See, we have left all and followed You

Mark 10:28
Then Peter began to say to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You.”

Peter mentioned this to Jesus, probably wanted Him to understand the great sacrifices that he and his fellow disciples had made. Jesus assured them that they will be rewarded and there is an implication that such sacrifices are the least the disciples can do.

We also wondered that when people follow Jesus, is it for personal gain, even for their own personal salvation or something else. The something else should be the total surrender towards Jesus for His love's sake. To really know Jesus is to know His is the ultimate King and the response should be the total surrender to His Lordship. In doing this, we are surrendering all ourselves to Him and that includes all decisions and aspects of our life.

My People Do Not Know The Judgment Of The Lord

The chapter starts off describing the extent of Judah's idolatry. It seemed that the bones of the dead kings, princes, priests and prophets were brought out to lay under the sun, moon and nature which they worshipped. God is totally furious about this, and that they have chosen death instead of life.  They were backsliding and did not repent of their wickedness. They are supposed to be wise in the Lord, but they actually have no wisdom in rejecting the Lord.

God declares judgment on them and their families and possession will be taken away from them. They were covetous, even priests and prophets were corrupted. They feel no shame. So God declares He will consume them.




Jeremiah 8

1 “At that time,” says the Lord, “they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of its princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves. 2 They shall spread them before the sun and the moon and all the host of heaven, which they have loved and which they have served and after which they have walked, which they have sought and which they have worshiped. They shall not be gathered nor buried; they shall be like refuse on the face of the earth. 3 Then death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of those who remain of this evil family, who remain in all the places where I have driven them,” says the Lord of hosts.

The Peril of False Teaching

4 “Moreover you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord:

“Will they fall and not rise?
Will one turn away and not return?
5 Why has this people slidden back,
Jerusalem, in a perpetual backsliding?
They hold fast to deceit,
They refuse to return.
6 I listened and heard,
But they do not speak aright.
No man repented of his wickedness,
Saying, ‘What have I done?’
Everyone turned to his own course,
As the horse rushes into the battle.
7 “Even the stork in the heavens
Knows her appointed times;
And the turtledove, the swift, and the swallow
Observe the time of their coming.
But My people do not know the judgment of the Lord.
8 “How can you say, ‘We are wise,
And the law of the Lord is with us’?
Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehood.
9 The wise men are ashamed,
They are dismayed and taken.
Behold, they have rejected the word of the Lord;
So what wisdom do they have?
10 Therefore I will give their wives to others,
And their fields to those who will inherit them;
Because from the least even to the greatest
Everyone is given to covetousness;
From the prophet even to the priest
Everyone deals falsely.
11 For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly,
Saying, ‘Peace, peace!’
When there is no peace.
12 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination?
No! They were not at all ashamed,
Nor did they know how to blush.
Therefore they shall fall among those who fall;
In the time of their punishment
They shall be cast down,” says the Lord.
13 “I will surely consume them,” says the Lord.
“No grapes shall be on the vine,
Nor figs on the fig tree,
And the leaf shall fade;
And the things I have given them shall pass away from them.”’”
14 “Why do we sit still?
Assemble yourselves,
And let us enter the fortified cities,
And let us be silent there.
For the Lord our God has put us to silence
And given us water of gall to drink,
Because we have sinned against the Lord.
15 “We looked for peace, but no good came;
And for a time of health, and there was trouble!
16 The snorting of His horses was heard from Dan.
The whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of His strong ones;
For they have come and devoured the land and all that is in it,
The city and those who dwell in it.”
17 “For behold, I will send serpents among you,
Vipers which cannot be charmed,
And they shall bite you,” says the Lord.


The Prophet Mourns for the People

18 I would comfort myself in sorrow;
My heart is faint in me.
19 Listen! The voice,
The cry of the daughter of my people
From a far country:
“Is not the Lord in Zion?
Is not her King in her?”
“Why have they provoked Me to anger
With their carved images—
With foreign idols?”
20 “The harvest is past,
The summer is ended,
And we are not saved!”
21 For the hurt of the daughter of my people I am hurt.
I am mourning;
Astonishment has taken hold of me.
22 Is there no balm in Gilead,
Is there no physician there?
Why then is there no recovery
For the health of the daughter of my people?

For I, the Lord your God, will Hold your Right Hand

God encourages His people in this chapter showing that besides being the Creator of the Universe, He is also interested in their lives, their nations, their protection and so on. He specifically reminds the Israelites that they are His chosen people according to the covenant with His friend Abraham. God specifically mentions He will strengthen, help, and destroy those who come against them.

There is a reference to the Redeemer. God also revealed that His people will go through much physical difficulties, but He will help them and not forsake them. He supernatural help will also show others His glory. Finally God also challenges His people to present their case for trusting on idols and anything else. He warned them that those are totally worthless.

Isaiah 41
Israel Assured of God’s Help

1 “Keep silence before Me, O coastlands,
And let the people renew their strength!
Let them come near, then let them speak;
Let us come near together for judgment.
2 “Who raised up one from the east?
Who in righteousness called him to His feet?
Who gave the nations before him,
And made him rule over kings?
Who gave them as the dust to his sword,
As driven stubble to his bow?
3 Who pursued them, and passed safely
By the way that he had not gone with his feet?
4 Who has performed and done it,
Calling the generations from the beginning?
‘I, the Lord, am the first;
And with the last I am He.’”
5 The coastlands saw it and feared,
The ends of the earth were afraid;
They drew near and came.
6 Everyone helped his neighbor,
And said to his brother,
“Be of good courage!”
7 So the craftsman encouraged the goldsmith;
He who smooths with the hammer inspired him who strikes the anvil,
Saying, “It is ready for the soldering”;
Then he fastened it with pegs,
That it might not totter.
8 “But you, Israel, are My servant,
Jacob whom I have chosen,
The descendants of Abraham My friend.
9 You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth,
And called from its farthest regions,
And said to you,
‘You are My servant,
I have chosen you and have not cast you away:
10 Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
11 “Behold, all those who were incensed against you
Shall be ashamed and disgraced;
They shall be as nothing,
And those who strive with you shall perish.
12 You shall seek them and not find them—
Those who contended with you.
Those who war against you
Shall be as nothing,
As a nonexistent thing.
13 For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand,
Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’
14 “Fear not, you worm Jacob,
You men of Israel!
I will help you,” says the Lord
And your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
15 “Behold, I will make you into a new threshing sledge with sharp teeth;
You shall thresh the mountains and beat them small,
And make the hills like chaff.
16 You shall winnow them, the wind shall carry them away,
And the whirlwind shall scatter them;
You shall rejoice in the Lord,
And glory in the Holy One of Israel.
17 “The poor and needy seek water, but there is none,
Their tongues fail for thirst.
I, the Lord, will hear them;
I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
18 I will open rivers in desolate heights,
And fountains in the midst of the valleys;
I will make the wilderness a pool of water,
And the dry land springs of water.
19 I will plant in the wilderness the cedar and the acacia tree,
The myrtle and the oil tree;
I will set in the desert the cypress tree and the pine
And the box tree together,
20 That they may see and know,
And consider and understand together,
That the hand of the Lord has done this,
And the Holy One of Israel has created it.



The Futility of Idols

21 “Present your case,” says the Lord.
“Bring forth your strong reasons,” says the King of Jacob.
22 “Let them bring forth and show us what will happen;
Let them show the former things, what they were,
That we may consider them,
And know the latter end of them;
Or declare to us things to come.
23 Show the things that are to come hereafter,
That we may know that you are gods;
Yes, do good or do evil,
That we may be dismayed and see it together.
24 Indeed you are nothing,
And your work is nothing;
He who chooses you is an abomination.
25 “I have raised up one from the north,
And he shall come;
From the rising of the sun he shall call on My name;
And he shall come against princes as though mortar,
As the potter treads clay.
26 Who has declared from the beginning, that we may know?
And former times, that we may say, ‘He is righteous’?
Surely there is no one who shows,
Surely there is no one who declares,
Surely there is no one who hears your words.
27 The first time I said to Zion,
‘Look, there they are!’
And I will give to Jerusalem one who brings good tidings.
28 For I looked, and there was no man;
I looked among them, but there was no counselor,
Who, when I asked of them, could answer a word.
29 Indeed they are all worthless;[a]
Their works are nothing;
Their molded images are wind and confusion.

"Now I will rise,” says the Lord

The woes are declared to those who plundered and dealt treacherously with others. This is also a prayer by those remaining who trusts in the Lord. They know of God's power and that He will exercise justice and righteousness. When the Lord rules, there will be wisdom and knowledge. The first paragraph also end  with the description of desolateness for Lebanon, Sharon, Bashan and Carmel.

The judgment against Zion is also described and the sinners and hypocrites were afraid. But for those who are righteous and upright, such as not receiving bribes, God will provide for him. Finally it describes the Lord's rule over all the people. This prophetic look at the time when the Lord will be King, Lawgiver and Judge. God will be for His people, and their iniquities will be forgiven.




Isaiah 33
A Prayer in Deep Distress

1 Woe to you who plunder, though you have not been plundered;
And you who deal treacherously, though they have not dealt treacherously with you!
When you cease plundering,
You will be plundered;
When you make an end of dealing treacherously,
They will deal treacherously with you.
2 O Lord, be gracious to us;
We have waited for You.
Be their[a] arm every morning,
Our salvation also in the time of trouble.
3 At the noise of the tumult the people shall flee;
When You lift Yourself up, the nations shall be scattered;
4 And Your plunder shall be gathered
Like the gathering of the caterpillar;
As the running to and fro of locusts,
He shall run upon them.
5 The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high;
He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.
6 Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times,
And the strength of salvation;
The fear of the Lord is His treasure.
7 Surely their valiant ones shall cry outside,
The ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly.
8 The highways lie waste,
The traveling man ceases.
He has broken the covenant,
He has despised the cities,[b]
He regards no man.
9 The earth mourns and languishes,
Lebanon is shamed and shriveled;
Sharon is like a wilderness,
And Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits.


Impending Judgment on Zion

10 “Now I will rise,” says the Lord;
“Now I will be exalted,
Now I will lift Myself up.
11 You shall conceive chaff,
You shall bring forth stubble;
Your breath, as fire, shall devour you.
12 And the people shall be like the burnings of lime;
Like thorns cut up they shall be burned in the fire.
13 Hear, you who are afar off, what I have done;
And you who are near, acknowledge My might.”
14 The sinners in Zion are afraid;
Fearfulness has seized the hypocrites:
“Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire?
Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?”
15 He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly,
He who despises the gain of oppressions,
Who gestures with his hands, refusing bribes,
Who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed,
And shuts his eyes from seeing evil:
16 He will dwell on high;
His place of defense will be the fortress of rocks;
Bread will be given him,
His water will be sure.


The Land of the Majestic King

17 Your eyes will see the King in His beauty;
They will see the land that is very far off.
18 Your heart will meditate on terror:
“Where is the scribe?
Where is he who weighs?
Where is he who counts the towers?”
19 You will not see a fierce people,
A people of obscure speech, beyond perception,
Of a stammering tongue that you cannot understand.
20 Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts;
Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a quiet home,
A tabernacle that will not be taken down;
Not one of its stakes will ever be removed,
Nor will any of its cords be broken.
21 But there the majestic Lord will be for us
A place of broad rivers and streams,
In which no galley with oars will sail,
Nor majestic ships pass by
22 (For the Lord is our Judge,
The Lord is our Lawgiver,
The Lord is our King;
He will save us);
23 Your tackle is loosed,
They could not strengthen their mast,
They could not spread the sail.
Then the prey of great plunder is divided;
The lame take the prey.
24 And the inhabitant will not say, “I am sick”;
The people who dwell in it will be forgiven their iniquity.

A Man’s Wisdom Makes His Face Shine

A few main concepts to catch here. One is that it is wise to obey the king's command. Extending this concept is to obey God as the King of Kings - how much more should we obey His commands. Another phrase is "time and judgement" indicating that judgement does not always come immediately but have an appointed time.

The wicked seem to live long and this can encourage the younger generation to do more evil. But the author reminds that judgement is merely delayed and that it is no doubt better to fear God and to avoid wickedness. Again the author encourages one to eat, drink and be merry, and so enjoy the reward from the labour which God has given.




Ecclesiastes 8
1 Who is like a wise man?
And who knows the interpretation of a thing?
A man’s wisdom makes his face shine,
And the sternness of his face is changed.
Obey Authorities for God’s Sake

2 I say, “Keep the king’s commandment for the sake of your oath to God. 3 Do not be hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand for an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him.”

4 Where the word of a king is, there is power;
And who may say to him, “What are you doing?”
5 He who keeps his command will experience nothing harmful;
And a wise man’s heart discerns both time and judgment,
6 Because for every matter there is a time and judgment,
Though the misery of man increases greatly.
7 For he does not know what will happen;
So who can tell him when it will occur?
8 No one has power over the spirit to retain the spirit,
And no one has power in the day of death.
There is no release from that war,
And wickedness will not deliver those who are given to it.
9 All this I have seen, and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun: There is a time in which one man rules over another to his own hurt.

Death Comes to All

10 Then I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of holiness, and they were forgotten[a] in the city where they had so done. This also is vanity. 11 Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. 12 Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him. 13 But it will not be well with the wicked; nor will he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he does not fear before God.

14 There is a vanity which occurs on earth, that there are just men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked; again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.

15 So I commended enjoyment, because a man has nothing better under the sun than to eat, drink, and be merry; for this will remain with him in his labor all the days of his life which God gives him under the sun.

16 When I applied my heart to know wisdom and to see the business that is done on earth, even though one sees no sleep day or night, 17 then I saw all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. For though a man labors to discover it, yet he will not find it; moreover, though a wise man attempts to know it, he will not be able to find it.

A Threefold Cord Is Not Quickly Broken

This chapter briefly discusses four topics. The first one relates to situation where those who were oppressed had no comforters while their oppressors continue to wield great power over them. If the author of this is Solomon, then it may be that Solomon was referring to neighbouring kingdoms.
The second topic describes a man who works for his own sake. He has no companion and he works constantly. The author asks who does he work for that he has to sacrifice enjoying goodness. The implication is that such work deprives one of enjoying the fruits of the labour.
The third topic gives the famous saying "And a threefold cord is not quickly broken". It tells of the strength derived from being in companionship. They can enjoy the fruits of their labour together. If one should fall, the other will help them up again.
The fourth topic tells from an example of one from humble beginning who was made king. He became ruler over many and so gained popularity. However, he grew foolish with age, and soon was no longer remembered.


Ecclesiastes 4

1 Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under the sun:
And look! The tears of the oppressed,
But they have no comforter—
On the side of their oppressors there is power,
But they have no comforter.
2 Therefore I praised the dead who were already dead,
More than the living who are still alive.
3 Yet, better than both is he who has never existed,
Who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

The Vanity of Selfish Toil
4 Again, I saw that for all toil and every skillful work a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
5 The fool folds his hands
And consumes his own flesh.
6 Better a handful with quietness
Than both hands full, together with toil and grasping for the wind.
7 Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun:
8 There is one alone, without companion:
He has neither son nor brother.
Yet there is no end to all his labors,
Nor is his eye satisfied with riches.
But he never asks,
“For whom do I toil and deprive myself of good?”
This also is vanity and a grave misfortune.

The Value of a Friend
9 Two are better than one,
Because they have a good reward for their labor.
10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.
But woe to him who is alone when he falls,
For he has no one to help him up.
11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm;
But how can one be warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him.
And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Popularity Passes Away
13 Better a poor and wise youth
Than an old and foolish king who will be admonished no more.
14 For he comes out of prison to be king,
Although he was born poor in his kingdom.
15 I saw all the living who walk under the sun;
They were with the second youth who stands in his place.
16 There was no end of all the people over whom he was made king;
Yet those who come afterward will not rejoice in him.
Surely this also is vanity and grasping for the wind.

If Your Enemy is Hungry, Give Him Bread to Eat

Interesting that the chapter's first verse is a note that the proverbs was copied down by King Hezekiah's men from the original proverbs by Solomon. The first part of this chapter has instructions of how deal behave in the presence of a king, no doubt also with King Jesus in mind.

Here are a few verses which is so practical and direct advice, but may also have a deeper meaning:
16 Have you found honey? Eat only as much as you need, Lest you be filled with it and vomit.
17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house, Lest he become weary of you and hate you.
24 It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop, Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.

A few notes for myself to remember:
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
22 For so you will heap coals of fire on his head, And the Lord will reward you.
27 It is not good to eat much honey; So to seek one’s own glory is not glory.
28 Whoever has no rule over his own spirit Is like a city broken down, without walls.


Not much other comments - just read the verses and absorb them.....


Proverbs 25
Further Wise Sayings of Solomon

1 These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied:

2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,
But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

3 As the heavens for height and the earth for depth,
So the heart of kings is unsearchable.

4 Take away the dross from silver,
And it will go to the silversmith for jewelry.

5 Take away the wicked from before the king,
And his throne will be established in righteousness.

6 Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king,
And do not stand in the place of the great;

7 For it is better that he say to you,
“Come up here,”
Than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince,
Whom your eyes have seen.

8 Do not go hastily to court;
For what will you do in the end,
When your neighbor has put you to shame?

9 Debate your case with your neighbor,
And do not disclose the secret to another;

10 Lest he who hears it expose your shame,
And your reputation be ruined.

11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold
In settings of silver.

12 Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold
Is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear.

13 Like the cold of snow in time of harvest
Is a faithful messenger to those who send him,
For he refreshes the soul of his masters.

14 Whoever falsely boasts of giving
Is like clouds and wind without rain.

15 By long forbearance a ruler is persuaded,
And a gentle tongue breaks a bone.

16 Have you found honey?
Eat only as much as you need,
Lest you be filled with it and vomit.

17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house,
Lest he become weary of you and hate you.

18 A man who bears false witness against his neighbor
Is like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow.

19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble
Is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint.

20 Like one who takes away a garment in cold weather,
And like vinegar on soda,
Is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.

21 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat;
And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;

22 For so you will heap coals of fire on his head,
And the Lord will reward you.

23 The north wind brings forth rain,
And a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.

24 It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop,
Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.

25 As cold water to a weary soul,
So is good news from a far country.

26 A righteous man who falters before the wicked
Is like a murky spring and a polluted well.

27 It is not good to eat much honey;
So to seek one’s own glory is not glory.

28 Whoever has no rule over his own spirit
Is like a city broken down, without walls.

Do Not Love Sleep, Lest You Come To Poverty

There have been previous chapters including this one, which references a king in the sayings. Apart from a general king, this king may also be regarded as the King of Kings, our Lord. The verses in this chapter are:

2 The wrath[a] of a king is like the roaring of a lion; Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life.
8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment, Scatters all evil with his eyes.
26 A wise king sifts out the wicked, And brings the threshing wheel over them.
28 Mercy and truth preserve the king, And by lovingkindness he upholds his throne.

Some verses on our self-righteousness, which amounts to nothing:
6 Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, But who can find a faithful man?

9 Who can say, “I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin”?

10 Diverse weights and diverse measures, They are both alike, an abomination to the Lord.
11 Even a child is known by his deeds, Whether what he does is pure and right.

Verses which warns against laziness:
4 The lazy man will not plow because of winter; He will beg during harvest and have nothing.
13 Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty; Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with bread.



Proverbs 20
1 Wine is a mocker,
Strong drink is a brawler,
And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.

2 The wrath[a] of a king is like the roaring of a lion;
Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life.

3 It is honorable for a man to stop striving,
Since any fool can start a quarrel.

4 The lazy man will not plow because of winter;
He will beg during harvest and have nothing.

5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water,
But a man of understanding will draw it out.

6 Most men will proclaim each his own goodness,
But who can find a faithful man?

7 The righteous man walks in his integrity;
His children are blessed after him.

8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment
Scatters all evil with his eyes.

9 Who can say, “I have made my heart clean,
I am pure from my sin”?

10 Diverse weights and diverse measures,
They are both alike, an abomination to the Lord.

11 Even a child is known by his deeds,
Whether what he does is pure and right.

12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
The Lord has made them both.

13 Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty;
Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with bread.

14 “It is good for nothing,”[b] cries the buyer;
But when he has gone his way, then he boasts.

15 There is gold and a multitude of rubies,
But the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

16 Take the garment of one who is surety for a stranger,
And hold it as a pledge when it is for a seductress.

17 Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.

18 Plans are established by counsel;
By wise counsel wage war.

19 He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets;
Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips.

20 Whoever curses his father or his mother,
His lamp will be put out in deep darkness.

21 An inheritance gained hastily at the beginning
Will not be blessed at the end.

22 Do not say, “I will recompense evil”;
Wait for the Lord, and He will save you.

23 Diverse weights are an abomination to the Lord,
And dishonest scales are not good.

24 A man’s steps are of the Lord;
How then can a man understand his own way?

25 It is a snare for a man to devote rashly something as holy,
And afterward to reconsider his vows.

26 A wise king sifts out the wicked,
And brings the threshing wheel over them.

27 The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord,
Searching all the inner depths of his heart.[c]

28 Mercy and truth preserve the king,
And by lovingkindness he upholds his throne.

29 The glory of young men is their strength,
And the splendor of old men is their gray head.

30 Blows that hurt cleanse away evil,
As do stripes the inner depths of the heart.[d]

The LORD (YAHWEH) Said To My Lord (Adonai),

This is the psalm in which Jesus quoted at least one time when He confronted the Pharisees. The Pharisees were stumped by the first verse when confronted by Jesus. The understanding is that Messiah is a descendant of David - and the people could accept that. But what was amazing to most is that Messiah is also divine, otherwise David would not refer to his descendant as Lord (Adonai, also meaning master).

This psalm thus reveals the divinity of Christ and also establishes that His spiritual children will all be considered priests of the order of Melchizedek. It also reveals the supreme authority of Messiah over all nations, kings and countries,



Psalm 110
–A Psalm of David.

 1 The LORD said to my Lord,
         “Sit at My right hand,
         Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”
 2 The LORD shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion.
         Rule in the midst of Your enemies!
       
 3 Your people shall be volunteers
         In the day of Your power;
         In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning,
         You have the dew of Your youth.
 4 The LORD has sworn
         And will not relent,
         “You are a priest forever
         According to the order of Melchizedek.”
       
 5 The Lord is at Your right hand;
         He shall execute kings in the day of His wrath.
 6 He shall judge among the nations,
         He shall fill the places with dead bodies,
         He shall execute the heads of many countries.
 7 He shall drink of the brook by the wayside;
         Therefore He shall lift up the head.

O God, Why Have You Cast Us Off Forever?

The psalm starts with the question to God asking Him why has he abandoned His people whom he had redeemed. Interesting reminder that God had purchased the congregation and also the reference of redeemed. This may be pointing towards our Lord Jesus redemptive work on the Cross, since at the time the psalm was written, the idea of a Purchased people has only a vague connection.

The sense of God's abandonment arose because of the victories and destruction by their enemies over Israel. It seemed that God's Temple or holy places have been overrun by the enemies. Some of these have been set on fire. In addition the prophets are no longer there, adding to the sense of abandonment by God. So they remembered a time when they regarded God as their King, and God used to deliver them from their enemies. And they acknowledged that God is the creator of the universe, including light and day.

So the desperate people plea to God to remember the Covenant and deal with the enemies who blaspheme God's name.


Psalm 74
A Contemplation[a] of Asaph.

 1 O God, why have You cast us off forever?
         Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?
 2 Remember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old,
         The tribe of Your inheritance, which You have redeemed—
         This Mount Zion where You have dwelt.
 3 Lift up Your feet to the perpetual desolations.
         The enemy has damaged everything in the sanctuary.
 4 Your enemies roar in the midst of Your meeting place;
         They set up their banners for signs.
 5 They seem like men who lift up
         Axes among the thick trees.
 6 And now they break down its carved work, all at once,
         With axes and hammers.
 7 They have set fire to Your sanctuary;
         They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name to the ground.
 8 They said in their hearts,
         “Let us destroy them altogether.”
         They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land.
        
 9 We do not see our signs;
         There is no longer any prophet;
         Nor is there any among us who knows how long.
 10 O God, how long will the adversary reproach?
         Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever?
 11 Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand?
         Take it out of Your bosom and destroy them.
 12 For God is my King from of old,
         Working salvation in the midst of the earth.
 13 You divided the sea by Your strength;
         You broke the heads of the sea serpents in the waters.
 14 You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces,
         And gave him as food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.
 15 You broke open the fountain and the flood;
         You dried up mighty rivers.
 16 The day is Yours, the night also is Yours;
         You have prepared the light and the sun.
 17 You have set all the borders of the earth;
         You have made summer and winter.
        
 18 Remember this, that the enemy has reproached, O LORD,
         And that a foolish people has blasphemed Your name.
 19 Oh, do not deliver the life of Your turtledove to the wild beast!
         Do not forget the life of Your poor forever.
 20 Have respect to the covenant;
         For the dark places of the earth are full of the haunts of cruelty.
 21 Oh, do not let the oppressed return ashamed!
         Let the poor and needy praise Your name.
        
 22 Arise, O God, plead Your own cause;
         Remember how the foolish man reproaches You daily.
 23 Do not forget the voice of Your enemies;
         The tumult of those who rise up against You increases continually.

My heart is overflowing with a good theme

This is a song of praising an individual with the imagery of that of a King and royalty. This individual being praised may be the Messiah. For example, Grace is poured on Him, and God has blessed Him forever. He also has glory and majesty like a king but perhaps more. He is also characterise by truth, humility, and righteousness; whereas a human king usually lacks humility.
The next part may be a give away when it says "Your throne, O God". He is anointed by God, love righteousness and hate wickedness. It also says "He is your Lord, worship Him" - the Israelites know quite well that they are only to worship God alone and never worship any mere human kings. So this king in this passage is more than a human king.
So this song or psalm could in fact be a prophetic song about the Messiah Yeshua who is Lord of Lords, and King of Kings.

Psalm 45
To the Chief Musician. Set to “The Lilies.”[a] A Contemplation[b] of the sons of Korah. A Song of Love.

 1 My heart is overflowing with a good theme;
         I recite my composition concerning the King;
         My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
        
 2 You are fairer than the sons of men;
         Grace is poured upon Your lips;
         Therefore God has blessed You forever.
 3 Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One,
         With Your glory and Your majesty.
 4 And in Your majesty ride prosperously because of truth, humility, and righteousness;
         And Your right hand shall teach You awesome things.
 5 Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies;
         The peoples fall under You.
        
 6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;
         A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
 7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
         Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
         With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.
 8 All Your garments are scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia,
         Out of the ivory palaces, by which they have made You glad.
 9 Kings’ daughters are among Your honorable women;
         At Your right hand stands the queen in gold from Ophir.
        
 10 Listen, O daughter,
         Consider and incline your ear;
         Forget your own people also, and your father’s house;
 11 So the King will greatly desire your beauty;
         Because He is your Lord, worship Him.
 12 And the daughter of Tyre will come with a gift;
         The rich among the people will seek your favor.
        
 13 The royal daughter is all glorious within the palace;
         Her clothing is woven with gold.
 14 She shall be brought to the King in robes of many colors;
         The virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to You.
 15 With gladness and rejoicing they shall be brought;
         They shall enter the King’s palace.
        
 16 Instead of Your fathers shall be Your sons,
         Whom You shall make princes in all the earth.
 17 I will make Your name to be remembered in all generations;
         Therefore the people shall praise You forever and ever.

Jehoida's Coup to Crown Joash King of Judah

Jehoida the priest was married to the daughter of King Jehoram who saved her nephew Joash, heir to the throne of Judah after his father King Ahaziah, son of Jehoram. So Jehoida who protected young Joash for a while, mounted a coup by gathering the military commanders and the priests. They surrounded the Temple of the LORD and Jehoida anointed Joash as the new king.

Following this, Athaliah was brought out and slain, ending her evil reign. Jehoida recommitted himself, the king and all of Judah to the covenant with God. We can imagine that the evil reign of Athaliah would also have been repressive and dictatorial in many ways. But yet there were still people of God in Judah, that when the time came, Jehoida was able to convince a large group from the military and the priest to join him.


2 Chronicles 23

Joash Crowned King of Judah

 1 In the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and made a covenant with the captains of hundreds: Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, Azariah the son of Obed, Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri. 2 And they went throughout Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah, and the chief fathers of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.
3 Then all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said to them, “Behold, the king’s son shall reign, as the LORD has said of the sons of David. 4 This is what you shall do: One-third of you entering on the Sabbath, of the priests and the Levites, shall be keeping watch over the doors; 5 one-third shall be at the king’s house; and one-third at the Gate of the Foundation. All the people shall be in the courts of the house of the LORD. 6 But let no one come into the house of the LORD except the priests and those of the Levites who serve. They may go in, for they are holy; but all the people shall keep the watch of the LORD. 7 And the Levites shall surround the king on all sides, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes into the house, let him be put to death. You are to be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.”
8 So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And each man took his men who were to be on duty on the Sabbath, with those who were going off duty on the Sabbath; for Jehoiada the priest had not dismissed the divisions. 9 And Jehoiada the priest gave to the captains of hundreds the spears and the large and small shields which had belonged to King David, that were in the temple of God. 10 Then he set all the people, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the temple to the left side of the temple, along by the altar and by the temple, all around the king. 11 And they brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, gave him the Testimony,[a] and made him king. Then Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, “Long live the king!”

Death of Athaliah
 
12 Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people in the temple of the LORD. 13 When she looked, there was the king standing by his pillar at the entrance; and the leaders and the trumpeters were by the king. All the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets, also the singers with musical instruments, and those who led in praise. So Athaliah tore her clothes and said, “Treason! Treason!”
14 And Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds who were set over the army, and said to them, “Take her outside under guard, and slay with the sword whoever follows her.” For the priest had said, “Do not kill her in the house of the LORD.”
15 So they seized her; and she went by way of the entrance of the Horse Gate into the king’s house, and they killed her there.
16 Then Jehoiada made a covenant between himself, the people, and the king, that they should be the LORD’s people. 17 And all the people went to the temple[b] of Baal, and tore it down. They broke in pieces its altars and images, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. 18 Also Jehoiada appointed the oversight of the house of the LORD to the hand of the priests, the Levites, whom David had assigned in the house of the LORD, to offer the burnt offerings of the LORD, as it is written in the Law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, as it was established by David. 19 And he set the gatekeepers at the gates of the house of the LORD, so that no one who was in any way unclean should enter.
20 Then he took the captains of hundreds, the nobles, the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought the king down from the house of the LORD; and they went through the Upper Gate to the king’s house, and set the king on the throne of the kingdom. 21 So all the people of the land rejoiced; and the city was quiet, for they had slain Athaliah with the sword.

Samuel reminds the wickedness in asking for a king

At the coronation of Saul, it appears that Samuel was grudgingly allowing Saul to be king. In a way this is right because it Samuel knew it was not God's preference for them to have a king, because 'the LORD your God was your king'. It was a matter of they wanted it so much, so let's give them what they asked for.

So this is not a blemish in the character of Samuel, rather Samuel would be reflecting God's view. Samuel reminded the Israelites of what God had done for them especially from their deliverance from Egypt. Then Samuel reminded them of their disobedience, followed by oppression by enemies followed by deliverance by God appointed judges like Gideon(Jerubbaal), Bedan, Jephthah and Samuel. Finally God reminded them that their request for a king to rule over them is actually considered as wickedness. And as a sign that Samuel's message was in line with God, especially being wickedness to ask for a king, Samuel asked for thunder and rain and it happened.

However, Samuel encouraged them that as long as they continue "fear the LORD and serve Him and obey His voice, and do not rebel against the commandment of the LORD", they will continue in the blessing. Otherwise the Israelites and their king would be punish for their sins. Verse 20 onwards is a great affirmation of God's love for His people despite the sin of asking for a king, as it said: "For the LORD will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you His people".




1 Samuel 12

Samuel’s Address at Saul’s Coronation

 1 Now Samuel said to all Israel: “Indeed I have heeded your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you. 2 And now here is the king, walking before you; and I am old and grayheaded, and look, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my childhood to this day. 3 Here I am. Witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I received any bribe with which to blind my eyes? I will restore it to you.”
4 And they said, “You have not cheated us or oppressed us, nor have you taken anything from any man’s hand.”
5 Then he said to them, “The LORD is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.”
And they answered, “He is witness.”
6 Then Samuel said to the people, “It is the LORD who raised up Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt. 7 Now therefore, stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD concerning all the righteous acts of the LORD which He did to you and your fathers: 8 When Jacob had gone into Egypt,[a] and your fathers cried out to the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and made them dwell in this place. 9 And when they forgot the LORD their God, He sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Hazor, into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them. 10 Then they cried out to the LORD, and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD and served the Baals and Ashtoreths;[b] but now deliver us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve You.’ 11 And the LORD sent Jerubbaal,[c] Bedan,[d] Jephthah, and Samuel,[e] and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you dwelt in safety. 12 And when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ when the LORD your God was your king.
13 “Now therefore, here is the king whom you have chosen and whom you have desired. And take note, the LORD has set a king over you. 14 If you fear the LORD and serve Him and obey His voice, and do not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then both you and the king who reigns over you will continue following the LORD your God. 15 However, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD will be against you, as it was against your fathers.
16 “Now therefore, stand and see this great thing which the LORD will do before your eyes: 17 Is today not the wheat harvest? I will call to the LORD, and He will send thunder and rain, that you may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking a king for yourselves.”
18 So Samuel called to the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.
19 And all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, that we may not die; for we have added to all our sins the evil of asking a king for ourselves.”

Saul Proclaimed King

Samuel told Saul that God had chosen him to lead His people. Samuel gave instructions to Saul before sending him away and that included some prophecies such as whom Saul will meet and how Saul should respond. In fact, Saul were to meet some prophets and perhaps as part of confirmation from God, Saul was also to prophesy with the prophets.

Saul was anointed by Samuel to be king before he left Samuel. It was only afterwards that Saul was actually proclaimed king in public. The anointing and proclamation as king happened as separate events just like in David's case but David had to wait many years between his anointing and crowning as king.

Finally Samuel called the congregation of Israel together and publicly announced that Saul was to be king. The people accepted immediately but there was a minority who did not support this. An interesting note was that Samuel explained "behavior of royalty" to the people and also "wrote it in a book". God had a specific purpose and expectations of what the King of Israel should be, in contrast to other kings who focus on themselves.



1 Samuel 10

 1 Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head, and kissed him and said: “Is it not because the LORD has anointed you commander over His inheritance?[a] 2 When you have departed from me today, you will find two men by Rachel’s tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say to you, ‘The donkeys which you went to look for have been found. And now your father has ceased caring about the donkeys and is worrying about you, saying, “What shall I do about my son?”’ 3 Then you shall go on forward from there and come to the terebinth tree of Tabor. There three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine. 4 And they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall receive from their hands. 5 After that you shall come to the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is. And it will happen, when you have come there to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with a stringed instrument, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp before them; and they will be prophesying. 6 Then the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. 7 And let it be, when these signs come to you, that you do as the occasion demands; for God is with you. 8 You shall go down before me to Gilgal; and surely I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and make sacrifices of peace offerings. Seven days you shall wait, till I come to you and show you what you should do.”
9 So it was, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, that God gave him another heart; and all those signs came to pass that day. 10 When they came there to the hill, there was a group of prophets to meet him; then the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them. 11 And it happened, when all who knew him formerly saw that he indeed prophesied among the prophets, that the people said to one another, “What is this that has come upon the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?” 12 Then a man from there answered and said, “But who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb: “Is Saul also among the prophets?” 13 And when he had finished prophesying, he went to the high place.
14 Then Saul’s uncle said to him and his servant, “Where did you go?”
So he said, “To look for the donkeys. When we saw that they were nowhere to be found, we went to Samuel.”
15 And Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me, please, what Samuel said to you.”
16 So Saul said to his uncle, “He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found.” But about the matter of the kingdom, he did not tell him what Samuel had said.

Saul Proclaimed King
  
17 Then Samuel called the people together to the LORD at Mizpah, 18 and said to the children of Israel, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all kingdoms and from those who oppressed you.’ 19 But you have today rejected your God, who Himself saved you from all your adversities and your tribulations; and you have said to Him, ‘No, set a king over us!’ Now therefore, present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your clans.”[b]
20 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. 21 When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was chosen. And Saul the son of Kish was chosen. But when they sought him, he could not be found. 22 Therefore they inquired of the LORD further, “Has the man come here yet?”
And the LORD answered, “There he is, hidden among the equipment.”
23 So they ran and brought him from there; and when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. 24 And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?”
So all the people shouted and said, “Long live the king!”
25 Then Samuel explained to the people the behavior of royalty, and wrote it in a book and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house. 26 And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and valiant men went with him, whose hearts God had touched. 27 But some rebels said, “How can this man save us?” So they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.

Israel Demands a King

Most of the judges in the previous chapters were chosen by God and the position of the Judge of Israel did not seem to be passed through the generations. Samuel however, planned to make his sons judges over Israel. The Israelites knew that Samuel's sons did not follow God's ways as Samuel did and so they rejected the idea. Instead, the people called for a king to be installed like the other pagan nations, effectively calling for an end to the period when Israel was judged by anointed individuals.

Samuel brought this matter up to the LORD, claiming that the people were rejecting him. The LORD patiently explained that the people were actually rejecting God Himself rather than Samuel. The LORD told Samuel to warn the people that they can have a king if they wished; but there will be grave consequences. God asked Samuel to pass the message that a king would take the sons to be soldiers and labourers, the daughters to be bakers, cooks; a king would take their harvest from the fields, a tenth of the grain and livestock.

This prophecy on the consequences of a king was entirely accurate in many kingdoms from ancient time to the Middle ages. God was also describing the tax system that will be imposed and still exist in the modern world. Hearing all this, the people still wanted a king. God then allowed them to have a king, although this was not His will.



1 Samuel 8

Israel Demands a King

 1 Now it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. 3 But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, 5 and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”
6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to the LORD. 7 And the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. 8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day—with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also. 9 Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.”
10 So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who asked him for a king. 11 And he said, “This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots. 12 He will appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. 14 And he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants. 16 And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest young men,[a] and your donkeys, and put them to his work. 17 He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants. 18 And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the LORD will not hear you in that day.”
19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us, 20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”
21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the hearing of the LORD. 22 So the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed their voice, and make them a king.”
And Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Every man go to his city.”