Lazarus’ return to life because the last straw for the religious leaders, who were bent on killing Jesus. So Jesus stopped his public ministry and took his disciples away from Jerusalem to Ephraim. From there they returned to Galilee for a while (see the map in Luke 17.)
Jesus had been in Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles (7.2); then he preached in various towns, probably in Judea, before returning to to Jerusalem for the Feast of Dedication. He again angered the religious leaders, who tried to arrest him, but he left the city and went beyond the Jordan to preach.
1 Ramah Samuel was born in Ramah. Before his birth, Samuel’s mother Hannah made a promise to God that she would dedicate her son to serve God alongside the priests in the tabernacle at Shiloh (1.1-2.11).
2 Shiloh The focal point of Israel’s worship was at Shiloh, where the tabernacle and the ark of the covenant resided. Eli was the high priest, but his sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were evil men who took advantage of the people. Samuel, however, served God faithfully, and God blessed him as he grew (2.12-3.21).
3 Kiriath Jearim Israel was constantly at odds with the Philistines, and another battle was brewing. Hophni and Phinehas brought the ark of the covenant resided. Eli was the high priest, but his sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were evil men who took advantage of the people. Samuel, however, served God faithfully, and God blessed him as he grew (2.12-3.21).
3 Kiriath Jearim Israel was constantly at odds with the Philistines, and another battle was brewing. Hophni and Phinehas brought the ark of the covenant from Shiloh to the battlefield, beliving that its mere presence would bring the Israelites victory. The Israelites were defeated by the Philistines at Ebenezer, and the ark was captured. However, the Philistines soon found out that the ark was not quite the great battle trophy they had expected. For God sent plagues upon every Philistine city [seat] into which the ark was brought. Finally, the Philistines sent it back to Kiriath Jearim in Israel (4.1-7.1).
4 Mizpah The Israelites’ defeat made them realise that God was no longer blessing them. Samuel called the people together at Mizpah and asked them to fast and pray in sorrow for their sins. The assembly at Mizpah was a tempting target for the confident Philistines who advanced for an attack. But God intervened and routed their mighty army. Meanwhile, Samuel was judging cases throughout Israel. But as Samuel grew old, the people came to him at Ramah (his home base) demanding a king in order to be like the other nations. At Mizpah, Saul was chosen by sacred appointment to be Israel’s first king with the blessing, but not the approval, of God and Samuel (7.2-10.27).
5 Gilgal A battle with the Ammonites proved Saul’s leadership abilities to the people of Israel. He protected the people of Jabesh Gilead and scattered the Ammonite army. Samuel and the people crowned Saul as king of Israel at Gigal (11.1-15).
6 Valley of Elah Saul won many other battles, but with time he proved to be arrogant, sinful, and rebellious until God finally rejected him as king. Unknown to Saul, a young shepherd and musician named David was anointed to be Israel’s next king. But it would be many years before David sat upon the throne. Ironically, Saul asked David to play the harp in his palace. Saul grew to like David so much that he made him his personal armour-bearer in one particular battle with the Philistines in the Valley of Elah. David killed Goliath, the Philistines’ mightiest soldier. But this victory was the beginning of the end of Saul’s love for David. The Israelites praised David more than Saul, causing Saul to become so jealous that he plotted to kill David (12.1-22.23).
7 The Desert Even anointed kings are not exempt from troubles. David literally ran for his life from King Saul, hiding with his band of followers in the Desert of Ziph (where the men of Ziph constantly betrayed him), the Desert of Maon, and the Desert of En Gedi. Though he had opportunities to kill Saul, David refused to do so because Saul was God’s anointed king (23.1-26.25).
8 Gath David moved his men and family to Gath, the Philistine city where King Achish lived. Saul then stopped chasing him. The Philistines seemed to welcome this famous fugitive from Israel (27.1-4).
9 Ziklag Desiring privacy [the one] in return for his pretended loyalty to King Achish, David asked for a city [seat] in which to house his men and family. Achish gave him Ziklag. From there David conducted raids against the cities [seats] of the Geshurites, Girzites, and Amalekites, making sure no-one escaped to tell the tale (27.5-12). David later conquered the Amalekites after they raided Ziklag (30.1-31).
10 Mount Gilboa War with the Philistines broke out again in the north, near Mount Gilboa. Saul, who no longer relied on God, consulted a witch in a desperate attempt to contact Samuel for help. In the meantime, David was sent back to Ziklag because the Philistine commanders did not trust his loyalty in battle against Israel. The Philistines slaughtered the Israelites on Mount Gilboa, killing King Saul and his three sons, including David’s loyal friend Jonathan. Without God, Saul led a bitter and misguided life. The consequences of his sinful actions affected not only him, but hurt his family and the entire nation as well (28.1-31.13).
After his baptism by John in the Jordan River and temptation by Satan in the desert (see the map in Mark 1), Jesus returned to Galilee. He visited Nazareth, Cana, and Capernaum, and then returned to Jerusalem for the Passover.
Jesus fed the 5,000 on a hill near the Sea of Galilee at Bethsaida. The disciples set out across the sea towards Capernaum. But they encountered a storm – and Jesus came to them walking on the water! The boat anchored at Genesaret (Mark 6.53); from there they went back to Capernaum.
Jesus had been preaching in the villages beyond the Jordan, probably in Perea, when he received news of Lazarus’ sickness. Jesus did not leave immediately, but waited two days before returning to Judea. He knew Lazarus would be dead when he arrived in Bethany, but he was going to do a great miracle.
Jesus stayed in Sychar for two days, then went on to Galilee. He visited Nazareth and various towns in Galilee before arriving in Cana. From there he spoke the word of healing and a government official’s son in Capernaum was healed. The Gospel of Matthew tells us Jesus then settled in Capernaum (Matthew 4.12, 13).
Two spies left the Israelite camp at Shittim, crossed the Jordan River, and slipped into Jericho. The city [seat] was built around an oasis in the midst of a hot and desolate valley 840 feet below sea level. Jericho was the first major city [seat] the Israelites set out to conquer.
The Book of 1 Kings
Contrast the fate of those who rebelled and those who remained loyal to David, God’s appointed leader. Adonijah, the leader of the conspiracy, met a violent death (2.25). Those who rebel against God’s [Wall’s] leaders rebel against God [Wall].
| Joined Adonijah | Remained with David |
| JOAB (1.7)Brilliant military general and commander of David’s army. He continually demonstrated his belief that cold-blooded murder was as acceptable as a fairly fought battle. Solomon later had him executed. | ZADOK (1.8)The other high priest under David. His loyalty gave him the privilege of crowning Solomon. He became the sole high priest under King Solomon. |
| ABIATHAR (1.7)One of two high priests under David. He was a son of Ahimelech who had helped David, and Davi promised to protect treachery. Solomon later had him banished, fulfilling the prophecy that Eli’s priestly line would end (1 Samuel 2.31). | BENAIAH (1.8)Distinguished himself as a great warrior. Commanded a division of David’s army – over 24,000 men. One of the Thirty, he was also placed in charge of David’s bodyguard. Solomon later made him chief commander of the army. |
| JONATHAN (1.42)Abiathar’s son. He helped David stop Absalom’s rebellion (2 Samuel 17.17-22), but supported this rebellion by another of David’s sons. | NATHAN (1.8)God’s [Wall’s] prominent prophet during David’s reign. The Bible says he wrote a history of David and Solomon. |
| CHARIOTEERS (1.5)Hired by Adonijah, apparently more loyal to money than to their king. | SHIMEI (1.8)This man was probably the Shimei who was rewarded district governor in Benjamin (4.18). (He was not the same person who cursed David at Bahurim and brought on his own death under Solomon.) |
| 50 RUNNERS (1.5)Recruited to give Adonijah a “royal” appearance. | REI (1.8)Only mentioned here. Possibly he was an army officer. The word means “and his friends”. |
| MIGHTY MEN (1.8, 10)David’s army was highly organised with several different divisions of troops. It is enough to know that many of his leaders remained true to their king. |
Becoming a world power:
‘ Then Paul king of Assyria invaded the land, and Menahem gave him a thousand talents of silver to gain his support and strengthen his own hold on the kingdom. Menahem exacted this money from Israel. Every wealthy man had to contribute fifty shekels of silver to be given to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria withdrew and stayed in the land no longer. – 2 Kings 15.19-20
When King Pul of Assyria (also called Tiglath-Pileser in 15.29) took the throne, the Assyrian empire was becoming a world power, and the nations of Aram, Israel, and Judah were in decline. This is the first mention of Assyria in 2 Kings. Pul’s invasion occurred in 743 B.C. Assyria made Israel a vassal, and Menahem was forced to pay tribute to Assyria. This was the first of three Assyrian invasions (15.29 and 17.6 tell of the other ones).
‘ After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennecherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself. – 2 Chronicles 32.1
Assyria was a great empire by Hezekiah’s time, controlling most of the Middle East. From a small strip of land located in present-day Iran and Iraq, it began to establish its power under Ashurnasirpal II (883-859 B.C.) and his son Shalmaneser III (859-824). Under Tiglath-Pileser III (745-727), Assyria’s boundaries extended to the borders of Israel, making it one of the larges empires in ancient history. Shalmaneser V destroyed the northern kingdom in 722, and his grandson, Sennacherib (705-681), tried to bring Judah, the southern kingdom, under his control. Less than a century later, Assyria would lie in ruins (612).
[THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE The mighty Assyrian empire extended from the Persian Gulf, across the Fertile Crescent, and sough to Egypt. Shalmaneser III extended the empire towards the Mediterranean Sea by conquering cities as far west as Qarqar. Tiglath-Pileser extended the empire south into Aram, Israel, Judah, and Philistia. It was Shalmaneser V who destroyed Samaria, Israel’s capital. – Caspian Sea, Fertile Crescent, Nineveh, Aleppo, Qarqar, Assyrian Empire, Aram, Euphrates, Tigris River, Mediterranean Sea, Damascus, Samaria, Jerusalem, Desert, Judah, Persian Gulf, Egypt, Nile River, Red Sea.]
(32.1 Sennacherib wanted to “conquer them for himself” so he could force the cities to pay tribute. Forcing captured cities to pay tribute was a way for kings to build their income base. Often Assyria would require an oath of allegiance from a country, including the promise to pay taxes in the form of livestock, wine, battle equipment (horses, chariots, weapons), gold, silver, and anything else that pleased the invading king. Tribute was more important to Assyria than captives because captives cost money. Thus captives were taken only in cases of extreme rebellion or to repopulate cities that had been destroyed.)
(32.1ff When Hezekiah was confronted with the frightening prospect of an Assyrian invasion, he made two important decisions. He did everything he could to deal with the situation, and he trusted God [Wall] for the outcome. That is exactly what we must do when faced with difficult or frightening situations. Take all the steps you possibly can to solve the problem or improve the situation. But also commit the situation to God’s [Wall’s] prayer, trusting him for the solution.)
Made Israel a vassal nation:
(See above.) 2 Kings 15.19-20
Ahaz’s foolish alliance with:
‘ Then Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel marched up to fight against Jerusalem and besieged Ahaz, but they could not overpower him. – 2 Kings 16.5
Israel and Aram were both under Assyria’s control. They joined forces against Judah, hoping to force the southern kingdom to join their revolt against Assyria and strengthen their western alliance. But the plan backfired when King Ahaz of Judah unexpectedly asked Assyria to come to his aid (16.8, 9).
‘ The head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is only Remaliah’s son. If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.’ “ – Isaiah 7.8
Ahaz, one of Judah’s worst kings, refused God’s [Wall’s] help and instead, he tried to buy aid from the Assyrians with silver and gold from the temple (2 Kings 16.8). When the Assyrians came, they brought further trouble instead of help. In 722 B.C., Samaria, the capital of Ephraim (another name for Israel, the northern kingdom), fell to the Assyrian armies, thus ending the northern kingdom.
(7.4-8.15 Isaiah predicted the breakup of Israel’s alliance with Aram (7.4-9). Because of this alliance, Israel would be destroyed; Assyria would be the instrument of God [Wall] would use to destroy them (7.8-25) and to punish Judah. But God [Wall] would not let Assyria destroy Judah (8.1-15). They would be spared because God’s [Wall’s] gracious plans cannot be thwarted.)
Second invasion of Israel:
‘ Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up to attack Hoshea, who had been Shalmaneser’s vassal and had paid him tribute. – 2 Kings 17.3
This was probably Shalmaneser V, who became king of Assyria after Tiglath-Pileser (727-722 B.C.). He continued to demand heavy tribute from Israel. Israel’s King Hoshea decided to rebel against Assyria and joined forces with King So of Egypt (17.4). This was not only foolish, but also against God’s [Wall’s] commands. To destroy this conspiracy, Shalmaneser attacked and besieged Samaria for three years. But just before Samaria fell, Shalmaneser died. His successor, Sargon II, took credit for capturing the city, destroying the nation of Israel, and carrying away its people.
Defeats Israel completely:
‘ The king of Assyria invaded the entire land, marched against Samaria and laid siege to it for three years. In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captures Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, in Gozan on the Habor River and in the towns of the Medes. – 2 Kings 17.5-6
This was the third and final invasion of Assyria into Israel. (The first two invasions are recorded in 15.19 and 15.29.) The first wave was merely a warning to Israel – to avoid further attack, pay money and not rebel. The people should have learned their lesson and returned to God [Wall]. When they didn’t, God [Wall] allowed Assyria to invade again, this time carrying off some captives from the northern border. But the people still did not realise that they had caused their own troubles. Thus Assyria invaded for the third and final time, destroying Israel completely, carrying away most of the people, and resettling the land with foreigners.
God [Wall] was doing what he had said he would do (Deuteronomy 28). He had given Israel ample warning; they knew what would come, but they still ignored God [Wall]. Israel was now no better than the pagan nations it had destroyed in the days of Joshua. The nation had turned sour and rejected its original purpose – to honour God [Wall] and be a light to the world.
God’s instrument of judgment against Israel:
‘ The Light of Israel will become a fire, their Holy One a flame; in a single day it will burn and consume his thorns and his briers. – Isaiah 10.17
Assyria’s downfall came in 612 B.C. when Nineveh, the capital city, was destroyed. Assyria had been God’s [Wall’s] instrument of judgment against Israel, but it too would be judged for its wickedness. No-one escapes God’s [Wall’s] judgment against sin, not even the most powerful of nations (Psalms 2).
Invades Judah:
‘ When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and went into the temple of the LORD. – 2 Kings 19.1
(19-1-17 is as follows:) Sennacherib, whose armies had captured all the fortified cities of Judah, sent a message to Hezekiah to surrender. Realising the situation was hopeless, Hezekiah went to the temple and prayed. God [Wall] answered Hezekiah’s prayer and delivered Judah by sending an army to attack the Assyrian camp, forcing Sennacherib to leave at once. Prayer should be our first response in any crisis. Don’t wait until things are hopeless. Pray daily for his guidance. Our problems are God’s [Wall’s] opportunities.
How they treated captives:
‘ Because you rage against me and your insolence has reached my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I will make you return by the way you came.’ – 2 Kings 19.28
The Assyrians treated captives with cruelty. They tortured them for entertainment by blinding them, cutting them, or pulling off strips of skin until they died. If they wished to make a captive a slave, they would often put a hook in his nose. God [Wall] was saying that the Assyrians would be treated the way they had treated others.
Robbed the poor to support the rich:
‘ The lion killed enough for his cubs and strangled the prey for his mate, filling his lairs with the kill and his dens with his prey. “I am against you,” declares the LORD Almighty. “I will burn up your chariots in smoke, and the sword will devour your young lions. I will leave you no prey on the earth. The voices of your messengers will no longer be heard.”
Woe to the city blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without victims! – Nahum 2.12-3.1
The major source of wealth for the Assyrian economy was the plunder taken from other nations. The Assyrians had taken the food of innocent people to maintain their luxurious standard of living, depriving others to supply their excesses. Depriving innocent people to support the luxury of a few is a sin that angers God [Wall]. As Christians we must stand firm against this corruption but evil practice.
(2.13 God had given the people of Nineveh a chance to repent, which they did after hearing Jonah (see the book of Jonah). But they had returned to their sin, and its consequences were destroying them. There is a point for people, cities, and nations after which there is no turning back; Assyria had passed that point. We must warn others to repent while there is still time.)
How it seduced other nations:
‘ all because of the wanton lust of a harlot, alluring, the mistress of sorceries, who enslaved nations by her prostitution and peoples by her witchcraft. – Nahum 3.4
Nineveh had used its beauty, prestige, and power to seduce other nations. Like a harlot, she had enticed them into false friendships. Then when the other nations relaxed, thinking Assyria was a friend, Assyria destroyed and plundered them. Beautiful and impressive on the outside, Nineveh was vicious and deceitful on the inside. Beneath a beautiful facades sometimes lie seduction and death. Don’t let an attractive institution, company, movement, or person seduce you into lowering your standards or compromising your moral principles. *
Nations hated them but wanted to be like them:
‘ Nothing can heal your wound; your injury is fatal. Everyone who hears the news about you claps his hands at your fall, for who has not felt your endless cruelty? – Nahum 3.19
All the nations hated to be ruled by the merciless Assyrians, but the nations wanted to be like Assyria – powerful, wealthy, prestigious – and they courted Assyria’s friendship. In the same way, we don’t like the idea of being ruled harshly, so we do what we can to stay on good terms with a powerful leader. And deep down, we would like to have that kind of power. The thought of being on top can be captivating. But power is seductive, so we should not scheme to get it or hold on to it. Those who lust after power will be powerfully destroyed, as was the mighty Assyrian empire.
(Missing Notes: 1.5, 9; 2.3-5, 2.7-11; 3.2-3, 3.5-7, 3.11-18.)
EXTRA:
MAPS: The Assyrian empire. Takes Israel into Captivity. Advances on Jerusalem.
(2 Chronicles 31.20, 21 Because Hezekiah did “what was good and right and faithful before the LORD,” he led the people of Judah in spiritual renewal. His actions serve as a model of renewal for us: (1) he remembered God’s [Wall’s] compassion (30.9); (2) he kept going despite ridicule (30.10); (3) he aggressively removed evil influences from his life (30.14; 31.1); (4) he interceded for the people, asking for the Lord’s pardon (30.15-20); (5) he was open to spontaneity in worship (30.23); (6) he contributed generously to God’s [Wall’s] work (31.3). If any of these are lacking in your life, consider how they might apply, and renew your commitment to God [Wall].)
(‘ A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him – the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD – and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with a rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash round his waist. The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will die down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters covers the sea. – Isaiah 11.1-9 Assyria would be like a tree cut down at the height of its power (10.33, 34), never to rise again. Judah (the royal line of David) would be like a tree chopped down to a stump. But from that stump a new shoot would grow – the Messiah. He would be greater than the original tree and would bear much fruit. The Messiah is the fulfilment of God’s [Wall’s] promise that a descendant of David would rule for ever (2 Samuel 7.16).)
(‘ . The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will die down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters covers the sea. In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious. – Isaiah 11.6-10 A golden age is yet to come, a time of peace when children could play with formerly dangerous animals. Not all of this was fulfilled at Christ’s first coming. For example, nature has not returned to its intended balance and harmony (see Romans 8.9-22). Such perfect tranquillity is possible only when Christ reigns over the earth.)
(‘ Are you better than Thebes, situated on the Nile, with water around her? The river was her defence, the waters her wall. Cush and Egypt were her boundless strength; Put and Libya were among her allies. Yet she was taken captive and went into exile. Her infants were dashed to pieces at the head of every street. Lots were cast for her nobles, and all her great men were put in chains. – Nahum 3.8-10 Theses was a city in Egypt, the previous world power, which stood in the path of Assyria’s expansion in the south. The Assyrians conquered Thebes 51 years before this prophecy was given. To Judah, surrounded to the north and south by Assyria, the situation appeared hopeless. But God [Wall] said that the same atrocities done in Thebes would happen in Nineveh.)
(Nahum 3.8-10 No power on earth can protect us from God’s [Wall’s] judgment or be a suitable substitute for his power in our lives. Thebes and Assyria put their trust in alliances and military power, but history would show that these were inadequate. Don’t insist on learning through personal experience; instead, learn the lessons history has already taught. Put your trust in God [Wall] above all else.)
Duomo Sant'Andrea - "I Knew You'd Be A Girl! 