Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem(8/12/17)[Prayer]

The Holy Scriptures | 8/12/17 | left that other site

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Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem

The Ark of the Covenant, The Tabernacle, and The Temple

2 Samuel 24

David Enrolls the Fighting Men

24 Again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.”

2 So the king said to Joab and the army commanders[a] with him, “Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and enroll the fighting men, so that I may know how many there are.”

3 But Joab replied to the king, “May the Lord your God multiply the troops a hundred times over, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?”

4 The king’s word, however, overruled Joab and the army commanders; so they left the presence of the king to enroll the fighting men of Israel.

5 After crossing the Jordan, they camped near Aroer, south of the town in the gorge, and then went through Gad and on to Jazer. 6 They went to Gilead and the region of Tahtim Hodshi, and on to Dan Jaan and around toward Sidon. 7 Then they went toward the fortress of Tyre and all the towns of the Hivites and Canaanites. Finally, they went on to Beersheba in the Negev of Judah.

8 After they had gone through the entire land, they came back to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.

9 Joab reported the number of the fighting men to the king: In Israel there were eight hundred thousand able-bodied men who could handle a sword, and in Judah five hundred thousand.

10 David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, Lord, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.”

11 Before David got up the next morning, the word of the Lord had come to Gad the prophet, David’s seer: 12 “Go and tell David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.’”

13 So Gad went to David and said to him, “Shall there come on you three[b] years of famine in your land? Or three months of fleeing from your enemies while they pursue you? Or three days of plague in your land? Now then, think it over and decide how I should answer the one who sent me.”

14 David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”

15 So the Lord sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the end of the time designated, and seventy thousand of the people from Dan to Beersheba died. 16 When the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord relented concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was afflicting the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand.” The angel of the Lord was then at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

17 When David saw the angel who was striking down the people, he said to the Lord, “I have sinned; I, the shepherd,[c] have done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? Let your hand fall on me and my family.”

David Builds an Altar

18 On that day Gad went to David and said to him, “Go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” 19 So David went up, as the Lord had commanded through Gad. 20 When Araunah looked and saw the king and his officials coming toward him, he went out and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground.

21 Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?”

“To buy your threshing floor,” David answered, “so I can build an altar to the Lord, that the plague on the people may be stopped.”

22 Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take whatever he wishes and offer it up. Here are oxen for the burnt offering, and here are threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood. 23 Your Majesty, Araunah[d] gives all this to the king.” Araunah also said to him, “May the Lord your God accept you.”

24 But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”

So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels[e] of silver for them. 25 David built an altar to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the Lord answered his prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.

Footnotes:

1. 2 Samuel 24:2 Septuagint (see also verse 4 and 1 Chron. 21:2); Hebrew Joab the army commander
2. 2 Samuel 24:13 Septuagint (see also 1 Chron. 21:12); Hebrew seven
3. 2 Samuel 24:17 Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint; Masoretic Text does not have the shepherd.
4. 2 Samuel 24:23 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts King Araunah
5. 2 Samuel 24:24 That is, about 1 1/4 pounds or about 575 grams

New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

[Maudeen]

Thanks for your posts! The two translations put different slants on it.

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We should never allow ourselves to be so “into” details that we lose sight of the whole picture, however! :-)

[SisterK]

David was counting his soldiers instead of resting in the power of the Lord. God wanted David to know that the Lord was fighting and winning Israels battles for them.

Yes!

[left that other site]

Also, just like God "hardened Pharaoh's Heart" to achieve a much greater and glorious purpose, we have several translations indicating that God either "moved" or "incited" David to take the headcount. To us, this may look like God is "tempting" David. But we know this can't be so, as God does not "Tempt"

As it says in James:

James 1:13
“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:”
(KJV)

And Here is what Paul has to say about it:

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV) 13 No temptation[a] has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted[b] beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,[c] he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

However, He does "Test" us.

[left that other site]

David was counting his soldiers instead of resting in the power of the Lord. God wanted David to know that the Lord was fighting and winning Israels battles for them.

Indeed. And He proves it over and over again! :-)

The story of Gideon is a wonderful example.

[Ezekiel]

Details are super-important, as you rightly point out with your nice allegories (real-world parables, really) about carefully following instructions.

I think it goes freaky though, when there is some new hype about signs and dates, and then people get sucked in and double down on their favored interpretations that end up going bust.

Y2K, Mayan calendar doomsday, blood moons, shemita cycles, now this latest Revelation 12 brouhaha.

And who can keep track of the many theories about the number 666? Everyone just assumes its the gematria of some guy’s name.

And besides, we know that Mashiach = 358 = nashash (serpent), so there is a plain example that a number is not intrinsically evil, but can represent polar opposites.

So if the beast is associated with the number 666, so too could be the Messiah, but if some yahoos pick up on it, the real Messiah would be mistaken for the antichrist.

*Those* are the kinds of details that people really need to notice.

[Ezekiel]

nachash

[left that other site]

Yes, indeed. Those things can end up being distractions.

I got to admit though, the Rev 12 thing is REALLY cool!

I won’t be selling my guitar or my Harley just yet though! :-)

[Ezekiel]

Here's how I see the Rev 12 sign:

It's a sign about a woman giving birth. And as is usually the case, as that set-in-stone due date comes and goes, women start freaking out. Every "extra" day is like a month. Terrible!

Like with Moses coming down off the mountain. The people miscalculated his "due date" and dang, one a day went by and they completely lost it.

Rev 12 has its parallel in the birth of Ben-oni. It was Ben-oni who was whisked away, along with his mother. Rachel is the moon in Joseph's dream. The moon also represents the nation of Israel (and King David, and the Shekhinah).

Jewish tradition places that event on the 11th of Cheshvan, which isn't until October 31 this year, the eve of "All Saints" Day, which is also the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

reformation:

the action or process of reforming an institution or practice.

There is some real irony in all of this.

[Jeanbl]

Amen, Praying for the Peace of Jerusalem, for our families and friends, for the persecuted and for our nations.

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Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, Jeanbl, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

God Bless America!

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.



This Symbol Represents Christians in The Middle East, who desperately need our Prayers.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[NanaDory8]

Joining with you all in prayer, praise and thanksgiving!

[left that other site]

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, NanaDory8, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

God Bless America!

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.



This Symbol Represents Christians in The Middle East, who desperately need our Prayers.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[NEWwoman]

Love your graphic!

[NEWwoman]

Amen, left that other site

The Lord will bring them back to the land and reclaim all of Jerusalem.

Joining in prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem.

[Silentgypsy]

Amen.

[left that other site]

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, NEWwoman, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

God Bless America!

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.



This Symbol Represents Christians in The Middle East, who desperately need our Prayers.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[left that other site]

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, Silentgypsy, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

God Bless America!

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.



This Symbol Represents Christians in The Middle East, who desperately need our Prayers.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[Hiskid]

Amen.

[left that other site]

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, Hiskid, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

God Bless America!

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.



This Symbol Represents Christians in The Middle East, who desperately need our Prayers.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS