from?” He said, “I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite, and my master left me behind because I fell sick three days ago. 14 We had made a raid against the Negeb of the Cherethites and against that which belongs to Judah and against the Negeb of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire.” 15 And David said to him, “Will you take me down to this band?” And he said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will take you down to this band.” David Defeats the Amalekites 16 And when he had taken him down, behold, they were spread abroad over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing, because of all the great spoil they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. 17 And David struck them down from twilight until the evening of the next day, and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men, who mounted camels and fled. 18 David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and David rescued his two wives. 19 Nothing was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken. David brought back all. 20 David also captured all the flocks and herds, and the people drove the livestock before him,3 and said, “This is David's spoil.” 21 Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow David, and who had been left at the brook Besor. And they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him. And when David came near to the people he greeted them. 22 Then all the wicked and worthless fellows among the men who had gone with David said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except that each man may lead away his wife and children, and depart.” 23 But David said, “You shall not do so, my brothers, with what the LORD has given us. He has preserved us and given into our hand the band that came against us. 24 Who would listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down into the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage. They shall share alike.” 25 And he made it a statute and a rule for Israel from that day forward to this day. 26 When David came to Ziklag, he sent part of the spoil to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, “Here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of the LORD.” 27 It was for those in Bethel, in Ramoth of the Negeb, in Jattir, 28 in Aroer, in Siphmoth, in Eshtemoa, 29 in Racal, in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, in the cities of the Kenites, 30 in Hormah, in Bor-ashan, in Athach, 31 in Hebron, for all the places where David and his men had roamed. Footnotes [1] 30:2 Septuagint; Hebrew lacks and all [2] 30:6 Compare 22:2 [3] 30:20 The meaning of the Hebrew clause is uncertain (ESV) 1 Corinthians 10 (Listen) Warning Against Idolatry 10 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers,1 that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown2 in the wilderness. 6 Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” 8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9 We must not put Christ3 to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, 10 nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 18 Consider the people of Israel:4 are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? 19 What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 22 Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? Do All to the Glory of God 23 “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26 For “the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof.” 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience—29 I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else's conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? 31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. Footnotes [1] 10:1 Or brothers and sisters [2] 10:5 Or were laid low [3] 10:9 Some manuscripts the Lord [4] 10:18 Greek Consider Israel according to the flesh (ESV) In private: Psalms 46–47; Ezekiel 8 Psalms 46–47 (Listen) God Is Our Fortress To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth.1 A Song. 46   God is our refuge and strength,    a very present2 help in trouble.2   Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,    though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,3   though its waters roar and foam,    though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah 4   There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,    the holy habitation of the Most High.5   God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;    God will help her when morning dawns.6   The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;    he utters his voice, the earth melts.7   The LORD of hosts is with us;    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah 8   Come, behold the works of the LORD,    how he has brought desolations on the earth.9   He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;    he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;    he burns the chariots with fire.10   “Be still, and know that I am God.    I will be exalted among the nations,    I will be exalted in the earth!”11   The LORD of hosts is with us;    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah God Is King over All the Earth To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. 47   Clap your hands, all peoples!    Shout to God with loud songs of joy!2   For the LORD, the Most High, is to be feared,    a great king over all the earth.3   He subdued peoples under us,    and nations under our feet.4   He chose our heritage for us,    the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Selah 5   God has gone up with a shout,    the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.6   Sing praises to God, sing praises!    Sing praises to our King, sing praises!7   For God is the King of all the earth;    sing praises with a psalm!3 8   God reigns over the nations;    God sits on his holy throne.9   The princes of the peoples gather    as the people of the God of Abraham.  For the shields of the earth belong to God;    he is highly exalted! Footnotes [1] 46:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term [2] 46:1 Or well proved [3] 47:7 Hebrew maskil (ESV) Ezekiel 8 (Listen) Abominations in the Temple 8 In the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house, with the elders of Judah sitting before me, the hand of the Lord GOD fell upon me there. 2 Then I looked, and behold, a form that had the appearance of a man.1 Below what appeared to be his waist was fire, and above his waist was something like the appearance of brightness, like gleaming metal.2 3 He put out the form of a hand and took me by a lock of my head, and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and brought me in visions of God to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the gateway of the inner court that faces north, where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy. 4 And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, like the vision that I saw in the valley. 5 Then he said to me, “Son of man, lift up your eyes now toward the north.” So I lifted up my eyes toward the north, and behold, north of the altar gate, in the entrance, was this image of jealousy. 6 And he said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing, the great abominations that the house of Israel are committing here, to drive me far from my sanctuary? But you will see still greater abominations.” 7 And he brought me to the entrance of the court, and when I looked, behold, there was a hole in the wall. 8 Then he said to me, “Son of man, dig in the wall.” So I dug in the wall, and behold, there was an entrance. 9 And he said to me, “Go in, and see the vile abominations that they are committing here.” 10 So I went in and saw. And there, engraved on the wall all around, was every form of creeping things and loathsome beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel. 11 And before them stood seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel, with Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan standing among them. Each had his censer in his hand, and the smoke of the cloud of incense went up. 12 Then he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark, each in his room of pictures? For they say, ‘The LORD does not see us, the LORD has forsaken the land.'” 13 He said also to me, “You will see still greater abominations that they commit.” 14 Then he brought me to the entrance of the north gate of the house of the LORD, and behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz. 15 Then he said to me, “Have you seen this, O son of man? You will see still greater abominations than these.” 16 And he brought me into the inner court of the house of the LORD. And behold, at the entrance of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men, with their backs to the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east, worshiping the sun toward the east. 17 Then he said to me, “Have you seen this, O son of man? Is it too light a thing for the house of Judah to commit the abominations that they commit here, that they should fill the land with violence and provoke me still further to anger? Behold, they put the branch to their3 nose. 18 Therefore I will act in wrath. My eye will not spare, nor will I have pity. And though they cry in my ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them.” Footnotes [1] 8:2 By revocalization (compare Septuagint); Hebrew of fire [2] 8:2 Or amber [3] 8:17 Or my (ESV)

Proper 11 First Psalm: Psalm 55 Psalm 55 (Listen) Cast Your Burden on the Lord To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Maskil1 of David. 55   Give ear to my prayer, O God,    and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy!2   Attend to me, and answer me;    I am restless in my complaint and I moan,3   because of the noise of the enemy,    because of the oppression of the wicked.  For they drop trouble upon me,    and in anger they bear a grudge against me. 4   My heart is in anguish within me;    the terrors of death have fallen upon me.5   Fear and trembling come upon me,    and horror overwhelms me.6   And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!    I would fly away and be at rest;7   yes, I would wander far away;    I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah8   I would hurry to find a shelter    from the raging wind and tempest.” 9   Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongues;    for I see violence and strife in the city.10   Day and night they go around it    on its walls,  and iniquity and trouble are within it;11     ruin is in its midst;  oppression and fraud    do not depart from its marketplace. 12   For it is not an enemy who taunts me—    then I could bear it;  it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me—    then I could hide from him.13   But it is you, a man, my equal,    my companion, my familiar friend.14   We used to take sweet counsel together;    within God's house we walked in the throng.15   Let death steal over them;    let them go down to Sheol alive;    for evil is in their dwelling place and in their heart. 16   But I call to God,    and the LORD will save me.17   Evening and morning and at noon    I utter my complaint and moan,    and he hears my voice.18   He redeems my soul in safety    from the battle that I wage,    for many are arrayed against me.19   God will give ear and humble them,    he who is enthroned from of old, Selah  because they do not change    and do not fear God. 20   My companion2 stretched out his hand against his friends;    he violated his covenant.21   His speech was smooth as butter,    yet war was in his heart;  his words were softer than oil,    yet they were drawn swords. 22   Cast your burden on the LORD,    and he will sustain you;  he will never permit    the righteous to be moved. 23   But you, O God, will cast them down    into the pit of destruction;  men of blood and treachery    shall not live out half their days.  But I will trust in you. Footnotes [1] 55:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term [2] 55:20 Hebrew He (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalms 138–139:23 Psalms 138–139:23 (Listen) Give Thanks to the Lord Of David. 138   I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart;    before the gods I sing your praise;2   I bow down toward your holy temple    and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,    for you have exalted above all things    your name and your word.13   On the day I called, you answered me;    my strength of soul you increased.2 4   All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD,    for they have heard the words of your mouth,5   and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD,    for great is the glory of the LORD.6   For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly,    but the haughty he knows from afar. 7   Though I walk in the midst of trouble,    you preserve my life;  you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,    and your right hand delivers me.8   The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;    your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever.    Do not forsake the work of your hands. Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. 139   O LORD, you have searched me and known me!2   You know when I sit down and when I rise up;    you discern my thoughts from afar.3   You search out my path and my lying down    and are acquainted with all my ways.4   Even before a word is on my tongue,    behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.5   You hem me in, behind and before,    and lay your hand upon me.6   Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;    it is high; I cannot attain it. 7   Where shall I go from your Spirit?    Or where shall I flee from your presence?8   If I ascend to heaven, you are there!    If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!9   If I take the wings of the morning    and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,10   even there your hand shall lead me,    and your right hand shall hold me.11   If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,    and the light about me be night,”12   even the darkness is not dark to you;    the night is bright as the day,    for darkness is as light with you. 13   For you formed my inward parts;    you knitted me together in my mother's womb.14   I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.3  Wonderful are your works;    my soul knows it very well.15   My frame was not hidden from you,  when I was being made in secret,    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.16   Your eyes saw my unformed substance;  in your book were written, every one of them,    the days that were formed for me,    when as yet there was none of them. 17   How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!    How vast is the sum of them!18   If I would count them, they are more than the sand.    I awake, and I am still with you. 19   Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God!    O men of blood, depart from me!20   They speak against you with malicious intent;    your enemies take your name in vain.421   Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD?    And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?22   I hate them with complete hatred;    I count them my enemies. 23   Search me, O God, and know my heart!    Try me and know my thoughts!5 Footnotes [1] 138:2 Or you have exalted your word above all your name [2] 138:3 Hebrew you made me bold in my soul with strength [3] 139:14 Or for I am fearfully set apart [4] 139:20 Hebrew lacks your name [5] 139:23 Or cares (ESV) Old Testament: 2 Samuel 1:1–16 2 Samuel 1:1–16 (Listen) David Hears of Saul's Death 1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned from striking down the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag. 2 And on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul's camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage. 3 David said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” 4 And David said to him, “How did it go? Tell me.” And he answered, “The people fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.” 5 Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 6 And the young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear, and behold, the chariots and the horsemen were close upon him. 7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.' 8 And he said to me, ‘Who are you?' I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.' 9 And he said to me, ‘Stand beside me and kill me, for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers.' 10 So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.” 11 Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. 12 And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the LORD and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. 13 And David said to the young man who told him, “Where do you come from?” And he answered, “I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.” 14 David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the LORD's anointed?” 15 Then David called one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him.” And he struck him down so that he died. 16 And David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the LORD's anointed.'” (ESV) New Testament: Acts 15:22–35 Acts 15:22–35 (Listen) The Council's Letter to Gentile Believers 22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, 23 with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers1 who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. 24 Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you2 with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, 25 it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: 29 that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.” 30 So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. 31 And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. 32 And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words. 33 And after they had spent some time, they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them.3 35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also. Footnotes [1] 15:23 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 32, 33, 36 [2] 15:24 Some manuscripts some persons from us have troubled you [3] 15:33 Some manuscripts insert verse 34: But it seemed good to Silas to remain there (ESV) Gospel: Mark 6:1–13 Mark 6:1–13 (Listen) Jesus Rejected at Nazareth 6 He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2 And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4 And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” 5 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching. Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles 7 And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts—9 but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics.1 10 And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. 11 And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” 12 So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them. Footnotes [1] 6:9 Greek chiton, a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin (ESV)

Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________Saturday - Proper 11 Opening Words:“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”Psalm 19:14 (ESV) Confession:Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God. Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen. Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen. The InvitatoryLord, open our lips.And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Venite (Psalm 95:1-7)Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: Come let us adore him. Come, let us sing to the Lord; * let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.For the Lord is a great God, * and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, * and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker.For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice! Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: Come let us adore him. The PsalterPsalm 55Exaudi, Deus1Hear my prayer, O God; *do not hide yourself from my petition.2Listen to me and answer me; *I have no peace, because of my cares.3I am shaken by the noise of the enemy *and by the pressure of the wicked;4For they have cast an evil spell upon me *and are set against me in fury.5My heart quakes within me, *and the terrors of death have fallen upon me.6Fear and trembling have come over me, *and horror overwhelms me.7And I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! *I would fly away and be at rest.8I would flee to a far-off place *and make my lodging in the wilderness.9I would hasten to escape *from the stormy wind and tempest.”10Swallow them up, O Lord;confound their speech; *for I have seen violence and strife in the city.11Day and night the watchmen make their rounds upon her walls, *but trouble and misery are in the midst of her.12There is corruption at her heart; *her streets are never free of oppression and deceit.13For had it been an adversary who taunted me,then I could have borne it; *or had it been an enemy who vaunted himself against me,then I could have hidden from him.14But it was you, a man after my own heart, *my companion, my own familiar friend.15We took sweet counsel together, *and walked with the throng in the house of God.16Let death come upon them suddenly;let them go down alive into the grave; *for wickedness is in their dwellings, in their very midst.17But I will call upon God, *and the Lord will deliver me.18In the evening, in the morning, and at noonday,I will complain and lament, *and he will hear my voice.19He will bring me safely back from the battle waged against me; *for there are many who fight me.20God, who is enthroned of old, will hear me and bring them down; *they never change; they do not fear God.21My companion stretched forth his hand against his comrade; *he has broken his covenant.22His speech is softer than butter, *but war is in his heart.23His words are smoother than oil, *but they are drawn swords.24Cast your burden upon the Lord,and he will sustain you; *he will never let the righteous stumble.25For you will bring the bloodthirsty and deceitful *down to the pit of destruction, O God.26They shall not live out half their days, *but I will put my trust in you. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Lessons2 Samuel 1:1-16English Standard Version1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned from striking down the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag. 2 And on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul's camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage. 3 David said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” 4 And David said to him, “How did it go? Tell me.” And he answered, “The people fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.” 5 Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 6 And the young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear, and behold, the chariots and the horsemen were close upon him. 7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.' 8 And he said to me, ‘Who are you?' I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.' 9 And he said to me, ‘Stand beside me and kill me, for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers.' 10 So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”11 Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. 12 And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. 13 And David said to the young man who told him, “Where do you come from?” And he answered, “I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.” 14 David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the Lord's anointed?” 15 Then David called one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him.” And he struck him down so that he died. 16 And David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the Lord's anointed.'” Acts 15:22-35English Standard Version22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, 23 with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. 24 Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, 25 it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: 29 that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”30 So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. 31 And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. 32 And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words. 33 And after they had spent some time, they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them. 35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also. The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah)Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; * he has come to his people and set them free.He has raised up for us a mighty savior, * born of the house of his servant David.Through his holy prophets he promised of old, that he would save us from our enemies, * from the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathers * and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, * to set us free from the hands of our enemies, Free to worship him without fear, * holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, * for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, To give his people knowledge of salvation * by the forgiveness of their sins.In the tender compassion of our God * the dawn from on high shall break upon us, To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, * and to guide our feet into the way of peace.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersLord, have mercy.Christ, have mercyLord, have mercyOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. The SuffragesO Lord, show your mercy upon us;And grant us your salvation.O Lord, guide those who govern usAnd lead us in the way of justice and truth.Clothe your ministers with righteousnessAnd let your people sing with joy.O Lord, save your peopleAnd bless your inheritance.Give peace in our time, O LordAnd defend us by your mighty power.Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgottenNor the hope of the poor be taken away.Create in us clean hearts, O GodAnd take not your Holy Spirit from us. Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others. The CollectsProper 11Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Daily Collects:A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceO Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Collect of Saint BasilO Christ God, Who art worshipped and glorified at every place and time; Who art long-suffering, most merciful and compassionate; Who lovest the righteous and art merciful to sinners; Who callest all to salvation with the promise of good things to come: receive, Lord, the prayers we now offer, and direct our lives in the way of Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, cleanse our bodies, correct our thoughts, purify our minds and deliver us from all affliction, evil and illness. Surround us with Thy holy angels, that guarded and instructed by their forces, we may reach unity of faith and the understanding of Thine unapproachable glory: for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen. General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen. A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. DismissalLet us bless the LordThanks be to God!Alleluia, Alleluia! BenedictionThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen

Old Testament: 2 Samuel 1–2 2 Samuel 1–2 (Listen) David Hears of Saul's Death 1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned from striking down the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag. 2 And on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul's camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage. 3 David said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” 4 And David said to him, “How did it go? Tell me.” And he answered, “The people fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.” 5 Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 6 And the young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear, and behold, the chariots and the horsemen were close upon him. 7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.' 8 And he said to me, ‘Who are you?' I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.' 9 And he said to me, ‘Stand beside me and kill me, for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers.' 10 So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.” 11 Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. 12 And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the LORD and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. 13 And David said to the young man who told him, “Where do you come from?” And he answered, “I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.” 14 David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the LORD's anointed?” 15 Then David called one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him.” And he struck him down so that he died. 16 And David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the LORD's anointed.'” David's Lament for Saul and Jonathan 17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son, 18 and he said it1 should be taught to the people of Judah; behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar.2 He said: 19   “Your glory, O Israel, is slain on your high places!    How the mighty have fallen!20   Tell it not in Gath,    publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon,  lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,    lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult. 21   “You mountains of Gilboa,    let there be no dew or rain upon you,    nor fields of offerings!3  For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,    the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil. 22   “From the blood of the slain,    from the fat of the mighty,  the bow of Jonathan turned not back,    and the sword of Saul returned not empty. 23   “Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!    In life and in death they were not divided;  they were swifter than eagles;    they were stronger than lions. 24   “You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,    who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet,    who put ornaments of gold on your apparel. 25   “How the mighty have fallen    in the midst of the battle!   “Jonathan lies slain on your high places.26     I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;  very pleasant have you been to me;    your love to me was extraordinary,    surpassing the love of women. 27   “How the mighty have fallen,    and the weapons of war perished!” David Anointed King of Judah 2 After this David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” And the LORD said to him, “Go up.” David said, “To which shall I go up?” And he said, “To Hebron.” 2 So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 3 And David brought up his men who were with him, everyone with his household, and they lived in the towns of Hebron. 4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. When they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul,” 5 David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, “May you be blessed by the LORD, because you showed this loyalty to Saul your lord and buried him. 6 Now may the LORD show steadfast love and faithfulness to you. And I will do good to you because you have done this thing. 7 Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant, for Saul your lord is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.” Ish-bosheth Made King of Israel 8 But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim, 9 and he made him king over Gilead and the Ashurites and Jezreel and Ephraim and Benjamin and all Israel. 10 Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David. 11 And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months. The Battle of Gibeon 12 Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. And they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool. 14 And Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men arise and compete before us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise.” 15 Then they arose and passed over by number, twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. 16 And each caught his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponent's side, so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim,4 which is at Gibeon. 17 And the battle was very fierce that day. And Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David. 18 And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was as swift of foot as a wild gazelle. 19 And Asahel pursued Abner, and as he went, he turned neither to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner. 20 Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Is it you, Asahel?” And he answered, “It is I.” 21 Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and seize one of the young men and take his spoil.” But Asahel would not turn aside from following him. 22 And Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I lift up my face to your brother Joab?” 23 But he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him in the stomach with the butt of his spear, so that the spear came out at his back. And he fell there and died where he was. And all who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, stood still. 24 But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. And as the sun was going down they came to the hill of Ammah, which lies before Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon. 25 And the people of Benjamin gathered themselves together behind Abner and became one group and took their stand on the top of a hill. 26 Then Abner called to Joab, “Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that the end will be bitter? How long will it be before you tell your people to turn from the pursuit of their brothers?” 27 And Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely the men would not have given up the pursuit of their brothers until the morning.” 28 So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the men stopped and pursued Israel no more, nor did they fight anymore. 29 And Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, and marching the whole morning, they came to Mahanaim. 30 Joab returned from the pursuit of Abner. And when he had gathered all the people together, there were missing from David's servants nineteen men besides Asahel. 31 But the servants of David had struck down of Benjamin 360 of Abner's men. 32 And they took up Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was at Bethlehem. And Joab and his men marched all night, and the day broke upon them at Hebron. Footnotes [1] 1:18 Septuagint; Hebrew the Bow, which may be the name of the lament's tune [2] 1:18 Or of the upright [3] 1:21 Septuagint firstfruits [4] 2:16 Helkath-hazzurim means the field of sword-edges (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 119:105–112 Psalm 119:105–112 (Listen) Nun 105   Your word is a lamp to my feet    and a light to my path.106   I have sworn an oath and confirmed it,    to keep your righteous rules.107   I am severely afflicted;    give me life, O LORD, according to your word!108   Accept my freewill offerings of praise, O LORD,    and teach me your rules.109   I hold my life in my hand continually,    but I do not forget your law.110   The wicked have laid a snare for me,    but I do not stray from your precepts.111   Your testimonies are my heritage forever,    for they are the joy of my heart.112   I incline my heart to perform your statutes    forever, to the end.1 Footnotes [1] 119:112 Or statutes; the reward is eternal (ESV) New Testament: Ephesians 4 Ephesians 4 (Listen) Unity in the Body of Christ 4 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8 Therefore it says,   “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,    and he gave gifts to men.”1 9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?2 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds3 and teachers,4 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,5 to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. The New Life 17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!—21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self,6 which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. 25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Footnotes [1] 4:8 The Greek word anthropoi can refer to both men and women [2] 4:9 Or the lower parts of the earth? [3] 4:11 Or pastors [4] 4:11 Or the shepherd-teachers [5] 4:13 Greek to a full-grown man [6] 4:22 Greek man; also verse 24 (ESV)

Old Testament: 1 Samuel 29–31 1 Samuel 29–31 (Listen) The Philistines Reject David 29 Now the Philistines had gathered all their forces at Aphek. And the Israelites were encamped by the spring that is in Jezreel. 2 As the lords of the Philistines were passing on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were passing on in the rear with Achish, 3 the commanders of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews doing here?” And Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, “Is this not David, the servant of Saul, king of Israel, who has been with me now for days and years, and since he deserted to me I have found no fault in him to this day.” 4 But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him. And the commanders of the Philistines said to him, “Send the man back, that he may return to the place to which you have assigned him. He shall not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us. For how could this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of the men here? 5 Is not this David, of whom they sing to one another in dances,   ‘Saul has struck down his thousands,    and David his ten thousands'?” 6 Then Achish called David and said to him, “As the LORD lives, you have been honest, and to me it seems right that you should march out and in with me in the campaign. For I have found nothing wrong in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, the lords do not approve of you. 7 So go back now; and go peaceably, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.” 8 And David said to Achish, “But what have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day I entered your service until now, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?” 9 And Achish answered David and said, “I know that you are as blameless in my sight as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us to the battle.' 10 Now then rise early in the morning with the servants of your lord who came with you, and start early in the morning, and depart as soon as you have light.” 11 So David set out with his men early in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. But the Philistines went up to Jezreel. David's Wives Are Captured 30 Now when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid against the Negeb and against Ziklag. They had overcome Ziklag and burned it with fire 2 and taken captive the women and all1 who were in it, both small and great. They killed no one, but carried them off and went their way. 3 And when David and his men came to the city, they found it burned with fire, and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. 4 Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until they had no more strength to weep. 5 David's two wives also had been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 6 And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul,2 each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God. 7 And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. 8 And David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them?” He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue.” 9 So David set out, and the six hundred men who were with him, and they came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed. 10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men. Two hundred stayed behind, who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor. 11 They found an Egyptian in the open country and brought him to David. And they gave him bread and he ate. They gave him water to drink, 12 and they gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. And when he had eaten, his spirit revived, for he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights. 13 And David said to him, “To whom do you belong? And where are you from?” He said, “I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite, and my master left me behind because I fell sick three days ago. 14 We had made a raid against the Negeb of the Cherethites and against that which belongs to Judah and against the Negeb of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire.” 15 And David said to him, “Will you take me down to this band?” And he said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will take you down to this band.” David Defeats the Amalekites 16 And when he had taken him down, behold, they were spread abroad over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing, because of all the great spoil they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. 17 And David struck them down from twilight until the evening of the next day, and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men, who mounted camels and fled. 18 David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and David rescued his two wives. 19 Nothing was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken. David brought back all. 20 David also captured all the flocks and herds, and the people drove the livestock before him,3 and said, “This is David's spoil.” 21 Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow David, and who had been left at the brook Besor. And they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him. And when David came near to the people he greeted them. 22 Then all the wicked and worthless fellows among the men who had gone with David said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except that each man may lead away his wife and children, and depart.” 23 But David said, “You shall not do so, my brothers, with what the LORD has given us. He has preserved us and given into our hand the band that came against us. 24 Who would listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down into the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage. They shall share alike.” 25 And he made it a statute and a rule for Israel from that day forward to this day. 26 When David came to Ziklag, he sent part of the spoil to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, “Here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of the LORD.” 27 It was for those in Bethel, in Ramoth of the Negeb, in Jattir, 28 in Aroer, in Siphmoth, in Eshtemoa, 29 in Racal, in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, in the cities of the Kenites, 30 in Hormah, in Bor-ashan, in Athach, 31 in Hebron, for all the places where David and his men had roamed. The Death of Saul 31 Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. 2 And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. 3 The battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by the archers. 4 Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and mistreat me.” But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and fell upon it. 5 And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him. 6 Thus Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, on the same day together. 7 And when the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley and those beyond the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled. And the Philistines came and lived in them. 8 The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9 So they cut off his head and stripped off his armor and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines, to carry the good news to the house of their idols and to the people. 10 They put his armor in the temple of Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan. 11 But when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 all the valiant men arose and went all night and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and they came to Jabesh and burned them there. 13 And they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh and fasted seven days. Footnotes [1] 30:2 Septuagint; Hebrew lacks and all [2] 30:6 Compare 22:2 [3] 30:20 The meaning of the Hebrew clause is uncertain (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 119:97–104 Psalm 119:97–104 (Listen) Mem 97   Oh how I love your law!    It is my meditation all the day.98   Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies,    for it is ever with me.99   I have more understanding than all my teachers,    for your testimonies are my meditation.100   I understand more than the aged,1    for I keep your precepts.101   I hold back my feet from every evil way,    in order to keep your word.102   I do not turn aside from your rules,    for you have taught me.103   How sweet are your words to my taste,    sweeter than honey to my mouth!104   Through your precepts I get understanding;    therefore I hate every false way. Footnotes [1] 119:100 Or the elders (ESV) New Testament: Ephesians 2–3 Ephesians 2–3 (Listen) By Grace Through Faith 2 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body1 and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.2 4 But3 God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. One in Christ 11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens,4 but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by5 the Spirit. The Mystery of the Gospel Revealed 3 For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, 3 how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This mystery is6 that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in7 God, who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory. Prayer for Spiritual Strength 14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family8 in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Footnotes [1] 2:3 Greek flesh [2] 2:3 Greek like the rest [3] 2:4 Or And [4] 2:19 Or sojourners [5] 2:22 Or in [6] 3:6 The words This mystery is are inferred from verse 4 [7] 3:9 Or by [8] 3:15 Or from whom all fatherhood; the Greek word patria in verse 15 is closely related to the word for Father in verse 14 (ESV)

Who killed Saul? Did he kill himself? Did he die from his wounds inflicted by the Philistines? Or did the young Amalekite kill him as he bragged to David? That's the mystery we tried to solve in our study of 1 Samuel. But as we travel through 1 Chronicles, we finally hear the truth from God's perspective. Stay tuned as we learn the answer to not only who killed Saul, but also why.