Thought for Today: Shabbat March 11:
The word compassion comes from two Latin words meaning – to suffer with. What better picture to describe YHVH’s Compassion for us? The greatest act of compassion in the history of the human race was the Cross, for there Moshiach has suffered for us. He endured sin’s penalty so we would not have to endure it ourselves. Now He calls us to have compassion on others, for His sake – to suffer with them and to point them to the One Who suffered for them as well. The Bible says: [Be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble] – 1 Peter 3:8.
SERIES J --- THE WARRIOR KING --- LESSON 04
DAVID’S CHOICE
TO HONOUR ADONAI’S ANOINTED
From 1 Samuel 23:29-24:22
When King Saul returned home to fight the Philistines, David and his men moved to the caves of En-gedi. However, Saul learned about that hideout too and as soon as his battle with the Philistines was over, he took three thousand men to hunt David at the Wild Goat’s Rocks. At a point where Saul’s forces passed some sheepfolds, Saul went up into a cave to rest. David and his men happened to be in the same cave. ‘This is it!’ some of David’s men whispered. ‘This is what Adonai was talking about when He said He would put Saul into your hands so you may do as you wish with him.’ David crept silently behind Saul and cut off a piece of his robe. But when he returned to his men, his conscience bothered him. ‘May Adonai keep me from harming my master,’ David told them. ‘I must never harm him for he is Adonai’s anointed king.’ David’s men did not take any action against Saul, for they did not want to go against David’s wishes. About this time Saul got up and left the cave. David followed and called to Saul as soon as they were outside. ‘My lord the king!’ David called. Saul whirled about and David bowed low before him. ‘Why do you listen to those who tell you that I want to hurt you?’ David asked. ‘Today you have seen that you were at my mercy in the cave and some of my men even urged me to kill you, but I spared your life. I told my men that I would not harm YHVH’s anointed king. Do you see what is in my hand, my father? It is a piece of your robe which I cut off. I could have killed you but I didn’t so that you would know that I am not trying to hurt you or sin against you, even though you hunt me down to kill me. ‘May Adonai be our judge! Let Him take revenge upon you for what you are doing, but I will not. As the ancient proverb says, ‘from wicked people come wicked deeds.’ I will not lift up my hand to hurt you. ‘Now who are you coming out to hurt? A dead dog? A flea? May Adonai be our judge and punish the one who is wrong. Adonai is my Advocate so He will deliver me from you.’ Saul called back when David had finished speaking. ‘Is it really you, my son?’ he said. Then Saul began to weep and cry out with a loud voice. ‘You are a more righteous man than I,’ he said. ‘You have been good to me while I was trying to be evil to you. You have been merciful, for when Adonai put me into your hand, you would not kill me. No one else would let his enemy go free when he had the power to kill him. May Adonai reward you with good because of what you have done today. Now I am certain that you will be king some day and that your kingdom will endure. Swear that when you reign as king, you will not destroy my family and my descendants.’ When David swore that he would not destroy Saul’s family, Saul returned home. But David and his men went to live in the stronghold Masada.”
COMMENTARY
MASADA
David and the men with him now fled to the mountainous desert of En-gedi. There David had a chance to kill Saul! But Adonai had made Saul king. Adonai would have to remove him. David would not do wrong, even to save his own life. Would this choice of David’s change Saul’s attitude toward him? More than a thousand feet above the waters of the Dead Sea, the isolated mountaintop of Masada stands alone, separated from the low cliffs surrounding it. Its deep slopes make it a natural rock fortress on the eastern edge of the Judean desert. People fleeing from enemies have often been attracted to this isolated mountaintop. Fragments of pottery dating as far back as the tenth century B.C. have been found. Pursued by King Saul, David may also have sought protection there. No one knows for certain that this was the [stronghold] mentioned in the Bible, although it seems likely that it was. The Hasmonean king, Alexander Janneus, [103-76 B.C] erected the first man-made structures on the summit of Masada. But the faint signs of early occupants are overwhelmed by the settlement built by Herod the Great. It covered the entire twenty-acre plateau. Storerooms, bathhouses and palaces were protected by a double wall. A system of canals and cisterns supplied water. After Herod’s death the Romans established a small garrison on the top of Masada. During the first year of the Jewish revolt against Rome it fell to the Zealots and for six years remained undefeated. But when the rest of the rebellion had been stopped, Roman forces placed Masada under siege. The battle lasted for two years. When the troops finally made a break in the wall, the Zealots knew they were defeated. The determined rebels refused to be taken captive. When the Romans reached the summit of Masada they were met with a hollow victory. Nine hundred and sixty people had taken their own lives rather than submit to Roman slavery. Only two women and five children remained to tell the story.
"Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of Yahweh, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of Yahweh your God, that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you forever."
1Ch 28
The written law vs the oral law https://youtube.com/live/AavdBkIu6kQ
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