Bible In One Year Day 180 (2 Kings 13-14, Amos 7-9, Psalm 124)

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2 Kings 13-14

Chapter 13: The Reigns of Jehoahaz (814 -798) and Jehoash (798 -783) of Israel
and the Death of Elisha

 

2 Kings 13:1-9 ~ The reign of Jehoahaz in Israel (814 -798 BC)

Jehoahaz was guilty of the same sins as King Jeroboam, the Northern Kingdom's first king. Jeroboam, to whom all other kings of Israel are compared, introduced the sin of idol worship into the Northern Kingdom of Israel (1 Kng 12:28-33).

As we have seen repeatedly, even a little repentance goes a long way in receiving God's mercy. The king of Aram who "destroyed them" is probably Hazael's son King Ben-Hadad III of Damascus (c. 807 - 780? BC). Because of Jehoahaz's repentance, God sent a savior/deliverer. 

2 Kings 13:10-13 ~ The reign of Jehoash (Joash) in Israel (798 -783 BC)

Jehoash of Israel is also called by the shorter form of his name, Joash, just as Jehoash/Josh of Judah was called by both names. Both kings Jehoahaz and Jehoash (Joash) of Israel ruled during the time period when Davidic king Joash ruled Judah (he ruled for 40 years as the ancients counted from 835-796 BC). Jehoash/Joash of Israel also continued in the sins of Jeroboam in promoting idol worship. The period of peace between the two kingdoms ended when there was war between Jehoash/Joash of Israel and Joash of Judah's son and successor King Amaziah of Judah. 

2 Kings 13:14-21 ~ The death of Elisha

King Joash of Israel must have felt a deep affection for the old prophet to go to him on his death-bed. The way he addressed the prophet shows that he regarded Elisha as the true defender of Israel. You will recall that it was Elisha who anointed Joash's grandfather Jehu and commissioned him to eradicate the idolatry of Baal worship in Israel. It seems that Joash had maintained that part of the religious reform.

Question: Elisha made a prophecy by having the king perform a prophetic act in what two stages?
Answer:

1. The king took a bow guided by the prophet's hand and shot an arrow to the east in the direction of the enemy.
2. The king struck the ground with the remaining arrows.

The arrow shot to the east in the direction of the enemy represents complete victory of Israel's army over the Aramaeans. The placing of Elisha hand on the king's hand gives Joash a share in Elisha's own power. In the second stage, the king only received a small portion of Elisha's power because he hesitated and only struck the ground three times. Elisha was angry and told the king: "You should have struck half a dozen times," he said "and you would have beaten Aram completely; now you will beat Aram only three times."

The power of God that was with his prophet Elisha is demonstrated one more time in his last miracle in which a dead man is raised to life through contact with the bones of Elisha. It is for this reason that the people of God have always honored the bodies of the saints and kept relics of their bones or items that belonged to them.

2 Kings 13:22-25 ~ Israel's victory over the Aramaeans

The covenant judgment for apostasy was to be cast out of the land in the same way God had case out the Canaanites, but God was not willing to cast out the Israelites and continued to extend His mercy for the sake of the covenant He made with the Patriarchs.
Question: What were the terms of the Abrahamic covenant? See Gen 12:1-3; 17:1; 18:18; 22:18; 26:4; 28:14.
Answer:

1. The gift of a land and a nation
2. The gift of many descendants
3. A world-wide blessing

None of these promises were fulfilled in the age of the Patriarchs, nor were all three promises fulfilled in the nation of Old Covenant Israel. They were all perfectly fulfilled in Jesus Christ (Gal 3:29).

Question: What prophecy is fulfilled in 13:25? See 2 Kng 13:14-21.
Answer: Elisha's prophecy that King Joash of Israel would drive out the Aramaeans and defeat them in battle three times.

It hadn't been since the days of King Jehoshaphat of Judah and King Ahab of Israel that either the Southern kingdom of Judah or Northern kingdom of Israel had been particularly powerful. Each kingdom had suffered from invasions, internal turmoil and assassinations. However, at the beginning of the eighth century BC, the political conditions in both countries improved. Joash of Judah enjoyed a long and peaceful reign. Israel's victory over the Aramaeans prophesied by Elisha was fulfilled. King Hazael of Damascus was succeeded by a less capable son, Ben Hadad III, and soon the Syrians were beaten by the armies of Israel. 

Chapter 14: The Reign of Amaziah in Judah (796 -781 BC)

2 Kings 14:1-6 ~ Amaziah becomes king and seeks revenge for the murder of his father

In the typical formula for the introduction of a new king of Judah, the king is named, the name of his father, his age at his coronation and the length of his reign. And unlike the kings of Israel, his mother is named and his reign is compared with that of his ancestor King David who served Yahweh with an undivided heart.
He did not discontinue worship of Yahweh by Judahites outside of the Temple. This criticism in verse 4 cannot be allowing the worshiping of idols on the high places since he is not accused of those sins and the inspired writer notes that 3 He did what Yahweh regards as right, though not like his ancestor David; he imitated his father Joash in all respects.

Question: When his throne was secure, he sought vengeance on the murderers of his father. Why had his father been assassinated and what did Amaziah do that showed he was obedient to the Law? See 2 Chr 24:20-22, 25-26; Dt 24:16.
Answer: Two of Joash's servants had assassinated him in revenge for ordering the murder of God's servant the priest Zechariah son of the High Priest Jehoiada who condemned the king and the people of Jerusalem to abandoning Yahweh and His Temple. Amaziah followed the law in only executing his father's murderers and not their families.

2 Kings 14:7-14 ~ Political turmoil and war during Amaziah's reign

Amaziah led Judah to war against the Edomites. Edom had been conquered by King David and remained a vassal state until the reign of King Jehoram of Judah when Edom threw off the domination of Judah and set up a king (2 Sam 8:13; 2 Kng 8:20-22). Amaziah decided to regain Judah's lost vassal state. He conquered the Edomites in the Valley of Salt that is the Arabah, the valley that runs south of the Dead Sea, but he did not regain control over Edom. He changed the name of the town near the site of the battle to Joktheel. It is the same name of a town in Judah (Josh 15:38) and was perhaps renamed in honor of the men of a military unit from that city who died in the battle.

Feeling confident after his victory over the Edomites, Amaziah challenges the king of Israel to a "test of strength." King Jehoash/Joash of Israel is the same king who was so distraught at Elisha's death-bed. He answers Amaziah with a parable and some advice.
Question: What are the symbolic elements of the parable in verse 9?
Answer:

1. The king of Israel is the powerful cedar.
2. The insignificant thistle is the king of Judah who seeks equality with one who is far above him (royal marriage request).
3. The thistle ends up being trampled by a powerful animal, symbolizing the army of Israel.

Jehoash's advice to Amaziah was to not continue with a venture that was sure to bring him disaster.

Question: Why did Amaziah enter into this ill-conceived venture and what was the cause of his defeat? See 2 Chr 25:20.
Answer: Apparently after reconquering Edom, Amaziah consulted the gods of the Edomites on whether or not he should go to war with Israel. They gave him bad advice, and because he consulted false gods, Yahweh let him be defeated by the Israelites.

As it happens, Jehoash/Joash of Israel was right. The army of Israel did trample the army of Judah. The king was taken prisoner, six hundred feet of the Jerusalem wall was destroyed making the city vulnerable to foreign attack, the Temple and palace were looted of its treasures, and hostages were taken back to Samaria. The king of Israel did allow Amaziah to continue as king of Judah, however.

2 Kings 14:15-16 ~ Summary of King Jehoash/Joash of Israel's reign

This is the typical summary statement for the reigns of Israelite kings and is a repeat of the summary statement for Jehoash/Joash of Israel in 13:12-13.

2 Kings 14:17-22 ~ Summary of King Amaziah of Judah's reign

This section begins as a typical summary formula statement but includes the information of the plot to assassinate Amaziah. He escaped to Lachish, a fortified city about 25 miles southwest of Jerusalem. The conspirators caught up with him at Lachish where he was assassinated like his father. As with his father, this was not a political coup to establish another dynasty but was instead a rejection of Amaziah as king, perhaps because of the disastrous war with Israel. An assembly of the people of Judah chose his son Uzziah (Azariah) to succeed to the Davidic throne.

The sixteen year old Uzziah's first accomplishment was to rebuild the city of Elath, located near the port city of Ezion Geber at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba in Edom. He will become the longest reigning monarch of Judah. He is also known as Azariah, but Uzziah may be the name he took as a throne name that means "Yah[weh] is strong."

 

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A Daily Defense

DAY 180 Repetitious Prayer 

CHALLENGE: “Catholics are wrong to pray the rosary. Jesus condemned ‘vain repetitions.’”

DEFENSE: Jesus did not condemn prayer that involves repetition—he endorsed it. In the King James Version, Jesus says, “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking” (Matt. 6:7). Even in this translation, he does not condemn repetition but vain (useless) repetition.

But there is a problem with this translation. In Greek, Jesus says we should not battalogēsēte. This is a rare word not found elsewhere in the New Testament. It’s meaning is unclear, so we shouldn’t draw dogmatic conclusions about what he meant. 

The word appears to come from battos (Greek, “a stammerer”). Gentiles did not literally stammer when they prayed, but they could ramble in prayer, thinking that they needed to wear down their gods using many words. This is the attitude Jesus rejects, saying “they think they shall be heard for their much speaking.”

It’s not repeating words that he’s concerned about. It’s thinking the efficacy of prayer depends on saying a lot. He points out God knows what we need before we ask him (Matt. 6:8). Jesus makes it clear he doesn’t have a problem with repeating things because the next thing he does is teach the Lord’s Prayer—a prayer he intends to be repeated (Matt. 6:9–13).

Repetition is essential to corporate worship. It’s not possible for people to pray aloud, in unison, unless they know the prayer they’re going to use. That’s why prayers in the synagogue and the temple of Jesus’ day were memorized and repeated.

A striking example is the Psalms—ancient hymns, or prayers set to music. The book of Psalms was Israel’s hymn book. In fact, Psalms is one of the most frequently quoted books in the New Testament (Luke 20:42, 24:44; Acts 1:20, 13:33, 35, etc.). Yet the Psalms, by their nature, are meant to be repeated. 

The Psalms even involve repetition within themselves. Psalm 136 has a refrain that occurs over and over. In the King James Version, the refrain is translated “for his mercy endureth for ever,” and it occurs so frequently that it even interrupts and appears in the middle of sentences. Yet Psalm 136 is a beautiful and spiritually meaningful prayer that was inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Jimmy Akin, A Daily Defense: 365 Days (Plus One) to Becoming a Better Apologist

Bible In One Year Day 179 (2 Kings 11-12, Amos 4-6, Psalm 122)

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Day 179 Blinded By Comfort 

Agape Bible Study 
2 Kings 11 -12 

Chapter 11: Athaliah, Usurper of the Throne of Judah (841-835)

See the parallel passages to Chapters 11-14 in 2 Chronicles Chapters 22-25. Ahaziah's son, is called by both forms of his name in Scripture; the longer form is "Jehoash" and the shortened form of his name is "Joash." In the Hebrew translation he is called Jehoash in 12:1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 18 and 14:13, but he is called Joash in 11:2; 12:19, 20; 13:1, 10, 14; 14:1, 3, 17 and 23. However, in 2 Chronicles he is consistently called Joash. To avoid confusion with King Jehoash of Israel, who is also called by Jehoash and the shortened form "Joash" and who reigned from 798-783, in our lesson we will refer to this Davidic king as Joash of Judah (835-796). He is one of the Davidic kings whose name is absent from St. Matthew's genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1:1-14.

2 Kings 11:1-3 ~ Athaliah murders the sons of the House of David and rules Judah (841-835)

It is still the fateful year 841 BC. Athaliah's son Ahaziah has been murdered by the Israelite military commander Jehu who now claims the throne of Israel. Ahaziah was only 22 years old. He was the youngest son of King Jehoram of Judah and only reigned for part of the year. His older brothers, including the other sons of Ahaziah (2 Chr 24:7), were killed in a raid on Jerusalem by the Philistines and Arabs in 841 BC (2 Chr 21:16-17). It was God's judgment on King Jehoram of Judah for following the example of the kings of Israel and in leading Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem into apostasy and Baal worship (2 Chr 21:12-15).

The Fathers of the Church wrote that the scheme of Athaliah against the family of David resembled that of the devil against the human family. The motivation was the same: to destroy God's covenant and to have power over the people of God. As long as her son lived, she ruled as Judah's Gebirah, the Queen Mother and the most important woman in the kingdom. If another Davidic heir came to the throne, even one of her own grandsons (her other sons were dead, see 2 Chr 22:1), she would no longer hold that high office because it would pass to the mother of her grandson (2 Chr 24:1). Of course, she could kill the mother of any of her grandsons and continue to rule as Gebirah, but she chose to kill all the male heirs of the House of David including any grandsons by her older sons, the brothers of Ahaziah.

Question: What could have been her reason for such brutality not only against all the male Davidic relatives of her sons but in even killing her own grandchildren?
Answer: It is possible that she carried out the murders of all the possible male heirs of the House of David in order to destroy the Davidic line. It may have been her revenge against Yahweh for His divine judgment in the destruction of all her relations in the House of Ahab. She would have known about Yahweh's covenant with the House of David and she may have intended to destroy that covenant.

Unknown to Athaliah, the only Davidic heir to escape was one grandson, the one year old son of her dead son Ahaziah, who was rescued by Jehosheba.

Question: Who was Jehosheba and how was she able to hide the child in the Temple? See 2 Chr 22:10-11.
Answer: She was the daughter of King Jehoram, and since she is not identified as the daughter of Athaliah, she was the half-sister of King Ahaziah. She was also the wife of the priest Jehoiada. Through her husband she had special privileges within the Temple and together they were able to hide the child for six years until he was seven years old.

An 18th-century Russian icon of the prophet Amos

2 Kings 11:4-12 ~ The plan to put make Joash king

In the "seventh year" refers to Joash's age. Joash was hidden in the Temple for six years and he was now seven years old (see 2 Kng 12:1; 2 Chr 21:12). Athaliah's six year reign was coming to an end as Joash's uncle, the High Priest Jehoiada, formulated a plan to place the boy on the throne of the kings of Judah.

Question: The priest Jehoiada formed a conspiracy to overthrow Athaliah with what three groups in addition to the other chief priests? Also see 2 Chr 23:1-7.

Answer:

1. The Carian commanders of the royal (king's) guard
2. The Levites who guarded the Temple
3. The leaders of the Judahite tribal clans

During the week prior to the Saturday Sabbath, one-third of the royal guard was in service at the Temple and two-thirds were at the palace that was located next to the Temple. On the Sabbath, the division of the guard was reversed with two-thirds of the guard at the Temple. Jehoiada took advantage of the posting of the royal guard on the Sabbath when two-thirds of the guard was on duty at the Temple to begin the revolt against Athaliah by placing Joash on the throne at the Temple. 

Jehoiada's plan is carried out as he ordered (verses 7-9), and he takes the time to arm the commanders not with their own weapons but with the spears and shields collected by King David in his victorious battles that were kept in the Temple (2 Sam 8:7-8).

Question: Why did Jehoiada give the commanders the weapons won by the great David to carry in defense of Joash?
Answer: David's weapons were a symbol of the legitimacy of Joash's succession. Holding David's weapons were also meant to instill in the commanders the sense of the historical and theological importance of their mission to place a Davidic heir back on the throne of Judah so the Davidic covenant with Yahweh could continue and could one day be fulfilled in the Messiah.

2 Kings 11:13-16 ~ The death of Athaliah

The shouting of the people was an expression of their approval and the legal confirmation of the accession. The palace of Solomon was just south of the Temple. In the palace, Athaliah could hear the cheers of the crowd and the blowing of trumpets. When she went to the Temple to discover what was causing the commotion, she saw that a child was on the king's customary place and she knew a coup was in the works (2 Chronicles 23:13 records that the pillar was "at the entrance" to the Temple and Ezekiel 46:2 mentions that the prince's station was at the "doorposts of the gate"). She shouted "treason" in the hope that the guards would rally to her, but she did not have their loyalty. The royal guards obeyed Jehoiada and removed her from area to avoid shedding human blood with the Temple complex and profaning the Temple. She was killed at the entrance to the Horse Gate that led to the palace.

2 Kings 11:17-20 ~ Jehoiada reaffirms the Sinai Covenant and the Laws of the King

This is not a new covenant but the reaffirmation of the Sinai Covenant between Yahweh, the king, and the people. The other pact that is mentioned is probably the reestablishment of the Laws of the King in Deuteronomy 17:14-20 that provided for a limited monarchy by forbidding certain actions by the king. The king was to serve as God's agent and the people's servant, and the people were to give the king their financial support and their loyalty.

Jehoiada devoted himself to restoring the true faith and the true expression of worshiping Yahweh that had been abandoned by King Jehoram and his wife Athaliah, daughter of Ahab of Israel.

Question: What was the first Law of the Sinai Covenant that Jehoiada had carried out immediately?
Answer: The first law was that the people were to have no other God but Yahweh and to bow down to no images. The High Priest had the people destroy the temple of Baal and everything in it, including the killing of Mattan, high priest of Baal.

For the first time we learn that a temple to Baal had been built in the holy city of Jerusalem. Jerusalem was the place God chose for His name to dwell (1 Kng 8:29). 

Question: What was the difference between Jehu's religious reforms in the Northern Kingdom and Jehoiada's religious reforms in the Kingdom of Judah? See 1 Kng 10:1-27.
Answer: In both kingdoms, the temples of Baal were destroyed along with the priests of Baal. The difference between Jehu's coup that was led by the military and the religious reforms that included the destruction of the temple of Baal in the Northern Kingdom as opposed to Jehoiada's overthrow of Athaliah and his reforms is that "the people of the country" of the Southern Kingdom gave their complete support to the coup and the religious reforms.

Unfortunately it was only the Judean populace as a whole who were loyal to Yahweh. The city of Jerusalem had been infected by the pagan practices and was not easily reformed as we shall see after the death of High Priest Jehoiada.

Chapter 12: The Reign of King Joash (Jehoash) of Judah (835-796 BC)

2 Kings 12:1-4 ~ The early years of the reign of King Joash of Judah
Read the parallel passage in 2 Chronicles 24:1-16. Notice that the mothers of the Davidic kings are always named. 2 Chronicles 24:2-3 notes that Joash did not remain loyal to Yahweh all his life but only until the death of Jehoiada: Joash did what Yahweh regards as right throughout the lifetime of Jehoiada the priest. Jehoiada found him two wives and he fathered several sons and daughters. It was after Jehoiada's death that Joash began to listen to the voices of those who did not wholly support Yahweh, and unfortunately Jehoiada was not able to completely do away with the illicit worship of Yahweh outside the Temple in the "high places" were shrines and altars were established and people offered worship according to their own understanding. This was a continuing problem in the Southern Kingdom even during the reigns of good kings.

Joash's reign can be divided into two phases (see 2 Kng 12 and 2 Chr 24):

1. His reign under the influence of his uncle the High Priest Jehoiada:
   1. Destruction of the temple of Baal
   2. Renovation of Yahweh's Temple
   3. Reorganization of the Temple finances
2. His reign after the death of his uncle the priest Jehoiada
   1. Apostasy of the king and the people
   2. Murder of Zechariah the priest/prophet and son of Jehoiada
   3. Defeated in war with the Aramaeans and paid tribute to Hazael of Damascus
   4. Assassinated by royal officials in retaliation for the murder of Zechariah

2 Kings 12:5-17 ~ Joash sets aside funds to restore the Temple

When the king was 30 years old (the same age as David when he became the King of Israel and Jesus when He began His ministry) Joash intervened in the management of the Temple. The Temple was completed by Solomon in c. 963 and was dedicated the next year at the Feast of Tabernacles (1 Kng 6:38; 8:1-2). After nearly a century and a half of use, it was in need of repair. At first the king placed the responsibility for the restoration to the priests, but when the necessary repairs were not being made, the king, who saw himself as the royal patron of the Temple, presented a plan to collect the money for the needed repairs.

The "sacred donations" were all free will donations that were given by the people to the Temple for use by the priests (Num 18:19, 28-29), and the loss of this revenue would severely restrict the standard of living for all the priestly families. The Levites were supported by the tithes and the entire clergy by the redemption tax for all firstborn sons (Num 18:15-16, 21-29, 30-32; Dt 14:22-29). In the past all these contributions were collected by the priests and a portion was applied for repairs that the priests and Levites undertook themselves.

2 Kings 12:18-19 ~ Problems during King Joash of Judah's reign
After Jehoiada's death, Joash listened to the advice official in Jerusalem who encouraged him to abandon the Temple of Yahweh for worship of sacred poles and idols (2 Chr 24:17-18). Jerusalem was previously a Canaanite city ruled by the pagan Jebusites. Some of that pagan character still lingered among elements of the population despite the selection of Jerusalem has Yahweh's holy city. Jerusalem incurred the wrath of Yahweh because of this apostasy. God sent His prophets to lead the king and the people back to Him, but the people and the king would not listen (see the parallel passage in 2 Chr 24:17, 23-27). 

Judgment came in the form of the Aramaeans. The Kingdom of Judah was attacked by Hazael of Damascus (see 2 Kng 8:7-15). The city of Gath is probably Gath-Rimmon ("the winepress [of the god] Rimmon"), a city located on the borders between the tribes of Dan and Ephraim in the Northern Kingdom. That the Aramaeans have come through Israel unopposed shows the weakness of the Northern Kingdom and that the Aramaeans are probably already in control of the Transjordan. The Aramaeans army massacred all the government officials of Judah and looted all the towns they captured. 

The High Priest Jehoiada reestablished Yahweh's covenant with the people and reaffirmed the limited rule of a Davidic king as a servant of the people (Dt 17:14-20). He restored the proper administration in the Temple (2 Chr 23:18-19), acted as overseer of the necessary Temple repairs (2 Chr 24:4-14), and continued to have a good influence over King Joash (2 Chr 24:2-3). He lived to be 130 years old, and, as a sign of the great respect he received from the king and the people, he was buried in the tombs of the kings (2 Chr 24:15-16). 

2 Kings 12:20-22 ~ Summary statement of Joash's reign and his death

Joash was assassinated by his servants but without the intention of bringing about a palace coup. The attack was personal, and he was killed in the old part of the city of David south of Solomon's palace complex.

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A Daily Defense 
DAY 179 Objections to the Fine-Tuning Argument

CHALLENGE: "The fine-tuning argument is flawed: (1) The fact that our universe’s constants appear finely tuned to allow for the existence of life could be due to chance if there are a vast number of universes, each of which has slightly different constants; (2) perhaps there is some law we haven’t yet discovered why the universe must have the constants it does; and (3) even if the universe is designed, that doesn’t mean the designer is God."

DEFENSE; None of these objections overturn the fine-tuning argument.

First, if it were true that there were a sufficiently vast number of universes, each of which had different constants, then it might be likely that one with our constants would exist. However, we have no evidence that even one other universe exists, much less the vast multitude that would be needed.

Second, the idea there is a hidden law requiring that the constants must be set as they are is pure speculation. Based on the evidence we have at present, the constants appear to be independent. Further, even if we were to discover such a law, it would only raise the question of why that law exists.

Third, although some have speculated our universe could be the product of a technologically advanced civilization from a prior universe, and that they designed its constants, we have no evidence this is the case. We don’t even have proof it is possible for a technologically advanced civilization to create a new, designer universe.

Further, this technologically advanced civilization would itself need to be made of life-forms or (if robotic) to be the product of previous life-forms. Thus the universe they came from would need to have its constants similarly fine-tuned, and the problem would only be kicked back a step.

Each of the above proposals also potentially runs afoul of Occam’s Razor, which urges us to seek the simplest solution that fits the evidence. For example, postulating vast numbers of other universes to explain away the fact that ours looks designed may be seen as an egregious violation of the principle.

At a minimum, none of these explanations fit the data better than the proposition that God designed our universe, and thus it is rational to believe in God based on modern cosmology.

Jimmy Akin, A Daily Defense: 365 Days (Plus One) to Becoming a Better Apologist

Bible In One Year Day 176 (2 Kings 8, Hosea 8 -10, Psalm 108)

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Day 176:  Choosing Eternal Life 

Agape Bible Study 
2 Kings 8 

2 Kings 8:1-6 ~ Epilogue to the story of the woman of Shunem
The epilogue to the story of the Shunammite woman who was Elisha's benefactress interrupts the story of Elisha's dealings with the Aramaeans and provides the information that seven years have passed since the last Aramaean war. Elisha's warning to his friend concerning the famine is another example of his gift to see into the future. Famines were not uncommon in the ancient Near East. They were often the result of a lack of rainfall in the crop growing season, destructive hail storms, rain out of season, insect infestation, and the burning of crops during invasion. For example:

There were famines that were the result of natural causes:

• During the lifetime of Abraham (Gen 12:10)
• During the lifetime of Isaac (Gen 26:1)
• During the lifetime of Joseph son of Jacob (Gen 41:56)
• During the lifetime of Ruth (Ru 1:1)

While other Old Testament famines occurred because of divine judgment or war:

• During the lifetime of David (2 Sam 21:1)
• During the lifetime of Elijah (1 Kng 17:1; 18:2)
• During the lifetime of Elisha (2 Kng 6:25; 8:1)
• During the time of Jeremiah (Jer 14:15-16; 52:6-7)
• During the lifetime of Nehemiah (Neh 5:3)

It is not mentioned by the inspired writer, but it is likely that this famine began as a result of the war with the Aramaeans who ravaged the countryside during the siege. They would have prevented the local population from getting into the fields to either plant or harvest crops and then burned the fields during their retreat from Israel. But the famine continued as a result of God's divine judgment, probably because of the failure of the people to repent their sinful practices after God saved them from their enemy.

The king has been hearing stories of Elisha's great deeds, including the story of the resurrection of her son, just as she approaches the king with her petition. Just having heard her story inclines the king to a favorable decision concerning not only the return of her ancestral lands but the revenue collected from those years being paid to her.

Notice that it is Elisha's servant Gehazi who was telling the kings the stories of Elisha's mighty works. Despite the judgment against him for greed, lying and the resulting skin disease he carried, he has apparently continued in Elisha's service. Also notice that because of this and his access to the king, the skin condition of Naaman that he acquired in penance for his sins could not have been leprosy.

 Russian Icon of Elisha 

2 Kings 8:7-15 ~ Elisha and Hazael of Damascus

The mission Yahweh gave Elijah in 1 Kings 19:15-18 was only partially fulfilled in the anointing of Elisha. The other two parts were left uncompleted and will be fulfilled by Elisha and a disciple of Elisha. The Aramaean king is Ben-Hadad II, the same king in 1 Kings 20:1 and the probably the king of Aram who sent the letter to King Jehoram concerning Naaman (5:1-5).

Elisha has come to Damascus to fulfill the mission mentioned in 1 Kings 19:15. King Ben-Hadad knows of Elisha's miracles (as in the case of the Aramaean army commander Naaman), and he also knows that the prophet has the gift of knowing future events. Therefore, he sends his minister, Hazael, with a costly present along with his request for the prophet to reveal his future.

Elisha has the foreknowledge that Ben Hadad will not die of his illness, but he will die.

Question: What happens to Elisha as he is conversing with Hazael?
Answer: Elisha receives a vision concerning Hazael's future and the destruction he will bring on Israel.

The next day Hazael assassinated King Ben-Hadad II by smothering him with a wet cloth. Elisha's prophecy was fulfilled.

Hazael is one of the over 50 people named in the Bible whose existence is supported by ancient secular inscriptions. Hazael is named as the king of Damascus in Assyrian records where the Assyrians sources called him "son of nobody" because of his non-royal background. 

2 Kings 8:16-24 ~ The reign of Jehoram in Judah (848 - 841 BC)

See the parallel passage in 2 Chronicles 21:1-20. Jehoram of Judah was co-regent with his father, King Jehoshaphat for the last 4-5 years of Jehoshaphat's reign. He became the sole ruler after his father's death in c. 848 BC, ruling as the fifth Davidic king of Judah from 848-841 BC. 

The "lamp" is a Davidic heir to carry on the Davidic line. For the sake of God's covenant promise to David, He will not destroy David's dynasty. It is a dynasty over which a Davidic king is to rule forever, and that promise is fulfilled in Jesus, son of Mary, son of David, Son of God and "Light" of the world.

During the reign of Jehoram of Judah, both the Philistines and the Arabians invaded the kingdom and brought great hardship on the people. All Jehoram's sons were killed with the exception of his youngest son (2 Chr 21:16-17). Jehoram died of a terrible sickness of the bowels (2 Chr 21:18-20) in c. 841 BC and was succeeded by his youngest son, a grandson of Ahab and Jezebel of Israel; his name was Ahaziah (also called Jehoahaz).

2 Kings 8:25-29 ~ The reign of Ahaziah in Judah (841 BC)
See 2 Chronicles 22:1-9 for the parallel passage on the history of Ahaziah. In c. 841 BC, Ahaziah, Jehoram's only surviving son, succeeded his father as king of Judah (2 Chr. 21:17). His mother was Athaliah, the daughter of King Ahab of Israel of the "House of Omri." In some passages she is referred to as a "daughter of Omri" (2 Chr 22:2), meaning she was of the lineage of Omri, her grandfather and the founder of the dynastic house. Like her father Ahab, she promoted pagan worship and influence her son, Ahaziah, to apostatize from Yahweh.⁽³⁾ Notice that once again the mother of the king of Judah, who holds the office of Gebirah (Queen Mother), is named by the inspired writer.

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A Daily Defense

DAY 176 Scientific Foreknowledge and the Bible 

CHALLENGE: “The Bible would be more credible if it contained scientific knowledge that wasn’t known when it was written (e.g., if it said, ‘There are no rivers longer than the Amazon,’ ‘The atomic theory of matter is true,’ or ‘Epidemics are caused by germs’).”

DEFENSE: God could do this if he chose, but it doesn’t appear he has. Scripture is a religious rather than scientific text, and God has given us other evidence for our faith.

Some think Scripture contains scientific foreknowledge. For example, Isaiah 40:22 says God “sits above the circle of the earth,” which some think refers to earth’s spherical shape. This isn’t convincing (the passage is poetry—God doesn’t literally “sit” anywhere—and a circle is not a sphere; “the circle of the earth” might be envisioned as the horizon or as a flat disk).

Putting scientific foreknowledge in Scripture would be of limited use. It wouldn’t help the original audience—only people living after the relevant science was discovered, perhaps thousands of years later. It would even be an apologetic distraction if the science of one age disagreed with it.

If Scripture said, “Epidemics are caused by germs,” people living after Galen, who thought epidemics were caused by bad air, would have their confidence in Scripture weakened rather than strengthened. Even once the correct science was discovered, this wouldn’t guarantee people would see it as foreknowledge. 

There’s a limit to how advanced the science in Scripture could be since the biblical languages lacked technical scientific terms. Without these, only basic concepts could be described, but basic concepts could be attributed to ancient knowledge rather than foreknowledge.

Suppose the Bible said, “The longest river is in a southern land on the other side of the world” (the Israelites had no knowledge of or name for the Amazon, so a definite description would be needed). After the Amazon’s discovery, would that convince people Scripture contained supernatural information or would they conclude there must have been ancient contact between the Old and New Worlds?

Similarly, if the Bible endorsed the atomic theory of matter, people would simply conclude there were ancient Hebrew atomists, just as there were ancient Greek atomists (e.g., the philosophers Leucippus and Democritus).

Finally, we don’t know that Scripture doesn’t contain such foreknowledge. Maybe the relevant science hasn’t been discovered yet.

Jimmy Akin, A Daily Defense: 365 Days (Plus One) to Becoming a Better Apologist

Bible in One Year Day 137 (2 Samuel 19, 1 Chronicles 24, Psalm 38)

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Day 137:  David Mourns Absalom 

Agape Bible Study 

2 Samuel 19 

Chapter 19: David Works to Reunite Israel

2 Samuel 19:1-5 ~ David's Grief
David is paralyzed with grief and the soldiers of his army, who should have been celebrating their victory, are now feeling their king's sorrow.

Shimei curses David, 1860 woodcut (Julius Schnorr von Karolsfeld)

2 Samuel 19:6-9 ~ Joab Intervenes
Question: When Joab discovers that David is in isolation, consumed with his personal grief what does Joab do and why?

Answer: Joab is furious and accuses David of ingratitude to his loyal followers who risked their lives for him. He demands that David get up and fulfill his public duty to his men before he loses their loyalty.

Finally, to motivate David to action, Joab tells him if he does not come out and speak to his soldiers, they will all return home to their families and David's position will be worse than before the victory.

David comes out to sit at the gate to review the troops. The contrast is between Absalom energetically courting and seducing Israel at the gate to Jerusalem (15:2-6) and David passively sitting at the gate. In his grief he is unable to even muster the strength to stand and so his loyal warriors must come to him.

2 Samuel 19:10-15 ~ David Reconciles with the Rebels
David is weary of war and death and is anxious to reconcile with his enemies. David uses the language of kinship in speaking to the elders of Judah and to his nephew Amasa in verses 13-14. It is the same phrase Adam used for his relationship with Eve (Gen 2:33) and which the elders of Judah used when they made David their king (2 Sam 5:1).

2 Samuel 19:16-24 ~ David Reconciles with Shimei of Benjamin

Question: David is met by what three groups of people?
Answer:

1. The elders and men of the tribe of Judah
2. Shimei and men from the tribe of Benjamin
3. Ziba with his sons and servants

David's tribe of Judah has responded to the message David sent them with the appeal of kinship (verse 12-13). They have come to escort David back to Jerusalem as a sign of their support. Ziba, the ever the practical and able steward, is there to meet David and is prepared to ferry David and his men across the Jordan River. It was Ziba who met David as he was fleeing out of Jerusalem with donkeys and provisions in 16:1-2.

Shimei is the kinsman of Saul who had cursed David as he was fleeing from Jerusalem but is now trying save his skin by asking forgiveness for his past act of humiliating the king. His reference to the "House of Joseph" refers to the northern tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh whose ancestors were the sons of Joseph son of Jacob-Israel. He says he is the first of any of these northern tribes to welcome David back.

2 Samuel 19:25-31 ~ David Reconciles with Meribbaal

When Ziba brought David provisions as he was fleeing out of Jerusalem, David asked Ziba why his master Meribbaal had not come with him. It was at that point that Ziba told David that Meribbaal had ambitions for the throne of Israel returning to the House of Saul. At that time, David gave all Meribbaal's lands to his steward Ziba. Now that David has returned victorious to Jerusalem, Meribbaal has come to declare his allegiance.

2 Samuel 19:32-40 ~ Barzillai Declines David's Invitation

Barzillai is a wealthy, elderly man from the tribe of Gad on the eastern side of the Jordan River who came with supplies for the army when David was at the stronghold at Mahanaim (2 Sam 17:27-29). Chimham is probably Barzillai's son who will become a member of David's household in gratitude for his father's service to David in his time of need (see 1 Kng 2:7). David always remembers to reward those who are loyal to him.

2 Samuel 19:41-44 ~ The Dispute between Judah and Israel

David and his army apparently crossed the Jordan River at the same ford used by Joshua and the Israelites when they crossed into the Promised Land and camped at Gilgal (Josh 4:19). The other tribes are suspicious that David will favor his own tribe of Judah to their detriment. The tribes that claim superiority over Judah as "elder brothers" would have to be the tribes of Reuben and Simeon and perhaps the Levites. Judah was the fourth son of Jacob-Israel. The reason David has asked his own tribe to come and bring him back is because he doesn't know who he can trust at this point and his own tribe is less likely to turn against him. This accusation of favoritism will lead to another rebellion. The incident illustrates that one of David's chief obstacles in turning Israel into a nation. It is necessary to bring the people to think of themselves as citizens of the nation of Israel instead of a confederation of twelve tribes where tribal loyalty comes first.

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A Daily Defense 
DAY 137 The Divinity of Jesus

CHALLENGE: “Jesus is not God. He only claimed to be the Son of God.”

DEFENSE: By claiming to be God’s Son, Jesus claims to be God. His divinity is also indicated by other passages in Scripture.

By nature, Sons are equal to their fathers. When Jesus asserts that he is God’s Son, he indicates his equality to God the Father. The son of a man is a man, and the Son of God is God. The New Testament explicitly acknowledges this. Jesus opponents tried to kill him “because he not only broke the Sabbath but also called God his Father, making himself equal with God” (John 5:18). Note that John—the inspired author—does not say that Jesus’ opponents thought he made himself equal to God. He says Jesus did this. 

In light of this, other texts that speak of Jesus’ divinity also indicate that he was equal with God, not a lesser, created “god.” This is the case when we read: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). It also sheds light on Jesus’ acceptance of Thomas’s worship when the latter declares him “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). 

Paul says that in Jesus “the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily” (Col. 2: 9), and he quotes from an early Christian hymn that says, though the preincarnate Jesus “was in the form of God, [he] did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men” (Phil. 2:6–7).

Paul directly calls Jesus God when he writes that from the Jewish race, “according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all” (Rom. 9:5), and when he discusses how we should live while awaiting “the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). Peter also declares Jesus God when he speaks of “the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 1:1).

Jimmy Akin, A Daily Defense: 365 Days (Plus One) to Becoming a Better Apologist

Bible in One Year Day 136 (2 Samuel 18, 1 Chronicles 23, Psalm 37)

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Day 136: Absalom is Defeated 

Agape Bible Study 
2 Samuel 18 

Chapter 18: The End of the Civil War

2 Samuel 18:1-8 ~ David's Victory over Absalom's Army

For a second time the soldiers tell David he is too valuable to Israel for him to risk his life. It was earlier in his career as king, after David was almost killed in the battle with the Philistines, that his soldiers made him swear to give up accompanying them into battle (2 Sam 21:15-17). David's men understand that David will be the target of the rebels and his death will decide the battle.

David divides his army into three parts. Two of David's commanders are his nephews Joab and Abishai but the third is Ittai the Philistine from Gath.
Question: What is David's one request to his three commanders?
Answer: Not to harm Absalom if he is captured.

The location of the Forest of Ephraim is unknown. That the "forest claimed more victims than the sword" probably means many of the wounded were not immediately killed but died of their wounds, hidden in the thick growth of the forest. There is also a suggestion of God's intervention in the battle on behalf of David's army, with the forest taking an active part in the defeat of the rebel soldiers.

2 Samuel 18:9-18 ~ The Death of Absalom

Scenes from the Life of Absalom 

Absalom has long, thick hair (2 Sam 14:26). He apparently either lost his helmet or was only wearing a crown so he could be identified by his men by his great mane of hair. You may recall that he was very proud of his hair (2 Sam 14:26). As he was riding fast on his mule through a thickly forested area, his hair was flying out around his head and got caught in the low branches of an oak tree, pulling him off his mule. It was God's providence at work that Absalom was caught up in the tree, unable to free himself and completely vulnerable to the enemy. It was his pride in his long hair that was his undoing.

There are six symbolic aspects of Absalom's death (six is the symbolic number of rebellion in Scripture):

1. Absalom was deprived of the mule, the mount of royalty, as he will now be deprived of the kingdom he sought to usurp (2 Sam 18:9).
2. He is wounded in the heart by Joab's darts as he wounded the heart of his father in his disloyalty (2 Sam 18:14).
3. The three darts may also represent his three crimes: killing his brother, rebelling against his father, and sexually abusing his father's concubines (2 Sam 13:29; 15:10; 16:22).
4. The number ten in Scripture usually represents divine order. The ten warriors who killed Absalom may represent divine will in the defeat and death of Absalom and the re-establishment of divine order through the death of the usurper (2 Sam 18:15).
5. He, who sought to "steal the hearts" of the Israelites (2 Sam 15:6), now dies in the "heart" of the tree (2 Sam 18:14).
6. He died as one accursed by God, hanging in a tree (Dt 21:22-23; 2 Sam 18:9, 14-15).

Question: What curse is associated with the death of someone hanging from a tree? See Dt 21:22-23; quote the passage.
Answer: A man who dies hanging from a tree is said to be accursed by God: If a man guilty of a capital offence is to be put to death, and you hang him from a tree, his body must not remain on the tree overnight; you must bury him the same day, since anyone hanged is a curse of God, and you must not bring pollution on the soil which Yahweh your God is giving you as your heritage
(Dt 21:22-23).

Question: Why didn't the soldier who reported Absalom's whereabouts to Joab take the initiative to kill Absalom?
Answer: He heard the king's command not to harm the king's son and knew there would be consequences if he ignored David's command. He also didn't trust Joab to intercede for him.

Joab struck Absalom in the heart with three metal-tipped throwing sticks and his men finished him off. Absalom died, hanging from the tree.
Throwing Absalom's body into a pit instead of giving him a proper burial was a sign of contempt. The only memory of him will not be an honorable grave in the tomb of his forefathers but the pillar he erected to himself (18:18).

Question: After killing Absalom, why did Joab sound the trumpet to stop his men from pursuing the rebels?
Answer: With Absalom dead there is no reason for the civil war to continue with Israelite killing Israelite.

2 Samuel 18:18 ~ Now, during his lifetime, Absalom had made and erected a pillar to himself, which is in the Valley of the King. "I have no son," he said, "to preserve the memory of my name." He gave his own name to the pillar, and today it is still called Absalom's Monument.
2 Samuel 14:27 records that Absalom had three sons and one daughter. The pillar must have been erected either prior to the birth of his sons or they did not survive infancy, which may be why the sons are unnamed but his daughter's name is recorded. When the inspired writer composed this history, the monument was still standing.

2 Samuel 18:19-32 ~ David's Bitter Victory
The young chief priest, Ahimaaz son of Zadok, is anxious to bring David what he considers the "good news" that he is victorious. The bearer of the news of victory is generously rewarded, but Joab understands that this will be a bitter victory for David since he has lost his son and tells the young man there will be no reward. He may also be trying to protect the young man since David has executed messengers in the past (2 Sam 1:2-16; 4:5-12). Instead, Joab sends a Cushite mercenary to give David the news both of the victory and his son's death. When Ahimaaz still insists on carrying the news of victory to David, Joab lets him go. His insistence may be because he wants the bearer of the news of victory to be an Israelite instead of a Gentile. You will recall that Ahimaaz son of Zadok has served David faithful as one of his spies in Jerusalem and with his kinsman Jonathan carried the warning to David that he needed to cross the Jordan before the rebel army caught up with David and his men on the west side of the river (2 Sam 17:17-22).

Cities in the ancient world often had two gates, one after another, which were connected by a short fortified passageway. David was sitting between the two gates anxiously waiting for news from the battle. He interprets a lone messenger as a sign of good news since a group of soldiers would signal a retreat and defeat.

The detailed account of the two runners allows the narrator to focus attention on David's reaction to the new of the death of his son. Ahimaaz enthusiastically delivers news of the victory, but all David cares about is his son. Ahimaaz loses courage and is evasive about the fate of Absalom. The Cushite (from a region south of Egypt) soldier's reply to David's question is a little indirect but still unambiguous. Refusing to say Absalom's name, he declares that the "young man" and the other rebels are dead. In spite of what his son did to him, David loved Absalom dearly and he is now overcome with grief at the news of his death.

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 A Daily Defense 
DAY 136 Justification “By Faith Alone”

CHALLENGE:“Catholicism rejects justification by faith alone and thus the biblical truth about salvation.”

DEFENSE:While the “faith alone” formula is not commonly used in Catholic circles, it can be given an acceptable meaning.

The Catholic Church agrees that you do not have to do good works to enter a state of justification. It teaches that “none of those things that precede justification, whether faith or works, merit the grace of justification” (Council of Trent, Decree on Justification 8).

When we repent and are justified, God puts the virtue of charity (supernatural love of God and neighbor) into our hearts (CCC 1991). This virtue makes supernaturally good works possible, so these flow from justification. “Good works—a Christian life lived in faith, hope and love—follow justification and are its fruits. When the justified live in Christ and act in the grace they receive, they bring forth, in biblical terms, good fruit” (JD 37).

Thus Paul refers to “faith working through love” (Gal. 5:6). Catholic theologians have held that if this is how faith is understood, then the formula “by faith alone” has an acceptable meaning.

Benedict XVI said: “Luther’s phrase ‘faith alone’ is true, if it is not opposed to faith in charity, in love. . . . So it is that in the Letter to the Galatians, in which he primarily developed his teaching on justification, St. Paul speaks of faith that works through love” (General Audience, Nov. 19, 2008).

While the formula can have an acceptable meaning, this doesn’t mean it’s a good or natural expression of the Bible’s teaching. It is not the language of Scripture. Paul never uses this phrase.

The only time it does appear in Scripture, it is rejected (“a man is justified by works and not by faith alone”; James 2:24).

Faith separated from charity is not enough to save: “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). Demons have purely intellectual faith, or agreement with the truths of theology: “Even the demons believe—and shudder” (James 2:19, emphasis added).

The fact that “faith” is often used to mean intellectual assent rather than “faith working through love,” and the fact that the “faith alone” formula is rejected the one time that it is used in Scripture, means we need to be careful, because the formula is very easy to misunderstand.

Jimmy Akin, A Daily Defense: 365 Days (Plus One) to Becoming a Better Apologist

Bible in One Year Day 134 (2 Samuel 16, 1 Chronicles 21, Psalm 15)

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Day 134: Devastating Effects of Sin 

Agape Bible Study 

2 Samuel 16 

Chapter 16: David's Friends and Enemies

2 Samuel 16:1-4 ~ Ziba's Loyalty

Illustration from the Morgan Bible of David fleeing Jerusalem. Ziba is on the right, bringing David provisions.

A little beyond the summit of the Mount of Olives David meets Ziba who has come from the estate he manages north of Jerusalem to bring supplies for David and his men. David put Ziba in charge of the estate of King Saul's grandson and Jonathan's son Meribbaal (2 Sam 9:2-3, 9-11). Ziba is expressing his loyalty to David in a practical way that is appreciated. However, David is suspicious about the absence of Ziba's master. Meribbaal is crippled but he could still ride a mule and could have come with Ziba to express his support for David in the civil war.
Question: When questioned concerning Meribbaal, what is Ziba's reply to David and what is David's reaction?
Answer: Ziba tells David that Meribbaal is hoping to regain Saul's lost kingdom in David's defeat and has stayed in Jerusalem. David gives Ziba the estate he managed for Meribbaal.

If Ziba's account is correct, it would appear that Meribbaal sees the political upheaval as an opportunity for those who supported the House Saul to put another member of Saul's family back on the throne; for example Meribbaal's son Micah. The account is probably true since Ziba did not volunteer the information but only repeated Meribbaal's sentiments when asked by the king.

2 Samuel 16:5-14 ~ Shimei curses David

This is undoubtedly the lowest time in David's life; probably even lower than when he was a lonely outlaw on the run because of the distance he has fallen from a powerful warrior king to an old man seeking refuge and cursed by his enemies.

Bahurim is believed to be a site on the northeastern slope of the Mount of Olives. Shimei is a kinsman of the House of Saul from the clan of Matri of the tribe of Benjamin (1 Sam 10:21). He probably blames David for the massacre of Saul's remaining sons by Saul's concubine Rizpah and Saul's grandsons that is recorded in 2 Samuel 21:1-14. 

They are David's nephews and the sons of his elder sister Zeruiah. David reins in the avenging anger of his nephews toward the man who has cursed their kinsman and their king. It is an astonishing reaction of David to the Benjaminite who is cursing him. The proud David now resigns himself to the acceptance of being humiliated.

In David's fatalism, he reasons if someone commits such a sacrilegious act against the man who is God's anointed, it must be because God has decreed it. He endures the man's curses as a sign of his penitential submission.

Behind David's fatalism is probably a sense of guilt in that he is responsible for everything that has happened: for his adultery with Bathsheba, for Uriah's death, for the death of his child by Bathsheba, for his inaction in Tamar's rape and failure to punish Amnon, for his failure to punish Absalom for Amnon's murder, and for not doing something to prevent the murder of Saul's sons and grandsons by the Gibeonites (already taken place but recorded in 2 Sam 21:1-14). His guilt is coupled with his despair as he adds: "Why, the son sprung from my own body is now seeking my life; all the more reason for this Benjaminite to do so! Let him curse on, if Yahweh has told him to! 12 Perhaps Yahweh will look on my wretchedness and will repay me with good for his curses today." He recognizes that God's judgment in 12:10-12 is being fulfilled.

2 Samuel 16:15-19 ~ Absalom enters Jerusalem
Absalom and his army take possession of Jerusalem. David's spy successfully convinces Absalom of his support and this will set up the clash between Ahithophel and Hushai. God will take mercy on David and God's providence will bring Absalom to accept Hushai's counsel over that of Ahithophel.

2 Samuel 16:20-23 ~ Absalom and David's Concubines

Royal women played an important political role in ancient Near Eastern societies. Sexual relations with a king's wife, concubine, or daughter constituted a claim on the throne in the pagan kingdoms of the ancient Near East, as in the case of David's marriage to Saul's daughter Michal and then after many years of separation demanding her return. Absalom's possession of David's concubines constitutes a claim to the throne (see 2 Sam 3:7, 12:8).

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A Daily Defense

Day 134 Jesus the One Mediator

CHALLENGE:“Catholics shouldn’t ask Mary and the saints for intercession. Scripture says, ‘For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus’ (1 Tim. 2:5).”

DEFENSE:Christ has a unique role as mediator, but this does not mean that he alone intercedes with God.

The term “mediator” (Greek, mesitēs) began as a business term referring to an intermediary who helped two parties do business. In Judaism and other ancient religions, it came to refer to one who served a similar role securing good relations between God and man, reconciling them.

In several senses, Jesus is uniquely the Mediator. First, by virtue of the Incarnation, he alone is the God-man, who shares the natures of God and man (CCC 618). Second, because he is God incarnate, he became the Mediator of the New Covenant (Heb. 8:6, 9:15, 12:24), just as Moses was the mediator of the Old Covenant (Gal. 3:19).

Jesus’ status as the “one mediator” does not mean he is the only person with a role between God and men. Paul’s apostleship meant he had such a role, and he appealed to his apostleship in the same passage he refers to Jesus as the one Mediator (1 Tim. 2:7). Other ministers have similar roles (2 Cor. 5:20; cf. 1 Thess. 5:12, Heb. 13:17), as do all Christians (2 Cor. 3:2 –3; 1 Pet. 3:15).

Although Jesus intercedes for us (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25; 1 John 2:1), he is not the only one to do so. The Holy Spirit does (Rom. 8:26–27), and all Christians are called to as well. Thus Jesus instructs us how to pray for ourselves and others (Matt. 6:5–13), and tells us to pray even for our enemies (Matt. 5:44).

Paul asks for prayer for himself and for others (Rom. 15:30; 2 Cor. 1:11; 2 Thess. 3:1–2), and he introduces the very passage in which he refers to Christ as the one Mediator by exhorting his readers to pray for others: “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men” (1 Tim. 2:1).

If this objection worked, it would prove too much: If Jesus’ status as the one Mediator meant only he could intercede for us, then it would contradict his teaching that we should pray for others.

Jimmy Akin, A Daily Defense: 365 Days (Plus One) to Becoming a Better Apologist