2 Samuel 12:1-23 ~ And the Lord sent Nathan to David.

 

2 Samuel 12:1-23

12 And the Lord sent Nathan to David. 

He came to him and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had very many flocks and herds, 3 but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him. 4 Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” 

5 Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, 6 and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.”

7 Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. 8 And I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. 

9 Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ 11 Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.’” 

13 David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” 

And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. 14 Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord,^{[Dead Sea Scroll the Word of the Lord]} the child who is born to you shall die.” 15 Then Nathan went to his house.

And the Lord afflicted the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and he became sick. 16 David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. 17 And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground, but he would not, nor did he eat food with them. 18 On the seventh day the child died. 

And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to us. How then can we say to him the child is dead? He may do himself some harm.” 

19 But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David understood that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” They said, “He is dead.” 

20 Then David arose from the earth 

and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. 

And he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. 

He then went to his own house. And when he asked, they set food before him, and he ate. 21 Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.” 

22 He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ 

23 But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? 

I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.”

David acknowledges that the child was a unique person. He does not say baby; David is fully acknowledging this as a human being unique in HIS sight.

When we think of our lives, we plan out an idea of what He would have us do with our time. Surely, if we are at the beginning of our lives, few of us raise our hands and say, "Oh, I'd like to be a prophet of the Lord!!"

Look at Nathan, he really worked out how he was going to plunk down this information the Lord sent to Nathan. If you look at the movie Richard Gere did onm "David", you are going to see Samuel is a plotting, murdering, foaming-at-the-mouth Power Man. Hardly a prophet, Samuel is shown to be, but a kingmaker, a king breaker.

How did Nathan end up being a prophet of God?

2 Samuel 5:13-16
And David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David. 14 And these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

Nathan did well in the eyes of David. 

Why? Nathan Loved. Loved David and David knew this.

2 Samuel 12:13
David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.

2 Samuel 12:24-25
24 Then David comforted his wife, Bathsheba, and went in to her and lay with her, and she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. And the Lord loved him 25 and sent a message by Nathan the prophet. So he called his name Jedidiah,^{[Beloved of the Lord]} because of the Lord.

Nathan was there when David was going to die of old age. Nathan advised David in the ways to obtain old age and stay in Salvation.

Next we are going to consider Samuel.

Samuel knows something about what the Lord desires. Notice, with me, the heart of the matter.

1 Samuel 7:3
And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”


1 Samuel 16:1-2
The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”

2 But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.”

Now here is a job, career as prophet, a woman is not going to usually check-mark. This is a game where people get Vastly Offended. And notice with me again, Samuel has mourned Saul. How do we know? The LORD says so. Samuel is also in understanding of this is the Lord's Plan and Samuel is going to do what God has for him to do. He is not going to pull a Jonah and run.

So is this prophecy a comfy job - far from that.

1 Samuel 16:4-5
4 So Samuel did as the Lord instructed. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town came trembling to meet him. “What’s wrong?” they asked. “Do you come in peace?”

5 “Yes,” Samuel replied. “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Purify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then Samuel performed the purification rite for Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice, too.

Samuel invokes the same principal Jesus did when he said the child is sleeping, as he went to raise her from the dead. Samuel is not announcing the purposes of God, he is doing the will of his Father.


John 1:23
John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.'"


Jonah did not love and still was compelled to do the work of the Lord. He spent time mourning the fact Nineveh  repented.

Jonah 4
9 But God said to Jonah, “Do you do well to be angry for the plant?” And he said, “Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.” 10 And the Lord said, “You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?”

Surely, many people think Jonah is a fable. However, what reason would Jonah hate the Assyrians so much? It sounds like national pride. 

However, I believe this to be History and would point out to you, it is one of the wonderful, wondrous miracles of the Bible. Footwork. Footwork. Footwork.

 The Plans of the Lord go on for Generations! Vast Planning of the God of All. Jonah's Billy or Franklin Graham introduction of the Holy Spirit allows the future generation, King Hezekiah, and Isaiah freedom.  (As wonderful as William Wilberforce leading the UK to reject the sugar trade in their lives, 1779-1807, to lead to the freedom of slavery worldwide!)  Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian Empire, this Holy Spirit sympathy did not have Assyrians employ their usual destruction, Assyria did not invade or compel the next door neighbor, tiny Judah, to be destroyed, instead to be a friend of the Assyrian Empire. More than a puppet Judah Nation.  

Jonah has saved Israel for another Empire, in time to conquer that. And Nebuchadnezzar is interested as he is compelled by Israel's bad behavior and double dealing with the Persian Empire to be lenient because Jonah's words have caught Holy Spirit Fire in the Assyrian Empire, which led to the Chaldean Persian Empire to Nebuchadnezzar becoming the new leader out of Assyria to form the Persian Empire. A Good Neighbor. 

It's interesting to note, 

God did not send a hater back to Israel to become as part of the Temple. End of Jonah.

We all, ultimately, hope to create a life with meaning. Samuel understood that as a small boy. Here is a heart open to the LORD.

1 Samuel 3

Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.

2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.

4 Then the Lord called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!” 5 and ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down.

6 And the Lord called again, “Samuel!” and Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.

8 And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10 And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.” 11 Then the Lord said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle.

Abba, Father God,

Each day we put out our open hands to You. 

Let this day not merely be one day tells its tale to another. 

Use this day in my life to Your glory. 

Let me encounter the people You would call me to minister with about You. 

I am much more attuned to let Your love be revealed in my life without words.

 Should You require words, help those words be from You.

Let me be like Noah, clearly, or unclearly, let Your will be accomplished. 

Noah knew he was to believe You, believe Your Words were for him,

 and Noah swung his hammer, each day at Your task. 

Let my prayer, my words, my work be for You. 

And let one life bring His will in goodness, mercy and steadfast love. 

Let love, the grace of Yours, cover a multitude of sin 

and allow my life to be fruitful to you.

I ask in the name of 

Jesus Christ the Lord, 

each day.

Amen. So be it.

In the Highest Name of Jesus Christ.

 Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yes Bless The Lord Jesus

Matthew 17:5-8 ~ when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only

 

1 Timothy 3

 16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:

He was manifested in the flesh,

    vindicated by the Spirit,

        seen by angels,

proclaimed among the nations,

    believed on in the world,

        taken up in glory.

Transfiguration, Love, Fear, Heaven, Godliness, Victory

Are best understood by the Holy Spirit. 

The Transfiguration, completely overwhelming to the Disciples John and James and Peter, pairs with Moses and the first chapters of Revelation. The reaction of Peter differs completely from John in the Scriptures. God using their differences to warm hearts. Peter was to proclaim boldly.  John later explained the glimpse of Heaven. Our Father's Eternal Kingdom.

1 Corinthians 2:9-10

9 But, as it is written,

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,

    nor the heart of man imagined,

what God has prepared for those who love him”—

10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. 

For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.

When the Children of Israel encountered The Almighty, they begged not to hear something so overwhelming. 

Matthew 17:5-8

 5 He was still speaking when, 

behold, 

a bright cloud overshadowed them, 

and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, 

with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.” 

6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified.

 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, 

“Rise, and have no fear.” 

8 And when they lifted up their eyes, 

they saw no one but Jesus only.

The mystery of the Fear of the Lord.

Proverbs 16:6

By steadfast love and faithfulness 

iniquity is atoned for,

    and 

by the fear of the Lord 

one turns away from evil.

Genesis 32

25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, 

he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint

 as he wrestled with him. 

26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” 

But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 

27 And he said to him, “What is your name?” 

And he said, “Jacob.” 

28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob,

 but Israel, 

for you have striven with God 

and with men, 

and have 

prevailed.” 

Matthew 25:21

21 His master said to him, 

‘Well done, good and faithful servant. 

You have been faithful over a little; 

I will set you over much. 

Enter into the joy of your Master.’

When we consider the wealth of knowing God. The Heart of God speaking with Abraham. The wealth of the Patriarchs. The Spiritual wealth of the Disciples in what they saw, heard, walked and felt. The inability of all men to earn the salvation of Jesus Christ. And we consider the layers of emotional, spiritual and material wealth. We see the incredible variation in the chosen Disciples. An inclusiveness of God. Not Jew or Greek, slave or free. Because God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, 

Light of mankind, 

Light of the world. 

Light of nations. 

Light of Heaven.

 Romans 10:9

 

Because, if you confess with your mouth 

that Jesus is Lord 

and believe in your heart 

that God raised Him from the dead, 

you will be saved.

Abba, Father

With the Holy Spirit alive and well. We fight the Good Fight.

The expectation of God.

In 2001, before 9/11

Americans said 90% believe in God.

And then in 2016,

81% believe in God.

Then we encountered

success in the largest Economy 

the world had seen.

Then we encountered

a worldwide Pandemic with

Italy dying, 25%,

Then the economy froze

and people stayed at home.

Bible reading hit the top of all

internet searches.

Historically, wars and

all sorts of hatred and bad behavior

happens after a Plague.

And now in 2023,

with so many historic records,

like inflation, bad news, divisions

and unheard of situations:

2023,

Gallup shows

74% believe in God.

You and I wait with expectation

for the next decade

to see

God provide for

ALL!

In Jesus, we ask

Dwell in us, Father

Send Your Holy Spirit as Helper

Dwell in those we love

and 

Help us to seek You first

And in Jesus,

we will finish well.

Jeremiah 30:10

'Fear not, O Jacob My servant,' declares the LORD, 

'And do not be dismayed, O Israel; 

For behold, 

I will save you from afar 

And your offspring from the land of their captivity. 

And Jacob will return and will be quiet and at ease, 

And no one will make him afraid."

Jeremiah 30:18

"Thus says the LORD, 

'Behold, 

I will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob 

And have compassion on his dwelling places; 

And the city will be rebuilt on its ruin, 

And the palace will stand on its rightful place."

We will never, never, never give up the Calling of the Holy Spirit.

 To comfort those in need. 

To patiently wait in a traffic jam and miss Church.

And plan to look to our Father God expectantly with Joy for His Goodness. 

And provide security and protection for our children and grandchildren.

 Praying Jesus Love for those yet to be born. 

Blessings from Heaven to earth, in His Good Will.

Making our hearts, mind and soul where Jesus is proud of us.

 Today and tomorrow!

Our prayers. Our works. Our words. Our Hope. Our Future.

 Jesus be in these hopes for a plan.

Send Your Word, Please. 

You uphold the Universe With Your Word.

We pray with the weather for gentle rain. 

God bless.

We are the Easter people. God's New Covenant is Love for one another.

In the Name of Jesus. 

We Pray Amen with our Alleluia. 

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yay GOD

Yes Bless The Lord Jesus

Yes Thank You Father

John 1:35-42 ~ He said to them, “Come and you will see.”

Basilica of Saint Peter today.


Altar in the Vatican, during Christmas Mass. 80 feet below are the remains of Saint Peter.


Basilica of St. Peter from 331 until 17th century A.D. It was destroyed by a fire.

G is the representation of the foundation of the 4th century Church, the rest is beneath the foundation - as it would have appeared in the 4th century.
Overview of Peter's area. The undisturbed 4th century shrine for Paul's remains, built by Constantine.
Several excavated streets under the Vatican. Surrounded by tombs of the 2nd and 3rd century.

Peter's grave is 80 feet down, it took 10 years of amazing discoveries before they reached the Peter's area; most bodies clearly identified by name, art, poetry, mosaics, statuary. Pius knew they had rediscovered Peter's bones in the 2nd century grave, surrounded by the 4th century shrine built by Constantine.
Peter's bones were kept in a box. His bones were different than the others because they contained one man, wrapped in remains of purple cloth with gold thread, a tile saying "Peter is here" in Greek, was found in the box.

How the 4th century shrine appeared in 1949

c. 1966 the remains of Peter's house in Capernaum, Israel. Similar graffiti as Paul's tomb.
The slab that kept out moisture, thieves. Slab (a rock) helping to preserve Peter's body when the others around him were already dust.
The red wall with graffiti saying this is Peter, follower of Jesus Christ. Identical art found to Peter's home in Capernaum.
Original 2nd century tomb the 4th century tomb surrounded.

The discovered bones were found in the repository wall and later returned.
Darker bones are the remaining bones of Peter.
Photos of Peter's bones.


Peter's tomb today, located under the altar in St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, Italy.

John 1:35-42

35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.”

So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour [4 p.m.]. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas” [which means Peter, Cephas and Peter are from the word for rock in Aramaic and Greek, respectively.]

What does a relatively large house in ancient Capernaum have in common with the Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano? They are both the homes of Peter, who loved and followed Jesus Christ. Both the house in Capernaum and the 2nd century grave site have the same graffiti proclaiming this is Peter, follower of Jesus. Where is the 2nd century grave located? Beneath the Altar of the Vatican.

Peter knew his death was going to be crucifixion, Jesus told him.

John 21:17-19

He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”

Jesus knew where Peter would be buried, he took Peter to Caesarea to give him the prophesy:

Matthew 16:18
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Peter's final resting place was rediscovered in the 1939 dig; began when Pope Pius XI died and there wasn't a good place to bury him. The workmen of Pope Pius XII discovered it wasn't going to just be pagan people underneath the floors of the Basilica. After 10 years of amazing discoveries, most bodies clearly identified by name, art, poetry, mosaics, statuary, Pius knew they had probably rediscover Peter's bones in the 2nd century grave surrounded by the 4th century shrine built by Constantine. Pius decided they would wait until the evidence looked completely irrefutable, they waited until December 23, 1950, when Pius told the world.

By 1964, conclusions the scientists decided were:

- An"elderly man" between sixty and seventy years, about five feet seven inches tall, of heavy build, a man of robust constitution. Missing the feet bones. The bones had lain - and for a considerable period of time - in a bare earth grave. (Peter had been martyred, buried as a criminal). All these bones, it appeared, at some time after dissolution of the flesh, had been taken from the earth and wrapped in a purplish, gold-threaded cloth. Enclosed was a plaque /tile with two Greek words "Petros Eni." Peter is here.  

- Many, many of the tombs had bodies that had already turned to dust, the bones of Peter were amazing in their completion. There was even water in the area, which had been a problem to the Basilica for centuries. A single, huge outcropping of rock had preserved the carefully cared for remains.

- Sumptuous marble housing erected by Constantine, in the 4th century, over the 2nd century tomb, was intended to preserve forever both the true original grave of Peter's remains. It has never been tampered or violated.

- Soil adhering to the bones in the repository proved they had originally been interred in the earth. Chemical analysis proved that this soil exactly matched the soil in the original grave under the monument.

- The bones, where as others in the vicinity contained a lot of different types of bones thrown together, these were the carefully preserved bones of one man, missing the feet. In the repository, they had been wrapped in cloth of royal purple, an indication of the unusually high dignity accorded. Threads of gold in the cloth reinforced this impression, since the combination of purple and gold was a fact well attested from antiquity as indicating imperial honors. The robe was older than 4th century.

- An inscription within the repository, in Greek, declared "Peter is buried in here." Other inscriptions on the outside the repository, in Latin invoked his name in prayer.

- 2nd century Graffiti on the tomb's red wall was very similar to the graffiti in Peter's Capernaum house.

- Pope Damasus, in the fourth century, seriously encountered the problem of cemetery vandalism growing out of religious bigotry, it was a violent age. The repository in the sturdy little wall guarded against intrusions by permanently enclosing the precious remains on all sides.

One of the main scientists working on the archaeological dig:
http://saintpetersbasilica.org/Necropolis/MG/TheTombofStPeter-1.htm
THE TOMB OF ST. PETER
by Margherita Guarducci
© 1960, Hawthorn Books


The Bones of St. Peter. The First Full Account of the Search for the Apostle's Body by John Evangelist Walsh. © 1982. http://saintpetersbasilica.org/Necropolis/JW/TheBonesofStPeter-1.htm

It's interesting to see Peter's house (photograph above) is just the remains of a house. The Church - the Bride of Jesus Christ, has amazing depth and splendor.

Matthew 7:7
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

So many amazing archaeological discoveries in the last 100 years. To name just a few: Dead Sea Scrolls, Lazarus' tomb in Spain, the entire Hittite Nation, the cities of Nineveh, Ur, Sodom and Gomorrah. Tile piece in Goliath's hometown with his name and David's name. The walls of Jericho. The walls of Babylon. The Capernaum Synagogue, with Zebedee's name (father of disciples James and John) on a pillar. Written record of King David. King David's Palace, found by description in the Bible for location. Many Steele ( antiquity plaques) found to confirm biblical fact written by other nations. Many, many artifacts in the Museum of Israel.

Blessed are You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Abba, Father,

Dwell in us, please, Father.

Dwell in those we Love.

Help us to seek You first.

In Jesus Christ, we will finish well.

In Jesus Christ is 

Our Love, Joy and Hope.

Thank You for Jesus.

To You, our Father, be the Glory

Our God is an Awesome God! 

Amen and Alleluia

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yes Bless The Lord Jesus

Yes Thank You Father