"How the mighty are fallen"

Good afternoon brothers and sisters,
We're skipping ahead a good bit in our story of David and Saul. In yesterday's reading David and Jonathan find out that Saul definitely wants to kill David, so Jonathan and David say their good byes and David leaves. He spends some time on the run with a couple of momentary reconciliations with Saul. During that time people from all over Israel who were in trouble came to stay with David. This motley crew became the core of David's power as he moved towards the throne.

At one point David came to the Philistines and lived there, even though Israel and the Philistines were at war. As I Samuel ends, Saul and Jonathan go to war with the Philistines and are killed in battle. When David hears the news he composes this song of mourning. We can believe easily that David is sad about Jonathan's death. His grief over Saul's death may be less genuine, but very useful to establish for Israel that David didn't have a hand in Saul's death. This feeling of innocence will be important as David seeks to cement his rule over all Israel in the coming years. Plus, it's quite a lovely, melancholy song.

God bless,
Sam

2 Samuel 1:17-27

¹⁷David intoned this lamentation over Saul and his son Jonathan. ¹⁸(He ordered that The Song of the Bow be taught to the people of Judah; it is written in the Book of Jashar.) He said: ¹⁹Your glory, O Israel, lies slain upon your high places! How the mighty have fallen! ²⁰Tell it not in Gath, proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon; or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice, the daughters of the uncircumcised will exult.

²¹You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you, nor bounteous fields! For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, anointed with oil no more. ²²From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not turn back, nor the sword of Saul return empty. ²³Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely! In life and in death they were not divided; they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. 

²⁴O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you with crimson, in luxury, who put ornaments of gold on your apparel. ²⁵How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan lies slain upon your high places. ²⁶I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; greatly beloved were you to me; your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. ²⁷How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war perished!

mourning and action

Good evening sisters and brothers,
We read yesterday that Haman, one of the highest officials in the kingdom, plotted to kill all the Jews because he felt slighted by Mordecai. In today's reading Mordecai finds out about Haman's plans and asks Esther to go to the king do prevent this tragic injustice.

God bless,
Sam

Esther 4:1-9
When Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went through the city, wailing with a loud and bitter cry; ²he went up to the entrance of the king’s gate, for no one might enter the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth. ³In every province, wherever the king’s command and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and lamenting, and most of them lay in sackcloth and ashes. ⁴When Esther’s maids and her eunuchs came and told her, the queen was deeply distressed; she sent garments to clothe Mordecai, so that he might take off his sackcloth; but he would not accept them.

⁵Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs, who had been appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what was happening and why. ⁶Hathach went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate, ⁷and Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. ⁸Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show it to Esther, explain it to her, and charge her to go to the king to make supplication to him and entreat him for her people. ⁹Hathach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said.

stolen blessing

Good morning brothers and sisters,
Tonight we begin vacation Bible school at Laurelton. We have opportunities for all ages, so come on over at 6:30 this evening. Whether you're taking part in the adult or kid's learning opportunities, helping out with the program, or not I hope you'll pray for us and for the participants. Pray that God would work through us to touch hearts during these five weeks.

The story of Jacob and Esau comes to a climax in this reading. Esau returns from hunting to find his blessing stolen. All that is left for him is the blessing of eventually rising up against his brother's yoke. Esau and Isaac both weep about Jacob's deception, but the damage is already done. May we always seek to build peace where people are in conflict and look out for the interests of others as well as ourselves.

God bless,
Sam

Genesis 27:30-40

30As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, when Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of his father Isaac, his brother Esau came in from his hunting. 31He also prepared savory food, and brought it to his father. And he said to his father, “Let my father sit up and eat of his son’s game, so that you may bless me.” 32His father Isaac said to him, “Who are you?” He answered, “I am your firstborn son, Esau.”



33Then Isaac trembled violently, and said, “Who was it then that hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate it all before you came, and I have blessed him? —yes, and blessed he shall be!” 34When Esau heard his father’s words, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, “Bless me, me also, father!” 35But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully, and he has taken away your blessing.” 36Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright; and look, now he has taken away my blessing.”



Then he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” 37Isaac answered Esau, “I have already made him your lord, and I have given him all his brothers as servants, and with grain and wine I have sustained him. What then can I do for you, my son?” 38Esau said to his father, “Have you only one blessing, father? Bless me, me also, father!” And Esau lifted up his voice and wept. 39Then his father Isaac answered him: “See, away from the fatness of the earth shall your home be, and away from the dew of heaven on high. 40By your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother; but when you break loose, you shall break his yoke from your neck.”