2 Samuel 11:1-15
Checks and Balances
One cannot help but be appalled
At how the king of Israel called
The shots for his own benefit,
E'en to the point that he'd commit
The crimes of treason, rape, and kill -
Because he could? Because with skill
He might avoid the judgment, keep
His winning name, and get off cheap?
It seems top dogs can cheat and lie,
And with impunity defy
The moral life most try to lead.
But here's the thing that they should heed,
Which gives us cause to celebrate:
When kings and other heads of state
Betray the trust of those they lead,
They cannot hide fore'er, indeed.
The truth will always be revealed,
Nefarious deeds ne'er be concealed,
No matter who sits on the throne;
Thus, later, Nathan, with backbone
Called out the king, and said God knew;
And so it always will be true
That those who would attain things right,
Will have, for truth, an appetite.
Scott L. Barton
In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to
battle, David sent Joab with his officers and all Israel with him; they ravaged
the Ammonites, and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. It
happened, late one afternoon, when David rose from his couch and was walking
about on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman
bathing; the woman was very beautiful. David sent someone to inquire about the
woman. It was reported, “This is Bathsheba daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah
the Hittite.” So David sent messengers to get her, and she came to him, and he
lay with her. (Now she was purifying herself after her period.) Then she returned
to her house. The woman conceived; and she sent and told David, “I am
pregnant.”
So David sent word to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And
Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab and the
people fared, and how the war was going. Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to
your house, and wash your feet.” Uriah went out of the king’s house, and there
followed him a present from the king. But Uriah slept at the entrance of the
king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his
house. When they told David, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said
to Uriah, “You have just come from a journey. Why did you not go down to your
house?” Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah remain in booths;
and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field;
shall I then go to my house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? As
you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do such a thing.” Then David said
to Uriah, “Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah
remained in Jerusalem that day. On the next day, David invited him to eat and
drink in his presence and made him drunk; and in the evening he went out to lie
on his couch with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his
house.
In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by
the hand of Uriah. In the letter he wrote, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the
hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, so that he may be struck down
and die.”
+ + +
John 6:1-21
Jesus Mafa: Jesus Multiplies the Loaves and Fish
Uncrowned King
He would not do the things they thought
Appropriate for one who taught
And healed with such extravagance
They also thought improvident.
You really have to hand it, though,
To Andrew: It was apropos,
He thought, to indicate the boy
Whose food, perhaps, they might deploy?
"But no," - he quickly hedged his bets -
Like Philip, who declared to get
The cash for such a crowd? "No way!" -
But Jesus, cast their doubts away.
They sailed, although the king, uncrowned
Had wandered off to higher ground
Until their need he might assess,
And once again, disciples bless.
Scott L. Barton
After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of
Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. A large crowd kept following
him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Jesus went up
the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the Passover, the
festival of the Jews, was near. When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming
towards him, Jesus said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread for these people
to eat?’ He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do.
Philip answered him, ‘Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of
them to get a little.’ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother,
said to him, ‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But
what are they among so many people?’ Jesus said, ‘Make the people sit down.’
Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five
thousand in all. Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he
distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they
wanted. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, ‘Gather up the
fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.’ So they gathered them up,
and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten,
they filled twelve baskets. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they
began to say, ‘This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.’
When Jesus realized that they were about to come and
take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by
himself.
When evening came, his disciples went down to the
lake, got into a boat, and started across the lake to Capernaum. It was now
dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The lake became rough because a
strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they
saw Jesus walking on the lake and coming near the boat, and they were
terrified. But he said to them, ‘It is I; do not be afraid.’ Then they wanted
to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land towards
which they were going.
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