Surprise of the Day

When the Aramean (Syrian) army surrounded a city to destroy it, Elisha saw angelic chariots of fire covering the mountain to defend them in the city.

II Kings 6:8, 14-17;   II Kings 2:11

Fact Of the Day

Elisha’s teacher and mentor had been Elijah.  Elijah never died.  Instead, he went to heaven in a chariot of fire.  Not too long after that, God sent an angelic army riding chariots of fire to defend his people against the enemy Syrians.  Did Elijah possibly lead the angelic chariots of fire that went to defend the city against the Syrian army?  We do not know, but it is an interesting thought.  Don’t you think so?

Oops of the Day

When Solomon said in his prayer he was just a child, it was just an expression.

I Kings chapters 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 & Song of Solomon

Fact Of the Day

No! Solomon was only 18 years old when he became king. These are the events after Bethsheba becomes pregnant with Solomon in (I Kings chap. 11):
1 year – war with Ammonites (chap. 12)
2 years – Dtr Tamar raped by son Amnon and Absalom’s revenge (chap. 13)
3 years – Absalom exiled by father (chap. 13)
2 years – Absalom back in Jerusalem still rejected (chap. 14)
4 years – Absalom judges people when David not making self available (chap. 15)
1 year – Absalom finally makes self king (chap. 15-19)
1 year – Sheba rebels (chap. 20)
3 years – Famine (chap. 21)
1 year – Census & plague (chap. 24) & dies (I Ki. 1-2)
18 years of events after Bathsheba becomes pregnant with Solomon
David dies at age 70 after reigning 40 years. Solomon is crowned on his wedding day (Song of Solomon), reigns 40 years and dies. His son, Rehoboam, became king when he was age 41. So, Solomon was around age 18 or maybe 19 when he became king.

Oops of the Day

Absalom was a rebellious son who never loved his father, David. But David was always the loving father anyway. 

II Samuel chapters 13-15 and II Samuel 19

Fact Of the Day

Absalom’s brother raped his sister, Tamar but their father did not punish the rapist  (II Samuel 13:14, 21, 23).   2 yrs later, Absalom had his rapist brother killed, then was banished for 3 years (II Samuel 14:13; 28-32).  A prophet convinced David to allow Absalom to return to Jerusalem.  But David refused to see him for another 2 yrs).  After another 4 years, Absalom finally rebelled (II Samuel 15:7). For 11 years, David all but disowned Absalom.

 

Oops of the Day

Poor crippled, orphaned Mephibosheth, forced to live out his life in desolate deserted LoDebar.

II Samuel chapter 9;   I Chronicles 7:14-15;   II Samuel 7:27

Fact Of the Day

No!  LoDebar was on the edge of a major trade route between China and Europe and 10 miles from the Sea of Galilee.  He was the son of Crown Prince Jonathan and adopted by Machir, a descendant of Joseph in Egypt, who later also hid King David in his home.   When grown, he moved into the palace and ate with King David’s sons.  Further, he was given the palace and agricultural land of his grandfather, King Saul, and all the income from the land.

 

Oops of the Day

The crippled son of Jonathan and grandson of Saul, Mephibosheth, was a shriveled up little man.

II Samuel 9:12;   I Chronicles 8:34;   I Chronicles 9:40 

Fact Of the Day

No!  His grandfather, King Saul, was the tallest (probably 7 feet) and most handsome man in the kingdom. His father was a mighty man. Therefore, Mephibosheth probably was tall and handsome and strong despite his handicap.  Oh, and he married and had two sons.  I doubt she was attracted to a shriveled up old man.  A tall, handsome, crippled man won her heart.

 

Surprise of the Day

Jonathan’s son and Saul’s grandson, Mephibosheth’s feet were paralyzed.

II Samuel 4:4;   II Samuel 19:24;   I Samuel 9:2;   II Samuel 1:23

Fact Of the Day

He wasn’t just a cripple.  His feet were paralyzed.  When King David was running from Absalom, Mephibosheth was so upset, he did not “care for his feet”.  The only reason he would have to take special care of his feet is because they were paralyzed and had no feeling.  He had to check them constantly to see if they had accidentally hit something. 

He could not have used normal crutches because his feet were useless in touching the floor. So, he had to either crawl, or balance on crutches with his feet swinging between them.  (I like to think he did the latter.)

 

Oops of the Day

A witch brought Samuel back from the dead to talk to King Saul.

• I Samuel 28:11-14; 19  Numbers 24:1;    Mark 9:4
• (1 King 17:17-24;  II Kings 4:18-37; II Kings 13:20-21; 
• Luke 7:11-17;  Luke 8:49-56;  John 11:1-44; Matthew 28:1-20;  Acts 9:36-42;  Acts 20:7–12)

Fact Of the Day

No! (1) She had apparently never brought anyone back to life. The witch was surprised when she saw the “ghost”. (2) It came up out of the ground. Any human God allowed to return to earth was just suddenly there (appeared). (3) No one brought back from the dead ever become dead a few minutes later. (4) Just because what the “ghost” said came true does not prove it was Samuel; Pagan Balaam’s prophecy came true also.