Prophet Pearls #10 – Mikeitz (1 Kings 3:15-4:1)
In this week’s Prophet Pearls, Mikeitz (1 Kings 3:15-4:1), Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson provide context, past and present, for the quintessential wisdom-of-Solomon story where a birth mother is determined faster than you can say DNA. “Deeply stirred” like the … Continue reading →
In this week's Prophet Pearls, Mikeitz (1 Kings 3:15-4:1), Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson provide context, past and present, for the quintessential wisdom-of-Solomon story where a birth mother is determined faster than you can say DNA. “Deeply stirred” like the mother in the story, Johnson compares the fight-at-any-cost spirit to the battles for the Land today—where a two-baby solution is still no solution. To have a clearer understanding of the gift of divine wisdom, Gordon compares the Chronicles version of Solomon’s dream with this Portion’s account. We learn the divisions of knowledge in the Tanakh and in what section the writings of Solomon appear. We learn the main function of the ancient kings of Israel and that you don’t have to be perfect for Yehovah to call you friend. Gordon closes with a prayer that God’s chosen son, the Messiah King of Israel, soon will bring an end to fighting—peace to Israel and the world.
"...for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to carry out judgement."
1 Kings 3:28
I look forward to reading your comments!
Transcript
Prophet Pearls #10 – Mikeitz (1 Kings 3:15-4:1)
You are listening to Prophet Pearls with Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson. Thank you for supporting Nehemia Gordon's Makor Hebrew Foundation. Learn more at NehemiasWall.com.
Keith: Shalom chaverim shelanu. You guys already know what that means. It’s peace to you our friends in Hebrew. This is Keith Johnson with Nehemia Gordon, ready to take another peek into the Prophets to see if we can find some pearls to share with you. Shalom chaver sheli ata muchan? Are you ready?
Nehemia: Ani muchan, Keith. I am ready to plunge down deep into the water, into the depths to find the pearls.
Keith: Hey there, that’s exactly what we’re going to do. It’s really… I love these stories. You know, I’m a Bible story reading pastor. That’s just the bottom line. So whenever we get to a story, I always get really excited. We’re going to be reading a story today that is really well-known, a lot of people know about it. It’s funny Nehemia, there are a lot of stories in Scripture that I’ll mention to people that have even been long-term people in the church, and they won’t know anything about the story. I’ve always been surprised by that. But then when I think about what’s happening in most churches on Sunday morning… They did a survey not long ago that said that most preachers don’t even preach out of the Gospels as much, but they mostly preach from the letters of Paul. You think about that – there’s something like 80 percent or something, and the Old Testament, quote unquote, is used for the really well-known stories like Noah and the Ark and Adam and Eve.
But a story like this is so crucial to understanding, and I think a lot of it just has to do for me what I call again is context. We actually addressed the first part of the story – we didn’t get to this part – the first part of this story where David was on his deathbed. You remember, we did that Prophet Pearls. If you have not heard the entire series so far, you really should take a Sabbath and just sit down and listen. I think it really gives people a great chance to kind of understand those passages that aren’t so popular. That aren’t ones that are least preached… in the tradition I come from, you heard these passages every year.
Nehemia: I mean, so, you know, having said that, I was having a conversation… You know, a lot of times what Orthodox Jews will do – not just Orthodox Jews, Jews, in general – is these things will be read in the synagogue and they’re read in Hebrew. Even if you’re a Hebrew speaker, it’s not the Hebrew you speak, it’s the old Hebrew. So it’s like, imagine if your pastor got up and started reading from the King James, so you might zone out. I was actually speaking to this Orthodox Jew, someone very close to me. When we were talking, I said something about Yiftach, which in Hebrew is Jephthah, and I could tell from looking at his face, he didn’t know who Jephthah was. I said, “Have you ever read the book of Judges?” He said “I don’t read Scripture. I study it.” I said, “Okay, smarty, have you ever studied the book of Judges?” This was a man who was a gabai. He was the… I don’t know what you call that in English, like the beadle of the synagogue, I mean he ran all the administrative side of the synagogue. For example, if someone was going to read from the Prophets portion, he would assign that to someone to read. There is a Prophets portion on Jephthah. But he had never studied it. He had never paid attention to what was being read, even though he assigned the portion, and he literally didn’t know the story.
Keith: That kind of happens in both cases…
Nehemia: Yes, in both traditions.
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Comments
I thought that what keith said about solomons judgment and the land of israel was very inspired. Thats an awesome application of solomons wisdom
@54:45, 1 Kings 5:9-14 is actually 4:29-34.
Nehemia: I’m going to share what happened. I was preaching in the high desert of California, and you were there too, you were also preaching. I prayed a prayer and I asked Yehovah to… I said, “Yehovah, I want to know who the one you’ve chosen as the Messiah. I want to know his name.” And I asked Yehovah to reveal to me his son.
Solomon is the messiah’s son, so the anointed King David is the messiah! This is why the “anointed prince” comes after 7 weeks (his birth) and 62 weeks (his resurrection): Chag Ha-Katzir 2033!
Dan 9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going out of the command (at the burning bush) to restore and to build Jerusalem, to Messiah the Prince (King David), shall be seven weeks (Jubilee cycles), and sixty-two weeks (Jubilee cycles). The street shall be built again, and the wall, even in times of affliction.
Always a great learning!
I have also heard ministers say this account is proof that Solomon was not judging according to Torah, otherwise he would have had both women stoned for fornication. Its amazing what conclusions people come up with.
Thanks again for you pearls of wisdom! Shalom!
I have just read your comments as above twice …those words have resonated in me I thought they were marvellous and how very very true. Thank you for the above and may YeHoVaH and Yeshua Bless You Abundantly!
Excellent signed mi Keitz
I don’t see the Solomon-Baby analogy applying to the Two State issue. The U.N. is not seeking to unite the Child with it’s true Mother. The U.N. has prejudged both Women as equals which in any Court, is a miscarriage of Justice. The U.N. is totally disregarding Birth Records ( World History/ Archaeology ) and DNA evidence ( Judeo -Christian History/Archaeology ) so as not to offend a psychotic woman ( false Mother ) with a history of Child Abuse. To compare Solomon with the U.N. in this regard is stretching it a bit. Shalom
Yes, this is parable for what will happen when the nations come to divide Jerusalem; the King (Yeshovah) brings a sword to the land. War comes.
So Solomon is let off the hook but Nadab, Abihu, Uzzah, Korah and his men and their families were not?
Something is missing……….
Lamentations 2:7-9, reads: …The Lord has spurned His altar, He has abandoned His sanctuary…The Lord has purposed to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion…her gates have sunk in the ground…”
Solomon’s temple is clearly at Zion but what does the wreckage indicate?
PS. And the true future messiah has to have greater wisdom than Solomon; he has to be perfect in all his ways, as he is the Son of Jehovah..
Joseph to Solomon ;
The comparison Keith is making is compelling —
May I add my two pence worth of thoughts and comments?
Joseph and Solomon as types: Jehovah communicates in dreams…
The Son of Jehovah therefore must have direct communication to his Father, as he is the Son. Anybody can claim anything, how do we know which will be the true future messiah ?
In the time of Moses even the magical men of Pharaohs court could produce miracles.
What they couldn’t do was to stop the plagues.
They also couldn’t stop the heavenly Father rescue his children.
The future messiah also needs to have the qualities of Moses, by leading the children of Israel to safety..but Moses is only the type…
In my view , The rescue needs to be more than just physical, as all physical things die, I think the story of the people dying in the wilderness make the case. Moses too died there.
In my biblical understanding, the messiah has got to be the good shepherd just like David, who risked his life for his sheep, though David wasn’t killed, but he could have been…
Also someone like Isaac who followed his Father to the place of sacrifice, willingly…
He, Yehovah (The Word) Himself – wrapped His Glory around flesh (Yahusha) and came to us. The last place where He placed His Name is outside the gate, where He died on (Aaron’s rod — a branch from the Tree of Life — planted on the Mount of Olives at the place of sin sacrifice, by King David) and He rose and will return again on the Mount of Olives, the ultimate sacrifice (Atonement) on the altar of the Red Heffer. and nothing more is required from us except to keep Torah, His Commands, Feasts, and Sabbaths Gen 12 the narrow road if you love Him. We are the Temple made without hands and He lives in us where He places His SEAL, YHVH His Name; Creator is His Title; the Heavens and the Earth is His Territory. This is placed on our foreheads (minds, what we think goes into our hearts) hands (what we do and who we serve) ABBA Father, Yehovah, it is only by Your unfailing agape (unconditional) ahava (love) and by Your Mercy (withheld deserved judgment) and by Your Grace, (unmerited Favor) that we are made whole and sustained. WE ARE THE TEMPLE IN WHICH HE LAST PLACED HIS NAME!!! HE WILL RETURN TO THE MOUNT OF OLIVES FOR US!!!
My apologies, Barack Obama was older than 45 when he took office!
The age to be eligible to be elected President of the United States is 35 not 45. JFK and Barack Obama were both younger than 45 when they were elected.
Your comparison of the baby and the land of Israel being divided is intriguing. I never thought of that before. Thank you.
..that’s good insight..I enjoyed reading your comments..very helpful to me Janice.
Wow wow and wow. Praise be to YHVH! This was very very enlightening and refreshing. I remember this story having been spewed from a pulpit, when I was young, and there was no true core spiritual and historical relevance such as you and Keith have conveyed. I love YHVH and how He continues to reveal His sovereignty justice and tender care for those of us choosing to be grafted in to His being.
Nehemia & Keith
You stated in this Prophet Pearls: “Solomon offered at the wrong site, thus the High Place and yet God accepted, but the correct site was where the Ark of the Covenant was placed in Jerusalem?”,
2 questions about this Prophet Portion:
1. about the Phrase: 1 Kings 3:3 “except that he sacrificed and burned incense at the high places”…
Since this is at the start of his reign is this not the same as Josiah:
2 Kings 22:2 “And he (Josiah) did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked IN ALL THE WAYS of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.
Both are starting out and the Phrases seem to be a ‘Pre-Summary’ or a ‘Prophetic Statement’?
2. WHERE I PUT MY NAME or High Places:
The Context in the days of Samuel is that the Ark of the Covenant was not at the Tabernacle. Taken since the days of Eli’s sons, it does not return until David becomes King or for about 70 years – all of the LIFE of SAMUEL. So when Samuel offer sacrifices, and if other than the Tabernacle, were they accepted by Yehovah?
When Samuel offers at Mizpeh (1 Sam 7) is he offering at a High Place (not at the Tabernacle (Shiloh) or where the Ark is (Ekron)?
Deut 12:5-6
5 But unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to PUT HIS NAME there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:
6 And thither ye shall bring your BURNT OFFERING, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks:
Reference: PUT MY NAME
Num 6: PRIESTLY BLESSING – They will put MY SHEM upon the people. (Ark not included)
1 Kings 9:3 SOLOMON’s TEMPLE – I have consecrated this BEIT which you have BUILT to put MY NAME there forever… (Ark is in it but already built)
1 Kings 11:36 JERUSALEM – “And to his son I will give one tribe, that My servant David may always have a lamp before Me in Jerusalem, the city which I HAVE CHOSEN for Myself, to put MY NAME there.
I ask in respect for both Keith & your knowledge of the Hebrew and the Tanakh.
Your Support-Servant,
Paul Lopez
Can a person make an accusation against another without evidence? If I bring an accusation against another, and I have no evidence; then what would be done to them will be done to me. (see Yesuah on the woman caught in adultrey) Both women are prostitues, (they have no Covenant Wedding Agreement with Yehovah) ; this is illegitamate PA and Non Torah gov’t Greek democracy (neither child has a Father, Torah, Covenant with YeHovah) when the King draws his sword it is upon the baby (land) that brings a war. Don’t get to caught up with emotional issues of having a baby; that is how the world judges. The issue should be evidence of birth; a certificate, a Covenant. When the bible is regarded as a “religious” book; we go astray in the judgement; that’s what happens when you regard “religious freedom” has no place in His Legal Covenant Document; Hebrew text shows HaShem’s governance is covenant (not religion) is a book of Covenants, legal documents. The Land belongs to the King, it is Holy unto Him; to do harm to the land, people of the Covenant; He brings war on the offenders. Hense, the judgement of the nations, Zechariah 12,14. How many times was Solomon told by King David to follow the Covenant? How many times did YeHovah ajure Soloman to follow the Covenant? 3 times each; check the law of Kings; was he in compliance or not? What was Yehovah’s last statement of Solomon?
Paul 2 Samuel 7:12 And when they days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his Kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took away before thee. and thine house and thy Kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever. 2 Chronicles 6:2 But I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel. Also look in Dedication prayer of Solomon. Whether a physical temple is there or not it is a place identified. He made a promise.
Keep praying ! Yes keep on praying for the Messiah to be revealed to you !The truth The Facts and no B.S.-PhD Rhetoric.!We serve a Big Yehovah God and I have faith he will answer the prayers of so many !for the Messiah to show Himself to the ones who earnestly seek HIM! Remember however the counterfeit comes in with peace and safety he will look like the saviour he may even seem fit old testement prophetic criteria .It might even seem to appear to provide wealth and health for all. It will look like the true of Yehovah God’s people faithful remnant will be the wrong .Many will be fooled .
May Yehovah bless you all with true clear vision & revelation .May He give you True peace, safety,health,wealth, and fresh anoiting of inspired enlightenment! In Yeshuas name I pray Amein.
Actually, of course, the land belongs nether to the Jews or Muslims, but to Yahweh. May it soon be trusted in stewardship to those with clean hands and a pure heart; who do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with their Elohim. When the “weeds” are pulled from this garden, it will be difficult for all concerned…
The Ark of the Covenant: for Atonement of Sins of a Nation – once a year – Yom Kippor?
The Altar of Incense: for personal Sin – Daily?
This question is more for CONTEXT than theology or debate.
“WHERE I PUT MY NAME”
Did that mean the WHERE the ARK WAS or where HIS NAME is worshipped.
THE ISSUE:
The Ark of the Covenant was gone for 70 years after Eli’s sons were killed. If the ARK was the needed for fulfilling of sacrifices, then for 70 years none were offered.
The context is that during this time (later years), David is recruiting the Levites and setting the Divisions while making preparations for the Temple. If no sacrifices, tithes or offerings are given, then who is providing for them?
I know the Prophets mention the Ark as having the “NAME of YEHOVAH”.
All that to say that after the destruction of Solomon’s Temple, the ARK is no more and Jeremiah mentions in 3:16 that the ARK will be no more.
A greater question then would be “Without the ARK, then Yehovah’s Name” is no more and sacrifices w/o it would not be accepted?
But, Malachi (w/o the Ark) is stating that following the TORAH “Instructions” will lead to acceptable sacrifices, tithes & offerings.
Hopefully I made the issue clear and looking forward to some clarity?
Be Blessed…
I too loved the prayer at the end. Thank you both for this study
Is it Possible that the Phrase “offered incense at the High Places”
is much like an overall view since He cannot have served God like his father David since he just started reigning? A Futuristic or Prophetic phrase. We know that He build temples to the gods of his wives.
If not then we have to believe that even if we offer wrong, God will still accept/
According to Malachi, God cannot accept “w/o Instructions – Torah” or you both have to change the audio in the Levitical Pearls… LOL just kidding.
Be blessed as you have already blessed me with these insights…
biymahera, biyamenu, amen!
Was the king of Israel permitted to write new laws, or only to interpret Torah?
Solomon wrote 3000 proverbs. I counted 650 in the book of proverbs.
Solomon’s songs were 1005. I counted one in the Bible.
What happened to the missing proverbs and songs?
Shabbat Shalom, Thank you both, I waited until this morning to listen to this, I just wanted to start the day with a right mind, the prayer at the end could not be better, I hope our king comes soon, YEHOVAH bless you !
Thank you for each weeks’ enthralling session! The most enlightening study of the WORD of our GOD!! Blessings to the both of you!!
If someone doesn’t read they may feel that they will not be accountable. But there are examples where even if someone is lied to 🙁 They are still held accountable in the Bible. The old saying: “Ignorance of the law is no excuse”. Better to read and try one’s best to avoid the consequence even if one fails. Solomon is reported to have loved the Lord, walking in his statutes of David. Even when or though he was in locations that where becoming or had been sites of corrupted worship. Solomon at the beginning was clean among the unclean. At that time,he believed and looked to God.He wanted to serve the people and dispense merciful justice. Son’s of God defer to God. They let the YHVH God be the real King. While leading and intercessing like Noah,Enoch,Moses. The wisdom of God walked in Solomon’s court when Solomon was on David’s throne. It’s not about power,rule,self (vanity) that happens later to Solomon. Irony:) The man who was so smart when he loved and obeyed God actions caused Israel to be cut apart. When Solomon became more and more entrenched in man’s ways of foreign wives, worship, warfare, his own power, and away from God’s ways. Solomon himself had also been like a living child on the verge of death in YHVH’s Court as two ways wanted him.Eventually, Solomon got his head back on straight. Ecc 12:13
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